GG Issue 06

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06 VOLUME

CES 2013 : WINS, FAILS AND MEH...

MICA (P) 135/05/2012

2013

HIT LIST GAMES YOU ALREADY BOUGHT

TOMB RAIDER A SURVIVOR IS BORN

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GAMES OF 2013: THE LAST OF US, DEAD SPACE 3, WATCH DOGS, GOD OF WAR: ASCENSION, METRO: LAST LIGHT & MORE

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02 - Issue 06, 2013

UPCOMING GAMES

RetailerTOP5 THE HOTTESTGAMES OUTNOW

Company of Heroes 2

Rayman Legends

God of War: Ascension

Aliens: Colonial Marines

1. DMC 2. Dishonored 3. XCOM: Enemy Unknown 4. WWE 13 5. Borderlands 2

The Last Of Us

Cyberpunk 2077

Tomb Raider

Gears of War Judgment

Metro: Last Light

Prey 2

Grand Theft Auto V

TEAM PUBLISHER Jacky Choo jacky@playworks.asia

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Gibbson Ang gibbson@playworks.asia

1. Nino Kuni 2. DMC 3. The Walking Dead 4. Hitman Absolution 5. Assassin’s Creed 3

South Park: The Stick of Truth

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Rainbow Six: Patriots

Killer is Dead

1. Nino Kuni 2. DMC 3. Call of Duty Black Ops 2 4. Hitman Absolution 5. Mass Effect Trilogy

SENIOR REGIONAL CREATIVE DESIGNER Marcus Greiert marcus@playworks.asia DESIGN CONTRIBUTORS Joyce Lee Kai Ting joycelee@playworks.asia MEDIA GROUP HEAD Candice Cheong candice@playworks.asia MEDIA MANAGER Johanna Kuan johanna@playworks.asia ASSISTANT EDITOR Michael Khoo michael@gx.com.sg

TOP 5 XBOX LIVE ARCADE GAMES

1. Halo 4 2. Nino Kuni 3. DMC 4. Assassin’s Creed 3 5. Far Cry 3

WRITERS Justin Choo ADVERTISING SALES AND MARKETING Media Group Head Candice Cheong candice@playworks.asia Media Manager Johanna Kuan johanna@playworks.asia Philippines Correspondant Josephine Oliver PRINTING Printer Colourscan Co (Pte) Ltd 53 Ubi Avenue 3, Singapore 408863

1. Guild Wars 2 2. Far Cry 3 3. DMC 4. Hitman Absolution 5. Mass Effect Trilogy

GG is a monthly publication of Playworks Pte Ltd, 42 Kaki Bukit Crescent, Level 3, Singapore 416267 www.playworksonline.com

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Skulls of the Shogun

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GAMES 2012 Issue 06, 2013 - 03

that didn’t make

The Last Guardian We’re starting to think that The Last Guardian won’t even make it to the PS3. Perhaps the PS4?

It’s been so long since this game was announced at god-knows-which E3 and we’ve since forgotten that such a development even exists. As gamers, we are sour.

As Team Ico fans, we are extremely disappointed. Yes, great games take time to produce, but it’s starting to feel like an eternity. At the rate we’re getting updates, Team Ico looks primed and ready to break the Guinness world record for the game with the longest development.

To be fair, there has been no news about The Last Guardian coming out in 2012, but as we’ve mentioned, we can’t even remember how long ago it was when Sony announced its development. One thing we do know is that anything Team Ico does is worth waiting for, even if it involves a griffin-dog… griffog?

Metro: Last Light The last title (Metro 2033) was a demanding monster and till today, it is used for benchmarking PC builds.

From the in-game footage and hands-off demo seen (two E3s ago), Metro: Last Light will be no different. The graphics of this sequel have definitely been kicked up a couple of notches and this survival horror FPS is one of the very few left in the genre to actually induce the panic and tension that gamers of today are so very deprived of. Although a tad repetitive, Metro 2033 was a fantastic experience and one that we would gladly endorse.

We’re confident that Last Light will offer a gripping story and compelling gameplay, but this game will also tell the PC gamers/enthusiasts how boss (or crappy) their rig really is. Console players won’t have to deal with the heartbreak – that is associated with not being able to play this game on ultra settings – at the expense of a little step down in visuals, but even so, expect Metro: Last Light to dazzle regardless of platform.

Bioshock Infinite 2012 was jet set to be the year of epic sequels and although we’ve seen the biggest players like Assassin’s Creed 3, Hitman: Absolution, Halo 4 and 2K’s very own Borderlands 2, 2012 felt incomplete without Bioshock Infinite. (Insert emo frown here) The good news is (unlike The Last Guardian), Bioshock Infinite is slated to hit stores this coming March. Pre-ordering Bioshock Infinite (at participating retailers) will also allow you to start earning in-game items even before the game goes live. You’ll earn the items via a free puzzle game (with over 50 levels) and if you’re already excited, you may want to consider pre-ordering the game’s Ultimate Songbird Edition – it’s awesome!

StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm We have had plenty of time to calibrate the twitches in our wrists in Wings of Liberty and we’re ready for whatever Blizzard can throw at us with this expansion.

Everyone knows that Blizzard takes their time and everyone knows that Blizzard produces the best games ever to grace our PCs, so the delay of the world’s greatest RTS is actually a lot more bearable.

Playing from the perspective of Sarah Kerrigan is certainly enticing, but we’re more excited about the new units that will be introduced to the game’s alreadyflourishing multiplayer. Heart of the Swarm is probably in its tune-and-spit-shine phase now and with a definite release date in mid March, this expansion will be the most legendary expansion that Blizzard has ever put out. We’ll have to be patient with our pre-order slips for now, if not for Blizzard, for the swarm!

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04 - Issue 06, 2013

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

The have been so many changes being made to this game (name, developers, etc.) that we wouldn’t be surprised if Revengeance ends up an entirely different game or adopts another ridiculous name. The fan base that the Metal Gear franchise has built is no joke, so it really doesn’t matter what this game ends up being, we’re already onboard.

God of War: Ascension

How dare you say no the video gaming’s angriest man? No franchise puts a spin on Greek mythology better than God of War and besides the 2 Batman games, no other third-person hack and slash/beat’em up comes close to the Ghost of Sparta. Unlike, Dead Space 3, the idea of multiplayer for Ascension sounds very tantalising.

Just hope the net codes are well written.

Army of Two:

The Devil’s Cartel

Why did they decide to ditch Salem and Rios?

We don’t really know but we’re pretty relieved to find out that the Devil’s Cartel will focus on two new operatives (named Alpha and Bravo) because things are beginning to get cheesy with the old duo, especially in The 40th Day. What will the Frostbite 2 engine do for this cover-based franchise? We don’t know, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed for more organic destruction rather than scripted ones.

Dead Space 3 One of the best survival horror games to grace this generation’s consoles is Dead Space. Our fears are that the franchise might go the way of Resident Evil and become a full-blown action game, and quite frankly, the trailers suggest that our fears might come true. Why would anyone want to play a survival horror on co-op? Either way, Visceral did such a good job with 1 and 2 that we’d put our money down for Dead Space 3 no matter what.

Crysis 3 It is hard to put a finger on why we’re so excited about Crysis 3. It could be that after using Crysis 2 as a benchmark (for hardware performance) for so long, the tech geek in us is dying for something new. The gamer on the other hand will be looking forward to an awesome FPS experience with jaw dropping attention to detail. Bows never go out of style. Never.

Metro: Last Light Every year of gaming needs a post-apocalyptic shooter and Borderlands 2 took the mantle for 2012 and although it’s early 2013, Last Light has already got our vote for the post-apocalyptic shooter of 2013. It looks ridiculously polished and the game’s tone and atmosphere is handled with such finesse. This game will drop jaws, guaranteed. It is also likely to make your performance PC feels like a hand-me-down system from 2010.

2013

HIT LIST

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Gears of War:

Remember Me We’re excited because this may be the game to

Come March, Xbox 360 owners all over the world will rejoice as one of the console’s most beloved franchise sees a new edition to the family.

Judgment will pre-date all the other releases in the franchise and who better to lead the cast than wise-crackin Baird and the Cole-train. In true Epic Games fashion, the game looks stunning and the new multiplayer modes look enticing as hell.

break the mold. It does seem a little too inspired

by Mirror’s Edge, but the idea of manipulating memories is a concept that is way too exciting to ignore. We’re in the middle of an era where every other game is either a first or third-person shooter that tells a mediocre story, so Remember Me is definitely as fresh as they come. Let’s just hope that Capcom keeps all the content on this game’s disc available on day one.

Judgment

GTA V

GTA IV is a game so iconic that it is hard to look at any open-world game without thinking of GTA IV. Rockstar’s very own Red Dead Redemption was also an iconic open-world game, but it was no GTA. GTA V is bound to set new standards and establish breakthroughs in the world of video gaming. While Rockstar has revealed a fair bit about GTA V’s 3-protagonist campaign, we’re wondering what the game’s multiplayer offering might entail. We’re talking about a game that even non-gamers know about, so of course it’s on our hit list. Duh…

Watch Dogs

Hooray new IPs, especially the ones that look as gorgeous as Watch Dogs. It’s hard to tell if this game will even run on current-gen consoles, but a 2013 release is very possible, since the gameplay demo at Ubisoft’s E3 2012 Press Conference was shown using a wired Xbox 360 controller. Actually, if you consider Assassin’s Creed III, Watch Dogs doesn’t seem that impossible for this-gen…

Beyond Two Souls

If you were guilty of continuously spamming the X button in a shopping mall in an attempt to look for your son Jason, you will want this game in your library. Unlike Heavy Rain, you have full control over Jodie Holmes (Ellen Page) and a mysterious entity known as Idan. Quantic Dream’s latest experiment will also see you through the 15 years of the protagonist’s life. How that plays out, we’ll have to wait and see, but do keep your eyes on this title though – big Game of the Year contender for sure.

The Last of Us As if there was a need for us explain why Naughty Dog’s latest project makes our hit list. It’s much darker, a lot more brutal and definitely has more gore. Without playing, it already looks like a good game, but it would be interesting to see what surprises Naughty Dog brings to the table.

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06 - Issue 06, 2013

Vigors for Plasmids You will discover and acquire special abilities known as Vigors and these are very similar to the plasmids in the first Bioshock. You are a regular person but consuming vigors lets you attain powers such as the ability to make hostile machinery and turrets friendlies instead of hostiles (Possession), the ability to throw fireballs (Devil’s Kiss) and the ability to summon murderous crows to do your bidding (Murder of Crows). The left trigger uses your vigors and some vigors allow you to use the abilities as traps (by holding down the trigger).

Salts replenish your ability to use vigors and you acquire salts, the same way you acquire health – by picking them up. Alternatively, you may choose to pick up and consume foods that reduce your health but increase salts.

Developer: Irrational Games Publisher: 2K Games Platform: PS3, Xbox 360, PC Release Date: March 26, 2013

BIOSHOCK INFINITE Rewriting the American History

I

t feels funny to call Bioshock Infinite a sequel

The NPCs of Bioshock Infinite Listening to the NPCs jabber about just about anything is actually quite entertaining. More and more games are tapping into the voyeuristic nature of most gamers and Bioshock Infinite is definitely one of them.

because it isn’t really linked to the previous 2 Bioshock and the differences are even more jarring since Bioshock Infinite’s story takes place in the skies of Columbia, instead of underwater. The experience, however, isn’t that different. You ditch the sunken dystopia of Rapture and greet the airborne metropolis that is Columbia, but exploration feels very much the same.

It is pretty fuzzy, even from the get-go, how this city came to be or even how you ended up on this city. All we can tell you is that you end up on the airborne city of Columbia, not by chance. From our time with the game, Bioshock Infinite’s narrative is one that sprinkles a little bit of what’s going on and slowly unfolds as you progress through the game. Granted this isn’t the newest and most exciting way to tell a story but Irrational Games have done a spectacular job sprinkling the game with glittery bits and pieces of what’s happening in this foreign city of Columbia. You’ll soon come to realise that despite having the

technology to keep an entire city in the sky, Bioshock Infinite takes place in a more simpler time where everyone is religious and believed in prophets, saviours, and evil.

Bioshock Infinite’s take on religion is slightly twisted and even before we begin to understand what’s happening, something about Columbia’s prophet and savior doesn’t feel right. Statues, paintings and glasswork in earlier parts of the game may depict Father Comstock as a pious individual but the old man position in Infinite’s narrative suggest that he is in some way linked to either Booker DeWitt (you) or Elizabeth. What’s important is how hungry you will be for answers to the questions that you’ll ask yourself 10 minutes after you’ve popped the game in, and just when your curiosity has simmered down, the game brings it back up to a boil again. We shouldn’t really dive that much into Bioshock Infinite’s narrative but let’s just say that Father Comstock and Booker DeWitt don’t really hit it off from the get-go.

Your relationship with Elizabeth on the other hand, is

Issue 06, 2013 - 07

GoodGame

Amazing View The Bioshock series is known for vivid visuals that are intricately distinct. The steam punk streets in the skies of Columbia are detailed with various architectural and design elements of the late 1800s to early 1900s. Street lamps, tables, cabinets, bottles and just about anything you can lay your eyes on in this city above the clouds feels in place.

This is a game that is far from realsitic and it shouldn’t be. Fantasical mechanical horses, giant robotic bird and Frankenstein-ish handymen aren’t easy to relate to, and cell shading just doesn’t convey the seriousness of the game’s overall tone. Perhaps the greatest looking games only come out of the woodwork towards the end of a console’s lifecycle, but Bioshock Infinite looks magnificent. It truly is remarkable how something this visually stunning is running on an Xbox 360 instead a next generation console, and if it looks this spectacular on the Xbox 360, one can only fantasize about how wonderful it’ll look on the PC.

one that very few games are able to craft. We played game from the beginning (for 2 – 3 hours) and got to rescue Elizabeth only about halfway through our session. We’ve all been there and played games where you have to protect an important character and this is, unfortunately, the most painful and annoying thing about escort and protect missions because these VIPs are usually made of glass and way too prissy. After rescuing Elizabeth, she follows you around and becomes a trusty ally rather than dead weight. Yes, you are tasked to protect her, but most of the time, Elizabeth is capable of carrying her own weight, all while providing assistance like dishing ammo to you as well as picking up items. It could be her vulnerability and somewhat naïve character, or it could be in the midst of all her assistance, but we soon found ourselves very concerned about her. This relationship between DeWitt (the player) and Elizabeth is a subtle one, but masterfully crafted by the good folks at Irrational Games.

Perhaps one of the main reasons why Elizabeth is held “captive” (like Rapunzel) is her ability to cause tears in the fabric of space and time. So besides using guns, vigors and your trusty Sky-Hook to rid yourself of danger, Elizabeth can also open tears to assist you.

Tears introduce a lot of unpredictability in the game as Elizabeth is able to transport things like a wagon for cover, a turret, and even entire freight cars. Of course, the her abilities affect her so she can’t always be using her abilities.

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08 - Issue 06, 2013

Developer: Crystal Dynamics Publisher: Square Enix Platform: PS3, Xbox 360, PC Release Date: March 5, 2013

TOMB RAIDER

A Survivor is Born W hile many have portrayed her, none have

really claimed her the way Hugh Jackman has claimed Wolverine. Lara Croft, the character is very much like The Hulk; many have played Eric Bana but few have owned the character the way Patrick Stewart owned Professor X. But Lara Croft isn’t someone we can easily put a face to, and although Angelina Jolie or the more recent Alison Caroll come to the mind of many, putting a finger on Lara Croft isn’t as easy associating her to someone with ridiculous stage presence.

So who or what is Lara Croft? The answer is pretty straightforward actually. Take John Rambo (Stallone from Rambo) and combine this one-man army with Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver in Aliens) and you’ll have a basic understanding of Lara Croft as a character. But you won’t be playing as the heroine that you have come to know, not in Tomb Raider 2013.

The upcoming Tomb Raider is an origin story of how Lara Craft came to be and she starts off as a frightened young woman, shipwrecked on a tropical

island in the Dragon’s Triangle. This is where Tomb Raider (2013) starts to differ from past Tomb Raider games, as the game places a strong emphasis on survival from the get-go. The game doesn’t stray far from its action-driven roots, but instead of wielding two pistols, running and gunning with the confidence of a Spartan, she is vulnerable, scared and doubtful she has what it takes to survive. Tomb Raider is designed to take players on Lara Croft’s character-defining journey, so while it may help to leave everything you know about Lara Croft at the door before playing, it isn’t entirely necessary.

Tomb Raider is fairly structured and linear and players are usually welcomed into corridors that are either occupied by enemies or obstacles. That said, you quickly lose the sense that this game is linear thanks to how cinematic action sequences are. Even within the first 20 minutes of playing, it became obvious that Crystal Dynamics was going to be shipping a hearty dose of adrenalin with every copy of the game. Of course, no Tomb Raider will be complete without its fair

share of chin-scratching puzzles and this one is no different.

An RPG element is also introduced to Tomb Raider and players will be able to salvage items and raw materials to augment and upgrade weapons and gear.

Some of these upgrades will allow players to traverse areas that were unreachable before. XP can also be used to unlock skills and abilities, such as allowing her to carry extra ammunition, or blinding enemies with dirt. On the whole, this RPG system works its way into Tomb Raider very well, and the upgrade trees and system lends itself to how green our female protagonist is.

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Unlike Uncharted…

It is often said that Nathan Drake (from the Uncharted series) is the male version of Lara Croft and while we aren’t going to try to split hairs, we’re certainly going to admit that Tomb Raider feels a lot like Uncharted. This isn’t a bad thing, especially for Xbox 360 and PC players, but Tomb Raider starts to distance itself from the familiar action-packed sequences pretty early in the game. You might not be wrong to say that Uncharted’s influences are present, but Lara soaks up a lot more brutality than Drake.

The island is beautiful and just plain gorgeous at times, but it is also the host of the harshest conditions and psyche-breaking encounters. It is this island that sculpts the beginning of our hardened heroine, so it shouldn’t be pretty… not at all, and the M18 label on the game says it all.

Q&A with Brian Horton Art Director of Tomb Raider Fans of the franchise fret not as Senior Art Director Brian Horton puts our minds at ease.

Some stories let their protagonist die, some end on a cliffhanger and most narratives let the protagonist live to see another day. Although the Tomb Raider franchise has been known to be unpredictable, the latest Tomb Raider explores the origins of Lara Croft, and in many ways, it is like a prequel. So we know she won’t die (or suffer any permanently crippling injuries). Narrative-wise, what has been done to keep the game exciting and unpredictable?

The challenge here, is to make the moment-to-moment gameplay compelling. Whatever Lara goes through has tension, challenge and will somehow progress her inner character arc. We sort of know her destination, but not how she got there, so it’s that unknown and what’s around the corner that we use to our advantage. We don’t exactly know the version of the heroine that we’ll get at the end of this story, so for those who are curious, Lara’s going to be different from the Tomb Raider you might be familiar with. She WILL be a hero, the question is, in what way?

Is it wrong to assume that this game aims to develop and dive into the psyche of Lara Croft rather that focus on action?

That is a good way to look at it, and there is that question that you’ll ask yourself, “What are you willing to do to survive?” but what is it that you are preserving? Is it your humanity or are you going to sacrifice your beliefs? In Tomb Raider, Lara has to kill for the very first time. At first, she feels bad for killing a deer (as she didn’t have to kill any animals to survive before) but she has to make that choice. Then she has to kill another human being, so you soon realise the struggle she has to go through to leave this place and save her friends. Lara’s psyche and where she lands is very much central to Tomb Raider. So it is what kind of Lara Croft do you end up with at the end of this game, and what players do to help form this character through the choices you make. So you have the badass action hero part as well as the psychological aspect.

Tomb Raider has always been about Lara exploiting the environments and at times, evading the dangers of her immediate surroundings. At E3, we saw a bunch of environmental kills and there seems to be a whole lot of destruction and destructible environments in this game. Just how much destruction is there?

There is quite a bit of destruction, yes, but I wouldn’t go as far to say that everything is destructable or can be destroyed. Whenever we’re planning a level or an environment, we always ask ourselves which things we’d want to interact with, and we’d usually end up with a lot of things.

Because we have a fully-dynamic lighting engine, we have the

ability to turn on/off any light source in-game. In fact, all light sources could be dynamic if we wanted them to be. It is because of this that we can destroy things that made sense to be destroyed, and there is a lot of real estate in Tomb Raider that is static, but there is also a lot you can interact with. I would say that there is a good 10 percent of the game where there is some sort of manipulation that can be done, whether it is a bush that moves around or something that you can destroy and get resources from.

Is this game going to be linear? How much freedom does Tomb Raider offer players?

Hubstyle gameplay. Linear sections that leads to open spaces. It is not an open world game, but we offer more freedom that any other Linear-based game. You will have an organic traversal through that hubspace. This offers a new style of gameplay that is cinematic, but allows freedom of movement.

Future Tomb Raiders to carry on after this game ?

Think of this as the launching pad for any future things we might do.

Of course, we hope that this game is successful and people like it, so we can do more stories, but everything will take place from this point on.

Tell us a little more about this whole RPG/upgrading system that Tomb Raider has.

We really loved the idea of letting the player revisit areas with new found tools to access and reach areas that were previously unaccessible. Batman: Arkham City did this very well and that’s the feeling we’re going for in Tomb Raider. With the humb system in Tomb Raider, we hope to give players reasons to want to explore and find resources that can be used to upgrade their tools. So, with these upgrades, when they re-enter a space, they’ll not only feel more powerful, but also more rewarded. Take the climbing axe for example; you start with a pry axe, and upgrade it till ultimately, you end up with a tool that will allow you to scale vertical surfaces. The tools and tool-upgrade chains are things that will be present throughout the game, so just when you think you’ve figured something out, we give you a new challenge and there is something new to overcome, and this gives you a reason to want to continue to upgrade your character and your tools.

If you had to compare this Tomb Raider to the previous Tomb Raider games, which previous Tomb Raider comes the closest to this upcoming one?

If I had to place it, I think we’re closest, in tone, to the original Tomb Raider. If you’ve every played the first Tomb Raider, it was actually a very dark and mature game for its time. It felt real even though it was very low polygon and the themes were much more stark even though it grew to become more action-packed and stylised.

3.26.2013

WINNER OF OVER 80 AWARDS

© 2002-2012 Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Developed by Irrational Games. BioShock, BioShock Infinite, BioShock Infinite: Industrial Revolution, Irrational Games, 2K Games and their respective logos are trademarks of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. “PlayStation”, the “PS” Family logo and “PS3” are registered trademarks and the PlayStation Network logo is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Kinect, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Entertainment Software Association. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

REVIEW TESTED ON

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VERDICT

TESTED ON Developer: Ubisoft Montreal Publisher: Ubisoft Platform: PS3, Xbox 360, PC Release Date: Out Now

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mong the Far Cry titles that have been released, this third instalment is the easiest to pick up and play. It does away with Farcry 2’s repetitiveness of always having to grab malaria pills (lest you end up dead by disease) and because you’re put in a situation where you have to rescue your friends.

Every pirate you kill, animal you hunt, and area you explore has some sort of fitting purpose into the grand scheme of rescuing your buddies, and that pretty little girlfriend.

You are Jason Brody, fearless daredevil filled with a lot of untapped potential. Your ability to run, jump, climb and overall better than average physical fitness stems from the fact that you are a school swimmer and a natural athlete. On your casual visit to a tropical island with friends, you and your group (one girlfriend included) run into a bunch of psychotic pirates and are captured and ready to be sold into slavery.

Somehow you escape, not before watching your own brother die, another friend die and yourself being physically tortured by a maniacal individual known as Vaas. One of the reasons we enjoyed the game so much was how scenes made you really want to kill Vaas. The convincing voice-acting and the true-to-life raw and crude dialogue will make you wish you could get back at the pirate who shot your brother in the head, despite the fact that you’re merely a college kid.

Thankfully, you meet one of the natives who sees something special in you. He talks about the “Tatau” which really is a tattoo on your hand that slowly covers your forearm as you add skills and abilities. These skills you pick allow you to either pull off fancy takedowns with your knife, or help you get better at firearms, till you become a better hunter and killer. Interestingly, this sort of works itself well into the story of the game. As a man who is stuck on a tropical island filled with crazy, murderous pirates and have your friends all kidnapped, you would want to train up just to save them. Lets not forget you’ve been given “boosted combat powers” from a tattoo.

The game presents you an open world setting for you to train and hone your skills. You may singlehandedly raid pirate camps and help the natives take back control of the island, do the various quests to help out the natives and gain experience points for yourself, or you could hunt animals for their skin to make bags.

These bags increase your capacity to carry more weapons, ammunitions, explosives and medical syringes.

The game caps the amount of skills you can learn, and the only way to move up the ladder would be to progress in the main story.

One of our favourite things about Farcry 3 are the Takedown moves. These are stealth melee moves that allow you to kill a human-only target from the back. As you level up, this Takedown eventually evolves into being able to take your current target’s knife and throw it at another target for two silent kills. In other words, Jason gets better as he kills more people.

There are also weapons in the game, and you can either buy them from the gun shop or get them for free as you scale radio towers. Radio tower scaling feels a lot like Assassin’s Creed and this is not surprising since we’re talking about a Ubisoft game here. You may add attachments to your weapons and we suggest trying to get a silenced sniper rifle as early as you can in the game. This will be useful for taking out targets from far and hunting animals. Should you need a rifle, the pirates carry one that you can easily acquire.

The year 2012 has seen a lot of better than average games, but Far Cry 3 feels like the best part that was saved for last. While others might argue about this claim, it has been a long while since an FPS-RPG could incorporate simple gameplay mechanics, an attention drawing storyline, and striking balance of purpose and activity. Everything you do in Far Cry 3 adds up to that greater good of beating down a bully you want to smack in the face.

Besides being a graphical treat for high-end PC players, there are many things to do in Farcry 3. We took our time and finished in just under 16 hours and there is an abundance of optional quests to take up.

Unlocking radio towers and taking over outposts is ridiculous fun as well.

REVENGE SOLVES EVERYTHING

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Š 2012 Bethesda Softworks LLC, a ZeniMax Media company. Revenge Solves Everything, Dishonored, Arkane, Bethesda, Bethesda Softworks, ZeniMax and related logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of ZeniMax Media Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved.

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THE

WINS, FAILS, AND

MEH...

GreatGadgets

Oculus Rift

Razer Edge

Any sort of flexible display

We aren’t that excited about the concept of virtual reality in gaming but we are willing to stand on our heads (if we had to) for more immersive gaming experiences as well as the possibilities this piece of technology can bring to the world of gaming. The Oculus Rift is able to render stereoscopic 3D, provide a massive field of view and has low latency head tracking.

It doesn’t have to replace conventional gaming.

Instead, it could offer an alternate perspective in games like The Sims or place you directly in the cockpit of a muscle car. Dual analogue (or keyboard and mouse) controllers have served us well in shooters and continue to do so, but you can never shoot at something while looking in another direction. If you are able to do it in real life, you ought to be able to do it in a game, and the Oculus Rift is our best bet.

Everything comes together on the Razer Edge and it is that one device that can fill many voids because it isn’t just a Windows 8 tablet. It is a Windows 8 tablet that is designed with gaming in mind, and it offers the gamers options. The key word here is ‘options’.

It’s slightly thicker than what you ‘d expect from a 10” Windows 8 tablet and that’s because it is more powerful than a regular Windows 8 tablet.

It comes with a variety of optional add-ons that include a keyboard dock, mobile console dock (Fiona), and home console dock. The keyboard and mobile console docks also add cell life to the Edge.

The best part about the Razer Edge is that it ships within these couple of months, so you could have “Project Fiona” in your hands a lot sooner than you think.

Uber thin touch screen displays will allow for thinner and smaller smart phones, but do not expect floppy-screen phones and tablets anytime soon. While ultra thin, flexible OLED displays aren’t exactly a fail, smart phones and tablets have rigid parts like batteries, RAM, processors and mainboards that will definitely cause some sort of protuberance and eye sore on your gorgeous screen.

The bottom line is, don’t expect a super thin and super flexible device to come without the baggage of batteries and processing power. Screens are thin enough as they are, so let’s work on making other components thinner.

Win / Fail / Meh Win / Fail / Meh Win / Fail / Meh

NVidia Project Shield

Curved TV Panels

This is probably the most impressive hand-held gaming device we have ever seen, but that doesn’t make Project Shield an instant win. Since all the heavy lifting has been done on your PC, all this hand-held unit has to do is decode video and this translates to longer battery life.

It also plays Android games but other than that, we don’t really see why anyone wouldn’t want to game in front of their PC. Like we’ve mentioned, this is a remarkable machine, no doubt, but since nothing replaces the keyboard and mouse combo (especially PC-only players) it has to come at a very practical price point. User satisfaction is also important and although we aren’t too sure if what we saw at CES was the final product, the Shield’s D-pad doesn’t too promising.

The point of a curved OLED TV is actually to enhance the immersive panoramic effect that is impossible with flat panels. A curved panel also allows the distance between the user and TV to be the same from almost any angle. This means a better viewing experience for a bigger audience without the need to huddle-up in the middle of the couch.

Come to think of it, we’ve come full circle now; from tube TVs with rounded screens, to flat screens, to flat panels, to 3D panels, to this. The idea of spending more for a screen so that a couple of others may enjoy the same experience just doesn’t sound like something that will take off in Singapore, not with the ever-shrinking sizes of families as houses.

Ultra HD / 4K displays Lenovo Horizon Table PC It can be used as a regular touch screen Windows 8 PC, but because of its size (27 inches), it can be used as a ‘table PC’, complete with ten-finger multi-touch. We believe that table PCs are the way of the future, and they could very easily replace any smart TV where digital entertainment is concerned.

This all-in-one will definitely compliment the Xbox 360 owner and there might even be an entirely new genre of table-top gaming that may spawn from very affordable tablet/table PCs like the Lenovo Horizon.

It is hard to explain exactly how brilliantly crisp Ultra HD is, but to give you a rough idea, it is 4 times the resolution of regular hi-definition 1080p displays. Such pixel density does translate to a more relaxing viewing experience, but the problem here is the lack of 4K content. At this point, we aren’t even confident if next-gen consoles are even capable of driving such high resolutions, so Ultra HD displays could go the way of 3D displays and end up being a novelty. There is also the argument of just how much the human eye can see, but we’re steering clear of that debate for now.

These 4K displays ought to hit the market around the middle of 2013, and if history is any indication, they’ll come at mega sizes (70” and above) and cost an arm and a leg.

Win / Fail / Meh Win / Fail / Meh Win / Fail / Meh Win / Fail / Meh

GreatGadgets

14 - Issue 06, 2013

THEGG Gift Guide

CHINESE NEW YEAR

Asus Orion Pro Although the Orion Pro doesn’t have the ANC (Active Noise Cancelling) feature that the Asus Vulcan Pro has, it features the same exclusive ROG Spitfire USB audio processor for hassle-free, one-click gaming sound enhancements.

This driver-free DSP (Digital Signal Processor) has dedicated one-click buttons for FPS EQ that optimises positional audio, 7.1 virtual surround mode and an AMP mode that boosts overall in-game detail. No drivers mean no naggy interfaces to navigate, and that means more time owning.

Audio-wise, this headset is a heavy hitter despite being remarkably light and comfortable. Even without the ROG Spitfire processor, these cans still push a decent amount of detail with firm mids and stable highs. The Orion Pro’s retractable bidirectional mic, leatherette headband and ear cup paddings are certainly touches that gamers go gaga for, but more than anything else, this headset spells comfort with a capital “C”.

Razer Manticor Constructed from a single sheet of aircraft-grade aluminum, the Manticor is as durable as it is light. It is also extremely thin, and this helps reduces the scrapes associated with higher-profile hard mats, while its profile is wider and gives you more vertical swiping space.

But with all that said, the lure of the Manticor lies in its surface. Its labdeveloped microscopic texture promotes consistent and accurate tracking, and the all-black sandblasted surface feels great under your hand, swiping or not. A non-slip rubber base (that covers the entire base of the mat) keeps the Manticor rooted to your desktop, so if you’re looking for a robust and lightweight hard surface that tracks and glides without hesitation, you’re looking at a winner.

Thermaltake Level 10 M Gaming Mouse This mouse is what happens when BMW teams up with a peripheral company that is serious about what they do.

The Level 10 M gaming mouse is an adventurous one and we say this, not because of its striking craftsmanship or design, but because it boasts features that will make any gamer raise an eyebrow. As if an 8200 DPI sensor and aluminum chassis aren’t impressive enough, the Level 10 M lets you customise the arc of the mouse as well has how much it tilts. These are small adjustments that will definitely help keep your gaming consistency for the long run. This mouse may have been styled by BMW, but it definitely has the soul of Thermaltake, with airflow design, 11 programmable buttons as well as room onboard for 5 profiles.

You won’t be able to adjust the length of this relatively large clicker, nor will you be able to do anything about its heft. Depending on how you grip your mouse, the Level 10 M’s thumb stick (literally) might get in the way, so while this mouse won’t feel like a natural extension of your arm right off the bat, we see a lot of potential for anyone willing to brave the gentle learning curve of using this mouse. This IS a high performance gaming mouse and is available in black, white and army green. We were supposed to feature it in last month’s Christmas buying guide, but it was just too silly to do so – it looks so sexy and sophisticated that you’re very likely to end up using it instead of giving it to someone.

Jabra HALO2 We’d be lying if this Bluetooth headset’s name didn’t intrigue us, but it is the HALO2’s design, size and perfomance that makes it worthy of your CNY takings.

After you’ve gotten over how remarkably light and compact it is, brace yourself for just under 8 hours of continuous use and up to 13 days on standby. It pairs with more than one device so you don’t have to worry about always having to go through the pairing process when you swtich between using it with your smart phone and PS3/PC. You’ll don a curious frown when you try these on for the first time simply because the svelte stature of the HALO2 isn’t reflected in its soundscape. Again, for something so sleek, it guns pretty gutsy bass levels while keeping clarity in both music and voice. Yes, it does calls as well and it also comes for a cord for use with media devices that aren’t armed with Bluetooth. What more could you want in a headset of this class?

Issue 06, 2013 - 15

Razer Carcharias The legendary Razer Carcharias is back, and the great value and performance that won swarms of PC gamers over is now available for Xbox 360 players.

The Carcharias will work with any Xbox 360, even the legacy first-gen “fat” Xbox 360s because Razer has included the required cables for a drama-free plug-and-play experience. It would’ve been nice to see a braided cable instead of a regular one, but the 3-metre cable doesn’t knot up as much as one might think.

We’ve been seeing a couple of improved peripherals from Razer and the Carcharias is one that definitely gets our stamp of approval. It is quality peripherals such as the Razer Sabertooth and Carcharias that give Xbox 360 fan boys something to smirk about in the never-ending war between Xbox versus PlayStation.

For those of your who get an earful from buying “unnecessary” and “expensive” gaming gear, this headset is to commemorate the year of the snake.

Logitech k310 The k310 does have a pretty unique colour scheme for a Windows 8 compatible keyboard but this isn’t why it made our CNY buying guide. The reason the k310’s here is because it is a truly washable keyboard. This keyboard is perfect for those who love to snack or even have complete meals in front of their computer. It’s not just spills that we keep our keyboards from and because oily or sticky keys can feel just as horrible, it’s extremely comforting to know that you can just unplug the k310 and throw it in the sink together with the dishes for a good washing. The key characters are laser-printed and UV coated, so wash away and worry not about fading keys.

This keyboard has very high liquid resistance, but that doesn’t mean you can take this board swimming or point the nozzle of a water jet at it. There are limitations to any product, but the k310 will serve well, as long as it’s used and washed within reason.

NZXT Kraken X60 What’s the big deal about the world’s first 280mm closed loop liquid cooler?

Roccat Kone XTD The Roccat Kone XTD is everything the Roccat Kone [+] is and since the XTD is built on the rock-solid foundation and ergonomics of the Kone [+], you could say that the Kone XTD is a better and improved Kone [+].

Actually, it is the best Kone variant ever manufactured.

The Kone XTD, though ergonomically similar to the Kone [+] houses many new improvements like a beefier processor, sturdier buttons as well as an 8,200 DPI sensor. But it is never about crazy-high DPIs because how good a mouse feels is all in the glide as well as the tracking and the Roccat Kone XTD has it all. Roccat products usually sport a finish that feels premium and the XTD is no exception. The XTD also has a very comprehensive driver that is simple to use and storing macros is no problem as the Kone XTD has plenty of onboard memory just begging to be used.

With Roccat’s proprietary Easy-Shift[+] button duplicator, you’ll have close to double the amount of physical buttons the Kone XTD has and if you’re not into cordless mice, the Kone XTD is one of the best corded mice out there on the market that is definitely worth your Ang Pao takings. It is worth mentioning that the Kone [+] and Kone XTD are rather large and bulbous mice, so if you need a smaller version of excellence, the Kone Pure doesn’t stray too far from Roccat’s pride.

GreatGadgets

36% more surface area (compared to 240mm radiators) for cooling is enough reason to sway most votes but the increased surface area also translates to fans that don’t have to work as hard to cool the CPU, resulting in a quieter system altogether.

The Kraken X60 fits just about any of today’s sockets (Intel or AMD) so all you have to be concerned about is the amount of space you have in your chassis.

Some enclosures only offer dual 120mm mounts (instead of dual 140mm), so be sure your chassis has the appropriate mounts as well as clearance for the Kraken X60’s radiator. And just in case you’re out shopping for a chassis as well, the X60 will fit the HAF XB (featured on p.16-17) with no issues.

This kit comes with two 140mm PWM fans, and unless some DIY-ing is done, you won’t be able to have a push-pull config due to the thickness of the Kraken X60’s radiator. We’d highly recommend a pull configuration, simply because it makes cleaning and maintanence of the X60’s radiator a lot easier.

GreatGadgets

16 - Issue 06, 2013

GG

GAMER’S MEDIA CENTRE

Besides sweet gaming, PCs are being used for multimedia more than ever. Who wants to watch TV when there is an abundance of media online just waiting for you to explore?

Because we’re using our PCs to watch high definition movies and season after season of Korean Dramas (god forbid), now is as good a time as any to feature a rig that is perfect for the all-rounder user. No media centre would be complete without a Blu-ray player/drive and we’ve decided to go with an external Blu-ray reader/writer (p.18) instead of an internal one out of practicality as well as vanity.

Cooler Master HAF XB This is Cooler Master’s first cube-type chassis and we chose this chassis for a couple of reasons. Due to the vertical nature of towers, a mid or full tower would rarely find its place near a TV console. So the shape of the HAF XB makes it easier for this media centre rig to be positioned on a console rack/table.

You can rest assured that any Cooler Master chassis that falls into the HAF (High Air Flow) family means business and although the HAF XB might take on a very different structure from the other HAF enclosures, it is still one badass case worthy of the HAF name. Because its PSU, ODD and storage drive bays are located on the lower tier of the HAF XB, the bulk of cable clutter does not make it to the upper tier. This is excellent, as the top tier hosts the hot stuff (pun intended), namely the mainboard, processor/radiator, graphics card and RAM. Cooling is very efficient because of this arrangement, and the case has enough clearance for a 240mm or 280mm radiator to be mounted on it’s front.

With water-cooling options and a robust construct, the HAF XB is certainly for the hardcore, as it can also be used as a test bench. If you’re still prefer towers to cubes, you can also check out the CM Storm Scout 2 or if you have the space, the CM Storm Stryker.

Issue 06, 2013 - 17

AMD A10-5800K + MSI FM2-A85XA-G65 Since this is more of bang for your buck PC, we chose to go with AMD’s mid-range A-Series processors. It’s clocked at 3.8GHz but since it is unlocked, you can push it to 4.2GHz with a few clicks in the BIOS. AMD’s A10 APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) can be used without a discreet graphics card (if you’re thinking of running a low performance day-to-day use PC) because it is essentially a CPU that is also graphics core. We’re building a media centre that doubles as a gaming rig, so we opted for proper graphics card. The A10’s integrated HD 7660D core can also be run in CrossFire with a cheap GPU, but an FX chip and discreet graphics card would actually make more sense if you’re looking for a bit more power than what we’re featuring.

The FM2-A85XA-GD65 is equipped with MSI’s Military Class III hardware, known to promote stability and compatibility. Its layout is very clean, and although having onboard Wi-Fi features would be good, this board has enough details a mainstream board should have.

MSI GTX 670 Power Edition

Cooler Master Seidon 120M

If there were ever a graphics card that we can’t find a fault with, this would be it. It’s an awesome card with awesome build quality, looks, as well as awesome value for money. What sets this kit apart from other GTX 670s on the market is the GTX 670 Power Edition’s ability to be overclocked as well as overvolted. Tweaking values on the included MSI Afterburner software is as simple as moving around a couple of sliders and the board’s dual-fan Twin Frozr design does a spectacular job at dissipating all the heat you throw at it, silently.

In the right hands and a little overclocking, this card can be just as fast (if not faster) than the pricy GTX 680. What’s there not to like?

Finally, a maintenance free closed-loop liquid CPU cooler from Cooler Master. It’s been a long time coming and this particular unit seems to be designed for the masses. We say that because the Seidon 120M’s relatively slim radiator (27mm) actually makes water-cooling possible for enclosures that aren’t roomy enough for thick radiators.

Although the HAF XB did provide us enough room for a thick 240mm radiator, the Seidon 120M works just fine, even with a slightly overclocked A10 APU. The Seidon 120M’s clean overall aesthetics are what made us pick it out of the bunch, and this closed-loop liquid CPU cooler comes with fittings for FM1/AM3+/AM2 and just about any current generation CPU from Intel.

G.SKILL Ripjaws Z Series

Corsair Neutron GTX 240GB

16GB of DDR3 RAM is more than enough to run all your gaming and multimedia needs but we chose this kit partly because its colour matched the colour scheme we were going for. We didn’t necessarily need a kit that runs at 2133MHz but because we’re so big on having internals match, this was a necessary “evil”. You see kids, sometimes it is ok to spend a little more on your rig for the sake of vanity, but when you add performance into the equation, you have to throw in the towel and submit to performance RAM that doubles as eye-candy.

In case you’re new to building rigs, black G.SKILL Ripjaws are the best performing (and also most expensive) of the Ripjaws Z series of RAM. The Blacks go well with just about every other build, and they’re totally worth it, regardless of what your build may be.

There has to be something wrong with you if your computer does not have a solid-state drive as a boot drive. Prices for SSDs are really competitive now and it really doesn’t make any sense for you to wait longer than you should, while your computer boots oh so slowly to the “tune” of mechanical drives…

We chose the Neutron GTX 240GB specifically because the Neutron GTX Series of SSDs were designed to support data-intensive work that involves accessing multiple files simultaneously. This sounds like a dream for video production or large-scale graphic work, but it also means being about to run multiple applications at once without pausing to take a breath. We opted for the 240GB Neutron GTX drive (even though 120GB was more than enough) because it hit the sweet spot when it came to sequential read and write speeds as well as overall price per gigabyte.

Western Digital Black 4TB

Corsair AX760i

We went crazy with our storage drive here, as Western Digital had just introduced a 4TB Black drive with 7,200 RPM as well as a 64MB cache. That, and the fact that we’re certified digital packrats. Skipping the 3TB capacity altogether and heading straight for 4TB model actually makes sense, since the Black drives are all about high capacities with high performance thanks to 7,200 RPM spindles.

Unfortunately, the hike we saw in prices of mechanical drives (due to floods in Thailand) have yet to recover completely, so if a 4TB Black drive burns your pockets, you can always fall back on a 2TB Black drive. Besides, there are 2 mechanical drive bay slots in the HAF XB, so another 2TB Black drive at a later date isn’t really a that big a stretch.

Choosing a good PSU is tough, since the hype around gaming rigs are usually around processors, RAM and graphics cards. You can’t go wrong with a modular PSU like the AX760i since it reduces cable clutter (resulting in better overall air flow) but besides determining what wattage you need for your system, spending that little extra on a PSU with a high-efficiency rating as one with a Platinum rating means less wattage will be lost as heat.

Traditional power supplies have analogue components for regulating voltages, but the AX760i uses a DSP (digital signal processor), which is faster and more accurate. We aren’t going to argue with this PSU’s 80 Plus Platinum rating, but it is worth noting that you can control and monitor this power supply via Corsair link as well.

The AX760i is a fine example of what a top-notch PSU needs to be and it’s also available in higher capacities (AX 860i, AX1200i). Just remember to look for the “i” when you’re out shopping for your Corsair PSU, and you can’t go wrong.

GreatGadgets

GoodGame

18 - Issue 06, 2013

Media Centre Must have

Asus SBW-06C1S-U D

o you really need a Blu-ray ODD (optical disc drive) in your build?

The answer both yes, and no.

Everything is going digital and with services like Steam, there is hardly a time you’ll need to even pop an installation disc into your system. Even if you do, you’re going to have to go through updates that you end up downloading anyway. It’s the same thing with fresh spanking new motherboards and graphics cards where you download the latest BIOS and drivers instead of using what came in the package.

So yes, you don’t need ODDs as much as you did in the past, but you’re going to need one for the occasional Blu-ray movie or even if it’s just for burning a new MP3 CD for your car.

The truth is, all you need is one ODD per household and since you only need one, make that a slim one and make it look good. How about one that upscales DVDs, does 2D to 3D conversion, and burns Blu-rays twice as fast as regular Blu-ray burners? We thought so to.

Issue 06, 2013 - 19

GreatGadgets

NexStar HX4R O

ne of the most painful first world tragedies is losing all the music and video files you’ve been painstakingly renaming, categorising and hording. Backing up your files will prevent such tragedies and you’ll need more than just an external HDD if you truly treasure your digital archives. You’ll need an external hard drive RAID enclosure like this one.

The NexStar-HX4R holds up to a maximum of 4 hard drives (3.5”) and this enclosure supports a variety of modes including JBOD (just a bunch of drives), RAID 0, 1, 3, 5 and 10. This enclosure even has its own 80mm fan, fan controller and vents for air intake, resulting in cooler drives that last longer, but we highly recommend running 2 hard disks in RAID 1 (mirrored) just so you will further reduce the risk of losing your precious files due to drive failure. Running RAID 1 might mean you only end up with half the storage 2 drives might provide, but it also means that if any of the drives fail, you can simply pop in a new drive and have it mirrored again.

Yes, mirroring slows down disk writes (since the data is being written twice) but read speeds benefit from a RAID 1 array. The NexStar HX4R connects via USB 3.0, so transfer speeds are not going take as long as they would on regular RAID enclosures.

This is a pretty straightforward and goof-proof enclosure that would be a big compliment to any media centre PC. It’s the whole package of good looks, functionality, reliability and pretty much a hassle-free experience. This enclosure doesn’t come with the drives required to boost and safeguard your storage, so you’ll need to allocate some funds towards actual drives to make this work.

Western Digital My Net N900 Central

T

he My Net N900 Central is many things; it’s a router, a wireless access point, a network switch, a NAS (Network-attached Storage), and very possibly, an Apple time capsule replacement.

Let’s begin with what a fine router this is; Rated at 900Mbps Wi-Fi speed (450 + 450Mbps), this HD Dual-band beast will handle the most intense fibre speeds your provider can pump through the optical fibres currently. This unit is designed and optimised and prioritise multimedia streaming and gaming services (such as Xbox LIVE) over lengthy file downloads (such as torrents) and it does so, out of the box, without having you to do anything.

Available in either 1TB or 2TB capacities, the integrated storage can be accessed wirelessly or over Gigabit Ethernet network, and also features a USB port at the back of the unit, should you wish to further expand your storage possibilities. This storage can even be accessed on mobile devices with the use of a four-digit PIN, using the WD 2go app.

It’s fine if you did not understand the bulk of what was written about the My Net N900 Central. Just know that it is a very fast router, switch and access point, with the convenience of storage at hand. Installation and setting up the My Net N900 Central is remarkably simple and fuss free too. It also makes other routers and access points look clumsy and silly.

© 2012 Bethesda Softworks LLC, a ZeniMax Media company. The Elder Scrolls, Skyrim, Bethesda, Bethesda Game Studios, Bethesda Softworks, ZeniMax and related logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of ZeniMax Media Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks or trade names are the property of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved.

“2”, “PlayStation” and “À” are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. “ ” is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Issue 06, 2013 - 21

GreatGadgets

Razer Sabertooth

T

here is so much to say about Razer’s latest controller it’s hard not to go on a silly fan boy verbal diarrhoea spew, but it is indeed one of the best Xbox 360/PC controllers we’ve laid our hands on.

It seems weird, but we’ll start with the part of this kit that isn’t the controller. Each Sabertooth comes with an awesome hard shell-type carrying/storage case, a pair of additional grip caps for the analogue sticks and a detachable 10-foot fibre cable that is, of course, braided.

The main unit boasts several additional programmable buttons that are located on the shoulder and underside of the controller. Unlike the additional shoulder buttons on the Onza, the Sabertooth’s additional shoulder buttons are more discreet. They are very accessible and will hardly be actuated by accident.

The additional trigger-like buttons on the Sabertooth’s underside might require some getting used to, but if they get in the way of how you hold your controller, you can remove them with a special tool (provided) and cover the gaps with rubber plugs (also provided).

Adjusting the sensitivity of the thumb sticks no longer requires you to twist a knob. You adjust the sensitivity of the analogue sticks digitally, using the LCD display as well as dedicated program buttons.

Armaggeddon Phantom

I

t is evident that Armaggeddon is fine-tuning their peripherals to perfection and this is very evident in the Phantom. This mouse retains the weights management system that is found in Armaggeddon’s higher-end mice, and by any standard, being able to customise the weight of your mouse is a huge plus.

Although the Armaggeddon Phantom isn’t the first gaming mouse to boasts a blistering high 8200 CPI, what’s more important is how well the mouse’s sensor tracks and the Phantom tracks particularly well (out of the box), partly due to its buttery glide. Fantastic ergonomics also make this mouse a joy to behold, and we especially love the extra-grippy sides and very

accessible (and macro-able) thumb button. Besides the typical forward and back thumb buttons, the Phantom has an additional thumb button that you click down on (instead of sideways) and this helps eliminate unnecessary mouse movement because there is a tendency for your mouse to jerk towards the right with typical thumb buttons.

It’s got onboard memory, on-the-fly CPI adjustments, a four-way scroll wheel and a sleek finish with matching braided cables to match. To sum things up, the Phantom will definitely find its way into the palms and claws of medium or big hands due to its fairly large stature.

Programming the additional buttons on the Sabertooth is also done with the LCD display and this process is actually simple and quick enough to be done during loading screens.

As you would expect, the Sabertooth is in place for the competitive gamer seeking that edge over his opponent. This controller seems targeted at the FPS fanatic (i.e.: having both thumbs on the thumbsticks while changing weapons/reloading), but a robust build, awesome overall finish and customisability make the Sabertooth putty in the hands of any experienced player. This controller will definitely give you the upper hand, and it might not be fair and square, so it’s definitely not for the choirboy who says his prayers, eats his vegetables… you get the picture.

GoodGame

22 - Issue 06, 2013

Issue 06, 2013 - 23

GoodGame