GG Issue 10 by Eugene Seet

RAZER ATROX: FOR THE NO-NONSENSE GAMER

GOOD GAME

10 VOLUME

MICA (P) 135/05/2012

THE

NEW TOYS

PLAYSTATION 4 & XBOX ONE

THE LAST OF US A MODERN DAY MASTERPIECE

COLLECTOR’S EDITION

BREAKDOWN

RESISTANCE ISN’T FUTILE, IT’S NECCESSARY- IF IT WERE UP TO US, EVERY PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY WOULD BE WATERPROOF, MORE IN

INSIDE: THE LAST OF US, REMEMBER ME, YAYS AND NAYS OF E3, NEXT GENERATION CONSOLES & MORE

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

GoodGame

02 - Issue 10, 2013

UPCOMING GAMES

RetailerTOP5 THE HOTTESTGAMES OUTNOW

Saints Row IV

Rayman Legends

Beyond Two Souls

Watch Dogs

Batman: Arkham Origins

Cyberpunk 2077

Pikmin 3

Thief

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Prey 2

1. The Last of Us 2. God of War: Ascension 3. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 4. Tomb Raider 5. Bioshock Infinite

Grand Theft Auto V

TEAM PUBLISHER Jacky Choo jacky@playworks.asia

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

1. The Last of Us 2. Animal Crossing: New Leaf 3. Bioshock Infinite 4. Project X Zone 5. Tomb Raider

South Park: The Stick of Truth

Dragon’s Crown

Rainbow Six: Patriots

Killer is Dead

1. The Last of Us 2. Company of Heroes 2 3. Animal Crossing: New Leaf 4. Project X Zone 5. Bioshock Infinite

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

LATEST MOVIES TO OWN

WRITERS Justin Choo

1. The Last of Us 2. Animal Crossing: New Leaf 3. Soul Sacrifice 4. Muramasa: Rebirth 5. Project X Zone

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. The Last of Us 2. Company of Heroes 2 3. SimCity 4. Tomb Raider 5. Bioshock Infinite

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

A Good Day to Die Hard

Copyright© 2009, Playworks Pte Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication shall be reproduced, stored in, or introduced to a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means without the prior consent of Playworks Pte Ltd.™ and © for all other products, characters and its graphical depictions contained therein are properties of their respective trademark and copyright owners. PLAYWORKS PTE LTD 42 Kaki Bukit Crescent, Level 3, Singapore 416267 Tel: +65 6339 3083 Fax: +65 6339 3079 Playworks would like to thank the publications; PSM3, XboxWorld 360, Ngamer, PC Gamer, Edge and GamesMaster for their excellent content, help and support for making the new Playworks magazine possible.

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters

Warm Bodies

Dark Skies

23.08.2013 #erasethetruth

©1994-2013 Take-Two Interactive Software and its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. 2K Marin, the 2K Marin logo, 2K Games, the 2K logo, XCOM, and Take-Two Interactive Software are all trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. “PlayStation” and the “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks and “PS3” and the PlayStation Network logo are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Kinect, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. All other marks and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

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04 - Issue 10, 2013

COLLECTOR’S EDITION B R E A K D OW N

Issue 10, 2013 - 05

Security Deposit Bag with key

Collectible Steelbook with Exclusive Artwork

The collector’s edition of GTA IV came with a rather flimsy duffel bag, so this security deposit looks really, really good. Just like the duffel bag, the security deposit bag in inspired by in-game events (heists) and this money bag features a pop-up style lock and laser-cut logo key to secure important items. The reverse side features a pressed Rockstar Games logo on the security mount, and a framed ID window as well. This bag measures 10.75” x 8.5”, and looks pretty darn useful.

This SteelBook features double-sided artwork of GTA V’s three protagonists; Michael, Trevor and Franklin. Don’t expect this to be your typical SteelBook, as there will be custom colours and metalllic treatments that are bound to bring out the detail in the artwork. GIMME GAUGE

GoodGame

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GIMME GAUGE

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New Era 9Fifty Cap This is actually an offical New Era 9Fifty cap, no kid! “Los Santos” is embroidered on the front, stitched Rockstar Games logo on the left and Grand Theft Auto ‘V’ logo applique on the right. If you know your New Era caps, you’ll know that the white sticker indicates that it is a snapback cap, which means it’s adjustable and will fit just about any head. Of course, the fitted caps are the way to go when it comes to New Era, but we’d rather get a snapback cap rather than a fitted one that, well, doesn’t fit.

Blueprint Map This is actually a big blueprint, measuring in at 21.5” x 26.75”, and this map shows Los Santos and Blaine County. There are also cryptic markings that will lend a hand to players, as these markings indicate locations for fast cash and other points of interest. GIMME GAUGE

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GIMME GAUGE

1 2 3 4 5

D I GITAL CONT E N T Stunt Plane Trails

Special Ability Boost

This DLC lets you take on single-player Stunt Plane Trails which consist of aerial challenges that are spread throughout Los Santos and Blaine County.

Michael, Franklin and Trevor each have a unique special ability, and their special ability bar will generate 25% faster.

We say: We’re used to seeing timed trails take place in open-world games, but they either take place on land or at sea. It’s going to be really nice to be able to hone in on aerial acrobatics ASAP.

We say: We’re not so sure about this, because this might make certain elements of the game too easy, but on the other hand, this boost wouldn’t be much of a boost if it only helped slightly.

Bonus Outfits, Tattoos and More Michael, Franklin and Trevor get bonus outfits in their wardrobes, character specific tattoos at tattoo parlours and special deals from shopkeepers across Los Santos and Blaine County. We say: We’ve always been big fans of character customisation, as it helps players feel more connected to the characters. We’re even bigger fans of exclusive discounts from in-game economies, and as long as it means more money in our virtual pockets (and less grinding), we’re all ears.

Custom Characters for Grand Theft Auto Online Classica GTA characters will be available for use with this DLC, in the Grand Theft Auto Online Character Creation System We say: Rockstar is serious about developing an online community and it’s good that they’re beefing up character customisation for online modes.

Unique Vehicles and Garage Property Players will instantly receive a garage to store custom vehicles. In single player, the garage will be stocked with the 1930’s style Hotknife hotrod and the CarbonRS sports bike. Players will get the high-end Khamelion electric car for use in Grand Theft Auto Online as well. We say: It really sucked that we couldn’t collect all the sweet rides that we acquired, legally (yeah right) in GTA IV, so a garage is definitely welcomed with open arms.

Additional Weapons Special Weapons will be available for free when you visit ammunation stores in single player. These weapons include the Pistol .50, Bullpup Shotgun and melee Hammer We say: We’re talking about a game that involves heists, definte violence and definite shootouts, definite beatdowns, so arming us with some toys from the get-go is defnitely music to our ears.

But wait! there’s more!

17th September is the date that the world will be waiting for and you can be pretty damn sure that everyone (every logically sane person) in your friendlist will be playing GTA V. We don’t even need Science to back us up on this prediction/theory but that’s another article for another time. The good news is that GTA V is confirmed to hit you on the 17th of September. You don’t need us to tell you, you’re savvy enough to pre-order it yourself. Here’s the bad news: You’ll never know what it’s like to fly a blimp in a video game until the very same day. Pre-ordering GTA V will guarantee that experience, and since everyone will be pre-ordering GTA V, you’ll be one of the few poor saps who won’t know what it’s like if you don’t.

GoodGame

06 - Issue 10, 2013

Developer: Naughty Dog Publisher: SCEA Platform: PS3 Release Date: Out Now

THE LAST OF US A modern day masterpiece

aughty Dog’s latest masterpiece has been

Bring your friendsz The Last of Us also offers multiplayer and it serves as sort of an extension to the campaign. In Factions, you join either the Fireflies or the Hunters and duke it out in Supply Run and Survivor. These two multiplayer modes should be approached the same way you would play the game – being patient and using stealth to harvest and gather items to increase your weapon variety. It’s certainly a very welcomed change of pace from the typical Call of Duty twitch action.

mass-produced and put on store shelves for simple folk to purchase and experience. We won’t be the first to tell you, but if there were ever a game to buy the PS3 for (if you don’t already own one that is), it would be, The Last of Us. The PlayStation 3 has had the luxury of enjoying some pretty sweet exclusives like Metal Gear Solid: 4, the Uncharted series, Heavy Rain and Little Big Planet, but none of them can hold a candle against The Last of Us. The Last of Us tells a raw tale of what life as a survivor would be like roughly 20 years after the outbreak of a dead airborne virus (that turns humans into zombie-like beings). You take on the role of Joel, a jaded man with a jaded past and a series of events put you in a situation where you have to deliver a person (Ellie) to a bunch of rebels known as the Fireflies. The Last of Us isn’t necessarily a game driven by story, but it is definitely one that is driven by relationships and emotions. The game really takes off about half an hour in (after you meet Ellie) and it’s very rewarding to watch the relationship between Joel and Ellie develop. This is a game that is meant for a mature audience, but violence has very little to do with that rating. The Last of Us addresses human nature and retains the unpleasant dark sides, making in-game interactions very realistic. That said, be prepared to try holding back them manly tears of yours when you play through the first 15-20 minutes of the game. There will be several jarring, shocking and thought provoking moments that The Last of Us will share, and you’ll definitely applaud the stellar voice-acting performances by the cast of The Last of Us. So now you have a rough idea that The Last of Us tells moving tale, and builds on relationships

characters form. But the beauty of this game is that it doesn’t forget the core gamers out there who hunger for intense gameplay elements and sequences – think Heavy Rain (story) meets Uncharted (gameplay). Being a survival-type game, we have expected The Last of Us to be a linear game, but what we didn’t expect was how un-linear the game felt. A big part of how un-linear The Last of Us felt had to do with clever game planning. Excellent level design, enemy/threat location and behavior really helps in keeping a player rooted in the experience and The Last of Us sets a new standard for this. Almost every encounter or sequence is complimented by well crafted sets that make the paths (that players follow) feel natural instead of constrained. That natural feeling is also present in the game’s structure. The Last of Us is a survival-type game that involves scavenging, crafting and proper rationing of ammo and supplies. Being seasoned and veteran gamers, we tend to make that seeming pointless run/ turn to that obscure corner of the map in hopes to find some precious collectible or upgrade, but we’ve been disappointed so many times in The Last of Us. This adds another layer of realism to the game, because not

Issue 10, 2013 - 07

every cupboard of drawer contains things you find useful or can pick up. The odds are pretty much against you, so stealth elements really make sense, but The Last of Us does particularly well because you’ll WANT to approach stealthily. We’ve played a bunch of games that let you “go stealthy or go guns blazing”, but The Last of Us is one of the few that has stealth segments that don’t feel over imposing, and still offer a decent chance of surviving if you choose to rush in. The graphics in The Last of Us are no slouch either. In fact, The Last of Us is probably the best looking game on the PS3 to have ever been created and seeing as how the PS4 is making its way to the market soon, The Last of Us is probably going down as the most beautiful game on the PS3. Details fill every setting and it feels like every individual scene was rendered separately (rather than filled in with generic tables and chairs). Amidst the morbid undertones, The Last of Us is a wonderfully imagined visual spectacle. The Last of Us also presents a few emotional moments and these moments are really outstanding, thanks to the subtle facial animations of the characters

that are so accurately portrayed. We thought Naughty Dog did an amazing job with Uncharted 2 and 3, but The Last of Us is just, wow. So it’s a great looking game with great characters that you’ll come to care about and love. The game’s mechanics are spotless and the game plays and feels fantastic. You’ll need to survive the infected as well as survivors that are usually more hostile than the infected. Although there isn’t a great variety of enemy types or enemy variants, having to deal with both the infected and survivors keeps combat from feeling repetitive. There are bigger and more evolved infected, but there isn’t a big boss fight or anything of that sort. With The Last of Us, Naughty Dog has proven yet again that they are Sony’s ace in the hole. Anything Naughty Dog develops is gold and – we know it’s early – The Last of Us could very well be 2013’s game of the year. That’s saying a lot, especially when GTA V, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Watch Dogs, Beyond: Two Souls and Batman: Arkham Origins are well on their way. You’ll make many mistakes in 2013, but if you choose to opt out of The Last of Us, it’ll be your biggest mistake.

GoodGame

HHHHH

100 GG

VERDICT

REVIEW TESTED ON

GoodGame

08 - Issue 10, 2013

TESTED ON

HHHH

Developer: Capcom t Publisher: DONTNOD Entertainmen PC 360, Xbox PS3, orm: Platf Release Date: Out Now

VERDICT

REMEMBER ME: An experience you won’t soon forget T

OUT NOW

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.

he setting is Neo Paris and it looks gorgeous and livable. There is considerable effort in making Neo Paris believable and we can’t help but applaud Dontnod Entertainment for crafting such detailed environments. Details are actually very important for a game that focuses on exploration, melee combat and platforming and while Dontnod Entertainment nailed the visuals, it would’ve been nice to see more interactivity with the surroundings. Neo Paris is a place where memories can be wiped away and sold. Memories feel a lot like drugs and only the wealthy are able to afford them, which is why the slums of Neo Paris are inhibited by hollowed souls that were once, proper human beings. You (the main character and protagonist) were actually on your way to join these empty shells of human beings until someone helps you escape by giving you directions over your comms device. You play as a character named Nilin, a former Errorist memory hunter that has had her memory wiped by Memorize. You’ll spend the rest of the game trying to piece your past (and who you were) together, and you’ll want to, because there is enough intrigue that is being crafted to make you (the player) want to progress. You’ll soon find out that Nilin is the best at what she does but since she still hazy from having her memories wiped out by Memorize, you’ll need to spend the rest of the game re-gaining her abilities and skills. This story arc lends itself pretty well to the game’s leveling system. Nilin has the gift of being able to dive into people’s minds, steal and remix memories by altering key elements to affect the outcome. The ability to alter memories is actually a lot more powerful than it sounds, as enemies can become allies, and sane can become insane. Think of the movie The Butterfly Effect and you’ll get what we mean. Remixing memories is satisfying and it’s fun to see

how the changes you’ve made play out. You’ll spend quite a bit of time in this trail-and-error mode until you get things “right”. Because you are able to rewind and fast forward as you please, there is no real consequence if you screw up remixing a memory – it’s quite impossible to fail, and if you do, you can always hit rewind. Combat is a pretty integral part of Remember Me and you are able to customise how your combos will be. It sounds very promising, but what you actually do is piece together templates of different strikes to form a combo string. Some strikes have perks like giving you health or more damage, so putting the right attacks together helps more than you would think. While there are quite a few animations to unlock and choose from, you’ll end up sticking to the few that you favour, mainly due to the benefits/perks of said attacks. Combo-ing is rather satisfying once you get the hang of it but again, there is a tendency to stick to the few that you have committed to memory. There aren’t any major issues with the game’s combat mechanics, but they don’t really encourage players to explore and try out new strings. Boss fights are both a hit and miss, and if you’ve been playing video games for a while, you’re bound to notice a pattern. Boss fights in Remember Me usually involve a few other henchmen that you’d take out first. Then it’s one-on-one time with the boss, but these battles utilise the same gimmick of striking the guy when he’s open, and stopping your combo to dodge at the right time. At the end of the day, it’s the same mechanics being applied to different animations. Boss fights become quite grindy and this plays well for the gamers who have played 16 – 32bit games growing up, but for the latest generation of gamers, the grindy boss fights may drain the fun out of a unique experience. On the whole, Remember Me does put together quite an enticing package, filled with unique experiences that you cannot find in other games. It doesn’t quite hit the high notes the way games like Journey or Heavy Rain, but it’s definitely worth a shot if generic shooters/hack and slash games are starting to grind your gears. Remixing memories is very cool (but under utilised) despite exploration, combat and platforming being slightly above average. It’s not a game you’ll have a problem remembering, but it isn’t too hard toi forget either.

Build. Discover. Conquer. Rule the World!

JULY 12 2O13

Civilization Revolution

The second epic expansion for Civilization V © 1991-2013 Take-Two Interactive Software and its subsidiaries. Developed by Firaxis Games. Sid Meier’s Civilization V: Brave New World, Sid Meier’s Civilization V, Civ, Civilization, 2K, Firaxis Games, Take-Two Interactive Software and their respective logos are all trademarks of Take-Two interactive Software, Inc. Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. All other marks and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

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10 - Issue 10, 2013

Yays and Nays of Life isn’t always sunshine and rainbows and E3 is no exception. More often then not, every pleasant surprise is usually plague with a dozen other horrible pieces of news and judging how E3 2013 went, it’s a fantastic time to be a gamer. On the whole, there were more fist pump moments than there were cringe moments, and in case you missed out on the action, here are the major hits and misses of E3 2013.

Yay!

Yay! Yay! No more motion Sticking it to the man controls! We love Sony press conferences for their gamerly antics. You may recall Kevin Butler throwing some jabs at Microsoft a few E3’s ago, ridiculing how silly controller-less motion controls are (pew pew), while the two giants were fighting motion control wars. This year, they went all out, harping on how Sony won’t take the right away from the consumer and how they support used games. There is even a short “tutorial” video titled “This is How You Share Games on PS4” that went viral. It’s a legit move and we love it, especially when you have the better product, but despite the reveals, it is still too early to say who has the better box, especially after Microsoft has seen the error of their ways.

Noticed that there were hardly any announcements about games that involve motion controls? That’s fantastic! The past two E3’s were plagued with software desgined to push motion controls and while there is a market for these games, there is just too much on a hardcore gamer’s plate to even consider motion/gesture games. Ain’t nobody got time for that!

Nay!

Pricetags There was no mention of the PS4 or Xbox One last E3. A year has passed and we have the official price for the Xbox One (US$ 499) and PS4 (US$ 399). This is awesome news and it gives the would-be fan a rough estimate of how much it would cost in Singapore. Considering how much the previous gen consoles cost on launch, we think the prices for the PS4 and Xbox One are fairly reasonable. It’s a very good thing that consoles are getting cheaper and cheaper each gen, so double Yay!

Yay! Facial Expressions

Destiny Wise Cracks Iwata-cast What exactly is an Iwata-cast? We’re glad we asked. If you watched the Nintendo Direct @E3 2013 stream, you would have seen Nintendo CEO, Satoru Iwata, stiff as a board, talking about the latest offerings hitting the Wii U and 3DS. An Iwata-cast is what happens when Iwata tells you what a game has to offer, immediately AFTER watching the trailer that c-l-e-a-r-l-y illustrates what it has to offer. Go watch the presentation and tell us that it doesn’t have to be 41 minutes long.

The game looks fantastic. Lighting is brilliant, Public Events sound like they will open up new gameplay experiences, and if it’s a shooter from Bungie, it’s probably going to be a hit. We have no problem with the game, what we do have a problem with, is their silly presentation at the Sony Press Conference. We get that there will be interactions between players but please, for the love of god, someone put a stop to these scripted and cringe-inducing wise-cracks and squeeky clean trash talking. It would’ve been a much better demo if they just relied on a commentator or if they just kept their mouths shut.

There has always been a descrepency between the portrayed character and his/her expressions. Most this-gen games will fall flat if they relied on telling a story or conveying a message using solely facial animations, and it might be because of the limitations of this gen, but the subtlety of facial expressions just fail to impress on this gen consoles. So if next gen were to promise anything, it would be more life-like characters thanks to the ability to animate the subtle changes in the game characters’ faces. Game’s like Ryse, Quantum Break and even InFamous: Second Son look a whole lot more convincing. The line between games and movies can truly be blurred now that expressions are so accurately portrayed.

Issue 10, 2013 - 11

GoodGame

Yay! Yay!

Nay! Halo 5 Microsoft’s stealth mode: On It’s like the 3 weeks leading up to E3 didn’t happen. The Microsoft press conference was indeed an impressive showcase of amazing exclusives, one after another, but gamers were hoping to hear their concerns (about the horrifying news about the Xbox One) being addressed. Granted, it is up to Microsoft to decide how they want to run their annual press conference, and they really didn’t have to address anyone if they didn’t think it was necessary or worth it. We’re just saying, we stayed up and tuned in just to check out what you have to say about the Xbox One’s restrictions, the least you could do is spend 5 minutes talking to us about it…

Nay! Xbox Slim-er Besides being quieter, there is really no real reason to own the new super slim Xbox 360. It’s just a few hairs thinner than the first Xbox 360 slim, which makes not having optical out (a fairly common HD audio standard) a big sin. Touch buttons and component ports are also absent in the slimer Xbox 360 but it’s retail price remains the same. It’s like Microsoft is trying to make you see how awesome the first Xbox 360 slim is. Why bother even announcing something that is insignificantly smaller, quieter and inferior?

Yes, the fight was supposed to end in Halo 3, but the world just can’t get enough of Halo. Some fans might think that Halo 4,5 and 6 are just created to milk the franchise, and while they may be right to feel so, it’s worth taking a look at history. The first Halo revolutionised FPS games on the original Xbox. Halo 3 took the gaming world by storm on the Xbox 360. With the Xbox One well on its way, we’re willing to bet that Halo 5 will be the best Halo game you or any other Halo fan has ever played. That, and it’s going to play at a consistent 60 frames per second.

Nay!

South Park: The Stick of Truth This isn’t just a game created using South Park characters, it’s a game that was made specifically to tell a tale that the creators of South Park (Matt Stone and Trey Parker) have penned themselves. Not much was revealed about the Stick of Truth, but we know this for sure; We need Stan’s dad to show us the way of the Nagasaki. Don’t know what that is? Do yourself a favour and YouTube it.

Nay!

Drake loves FIFA Why do publishers find the need to bring celebrities (who have nothing to the game) to present their titles? It makes sense to bring Kobe Bryant out to talk about and play NBA 2K12 because Kobe Bryant is a basketball superstar (in case you didn’t already know). Usher’s hit Scream was a playable track in Dance Central 3, so his perfromance at least year’s Microsoft E3 conference made perfect sense as well. Ice-T also made an appearance at the Microsoft E3 2011 conference, but that was only because he’ll be voicing one of the characters in Gears of War 3. So it puzzles us a whole lot when Drake appears to talk about how much he loves FIFA. It’s EA’s press conference, so they could’ve gotten Celine Dion to go on stage to talk FIFA 14, but having celebrities endorse the industry’s leading soccer game just seems silly. Perhaps FIFA 14 will feature tunes from Drake, and that’ll help make a little sense of things, but until then, we don’t need publishers to pay celebrities to appear on conferences to promote a game that – in our opionion – could’ve cost less.

Second Screen Gaming It’s not that we’re skeptics or anything, but why would anyone want to game on a tablet? We’re not dissing tablet games here, but it just doesn’t seem feasible. Latency issues (which is a big thing) aside, the first batch of second screen games are bound to be plagued by compatibility issues and failiure to connect to servers. The games that have been confirmed to support tablet gaming are Battlefield 4, The Division and Need for Speed: Rivals. All is fine and dandy if you already own a tablet, but if you don’t already own one, we’re guessing second-screen-gaming is not going to be very persuasive either. Then there is the issue of downloading every other client that every other publisher is going to enforce… On the whole, the folks at GG feel that second screen gaming is going to be as big as motion controls are – which is rather gimmicky - but we’d be very happy to be proven otherwise.

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Price Point With a confirmed price of US$399, the PS4 (with 500GB hard drive) sounds like a steal. Think about it, the PS3 (that came with nothing but a DualShock 3 controller and power cables) cost a lot more than a PS4. The PS4 is way more advanced, comes with controller that is technologically superior to the PS3’s DualShock 3, and comes with a mono headset as well. On the whole, the PS4 is a very, very compelling deal, and we like the fact that we, the consumers, aren’t forced into a bundle and burdened with the cost of the camera (PlayStation 4 Eye) when we might not even want in the first place.

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Availability Being region-free, the PS4 looks like it will be available worldwide this November (or so we think), but if history is any indication, we’ll see PS4s in stores a little later than the so called “global launch” date.

The Sony PlayStation 4 wasn’t designed to destroy the Xbox One, at least that’s not what we think, but we think that is was a very, very smart (and cunning) move to be announcing that the PS4 won’t tie you down with the nonsense that Xbox One would, especially game ownership. Listen very carefully to what Jack Tretton says, and you’ll notice that he did not mention anything about stopping the publishers from releasing any DRMs or activation codes. You see, although PlayStation (the console) won’t stop you from playing used games, the publishers can. So it is a really thin grey area and the PlayStation 4 has carved for itself, but until there is official word that ALL PlayStation 4 games (regardless of publisher) won’t require any additional fees to be played on another console or another account, online or offline. So here’s the important news to take away from the Sony press conference.

Yay PlayStation LIVE! The PlayStation 3’s free online play was indeed too good to be true and come PS4, you’ll need to be a PlayStation Plus subscriber to enjoy playing games online with fellow PS4 friends. PlayStation Plus is reasonably cheaper than Microsoft’s service, but lets hope that paying less doesn’t equate to a poorer experience. Cross game voice chat may or may not be exclusive to PlayStation Plus subscribers, but the most important question is whether online interactions on the PSN will improve, now that you have to pay to play online. As it currently stands, Xbox LIVE does feel a lot smoother than PSN, and joining a friend’s game while you’re halfway through another game is elementary on the Xbox 360 while it feels like jumping through hoops to join a friend’s game on PSN right now. US$5 translates to less than S$8 a month to be able to play PS4 gasmes online. It would be wise to assume that we won’t get the full benefits of being a PlayStation Plus subscriber (since we live in Singapore), so it would be nice if we received some sort of perk or incentive like a free download every month.

Bundled Mono Headset The PlayStation 4 will also ship with a mono headset out of the box. This is seriously a big deal, because as we’ve seen from what Microsoft has done before, including a headset encourages players to communicate (since it comes with the system) and solcialise. Playing online is very much a social experience as it is and interactive one, which is why communication is so important, especially when majority of the multiplayer offerings require some degree of teamwork and coordination. A port on the bottom of the controller (again, similar to the Xbox 360 controller) is where the wired mic goes into, and we remain curious as to whether the DualShock 4 controller’s built-in speakers can be used for comms. Perhaps for generic “bomb has been planted” or “fire in the hole” type commands, but it’s anyone’s guess, really.

Cross Game Chat What Xbox LIVE did a long time ago (since 2005) is going to be one of the features the PS4 will carry. Communicating with friends while playing different games is going to be a definite possibility with Sony’s next-gen console. This may not seem like a big deal to exsisting PS3 owners (who don’t have/play on the Xbox 360), but this is definitely a big draw for those who play exclusively on the Xbox 360.

Price Point At $499, the Xbox One isn’t the most expensive piece of tech you’ll spend your money on, and before Sony announced the retail price of their console, US$499 did sound like a reasonable price for a next-gen console. It didn’t seem expensive, but it wasn’t a steal either. The Xbox One comes with the new Kinect, and we’re guessing that the new Kinect is probably why Microsoft’s new console isn’t retailing at a lower price. After all, it’s not like there is anything remarkably hi-tech about the Xbox One controller. We doubt that there’ll be a Kinect-less Xbox One bundle either. To be honest, we don’t think anyone (who takes games seriously) is excited about the whole “forced Kinect” bundles, but seeing as how the Xbox One is seemingly designed around the Kinect, the new Kinect better be good.

Availability It’s no surprise that the first few Xbox Ones we’ll see in Singapore will be imports, but having to wait an entire year before the Xbox One becomes officially available to us is BS. One can only imagine how much market share of gamers Microsoft is going to lose out on, but if you’re intending to get both, the Xbox One’s delay will give you some time to set aside US$499.

Life has to suck if your name is Don Mattrick (though we’d gladly trade our pay cheques for his) and the Xbox One has been on the receiving end of the perhaps the most legendary flack/fan uproar the industry has ever seen. If any console were to be backward compatible, it would be the new Xbox. That was what we thought, and it seemed like a logical assumption, seeing as how the Xbox 360 was backward compatible. So as if learning that the Xbox One wasn’t backward compatible wasn’t painful enough, Microsoft went ahead and dealt a slew of other horrifying announcements prior to E3 2013. It’s like they were trying to go for the title of most horrifying reveal ever. As we all know, Microsoft has decided to take a different stand when it comes to used games and always online setting that created such an uproar worldwide. That’s a good thing, but this is going to be a big scar that gamers and Xbox fans won’t soon forget. So we can finally breath again, now that we can swap, trade and exchange games for the Xbox One (the same bloody way we did on the Xbox 360) but that doesn’t mean that there is nothing to take away from Microsoft’s E3 conferences right?

Friend list limit Thank you for allowing us to make and keep more friends on our Xbox LIVE accounts. To be honest, we don’t see how increasing the number of friends you can have on the Xbox 360 would be an issue, and we’re sure we aren’t the only ones that have been b*tching about it since forever. Our question is, “Why don’t you start implementing the new 1,000 friend limit for existing Xbox 360 gamers?”

Xbox SmartGlass and Kinect 2.0

Exlcusives, exclusives, exclusives Even if you still resent Microsoft for its stupid decisions to go the “always-online” and “no used games” route, you’d have to give it to them for their showcase of outstanding, awe-inducing exclusives. A console is only as good as the games it offers and the Xbox One looks to be starting on the right foot. It is way too early to say who has the better console and we know that being the more “powerful” console on paper means nothing if games and developers aren’t taking advantage of the system’s power. Looking at the high level of detail, articulation and animation in the exclusives that Microsoft has announced, the Xbox One’s foundation is going to be as solid as steel. The message that Microsoft’s sending is pretty clear; you won’t be able to play most of the juicy games that they have showed if you don’t own an Xbox One. This means that gamers who have previously decided to sit out the next-gen consoles and play on the PC exclusively need reconsider their options. This whole drive to fund and create exclusive content for the Xbox One is also a strong statement that Microsoft believes that there is a future in consoles and that is very comforting to know.

For an app that will play an integral part of the whole Xbox One experience, there hasn’t been much revealed about Xbox’s app. Besides setting up matches in the background and some fantasy football stat nonsense that we don’t care about, there is really no major news regarding SmartGlass. The Xbox One isn’t the only console that is going to offer second-screen gaming, but they are the only one with a dedicated app that is already up and running. SmartGlass is definitely going to evolve into something more than the simple and primitive app that it is, and we know it will, but when? Besides the high fidelity and field of view, the ability to detect faces and even folds in your clothing is something that is pretty interesting. The ability for Kinect 2 to detect you in the dark is also very promising and while no one in the right mind would play motion games in the dark, the grainy effects of the Kinect 2’s IR sensing has to potential to creep the hell out of you while playing horror games. As for the ability to detect fingers, orientation and up to 6 people at once, we’re still waiting to see how practical that really is in real-world application. The ability to detect weight shifts, force detection and estimation of your heart rate also sounds promising, but again, how it translates (practically) to games is still anyone’s guess.

GreatGadgets

14 - Issue 10, 2013

Resistance isn’t futile.

It’s necessary! If it were up us, every piece of technology would be waterproof or at the very least, resistant to spills and splashes. Why? Because we’re in an age where computers fit in our front pockets, internet access no longer require wires, and little touch screen devices tell us which roads to follow to reach our destination. It just seems silly that we can be travelling to and from work/school in mechanical boxes that are air conditioned and shield us from the rain, but have to worry about getting drops of water onto the precious gadgets we can’t live without. We all know that guy (or gal) who was thrown or pushed into a pool, or had a pail of water splashed on her at a chalet or barbeque (usually the birthday boy/girl). Poor chap’s mobile phone never stood a chance… This is why we’ve decided to put together a catalogue of high-desireable bits of tech that won’t go haywire with the slightest introduction of water. In fact, you can even take some of these gadgets for a swim. Yes, a swim.

Sony Cyber-shot TF-1 How useful is a camera that is waterproof, dustproof, shockproof and freezeproof? Very. While we’re pretty confident you won’t be leaving your TF-1 in the freezer by accident, being waterproof and shockproof is definitely a big deal for the clutz that you are. This rugged compact is rich in features despite being a point-and-click type camera, and above all, it has a reasonable price tag.

Splash – Go ahead Submerge – Why not?

Sony Walkman NWZ-W273 Going for a run? Good on you mate. The Sony Walkman NWZ-W273 will be resistant to your prespiration, and you’ll never get your earphones yanked out by that renegade cord. Should you feel like jumping into a pool right after the run, you can do so, still listening to your tunes. In fact, do a lap or two while you’re at it. It’s no problem, the Walkman will continue playing your favourite tracks. We’ve seen a couple of iterations of this particular Mp3 player from Sony, but we’re truly convinced that this is the lightest and most resilient one thus far.

Splash – Yup Submerge – Please do

Logitech k310 If you love downing your food in front of your PC and then washing everything down with a tall glass of your favourite beverage, this is the keyboard is the best thing that has ever happened to you. There is a mini heart attack waiting to happen when you put drinks on your computer table and while a spill will always result in a mess, the k310 will still be at your service. When your keys start to get grimey, you can even wash the k310.

Splash – Do your worst Submerge – Up to 30cm but not the cable

Issue 10, 2013 - 15

Fitbit Flex Most of the water resistant gadgets we’ve featured here are designed for people on the move and this particular gadget is designed to measure how much you move as well as how much you rest. The Fitbit Flex tracks the amount of steps you take each day, distanced travelled (by foot), the quality of your sleep (including the number of times you awoken), and it even has the ability to gently wake you up with vibrations. While there have been a couple of wristband-type fitness trackers, none are more comfortable than the Fitbit Flex. It’s so comfortable, you’ll soon forget that you’re even wearin one – that’s a good thing. The Flex comes with two different sized bands, and each of the two bands can be adjusted to fit perfectly, meaning you won’t run into a problem when it comes to getting a good fit. It syncs wirelessly to your smartphone (via Bluetooth 4.0 and dedicated app) or your comupter via a wireless receiver (included), so the only time you’ll need to take the Flex off is to charge it. A full charge lasts about 5 days, and doesn’t take more than an hour to charge.

Splash – Shower, rain, whatever Submerge – Swim friendly, up to 3m deep

Sony Xperia Tablet Z This would be a great device for anyone who owns a bathtub or loves soaking in a jacuzzi. Who wouldn’t want to be watching their favourite movies or doing some online shopping whilst chillaxin in a tub like a total boss? The catch here though, is that the Xperia Tablet Z comes with a pretty hefty price tag (for an Android tablet). It is however, PlayStation certified, and that should be a plus to any gamer.

Splash – Do your worst Submerge – Be my guest

SanDisk Extreme Pro SD Card Speed, and reliability is all you need for an SD card, and because pictures are worth a thousand words, they should never be taken for granted. So how about a shockproof, waterproof and even X-ray proof storage card? SanDisk Extreme Pro SD cards function is the harshes and most extreme temperatures, and they do so with read and write speeds of up to 90MB/s. Each Extreme Pro SDHC Card is also backed by a lifetime warranty.

Splash – Bring it Submerge – Sure

Logitech UE Boom This is the perfect companion for waterproof tablets like the Xperia Tablet Z and we say so because the UE Boom will make up for the audio shortcomings of a light and waterproof tablet (such as the Xperia Tablet Z). While you shouldn’t submerge the UE Boom completely, you can subject the Boom to just about any logical kind of physical stress. It’s definitely splash proof and shock proof as well, all while producing solid multidirectional audio. You can even pair up to two of these and enjoy quality stereo (with the use of an app). It also acts as a hands-free, and each charge will give the UE Boom up to 15 hours of play time. Blew your mind yet?

Splash – No harm done Submerge – Better not

GreatGadgets

16 - Issue 10, 2013

STREET by 50 – On-Ear T

o be honest, we weren’t too excited when we received this pair of on-ears, and the first thing we thought was, “not another celebrity-endorsed pair of headphones…” but to our surprise, the STREET on-ear headphones are actually very worth taking a look at. For a pair of headphones that fold up to neatly to occupy a lot less space, this pair of headphones are actually very well crafted, despite being built, primarily out of plastic. Plastic is a tricky word to describe its construct, but that doesn’t mean it’s poorly made. It’s actually very well engineered and its plastic construct does allow it to be fairly lightweight and comfortable to don the entire day. Of course, its plush and sound-isolating ear cups help, but it is the headphones weight that makes it such a pleasure to use. We hate to keep harping on this, but comfort is actually more important than one would think because who needs a pair of awesome sounding cans that are going to cause discomfort? The STREET on-ear features 40mm drivers with Quiescent PNC (Passive Noise Control) and the result is a sound scape that is very pure, free from ambient noise and don’t require batteries. Bass from the STREET by 50 On-Ear headphones is punchy and impactful without

Razer Atrox R

azer is eager to fill the voids in your gaming life and the Razer Atrox gaming joystick is a fine example of their interest and dedication to create top-notch peripherals for the no-nonsense gamer. Gamers who are serious about their fighting games will surely recognise the tournamentgrade Sanwa joystick and buttons that the Atrox sports. This comes as no surprise since competing stick manufacturers (like Mad Catz and Hori) also use parts from Sanwa for their arcade sticks, but the Razer Atrox sets a new standard in arcade sticks by offering a slew of modification options. Unlike other sticks, the modding the Atrox is a very straightforward affair. Instead of Allen keys and screws, the top panel of the Razer Atrox opens with a button, and a hydraulic arm holds the top panel at an angle. Popping the Atrox’s hood gives you access to the buttons and stick, and the cables are even colour coded if you chose to swap buttons out. There is even a chart that lets you know which labels correspond to which button. A honeycomb base also gives you the versatility of mounting any additional components to your stick. The Atrox comes pre-configured with a ball-top stick, but you can quickly change to a bat top (included) that is stored under the hood of the stick with a screwdriver that is also stored under the hood. Its 13-foot cable is detachable and can be stored under the hood as well. The smallest touches on the Razer Atrox are also worth noting. Almost the entire underside of the Atrox is rubber, very much like a high-end hard mouse surface from Razer. This is much better than rubber pegs because it reduces the height of the fight stick, making if far more ergonomic if you use your fight sticks on a tabletop. Of course, the Atrox’s underside grips really well, so it’s not going anywhere even if you’re a mashing newbie. Customising the look of the Atrox is also as easy and downloading a template from the Razer website, printing it out and replacing the original art. Again, unlike other sticks, the screws for removing the top panel (acrylic) are flat (instead of rounded). This eliminates any annoying bumps that could be experienced while transporting or while laying the smack down on scrubs. It goes without saying that we’re very impressed with the stick that Razer has built. It’s a good stick. Period. The only “problem” with the Atrox is probably its fierce price tag. The Atrox can seem like heavy damage, but if you’re serious about your fighting games you’ll want to take a look at the beast that Razer has created.

drowning out the crispy highs and clear mids. They sound great with music as well as for movies and because they’re comfortable and foldable, they encourage you to take them with you everywhere you go. The compact STREET by 50 On-Ear headphones come in either black or white, but there is an extended range of 6 more, limited edition colours to choose from, while stocks last. Each pair of compact, high performance STREET by 50 On-Ear headphones comes with a hard shell case and removable cable with mic.

Issue 10, 2013 - 17

GreatGadgets

Asus GTX 780 DCU II OC T

he successor to the GTX 680 is undoubtedly the GTX 780 and this is actually the second gaming card to use the GK110 GPU (the first being the GTX Titan). It may seem weird that the Titan didn’t even follow NVidia’s regular numbering scheme, and it shouldn’t, because its performance and price don’t really fit into their normal product stats. While the reference-only GTX Titan may be superior to the GTX 780 (reference), the GTX 780 does come with custom coolers such as Asus Direct CU II technology that lets the card run 20% cooler and vastly quieter. It goes without saying that Asus’ GTX 780 features a custom PCB and it also seems that Asus has also tweaked the appearance of the DirectCU II cooler. The DirectCU II cooled GTX 780 actually looks a lot less blocky and more beastly (when compared to the GTX 680’s DirectCU II cooler). The GTX DCII OC is a high-performance card that is very comparable to the GTX Titan (out of the box), has better cooler than the Titan’s stock cooler, uses almost all the same technology and its price point is more aligned with regular enthusiasts who refuse to sell their

kidneys for beastly computer components. In fact, Asus’ DCUII cooler does such a remarkable job that it allows for overclocks that can actually match the Titan’s performance in 1080P and single monitor configurations. The GTX 780 does start to fall behind the GTX Titan where super-high resolutions and multi-monitor setups are concerned, but that is simply because the GTX 780 has 3GB of GDDR5 memory while the GTX Titan has 6GB. Being the successor to the GTX 680, the GTX 780 is significantly faster than the GTX 680 (up to 35%) and it’s set to dominate the single-GPU, single-card market, all while being quiet and efficient. It’s nice to see that Asus’ cooling keeps the graphics card’s 2-slot form factor design unchanged, so it will be remain 3-way and 4-way SLI compatible. Out of the box, it’s conveniently overclocked an although it ain’t no Titan, it sure comes close. With that said, if the GTX 780 DirectCU II OC is still too rich for your blood, you could settle for an Asus’ GTX 770 DirectCU II OC, which (unfortunately) was left out of the whole facelift program.

Cooler Master V1000

ooler Master has developed the V-Series of PSUs (Power Supply Unit) and the three PSUs in this series are all single rail PSUs that are aimed towards providing outstanding voltage stability, ripple suppression and efficiency. High quality Japanese eletrolyte and capacitors are seen in top tier PSUs, and they have become synonymous with performance PSUs as well as motherboards, so it really wouldn’t make any sense for the 80Plus Gold rated V-Series PSUs not to made with this industry benchmark. The V-Series PSUs also feature custom design PCBs that ensures minimum voltage plane cross-over. Cooler Master’s latest series of PSUs aren’t stopping at providing top-notch performance and they aren’t pulling any punches. All three available capacities (700w, 850w and 1000w) are fully modular and feature

all-black ribbon connectors that enthusiasts love so much. Having all-black ribbon cables do help with the overall tidiness and aesthetics of your build (especially windowed enclosures) and main unit itself is also very clean and reminiscent of Cooler Master’s Silent Pro Hybrid series. The unit’s high quality 135mm FDB (Fluid Dynamic Bearing) fan ensures silent operation (even at high loads) and overall, the highly efficient V-Series of PSUs will serve you very well (based on test done with V1000). Cooler Master is definitely going to bring about some stiff competition in the high-end category of power supply units with their competitively priced, Haswell ready PSUs and if you’re on the market for a new PSU, you can’t go wrong with up to 93 percent efficiency at 50 percent load.

OUT NOW

WINNER OF OVER 80 AWARDS

GreatGadgets

18 - Issue 10, 2013

Cooler Master Duo T

he Duo has to be one of Cooler Master’s most beloved stands and we say that because it’s impossible to find faults with it. We certainly can’t, and this is precisely why the rest of this review will feel like a fan-boy rant. The Cooler Master Duo can function as a unified stand (or dock) for your tablet and phone, or as separate stands. This is easily the biggest draw of the Duo, since you get two for the price of one. The tablet stand part of the Duo is pretty straightforward, and it’ll hold just about any tablet of any size, in either landscape or portrait, but special preference has been given to iPad users, since its design won’t obstruct the home button when using it in portrait mode. The phone stand can actually turn into a charging dock, thanks to some very clever engineering and design from Cooler Master. Instead of having a fixed charging connector, the Duo’s phone dock lets you attach your own charging cable to turn the stand into a dock. All you have to do is run your cable through the cable management slots on its underside and the Duo’s phone stand will turn into a charging dock for iPhone 5 as well as previous gen iPhones (3, 3S, 4 and 4S). iPhone 5 users can also

transform the Duo’s phone stand into an audio dock, since there is a little groove at the back from storing cables. The Duo’s phone stand/dock also caters to the iPhone really well, and it also keeps the home button unobstructed while iPhone is docked. A minimalistic design, a hefty construct and the use of top-notch materials give the Duo a very classy and expensive look and feel. Without a doubt, the Duo is definitely made with the Apple lover in mind. Many previous gen iPhone dock owners got screwed when Apple decided to change to the smaller charging/data connector that the iPhone 5 sports, mainly because they would be stuck with worthless charging docks that aren’t forward compatible with the iPhone 5. Duo owners won’t have such a problem.

Asus Xonar Essence One Muses Edition A mplifiers are fitting testimony as to why audiophiles are cursed to spend silly money for the rest of their lives. Fact. However, the Essence One seeks to change that. The Muses edition is the ‘souped up’ version of Asus’ Xonar Essence One, featuring premium MUSES 01 op-amps made by New Japan Radio. The Essence One is both a DAC and amplifier, and is capable of powering troublesome headphones like the Sennheiser HD600, which needs a lot of voltage, or AKG’s K701, which needs a lot of current to sing. It brings to versatility the table, with a full shebang of connectivity options, ranging from Toslink inputs to balanced XLR outputs to satisfy the most demanding listeners. Thoughtful little touches like seperate volume knob for headphones, and bit-perfect streaming, make the Essence One a rather attractive starter-level DAC-amplifier. The Muses Edition however, is almost double the price. It has a more open sound, slightly more dynamics, and slightly more clarity than the stock model. Whether it is worth twice the coin remains a very personal decision. It’s perfect if you must have the absolute best equipment, in which case, we say, you will be pleased. But the way we see it, the original offers most of the thrills for half that.

Issue 10, 2013 - 19

GoodGame

rganised by Asiasoft and iS_Gaming(inSidious_Gaming), the Chaos Online Invitational tournament happened at Colosseum over a weekend and saw popular MOBA(Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) teams like Impunity and First Departure trying on this brand new Korean MOBA. Chaos Online is a Free-to-Play Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) title, developed by Neoact, the Korean developer who first broke into the MOBA scene for creating the Chaos map for Blizzard Entertainment’s WarCraft III. Asiasoft has made the game available to the South-East Asia region and the aforementioned Invitational is the gateway to the monthly “Regional Wars” where we’ll see the champion team face off against countries like Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and more for the coveted prize of $10,000. The champion for this month is Netolic.SG and they have also won themselves an amount of S$3,000. Asiasoft has yet to announce detailed plans for the “Regional Wars” tournaments. The Chaos Online Cash Shop has been open since the end of the aforementioned Invitationals and players can purchase new heroes, potions, alternate skins, and charms to boost their performances in game.

[Eve]Yekke emerges champion at Singapore Vengeance Cup In local StarCraft 2 news, [Eve]Yekke beats Flash.Revenant to the top spot of the Singapore Vengeance Cup and wins S$1,200 along with a Razer Play Pack.

This invite-only tournament will feature Asia’s finest teams and be composed of two stages instead of three, unlike Season 1. The seeding of the invited teams will be based on fan votes, accumulated during the designated period.

Blizzard and Asiasoft put together a small series of tournaments for the SEA region thanks to the absence of the World Championship Series (WCS) this year. The Singapore Vengeance Cup boasted over S$5,000 in cash prizes and had the SC2SEA.com community taking charge of organising the event, at the Alienware Arena.

There will be a total of eight different regional qualifiers, and the winner of each qualifier will advance to the main event, in a “Last Man Standing” format. These qualifier teams have been invited based on their performance in the May edition of the Gigabyte Mineski Pro-Gaming League(GMPGL) and achievements in Dota 2 tournaments in April and May. To connect with the fans, AMD will give each a chance to vote and decide the ranking for the invited teams.