Innholdsfortegnelse for Xmas 2017 i PLAY

“ONE OF THE STANDOUT GAMES AT THE SHOW WAS MONSTER HUNTER: WORLD.” GAME OF THE MONTH Monster Hunter: World BEST MOMENT OF 2017? Rediscovering my love/hate relationship with Crash Bandicoot Sony has a habit of surprising us, and its Paris Games Week showcase was no different. Announcing 17 new games for PS4 and PS VR (you can read our pick of them starting on p66), it was hard not to get excited. Particularly because one of those newbies was Sucker Punch’s secret game – read all about Ghost Of Tsushima on p10. We also got new details on Spider-Man and The Last Of Us Part II – more on those on p6. One of the standout games at the show was Monster Hunter: World, now featuring an Aloy armour set…

“FOCUSES ON A LONE SAMURAI BATTLING THE MONGOLS.” Sucker Punch, the developer behind inFamous and the Sly Cooper series, has re-emerged with a new IP for the first time in eight years. Its new game, the first since inFamous: Second Son, was announced during Sony’s thrilling presentation at Paris Games Week. The trailer doesn’t give away much but we have picked out some important details. Ghost Of Tsushima takes place during the 13th century and focuses on a lone samurai seeking to strike back against the Mongol invasion of the titular island. The trailer features a monologuing Mongol explaining how he’d taught himself everything there is to know about the island, “Which villages to tame and which to burn,” subtly assuring anyone listening that they are outmatched. The trailer ends…

“EACH INDIVIDUAL STEEL RAT COMES WITH THEIR OWN WEAPON TO BLAST AWAY JUNKBOTS.” Mixing roaring motorbikes, punchy firearms, and spectacular stunts, there’s nothing else quite like this 2.5D action/driving hybrid on PS4. Taking over the titular biker gang in an alt-history version of ’50s America where evil robots swarm the streets, you’re the last group in town trying to avert this robo-calypse. If those odds seem slightly unfair, don’t fret. Not only do you have a souped-up hog that is able create a trail of fire behind you, but each individual Steel Rat comes with their own weapon that will help you blast away the junkbots. TEST YOUR METAL OPM is lucky enough to get to go hands-on with an early version, where we’re tasked with making it through a…

SUCKER PUNCHED A new game from Sucker Punch, the last of Sony’s big studios to reveal its hand. Who doesn’t want an open world feudal Japan stealth slash-’em-up? LASTING MEMORY We wanted more of The Last Of Us Part II and Sony delivered. But there’s a lot to unpack. Is the Ripley-wannbe Ellie’s mum? Do we need to see ‘clipped wings’? Fingers crossed for more info at PSX. STRANGER STILL A Stranger Things PS VR experience is coming, but why did Sony not make a bigger deal of this coup at Paris Games Week? GEEZER GAMING 100 games on PS VR and counting! It was great to see Sony push its VR line-up at Paris Games Week. Pick of the bunch? Blood & Truth looks like an East End thriller.…

“DINOSAURS ARE FINALLY TAKING OVER GAMES AGAIN, AND IT’S ABOUT DAMN TIME.” Time for a Cretaceous confession: I’ve watched Jurassic Park at least 140 times over the past 24 years. As such, I’ll concede the following statement is in no way impartial. Nevertheless… every single game would be better with dinosaurs in it. C’mon, you know I’m right. Thankfully for dinoobsessed gamers, it looks like developers are beginning to agree with me. Indeed, there’s a renewed sense PlayStation is falling for the leathery leviathans all over again. The recently revealed Jurassic Park Evolution looks like it could be a gorgeous and thoughtful take on Zoo Tycoon, while over the last year PS VR has played host to a couple of memorable prehistoric adventures, like Robinson: The…

“BLUEPOINT IS BUILDING THIS FROM THE GROUND UP.” i FORMAT PS4 / ETA 7 FEB 2018 PUB SONY / DEV BLUEPOINT GAMES/JAPAN STUDIO The sense of scale never leaves you. As the third colossus slowly rumbles to life in our hands-on, we gaze up in awe. The creature is a peculiar concoction of stone and fur, with a long granite club seemingly grafted onto its arm and an awkward shuffle. We can never quite get all of it in frame, which makes us feel like we’re taking on a god. Co-developers Bluepoint and Sony Japan might feel the same way. Originally coming out in 2006, Team Ico’s greatest game is an indisputable classic. Following a young warrior named Wander’s quest to bring a maiden known as Mono back to life,…

VAMPYR Join one man on his epic quest to find the best darn blue steak in town. There are trials and tribulations as more squeamish establishments try to force napkins and table manners on him. Not to mention the horror of garlic butter. FORMAT PS4 ETA 2018 DETROIT: BECOME HUMAN You’ve heard of the red light of death, but the white ring is worse. Consoles gain sentience and judge you. “Every trophy in Cat Quest but only a bronze award in Bloodborne? Git gud!” FORMAT PS4 ETA 2018 NI NO KUNI II: REVENANT KINGDOM Google Maps takes two costume-partygoers to a fantasy land. Will they make it home? Will they even figure out they’re lost? FORMAT PS4 ETA 19 JAN…

CITY OF BRASS FORMAT PS4 / ETA 2018 PUB UPPERCUT GAMES DEV UPPERCUT GAMES Already released on PC, this Arabian-Nights-themed first-person platformer is already into its new DLC content, all of which will be heading to PS4. The rogue-lite adventure offers plenty of scope for fun; you can use a whip to act out those repressed Indiana Jones fantasies and swing to hidden chambers, past enemies or, in combat, snap swords from your adversaries’ hands. You’ll need every trick in the whip-book too, as traps, demons, and puzzle rooms will thwart your effort to scoop up as much treasure as you can and escape the city with your one life. Die and you’ll start from scratch. MOTHERGUNSHIP FORMAT PS4 / ETA 29 DEC / PUB SOLD OUT DEV TERRIBLE POSTURE…

OPM: Do all the monsters have unique sounds? Hideki Hosoi: We strive to make each monster’s characteristics come out in each sound that it makes. I can close my eyes and just imagine a sound and know exactly what is coming at me and what is coming around the corner. And that is true of every member on the staff because we are very much aware of each monster’s weight of their footsteps, how they sound when they’re carrying different things, even how many claws are part of their feet when they’re walking around; all these things are unique to each monster and consciously designed into the sound. OPM: How do you create a monster’s signature sound? HH: With any monster we already have a visual basis in place, we’ve…

01 Glacier White PS4 Pro 1TB Destiny 2 Bundle £349.99 For the gamer who appreciates the finer things in life but doesn’t quite have everything, this special edition PS4 Pro bundle will make a worthy addition to their collection with a gorgeous glossy white console as well as Destiny 2, Dishonoured 2, Doom, and Fallout 4. game.co.uk 02 Qanba Obsidian Fight Stick £187.85 There are fight sticks and then there are fight sticks. Qanba’s tournament-quality sticks are usually not sold outside the US, but the Obsidian is available for all, and is sure to delight any Street Fighter fanatic. Okay, so it’s *blorp*ing expensive, but the build quality is exceptional and the buttons light to the touch. If your credit card can handle it, the Qanba Obsidian is worth grabbing…

01 The Last Guardian vinyl Soundtrack £26.55 Obviously, we hope you don’t live amid obtuse ruined architecture and abstract puzzles. But there may be some stranger known to you who possesses a most arcane device – a record player – who will appreciate this. iam8bit.co.uk 02 Grim Fandango Noir Art Print £9.99 Make no bones about it, this art print will bring an air of class to any ex-supply-closet-office. Classic game plus timeless art equals a perfect gift. gametee.co.uk 03 Codsworth Vinyl Figure £7.92 While we’ve yet to see the arrival of Mister Handy-style robots in our shops, you can still bring home a nine-centimetre tall replica for the apocalypse prepper in your life. amazon.co.uk 04 PlayStation Coasters £12.40 Protect against the coffee ring of doom with these snazzy PS1…

GOLD AWARD Awarded to a game that’s brilliantly executed on every level, combining significant innovation, near-flawless gameplay, great graphics and lasting appeal. EDITOR’S AWARD Not at the very highest echelon, but this is a game that deserves recognition and special praise based on its ambition, innovation or other notable achievement. 10 INCREDIBLE The kind of phenomenal experience rarely seen in a console generation. 9 OUTSTANDING Unreservedly brilliant – this should be in every collection. 8 VERY GOOD A truly excellent game, marred by just a few minor issues. 7 GOOD A great concept unfulfilled or the familiar done well, but still well worth playing. 6 DECENT Fun in parts, flawed in others, but more right than wrong. 5 AVERAGE What you expect and little more, this is for devotees only.…

“EIGHT-MAN MATCHES EXPAND YOUR OPTIONS IN A VERY LITERAL SENSE.” INFO FORMAT PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB 2K GAMES DEV YUKE’S/VISUAL CONCEPTS No Way Jose. Nick Miller. Nikki Cross. Shane Thorne. If you’re gawping at this page stumped by these seemingly random names, wonder no more: they’re just four of the lesser-known grapplers included on WWE 2K18’s roster. Totalling close to 200, it’s as comprehensive a past-and-present round-up of meat and muscle as you’ve ever seen in a wrestling game, for which 2K must be highly commended. Still, you could cram 2000 accurately rendered brawlers into a wrestling sim and it’d mean nothing if the action failed to pass muster. Thankfully, 2K18 gets the between-the-ropes business right. It’s a fighting game that cleverly teases the choreographed elements of ‘real’ WWE:…

INFO FORMAT PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB BIGBEN INTERACTIVE DEV EKO SOFTWARE This is a short review, so let’s answer the first and perhaps only question that matters: does Rugby 18 bear any resemblance to the game it’s based on? Yes. Occasionally. That makes it better than the previous two attempts. But is it good? Not especially. This is a series creeping closer to tolerability, and this is the best attempt yet. The basics have improved: rucking feels more urgent and impactful; players who make isolated breaks are more likely to lose the ball when caught; big hits make turnovers easier. This makes for a rugby game where every inch can feel precious. Making ground feels rewarding, and there’s a fresh sense of relief when you ease pressure with a…

“IN THE EARLY STAGES YOU HAVE ONLY A PISTOL AND YOUR WITS TO RELY ON.” INFO FORMAT PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB BETHESDA DEV TANGO GAMEWORKS At first glance, this schlocky sequel sets out a rather different stall than our first trip with Sebastian Castellanos. A new structure gives you larger levels to sneak around, crafting systems and side-quests give you the ability to tackle challenges however you see fit and, most importantly, those divisive black bars are no more. Instantly, this is a more approachable horror shooter. Certainly, the story is a little more coherent for newcomers. Our drunk and destitute detective is still processing the trauma of the events of the first game when his ex-partner Kidman informs him that a) the daughter he…

INFO FORMAT PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB UBISOFT DEV UBISOFT The Fractured But Whole’s predecessor, The Stick Of Truth, achieved the impossible: it was a good South Park game. Developed by RPG veteran Obsidian, it mixed the long-running show’s trademark close-to-the-bone humour with genre staples – item hoarding, class selection, and turn-based battles – to represent a sea-change in the franchise’s interactive fortunes. And this sequel builds on that success, shifting role-playing preferences but maintaining a high standard of two-dimensional adventuring. The Fractured But Whole sees South Park’s fourth-graders become superheroes. Cartman’s The Coon has his crew, including the player’s The New Kid (aka the mega-gassy Butthole), and they’re at loggerheads with the Freedom Pals. Naturally, these childish spats snowball, leading them down this quiet town’s shadiest streets. Navigating this…

FIFA 18 Ben Tyrer ponders the unthinkable: leaving a match A man’s got to have a code. Mine involves not quitting out of an online match, even when my pants are well and truly down, and my tummy is getting the tickling of a lifetime. So imagine my horror when, playing at work, I notice the time is a lot later than I thought it was and I’m well on track to missing my train home. It doesn’t help that the match is the drabbest of deadlocks. But I can’t help myself. I see it through and force myself to sprint through the streets of Bath. Of course, the train is delayed. Still, at least I honoured the code… FORTNITE Jess Kinghorn is feeling so attacked right now Take a…

INFO FORMAT PS4 PUB BANDAI NAMCO DEV SLIGHTLY MAD STUDIOS REVIEW #142, 8/10 This is one of the best racing sims in the world, and as such it should be drawing the virtual motorsport elite to its servers like middle-aged men who’ve made poor life choices to a Wetherspoons. There’s a problem, though: the much-touted online championship feature and accompanying league admin toolset that was going to make organised sim racing easy is… not here. Apparently it’s coming in a future patch, so for now the options are limited to quick online races, time trials, and community events (aka time trials). The matchmaking system, which connects players of similar skill levels and sensibilities, seems to be working well at this stage, but we’re still waiting for multiplayer to expand into…

RIN CHARACTER PACK Ready to really commit to 3on3 Freestyle? This new character pack introduces a new team member, Japanese exchange student and basketball fanatic Rin. LOKI PACK In Marvel Heroes Omega you can finally add the trickster, adopted brother of Thor to your hero roster as well as a new costume and other goodies. MONSTERS PACK In your Lego Worlds, it’s time to find the place the spooky scary skeletons call home. This pack includes an entire town of monsters, mansions, and more. TOWELIE: YOUR GAMING BUD Welcome a new friend to take you through the highs and lows of South Park: The Fractured But Whole. Take a load off with Towelie. SCAPES CONTENT PACK In GT Sport, you can put your baby in the picture. The pack introduces…

VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS 27 NOV Luc Besson’s space opera adapts the comic that inspired Star Wars. The VFX will give a 4K TV a workout. THE EMOJI MOVIE 27 NOV This CG ’toon about the emojis that live in your phone is a soulless exercise that rips off Pixar’s Inside Out. Avoid like the poop emoji. SHIN GODZILLA 04 DEC Separate from Gareth Edwards’ 2014 Godzilla, which is getting a sequel in 2019, this reboot combines political satire with monster mayhem. RONJA, THE ROBBER’S DAUGHTER 04 DEC Don’t have Amazon Prime? Now’s your chance to catch this 26-episode series produced by Studio Ghibli. OVERDRIVE 04 DEC Ana de Armas costars in this direct-to-disc actioner about high-end car thieves. Only watch if your Fast And Furious…

INFO PUB ROCKSTAR GAMES DEV ROCKSTAR NORTH RELEASED SEP 2013 GET IT NOW PSN, £54.99 WHAT? Released on PS3 in 2013 and PS4 in 2014, Grand Theft Auto V is the latest instalment of Rockstar’s multi-award-winning series, and considered one of the greatest games of its generation. WHO? It took 15 years of civil service monotony for Vikki Blake to crack and attempt a career writing about games. After all that time in a suit, she’s turning to crime… Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m a disgrace. You’re not the first to give me grief for this, I assure you. It’s not that I don’t like Rockstar; I’ve 100%’d LA Noire, John Marston and I are well acquainted, and I love Max Payne. I’d just always considered the GTA series –…

1 TEARAWAY Peerless crafty platforming from Media Molecule, this time using PS Vita’s raft of touchscreen/ touchpad controls to surprise and delight you in new ways for hours on end. Full of whimsy, charm, and enough personality to put most games to shame, Tearaway’s papercraft world remains Vita’s most vibrant title. 2 PERSONA 4: GOLDEN This thoughtful and unique JRPG epic gives you another stab at high school – only this time with intrigue and superpowers instead of nerves, acne, and an unpredictable vocal register. 3 RAYMAN LEGENDS Rather than losing its lustre on the move to PS Vita, Ray’s second slice of sumptuous side-scrolling is even better on handheld. Touchscreen gestures make this fine platformer all the sweeter. 4 VELOCITY 2X A ludicrously enjoyable puzzle/platformer hybrid that should come…

Ben Tyrer GAMES EDITOR Two days in Paris gave Ben the chance to go hands-on with Shadow Of The Colossus. It was an Eiffel. GAME OF THE MONTH Call Of Duty: WWII BEST MOMENT OF 2017? Pulling a One To Watch card in FIFA Ultimate Team Jessica Kinghorn STAFF WRITER New team member Jess is a huge fan of JRPGs and horror games, and a cat lover. She’s a purrrrfect fit for Team OPM. GAME OF THE MONTH Hidden Agenda BEST MOMENT OF 2017? The release of Persona 5 Miriam McDonald OPERATIONS EDITOR After hearing Ian’s stories of chopping off monsters’ tails, Mim is considering starting the RSPCM. GAME OF THE MONTH Cat Quest BEST MOMENT OF 2017? Learning Dragon Quest Builders 2 is in development Milford Coppock MANAGING ART…

“ST NICK SHOULD GET PHYSICAL, WITH A DEMO OF DRAGON BALL FIGHTERZ” IAN DEAN EDITOR I don’t want a lot for Christmas – there is just one thing I need. I don’t care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree. I just want you for my own, more than you could ever know; make my wish come true… All I want for Christmas is Goku. Or rather, Dragon Ball FighterZ, but that doesn’t scan. What a game. Having played it on and off since the summer I’ve lost my head to Arc Systems’ 3v3 brawler – the blend of classic combo juggling and anime-quality visuals has me itching to play more. So a demo would make my Christmas. Was it worth a long Mariah reference? Yes, it was. “IT’S NOT…

“MORE DEVS NEED TO MAKE USE OF PS VR AND THE BRILLIANT PS AIM CONTROLLER.” So it turns out I’m the tech nerd at OPM Towers. Every time the spectre of PS VR rears its head some members of the team *cough* Milf *cough* mutter about a lack of support. I in turn find myself continuously surprised by how accessible, and progressive, Sony’s toe-dip into virtual reality really is. Take Farpoint. It felt like that game came and went with little fanfare, but as the year ends I’d like to reflect on just how revolutionary Impulse Gear’s shooter was – there’s been nothing like it on console before. Of course the PS Aim controller was a star performer; its subtle design and precision would bring any VR shooter to life.…

1 The second colossus is like a horse and will try to attack you with its hooves. Placing an arrow in one should give you a chance to mount it. 2 The fifth Colossus is a flying one, which means you’ll need to find a way of grabbing onto a wing to find its weak points. Good job it’s a fan of diving at you then. 3 The 11th Colossus might be small in comparison to its peers, but don’t mistake that for a respite. It’s much faster than the others, so prepare to dive. 4 The 16th and final Colossus you face might be immobile, but is an absolute nightmare to take down, as you might expect from your final test.…

“LOST SPHEAR CAPTURES THE MAGIC OF THE 16-BIT ERA.” FORMAT PS4 / ETA 23 JAN 2018 PUB SQUARE ENIX / DEV TOKYO RPG FACTORY Being ‘more of the same’ is often a damning indictment of a game’s lack of originality, but to Tokyo RPG Factory it’s a badge of honour. The dev wants nothing more than for us to chime, “It’s more of the same classic 16-bit RPGing.” The whole premise of Lost Sphear is to evoke the feeling of playing a classic ’90s RPG – top-down colourful heroes, turn-based combat, and an epic story of loss and learning, all told in cute little text boxes. In many ways Lost Sphear nails every conceit, and also finds time to develop the formula. For instance, combat is turn-based but you…

01 PS Hoody £40 We all have a best friend who always has our back, playing online and off. So celebrate being besties and get matching hoodies (choose black or grey) for you and your partner in crime. insertcoinclothing.com 02 Urban Mage Beanie & Snood Set £14.99 You won’t need to cast Firaga to keep nice and toasty on the mean streets of Midgar if you’ve got this Winter accessory set. gametee.co.uk 03 Crash Bandicoot Xmas Sweater £34.99 All we wumpa for Christmas is the Crash Bandicoot Christmas sweater. Okay, so it’s a green and beige jumper, but just look at Crash’s face festooned across it. We’d hug it. Heck, we’re getting the mistletoe right now. yellowbulldog.co.uk 04 PS Lounge Pants £30 Allay the incessant, crack-of-dawn chorus of “Can I…

01 Healing Potion & Mana Potion Hip Flask £14.99 We all know a wizard who enjoys a little pick-me-up from time to time. Make sure they’re well-equipped with one of these appropriately themed hip flasks. gametee.co.uk 02 PS4-shaped Gift Card Holder £19.99 ’Tis the season for receiving gift cards and then promptly forgetting about them. Pop them in this super-swish holder and you’ll remember them. amazon.co.uk 03 Mana Potion & Health Potion Candles £4.99 After the hectic part of the holiday has passed, treat yourself to a relaxing, candlelit soak with these gifts and be revitalised. gametee.co.uk 04 PS Now & PS Then Socks £7.00 You can’t go far wrong with socks, the much-derided – though actually very useful – Christmas staple gift. These ones are ace. insertcoinclothing.com 05 Main…

“THE OMAHA BEACH LANDING IS THE CLEAR BEST IN A LONG LINE OF SPIELBERG IMPERSONATIONS.” INFO FORMAT PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB ACTIVISION DEV SLEDGEHAMMER GAMES World War 2, then. After taking you up into space, down to high-tech facilities on the ocean floor, and many other improbable locations for a gunfight in recent releases, Call Of Duty goes back to where it all began in 2017. This was a fantastic decision. Call Of Duty: WWII represents the biggest and best tonal shift for the series since the release of COD 4: Modern Warfare, ditching the complex gadgets and parkour movement options that made recent games unfathomable to casual players and wielding a newfound sense of restraint in its campaign, which provides something more memorable than the weightless mass…

INFO FORMAT PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB ULTRA ULTRA DEV ULTRA ULTRA One of the keys to a great stealth experience is making enemies who are just as capable as yourself, if not more so. Ultra Ultra’s1 debut takes a novel approach to achieving this by taking that philosophy as literally as possible. You see, you’ll be fighting clones of your character, En across the gorgeously grand Palace.2 And not only do these deadly doppelgängers mimic your appearance, they learn from your actions as well. Pull the trigger on En’s gun and they’ll begin to return fire. Spend your time crouching and you’ll have to cope with a room full of sneaky enemies. The twist is they’re like computers, constantly rebooting whenever the lights go out, only ever taking note…

“SOLO PLAY IN GT SPORT ONLY EXISTS TO PREPARE YOU FOR ONLINE RACING.” INFO FORMAT PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB SONY DEV POLYPHONY DIGITAL For anyone looking for the time-honoured Gran Turismo experience on current-gen hardware, it’s bad news. The car-collecting, turbo-charged family hatchback era is over, and in its place is a hard focus on ultra-competitive online racing that wants to bring iRacing’s organised championships to PS4. Change is always scary, but that doesn’t mean that fear’s unwarranted. The numbers alone tell a story: Gran Turismo 6 had almost 1,200 vehicles. Gran Turismo Sport has 162, fewer than the 1998 PS1 game. The number of tracks has been halved since the last game too, and with that smaller but undoubtedly better-polished collection of motors and locales (gone are the…

INFO FORMAT PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB SONY DEV GUERRILLA GAMES Snow crunching underfoot. The gentle hooting of an owl filtering through the trees. Horizon Zero Dawn’s first DLC looks like it could be a scene from a festive card as it takes you to the Cut, a territory belonging to the mystical Banuk. But Frozen Wilds isn’t just a picturesque playground. We have to save it from the Daemon. Beginners beware, though – fighting the Daemon’s spawn is devilishly difficult. If you want to push Aloy to her limits – and relish the ever-present threat of death via machine mauling – this is the DLC for you. At one point having three boss-level machines set on us feels deviously sadistic, despite the fact it raises Horizon’s level cap to…

INFO FORMAT PS VR ALSO ON PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB SONY DEV GATTAI GAMES You wake up near the broken shell of your car. You call out for your wife but she’s nowhere to be seen. All you can see is shards of glass and a trail of blood leading into the oppressive darkness that surrounds you. Extracting yourself from the wreckage, there’s nothing left to do but follow the gore, using sound to locate obstacles and clues in the blackness. This latest echolocation horror drops you into a wire-frame world that looks not unlike Vib-Ribbon on a very bad day. You can reveal the world around you using either your own dulcet tones (via your headset’s microphone) or the protagonist’s voice. The former’s by far the better choice,…

1 £15.99 MEGATON RAINFALL Do you dream of flying through the skies like Superman? Wonder how you would avoid inflicting the damage Zack Snyder’s Supes does in Man Of Steel? This superhero first-person smash-up does a decent job of letting you play out that very specific scenario. Giving you a very literal open world, you can fly across the entire planet and then zoom from city to city, attempting to stop an alien invasion without destroying too much of the city around you. Flying from space to cities is genuinely exhilarating but the problem comes from trying to be a hero. You see, watching buildings crumble is almost more fun than taking on the UFOs that glide across skylines. Trying to shoot them is pretty tricky with the head tracking,…

INFO PUB EIDOS DEV IO INTERACTIVE RELEASED 4 OCTOBER 2002 GET IT NOW £15, AMAZON NEED TO KNOW 1 To date, over 3.7 million copies of it have been sold. 2 Writer Morten Iversen now writes for Danish TV. 3 Temple City Ambush was pulled from later versions. “PULLING OFF HITS WITH JUST A FUGU FISH OUGHT TO BE IMPOSSIBLE.” Remember when it was the games that generated controversy, not the influencers playing them? Hitman’s second outing belongs to that era, in which a new, apparently morally bankrupt game seemed to attract tabloid wrath every week. Manhunt and GTA got a momentary reprieve from the red tops’ indignation when it was revealed one level within Hitman 2: Silent Assassin featured Agent 47 killing several Sikh assassins at the holy site…

“JOIN THE GOD ARCS TOGETHER TO FIRE A HIGH-INTENSITY LASER.” The God Eater series is a hard one to love as staggered releases from Japan to Europe, and a series of remakes and expansions, have left newcomers never knowing quite where they are. Which is why God Eater 3, an out-and-out sequel, with co-op, is looking like a good place to start. The series pits you, a plucky God Eater, dual-wielder of the God Arc weapon, against an onslaught of gigantic creatures called the Aragami. You can craft gear and upgrades for the God Arc from the Aragami you defeat. (No jokes about folded paper, now…) God Eater 3 looks to be playing with the formula. For starters your hero appears to be shackled. A prisoner? Are we playing the…

NEW BALLS PLEASE It’s been four years since the last Top Spin Tennis, and now former 2K devs are making a racquet with new game World Tennis Tour. Making its debut at Sony’s Paris Games Week pre-show, this looks like Top Spin’s snazzier relative and is set to serve an ace or two on PlayStation 4 in 2018. TOMORROW’S WORLD Playing like a virtual wildlife documentary set on an alien world, Eden Tomorrow is unique. Balancing three gameplay strands – survive, explore, and evolve – this PS VR game lets you soar with alien birds and study ETs up close. That’s ‘explore’ taken care of; now we need to understand ‘survive’ and ‘evolve’. OWLBOY’S A HOOT First announced in 2008, Owlboy is the game that wouldn’t die. And we’re dead…

“MORE GAMES SHOULD GIVE US THE CHANCE TO EXPLORE THEIR WORLDS WITH THE DIFFICULTY TURNED COMPLETELY OFF.” You know, if there’s one thing you can rely on the internet for these days, it’s that people will always find some sort of way to lose their minds and declare utter outrage at something that, in reality, doesn’t affect them. The latest example of this is the upcoming Discovery Tour mode in Assassin’s Creed Origins, which will be added as a free update in early 2018. Ubisoft’s promoting it as an educational mode where you can explore the game’s vast landscapes at your own pace while learning things about the locations and artefacts, but some people are focusing more on the fact that it essentially removes the game’s challenge altogether, and they’re…

1 MEGA MAN LEGACY COLLECTION The Mega Man games are among the most challenging in the history of this glorious hobby. Combined, both Mega Man Legacy Collection games bring together all ten titles in the main series, giving you hours of knuckle-whiteningly difficult platformer action. As you die for the umpteenth time, you’ll still feel the urge to keep going and finish it off. 2 UNCHARTED 4 Yes, we know the N. Sane Trilogy does a great job of remastering the original three Crash games, but there’s something extra special about the scene in Uncharted 4 in which Drake and Elena sit play Crash together. You even get to play a bit yourself, which is fantastically cool. 3 YAKUZA O The Yakuza games are noted for their recreations of Japanese…

“ENTER ‘VORPAL’ STATE TO DELIVER EXTRA DAMAGE… EVERY FIGHT IS A FEVERISH EVENT WHERE IT PAYS TO PLAY AGGRESSIVELY.” FORMAT PS4 / ETA EARLY 2018 PUB FRENCH BREAD / DEV PQUBE Look past the name that breaks every grammatical convention and this 2D fighter impresses. Mixing in the same anime gaming circles as Persona, Guilty Gear, and BlazBlue, French Bread’s colourful characters sit comfortably alongside their peers. Under Night’s appeal is it combines the ease of Street Fighter with the zaniness of Guilty Gear – it’s effectively a gateway fighter into Arc System Works’ complex classic series. Characters feel light and effective, and a double-jump feature ensures more flexibility than most 2D fighters offer. The chain system – as in Guilty Gear – means impressive combos can be performed with…

1 Eren Yeager is the series’ protagonist, who witnesses his mother die in the jaws of a Titan. Naturally, he has a bit of a grudge against them. 2 Gelgar is a new character to the game. His pompadour haircut and large nose make him pretty easy to pick out in the midst of the frantic battles. 3 Armin is one of Eren’s best friends and what he lacks in muscle, he makes up for brains. Still, who needs muscles when you have huge blades? 4 Fan favourite Levi – aka “Humanity’s Strongest Soldier” – is a real hard case, who can cut through Titans like week-old paté. Also looks like an emo singer.…

GET ASSIGNED Start by speaking with your Handler or looking for Quests and Expeditions on the notice board. Everything is star-ranked so you know going in how tough the challenge will be. We’ve chosen our beastie. It’s time to get our kit on. CHEW THE FAT Before you head out we suggest getting a bite to eat at the New World base camp Canteen. Run by Chef Meowscula, here you can cook up tasty meals. Each meal offers buffs for the Quest ahead, such as an increase in your attack and stamina levels. SUITED AND BOOTED Pay a visit to the Smithy to craft new armour and weapons, set up your kit loadout, and generally get prepped. Use the Monster Field Guide to see which kit will be most effective…

OPM: Working out weak spots is a great challenge. Do you consider how players will battle the monsters when they are being designed? Kaname Fujioka: In the beginning our game planners have a really firm design concept in mind for monsters, and sometimes it is the case that if they have something in mind for maybe the leg parts may be softer or these parts of the monster are harder. It really is part of an overall design for each monster, and that gets communicated to the designers, who are always very conscious of these things in the design process. For example, take tails: they need to be long enough so that you want to cut them off. Players need to see these things that entice them to behave in…

01 Video Games FAQ: All That’s Left To Know About Games And Gaming Culture £14.39 Whether you’re part of the gaming old guard or relatively new to the medium, this book offers an education in videogames – how they started, who made them, what innovations have changed games, and what videogames are now. From the primitive pleasures of Spacewar! to the violent delights of today and beyond, the book offers an approachable account of the history of videogames. bookpeople.co.uk 02 The Gamers’ Survival Guide £5.60 When everything’s said and done, when the turkey has been stripped bare and nan’s zonked out on sherry, it’s difficult not to turn your mind to future resolutions… like, ‘maybe I should really branch out into shooters next year’. The Gamers’ Survival Guide is a…

CONCRETE GENIE This adventure’s a brush-stroke of genius FORMAT PS4 / ETA 2018 / PUBLISHER SONY / DEV PIXELOPUS Alone, a teenager wanders through the empty streets of his town. Trapped between the drab walls of his home and the oppressive bullies making every day far harder than it needs to be, he turns to art to escape. He creates glowing forest flora and long-forgotten creatures on the walls of the dark brick buildings around him. It’s beautiful. In this new game from the developer of Entwined, you’re that artsy boy, Ash, wielder of a magical paintbrush and possessor of a big imagination. With your DualShock 4’s motion sensor working overtime you can paint living art on to the town’s walls. Ash’s artistic creations serve a purpose beyond brightening up…

“COMPETITIVE MODE TURNS HIDDEN AGENDA INTO A DEDUCTION PARLOUR GAME.” INFO FORMAT PS4 ETA 22 NOVEMBER PUB SONY DEV SUPERMASSIVE GAMES As elevator pitches go, a crime procedural party game where players vote for what happens next has a lot going for it. As detective Becky Marney, you follow the cruel trail of the ‘Trapper Killer.’ There are many dangling questions throughout the investigation but none are more pressing than ‘does the game make good on its promise in its execution?’ Alone or with friends, you’ll be looking for clues, investigating leads, and navigating QTEs via smartphone. It’s a novel concept and works well, mostly. Sometimes what you do through the PlayLink app doesn’t match up exactly to what’s happening on your TV screen but this never becomes more…

INFO FORMAT PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB PQUBE DEV THE GENTLEBROS An RPG populated by cats? It had me squealing with joy from just the darling launch icon. Unfortunately, I’ve since found it isn’t quite the cat’s pyjamas, as few games can sail along on charm alone. At the meow-tset, it’s a tale of siblings separated and ancient magic awakened. It’s a beautifully presented1 RPG-lite that’s just self-aware enough that its particular reference-heavy, punny sense of humour is unlikely to have you yowling like a cat on a hot tin roof. However, gameplay becomes a familiar grind all too quickly. Major plot beats are spread out and you are encouraged to work up to them through tackling side quests and dungeons, of which there are a great many. Unfortunately, quests…

“YOU’LL NEVER HAVE TO DO A SINGLE TAILING MISSION WITH A SCREAMING COUNTDOWN CLOCK EVER AGAIN.” INFO FORMAT PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB UBISOFT DEV UBISOFT Death comes to us all. If there is one thing you’ll learn from your trip to Ancient Egypt, it’s that while it might not be the end – that’s between you and your gods – shuffling off this mortal coil is easy in 49BCE. Whether taking in the sights of mummies in tombs lit only by your stuttering torch, stalking temple rooftops on the hunt for nefarious priests, or risking life and limb on the hippo-infested banks of the Nile, in Origins the end is always nigh for someone . The good news is that after 10 years of the Creed,…

“RACIAL DIVIDES, FASCISM, ABUSE; THE GAME RARELY SHIES AWAY FROM HARD ISSUES.” INFO FORMAT PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB BETHESDA DEV MACHINEGAMES Back in ye olden days of 2014, MachineGames released a shooter that caught everyone unawares. Brimming with character and superbly paced, Wolfenstein: The New Order was a throwback to the FPS storytelling style Valve mastered in Half-Life 2. Three years on, MachineGames returns with the Third Reich-pummelling follow-up, and it’s most definitely been worth the wait. Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus has a lot to say for itself. Racial divides, bigotry, fascism, childhood abuse; the game rarely shies away from tackling uncomfortable issues head-on. About 90% of the action may revolve around murdering armour-clad robo-Nazis, but don’t for a second think there isn’t serious subtext bubbling beneath all…

November’s en pointe selection had the OPM team either pirouetting around the office or snickering over fart jokes, depending on the person. To say this month’s selection was an eclectic mix is a bit of an understatement. Prancing on stage was BOUND (PS4 and PS VR), an artsy platformer where all movement is part of an extended dance. Playing as the unnamed Princess, we went on a largely metaphorical journey, exploring childhood memories through a gorgeous geometric landscape. The game is designed to be played in one sitting, so we could fully relax and enjoy the emotive tale that unfolded. Sometimes you want something silly, and the INCOMING! WORMS BATTLEGROUNDS (PS4) fitted the bill there. Between lobbing livestock at our enemies, blitzing them with an uzi, or siccing Granny on…

INFO FORMAT PS4 PUB STARBREEZE DEV LION GAME LION REVIEW N/A That’s your actual British comedy icon John Cleese giving us orders as we take down the Nazi regime. I love this game. Mission five completed, bunkers destroyed, gold scavenged, terrible swarmy AI slaughtered, and low-texture environments survived. I also hate this game. It promises so much – fun co-op heists into the heart of Nazi Germany – but it plays like a five-year-old PC shooter. There are few problems with the net code; everything is stable, and missions are found and launched quickly. The mission hub ensures once you’ve found a team to play with you’re locked in with them, even randoms, which is actually nice, as it forces communication. But in a world where Destiny 2 is your…

MIDDLE-EARTH: SHADOW OF WAR – SLAUGHTER TRIBE NEMESIS EXPANSION The first of four planned expansions introduces the macabre Slaughter tribe of orcs. These gorehounds are bound to leave an impression – you’ll never forget how they deck the halls. CITIES: SKYLINE – SNOWFALL ’Tis the season to snuggle up and get cosy with Cities: Skyline’s winter-themed expansion. This DLC adds a seasonally cold weather system and suitably themed towns with streets that need to be ploughed and heating pipes that need to be maintained. SWORD ART ONLINE: HOLLOW REALIZATION – THE ONE WHO RESISTS GOD The final part of the Abyss Of The Shrine Maiden triptych takes place upon a new stage, the Elionward Dominion. Here, you’ll be reunited with Alice and Eugeo, and the mystery of the masked NPC…

Over the course of a groundbreaking simian trilogy, Andy Serkis and the VFX wizards at Weta have built the strongest case yet for a computer-generated character to be lauded with major acting awards. That won’t happen (not yet, anyway) but this latter-day Apes series may be the most consistently brilliant trilogy since The Lord Of The Rings. Set roughly two years after Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (and one year after upcoming videogame Planet Of The Apes: Last Frontier), War… opens with Caesar’s tribe living a relatively peaceful and isolated existence in the woods, until an act of aggression by Woody Harrelson’s Colonel sends Caesar on a mission of vengeance. Unlike previous Apes films, which have split their time between human and primate protagonists, War spends the majority…

1 “A GANG SO VILLAINOUS THAT YOU MAKE JESSE JAMES AND CO LOOK LIKE THE POWERPUFF GIRLS.” 2 “THE SECOND YOUR TERRITORIES START GETTING UPPITY ABOUT THEIR LACK OF TEMPLES, YOU’LL STAMP THE JACKBOOT BACK DOWN.” 3 “DOESN’T COME CLOSE TO USURPING SPIRITUAL ANCESTOR RESIDENT EVIL 4’S THRONE, BUT ON OCCASION IT DOES MATCH AND THREATEN TO IMPROVE ON THE PAST.” 4 “A HANG-GLIDING, PARACHUTING, QUAD-BIKING, SHARK-PUNCHING REBELLION THAT SATISFIES ON JUST ABOUT EVERY LEVEL.”…

UNCHARTED 4: A THIEF’S END Nathan Drake’s swan song is a daring evolution. It combines series-defining set-pieces, quietly devastating storytelling beats, and sprawling levels that make you feel like a real-life explorer. This franchise finale retains its signature charm, with the wisecracks flowing as fast as the bullets, while the new characters each justify their inclusion. With an astonishing attention to detail, it’s Naughty Dog’s best yet. 2 THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT GAME OF THE YEAR EDITION The White Wolf’s epic journey is an RPG experience like no other on PS4. It’s been made even more spectacular with this gigantic pack stuffed with DLC, making this a must-have part of any gaming library. 3 HORIZON ZERO DAWN A staggeringly large world that condenses cracking combat, accessible systems, and uncut…

1 REZ INFINITE Fifteen years after the original’s release, the psychedelic rhythm rail shooter has achieved its final form. In PS VR, creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s vision becomes reality, the glittering polygonal trance-world and pounding techno inspiring total synaesthesia within you. Its crowning achievement? New level Area X, powerful enough to bring players to tears. Deserving of its name, this is a truly timeless title. 2 THUMPER Make no mistake: the brave chrome beetle gave Rez a run for its money for our top spot. Hurtling down a violently kaleidoscopic track, pounding notes and scraping round corners is exquisitely tough – and the manic magic is enhanced and perfected in PS VR. 3 KEEP TALKING AND NOBODY EXPLODES Who knew bombs could bring people together? With one headsetted Defuser, and as…