PLAY December 2019

“BEAUTIFUL AND BRUTAL IN EQUAL MEASURE […] THIS SEQUEL IS GOING TO BE SONY’S BEST GAME. EVER.” After years of teases and trailers we finally go hands-on with The Last Of Us Part II this issue, and it doesn’t disappoint. Beautiful and brutal in equal measure, with the kind of mature narrative we’ve come to expect from Naughty Dog, this sequel is going to be Sony’s best game. Ever. Read our hands-on impressions and interview on p50. Continuing the horror theme we also take a look at the ten greatest scares on PlayStation 4, and some of them are truly shocking. And it means we can venture back into the corridors of PT, on p62. If you need an extra fix of Hideo Kojima, we have our final preview of…

Oscar Taylor-Kent GAMES EDITOR Oscar takes a closer look at Death Stranding and comes away from his trek knowing one thing: Norman Reedus needs a wash. GAME OF THE MONTH AI: The Somnium Files BEST GAME BODY ART Bayek Of Siwa Jess Kinghorn STAFF WRITER The horror! Jess puts in her spare vamp fangs (she really has these) and played PS4’s best shocks. This feature’s got bite! GAME OF THE MONTH AI: The Somnium Files BEST GAME BODY ART Goro Majima Miriam McDonald OPERATIONS EDITOR Back from holiday with armfuls of French cakes and orders to hit deadline. Any way you slice it, it’s good to have Mim back. GAME OF THE MONTH Tropico 6 BEST GAME BODY ART Borderlands’ Lillith Milford Coppock MANAGING ART EDITOR “They should be terrified…

Editorial Editor Ian Dean @IanDean4 ian.dean@futurenet.com 01225 442244 Managing Art Editor Milford Coppock @milfcoppock Operations Editor Miriam McDonald @crinolinerobot Games Editor Oscar Taylor-Kent @MrOscarTK Staff Writer Jessica Kinghorn @KoeniginKatze Editorial Director, Games Tony Mott Brand Director Matthew Pierce Content Director, Games & Film Daniel Dawkins Senior Art Editor Warren Brown Contributors Jordan Farley, Malindy Hetfeld, Phil Iwaniuk, Luke Kemp, Russell Lewin, David Meikleham, Poul Martin Nebelong, Alex Spencer, Rebecca Lucy Stow, Justin Towell, Rachel Weber, Ben Wilson Advertising Media packs are available on request Commercial Director Clare Dove clare.dove@futurenet.com Account Director Kevin Stoddart kevin.stoddart@futurenet.com 01225 442244 Subscriptions Head of Subscriptions Sharon Todd Circulation Head of Newstrade Tim Mathers Production Head of Production Mark Constance Production Project Manager Clare Scott Advertising Production Manager Joanne Crosby Digital Editions Controller Jason Hudson Production Manager…

“THE MASTERMIND VIEWS THE MATCH IN PROGRESS BY FLICKING BETWEEN CCTV VIEWS OF THE SURVIVORS.” Multiplayer and Resident Evil have always had a spotty relationship, to say the least. Co-op in Resident Evil 5 was great fun, but at the cost of tense survival horror. Online shooter Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City didn’t feel like a Resi at all. Resident Evil Outbreak (released on PS2) was ahead of its time, and the servers have long since shut down. But with Project Resistance, the latest Resident Evil project, Capcom might just have worked multiplayer magic. The concept is a simple one – the sort of asymmetrical experience that’s become more and more in vogue. Four players make up a team of Survivors who must work together, and they’re pitted against a…

“YOU CAN USE YOKAI POWERS IN BATTLE YOURSELF.” When we heard this prequel would be doing away with our silver-haired samurai husband William to focus on a custom character, we feared our hero might not feel that integral to Team Ninja’s demon-infused spin on Sengoku-era Japan. In a hands-on, we discover we were worrying needlessly – and that embracing our demonic yokai aspect is also critical. We also encounter infamous historical figure Oda Nobunaga. Along with our ally, Toukichiro, we pledge allegiance to Nobunaga, and together the two of us take on the name Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In reality, Nobunaga was indeed Hideyoshi’s liege lord, and Hideyoshi eventually took over from Nobunaga, bringing an end to the era of warring states. In Nioh, William had to strike down a resurrected Nobunaga,…

While we’ve seen plenty of Cal Kestis and BD-1 in action so far, the latest showcase from Respawn introduces us properly to Cal’s mission throughout Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Cal’s taken in and mentored by fellow Force-sensitive and fugitive Jedi Knight Cere Junda. He then joins his new mentor on a journey to restore the Jedi Order – battling some batty enemies along the way. “AT ONE POINT WE HEAR THE TELL-TALE INTAKE OF ROBOTIC BREATH.” He might be being pursued by the Second Sister and the rest of the Inquisition, but escape is not Cal’s ultimate goal. Alongside Junda, he’s looking for “something very precious to the Empire”, which seems to be vital in helping to restore the Jedi to glory. The closer Cal gets, the more ire…