Tabla de contenidos para December 2015 en Gamesmaster

People often talk about the magic of cinema, and we’re all aware of how powerfully games can induce the odd goose-bump. This month those two avenues of awesome cross streams as we get an up-close look at the ludicrously exciting Star Wars Battlefront. And we’re not talking about anything as simple as a hands-on, either. With tips and tricks direct from DICE, and a retro-splosion featuring every Star Wars game ever, we’ve delved so deep into a galaxy far, far away that we’ve taken on Wookie-ish traits. Or maybe that’s just because we’ve been up all hours playing it… If, by some unfortunate quirk, Star Wars isn’t quite your kettle of banthas, we’re still loaded with epic stuff, so get stuck in, enjoy your GM, and let us know how…

After reading great reviews of Super Mario Maker online, I went out and bought a copy on launch day. I spent the next couple of days shaking Koopas, placing Chain Chomps, and swatting giant robot flies with a childlike glee. However, after seeing the world react to my masterpieces, I was surprised. Comments mostly consisted of “that was hard”, “too difficult”, and “really unfair”, and of 60 attempts on my relatively straightforward levels, only two successfully reached the end. This got me thinking. Are we ‘serious’ gamers just the minority? As I carry my team in Splatoon or wombo-combo my rivals in Smash Bros, am I the odd one out? Granted, I’ve been gaming for years, but are we gamers dying out as our hobby achieves mainstream success? I love…

MANIAC OF THE MONTH! The best zombie game is Call Of Duty: Black Ops II, because you don’t have the play the zombies mode. They should be avoided at all costs… Jamie Garbutt, Facebook Solid Snake is definitely the coolest videogame character of all time, and the games are like playing movies. The original Metal Gear Solid was the best game on the PS1. Julia Taylor, Facebook That triangle from Asteroids is the greatest spaceship in games. Minimalist as can be, but it certainly gets the job done. Ryan Booth, Facebook Ditto could turn into me and go to work for me while I sit at home and get paid. Aaron O Neill, Facebook Mother from House Of The Dead: Overkill was just grotesque, and what happened after beating her…

The studio behind The Walking Dead is facing its greatest challenge yet: creating a story-driven spin-off of the biggest videogame in the world. Sat in a darkened Soho screening room clutching a scattered few hours’ sleep, creative communications manager Laura Perusco is admirably upbeat as she explains just how Telltale gained the keys to the kingdom of Minecraft – and what they’ve unlocked. Q How does Telltale choose its next franchise? A Mostly, we all just want to work on stuff that we really love. We look at what people in the office are playing or watching, and then approach licence holders. With Minecraft, we were already working on Tales From The Borderlands, which is a game set in another videogame’s universe. We were like, “Well, this is cool, how…

This latest entry in the iconic series is designed for truly intricate, top-tier competition. It’s filled with nuanced changes and varied characters, built so the most skilled players in the world can astonish and entertain. So of course we decided the best way to try it out was to throw a bunch of hopeless rookies in at the deep end. With exclusive access to the latest build of Street Fighter V, we took two teams of lard-thumbed, lackwit button mashers – one from GamesMaster, one from our sister site GamesRadar+ – and handed each over to their own resident Street Fighter sensei. Could they be coached in the Way Of The Quarter Circle in a single afternoon? And, more importantly, could Team GamesMaster smash up their lah-di-dah online opponents and…

Format PS4, XO, PC Publisher Square Enix Developer Eidos Montreal ETA 23 February 2016 Human Revolution was very fond of its Icarus symbolism. Jensen’s augmented form represented humanity’s overreaching ambition to transcend through technology – but it doesn’t really work when your hero has nothing to fear from the fall. The first thing we see Jensen do in Mankind Divided is throw himself out of a plane without a parachute pack. He hurtles calmly towards the ground for a few moments, and then breaks his descent with a cushioning orb of electricity. If his new colleagues at Interpol are jealous, they don’t show it. In fact, there’s a definite note of contempt when his CO radios in to bark instructions. In the two years since the last game, the world…

Format PS4, XO, PC Publisher Ubisoft Developer Ubisoft Montreal ETA 1 December No respawns, no cover – this isn’t a shooter for those who value brawn over brains. We’ve enjoyed what we’ve seen of Siege before, but were in desperate need of some training – that’s where the new solo missions come in. Cold Zero is a hostage rescue from a group of fanatical terrorists, while Tubular Assault has you clearing hijackers from a plane. Both must be done single-handedly, with no extra health, making these ‘tutorials’ tougher than most game’s main campaigns. Good. They’re the perfect intro to this tense tactical FPS. PvP has been refined nicely post-beta. The defending terrorist team holds the objective, and can set up barricades and booby traps. Meanwhile, the attackers send in remote…

Format PS4, PS Vita Publisher Square Enix Developer Square Enix ETA Summer 2016 That peek at XV not enough to satisfy your hunger for Square’s classic RPG series? Well maybe this mash-up morsel will keep you going. Featuring a host of characters and monsters from the games in an adorable chibi style, it sees siblings Reynn and Lann enter the realm of Grymoire to retrieve both their memories, and ‘mirages’… whatever those are. Why said adventure involves everyone getting genetically spliced with Funko toys hasn’t yet been revealed. What we do know is that it allows you to stack a Moogle on top of your head – that’s got to be a good thing, right? World Of Final Fantasy is a celebration of the series, similar in approach to wonderful…

Format PS4, XO, PS3, 360, PC Pub Capcom Dev Capcom ETA Spring 2016 Capcom returns to the HD remake well, and this time the Japanese publisher is taking the opportunity to update this train-based slice of survival horror action. The character-swapping mechanics of the GameCube original remain intact, with players switching between STARS officer Rebecca Chambers and tank-top-loving criminal Billy Coen in this series prequel. Capcom is also taking the opportunity to add a new mode to the game, in which you play as nefarious, inexplicably super-powered trench coat model Albert Wesker.…

Format PS4 Pub Square Enix Dev Tri-Ace ETA Summer 2016 It’s been six years since the last entry in Tri-Ace’s venerable sci-fi series, but its real-time JRPG battle system remains a distinctive proposition. Combat has been polished to make for a smoother experience, and the elimination of transition screens should ensure less thumb-twiddling. Similarly, the developer is aiming to deliver seamless transitions between gameplay and Star Ocean’s dynamic cutscenes, in which the player’s input determines narrative outcomes. Think Mass Effect with better hair.…

Format PC Developer Daedalic Entertainment ETA Winter Web http://bit.ly/gmbountytrain Those Hornby train sets just aren’t enough, are they? You want real smoke, trees with actual leaves, and maybe to convert that attic space into a cinema room instead of an homage to your childhood Thomas The Tank Engine dreams. Well you’re in luck: Bounty Train not only hands you your very own locomotive to personalise, it also sets you loose in 19th century North America in an all new kind of train simulation. “Control your very own steam train during the American Frontier era. It’s as simple as it sounds, but the complexity lies in the interpretation of the word ‘control’,” explains producer John Kiel. “We want players not only to steer their train, but also to upgrade or rebuild…

As if anyone needed any further incentive to pop back to Yharnam, From Software is launching its Bloodborne expansion The Old Hunters this month, promising new areas, enemies, and bloody great weapons for its arterial action adventure. As well as the sweet lure of fresh gear, it also promises to flesh out some of the more enigmatic elements of Bloodborne’s lore, and to this end From has already revealed a gruesome boss battle with Ludwig, first hunter of the Healing Church. If that’s set your pulse racing, then The Old Hunters will be available to purchase on 24 November. But if all that seems a bit gothic and gore-spattered for your tastes, Bethesda’s Orsinium expansion for The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited will offer a slightly more wholesome brand of…

1 Katakis (Amiga, C64 – 1988) Factor 5’s debut in a role that fast became familiar, upgrading C64 games to Amiga in style. Rainbow Arts’ infamous R-Type tribute act Katakis (later recalled, tweaked to soothe lawyers, and relaunched as Denaris) was a fine beginning. The ‘punishment’ from lawyer-wielding Activision? Insisting Factor 5 did the official R-Type conversion too. See, kids, stealing does pay! 2 Mega Turrican (Mega Drive, Amiga – 1993) Metroid/Contra mixtape Turrican became Factor 5’s baby as the studio moved on from buffing up Manfred Trenz’ C64 originals to creating new console outings from scratch. This boss-infested Mega Drive bad lad (the SNES got its own Super Turrican) also landed on Amiga as Turrican III, while mooted spiritual successor Thornado became a famous ‘lost project’ of the N64…

Rogue Squadron II Arguably the best launch game ever – and it included the first game as a multiplayer extra! Knights Of The Old Republic The best Star Wars RPG by a mile. I soaked hours of play into it – such a great story! Battlefront 2 The game that convinced me to get Xbox Live – one of my first online experiences on console. Jedi Power Battles Although it was unfortunately full of glitches, it was a great two-player game. Battle For Naboo Its planet-side combat changed things up after the space battles of Rogue Squadron. Steve Gillen, Facebook Disagree? Then why not tell us what your top five would be over on our Facebook page. We won’t bite. Hard.…

If there’s a common thread uniting the Far Cry games, it’s beautiful but violent frontiers; places on that uncertain border between civilisation and nature. Previous instalments have played out that tension in the tropics, the Himalayas, and in a crumbling African nation. Rather than a geographic location, however, this new entry places its conflict in a prehistorical moment, 10,000 BC – a time when humans were making their first attempts to parcel off some portion of the wild for themselves. In one sense, then, Far Cry Primal is a natural extension of the series – in another, it’s a radical departure. After all, there are no vehicles to joyride, no towers to climb, and no molotovs to hurl in 10,000 BC. We’re hopeful that Ubisoft will take this opportunity to…

MATT’S PICK… Ghost Recon: Wildlands With Destiny proving that hybridised MMO stylings can work alongside gratifying shooting, I’m all up for a more relatably tactile affair. Remember the Gunsmith mode from Future Soldier? Imagine that, but wrapped up in a cartel-infused, hyper stylised, four player drug busting raid. This is on my radar in a big way. PS4, XO, PC – Winter 2016 ROBIN’S PICK… Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen I missed the boat on the original game (shameful confession time: I never owned a 360 or a PS3), but I’ve long found the chatter about its class-switching, monster-climbing, and shareable AI companions intriguing. This shiny rerelease coming to PC seems like the perfect opportunity for me to finally jump in and try it out for myself. PC – January 2016…

CHICKEN RUN Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida has indulged in a fine British tradition, taking time out of his busy schedule to step out for a cheeky Nando’s while he was visiting Shoreditch on business. He even tweeted images of his visit for posterity, and our sources confirm that Yoshida’s visit also included top bants. What a lad. MANKIND UNITED Last issue, we reported on Square Enix promising to release Deus Ex: Mankind Divided early if enough eager beavers pre-ordered. Fans weren’t delighted at being held to ransom, and the plan has sensibly been ditched after ‘a resounding amount of negative fan feedback’. RIDE ON MASS Our galaxy-exploring dreams are one step closer, as EA has announced a Mass Effect ride at US theme park California’s Great America. It’s…

TRAINER: MATT ELLIOTT Just as Ryu was born to wander this Earth like a martial arts bindlestiff, I was destined to fall in love with Street Fighter II at an arcade in Cromer. Since then, I’ve dedicated an embarrassing amount of my life to repeatedly performing the same two moves with Guile. It’s surely this sense of pathological dedication that led GamesMaster to choose me to be sensei of their team. NAME: MATT SAKURAOKA-GILMAN CHARACTER: M. BISON There are three reasons I chose the Shadaloo dictator for Matt Gilman: firstly, they’re both maniacal dictators obsessed with gaining power at any cost. Secondly, there’s something pleasing about pretending the ‘M’ stands for ‘Matthew’. Thirdly, it establishes a creeping rivalry between Matt and Robin, who’s playing as Nash: Bison killed him, he…

Dash By unleashing his stored electrical energy, Jensen can propel himself forward at great speed. It’s an easy way to instantly reach ledges, but can also be used offensively. Hit a guard with it and they’re done. Taser Jensen’s hands can fire up to four electric shock charges. By holding down the fire trigger and moving over targets, you can lock on before stunning multiple enemies at once. Great for non-lethal players. Shield Jensen can deploy a crystalline nano-shell at a moment’s notice. Dubbed the Titan Shield, it can deflect bullets, and basically turns you into an unstoppable walking tank…as long as your batteries hold out. Vision Jensen’s augmented vision mode can see through walls, which is obviously useful, but it can also reveal what items guards are carrying. It’s…

Format PS4, XO, PC Pub 2K Games Dev Hangar 13 ETA Summer 2016 The story of an Italian-American’s ascent from lowly putz to formidable mafioso is a well-worn cliché these days. Perhaps that’s why 2K Games has surprisingly ditched its typical New York wiseguys in favour of an African-American protagonist and a New Orleans setting. Whereas previous instalments have focused on your ascent through the ‘family’, Mafia III hones in more closely on the inevitable conflicts that arise between rival criminal organisations. So, playing as Vietnam veteran Lincoln Clay, you’ll assist the ‘black mob’ in its brutal battles against the local Italian mafia. More generally, a host of technical upgrades ahead of this current-gen debut distinguish Mafia III from its franchise forebears. Visual upgrades abound, while the slightly stiff combat…

Format 3DS Pub Capcom Dev Capcom ETA Autumn 2016 In keeping with the series’ dual preoccupations with courtroom rationalism and ancient mysticism, Phoenix Wright is leaving his home city to practice law in the more spiritual land of Kurain. Its people apparently hold a deep belief in the spirits of the dead, and their courtrooms see judges and prosecutors sitting alongside mystical ‘water mirrors’. How these esoteric elements feed into AA’s legal proceedings remains to be seen – but so long as we can still yell ‘Objection’ into our 3DS microphone, we’re happy.…

FIRST STEPS “Starting out is not so much to do with [understanding] loadouts, as the things that you use and equip are all quite straightforward and easy to understand. It has more to do with your playstyle. The distinction between those who are familiar with shooters and those who are not comes down to what modes you play, because that is where we have a very large and broad offering of elements that are really friendly and easy to grasp for people who are not very experienced. Then we also have the advanced and more tactical things for the more experienced players. That is my wish: that people who are not so experienced can use those more accessible means of play to learn and improve, so they eventually feel that…

THIEF TOWN If there was ever an excuse to drink tequila and play party games, this is it. Thief Town fills the screen with identical banditos, and it’s up to you to figure out who you are, who the other players are, and then stab them without being seen. On second thoughts, tequila might make this impossible. GANG BEASTS Describing itself as a ‘silly multiplayer party game with surly gelatinous characters’, this PC Early Access couch brawler sees you floppily chucking your friends through meat grinders, body-slamming them off moving vehicles, and kicking them out of ferris wheels while shouting “Into the sea!”. RUNBOW Four players? Pah! Runbow lets you play with up to nine, if you have enough Wii U controllers (and batteries). Test both your platforming mettle and…

This incredible 1:1 scale recreation of Fallout 3’s Capital Wasteland was crafted over the course of two years by the architects at BlockWorks. In terms of detail and scale, this is one of the most breathtaking builds we’ve ever seen. The original plan, in collaboration with the modders at LostServers, was to create a full playable Fallout 3 server, complete with factions, questlines, a level-up system, bottlecap currency, and guns. Heartbreakingly, that project now seems to be on hold – following a short beta, the creators have gone quiet, and their website is down, leaving us with only dreams of wandering this wasteland remake. Sigh. At least you can still check out the trailer here: http://bit.ly/gmfalloutmc HOW TO ... CHOOSE A PLACE TO SET UP HOME Different biomes have different…

1 Both Master Chief and Jameson Locke are more agile Spartans than ever. The first move you want to learn is the ol’ shoulder charge. Simply melee as you sprint and you trigger a third-person attack that can break through certain walls to open new routes, and knock foes flying. 2 By using iron sights while jumping, you burn your jetpack thrusters and hover in the air for a few seconds, providing a high angle from which you can shoot down on enemies. This is especially useful in keeping off the ground when Promethean Crawlers swarm in. 3 A vital ability is the boost-dash that enables you to circle strafe at speed. This excels at getting to Hunters’ rears, and the weak parts of Promethean Knights, and – briliantly –…

Each stage completed grants a material reward. Literally. At the end of a level, you’ll get to open one of three chests containing items that are used to make new outfits. Some increase your life, others buff weapons, and a Tingle leotard allows you to survive up to three falls without losing a heart. However, the random nature of the rewards means you can complete a stage several times without getting the item you need. Replaying a level while pursuing an optional objective often increases your chances, but after a few of attempts you’ll be so familiar with its idiosyncrasies that you’ll have no need for an outfit that makes it easier anyway.…

Every character you purchase comes with a free-roam world in which to collect items and complete short quests, and some packs even come with linear story missions, indicated by a yellow marking on the pack. Any character can visit any location – so you can finally live your dream of roaming Springfield on a velociraptor. 1 Aperture Science’s puzzles have been simplified by Wheatley – because he was too dim to solve them. 2 Speed around Hill Valley on a hoverboard or in the DeLorean in Marty McFly’s Back To The Future set. 3 The Springfield’s sandbox suffers from a strange lack of voices, but the story mission is excellent. 4 Follow the ‘Lego Brick Road’ to Wizard Of Oz world, where The Wicked Witch awaits. 5 Ninjago’s Master Chen…

1 DESTINY: THE TAKEN KING PS4 The Sleeper Simulant mightn’t be all it was cracked up to be, but I’m loving my Jade Rabbit scout rifle. Wish Prison Of Elders was still relevant, though… Matt Sakuraoka-Gilman, Editor 2 SOMA PS4 I love a bit of existential ponderment. Throw in sentient AIs, a chilling undersea locale, and more twists than a fusilli maker riding the dodgems, and I’m chuffed. Matt Sakuraoka-Gilman, Editor 3 FORZA 6 XO The best-looking driving game out there, and the multiplayer especially is great fun. Bundle that up with a huge choice of cars and tracks, and you have an incredibly addictive racer. Sam Freeman, Art Editor 4 DARK SOULS PC Ok, so maybe The Bed Of Chaos gave me a little trouble, but Seath was a…

1 Factor 5 really knew its stuff: Rogue Squadron looked and sounded like a truly next-gen videogame, especially if you had the rich kids’ 4MB Expansion Pak. 2 Provided you stuck to the job at hand, having the gameplay taken off set rails meant that your flight path through each mission was your own. 3 Even though your wingmen sometimes appeared to be drunk and/or dunces, having radio chatter (especially on a cartridge) helped seal the atmosphere. 4 All missions took place near the surface rather than out in space. That meant getting to see places from Kessel to Mon Calamari up close. No cheeky tourist afternoons off though. 5 Gold medals were serious business, but the bonus ships and stages were worth the effort. Death Star? Yes! Hoth? Yes!…

CHICKEN GUN Yes, there’s more MGSV Play Arts Kai figures on the way, and yes, the chicken hat is in there. It’s just a prototype for now, but that doesn’t make us want it any less. Add in D-Dog for £150 and prepare for bankruptcy. FANTASY VIOLENCE The game might not be out yet, but Square Enix was happy to show off the incoming FFXV models. On show amongst a slew of prototype figures, Noctis comes with a stack of different hands and weaponry. KAT FIGHT Well this isn’t fair. The Japanese version of Gravity Rush on PS4 comes with a beautiful model of Kat and her gravity-defying feline. To add insult to injury, it’s a Figma model, so is fully articulated. Some hope exists though – there’s a petition…

Breaking pad I had to share a story from playing Splatoon, after seeing DJ Octavio in the top five boss fights list last issue… I remember playing through the fight, miraculously surviving all of the attacks he threw at me, with only one life remaining. Unfortunately, I ignored a red blinking light on my GamePad… and when I got to the point where I only had to hit him one more time to win the battle, it ran out of charge! I frantically searched for the charger, but it was too late – I was smacked upside the face with his attacks, and it was all over. I was so frustrated that I didn’t attempt it again for about a week. It’s still an excellent game, though, and one I…

SHENMUE 3 Format PS4, PC ETA December 2017 Still easily the most unexpected game we reported on this year – looks like you can’t wait for this to become reality. FALLOUT 4 Format PS4, XO, PC ETA 10 November It’s so close we can almost taste that irradiated water already… Get your month off work booked in now. FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE Format PS4 ETA 2017 And here’s the second most unexpected game! Those warm, nostalgic feelings are already creeping in for you lot. THE LEGEND OF ZELDA Format Wii U ETA 2017 Will it be this generation, or the next? Either way, you’re desperate to step into Link’s shoes and wander an open world. DOOM Format PS4, XO, PC ETA Spring 2016 We can already feel the gore squishing…

The levelling system in Bethesda’s epic latest isn’t exactly business as usual. Skills are out and perks are king, with 70 of the blighters split into 275 ranks across the seven SPECIAL stats (that’s Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck, in case you’ve forgotten!). With so much choice, you might be feeling a little overwhelmed as you take those first few tentative steps into the wasteland. Don’t worry, as ever Team GM is here to help. We’ve chosen our eight top perk picks – make this selection your priority, and we guarantee you won’t die an ignoble, irradiated death in the middle of the desert. Probably. Ok, maybe ‘guarantee’ is too strong a word, but we’ve got a real good feeling about them at least. And hey, if…

Is crowdfunding a good thing? The Dev Peter Bartholow CEO, Lab Zero Games Crowdfunding could be considered a reaction to publishers not fulfilling demand for games and genres that they might consider too niche to be worth their while. And those are the sorts of games we’d like to continue to make! The Critic Matt Sakuraoka-Gilman Editor I’m so happy we live in a world in which the likes of Wasteland 2, Pillars Of Eternity, and, yes, Shenmue 3 can be made. But it does feel unnerving to know that a game can be ‘successful’ before it’s even been finished. The Fan Ross Murphy GM Reader It was a great idea in theory, until it started being abused, and now we’re flooded with half-finished games, and millions of euros/pounds/dollars have…

SPEED IS GOOD Zoom down to the shops for the release of shiny racer reboot Need For Speed. FRONT AND CENTRE Our childhood fantasies take on videogame form as Star Wars Battlefront hits shelves. BARE NECESSITY Time to finally shave off that slightly rubbish ‘tache as Movember draws to a close. OVERWATCH THIS SPACE BlizzCon is here, and with it comes a wintry storm of gaming news from Blizzard. THE BLAST OF US Not enough explosions in your life? No probs! Grab yourself a copy of Just Cause 3 today. APOCALYPSE NOW A good day to hold a solemn funeral for your social life, obliterated by the arrival of Fallout 4. CROFTLY DOES IT Get your tiny archaeology brushes ready – Rise Of The Tomb Raider is out now. PRIZE…

My training methods are built upon simple foundations: a solid understanding of the game’s basics, and the threat of physical violence (anyone who loses receives four consecutive Chinese burns). For the first 10 minutes, Team GM aren’t allowed to touch the controllers. That’s a right which must be earned. Instead, I explain how Street Fighter V’s systems work. The new V-Gauge represents a significant shift in pace: instead of turtling up and waiting for an opening, you’re encouraged to press advantages hard. Repeatedly using your V-Skill, executed by pressing both medium attacks together, quickly builds the V-Gauge, allowing you to execute your powerful V-Trigger. Crucially, the meter resets after every round, so it’s important not to waste it. Doing so is a one Chinese burn offence. When we finally start…

Format PS4, XO, PC Publisher 505 Games Developer Lab Zero ETA January 2018 Crowdfunding may be at something of a low ebb in terms of its reputation among gamers, but if there’s one front the Kickstarter revolution continues to deliver on, it’s establishing demand for niche propositions. And Lab Zero’s latest – a 2D Metroidvania that fuses RPG combat with fighting game combos – certainly seems to fit that particular bill. Rather than expecting potential players to shell out on the basis of little more than a portfolio of promises and a slick video, the studio has put together a playable prototype of its nascent project, which is freely available for anyone to download and try. And while the word ‘prototype’ might evoke images of unfinished textures and janky mechanics,…

Format PS4, XO, PC Publisher Ubisoft Developer Ubisoft Paris ETA Winter 2016 Compared to the endless parade of grey-brown shooters set in post-apocalyptic wastelands and post-invasion Americas, this open-world shooter’s setting looks like a lovely getaway. Real-world Bolivia boasts a tremendously varied landscape to begin with, and Ubisoft Paris has lovingly compressed it into a packed playground. Ruining the holiday atmosphere somewhat are a bunch of bloodthirsty drug cartels – and it’s your job to take them down. The developer is promising that its open world will accommodate a considerable variety of approaches, from all-out explosive assaults to patient infiltration. Furthermore, you’ll take down cartel officers in whichever order you see fit – à la Crackdown or Shadow Of Mordor – and your interventions in their criminal activities will have…

Format PC Pub Team17 Dev Lilith Ltd ETA Autumn 2016 PT may have been unceremoniously yanked from the PlayStation Store, but its influence remains strong, with indie dev Lilith Ltd looking to resurrect Kojima’s peculiar take on the horror genre. The prototype features a similarly obsessive approach to environmental detail, as well as a focus on the unnerving quality of deserted domestic spaces. Then there are the bleeding walls and bloodsoaked ghost-women, of course. There’s Occulus Rift support too, but ohmygod… no. There’s only so much our nervous dispositions can take.…

“Ashen is an open-world, third-person action-RPG set in a bleak, sunless land. This is a world where nothing lasts, no matter how tightly you cling to it. Our story starts with a rumble in the distance, and then a light. Through leaking eyes you make out a peak on the horizon. Nothing ever shone so bright. Gameplay in Ashen is split between tactical, real-time combat and exploration. Both are valuable skills to master if you hope to forge a path through the ash. Players regularly weave in and out of each other’s game worlds, creating opportunities for them to work together. If you survive long enough to bring others back to the safety of your town, together, you might just stand a chance. Building a thriving town on the ash-laden…

Format XO Publisher Microsoft Studios Developer 343 Industries ETA Out now Players 1-24 Once upon a time in space there was a man in green armour who shot aliens. Later that initially simple tale became a little more complicated, switching perspectives, weaving in additional characters, and spanning galaxies. Now, despite this latest entry’s undisputed position as Xbox One’s Biggest Deal – evidenced in glitzy live action trailers, emblazoned across the shirts of MLS teams, and even cameoing in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation as Simon Pegg’s favourite game – one thing is not as clear: what is even going on in the Halo universe anymore? The short answer is, with Chief AWOL shortly following the events of Halo 4, it’s the job of Fireteam Osiris to track him down. You actually…

Awesome Boss! Super Probotector: Alien Rebels Format SNES Developer Konami Released 1992 Or Contra III: The Alien Wars to the right-thinking world outside Europe. Is one rapid-firing Terminator enough for a boss fight? No, let’s have two. And they keep going as bouncing torsos after you’ve shot their legs off. Is that enough? No: the whole back wall should be torn open by a third giant robot with eye lasers and fiery breath. Is that enough? Yes. That is probably enough. Classic Momen t! Combat School Format Amstrad CPC, C64, Spectrum, Arcade Developer Konami/Ocean Released 1987 If you thought Konami’s military twist on Track & Field ended at the drill instructor punch-up, think again: a real live field mission followed, sending you to bust hostages out of the US embassy…

1. THE ACE PILOT • Personally picked by Darth Vader to lead his ace TIE squadron… • And then personally denounced as a traitor and locked up. • Understandably a bit miffed, she got her own back by arranging protracted make-out sessions with the Sith Lord’s apprentice. 2. THE FORCE-SENSITIVE • Spent her adolescence hanging out with Mandalorians. This chill friendship came to an abrupt, superweapon-induced end. • Leather-clad bounty hunter turned leather-clad Jedi Sentinel. • Has a complicated relationship with Wookies. 3. THE DASHING SCOUNDREL • An Imperial Naval cadet turned smuggler and mercenary. • Captain of the YT-2400 light freighter Outrider. • Took part in the battle of Hoth, went toe-to-toe with Boba Fett, and saved Princess Leia from the Black Sun crime syndicate. 4. THE LEGITIMATE BUSINESSMAN…