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PLAY|November 2018Welcome“RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2 IS SADDLED AND WAITING TO LEAVE THE STABLE. AND WE’VE PLAYED IT.”After delays and months of waiting, Red Dead Redemption 2 is saddled and waiting to leave the stable. And we’ve played it. Oscar was whisked off to a secret Rockstar location to spend time with Arthur Morgan, bond with a horse, and skin a lot of rabbits. You can read his hands-on impressions on page 50.The first plays continue as Jess goes hands-on with Claire Redfield in the remake of Resident Evil 2 (p6), plus Devil May Cry 5 (p32), and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (p42). All fantastic games heading to PS4. Fresh off a flight from QuakeCon, we also take a closer look at Doom Eternal (p64) and are reminded no one does shooters…1 min
PLAY|November 201802 Night City flings open its gatesOnce again we take the lift down from V’s mega-building, and we’re in the crowded city streets of Night City. But this time they’re not just filled with NPCs going about their business in the sunny-yet-neon smoky streets (with a full day/ night scale, it’s not permanently cast in night). You’re also there experiencing it too, thanks to CD Projekt Red’s unprecedented move to share 48 minutes of footage with the world as the first gameplay reveal. Talk about confidence.Unlike the Witcher games, which revolve around Geralt Of Rivia, an established character from Andrzej Sapkowski’s books, Cyberpunk 2077 is based around V, a character you create and customise yourself. As the game draws from the pen-and-paper tabletop RPG Cyberpunk 2020, this makes sense. But there’s still a lot of crafted…3 min
PLAY|November 201805 Dead Or Alive is wreck-ing havocFans old and new are welcome to jump aboard for Dead Or Alive’s sixth outing. What’s more, now serving up a can of whup ass is easier than ever. Special moves mapped to the right shoulder button serve as an easy in-road for new players, but the lengthy wind up means long-time fighters will know when best to use ‘em.Playing against director Yohei Shimbori, we try to do the polite thing and not spam specials, as enjoyable as that is. Fighting aboard a ship, he has a trick up his sleeve, and triggers a kraken smackdown, sending us crashing below deck into the glittering depths of the treasure room.Our fighter is looking worse for wear, drenched in sweat, her clothes scuffed. Nonetheless, we’re struck by how good this looks. We’re…1 min
PLAY|November 201809 Head(set) in the clouds“PADDED CUSHIONS ARE THE KEY TO COMFORT.”Once simply a memory company making RAM, HyperX has been making a big push into the peripheral market this year, releasing some advanced gaming keyboards, mice, and headsets. Next stop? PS4.You may have already seen its Cloud series headsets, which have been spotted all around the world thanks to HyperX’s focus on comfort – they’re a favourite of many eSports players, have been worn by Snoop Dogg, and were even used by FIFA video assistant referees in the 2018 World Cup. The headsets have always been compatible with the console, but the HyperX Cloud for PlayStation 4 is officially licensed by Sony, and built with PS4 players in mind.A durable aluminium frame keeps the HyperX Cloud from feeling cheap, and is nice and sturdy…1 min
PLAY|November 2018Star letter Vita futureI bought an issue of OPM the other day, and the fact that you include articles about the PS Vita in the official PS Magazine is one of the most heartwarming things I’ve seen all year! Even by today’s standards it is the most advanced portable gaming console available and I only pray that you keep promoting it for as long as you can!As a side note, there is quite literally no other system in history that is as good as the Vita at rhythm gaming!Muta via emailOscar’s a massive PS Vita fan, Muta, so there’s no danger of it being left out of the magazine. He’s on a mission to convert the world to the handheld… though he can keep his dating games to himself!…1 min
PLAY|November 2018READERS’ MOST WANTED1 Red Dead Redemption 2We’ve been hands-on with this, and all we can say is, you’re not wrong to want this one. Turn to p50 to find out why we love it.FORMAT PS4ETA 26 OCT2 Shenmue 3A whole year to wait to find out more of Ryo’s story. What torture is this? Can you want it this badly for that long?FORMAT PS4ETA 27 AUG 20193 Kingdom Hearts IIIThe mouse is back on your list – we’ve had no new reveals, but sometimes you just crave that feelgood factor, eh?FORMAT PS4ETA 25 JAN 20195 Cyberpunk 2077A massive gameplay reveal is keeping this on everyone’s radar. 2077 can’t arrive soon enough for us, frankly.FORMAT PS4ETA TBC4 The Last Of Us Part IIIt feels like an age since that kiss. Is the affection…1 min
PLAY|November 2018Far from armless1 Like some sort of boy-Bayonetta, Nero can give demons a double dose of justice in half the time. Truly, a stroke of genius from Nico.2 Hold e to charge up, then release it to let the sparks fly with Nero’s sleek, blue Overture arm. And this is just his basic prosthetic!3 With plenty of destructible environments to smash up, we’re looking forward to seeing what havoc can be unleashed with this multi-projectile arm.4 We only got to mess around with two different arms (Overture and the mobility-boosting Gerbera) but we can’t wait to take a peek at Nero’s full arsenal.…1 min
PLAY|November 2018CALL OF CTHULHU“CHOOSE YOUR WORDS TO DARK WATER’S QUEEN BEE VERY CAREFULLY.”FORMAT PS4 / ETA 30 OCT / PUB FOCUS HOME INTERACTIVE / DEV CYANIDE STUDIOThere’s something alternately enticing and sickening about the light. Its dim glow is visible between piles of marine-life viscera, and whether it’s leading us towards or away from safety is not so easily determined. Picking our way through caverns we happen upon a disturbing scene, its main players faceless, both horrified as well as horrifying.As a shot rings out, we wake with a start to find ourselves reclining in our office chair, an unfinished drink on our desk. This is how we meet ex-soldier and detective Edward Pierce. A freelancer for a private agency, he soon receives a call informing him his personal records have been destroyed…2 min
PLAY|November 2018THE QUIET MAN“THERE’S A CHARM TO THE QUIET MAN – THE FIDELITY OF THE MODELS IS UNIQUE EVEN IF THE ANIMATION IS SKITTISH.”FORMAT PS4 / ETA TBC / PUB SQUARE ENIX DEV SQUARE ENIX, HUMAN HEAD STUDIOSGaming’s quiet man is here to stay, and he’s turning up the volume, or at least he’s punching some faces, saving the girl, and catching a serial killer. We love the dev’s ambition in attempting to merge FMV and digital doubles as this game jumps from narrative cutscenes into classic brawling.The Quiet Man is centred on deaf model Dane as he seeks revenge on the gangster who terrorised him as a tween, which leads him to team up with mobster Taye. There’s also a serial killer on the loose, a sultry club singer to smooch, and…2 min
PLAY|November 2018TRÜBERBROOK“IT’S LIKE PLAYING AN AARDMAN ANIMATION DIRECTED BY DAVID LYNCH.”FORMAT PS4 / ETA JAN / PUB HEADUP GAMES / DEV BTFAs we sit down to play this quirky ’60s-set point-and-click adventure it takes seconds to mentally tick off the game’s influences. Twin Peaks, The X-Files, and a dash of Ron Gilbert’s sense of humour all bubble to the surface in the game’s opening gambit as our hero dictates his thoughts to ‘Beverly’, as the gentle breeze of Badalamenti-like cool jazz builds, and the town’s hotelier drops a joke about our name: “Elevenhauser, is it?”We’re actually playing as Tannhauser (pronounced ‘tenhauser’ – geddit?), a physicist who’s won a trip to the remote German town of Trüberbrook, where he hopes to finally find the peace and quiet he needs to finish his…2 min
PLAY|November 2018THE QUICK AND THE (RED) DEADWith every Rockstar game we are trying to build something more vibrant and more detailed than the last, while continuing to push forward our ideas about what these games should do and feel like when you play them,” Rob Nelson, Rockstar North’s co-studio head, tells us. It’s true that almost every Rockstar game on a new system sets the high bar for an open world game. It’s easy to take for granted, but it takes true craft.“Red Dead Redemption 2 was a chance to completely overhaul every underlying system of the game, and our experiences creating those new-generation versions of GTA V helped us to see how we could improve, and what was possible with the new technology.” No open world is quite as breathtaking as the one we play…10 min
PLAY|November 2018BIGGER BANG THEORYDoom Eternal is bigger, brasher, and bloodier than its predecessor. It’s brainier too, in terms of its amplified combat depth and the increased number of demonic crania you’re going to paint the walls with. All of this once seemed impossible, given the quality and hilarious, eviscerating excess of Doom 2016. But having recently experienced Doom Eternal’s gameplay reveal live at QuakeCon 2018, trust us. We were not ready, and you won’t be either. Let us explain…01 HELL’S ARMIES HAVE HAD A RECRUITMENT DRIVEDoom’s demonic bestiary is a fantastically realised lineup of enemies. They’re smart, aggressive, unique, and each entirely specific in purpose. So it’s good news that they’re all back in Doom Eternal. It’s even better news that there are twice as many demons in this sequel.There’s a solid showing…9 min
PLAY|November 2018THE OPM BREAKDOWNWHAT YOU DO IN… MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN12% Mixing and matching new costumes and suit mods.6% Suppressing the need to do everything and get back to the story.24% Holding back the feels as Spider-Man’s main story gets emotional.40% Swinging around New York City stopping crimes. All. Day. Long.13% Feeling the urge to take photos of every New York City landmark you can spot.5% Wondering when the quirky Spider-Cop spin-off will happen. Make it a thing, Sony.ALSO ON PLAYSTATION 4 PROWhile not native 4K, Spidey still looks good on a UHD screen, and it’s down to Insomniac’s homegrown technique, called temporal injection, which simulates a 4K image. It’s a sharp render that mimics the look of film VFX at 30fps. Oh, and the puddles look fantastic on a PS4 Pro.THE FIRST FIVE HOURS…1…1 min
PLAY|November 2018WARHAMMMER 40,000: INQUISITOR – MARTYRINFOFORMAT PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB NEOCOREGAMES DEV NEOCOREGAMESWarhammer 40,000 has proved fertile ground for videogame adaptions in recent years. Each new game has given the ‘grimdark 41st Millennium’ treatment to a different genre, and Inquisitor – Martyr is no exception, stretching its Warhammer theming over the skeleton of a Diablo-style action RPG.You play an Inquisitor, equal parts secret policeman and witchfinder general, in one of three flavours: the agile Assassin, tank-like Crusader, or magic-wielding Psyker. This being an action RPG, though, whichever class you choose, your job is roughly the same: hammer the attack buttons and scoop up the resulting loot like a gothic Roomba. It’s a solid formula, but can feel an awkward fit for the setting. The genre-standard cooldown bars and special abilities of combat don’t make…1 min
PLAY|November 2018PLANET ALPHA“THE LOOMING SHADOWS AND DISTANT CRIES GIVE WAY TO A LUSH ALIEN FOREST.”INFOFORMAT PS4ETA OUT NOWPUB TEAM17DEV PLANET ALPHA APSStranded, hopelessly lost, unsure of what lies ahead: this is how you are as Team17’s cinematic side-scrolling platformer opens. A strong sense of desolation is imparted through a memorable series of screens in which your lanky astronaut drags themself across an inhospitable desert planet. Unfortunately, this is also a loose metaphor for what it’s like to play.After navigating your way over dunes and surviving a flaky cave floor fall, you realise this planet isn’t quite so desolate after all. The looming shadows and distant cries give way to a lush alien forest, your path wending through bioluminescent fronds and between the hoofs of gentle giants. But the forest is far from…3 min
PLAY|November 2018PES 2019“IT’S ONE STEP CLOSER TO EMULATING THE TUSSLE OF REAL MATCHES.”INFOFORMAT PS4ETA OUT KNOWPUB KONAMIDEV KONAMIHaving been a fan of PES since its Winning Eleven days I look forward to a new edition of the series like Dec awaits the return of Ant; eager and nervous at what this new version will be like. While last year’s PES 2018 was excellent, and introduced co-op online matches, it felt less exciting than the year before. It was slower and more considered with an emphasis on intricate passing. In terms of PES it was a sidestep, a toe poke rather than a sublime side-foot, but a goal nevertheless.Why talk about last year’s PES in the review of this year’s edition? Because PES 2019 takes everything good about the last two years in…4 min
PLAY|November 2018THE OPM BREAKDOWNWHAT YOU DO IN… STRANGE BRIGADEFRIENDS & ENEMIESA demon hunter since birth, she’s faster than the rest of the brigade.Towering bosses with glowing sections. You know what to do!An army veteran, Frank’s the only one to benefit from headshots.SECOND OPINION DERRING-DEFINITELY-DOWho takes a bolt-action rifle to a horde shooter? My initial frustration at holding back the mummified tide with single shots soon fades as I unlock new guns. Strange Brigade is a joy. Playing with friends the balance of weapons and abilities is pitched perfectly; going solo the maps have enough secrets to keep you engaged. Bravo! Ian DeanLOVING/ HATINGPUZZLE FIGHTERShooting switches and looking for puzzle clues in the environment isn’t new, but it feels fresh in a four-player co-op shooter.HANDS SOLOPlaying with humans means revive opportunities, and laughing at…1 min
PLAY|November 2018THE OPM BREAKDOWNWHAT YOU DO IN… DRAGON QUEST XISTAT PACK99 The highest level each party member can reach. And believe us, it takes some work.8 Intrepid, diverse party members who travel with you to save the world of Lotozetasia.35 Including spin-offs, this is really the 35th DQ game, though the 11th in the main series.59 Trophies to earn. You’ll easily double those hours if you want to get the Platinum trophy.LOVING/ HATINGCOPIOUS CONTENTThe main narrative will run you a good 50+ hours, but there are so many more hours if you tackle side-quests and trophies.OH SO SILENTYour main man is a chatterbox as a child in flashbacks, but a silent protag in the present day. Cat got your tongue? What happened?COMPEL-O-GRAPHIS IT BETTER THAN?YESThere’s a greater focus on story, more party members…1 min
PLAY|November 2018LAST MONTH ON PS PLUSWake me up when September ends? As if we’d sleep through one of the biggest months of PS Plus yet, offering one of the most definitive line-ups the PS4 has seen – keeping you occupied throughout the month either playing solo or getting communal playing online.The biggest surprise here – DESTINY 2. Coming to the PS Plus service early as a treat to get new players on board before the FORSAKEN DLC launched, this sci-fi epic from Bungie offered a swathe of polished content even in the base game, and simply the finest headshots you could find in the galaxy.You already know we were massive fans of daddy Kratos in his latest outing, but GOD OF WAR III: REMASTERED came to PS Plus so we could relive the previous high…2 min
PLAY|November 2018Madden NFL 19INFOFORMAT PS4PUB EADEV EA TIBURONREVIEW ISSUE #153, 8/10Ready for OPM’s annual rant about Madden’s paper-cup-and-string online stability? Here’s a shocker… there isn’t one. EA has finally sorted its servers so that net-based matches play out with minimal delay, and plenty of bruising hits and spectacular TDs. This is best demonstrated in Ultimate Team. The Madden equivalent of FIFA’s best mode contains neat ideas such as upgradeable player cards, but bigger rosters and a smaller player pool make for a sprawling experience that often feels impersonal. It’s good, but not great. Still, that charge can’t be levelled at live player updates or importable draft classes for franchise mode – both of which make for a strong-like-Ndamukong-Suh online package.VERDICTA rare sports sim that’s still best enjoyed offline, but live updates to single-player…1 min
PLAY|November 2018ALSO ON PSNSOUNDTRACKYou can now get the Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr soundtrack from the PS Store, which is music to our Games-Workshop-obsessed ears.GOKU/VEGETAThe ‘base’ versions of Goku and Vegeta are now available for Dragon Ball FighterZ, which means you can now have a three-way Goku team-up. All Goku, all the time.GENTLEMAN EXPLORER CHARACTER PACKFree in August, did you grab the dapper Winston Bey for Strange Brigade? There should be more freebies coming soon; keep an eye peeled.PS+ EXCLUSIVE SKINSThese four Space Lords premium skins are for PS Plus members only, and include the Rusty Pilgrim look for Konstantin. They’re lording it over us.ESCAPE MODE DLCYou can finally enjoy your Prison Architect creations from the inside out in this DLC that sees you play as an inmate plotting an escape. We’re all…1 min
PLAY|November 2018Towerfall AscensionINFOPUB MATT MAKES GAMESDEV MATT MAKES GAMES PRODUCTIONSRELEASED 2014GET IT NOW PS STORE, £11.49NEED TO KNOW1 The prototype was developed at a game jam.2 That first iteration was a single-player game.3 Dev Matt Thorson was inspired by GoldenEye 007.There are few things in life better than settling down on a sofa, a mate either side of you, all with controllers in hands, and doing permanent damage to your friendship as you hammer each other in a multiplayer game. Alas, unless sports or beat’em-ups are your particular poison, multiplayer couchplay is a pleasure that has become increasingly difficult to chase in recent years.Most modern multiplayer games want you to have the entire screen to yourself, with your pals safely on the other end of a broadband connection rather than in the…3 min
PLAY|November 2018THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO CURRENT-GEN’S GREATEST GAMES PS4 HALL OF FAME1 UNCHARTED 4: A THIEF’S ENDNathan 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 GOD OF WARA departure in some ways but a resounding return in others, Kratos is back with a son and a ruddy big axe. Taking the legend from Greek to Norse mythology, this entry brings a lot to the table while improving on what was core to the earlier series’ identity.3 THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT GAME OF THE YEAR EDITIONThe White Wolf’s…5 min
PLAY|November 201803 Sink your teeth into bite-sized horror“SUPERMASSIVE WILL EXPLORE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF HORROR IN EACH EPISODE.”Supermassive Games turned narrative gaming on its head with Until Dawn back in 2015, and it’s planning to spark another revolution with its next game, episodic anthology The Dark Pictures.A horror game that played on the tropes of slasher movies, Until Dawn saw a group of teens menaced in a mountaintop cabin. It was the kind of story where all those horny teens make bad decisions, except it put the power to make those decisions in your hands, and it felt like your choices had actual consequences. As a contained story, most of the playable characters could (and did) die. You were always on the edge of your seat.Supermassive’s return to narrative horror gaming is episodic, but the dev’s not…2 min
PLAY|November 2018number game we do the maths3,000,000 PS VR headsets out in the wild. Pinch yourself – are you sure this is reality?48:22 Length in minutes and seconds of Cyberpunk 2077’s gameplay reveal.05 Months until you can take a bite out of Overkill’s The Walking Dead.6,754 Number of days Sony Japan supported PS2. Good times.500 Million PlayStation units sold worldwide. Doing all right, Sony!290mm The height of Fury’s statue in the Darksiders III special edition.04 New colours for the DualShock 4, including Berry Blue and Camo.£129.99 The price of the sold-out Collector’s Edition of Marvel’s Spider-Man.…1 min
PLAY|November 201807 Life gets stranger“WE WANT THE PLAYER TO LOVE DANIEL AND SEAN LIKE THEY LOVED MAX AND CHLOE.”We’re sitting with Life Is Strange writer Jean-Luc Cano and director Raoul Barbet. We get right down to business in asking the pair: without previous leads Max and Chloe, or Arcadia Bay, what exactly makes a Life Is Strange game?Cano explains what he feels defines the series. “The real DNA of Life Is Strange is relatable characters, everyday decisions and problems, and [social themes] that we want to explore and dig in and, on the top of that, a little bit of supernatural stuff. Life Is Strange is the sum of all of this.”New protagonists Daniel and Sean have ‘powers’, but will we meet any other power users in the upcoming season. “Or is that kind…2 min
PLAY|November 2018instant opinion strong vs wrongEARLY TO RISEPlenty of big hitters have been confirmed as releasing in the first months of 2019. Resi 2, Anthem, Sekiro, Devil May Cry 5, Kingdom Hearts III, and more. Wake us up at New Year.MAC OUR MONTHA screen of Ada Wong from the remake of Resident Evil 2 has us excited, and ordering ’80s-style macs and sunglasses for the ultimate spy look.FANTASY HUNTERSThe Final Fantasy XIV and Monster Hunter World crossover Rathalos boss in the MMO has been fun, and filled with rewards. The best thing? It’s not going away. Hop in.GAP YEARUbisoft has confirmed that 2019 will have no mainline Assassin’s Creed to follow up on Odyssey. We’ll be thinking of you, Assassin’s Creed…I SPY-ROThe purple dragon is missing; the remastered trilogy has been pushed back to November.…1 min
PLAY|November 2018CAN I GET A RT?@WELOVEGAMEMUSICIf any of you are fans of the Assassin’s Creed series, especially it’s wonderful music, and are UK based, you may want to pick the latest issue of@OPM_UK. What do you say @theflightmusic @ JesperKyd? :)@RM_MATHESONMe and my wife meet though a gaming clan we both joined because of @ OPM_UK if it was not for games, Metal gear online and resi 5 in particular then we may not have met. Games have brought us together and we love to play them together.@CREAVENDYLANChristmas is whenever a new issue drops@TUFFKNUXThere’s no fun in easy platinums. Work for it!@MJDYSONUKMario@LAMBENT_LUCKYMafia 3 was pretty good I thought.@CATASTRONAUTS#TBT to when we danced around the office after seeing Catastronauts in @OPM_UK! We’ve been blown away by all the support we’ve had so far from press and…1 min
PLAY|November 2018Sam Greer“WHAT MAKES THE LAST OF US SO DARK, AND SO GOOD, IS THOSE CONTRASTING, OH-SO-FLEETING, MOMENTS OF HAPPINESS.”There are a lot of things fans can surely point towards in their adoration of Naughty Dog’s classic. The characters, the cordyceps infection, the soundtrack… all incredible elements in an unforgettable game. Yet for me, the one thing that lingers in my memory is its near-perfect balancing of the ugly and the beautiful. For every uncomfortable brush with violence The Last Of Us offers us a gentle stroll through a world reclaimed by nature. For each tense encounter with the terrifying infected there is a small moment of bonding between characters. And while the game will put us in Ellie’s shoes for a terrifying duel with David it will let us sit back…3 min
PLAY|November 2018Skydiving1 FORTNITE BATTLE ROYALEGravity sucks. Screw you, Newton. Still, just because everything that goes up must eventually come down doesn’t mean we can’t have fun hurtling back towards terra firma. Take Fortnite. The purest joy in the battle royale phenomenon comes from cutting through the clouds as you skydive towards its island.2 METAL GEAR SOLID 3: SNAKE EATERIn a cute nod to a certain Xbox shooter, Naked Snake’s Cold War adventure begins with the sneaky agent taking part in a Halo jump. In essence, he throws himself out of a plane, then proceeds to pirouette through the clouds like a gravity-defying serpent. Pity he doesn’t exactly stick the landing.3 GTA ONLINEGTA V may let you drive an ATV out of a plane before plummeting towards Sandy Shores, but Rockstar’s single-player…2 min
PLAY|November 2018TWIN MIRROR“OUR MIND PALACE HAS RAILWAY TRACKS SNAKING THROUGH THE AIR.”FORMAT PS4 / ETA 2019 / PUB BANDAI NAMCO / DEV DONTNODSam Higgs has had a wild night. He’s back in Basswood, the place he left some years ago after the death of someone dear to him, so you can’t blame the investigative journalist for wanting to drown his sorrows. But before he – and we, as we go hands-on with the game – can survey the damage that’s been done to his bathroom, an unexpected guest makes an appearance.“Do NOT go in there!”We’re confronted by… ourself. Bespectacled and slightly more put-together than our recently sleeping Sam, he commands us to leave and not look back. Of the three resulting dialogue options, none allow us to take this suggestion seriously. Discovering…2 min
PLAY|November 2018RAGE 2“THICK SMOKE REALISTICALLY BILLOWS OVER OUR WHIRRING WHEELS.”FORMAT PS4 / ETA JUN 2019 / PUB BETHESDA / DEV ID SOFTWARE, AVALANCHE STUDIOSEverything in this game is splintering, exploding, and fizzing. Enemies erupt into bloody, flailing body parts and sparks fly from armoured goons as you empty a clip into them. Even the moon is broken. Seen from afar as we gaze out over Rage 2’s starry sky, the once-gleaming lunar lantern is severed into pieces, dangling precariously in orbit.Back on terra firma the latest from the ‘super-dev’ combo of Id Software and Avalanche Studios is living up to the hype. The game is one huge open world crammed with variety – grassy wetlands, hot deserts, and abandoned ‘old Earth’ technology. Drive or walk, whichever direction you go in will be…3 min
PLAY|November 2018SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE“SEKIRO’S SET IN ONE OF THE BLOODIEST ERAS IN JAPANESE HISTORY.”FORMAT PS4 / ETA 22 MAR PUB ACTIVISION / DEV FROMSOFTWAREWhile the next title in FromSoftware’s and Hidetaka Miyazaki’s portfolio is taking a lot of cues from the SoulsBorne series, it’s also the biggest departure the studio has made from its success stories in a long time. Where previously we prepared to die over and over again, death is only the beginning in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.The events of Sekiro are set into motion when you’re struck down, as your shinobi is felled by the Ashina’s Clan’s samurai commander, and you’re divided in two – your young charge and master is taken (his bloodline is special, you see), and your own arm is chopped off. Hence the name ‘Sekiro,’ a…4 min
PLAY|November 2018Setting the scene1 Scenes in the game begin as handmade models. They’re created from wood and card and are treated like mini film sets, with working lighting rigs.2 The scenes are then turned into base geometry using photogrammetry. Each item is cleaned up and polished before being added into the game.3 With the in-game scene set, it’s time to add the digital puppets. Here an untextured Tannhauser is dropped into the scene to test.4 Now everything is working in-game we get a unique blend of real-world models, puppetry, and traditional game CG. All that’s left is to solve those puzzles……1 min
PLAY|November 2018DEVIL’S DETAILSGOOD BOYYou can pet dogs you come across (or scold them if you’re mean). Researching animals you’re looking at adds them to your journal.BANDANALIERSWhat you do affects how people behave around you. Whether your gun’s out for instance, or if you’re hiding your identity with a bandana.DEAD EYESBuilding off GTA V’s PS4 addition, you can play through all of Red Dead Redemption 2 in first-person, if you want.HIGH FASHIONInstead of donning complete outfits like in the first game, you can customise each piece of clothing. Similarly, you can personalise your horse and guns to your heart’s content.LORE MANPoking around the environment will reveal plenty of things to discover, like letters and books that give Morgan more information about the world.HAT ATTACKIf your hat gets knocked off in a fight you…2 min
PLAY|November 2018Got that freaker feeling?With a launch date set in stone – 22 February next year – there’s no looking back for Bend Studio, the dev behind Days Gone. Despite recently playing the game, we still have questions. So we’re sitting down with writer and director John Garvin to discuss why Freakers aren’t zombies, and more.Garvin helps us dig a little deeper into how the game plays, discussing upgrades, the open world, and how anything can happen…OPM: What is the elevator pitch on what Days Gone is all about, for those unfamiliar with it?John Garvin: It’s an action/adventure, third-person shooter, set in an open world where the world comes for you. So it’s an open world that’s dangerous, it’s always dangerous. As soon as you leave one of the encampments, you are going to…9 min
PLAY|November 2018OPM SCORESGOLD AWARDAwarded to a game that’s brilliantly executed on every level, combining significant innovation, near-flawless gameplay, great graphics and lasting appeal.EDITOR’S AWARDNot 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 INCREDIBLEThe kind of phenomenal experience rarely seen in a console generation.9 OUTSTANDINGUnreservedly brilliant – this should be in every collection.8 VERY GOODA truly excellent game, marred by just a few minor issues.7 GOODA great concept unfulfilled or the familiar done well, but still well worth playing.6 DECENTFun in parts, flawed in others, but more right than wrong.5 AVERAGEWhat you expect and little more, this is for devotees only.4 BELOW AVERAGEAny bright ideas are drowning in a sea of bugs or mediocrity.3 POORA seriously…1 min
PLAY|November 2018DEATH’S GAMBITINFOFORMAT PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB ADULT SWIM GAMES DEV WHITE RABBITOh dear, we’ve died again. Losing resources, we’re revived at the save point that we also use to upgrade skills, before setting off to bash our heads (and, ideally, weapons) on that tough-as-nails boss yet again. No it’s not Dark Souls, it’s Death’s Gambit – a 2D take on the Soulslike genre with stunning pixel art visuals and some terrific bits of animation.Yes, it is a little tiresome to compare games to Dark Souls, and sometimes it isn’t warranted, but when the menus look essentially the same, and the game even re-uses a lot of the same tricks, you can’t help it. At a glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was actually a fan de-make of Dark Souls.…2 min
PLAY|November 2018SHADOW OF THE TOMB RAIDER“THIS IS BY FAR LARA’S MOST VISUALLY IMPRESSIVE EXPEDITION TO DATE.”INFOFORMAT PS4ETA OUT NOWPUB SQUARE ENIXDEV EIDOS MONTRÉALYou’d be forgiven for thinking I see a bit of myself in Lara. As she’s an intelligent young woman with a passion for history and a great accent, maybe I even look up to her a little bit; after all, it’s not often we see such a hyper-capable female lead in our medium, let alone one so enduring. But truthfully the first game I played in Croft’s gameography was the initial instalment in this origin trilogy that Eidos Montréal is now closing out and I’m not writing this review from a place of nostalgia.After uncovering the lost island of Yamatai and the secret city of Kitezh, Lara sets off to Peru in search…5 min
PLAY|November 2018THE OPM BREAKDOWNWHAT YOU DO IN… PES 2019MULTIPL AYERThe servers feel solid and there are few issues playing online, other than one moment when one game is played at Benny Hill speed. The changes to myClub and the return of co-op mode ensure this is the best PES yet for multiplayer.STAT PACK9 Authentic leagues, including the Ladbrokes Premiership. Old Firm derby ahoy!11 New skill traits. Our fave: the no-look pass. It just looks so casual and effortless.5 The number of goals we put past East London. You could say we hammered ’em…90 Salah’s overall ranking in PES 2019. He’s always got a space in OPM’s myClub team.THE FIRST FIVE HOURS…1 Losing my pre-season friendlies and patience with Wijnaldum. Time to buy. Harry Kane joins Liverpool for £26 million. 2 Derby day! Time…1 min
PLAY|November 2018LITTLE DRAGONS CAFÉINFOFORMAT PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB RISING STAR GAMES DEV AKSYS, TOYBOX INCThe twins live idyllically, whiling away days learning to cook with their Mum. But one day she falls into an unending sleep, leaving the tiny tykes to run the family café all by themselves. A wizard appears with a mysterious draconic egg and the revelation that it and their Mum are linked... because she’s half dragon. If the pair can care for the baby dragon that soon hatches, plying it with plenty of delicious food and turning the café into a success, their Mum may one day wake up.From there you’ll be managing a small kitchen and gathering ingredients as you make many meaty meals to help your baby dragon grow up big and strong. It’s a setup…2 min
PLAY|November 2018F1 2018“WATCH ADRIAN NEWEY RUN OFF THE PODIUM WHEN THE CHAMPAGNE FLOWS.”INFOFORMAT PS4ETA OUT NOWPUB CODEMASTERSDEV CODEMASTERS BIRMINGHAMThe ‘drive as fast as you dare’ F1 of yesteryear is now a clipboard-toting ‘drive as fast as the fuel/tyres/battery allows’. Regardless of how enjoyable that is (read ‘isn’t’) for real-world audiences, it makes for a very different kind of racing game. Tweaking last year’s superb effort rather than overhauling it, this feels like it’s been optimised for the hardcore fans of the sport.The superb career mode is largely unchanged, but the small tweaks make a huge difference to how involved you feel at every stage. The returning press interviews put your reputation and even car development firmly in your own hands: gush about the team and your rep goes up. Tell the press…3 min
PLAY|November 2018FIREWALL: ZERO HOUR“HOLDING AN ACTUAL GUN IN YOUR HANDS MEANS THAT KILLS REQUIRE REAL AIMING.”INFOFORMAT PS VRETA OUT NOWPUB SONYDEV FIRST CONTACT ENTERTAINMENTVirtual reality, with its unique depth of immersion, has the potential to produce beautifully emotional experiences; moments that speak to the vulnerability of the human condition. It also allows you to shoot people in their virtual faces. This game takes the latter approach, and let’s face it, that’s what many of us have dreamed of since PS VR was first announced. Is this The Game that we’ve been waiting for?The answer, it seems, is “yes, but”. First of all, it’s important to realise that you must play using a PS Aim controller. PS Move isn’t supported, and while there’s a DualShock option, it feels awkward thanks to relying on motion…3 min
PLAY|November 2018WHAT WE’RE PLAYING NOWBLAZBLUE: CROSS TAG BATTLEJess Kinghorn can’t avoid crossing fateYou know me, I can’t say ‘no’ to some top-tier anime nonsense, and it’s a bonus if a contrived crossover event is involved. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying pixel-art punch ups this month, even though the combat of this fanservice-y fighter isn’t especially deep. That isn’t to say I’ve mastered it by any means, as online matches have shown time and time again. While there’s no novelty in having my arse handed to me, I’m enjoying the banter and bust-ups between characters from four different series here.DARK SOULS IIIOscar Taylor-Kent’s faith in humanity is restoredAs someone who rattled through the main game at launch, barely being able to put down the controller, I felt like my fire had burnt pleasingly for some time.…2 min
PLAY|November 2018DLCFAR CRY 5 – DEAD LIVING ZOMBIESThe final DLC for Ubi’s open-worlder is a celebration of zombie movies. Play through seven film pitches from in-game director Guy Marvel as the series embraces the horde shooter. There’s plenty of gore ‘n’ gunplay, just don’t lose your head.YAKUZA KIWAMI 2: CLAN CREATOR BUNDLEGet all the previous SSR Clan Creator leaders and packs in one download, plus Sega is offering two exclusive weapons – the Kiwami Machine Gun and the Kiwami Demon Blade. Own the Majima Construction minigame in one DLC bundle.MINECRAFT – SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY PACKIf Minecraft has been off your radar recently then this Star-Wars-themed pack will have it pinging on again. It includes characters such as Lando Calrissian, L3-37, and, of course, Han Solo. We’ll see you at…1 min
PLAY|November 2018Hold The DarkLike a healthy dose of nihilism between binge watches? This despair-driven thriller from acclaimed Blue Ruin/Green Room director Jeremy Saulnier should prove just the trick.Westworld’s Jeffrey Wright stars as Russell Core, a wolf expert who’s beckoned to a remote Alaskan town by a grieving mother (Riley Keough) after her young son is killed by wolves. Meanwhile the boy’s father, Vernon (Alexander Skarsgård), returns from a tour of duty and sets out for revenge after learning his son’s fate.A shocking, sometimes stomach-churning exploration of the blurred boundaries between man and beast on the outskirts of civilised society, the characters in Hold The Dark behave in ways that put them closer to animals than humans. In a crucial early scene we see wolves savaging their young. Compared to the atrocities committed by…1 min
PLAY|November 2018OPM TIME MACHINE 5 YEARS AGO1 min
PLAY|November 2018BUBBLING UNDER Alternative picksPICK #1A HAT IN TIMEJess Kinghorn throws her hat into the ringAs it begins to get gloomy outside, it only follows that I would look for something bright inside… and completely bypass that for the cracking Halloween-themed levels. Yes, I still curse that extended section with the disappearing ledges that only goes to show how not-so-far 3D platformers have come. But I’m a sucker for its silly take on the macabre. Maybe one day I’ll even get to the bottom of the Dead Bird studio…“SHOVEL KNIGHT CONTINUES IN THE STEPS OF RETRO, HARD-AS-NAILS PLATFORMERS.”PICK #2SHOVEL KNIGHTOscar Taylor-Kent digs himself into a holeI was practically raised by the caring hands of Sonic The Hedgehog and Mega Man. Shovel Knight (Treasure Trove Edition) continues in the steps of retro, hard-as-nails platformers, but…1 min
PLAY|November 2018ON-THE-GO GOODNESS PS VITA HALL OF FAME1 TEARAWAYOne of the best platformers on the system, it makes terrific use of the entire PS Vita to create a unique experience: camera, touchscreen, touchpad: it’s all here. The PS4 version has more content, but it remains more intimate and special on PS Vita.2 PERSON A 4: GOLDENWhere Persona 5 went bigger on PS4, this ultimate version of Persona 4 nails the warmth of a small-town high school setting. Filled with timeless characters, the Investigation Team dig into a murder mystery and befriend demons.3 UNCHARTED: GOLDEN ABYSSNathan Drake proves that it’s not about the size of the package, but what you do with it in this prequel expedition. Packed with Uncharted charm, this pulp action adventure is the biggest spectacle on the little handheld, and stands with the greats.4…1 min
PLAY|November 201801 Redfield gets a fright, and brings out the big guns“CLAIRE’S MORE THAN KITTED UP WHEN WE GET HANDS-ON, TOTING A PISTOL, A SUBMACHINE GUN, AND EVEN A GRENADE LAUNCHER.”Like a corpse that just won’t stay dead, you’ve already heard us moan and groan on and on about just how good Resident Evil 2 is looking. And we’re justified. It’s a remake that packs so much fun, Capcom has dropped the ‘Remake’ from the title. The reintroduction of Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield feels so fresh here, it’s more of a reimagining than a remake.While we saw Leon Kennedy exploring the ruined Raccoon City police department on his first day on the job at E3, in our most recent time with the game Claire Redfield has also found her way to the station. After the events of the first game…5 min
PLAY|November 201804 The fur flies in Biomutant“WE’RE SURROUNDED BY A BUBBLE OF MUCUS. BADDIES CAUGHT IN THE ROLL-UP MEET A STICKY END.”Whether you’re up against a greedy cat tribe that’ll run your makeshift dirigible into the ground for quick scrap, attempting to slay a fire-breathing, fluffy hulk, or, like developer Experiment 101, delaying the release of your post-apocalyptic RPG to 2019, you need to be adaptable.In our hands-on we see a grim new mutation for your customised critter: it enables them to surround themself in a bubble of mucus that extends their jump, though baddies caught in the roll-up meet a sticky end. On top of their mutations, wushu, and gun kata moves, your furry friend also uncovers a mighty metal fist that’s handy for busting heads and doors alike.Though that’s not your lot when it…2 min
PLAY|November 201806 Face time with the FMV masters“KNOCKING IN THE NIGHT AND ERRANT OUIJA BOARDS PLAGUED THE SET.”Murder mystery maker D’Avekki Studios will return in the last quarter of this year with The Shape Shifting Detective. There’s a lot in the name, recalls Tim Cowles, one half of the driving force behind the studio that he runs with his wife and business partner Lynda.He tells us, “We just said ‘We’ve come up with these two names.’ One of them was called ‘The Stenographer’ – which I think we might still do – […] and as soon as I said ‘The Shape Shifting Detective,’ they were like ‘make that!’”The titular character in D’Avekki’s latest FMV game is to wear the faces of suspects while questioning others. Naturally, characters react differently depending on who you’re impersonating, but there are…3 min
PLAY|November 201808 The Grand Tour spins off onto PS4Amazon Game Studios has been testing the waters of game development for a while now, but nothing seems to make as much sense as tying into one of its hottest Amazon Prime properties: The Grand Tour. And that’s what the studio’s doing with its new game.In case you were unaware, The Grand Tour is the new home of the three racing blokes previously known for Top Gear. Yes, it’s a car show, but Amazon has taken over paying the tab for the large-scale silly antics and lad banter between hosts Clarkson, Hammond, and May, rather than licence payers.Heading into the third season of the TV show, The Grand Tour Game has been announced to tie directly into the series. Racing games aren’t usually episodic, but this one will have new…1 min
PLAY|November 201810 What should be the next hot historical setting?IT’S AN ALTERNATE HISTORY BUT READY AT DAWN MADE THE 19TH CENTURY COME ALIVE.Honestly, just give me the sequel to The Order: 1886 I need, but y’know, maybe set in 1887. The end of the century, end of Empire setting, when science and technology clashed with tradition and outdated thinking, is ripe for the picking. And no dev has managed to create a consistent world within this setting like Ready At Dawn, bending the historical period to its own fantastical lore. Now Sony needs to finally let the developer canter away with its brave new world. A trip to New York or Bombay would be perfect, to follow up where the first game’s sequel-baiting tease left off. I’d bite.A SUPERNATURAL ALTERNATE HISTORY WITH ELEGANT DRESSES AND GORE? SIGN ME UP!Videogames…3 min
PLAY|November 2018REPLIESHype strainEvery year there seems to be an endless list of games to get hyped over, and it’s honestly just becoming a bit too much to deal with at times. I don’t mind reading about upcoming releases, that’s why I enjoy your magazine so much, but whenever I watch media coverage on Youtube, etc. I always seem to end up getting sucked into an endless playlist, which ruins my future enjoyment.I remember when I first got TES: Oblivion as a birthday surprise from my parents and having no idea what it was about. I enjoyed it, and I think having no expectation going into the game is what made it so enjoyable.So in the future, I’ll try to get my sources exclusively from articles and magazines like yours. I can…2 min
PLAY|November 2018Ian Dean“AS GAMES BECOME MORE DIVERSE, HOW ABOUT A BIT MORE DIVERSITY IN OUR MALE CHARACTERS?”There’s no more Chloe and Max. Life Is Strange 2 has replaced its female leads with two brothers and the internet had a bit of a fit. Somewhere online there’s a special place reserved for Chloemax fanfiction and blue hair memes. Some fans are prepared to turn their backs on another complex, emotional adventure just because this one will have two male protagonists.So has the poster game for empowered girls turned its back on gender politics and become just another dudebro adventure? Not quite. That makes the assumption all male identities are currently being served, and served well. In fact, despite female representation in games improving (though, admittedly, there’s still room to go), with Ellie, Aloy,…2 min
PLAY|November 2018DEVIL MAY CRY 5“THERE’S MORE TO YOUR NEW HELPING HAND THAN MEETS THE EYE.”FORMAT PS4 / ETA 8 MAR PUB CAPCOM / DEV CAPCOMDante is definitely back. Our hands-on session confirms it. Perhaps he’s looking a little bedraggled, with a scraggly beard and a coat that’s seen better days, but at least he’s back to his old self rather than being the dark-haired reimagining from the tautologically titled last game. It’s been a decade since a mainline entry in the Devil May Cry series, and it feels good to see the white-haired pretty, quippy boy return on PlayStation 4.While Capcom is keeping Dante mostly under wraps until closer to release next year, we notice he’s picked up a few new toys during his travels. His chosen mode of transport, a motorbike, is pulling…5 min
PLAY|November 2018on the box judged only by their coversDARKSIDERS IIIWe’ve all been there: our hand slips and it looks like we could take off on our eyeliner wing. But this beauty guru leans into it. With a look this sharp, she can take on the world… and in this adventure she will, for a special edition lipstick!FORMAT PS4 ETA 27 NOVTHE PRINCESS GUIDEIn between culling Rodents Of Unusual Size, the heirs to four kingdoms act as tour guides. In this management sim, you must make your land the top tourism spot. Losing is INCONCEIVABLE!FORMAT PS4 ETA 5 JULJUST CAUSE 4After getting swept away during your commute by a parade and re-emerging the wrong side of the jungle, you remember you left the oven on. See how quickly you can leg it home in this series of daffy time…1 min
PLAY|November 2018OVERKILL’S THE WALKING DEAD“WE DISPATCH THE SHAMBLING MESS WITH A FLURRY OF KNIFE BLOWS.”FORMAT PS4 / ETA 8 NOV PUB STARBREEZE STUDIOS, 505 GAMES / DEV OVERKILL“You were so focused when you were playing together, it was unbelievable!” Almir Listo, producer at Overkill, reflects after our hands-on with three other strangers. In Georgetown, there ain’t no room for lone wolves, as we learn early on.Let us set the scene: we’re in bandit territory, out to wreak revenge on a group called The Family. Over our headphones we hear, “Oh no… I think I’m dead?”We swing round to see Walkers chowing down on our barely-alive medic, Maya. As the red-headed Heather we tear over and pull two of the blighters off of her and release her leg from the bear trap she’d stumbled into.…1 min
PLAY|November 2018UP YOUR SLEEVE1 Elegant swordplay to destroy your opponent’s posture is one thing… or you can just smash through their shields with a hand-axe. Sorted.2 You can move around the large environments easily with your good old grapple. But attach it to enemies and you can dash to them too for speedier kills.3 The only type of cracker banned from Nan’s Christmas bashes, the firecracker is an ace way to stun your enemies (and escape awkward conversations).4 When’s a shield not a shield? When it’s a hat. Actually, it is also a shield. This unfurling metal fan shield helps in a pinch, but don’t get too defensive.…1 min
PLAY|November 2018PREVIEW ROUND-UPRICOFORMAT PS4 / ETA AUTUMN 2018 / PUB RISING STAR DEV GROUND SHATTERKick down doors, initiate slow motion, and take out bad guys using the element of surprise alongside a buddy cop co-op partner. Getting hands-on with Rico is as slick as ever, but the whole package has had plenty of upgrades since we last took aim at it. Thanks to partnering up with Rising Star Games, the devs at Ground Shatter have been enhancing the arcadey, procedurally generated shooter. Randomly created missions see you having to clear new buildings, with shifting objectives like defusing bombs, and now there are daily challenges too. All with local or online split-screen.WORLD WAR ZFORMAT PS4 / ETA 2019 / PUB PARAMOUNT PICTURES DEV SABER INTERACTIVEBased on Paramount’s movie franchise (which is in turn…3 min
PLAY|November 2018BACK TO THE FUTUREFor Rockstar, turning back the clock to 1899 wasn’t a difficult decision. “The premise and concepts for RDR2 sprang very naturally out of the events of the original game,” says Nelson. “Even before the last game was fully finished, a small team of people in San Diego that had worked on the original game, including Dan Houser and the writing team, Josh Bass and others, could see the possibilities in taking the characters and setting back in time.” That first game took an unusual approach for storytelling in games where so much was left unspoken and only hinted at, but by the time all was told at the end it was too intriguing to not want to explore further. “Dutch was such a compelling character and seemed to loom over…1 min
PLAY|November 2018BEND STUDIO1999SYPHON FILTEROne of Sony’s biggest franchises of the PS1 era, Syphon Filter introduced the world to Gabe Logan and global conspiracies, and played like Metal Gear Solid made by Tony Scott.2009RESISTANCE: RETRIBUTIONAfter six more Syphon Filters, three on PSP, Bend became Sony’s go-to portable dev. Resistance: Retribution offered solid FPS gunplay on PSP, a near-miracle for the time.2012UNCHARTED: GOLDEN ABYSSBend made some of PSP’s best games, so who better to bring Uncharted to PS Vita? Playing like PS3’s debut in the palm of your hands, Golden Abyss was another triumph, earning a respectable 8/10.…1 min
PLAY|November 2018MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN“CANNON-BALL THROUGH CONCRETE PIPES HANGING FROM CRANES AND BETWEEN SCAFFOLDING STRUTS.”INFOFORMAT PS4ETA OUT NOWPUB SONYDEV INSOMNIAC GAMESHello New York City, how I’ve missed you. The city so good they named it twice, and then set a gazillion games in its griddy streets. Marvel’s Spider-Man puts the gaming mecca back on the map, and it’s a triumphant return. Not only is this a vibrant space to swing through, it’s a beautiful one too, with sunsets piercing its concrete canyons while traffic buzzes at your feet. It’s a Spider-Paradise of random crimes, psychotic supervillains, and quick costume changes. And you won’t want to leave.Let’s get right to it, you will love webbing your way around this city. The swing mechanics are perfect. Yes, better than you remember Spider-Man 2 being. There’s a…11 min
PLAY|November 2018THE OPM BREAKDOWNWHAT YOU DO IN… DIVINITY: ORIGINAL SIN 217% Wondering if you’ll ever get off Fort Joy.10% Being creamed by massively higher-level enemies. Bullies.3% Ripping enemies’ faces off and using them as your own.34% Finding Machiavellian new ways to troll your co-op buddies.27% Rereading perplexing journal entries to finally uncover what the heck is going on.9% Chatting with the many doggos in the game. Because, why not?MULTIPL AYERIn addition to its co-op, D:OS 2 delivers brutal PvP bouts in Arena Mode, revamped for this Definitive Edition. Going head-to-head with online human beings in turn-based fashion feels like a CCG without the RNG, plus it’s a great way to learn tactics.STAT PACK100 Per cent – the fire resistance of the dragon who just killed you. Don’t try burning it next time.4 Members…1 min
PLAY|November 2018SHADOWS: AWAKENINGINFOFORMAT PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB KALYPSO MEDIA DEV GAMES FARMSmashing through plenty of enemies, collecting loot, levelling up, and upgrading skills, Shadows: Awakening ticks all the checkboxes you’d expect from a Diablo-like hack-and-slash RPG. It might be a little janky at times – animations can be quite stiff, and the environments look nice but don’t offer anything mindblowing in terms of fantasy settings – but it does stimulate the parts of the brain that just like hitting enemies and then picking things up.Thankfully Shadows: Awakening has some fab twists. Summoned from the Shadow Realm, you take the role of The Devourer, a demon who consumes souls that can then act for him in the mortal realm (world-switching plays into some puzzles). You choose one of three souls at the…1 min
PLAY|November 2018STRANGE BRIGADE“FULL OF PATHS TO EXPLORE OR IGNORE, AND MULTIPLE PUZZLES.”INFOFORMAT PS4ETA OUT NOWPUB REBELLIONDEV IREBELLIONThe title sounds like a name an emo band would give their fanbase, but no! The eponymous brigade of strangeness is, in fact, His Majesty’s Super Secret Service (okay, that’s not the actual name, but it should be). Engaging in rip-roaring adventures in the 1930s, the quartet is called in to battle (with guns) an ancient evil, and you’re coming along for the ride.The aesthetic, all sunshine and sandy ancient civilisation (complete with improbable mechanisms) is rather Uncharted. Gameplay, however, is firmly in co-op shooter territory. You may have already decided that you know exactly what to expect here and, to an extent, you’d be right. But Strange Brigade has a few tricks up its impeccably…4 min
PLAY|November 2018TELLTALE’S THE WALKING DEAD: THE FINAL SEASON – EPISODE 1INFOFORMAT PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB TELLTALE GAMES DEV TELLTALE GAMESClue’s in the title; this is the end of the road for Telltale’s series where people fall apart emotionally (alive people) and physically (not-alive people). The first episode veers from the design of the rest of the season so it can lay the foundations for more exciting things to come… hopefully.This is the weakest opening for a Telltale Walking Dead series by some margin. It starts off fairly action-oriented which, for a story-focused game, is a mistake. Worse, including the “unscripted combat” was a terrible idea. This basically translates to a few sequences where you’re up against two or three zombies, where you’ll die if you don’t work out the exact sequence of actions the developer wants you to take…2 min
PLAY|November 2018DRAGON QUEST XI: ECHOES OF AN ELUSIVE AGE“THE LAND OF LOTOZETASIA PACKS IN FLAVOUR, AND IT’S ONE OF DRAGON QUEST’S BIGGEST STRENGTHS.”A golden age, at thatINFOFORMAT PS4ETA OUT NOWPUB SQUARE ENIXDEV SQUARE ENIXThis latest entry in one of Japan’s most popular series won’t do for JRPGs what Persona 5 did last year, but that isn’t to say it isn’t just as good. Instead of playing with real-world influences, it revels in its fantastical universe and diverse, colourful characters in a way that many other JRPGs have failed to, and it’s wonderful.It begins as many JRPGs do: with you being informed of your duty to fulfil your heroic legacy, which will require you to drop everything. Bye-bye home-made stews with mum; hello the many things that want to kill you. It may sound generic, and in some ways…5 min
PLAY|November 2018DONUT COUNTYINFOFORMAT PS4 ETA OUT NOW PUB ANNAPURNA INTERACTIVE DEV BEN ESPOSITOCleaning can be be a very satisfying thing. And what’s cleaner than destruction? The best way to avoid getting your furniture dirty at home is to have no furniture at all. At least, that’s what I tell my mum when she comes over and all she has to sit on is stacks of this very same magazine, drinking tea from papier-mâché mugs.That’s part of the buzz that feels so good in Donut County. You remote control a hole in the ground that you move around a screen, making physics objects fall into it. The more things you feed your hole, the bigger it gets, until you swallow your main target (who, generally speaking in the story, has ordered a “donut…2 min
PLAY|November 2018Earthfall“ON A BAD NIGHT, HALF OF MY SEARCHES FOR OTHER PLAYERS CAN STILL FAIL TO FIND A MATCH.”INFOFORMAT PS4PUB HOLOSPARKDEV HOLOSPARKREVIEW #153, 6/10Reviewing this game last issue, I found that being hideously outnumbered against swarms of deadly aliens wasn’t quite as much fun as it sounds. This was partly down to underpowered weapons, partly down to bugs (not the alien sort), and partly down to weight of numbers sitting in place of smart AI. It didn’t help that the online portion of the game was unstable – have things improved since?You can exclusively play solo should you so wish (ramp friendly AI up to maximum competence if you do), but it’s abundantly clear that Earthfall was designed with human partners in mind. A few weeks after release, netcode is slightly…2 min
PLAY|November 2018Call Of Duty: WWII – Shadow War“TESLA GUNS RUB SHOULDERS WITH UNCOVERED ALIEN TECH INSIDE A MYSTERIOUS NAZI LAB.”The final DLC for Call Of Duty: WWII is the most explosive yet, with three new multiplayer maps (Excavation, Airship, and Chancellery) bolstered by a new War mode mission, and the finale to the Nazi Zombies story arc.All three multiplayer maps do a good job of mixing indoor and exterior locations. One minute you’re confined to the decadent halls of Chancellery, the next you’re out in the rubble. Airship offers flashbacks to Battlefield 1 with its main draw of shooting out and over the top of a blimp, while Excavation maintains the series’ ability to tell a story with its map designs – here an Algerian treasure hunt.New War mode mission Operation Arcane takes some liberties with its…1 min
PLAY|November 2018Solo: A Star Wars StoryPlagued with public production woes, including the dismissal of original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller just six months into principal photography, it’s a minor miracle Solo turned out as well as it did – even if it remains a largely unnecessary chapter in the Star Wars saga.Recasting Harrison Ford was always going to be a fool’s errand, but Alden Ehrenreich gives it his best Nerf Herder as the young Han. In a tale that dutifully hits every origin story beat, the nascent Solo meets walking carpet Chewbacca and cool customer Lando Calrissian, and gets behind the wheel of that magnificent hunk of junk, the Millennium Falcon, all while on a mission that will turn him into the rogue smuggler we (and, later, a certain Princess) know and love.After stepping…1 min
PLAY|November 2018MORE TO SEEBOJACK HORSEMAN SEASON 5FORMAT NETFLIX PRICE £7.99 A MONTHThis surreal animation about washed-up actor and literal horse man, Bojack, is about everything but the fact it’s set in a world where humans and talking animals live side by side. Season five sees Bojack go back to work on a new TV series.CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA SEASON 1FORMAT NETFLIX PRICE £7.99 A MONTHNetflix’s chilling reboot is nothing like Sabrina The Teenage Witch. Instead Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist have been cited as inspirations for the story of a witch who takes a stand against all manner of evil in her home town.SUCCESSION SEASON 1FORMAT NOW TV PRICE £7.99 A MONTHThis HBO drama about the dysfunctional family at the head of America’s biggest media corporation is one of the best shows of…1 min
PLAY|November 2018DON’T MAKE ME PLAY! HITMAN (2016)INFOPUB SQUARE ENIXDEV IO INTERACTIVERELEASED 2016, PS4GET IT NOW PS STORE FREE (PARIS), £49.99 (GOTY EDITION)WHAT?2016’s Hitman returns to the sandbox-style levels of Blood Money, giving you a number of options for bumping off your targets. Featuring drastically more complex stages than any of its predecessors, it’s a challenge to relish.WHO?Jess Kinghorn would rather sit down and talk about it than bring out the heavy artillery… though she’s always looking for new tools to add to her conflict resolution repertoire.One of my earliest gaming memories is of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. Rather than playing, I was watching as I attempted to impress a boy I liked – not a brilliant first impression, to say nothing of the controversial level I remember him playing the most. A baptism of blood, religious…2 min
PLAY|November 2018THE VIRTUAL REALITY HITS YOU HAVE TO PLAY PS VR HALL OF FAME1 THE PERSISTENCEDesigned specifically for PS VR, this first-person horror roguelike is, arguably, the headset’s first true killer app. With the action structured around short bursts of intense survival, this shooter manages to pack in everything expected of a PS4 release, in VR. Clever ideas, unique weapons, genuine jump scares, and beautiful visuals delivered with zero motion sickness. All this plus inventive couchplay too.2 REZ INFINITECreator Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s vision becomes reality in PS VR. This psychedelic rhythm rail shooter has achieved its final form. Its crowning achievement? New level Area X, it’s powerful enough to bring players to tears. Worthy of its name, this is a truly timeless title.3 THUMPERMake no mistake: the brave chrome beetle gave Rez a run for its money for our top spot. Hurtling down a…5 min
PLAY|November 2018Anatomically incorrectFORMAT PS4 / PUB PLAYDEAD / DEV PLAYDEAD / RELEASED 2016 / SCORE 9/10Last MonthCall Of Duty 4Was the Chernobyl hit a standout moment? Believe the snipe!Next MonthDevil May Cry 4Dante takes on his unruly nephew, Nero, in a fierce family fist fight.Given that the game casts you as an anonymous young boy trying to escape shady men who want to stuff him into the back of an unmarked van, all taking place within a mysterious, dystopian landscape, we probably shouldn’t have expected a happy ending from Inside. But no-one could have foreseen quite what a dark conclusion was coming.The game forces you deeper into a shadowy industrial complex, encountering murderous mermaids and mindless clones along the way, until eventually you encounter the experiment at its heart. An amorphous blob,…2 min
