STACK #205 Nov 2021

GAMING REVIEWS

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FAR CRY 6

SHOOTER MULTIPLAYER

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The secret of the success of the Far Cry series is more to do with its ability to riff off a simple concept rather than recurring characters. By this stage, it almost feels like we’re going to need a “previously on” recap – but with Far Cry, the stories are always self-contained, giving players the freedom to drop right on in. This instalment is set on a

fictional island in the Caribbean known as Yara, a place inspired by real-world Cuba. It's ruled with over-the-top flamboyance by President Castillo, played by none other than Giancarlo Esposito, who fans of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul will already know is a master at playing villains you love to hate. Castillo is trying to lock in his son as his successor – and that’s where you come in, as Dani Rojas, a freedom fighter hoping to set Yara on a different path that’s more about the power of the people.

CRYSIS? WHAT CRYSIS? The original Far Cry was developed by German studio Crytek to show off their advanced game engine, which went on to power Crysis , pushing graphics beyond the limits of the hardware at the time. For years, the big gaming PC benchmark was “Can it run Crysis ?” The answer was usually, “No!”

The lush graphics deliver the most expertly crafted Far Cry open world yet, and – once you get to Yara, get a gun and meet the locals – the game’s extravagance really starts coming to the surface. You soon get access to a series of helpful creatures known as “Amigos”, starting with a cuddly crocodile named Guapo, who’s adorably deadly. The FPS gameplay feels visceral and exciting, and it's just on the right side of challenging without being obnoxious. It manages to shrug off the problems and pitfalls of “sequel-itis” to deliver an open-world shooting adventure that’s immaculately designed, visually stunning, sprawling and complex enough to satisfy RPG and MMO fans… and comes with your own personal killer croc! AH

HOT WHEELS UNLEASHED

RACING MULTIPLAYER

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Relive the days of owning a car collection bigger than Jay Leno’s, as classic little Hot Wheels cars get big screen game time. From racing game experts Milestone, this arcade- tinged racer is quite a change of pace from their usually more serious racing sims such as MotoGP and Ride . They aimed to squish the

classic fun of playing with Hot Wheels vehicles and their iconic orange tracks into video game form, while maintaining accuracy to their real-world counterparts – and they’ve ably succeeded. Players get to race their chosen Hot Wheels vehicle on all sorts of very impressive-looking tracks, with layouts ranging from basic to bonkers. The tracks are fun and all, but, just like when we were kids, it’s really all about the cars. 66 are available at launch, ranging from weird and wonderful dream cars to everyday street machines, although they’re not all available to begin with, requiring completion of specific goals and the earning of coins

SUPER-HOT WHEELS! Play Hot Wheels Unleashed enough and you’ll get the opportunity to unlock some seriously cool movie and TV motoring history to play with. These vehicles include the Back to the Future DeLorean, Knight Rider ’s K.I.T.T., The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Party Wagon and a Batmobile.

to unlock them. When cars are unlocked, they’re quite wonderful to behold. The detail afforded them is exquisite, even down to the text stamped underneath. As for gameplay, think of a great kart racer and the

experience of Hot Wheels Unleashed works along similar, if less unrealistic, lines. While you won’t be hurling tropical fruit or shelled reptiles about willy-nilly, you will find speed-up pads dotted around that we don’t remember having on our tracks back in childhood… There’s a solid set of missions for single players and, if you’re not flying solo, a two-player split-screen mode. Ultimately, anybody who could while away several hours admiring and racing their shiny toy Hot Wheels collection in younger days could easily find themselves getting lost in nostalgia with this beautifully- presented trip down memory lane. AF

82 NOVEMBER 2021

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