STACK #210 Apr 2022

FEATURE GAMING

WHAT’S COMING IN MAY?

SIFU: VENGEANCE EDITION The well-received martial arts fest gets a well-earned physical release, in a special edition package worthy of any collector’s shelves. It’s the story of a young kung fu student who’s out to wreak vengeance upon the murderers of his family. With no allies – and many assailants – it’s a battle of one against many and the triumph of kung fu mastery. As well as the game, the package will include a special steelbook, a 48-page artbook, a digital game score code and three lithographs.

EVIL DEAD: THE GAME Come get some, as Ashy Slashy is joined by companions from throughout the Evil Dead universe – both movies and television - for all sorts of supernatural good-versus-evil adventure. Co-operation is the name of the game – well, Evil Dead: The Game is, but you know what we mean – playing as a team of four survivors doing everything that you can to seal the breach between worlds. Better yet, Bruce Campbell reprises his leading role, and is joined by other friends from the series. Groovy!

MULTIPLAYER?

MULTIPLAYER?

FIGHTING

3/5/22

SURVIVAL HORROR

13/5/22

TWO POINT CAMPUS You built the perfect health care hub in Two Point Hospital , now it’s time to take the educational route and get your perfect university happening! The world of academia won’t know what’s hit it once you construct your campus inside and out – get as detailed as you like, down to positioning every tree just where you want it. The tools abound, do you have the vision to match? This Enrolment Edition also includes a foldout map, DLC and a 14-page “prospectus” full of hints and tips.

VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE - SWANSONG There will be blood as the World of Darkness expands with the latest release based on the tabletop role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade . A narrative-based RPG, players take on the roles of three veteran vampires, entrusted with wielding abilities wisely and finding a harmonious balance between both their human and more beastly sides. Ultimately, in this collision of the real and the supernatural your choices will be what decide the fate of Boston, so yeah, no pressure!

MULTIPLAYER?

MULTIPLAYER?

SIMULATION

17/5/22

RPG

19/5/22

1 What’s the first game that you remember playing? I watched my brother and cousins play games when I was really little, but the first game I remember playing by myself was Oregon Trail 3rd Edition . I made a long cheat sheet of which plants were edible and how to treat different diseases that I tucked into the CD case. I was so sure that if I ever got lost in the Oregon wilds (I lived nowhere near Oregon) I would know exactly how to not die by dysentery! 2 What was the last game that you finished? I finally got a chance to finish playing Ghost of Tsushima . I really enjoyed the focused story, gorgeous environments, and all the side activities, especially all the Shinto shrines! Navigating through them was so much fun. And the ending was so epic and emotional. I’m looking forward to jumping into the Iki Island expansion next. 3 What’s your favourite video game/series of all time? The Mass Effect trilogy will always have a special place in my heart. BioWare games were what got me interested in game writing, starting with Dragon Age: Origins , but playing as FemShep and developing relationships with the Normandy crew while dealing with this huge galactic threat was an amazing experience. I’ve replayed the trilogy a bunch of times, and I still end up picking the same options every time, just to relive it all. 4 What do you think is the most underrated video game of all time? I don’t know that this is the most underrated game of all time, but I really loved Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy . I was one of those kids who was fascinated by Ancient Egypt, so this game with its Egyptian mythology and fun puzzles was a joy to play. It ended on a cliffhanger too! I was so sad it never got a sequel. 5 What’s the game that you most wish you’d worked on? Mass Effect 3 . From a storytelling perspective, I loved how so many elements of the first two games came together in the third installment. Finally facing the Reaper invasion, and seeing the culmination of all the alliances, friendships and animosities that were built up from the previous games. It must’ve been a blast to work on.

Senior writer on Horizon Forbidden West at Guerrilla Games ANNIE KITAIN

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