STACK #224 June 2023

GAMING FEATURE

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WHAT’S COMING IN JULY?

CEO at Big Ant Studios ( AFL 23 , Cricket 24 ) ROSS SYMONS

EXOPRIMAL It’s 2043, and dinosaurs roam the Earth. Wait, what?! Get ready for an online, team-based action experience that pits humanity’s cutting edge exosuit technology against history’s most ferocious beasts, which have been unleashed via rifts in space and time. Exosuits are grouped into different roles, and players will pilot them in hopes of holding firm against overwhelming dinosaur swarms. it may not be Capcom’s classic Dino Crisis revisited, but this shooter still looks like it’ll be wild fun.

PIKMIN 4 Nintendo’s delightful little plant-like helpers the Pikmin are back, and their fourth strategic puzzle adventure is looking as gorgeously lush as ever. It’s set to be another captivating and chilled experience, especially as our intrepid friends will be joined by an Ice Pikmin. Plus, there’s the introduction of a puppy-like creature named Oatchi to help them out with things like smashing huge obstacles and transportation across the mysterious Earth like planet on which they find themselves.

1 What’s the first game that you remember playing?

Pong , in a Frankston pub, and I knew immediately after that my future would be in video games.

2 What was the last game that you finished? Need for Speed Unbound – I grab it

SHOOTER MULTIPLAYER?

STRATEGY MULTIPLAYER?

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whenever it a new one comes out and hide away until that platinum drops.

3 What’s your favourite video game/ series of all time?

Dark Reign remains my favourite game of all time, better than Command and Conquer, Starcraft, and World of Warcraft . It was made in Australia and was very far ahead of its time.

IMMORTALS OF AVEUM Get ready for a new first-person shooter experience with your main weapon being magic, as you set out to save the realms. Step into the boots of Jak (no relation to Daxter’s mate) as he joins an elite order of battlemages to save a world on the edge of abyss. Master three forces of magic, unleash spells with deadly skill, and decimate legions of enemies, in this game with serious pedigree, including director Bret Robbins, who worked on the likes of Dead Space and Call of Duty: WWII .

DISNEY ILLUSION ISLAND Join Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, and Goofy as they set out upon a quest to explore the mysterious island of Monoth. Their aim? To harness your puzzling nous so that they can recover three mystical books and save Monoth! You get to choose your favourite of the four classic animated Disney characters for your quest and can play with up to three friends in a combat-free, platforming-full “Metroidvania”- like experience that’s set to feature some truly stunning animation and sound.

4 What do you think is the most underrated game of all time?

Split/Second , developed by Black Rock, that game was spectacular.

SHOOTER MULTIPLAYER?

ACTION ADVENTURE MULTIPLAYER?

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5 What’s the game that you most wish you’d worked on? I would have loved to have worked on Prince of Persia: Sands of Time , such a beautiful game. From the first scene it completely immersed you and had you deeply caring about your character.

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The much-anticipated Super Nintendo game Starwing – known as Star Fox outside of PAL regions, the name changed to avoid confusion with German company StarVox - arrived in Australia. It was notable for incredible 3D graphics, thanks to the addition

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of a special Super FX graphics chip inside the cartridge, as well as being a top-notch rail shooter.

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18 JUNE 2023

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