STACK J#165 Jul 2018

GAMES FEATURE

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Gears 5

Ori franchise, this one includes new movement and combat mechanics, but is still in the same old ‘metroidvania’ platformer vein, in that unlocking new abilities leads to new paths in the world. The art and soundtrack are – predictably – still stunning, and the new Ori tale is just as enthralling as the first one was, which released three years ago. Ori and theWill of theWisps releases next year. Of course, there were also a few titles announced that we couldn’t go hands on with, and there was one word on everyone’s lips as they left the Microsoft press briefing on Sunday arvo – Halo. What a way to open a press conference! Although we know barely anything about the new instalment, for the time being it’s called Infinite , and will feature the triumphant return of Spartan John- 117 – the Master Chief. Where will we be headed on this new adventure? Which familiar faces will be along for the ride? On what console? We don’t know just yet, but we can’t wait to find out. Having seen Forza and Halo, there was really only one more big Xbox IP to cover off for a complete trifecta, and Microsoft came through. Three new Gears of War games were announced, but perhaps most importantly, the next main entry into the franchise was confirmed. Gears 5 will tentatively release next year, and will focus mainly on Kait. Otherwise, Cuphead and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds are getting new updates, Warhammer:Vermintide II is coming to Xbox One, and Crackdown 3 is hopefully still on the way. Xbox had a great showing this year, and look to have a promising 12 months ahead of them. Just give us Forza already, will you?

Forza Horizon 4

Microsoft

Microsoft did things a little differently at E3 this year. Instead of opting for a booth inside the Los Angeles Convention Centre, most of their showing was at the nearby Microsoft Theater.You would have noticed if you watched the press briefing that there were a number of screens up on stage – these were later used as the consoles consumers would play on over the course of the show. Words Alesha Kolbe

K icking things off strongly at their press conference this year, Xbox showed off over 50 games, more than 10 of which were worldwide reveals. And, to their credit, many of these were able to be played on the booth. Thankfully, as press, we were able to attend a few out-of-hours sessions to really dig our claws into the games that most took our fancy. Understandably, first cab off the rank was Forza Horizon 4 . With the new McLaren Senna

being showcased in all its glory, and the beautiful landscapes of the United Kingdom on show, the game is looking truly wonderful. FH4 introduces seasons to the mix, shaking up the usual Horizon formula by running the festival over an entire year instead of just summer. These seasons impact more than just how the game looks; warmer weather will heat up the roads faster, just as ice will have you sliding perhaps a little more than you’d like. Certain lakes will also freeze

Release dates of note:

Forza Horizon 4 - October 2, 2018

Orio and the Will of the Wisps - October 16, 2018

over in winter, allowing access to previously unreachable areas. Each season will last one week

in-game, so you’ll see all four in a month. As a player, you’ll also be able to get a job and purchase a house, and it will be interesting to see how that impacts the Horizon career mode. From what we’ve played of Forza Horizon 4 , we absolutely cannot wait until October 2. Also not to be forgotten was Ori and theWill of theWisps . A new adventure in the

Ori and theWill of theWisps

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JULY 2018

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