STACK #153 Jul 2017

GAMES FEATURE

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Old Frontier

After three years, Elite Dangerous is finally getting a full retail release onto Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Words Alesha Kolbe

F rontier Developments’ Elite Dangerous has been around for three years now. And in 2017, it’s coming to consoles for the first time in a Legendary Edition, including the game, the season pass, and a bunch of in-game gold to spend. In case you haven’t heard of it, Elite Dangerous was born of a Kickstarter campaign back in 2012, and released on PC two years later. A ‘space adventure, trading, and combat simulation’ game, Elite Dangerous allows you to explore Frontier Developments’ Milky Way Galaxy, which is very similar to the real one. Choices you make in-game will not only affect the way your narrative unfolds, but also the wide-open world of ED’s universe. It’s up to you whether you want to play it safe or make the galaxy an awful place to live in. Dangerous is the fourth game in the Frontier series, and is set 45 years after the previous entry. The game engine runs in real time, and

the world has been online for the last three years. You begin your life as an astronaut with a ship and a little cash, and it’s up to you to choose how you carve your path in the world, be it through legal means or otherwise. You can join an in-game faction and contribute to its growth by completing missions to earn rewards. A successful faction will be more powerful and have more territorial control, which will result in more benefits for you. A recent update has also introduced the

Holo-Me character creator. As far as character creators go, it’s pretty in-depth, allowing you to make changes to everything from facial features to the suit you’re wearing. It’s even got its own dedicated subreddit, where users can post selfies. The Legendary release on console, as previously mentioned, includes the Horizons season pass, giving you access to all the add- on content, and 1000 gold to spend in-game. The Horizons DLC is a full-blown season of expansions, with players getting access to the Cobra MK4, planetary landings, ground vehicles and bases, multicrew support, and a new ground vehicle – the Surface Reconnaissance Vehicle – equipped with weapons, scanners, and a datalink system for hacking. Materials found on the surface of planets can be used to craft useful upgrades to your kit. At its heart, Elite Dangerous is one of those titles that chugs along in the background, minding its own business, keeping to itself and listening to and catering for its highly dedicated fanbase. Now, the journey has made its way to console, and there’s no better time to jump on board.

It's even got its own dedicated subreddit, where users can post selfies

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JULY 2017

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