STACK #185 Mar 2020

GAMING PREVIEWS

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GAMES OUT THIS MONTH MARCH

DOOM ETERNAL

GENRE: SHOOTER PLATFORM: PS4 | XBOX ONE | PC

RELEASE: 20/3/20 MULTIPLAYER: YES

In its day, Doom was a pioneer of the first-person shooter oeuvre. As every gamer knows, since the 1990s we’ve been inundated with FPS games – some OK, some good and some great. So, can a true originator compete in 2020? You bet it can – it’s almost like those behind it said “Hold my rocket launcher…” to its rivals and expanded upon everything that’s ever made the franchise so, so good. The key thing? Demon slaying. In Doom Eternal , the armies of hell

have spilled onto Earth. Your job? Duh! Destroy the beastly interlopers in any way possible – and there are many means at your disposal. These range from your typical shotguns, rifles, plasma guns and such right through to the more innovative blades, meat hooks and flamethrowers. You’ll need the arsenal, too, with id boasting that there’s double the number of enemy types from 2016’s reboot of the franchise. That’s a whole lot of hell spawn for the splatterin’! Bigger levels, better weapons and multiplayer Battlemode – and we’re only scratching the surface. As a certain other FPS star once quipped (via Ash Williams), come get some!

Did you know? A bunch of new Battlemode maps and playable demons are down for future release and, best of all, we’re promised that they’ll be at no charge. MMMmmm, free DLC!

G: FIGHTING P: PS4 | XBOX ONE | SWITCH M: YES The joys of Pokémon join the action of Mystery Dungeon in this appropriately named adventure, an updated take on 2005’s Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Red and Blue Rescue Team games. Human you is transformed into a Pokémon, and you must team up with others in order to take on challenging turn-based dungeons so as to make the world a safer place. Players will also strategise, build camps and generally look after newfound Poké-friends along the way. POKÉMON RESCUE DUNGEON: MYSTERY TEAM DX 2015’s Ori and the Blind Forest is renowned as one of the most beautiful and emotionally engaging platformers ever, and this long-awaited sequel aims to up the ante in every way. It’s a tough ask, however this all-new adventure will see our guardian spirit Ori seeking to discover the world beyond the forest, while also uncovering lost truths, in order to realise their true destiny. New spirit weapons, spells and attacks – and powerups – will help in the quest. ORI AND THE WILL OF THE WISPS Ace superhero manga series My Hero Academia gets its battle on in this sequel to the action-packed fighting game My Hero One’s Justice . Relive classic scenes as you play through the story following that first game, in order to discover just what becomes of Deku and the class at UA High School. Want to best your foes? Fight your best fight and master building your ‘Plus Ultra’ meter so that you can pull off special combos and win the day. MY HERO ONE’S JUSTICE 2 We’ll take on a whole new level of yōkai (that’s supernatural monsters and demons) as Team Ninja’s action RPG sequel spirits us back to feudal-era Japan. As a hired part-human mercenary with mystical abilities, players will confront all Dark Realm comers with new weapons and a revised combat system. Nioh 2 aims to improve on the already brilliant ‘Soulsborne’ styled gameplay of its predecessor, complete with new skills, weapons and story. NIOH 2 R: 13/3/20 G: RPG P: SWITCH M: NO R: 6/3/20 G: PLATFORMER P: XBOX ONE M: NO R: 11/3/20

G: SOCIAL SIMULATOR P: SWITCH M: YES It’s time to be entranced by the first home console iteration of the much-loved social life sim series in more than ten years. Animal Crossing: New Horizons will see players taking up Tom Nook’s offer to travel to a deserted island and get busy with their crafting skills in order to make the place, well, not deserted! Fave characters return, with a bunch of new folks to get to know and, most likely, love as you craft your very own island paradise. ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS There’s a new multiplayer online brawler coming to town, and if that isn’t enough to have your interest piqued, the fact that it comes from Heavenly Sword , Hellblade and Devil May Cry developers Ninja Theory just might sway you. Select any of 12 characters and mod away, as you let loose melee and/ or ranged attacks and all manner of wild abilities from mind control to guitar solos in an insane, 4x4 team fighting action senses assault. Plus, hoverboards! BLEEDING EDGE Join this latest adventure that follows Luffy and the Straw Hats from the very beginning, as they set out to find the illustrious One Piece. Following the story of the still-running manga, players will get the chance to experience an ending that’s original to the game, as well as a more explosive story along the way. We’re also promised even crazier attacks than we’ve previously experienced – and we’ve sure let loose some wild ones in the past! ONE PIECE: PIRATE WARRIORS 4 It’s renowned as one of the greatest RPGs of all time, so if you haven’t played Persona 5 then prepare for an incredible experience – and if you have played it, get ready for a bunch of new stuff to get busy with! There’s a new Phantom Thief in Kasumi, while new confidants, story depth, locations to explore and a cool grappling hook mechanic for stealthy access to additional areas all join the fray in a new semester at Shujin Academy. PERSONA 5 ROYAL G: FIGHTING P: XBOX ONE M: YES

R: 20/3/20

R: 24/3/20

G: ACTION/ADVENTURE P: PS4 | XBOX ONE | SWITCH M: YES

R: 27/3/20

G: ACTION RPG P: PS4 M: YES

R: 13/3/20

G: RPG P: PS4 M: NO

R: 31/3/20

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MARCH 2020

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