STACK #191 Sep 2020

GAMING PREVIEWS

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GAMES OUT THIS MONTH SEPTEMBER

MARVEL’S AVENGERS GENRE: ACTION ADVENTURE PLATFORM: PS4 | XBOX ONE | PC

RELEASE: 4/9/20 MULTIPLAYER: YES

Who’s never harboured thoughts of wanting to be a superhero? Well, here’s a chance to make those dreams a reality – but without all of that real-life being knocked about, shot at and blown up by baddies stuff. A massive, hugely cinematic original story is set to unfold, as you step into the shoes (or bare feet in the case of Hulk) of Marvel’s finest. You’ll

harness their various abilities, cultivate your own customisable collection of heroes and, basically, defend the Earth!

Did you know? Marvel’s Avengers players on PlayStation 4 will get an exclusive bonus superhero in the form of Spider-Man – complete with his own story arc – via free, post-release DLC.

It all kicks off on A-Day, where Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Black Widow and Thor are christening a shiny new Avengers HQ in San Francisco, complete with bonus helicarrier. Things go awry though, mass devastation is unleashed and the finger of blame is pointed squarely at the Avengers, who are subsequently outlawed. Flash forward five years and suddenly the Earth needs saviours – maybe it’s time to un-outlaw Earth’s mightiest heroes? Playable solo or with up to four players assembled online, plans are in place for Marvel’s Avengers to run for multiple years, with regular free updates dropping to keep the action alive.

G: SPORT P: PS4 | XBOX ONE M: YES R: 4/9/20 Tony Hawk is a legend in skateboarding, and he’s also a legend in skateboarding games, and now the two original PlayStation outings that gave him that latter legendary status are returning, cooler than ever. This epic package is set to deliver all the thrills of the originals, but rebuilt from the ground up with stunning now-gen HD graphics. But wait, there’s more! We also get a bunch of new stuff, including moves, tunes, and several ways to get competitive online. All the classic action, adventure, hacking and slashing is back, as the cult RPG returns bigger and better than ever. Resurrected from the grips of death, you must rescue a world torn apart by war. The product of a meeting of top minds – author R.A. Salvatore, Spawn creator Todd McFarlane and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion lead designer Ken Rolston – the original game has been remastered, promising stunning visuals as well as refined gameplay. KINGDOMS OF AMALUR: RE-RECKONING G: ACTION ADVENTURE P: PS4 | XBOX ONE | SWITCH M: NO R: 8/9/20 Join young Ary as she sets off on a journey to restore the seasons of the world of Valdi. Having become the Guardian of Winter, Ary gains the ability to manipulate the seasons, using them to solve puzzles, get past obstacles and defeat enemies as her quest continues. Giving off strong Frozen meets The Legend of Zelda vibes, Ary and the Secret of Seasons looks delightful, and has been a long labour of love for a small team of European developers. ARY AND THE SECRET OF SEASONS The NBA 2K series plans on dropping the “boomshakalaka!” with their latest and greatest instalment yet. Already boasting best-in-class graphics, the focus this year has been on further improvements in the game’s visuals, along with numerous gameplay tweaks including competitive and community online features. Promising deep, varied game modes and one-of-a-kind immersion into all facets of NBA basketball and culture, NBA 2K21 is set to be hard to beat. NBA 2K21 G: SPORT P: PS4 | XBOX ONE | SWITCH M: YES R: 4/9/20 TONY HAWK’S PRO SKATER 1+2

G: SPORT P: PS4 | XBOX ONE | SWITCH M: YES R: 18/9/20 So why so serious?! Wrestling’s all about fun, and that’s what this wild arcade romp plans to bring to the WWE. Get in there with your own character or any of the included WWE Superstars and Legends and battle it out in crazy, interactive environments all around the world. With commentary from Mauro Ranallo and Jerry “The King” Lawler, get into laying down those classic moves either alone or with friends in an overload of different game modes. WWE 2K BATTLEGROUNDS Rise through the underworld ranks and enjoy all the spoils – while you can... Mafia was genre-defining when it hit back in 2002, and now every shot fired in the Prohibition era organised crime drama is back, better than ever. 2K have gone to town to make this look, feel and play like a 2020 game – it’s no quick “increase the res a bit and cash in” re-release, coming complete with new dialogue, expanded backstories and additional cutscenes. MAFIA: DEFINITIVE EDITION Do you have what it takes to nurture a small colonial settlement, overseeing its growth into a bustling trader city? Find out as you set sail and join the colonial powers of 17th century Spain, England, France and the Netherlands in a fight for supremacy of the Caribbean. Attend to all the needs of your city – from developing production chains through to cultivating trade partners – and partake in thrilling turn-based naval battles as you master your rivals. PORT ROYALE 4 It’s the Australian-made honk ’em up that’s conquered the world, and it’s now available in a limited-edition physical form especially for collectors. You’re a goose – in the game – and your aim is simply to make mischief wherever you go, in a delightful yet challenging series of puzzles and adventures. Bonus goodies include a special mail order-styled 24-page catalogue, a village map poster and a fab goose-busters sticker. This package really is anything but s-honk-y! UNTITLED GOOSE GAME G: SIMULATOR P: PS4 | XBOX ONE | SWITCH M: NO 25/9/20 G: ACTION ADVENTURE P: PS4 | XBOX ONE M: NO R: 25/9/20

G: ACTION RPG P: PS4 | XBOX ONE | PC M: NO R: 8/9/20

G: PUZZLE P: PS4 | SWITCH M: NO R: 29/9/20

18 SEPTEMBER 2020

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