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GAMING PREVIEWS

AUGUST

ASTRO BOT Since our first meeting on PS4, Astro has gone on to help us all get acquainted with our PlayStation 5 consoles. Now he’s back in a huge new space adventure infused with platforming fun, and all of the nods to new and old PS games and tech that we’ve come to expect. There are six galaxies to explore, featuring over 80 levels, with the aim of reuniting Astro’s scattered crew. WHAT’S COMING IN SEPTEMBER?

MULTIPLAYER STAR WARS OUTLAWS The Star Wars universe returns to our consoles, with this new action adventure set between movies The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi . The single player, third-person outing will place us in a sprawling open world in which, as outlaw Kay Vess – accompanied by faithful merqaal companion Nix – players will attempt to pull off a massive heist the likes of which the Outer Rim has never seen. MADDEN NFL 25 The next instalment of the legendary NFL game continues to bring America’s favourite game home, complete with San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, who grew up playing the game, as the cover star. Prepare for a re-engineered physics system, all-new commentary and presentation, as well as updated features across franchise and other game modes. DUSTBORN Get ready for a story-driven action adventure about hope, love, friendships, robots, and the power of words, from the developers of Dreamfall Chapters . You’re Pax, whose abilities include weaponised language, on a punk rock trans-American road trip. You’ll assemble a crew, each with their own powers, manage relationships, complete missions, face challenges, and even get some biffo in! MULTIPLAYER 16/8/24 30/8/24

MULTIPLAYER CONCORD Calling all space outlaws! Assemble your team and get ready for action in this exciting new team-based PVP first person shooter. Handpick your personal roster of Freegunners from a group of misfits, outlaws, and adventurers working as guns-for-hire, then team up to take on rival crews across the spectacular worlds of the wilds of space in a range of different PVP modes. MONSTER JAM SHOWDOWN The Monster Jam is back, bigger and bolder than ever! The groundbreaking off-road arcade experience is bringing three different biomes in which to perform your best tricks, while driving the most iconic real-life Monster Jam trucks ever in recreations of actual events. A raft of different game modes includes non-linear career, cross platform online, and local split screen options. VISIONS OF MANA It’s taken 18 years, but we’re finally set to have a new mainline adventure in Square Enix’s much-loved Mana series. Dive into a beautiful world full of enchanting locations within semi-open maps, using your magical Elementals to explore. Encounter fast paced battles as you, a chosen Soul Guard, must protect your childhood friend and chosen Alm, Hinna, as you travel to the Tree of Mana. MULTIPLAYER 29/8/24 23/8/24

PLATFORMER

6/9/24

MULTIPLAYER?

FUNKO FUSION Funko’s Pop! figures and the many worlds of

NBCUniversal are set to collide in this wild upcoming action adventure. It’s an absolute culture clash as characters from the likes of Jurassic World , Jaws , Back to the Future , Shaun of the Dead , Masters of the

ACTION ADVENTURE

SHOOTER

Universe , Chucky , Battlestar Galactica , The Thing , and more all collide for a Pop!tastic experience either solo or via online co-op.

ACTION ADVENTURE MULTIPLAYER?

20/9/24

MATCHBOX DRIVING ADVENTURES Move over Hot Wheels, it’s time for Matchbox cars to shine! Unlock, customise, and race onscreen representations of a dozen classic Matchbox vehicles, taking on missions across six different environments.

With two distinct modes – adventure and competition - solo play and local multiplayer, there’s set to be plenty of vehicular fun for Matchbox fans of all ages.

SPORTS

RACING

RACING MULTIPLAYER?

20/9/24

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: ECHOES OF WISDOM This latest Zelda outing will take the super cute, dumpy art style of the 2019 Link’s Awakening remake and put it in a brand-new story, where Zelda is the heroine of the piece. The people of Hyrule are being stolen away by strange rifts, and Link is missing! So, Zelda teams up with mysterious fairy Tri, using the power of the Tri Rod to solve puzzles and defeat enemies.

ACTION ADVENTURE MULTIPLAYER?

26/9/24

MULTIPLAYER

MULTIPLAYER

ACTION ADVENTURE

ACTION RPG

20/8/24

29/8/24

Are you up to answering all eight of this month’s game related posers? 1. What was the full title of the first ever Star Wars console game, released on Atari 2600 and Intellivision? 2. On which home computer did John Madden Football first release back in 1988?

Answers: 1. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back 2. Apple II 3. Heavy Rain 4. Gnop! 5. Italy 6. Mystic Quest 7. The Playroom 8. LEGO Dimensions

3. What was the name of the 2010 PS3 hit action adventure from developer Quantic Dream? 4. What was the name of developer Bungie’s first ever game, which was a Pong clone? 5. What country is MotoGP and Monster Energy Supercross series developer Milestone based in? 6. What was the PAL region name of the first Mana series game? 7. In which PS4 game did we first meet robot buddy Astro and his friends? 8. What was the name of the “toys to life” game that mashed up LEGO and numerous pop culture properties?

GAME EXAM

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34 AUGUST 2024

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