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36

Monitor
06 THETOPSTORY
MMO players battle impossible odds
10 THESPY
New gaming rumours investigated
12 SPECIALREPORT
The Morrowind mod that’s older than
the game itself
16 SECRETLEVEL
Karina Bastos on being a freelance 3D
character artist
18 INCOMING
The hottest games to get excited for

Previews
22 Nightingale
26 Beast
30 Moonlight Peaks
32 The Inquisitor

Features
36 John Romero talks SIGIL II,
Doom’s brand new episode
44 Celebrating 30
years of Doom
55 The Game of the
Year Awards 2023

22
36 44 55
SIGIL II DOOM AT 30 THE GOTY
Original Doom Guy and legendary
game developer John Romero
On Doom’s 30th anniversary, Rick
Lane looks back at the most iconic AWARDS 2023
chats to Robert Jones about FPS series of all time, charting its The votes are in! Find out now which
SIGIL II, his brand new unofficial huge impact on PC gaming and PC games have won big this year,
sixth episode for Doom. game development in general. including our Game of the Year.
 55

Reviews
66 Cities: Skylines II
70 Lords of the Fallen
74 RoboCop: Rogue City
76 Alan Wake 2
80 Star Trek: Infinite
FREE GAMES
82 Frasier Fantasy
83 Mr Platformer
44 83 Test Test Test
THEY’RE BACK
90 Resident Evil 2
91 A Hat In Time
76 91 Blasphemous

Hardware
94 NEXT-GEN
KEYBOARDS
GROUP TEST

Extra Life
90NOW PLAYING
Baldur’s Gate III, RoboCop: Rogue
City, Final Fantasy XIV, Marvel’s
Midnight Suns
94UPDATE
Worlds collide as Endwalker draws to a
close in Final Fantasy XIV
96MOD SPOTLIGHT
Top mods for Cyberpunk 2077 2.0

84 96 70

82 84 96
ALAN WAKE 2 NEW GAMING CYBERPUNK
Robin Valentine ventures alone
into the dark to review Remedy
KEYBOARDS 2077 2.0
Entertainment’s fascinating new The PCPP hardware labs goes Check out the best mods for this
survival horror game. Does he hands-on with six hot new gaming modern classic, plus what we
make it out alive? Find out now. keyboards and rates them all. want from the sequel.
 MONITOR NEWS | OPINION | DEV ELOPMENT
ENT

Tanks are useful,

but not as useful
as a corpse pile.

“PRAISE THE PILE!”

FOXHOLE players battle the odds and build a religion around a corpse pile

F
oxhole is a sandbox- from all logistics support and numbers from an army that could
style war MMO that supplies, facing down an endless resupply itself, while being cut off
has been available in invasion force. Foxhole’s two factions from their own supply lines. Silver
Early Access since 2017. are the Colonials and the Wardens, island had a few silver linings,
The schtick is one and in this case the Colonials held however: a natural choke point, some
persistent and gigantic war game Silver island, part of a larger area basic defences, and four field
where thousands of players battle called The Oarbreakers Isles. hospitals that can turn critically
for one of two factions, but with the The Colonials were double- wounded soldiers into “shirts”,
twist that the logistics, resource screwed: they were facing superior basically respawn tickets. Attackers
and supply side of the armies is just that landed on the beach quickly ran
as important as firing guns and into withering blindfire from the
piloting vehicles.
FACING SUPERIOR defenders and “the sandcastle”: a
winding, interconnected mess of
Like many of the best social games NUMBERS FROM AN sandbags and barbed wire.
great stories happen as a matter of
course, and a recent example was a
ARMY THAT COULD THE PILE
48-hour long battle between an RESUPPLY ITSELF Then the defenders, who had no
isolated island called Silver, cut-off medical supplies to treat their

6
N E WS | OPI N ION | DE V E L OPM EN T

MONSTER CLICKS M O D WA R N I N G “ S I M P LY N O T T R U E ”

INPUT LATENCY WOES CAPCOM’S MOD ALARM EXPANSION INNOCENCE

You can just imagine Remember when a naked Modern Warfare 3’s here,
Alienware’s marketing team Chun-li appeared at a Street and it’s already in hot water.
thinking what’s the biggest Fighter 6 tournie? Capcom A teeny-tiny campaign
stunt we can do? The answer seems to, warning devs of spawned murmurs about it
happened to be a fully working 16-foot “mods that are offensive to public order” being rushed into a full-price package.
mechanical mouse and keyboard, as in a recent presentation. Even worse, Sledgehammer Games wants you to
used by its esports team to play a Capcom reckons that any mod it doesn’t know that’s “simply not true”, despite
round of Dota 2 with it. Anyone fancy officially support is the same as a cheat. Bloomberg reports to the contrary. It’s
topping that? NE Overreaction much? JW studio vs anonymous dev sources. HR

Highs & Lows

HIGHS
Half-Life Wheee
Valve celebrated the 25th
anniversary by adding a bunch of old
and new content.

Meaty attack
Baldur’s Gate III lets you use
sausages as weapons.

Loot shoot
Runescape players realised an old
minigame’s guards couldn’t arrest
them all at once.

wounded, began to worship “the pile”. The pile lay Epic fail?
outside those hospitals. The Colonial strategy was that all Epic’s been in court again, this time
TOP: The battle raged wounded soldiers were to be fatally wounded, in the hope against Google, as part of which it
for over 48 real-world
hours, crashing the
they would become “critically wounded soldiers” to be revealed that the Epic Game Store is
game server. added to the pile. Field hospitals would turn some of still to turn a profit after five years.
these wounded soldiers into a trickle of respawns.
ABOVE: Finally, after
Warden player Kirbaez was in charge of an attacking Cataclysmic
two days of fighting, World of Warcraft Classic is getting
Silver island entered boat. “The first thing the [defenders] did after getting
Warden hands. back a POW is fucking kill him and when they saw a the divisive Cataclysm expansion.
[critically wounded soldier] they sent someone to collect
him screaming, ‘For the pile!’ As the gremlin scooped the Un-Embraced
corpse off my barge, I didn’t even tell my crew to return Rumours are swirling that the
fire: I was just in awe.” KOTOR remake is on the block.
As the battle raged over 48 real-world hours, the
defenders pushed back the attacking boats again and LOWS
again, regrouping where necessary, rebuilding what they
could of “the sandcastle”, looting the enemy dead, and
most importantly keeping the pile as high as they could.
The battle went on so long and achieved such scale
that at one point it crashed the server. But after two
days the inevitable happened. Outgunned and
outnumbered, the last Colonial defences fell. The dead
stayed to spectate as Silver island entered Warden
hands. The pile stood tall to the last.
Rich Stanton

8
13th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-13900H processor | Windows 11 Pro | NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4070 Laptop GPU | DDR5 16GB*2 | 2TB*1 NVMe
SSD PCIe Gen4 | 16" UHD+(3840x2400), OLED, VESA DisplayHDR™ 600 Certified

www.au.msi.com
 The Spy
B U T W H O WAT C H E S T H E S P Y ?

he Spy is used
to infiltrating
hot
environments.
Earlier this
year, for
example,
during a hot as
hell summer
in Ghent, Belgium, The Spy broke
into Larian Studios to complete the
first solo, one-person-in-party run
of Baldur’s Gate III. And, what’s
more, The Spy did so while dressed
in Larian Studios’ founder Swen
Vincke’s suit of knight’s armour.

Following Larian’s critical success

triumph with Baldur’s Gate III,
though, infiltrating the now multiple
award winning studio’s inner
sanctum has become a lot tougher,
and information about its future
direction regarding the now
much-wanted Baldur’s Gate III
expansion more difficult for The Spy
to purloin. The Spy is a master of the
stealthy arts, though, and no dexterity
check is too high for The Spy to roll.
As such, The Spy went to work.
At first The Spy surmised that
Larian’s CEO would absolutely have
the ability to talk to animals, with a
history of looking after multiple
man’s best friends on record, so
utilising one of The Spy’s world class Swen’s phrases that stuck out, as well as what The Spy
disguise kits The Spy proceeded to go undercover was hearing in the Baldur’s Gate III rumour mill.
disguised as Swen’s dog, Gustav. Right now the overriding feeling in PC gaming circles
Unfortunately, apart from learning that Gustav likes is that the most likely course of a Baldur’s Gate III
sausages and sleeping, the only thing The Spy overheard expansion will be a continuation and, naturally,
by doggedly following Swen around was that, when asked culmination of Karlach’s origin story, which is left
in interview about the difficulty of doing a high-level unfinished at the close of the main game. In brief, this
expansion for Baldur’s Gate III due to D&D’s crazy would entail Karlach venturing into Avernus, the first
high-level spells, he confirmed that in layer of the Nine Hells.
that case, “You could do different Avernus sounds a suitably, to quote
things then, so [the DLC] doesn’t have
to be necessarily at the end of the
AVERNUS SOUNDS A Swen, “different environment” for a
higher-level adventure, while getting
game. And so there’s different ways SUITABLY, TO QUOTE Karlach’s heart fixed and not dying
that you can do that. You could make
a level 12-20 game. It’s a different
SWEN, “DIFFERENT would absolutely introduce “different
stakes” to the main narrative.
game, all right. So you would ENVIRONMENT” Right now nothing has been
approach it completely differently. confirmed by Larian and, quite
Different stakes, different frankly, The Spy thinks Swen and the
THE SPY environments, most likely different protagonists and rest of the team deserve a very well deserved rest before
The Spy taught Alatos antagonists. But not undoable.” doing anything else, so The Spy is not expecting news on
‘Ravenscar’ Thuibuld an expansion soon. But The Spy can confirm
everything he knows
about infiltration and DESCENT INTO AVERNUS conversations are absolutely underway regarding Baldur’s
thievery. After a few weeks of fighting the dark doggy urges, The Gate III DLC within the studio and that Gustav is
Spy’s natural spying intuition kicked back in, with The enjoying plenty of long rests. Spy out.
Spy proceeding to dig Underdark deep into a couple of The Spy

10
 Special
Report
P C P P I N V E S T I G AT E S

Tamriel Rebuilt aims to build a version of

Morrowind as weird and wonderful as the one
2002’s Bethesda would have made.

WORLD BUILDING
The MORROWIND mod that’s older than the game itself

N
ot many mod projects have 122-page between the core team and several camps of developers
chronicles of their own history, but then with different opinions on how much the core team can
not many mod projects are Tamriel and should direct and edit the work of individual
Rebuilt, a mod for The Elder Scrolls 3: developers”. In other words: civil war.
Morrowind whose aim is to, well, build
Morrowind. Because in spite of the name, Morrowind TOWERFALL Missing
doesn’t actually contain its entire titular province. The problem was Silgrad Tower, described by Sultan as makers
“a huge early mod which had joined into TR in 2002 but
The naïve dev who
Unlike Skyrim, the third Elder Scrolls restricts you to a that still operated almost as its own separate project”. kicked off Tamriel
relatively minor slice of its main setting: the volcanic Issues arose when TR’s leadership tried to nudge Silgrad Rebuilt in 2001 was
backwater island of Vvardenfell. Tamriel Rebuilt wants Tower’s vision in a more lore-friendly direction. Devs a TES Forums user
to fill in the gaps. And it’s been doing that, slice by slice, resented the intrusion. Vocally. named Ender, but
for over 20 years. “It’s tough to figure out exactly what happened,” says he hasn’t been
seen since 2006.
Paradoxically, Tamriel Rebuilt is older than Morrowind Sultan, despite their encyclopaedic knowledge of the mod’s In fact, not a single
itself. Its origins go back to 2001, when a poster on The history. The lack of surviving archives makes the whole dev remains from
Elder Scrolls Forums enlisted the community to rebuild all affair murky, but one thing is certain “the two camps split”. the project’s
of Tamriel, the entire continent that TES happens on, in The dispute was rancorous – a swathe of project history original core team,
and several of its
the then-upcoming game. The project’s focus would later went up in smoke when TR’s forums were angrily deleted most active
narrow, but it wasn’t a smooth start. – and the fracas poisoned TR’s reputation for years. It only members only
“The earliest history of TR was all about reeling from recovered following the release of its first expansion in joined in the
one crisis to another,” says project historian Sultan of Rum. 2006. “It’s hard to be angry at a dev team who has just relatively recent
“We’ve had coups, schisms, near-death experiences, years freely released an expansion a quarter of the size of the past. Curiosity
abounds about
upon years of scrapped work, bad PR, scammers and original game,” said Sultan. where their
impersonators – you name it”. At times, the project’s survival feels like a bonafide predecessors
“Probably the most dramatic crisis in TR’s history” miracle. Silgrad Tower was followed by an event known as vanished to.
unfurled in 2003, in an “escalating series of confrontations “the Great Self-Decapitation”: a period wherein TR’s

12
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N E WS | OPI N ION | DE V E L OPM EN T

E XPANSION PACKED LEFT: A map showing

Tamriel Rebuilt’s
An evolution in expansions completed and
planned expansions.
It’s been a long road.

BELOW: It’s an
old engine, but
Morrowind’s
environments can still
get hyper-complex.

EXPANSION #1: EXPANSION #4:

TELVANNIS 2006 OLD EBONHEART 2018
TR’s first expansion dropped five Three expansions and twelve
years after the project started, years after Telvannis, Old
saving its reputation after the Ebonheart overhauled Tamriel
Silgrad Tower furore. Rebuilt’s development.

EXPANSION #7: EXPANSION #8:

EMBERS OF EMPIRE 2022 ANDARAM 20??
Released alongside expansion TR’s next planned expansion
#6, Embers of Empire beefed up is Andaram, which will take
Morrowind’s western lands. It’s the project further south than
the most recent expansion. it has ever been.

“implement first, ask questions later” philosophy led to On the flipside, a flow of fresh eyes can mean a constant
the team having to jettison thousands of hours of work on impulse to revise old content, which can leave others
Almalexia, Morrowind’s capital. feeling like they’re spinning their wheels. Sultan says the
Almalexia had been in development for years, and “current, fragile consensus” is to prioritise new content but
suffered from the quality issues that afflicted the mod’s to slowly chip away at the old, but there are always devs
earliest sections. Plus, it inexplicably contained 47 who want to go a different way.
statues, a crime against both aesthetics and graphics Eventually, the team wants to “significantly overhaul
cards. It had to be remade, which took hundreds of all of the parts of Morrowind that we released up to 2013,
hours. Then the remake had to be trashed and remade so about half of all the land in the released mod today”.
again. Many veterans quit. That’s 12 years of work.
“The trouble was,” says Sultan, It could be the start of a new civil
“they all independently decided to do war, but somehow I think they’ll do it.
that at around the same time,” leaving
around five people, total, working on “WITHOUT MEANING When team members speak about
what keeps them going, they all say the
TR by early 2016. Without meaning to, TO, THE PROJECT same thing: Morrowind is an incredible
the project had cut off its own head.
HAD CUT OFF ITS game. Despite Bethesda’s subsequent
releases, the passion for Morrowind in
CITIZENS OF MORROWIND OWN HEAD” particular is still there.
The project was saved in no small “[Morrowind’s] got this
part by an “explosion” in Morrowind melancholy to it that really sucks you
modding. Despite its age, Morrowind pulls in new into the vibe and the density of the lore,” says Jack, “The
people constantly, and devs enter and leave TR with fan base being so dedicated to expanding on that despite
stunning regularity. Not a single dev remains from all the years is the cherry on top to me. There’s not a lot
the 2001 core team, and yet the TR Discord is a hive of games like it in that respect.”
of activity and new faces. “I think that’s what’s so wonderful about all mod
The “constant influx of new people with new ideas and projects,” says Jack, “It’s simply a collaboration of dozens of
new techniques means the output of the team is never the people who love the game so much they’re willing to pour a
same week on week,” says senior developer Jack, and the huge amount of time and effort into making more of it for
project’s “open dev structure” creates an environment people to enjoy for free… the fact that even a game as old as
where any onlooker can take part. Morrowind still gets a regular influx of people wanting to
It can make stability a luxury, though. Old devs leaving create for it blows my mind, so I’m always ready to help
can lead to TR failing “The bus test,” says Jack, “If a select them learn how to do it.”
few people ever got hit by a bus the project would be toast.” Joshua Wolens

14
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 Secret
Level
THE UNSUNG HEROES OF DEVELOPMENT

BUILDING CHARACTERS
KARINA BASTOS on being a freelance 3D character artist in the game industry

A
longtime fan of anime closely as possible, but precisely how Bastos enjoys the entirety of the
and manga, Karina that works can vary depending on the character model creation process,
Bastos always knew scope of the project. While the but particularly enjoys creating faces
she wanted a creative Fortnite team generally assigns one and hair. Even something as simple
career, but wasn’t character model to one artist, other as a character’s hair, in fact, requires
sure exactly what; until, that is, she studios might have multiple people more thought than you might expect.
saw what games had to offer. “I working on one character. If the hair will be individually
started to see how videogames help animated, or if the hair model will be
you bring to life things that [were MODEL EMPLOYEE shared between different characters,
previously only] on paper,” she says. “Sometimes some people do the hair, Bastos needs to bear that in mind
some people do the clothes; then in when creating the character model.
Brazil offers little in the way of major the end, we come together. Or She’s also worked on games using
game development studio work, so sometimes I do the high poly, then licences such as Naruto and Samurai
she began by taking advantage of pass to someone else to do the low Jack. With characters that have an
mobile and marketing artwork poly and texture.” Details and textures established, distinctive and protected
opportunities. This gave her a chance can and will impact the wider game look, models need to be approved by
to experiment with different types of performance, in fact, so just how the licence holders, and there are
art, and she found herself particularly lavish or economical each model is more rules than usual about their
drawn to character work – so that’s will depend on the available resources. creation too. Another licensed project
what she began to specialise in. that Bastos worked on was very
Bastos is keen to point out that, different; creating a model of the
while the early part of her career character Leo Sporino for VR boxing
working on smaller projects allowed
her a hand in design, generally
3D OR NOT 3D game Creed: Rise to Glory.
Unlike everything else mentioned
speaking 3D character artists are Some unforgettable character models above, this character was based on a
interpreting concept art. “You don’t do real person playing a part in a movie.
your concepts most of the time,” she “That was really interesting,” Bastos
explains. “You have to know how to says, “because it was my first time
work in a team, and don’t let your ego doing that. The brief was to do a
get in the way, because there are likeness of the guy, but matching
people doing the design and the the style of the game, which was nice
concepts for your work. It’s about the FALL GUYS STREET FIGHTER – not really very realistic. Faces are
3D version of the character; and that’s Their distinctive look means The series has been in 3D so really hard to do, because you know
OK, that’s your job.” you’re happy to see them fail long, it’s hard to imagine these that person, you’ve seen that face! You
One of the games Bastos has again and again. absolute units going back to 2D. have to try to match the face with the
created character models for is style of the game.”
Fortnite. As you would expect for such As a freelancer, Bastos comes by
a mammoth force in the industry, the work a few different ways. Sometimes
company structure is very organised clients will find her via Artstation or
and rigid, with the concept art created her portfolio – but usually, she needs
separate from the 3D modelling to make the approach, showing her
department. Still, there may be interest and her talent. Dream clients
occasional opportunities for the BATMAN THE DARK PICTURES she hasn’t yet worked for include
modellers to add their own flourish. The 3D worlds of the Arkham Supermassive Games has always Blizzard and Riot, who had a major
games need a 3D Batman to go done great 3D representations of
The basic idea is always for the 3D around smashing heads in them. the actors it uses in its stories. impact on her early career.
model to match the 2D concept as Luke Kemp

16
 N E WS | OPI N ION | DE V E L OPM EN T

BASTOS ENJOYS THE

ENTIRETY OF THE CHARACTER
MODEL CREATION PROCESS

ABOVE: Samurai Jack:

Battle Through Time
also enjoyed Bastos
on the 3D character
artist team.

LEFT: Bastos helped

create some of the
many character
models in industry
behemoth Fortnite.

Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker

was Karina’s first experience
working on a triple-A game.

17
 1 month 3 months

THE ALONE IN THE DARK

BIGGEST RELEASE Q1, 2024 | DEVELOPER Ironwood Studios
RELEASE January 16, 2024 | DEVELOPER Pieces Interactive
GAMES ON Drive to survive in this run-based driving adventure.
T H E WAY Psychological horror meets Southern Gothic in a love letter Scavenge resources from the anomaly-filled Olympic
to the ground-breaking original game. Jodie Comer and Exclusion Zone, upgrade your car and complete missions.
David Harbour lead the voice cast.

PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE LOST CROWN HOMEWORLD 3

RELEASE January 18, 2024 | DEVELOPER Ubisoft Montpellier RELEASE February, 2024 | DEVELOPER Blackbird Interactive

Everyone’s favourite parkour-ing prince is back in an The new game in the classic sci-fi series has slipped out of
explosive new action-adventure platformer. Time and 2023 into 2024, but still promises to deliver a stunning
space are yours to manipulate. space-based RTS. Incoming in February 2024.

TEKKEN 8 NIGHTINGALE
RELEASE January 26, 2024 | DEVELOPER Bandai Namco Studios RELEASE February 22, 2024 | DEVELOPER Inflexion Games

The legendary fighting game series returns with a new Explore, craft, fight and survive in dangerous Fae Realms
game kickstarting a whole new saga of fisticuffs. Visuals either on your own or with friends. You play as a
have been completely redesigned. Realmwalker in this visually punchy fantasy world.

18
 N E WS | OPI N ION | DE V E L OPM EN T

6 months 12 months+

ARK 2 VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE - BLOODLINES 2

RELEASE Unknown | DEVELOPER Studio Wildcard RELEASE Autumn 2024 | DEVELOPER Paradox Interactive

The Ark series returns with Vin Diesel-voiced hero Santiago With its original developer binned off in 2021, Bloodlines 2
attempting to protect his daughter, Meeka, while surviving now rises from Everybody’s Gone to the Rature dev The
in a world dominated by dinosaurs. Chinese Room, and there’s even a trailer.

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FROSTPUNK 2 MECHWARRIOR 5: CLANS

RELEASE 2024 | DEVELOPER 11 bit studios RELEASE 2024 | DEVELOPER Piranha Games Inc

We were intrigued by the sequel to the hit society survival Fight for freedom in 100 tons of death-dealing fury. Pilot a
game, Frostpunk, at Gamescom. Difficult decisions and huge stompy mech, customise it as you see fit, and enjoy
deep strategy await the player in this grim world. new narrative rich missions.

19
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21
22
 PREVIEW
Nightingale

NEED TO KNOW
RELEASE DEVELOPER PUBLISHER LINK
Feb 22, 2024 (Early Access) Inflexion Games In-house playnightingale.com

extensive. There are a number of building

NIGHTINGALE options and styles, as well as advanced

tools and weapons with magical effects.
Even the workbenches you make can be
enhanced by the items you place near it
in a way that makes it easy to picture the
ever-expanding to-do list. Gather materials
to build a whetstone to enhance my
What’s on the cards for the weapons so I’m better able to fight
monsters that drop what I need for the
next big survival game? next big upgrade project.
It’s the tried and true formula that’s
helped make the genre so absurdly
he bones of the survival genre are well satisfying. But in Nightingale, getting

T defined. You cut a tree to get sticks. You

hit a rock to get flint and stone. You open
a crafting menu and turn these things
access to the resources you need for
better equipment means exploring new
biomes and hunting of different creatures.
into tools and weapons and a campfire. Is that a Finding materials won’t always be a
critter in the distance? Harvest its meat for food matter of picking a random direction and
and its skin for leather. hoping for the best. Instead, you’ll build
your own portal and travel to a new realm.
Whether it’s Valheim or Ark or even
Minecraft, the skeleton remains the same BIG TRICK
– instantly recognisable, like a T-rex in a Nightingale’s big trick is its realm card
museum. The question, then, is what else system – letting you generate new worlds
is going on? What meat is clinging to those based on the cards you add to your portal.
bones? What skin is holding it together? A biome card will define the type of
Valheim has vikings, Ark has dinosaurs, environment you’re travelling to, and thus
and Nightingale has fae. the flora and fauna that you might
Set in 1889, in an alternate history N E W encounter. Then, major and minor
where humans coexist with magical INFO cards can further tweak the settings
creatures, Nightingale opens with of the realm – how hostile the
disaster. A toxic miasma, known as creatures are, what weather you’ll
The Pale, descends on the Earth. The only encounter and so on. Here you have a
city free of the deadly fog is Nightingale, chance to tailor the experience to the
kept safe thanks to an ancient contract resources you need to collect. If the next
with the fae. In the opening moments, recipe on your wishlist requires materials
you’re cast adrift in the portal network from a creature that only appears during
linking humanity to the fae’s realms. Your the night on a specific biome, for instance,
goal: find your way to Nightingale. you can pair that biome card with an
First, though, you’ll be journeying endless night modifier, drastically
through the realms – exploring the worlds increasing your chances of finding it. How
of fairies and spirits and rabbit/lizard many cards you can play will depend on
hybrids whose skin you can use to make a what type of portal you’re using. A human
cape. You can fashion the materials you built portal – one you’ve crafted yourself
collect into crude items directly from the – can only take a certain number of cards.
crafting menu, but it will wear out quickly. But fae portals you find in the wild can
Higher quality tools will, of course, require take an unlimited amount, allowing for
a crafting bench. Even based on a short greater customisation of your destination.
preview, the general flow of crafting feels In the demo I’m shown, the devs head
off to a desert biome. Each realm has its
own environmental pressure. Deserts,
MAJOR AND MINOR CARDS you’ll be surprised to learn, are hot. That

CAN FURTHER TWEAK THE means players will want to build a shelter
to protect themselves from the sun to
SETTINGS OF THE REALM regenerate health and stamina. As with
items, you can build crude structures

23
PREVIEW
Nightingale

directly from your UI – laying down equipment. They’re armed with a

blueprints for walls and platforms, and bolt-action rifle, a selection of ammo of
then adding materials to them to different elemental types, clothing that
construct them into the world. Everything provides a variety of attribute bonuses,
snaps together nicely, which should make and a spyglass for getting a better look at
it easy to construct a decent hideaway. what’s lurking in the distance. They’re also
Suitably rested, we get back to carrying an umbrella, which in Nightingale
exploring the desert – taking care to avoid doubles up as a glider. The reason they’re
a pack of elephants who can become so dressed up? To take down a sun giant.
aggressive if disturbed. Not all of the The giant is one of Nightingale’s
creatures you meet in Nightingale are apex-level creatures – major threats that
hostile by default, and some of the more can put up a major fight. We see a team of
powerful fae can even be left offerings. If a fully equipped developers team up to take
fight does break out, Nightingale’s combat the sun giant now. First, though, they have
appears basic but functional, with an some time to prepare. Apex creatures
attack and a special move defined by the aren’t hostile by default, which means the
weapons you have equipped. Wield a players are free to get the surrounding
dagger, and you can quickly dodge away area ready for the upcoming fight. As the
from attacks. Take a pickaxe, and you can fight is taking place in a swampy realm,
block instead. You have a health and a building crude platforms will give the
stamina bar, which both function as you’d players somewhere dry to stand. You’ll
expect, but also a third meter to take care move more slowly in water – unless you
of, hope. Hope controls how quickly your have gear that mitigates this disadvantage
health and stamina can regenerate, so it – but even worse, the environmental
pays to stave off despair. pressure of swamp biomes is pockets of
Replenishing hope requires building an diseased water. Stand in them, and it’s
estate – a home realm that you can return possible to contract a disease, which isn’t
to and develop across the course of a an ideal thing to have to manage when a
game. As we activate the portal to the giant is also bearing down on you.
realm, though, we’re ambushed by The With the swamp suitably covered, the
Bound, weird little goblin-like creatures devs also build sniper towers to get an
wearing what appears to be bondage gear. advantageous position over the hulking
They’re a fae creation that exist between target. They don’t last long. One of the
the realms, and you’ll occasionally need to players leaves the giant an offering
defeat a pack of them to progress. – some random trash in their inventory.
Picking a home realm requires placing Naturally, the sun giant isn’t too pleased
down an estate marker, letting you set a with this gift, and so the player responds
respite point that you can return to at any by shooting him in the head. It’s on.
time. While an ad-hoc structure may be The sun giant is both big and magical.
simple, estates are a chance to flex your It can smash, yes, but also shoot a
construction creativity. There are different magical laser that burns anything it hits.
tilesets that are designed to fit neatly The sniper towers don’t last long under
together, and, if you’re playing in a party, the pressure of the giant’s attacks. He’s
all members will be able to help with the also a collector of automaton cards which
construction of your estate. I’m reminded drop when he’s killed, for use in future
of my time in Valheim, slowly building up a portals. Here, though, it means that he
base camp on a shared server with can summon little robots to help. Puck is your
friends. Here, construction seems a bit Still, the players have some tricks too. guide, tricksy
simpler and more varied – although a lot An axe imbued with magical abilities is able though he is.
will depend on the resource cost of the to hold the automatons in place, relieving
more decorative tilesets. some of the pressure. That lets the players
concentrate more on the sun giant, using
ELEMENTAL WEAPONS elemental fire ammo to attack his two main
We skip forward, and the devs show off a weakspots. It’s still a tough fight – one I
character carrying more advanced don’t think the developers would have
survived if they weren’t using god mode.
And it’s one that gives me hope that
THERE ARE DIFFERENT Nightingale’s end game – with its advanced

TILESETS THAT ARE DESIGNED tools and gear – will make for a rich take on
survival game progression, even for its
TO FIT NEATLY TOGETHER Early Access launch in February.
Phil Savage

24
 PREVIEW
Nightingale

ABOVE: It’s a
sun giant. And
he’s a bit miffed.

LEFT: Ready to take on

the fae wilds in style.

25
PREVIEW
Beast

26
 PREVIEW
Beast

NEED TO KNOW
RELEASE DEVELOPER PUBLISHER LINK
2024 False Prophet False Prophet shorturl.at/jHRS7

dangerous ability: transforming him into

BEAST the aforementioned satanic Wolverine.

He ditches his swords and guns, instead
slaughtering with his demonic claws and
his supernatural strength and speed. On
top of this, he can teleport directly to
enemies and attack them in a single
move, or intimidate them, stopping
This mad grimdark tactical RPG them from using an action that turn by
pointing at them and giving them a stern
let me become a satanic Wolverine talking to – scary stuff!

BARKING MAD
hen I first embraced my inner-demon in This system is very much under your

W medieval tactical RPG Beast, I was not

expecting to become a kind of satanic,
horned Wolverine, ripping enemies to
control, as specific things raise and lower
the meter. Dealing and taking damage is a
surefire way to get the meter up, and it’s
shreds with razor-sharp claws. My foes were not just enemies who you can batter.
equally surprised, as blood spurted out of their When an ally is downed, for instance, you
veins with comic book exaggeration. As I dashed can finish them off by executing them
around the gridless map, the miserable setting – a instead of saving them, embracing the
dimly-lit village ravaged by plague and war – and dark side. If you choose to heal them
grim violence was undercut by my character’s instead, Anton’s rage starts to dissipate,
howls and barks. “Woof woof woof!” I yelled as I which can be helpful if you want to use
cut down another soldier. your ranged weapons.
The one element of the insanity
Despite the laughs elicited by the barking system that doesn’t quite make sense,
protagonist – a war veteran returning in part because it comes with no
home after a decade of Ottoman explanation, is how it also gives
slavery – Beast is a deliberately PL AYED enemies new abilities. I’d get it if
miserable game. Anti-hero Anton is IT going beast mode made you, say,
a gloomy, scarred and vengeful lad, vulnerable to specific attacks,
and after a hellish ten years he’s because you favoured offence over
come back to Carpathia during what’s defence, but I can’t figure out a logical
basically an apocalypse. Nobody is reason why the meter going up would
having a good time. empower your foes and give them new
Beast has launched in Early Access ways to thwart your mission.
during an enduring flood of tactical RPGs, Otherwise, Beast sticks to familiar
many of them leaning into similar mechanics: overwatch, different levels of
grimdark themes. Like others, including cover, attacks of opportunity – you know
the Darkest Dungeon series, it reflects the the score by now. Different classes have,
pressures of conflict and the stresses along with their specific weapons, special
placed upon Anton thanks to the horrors abilities, allowing them to make multiple
he regularly witnesses with an “insanity attacks with some accuracy penalties or
system”. The impact of this system, strike an enemy while gaining a defensive
however, and the way you can manipulate bonus. So far, abilities that deal extra
it are what sets this tactical RPG apart. damage seem like the least helpful ones,
See, when Anton’s insanity meter as I’ve encountered few enemies that
reaches its zenith, he becomes a font of can’t be taken out instantly by a single
rage, allowing you to activate his most basic attack. The defensive and utility
abilities, however, prove more useful since
you’re often swarmed by foes, and allies
DIFFERENT CLASSES HAVE, can go down swiftly.

ALONG WITH THEIR SPECIFIC More than a few times I’ve been
skipping through a mission without a
WEAPONS, SPECIAL ABILITIES care in the world, only for a pack of
enemies to burst out of a door or alley,

27
PREVIEW
Beast

quickly surrounding my carefree party, sparingly, and come with other downsides,
rapidly transforming the fight into a like the need to reload after every shot,
stressful fight for survival. This is where wasting an action point.
scouting becomes so important: even if
you think you’ve got a clear path to the MAN’S BEST FIEND
objective, you almost certainly don’t. You Even in a short space of time I
won’t survive unless you start sending encountered a solid variety of objectives
canaries into the mine. amid these battles, from castle escapes
to protecting wagons to rescuing pals,
OLD DOG which will hopefully grow even more
Characters benefit from passive abilities, diverse once developer False Prophet
too, determined by both their class and expands beyond the current 20-mission
background. This allows some characters roster. It’s a good foundation, but what it
to counterattack, while others can heal for really needs more than anything else is
a percentage of the damage they’ve lots and lots of polishing.
inflicted. A lot of the starting abilities are Which, of course, is a major part of why
surprisingly powerful, turning everyone any game goes into Early Access, which
into a deft killing machine, and every Beast did on October 25, 2023. By getting
character comes with a fairly meaty ability gamers to go hands-on with a game is
tree with a mix of passive and active often a great way of identifying issues or,
abilities, so your allies are not just often, cool things that would make the
throwaway minions. This makes the game even better. Just look at how Larian
choice to execute them to raise your Studios had Baldur’s Gate III in Early
insanity meter a riskier proposition. Access for multiple years while developing
Instead of an XCOM-style non-linear the game. PC gamers can totally accept a
campaign, Beast throws you into work-in-progress project, but striking that
missions one after another, sandwiched balance between something that’s
between cutscenes. There’s also a actually playable while still being rough
second story running parallel to Anton’s, around the edges is key.
where you’re controlling a rebellious “As this is truly an alpha version of the
prince and his mates. Unfortunately, it all game (which means actual early code)
flows together terribly, at first, with there is a lot of stuff planned to be
missions that are too short and a implemented, fixed, updated, balanced
narrative that doesn’t feel cohesive. and optimised before full release,” warns
This does improve once you’re out of the developer. And yeah, it is certainly a bit
the opening section, however, and this is rough. Character animations are sluggish,
also where Beast starts throwing in with awkward pauses between actions,
some management wrinkles. After and the cinematic finishers frequently see
around six missions, you’ll finally get to characters clipping through each other.
customise Anton, picking a premade Audio, meanwhile, is all over the place,
class and background, or making more requiring me to constantly raise and lower
granular choices. You can start the volume. I’m already getting really sick
recruiting soldiers, too, and equipping of the UI, too, which lacks clarity and
them with loot pinched from the demands too many extra clicks while
battlefield between each mission. offering too little feedback.
There’s a spot of resource But Beast also delivers fun right now,
management from this point on, as your too, with its brutal combat as well as Anti-hero Anton is
ammunition and healing items will run out squad and resource management ticking a mentally scarred
quickly and won’t be replenished boxes for me. With some refinement this war veteran.
automatically. This balances out the brutal is definitely a game I could see putting
effectiveness of ranged weapons. It’s very plenty more hours into.
tempting to wipe out enemies before they Right now False Prophet says it’s
can close the gap, but that might leave “committed to 2024” as a release window
you vulnerable in your next mission. Guns for Beast, so the game is expected to
in particular, then, are to be used leave Early Access in a matter of months
rather than years. In the meantime,
there’s good times to be had here, both
IT’S VERY TEMPTING TO WIPE when it comes to the violent scraps and

OUT ENEMIES BEFORE THEY the squad management. I’d hold off taking
it for a spin until it’s had a bit more time to
CAN CLOSE THE GAP stew, however. Give it a few updates first.
Fraser Brown

28
 PREVIEW
Beast

ABOVE: That feeling

when you realise
PCPP magazine
is sold out.

LEFT: Swords, guns

and, yes, claws are
some of the weapons
at your disposal.

29
PREVIEW
Moonlight Peaks

NEED TO KNOW
RELEASE DEVELOPER PUBLISHER LINK
2024 Little Chicken Little Chicken shorturl.at/dvBC9

spellcasting minigame, which has me

MOONLIGHT PEAKS follow the movements of a cursor around

a circle, is just a smidge tricky on a
gamepad, but it’s quick and catchy as
minigames go. I imagine the full release
will have some kind of magic meter to
prevent infinite spellcasting but I didn’t
seem to have any restrictions in the demo.
A vampire farm sim that let’s you To create potions, I have to grow magical
herbs like Googly Garlic and Glow Ginger
decorate your property to combine into brews that give me infinite
stamina for one night or increase crops
gathered for a time.
perfectly bite-sized treat for those who

A like things that go bump in the night,

Moonlight Peaks is a cosy farm sim in
which you’re a vampire, and occupy your
SUCKER
Because I’m a vampire, my farm day
begins at 4pm and ends at 6am, and the
time in the darkness for all eternity by foraging, cute and spooky nighttime aesthetic of
farming, potion brewing, spellcasting and Moonlight Peaks makes a great first
decorating, before then of course taking glam impression. Aside from my nocturnal
photos of your haunted house and wider estate. schedule, I don’t get to anything
particularly vampire-y in this demo aside
For this preview demo build of Moonlight from transforming into a bat form whose
Peaks I’m confined to my property, so secret-area-unlocking purposes aren’t
there will be no checking out the wider showcased while stuck on my farm. Later
town or meeting the local supernatural on in Moonlight Peaks, the developers
crew who will be available in the full say I’ll “unlock powerful vampire abilities”
release, but there’s plenty to do on my like enhanced senses of some kind and
farm regardless. The first order of additional shapeshifting. For now,
business, as ever, is planting a couple P L A Y E D I’ll just be growing cursed crops
crops. Moonlight Peaks get points in IT from home to prove to my dad
my book for making it pumpkins Dracula that vampires can survive
instead of parsnips, which I’ve now without sucking blood.
planted in far too many farm sims. What feels key, then, from my time
I’m also set up with an upgraded set of with Moonlight Peaks is how the game
tools in the demo so I can easily chip away evolves as you spend more and more
at all the large trees, rocks, and iron veins time in its spooky world, and specifically
on my property that I’d presumably have in terms of you being, well, undead.
to wait a while to tackle in the full release. Powerful vampire abilities – maybe that
I’ve got a lot of freedom to pick up and can be used in town on other characters
move all the pieces of my property as I – would go along way to infusing the
see fit, from pathways to decor to the game with more of a unique flavour, but
pre-built cursed chicken coop I was how they’re used will depend on if it feels
equipped with in the demo. The real star surface level gloss or not. What would be
of Moonlight Peaks so far though is the a shame is if the whole undead take on a
spellcasting and potion brewing. cosy farm sim remains merely a shallow
With my wand I can cast spells for aesthetic. But from what I’ve played so
automatically watering my crops, moving far I’m cautiously optimistic.
trees without cutting them down, and Moonlight Peaks is expected to launch
making my crops mature faster. The sometime in 2024, so if farm and town
simming is your thing, make sure to give
this one a try while you can. The demo of
WITH MY WAND I CAN CAST Moonlight Peaks will be available for “a

SPELLS FOR AUTOMATICALLY limited time,” developer Little Chicken

says. You can download the demo for
WATERING MY CROPS yourself over on Steam.
Lauren Morton

30
 PREVIEW
Moonlight Peaks

ABOVE: I can totally

see a vampire opting
for a purple roof
for some reason.

LEFT: What a grumpy

old man. I think he
might meet a bad end.

31
PREVIEW
The Inquisitor

NEED TO KNOW
RELEASE DEVELOPER PUBLISHER LINK
February 2024 The Dust Kalypso Media theinquisitor.game

an inquisitor, Mordimer Madderdin, who

THE INQUISITOR dresses in black and has been sent to

the town of Koenigstein to investigate
rumours of a vampire, and to dish out all
the revenge and violence that this
reimagined religion requires.

DIRTY OLD TOWN

Vampires, jesters and pigs in a There’s a real Koenigstein out there, on
the river Elbe in Germany close to Dresden
thoroughly muddy fantasy world and the Czech border, not too far from
Poland. It’s probably not like the one
depicted in The Inquisitor, though, all filthy
obody expects the Spanish Inquisition, streets and dilapidated housing as you

N and it’s fair to say this one was fairly

unanticipated too. There’s a backstory
to The Inquisitor that may cause some
step onto the dock to be greeted by the
captain of the guard. Locals stand in the
mud as flies buzz around the fish and pig
to cross themselves in disbelief, but also a vampiric parts they’re selling, but none of them can
investigation with enough third-person action and be interacted with or spoken to, even if
adventuring to attract a new crowd of the faithful. you barge into them, and they’ll push you
out of the way if you stand in their path.
This particular inquisitor has nothing to Stallholders stand unresponsive, not
do with Monty Python or Warhammer trying to sell you anything, doors and
40,000. His story traces back to the gates are largely impassible, and while
climactic event of the Christian gospels, there are men vomiting at the side of the
that moment on Golgotha we’re all taught road, more men harassing young ladies
about at Sunday school, when Jesus gets down side alleys, and a whole fair going on
down off the cross and sets about in the town’s main square, it feels very
making his displeasure at his much a world made to be looked at
unpleasant treatment abundantly PL AYED rather than played with.
clear. Remember that? IT A chase sequence ensues after an
If this all sounds a bit far-fetched, urchin pickpockets Mordimer, but his
it’s because it’s based on the work of capture is stymied after the inquisitor
a Polish fantasy author. Such things have takes a wrong turn and is blocked by a low
a pretty good record in games, following barrier he can’t jump over, despite
the success of The Witcher, and Jacek dodging falling barrels in a QTE along the
Piekara is the latest to lend his stories to way. This is typical of The Inquisitor’s
the medium. It’s not his first foray into world, which puts me in mind of id
gaming, however: he co-created Galador Software’s Rage in its stationary beauty
– The Prince and the Coward, a 2D but lack of interaction.
point-and-clicker with a hint of Dragon’s Mordimer pushes on to a more
Lair about its graphics, in 1998. You upmarket part of town, having been told
can get it on GOG. to find the annual fair that’s taking place.
Back to the story. Following the Lamb The mayor of Koenigstein is offering all
of God’s unorthodox dismount from the comers the chance to accompany and
cross, he sets about setting up a more entertain the winner of a beauty pageant
brutal version of the church, its rule by taking part in a tournament, and
underlined by inquisitors who violently Mordimer agrees to join in after taking in
enforce its rules and purge the heretical. the young lady’s embonpoint in a most
Which brings us up to date. You are such unchurchmanlike way.
This gives The Inquisitor the chance
to show off its raddled and intensely
A CHASE SEQUENCE ENSUES biological faces, which on the mayor mean

AFTER AN URCHIN a creased and jowly countenance above a

neck like a plucked turkey. The fair
PICKPOCKETS MORDIMER maiden, meanwhile, has some excellent
green eyeshadow.

32
 PREVIEW
The Inquisitor

33
PREVIEW
The Inquisitor

RIGHT: Mordimer’s
hair-care secrets
remain undiscovered.

BELOW: The
inquisitor’s church
is a… humble one.

34
 PREVIEW
The Inquisitor

It’s a beautiful day in the

village, and you are a
horrible inquisitor.

FIGHT FOR FAVOUR stinkiest bandit camp ever houses a

The tournament turns out to be a single live robber who tells him that
combat tutorial, and you’re taken ‘vampires’ is local slang for the destitute,
through heavy and light attacks, dodges as they suck wealth out of society, and
and parries by the fencing master, also gives a clue about a woman in a
before going through more QTEs to lift a mask paying them to kill Mordimer…
pale, or large log, and carry it down a unsure whether he’s hunting a genuine
track before setting it upright in a hole. vamp or merely oppressing the
Mordimer has time to enjoy a puppet proletariat, he decides to go to an inn,
show telling the story of how Jesus got where he discovers a commotion. There’s
down from the cross and personally been a murder, and the naked, mutilated
beheaded the Roman emperor before corpse of a sex worker is on the ground,
taking his throne. Then there is yet waiting to be examined for clues. It could
another QTE as the inquisitor burns a be a salacious moment, but our inquisitor
pile of hay to the ground to find the treats it as a crime scene. It’s left to
needle hidden in it, on the advice of a gossiping locals to talk about how good
young girl, Amelia, who becomes a the ‘harlot’ was at her job.
useful companion.
Lest it be thought Mordimer is having PRAY TRACING
too much fun at the fair, it turns out he Mordimer ends up once again praying and
has visions, and can enter an alternate following a smell, and is treated to another
realm called the Unworld where he’s vision before apprehending a beggar who
hunted by an indestructible tentacled may know about the murder. A spell inside
creature called The Dusk as he searches the suspiciously garlicky inn follows, with
for clues to help his investigations. more vampire clues to be found, before a
His first trip there comes after a vision trip to the cathedral for a meeting with a
of a dog and a spot of prayer at a shrine cardinal and his entourage, and a visit to
close to a pig butchery – the porky the town dungeons, where executioner
nature of Polish cuisine seems to be a bit and local psychopath Roland is capering
of a theme, but there are occasional stalls about dressed as a jester.
selling vegetables dotted among those There’s an excellent level of detail to be
draped in sausages and proudly found in the world of The Inquisitor, and I
displaying pigs’ heads. He comes to in a suspect Polish dev The Dust may have
bubble of light that protects him from discovered a few new shades of brown
The Dusk, which can also spawn along the way too. The Unity engine has
creatures to attack him. Both can be had a bad press lately – through no fault
thrown off by praying, or moving into of any developers – but this game looks
bright, safe areas. While in the Unworld, like a lesson in what it can do in talented
he’s able to pick up objects that grant hands, about as far from 2D card battlers
him a vision of a merchant accusing a and shovelware as possible. Like
woman of being a witch because she Timberborn, Metal: Hellsinger or Outer
wouldn’t sell him a jester’s outfit. Wilds, Unity is being put to excellent use
It’s all a bit confusing, but there’s a lot here, and the game’s Polish fantasy roots
going on. At the fair, Mordimer is able to ensure plenty of grit as well as inevitable
eavesdrop on the locals talking – the Witcher comparisons. At the moment,
subject of breasts comes up, the game despite being well populated and with a
seeming to have the words ‘bawdy muddy medieval charm, the world feels
romp’ somewhere in its source code artificial and lacks the interactivity of an
alongside ‘grit’ and ‘mud’. Elder Scrolls. Stallholders who hail you
The ability to pray has uses in the real and talk about their wares, or just an
world too, allowing Mordimer to see acknowledgement of the player’s
objective markers, footprints, and the presence, would go a long way.
smell of rotten fish hanging in the air, It’s also, in the first chapter at least,
which leads him to the hideout of a quite light on combat, spending more time
criminal gang in the harbour area. The sending you on clue-hunting trips across
the city where the only danger is getting
mugged in front of a pretty lady. Its
MORDIMER IS UNSURE brooding hero, and the nest of corruption

WHETHER HE’S HUNTING he seems destined to blow the lid off, have
just a little longer to stew before the
A GENUINE VAMP February release date.
Ian Evenden

35
F E AT U R E

36
 F E AT U R E

I C O N
O F
S I N

John Romero is dragging

us back to hell in SIGIL II,
original Doom's brand-new,
devilishly devious,
unofficial sixth episode
By Robert Jones

37
F E AT U R E
SIGIL II

or Doom’s 30th And I thought, “Yeah, I haven’t made that he says no, or doesn’t answer.” So I
anniversary, a bunch of levels…” In 2016, I made two did. I emailed him, and he was a huge

F legendary game
developer and
original Doom
Guy John
Romero has
levels that I released, but I hadn’t done a
whole episode. And so I thought: what if,
to celebrate the original Doom episodes,
I made another Doom level – or an
episode of nine levels? And that was the
Doom fan. He said he’d love it if his
music was in SIGIL.

That soundtrack was incredible, and

I regularly listen to it now, even
returned to the game that made id idea behind SIGIL. when I’m not playing the game. I
Software the most famous game So it’s kind of like, “What if I didn’t like how it starts out very frenetic
maker in the world in the 1990s, stop making levels after ‘Thy Flesh but then, in the middle, it chills out.
designing an entire new unofficial Consumed’ – episode four in 1995? Yeah. That’s part of the reason why I
episode for the iconic FPS. What if I made more levels right after chose certain songs. When the player
that, and the aesthetic and the is going through a level, it’s not full-on
SIGIL II, which is the unofficial gameplay and everything still felt action constantly. At least in my levels,
sixth episode in Doom’s series of original like that? What if I just did that? there’s combat engagement, and then
campaigns, sees the master level And made it so that it felt like when there’s exploration. So the music
designer build on his 2018 release of people were playing it, they were going should also have those high points,
Doom’s unofficial fifth episode, back to that time, and playing the game and then the kind of slower parts, and
SIGIL, and promises to offer even as it was played back then? then go up to high. That’s kind of the
more deviously designed levels and, So that’s how I came up with the idea way Buckethead designs his songs,
yes, an even tougher challenge. for the design, and the idea to be like, and when you’re playing, your action
And, with SIGIL II releasing on “Yeah, I’ll put new music in there.” And in the game matches the action of the
Doom’s 30th anniversary of December then with the advent of these new song that’s playing.
10th, we thought we’d call up John to source ports like GZDoom, there’s a way
chat about his journey back to to play actual WAV files and MP3 files Talking of that, is Buckethead
creating content for Doom, SIGIL II’s and stuff. It doesn’t need to be just MIDI. returning? Or have you got a
new episode, and Doom’s enduring And then I thought about: what kind different soundtrack this time?
legacy today in 2023. of music would I have? Obviously, it’d be Yes, I have a different soundtrack this
heavy metal, but where am I going to get time. I decided to go with a more… With
Talk about your journey back to it? What kind of metal would work? A lot an interesting blend, I’d say. It’s
creating additional Doom episodes of metal is, obviously, vocalised. There’s industrial – like 1990s/2000s
in SIGIL, and now in SIGIL II? lyrics and everything. industrial – with some 1980s guitar on
With SIGIL I, the idea was that in 2018 I I thought: this has to be no lyrics. it. And it sounds really good. I played it
was thinking, “Wow, it’s Doom’s 25th Because you’re focused on the action. I for somebody, and they instantly said,
anniversary in December this year. I don’t want people to be listening to the “Wow, that kind of sounds like new
wonder what I could do?”Because singing. I want them to focus on the retro wave.” And it does. This one
usually I’m going to just tweet action. It needs to support that. I was specific song does.
something, and maybe I’ll tweet some listening to Buckethead the whole time. BELOW: SIGIL II is So it does feel like an era; like a
long-lost photo or screenshot or All the time I was making levels – I had designed to be more certain time. But it does sound really
challenging than SIGIL,
something like that. And I was like, “It’s mentioned to Brenda, “Buckethead’s so prepare to rip and good. I’m really happy with just how the
25 years. I don’t really want to just music would have fit perfectly.” tear to the max. songs have all turned out. They’re just so
tweet something. Maybe I should just She just said, “Why don’t you contact good. I’m really happy about it.
make something.” him? The worst that could happen is
Can you talk to me about your
theory and process for creating
levels for both SIGIL and SIGIL II?
I know you’ve previously
published your eight golden rules
for level design.
All those rules – all those eight golden
rules – are just super-important as a
basis for making any kind of level. While
I’m making the levels, though, I am
thinking of: what do I want the motif of
the level to look like? As an example, on
level four of SIGIL II, there is a… I started
with the idea of: what if I took the
Techbase look and I brought it into Hell,
in just fragments?
So you start off in a Techbase
chunk of hallway, but there’s holes in
the wall. The wall’s torn, and it’s all red.
There’s cracks on the walls. And then
the whole hallway is just shredded at
the end, and it turns into lava and Hell

38
 I AM THINKING
WHAT DO I WANT THE
motif OF THE LEVEL
TO LOOK LIKE?

39
 I WANT THIS TO FEEL
LIKE YOU’RE PLAYING
THE original game
AGAIN.

40
 F E AT U R E
SIGIL II

walls. And then you see another lone level progression and revealing usually leave a little ammo there as a hint.
wall standing by itself in a little secrets. Are they back in SIGIL II? If you shoot the fire-blue texture, then it’s
Techbase – just a piece of a hallway. So I have those. I have them back. When going to open a secret door. It might not
So it’s like: what if a base was I started I came up with a checklist for be right next to you, but it will be
ripped apart in Hell? And you went SIGIL II, and the checklist has a bunch of somewhere close, and you can hear it.
from piece to piece, across lava and stuff on it. The number one on the list is: And that secret area has one human
stepping stones, and had to figure out I need to have, in every single level, more – just the lowest-level character – to kill
how to get from a safe part to the Baphomet eyes than SIGIL I. in Doom. It has some items to pick up,
other safe part, even though there’s all Level one in SIGIL I had the most. It and it’s marked as a secret. Which
kinds of crazy stuff? had five of them because I was training means that unless you find the fire-blue
So coming up with an idea like that is the player to shoot them to progress. room, you cannot ‘100%’ any level.
what I have to start with. It’s like, “This is And the funny thing is that that
kind of what it’s going to look like.” And Baphomet eye is either progress or a Doom famously has one of the most
as I started developing that look – if I secret. But in SIGIL I, I actually tied the active communities in PC gaming,
invent a new thing, I go back to where I second – when you start in that first making loads of extra content for
was at, and make sure that that was room, and you shoot the first eye, and the game. Is there anything you’ve
consistent with that new idea. it opens the wall to the next section; particularly been inspired by?
And then usually I kind of try – when you’re in that next section, the It’s funny because with the level
even at the very beginning of the idea second eye that you shoot raises a design perspective, the community
– to define the idea as much as I can platform out of lava so that you can has really gone in so many different
in that one specific location. So when progress. But it also raises a secret directions. As you can see, the
I continue, I have enough of the kind bridge behind you. So it’s a secret and MyHouse.wad release in March of this
of detailed design that I’ve come up progress. Not just one. year is really deep, and really complex,
with – and I put that into each new It’s used for a secret or progress. and does a lot of really great tricks
area, so that they’re all consistently There were five on the first level. In SIGIL with LINEDEFs and teleportation.
matching each other. II, there are eight on the first level. Pretty There’s so many cool tricks.
I’m figuring out, “What is the path much, they’re all progress. Some are There is also a newer one named
through this place?” I like to give players secrets through all the levels. But there’s Venturous that also does a lot of really
multiple ways of movement through a eight on the first level in SIGIL II. There great stuff. And people have been
space as soon as they start. Even on a are almost double the number of dumping a lot of time into creating
secret level it’s a really good idea… With Baphomet eyes in all of SIGIL II. So these things, and the community
the secret level, I wanted to create an there’s a ton of those. spends a lot of time playing them. And
homage to E1M1, E1M2, and E1M3 from There’s also a minimum of four there are rewards for these really great
the original Doom. secrets on every level. Those have to be masterpieces of mod design.
So when you start in the secret hidden all over the place. But, also, I’ve Doomworld puts out the Cacowards
level, it looks just like E1M1, but created a new kind of secret that is kind every year.
horizontally flipped. Even on the of a funny community meme, which kind There’s really great authors out there
original E1M1, you have a choice to go of makes fun of the FIREBLU1 texture making really neat stuff. They’re
BELOW: Doom’s
left or straight, and you can look to the that we had in Doom, which was such a experimenting. They’ve raised the detail
Plasma Rifle... one of
right. So on this one, when you start, PC gaming’s most bad texture that it’s funny. It’s just like level of what you could do on a Doom
you have the choice to look to the left iconic weapons. red and blue dots. It’s just really horrible. map to pretty amazing heights.
outside – instead of right, so I flipped it If you can find the FIREBLU1 texture For SIGIL, I’ve obviously seen a lot
– and then in front of you, you can on a level, then you need to shoot it. I of what’s happening in the community,
either go down some dark stairs, or
you can go left around the corner, or
you can go to the right and go up a lift.
So you have three big choices to
make. Where do you want to go? But,
obviously, as soon as you start, there’s
tonnes of monsters right there! You have
to try and get rid of them, and then
decide where you’re going to go next.
You don’t know the best way to go. You
have to kind of explore, and figure out:
what is the best way?
But the motif for that level was
taking pieces of the classic Doom
legend – not actually take them, but
make it feel like the original one, but
there’s something completely wrong
about them that’s been changed.

I really liked your inclusion of the

shootable Baphomet eyes in SIGIL I,
which did cool things in terms of

41
COVER
SIGIL II

and where things have gone in certain I do the first level last because by the a tester was playing the first level I
directions, like the invention of time I finish just about everything, I made, where they’ve never seen the
slaughter maps was a thing that people know everything about where the SIGIL Baphomet eye thing and they
started to finesse. player is going, the things they might don’t really know what to do, I’m not
So with SIGIL, my decision was: I need to know later, and the styles that worried that they don’t know what to do,
want this to feel like you’re playing the I’ve developed that I thought looked because I know that later when I make
original game again. It’s not running with really good in certain places. I can put that first level, I’ll teach them what to do.
different trends that are happening in all of that in that first level to really I really have not gotten any
the community. It’s basically going back hook a player into… Like, if they like comments from anybody saying that
to the reason why people wanted to do that, they will probably like what comes they did not know that they needed to
modding in the first place – it’s because later. It’s showing the player what shoot that eye. It’s like, there’s a reason
they were playing this kind of action. they’re going to see, and what they’re why that whole room is red, and the eye
Other people can obviously create going to experience. is green. It’s almost like obvious.
it, but I create it in my own certain When I was making, say, SIGIL I, I As soon as you do that, you know
way. And I also try to progress my started out with… the first level was forever what to do. It was really easy that
design as well. I’m coming up with going to be level five. It started to get too when you go into the next room, and you
stuff… Sometimes the way that I’m big. And then I moved it to level seven. go forward, I made sure that it appeared
coming up with a certain secret or When I’m making a level, where I start right in front of you again. And you know
teleporter or lift or whatever – I do it in the player, it sometimes ends up not to shoot that. You’ve now fully
a certain way that makes it like, “Wow, being where the player is going to start. understood what to do with those eyes,
I’ve never seen that before. I’ve never Sometimes I move the start to and now I can start hiding them.
put this together before. That’s somewhere totally different because it
actually kind of cool. What a neat doesn’t feel right, or I need that room to What would you say is your
idea.” So a lot of that is happening in be totally different. favourite level from SIGIL II?
SIGIL II’s design. I’ll put a certain number of, let’s say, Or the level that you think is the
Baphomet eyes on a level, but I know most devious?
I’ve heard that when making a new that when I make the first level, I’m going Jeez. They are all really good. They’re
episode for Doom, such as SIGIL II, to teach them what these things are. If really fun. I can tell you that level two is
you always design the first level last. someone was playing a SIGIL level – like, such a hard, devious map. Also what I do
Why is that?

I PLAY IN nightmare
mode, AND LEVEL
TWO IN NIGHTMARE –
I CAN BARELY GET
OUT OF THE FIRST
ROOM. IT’S SO CRAZY.

42
when I’m on Twitch – the viewers have the ability to pay these
bits, and tell me that they want me to play in nightmare mode.
So I play in nightmare mode, and level two in nightmare – I can
barely get out of the first room. It’s so crazy.
But when you start, there’s nothing. When you start on
level two, there’s nothing around. As soon as you start
moving, everything starts happening. And it’s crazy. Level
two is such a really fun level, and it’s so small, too. It’s such a
small level. It’s very devious.

Did you find that you had to question yourself when you
were building these new levels, and go, “What a minute,
how would I have done things back with Doom in 1993?”
It’s just natural. I don’t even have to think about that.
I’m making them just, like, original. Because… I’d say
because being in the tool, and having the limitations of
the data structure for the levels, dictates a specific type

Doom Guy on Doom

of design aesthetic.
To me, it’s just natural. I don’t need to think, “I may not do
that because that’s too modern” or something. It’s like, “This
totally fits. It’s in the level. And I want to do new things if I can,
because it’s always interesting when people play a WAD, and On Doom’s 30th, John Romero reflects on the iconic FPS
they see something they haven’t seen before.”
But the aesthetic, the look of the place, the way that you On Doom’s 30th birthday how do actually edit and make. Modern
encounter enemies – I love surprising the player with stuff. I you feel now, in 2023, about the development is so complex with the
love it – if the player has to backtrack, they’re not going back original game and its legacy? amount of assets – the asset weight
through an empty spot. I’m just blown away that the game is that’s in these games. It’s hard for
In level one, when you shoot the Baphomet eye, and it still relevant. People can still play it, people to do mods.
raises the rocks right next to you, you can see the exit of the and people are so active in it. I don’t So it was this perfect design for a
level. It’s right there! You kill two monsters, and there it is. But know of any other game that comes technology that I think is one of the
when you get there, it’s not empty anymore! It’s really bad. But from so long ago like that that has a reasons why it’s lived so long. It’s such
it’s cool, because from the very beginning, you can see where community that is engaged on a daily a fun game to play, and it was fun to
you’ve got to go, and you can’t get there yet. And so you’ve got basis, making content for it, and make more content for it. And people
to go on the journey to get there. playing it – and the fact that I can even loved the fact that they could do that.
And when you do get there – wow, it’s crazy. Depending get viewers on Twitch while I’m
on your goals – like, if your goal is to ‘100%’ it, you’re not building levels is nuts. What would you say
going to finish right then. You’re going to have to basically We knew that Doom is the number-one
leave that area, and go destroy that cyberdemon. I really was going to be a good thing that has ensured
like the first level. game, but we never Doom’s longevity?
expected it to live for so Well, modding and the
Now you’ve finished SIGIL II, which is Doom’s sixth long. We thought, source release in ’97.
episode, are you going to do a full episode for Doom II? “We’re going to make Those were the two
I basically am starting on that immediately, because next year Doom II. It’ll be better things that were critical.
is Doom II’s 30th. And I didn’t do anything for Doom II except than Doom I, and when And it was also just the
for the ‘One Humanity’ level that I released on 2 March, 2022. we’re done with Doom fact that that source
That level is the first Doom II level I’ve made since 1994. II, we’re finished with release was so soon.
So it’s been a long time, and people are really excited to see Doom. Next!” And then When we started Doom
what happens, and what I’m going to do. And that ‘One we started working on in January 1993, we
Humanity’ level has an Arch-Vile trap, and all kinds of stuff that the next game, which didn’t finish the Doom
you see in Doom II. So I’m basically streaming my level design was Quake. engine and the Doom
all the time. When I start working on the next one, it’s all Doom And that’s how we did all of our code-base editing until September ’94,
II, and I’ll be streaming it. And I’ve got a lot of levels to make, so games. It was just like, “Man, a new when Doom II basically shipped.
I’ve got to get through them! game. Next!” It was just like, “It’s going So after September ’94, the time
There’s a design around all of it. It’s taking, basically, all of to be a great game.” With Doom, it was between that end date and our
Doom II, and breaking it up into, I think, six five-level sets, and the game that we said, “This has to be release of the source was like three
Cover art: Christopher Lovell. Photo credit: Natalie Greer Studios

each set has a specific theme. So I’m tying them together in the best thing that we can imagine years, which is not long. We were
that way. I think it’s going to be… you know, the level size will playing.” And that’s what we tried to making a new technology that far
get bigger as you get through the levels. I think it’ll start with a make. And then we moved on. surpassed the Doom technology, and
lot of smaller levels, and kind of move you through until the It’s just amazing that the design of so we felt good putting all the source
bigger levels are in the last two five-level segments. That’ll be that engine, and the data structure for out there for people, and putting it
where the biggest ones are at. the levels, was this perfect position of out as a GPL release that means that
just complex enough to make levels people can make commercial
Well, I will look forward to getting the super that are really fun to play, and they look products from it. It was like, “We want
shotgun back in action. really good, but easy enough to everyone to have this.”
Yes!

43
 T H E H I S T O R Y O F

Charting 30 YEARS of the genre-defining

(and redefining) FPS series
By Rick Lane

44
 F E AT U R E
The History of Doom

he history of Doom
I’ve royally caco’d
is more than just this up.
the tale of how
John Romero and
John Carmack
came together to
create a PC
gaming phenomenon. The history of
Doom is the history of id Software
and the history of the FPS itself.
From the 1993 original to 2020’s
Doom Eternal, each new Doom game
developed by id Software has both
reflected the culture of the studio at
the time, and moved the needle of the
FPS in some manner.

Doom
as “very simple, very Wolfenstein”.
Why do we worship the second true
FPS ever made, and not the first?
RELEASED 1993 DEVELOPER id Software Clues to the answer can be found in
those same reviews. Doom may have
been built upon the same principles
he development of as Wolfenstein, but everything about
1993’s Doom is one it was so much more vivid and

T of the most well-

documented projects
in the medium’s
elevated. “The speed and smoothness
of this texture-mapping system make
Ultima Underworld, Shadowcaster,
history. After John Carmack Terminator Rampage and Jurassic
discovered a way to mimic the Park look like they’re running in
side-scrolling effect of Super Mario BASIC,” writes Zone’s reviewer
Bros 3 on PC, Carmack worked David McCandless. Even Edge’s
with John Romero, alongside game review of Doom states that
designer Tom Hall, to create their Wolfenstein’s 3D levels look
own game, Commander Keen in “primitive” compared to id’s latest
Invasion of the Vortigauns. shooter. “There are stairs for you to
climb, lifts to find and aliens firing at
After receiving their first royalty you from windows… go back and play
cheque from publisher Apogee, Wolfenstein and you’ll laugh at the
Romero and Carmack founded their 2Dness of the 3D perspective.”
own company with artist Adrian But perhaps the most significant
Carmack (no relation), while also difference between Wolfenstein and
hiring Hall. Through 1991 they made Doom had little to do with visuals.
three more Commander Keen games, In January 1994, right after Doom’s
then released the first true FPS, launch, Game Developer magazine
Wolfenstein 3D, in 1992. After published an article called ‘Monsters
Wolfenstein’s success, id began from the Id’ that points out how
making a follow-up shooter, this time Doom’s new engine allowed “all
inspired by a D&D campaign the four objects to have physical
founders had played together at characteristics, such as weight,
weekends. Nineteen months after momentum and even sound. For
Wolfenstein, a legend was born. example, bullets were actual physical
Doom’s origin story may be projectiles in the Doom engine as
familiar, but there’s one element of it opposed to Wolfenstein, where they
that remains puzzling. Why is it were just calculations”.
Doom that is so revered today, and
not Wolfenstein? Id’s first shooter was AGELESS DESIGN
the real trailblazer, and a major hit in With Doom, id realised that a shooter
its own right. Doom really just doesn’t just have to look good, it has
iterated on those ideas, a fact to feel good as well. Add to that a far
acknowledged by the game’s original more striking setting and multiplayer
reviews. PC Zone’s review, for capabilities, and it’s clear that
example, summarises Doom’s premise Wolfenstein pales in comparison.

45
F E AT U R E
The History of Doom

Yet this doesn’t explain why the medium detail mode” that “triples
same thing didn’t happen to Doom the speed of the game on slower
when, for example, Quake launched. machines”. This, combined with its
By now, Doom has been surpassed initial shareware release, made Doom
technologically countless times over, a hugely accessible game. That
yet its reputation remains intact. accessibility has only grown over
Some of the reasons for this are the time, to the point where Doom will
same that made Doom such a run on everything.
phenomenon in the first place. Its There’s one final reason why
infernal sci-fi aesthetic is more vivid Doom remains such an enduring
and distinctive than many shooters phenomenon, and it’s hinted at in
that would come after it. The game’s Monsters from the Id. Wolfenstein’s
deviously intricate levels have also launch saw an unexpected “cottage
stood the test of time, thanks to the industry of hackers” who “hacked
design talents of Romero and Sandy map editors, bitmap editors and
Petersen. As described in David sometimes entire modified games”.
Kushner’s Masters of Doom, “Romero Although Wolfenstein’s publisher
had a knack for staging the battles, Apogee believed these “mutations”
letting the player win one round, hurt sales, id felt “that people have
then pummelling him with a storm of the right to make whatever use of the
enemies.” Petersen’s levels, were game that makes them happy”.
“cerebral and strategic”. Id Software’s attitude toward
There are other reasons too, one other designers’ use of its tech,
of the main ones being its culminating in the release of the
accessibility. Doom wasn’t just game’s source code in 1997, would
visually cutting edge, it was hugely prove to be the most important
well optimised. As noted in Monsters decision in sealing the legacy of the
from the Id, Doom’s engine “has a original game.

Doom II
Doom’s weapons
remain hugely
satisfying to wield.

RELEASED 1994 DEVELOPER id Software

n the face of it, Doom

II: Hell on Earth is

O the least remarkable

of the five mainline
games. A
straightforward follow-up built
in the same engine, Doom II was
designed to let id capitalise on the
success of Doom while giving John
Carmack the freedom to pursue
new advances in graphics tech. In

F R O M D O O M G U Y T O D O O M S L AY E R
How Doom’s protagonist evolved into the ultimate killing machine
DOOM/DOOM II DOOM 3 DOOM (2016) DOOM ETERNAL
The original Doom For Doom 3, id The 2016 reboot Where the reboot
Guy is a ripped Software strove shifted its avoids giving the
fellow wearing a to humanise the emphasis. Slayer much
green suit and a Doom Guy, making Renaming him the backstory, Eternal
grey helmet. But his musculature Doom Slayer, it emphasises it,
players will be far less exaggerated, avoided showing characterising him
more familiar with and occasionally his face and as a general of the
his many facial allowing him to doubled-down on Night Sentinels. We
expressions, the display glimpses of his aggressiveness, also see his face,
alternating side fear, such as when hinting that there and hear him speak
glances, and the he encounters that might be something for the first time,
evil grin when he game’s towering more than human even if it’s only
picks up a weapon. CyberDemon. about him. about four words.

46
 “ID HAS MANAGED TO IMPROVE
WHAT WAS ARGUABLY THE
most playable game ON THE PC”

his autobiography, John Romero and assets, Doom II does add some our most brutal weapon, the BFG”. Although added out of
notes that, “During an early design features that would be important in convenience, the super shotgun quickly became one of the
meeting, we agreed that the the series’ history going forward. series’ most iconic weapons. Alongside this, Doom II also
formula for Doom was perfect and Most significant of these is the adds interesting new enemies like the Revenant and the
that the new game should just double-barrelled super shotgun, Archvile, as well as the titanic Icon of Sin.
build on what we started without which according to Romero was While offering nothing like the leap Doom has made
breaking the underlying game feel added specifically because it could over Wolfenstein, reviews of Doom II were nonetheless
players loved.” share the same number on the ecstatic. In PC Gamer’s review of Doom II, which
keyboard as the shotgun. “We didn’t awarded the game 95, Gary Whitta highlighted the more
While primarily an expansive level want to tie a new weapon to 8, nuanced enhancements the game made over the original.
pack using most of the same features because the 7 key already controlled “The puzzles are more complex, routes more maze-like
and things like weapons and secret doors more difficult
to find. Perhaps the most noticeable aspect of Doom II’s
Doom II placed new design, however, is the overall mood and tone. It’s
more emphasis on that much darker and more sinister.” Edge, which had
moving elements.
awarded the original Doom a 7, gave the sequel a 9,
stating: “Id has managed to improve what was arguably
the most playable game on the PC.”
Doom II would be nothing without the foundations
laid by the original. But there’s a case to be made that,
today, the original Doom would be nothing without its
sequel. Because of its slightly more advanced feature-set,
the vast majority of Doom mods are actually built for
Doom II, and the modding community has played an
enormous role in keeping the original games alive while
bigger, more refined shooters have grown around it. So
while Doom II may be the least revolutionary of the
mainline Doom games, it’s also, possibly, the most
important to the series’ longevity.

47
F E AT U R E
The History of Doom

Doom 3
Wolfenstein was met with at E3, and survival horror experience, one built not around
excitement about what we can do generating a sense of power, but a sense of fear. Speaking
with the latest rendering technology”. to Polygon in 2012, id Software CEO Todd Hollenshead
RELEASED 2004 DEVELOPER id Software This last point also hints at Carmack’s explained how the game’s combat was designed around
influence on the project. Of all the your flashlight, which pierced through the gloom. “The
y the time Doom 3 Doom games, Doom 3 is the one purity of the game is that you could either have the
entered development, where the art and design revolves flashlight, or have the gun, it was just a choice you had to

B id Software was a
very different studio.
The challenging
most heavily around the technology.
Its unified lighting and shadowing
system enabled most of the game’s
make in the game. I think that, for the game we made at
the time, it was the right decision.”

development of Quake had seen light sources to be computed in A TECHNOLOGICAL MARVEL

the working relationship between real-time. Combined with Carmack’s Judging by the game’s initial reviews, it was the right
Romero and Carmack break down, homebrewed stencil-shadowing decision. Yet even in these glowing reviews, there’s an
culminating in Romero’s departure algorithm (known today as Carmack’s underlying tone of trepidation. “In 1994, we said of Doom
from the company just after Reverse) the result was a hugely II ‘It’s Doom all over again, but with more of everything
Quake’s launch. Romero would go advanced light and shadow system that made it great in the first place’. That’s still true, but
on to found Ion Storm with Tom perfect for creating oppressive, today it’s a much a word of caution as of
Hall, where they oversaw design of moody environments. recommendation,” One reviewer wrote. Another says, “To
Daikatana and Anachronox. Doom 3’s design followed on from be honest, some people may not ‘get’ Doom 3
these techniques, taking the scarier as I did – an awareness of the heritage of PC gaming and
Meanwhile, id Software knuckled elements of the original Doom and an element of fanboyism helps in its appreciation.”
down on two Quake sequels, the using them to build a full-blown In more recent years, Doom 3’s reputation has
sci-fi, hardware accelerated Quake II,
and the exclusively multiplayer
Quake III. By 2003, id Software had
grown to a core team of roughly 26
people. But the internal dynamic of
the studio had also changed
dramatically. While visiting the
studio in 2003, prior to the
publication of Masters of Doom,
Kushner noted, “I’ve never seen id’s
office as focused as it is now.”
While Carmack’s influence is
present in all id early games, Doom 3
is the one where his ideals shine
through most clearly. It was Carmack
who pushed to make a third Doom
game after Quake III, when the
original plan was to design a
multiplayer RPG called Quest. This
led to Carmack issuing an ultimatum
to the main proponents for Quest,
Adrian Carmack and Kevin Cloud,
threatening that he would leave the
company unless they made Doom 3.
“Obviously no fun for anyone
involved,” Carmack later wrote in a
.plan file (a prototypical hybrid
between a blog post and social
media), “but the project direction
was changed, new hires have been
expedited, and the design work has
begun.” There’s no record of Cloud
or the other Carmack’s views on the
topic from the time, but in a G4
documentary on the making of Doom
3, Cloud acknowledges his original
position as “wrong” and that
“[Carmack’s] decision was great”.
That same .plan file also outlines
Carmack’s reasoning for making
Doom 3, namely “a general lack of
excitement for the proposed plan, the
warmth that [Return to Castle]

48
diminished, with a gradual
Doom 4’s brown
acknowledgement that although its aesthetic marks it out as
visuals may be atmospheric, its a late 2000s artefact.
combat is flat and sluggish, and its
environments cramped and
constraining. Id Software itself
backtracked on some of the game’s
ideas post-release, altering the
flashlight for the game’s BFG edition
so players could switch it on while
holding their gun.
Doom 3 may have been a
technological marvel, but outside
of that, in areas like storytelling
and combat design, it is heavily
influenced by what other games were
doing at the time. FPS conventions
had changed dramatically in the
years surrounding Doom 3’s
development, with an emphasis on Doom 4 had been developing a “rework” of
‘realistic’ level design, scripted RELEASED N/A DEVELOPER id Software
Doom II, one so heavily inspired by
storytelling, and cinematic action. Call of Duty that there were in-jokes
In his review, Atherton refers to it referring to it as “Call of Doom”. “In
as “quite literally 21st century Doom”, d Software followed Doom order to be a big shooter these days,
a point that retains its relevance.
To reiterate Hollenshead, for the
I 3 with the expansion pack
Resurrection of Evil (which,
you have to have some amount of the
big, bombastic movie experience,”
game id made at the time, it was in another concession to popular one source stated, while another
the right decision. But in the years trends, featured a Half-Life 2-style lamented that the “horror and shock
to come, this receptiveness to gravity gun) before moving onto its elements” were “bookended by
trends would cause more serious next project, the post-apocalyptic pointless shooting galleries”.
problems for the grandaddy of shooter Rage. But this wasn’t the Where Doom 3 was receptive to
first-person shooters. only game id had in the pipeline. At the ideas of shooters surrounding it,
QuakeCon 2007, John Carmack Doom 4 was, by all accounts, in thrall
hinted that a new Doom game was to them, sacrificing the fundamental
in development, with Doom 4 being DNA of Doom in favour of what was
informally revealed the following believed to be popular. This was
year via a recruitment ad. confirmed by Tim Willits in an
interview with IGN in 2013: “Every
“I THINK THAT, Snippets about the game trickled out
across the next few years. Speaking
game has a spirit. When you played
Rage, you got the spirit. And [Doom]
FOR THE GAME to GameSpot in 2009, Hollenshead
stated that Doom 4 was “very much
did not have the spirit,” he explained.
“It didn’t have the passion and soul
deep in development”, and that of what an id game is. Everyone
WE MADE AT THE “everything I’ve seen on it is classic
Doom”. When asked how it related to
knows the feeling of Doom, but it’s
very hard to articulate.”
TIME, IT WAS Doom 3, Hollenshead’s answer was
unclear, “It’s not a sequel to Doom 3,
By the end of 2013, id Software
was a very different studio to the

THE right
but it’s not a reboot either. Doom 3 one that had made Doom 3. John
was sort of a reboot. It’s a little bit Carmack left the studio in November
different from those.” that year. The company was now
DECISION” Yet no specific information about
Doom 4 emerged until 2013. And
owned by Bethesda, and Doom 4 had
been scrapped. Id had forgotten how
when it did arrive, it wasn’t good. A to make Doom, and it would spend
report by Jason Schreier for Kotaku the next few years learning how to do
stated that, for the past five years, id it all over again.

DOOM TIMELINE Charting FPS history

February 1, December 10, October 10, August 6, August 3, November 22, May 13, 2016 March 20, October 20, March 18,
1991 1993 1994 1996 2004 2013 Doom (2016) 2020 2020 2021
id Software Doom Doom II John Romero Doom 3 John Carmack released Doom Eternal Ancient Gods Ancient Gods
founded released released leaves id released leaves id released Part 1 released Part 2
Software Software released

49
F E AT U R E
The History of Doom

Doom (2016)
games as the driving force of linear, singleplayer action. Where Doom 3’s development had
Even linearity itself was beginning to be challenged by revolved around new technology, the
vast open world RPGs like Oblivion, a factor id Doom reboot’s development was
RELEASED 2016 DEVELOPER id Software Software tried to capitalise upon early in the semi- driven by game design. At the heart
open, vehicle-strewn wastelands of Rage. of this was the reboot’s glory kill
system, through which players could
ith hindsight, it seems With Doom 4, id Software was trying to rule a kingdom perform grisly melee executions of
obvious Doom 4 was with shrinking borders. By 2013, that kingdom was pretty demons to gain additional health,

W destined to fail. But

it’s important to
understand the
much gone. If your shooter wasn’t online-oriented like
CoD or open-world like Far Cry, it stood little chance.
This was the challenge that id Software faced. So
helping them barrel through combat
encounters rather than hiding behind
cover. According to Stratton, this
context in which it was being made. what was the solution? It started with asking some system gestated early in development
By 2007, the linear, single-player fundamental questions. “What do we want to make and due to id reflecting upon Doom’s
FPS was already past its heyday. what do we think fans want to play?” said Marty DNA. “Our animation team at the
The massive success of Call of Duty Stratton in a 2016 interview with VentureBeat. “We got time had put together a pretty cool
4 firmly established multiplayer as some groups of people together and did a lot of looking demo,” he explained to VentureBeat.
the primary concern for shooters back at the original Doom and Doom II, as well as “It was basically an animatic. It was
henceforth, while the likes of Doom 3. We took a holistic approach to the question of all animation based, using creatures
Resident Evil 4, Gears of War and what, fundamentally, is the DNA of Doom. Then we and guns from the previous version.
Uncharted had defined third-person started to build around that.” It was really the genesis of the glory

ID DECIDED THE STORY SHOULD

never TAKE PRECEDENCE
OVER THE ACTION

50
kill system, as well as the inspiration for some of the Stratton cites a moment early in the awarding it a score of 88. That might
push-forward combat.” game designed very much to set the be a little lower than the 90 of Doom
tone. “That first thing, where Samuel 3 and the 94 of Doom II, but it’s
HYPERREAL COMBAT [Hayden] tries to talk to you and you worth noting that not everything in
As early as mid-2013, id Software had a playable core to throw the monitor away, that was Doom’s reboot worked. If you forgot
Doom that Stratton says was “as solid as anything we’d very much, ‘I‘m here to kill demons’.” that Doom 2016 shipped with a
done prior to that” aggressive, propulsive and, above all, The end result was a renewed multiplayer mode, for example, that
fun. All the other creative decisions emanated from that vision for the linear, singleplayer FPS, wouldn’t be surprising given how flat
core. The level design, for example, should take the polar opposite of id Software’s and lacking in personality it was. The
inspiration from multiplayer arenas, facilitating the plans for Doom 4, and something game also featured a ‘Snapmap’ level
players fast movement abilities. The art should be bright largely out of step with popular FPS editor that was interesting in theory,
and vivid, like a comic book or heavy metal album, to conventions of the time. It was also but too constrained in its toolset to
complement your character hyperreal combat capabilities. excellent. “With Doom’s campaign, id facilitate a mapping community.
Even the game’s technological focus was influenced by Software found a sweet spot nestled Crucially, though, the important
the core design philosophy, with id’s engine devs somewhere between nostalgia and part of Doom’s reboot, the
prioritising performance for id-tech 6 and targeting the modernity that celebrates the pulpy singleplayer campaign, worked.
best-looking experience at a consistent 60fps. sheen of big-budget shooters and Moreover, it proved that linear,
Perhaps most importantly of all, id decided the story resurrects an intense, simplified focus singleplayer shooters could still be
should never take precedence over the action, echoing on the shooting itself,” wrote James innovative and successful at the
John Carmack’s design thoughts for the original Doom. Davenport in PC Gamer’s review, highest levels of development.

I’d heard the Doom Slayer

was a surgical killer, but
this is crazy.

T H E A LT E R N AT E D O O M Doom has seen various alternate versions and spinoffs

THE ULTIMATE DOOM FINAL DOOM 1996 DOOM 64 1997 DOOM RPG 2005 DOOM VFR 2017
1995 A standalone ‘third entry’ in the An entirely separate version A mobile version of Doom with A short VR spinoff based on the
The retail version of Doom, sold Doom series, built by TeamTNT of Doom for Nintendo 64 added RPG elements developed Doom reboot. The F stands for
with an additional episode. and Dario and Milo Casali. developed by Midway Games. by John Carmack. exactly what you think.

51
 Doom
Eternal
RELEASED 2020 DEVELOPER id Software

uilding a game that

genuinely lives up to

B Doom’s monstrous
reputation is no meant
feat, and you’d think
that id Software would be satisfied
with what it pulled off in 2016’s
reboot. But the studio believed it
could do better. “As fun as the last
Doom was, there was a monotony
to it,” said Marty Stratton to PCPP
in 2019. “In the later levels
especially it felt like corridor, arena,
corridor, arena.”

For the sequel, Doom Eternal, id

Software wanted to blow the doors
off. “From the very start to the final
boss, players will be seeing things
they’d never expect from a Doom
game.” At the heart of this was, again,
the glory kill system. But id Software
would take the idea of exploiting
enemies to your advantage and
massively expand it. Now, you’d be
able to burn enemies with a shoulder-
mounted flamethrower, causing them
to drop armour when shot. Each
demon would also have specific
vulnerabilities to certain weapons,
enabling you to take them out
quicker and letting id pile on greater
pressure. In short, no longer would

“AS LONG AS THE SOLUTION TO EVERY

PROBLEM INVOLVES THE PLAYER BEING
aggressive SOMEHOW, IT FEELS LIKE DOOM”

52
 F E AT U R E
The History of Doom

platforming elements were unnecessary and annoying.

Eternal is a game
of truly Perhaps the most significant was that the combat was too
apocalpytic scale. restrictive, with particular focus on the Marauder, an
enemy that required players to respond to their attacks in
a specific pattern.
Id Software was bullish in the face of such criticism,
with Eternal creative director Hugo Martin insisting
that the Marauder was “crystallising everything about
the game”. Nonetheless, there is a sense that Eternal
experienced a more problematic development to 2016’s
Doom. The hotly touted invasion-based multiplayer was
not available on release and was ultimately cancelled, with
id Software blaming “the unforeseen consequences of the
pandemic and remote working” for its absence, and
instead focusing on a singleplayer horde mode.
Meanwhile, Eternal’s composer Mick Gordon described
Eternal as a “difficult project”, stating that he and the
entire Eternal team experienced brutal crunch, and
you be killing mindlessly, your attacks But with adding all this stuff came accusing Stratton of poor management, accusations
would be precise and devastating. a risk, namely losing sight of the that Stratton rejects.
Eternal applied this expansive gleeful simplicity at the heart of the Yet while Eternal may have endured a rougher
approach to the rest of the game too. series. Does Doom need a more critical and developmental ride that its predecessor.
It would greatly increase the number involved story, or platforming Today, the consensus is that it is probably the best
of locations players visited, adding sequences? Id Software was single-player FPS around. Unlike the 2016 reboot,
Earth and the celestial realm of confident it could get the tone right. Eternal is a game that takes time to master. But once
Sentinel to the Martian moonbases “As long as the solution to every you have mastered it, it offers a level of thrill and
and infernal hellscapes of the problem involves the player being intensity unlike any other single-player shooter. The
original. It would also make those aggressive somehow, it feels like two expansions that followed Eternal pushed those
spaces more intricate, giving the Doom,” Stratton said to PCPP. ideas to the limit, demonstrating the full potential of
Doom Slayer more ways to traverse When Eternal arrived in 2020, the the Doom Slayer’s combat abilities.
them, requiring players to “think initial response was ecstatic. “Doom Looking back across the last three decades, what’s
[their] way through the level design” Eternal is a celebration of excess. most remarkable about Doom’s history is not simply that
as described by Stratton. It would Excess in sin, in violence, scale, speed the series remains relevant, but that it remains relevant at
double the number of demons in the and volume. I’ve never played a both ends of the timeline. The games currently being
game, lend context to the Doom shooter this intense and demanding,” made by id are at the cutting edge of FPS design, finding
Slayer’s origins through a more said James Davenport in his PCPP new ways to distil the a formula first concocted 30 years
involved story. It would even feature review, awarding the game a score of ago. Meanwhile, the original games made by Romero and
a Dark Souls-style invasion mode. 94. In the wake of release, however, Carmack are omnipresent. They still play superbly, and
As a sequel, Eternal intended a criticisms of the game began to grow. form the basis for a modding community that is still
far more extensive overhaul than That the added story elements coming up with fresh, exciting ideas. In both its old form
Doom II did over the 1993 original. bogged the game down. That the and the new, Doom is, indeed, eternal.

DAD MOD Here’s a selection of the best Doom mods

BRUTAL DOOM ALIENS: THE ULTIMATE DOOM MYHOUSE

What started as an effort to make Doom even gorier “What if X but in Doom?” is one of the classic premises What begins as a seemingly simple effort to recreate the
has become almost a game in its own right, adding new for Doom mods. Aliens: The Ultimate Doom is perhaps modder’s home in Doom quickly evolves into a twisting
weapons, levels, mechanics like headshots and stealth the best example, featuring an eight-map campaign all descent into eerie horror with multiple routes that all
kills, and abilities like kicks and driveable vehicles. themed around Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror universe. have different consequences.

53
 Show SYDNEY 2024
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WHATHIFI.COM

SAVE THE DATE: 05-07 APRIL 2024

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GAME OF THE YEAR 2023

PERSONAL PICK

BEST
EXPANSION
2023

JACOB RIDLEY
Oxenfree 2
Oxenfree 2 plonks you CYBERPUNK 2077:
smack-bang in the middle of
another sinister story. You
traverse a quaint part of the
PHANTOM LIBERTY
world looking for ways to
explain the mysterious goings Fraser Brown: CDPR will probably never be able stuck in my craw. Even with my firm affection for
on all around you. If that to escape the stink of Cyberpunk 2077’s botched 2077, I knew it felt incomplete. I found myself
sounds familiar, it shares a lot launch, but what a way to end things. Phantom dreaming of overhaul updates and a Cyberpunk
with the first game. Though Liberty’s new district, Dogtown, and its cast of version of The Witcher 3’s excellent Hearts of
that’s why I love it; it’s a CIA analogues, militants and ne’er-do-wells Stone. Nearly three years later, we finally have
well-written horror novella that allowed the game to go out on a high note, with a both. Phantom Liberty is one of the best individual
explores both the people and gripping yarn balanced between a slow-burning stories CDPR has told to date, while the 2.0
mysteries transmitted over the thriller and a balls-to-the-wall action movie. You update fixed every one of those RPG balance
radio waves. get to meet the NUSA president, and much more gripes that dogged the game. I no longer have to
importantly: Idris Elba. qualify my recommendation of
The devs smartly weave this Cyberpunk 2077 – it’s simply one
expansion into the base game
rather than sticking it on at the REFRESHING AND of the best RPGs out there, and it
feels great that the expansion to
end or making it a standalone MATURE IN A WAY an initially disastrous RPG
romp, allowing it to elevate the
rest of Cyberpunk 2077, a game I NEVER managed to stand tall in a
legendary year for the genre.
that is lightyears ahead of the EXPECTED Tyler Colp: Phantom Liberty earns
launch version thanks to the the confidence that Cyberpunk
PERSONAL PICK accompanying (and free) 2.0 2077 failed to when it launched.
update. Proper police chases, a progression system CDPR spent a long time refining how to tell a
that doles out exciting abilities regularly, an story in this world and it shows. Phantom Liberty
overhauled cybernetics system – this is Cyberpunk has a firm grasp on the sort of bold storytelling
2077’s potential realised. that made the Witcher 3 great, wielding both the
Ted Litchfield: Despite everything, I loved technical artistry of the world and the team’s
Cyberpunk 2077 right from its legendarily botched strong writing to centre its broken cast of
launch – it was an engrossing, distinctive RPG characters. It’s refreshing and mature in a way I
with winning characters, more than a few bugs, never expected this game to pull off and it has me
and some gear and ability design that absolutely excited to see more.
MOLLIE TAY LOR
Rhythm Sprout:
Sick Beats & Bad
Sweets
It’s been such a long year I
almost forgot about this
absolute gem of a rhythm
game from February. It’s got a
bit of Overcooked with its
theme and humour but
smashes that with an
incredibly moreish loop where
you slash and dodge your way
through rhythmic hallways
soundtracked by absolute
bangers.

56
 BEST
SETTING
2023

DREDGE
Mollie Taylor: Dredge has the gonna have a lot more than a

BEST most immaculate vibes of any

game I’ve played this year. By
fishing quota to worry about.
Tyler Colp: The way Dredge’s
ONGOING day it’s a relaxing and serene in-game clock only moves

GAME
fishing game, but once the sun forward when you drive your
sets it turns into an unsettling boat or take actions is, frankly,
2023 realisation of how isolated brilliant. I’m not a horror game
your tiny boat is on those big player because I refuse to go
dark waters. Dredge plays to down the dark hallway that
that polarity wonderfully, surely has a monster in it. In
WARHAMMER 40,000: crafting a delightfully spooky
world that has my usual
Dredge, you can avoid the dark
all you want, but eventually,
DARKTIDE horror-averse self desperate to curiosity is going to get the
dig deeper into its mysteries. better of you. The fishing is so
That doesn’t just come from simple and satisfying that you
Robert Jones: Even knowing leading to a ‘Very Postitive’ the seas you sail, but also from get greedy, stay out a little too
Fatshark’s heritage in needing badge of honour. the twisted aberrations of long, and face the
to seriously keep developing its Sean Martin: It was hard not to different fish you can find consequences. The sea turns
games after release, I was still be initially disappointed by lurking around. I’ve never against you, eyes appear in the
absolutely mad as hell when Darktide, especially when it been so psyched to fill an distance and rocks jut out of
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide came with such a strong encyclopaedia with catches the water where they didn’t
launched. The game was not foundation of gameplay and a that have a thousand eyes, before. At any point, you
only so janky and broken that, unique perspective among most rotting flesh and bulging boils. could’ve turned back before it
one time, it took me seven 40k games in terms of Sarah James: This isn’t the got too late, but you didn’t.
crashes with restarts to finish a highlighting the human sort of game I’d have thought Dredge is a fishing game, but
single run, but it also shipped characters in the setting. A would hold my interest for you’re the unsuspecting fish,
with key chunks of the game game set in a hive world long but, as Mollie points out, slowly lured into its ugly
missing. It wasn’t just me who co-authored by Dan Abnett the contrast between day and nightmare.
was spitting with rage, either, sounds like an absolute dream night almost makes Dredge Sean Martin: Dredge is a
with thousands of reviews on to me, so it’s a real shame that two games in one. You have brilliantly unnerving game.
Steam at launch leading to the it’s taken so long for Darktide to the relaxing serene fishing Even when there isn’t a sea
game getting a ‘Mostly get to a good place. But it is in a game while the light holds, but monster trying to chomp you,
Negative’ badge of shame. good place. Fatshark has slowly you’d better watch the time there’s this deep sense the
Despite this, though, I could but surely made good on its – if you get stuck far away world is wrong somehow –
see the potential for the game quality of life promises, plus the from somewhere to dock twisted out of shape like the
and noted that at the time. class overhauls add far more when darkness falls, you’re mutant fish you haul aboard.
When it worked I had a blast. A variation to playstyle. Hopefully
year later and Darktide, while now the game is stable, it can
still recognisably the same start fulfilling the narrative
game, has gone through a vast promise of Atoma Prime and
amount update patches that the setting’s potential.
have brought the game to the Robin Valentine: The thing
level it should of been at about Darktide is, the core of it
launch. And crucially, despite a has always been good. The
rocky first year, the game and shooting is explosive and loud,
community still very much feel the atmosphere is perfectly
alive, and more upgrades are grimdark, and the music finds a
incoming from Fatshark, too. wonderful new sound for the
This is a game that is absolutely Warhammer 40K universe.
ongoing in the right direction, Now I take every new patch as
something evidenced by recent just an excuse to dive back into
Steam reviews of Darktide now blasting heretics.

57
GAME OF THE YEAR 2023

BEST
STORY
2023

ALAN WAKE 2
Jacob Ridley: A blend of entertaining horror the surface once again in an – the seamless blending of
and surreal scenes, Alan Wake 2 manages to America gone sour. I am now traditional cutscenes, live
keep you along for the ride through every twist so much more appreciative action sequences,
and turn. You might find yourself trapped in the of that first game, knowing it conversations, manuscript
Dark Place and a never-ending talk show, but led to this. pages and documents, radio
you can always rely on quality case work and a As much as Alan Wake 2 programs, TV commercials,
fine attention to detail to figure out what the consciously references The music, environmental design,
heck is happening in the woods in Washington. Return and the 2014 mystery investigation pinboards… it’s a
Fraser Brown: I’d be happy to play an entire classic, True Detective, it game about writing but also a
game as Saga, Alan’s new FBI buddy. I don’t like doesn’t feel game full of
playing as a cop, and the FBI are the worst kind, imitative. This writing, all of it
but I’m a sucker for a game that properly lets
you get stuck into the investigative side of
is a
phenomenal A GAME ABOUT woven together
so densely into
police work. Connecting clues with string and horror story, WRITING BUT this big, weird,
profiling characters with Saga’s supernatural
skills was honestly a lot more fun than shooting
and a technical
achievement as ALSO A GAME messy, totally
unique
spooky shadow monsters. I know we’ve given well, marrying FULL OF WRITING perspective.
this Best Story, but for me it’s all about the some of the Remedy’s
police procedural stuff. most enthusiasm and
Ted Litchfield: When it comes to videogame photorealistic graphics I’ve creativity just bursts out of
Twin Peaks riffs released in 2010 and filtered ever seen with inspired art every pore of the experience,
through a non-US perspective, I always direction. and that’s such a magical thing
preferred Deadly Premonition to Alan Wake. Robin Valentine: We’re giving to see in a big budget,
Alan Wake 2, though? This is the first thing, Alan Wake 2 Best Story, but technical showcase of a game
the first work of fiction to hit the same you could just as well call it like this. So it’s exciting that
sweet spot for me as Twin Peaks’ perfect Most Story. The thing that’s so this feels like only the
third season, The Return, showing the striking for me about the game beginning of a new connected
passage of time weathering characters you’ve is how many different, layered universe that brings together
come to know, their unresolved crises rising to ways it gets its narrative across all of the studio’s work to date.

58
 PERSONAL PICK

BEST
ADVENTURE
2023

TYLER COLP
Honkai Star Rail
Honkai: Star Rail’s depth is

STAR WARS JEDI: SURVIVOR elastic: you can treat it like a

standard turn-based RPG with
a surprisingly funny sci-fi story
or put in the time to learn how
Robert Jones: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was bigger slightly less try-hard combat and playful levels to bend its combat into a
and better than Fallen Order in every way, but it that felt of a kind with my favourite PlayStation 2 straight up action game. It
was how it seemed to honour the Star Wars PC platformers. It should speak volumes that I was even pulls off a roguelike mode
game greats of old like Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast too busy having a great time double jumping, with Disco Elysium-style
and Knights of the Old Republic that got me well grapple hooking, and slicing up loser droids to conversations. Few games,
and truly hooked. I can take or leave the Souls-lite let Jedi Survivor’s terrible PC performance at especially free-to-play ones,
combat mechanics, but the dynamic movement launch keep me down. It’s the sort of confident, feel as refreshingly modern,
options, rewarding exploration, as well as upbeat action adventure at a scale that only confident, and extremely,
cinematic presentation and storytelling just Sony games can match these days. The new hilariously online as HSR.
delivers what I want from a Star lightsaber stances are a small
Wars adventure. The fact I triumph. By the end, I couldn’t
finished this game in one sitting
speaks volumes to just how well it RESPAWN’S decide which felt cooler: the
unstoppable deflection of the
clicked for me. Now if we can just STORYTELLING double-sided blade, or the
have dark force powers unlocked
in the inevitable third game, Kyle DESERVES A LOT overwhelming power swings of
the crossguard form.
Katarn can retire for good. OF CREDIT TOO Respawn’s storytelling
Sean Martin: The funny thing is I deserves a lot of credit too – I
completely bounced off Fallen appreciate that Jedi Survivor PERSONAL PICK
Order when I first tried it, but Jedi Survivor was so doesn’t seem burdened by the Star Wars
good that it made me want to experience Cal’s franchise the same way the recent films and
backstory. The game just keeps growing; adding shows are, opting to lower the stakes and invest
new mechanics like bounty hunting, fishing, space in character exploration over seismic lore
chess, and all the while you’ve got these giant revelations. Expanded Star Wars media is still
worlds to explore filled with fun Star Wars Easter needlessly obsessed with dropping familiar
eggs and yes, more beard options than you need. characters into stories they barely belong in, but
Morgan Park: I also wasn’t the biggest Fallen even when Jedi Survivor indulges in cheesy fan
Order fan, but Jedi Survivor charmed me with its service, I can’t deny the craft.
E VAN L AHTI
Jagged Alliance 3
They made a scrappy, goofy,
fight-how-you-want RPG with a
boardgame strategic map. I’m
so happy. JA3 is the oddball,
eccentric cousin of
mainstream turn-based games
like XCOM. It balances the
seriousness of its systems with
hammy ’90s action movie
pastiche – your squaddies
include a Schwarzenegger
clone, female character who
speaks only in innuendo, and
several stereotypical Russians.

59
GAME OF THE YEAR 2023

PERSONAL PICK

BEST
DESIGN
2023

JOSHUA WOLENS
STONKS-9800:
Stock Market
Simulator
An ’80s Japan-themed stock
trading sim still in Early
DAVE THE DIVER
Access, Stonks hit Steam in
July and hasn’t left my SSD Fraser Brown: There should be too much going tutorialising or overwhelming you with tasks. It’s
since. You buy and sell shares on in Dave the Diver. You’ve got a restaurant to a very cosy game, but also a really elegantly
via a mock PC-9800 interface manage, fish to collect, mysteries to uncover, big designed one.
while pitch-perfect city pop ol’ sharks trying to eat you, and some roguelike Chris Livingston: I’ve never played a game and
plays in the background, elements that would normally stress me out – thought, “Gosh, I wish this had more cutscenes
building up your network, but this scuba adventure is, miraculously, never in it.” But the cutscenes in Dave the Diver are so
picking up stock tips, and anything less than effortless and elegant. It has darn good I’d actually plunk down cash to buy an
possibly falling in love with the chill vibes of a summer holiday spent on a Extra Cutscene DLC pack. They can be serene
your assistant. boat, all sunny skies and Hawaiian shirts, and and enchanting, such as the first time Dave sees a
despite my long list of tasks, I whale the size of a submarine or
never feel burdened or busy. meets a playful dolphin. They
Pure joy.
Robin Valentine: Really there’s
THE CUTSCENES can be ominous as the massive
eyeball of a giant squid rolls over
not much Dave the Diver does ARE HILARIOUS and focuses on him, or exciting,
that hasn’t been done before.
You’ve farmed and fished and AND BEAUTIFULLY like when a big boss like a shark
or giant crab first menacingly
waited tables in videogames ANIMATED appears and its name slams onto
before, and it doesn’t really the screen like it’s being
PERSONAL PICK iterate on any of those basic ideas introduced in a Guy Ritchie
to any wildly innovative degree. What makes it movie. Mostly the cutscenes are simply hilarious
so special is the way it just keeps piling in all of and beautifully animated, like when Chef Bancho
those ideas, constantly expanding the experience unlocks a new recipe and has an overdramatic,
so that any time you’re starting to feel like you’ve anime-inspired cooking session with his flashing
seen everything it’s got to offer, it reveals yet blade, or a skeptical customer has an out-of-body
another layer. It turns that moment of discovery experience when tasting a new dish and ascends
– of realising a game is more than you thought it into a cloud of hearts or has a vision of crashing
was – into the core joy of the game. And it waves and glowing jellyfish. Like the sushi itself,
manages it without getting bogged down in these moments are exquisite.
ROBIN VALENTINE
Viewfinder
You spend long enough in a job
like this, playing dozens of
games every year, and you
start to think there’s nothing
left that can surprise you.
Viewfinder… well, it definitely
surprised me. Even beyond its
central trick it’s an absolute
barrage of incredible optical
illusions and digital magic
tricks that really makes
you realise how much room
there still is to innovate in
videogame worlds.

60
 BEST
OPEN
WORLD
2023

TCHIA
Chris Livingston: I love open then shove into vending
world games, but such a machines to get new outfits
familiar formula has been and skins – far more satisfying
BEST established that so many of
them wind up feeling
that just seeing a number on
your stats page. And the
SHOOTER predictable. Collection quests,
treasure hunts, minigames,
island-wide treasure map hunt
in Tchia is the best since
2023 gliders for getting around… RDR2’s – maybe even better,
these things aren’t bad, but because Arthur Morgan
they’ve grown a bit stale. Tchia couldn’t soul-possess a dog to
has these elements too, but dig up a treasure chest or a
puts such a fresh spin on them crab to snip the lock. Not only
REMNANT 2 they feel brand new. is Tchia’s open world beautiful
Soul-jumping is the to explore, there’s so many
highlight of the traversal inventive ways to explore it.
Harvey Randall: Remnant 2 everything, but there’s an entire system, and means that in Wes Fenlon: Kind of incredible
came at a difficult time, landing Archetype which revolves addition to the gliding every that the first PC game to
in the middle of some around having a dog so I’m other game has you can also follow up on The Legend of
absolutely smashing games – willing to give the game a pass leap into a nearby bird to go Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s
though it’s still one of my on that. With a bunch of from drifting to actual soaring. systems-driven open world
favourites from this year. It quality-of-life improvements Tchia can fling her soul into potential would be from a
crushes its predecessor already patched, and three everything from fish to deer to team of only 120 developers.
Remnant: From the Ashes in DLCs on the way to flesh out rocks, making each trip across Wait, sorry, 12 developers. Not
every conceivable way, while the world, I’ll bet my fair share the island an exercise in only is the game adorable, it’s
still being the most inventive of of scrap that Remnant 2 will kinetic improv. Its minigames full of “holy crap, that works?!”
2023’s Souls-like offerings. only get better with time – and are wonderfully inventive and traversal options, from bobbing
One moment you’re blasting it’s dang good already. Gunfire original, too: rock stacking, back and forth on palm trees
your way through a plague- Games scored a bullseye. cliff diving, totem carving, and to slingshot yourself to
stricken techno hellscape, the Rich Stanton: In a year that elaborate musical challenges chucking a coconut off a cliff
next you’re battling a fairy king wasn’t so stuffed with classics using her playable ukulele. and then soul-jumping into it
in a shining storybook castle. Remnant 2 may have stood out Every open world game has in midair. Tchia makes me
Its levels are procedurally a lot more, but this is one of the trophies for completing wonder why so many triple-A
arranged, but they still manage few 3D action games that’s ever challenges, but there’s another games are obsessed with
to feel textured, with hand- successfully adapted roguelike twist in Tchia. The trophies creating giant open worlds,
crafted encounters and secrets mechanics, a game where you win are physical objects only to be so uncreative in how
to discover. One unlockable you’re actually excited to see you can stick in your pack and you get around them.
archetype even spawned a what fantastical nonsense it
whole ARG-style hunt and a throws up rather than bored by
Discord server of dataminers repeating patterns. The bullet
hellbent on uncovering it. hell-inspired combat is precise,
The RPG side to this tense, often devastating (for
multiversal shoot-’em-up is you) and the looping RPG-lite
stellar, too. You can combine levelling structure makes even
two of its classes (called its very good predecessor seem
Archetypes) at a time, you have like a trial run. Remnant 2’s one
a bunch of rings and amulets all of those sequels that does
with powerful effects, and everything the first game did
there’s a broad spread of boss but bigger and better, fixes
weapons, mods, and mutators pretty much every beef I had,
to attach to your guns. The only and is a rarity in being a
downside is that it takes a little Souls-like with plenty of
elbow grease to really unlock its own ideas.

61
GAME OF THE YEAR 2023

BEST
ACTION
2023

ARMORED CORE VI
Ted Litchfield: When I fired up Armored Core VI memorable. The way new mech parts are powering
for the first time, I felt like Milhouse playing FromSoftware rolls out new you up, and how much you’re
Bonestorm in the Simpsons, the protagonist of story options in your second and sharpening your skills until you
every ’90s videogame ad physically blasted back third playthroughs dovetails ascend to a higher plane of
into their chair by what they were playing. This is with the power curve, too, existence. Anyway, best mech
one of the best 3D action games I’ve ever seen, which works something like game ever made.
better even than FromSoft’s previous dinger, this: Cool > Ouch > Cooool > Shaun Prescott: Armored Core
Sekiro. Armored Core VI is a generous font of flow Fuuuu > Hell Yes > F@*# you > VI didn’t win Best Story but if
state kills piloting a ten-metre-tall mech in I. Am. Unstoppable > How the there was a category for Best
between the crumbling tenements of an $#*% do I beat Atmosphere, it’d
impoverished world. It’s also a surprisingly that??? > Now I have to win.
thoughtful bit of science fiction, casting you as this
put-upon cog of an unthinking corporate war
am become
mech, and my I FELT LIKE The absence of
even the briefest
machine, the victim of indeterminate, life-altering blade shall MILHOUSE glimpse of an
augmentation surgery who slowly wakes up to
their own potential to write the history of planet
pierce the
heavens PLAYING actual flesh
world visage has
Rubicon. Armored Core VI has a similarly By my third BONESTORM a brilliant
abstracted, surreal approach to the mercenary run, with my cumulative
fantasy as Metal Gear Solid V, and Armored Core mech fully effect. This
VI uses this simultaneously exhilarating and upgraded and my skills game is goddamn cold, and as
dehumanising setup as a launchpad for a twisting, sharpened, I was absolutely thematically impenetrable as the
mind-bending story that only fully reveals itself embarrassing enemies that had tank-tread AC I used to trounce
after multiple New Game Plus runs. once given me trouble. You have most bosses back before
Wes Fenlon: During this year’s GOTY debate, Ted not seen a bigger clown than FromSoft balanced that build
and I both joked that Armored Core VI should win Baltheus, act one’s hard boss – I into oblivion. Its landscapes are
Best Story. Neither of us were actually joking. The sent his Pagliacci ass to therapy. unutterably bleak, and its moral
sci-fi dystopia vibes are impeccable, but it’s really The real elegance – and thrill world daringly hopeless. I didn’t
the way every branching path plays out across – of Armored Core VI is that it’s love being in this world, but it
three runs that makes Armored Core VI so always hard to tell how much evoked strong emotions in me.

62
 PERSONAL PICK

BEST
STEALTH
2023

SEAN MARTIN
Dead Space
Remake
SHADOW GAMBIT: It’s easy to forget Dead Space
in a year where both Resident

THE CURSED CREW Evil 4 and System Shock got

great remakes, but it’s the one
I most enjoyed. It captures the
haunting atmosphere of the
Phil Savage: Since 2016, Mimimi Games has been keystroke. It’s slow and methodical stuff, and USG Ishimura from the
single handedly keeping the stealth tactics genre absolute catnip for stealth fans. original, but improves on just
alive. Its first game, Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Unfortunately, Shadow Gambit is also the about everything gameplay-
Shogun, spent years in our Top 100 off the studio’s last game. Shortly after the release of wise. Its success also breathes
strength of its clever cast of characters – all of Shadow Gambit, it announced that it was closing life into the wider series; I’ll be
them adding fun tactical twists to the job of up shop. But what a game to go out on – the surprised if we don’t see a
sneaking silently through a huge, hostile map. Its perfect expression of the formula it’s been Dead Space 2 remake soon.
second, Desperados 3, did justice to one of the working on for the last decade. A true statement
major games of the genre’s early that there’s still life in an old,
’00s heyday. This year, it released mostly forgotten genre.
Shadow Gambit: The Cursed
Crew, and it’s easily the studio’s ABSOLUTE Fraser Brown: In Desperados 3, I
was never happier than when I
best work. Previous games had CATNIP was controlling Isabelle Moreau.
some quirky abilities, sure, but
this time you’re in charge of a FOR STEALTH Instead of being a gunslinger, she
used occult powers to control
band of undead pirates with a full FANS enemies and critters alike. In
suite of magical powers – every Shadow Gambit, Mimimi PERSONAL PICK
character widening the possibility completely embraces the
space of how you approach the challenge ahead. liberating impact of supernatural shenanigans,
The basic structure is the same, but finely giving us control over a whole team with abilities
honed. You’ll crouch in bushes, checking guard just as playful and powerful as Isabelle’s. The
patrols and sightlines and slowly engineering your result is the strangest and most flexible game in
way through. More than character abilities, the the studio’s catalogue. Teleporting duelists,
best tools for the job are your quicksave key and cannoneers, a magical fish that distracts enemies
the ability to synchronise actions to take out – every single character brings something weird
multiple guards in one absurdly satisfying and wonderful to the table.
ANDY CHALK
Atomic Heart
Forget the idea of a Russian
BioShock: Atomic Heart is a
wild, careening shooter that
veers from aggressive silliness
to dark horror in the blink of an
eye, all of it experienced as a
thick-headed Soviet super
soldier who has no patience for
any of this bullshit. It’s atonal
as hell, and genuinely one of
the funniest things I’ve played
in years: This is Eurojank with a
proper budget, and I love it.

63
GAME OF THE YEAR 2023

BEST
FIGHTING
GAME
2023

STREET FIGHTER 6
Tyler Wilde: Thanks to the store in Akihabara while on
deeper-than-usual tutorials and vacation to buy the buttons to
practice modes, I finally build a fight stick.

BEST
understand Street Fighter Mollie Taylor: Street Fighter 6 is
basics that have eluded me for the first 2D fighter I’ve given a
decades – I seriously never
knew what people meant by
damn about in a hot sec. It’s
done a fantastic job of making REMAKE
‘cross-up’ before this game. (I itself approachable to 2023
have not historically been very newcomers, with a healthy
good at Street Fighter.) That mixture of casual and veteran
alone has made Street Fighter 6 modes to satisfy all tastes.
exciting for me, but I also like While the new Drive Rush
the goofy story mode. I made a mechanic has split opinion in SYSTEM SHOCK
character based on me – with the community, the shakeup
slightly larger biceps, sure, and has made the competitive side
yeah, inhuman quads, but of things a blast to watch. I Robert Jones: Nightdive shooters – every piece in
basically me – and watching my sincerely hope more fighting Studios absolutely knocked it System Shock’s arsenal feels
new Street Fighter self meet games have a training and out of the park with the System good in the hand, and I’d
Chun-Li felt weirdly like online mode as great as Street Shock Remake, somehow especially like to shout out my
actually meeting a celebrity. Fighter 6’s, and I certainly achieving the near impossible love, the Laser Rapier, which
Better, really, since Chun-Li wouldn’t complain if more of balancing act of remaining allows for a surprisingly-
taught me how to fight, but the them had an incredibly goofy incredibly faithful to the effective melee ambusher
one time I met Jack White he story mode too. groundbreaking original game, playstyle. I was surprised too at
didn’t teach me how to play a Rich Stanton: As a longtime SF which is considered the how much I got on with System
vintage guitar. player and fight stick grandfather of the immersive Shock’s navigational challenges.
Wes Fenlon: Street Fighter 6’s aficionado, probably my sim genre, while also totally It’s not a game that holds your
story mode is goofy. I’m fully favourite part of SF6 is the overhauling many of the hand or provides quest
bored of the Mortal Kombat modern controls. I don’t use original game’s now antiquated markers, but I was never
style of cutscene-fight-cutscene. them, but it’s opened the game systems. And it did this despite frustrated the way I often get
Treating Street Fighter’s stars as up to such a wide audience that making the tough decision to with Metroidvanias, and
celebrities in their own world multiplayer feels incredibly reboot this remake totally wandering Citadel’s halls,
was a stroke of brilliance and diverse, every roster character during development, too. But it bopping guys with my rapier or
opens up so much comic rocking up at some point, and is testament to the dedication blasting them away with the
potential. I had so much fun lots of lovely special attack and skill of Nightdive’s devs SMG proved a delightful way to
with Street Fighter 6 this year spamming that I can brutally that it pulled it off and while away some evenings.
that I went to an arcade parts punish again and again. delivered a game that today has Phil Savage: In a recent
‘Very Positive’ review scores on interview, Nightdive’s Stephen
Steam from literally thousands Kick told us that he expected
and thousands of PC gamers. the studio to take some heat for
Ted Litchfield: I knew Looking not adding waypoints to the
Glass Studios’ 1994 classic by remake. I’m actually surprised
reputation alone when I dove at his surprise. Often the real
into the System Shock Remake, problem with going back and
so it speaks to both the playing an old classic is how
timelessness of these largely- antiquated the control system
unchanged maps and feels. If the basic process of
Nightdive’s incredible work interacting with a character
modernizing the gameplay that feels off, then I find it hard to
I loved every minute of it. push through and get invested
I can’t quite put my finger in a game. I don’t want a
on it, but the gunplay here just streamlined experience, I just
satisfied me like few other want the basics to feel solid.

64
 GAM E OF
THE YEAR
2023

BALDUR’S GATE III

Fraser Brown: Baldur’s Gate III is probably my replayability and how it never 200 hours into Baldur’s Gate III
all-time fave. I gave it the highest score I’ve ever seemed to quite hold up – I like in a month and a half, and I
slapped on a game during my time at PCG (97), all the choices I made in Mass need to give it some time before
and playing it again I’ve only found more things to Effect, I think I’ll just make I dive back in.
love. The ingenious, complex systems keep them again when I’ve got a Robin Valentine: When we came
spitting out surprises, and countless compelling hankerin’ to replay it! Could to picking our Game of the Year,
story beats are hidden away for second, third and Baldur’s Gate III really get there was basically no debate –
fourth playthroughs. It’s so impossibly rich and people coming it was Baldur’s
detailed, and so much care has been taken with back to such a Gate III in a
the characters, that I find it hard to envision a
game that could top this.
long game,
committing to A TESTAMENT TO landslide. I
suspect it’ll be
Robert Jones: Simply put, the fantasy RPG of the new, crazy play THE INCREDIBLE the same at
decade. What Larian Studios achieved with
Baldur’s Gate III is incredibly, monumentally
styles for 80
hours at a time? WORK LARIAN many other
outlets. Any way
special and, honestly, something so rare and Well, I’m HAS DONE you slice it, that
magical that I wouldn’t be surprised if it took hooked. I am is bizarre. In
another two decades or more for such an order of desperately 2023, an
magnitude shift in what is thought possible in restraining myself from going unapologetically old school,
RPGs to happen again. As someone who played back in to try out the disgusting fiddly, complicated CRPG is
the original two Baldur’s Gate games when they bard/thief or paladin/warlock going to sweep the awards. Who
originally released, I’d written this series off in my multiclass builds that have set could have seen that coming?
mind over the past 20 years as something sadly my brain on fire. I sunk nearly What a testament to the
lost to the past, so it was incredible work Larian has done
genuinely moving to not just here. Like Disco Elysium before
jump back into its world once it, Baldur’s Gate III has broken
more and to be reacquainted through on the pure merits of
with characters I never thought being an RPG experience that is
I’d see again, but to do so and so clever and so rich.
have a gaming experience that In a year full of huge releases
had literally never been from well-established, iconic
delivered before. Baldur’s Gate studios, no one could even get
III represents the soul of PC close to the cultural impact of
gaming, something evidenced by Baldur’s Gate III, and you really
its record-breaking review score, just have to marvel at that.
and for me was always going to Frankly I still can’t believe that
be Game of the Year. I’m saying a top-down D&D
Ted Litchfield: In the lead-up to game is going to wind up being
Baldur’s Gate III, we talked one of the most influential
about the promise of RPG games of the decade.

65
REVIEW
Cities: Skylines 2

THINNER CITY
CITIES: SKYLINES II is a lot bigger than the original, but not quite better
By Christopher Livingston

A
ttention citizens! You may have noticed two exciting new mega-metropolis filled with towering
features in our fair city. The first is the Large Hadron NEED TO KNOW skyscrapers, airports and harbours,
Collider, an extremely massive and expensive scientific and thousands of simulated citizens.
facility that will inspire an interest in education and boost WHAT IS IT? There are some big early game
Colossal Order’s urban
our tech industry! The second new feature is that, due to the city builder sequel improvements over the original
heavy infrastructural demands of the collider, every sewer in the city is Skylines, like the ability to import
backed up and none of your toilets will flush. EXPECT TO PAY electricity from another unseen city
$69.95
by simply attaching your power lines
Not to worry! To fix that I’ll just buy moving parts that improves on many DEVELOPER to theirs. Not having to immediately
more land so I can build additional of the systems and features of the Colossal Order build a huge polluting power plant
groundwater pumping stations and original game. But like a scientist who PUBLISHER not only saves money but precious
water treatment plants – or at least I can smash atoms but not flush their Paradox Interactive space on your starting map square.
would do that if I hadn’t spent every toilet, it’s let down by some small yet REVIEWED ON An even better perk: When I later
last penny on that big collider thingie. important details. Cities: Skylines II Intel i7-9700K, 16GB had both the cash and the room to
Time to mess with some budget is much bigger than the original, but RAM, Nvidia GeForce build a couple big stinky power
RTX 4070 Ti
sliders and take out a unfortunately it’s not plants of my own, I was able to
huge loan I’ll probably better – at least not yet. MULTIPLAYER export my surplus electricity back
never be able to pay Drawing roads No down those same power lines and
back, so expect higher and snapping ON THE GROW LINK
paradoxinteractive.
make some extra money.
taxes, fewer firefighters
and ambulances, and
them together As in the first game,
you begin with a small com/games/
It’s instantly easy to see how
much work went into creating better
please, please try not to is smooth square of land on a
cities-skylines-ii
road tools for the sequel. Drawing
use the bathroom for and easy giant slice of map. You roads and snapping them together is
the next several years. start laying down smooth and easy, as is upgrading
I’m highlighting my roads, zoning for those roads later with new features
questionable skills as mayor because residential, commercial, and – lines of trees, grassy strips, and
my multi-million dollar large hadron industrial areas, and watch as little tram lines for public transportation
collider breaking plumbing is bitty homes and businesses begin to can be placed directly onto existing
symbolic of Cities: Skylines II itself. spring up. Then the delicate dance roads with zero fuss. Toggles let you
Colossal Order’s new urban city begins as you try to balance budgets draw parallel roads and even entire
builder is huge and impressive, a and costs while expanding from a grids with perfect angles and spacing.
complex machine with tons of small town to a booming city to a Even the world’s sloppiest mayor

ABOVE: Connect trains to cargo lines and ship

products to new regions.

66
 Some buildings can cost
millions to construct
and maintain.

TOP: Soon your (that’s me, hello) can easily draw an

tiny town becomes attractive new subdivision or
a big city.
downtown area in seconds.
ABOVE: Modular
upgrades, like a TECH TREES
school sports field,
improve a service
Progression is handled nicely, too.
building’s capacity. Instead of simply being based on
population milestones, you earn
XP by building stuff, attracting
new residents, and increasing the
happiness of your citizens. Each XP
milestone automatically unlocks
new city features but also grants you
a handful of development points you
can spend on more unlocks. If you
want to upgrade your power station
to solar early on, you can spend
points on electrical options, and if
you want to build a huge observation
tower, start dumping points into the
parks department. The system is
sensible and gives you control over
what you’ll be able to add to your
city and when, reminiscent of a
strategy game tech tree.
U N N AT U R A L D I S A S T E R S
Another big improvement is being Tornadoes aren’t as dangerous as an incompetent mayor.
able to upgrade service buildings like Here are my man-made catastrophes
fire stations, schools, and industrial
plants to increase their effectiveness.
If you don’t want to build a second
high school, for example, you can add
modular extensions to your existing
one that will increase student
capacity. Rather than building a
DOWNWIND TA XI STAND SEWAGE CAR PARK
second wastewater treatment plant RESIDENCE Look at that massive Sewage lines I relocated a tall
you can add on multiple additional I built residences crowd! One taxi don’t go across parking garage… but
processing units or an advanced directly downwind of stand isn’t enough bridges meaning all the cars remained
polluting industrial for the whole city? 3,000 people floating there. Call it
filtering system to increase its plants. Sorry folks! Lesson learned. couldn’t flush. modern art.
efficiency and capacity. It’s a much

67
RTraffic
E V IisEanWissue, but not
nearly as much as it was in
the original.

smarter system than simply plopping FAR LEFT: It doesn’t

down entirely new service buildings really feel like a
proper city until you
to address the needs of your growing have an airport.
population, and clicking new
modules into place on existing ABOVE: The
suburbs look like a
buildings is a tactile bit of fun, too. nice place to live.
Weirdly enough, my favourite part
of Cities: Skylines II takes place far
from the skyscrapers and suspension
bridges of the downtown metro area.
Scattered across the map are resource
nodes for growing crops, raising
livestock, and mining for minerals
and oil. As I earned new map tile
unlocks I’d almost always spend
them buying land far from the city’s
hub so I could build farms and
mining operations. Rather than just
being a square you plop down, you
can draw the outlines of each zone,
snapping the borders of your farms
and mining pits to roads or other
existing barriers. Specialized
GRID UNLOCKED industries mean more demand for
homes and business in the city and,
There are lots of ways for your citizens to get around without best of all, materials and products can
using cars, which eases traffic problems. Here are a few… be sold to other regions.

DEVIL IN THE DETAILS

As my city slowly filled up with
buildings and residents, it also began
to feel a bit empty – especially when
compared to the original game which
has been fed with dozens of DLC
BUS TRAM TRAIN HEARSE
Not sexy, but reliable Fast and convenient, Perfect for letting No stops, no charge, packs over the past seven years.
city transport. though laying out all your citizens take just quick and With a mere 20,000 citizens and
Unfortunately still that track in the city longer rides and reliable delivery the designation of ‘Small City’ the
prone to traffic jams can be tricky when even to visit places straight to the
and accidents. you first get to it. off the map. graveyard.
milestones had already run out of
new features to unlock. There are

68
 REVIEW
Cities: Skylines 2

only three different tourist attractions game while I play Cities: Skylines II, I don’t wind up feeling as much
to build, and while there are several but it would be nice to zoom in and connection to the city I’m building
sports parks they’re all small, the sort see at least one little animated teen as I’d hoped.
you might find in an average-sized on a skateboard enjoying the
town. Cities: Skylines II has nothing half-pipe or kicking a ball around on BOTTLENECKS
like the huge gleaming sports the sports field – something to make Cities: Skylines II has performance
stadium from the first game that it feel like my citizens are actually issues. Some tinkering with default
feels suited for a major city. using them. settings improved my fps but at the
Zooming in close to spy on cost of lowering the level of detail
my city revealed a few other DECORATIONS or disabling systems like depth of
disappointing changes. In the Another detail a lot of players will field. I experienced a lot of random
original game it was fun to watch miss are props to decorate their cities FPS dips, slowdowns and hitches,
city services at work: firemen would with – you can plant trees (and those and sometimes complete freezes
race to a fire, get out of their trucks, trees will slowly grow taller over that lasted a few seconds, along with
and hose down the burning time) but placeable items like park visual issues like irritating shadow-
buildings with little hoses. Adorable benches, trash cans, fountains, and flickering on certain buildings. As
and live-saving! For those less other decorative props are oddly you’d guess, the bigger the city gets
fortunate citizens, coroners would missing from Cities: Skylines II, the more severe performance issues
drive up to a house which means fewer become, and while I expect plenty
and then wheel out a ways to decorate of optimization of Cities: Skylines
sad little body bag to I don’t wind up and customise. II to occur post-launch, right now,
their hearse before feeling as much A bit of silliness has it’s a bit rough.
heading for the fled the game, too. I As for the game’s other
cemetery. I was connection to scanned my busy city shortcomings, I’m optimistic there
disappointed to see the city I’m streets for ages and as well. The original Cities: Skylines
that in Cities: Skylines building never once saw a single improved massively after it
II, fire engines and truck with a giant hot launched – yes, mainly through
hearses pull up to the dog or donut mounted dozens of pieces of paid DLC, but
buildings they’re servicing but on the roof. In Cities: Skylines II, there were also lots of completely
there’s none of those wonderful delivery vans, no matter what they’re free additions alongside them, not
little animations. A moment later hauling, just look like boring old to mention the thousands of mods
the fire simply goes out or the delivery vans. The style and colours created by passionate community
deceased citizen is teleported to are muted, giving the game a more members. I’m hopeful Cities:
the hearse. Bummer. realistic and grounded look but Skylines II will someday become
taking away a bit of the fun and flash. a better game than the original,
HOBBIES Very little of what I’m talking instead of just a bigger one.
I see some citizens in the public about here has a real impact on how
parks I’ve built walking their dogs or the game actually functions, but it
practising yoga, but buildings like the does have an impact on how I play.

77
The city builder sequel
skate park and high school football With fewer reasons to zoom in close is packed with big
field never show any signs of life or to spy on the minutiae of the world improvements but
activity. I’m not asking to watch an I’m lording over, I find myself a fair share of
entire simulated high school football generally sticking to a bird’s eye view. disappointments.

Fire trucks magically

put out fires, no
hoses needed.

ABOVE: Build an airborne fire department to

battle wildfires.

69
REVIEW
Lords of the Fallen

A TALE OF TWO GAMES

LORDS OF THE FALLEN is a great Souls-like, haunted by some bizarre choices
By Harvey Randall

L
ords of the Fallen’s 2023 reboot – which I’ll call Lords of the certain flower beds with a
Fallen from now on for brevity’s sake – is a big, heartfelt NEED TO KNOW consumable item, though you’re only
attempt to reinvent a franchise which came under heavy allowed to have one at a time. In
fire in 2014 for being one of the first Souls-like derivatives. WHAT IS IT? theory, this lets you set your own
A Souls-like with plenty
Truth be told, Hexworks has done a damn fine job. But of bosses, satisfying difficulty based on how much Vigor
although it’s with a heavy heart that I have to admit it, I haven’t (Lords combat, and a ton of – the game’s currency – you’re
of the) fallen in love. build variety willing to spend on seeds.
EXPECT TO PAY In practice it’s just a mandatory
I like Lords of the Fallen. Quite a bit, submerged. You can visit it manually, $89.95 Vigor tax. Vestiges are very few and
actually. It might be one of the best and dipping in and out is a big part of DEVELOPER
far between, and unless you want to
non-FromSoftware Souls games exploration. You can also peek into it Hexworks tear your hair out, you’ll be wanting
we’ve gotten so far. It oozes creativity, by holding your lamp up, using it to two to three seedlings at all times. I
PUBLISHER
its bosses are inventive and cool to pass through doors or along Umbral CI Games
can’t say the system accomplishes
look at, it has a huge platforms, without anything that more thoughtfully-
host of weapons and having to enter it fully. REVIEWED ON placed vestiges wouldn’t have.
spells to muck around Visually, the The lamp also gives AMD Ryzen 7 5800,
16GB RAM, Nvidia Visually, the Umbral is striking. It
with, and the Umbral Umbral is you a cool ability, GeForce RTX 3060 really feels like an alien world. I once
Lamp – which lets you Soulflaying, which lets came to a chasm, died, went to the
hop between the land
striking. It you yoink the spirit out
MULTIPLAYER
Umbral, and just had to stop and
Yes
of the dead and the really feels like of your foes. You can stare at the artfully-arranged corpse
LINK
land of the living
– adds a ton to the
an alien world use this to knock them
off ledges, or you can
lordsofthefallen.com
giants clinging to the cliff face. Using
the Lamp was a shockingly smooth
setting and the hit their soul directly to experience too, which I can only
moment-to-moment exploration. I make them vulnerable to attacks. chalk up to SSD magic. I’m one of the
can’t ignore some glaring design While the lamp itself stays fun to lucky ones, unfortunately – from my
thorns in Lords of the Fallen’s rose. play with throughout, I can’t help but temperature checks of the fanbase
The Umbral Lamp is great. To feel Hexworks could’ve done more after launch, the game’s had some
break it down, there are two realities with the concept. You’ll only typically major performance issues. It ran
in Lords of the Fallen – Axiom and use it to go through heavily- nicely for me, but your mileage may
Umbral. If you die in Axiom, you go signposted Umbral gauntlets, and vary considerably.
to Umbral, if you die in Umbral, while the Risk of Rain-style danger
you’re dead proper. But it’s more than counter is cool, I never maxed it out. SLAYING GROOVE
a second chance with a blue filter. The Umbral Seeds system, When Lords of the Fallen feels good,
The Umbral plays by different though? A swing and a miss for me. it feels really good. A lot of that’s
rules, steadily spawning deadlier You can plant your own vestiges owed to your character’s movement
enemies the longer you stay (bonfires, for Dark Souls vets) at – even at medium encumbrance, my
lamp bearer turned on a dime. When
you sprint you really motor, blitzing
across the battlefield like a bat out of
THE GANK SQUADS OF MOURNSTEAD hell. Brawling feels tactile, too. More
than once I slammed someone with
Or: my new sleep paralysis demons my knight’s big stonking sword and
cackled with joy as their corpse was
flung halfway across the room.
You can also time your blocks a la
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, whittling
away at an enemy’s posture. Once it’s
empty, you can trigger a satisfying
counterblow by either parrying them
CROSSBOWMEN THE DOGS TRASH GOBLINS HOTTEST TOPIC
These buggers fire Comes in three Divebombs you off Tailor-made to aggro again or hitting them with a
two bolts. You can flavours: normal, ledges, torpedoes onto you through fully-charged melee attack.
get their crossbow. armoured, explodes you at range, and walls and up ledges. Then there’s the Wither
It fires one bolt. when dead. All laughs at your poor Gets shy when you’re
Hexworks? Explain. are terrible. taste in fashion. in whackin’ range.
mechanic. Enemies can deal wither
damage to you with certain attacks,

70
FAR LEFT: Many
beasties feel ripped
straight from a heavy
metal album cover.

BELOW: Pieta asks me

politely to stop
parrying her.

71
RIGHT: Vestige seeds
feel innovative, but
just become
frustrating.

FAR RIGHT: The

Umbral is as pretty
as it is hostile.

Pieta asking me
impolitely to stop
parrying her.

72
 REVIEW
Lords of the Fallen

but you’ll also take temporary right like I was playing a rhythm someone’ll punt a barrel down it.
damage if you block an attack game. Weaving in between those Any archer looming at the end of a
without parrying it. Wither damage bolts as I closed the distance was one hallway will have several nooks
can be healed back by whacking the of the most satisfying experiences with more bad guys protecting them
offending monster, but if you’re hit, I’ve had in a Souls game, period. as a rule, not an exception. Sure, you
all your withered health is gone. This My only complaint is that many can kite stuff, but that’s not
turns blocking into an engaging game bosses were so fair that they became particularly engaging.
of risk and reward, one to be applied too easy. Maybe it’s because I’ve still The sheer density of enemies is
as a strategy rather than in a panic. got that Sekiro-style parrying muscle a real problem, too. By the halfway
The magic system is memory burned into point, every combat encounter
the cherry on top, a my frontal lobe. That’s comes flavoured with an entourage of
genuine improvement The sheer fine – except there’s a dogs, archers, footsoldiers, zombies,
over other Souls-likes density of spanner in the works. zombies that can fling fireballs
in almost every way. enemies is A mechanical – sometimes they’ll just double up
Every character comes dissonance when it on the bigger, badder late-game foes,
with a ranged weapon, a real comes to the rest of the most of which have the ability to
like a crossbow or a problem, too game’s level design, create mines, sling magic, or close the
magic catalyst. You can which feels at times distance in a handful of frames.
enter a ranged stance like a pain machine It feels like a lot of these fights
that changes your usual hack-and- devised by a wrathful god. were built in a silo without proper
slash buttons into an assigned array consideration to the overall pacing of
of spells, kind of like aiming down A TALE OF TWO GAMES an area. Fortunately, further patches
your sights in a third-person shooter. To describe Lords of the Fallen’s have seen Hexworks make
Dipping in and out of spell-flinging is mid-to-late game areas as simply adjustments to enemy density in
quick and nixes D-pad fumbling. difficult seems inaccurate. They’re certain pain spots. But since running
All of this – the nippy movement, flooded with enemies and ambushes around and exploring forms the bulk
the strong tactile feedback, the – with placements that occasionally of a Souls-like game, it was enough to
versatile weapon movesets, the feel downright cruel. In your typical sour the experience for me.
elegant magic system, the emphasis Souls-like game, ambushes are just This, combined with the very
of timed blocking – it leads to an common enough to keep you on your even-tempered boss design, often
absolutely sublime flow, the kind toes. Lords of the Fallen, however, made me feel like I was playing two
that’s vital to a good boss fight. eventually made me develop an games. One of them gave me fair,
Fortunately, boss fights are something internal rule: if it looks like an exciting spectacles that were a little
Hexworks has pulled off very well. ambush, it is one. too soft – the other wanted me dead
There is always an enemy behind in as many ways as possible.
BEAUTIFUL BOSSES a smashable wall, there is always an Personally, I think if your boss
It’s rare that I like every single boss archer taking potshots at you. Long battles feel like a holiday from the
in a Souls-like game, but Lords of the flight of stairs? Coin flip on whether rest of your game’s difficulty,
Fallen came real close. Only one something’s gone wrong.
fight left a sour taste in my mouth Hexworks has built a base here
– boiling down to ‘find and kill a which, with improvements to the
bunch of zombies’ – but the rest
were actually fantastic.
A S C I E N T I F I C D I F F I C U LT Y G R A P H pacing and difficulty, could genuinely
go blow-for-blow with
The combat system shines in the (It’s a little inconsistent) FromSoftware’s games. When
game’s duels against humanoid combat works, it flows like silk. The
bosses. They force you to mix up Castle with a Umbral Lamp is a genuinely
billion enemies.
your toolset, parrying one moment, awesome addition. Despite all of this,
dodging the next, sprinting to avoid the cogs don’t link up and sing as
ranged blasts or storms of radiant they should, and the whole machine
arrows – coaxing you into a satisfying Archers suffers for it. When Lords of the
and dogs.
back-and-forth flow that hits so right. Fallen’s great, it’s great – when it’s
MY BLOOD PRESSURE

They’re also fair. Lords of the bad, it’s a frustrating, capricious

Fallen’s bosses are well-telegraphed, Dudes labyrinth with a trap every five steps.
behind
rewarding players who stay attentive boxes. Cool boss.
That said, if you’re hankering for a
and flexible in their playstyle. The new Souls-like game, one that goes
Umbral Lamp also often comes into back to the genre’s sprawling
play, letting you hoover up Umbral megadungeon roots, Lords of the
Parasites to remove buffs, detonate Cool boss. Fallen has a ton to offer.
landmines, create patches of healing
magic and more.
One boss I fought pulled out a

79
Some of the best boss
crossbow mid-fight to take pot shots Cool boss. fights in the genre’s
at me. I realised those shots were recent history, riddled
perfectly timed to my character’s PL AY TIME with difficulty spikes in all
quickstep, letting me dance left and the wrong places.

73
 Your move, Creep.

RIGHT: Thanks for the

lesson, New Guy! Now
here’s a lesson for
you, too. Don’t get
terrible haircuts.

FAR RIGHT: This boss

battle against a slow
moving Enforcement
Droid isn’t great.

BELOW: Be prepared
for psychological
assessments between
story missions.

74
 REVIEW
RoboCop: Rogue City

KILLER COP
ROBOCOP: ROGUE CITY’s engaging, hyper-violent combat only takes it so far
By Noah Smith

R
oboCop: Rogue City’s combat feels like straight up murder: down to RoboCop awkwardly
I totally lost it when I punched someone for the first time NEED TO KNOW clambering around the arena taking
and RoboCop’s fist flew out with the force of a particle cover behind too-small pillars.
accelerator, instantly atomising their skull. A few minutes WHAT IS IT? Between missions you return to
Narrative FPS based
later I had to take a breather after picking up a dumpster and on the classic film the precinct to undergo routine
squashing four guys into a corner with it, like it was a malevolent hydraulic psychological assessments, help
press adorned with Oakley and Punisher skull stickers. EXPECT TO PAY fellow officers shuffle papers and just
$73.50
sort of putter around, taking in the
There is a tremendous sense of mutilated stumps and crying out, DEVELOPER sights from the film. The side
physicality in Rogue City. You can “My hand!” There’s even some Teyon missions have RoboCop trundling
pick up enemies by the neck and fling ragdoll magnetism, where shooting PUBLISHER through garbage heaps and pools of
them against walls so hard that some jobber standing by a ledge will Nacon water that obscure HP-shredding
chunks of rubble will rain down on cause him to tumble over, arms and REVIEWED ON landmines. It’s arduous, and the
their ragdolled corpses. legs flailing. AMD Ryzen 7 5700G, payoff is rarely worth it either.
Bullets scatter reams of 32GB RAM, AMD The most human character is
paper and turn clutter Environments REPEAT Radeon RX 6600
ironically RoboCop himself, voiced by
into hurricanes of are littered OFFENDER MULTIPLAYER the returning Peter Weller. Rogue
plastic and metal. It all starts to fall apart No City opens with RoboCop suffering a
Environments are
with a comical though when Rogue LINK PTSD episode during a hostage crisis,
littered with a comical number of City introduces shorturl.at/jpLRZ leaving him chipped like a dog and
number of explosives, explosives enemies that don’t run through a gauntlet of mechanical
too, that behave in explode with gore and psychological checks while
hilariously different – there’s a god-awful being dressed down. There’s a stark
ways. A propane canister will bonk boss fight against a malfunctioning contrast between the absurd,
against the head of whoever you ED-209 early on, and since you’re bombastic, power fantasy action and
throw it at and then rocket around both two giant, slow-moving tin cans the utterly emasculating experience
the area before exploding. RoboCop packing nearly identical heat, it boils of being strapped down and
can pick up landmines and whip screamed at by your idiot boss.
them like frisbees. Technically, RoboCop: Rogue City
I loved the way RoboCop’s Auto-9 is fine, hovering around 60fps on
machine pistol handles, a modular
burst fire SMG that just vomits a
OCP CRIME PREVENTION UNIT 001 high settings on my mid-grade build.
It’s no looker, but when the bullets
ridiculous stream of small calibre Dead or alive, you’re coming with me! start flying and the bodies start piling
rounds with pinpoint accuracy. I up by the dozens, Rogue City holds
could go for another whole campaign
of doming someone with a full burst
1
AUTO 9
MACHINE
PISTOL
1 strong, rarely dropping below 45
frames. Character animations range
and watching their body ragdoll Fire bursts of from ‘fine’ to ‘bad’, and the
9x19mm
backwards in slow motion. Parabellum
environments faithfully capture the
Yes, Rogue City has a skill tree 2 look of the original film.
rounds. Good at
system, and it’s way too bloated. My exploding skulls. Ultimately Rogue City doesn’t rise
advice: get the first tier of every above its B-game status in the way
ability ASAP, because they’re the
juice that keeps Rogue City’s combat
2ROBO
HANDS
Good for grabbing
that RoboCop transcended its
B-movie origins. Too often the joy of
from getting repetitive. There’s Max goons and punks wasting goons is cut short or delayed
Payne-esque bullet time, flashbangs by the neck and by plodding police busywork that
throwing them
in your eyes and, my favourite, a through windows. rarely plays to the game’s strength
forward charge which sees RoboCop – character writing.
plant his feet and surge ahead like a
flat-footed freight train, bowling over 3ARMOURED
CROTCH
Well, he may
3

everyone in his path. largely be

65
RoboCop: Rogue
This is made all the better by a machine, but City’s fantastic
dismemberment system that seems to Murphy is still all
man, and wants to
shootouts are held
prioritise the funniest outcomes stay that way. back by a dull narrative
possible, enemies clutching their and bloated pacing.

75
REVIEW
Alan Wake 2

NIGHT TERRORS
ALAN WAKE 2 is a wild barrage of creative storytelling and visual flair
By Robin Valentine

I
n the first playable moments of Alan Wake 2, you control a naked, deploying sources of light to keep the
balding, middle-aged man stumbling in confusion around a forest. NEED TO KNOW monstrous Taken at bay and burn
After a few seconds of staring at his hairy bottom while I guided away their shadowy defences.
him around, it dawned on me that this wasn’t going to be your WHAT IS IT? It’s a game of tension and release;
A surreal survival
typical big-budget videogame. horror sequel that also long stretches of quiet, building fear,
ties into Control, punctuated by short bursts of
Even by Remedy’s own quirky murders. You play as both characters, and Remedy’s other violence and panic. Brilliantly
standards, Alan Wake 2 is each following their own story past games impactful, satisfying gunplay helps
idiosyncratic. You could call it threads that parallel and interweave EXPECT TO PAY that structure sing – when you hit a
self-indulgent, even, as it dives with each other, and you can switch $90 Taken’s weak spot, you really know
headfirst into its every strange idea. between them at set points, allowing DEVELOPER about it, as the booming shot rings
Weaving a winkingly meta journey you to experience the two journeys in Remedy Entertainment out, smokey shadows blast out of the
through all corners of the studio’s your own unique order. PUBLISHER
wound, and the creature recoils back.
lore, at times it feels like watching Epic Games Publishing That is, until it shrugs off having half
Remedy get high off its own SHADOW PLAY its torso blasted away and starts
REVIEWED ON
fumes. Which is exactly Though the story AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, advancing on you again.
what makes it so continues almost 32GB RAM, Nvidia The game keeps you on edge and
enthrallingly brilliant. Keeps you on uninterrupted from Geforce RTX 3080 makes you work for your moments of
The game picks edge and makes the first game, tonally MULTIPLAYER respite. For me, the most frightening
up 13 years after
writer Alan Wake’s
you work for things feel very
different in Bright Falls.
No enemy in the game ended up being
the wolves that lurk in the forest
your moments Alan Wake was the sort LINK
disappearance at the alanwake.com outside Bright Falls. They’re not even
end of the first game, of respite of game I’d call spooky that monstrous, and they don’t take
following both his rather than scary; Alan that much to put down, but the way
continuing attempts to Wake 2 is proper they stalk you – circling you in the
escape the mysterious Dark Place survival horror, full of brutal undergrowth, looking for an opening
– a dimension of psychological encounters, nail-bitingly tense delves to leap at you, before retreating back
nightmare – and the investigations of into darkness, and surprisingly gory out of sight until their next
new protagonist Saga Anderson, an violence. For both Saga in the real opportunity – leads to wonderfully
FBI agent sent to the backwoods world and Alan in the Dark Place, memorable games of cat-and-mouse.
town of Bright Falls to find the staying alive means managing your Remedy knows action – it has
culprits behind a series of ritual ammo and resources, and carefully been making creative, satisfying

ABOVE: Navigating the game’s semi-open areas

can be a little tricky, but the maps have a lovely
papery feel.

76
 Shawn Ashmore returns from
Quantum Break to play a character
called Tim Breaker. Yes, really.

ABOVE: Arranging combat systems since 2001’s Max

clues on Saga’s Payne. What does show through
investigation wall is a
brilliantly satisfying sometimes, however, is that the
way of digesting the studio isn’t as experienced with the
complex story. broader experience of survival horror.
FAR RIGHT: The live
The quiet stretches between fights
action sequences are long enough that they give you
are wonderfully too much opportunity to scavenge
well produced, and get over-equipped for
with excellent
performances. encounters. When enemies do arrive,
they can feel disappointingly bland
– generic possessed humans lacking
in the kind of visual imagination or
story build-up of for example a
Resident Evil game’s bestiary.
But even if the survival horror
elements don’t always feel fully
complete, that’s much less of an issue
than you might think, because really
the action is only one part of what’s
on offer here. What Remedy is more
preoccupied with in Alan Wake 2 is
its storytelling, and it’s one of the
most fascinating, strange, and
creatively told narratives I’ve ever
experienced in a videogame.
CANON BARRAGE
To fully understand the story, make sure you’ve played…
LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
As in the first game, the horror and
madness descending on Bright Falls
is driven by an evil force that
piggybacks on art and fiction, MA X PAYNE 2001 ALAN WAKE 2010 CONTROL 2019
distorting reality into whatever fits Though Remedy Obviously the most ALAN WAKE’S Make sure to play
the narrative it’s following. It’s a can’t pull Max in important AMERICAN this and its Alan
wonderful excuse for the game to
directly, Alex Casey touchstone – AW2 NIGHTMARE Wake-themed DLC
is a stand-in and his follows on from the 2012 – it’s all set in the
get meta, blurring the lines between story works a lot events of the first This spin-off sets same universe
the story the game is telling you, better if you’re game and many key up Alan’s quest as AW2 and there
familiar with Payne characters return. to escape the are lots of very
the story Alan has written, and as a character. Play the DLCs too. direct connections.
Dark Place.
references to our own world and

77
REVIEW

Remedy’s past games. What’s the real TOP: Saga and Alex
backstory of Saga and the other new pull into town to
investigate a series of
characters, and what has been altered ritual murders, but
to make them better players in a quickly get drawn into
horror story? Did real events inspire even stranger events.
the fiction, or did the fiction ABOVE: Saga can
retroactively create the real events? switch between the
Are these real people at all, or real world and her
completely fictional constructs? ‘Mind Place’, a room in
her imagination where
It can certainly be overwrought she organises her
and convoluted, but there’s a kind of thoughts and
infectious enthusiasm to Remedy’s deductions.
house style, and it’s more evident
than ever here. The game is bursting
with ideas, and it wants to show you
every single one, all mashed together
into one gloriously absorbing tangle.
This is a game where the real life
creative director, Sam Lake, provides
the face for a character called Alex
Casey, an incarnation of Max Payne
who is simultaneously a real FBI
NIGHT SPRINGS ETERNAL agent, a character from an Alan
Wake book and the lead in a movie
Remedy has already announced post-launch support where he’s played by an in-universe
Sam Lake. And that’s just scratching
the surface of it.
What keeps it all on the right side
of fun rather than pretentious is how
willing Remedy is to punctuate its big
ideas with a laugh. Alan Wake 2 is
NEW GAME+ AND NIGHT SPRINGS THE LAKE HOUSE frightening and in its serious
PHOTO MODE Planned for spring 2024, The release date for the moments atmospheric and dramatic,
Not out at time of writing, but this expansion will let you second expansion is still TBC,
play out a series of side but what we do know is it will
but it’s also the funniest game I’ve
should be by the time you’re
reading this if all has gone stories starring “familiar involve exploring a Federal played this year. It’s brilliantly good
well. NG+ lets you carry over characters”, each presented Bureau of Control facility at finding the humour both in
weapons and upgrades, but as self-contained episodes of built to study the over-the-top absurdity – such as a
also changes elements of the Night Springs, the setting’s supernatural events at
story for a new experience. Twilight Zone-esque TV show. Cauldron Lake. musical sequence that has to be seen
to be believed – and in the quiet and

78
 REVIEW
Alan Wake 2

very personal oddities of a small town The fantastically detailed graphics of Control brings in particularly helps
community. At its best, it weaves are impressive throughout to ground the events at Bright Falls in
horror, and comedy directly together – particularly the animation of the some kind of wider reality.
– I did not expect one of the game’s characters, whose appearances are And in this confluence of all of
most fascinating and disturbing little so realistic, and their movements its games, it feels like Remedy’s
mysteries to kick off with a local and facial expressions so believable, personality shines through brighter
radio host announcing his show’s that the game is able to blend than ever. I was struck particularly
beef jerky sponsorship (“flavours in-engine interactions with live- by how unapologetically Nordic
include hickory smoked, teriyaki and action sequences near-seamlessly. the game is. Remedy is based in
hickory smoked teriyaki”). The recommended specs are Finland, and though that’s always
It’s hugely enhanced as well by definitely intimidating as a result, influenced the stories it tells, before
the many creative techniques the however – it ran perfectly smoothly now its American inspirations have
game uses to tell its story. Far from on my relatively beefy PC (RTX been at the forefront. Alan Wake 2
just sitting you down and making you 3080, Ryzen 9 5900X, 32GB RAM), may still be set in Washington, but
watch cutscenes, it’s constantly but only with a mix of medium and this time it’s as much a game about
experimenting with new ways to high graphics settings, with Finnish culture and Nordic
draw you in. Off-kilter live action ray-tracing turned off and AI mythology as it is a tribute to Twin
sequences are interspersed upscaling helping out on the Peaks and Stephen King.
throughout, often resolution side. I do That feels like a symptom of a
elegantly incorporated have to wonder how Remedy that’s more confident and
into in-engine Off-kilter live many players actually more independent than ever, and
sequences. Saga’s action exist who’ll have the that’s something that colours the
detective work involves
creating your own sequences are hardware to
experience these
entire experience of Alan Wake 2.
This is a studio with a truly unique
investigation interspersed visuals at their very, perspective, indulging all of its
corkboards, connecting throughout very best. wildest ideas and grandest ambitions,
clues into webs of fact and though you couldn’t call it
and speculation. Radio FINNISH LINE focused or restrained, it’s a glorious
excerpts, TV commercials, Where Control prodded at the idea sprawl of surreal horror to explore.
photographs, original songs, of a shared Remedy universe, Alan It’s rare that a game of this scope is
manuscript pages, and more add Wake 2 revels in it, and in some ways allowed to be so completely itself,
colour and detail – at one point you it feels like the start of something and the result is an experience that
can even settle down in a haunted bigger. The story plays with elements will stay with you long after you’ve
cinema and watch a full horror short of not just the first game and its seen every terrifying encounter,
film in Finnish. You’re simply spin-off, but also Control, Max Payne, cheesy manuscript page, and quirky
barraged with cool stuff to watch, and even to a small degree Quantum local TV commercial it has to offer.
listen to, and interact with. Break. Newcomers will likely find
It certainly doesn’t hurt that all of themselves confused, but all that
this is presented with such visual extra lore is used to add wonderful

88
Alan Wake 2 is Remedy’s
craft and flair. Its use of light and new depth and texture to the Alan boldest videogame
shadow isn’t quite as striking as the Wake mythology – the cold and experiment yet, and is
first game’s was back in 2010, but it’s bureaucratic approach to the surreal, creative and
a proper 2023 technical powerhouse. supernatural that the Federal Bureau genuinely frightening.

ABOVE: Facial animations are brilliantly detailed

and subtle.

79
REVIEW
Star Trek: Infinite

SECOND CONTACT
STAR TREK: INFINITE is Stellaris, but not as we know it
By Tom Hatfield

I
am opening this review with a warning: I am going to spend a lot you pay for a game when a mod is
of time here talking about a different game. This isn’t something I NEED TO KNOW free? Well Stellaris’ New Horizons
usually do, but as you may have guessed from the screenshots mod is a sprawling epic that covers
Infinite is very much built on the chassis of Stellaris, with some WHAT IS IT? the entirety of Star Trek history and
Paradox style grand
appropriately Star Trek twists. Consider it the Napoleon: Total War strategy, but Star Trek every faction in the galaxy, while
to Stellaris’ Empire: Total War – a more focused, narrative spin off from a Infinite is focused on the Alpha
larger and more sprawling game. EXPECT TO PAY and Beta quadrants of the Next
$42.95
Generation era, and frankly I
The game is set firmly in the Next Enterprise out to do various tasks DEVELOPER think it’s better for it. It’s also,
Generation/Deep Space Nine era and will reward you with a Next Nimble Giant paradoxically, the cheaper option
portrays the Federation, Klingons, Generation crew member. Other PUBLISHER if you don’t already own a full deck
Romulans and Cardassians as four major and minor Trek characters Paradox Interactive of Stellaris DLC.
superpowers locked in constant can also emerge in this fashion, REVIEWED ON
competition. It’s not meaning that, entirely Intel Core i5-4670k, LESS CLUNKY
unlike joining a Stellaris organically, I once 16GB RAM, Nvidia Something Infinite should have over
game a third of the way I want to see if I ended up in a situation GeForce GTX 1660
any mod is polish, and while it does
in. For the most part can evacuate where the Enterprise MULTIPLAYER
Online PVP
feel less clunky than New Horizons,
this works surprisingly was valiantly holding there are still more issues than there
well, but there are
the Romulans the line against an LINK should be at launch. Like a decidedly
some oddities: for before their unstoppable Borg paradoxinteractive. un-silent notification for a silent
com/games/
example playing as sun explodes sphere, only to be star-trek-infinite
alarm, or the strange bug that caused
the Federation I was rescued by Benjamin the voiceover to claim a character
prompted to colonise Sisko commanding a had died every five minutes, or the
the uninhabited planet of Denobula. I fleet of Voyagers. time I ended up with two Rikers.
know, Nimble Giant, I like to pretend At this point I have to talk about Although to be fair that last one also
Enterprise never existed too. the targ in the room. Stellaris already happened in the show.
Here’s the good news: Star Trek has a Star Trek mod, so why should It’s things like this, and the more
Infinite expresses the Federation direct ports from Stellaris, that make
fantasy far better than Stellaris ever Infinite feel a little unfinished. I don’t
did. You can genuinely expand by mind that Nimble Giant haven’t really
diplomacy here, buttering up minor
species and inviting them, one by
MIRROR Bajor collaborates
changed the planet building interface,
but I feel like I probably shouldn’t be
one. The other playable factions MIRROR Romulus and Vulcan
with Cardassia,
becoming a trading energy credits for alloys as
have their own spins on this, like Using the peacefully reunify. trusted subject. the famously post capitalist
setting up puppet governments as Federation. There’s also a
the Romulans.
missions disappointing lack of interactions
One of the other big changes from system to with pre-FTL civilisations.
Stellaris will be familiar to players of create the Nevertheless at the end of every
other Paradox games: there’s now a strangest review I ask myself, “Do I still want
narrative structure to the game in the Star Trek to play this game some more?” and
form of a branching mission tree universe the answer here is yes. I really do
where events can be triggered by want to try that reunification story
objectives as exciting as “have Bajor arc, I want to see if I can evacuate the
join the federation” or as banal as Romulans before their sun explodes
“survey ten systems”. They’re as this time (sorry guys), I want to
much about steering your playstyle as actually get the Enterprise E before
getting the rewards, and I ended up Jean-Luc Picard dies of old age.
enjoying them a great deal.
One of the best of these mission
chains is the Enterprise itself.

72
Star Trek: Infinite is
Completing the first step will reward Everyone’s The Federation compelling, but not quite
you with a jack of all trades super favourite rogue is conquered by there yet. It really needs
black ops team the Klingons.
ship that is equally adept at science, takes over. a couple of seasons to
war and diplomacy. Sending the grow the beard.

80
I wondered why Nausicaan pirates
kept attacking until I realised the
Romulans probably paid them.

FAR LEFT: “What the

hell guys, I thought we
all agreed on red
torpedoes today.”

BELOW: Bajor
always starts the
game occupied,
and positioned
between Cardassia
and the Federation.

81
 FREE GAMES REVIEWS
COOL TITLES FOR NO CASH by Tom Sykes

We’re still waiting on that

Seinfeld adventure game, but
this is a great consolation prize.

SHRINK-WRAPPED
Tossed salads and random battles in FRASIER FANTASY

F
rasier is back. Yes, in a new TV series, but also in this fan game, fighting enemies in turn-based
which takes the neurotic radio shrink and drops him into a NEED TO KNOW combat – and even this is given a
turn-based JRPG. It does sort of make sense – a ’90s sitcom delightfully Frasier twist.
being turned into a ’90s-style game – but is it actually worth WHAT IS IT? As Frasier is a psychiatrist, his
A short JRPG fan
playing, beyond the gag of its mere existence? To cut to the game set in the special attacks take the form of
chase: yes. This is one of the best fan games I’ve played. Frasier/Cheers ‘therapy’, as he spouts lines of
connected universe psychobabble that can put an enemy
The setup is that Frasier is hosting the dialogue is so shot-through with EXPECT TO PAY to sleep. This therapy works, most of
one of his dinner parties, but there’s attention to detail that you can tell Free the time – until it falters in front of a
a to-do list before he is finally ready. this was made by someone who loves DEVELOPER
memorable boss, in a frankly sublime
He needs his crotchety dad Martin, the show. Edward La Barbera climactic battle that really gets to the
and his dog Eddie, out of his heart of Frasier’s character.
PUBLISHER
apartment; he needs his grape CRANE MAN In-house
Developer Edward La Barbera has
scissors back from his brother Niles; There are deep-cuts of Frasier lore made a comedy of sibling rivalry,
and he has to host his everywhere, from REVIEWED ON pretension and dinner-based farces
Intel Core i7-10750H,
radio show down at the Maris’ summon attacks work as a JRPG. No small feat, but do
station. Cue turn-based Edward La in your boss fight
16GB RAM,
GeForce RTX 2060 you need to be a Frasier fan to enjoy
battles (but not very Barbera has against her (she trots MULTIPLAYER
it? I think you probably do, yes, as the
many), simple stealth
and sparkling dialogue,
made a comedy out her house staff to
wound you, which is
No story is a bit too compacted to make
much sense on its own, while the
in an adventure that of sibling exactly what Maris LINK game’s best moments are mainly
bit.ly/FrasierFantasy
hits all the classic rivalry would do), to subtler notable for who you’re fighting and
Frasier beats. references from the how they’re doing it. A pity, perhaps,
You’ll visit his callers to Frasier’s but as a diehard Frasierhead I’m
apartment, Café Nervosa, KACL and radio show. Unlike a traditional JRPG having enormous fun.
even Niles’ house, the latter inciting – which has to offer dozens of hours
a hilarious boss battle with Niles’ of content to justify the price tag
never-seen (not even here, – Frasier Fantasy is free to be a

79
A polished, hilarious fan
technically) wife Maris. Seattle is half-hour-long amuse-bouche, and it game that makes great
rendered in the style of a Game Boy never has time to drop in quality or use of its source
game, and everyone kind of looks like outstay its welcome. You move from material. But best for
their show counterparts. However, one set-piece to another, occasionally Frasier fans, obviously.

82
 FREE GAMES REVIEWS

BELOW: One-hit deaths keep you on your toes.

THE LOST LEVELS

MR PLATFORMER is a sidescroller that really goes places

M r Platformer takes a very

strange turn, but for
most of its runtime it’s
just a good platform game, with a
simplicity that’s refreshing in an era
Even now that I’ve finished the
game, I’m not sure how to describe
what happens, but it feels a little like
cosmic horror – or Mario’s idea of
cosmic horror, anyway. There’s a
of Metroidvanias and platforming growing desolation that practically
roguelikes. With its low-res art and inverts the premise of the game, and
short, challenging stages, it plays it’s all the more chilling as the
like Mario if it was demade for the phenomena is never explained.
ZX Spectrum. It’s not often that a platformer
is so ambiguous, so dreamlike and, in
Each stage is themed around a the end, nightmarish. This is a game
platforming facet, be it Pitfall!-style that leaves a strong final impression,
vine swinging, Mario-esque but even if you stop before it all goes
swimming, or hunting keys in an pear-shaped, I think you’ll have a
underground environment, but every pretty enjoyable time. The
time you reach the final stage, there’s platforming basics are handled well,
a curious horror vibe – and then transporting me back to the days of
you’re thrown back to the start of the Mario flagpoles and instant demises
world map. Things are different now, – but without the sky-high difficulty
however. Completed stages have been of Super Meat Boy. Mr
NEED TO KNOW
EXPECT TO PAY
Free
DEVELOPER
Terry Cavanagh
LINK
bit.ly/MrPlatformer
wiped from the map, replaced with
others. And when you beat a stage, a
timer counts down – but to what?
Platformer is sometimes
difficult, but ultimately
doable by actual mortals.
75

BELOW: You begin each loop in your flat.

LOOPER
Live, die, repeat in puzzle game TEST TEST TEST

I love a good timeloop, and Test

Test Test’s will take some doing
to unravel. It’s a cryptic,
real-time adventure game in which
you have 15 minutes to prepare
somewhere by a specific time, but
before long you’re thinking outside
the box – outside the game, even
– as you follow clues laid by a
time-trapped version of yourself, all
your files for an important work while battling that harsh time limit.
meeting. Fail to retrieve all three I relied on help from a YouTube
files and you’ll be fired – with a walkthrough, and I doubt I would
bullet to the head. have made its deductive leaps if I’d
persevered on my own. Sometimes,
But the moment the bullet lands, puzzles seemed ingenious in
time reverts to 11:45. Armed with a hindsight – generally, the ones where
little more knowledge each time you you’re doing things in-game – while
reset, can you solve the mysteries of the ones that brought in an external
your ominous work environment, source seemed needlessly drawn-out
find that elusive third folder, and and laborious, and I was relieved I
finally please your shadowy bosses? hadn’t devoted the brainpower to
Well, yes, partly – it’s an ending figuring them out. Compounding
that mostly preserves the mystery things is the time limit, as small
– but there is a way, a sequence of mistakes will often mean resetting
devious puzzles, that ultimately the loop, and plodding
NEED TO KNOW
brings the timeloop to a close.
Puzzles begin simply, as you decipher
an anagram on a note and try to get
through the opening
sections before you can
return to the puzzle.
68 EXPECT TO PAY
Free
DEVELOPER
Mojiken Studio
LINK
bit.ly/TestMojiken

83
 GROUP TEST

NEXT-GEN
GAMING
KEYBOARDS
Move over membrane, make
way mechanical: these gaming
keyboards use light or magnets
to deliver a more rapid and
reliable response.
By Jacob Ridley

84
 HARDWARE
Group Test

T
he two trends taking the
gaming keyboard world
by storm today are
optical and magnetic key
switches. Both claim to
offer something similar: a more reliable
and more customisable keyboard.
Though to the extent they deliver is up
to how manufacturers use each one, and
some make far better use of these clever
new switches than others.

Take Wooting. This small company

has crafted entirely analogue gaming
keyboards out of optical switches and has
moved on to even better magnetic ones.

85
HARDWARE
Group Test

Two HE 60HE
WOOTING $281 WOOTING $267

Tweaker’s delight Small but powerful

Wooting aims to offer actuation, remapped reset Since Wooting is at the keyboard more like a controller,
1 a properly analogue points, low input lag mode, and 2 forefront of these or you could set up multiple
gaming keyboard. That multi-action shortcuts on a single new-wave gaming macros or shortcuts to each key.
is, a gaming keyboard that can key. One of the reasons I love the keyboards it feels only fitting to If you can master lightly tapping
measure the full range of its keys’ Wooting is for its excellent app. also include its smallest board, on your keys for one action and
motion. As a player you can use For one, you don’t even have to the 60HE. At just 60% the size of hammering them hard for
this keyboard to alter between download it onto your PC as it a regular gaming keyboard, you another, you’re effectively
walking and running in a game works in-browser. It’s also really have to learn to work with a lot doubling your key count. Though
by only adjusting how far you easy to use, and shows up most fewer keys than normal. That that’s easier said than done.
depress the W key. Or even have major manufacturers that can’t can get a little overwhelming Still, the 60HE also benefits
a half key-press do one thing and seem to nail down a good day-to-day, but if you manage from the superb app and
a full key-press do another. software package. Wooting, a to get your head around all the excellent build quality – the
There are heaps of potential pretty tiny team by comparison, shortcuts there’s tons of makings of any other great
use cases for analogue keys, does software really well. customisation to unlock. gaming keyboard.
though note that not every game Much like the Wooting Two
works great with Wooting’s HE, the 60HE uses Hall effect
special brew. That said, there are Amazing software keys to offer ultimate flexibility in Loads of shortcut potential
some other benefits to a board So many options how you use it. You can opt for A tiny footprint
such as this, like adjustable Good value for money analogue inputs to use your Not the easiest to use

SPECS SIZE: FULL / SWITCH: LEKKER HALL EFFECT / ACTUATION: 0.1–4 MM / KEYCAPS: ABS/PBT / SPECS SIZE: 60% / SWITCH: LEKKER HALL EFFECT / ACTUATION: 0.1–4 MM / KEYCAPS: ABS/PBT /
POLLING RATE: 1,000 HZ / LIGHTING: PER-KEY RGB POLLING RATE: 1,000 HZ / LIGHTING: PER-KEY RGB

86
 4
THESE DUAL-LED SWITCHES
CAN ALSO ACT AS LITTLE
INDICATORS FOR VARIOUS
PC FUNCTIONS

GROUP TEST

K70 Max Vulcan II Max

CORSAIR $309 ROCCAT $275

Magnetic appeal Eye-melting

Corsair isn’t doing it’d be tough to blame it for your Phwoar, this is one you’ve muted your microphone.
3 nearly as much with its
magnetic switches as
losing streak in Valorant.
My main gripe with the K70
4 helluva bright keyboard.
Roccat has put together
Though this keyboard is in this
list for its optical credentials,
Wooting. That said, I like this Max is how it feels to type on. It’s a real stunner in the Vulcan II these optical switches aren’t
keyboard more than I thought I loud, clunky, and has nothing on Max, and I mean that literally. It used for much beyond the basic,
would for its competitive the lubed switches found on will actually stun you with how latent upgrade they offer over
gaming credentials. some traditional mech boards bright it is, thanks to dual-LED mechanical switches. They’re
You can adjust the actuation today. It’s also pretty expensive RGB lighting. It’s a mighty bright more durable but the actuation is
between 0.4mm and 3.6mm, – Corsair didn’t miss a beat slab of keys – not only for having stuck at 1.4mm for the red-style
which makes it snappier than charging heaps for this more twice the LEDs present than linear switch or 1.7mm for the
MX Speed switches on the one adjustable keyboard. Though I most, but also the thin keycaps brown-style tactile switch. A little
hand, which actuate at 1.2mm, can see why for the competitive that only cover the very tippy-top disappointing for its lacklustre
and seriously tough to mistype gamer this board above all has a of the switch. The rest of the optical switch features, but at
on on the other. Corsair has also magnetic appeal. switch housing is transparent to least it looks killer.
fitted this board with an allow as much light to gush fourth
8,000Hz polling rate, which may into your eyeballs. These
seem overkill to some but Rapid response dual-LED switches can also act It looks the part
contributes to this board’s Lovely lighting as little indicators for various PC Requires two USB ports
spectacularly quick response – Not for heavy typists functions, such as telling you if App needs a revamp

SPECS SIZE: FULL / SWITCH: CORSAIR MGX / ACTUATION: 0.4–3.6MM / KEYCAPS: PBT / POLLING RATE: 8,000 HZ / SPECS SIZE: FULL / SWITCH: TITAN II / ACTUATION: 1.4–1.7MM / KEYCAPS: ABS / POLLING RATE: 1,000 HZ /
LIGHTING: PER-KEY RGB LIGHTING: PER-KEY DUAL-LED RGB

87
HARDWARE
Group Test

MAGNETIC SWITCHES
ARE ONLY ONE OF THE
PRO’S STRENGTHS

88
 HARDWARE
Group Test

W H AT ’ S N E W I N S I D E
6
THE SWITCH?
Magnetic
The Hall effect, first discovered in
the late 19th century by Edwin
Hall, is fundamental to magnetic
key switches. Don’t worry, you
don’t need to know much about
electromagnetism to understand
how a Hall effect keyboard works.
Rather than using a physical
metal contact to measure a key
press, a magnet and a sensor are
used. The benefit of a Hall effect
switch is you can measure the
distance a key is depressed and
adjust the actuation.

Optical
Optical switches use a sensor and
a light signal to register a key
press. They’re a slightly more
durable mechanical switch, in
that they offer the same on/off
functionality without the physical
contact found in a mechanical
switch. Though with some clever
tweaks and smart design, they
can be fast and highly adjustable,
like a magnetic switch.

Apex Pro TKL Wireless A75

STEELSERIES $329 DRUNKDEER $206

Screens everywhere Stumped by software

Unlike its optical cousin, that it is, but it’s extremely useful If there’s one frustration in handy on these smaller boards
5 the Apex 9 TKL, you
can put the magnetic
for keeping track of your
per-game profiles, set in the
6 I have with magnetic
and optical gaming
more than with larger ones. But
there is a problem with the
switches in the Apex Pro TKL SteelSeries app. Also you can put keyboards today, it’s that they’re DrunkDeer, and it’s the software.
to good use. Not only can you little logos and images on there. stupidly expensive. These are Unlike Wooting’s awesome
choose any actuation point What I’m not so happy about is seen as premium options for in-browser app, you have to
between 0.2mm and 3.8mm, the price tag. It’s a lot for a high-rolling gamers and that’s a struggle through DrunkDeer’s
which is a wide range to choose tenkeyless and made worse by real shame. Hence why I’m wobbly, confusing software in
from, but you can also run each the wireless functionality on this inclined to like the DrunkDeer any attempt to unlock its
key with dual functions, a feature specific model. You can pick up A75. Sure, it’s not cheap for a magnetic tricks. Without a simple
I’ve not seen widely adopted the wired model for a lot less, and 75% board, but it’s a lot cheaper way to play around with the
much beyond Wooting’s boards. honestly a wireless keyboard isn’t than the rest. A decent-sized keyboard’s secondary functions
Magnetic switches are only as essentially as with a headset keyboard with a lovely multi- or adjustable actuations, I’m less
one of the Pro’s strengths. The or mouse. function knob and some key inclined to use any of it.
other lies in the little OLED screen magnetic features for the money.
squeezed onto the uppermost You can adjust the actuation
right corner of the keyboard. This Lil’ OLED screen between 0.4mm and 3.6mm and Smooth switches
may seem over the top, and sure Adjustable actuation there’s a feature to enable two Cheaper than some
there’s a good case to be made Wireless will cost you actions per-key, which can come Software is a mess

SPECS SIZE: TENKEYLESS / SWITCH: OMNIPOINT 2.0 / ACTUATION: 0.2–3.8MM / KEYCAPS: PBT / SPECS SIZE: 75% / SWITCH: RAESHA LINEAR MAGNETIC / ACTUATION: 0.4–3.6MM / KEYCAPS: ABS /
POLLING RATE: 1,000 HZ / LIGHTING: PER-KEY RGB POLLING RATE: 1,000 HZ / LIGHTING: PER-KEY RGB

89
 CONTINUED
NUED ADVEN
ADVENTURES
NTURES IN
IN GAMING
GAM
MING

“Playing Baldur’s Gate III as a Bad

Dragon is not for the faint of heart”
The unseemly thoughts of a BALDUR’S GATE III Dark Urge player
ackling Baldur’s Gate TOP: Don’t lose your a so-called “radiant future”, where I
K ATIE WICK ENS head, mate.

T
III as a dragonborn might be the one to guide goblin- and
with the Dark Urge THIS MONTH tiefling-kind into an endlessly
origin sure has been Baldur’s Gate III has me letting bloodthirsty war. Driving a wedge
go of attachment.
an experience. It’s a between the major forces of this
slightly more messed up angle than ALSO PLAYED world seems to be all too easy.
I’m used to when it comes to RPGs, Fae Farm
but at 100+ hours I figured I THRILLS AND KILLS
probably won’t have time to play Bad Dragon is a bloodletter of high
through the whole thing again. So and to piece together my murderous calibre, it seems. I’m orchestrating
instead of jumping straight on the past. Hopefully without making the desolation on a mass scale. But with
morality bandwagon for my first game too difficult in the process. these big ambitions I could use a
run, I thought I’d go full goblin “Killing, now that sounds like your helping hand, which appears in the
mode – or dragon mode, to be first good idea,” the murderous form of my own butler, Sceleritas Fel.
precise. Enter Bad Dragon. enabler in my head exclaims soon A peculiar character, he begins
after I begin. That’s the first sowing seeds of hate and helping me
So I’ve stepped into the strange and reference to my backstory. This place together my backstory.
demented world of a forgetful killer, constant narration runs alongside a
with backstory that gives your commentary in my journal that bids
character a terrible affinity for all me to, “Be yourself! Think dirty I’VE STEPPED INTO THE
things maleficent. With my most thoughts!” It quickly becomes
bloodthirsty metal playlist churning evident that Bad Dragon is above the DEMENTED WORLD OF A
in the background, I hurry on to status of a simple murder hobo when FORGETFUL KILLER
incite whatever horrors I can muster, the narrator teases me with visions of

90
 N O W P L AY I N G
THE GAMES WE LOVE RIGHT NOW

Doesn’t he look like an

upstanding citizen?

“OMG his head,

literally, exploded!”
ROBOCOP: ROGUE CITY is simple, bloody carnage
hair trigger away from pulling the
ROBERT JONES plug. But then I, RoboCop, arrive on
THIS MONTH the scene, the cutscene ends, and the
Stomped around while ripping bloody carnage begins. I stomp into
Embrace your limbs off goons.
shadow self.
the station, my big clanky robofeet
ALSO PLAYED announcing my arrival, I raise my
Baldur’s Gate III, Cyberpunk Auto 9 machine pistol, point it at
2077: Phantom Liberty
‘Punk Number 67’ and… OMG his
Aside from the ability to snap head, literally, exploded!
the neck of your beloved domme he leader of the Torch
A REPEAT OFFENDER
T
Minthara, rip off Gale’s arm before he Heads gang, who I can
even leaves the portal you find him only describe as a And the blood, guts and severed
in, or crush pixies underfoot, there reject from an ’80s limbs keep coming. This game’s
are some tough decisions to be made action movie casting gameplay loop sees me walk forwards
later down the line when it comes to call for ‘Punk Number 1’, has me while shredding goons with a variety
the Dark Urge. Are you the kind of this close to quitting RoboCop: of weapons, their spleen, guts and
person who’ll condemn a band of Rogue City before I’ve even reached cartilage popping out of them.
refugees and heroes to death? Or sit the end of the staidly written, slow Occasionally I pick up some
by while the character you’re and clichéd opening cutscene. evidence, do some puzzling, but
romancing is murdered? it’s mostly the head exploding.
Significant questlines can be cut The gang leader and his fellow RoboCop: Rogue City feels like an
off prematurely if you give into your identikit goons have taken over a early-to-mid 2000s shooter and I’ve
bloodlust, and friends can quickly network TV station and are got to be honest, I’m loving it. This
transform into foes if they discover blathering on about how they’ve got game could not be more simple to
that there’s an unrepentant serial all the drugs and want to sell all the play and that’s the art of its attraction.
killer in their midst. It’s a hard life, drugs and nobody is going to stop Well, that and the hyperviolence. The
being a wrong ’un. But you’ll also get them bwah ha ha. Apparently they pre-launch version I’m playing is a bit
to see a side of Baldur’s Gate III that needed to broadcast this message to a janky, with me running into some
other players will never encounter. new mysterious new player arriving animation and physics glitches, but as
Frankly, playing Baldur’s Gate III in Rogue City, hence the whole a complimentary and alternate play
as a Bad Dragon is not for the faint of assault on the station. experience to 2023’s triple-A RPGs,
heart. The main takeaway from a To show the Torch Heads are RoboCop: Rogue City is working for
playthrough like this is that, while serious, its punk-in-chief gives a TV me right now.
darkly titillating, you’re likely to lose presenter a fatal overdose of drugs,
the few friends you do have if you’re comically named Nuke (sigh), live on
not smart about how you tackle air, and then orders his fellow goons
things. If not by your own hands, to start giving more hostages
then through an attitude that makes overdoses. I’m not sure punk-in-chief
you altogether highly attackable. It’s has thought this through really,
taught me not to get too attached to though, as surely they want to keep
any lover, too, as each night spent the drugs for, you know, selling to
with them could well be their last. make all the monies. Anyway, I’m a

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 N O W P L AY I N G
THE GAMES WE LOVE RIGHT NOW

“Some say there’s satisfaction in

working your way up, but balls to that”
Shopping my way to crafting success in FINAL FANTASY XIV
ccasionally, when also cost an absolute fortune.
DANIELLA LUCAS

O
you’re walking around Technically I’m taking the medium
the cities of Eorzea in THIS MONTH cut then – pretending to do the
FFXIV you’ll spot Levelled up. crafting work so I can reach the right
someone wearing levels to make just the things I want,
something cool, or see posts online ALSO PLAYED and save some cash too.
of the insane things people do with Sea Of Stars, I say yes to any job the NPCs can
TNMT: Shredder’s Revenge
housing and wonder where they throw at me – you want ten pairs of
got it from. Unfortunately the dragonskin boots? Sure no problem.
answer is usually they crafted it. First you need to find materials Three of your finest fish stews? Of
(three gathering classes are involved course I can make that. But instead of
A lot of the game’s coolest looking in this) and turn them into something buckling down to do the work I run
gear and items can only be made if basic like thread or lumber, then put to the marketboard to find the
you engage with the crafting side of those things together to make cheapest option I can and turn that in
the game and usually requires getting something you actually want like a as my own work while they praise
all eight crafting jobs to level 90 as a spear or fancy chair. Some might say me for being a master at my craft. I’m
lot of the items you make feed into there’s satisfaction in working your like a terrible tradie, saying yes to the
recipes on other jobs. It’s an way up, but balls to that – I’m taking work but not actually doing it.
absolutely huge undertaking, but if a shortcut to the good stuff. I want Sometimes someone will say
you want the best stuff you’ve got to the Moogle sofas and biker jackets, they need six vials of medicine
put the work in… or do you? and I want them now. urgently as their troops are
I’m lazy. I want cool things and depending on it! “Sure, I’ll get right
prestige with none of the work, WORK SMARTER on that,” I say as I let it sit in my
which is why I decided to shop my OK, so I could just buy them off the quest list for weeks on end. Maybe
way to handicraft success. player marketboard outright, but they I should feel guilty, but as my
Levelling up your crafters is a Alchemist dings level 86 and I can
simple enough process – you make finally make the star ornament I
things and earn a little exp in the I’M LIKE A TERRIBLE TRADIE, wanted for my house I find it hard to
process, or you take on orders from care. I’ve got all of the qualifications I
NPCs to make higher amounts of SAYING YES TO THE WORK need on paper to make anything
exp. But just like levelling up a new BUT NOT ACTUALLY DOING IT Eorzea could possibly need now…
fighting class, it takes absolutely ages. perhaps just don’t ask me to it.

FAR LEFT: I know I said

I’d help you build a
telescope, but I’m
level 90 now and don’t
need to any more.

BELOW: My crafting
technique is all
tea breaks and
no building.

92
 EXTRA LIFE
NOW PLAYING I UPDATE I MOD SPOTLIGHT

My BFF Tony
Stark.

“Do I want to go fishing? Not really.

Tony Stark invited me? OK then!”
Not enough people are talking about MARVEL’S MIDNIGHT SUNS
don’t really consider every character getting their own
M AT T P OSK IT T

I
myself much of a quarters. Then you’re free to roam
tactical RPG guy. The THIS MONTH the gloomy grounds that gradually
Debated The Art of War with
closest equivalent I’ve Captain America and Wolverine. expand over the course of the game.
thrown myself into is
the Mario + Rabbids series, looked ALSO PLAYED SOAP OPERA
upon as a watered-down family- Starfield, Atlas Fallen What particularly hooked me in are
friendly take on the genre. It’s not the relationship dynamics. Did I
until Marvel’s Midnight Suns that think I would care about Blade’s
I’ve really understood why people subsequently ended up being my crush on Captain Marvel? No, yet
invest countless hours in them. game of the year. here I am playing Cupid. Do I want
And lo and behold, Marvel’s to go fishing? Not really. Tony Stark
Developed by Firaxis Games Midnight Suns is fantastic. Its writing invited me? OK then! I’m now part of
– known for XCOM and Sid Meier’s is smart, its combat is methodically a book club with Captain America
Civilization – Marvel’s Midnight Suns sound and its level of customisation and Wolverine where we discuss The
snuck into the end of 2022 in an has kept me enthralled from start to Art of War by Sun Tzu. It sounds daft.
awkward December release spot that end. A good chunk of my time has It is daft. But it works!
I’m sure didn’t help it garner the been spent in the Abbey, the ancestral It’s the little things that go a long
recognition it deserves. As a home of the Hunter (the game’s way for me. A small addition that I
superhero aficionado I try to play custom protagonist) and a temporary absolutely love is the superhero walk.
most major games from the worlds of base for the Midnight Suns. It has Every time you load up a mission,
Marvel and DC, and yet I wasn’t too everything: common room, library, your team of three suits up and heads
fussed about this one. It wasn’t until war room, chapel and barracks, with to a portal in blockbuster fashion,
murmurs of its quality started to be ready to be transported to where
heard around the PC Gamer office they’re needed. We’ve seen it a
and parts of the web that I realised I ITS COMBAT IS SOUND AND million times in movies. We’ve seen it
should probably give it a go. I did the quite a few times in videogames over
same with Marvel’s Guardians of the ITS LEVEL OF CUSTOMISATION the last decade or so. None has
Galaxy, leaving it until a couple of HAS KEPT ME ENTHRALLED managed to create that feeling so
months after launch – which, vividly as Marvel’s Midnight Suns.

93
 U P D AT E
WHAT’S NEW IN THE BIGGEST GAMES

FINAL FANTASY XIV

loungewear, crown hats, an emote
and a mount are all up for grabs in
exchange for event currency.

BLUNDERFUL
If the idea of losing hours of your
life to a janky jumping puzzle is
Worlds collide as Endwalker draws to a close. By Mollie Taylor somehow unappealing, Patch 6.51 did
also add some actual Final Fantasy
XIV stuff, too. Variant dungeon
have returned to Aloalo Island was added, along with
NEED TO KNOW

I
the land of Eorzea, its criterion version Another Aloalo
bleary-eyed and RELEASE DEVELOPER Island. They’re another breed of the
exhausted from August 24, 2013 Square Enix special dungeons Square Enix has
having missed the PUBLISHER LINK been pushing this expansion, with
last two Final Fantasy XIV Square Enix finalfantasyxiv.com the variant dungeon offering scaled
patches. Perhaps the sleep difficulty and branching paths while
deprivation has finally caused case, their end of the deal often goes the criterion dungeon is a far tougher,
me to go mad, because I don’t far beyond the odd cosmetic or two. fixed experience.
remember this game ever being For the Fall Guys collaboration,
populated by tiny pink bean that means somehow building the
people and a gaudy platforming entire premise of that game within CLEVERLY
battle royale that makes me deeply Final Fantasy XIV’s limitations.
angry despite its cutesy exterior Sprawling levels with swinging MAKES USE
attempting to placate me. hammers, spinning platforms and OF ITS DUNGEON
dangers that rain down from the sky
What’s that? It’s because there’s a Fall and roll down hills make up the MECHANICS
Guys collaboration that’s been added meat of each level here, with
in Patch 6.51? I would question it, but players jumping and running from Crafters and gatherers can
in a world where we’ve also received point A to point B. continue their Splendorous Tools
crossovers with Monster Hunter, relic grind, with Patch 6.51
Yokai Watch and even freakin’ Fender DUNGEON MECHANICS introducing the Brilliant step,
guitars, it’d be wise of me to be a little The game cleverly makes use of knocking the item level up to 630 and
more open-minded. some of its dungeon mechanics providing some juicy stat increases. If
I suppose with Final Fantasy – like forced march, where you’re using your hands to beat the crud out
XIV’s latest expansion, Endwalker, given a particular direction to be of other players rather than creating
nearing two years of age and uncontrollably sent off toward, or one things is more appealing, then a
drawing to a close to usher in next that makes you spin with a sluggish brand-new Crystalline Conflict PvP
summer’s Dawntrail, now is as good command over your character à la map has also been introduced. The
a time as any to start chucking in the Alzadaal’s Legacy’s final boss. There Red Sands is a dangerous desert, with
weirder non-story stuff that’ll keep are three levels in total per run, with sand monsters erupting from below
people entertained. After all, it’s a pretty limited pool of minigames it while an oasis provides respite.
certainly working on me. plucks from, following the standard The Fall Guys stuff is definitely
Something I’ve always really elimination format Fall Guys runs. the shining star though, and worth
admired about this MMO is that it It culminates in an experience prioritising since it’ll disappear for
doesn’t slack when it comes to the that multiplies the jank of both games the unforeseeable future on
crossover events. It’s almost always a tenfold, but somehow remains December 31. Everything else can be
two-way street, with both parties brimming with charm. It certainly completed at your own pace, no scary
receiving some goodies from the helps that there are cosmetics to be big timer looming over your head.
other. Plus, in Final Fantasy XIV’s earned for playing: adorable Fall Guys The patch is a little dry, sure,
especially when you take the
collaboration out. It’s standard as
we’re this far into the expansion
FA L L I N G W I T H S T Y L E cycle though, and particularly since
Endwalker’s being stretched out a tad
Fall Guys goodies abound this patch beyond the usual two-year pattern to
try and get Square Enix back on track
with its pre-pandemic summer
release schedule.
It’s wild to think that Patch 6.51
will be one of the very last before
Dawntrail, too: Patch 6.55 is set to
THREADS EMOTE MINI-BEAN MOUNT release in mid-January 2024, and
Designer fashion line Rub your victory in What’s better than Take Fall Guys on the there’s a good chance we’ll see a
for the cosiest of all your friends’ face one big Bean? A go with an egregious
the Beans. with this emote. mini-Bean! inflatable mount.
Patch 6.58 to round things off in the
early summer before 7.0 hits.

94
 ABOVE: Blunderville
is full of Beany
photo opportunities.

FAR LEFT: Minigames

have you participating
in jumping puzzles
and objective-
based events.

I feel like Eorzea is a little

too calm about the giant
Bean invasion.

95
 MOD SPOTLIGHT
MAJOR MODS, ANALYSED

Give yourself
the stealth options
CDPR denied you.

CYBERPUNK 2077 2.0

The best mods for the freshly updated RPG. By Christopher Livingston
ell, it took a few years,
NEED TO KNOW

W
but CD Projekt finally
finished the game it RELEASE DEVELOPER
said was finished back Sept 21, 2023 CD Projekt Red
in December of 2020. PUBLISHER LINK
Now that the RPG’s unlabelled CD Projekt Red cyberpunk.net
Early Access period is complete, it’s
a great time to dive back into the should install right away, choomba.
gritty, moody, neon-soaked world of If you’re the stealthy sort of V who
body mods and questionable slang. prefers slithering through levels and
Even if you’re not playing the taking down gang members without
Phantom Liberty expansion, being seen, you’ll definitely want
Cyberpunk 2077 2.0, which arrived the Stealth Finishers mod by Kvalyr.
in September, is filled with Stealth in Cyberpunk 2077 is pretty
improvements, upgrades, new satisfying and there are a good
features and almost an entire number of perks dedicated to it,
overhaul of the perk system. but as you begin silently dropping
enemies you’ll quickly notice there’s
But no matter how much a something amiss. The only two
developer improves a game, animations for stealth takedowns
modders are always happy to jump are choking someone out or
in and improve it some more. The snapping their necks.
updated and overhauled 2.0 version Wait, what? Why limit you to a
of Cyberpunk 2077 is no exception, couple of measly repetitive finishers
so here’s a few preem mods you when you’re positively bristling with

96
 EXTRA LIFE
NOW PLAYING I UPDATE I MOD SPOTLIGHT

cool weapons like knives and your body with circuit boards and
katanas, arm-mounted blades and microchips, it can be a bit of a hassle
even monowire, which would be to visit a ripperdoc every single you
ideal for choking people out? want to manage your various pieces
Thankfully the mod makes more of cyberware. It makes sense in terms
FUTURE PUNK options available to you, adding
melee weapon stealth finishers so
of immersion – if I need a tooth
pulled or replaced, I’m gonna go to
What we want from a sequel you can knife-stab fools right in the the dentist, not get a mirror and a
neck and jab them into red slush pair of pliers – but this is the distant
with multiple pokes from your future. Surely upgrading my body
mantis blades. And if you do want to could be handled with a little DIY?
do a clean and quick non-lethal The original Ripperdeck mod has
choke-out, the mod still allows you been upgraded for 2.0, meaning you
to grapple foes. can manage your cyberware needs
MORE IDRIS ELBA OUR OWN GANG Naturally, ramming your arm- right from the main menu.
The only guy cooler than Keanu Instead of dealing with gangs, let swords into someone’s head and
Reeves steals the show in us recruit street punks, pick a chest a few times makes a bit more R.E.S.P.E.C
Phantom Liberty. We want more. theme and manage a crew. noise than just breaking their neck, CDPR was nice enough to grant a
and that may alert other foes nearby big player request in 2.0, giving
– not exactly what you want when both new and returning characters a
you’re rolling with a stealth build. big do-over button. You can respec
Point is, the mod gives you extra not just your skills but also your
options for your stealth run so you attributes, which gives you a chance
don’t get tired of the same two
animations right away.
A NEW CITY A PREQUEL? THE INFINITE
It would be great to see the future It would be cool to meet and HARDWARE UPGRADE
in a different part of the world
instead of returning to Night City.
hang with younger versions of
our best pals. Speaking of options, the discerning ATTRIBUTE
street rat always wants as many as RESET MOD COULD
possible. And there’s an extremely
tough choice to make as you’re BE A LIFESAVER
playing Cyberpunk 2077: which brain
implant will you install? Sure, you can to completely rebuild your character
fit multiple pieces of cyberware into from the ground up. Thing is, you
some parts of your body, but that big can only do it once per character.
meaty CPU you call a brain only has a That’s a bit of a mixed blessing since
single slot for an operating system. you may wind up placing a few
That means you have to choose points in the wrong spot or being
between the blade weapon bullet- even less happy with your character
time ability you get with the than you already were.
Sandevistan, one of the most fun and If that’s the case, the Infinite
useful abilities in the game, the Attribute Reset mod by FarisFaux
Cyberdeck’s quick hacking ability could be a lifesaver for you. If you
that lets you infiltrate enemy want to respec your V a second time,
networks and anyone connected to change your point distribution a
them, and the Berserk OS which little, or just enjoy the freedom to
pumps up your health and ranged rebuild your character whenever
weapon damage. you please, the mod adds an
In a future with so many ever-present ‘Reset Attributes’
wonderful options, it feels unfair to button to the main menu. Push it
have to stick with just one, so the and let the rebuilding begin.
Cyberware-Ex mod by psiberx adds
expansions in your head so you can CAR DEALER
slot all three, if you like. Now you For even more convenience, let’s talk
can be a time-altering slicer-dicer, a about vehicles. Want to shop for cars
rampaging juggernaut, and a slick from the comfort of your own home?
hacker all at the same time. It Want to even shop for cars added by
FAR LEFT: Even more
definitely feels a bit like cheating, but other mods? The Virtual Car Dealer
than the vanilla game,
mods let you be who there’s nothing wrong with wanting mod by djkovrik will give you that
you wanna be. access to all the cool toys at once. chance. Using V’s in-game computer
The mod also allows for multiple from any one of the apartments, you
ABOVE: Sure, version
2.0 added lots of cool
slots in your eyes, arms and legs, so can browse and buy new vehicles
stuff. But mods add you’ll truly get to install and use any added by other modders. It’s the
even more. gadget combinations you desire. future, after all. Why limit your
Since we’re on the topic of filling choice of rides?

97
 IT’S ALL OVER...

How not to create

an iconic FPS

Nondescript alien world

is a must, guys. Like
something an AI art gen We all know that a com
erator has spat out wh mon, gruff-looking wh
you’ve typed in ‘alien wo en male is what this maste ite
rld, five suns, dust rpiece needs. White ma
storm’. What’s key is it must be depicted with le
should look weirdly gun pointing at the
smear y at all times. viewer’s face in all adv
ertising material. Must
look like all other white
male game heroes.

Right, what I’m about

to say will probably sho
lot of you greener dev ck a Generic, roughly hum
s on the team, but, get anoid aliens, natch. Fem
this… how about we inc aliens must be sexy for ale
lude a bland looking, some reason. Think
weak sounding shotgu Shatner’s Star Trek. Imp
n in this future Game of ortant note, female
the Year?! I know, guy aliens must not be too
s, I know, this is why I’m sexy! We’ve got to kee
top dog at the studio. the things classy after all. p

Get this, our FPS will be

just one long enforced
corridor! No arenas. No Just so we’re bang on
differing routes. No the zeitgeist, I want
secrets to find. Just cor framedrops, clipping,
ridor. Lots of animation glitches, as
backtracking though the no DLSS and ultra wid well
corridor, though, escreen suppor t. Yes,
please. We all know cho will include a 4K fidelity we
ice in games is overra mode, but let’s ensure
ted . drops the framerate bel it
ow 13fps at all times.

...UNTIL FEB 12
98
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techradar.com
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