The GreenManGaming Christmas gift guide for gamers

It’s hard to buy for a gamer. Most of the games they want they’ve probably already got, and there’s plenty of useless tat on the market to be bought and never used again by the lucky recipient. Most of their wishlist will be ridiculously expensive bits of hardware that aren’t suitable for Christmas, or more rudimentary gifts that won’t be much fun to open. Well, that’s where we come in. Here are a few clever gift ideas for gamers if you find yourself stuck on the puzzle.

Christmas jumpers and clothes

Everybody has a few random Christmas jumpers lying around in their wardrobe gathering dust, but that’s because they’re usually low quality. If a Crimbo jumper gets used at more than one Christmas, that’s a success, and you can assure this by appealing to your recipient’s interests. The best of the range is easily the Numskull set, which has a swathe of official Fallout, Sonic, Crash Bandicoot and Pokemon pieces that will put a smile on the face of your family gamer. You could also buy them an Insert Coin gift card so they can buy some solid gaming-adjacent ensembles. It shows that you’re accepting of their hobby and that you want to see it around the dinner table. Brownie points!

Line their bookshelf

If you’ve got yourself a gamer with a more vested interest in the nitty-gritty side of the industry, educate them with these brilliant books about gaming. You should consider The Walkthrough by Doug Walsh, a memoir about writing strategy guides for a living – or Kurt Kalata’s Guide to Classic Graphic Adventures if they’re old school. If they aspire to be developers, grab them Blood, Sweat and Pixels by Jason Schreier, an excellent window into the realities of developing games.

Renew their subscriptions

The streaming revolution has come for us all, and it’s currently making its way into gaming circles with relative ease. Some of the most popular recent innovations include Xbox Game Pass, Google Stadia and PlayStation Now, massive game libraries available to players at a monthly fee. One thing that most gamers (myself included) hate doing is renewing these subscriptions. It’s boring admin. If you’re out of ideas, consider grabbing a 12-month subscription for your gamer relative to open and redeem. If they aren’t already subscribed, you’ve just gifted them thousands of games. If they’re subscribers, they won’t have to redeem again for a LONG time. It’s a win-win!

Beyond that, consider picking up more general online subscriptions like Xbox Live Gold, PlayStation Plus or EA Access to gift early access to games, multiplayer service, and free games every month that they can keep as long as the service is live. If all else fails, you can’t go wrong with a Steam Gift Card either!

Player two, three and four have entered the game

The Xbox One Elite Series 2 controller was recently revealed, and whilst this is a bit more expensive than most controllers if you’re buying for a gamer who has it all this is the utter pinnacle. You can’t get much better, they will most likely not have one already and it will make their Christmas, whether they’re an Xbox or PC gamer. If they’re in love with Nintendo, grab them an extra set of Joy-Cons. Even if it’s just for aesthetics, it’s a real crowd-pleaser.

Darksiders Genesis could change the franchise

It’s probably fair to say that the Darksiders series is a bit hit-and-miss. While many people lauded the first as being a very solid, and somewhat gritty, take on the classic Zelda formula, both the second and third entries weren’t received as well. This could well be due to the other popular things in gaming that they tried to incorporate, or it could simply be due to changing times and tastes.

Perhaps as a reaction to this, the next game in the series, Darksiders Genesis, is going to be a completely different genre. Rather than the over-the-shoulder third-person game you might be expecting, you will instead be playing along from an isometric perspective and engaging in a co-op adventure.

Darksiders Genesis – What it’s all about

You take on the roles of Strife and War, two of the Horseman of the apocalypse. Rather than being harbingers of the end of times, you instead are lackeys of a mysterious Council who apparently keep balance. It’s all a little bit shady, but this is the work that the characters have signed up to, and it’s the work they will keep doing as a result. 

This all comes off the back of a massive battle where the Horsemen have wiped out the rest of their kind because the Council demanded it. So, there are lots of complicated feelings tied up with their new job, the chances are that the devotion of the two will be tested as you play through the game. This is all set before even the first game as well, which makes it all the more interesting to long-time fans of the series, who’ll get a chance to find out just what happened before everything really kicked off. 

Who is Darksiders Genesis for?

It’s not often you see a series completely shift style in order to try and freshen things up. It’s a good thing to see though, as it could be that this change of perspective allows for a new audience to find and enjoy the world of angels and demons that Darksiders resides in. Better yet, the fact that this is a co-op game means that it could just be the game that lets a fan bring a friend into the fold. 

The game looks great, and while it’s a little odd to see things from above, the combat looks just as satisfying as ever, and the two Horsemen have vastly different styles to boot. Strife is a gunslinger and seems to favour long-range combat while War is a tank-like being who will be using his trusty broadsword to split the hordes of demons in two. Throw in some over-the-top boss battles, the biblical lore, and hopefully some charming writing, and this could be the start of something beautiful for the Darksiders world. You can check out Darksiders Genesis when it releases on December 5th on both PC and, uh, Stadia.

5 Things You Should Know About Death Stranding

Death Stranding has been out for a few weeks now, and that means you’ve probably seen or read a lot about it. It’s the first game from Hideo Kojima as an independent of sorts, with no higher-ups at Konami telling him no. It’s also one of the most star-filled games in existence thanks to a Hollywood leading man and a wealth of small cameos from big names in a vast array of different fields. If you’re still not sure what to expect, here are five things you should know about Death Stranding. 

The Soundtrack Slaps

It uses music in an interesting way, one that manages to be both surprising and also make perfect sense. Different songs are used throughout the game, but they often come in as you’re exploring certain places or when it suits. It’s not just the timing though; it’s the songs themselves. With bands like Low Roar, Bring Me The Horizon, and CHVRCHES involved, you know you’ll be listening to the soundtrack long after you’ve finished the game. 

It’s Very Light On Combat

While there are combat elements in the game, it’s mostly about exploration and the struggles that the terrain presents. The main enemy of Death Stranding is often the scenic vistas you’ll admire for a second just before realising you’ve got to make your way over them. Mountains, ravines, rivers, and wide-open stretches of land will all offer their own challenges, and your job is to meet them. Of course, you’ll have other people helping you out via structures they’ve created too, so it might be a little easier depending on when you play it. 

You’ll Spend A Lot Of Time Walking

As a result of the exploration, you can expect to spend most of your time simply journeying around the world. You do, after all, essentially play a delivery person. Death Stranding does an excellent job of simulating that walking and making it feel a bit more visceral though, so if you enjoy the controls, then you’ll enjoy the act of wandering around just as much. 

It’s Not As Weird As It Seems

Despite how otherworldly it looks from the outside, it’s actually not all that hard to follow. Once you’ve adjusted to the glossary of different names and phrases that are used in-game you’ll be able to follow it pretty easily. Don’t be put off by its seemingly impenetrable world; you’ll get to grips with it once you’ve been playing for a little while. 

Lots Of Games Inspired It

It seems to take a lot of inspiration from some of the greatest games of the last decade or so. The asynchronous multiplayer elements can easily be traced back to the messaging systems in the Soulsborne games. The reactive music is something that has happened before, but it was at its best when done in Bastion. Finally, it takes a bit from Journey too, with specific people being beside you for much of your adventure. It doesn’t copy these aspects though, it takes them in new directions and comes up with something fresh as a result.

Death Stranding is currently available on Playstation 4 and will land on PC sometime in the summer of 2020. Stay tuned for more details as they emerge.

The best beginner software to start your Pixel, 2D or 3D Game Art journey

Greetings, budding students! Perhaps you’ve been paying attention to our monthly blog series which dwells on beginner game development for the curious gamers out there. Last month, we talked about the best game engines to start your journey. Alas, even if you figure those out, you’re probably still looking at a bunch of ugly grey boxes hopping around a bland environment. That’s where our good friend Art Direction comes in.

Any good game needs quality art or people simply won’t play it. Don’t get me wrong, there are some awful-looking games with plenty of players, but it takes a whole lot of charm to make up for it, so it’s best to figure out what style of game you’re looking to create from an aesthetic perspective. Read on as we introduce you to some simple software to get you started with game art.

Aseprite

Whilst Game Maker Studio has a fairly robust system for painting pixels in the engine itself, it’s usually better to seperate your workflow so you have all of your ducks in a row when you come to create. Aseprite is by far the most user-friendly and fully-featured pixel art software for beginners. You can pick it up for the humble price of £10.99 on Steam, with no subscription necessary. With a robust timeline, a solid layer and frame system, onion skinning, and even scope to create animations and export sprite sheets, the software is perfect for beginners who want a cosy interface and a bustling community to back it up. There are tons of tutorials on YouTube to get started with Aseprite and start creating pixel art. If you can’t splash the cash, try the free Piskel browser app to get started.

Procreate

For the budding concept artists out there with an iPad lying around, you can’t really go wrong with Procreate. At £9.99 with no subscription necessary, this iOS app offers an excellent art studio that you can control with a stylus from the comfort of Apple’s UI architecture. This option is probably best for those more comfortable with pen or pencil drawing over true beginners, but with such a brilliant amount of resources to back up the feature-set, Procreate can be useful for all kinds of art useful for video games. Background art, concept and character art… even pixel art is possible with Procreate. It’s like Photoshop in your pocket.  it’s used by professionals the world over for a variety of disciplines, has an incredible community with lots of useful beginner tutorials, and it is seriously powerful despite the accessibility. Well worth it if you want to get into 2D art.

Blender

As the years have gone by, open-source software for 3D art has ballooned in scope, with Blender becoming almost industry-standard levels of excellent. The best part is that this software is completely free. As well as letting you quickly rig models and create 3D scenes, it’s also a fully-fledged animation studio for realistic 3D art pieces and short films. Blender is a tool for those with the imagination to back it up, but don’t be scared of the showreels, the foundation is known for its resourcefulness, and given its widespread use, tutorials are not hard to come by. Pick it up on Steam and start creating 3D game art without limits!

Movember Special: The best Beards in Gaming History

It’s November! 2019 is winding down, and men across the world are refusing to shave – not out of some sort of vendetta for kemptness and hygiene, but to change the face of men’s health. November is now Movember, where not shaving has become a movement to help men talk about their mental health and aid early diagnosis and treatment of prostate and testicular cancer. Given that we’re in the business of video games here at GreenManGaming, we thought we’d promote the cause by pointing out some of the best facial hair in gaming history.

Bill – Left 4 Dead

Starting off strong with William Overbeck, a Vietnam veteran who spent his retirement fending off legions of zombies with a rag-tag group of friends in Valve’s Left 4 Dead series.  His full head of hair and bushy white beard is just as unforgettable as his iconic green beret and gravelly voice lines, provided by the late Jim French, a legendary voice actor who also gave life to Father Grigori from Half-Life 2 (coincidentally, he also boasts a fine goatee.)

LeChuck – Monkey Island 

A tremendously evil undead pirate with a penchant for Voodoo, LeChuck is perhaps most well known for his unforgettable appearance. From his oversized hat to the skull accessories, it’s an arresting get-up, but nothing is more unsightly than his magnificent beard which stretches all the way down torso. Given that he can still grow a beard whilst being uh… deceased, LeChuck is inevitably destined to participate in Movember until the end of his days.

Mario – Super Mario Odyssey 

How could we talk about video game facial hair without mentioning Mario’s curious ‘stache? The way it quaffs underneath the nose and sticks up at the sides defying gravity… it suits such an intergalactic icon for facial hair, known by most players young or old. Of course, as polygon counts have grown Mario’s moustache has only gotten more detailed and satisfying to look at than in the days of Super Mario 64. In Odyssey, it makes its way onto the mugs of frogs, hummingbirds and even goombas!

Captain Price – Call of Duty Franchise

Call of Duties come and go but the Captains stache has remained a staple of the franchise over the years. Though it has seen some minor changes between titles, the basic style has remained the same and continues to be as identifiable as his name across gaming culture. Some have said it’s what gives him his strength and has a similar effect to Solid Snakes Bandana, giving him unlimited ammo. Regardless, it is legendary amongst facial hair and is a symbol of greatness too many.

So whats your favourite beard in gaming? Comment below and head over to the Green Man Gaming Community site to find out what other gamers have to say.

SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays

If I was to say that SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays was coming over to the west, what would you think? It would either be a) bless you, or, b) hell yeah it is. If you aren’t at all familiar with the string of SEO-hating words I just vomited into the first line of this piece, then let me illuminate you like one of oh so many mech-based lights. 

What is Gundam?

Gundam is a massive franchise, so massive in fact that it kind of eclipses a lot of things that you might not expect. It’s set in multiple worlds, but each of them shares one thing; gigantic mechs that people ride around in to do battle. Sometimes these are toys; sometimes they’re war-ending machines packed full of melodrama and political intrigue. 

The thing they all share is a massive amount of customisation and style. More often than not, these games give you an absurd amount of things to tweak, change, and generally mess around with. It makes for an experience that leaves you feeling entirely responsible for any victories or defeats; after all, you put everything together. 

What type of game is Generation Cross Rays?

While some of the games that bear the Gundam moniker are action games, this one is part of the tactical role-playing skew of things. Not only that, but it’s also about the SD models or Super Deformed mechs. These are generally exceptionally chibi ones, which means they’ve got big old heads and tiny bodies.

Also, look at how many series are getting representation: 

  • Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
  • Mobile Suit Gundam: The Last Outpost (G-Unit)
  • Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Battlefield of Pacifists
  • Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz – Glory of the Losers
  • Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz
  • Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
  • Mobile Suit Gundam SEED MSV
  • Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Astray
  • Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Astray R
  • Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Astray B
  • Mobile Suit Gundam SEED X Astray
  • Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny
  • Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny MSV
  • Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny Astray
  • Mobile Suit Gundam SEED C.E. 73: Stargazer
  • Mobile Suit Gundam SEED C.E. 73 ⊿Astray
  • Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Frame Astrays
  • Mobile Suit Gundam SEED VS Astray
  • Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny Astray R
  • Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny Astray B
  • Mobile Suit Gundam 00
  • Mobile Suit Gundam 00P
  • Mobile Suit Gundam 00F
  • Mobile Suit Gundam 00I
  • Mobile Suit Gundam 00V
  • Mobile Suit Gundam 00V: Battlefield Record
  • Mobile Suit Gundam 00 The Movie -Awakening of the Trailblazer-
  • Mobile Suit Gundam 00I 2314
  • Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans
  • Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans – Steel Moon
  • SD Gundam GX
  • G Generation Series

Yeah, that’s a lot. If you’ve never heard of Gundam, there are a lot of different ways to consume it, but anime is probably how most people find out about it. There is an absurd library of shows available now, so it’s best to do a bit of research if you plan on starting it. Of course, if you’re a fan already, you know all about it and are just excited to get your hands on the game when it releases on PC on November 27th.

SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays Trailer

Narcos: Rise of the Cartels 5 reasons you’ll love this Netflix Spinoff

If you have a Netflix subscription, you’ll know that biographical crime drama Narcos and its Mexico-set spin-off are both extremely good examples of engrossing top drawer TV (and if you don’t, then well, shame on you then really).

Encapsulating much of what makes the television show so compelling, Curve Digital and Kuju are set to bring Narcos: Rise of the Cartels to PC and consoles this month. Here’s why fans of the series and turn-based strategy games in general should be excited.

1. It’s Basically 1980s Drug War XCOM – What’s Not To Like?

An ideal fit for Netflix’s ambitious drama, Rise of the Cartels is a turn-based effort very much in the template of titles such as XCOM 2 and Phantom Doctrine. As you stalk your prey through the tightly knit streets and rooftops of 80s Medellín, you must use shrewd guerilla tactics, line of sight and cover to the best of your ability in order to be successful. In short, if you fancy some more turn-based tactical shenanigans in a fresh setting, then Narcos: Rise of the Cartels certainly has your back.

2. You Get To Play As Either The DEA Or The Bad Guys

One of the best things about the Narcos TV show is that it does a fantastic job of charting Pablo Escobar’s rise to power, not just from the perspective of the DEA (and real-life squad leader Steve Murphy), but also the numerous members of the Colombian drug cartels that allowed him to form his base of power. Rise of the Cartels is no different, as it allows players to experience the 1980s Colombian drug trade from both the perspective of the DEA and the drug lords in two seperate story campaigns. 

3. It Encompasses The Events Of The First Season Of The TV Show

With three seasons under its belt and not including the Mexico-set spin-off, the developers behind Narcos: Rise of the Cartels certainly have a fair amount of material with which to draw from. Sensibly, they’ve opted to use the first season and the events contained therein as the basis for the game, meaning that folks who have yet to watch the seminal Netflix show can hop in right away without any hesitation.

4. There’s More Than One Type Of Soldier

Again tapping into its XCOM and Phantom Doctrine influences, Narcos: Rise of the Cartels employs a class system that allows players to hire and use different types of soldiers and operatives. As you might expect, each class type lends itself especially well to varying roles too. The Search Bloc troops are essentially scouts that specialise in identifying threats and moving quickly, while demolition specialists excel at destroying cover and creating distractions, allowing other members of the squad to pick off the enemy with ease.

5. Progression, Lots of Progression

Like any decent turn-based strategy effort worth its salt, Narcos: Rise of the Cartels provides players with plenty of creative latitude for progression, too. With each successful mission, enemy killed and objective completed, your active squad gains experience points which can then be traded in for a wide variety of skills, that in turn expand their capability for dealing with the much more difficult missions encountered later on in the game. Like most efforts from the turn-based genre, you’ll need to be careful with your upgraded squad members too, since when they’re gone – they’re gone for good.

Out on PC November 19th, you can check out Narcos: Rise of the Cartels on our website, or head over to the Green Man Gaming Community Site and join the conversation.

The best Star Wars games released on PC

Not long ago in a galaxy near, near by, Star Wars games were two a penny. It felt like every time you turned around there was one popping out of the woodwork to shoot Han first or podracing down the high street.

These days they’re a little more spaced out. This week marks the release of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, a game that looks to revitalise lightsaber combat and bring the action to life like never before. 

With a new Star Wars game on the cusp of release, a new Star Wars film coming at the end of the year which follows up on the amazing The Last Jedi, and The Mandalorian wowing audiences, it feels like the perfect time to look back over where we’ve been, and talk up the absolute best Star Wars games you can play on PC.

10. Star Wars Episode I: Racer

Podracing was probably the only good thing introduced in the prequels, and the resulting game was one of the few good games to come from them. Racing has never felt faster in this high speed high stakes game of jet madness.

9. Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords

More ambitious than the previous game, better characters, so why isn’t this topping the list? Unfortunately it fell victim to the early-Obsidian curse. They didn’t have enough time or money to finish it off, leaving whole parts of it incomplete. 

8. Star Wars Battlefront II

The first new Battlefront didn’t go down too well, but EA were listening and a whole raft of changes were implemented for the sequel. Battlefront II improves in almost every way, and even if you don’t play for long, it’s one of the most beautiful Star Wars experiences ever.

7. Star Wars: The Old Republic

‘But it’s terrible’ I hear you mashing into your keyboards. Ah but have you tried it recently? Approach it like a free to play single player BioWare RPG and trust me, you’ll be satisfied.

6. Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy

The main story allowed a huge amount of freedom after the linear Dark Forces series of games, but it’s in the multiplayer that Jedi Academy really shines. Lightsaber duelling became an artform, bringing with it a whole community of lightsaber masters. 

5. Star Wars Galaxies

Pour one out for one of the greatest MMOs of all time. Sadly gone before its time twice, once in a retool that was poorly received and then finally closing down in 2011, Galaxies was the dream of MMOs made reality. If only every MMO could have such ambition.

4. X-Wing Alliance

X-Wing Alliance had it all, space dogfighting combat, all the ships, and even a sassy droid companion. X-Wing Alliance took the multiplayer X-Wing vs TIE Fighter, added a compelling story that spanned half the galaxy, and even let you start in a YT-model freighter. 

3. Star Wars: Republic Commando

The dark years of Star Wars fandom saw all manner of abominations see the light of day, but a shining beacon amongst it all was Republic Commando. A squad based FPS with a team of loveable clone troopers sank you right into the action, and FPS games were all the better for it.

2. TIE Fighter

What’s it like to be a baddie? TIE Fighter asked that question in what was not only a great space-sim dogfighter, but it also had an expansive story featuring fan favourite Grand Admiral Thrawne. 

1. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Knights of the Old Republic did that amazing thing that’s so rare in Star Wars. It did a prequel well. Set thousands of years before anything we’d seen before it introduced a great cast of characters and a plot that people still talk about to this day.
What’s your favourite Star Wars game on PC? Head on over to the forum and join the conversation and let us know.

Shenmue 3: Everything you need to know

Shenmue 3 is not only real but also out soon, really soon in fact on November 19th. It’s not been an easy ride for the series though. The original Shenmue came out a full two decades ago in 1999 and released on the unfortunately ill-fated Dreamcast. This isn’t a series you can really jump into without knowing some of the history, so bear with me a second. 

Shenmue 3 the story so far

They follow a teenager called Ryo Hazuki who returns to his family dojo only to see things going horribly awry. He sees his father battling a Chinese man called Lan Di, upon trying to help he gets taken out of the fight immediately. It turns out that Lan Di is after some very fancy mirrors, and that leads Ryo on a journey that is part-mystical and part-painfully ordinary. 

Shenmue is partly famous for having mini-games that involve racing forklift trucks and carrying books. Not only that, but you had to walk for two hours at one point. It’s an interesting choice and probably not one that players would enjoy now. But hey, the third one is on its way. 

The plot up to this point has Ryo teaming up with a girl called Shenhua Ling, who is literally the girl of his dreams, as in, he has dreamed of her. The two came across a strange mural that showed off the two mirrors that started the whole story. That’s where we left off, so we can expect to pick up from there. 

A Rocky Road to Release

Shenmue 3 was actually shown off in Sony’s conference during E3 back in 2015. It then launched a Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $2 million in under seven hours before ending with over $6 million raised; which is an awful lot of money. It’s been a bit of a weird road since then, with the game becoming an Epic Store exclusive on PC, and finally getting a solid release date. 

Aside from that strange path, the good news is that some people have actually played it now. In fact, it’s been previewing marvelously well given that it definitely has that unique feeling of a game out of time. It’s had almost universally positive comments from the outlets that have played it, which should be good news to those fans who can’t believe it’s even happening. 

So what’s new in Shenmue 3

The game itself is probably going to be the same strange mix of open-world exploration, odd mini-games, and quick-time events that the games are known for. Of course, graphics have come a fair way since the Dreamcast, so hopefully, it’ll look a lot prettier throughout than its predecessors. 

It’s also worth noting that the series director, writer, and producer Yu Suzuki has said that this isn’t the end of Ryo’s tale. Uh, not even close in fact. According to an interview with Eric Van Allen on US Gamer, this third game should bring us up to around the 40 percent mark of his story. 

That’s just 40 percent of Ryo Hazuki’s story, not even necessarily the tale that he wants to tell in Shenmue itself. It could well be that this series outlives all of us, so we can only hope that there is some kind of manuscript somewhere to make sure things go a bit smoother going forward. I don’t think anyone wants to deal with yet another Game of Thrones/George R R Martin.

Well, we’ll see just what this all looks like when the game releases on November 19th. It’ll be interesting at the very least, and sometimes that’s far better than a game just being good or bad. It should give us all something to talk about if nothing else.

Shenmue 3 releases November 19 for PC, are you looking forward to finally jumping back into the series? Comment below and head over to the Green Man Gaming Community site to join the conversation.

The Best Educational Games on PC

Video games have a tough time breaking through their negative perceptions. It doesn’t help that many are filled with guns, violence, and often deeply regressive attitudes, causing people to write them off as toys, childish things, or worse.

However, games can often be a force for good. We’ve already looked at why video games can help improve mental health, but they can also be a powerful educational tool.

The evidence is everywhere when you scratch the surface. Research undertaken in 2013 shows that games can provide a 23% gain in learning over traditional methods. Games can also be a powerful motivator for learning, another study shows. A 2012 study looked into how games can help shape our attention. Games can help with learning languages, even if the game itself isn’t in another language. Games can assist in overcoming bias and cognitive dissonance. 

Whilst we’re not educators here at Green Man Gaming, we thought in light of this we would take the time to let you know about some of the best educational games you can get your hands on for PC.

5. Spacechem

Any Zachtronics game is going to push your brain to learn new methods of learning logic, but their magnum opus (not their game called Opus Magnum) is Spacechem. By building logic machines that combine chemicals in order to produce specific outputs, you’ll find yourself considering problems in ways you hadn’t ever before.

4. Epistory

Typing is an essential part of the modern world, so why not combine learning how to type with a beautiful world and a wonderful story. Epistory starts off small but eventually leads to longer words, making sure the student makes reasonable and sensible progress throughout.

3. Kerbal Space Program

If you or a child has an interest in space, Kerbal Space Program is an ideal learning tool that not only reinforces information about orbital physics and why space travel is fundamentally difficult, but it also teaches the player how to get up, dust yourself off, and try, try, try again. Also, it’s getting a sequel, so there’ll be more space for everyone.

2. Zoombinis

Help the Zoombinis get through a series of challenging puzzles as they seek out a new home, as you play, you’ll learn how to apply logic, how to spot patterns, and much much more. Zoombinis is a game with a huge learning scope, and it helps that the Zoombinis themselves are just so incredibly cute.

1. The Assassin’s Creed series

The framing device for the Assassin’s Creed series is obviously fictional, but you’ll be surprised how much of the time periods you visit in the series are real and intricately modeled. It’s not just the time periods, the people you meet on your adventures are often real people, acting as a springboard for your own research and learning journey. Did you know that Pope Alexander VI and Cesare Borgia were real and brutal leaders of men, or that Charles Vane and Calico Jack were real pirates? The attention to detail Ubisoft has put into the game series is astounding.

3 Reasons to pick up Monster Hunter: World ahead of Iceborne’s PC Release

Players enjoying Monster Hunter: World on PC will no doubt be waiting in absolute agony for the release of Iceborne, the tundra-themed critically-acclaimed expansion that brought greater depth, extra content and most importantly, more monsters to the base game on consoles earlier this year when it launched for PS4 and Xbox One on September 6. 

Last week it was finally revealed that Monster Hunter World: Iceborne will finally arrive on PC in the new year on January 9th, 2020, which has made a lot of hunters very happy. If you’re new to the franchise that has recently gained serious mainstream attention with the release of World, you might want to consider picking up Monster Hunter: World and giving it a whirl before the blizzard that is Iceborne strikes you down. 

Time to catch up 

Monster Hunter: World is a lot of fun, especially if you like a challenge, and there’s plenty of that waiting for you if you decide to take the plunge. Crucially, if you want to play Iceborne when that comes out, you’ve got your work cut out for you. The expansion is gated by Hunter Rank, and you need to hit level 16 if you want to take on the big scaly boys of Iceborne. This means you should work through the campaign in World whilst you wait for the expansion to come to PC. It could be worse… it’s a whole lot of fun, especially with friends. Even so, if you’re a World player still hovering below the necessary rank, think about hopping on for a few hours to boost up and get ready for the snowfall.

An Unmatched Community

Despite being Capcom’s best-selling game of all time (seriously) it’s fair to say that Monster Hunter: World is still quite inaccessible for a newbie with no experience of the franchise. There are some handy tutorials and arenas to practice in that will get you up to speed, but the joy of Monster Hunter World is usually wrapped up in engaging with the community and going on your first probing hunts in the wild. There’s really nothing like it. Head over to the Monster Hunter: World subreddit or seek out the appropriate Discord groups (there’s plenty) so you can introduce yourself and join the hunt with some fellow fresh starters. There should be plenty of new blood with Iceborne approaching soon, so take advantage of the influx of players and get the hunting party started.

Build Experimentation and Crucial Context

Unlike your console brethren, you won’t be going in blind with Iceborne. Console players have at this point mapped out all of the stats and tactics necessary to take on the beasts of Iceborne, setting out new build guides and mapping out every nook and cranny of Hoarfrost Reach. This means that you can really get into the meta side of things and experiment with different builds.

Think about how you’re going to approach those vicious beasts when they arrive and start grinding now so you can be ready in January. It’s also worthwhile playing through the story to receive the context necessary to understand the narrative, which is already a rip-roaring good time.

Still not convinced? for more information on the base Game, Monster Hunter: World and details on the Iceborne DLC you find out Everything You Need To Know About Monster Hunter: World.

An introduction to Chiptune: How musicians turn retro game consoles into instruments

Ah, the humble Gameboy. As well as revolutionising portable gaming, Nintendo’s wonder device provided us with such classics as Pokemon Yellow and Tetris and is so sturdy it’s known to have survived a Gulf War barracks bombings.

Gameboy Beginnings

The original Gameboy persists in the minds of many who were invigorated by it’s wonder as a child, but you may be shocked to learn that the pocket powerhouse is now a bona fide piece of musical equipment, responsible for an entire genre of music.

Imagine if you will, you’re waiting with your drink in a sold-out venue, and a band arrives on stage holding Game Boys and fiddling with Commodore consoles. If you’re a Chip music fan, this isn’t too far from a good Friday night. 

How does Chiptune work?

Chip music artists use tracker software to basically hack old consoles and turn them into instruments. The Game Boy’s known software is called Little Sound DJ, and it contains “59 phonemes for programmable speech,” as well as drum kits sampled from iconic machines, including 707s, 808s and more. You can create a MIDI interface with it if you want to. For an example, here’s Jamiroquai’s “Virtual Insanity” recreated via a hacked Game Boy. 

You basically turn the sound chip within the console into an instrument that you can control and modify to create tunes that sound unmistakably like soundtracks from the back catalogue of said device. It’s an incredible way to keep the memory of old consoles alive and create new and exciting audio-visual experiences long after they’ve been forgotten.

If you have an old Game Boy lying around, consider looking into the modding and hacking scene if you’re musically minded. You can even emulate the ROM of LSDJ on your PC if you don’t want to buy admittedly expensive old kit. 

Chiptune in the mainstream

Ever since the dawn of hacked console & user-generated video game music in the 70s and 80s, Chip music has exploded, spawning a variety of genres form Nintendocore to Complextro and Bitpop. 

Just last week American boy band Anamanaguchi released their third album [USA] to rave reviews. They’re known for using hacked NES and Game Boy consoles in their music similar to the style mentioned above, yet they also incorporate more standard instrumentation via guitar and drums, creating a Chiptune sound influenced by pop-rock. 

It’s a fascinating mix and explains why they stand out so clearly as Chiptune’s major modern trailblazers. Check out their single Air On Line which has remarkable retro influence from the 70s right through to the early 00s. 

See if you can spot notes of Spyro, Zelda, Final Fantasy and the ethereal vocoders that come together with the physical drums and guitars to create a mystifying song that homages the past whilst being grounded in the present. 

It’s a fascinating field of music that is dying to be explored by video game fans. If you often listen to retro soundtracks on YouTube whilst you work, consider looking into artists like Anamanaguchi, Toby Fox, Chipzel and Sabrepulse that twist your beloved OSTs into their own special art.

Disney Classic Games PC release – I just can’t wait to show you a whole new world

It used to be that any film that was released inevitably had a game tie-in. It was just the way things were, it meant that there was massive waves of film-based gaming to do, and not all of it was terrible. Actually, some of the games were genuinely great, or at least they felt great at the time. 

While it’s easy to look back fondly on the games we played as kids, they don’t always stack up very well. Well, Disney is hoping that’s not the case with the upcoming release of Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King. 

Disney Classics Remastered

There are a few really cool features regarding both of these classic platformers too. For starters, they’ve been given that beautiful graphical enhancement so they’ll look good on your fancy modern TV. That means you can play them while they look as shiny as possible, but if that doesn’t suit your tastes, then there’s good news. You can actually apply a filter that makes it look as though you’re playing using a CRT TV, or even some other kind of old-school relic. Good news if you like feeling as though you need glasses but could also afford a house. 

On top of these visual things, the collection comes with a new “Final Cut” version of Aladdin, which has been tinkered with to make it a better experience as well as apparently adding in some new surprises. This could well be enough of a reason for some people to jump into a whole new world. 

Behind the Scenes Extras

If you prefer a more historical approach to things, then you’ll be keen on the Museum mode, which lets you view interviews with the original teams as well as looking at loads of pictures and concept art for the games that have never previously been released. Plus, if you’re less interested in playing the games than watching them, you can watch a full walkthrough of the games. You can then jump in at any point you want, which allows you to skip bits you simply can’t do or don’t want to do. It’s a very modern convenience for a rather old set of games. 

It’s a very fancy collection, and each game actually has multiple versions too. That means that if you fondly remember the Sega versions of the games, then you’ll be able to stick your nose up at the Nintendo versions – like some kind of heathen. It’s a great way of doing this style of release though, and all of the additional content is sure to entice fans both new and old. 

Plus, it’s not even that far away. If you just can’t wait to be king, then you’ll be happy to know that the Disney Classic Games collection has already released on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch as of October 29th. Which is not the spookiest day of the year, and is therefore unlikely to cost you your soul. Good news all around.

EGX Indie Game Highlights

Often times when visiting EGX people tend to go after the big blockbuster games, the huge stands with tens of screens showcasing the latest AAA games. But don’t look passed the Rezzed areas, there are always some really interesting titles hidden away just waiting for you to discover them. Here are a few top picks from this year’s show. 

Circuit Superstars

Circuit Superstars feels a little like a spiritual successor to Micro Machines, and the next step in the evolution of those games. It takes that arcadey feel of driving but refines it to be a little more distinguished. Allowing you to drive with a little more finesse.

At EGX there was the option to play in a split screen 4 player race across 10 laps of the track that features in the trailers already released. Whilst the game feels accessible and easy to pick up you can still hone your driving skills to get the better of your opponents. Taking racing lines, and knowing how best to handle the long sweeping bends or tight hairpins will reward you with better track position and faster times. 

Featuring both local and online multiplayer, plus single player racing against AI there will be plenty for you to get stuck into when the game releases sometime in 2020.

Unto the End

A dark and challenging adventure awaits our hero in Unto the End. Alone and with the odds stacked against you, you must take a Father on a perilous journey to get his family back. 

With a combat system that focuses on skill and timing, you will have to fight intelligently in order to overcome your foes, utilising both ranged and melee weapons. Your adventure will see you traveling through dangerous terrains and tackling opponents all with their own motivations and place in the world. 

The fairly short but sweet demo had players traversing a dark cave system avoiding hazards such as falling boulders. Then venturing above ground across a snow-covered forest. Where enemies waited to ambush you. The combat was challenging but not overwhelming. 

What was a surprise to me was that combat isn’t your only option when encountering strange creatures. In some instances, you are able to resolve things peacefully which could benefit you when trading items, or for encounters later on. 

Unto the End is a really interesting title, with a unique style, engaging combat and an interesting world to get immersed in.

Wanba Warriors

Wanba Warriors was a bit of an odd game, but it was oddly great. It’s a beat em up really, but it has a really distinct visual style and control scheme. If you’ve ever played Getting Over It, then you’ll kind of understand what it’s like. Your movement is determined by rotating your weapon around your body like a windmill and launching yourself around. Your aim is to defeat your opponent.

There are a number of different characters to play – of which you pick two for your fight, each one has their own style of weapons and moves. You then fight to the death and should you beat both of the enemies opponents you win. 

It was pretty absurd and funny, but there was something charming about its bizarness.

Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer’s Legacy

Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer’s Legacy is a roguelite action-RPG in which you will explore stunning landscapes and discover hidden marvels. Along your journey, you’ll encounter dangerous and magical creatures. 

Exploration through the map works in a similar way to games like FTL, Void Bastards or Slay the Spire. There are multiple branching paths you can choose to take. Once you’ve reached your destination you can freely explore that area to find secrets, rest, trade, or progress the story.

Your ultimate goal is to destroy the Staff of Yendor, but there is freedom and choices to take whichever route you want to get there. Unexplored 2 features permadeath and a legacy style system. Meaning if and when you die some elements of the world from your previous life will remain. 

With over 400 locations to explore there will be plenty to get stuck in to. Plus the addition of procedural dungeons and areas, locations will feel fresh and interesting to explore. Unexplored 2: The Wayfarers Legacy looks amazing, played well and had a really interesting premise. Due out sometime next year.

That’s it for our top picks from EGX, what indie games are you looking forward to? Leave a comment below then head over to the Green man Gaming Community site to see what other games we’re looking out for.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare like you’ve never seen before

Call of Duty gets a lot of stick for never really innovating or changing year to year, the thing is, that’s not really fair. The unique three studio yearly cycle means that changes come through somewhat sporadically, but they always come through. 

Call of Duty’s Past Does not Define its Future

Just look at the differences between Infinite Warfare and Black Ops 4. The former had an emphasis on over-the-top futuristic combat with an intensely cinematic story and an almost hero-shooter like quality to the multiplayer. 

Black Ops 4 meanwhile, was all-in on multiplayer, forgoing a single-player mode in favour of three different multiplayer affairs. The traditional multiplayer was exactly what you’d expect from a Call of Duty game, tight-feeling controls and frenetic firefights. There was the zombie mode, which was an excellent co-op mode about trying to survive in different scenarios against an unending horde of the undead. 

Finally, there was Blackout, the first truly triple-A battle royale mode. One that had all the normal trimmings you might expect, but with a level of polish on the shooting that exceeded the other games in that pantheon. It was probably the mode that most people played, and for a good reason, it was infectiously fun. 

Call of Duty’s new Gunfight

It should be no surprise then, that this year’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare – a reboot of one of the most popular games of all time – is introducing a new mode too: Gunfight. Despite being a somewhat underwhelming name, Gunfight isn’t just a descriptor for the entire First-Person Shooter genre but is this year’s exciting addition to the multiplayer portion of the franchise. 

Gunfight brings first-person shooting back to the intense and claustrophobic feeling that has been lost in a game scape dominated by open-worlds and the constant need to go bigger. It strips the game back to being short and snappy rounds of 2v2 combat. 

A Test of Skill and Nerve

With only you and one other to rely on, fights aren’t what we’re used to. There’s no running around double-jumping, no reviving each other, you get one chance to win.  It’s all about using what you have available to you and your own wits: no gimmicks, no-nonsense, just a simple test of skill and nerve. 

Each fight is set in a small map, one that will have tight turns, small spaces, and very little room to run away. Every player is then given a loadout to play with. There are no guarantees what that will be, but you’ll all be in this with the same weapons and chances, the only thing that will keep you alive until the end is your skill, so be prepared to flex those flick shots , you’re going to need them.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is going to be hitting us hard on October 25th. You can look forward to an intense and immersive solo campaign to play through alongside all of the less serious multiplayer offerings, so it should be a welcome return to form for many fans of the Modern Warfare series.

New currency changes in 9 countries

From today (23rd October 2019), Green Man Gaming has changed the currency that customers use to shop with us from select markets from GBP £ to USD $.

The countries that will see this change are:

  • Czech Republic
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia
  • Denmark
  • Poland
  • Romania
  • Sweden
  • Ukraine
  • Hungary

We’ve decided to review our pricing currency so we can get the best deals to customers that offer overall cheaper prices for everyone. 

This currency change will also adjust the credit balance in the  Green Man Gaming account of customers in these countries. The new currency amount of credit will be changed automatically from GBP£ to USD$ with immediate effect. 

We’re always listening to our customers and working to improve the Green Man Gaming experience. Please do get in touch with our Customer Support team if you have any questions or would like to share feedback.

Call of Duty: The History of Captain Price

A name synonymous with the franchise itself, Captain John Price is a man that needs no introduction if you’ve played a Modern Warfare game. A dangerously calculated military man with an endearing sense of humor, he brings welcome comic relief and some genuinely powerful moments to the series, bouncing off of his supporting soldiers and lending an ear where necessary. In this article we’re going to run through some of his finest moments, leading up to the reinvention of his character in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, which lands later this week. 

All Ghillied Up

“50,000 people used to live here… now it’s a ghost town.” You’ve no doubt heard this line dozens of times before if you’ve played Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and struggled against the iconic mission ‘All Ghillied Up’. Whilst this wasn’t the introduction of Price himself, it serves as a window into his past. Under orders from his own Glaswegian Captain, MacMillan, Lieutenant Price botches an assassination of Zakhaev, tearing his left arm from his body after sneaking through the dog-covered fields of Pripyat.

Prisoner 627

Price then led Bravo Team and Soap MacTavish to the ending mission ‘Game Over’, where he most famously tossed a pistol to his protege so that they (us) could finish off the Fourth Horseman and the Ultranationalists. This seemed like the perfect ending, until we learn that the scheme still held power in Russia, leading to Modern Warfare 2. In this game, Price led Task Force 141 under General Shepherd to take down Vladimir Makarov, the evil leader responsible for ‘No Russian’ who was continuing in the footsteps of Zakhaev. 

A raid gone wrong leaves Price in a Russian Gulag, where the player must rescue him in a shattered state. The team then scramble to defeat Makarov, and Price is later betrayed by General Shepherd and his Shadow Company. In a battle to the death Captain Price nearly loses his life to Shepherd before Soap pulls a knife from his body and sends it hurtling into Shepherd’s head, saving the dynamic duo. 

A suicide mission

With Makarov still at large, Price returns to the fold leading a disavowed Task Force 141 into battle to finish off the Russian extremist once and for all. This is an even more important mission given that their legacy and names have been muddied by their dealings with General Shepherd. Price grieves the loss of his protege Soap in Modern Warfare 3 and comes to terms with a new partner in Yuri, who tried to betray Makarov during the events of ‘No Russian’.

His failure in Pripyat looming heavy on his conscience, he leads Yuri on a revenge mission to kill Makarov, finally succeeding and clearing his name at the Hotel Oasis, where they ruin Makarov’s security force and kill the man himself, losing Yuri in the process. In losing another close friend Price is crushed, but his mission is then complete, and the years of grief and dread created by that sniper shot in Pripyat were declared over. 

Future Soldier

Whilst you may have thought that Price might have hung up his boots by now, he has re-entered the fold for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Voiced by Barry Sloane and not Billy Murray, the new, younger-looking character is part of the Modern Warfare reboot, still sporting his iconic moustache. To see what kind of hijinks he’s set to get up to in the new game, check out the story trailer and get ready to dive in when the game launches on October 25th for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.

Skybolt Zack Everything You Need to Know

Published by Green Man Gaming Publishing, Skybolt Zack is a new breed of platformer from French developers DEVS MUST DIE. Bringing together the combination of rhythm style button matching combos and fast paced platforming elements, Skybolt Zack is sure to draw out the perfectionist in you as you aim for those perfect runs and high scores through the wide variety of levels and worlds.

What do you do? 

Rocket punch your way through 48 challenging levels spread across 15 different environments and 5 unique worlds. Each level features branching paths with varying levels of difficulty depending on the route you take. Following these paths will lead you on to different levels and routes opening the game up for a lot of replayability.

The easier routes tend to be lower down in the level and your movement will mostly involve horizontal movement. Whereas the more challenging routes will see you using a lot more of the verticality of the levels and will require more precise timing, faster reactions and to plan a little further ahead.

How do you play?

You’re free to use almost any controller you want and with that you can also customise your button layout to your preferred combination. Once you’ve settled on that it’s time to jump in to the fantastic looking world accompanied by a retro 90’s platformer inspired playlist. 

Each interactable element of the game – mostly enemy robots, or missiles and bullets flying around, will be mapped to a specific button and will be highlighted with the same colour as on your chosen controller. Once you press the corresponding button and the direction you want to go, you’re rocket punch will propel you to your target and essentially destroy it. From then on you keep on repeating that, picking the path you want to take as you progress. The quicker you can do it and the more buttons you can combo together the better your score at the end will be. 

Zack’s rocket punch isn’t his only options though, he can dash in any direction, focus – allowing you to reach further with your targeting, and quickly change direction when destroying enemies. Providing players with more depth to the gameplay and mastering its levels. Skybolt Zack definitely fits with the “easy to learn, but difficult to master” idiom. 

Game Modes

In Skybolt Zack there are three different game modes for players to get stuck in to. The story is the standard mode that will teach you the basics and let you play at your own pace. Then for the more competitive amongst you, you have Score Attack, where your goal is to try and get the highest score possible. The final game mode is Time Attack, where you’re trying to make it through the level in the best time. 

To compliment that and to give you somewhere to show off there are also two worldwide leaders boards, one for each of the competitive modes. 
If you want to try Skybolt Zack for yourself you can download the demo. Otherwise the full game releases on November 7th.

Why Attending Conventions Like EGX is Good For the Soul

Currently London here in the UK is abuzz with video games. The annual celebration of the video game industry is popping off in the ExCel centre – that’s right; it’s EGX time.

We’re in attendance this year meaning if you’re there you can get some hands-on time with Pride Run, Skybolt Zack, ShockRods, or you can just stop by and say hello. 

But maybe you’re not there, maybe you’re asking ‘Alex, why should I care about gaming conventions? Why would I bother?’ Well, firstly, I commend your audacity. Secondly, here’s why you should give a damn about gaming conventions like EGX, and why they’re truly good for the soul.

5. It’s good to be bounced around in the Brownian motion of society

We could do all our shopping on the internet. We could go to school at home. We could do our jobs in our pyjamas, and often we might need to do those things for our sanity or health. But it really is generally good to be out and about amongst others at least when you can. Conventions like EGX are an ideal place to just get out for a bit, meet some people, or don’t. It’s up to you.

4. Everyone’s there for one reason

Conversations are easier at conventions like EGX, because everyone’s there for one reason. Saw a game you like? Excited about something? Well, so are they. Everyone’s got a story or a thing they want to talk about, and so instead of spending time on small talk, you can go straight to Big Talk about things you love and things you are excited for.

3. Video Games are great

Let’s not underestimate this: video games are absolutely fantastic. Getting to go to a place and play and see games that aren’t out yet, or even ones that are old and being played on retro systems is just brilliant. You love games, the convention organisers love games, everyone there loves games. 

2. People don’t fit into one mould

You’ve seen the stereotypes. Gamers are male shut-ins wearing 1999-era Matrix leather coats. But, go to a gaming convention like EGX, and you’ll see just how stupid and out of date that stereotype is. Gamers come in all shapes, sizes, genders, and ages. Yes of course there’ll be a few nascent Neos walking around, but that’s just one type of gamer, you’ll see so many that you’ll realise ‘gamer’ is a tag that just applies to what you do, not who you are.

1. It’s a respite from negativity

The world’s a lot sometimes. Disasters, both natural and manmade ravage the world, political unrest is tearing countries and communities asunder, and frankly things are just a bit rubbish most of the time. But at a gaming convention, that stops at the door. Everyone is there to just see something new, see something they love, and it’s genuinely refreshing to soak up that atmosphere. 

Gaming conventions like Gamescom, EGX, Rezzed, or PAX can be expensive, tiring, and busy. But they’re also good for the soul, they’re energising, they recharge your love of gaming and can give you a new outlook on those who game alongside you.
What’s your favourite convention, or are you still just not interested in them? Let us know in the comments below, or head on over to our forum to join in the conversation.