Gamescom 2018 is Games-coming soon

Gamescom is the second biggest gaming event in the world, bringing together thousands of fans, journalists, developers, publishers, and more in one huge celebration of the gaming industry.

Taking place in Cologne, Germany every year, the whole city is taken over by a cavalcade of supreme nerd-dom, with gamers of every type descending to celebrate their love of gaming.

You can see the schedule for the convention here, and while there’s not always announcements made at Gamescom, here’s some stuff that we’d like to see get announced during Gamescom 2018. Will we be right? Let us know in the comments.

Every game has Crash Bandicoot in it

Following on from the ridiculous success of the remastered Crash Bandicoot games, the gaming industry has come together with one voice to say ‘can we please have Crash Bandicoot in our game’. Every game will now feature a Crash Bandicoot mode, complete with running-toward-camera segments and wumpa fruit galore. Coming to a Crash Bandicoot PC to you in 2019.

Hitman 2 has a level where you have to save a dog’s life

Hitman games are renowned for one thing; elaborate murders. Developers IO Interactive are mixing it up in the next Hitman game, however, and adding in a level where the sole objective is to save a dog’s life as a cabal of evil dog attackers are roaming the Rome streets. Will you succeed at this canine race against time, or will your adventure end up like Old Yeller?

Cyberpunk 2077 is out….now!

CD Projekt Red surprise everyone by announcing that not only is Cyberpunk 2077 complete, it’s out now and you can download it right away!

Cyberpunk 2077 is not out now, sorry

CD Projekt Red surprise everyone by announcing that not only did Doug make a mistake with the announcement, he’s also been fired.

LEGO: Watchmen announced

The LEGO games are a staple of the gaming landscape, featuring beloved properties, worlds, and characters from a multitude of imaginations. Next they’ll take to the streets of New York as your favourite LEGO heroes wax lyrical about the disgust they feel about crime, the philosophical nature of time, and whether or not humanity is worth saving. Fun!

Bethesda have made a real life wasteland in Virginia

It’s not enough for Fallout 76 to feature a huge open world that you can explore with friends, Bethesda have decided to level a huge area in Virginia, engineer some super mutants, and even loose some ghouls on the land. This radioactive funland will be open to the public Summer 2019.

Fortnite is getting a Battle Royale-Royale mode

Fortnite’s the big daddy of Battle Royale games right now, so it’s only natural that Epic Games would decide to include a Battle Royale-Royale mode, featuring all the other Battle Royale games in a huge fifty player murderous environment. Will Fortnite see off the others, or will PUBG stand clear of the fray? It’s all up for grabs in the Battle Royale-Royale event of the century.

Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey is 2.5x larger than Origins, 4.5x longer, 6.5x taller, and 8.5x wider

Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey is big, like, really big. Like, imagine something big? It’s bigger. You can’t even imagine how big. Try it, I dare you. WRONG. It’s bigger than that. Sucker.

Games are art now unless you disagree

Finally this aeons old argument can be put to rest, games are finally decreed to be art, unless you think they’re not art in which case they’re not art, sorry to bother you.

Half Life 3

We can dream.

Three Games that Deserve a Comeback

With THQ Nordic picking up the rights to both TimeSplitters and Second Sight it looks like we will be getting either remasters or brand new games in these series. It also seems like a really good time to look back to find some other classic games from that era that could really do with another chance at life.

If we look specifically at the console generation that housed the PS2 we have some other great games around at that time. The PS2 had some good company as this is the generation that had the Xbox, Gamecube, and even the ill fated Sega Dreamcast. As such there are some genuinely incredible games from around then that have been lost to time.

If we pick one from each of the other consoles then it makes the process a little easier, so starting with the Dreamcast we have Power Stone. If you’re not familiar, Power Stone was a 3D arena fighter that had lots of wacky characters running around and beating the hell out of each other. If your character picked up enough Power Stones they would transform and be more powerful for a while. The sequel Power Stone 2 did even more with the formula and allowed you to mix items together to make new ones, the selection was immense and there really hasn’t been another game like it in 3D.

It was a four player free-for-all back in the day but now with modern technology and the internet infrastructure it’s easy to imagine it having a higher player limit and being online too. The addition of online multiplayer has made a lot of these kind of games infinitely more enjoyable for the simple reason that getting mates round just isn’t as easy as sitting at home and connecting through the internet. The stages could be more complex and the items could be expanded upon even more, though honestly just getting a straight up re-release with a higher resolution would be more than enough for most fans of the series.

Representing the Gamecube is Viewtiful Joe, a side-scrolling beat ‘em up game that focuses on a film nerd who gets dragged into the world of cinema and becomes a superhero. The action was a dizzying mix of punches, kicks, dodges, and movie based super powers. You had three different powers which all had completely different effects. You could use Slow, which made everything super slow oddly enough, but also gave Joe’s attacks significantly more clout and made it easier to dodge attacks. Mach Speed was the opposite effect, speeding Joe up to an absurd degree and eventually causing his strikes to burst enemies into flames, plus you could hit multiple enemies at once because of the tempo advantage. The last power is Zoom In, which would give some enemies stage fright and give Joe some extra damage too. These were all invaluable in both combat and the puzzles that were dotted throughout the game. If you slow down a propeller it’ll fall out of the sky, speed it up and it’ll fly higher than ever. The cast of characters were magnificent; even including a great riff on Dante that you could eventually unlock and play as.

Finally we have the original Xbox which was home to a ridiculous selection of games, many of which are backwards compatible or playable on PC. Not all are accessible though, in particular Jet Set Radio Future is one of the ones that people want back most. The Sequel to Jet Set Radio on the Dreamcast, Future shakes things up by allowing your merry band of graffiti artists to defy gravity and literally grind up lampposts. The whole point of the game is to fight of other gangs by graffitiing their turf, and even sometimes the actual members. Some of the levels felt more like intense platforming games than skating games and the whole thing looked incredible in cel shaded loveliness. Oh, don’t forget that the soundtrack is nearly unrivalled a full sixteen years later and is still one of the best collection of earworms you will ever find in a single game.

Truth be told, there are an unending selection of games that people would love to see come back, but these are just three that maybe we could push for a little harder than the others? Just a bit? Please?

Chart Expert Game Results – 10th August

This week you had the chance to win a beta copy of The Banner Saga 3! Let’s see what the correct order was and who won a key!

1st: Overcooked! 2

2nd: No Man’s Sky

3rd: Slay The Spire

And the winners are of course….TonZa10 and wakemeupalan99! They should check their GMG inboxes for their keys!

For those who didn’t guess right, come back on Monday for another shot!

Monster Hunter World PC Review Roundup

The day has come, Monster Hunter World is here on PC. Console owners have enjoyed the game for a while now, but it’s finally the day of the PC to strap a weapon on, get your nose to the ground, and hunt up some beasts.

We’re hugely excited for the launch, but maybe you’re not. Maybe you don’t know if it’s worth getting? So here’s our Monster Hunter World PC Review Roundup, read for yourself what people think:

Trusted Reviews – 5/5

“If you haven’t tried Capcom’s Monster Hunter: World you really should. Whether it’s on PC or console the game remains one of the best RPGs you’ll ever play, and the most inviting the series has ever been.

It’s clear to see why the franchise has such a dedicated following, and now that fanbase is set to grow ever larger thanks to the incredible steps the developer has taken to make this game more welcoming to many more players.

For those with a penchant for punishment, a soft spot for stats, and a crush on brilliant combat – you simply have to buy this game.”

IGN – 9.5/10

“Fitting for the series’ first ever western PC version, this isn’t a case of bringing flashy new exclusive content but a supremely stable, confidently-put-together package of what got all the console players so excited about in January. If it’s the first time you’ve gotten a chance to see what Monster Hunter is all about, this is as good a starting point as you’re likely to get.”

GameInformer – 9.25/10

“Monster Hunter: World’s PC version provides the same great hunting and gathering loops console players dove into earlier this year, and after having not played the series until now I’m absolutely hooked, both on the series and how the PC version enhances the experience. Adapting World’s console control scheme to keyboard-and-mouse comes with some minor nitpicks, but I’ve found the tradeoffs are worth it. And once the DLC makes its way to this version, PC players who’ve waited months for one of the best games of the year should have another deep and rewarding action-RPG on their hands.”

PCGamesN – 9/10

“It’s due to the freedoms Monster Hunter: World offers that I am happily putting more time into it after playing for well over two hundred hours on console. That speaks volumes for how rich the whole experience is. The biggest differences with this PC version are a few minor quality of life changes and a significant graphical upgrade. It’s not night and day exactly, but faster load times and better draw distance make it an absolute treat, so long as you have hardware that can handle it.”

PCGamer – 86/10

“Like your character, Monster Hunter: World dresses its breathless combat in every assortment of the most arbitrarily complicated garb, all in the name of variety. It is an abyss of ‘replayabilty’, an exercise in patience and observation for the ultimate payoff: an infinite black sea of invigorating dragon murder. And a new hat.”

Gamespot – 8/10

“Ever since the title was first announced, it was clear that Capcom was gunning for something grander than Monster Hunter Generations. It has succeeded, and this is likely the biggest and best that the franchise has ever been. It’s not just the comparative depth of the narrative; it also boasts almost seamless integration between combat systems that were previously incomprehensible for amateurs. The Monster Hunter formula has definitely honed its claws, and all the above factors play their part in making Monster Hunter World a meaningful evolution for the series at large.”

Rock, Paper, Shotgun

“Monster Hunter World is gorgeous and exciting. Its elegant systems are packed with depth. It’s hugely generous with a frankly bewildering amount of content, but still provides a firm, focused gameplay loop. The online experience is balanced, seamless, and challenging. But Monster Hunter World is also an unintentional reminder that the the glorious myth of dragon hunting only works as a shadow puppet show. Once you’ve seen that dragon’s home, its patterned scales, the beauty and terror in its wingspan, and watched it limp defeated back to its nest, swinging the blade a final time feels a lot less heroic. He who hunts monst, and all that. Cute cats though.”

Sixthaxis

“…Monster Hunter World on PC offers the same awesome experience that console gamers have been enjoying, and brings one of the best games of recent times to a slightly different audience. With the right kit you’ll be able to push the game further than anywhere else, and with the promise of future updates it’s likely to become the definitive version, even if it’s not quite there yet.”

Things to Look Forward to at QuakeCon 2018

It’s the beginning of August and that means one thing….QuakeCon 2018 is here. Starting on August the 9th and lasting three days until the 12th, Bethesda will be showing off the best of their current and upcoming games over the weekend.

Here’s the highlights of what we’re looking forward to seeing and hearing about over QuakeCon 2018.

The Elder Scrolls: Legends Masters Series Qualifiers

On Thursday, August 9th the sixteen best The Elder Scrolls: Legends players will go head-to-head in a series of matches, all aiming for a shot at the $50,000 grand prize. The qualifiers will end on Friday the 10th, and you can tune in here.

Quake Champions Tournament

The doubles tournament will start on Friday the 10th, with teams fighting it out for a piece of the $175,000 prize pool. In addition, the top eight teams will have the opportunity to fight one-on-one over an additional $25,000 prize. You can tune in over here.

Keynote

Also on Friday the 10th there will be a keynote presentation showing off some of what’s coming up in Bethesda-land. Quake Champions, RAGE 2, and The Elder Scrolls Online will all be covered with details of updates and new footage. The big one though is the reveal of DOOM Eternal gameplay as we get to see the followup to 2016’s DOOM for the first time. You can view along at home right here.

Additionally, if you’ve linked your Twitch, The Elder Scrolls Online, and Bethesda accounts (which you can do here) and watch the Keynote live, you’ll win some extra goodies for Bethesda games like The Elder Scrolls Online, The Elder Scrolls Legends, and Quake Champions. Here’s what you’ll get:

The Elder Scrolls Online (PC/Mac Only)

  • Flame Atronach Wolf Pet
  • Five Ouroboros Crown Crates

Quake Champions

  • Quakecon 2018 “Embers” Nameplate & Icon
  • Two Reliquaries
  • 1000 Shards
  • Three Day XP Boost

The Elder Scrolls: Legends

  • One Legendary Card
  • Legends Event Ticket
  • One Skyrim Card Pack
  • One Core Card Pack

Fallout 76 Update

On Saturday the 11th of August we’ll get some more details about Fallout 76, with particular attention shown to the character system and how perks will work in the multiplayer post-apocalyptic game. There’ll also be a fan Q&A, so who knows what we’ll learn. This can be watched on the Bethesda Twitch account, right here.

Exhibit Hall

In addition to the events listed above, throughout QuakeCon 2018 the Exhibit Hall will be open throughout Friday the 10th and Saturday the 11th of August. Attendees will be able to get hands-on time with RAGE 2, The Elder Scrolls: Blades, Quake Champions, Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot, and much more.

Here’s some of the events that you’ll be able to get up to if you’re attending QuakeCon 2018 in person and are heading down to the Exhibit Hall:

  • Hotseat: Attendees will be able to play games with randomly selected objectives for prizes, and also fun.
  • Best Sign in the BYOC: A contest for the best clan sign.
  • Quake Blind: Play Quake with a blindfold on in this doubles free-for-all competition. One person plays the role of the players’ eyes, the other plays the game – but blindfolded.
  • Dirty Keyboard Contest: It’s time to look at the absolute filth that some people use for keyboards. Dive deep into the most disgusting keyboards out there, as QuakeCon celebrities look and judge at some of the dirtiest keyboards known to humanity.
  • Pick Your Pony: Have a little flutter by visiting the Pick Your Pony station near the Esports main stage. Choose your ‘horse’ and if your horse comes in you’ll be going home with a little prize.
  • BAWLS Chugging: BAWLS Chugging Champion KenCo12 will be looking to reclaim their belt from two-time and current champion Dirty Taco in this chugging competition, but it’s all to play for in this years’ BAWLS Chugging event.

That’s what’s happening this year at QuakeCon 2018, so get watching.

7 Monsters we want to see in Monster Hunter World DLC

Monster Hunter World is coming to PC this week and we’re very much here to celebrate. It did amazing when released on consoles earlier in the year, garnering awards and critical praise from almost everywhere. It’s shaping up to be one of the biggest PC launches of the year and we’re excited to get our computer-y hands on it.

But what about once you’ve put several hundred hours into the hunting, skinning, and eating of Monster Hunter World’s fabulous creatures? What then?

Well we’re hoping for some Monster Hunter world DLC, and ideally we’d love to see some famous monsters poke their snouts into Monster Hunter’s world for a bit of the ol’ hunt, stalk, and kill. So here’s seven monsters we want to see in Monster Hunter World DLC.

Godzilla

Monster Hunter World DLC

Godzilla is probably the most famous monster on the planet, and for good reason. A fixture of film since 1954 we’ve seen Godzilla take on multiple forms and multiple foes. The King of the Monsters really needs to be taken down a peg or two and who better to do that than you, in Monster Hunter World? Admittedly Godzilla would be fairly easy to track, you don’t hide giant reptiles that easily, but once you found it the fight would be like Shadow of the Colossus meets a weekend in Florida. And that sounds pretty amazing.

King Kong

Monster Hunter World DLC

King Kong is of course, the second most famous monster on the planet. Standing somewhere between ‘very tall for an ape’ and ‘holy shit’, King Kong is here to be misunderstood and then smash things up. The only issue with including King Kong in Monster Hunter World would be you might get lost in that fur and have a nap in the warmth. King Kong is a tragic figure too, so trying to face it with axe in hand might be a little monstrous in itself.

The Horrible Things From The Enigma of Amigara Fault

Monster Hunter World DLC

Are they monsters? Well, maybe not, but they’re certainly not human anymore. These terrifying crevice dwelling creatures are ready to emerge and make horrifying noises all up in your business, so why not put them down with blade and hammer? It’s not known how fast they move so they may be an easy prey for any Monster Hunter out there, but frankly who cares, just stop them. Please. I need to sleep.

Frankenstein’s Monster

The only monster on this list with the word ‘monster’ in its name, Frankenstein’s Monster is as tough as they come and as hard as…bolts. An eternal stumbling machine, Frankenstein’s Monster is another misunderstood mirror to humanity. Treat this monster poorly at your peril, as once you’ve pissed them off they’re coming for you, and those grabby hands and shambling walk cannot be stopped. Apart from maybe by a Monster Hunter? We can only hope.

A Big Dragon

Monster Hunter World DLC

Who doesn’t love dragons? Next.

Nessie

We haven’t seen much of Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster in recent years. After the Family Ness aired on UK TV we seemed to lose interest as a culture in tales of the giant underwater creature which roams the deep loch. Let’s reverse that trend, and have a special underwater encounter in Monster Hunter World where you finally find out whether or not Nessie is real. Then kill it, in the name of having a better hat.

Lisa (P.T.)

Monster Hunter World DLC

There’s nothing scarier than a ghost, and in particular there’s nothing scarier than this ghost. Hunting you through endless repeating hallways in the Playable Teaser for the now-cancelled Silent Hills, it’s a shame that her terror is confined to that one small slice of game. Let’s get her out of that house and into the world, Monster Hunter World! OK maybe hunting a ghost might be a little tough, and those of nervous disposition may want to give her a wide berth, but imagine having your own ghost set of armour. Totally worth it.

Monster Hunter World is launching onto PC on the 9th of August, and is available for purchase here.

Will The Occupation Revitalise Immersive Sims?

The immersive sim genre is one of the PC’s mainstays, going back to games like Ultima Underworld and System Shock right up to the present day with Bethesda’s recent Prey. It’s a genre that has always showed off the freedom and creativity of PC gaming, but it’s a genre that seems to be in crisis.

Recently we’ve seen immersive sims be released which have done everything right, they’ve fulfilled everything about what it means to be an immersive sim. An immersive sim is a playground, it gives you objectives and then lets you decide how you succeed at that objective. Giving you tools to make interesting decisions in a space and letting you experience the success, and failure, that comes from your actions.

The problem is that some of these recent games haven’t set the world alight like previous immersive sims, so maybe it’s time to try something new in the genre.

Enter The Occupation.

What’s The Occupation About?

It’s 1987 and you’re in Manchester in the UK. A recent explosion has caused the UK government to become paranoid about safety begin work on the new Union Act, an act that when brought into force will make it impossible for foreign citizens to move to, or live in, the UK.

You’re an investigative reporter who is determined to get to the bottom of what’s motivating the act, and find out the truth of the motivations, ideas, and events that surround its creation. In order to be successful you have to infiltrate a government building and read, question, and uncover the absolute truth behind the Union Act.

Why is it Looking so Special?

The setting itself is incredibly evocative and apposite for our time. It may be set in the 80s and in Manchester, but the themes are obviously something that’s incredibly relevant to today’s global and political scene.

It’s how the game takes immersive sim to a whole new level which makes it the exciting prospect that it is. With a strict time limit, you’ll be replaying the game fairly often, but it’s a true reactive world. Everything you do, and the people you interact with, will change the world you’re traversing through.

Imagine a scenario where a guard goes for coffee at 10:34pm and leaves his post. By careful observation and remembering details like this, you might be able to exploit that information to your own gain. You might even use it to set up a chain of events that cause the guard to be distracted, or you might simply avoid the whole situation altogether.

So far so immersive sim, albeit with an intriguing time limitation. But it’s how the game says it’ll treat narrative that really makes us excited to get our hands on it.

Through the course of the game you’ll question people to discover their side of events that led up to the creation of the Union Act, and the events surrounding the bombing that set it all off. Unfortunately for you everyone you question is an unreliable narrator, meaning you can’t take everything they say at face value.

At a recent event organised by publisher Sold Out, we got a little hands-on time with the game and experienced a different side to the game. At EGX last year we saw some of the more traditional immersive sim elements, sneaking our way through a building to uncover evidence, but this later hands-on experience saw us seeing some of the events that precede the Union Acts’ creation.

We spoke to a character named Scarlett as she recounted her own attempt to leak information about the Union Act, as she sneaked through the government building she worked in to make backups of key data and get out with it. We also saw her walk home one fateful night, the night of the bombing, a night she lost a close loved one in the eruption that took so many lives.

The reason why The Occupation is so exciting is that it’s applying the immersive sim approach to the narrative as well, giving the player the tools to make decisions and then showing the consequences of those decisions.

Will you believe Scarlett, is she as good hearted as she seems? Will you take the stories that are interwoven with the game and make the right decisions for your character, or will you believe lies and let yourself be used by those who seek to do so?

The immersive sim genre is a genre which is one of the core pillars of PC gaming, and if The Occupation delivers on its promises we’re hopeful that this game will help take the genre to a new level, with a whole new level of complexity and decision making layered over traditional immersive sim elements.

The Occupation is coming to PC, Xbox One, and PS4 on the 9th of October, 2018.

How Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Finished What Left 4 Dead Started

It has been (lazily glances at a nearby calendar) nearly nine years since Left 4 Dead 2 hit PCs everywhere and showed how us all how you should do the whole cooperative, first-person shooting thing with flair and verve. Left 4 Dead 2 was simply superb and other than its immediate predecessor, there wasn’t anything else quite like it on the market.

Invariably, the distinct lack of Left 4 Deadness in the intervening years since would seem to be oversight – one routed in the fact that Valve appears to be more content to be a shop rather than a videogame developer these days. Nonetheless, Swedish developer Fatshark saw an opening and answered the call with the Warhammer: Vermintide games, a series which not only encompassed the core of the Left 4 Dead experience, but meaningfully built upon its foundations too.

Taking place in Games Workshop’s Warhammer fantasy setting and swapping out Left 4 Dead’s cast of shambling dead folk for some really, really big rats, the Vermintide games keep everything that we loved about Turtle Rock Studios survival shooter pretty well intact.

For starters, you have the endlessly satisfying, four-player co-operative class-based action that fans of Left 4 Dead will immediately recognise, the pressure cooker nature of the combat whereupon you can be rushed in all directions by your enemies, and also those neat indicators on the UI whereupon players that require help or healing are highlighted. So far, so Left 4 Dead then.

In Warhammer: Vermintide 2 though, Fatshark has introduced its own wrinkles to this well established formula. Take the manner in which enemies attack for example – rather than just having a crowd of foes that merely sprint toward you, the humanoid Skaven rats in Warhammer: Vermintide 2 can scale walls of any height and leap over obstacles with ease.

Certainly, there are few gaming moments that are as efficient as making your heart skip a beat as Vermintide 2 when you see Skaven pouring, literally pouring, out of every crevice and hole in the environment. It’s a spectacle that echoes that bit in Fellowship of the Ring where Gandalf and company find themselves surrounded by goblins in the Mines of Moria – a proper sight to behold and no mistake.

Warhammer: Vermintide 2 also goes the extra mile beyond the traditional formula that Left 4 Dead established too. Boasting an in-depth career path progression system, a massive range of different baddies to tangle with (the Chaos lads show up to join the ranks of their rodent mates in Warhammer: Vermintide 2), a properly constructed narrative, and more geometrically massive maps than you can shake a hairy stick at, Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is pretty much one of the finest multiplayer experiences you can have on PC right now.

It would appear then that Left 4 Dead has gone to the rats seemingly, and based on the evidence of Fatshark’s latest stellar offering in Warhammer Vermintide 2, I am more than happy with that outcome and you should be too.

The Yakuza series is coming to PC – this is why you should be excited

With E3 2018 now firmly in our collective rear-view mirrors there was one announcement in particular that stood out – Sega’s venerable and previously PlayStation exclusive Yakuza franchise would be coming to PC in the near future and this, my friends, is very good news indeed.

Hardly seemingly like what you would expect from the man behind the Super Monkey Ball series of games, Toshihiro Nagoshi’s Yakuza franchise is a delicious cornucopia of action RPG trappings, eastern cultural excess and absurdist humour set against the neon-lit backdrop of Kamurocho, a district of inner city Tokyo.

Starting with the release of Yakuza 0 in August and then with Yakuza Kiwami, a remake of the very first PS2 era Yakuza title, to follow at some point later on, PC owners are at last getting the chance to jump in at the very beginning of Sega’s epic crime odyssey.

Yakuza 0 in particular represents the perfect starting point point for PC gamers to get stuck into the long-running series. Charting the beginnings of series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu and his erstwhile rival Goro Majima as young low-level thugs, Yakuza 0 chronicles their progress through the labyrinthine power structures of numerous Japanese crime families as personal bonds are tested and ambitious conspiracies threaten to boil over and set Kamurocho aflame.

More than just the assumed spectacle of super po-faced tattooed dudes stabbing and setting each other alight, the Yakuza games boast truly compelling narratives with deep characters to match, wonderfully satisfying real-time combat and some of the most bizzare side quests this side of Borderlands 2. I mean, where else but in Yakuza can you find a dominatrix who needs her confidence restored in the aptly titled ‘How to Train Your Dominatrix’ side quest?

Then there is then matter of how the Yakuza games handle combat. A heady and intoxicating mix of real-time fisticuffs with environmental interactions, players can direct Kazuma Kiryu and co to inflict devastating amounts of damage on their foolish foes, supplementing their already considerable martial arts acumen with face-breaking weapon strikes and wince-inducing environmental attacks (you’ll never sit quite right after watching a lad get dropped arse first on a bike rack). Rarely has melee combat felt as satisfying as this.

When you’re not putting fist to face, Yakuza 0 boasts an astoundingly wide range of minigames and side activities for folks to get into. From such pursuits as karaoke, darts and disco dancing, through to managing real estate, coordinating a cabaret club, fishing and playing arcade perfect renditions of Out Run and Space Harrier, there is no shortage of interesting things to do within the boundaries of Kamurocho’s urban sprawl.

Then of course, there is the not insignificant fact that with 4K support, an uncapped frame rate and compliance with ultra-wide, 21:9 displays, that the PC editions of the Yakuza games are the definitive versions of a series that has for the longest time called Sony’s PlayStation platform its exclusive home. Look, there’s no getting away from it – Kamurocho beckons.

Every World of Warcraft Playable Race Ranked from Worst to Best

World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth is fast approaching, with the pre-patch dropping in the US tonight and in Europe tomorrow. Filled with more battles, fights, and adventures, it’s going to expand upon one of the most continually popular games in the world and build upon the huge success of the most recent expansion, Legion.

In anticipation of World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth’s release, we thought we’d look at the main playable races available to you in the game, and do what we do best; put them in order of goodness.

Maybe you’re looking to come back after a break, looking to level an alt, looking to dive in for the first time, or maybe you just want to argue about Warcraft races.

Note: We won’t be counting allied races in this list, just the main races you have access to as a player who owns all the expansions.

Goblins

Would anyone be upset if Goblins were removed from World of Warcraft? Featuring not only the worst (and longest) opening zone in the game, Kezan, but also managing to be the thorn in the foot of the Horde ever since they joined up. Goblins are their own and everyone else’s worst enemy if only for their utter fixation on profit over all. Think Ferengi but in a fantasy setting and you’re halfway there, but even the Ferengi managed to grow and learn a bit, Goblins haven’t learned a damn thing so far.

Trolls

Trolls are ranked low here simply because they’re pretty inconsistent in how they’ve been represented, also they don’t get to wear shoes. Sometimes turning up to threaten to eat babies, sometimes being noble savages, sometimes telling you to stay away from the Voodoo, sometimes telling you to come get the Voodoo. It’s a bit of a mess really, but one that’ll hopefully be cleared up as we check out some Zandalari Trolls in the next expansion.

Night Elves

Dividing their time between looking at trees and telling people off for using magic, the Night Elves are the second oldest race on the planet of Azeroth and they’ve filled the role of protector for the planet during this time. Obsessed with locking up poor old Illidan and with thinking that Malfurion is a good druid despite forever being kidnapped by the Emerald Nightmare, these purpley-blue Elves need to up their game in future expansions.

Pandaren

The roundest race on Azeroth, they’re unique in that they can join either the Horde or the Alliance. Bouncy and fun, they basically had peace for centuries until we all turned up on their shores and caused them a heck load of trouble. They’re only so far down this list because their impact so far has been pretty low, outside of Pandaria.

Gnomes

So far one of the few races not to appear in a World of Warcraft opening cinematic, the Gnomes are the forgotten children of Azeroth. Masters of technology and squeaky voices, they’re basically little humans. Well, little humans with strangely coloured hair and a penchant for goggles that is. They’re fairly far down this list because they’re fine, not bad, not good, just fine. They’re alright.

Humans

Again right in the middle of the list we’ve got humans, because they’re humans. We’re humans, they’re humans, you know what humans are like. They have humanity, and they’re human. There’s not much to say for or against this middle-tier fantasy race, simply because they’re just us but in funny hats and shooting magic.

Blood Elves

Blood Elves, when they were announced, looked to be a way of getting people in to play the ‘ugly’ Horde by throwing them a pretty elf bone. Since then their story has been compelling, interesting, and filled with redemption and Lor’themar. Highlights being taking down their own leader in Tempest Keep and freeing the Naaru that powered their dark paladins.

Worgen

One half human, one half wolf, one half Victorian gentry. That’s the Worgen, one of the coolest races in the game, and one who has one of the coolest (if underused) home cities. If there’s one thing that the Worgen have it’s style, and buckets of it. Looking like dogs that got loose on a Hammer Horror set, they’re swish and they’re fierce and they’re cool.

Tauren

Another shoe-less race, but this time they’re giant cow-people who like to smack other people with whole trees. That alone means they can never be marked down too far in this list. They’re also home to some of the best characters in the game, especially good old and sadly departed Cairne Bloodhoof, RIP.

Draenei

The space goats are a race of intergalactic light worshippers who’ve cruelly been bounced around from tragedy to tragedy. We met them back in Warcraft 3, but they were later retconned to only be a sub-race of the Draenei and we met their full goaty forms in The Burning Crusade expansion for World of Warcraft. They’re big hammer wielding folk and they only got better with the Warlords of Draenor expansion. Absolute units.

Orcs

The poster children for Blizzard and the Warcraft franchise, they’re not your normal orcs. These are noble orcs who have been cruelly used by various masters to evil effect, and only now are living free and working towards their own destiny. Still savage but with a spirit above that of their traditional representation, these orcs make up the backbone of the Horde and without them there may have never been salvation for the Horde races.

Dwarves

Honestly they’re Dwarves, like you see in many other fantasy worlds, but Dwarves are brilliant. Ironforge, their home city, is also one of the best looking places in Azeroth even now, many years after its inclusion in the original World of Warcraft. Anywhere you go on Azeroth you’ll find Dwarves, fighting for all that’s good and right in the world, or just having a lovely drink. They’re almost the best, and would be if there weren’t…

The Forsaken

The Forsaken are less a race than a collection of free folk. After the Scourge brought undead terror to the planet, Sylvanas Windrunner, a former undead thrall to the Lich King freed herself and many of her undead kin and lead them to Lordaeron to live out their days. They’re a cursed race, a race that cannot reproduce, a race destined to die out unless something happens. Their tragic back – and current – story is why they’re the best and most compelling race in the game, and also are behind much of the events that’ll be happening in the upcoming expansion. The Forsaken are the best. Death to the living!

Chart Expert Game Results – 13th July

This week you had the chance to win a copy of Slay The Spire. Let’s see what the correct order was and who won a key!

1st: Slay The Spire

2nd: Prey – Mooncrash

3rd: Kingdom Come: Deliverance – From The Ashes

For the 2 Slay the Spire keys, we’ve had 6 correct answers! So one third of the correct guessers will get a key, and they are…Dave24 and BossDawgCapone! They should email me (oliver.paul@greenmangaming.com)  for their game key for Slay the Spire!

For those who didn’t guess right, come back on Monday for another shot!