back to the front
call of duty: WWII
new frontier
destiny 2 No more expansions; Bungie teases the sequel we need
Can a return to its roots save the FPS franchise? First details inside
Galactic exclusive
More ships, more characters, more battles‌ It’s the biggest Star Wars game ever made!
ISSUE 136 / June 2017 Future Publishing Ltd, Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA, United Kingdom Tel +44 (0) 1225 442244 Email opm@futurenet.com Twitter @OPM_UK Web www.gamesradar.com/opm
Welcome W
hile I’m a huge Star Wars fan, there was something a little disappointing about DICE’s last Battlefront, what was it? Oh yes, no single-player campaign. But that’s changing with the eagerly awaited sequel. This issue Ben flew to Florida to meet DICE, Motive, and Criterion, the three developers behind Star Wars Battlefront II. He discovered that not only will there be a solo mode, but we get to play in a postReturn Of The Jedi universe. Add in Darth Maul and it’s fair to say the Force is strong with this game. Read it all on page 56. From one space opera to another, news broke that Destiny 2 is coming to PS4 as early as this September. Can Bungie bottle the magic the second time around? Yes. Finally, we all got to explore the final frontier in PS VR. The team headed to Ubisoft Towers to play the – surprisingly brilliant – Star Trek: Bridge Crew. So, it looks like we’ll all be seeing stars on our PS4s very soon.
EDITORIAL Editor Ian Dean @IanDean4 Managing art editor Milford Coppock @milfcoppock Operations editor Miriam McDonald @crinolinerobot Games editor Jen Simpkins @itsJenSim Staff writer Ben Tyrer @bentyrer Shaming editor The Goat Of Shame @TheGoatOfShame CONTRIBUTORS Words Anne-Marie Coyle, Alex Dale, Zoe Delahunty-Light, Jordan Farley, Matthew Gilman, Corey Gittins, Ben Maxwell, Kirk McKeand, David Meikleham, Louis Pattison, Chris Scullion, Ed Thorn ADVERTISING Commercial sales director Clare Dove Senior advertising manager Lara Jaggon Advertising manager Mike Pyatt Director of agency sales Matt Downs Head of strategic partnerships Clare Jonik Advertising director – Games Andrew Church For Ad enquiries contact andrew.church@futurenet.com MARKETING Marketing director Sascha Kimmel Marketing manager Emma Clapp Production & Distribution Head of production UK & US Mark Constance Production controller Vivienne Calvert Printed in the UK by William Gibbons & Sons Ltd on behalf of Future Distributed by Marketforce, 2nd Floor, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HU
game of the month Starblood Arena Force power The ability to move deadlines
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“not only will there be a solo mode, Dean but we get to Ian Editor play in a post- opm@futurenet.com Return Of The @IanDean4 Jedi universe.”
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t h i s m o n t h ’s s ta r k i l l e r s
Chief executive Zillah Byng-Thorne Non-executive chairman Peter Allen Chief financial officer Penny Ladkin-Brand Tel +44 (0)207 042 4000 (London) Tel +44 (0)1225 442244 (Bath)
All contents copyright © 2017 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored, transmitted or used in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price and other details of products or services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any changes or updates to them. If you submit unsolicited material to us, you automatically grant Future a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in all editions of the magazine, including licensed editions worldwide and in any physical or digital format throughout the world. Any material you submit is sent at your risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for loss or damage. We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from well managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. Future Publishing and its paper suppliers have been independently certified in accordance with the rules of the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).
Jen Simpkins
Ben Tyrer
Miriam McDonald
Milford Coppock
game of the month Everything (the game) force power Force choke
game of the month Rocket League force power Stop time
game of the month Lego City Undercover force power Compel faster writing
game of the month Little Nightmares force power Mind control (tea please Ben)
Games editor News of Battlefront II’s space battles gave Jen the jitters over those small X-wing cockpits… she’d need to Wedge herself in.
staff writer Ben became pun with the Force and flew off to Star Wars Celebration in sunny Florida. He found American bacon a little Chewie.
operations editor This month Mim lost her favourite Star Wars mug. It’s still missing. We think she’s been looking in Alderaan places.
managing art editor Milf got lost in his own Star Wars world this issue. “Remember the time two Jawas walked under the bar…” No Milf, no we don’t.
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June 2017
highlights The big 10
006 Destiny 2 004
The Cabal is fearsome. The Tower’s in flames. Most horrifyingly of all, your loot’s gone. The big 10
011 call of duty: WWII We shall fight them on the beaches… this November, when we all head to Normandy. Preview
032 Tekken 7 The latest instalment of the brawling series is nearly here – we test the Arcade mode. feature
056 Star WARS BATTLEFRONT II OPM flew to Florida to take a peek at the brand-new game, which sees you siding with the Empire. This is the info you’re looking for! Feature
066 Nex Machina We chat arcade magic with gaming legend Eugene Jarvis and Resogun pro Harry Krueger. Feature
072 GT Sport GT’s latest iteration is set to dominate online racing, will you be on the starting grid? review
088 STarblood Arena Hold onto your headset – this PS VR multiplayer shooter has its sights set high. review
090 Little Nightmares There’s nothing scarier than being a little kid in a giant world. Except maybe spiders. And taxes.
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s e c t i o n s at a g l a n c e
the big 10
previews
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Latest info, screens and playtests All the hottest news
features
reviews
network
retro STATION
To-the-point, detailed analysis
In-depth verdicts on every big new game
Max out your PS4, online and off
Classics revisited
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THE Games index 042 Agony 102 Black 087 Blackwood Crossing 098 Call Of Duty: Infinite Warfare 011 call of duty: wwII 110 Destiny 006 destiny 2 050 Digimon story: Cyber sleuth – Hacker’s memory 044 dirt 4 093 drawn to death 092 Everything 010 farpoint 092 fated: The Silent Oath 112 Get even 096 ghost recon Wildlands 072 gt Sport 048 Gwent 050 Innerspace 092 Korix 087 Late Shift 084 lego City Undercover 097 Lego Worlds 090 Little Nightmares 016 lost soul aside 097 mass Effect: Andromeda 049 Move or die 066 nex Machina 099 nier: Automata 078 outlast 2 087 Parappa the rapper remastered 052 Prey 016 Project Boundary 040 Project cars 2 019 Shadow Warrior 2 083 Shiness 105 Silent Hill 4: The Room 082 Snake Pass 014 sonic forces 039 sonic mania 088 Starblood Arena 036 star trek: bridge crew 056 star Wars Battlefront II 050 STeven universe: save the light 032 tekken 7 050 The hunter: Call of The Wild 086 the Sexy brutale 012 uncharted: the lost legacy 043 Valkyria Revolution 050 wipeout Omega Collection
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Titan, Hunter and Warlock classes remain. Helmets off here: a health and safety nightmare.
The Big10
Stories everyone’s talking about
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Take one long, last, lingering look at your loot: it’s about to disappear forever.
10 Lost in space
A VR battle to get home in Farpoint.
11 Call of duty: WWII
The FPS goes back to its roots.
16 O (shang)hai!
Sony’s supporting Chinese devs.
TheBig10 Stories everyone’s talking about
Destiny 2 officially confirmed, new content revealed
Bungie’s massively multiplayer space adventure continues this September Oh yes. It’s happening. You already knew what was coming if you read our Destiny: Rise Of Iron cover feature in OPM #127. But Bungie has now let the whole world know, in no uncertain terms: Destiny 2 is coming on 8 September. For anyone with a penchant for unreasonably gorgeous guns and slick space combat with friends, the MMO shooter quickly became an obsession after its 2014 release. Three years and four expansion packs later, the original Destiny is making way for a full sequel. And we do mean ‘making way’. Steel yourselves, Guardians. Take one long, last, lingering look at your Ice Breaker, your Gjallarhorn and your Thunderlord (maybe kiss them a bit. We won’t judge). They’re about to disappear forever. In the interest of a totally fresh start for newcomers – both on PS4 and now on PC, too – and incurable
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hoarders alike, Destiny 2 is popping all of your stuff in the fire. Well, technically, the Cabal is. Led by brand-new big bad commander Ghaul (and probably a bit annoyed about all that fuss you kicked up on its big nasty spaceship back in the original Destiny), the Red Legion is out for blood, and has laid waste to the Tower. The Vaults. Where you keep all your loot. WHY, GOD, WHY Okay, so we’re finding it hard to let go of that bit. Fortunately, Bungie has explained that although we’ll be waving goodbye to “power, possessions, and Eververse-related items and currency”, we’ll be able to carry any characters above level 20 (and who’ve completed the Black Garden story mission) over to the sequel. There’ll even be “honors that reflect your Destiny 1 accomplishments” for the veteran Guardians among us. You won’t be going to war stripped of everything, then. Just most things. And hey, at least you won’t be alone! Everybody’s fave
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The Big10 Stories everyone’s talking about
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Exo Hunter Vanguard, Cayde-6, returns to guide you through this brave new era in the Destiny-verse. Okay, so the recently released story trailer also features Titan leader Commander Zavala and Warlock head Ikora Rey, but it’s Nathan Fillion’s wise-cracking charmster who’s the star of the show, setting Destiny 2’s fresh new tone. Destiny always had a sense of humour hidden away in its drier whole, but there’s more than a whiff of Borderlands or Deadpool about Bungie’s promotional trailers so far, with the focus firmly on Cayde. His playful disregard for the fourth wall during his motivational speech is brilliant: “Everything is gone. Your stuff. My stuff. Most importantly, my stuff,” he laments, before finally rousing a cheer with the promise that “There will be a ton of loot!” WIll be seeing a serious injection of humour in the sequel? Here’s hoping. One thing’s for sure: a new game and a blank slate means loads of new locations, new weapons and enemies to fight. Let’s start with taking down the Red Legion Cabal – although it’s difficult to figure out exactly how, as the fighters are tricked out in some nasty new gear. The hulking metal rhino dudes seen in the reveal trailer are carrying shields, much like the Phalanx from the first game, but
these seem extra fancy, unfurling into barriers of yellow energy. The same kind of citrine light crackles off the dual blades of another Cabal enemy – this time, he’s a colossal red guy. But it’s the dogs we should probably be worried about. Dog of war If you’ve ever played a Souls title, chances are that brief flash of a leaping, four-legged beast sent you gibbering to the safety of the nearest blanket. Every gamer worth their salt knows these kinds of enemies are a real pain, and often run in dangerous, speedy, skill-testing packs. Looks like we’ll be going hand-to-snout with the spiky crimson alien hounds – fingers crossed our characters are equipped with tasty new closequarters abilities to fight ’em off. And while Bungie is keeping quiet on whether there’ll be any alterations or additions to the nine combative subclasses, there are clues that we may still be able to play as the original lot: Stormcaller Warlock abilities, for example, look
A glimpse suggests ships might be promoted from loading screens to full battle vehicles.
Vex marks the spot
We’ve already seen some of Destiny 2’s new treasures: the real-life goodies in the Collector’s Edition, including two future expansions and a Frontier bag. The £ 220 price tag hurts worse than a bad day at the Cryptarch’s, though.
set to stay as we see one shot where Ikora Rey gives a Cabal grunt a faceful of lightning fist. Perhaps we’ll have a touch more than magical punches on our side this time. One scene in the trailer shows gigantic Cabal warships under attack… by a very Guardianesque craft firing blue lasers. Ship combat confirmed? It’s far too early to say for sure, but this tantalising glimpse suggests that Destiny 2 might well promote our spacewhips from mere loading screens to potential battle vehicles. Light knights How’s this for an intriguing idea, though: what if there’s a bit of philanthropy involved in Destiny 2? The story trailer shows quite a few shots of Guardians pulling your regular, average, non-guntoting civilians from the rubble of the ruined city. Could this mean more interactions, maybe sidequests, involving the non-military folk in Destiny’s solar system? It’d certainly be a big change for the series – and would surely require far more varied and detailed areas. Many of the particulars are up in the air for now, but we can already confidently say we’re rallying the old Fireteam for this one. Eyes up, Guardian: we’re bringing you hands-on Destiny 2 thoughts next issue.
Commander Zavala very much plays ‘serious cop’ to Cayde-6’s ‘goofy cop’ in the reveal trailer.
■ Bungie is still planning to support
Destiny 1 “for the foreseeable future”.
■ A mix of new armour and old? We spy
Reef Queen Mara Sov’s symbol here…
Expect these fellas to behave similarly to the Thrall. Who’s a terrifying boy?
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■ All that conflict means the world’s a bit worse for wear, but we reckon it’ll be expanded. Too much to hope for bars in social hubs after that teaser? Probably.
Two expansions are confirmed for Destiny 2, coming this Winter and then Spring 2018.
Giant spiders and killer robots. Of all the places to get stuck in…
The Big10
Stories everyone’s talking about
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A PS VR shooter that’s aiming high Farpoint brings more blockbuster gaming to Sony’s headset There are plenty of brilliant bite-size experiences on PS VR, but full-fat games are, at this point in time, at a premium. Step forward Impulse Gear, whose exciting sci-fi blaster provides a timely reminder of what your headset is capable of. The hands-on we’re getting with Farpoint’s co-op mode is an addictive score attack mode, and promises the type of experience PS VR has been crying out for. The newly announced multiplayer lets you and a mate take on waves of alien spiders, killer robots, and other threats while trying to rack up a high score. The more enemies you kill, the
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higher your score multiplier goes, but taking damage or not blasting quickly enough sees your ticket to the big scores shrink. With this in mind, we and our partner charge into battle on an unknown planet. It could double for Mars thanks to the red dust that covers the terrain, but we’re paying more attention to the faceful of projectiles flying in our direction. Time to turn tail and take cover behind some fortunately placed rocks. Using the specifically designed rifle-shaped PS VR aim controller is an intuitive doddle. To aim down the sights, you simply pull the fake gun closer to your face. To move in the environment, a thumbstick rests near the business end of the
To aim, you pull the fake gun closer to your Face.
dev talk With direct one-toone tracking, you aim in Farpoint just as you would in real life. How you hold and where you point the controller are directly matched in the game. This allows you to do things in Farpoint that are not possible in a standard FPS game. It gives an unbelievable sense of presence in the virtual world. Seth Luisi
Founder and designer, Impulse Gear
makeshift weapon, and it’s no strain to use. This peripheral is an expertly designed piece of equipment that lands on the right side of weighty. It’s not just the controller that makes this one of the most immersive experiences in VR. Want to take cover? Squat down. Impulse Gear co-founder Randy Nolta explains, “It’s been a challenge, but we’ve been able to replicate a lot of what your body is doing in the real world, and you’ll see your character doing it as well in the game.” Starship Troopers The good news is the action is as impressive as the tech. A shooter lives and dies on its weaponry, and the rifle and shotgun pack a real punch, with aiming as smooth as your arm movement. There’s also a good variety of enemy tactics that keeps the action flowing. While
SE3 you there
Heading off to E3? The multiplayer will be playable on the show floor for press and public alike. Of course, sorting out a ticket for LA is easier said than done…
The Big10 Stories everyone’s talking about Call Of Duty is returning to World War 2 this November, and it looks like a good decision.
Once more unto the beach… Sledgehammer reveals Call Of Duty: WWII
spiders try to rush you, snipers in the distance will pin you down, which makes our hands-on an enjoyably chatty affair as we bark instructions about which threat to focus on. On top of the four co-op maps at launch, there’s a single-player campaign that promises a heavier narrative focus, catering to fans who don’t fancy hopping into shootouts with a mate. This doesn’t seem like the usual proof-of-concept VR experience, but a giddy sci-fi blaster that just happens to be in VR. According to Nolta, the developer wants to make “games which shooter fans would appreciate as games, and not think of them as pulling away from something they would expect from the genre.” It’s making a strong start. The PS VR coverage continues on p88 with our Starblood Arena review.
After a decade of modern and future wars, Activision’s series is going back to the Second World War. Yes, the one with the angry German man with the tiny ’tache. Advanced Warfare developer Sledgehammer is back in the hot seat, and its focus is on delivering an accurate portrayal of history’s largest mechanised war. That means a campaign that takes place (mainly) during the years of 1944-1945 along the Western Front, with missions taking in the liberation of Paris, the push into Germany and, of course, storming the heavily fortified beach at Normandy. We got a chance to witness the D-Day landings. Clearly inspired by Saving Private Ryan, it’s a frantic dash up the beach after escaping
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the crimson sea, and watching a never-ending number of soldiers get caught by the ceaseless fire. Later in the level, we squirm as new hero Red Daniels defends himself from an attacking Nazi by bludgeoning him with a helmet laying nearby Sledgehammer co-founder Michael Condrey explains “Capturing the brutality and the sacrifice was really important to the story.” Sledgehammer is tighter-lipped on multiplayer details but revealed a few things. First, Divisions will be a new approach to create-a-class, with Condrey hinting at different types of role. There’ll be a new narrative-driven game mode called War, described as a more linear and asymmetrical experience. Finally, Headquarters is a social space where you can meet other players between rounds.
Capturing the brutality and sacrifice was important to the story.
We’ll take a deeper look at COD: WWII next issue, on sale 6 June.
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Anyone who pre-orders The Lost Legacy will Stories everyone’s talking about get Jak And Daxter for PS4 completely free.
The Big10
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