Issuu

Ashley Kirk

Mar/Apr Cover Model 20 questions with Ashley

Photography by Andrew Gates Makeup & hair by Alisha Baijounas

14 Pit Pass

Get In The Driver’s Seat Featured Event: Formula Drift, Round 1 Long Beach, CA

32 All Access

The Latest Albums Reviewed Albums Reviewed: Prong No Absolutes

38 Coming Up

Models To Keep An Eye On Featured Models: Kay Rockey Moscow, Russia

42 Game On

The Latest Games Reviewed Games Reviewed:

By Silas Valentino

Quantum Break

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis This Unruly Mess I’ve Made

The Division

By Silas Valentino

By Jesse Seilhan

By Joshua David Anderson

36 All Access Spotlight

46 Game On Spotlight

Wiz Khalifa, Violent Femmes, and Drowning Pool By Samuel Wendel

Dishonored 2, Mafia III, and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

Artists/Bands Featured:

On The Cover

Photo by Andrew Gates Make-up & hair by Alisha Baijounas

www.RUKUSmag.com

Games Featured:

By Jesse Seilhan

This Page

Photo by Andrew Gates Make-up & hair by Alisha Baijounas

Mar/Apr 2016 • RUKUS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Andrew Gates All Access Editor

Silas Valentino Games Editor

Jesse Seilhan Art Director

Andrew Gates All Access Contributors

Silas Valentino & Samuel Wendel Pit Pass Contributors

Andrew Gates & Rupa Begum Game On Contributors

Jesse Seilhan & Joshua David Anderson Contributing Photographers

Andrew Gates & Rupa Begum Contributing Videographers

Nate Olson

Contributing Make-up Artists

Alisha Baijounas Contributing Hair Stylists

Alisha Baijounas Advertising

Andrew Gates

advertise@RUKUSmag.com Mailing Address

RUKUS MAGAZINE 11304 Chandler Blvd. #6131 North Hollywood, CA 91603

Ashley

Kirk

Photography by Andrew Gates Make-up & hair by Alisha Baijounas

shley Kirk is a well-known international model who has graced the covers of various magazine, and advertisements worldwide. Ashley is originally a small town girl who comes to us from Detroit, Michigan. Her modeling career began when she was just seventeen, a close-friend asked her to model for a local clothing line. Since this opportunity, Ashley has made quite the name for herself, but strives for more. Sheâ€™s also been dabbling with some acting and found herself working with a few A-listers along the way. Currently, Ashley has been reading for a few TV and movie roles, while also developing her own sports TV show, and getting into producing films. As you can see, Ashley is a very ambitious girl, but we think this young tenacious vixen has the tools to get it done.

RUKUS â€˘ Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

Mar/Apr 2016 â€¢ RUKUS

RUKUS â€¢ Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

20 QUESTIONS

and is also a professor at Harvard, I hope to be like him one day.

1.What’s your Ethnicity? I am English, Scottish, and Native American.

10.If you could change one thing in the world what would it be and why? I would definitely give the Detroit Lions a winning season. [smile]

2.What’s your zodiac sign? Aquarius, the best sign. [wink] 3.Where are you from originally? Detroit, Michigan. 4.What did you like most about growing up in Detroit? Definitely, the random shootings and bodies found in the snow, but seriously, it’s a great place to grow up, midwestern girls have a good send of humor, and are generally pretty witty and smart. 5.What kind of mischief did you get into while growing up? What kind of mischief didn’t I get into, too much to type there. [laugh] 6.If you could have a super power, what would it be and why? Invisibility, I wanna see what people are really like when they’re not on their best behavior. 7.What’s your favorite hobby and why? I enjoy writing, yoga, and I’m also designing a fashion line which I’m very passionate about. I love being a creative person. I also love going to the park with my dog. 8.What’s your guilty pleasure? Reality trash TV... don’t judge me. 9.Who do you admire and why? My dad. He came from nothing and is the most intelligent man I’ve ever known. He started his own company www.RUKUSmag.com

11.What’s one of your personal goals? I’m getting into producing films, it’s always been an interest of mine. 12.What do guys compliment you on the most? My personality, I love making people laugh, although, I do have a warped sense of humor. 13.What’s your favorite body part on yourself? My eyes, they change color. 14.What do you look for in a guy? Sense of humor, and someone who’s passionate about what they do. 15.What’s the first thing you notice about a guy? How he smells, I love it when a man smells good. 16.What’s your ideal first date? I love to eat, and trying new restaurants. Great food, and wine is the key to my heart. [wink] 17.What turns you on? Intelligence, drive, and ambition. 18.What turns you off? Cockiness. 19.What’s your biggest pet peeve? Traffic in LA, it’s a nightmare. 20.Who’s your celebrity crush? Steve Buscemi and Larry David. RM Mar/Apr 2016 • RUKUS

RUKUS â€¢ Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

Mar/Apr 2016 â€¢ RUKUS

I love it when a man smells good.

RUKUS â€¢ Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

STATS: Birthday:

February 2

Height:

5’5”

Weight:

104lb

Measurements:

32DD-24-36

See more of Ashley at instagram.com/ashkirk22 www.RUKUSmag.com

Mar/Apr 2016 • RUKUS

Round 1

Long Beach 2016 Photos by Andrew Gates, Rupa Begum, and Nathan Olson Written by Andrew Gates

As the new season of Formula Drift got under way in Long Beach, California, it got off to a wet start which lead to some major issues while driving these high horsepower cars. As practice laps were being run, you could tell the drivers were being very cautious, at least some of them anyway. We did see a few of the drivers

RUKUS â€˘ Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

try to go a little too hard for the conditions and they ended up in the wall. One of the most noted hits was Shengjun Zhang who was borrowing Forrest Wang’s back-up car. The damage was pretty severe which probably brought some tears to Wang’s eyes, I know it did mine. The round 1 competition was set up a little different, since there were only 32 drivers, Formula Drift decided to forego the qualifying and use the results of 2015 to determine their positions for qualifying. By doing this, it let the drivers use the remainder of the day to feel out the track while getting more practice. I do like the qualifying, but under the circumstances, this made the most sense. Once the top 32 got under way the skies opened up and the track dried out. This was probably one of the best events I’ve attended, since the action and driving were on point. Between the crashes and driving it was an intense weekend which I give two thumbs up. Great job to everyone who helped out and Formula Drift for putting on a great show, it seems they do better when they’re under-the-gun. In the end, Chelsea Denofa pulled out the victory, with Fredric Aasbo grabbing second, and Kenshiro Gushi snagging third. Congrats to everyone who participated, and if this is any indication of what’s to come for the 2016 season, the spectators are in for a wild ride.

www.RUKUSmag.com

Mar/Apr 2016 • RUKUS

RUKUS â€¢ Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

Mar/Apr 2016 â€¢ RUKUS

RUKUS â€¢ Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

RUKUS â€¢ Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

Mar/Apr 2016 â€¢ RUKUS

RUKUS â€¢ Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

Mar/Apr 2016 â€¢ RUKUS

RUKUS â€¢ Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

Mar/Apr 2016 â€¢ RUKUS

RUKUS â€¢ Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

WINNING STARTS IN THE GARAGE All The Horsepower In The World Won’t Get You To The Finish Line If Your Electrical System Is Not Up To The Job. Stacey David Trusts Painless To Deliver Professional Quality And American Made Dependability Every Time.

All New 2014 Catalog Online At:

painlessperformance .com

American Made ®

PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS Find Your Dealer 800.54.WIRES

American Proud FOR 24 YEARS

Tech Line 800.423.9696

RUKUS â€¢ Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

Mar/Apr 2016 â€¢ RUKUS

Staying Power

Photo by Jaysen Michael / Secret Playground Photography Written by Silas Valentino

Prong is a monosyllabic way of saying Tommy Victor. Since the industrial thrash band’s introduction into the back alley murk of New York City’s late-Eighties hardcore, he’s acted as the band’s sole constant. Victor bridges the frayed fabric between Pantara and nü metal; his riffs are palm muted and concise while his vocal range resists fear of panning across octaves. It’s a method that’s proven Prong successful since their 1994 breakthrough album Cleansing and decades later the band has yet to ease their grip or lose their touch. X – No Absolutes is Prong’s tenth LP (X as in “ten” – get it?!) and fourth studio effort since the inclusion of bassist Jason Christopher and Art Cruz on drums. The trio cut through the 12 tracks with X-Acto knife-like precision. Songs seldom reach four minutes in length and the rebellious energy isn’t lost as Victor sets his targets on authoritative control, war and death. This rhetoric may seem exhausted but we the people keep voting ourselves into this mess. Prong rose during the Reagan Eighties and now they release their tenth album amid a political atmosphere where ignorance Trumps decency. The “man” has an orange-hue face. Victor famously worked the sound for the revered NYC venue CBGB for four years before the Eighties ran out but his ears have far from deafened. X – No Absolutes is clear and aurally polished. It could even sound legitimate blaring from feeble laptop speakers. This 41-minute aggression opens the floor with “Ultimate Authority” as Victor spells out his conflict: “The consequences of the will of the right/Disharmony within the law of all life/The non acceptance of reality” he roars while condemning those who misuse power. The guitar riff feels inspired, as though Victor burned through a fresh Dimebag before hitting record, and the solo squawks like a falcon diving into attack. “Ultimate Authority” might not change the political landscape but it’s sure to ignite a few thousand fists to plunge into the air as Prong take their belligerence to stages across the U.S. and Europe. X – No Absolutes won’t be marked for its palette of sounds and aesthetics – say it with me now: hea-vy me-tal – though the album has its moments and the superlatives are as follows: Most Likely to Elicit a Riot: the inflammatory crash opening in “Cut and Dry.” Old School Throwback: the thronging bass line that recalls former Prong (and Killing Joke) member Paul Raven matched with the nü-ish, electro-spasm divots during “Do Nothing.” Could Work in a Broadway Production for a (nonexistent) Metal Musical: “In Spite Of Hindrances.” Not only does “Hindrance” offer the album’s title in its lyrics, but the clearly stated narrative of rebellion was recorded with Victor calling and responding to his own lyrics and sets the theatric scene vividly. Should Have Been Left on the Editing Room Floor: album closer “With Dignity.” X – No Absolutes is an assault with no remorse and the decision to end on a piano-based track closes the record on a wimpy note. Stick to your guns; leave the water pistols at home. 85,000 Facebook fans worldwide aren’t for nothing. Prong are everlasting for their commitment to the craft and Victor’s mastery of sonic clarity. Few heavy metal bands sound this pure as they ring the alarm for a call to arms. X – No Absolutes may not win them new stages but it’s a testament to the band’s committed service to the genre. Prong are victorious in their rampage.

RUKUS • Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

Mar/Apr 2016 â€¢ RUKUS

RUKUS â€¢ Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

Livin’ the Art Written by Silas Valentino

For those outside the Pacific Northwest, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ overnight success in 2012 was as galactic as it was jarring. Who were these smiley white guys from grungy Seattle topping charts with songs that praised same-sex love and hand-me-down clothes who eventually beat King Kendrick Lamar for the “Best New Artist” Grammy? Seattleites had known of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis for years – the duo ruled the city’s DIY hip-hop scene with their pensive flows and juicy beats – but now the popular culture beyond was devouring the two and spitting out the parts least enjoyed: their safe soccer mom appeal, easy listening muzak and the ultimate hip-hop vilification from their white skins. These demotions become ammo throughout their second studio album This Unruly Mess I’ve Made. It’s a thirteen-song therapy visit spanning an hour that invites listeners inside the cranium of a hyper-conscience MC digesting fame and the ridiculousness while his trusty beat poet sidekick gives rhythm to the details. This Unruly Mess I’ve Made picks up almost perfectly where their debut breakthrough LP The Heist left off. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis actually win their Grammy during the third verse, incorporating a sound bite of the award’s announcement. Strangely audacious, this album opener – “Light Tunnels” – is a classic Mack track where the proud wordsmith isn’t shy about admitting his insecurities for using Youtube to learn how to tie his tie while his stoic producer makes beats that please the indie kids. (This could be utter coincidence but the song’s opening electronic keyboard drop sounds unmistakably similar to a James Blake motif – an artist also beat out for that Grammy award… Macklemore & Ryan Lewis might be choppin’ heads.) And like all good power point presentations, Macklemore begins by telling us where the next hour will go: “Just in time, what will I say?/Time to explain this unruly mess I’ve made.” Lead single “Downtown” is a mess. But a sexy mess; like a 2 a.m. bar closer. Lewis’ production is all over the place, snipping clear influences from forgotten hits à la Men Without Hat’s “The Safety Dance” and Petula Clark’s “Downtown” and then mashing them together as a response to last year’s monumental hit “Uptown Funk.” It’s a hard-to-hate song (it’s all about purchasing a moped…) but it exhibits a fatal flaw for Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. Sure, moments like “Downtown,” “Brad Pitt’s Cousin” and “Dance Off” are some happy-go-lucky tunes pruned for a top down Cadillac cruise but they present Macklemore & Ryan Lewis as town jesters – not criers. It’s this sunny flub that discredits This Unruly Mess I’ve Made’s centerpiece – “White Privilege II” – where Macklemore has an internal back and forth with himself as he dissects contemporary race issues from eyes inside white sockets. There’s no doubt he’s fighting from the side of justice but the song fails to take off. His countless questions about cultural appropriation and his “watered down pop bullshit” are indeed valid yet offer no answers and end up as a mosaic of frustration, adding more white noise to this complicated issue. At the end of its eight minutes, “White Privilege II” accomplishes little for Macklemore. Inevitably, it’s a sonic rendition of his apology/respect text to Kendrick Lamar following the Grammy’s – which Macklemore posted online for all to read. In his attempt to do right he has fumbled. “But shit – it was 99 cents!” And the moments on This Unruly Mess I’ve Made that don’t topple over its awkward ambition work swimmingly: “Growing Up,” “Kevin” and “Need To Know” are stellar moments that find the middle ground between Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ playful manor and authentic craft. Keep it even, fellas. You don’t go to a thrift shop or Starbucks for racial discourse.

www.RUKUSmag.com

Mar/Apr 2016 • RUKUS

facebook.com/WizKhalifa

Written by Samuel Wendel

Wiz Khalifa, Khalifa

After the emotional joyride – at least for Paul Walker fans – that was Wiz Khalifa’s Charlie Puth-starring hit single “See You Again,” the stoner rap demigod tries to continue the dramatic trend with an introspective and personal sixth studio album. Entitled Khalifa, the album finds the Pittsburgh native trying to dig into profound and deep territory, rapping about being a father, the cutthroat climb to the top, the existential emptiness of being rich and other weighty topics. And when he exhausts those themes, Khalifa returns to his bread and cannabutter: smoking weed. And, as always, this is where he excels. Even as he tries to distance himself from, or build upon his earlier successes, Khalifa’s latest album still shows that he was already punching at his weight from the beginning. Not that his new deeper, introspective punches don’t land. They do, but not as well as when he made Rolling Papers and Khalifa excels when he sticks to what he knows best: getting stoned and singing about it. Standout tracks are “Call Waiting” and “Zoney.”

Violent Femmes, We Can Do Anything

facebook.com/OfficialViolentFemmes

The last full-length Violent Femmes’ album came out while Bill Clinton was still president. Take that as you will, but after 15 years the Wisconsin punk-folk rockers may have missed a few beats, but they haven’t forgotten what made them popular in the first place. The band’s ninth studio album can, by default, be seen as a backto-basics album and quickly establishes that they haven’t lost their rustic punk-rock edge. Not every song hits its mark, but tracks like “Holy Ghost” and “What You Really Mean” could’ve easily been picked clean out of one of their early records – back when Ronald Reagan was still in the White House. Judging by the title – We Can Do Anything – fans can take the new Violent Femmes album one of two ways: it can be seen as an admission that the band has been around so long that it can do whatever its wants (even if it’s terrible), or it can be seen as an uplifting, inspirational mantra for a band that has survived for decades and longer than their peers. Thankfully for fans new and old, it’s the second option. Standout tracks include “What You Really Mean” and “Foothills.”

facebook.com/DrowningPool

Drowning Pool, Hellelujah

It’s been a long time since the bodies first hit the floor, but heavy metal vets Drowning Pool have avoided joining the list of casualties. Entitled Hellelujah, the sixth studio album from Drowning Pool is an achievement in itself, as original vocalist Dave Williams passed away in 2002 and an assortment of singers have tried to fill his shoes over the last decade. They seem to have finally found a worthy replacement in Jasen Moreno, who returns to front Drowning Pool for a second consecutive album. And Moreno more than pulls his weight. From track one, Hellelujah pummels and pounds listeners with big drums, screeching vocals and meaty riffs. It doesn’t take the band into uncharted territory, but the mere fact that Drowning Pool is still alive and kicking is more than enough. Longtime Drowning Pool fans, as well as recent converts alike, should find more than enough live bodies on Hellelujah to keep their thirst quenched in the era of EDM and whatever else is on the radio these days. Standout tracks include: “Goddamn Vultures,” and “Meet the Bullet.”

RUKUS • Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

Kay Rockey

Photography by Andrew Gates Make-up by Alisha Baijounas

ay Rockey was born in Lithuania, but grew up in Moscow, Russia. When she was just six years old she started dancing. Since then, she has much recognition by becoming a two-time world dance champion, while also winning many dance competitions around the world. Recently, Kay moved to Los Angeles, California to further her career and expand her horizons. Kay started taking classing to become a DJ and music producer. Since her move to LA, she has also become the face of quite a few brands, including; fashion, swimwear, and jewelry. Kay has also booked a few commercial gigs as well as music videos. As you can tell, she’s also well rounded. In the future, Kay hopes to make a name for herself as a world famous DJ and music producer. Don’t be fooled by the good looks, this girl has talent, and ambition, which speaks volumes.

RUKUS • Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

Mar/Apr 2016 â€¢ RUKUS

RUKUS â€¢ Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

THE STATS Birthday: December 14 Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius Measurements: 34B-25-36 Height: 5’7” Weight: 120lb Ethnicity: Caucasian Hometown: Moscow, Russia Turn Ons: Honesty Turn Offs: When guy try to be someone who he is not. Ideal first date: Opportunity to talk and get to know him, and understand if it’s a waste my time or not. Guilty Pleasure: Hookah! Pet Peeves: Traffic Celebrity Pass: Will Smith See more of Kay at

instagram.com/kay.rocky

www.RUKUSmag.com

Mar/Apr 2016 • RUKUS

Time To Go

Written by Jesse Seilhan Exclusives are supposed to be the main reason to own one console over another. Publishers throw bags of cash at developers to make a game for their shiny box, which should in turn lead to an exciting and memorable landmark that brings new fans to the device and please those that chose a side in the neverending console war. The best examples are games like Halo and Gears of War, Gran Turismo and Uncharted, or Mario and Zelda. But plenty of exclusives can end up backfiring, as their failures become synonymous with one particular console. That brings us to Quantum Break, an Xbox-exclusive shooter from Remedy, the creators of the Max Payne and Alan Wake franchises. And while QB does some fantastic things with technology and time, it fails to provide the oh-so-important element of fun.

Quantum Break is a time travel game. Time travel is a hard thing to get right, from both a narrative and gameplay perspective, as if you have any desire to keep things realistic or understandable, a lot of plot holes need to be filled. And for gameplay, using time powers means building playgrounds that won’t be broken when you manipulate time, while also keeping the moment-to-moment experience engaging and interesting. The time powers are as follows: stop time, slow time, sprint real fast, create a time shield, and throw time bubbles at enemies that explode once filled with a sizeable amount of ammunition. They range from smart and useful to pointless and forgettable, but the real shame is how none of the powers flow into one another. There isn’t a combo system or any real incentive to mix up your tactics, as most enemies go down after a few bullets, regardless of any cool powers used. Story is a huge part of Quantum Break, beyond maybe what any other video game has ever attempted. After the well-directed cutscenes (of which there are many), every chapter concludes with a full 22-minute, live-action episode. Much like a standard TV show without the commercials, these extended sequences take real actors in real life and moves the game’s story along, so while one real life episode might end with a character locked up in captivity, the next chapter will give you control of that character and it’s your job to break them out. The whole thing is extremely ambitious and, for the most part, well done, but the level of acting and writing keeps it from ever reaching anything more than a SyFy Original. Part of the problem is that the main characters, who are represented by actors like Shawn Ashmore, Dominic Monaghan, Aidan Gillen, and Lance Reddick, are barely in these episodes. Instead, we follow much cheaper side characters whose fate is of much less importance. And while the acting is serviceable and the writing gets the job done, most performances feel lifeless. So if the story and gameplay aren’t any good, what is redeemable about this exclusive? Luckily, the sound and graphics are pretty good. Save for the few weird shadow and framerate hitches, character models look pretty sharp, as do most outdoor environments and nearly all of the “time effects” that accompany your powers. One of the enemy types are immune to your time powers, as they have some sort of time gizmo on their back. If you destroy it, the device explodes and freezes the foe in time, so you end up with all of these uniquely posed floating bodies draped around the battlefield. And while the story doesn’t quite live up to most time travel fiction, the end of every chapter gives you direct control over the villain of the game, evil scientist Paul Serene. You’re also given a binary choice, like letting someone live or die, and that choice ripples throughout the rest of the game, changing the nature of the live action episodes and what collectables are strewn across the world. While they end up being minor changes, it does give some agency to the player in an otherwise straightforward shooter. It’s a real bummer that this game isn’t very good. The production levels are some of the highest in history, the cast is solid, the underlying idea of the game is engaging, but the pieces do not come together in a cohesive or enjoyable manner. Xbox owners that laughed at Sony’s flop The Order: 1886 should bite their tongues, as both consoles now have pretty-but-shallow exclusives that don’t do much to push the systems forward. With games like Gears of War, The Division, and Tomb Raider already on the market or around the corner, Quantum Break is just too little, too late.

RUKUS • Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

Mar/Apr 2016 â€¢ RUKUS

RUKUS â€¢ Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

Addition by Subtraction Written by Joshua David Anderson

Announced back in 2013, Tom Clancy’s The Division was one of the first games to really tease the next generations of consoles. It promised a highly detailed world and wowed a lot of gamers with the promise of deep loot mechanics and open world adventure. After being delayed several times, The Division is finally out for gamers to explore, but does it live up to the hype? The Division kicks off with the unleashing of a variant of the smallpox virus in New York during Black Friday. This disease, called “The Dollar Flu” or “Green Poison” because it was transmitted over banknotes, quickly kills most of the population of the city, and the government has to do something. That’s where the Strategic Homeland Division comes in and tries to maintain stability. As an agent of The Division, it is your job to try and establish order and society in the now lawless Manhattan. How do you establish this order? By shooting almost everyone in the face! The setting and story of The Division is interesting, but like its version of Manhattan, it feels a little empty. There are characters in the game with names, but mostly they just yell at you over a radio. There are villains in the narrative, but they end up not being much more than NPCs with a different colored life bar. New York is incredibly detailed and realistically depicted, but sometimes feels bland in the same way a real city would. There is not much difference between the low level beginning area of the game and the high level endgame environments, other than the number of enemies present. With a huge detailed city before you, it is a little unfortunate that all you can really do is shoot things. Thankfully, the shooting feels pretty good. The Division builds on many past Tom Clancy third-person shooters with excellent mechanics and a great modification system. Every type of gun you get feels appropriately different, and every weapon can be modded with different sights, magazines, muzzles, and stocks. This allows you much more freedom in picking a weapon you like. Perhaps there is an SMG that you want to use but the clip size is smaller than you are used to? Use the high capacity magazine mod to up the clip count and you have a weapon that fits your playstyle. There is also gear to equip on your character, and clothes to wear, and thankfully the two are separate. You can pick anything to wear cosmetically, and then choose the best stat raising equipment and not worry about it making you look stupid. Additionally, your agent has several skills to choose from, some of which seem more like techno magic than anything else. Sure you can have a mini turret you can throw out to mow down enemies, or a small grenade that rolls towards enemies. But you also can have a gun that heals you and a magic pod thing that makes the trashcan you are hiding behind somehow protect you more. The skills are fun to use, but make little sense if you think about them for too long. You can play The Division with up to three other friends through any part of the game, be it story missions or side content. You can also use the built-in matchmaking if you don’t have a stable group to play with, and that matchmaking engine is built into every mission and all of the social hubs in the game. There is also a multiplayer-specific area of the game called the Dark Zone, and this functions differently from the regular game. In this area, you are automatically matched with up to 23 other players across a large closed off part of the map. While in this zone, you can kill powerful enemies and get some of the best loot in the game. However, you cannot just use what you pick up, as it must be extracted out of the Dark Zone by a helicopter that you call down, and it takes 90 seconds for that chopper to arrive. All of this matters because in the Dark Zone, friendly fire is turned off and any other player can decide to go rogue and gun you down. If they kill you, they take your stuff. The downside to going rogue is that you are then marked as such on the map and every other player in the Dark Zone has an incentive to kill you without any consequences. The Division is slick and polished, but sometimes feels hollow. There is a ton to do when you start the game, but once you have played the missions and hit the level cap, there isn’t much more other than grinding for loot. New content is promised, and that may help, but the first trip through The Division is a pretty good ride, one that is worth checking out.

www.RUKUSmag.com

Mar/Apr 2016 • RUKUS

Written by Jesse Seilhan

Dishonored 2

Bethesda is back with another entry into the Dishonored series. The stealth mechanics and steampunk setting that made the original title so engaging is most certainly still here, as are a host of famous voice actors like Vincent D’Onofrio and Rosario Dawson. Our heroes, Corvo and Emily, have been tooling with their supernatural powers and developer Arkane is promising a more expansive environment to traipse through. The game does take place 15 years after the events of the first romp and Emily will actually have different powers than Corvo, giving players a reason to complete multiple playthroughs and try out all the different power combinations. Look for it when it hits store shelves this November.

Mafia III

While it may seem like only sequels are on the horizon, Mafia III is such a departure from franchise that is almost feels like a turning point, ala Grand Theft Auto III or Saint’s Row The Third. Instead of a typical Italian-American mobster drama set in the Prohibition haze, you are a Vietnam vet named Lincoln Clay that has a score to settle with the murderous mob that killed your friends. The game takes place in a gorgeous 1960’s faux-New Orleans, with all the fashion, music, and style such a place would inspire. The open world driving and mission structure is back, but with way more character and variety than the previous games. The violence is top-notch, the graphics are gorgeous, and it finally feels like the franchise has a focused direction. October is going to be a bloody good time when this comes out.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

Square Enix is back with a new adventure for Adam Jensen, this time learning from the many mistakes of Deus Ex: Human Revolution. The boss fights have not been shipped out to a third party and the choices you make in tense moments with key figures now impact the overall story much more than before. You are already decked out at the start of the game, meaning a lot of the upgraded abilities you had to earn at the beginning of the last game are now ready to go as soon as you press start. But this is still a Deus Ex game at the end of the day, meaning you can play anyway you like, taking the high, stealthy road or the low, bloody one. Both are viable and you can still complete the entire thing without killing a single person, if that’s your favorite way to play. August looks to be a slow month, so this might be the perfect game to kickstart the holiday blitz.

RUKUS • Mar/Apr 2016

www.RUKUSmag.com

RUKUS Digital subscriptions at

MAG.COM

RUKUS March / April 2016