The Gamer Guide - Issue 5 by The Gamer Guide

The Preamble So, you have stumbled across The Gamer Guide and you are wondering, “Why do I need a guide to gaming?” Well, we will not guide you on how to game, but we will keep you informed as to what the gaming industry has to offer to get you the best gaming experience! Now, the second thing you are probably wondering is, “How did The Gamer Guide start?” Well, it can be a slightly long story. However, the shortened version is that the journey of three Twitch streamers brought them together, and with their passion for gaming, their experiences of streaming, and their love for everything within the world of entertainment… The Gamer Guide was born. But what exactly is The Gamer Guide? The Gamer Guide is a digital magazine that focuses on everything gaming and streaming. This includes the latest/upcoming releases, reviews on gaming accessories, streaming tips, and even interviews with streamers and industry professionals from across the globe. Our readership is predominantly other gamers and streamers, just like us! We understand that the love and passion for gaming extends far beyond just playing a game, and that is what we are all about! So, who are the people behind this magazine? Josh Hyland - Managing Director Josh, also known as DifferentialUK (or Diff for short!) has been a gamer since he could walk and has been streaming since September 2020. He started PC gaming as a kid, and moved his way through the various consoles, but has returned to the PC master race and is very much a PC gamer (although he still has his Xbox to hand!) His go to games include Sea of Thieves, Destiny 2, Gears of War, but as a variety streamer/gamer he has a wide genre range. Aside from the gaming and streaming world, Josh is also a beatboxer & Singer performing in venues across the country, and also runs an automotive Twitch series called Hard Drive Auto Show. Emily Welfare - Creative Director Emily, also known as CreativeTrashGaming, started streaming in the latter half of 2020 with the goal of bringing a bit of joy and laughter to the world, as well as the aim of raising money for various charities. Her favourite types of games are those with a compelling story, or those that just make her inner Fantasy Nerd go ballistic. She also likes spooky stuff, not just in the gaming realm but in general, and has a podcast with her two sisters where they discuss all things horror. Emily loves to dabble in the art world often, creating digital art pieces and learning new crafts. A graphics designer in her full time job, Emily is an integral part of the team whom designs the entire layout of our magazines from top to bottom!

Cal Howie - Operations Director Cal, also known as EyeStayProd has been streaming since September 2020 and loves everything about it whether it be the community, the rage moments or even just having fun and brightening people’s days! Predominantly he is an Xbox Gamer and recently added the Series X to his arsenal, but he also has a PS4 for certain games as well as having the Nintendo Switch to hand! His game of choice is Apex Legends but is no stranger to RPGs and other games, such as every Pokémon game in the franchise, the Fable Series, Call of Duty amongst loads more. Brandon Sawyer - Content Director Brandon, also known as Sawyers Gaming Central or Sawyer for short has been streaming since April 2020 and absolutely loves everything about it from the communities to the gameplays and reactions even a couple of rages thrown in there on a couple of occasions, but mostly he just loves to have fun and make people laugh which he can be quite hilarious at times! Predominantly he is an Xbox Gamer where he mostly plays his Xbox Series X but also has a gaming pc, a Nintendo switch, and even a Playstation. Sawyer is mainly a variety streamer where his main love is Gears of war and RPGs and due to Sawyers background he has come on board with The Gamer Guide as the Content Director, so we’re sure you’ll all learn to love this familiar face and don’t hesitate to pop by and say hi!

Want to keep up with the team? You can find their Twitch channels below! @DifferentialUK @EyeStayProd @CreativeTrashGaming @ SawyersGamingCentral If you want to help support this small but passionate team, you could also head over to the official TGG website and subscribe to the magazine for completely free, that way you will be the first to know when a new issue is released!

www.thegamerguidemag.com

contents upcoming releases

4 6

Did you know we have a youtube channel?

nanoleaf

insertcoin

sandberg

rode

sneak

xbox 20th anniversary recap

back 4 blood - game review

Guardians of the galaxy - game review

far cry 6 - game review

forza horizon 5 - game review

gta definitive edition - game review

ninja - exclusive interview!

one_shot_gurl

big rob energy Property of Guerrilla Games/Square Enix

Credit: Grimlore Games

upcoming RELEASES Find out about the upcoming titles that are due to be released in the coming months...

December Solar Ash Platform: PS5, PS4, PC Developer: Heart Machine Release date: 2nd December 2021

Chorus

Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, Stadia Developer: Deep Silver Fishlabs Release date: 3rd December 2021

Credit: Annapurna Interactive

Danganronpa Decadence Platform: Switch Developer: Spike Chunsoft Release date: 3rd December 2021

Spellforce III Reforced Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbos Series X/S, PC Developer: Grimlore Games Release date: 7th December 2021

Credit: Deep Silver

Thymesia

Platform: PC Developer: OverBorder Studio Release date: 7th December 2021

Halo Infinite

Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC Developer: 343 Industries Release date: 8th December 2021

Credit: 343 Industries

January (2022) Weird West Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC Developer: WolfEye Studios Release date: 11th January 2022 Credit: Capcom

Monster Hunter Rise Platform: PC Developer: Capcom Release date: 12th January 2022

God of War Platform: PS5, PS4, PC Developer: Santa Monica Studio Release date: 14th January 2022 (PC)

Pokemon Legends: Arceus Platform: Switch Developer: Game Freak Release date: 28th January 2022 Credit: Nintendo

Credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment

Did you know we have a youtube channel? Well now you do! We have an ever-growing library of videos where we do in-depth reviews of the latest tech, unbox some exciting goodies and much more! Take a look at just some of the videos linked below, and hit that subscribe button whilst you’re there!

Many of the company features that we have in our magazines also have reviews or unboxing videos too. For example, a big series was posted recently that involved a giant unboxing of Sandberg, Sneak and Insert Coin, all of which are featured in this very issue! Want to know what we think? Our channel is waiting!

Big things are in the works at TGG for 2022, including a new series on our YouTube channel, so if you want to be kept up to date on some exciting new stuff, head to our website and subscribe to our magazine for free!

www.thegamerguidemag.com YouTube: @TheGamerGuide 6

Nanoleaf is known for it’s innovative LED lighting rigs that come in multiple shapes and are extremely easy to assemble. Founded in 2012, the company had soared in popularity amongst gamers, who have decked out their set-ups with these amazing lights. We were lucky enough to sit down with Annika, Nanoleaf’s marketing director, EMEA, to get more information on the company and their products! Firstly, could you provide me with some insight into your history in terms of career, how you came to be in, not only the gaming industry, but also the lighting and accessory industry. What made you decide that these industries are right for you? I started my career in a French Tech startup. It was a manufacturer of different smart home products and was at that time one of the first brands creating nice-looking and original smart home products. From then on, connected objects fascinated me. I came to Nanoleaf through an old colleague that started the first Nanoleaf office in Europe. The products are unique and exciting, and I jumped at the opportunity. This industry is especially interesting because there will always be new technology integrated in these products; the brands continue to innovate, and this will change the way we are going to live tomorrow. Quite a fantastic career path to go with and with a love for tech that’s always a great start. What is your take on the gaming & accessory industry now especially as we exit out of a global pandemic? Is it an exciting space to be working in? Is there a lot of competition to deal with? The pandemic forced people to stay inside a lot. Obviously, people started to think about how they could improve their interiors, including through lighting. Gamers have been our early adopters and continue to support Nanoleaf today. We get the greatest product feedback and the best integration ideas from our gamer clients. It is no doubt an interesting industry to work in, and competition makes it even more exciting. For now, the Nanoleaf products are quite unique, and our products evolve all the time when it comes to new

features and integrations with brands like Razer. This is what makes our products so special, especially for gamers. It’s great to see Nanoleaf thrive even with current situations around the world and from our team trying out your product we must say they are very unique and fantastic. Could you briefly introduce me to Nanoleaf e.g. a brief overview of the company, your main focus, products, locations etc. Nanoleaf is a Canadian startup based in Toronto and, for three years now, Paris. The company was founded by three student friends that created, through a Kickstarter campaign, the most energyefficient light bulb in the world. As the competition with light bulbs is very strong, they wanted to create something new and innovative. The result was the first Nanoleaf Light Panels being born in 2016. Today, Nanoleaf is a smart lighting company concentrated on rethinking ordinary products and making them extraordinary. Nanoleaf has three different smart lighting families: the Nanoleaf Shapes and Canvas, the Nanoleaf Elements and the Nanoleaf Essentials (smart, Thread-enabled light bulbs and lightstrips) – and there is an exciting new product coming up mid-October. Ah Canada is such a beautiful place, it’s great to see that you have come so far and really changed the market for home lighting. What, for you, differentiates Nanoleaf from other similar companies operating within the same industries as yourselves? Nanoleaf concentrates a lot on the design of the products, the quality, and the features. We also

listen a lot to our customers and try to make product features and changes possible. The Nanoleaf Shapes (Hexagons, Triangles and Mini Triangles that can be connected to each other) were born from that: customers asked us if it was possible to connect different shapes to create even more design possibilities. The company won’t launch a product that already exists as we think that innovation is key. It’s great that you really take the input of your customers in and can provide them with what they want. We noticed you have a fantastic partnership with Razer, how did this come around, and has this helped Nanoleaf break into the Gaming industry more? The Razer partnership is definitely a strong longterm partnership for us. The product integration opened very interesting features for gamers that we want to push even more. Partnerships clearly help us to improve the product experience for our gamer customers. Razer is such a massive brand it’s great to see Nanoleaf partnering up with such an amazing company. With technology advancing at such a rapid pace, how important is innovation, and how do you maintain your position in the industry? As mentioned before, innovation is key for us, and we have an amazing team that thinks about new ideas every day. Our CEO Gimmy Chu sums it up nicely when he says ‘Nanoleaf is a pioneer and never intends to follow others. If someone else in the world is making something, we will not make the same thing. We believe that people should work together to push the boundaries of technology as it exists today.’ We can totally see that you stand out from a lot of competitors and always lead with new fantastic designs. Are there any past projects or achievements that you’re particularly proud of which you’d like to highlight in the article? I think one of the most surprising projects over the last years was the ‘screen mirror’ feature, which lets you sync up the panels to your monitor, so they react in real time. It is a feature that one of our developers tested for his personal home cinema and developed during a weekend. I am not personally involved in the project, but it is great to work in a company where people are passionate and things like that are possible.

Website: www.

Twitter: @ Instagram:

We were also sent a a Shapes Triangle Starter kit, plus tw with Razer! If you would like to see some of the lights in You Tube channel: @

That is really an amazing feature and great work from your team to produce a system like that which I’m sure all your customers were asking for. Looking ahead, what does the rest of 2021 bring, and what are the plans and projects for 2022? Nanoleaf Lines + 2022 new features and exciting products in the lighting sector. Watch this space. We have recently noticed the Nanoleaf lines and they really do look amazing. We aim to pick some up very soon. With such a brand name and social presence, do you run a sponsorship or brand ambassador programme? If so, could you name a few, and how important are they to the growth and success of the business? We mainly sponsor our products, and we might start an ambassador programme next year, but for now, influencers are very excited to receive and use our products. The Nanoleaf products are very visual, they need to be shown in a video, which is why social media is very important for us, as this creates visibility of the brand and gives our whole community design inspirations. We most certainly were very excited and amazed with Nanoleaf sending us their amazing shapes range to try and test alongside some compatible razer products they all were fantastic. On a personal note, are you a gamer and, if so, what is your gaming platform choice, what is your go to game, and what really excites you about the gaming world? I am not! It was a whole new world I discovered when joining Nanoleaf. I think that the quality of the games today, very similar to movies and the story telling is amazing. You’re very right on that one. Some games nowadays feel and look just like some of the amazing movies we have seen over the years. Finally, is there anything else that you feel you would like to mention that we may not have covered?

w.nanoleaf.com

@nanoleaf @Nanoleaf

wo more products that were a result of their partnership action and what we thought of them, head on over to our @The Gamer Guide

We have just started to create our Nanoleaf gaming room (video here) and started live streams on Twitch, so tune in next time! You can follow Nanoleaf’s Twitch here: twitch.tv/NanoleafOfficial

Insert Coin is an online store that sells clothing and accessories all based around video games. You can find amazing t-shirts, hoodies, socks and more with amazing artworks from games such as Gears of War, Dark Souls, Resident Evil and Uncharted. We were able to sit down with Dan Long, Head of Comms at Insert Coin, in order to find out more about the company and their products! Hey Dan! Thanks for speaking with us! Firstly, could you provide me with some insight into your history in terms of career, how you came to be in, not only the gaming industry, but also the Clothing industry. What made you decide that these industries are right for you? Absolutely my pleasure – thank YOU! I’ve got a strange career path – engineer to writer to helping set up Insert Coin way back in 2010. It all started when Jon (Rhodes, Director) and I used to work together and he used to lament the lack of decent clothing to celebrate our love of gaming. And the rest is history of course! But it’s always been about marrying a love of games with a passion for representing them with style – that’s the essence of Insert Coin. Wow that is a huge jump in career paths. We are glad it’s all worked out for you, Could you briefly introduce us to Insert Coin. E.g. a brief overview of the company, your main focus, products, locations etc. Insert Coin started in 2010 to help gamers like us to represent their love of video games in the real world, without feeling like we were a walking advertisement or putting up with cheap and flimsy promo merch. We aimed to level up people’s wardrobe and make things they’d be proud to wear and that transcended being ‘geeky’ or ‘nerdy’ and into something that would be awesome to wear every day. Since then we’ve added more and more products to our line-up – from tees and hoodies to jackets and pins to cushions and mugs. There’s something for everyone and – best of all – we ship worldwide from our online store. Everything is exclusive to us, and our community has grown into a club for folk

who really love video games and want to represent them wherever and whenever they can. From what we have seen and tried you guys have really upped the game in gaming apparel that’s for sure, What is your take on the gaming industry & Clothing industry now especially coming out of a global pandemic? Is it an exciting space to be working in? Is there a lot of competition to deal with? The global pandemic has obviously completely changed everything, and it’s been awe-inspiring to see all the amazing games released in that time, with dedicated programmers, testers – entire teams – working from their homes and releasing so many fantastic titles in 2020 and 2021 already. The most important thing though was to make sure everyone remained safe of course, but the work the industry has done to keep gamers around the world entertained – and to give them a small respite of escape in those dark days – has been truly Herculean. Yeah it’s been a tough one for us all but we are glad to see you guys working as hard as ever. What, for you, differentiates Insert Coin from other similar companies operating within the same industries as yourselves? There are always a lot of companies doing similar things, in every walk of life. I think what Insert Coin does for video game apparel is it not only reaffirms that gaming is cool, but it allows people to shout that (subtly) while out in the real world. As gamers ourselves, we’re all about representing the experiences of other gamers – what we love about the games we play – and making that a part of everyday life. 12

As hardcore gamers ourselves we do love to represent our favourite games via clothing and we have had many good comments while out wearing yours, We notice that you try to cover a wide variety of game titles, how do you stay relevant, how important is innovation and design? How important is the customer’s feedback in terms of requesting certain game titles? We are gamers and we love games – all of them. We just make products for the games we love – and that our community loves, because of course they’re avid gamers too. We’re constantly looking at what we can do next, what we can add to make something exciting or unique. It’s that hunger that drives Insert Coin forward and helps us lead the way in cool gamer gear. We can totally relate to that as gamers ourselves we can really put our love and passion into it. Are there any past projects or achievements that you’re particularly proud of which you’d like to highlight in the article? Oh, there are so many awesome things we’ve worked on down the years! We’ve been lucky to work on lots of cool projects – from our Pokémon pop-up store in London, to working with Hideo Kojima, to being part of TLOU’s Outbreak Day celebrations to teaming up with the lovely folk at Outside Xbox / Outside Xtra on livestreams. It’s always something new, always something fun and always something exciting! Wow, that is quite impressive some massive names you’ve had the opportunity to work with. Looking ahead, what does the rest of 2021 bring, what are the plans and projects for the rest of the year but also what do you have planned for 2022? It’s our policy to never talk about new projects until it’s the right time, but needless to say we have a LOT of new and exciting launches in the pipeline – already stretching out from now until (I think) 2023 or so? There’s always a new project to shout about – I guess the next big one that folk already know about is our collection for True Colors. That should land before the end of the year, which is really exciting. 13

We will most certainly keep an eye out on what you guys launch next. With such a brand name and social presence, do you run a sponsorship or brand ambassador programme? If so, could you name a few, and how important are they to the growth and success of the business? We don’t have any kind of sponsorship programmes, but we do regularly work with creators and streamers of all sizes – from Eurogamer and OX, through to people just starting out on their gaming journey. For us, it’s about being a good fit for working together and for us all to work together to showcase and celebrate the very best of video games. We totally agree, we are all gamers at heart and we should all come together to really showcase the love for gaming, On a personal note, is anyone in the business a gamer, and if so what is their gaming platform choice, what is the go to game and what really excites you about the gaming world? Everyone at Insert Coin is a gamer – although it isn’t a prerequisite, it certainly helps! We all play on a variety of different platforms – PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, PC, mobile, retro. It is the diversity of our experiences that helps shape the amazing projects we work on and that is the most exciting thing – bringing those video games we love from the screen and into the real world. It’s always great to work with gamers similar to yourself, it means the tea breaks are always filled with the latest dubs and battle cries. Finally, is there anything we haven’t mentioned that you’d be interested in knowing about? I think that’s everything about Insert Coin and what we do! We’re proud to help gamers around the world to represent their favourite video games in the real world – and we’re looking forward to doing it for many years to come. You can check out Insert Coin’s amazing collection and follow their socials below! www.insertcoinclothing.com Twitter: @InsertCoinTees Instagram: @insertcoingclothing Facebook: @InsertCoinClothing

Sandberg is a company based in Denmark that manufactures amazing equipment for mobile phones, computers and games consoles. They create high-quality products geared not only towards the casual gamer but also to the esports world, priding themselves on their products durability and value for money. We were lucky enough to be able to sit down with Erling Hoff Petersen to get more information about what Sandberg do and their plans for the future! Hey Erling! Thanks for speaking with us! Firstly, could you provide me with some insight into your history in terms of career, how you came to be in, not only the technology industry, but also the Esports Equipment industry. What made you decide that these industries are right for you? Sandberg as a company was established back in 1985 as BMP-Data. In the beginning of the 90s, we were an established CD-ROM game distributor in Denmark, even before our brand Sandberg was formed in 1996. So you can say that gaming has always been in our DNA. Oh wow that’s a very long time and starting back when CD-Roms were the best things for gaming we can see you’ve come a long way that’s for sure. What is your take on the gaming industry now, especially coming out of a global pandemic? Is it an exciting space to be working in? Is there a lot of competition to deal with? The gaming industry is much different from other industries that Sandberg operates in. A few very strong brands control the high end, powered by huge sponsorships to significant teams and a very high price level for the products. Other brands fight to be the cheapest in town. From our point of view, our position as a “reasonable purchase” with great value for

money places Sandberg in a good mid-range position, which is becoming more and more interesting. Not least during the pandemic, when more and more non-professional private consumers decide to buy something extra for their gaming. Without having to spend a fortune. It is truly exciting, and what we have seen during the pandemic is a change of sales channel in many countries. From testing and trying your products we totally agree the quality is amazing and the prices are very reasonable. Briefly introduce me to Sandberg. What was the deciding factor to diversify into gaming and Esports? E.g. a brief overview of the company, your main focus, products, locations etc. Our product ranges are in three categories: “Home & Office”, “Active”, and “Esports Equipment”. From our HQ in Denmark, we service customers in more than 60 countries. Even though the outdoor stuff in the Active range are much different from the gaming gear labelled Esports Equipment, we focus on the same values: High quality, ease of use, value for money. For instance, all Sandberg products go through an individual 2-step Quality Control, and are covered by 5 years warranty. 16

It’s fantastic how all your products are covered with a 5 year warranty and we do believe that your Esports range would be perfect for any gamers setup. What, for you, differentiates Sandberg from other similar companies operating within the same industries as yourselves? We know you have a variety of products for E-Sports, how do you make your products stand out? With our focus to make high quality and durable gaming products available at mid range pricing, we stand out by being attractive to typical private consumers, but don’t aim to attract highend gamers. The pricing is very affordable and the quality is very great. We think you’ve really hit the market on a great stand point. As an established Technology company, how do you ensure growth moving forward? How important is innovation, and how do you keep up with the advancements in technology? Today, Sandberg’s total market shares in many markets are low, so we have a lot of potential to go for. If one country is well covered by our

gaming products, we’ll focus on outdoor gear and so on. However without innovation and a constant flow of new products, we couldn’t have stayed in business for so long. Every year, we launch more than 50 new products, so R&D is important not only to grow business, but also to retain existing market shares. Our product team has an important job to do, watching out for new technology all the time, and at the same time evaluate the market values of such technology in reference to our main segments and target groups. It’s great to see your teams are always on the ball for the latest and for the reach where you guys need to go. Are there any past projects or achievements that you’re particularly proud of which you’d like to highlight in the article? Sandberg A/S has just been awarded “The cleverest IT company in Denmark 2021” by ComputerWorld. Through 36 years of business, we have many achievements to be proud of, but this one just comes to mind as it happened last week.

With the way the worlds going and gaming becoming more and more popular we don’t blame you investing a lot of time and effort into it. It’ll do very well that’s for sure. With your brand name, and position in the industry, do you run a sponsorship or brand ambassador programme? If so, could you name a few, and how important are they to the growth and success of the business? We don’t run any significant sponsorships or brand ambassador programmes, which have a high cost. Of course we sponsor some gaming events here and there, and work together with influencers and so on. It is however in our gaming range philosophy that what consumers pay for the products shall be used to optimize the user experiences with the products, rather than million euro sponsor contracts. We totally understand and agree with you on that, The gaming community via events and influencers is really a great reach to use. On a personal note, are you a gamer, and if so what is your gaming platform choice, what is your go to game, and what really excites you about the gaming world? Me personally? I have to admit I am not a gamer myself, I am merely a user of our Active range of products. The only game I play seriously is chess – and that is on a physical board. But of course we have people in our organization much more involved with gaming themselves.

Chess is such a very intelligent game we would love to have a game next time! Finally, is there anything else that you feel you would like to mention that we may not have covered? It’s such a pleasure to see gaming becoming merely common and respected. Not only high end expert gamers equip their gaming room with a gaming chair or LED blinking, noisy mechanical keyboards. Also completely normal family persons see value in this and take gaming seriously, however on a hobby level – such as they would golf, swimming or horseback riding. Studies show that gaming improves your cognitive skills, which I believe are just as important to train as your physical skills. Few years ago, a family father would be ashamed to admit he spends hours a day gaming. Now it’s completely accepted and respected.

If you are interested in any of the products or services that Sandberg have to offer, you can visit their website below and follow their socials! www.sandberg.world Twitter: @Sandberg_it Instagram: @sanderg.world Facebook: @Sandberg.it 18

RoDE RELEASES THE PSA1+ PROFESSIONAL STUDIO ARM RØDE are renowned for their microphones and equipment for a variety of industries. Ranging from the music industry, both studio and live, videography, and they have been making waves in the podcast, streaming, and gaming industries. With microphones like the NT-USB Mini & PodMic, it’s fantastic to see further development with their latest PSA1+ Professional Studio Arm. Following on from their successful PSA1 professional studio arm, which has long been recognised as the industry standard and is found on the desks of countless content creators, The PSA1+ builds on this legacy, introducing premium features and an innovative new design offering unmatched performance in any home or studio setup. We have been lucky enough to have been sent an NT-USB Mini and a PSA1+ to test and review. Subscribe to our socials and magazine in order to see what we think!

PSA1+ KEY FEATURES: • Innovative parallelogram spring design for precise placement, peerless stability and ultrasmooth movement with almost any microphone • Completely silent operation with fully damped internal springs • Rubber contact mounts for superior isolation from knocks, bumps and keyboard clicks • Extended reach and 360-degree rotation, offering maximum flexibility in any home or studio application • Supports a wide range of microphones – from 94g all the way to 1.2kgs • Integrated cable management system to manage and easily conceal both XLR and USB cables • Compatible with all standard microphone and shock mounts Rode has described this as the “Ultimate Microphone Mount” The PSA1+ has been designed to perform flawlessly in any recording scenario, from home gaming setups to professional broadcast studios. It can support a wide microphone weight range, from as little as 94g all the way up to 1.2kgs, with extended reach and full 360-degree rotation making it easy to position the microphone exactly where it needs to be to get the best recording possible. It also features an integrated cable management system for both XLR and USB cables, ensuring every setup is tidy and camera-ready. To find out more and to purchase the PSA1+ head over to: www.rode.com Why not follow Rode on their socials: Facebook: @rodemic Instagram: @rodemic Twitter: @rodemicrophones TikTok: @rodemic YouTube: @RodeMic

Sneak is a low-calorie, sugar-free energy drink. They wanted to create a clean energy alternative that puts you in control. Available in powder or cans, just mix one scoop with water or grab a can for on-the-go and enjoy a powerful, sustained energy boost. They also pack Sneak with vitamins, minerals and amino acids to heighten your reaction times and keep you focused. Sneak has NO sugar. Zero. None. That means you won’t get the jitters or the crash caused by sugar filled energy drinks. Sneak reacts fast. It will take approximately 10 minutes for all of Sneak’s key active ingredients to start to take effect. Performance will continue to increase for the next 45 minutes and the effects will last 4-6 hours, depending on your metabolism. All Sneak products are now also Vegan friendly! There are many flavours to choose from such as Rasberry Lemonade, Purple Storm, Tropikilla, Neon Punch and more. You can also get some awesome shakers with your tubs, and even purchase a taster set, where you get a sample sachet of every flavour to see which ones you like best. Take a look at all of their amazing products now! www.sneakenergy.com Twitter: @SneakEnergy Instagram: @sneakenergy Facebook: @Sneak

Power On: The Xbox Story The first significant portion of the Xbox 20th Anniversary stream was introducing a new docu-series that showcases the creation of Xbox. This documentary promises to go back to the early days when Xbox was just a thought created by many workers at Microsoft. The main message that seemed consistent through the trailer was that the Xbox idea was a reach and not one that Microsoft believed in at first. The documentary will be in 6 parts and will be on YouTube. The docu-series comes out on December 13. But anyone who attends Xbox Fan Fest will get an early viewing. Xbox Philosophy/Backwards Announcement

Compatibility

The Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, was out next discussing the philosophy behind Xbox. First, he talked about their decisions and that they always had the fans in mind. Next, he recapped big moments in recent years, like the many accessibility improvements on Xbox. Next, he discussed how Xbox Live connected people from all around the world. Then, a video was played showcasing many gamers worldwide who have met up with friends they made online. After the video was over, an announcement was made surrounding the Backwards Compatibility program on both the Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One consoles. Seventy new games are coming to the program from series like F.E.A.R, Max Payne, and Star Wars. In addition, 30 of the 70 games announced will also be eligible for the next generation FPS Boost feature that makes old games play as smoothly as current games. For more games involved in the program and the new ones coming. Xbox Flashback Moments Xbox also played flashbacks to big moments throughout the stream, including The Rock and Bill Gates revealing the first Xbox, Phil Spencer announcing Backwards Compatibility, and Keanu Reeves announcing CyberPunk2077.It would not be an Xbox celebration without Halo. Halo is Xbox’s crown jewel, the centre of the franchise. One of the console’s best exclusives

of all time and a game that helped shape Xbox itself. On the 20th Anniversary Stream, two MASSIVE Halo announcements should leave Xbox fans very pleased. Halo TV Show Teaser Any fan of Halo has begged and pleaded for there to be a live-action show that showcases the story of Halo. The game has such a gripping narrative that it would work perfectly as a show. Finally, in 2022, this dream will become a reality. Not many details are released about the show except that Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television is producing it. The show’s description states that it will focus on the 26th-century war between the United Nations Space Command and the alien Covenant. Like the games, Halo’s main character Master Chief and his helpful ally Cortana are confirmed to be the show’s core. Halo: Infinite Multiplayer is LIVE! Now for the big reveal, when you get that ‘But wait, there’s more!’ kind of speech at the end of an Xbox stream, you know it’s a game trailer. This time did not disappoint, as it was a trailer that confirmed that Halo: Infinite’s Multiplayer mode would go live at the end of the Anniversary Stream. The Multiplayer is now officially out, and it is entirely free to play on all Xbox consoles and PC. In addition, season 1 of the battle pass, which brings new skins, gear, and surprises, is also live. To celebrate 20 years of excellence in the gaming industry, Xbox knocked it out of the park. Want to find out more about the anniversary event? Head over to the microsoft website! You could also follow Xbox on Twitch and YouTube and watch the event! www.xbox.com Twitch: @Xbox YouTube: @Xbox Facebook: @Xbox 24

Reviewed by: Brandon Sawyer

When you’re tasked with defending a bar from a horde of flesh-craving zombies and ugly-assin abominations, the only thing that will boost your morale is to blast Motorhead’s Ace of Spades out of the jukebox. Once your morale has been sufficiently bolstered by the harmonic tones of Lemmy’s voice, it’s time to unleash the righteous fury of your LMG into the shuffling bodies of your brain-dead adversaries. Back 4 Blood revels in utter chaos, and it’s moments like these — when the game isn’t just leaning into its own brand of gory madness but absolutely embracing it at which Turtle Rock’s co-op shooter shines brightest. There is no doubt that Back 4 Blood had a monumental challenge ahead of it from the moment Turtle Rock Studios announced its existence. I mean, you can’t appear 12 years after dropping one of the greatest co-op survival titles (Left 4 Dead 2) to ever grace our screens, and not expect to be put under the microscope. Of course, those years were filled out with Evolve, but that hardly fits into the same structure as the zombie-slaying shooters we’re currently discussing. I believe the team has certainly crafted a potential successor by way of solid gameplay and intuitive ways to keep the gameplay feeling fresh, ensuring that your runs always feel slightly different and extremely brutal. Back 4 Blood follows a group of human survivors known as the Cleaners, who are attempting to save their settlement from the monstrous zombie-type creatures called the Ridden. You have access to eight playable characters, each with very different personalities, and all 25

sporting unique buffs that give them an edge in certain situations. I found a couple that I really clicked with Jim, the hunter, and Karlee, the rebellious rocker. Their buffs stack with the bonuses you receive from your card loadouts, so you can create builds that completely suit your playstyle of choice. For instance, I enjoy rocking an assault weapon with a semiautomatic marksman rifle, and favour mobility over high health. By using the 15 card slots, I was able to knock up a build that suited that play style perfectly and even countered some of the Corruption Cards that were added in. Corruption Cards are by far one of the defining mechanics of Back 4 Blood. Depending on the difficulty you’re playing on, the game director will randomly designate a Corruption Card (or multiple cards) at the beginning of each mission. These cards can completely change your run each time around — maybe this time it’s completely dark, and special Ridden appear in trios... or maybe you’re going to have to face off against an armoured boss called an Ogre. It’s these small adjustments to each mission that really helps make multiple playthroughs a bit more interesting for the casual player, whereas those players that develop a fascination with the game will find new challenges to overcome every time. The mutators can turn a fairly breezy run into a nightmarish slog by dropping a series of difficult cards. Recruit difficulty is a challenging ordeal already, even though it’s the easiest difficulty, but once you step up into Veteran or even Nightmare, just one less-than-ideal Corruption Card can end your run.

Progress takes place over four Acts, with Acts One to Three containing over ten missions each. Act Four is only one mission long but wraps up the story with a quick and pretty tough conclusion. When running through a full Act, the real kicker comes in the fact that your group can only wipe a couple of times before the run is over. You will unlock starting checkpoints as you progress through each Act, so if you’re in a party you can easily get back to where you were, although starting fresh. If you’re not in a party, though? Well, it’s back to the Quick Play matchmaking and hoping you can find a match close to where you were unless you start your own run and wait on other players. This is one of the biggest issues with Back 4 Blood, and one that could do with being addressed sooner rather than later. You can start your own runs, but the problem for me, during early access at least, was the fact that you can’t guarantee that players will join your run, therefore making it unplayable — without an option to start with bots, I had to resort to Quick Play to make my way through the game. It’s all rather frustrating, and while it’s not overly game-breaking, mixing that with the various crashes and system shutdowns I encountered, it felt like I was walking on thin ice at every step. Although let’s be honest, the technical problems will more than likely be fixed soon, and the team has already noted player concerns regarding the solo capabilities of the game, so I won’t judge too harshly on that front. Playing as the Cleaners will have you trotting around and attempting to find supplies, eradicating the Ridden, and locating possible remedies. It’s the usual storyline for any good post-apocalyptic game, but the set pieces make it stand out. Some missions will have

you clambering over death pits, barricading yourself in a church, or defending a bar while listening to rock music. Even better is the fact that your objectives aren’t just a replica of every title in the genre. Some missions will have you just making your way to the next safe house, while others require you to perform certain objectives first, like destroying nests, defending against a horde of enemies, or finding supplies. Much like the Left 4 Dead games, it’s all built around co-op and requires a team effort if you hope to pull off your goals successfully. Well, co-op and some awesome weapons, of course. Back 4 Blood comes loaded with a multitude of weapons that covers melee, assault rifles, shotguns, and the like. You can even find attachments along your way to customise them, in the form of muzzles, scopes, stocks, and mags. Each has a rarity level which helps bolster your gun’s stats and allows it to continue being useful as the carnage intensifies throughout each Act. Just don’t expect to be holding on to your hardearned attachments, because once you switch out your gun, they stay on the old one — there’s no way of stripping weapons to keep hold of your better mods, unfortunately. No matter your playstyle or the weapons you choose, there is no quick way to get through Back 4 Blood’s achievements. Sure, there are plenty of miscellaneous ones that can be picked up along the way, along with a few secrets to unlock (for which there are already guides). The time-consuming beasties are obviously the Nightmare difficulty completions and the ‘Good Riddance!’ achievement, which requires you to slaughter 53,600 of the dribbling fleshmunchers.

Overall TGG Rating Back 4 Blood is the co-op survival shooter that we’ve been waiting for since Left 4 Dead took the world by storm. The introduction of Corruption Cards really helps the game stand out, while offering players varied gameplay that doesn’t feel stale at any point. The current issues surrounding solo play are certainly a turn-off, but not enough for me to not recommend playing it, especially if you have a group of friends ready to go. With a little TLC, Back 4 Blood has every ingredient necessary to flourish, and perhaps even dethrone its predecessors… maybe.

7.5/10 Audio 7/10 Music is subtle and unobtrusive, while guttural zombie gurgles and roars will keep you on edge. Audio cues for special characters don’t induce panic like you’d hope, however. Remember when a tank or witch turned up in Left 4 Dead? It’s not quite the same in Back 4 Blood.

Visuals 8/10 A very nice-looking game, Back 4 Blood succeeds in generating a wonderful atmosphere of foreboding during its levels, taking you to cool locations like police stations, lakeside docks, abandoned gas stations, and graveyards. Every now and then, there’s the odd glitch, but we encountered nothing major.

Playability 8/10

Immediate and instantly enjoyable if you know how to play a first-person shooter. The card system, with its helpful cards and gameplay-altering ‘Corruption Cards’ help mix things up a bit, lending a little extra depth to proceedings. Crucially, Back 4 Blood is good, solid fun.

Delivery 7/10 The lack of solo progression is an unsightly blot on an otherwise superb game, leaving lone wolves out in the cold. But, if you can stand to play with random people or (better still) rally around a team of friends, then there are countless hours of entertainment to be had. [Version tested: Xbox Series X]

Reviewed by: Brandon Sawyer

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is little like Marvel’s Avengers—Crystal Dynamics’ online co-op action game—although it feels as if, in the run-up to release, it has been tarred with the same brush. The truth is that this is a resolutely single-player affair, which should perhaps come as no surprise, given Eidos-Montréal’s propensity for crafting meticulously authored linear experiences, like Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Thief, which allow plenty of room for player agency. With Guardians, Eidos-Montréal keeps things considerably more linear than those efforts, and the ride it sends you and protagonist Peter Quill on, is nothing short of utterly joyful. For the most part, anyway. The game opens in the 1980s, with you staring out from the eyes of a pre-pubescent Quill as he rocks out to original music, created specifically for the game, by fictional band ‘Star-Lord’, from whence he eventually derives the name of his superhero alter-ego, emblazoned on the back of his red leather jacket. The shock of seeing the blonde heavy-metal mullet resting on his shoulders and a black eye inflicted by bullies, as the camera zooms out into third-person, is a smart way to introduce the character and the tender relationship he shares with his mother. And Eidos-Montréal knows exactly when to take you back to Quill’s childhood home for a brief flashback during the 15-20 hour narrative, deftly fleshing out the backstory of its central character. Like the 2014 MCU movie and its sequel, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is an ensemble piece, with Peter Quill at its heart. As Star-Lord, you’ll 29

visit exotic planets and explore Nova space stations, battling strange alien creatures, including, but not limited to gelatinous cubes or roly-poly blobs covered in eyeballs. Taking place in the wake of a war against the Chitauri, Guardians throws you together with Gamora, the deadliest woman in the galaxy; Drax the destroyer, famed for slaughtering Thanos; Rocket, the tinkering technician who definitely isn’t a raccoon; and his closest ally, Groot, a powerful living tree and the last of his kind. Aboard the Milano, you can talk and interact with your fellow Guardians, certain trinkets found during missions unlocking further opportunities to engage in expository dialogue with each character. The interplay between the Guardians sparks with zinging dialogue that responds to almost every action you perform - and it elicits a grin, rather than a tired eye-roll. Go off-piste to explore, and you’ll be yelled at for going the wrong way. Accidentally fire off your weapons and one of the team will have a dig at you for being careless. When you’re not exploring and engaging in a spot of jet-boot-powered platforming, you can blast enemies with Star-Lord’s dual-wielded, shapeshifting laser guns until they overheat, while elemental projectiles, like ice, fire, wind, and electricity, unlock ways to better incapacitate enemies. A ‘stagger bar’, meanwhile, acts like Sekiro’s posture meter, filling and rendering foes temporarily vulnerable in response to sustained fire, or a volley of frosty bullets. Freezing an enemy then smashing them to pieces with a leaping punch seldom grows old. Elemental

projectiles also provide the means to solve various puzzles, locking mechanisms in place with ice, rerouting power using bursts of crackling energy, or pulling objects using sucking gusts of wind. Bouncing between planets and systems, you’ll visit recognisable locations, like Nowhere or a Nova Corps. Outpost facility, in a riproaring adventure that strikes exactly the right balance between adapting the comic books and remaining somewhat close to the MCU movies, without being in thrall to either source. There are nods to the wider Marvel universe to be found via various Easter eggs, while fans of the James Gunn-directed flicks can seek out unlockable outfits, so you can deck your Guardians out in duds faithful to the films. Decisions and their ensuing consequences also succeed in keeping things interesting, and, although none ultimately impact the overall course of the narrative, they add a little extra texture to the story. During your journey, you’ll also collect components, used by Rocket to craft helpful perks, while ‘momentum,’ which is built up during combat, is turned into ability points, which unlock new skills for the Guardians. These include support abilities, which you execute with a simple command in the midst of battle; Gamora can slice through foes, Drax will fill their stagger meter, Groot can hold enemies in place, and Rocket will happily toss an explosive into the mix. Over time, a ‘Huddle’ gauge can be topped off, too, enabling you to call the Guardians together for a pep talk and a temporary buff, sound tracked by one of thirty licensed ‘80s pop

songs. Nothing quite beats letting loose to the upbeat sounds of Wham!, Pat Benetar, A-ha, Rainbow, or Rick Astley. The quality of the minuteto-minute action, the cinematic cut-scenes, and the relationships between the five Guardians ensures that Eidos-Montréal’s original take on the superhero team is punchy, funny, heartfelt, and, crucially, enormously good fun. There are a few technical issues, like the odd flickering texture, or the occasional, slightly bizarre progress-hampering bug – the latter easily remedied by a reload to the last checkpoint. Mercifully, though I encountered a handful of bugs, I never lost more than a few seconds of progress – they seem like minor flaws that will no doubt be ironed out with a patch. Beyond the bugs, Guardians of the Galaxy is, unfortunately, not without its frustrations – one particular moment during Chapter 10, involving a foggy cave, is shoddily designed, the solution for escaping its unending loop poorly communicated. Such scuffs do little to detract from what Eidos-Montréal has achieved here, however. The studio has set out to make a compelling narrative-driven single-player experience, and in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, it succeeds, with combat, exploration, and narrative beats that are never anything less than engaging. What’s more, the developer has nailed the gang’s fraught, tentative relationship, with all of the bickering, wisecracking, and banter you’d expect. Also, Cosmo the Spacedog. Nuff’ said.

Overall TGG Rating While it has one or two irksome flaws, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is, nonetheless, a fine solo experience, with characters that you’ll enjoy spending time with, fast-paced combat, and an engaging original story.

8/10 Audio 8/10 A fantastic ‘80s soundtrack and excellent voice performances across the board, Guardians of the Galaxy simply sounds great.

Visuals 8/10 In Quality Mode, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy looks lovely, but the frame rate can occasionally chug, even on new-gen consoles. Performance Mode is far better, still looking slick, locked to 60fps.

Playability 8/10 Combat is fast, frenetic, and fun, while traversal, exploration, and platforming is tight and enjoyable. There’s little, if anything, not to like here.

Delivery 8/10 A well-paced story, marred only by occasional visual bugs or bothersome glitches that require a quick checkpoint reload. Nothing major. [Version tested: Xbox Series X]

Reviewed by: Brandon Sawyer

Coming in as the tenth instalment of the franchise, Far Cry 6 offers the biggest adventure yet, while simultaneously setting itself up as a live-service series going forward. While not specifically stated as of yet, Ubisoft’s plans to slow down the release schedule of its biggest games in favour of free-to-play and live service offerings could easily extend to Far Cry. I certainly hope this isn’t the case and we see a new mainline entry sooner rather than later, because Far Cry 6 is by far the best entry into the series we’ve seen in recent years. Yara is huge, beautiful, filled with the chaotic action that fans have grown to love, and adds many new layers into the gameplay without stepping away from the series’ core mechanics. For those of you that haven’t enjoyed the previous titles, this, unfortunately, won’t be for you. But if the series has a way of tugging at your adventurous side, then you might just want to grab your rifle, befriend a dangerous animal, and book a ticket to the Caribbean Island of Yara. It only took me a few minutes of quiet contemplation to decide that I wanted to start this article on the game’s characters... and not just the tyrannical Antón Castillo. I mean, Antón will certainly get a look in just a moment, but it’s the two most prominent members of the rebel group known as Libertad who stand out: Clara and Juan. These two are like chalk and cheese — unless you think both are equally as tasty, in which case this simile sucks — and add a memorable twist to Far Cry 6. I’m not sure about you, but I couldn’t really recall any of the previous game’s characters, bar the infamous villains, of course. Clara and Juan have changed that this time around, offering an awesome mix of serious patriotic influence and ludicrous oneliners respectively. It’s a fresh experience to play through a Far Cry game and feel a connection 33

with your fellow group members. Of course, the game also features plenty of fantastic personalities to interact with, but it’s those two who stand out from the crowd… on the “good guy” side, at least. The Far Cry series’ bread and butter is without a doubt its dastardly villains, and Far Cry 6 is no different, except for the fact that this time around we’re seeing a familiar face adorning our screens. Antón Castillo — played by the extremely talented Giancarlo Esposito — is an absolutely brutal addition to the franchise, ruling the people of Yara with an iron fist and moulding his son, Diego, into the same tyrannical… leader? Now, there is no doubt that Giancarlo can portray a villainous character with very little effort, but Castillo has to be one of his best performances yet — aside from the animations, which don’t quite capture him in the best possible way. Antón is actually terrifying, and the awful way he treats his people almost left me speechless at certain points. For instance, at one point he gives Diego an ultimatum: shoot a captured rebel or watch him be tortured to death. It’s in these lessons that you can see just how warped Antón’s mind is, and that these behaviours come naturally to him… which explains why the country is caught in the midst of a revolution. Yara is as deadly as it is beautiful, where every gorgeous vista is accompanied either by a painin-the-butt soldier attempting to turn you into a human colander with automatic weapons, or a wild mongoose that has decided to have a nibble on your leg. While downtime is a rarity in Far Cry 6 — which is surprising due to the sheer size of the map — the moments you do slow down your pace are filled with scenic Caribbean beaches, lush forest regions, farmlands, and everything else a holidaymaker could ever dream of. This

is especially true when traversing the Guerrilla Paths that sprawl across the country. These backroads are generally too slim, winding, and mountainous for vehicles, which is why we have horses for the first time. These mounts are perfect for the treacherous pathways that can get you through regions fairly stealthily and offer a wilder view of Yara from specialist vantage points.

aside from the fact that the enemy force has access to tanks, armoured equipment, and a host of other ways to ruin your day. A lot of your time is spent attempting to stop the production of tobacco, which is sprayed with a chemical that is said to cure cancer… oh, the irony. In reality, this chemical is fairly unstable and causes enemies to go crazy, die, or be blown to smithereens due to its flammable nature.

As I said previously, though, Yara is packed with things to do. In fact, you generally can’t walk more than ten metres before something catches your attention, whether that be a cool building, the location of a Libertad crate containing equipment, or any other distraction. Hell, I spent around ten hours scouring the starting area for its hidden secrets. Ubisoft has put quite a bit of work into making the activities less cut-andpaste this time around as well, and that’s not to say the usual stuff has gone. The tried and tested outposts and fortress takeover missions have of course made a return, but they’re accompanied by a smattering of smaller objective-based scenarios that have a purpose other than just being something to do. Taking out surface-to-air missiles rewards you with Depleted Uranium to upgrade your new ‘Supremo’ weapons, Military Checkpoints offer you much-needed fast travel points, Treasure Hunts reward you with unique and powerful weapons or armour, and there is a pile more that will have you spending hours attempting to make it to an objective. It’s not all overly serious, either, due to Far Cry’s innate ability to make you question your own sanity.

Ubisoft went down a different route with enemy design in Far Cry 6, giving them a level system, resistances, and other small RPG elements. It’s a great system for offering challenging combat if you’re an all-guns-blazing kind of player. Stealth players like myself, though, will find that taking down the enemy isn’t any different… an armourpiercing bullet to the head is an armour-piercing bullet to the head, no matter how you want to look at it. Theoretically speaking, the enemy soldiers in Far Cry 6 have certain strengths and weaknesses — some are medical personnel, some are extremely armoured, and some are as flimsy as a wet paper bag. The idea is that you need to craft varying ammo types and armour to help you counter the capabilities of the enemies you’re facing — using your mobile to scout and target the area you’re about to assault — but I found that almost everyone goes down without too much of an issue, making the new system almost moot. Of course, this could be bolstered by the armour sets, which give you perks to become more effective at your newfound career as a guerrilla fighter. Armour can be picked up with varying quality levels, which give you additional bonuses when placed in the head, chest, legs, feet, and wrist slots.

Once you pull yourself away from the ludicrous amount of side missions and embark on the game’s main adventure, you’ll find a great story that is brimming with camaraderie and heartbreak. We are thrust into the shoes of Dani Rojas, who can be either male or female. Dani was looking for a quick escape from Yara, but after falling foul of a military incursion, takes on the role of being a guerrilla fighter for Libertad. The story structure is in the classic Far Cry template; take out the enemy in various sections of the map, build up your resistance with new members, and put a bullet between the eyes of the villainous antagonist. It’s a structure that I enjoy wholeheartedly from start to finish, and this time is no different. Bish, bash, bosh, easy…

That combat system is fairly easy to work with until Antón’s special forces start to hunt you down, then everything turns into a nightmare. Killing too many enemy soldiers in quick succession will fill up a small gauge in the left-hand corner of your UI. Once the gauge is full, you best get those legs working because the special forces soldiers do not mess around. These bruisers pack on a shedload of armour, heavy weapons, and always bring some choppers along for fun. When I said the system was almost moot, this is the “almost.” You notice very quickly how important it is to have the correct weaponry for the job when ending up in a battle with the 34

special forces, which can escalate extremely quickly into absolute carnage. Throw in a few wild boar, a couple of tanks, rockets, and a Supremo backpack, and you’ve got yourself a scene that would make Michael Bay sweat. Supremos are the latest weaponry addition to the series alongside Resolvers — both created with the intention of aiding you in your mission of death-dealing. Supremos are backpack-style special abilities that have the power to fire missile barrages and knock out security systems, and which come with a multitude of other helpful uses, as well as offering modifications to give you various buffs. Charging the Supremo is as simple as filling enemy soldiers with bullet holes, so the more aggressively you play, the faster you’ll unleash hell upon them. Resolvers are more traditional weapons — in the sense that you hold them in your hands — and offer you powerful firepower with limited ammo reserves that don’t require any form of powering up. Combat in Far Cry 6 wouldn’t be the same without your Amigos by your side, and this makes the

adventure a little less lonely. Whether you’re hanging with Chorizo the wheelchair-bound sausage dog, scaring people with Guapo the crocodile, or stalking your prey with a ghostly panther, you know that everything will be okay. Chorizo is obviously the star of Far Cry 6 and gives the game a small amount of innocence… well, unless you have an older, war-torn variant of him as I chose. The series can apparently no longer operate without some buddies helping you along, and I wouldn’t have it any other way — although, I was most disappointed that Chorizo, at least, doesn’t have any animations to sit in your passenger seat when driving around Yara. The achievement list for Far Cry 6 is everything you’d expect to see from a new entry into the series. Aside from the main mission challenges, the usual cumulative achievements make an appearance such as collecting various collectables and weapons, alongside various miscellaneous achievements like blowing up sharks. All in all, everything is extremely straightforward and doesn’t look to be overly difficult to achieve, only requiring your time.

Overall TGG Rating Far Cry 6 is without a doubt Ubisoft’s most ambitious entry into the series, offering a huge map and more activities than you could possibly want. Giving us a classic Far Cry experience the whole way through, with a smattering of new ideas and fresh takes, Far Cry 6 is perfect for fans of the series. Although some of the newer mechanics don’t seem to have the desired effect, I can still safely say that this is my favourite entry into the series to date, and I recommend you book a trip to Yara as soon as you can. Viva Libertad!

7.5/10 Audio 7/10 The tunes playing on a vehicle’s radio may have you reaching for the ‘off’ switch, but the voice performances are excellent. Looping, repeated dialogue during gameplay definitely isn’t.

Visuals 8/10 A really attractive game, Far Cry 6’s island of Yara is the most diverse location in the series to date, with lush jungle, sparkling waterfalls, and detailed urban regions.

Playability 7/10

If you’ve enjoyed any of the previous Far Cry games, then you’ll settle right back into a familiar rhythm here. The Far Cry gameplay loop is still immensely enjoyable.

Delivery 7/10 But we’ve been here and seen most of it all before. The levelling system seems largely perfunctory, there are one or two annoying bugs, and it’s all a mite on the shabby side. [Version tested: Xbox Series X]

Reviewed by: Brandon Sawyer

Developer Playground Games has made explosive openings something of a Forza Horizon signature. The studio arguably peaked with the blistering intro to Forza Horizon 4, but the opening to its latest open-world racing sandbox, takes that, and blows it right out of the water. From the very first few seconds of playing Forza Horizon 5, the adventure begins in typically ostentatious style. In true Playground Games fashion, the first few minutes of Horizon 5 see you bouncing between a variety of vehicles as you speed your way to the eponymous Horizon Festival. But this isn’t merely a simple case of switching between vehicles this time around - instead you’re dropping out of planes, driving through sandstorms, racing through an active volcano. Essentially, you’re experiencing the most dramatic moments that Forza Horizon 5 has to offer in a single eyewatering action sequence. From there, Forza Horizon 5 takes you on a whistle-stop tour of everything you’d normally expect from the series, dashing from a trademark Forza Showcase in which you race a cargo plane, to seat-of-the-pants storm-chasing, and then straight into locating an iconic barn find. This is what Forza Horizon does best, and what it’s all about – and your introduction to the fifth game in the series is not only straight-up brilliant; it’s the best in the series toc date. Forza Horizon 5 sees the Horizon Festival upping sticks to leave behind the rainy country lanes of good old Britain and jetting off to the far sunnier climes of Mexico. As a Brit, I was admittedly a wee bit sad to leave Horizon 4’s northern UK playground behind, but it didn’t take me long to fall head-over-heels for FH5’s vibrant Mexico. The diversity in its open-world just can’t be 37

rivalled by Britain, as much as it pains me to say. The expansive deserts, the towering volcano at the centre of the map, the dense jungle, the sparkling beach resorts, the cobbled streets lined with colourful buildings, the swathes of verdant farmland, the labyrinth of underground tunnels... The list goes on; Forza Horizon 5’s Mexico has got it all. As with previous iterations, whatever your poison, Forza Horizon 5 has you covered. There are road races; street races, which throw up varying weather effects and times of day; there are off-road races; drift zones; speed traps; barn finds to seek out; trailblazing events; and a ton of different story events, too (like the stunt driver stuff from Horizon 4), and so much more besides. Everything you’d want from a Horizon game, Forza Horizon 5 has you covered, and then some. And if simply messing around is more your bag, you’ll find all of the usual multiplayer trappings to delve into, ranging from straight-up races and the Horizon Arcade to party-style games. And thanks to the post-launch additions made to Forza Horizon 4, Forza’s battle royale-inspired ‘The Eliminator’ mode also makes a triumphant return. And yes, it can all be enjoyed in co-op with friends, as well if you like. Should you somehow grow bored of all that, there’s a ton of user-generated content to discover, from differing takes on events, to more challenge-focused creations – like driving from A to B without taking too much damage. The truth is that Forza Horizon 5’s launch will only be the beginning for the game, and thanks to some nifty tools, there’ll be more and more content added as the community gets its mitts on it. We’re genuinely excited to jump into a Horizon

Super7 (a series of community-made challenges) in a few months when people have gotten to grips with the nuances of Horizon 5 and its editor. And yes, like previous iterations, if you’re a tuner, livery artist, or whatever, you’re covered there too. The point is, Forza Horizon 5 doesn’t scrimp on content, and there’s enough here to potentially last you months, if not years.

Playground has doubled down on the impressive story missions from Forza Horizon 4, which is great to see. That said, if it ain’t broke, then why fix it? And if there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that Forza Horizon 5 is not even a little broken au contraire, it’s as good as it’s ever been. In fact, it’s quite easily one of the finest Forza Horizon games that Playground has ever made.

What Horizon 5 probably does scrimp on, however, is anything truly fresh or innovative. Sure, Forza Horizon 5 does introduce a few new things, mainly its adventurous ‘Expeditions’ which are more exploration-based events that see you storm-chasing, driving into the heart of a volcano, or exploring Aztec and Mayan ruins in beautiful Mexico, but these are sadly too few and far between. In fact, it seems that Playground Games has dialled back on the one thing that really stands out in its Horizon games: the Showcase events. Forza Horizon 5 has only four. A measly four! And that is truly a shame.

That’s the thing about Forza Horizon 5 - it’s like a Forza Horizon greatest hits album. The handling and fundamental mechanics remain unrivalled; the cars are still absolutely stunning; and as for Mexico as an environment… well, it’s honestly a bit mind-blowing – especially on new-gen consoles (although it works perfectly on the lower-end Xbox One S console, too). Ultimately, it’s hard to fault Forza Horizon 5 at all. Sure, it may not be brimming with exciting innovations, but it’s packed to the rafters with the entire franchise’s most memorable, compelling content, informed by everything that Playground Games has learned over the last nine years. Forza Horizon is most definitely a jewel in Xbox’s crown, and Forza Horizon 5 is quite possibly the shiniest of them all.

Aside from completing Expeditions and setting up Horizon outposts, you won’t find a significant number of new innovations here, although

Overall TGG Rating Forza Horizon 5 is like a greatest hits compilation of the entire Forza Horizon series. From the opening seconds when you’re dropped from a cargo plane to the moment you put down the controller, you’ll become transfixed by everything that Mexico has to offer. From racing through the cobbled streets of Guanajuato to flying off the side of La Gran Caldera, Forza Horizon 5 is a slice of sheer racing brilliance. Again.

9/10 Audio 9/10

I’ll be honest, the Horizon 5 soundtrack didn’t grab me from the start, but after a few hours, I was sold. Foo Fighters, Dua Lipa, the brilliant Jungle, Beastie Boys, and so on. The depth is scary! Oh, and the cars sound stunning too, obviously.

Visuals 9/10 Whether you opt for performance mode on Xbox Series X or quality mode, the game is an absolute stunner. It looks great on Xbox One X and even the One S, too!

Playability 9/10

There is no better racing franchise out there. It’s as simple as that. I do wish that Playground would do away with the faux-rubber banding, though.

Delivery 9/10 Not a lot of innovation this time around, but a ton of events, things to do, places to see, and all your old favourites have returned. Forza Horizon 5 is a veritable treasure trove of sensational content. [Version tested: Xbox Series X]

There’s simply no understating the impact of Grand Theft Auto. It’s a series that’s become indelibly woven into the cultural fabric, and with each new release GTA is the subject of unprecedented hype, the open-world phenom known for its always ambitious scope, filmic narratives, whip-smart satire, and a dizzying attention to detail. In short, when you play GTA, you know you’re in for a quality gaming experience. And, with the release of the clumsily titled Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, it seems that seal of guaranteed quality, which normally comes with a Rockstar game, has been tarnished. As remasters go, this isn’t one that will have you cooing with nostalgia, reliving past glories while enjoying classic games, buffed with a 4K visual sheen – instead, it’s a messy affair, stripping away much of the character of the original releases. ‘Definitive’ it most certainly isn’t. Let’s start with Grand Theft Auto III. A watershed moment upon its 2001 release, GTA III marked a brave new stride into fully 3D open worlds, after the relatively crude, but no less influential, original Grand Theft Auto games. Having previously been confined to two-dimensional top-down cities, stepping into three dimensions, for GTA III, was astounding at the time, and even twenty years on Liberty City still stands as a remarkable achievement. For The Definitive Edition, the game’s remastered visuals and modernised controls actually succeed in bringing a twentyyear-old game back to life, despite some fairly nasty flickering textures and rainy weather effects that send visibility plummeting to almost 41

zero. Nonetheless, the essence of the original game remains, despite the remaster’s technical shortcomings. GTA III actually benefits the most from an overhaul, while Vice City and San Andreas get the short end of the stick. Again, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City has been brought bang up to date with overhauled controls but is not without its own selection of visual oddities. Superficially, The Definitive Edition version serves as an entirely serviceable, cleaned up take on the 2002 original, albeit with a few strange-looking, slightly waxy character models. As in GTA III, the same frustrations with certain missions persist, but it’s the graphical issues, like flickering clouds and textures, that stick out like a sore thumb. Tour Vice City by chopper, meanwhile, and the complete lack of fog exposes the map in its entirety, removing much of the game’s smoggy urban atmosphere. Incidentally, the same is true of San Andreas’ Definitive Edition makeover – without a hanging smog, the city is deprived of its oppressive ambiance, air pollution or litter on the streets seemingly no longer a problem in Los Santos. Vice City still stands as one of Rockstar’s finest moments: the perfect marriage of Hollywood talent bringing its ‘A’ game, an impeccable 1980s soundtrack, and a vibrant, neon-soaked city on the beach. Sadly, Vice City and San Andreas have both had a fair bit of music nixed from its soundtrack, making any claim that this is a ‘Definitive Edition’ of those games, all the more difficult to swallow. If you’re as attached to some of the missing songs as we are, purely

on the basis of nostalgia, then you’ll be bitterly disappointed to find that they’re still absent, as they are in previous ported releases. For now, the original versions of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and San Andreas remain the definitive editions, with their respective soundtracks complete and untouched, safe from expired licenses and the threat of permanent removal. While Vice City has stood the test of time (aided by some evocative new lighting), it feels like time has been slightly less kind to San Andreas, some characters looking rather wonky. Essentially, very few members of the game’s cast stand up to close scrutiny, the same waxen finish lending them a bizarre, cartoon look that flies in the face of San Andreas’ narrative and tone. At times, it looks plain weird, and there are obvious hallmarks of sloppiness, too, if you know where to look. Take, for instance, NPCs wearing basketball jerseys, who’ve had different numbers plonked on top of a clearly bumpmapped number ‘7’, or characters whose faces have been rendered comically unrecognisable. The majority of GTA: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition’s issues are restricted to visuals and performance, so, the good news is, that the games themselves play well enough. And if you can look past the visual snafus and minor bugs, The Definitive Edition has a great deal to offer from a pure gameplay standpoint. The controls, lifted from GTA V, are intuitive and sensibly laid out, while the addition of a radial menu for selecting weapons and radio stations is a welcome upgrade. Auto saves and checkpoints also go a long way towards alleviating old frustrations, meaning that instead of having to load up a save, then drive back to a mission upon failure, you can jump back into a mission almost instantaneously. It’s easy to forget how much of a pain retrying missions in the old GTA games used to be, so from an accessibility standpoint we’ve never had it so good.

of open-worlds, The Definitive Edition offers a unique chance to delve into gaming history with all of the modern accoutrements you could possibly want. And yet, considering the broad influence of GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas, you can’t help but feel that, as a collection, all three titles have been given short shrift in some form or other. Of the games included here, Vice City gets away with the fewest scuffs, and on its own, GTA III is actually a decent enough - if unremarkable - remaster, despite its hideous rain effects. But with some abhorrent character models and an environment that’s been unusually sanitised, it’s San Andreas that loses out the most in its jump from the PS2 and Xbox era, not least in its suite of radio stations, with 20 tunes whittled from its soundtrack. Introducing increased depth with a variety of RPG elements, San Andreas included the ability to affect your weight through eating and exercise, engage in relationships, and enhance your proficiency in almost all abilities through the act of doing them. As such, it remains this collection’s most expansive and immersive sandbox, but it’s Vice City that strikes the right balance, and emerges as The Definitive Edition’s highlight. As a whole, however, Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition can’t be seen as anything but an abject disappointment, its art style marred by plasticky textures and its soundtrack missing some key songs – as a tribute to such enormously influential games, it simply doesn’t do them the justice they deserve. Developer Grove Street Games’ seemingly rushed effort in restoring an iconic series is conspicuously slapdash - one worthy of a six-star wanted level and a spell in game development sing-sing.

Indeed, for anyone without a nostalgic connection to the original games, Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition offers a window into the formative years of the most iconic, culture-shifting video game series, with a wealth of modern trappings and few, if any, of the old-fashioned annoyances. As a bundle of three games that came to define the shape 42

Overall TGG Rating A messy remaster of three genre-defining open worlds, Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition fails in giving GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas the treatment they deserve, but beneath the slightly shabby veneer, those same great games remain.

6/10 Audio 8/10 Despite the loss of several iconic tracks from Vice City and San Andreas radio stations, what’s left is still fantastic, and thankfully, most of the soundtrack remains intact. Special mention should also go to how good the voice acting remains, setting the gold standard.

Visuals 5/10 Twenty years on, GTA is looking its age, and developer Grove Street Games’ attempt at an update sadly falls short. We’re all for preserving the art style of the originals, but the sloppiness with which some characters have been altered, alongside a litany.

Playability 8/10 Modernised controls and other quality of life improvements ensure that the GTA trilogy feels suitably contemporary. Even the slapdash visual overhaul can’t conceal the excellent games that still exist at the heart of this collection, enhanced with neat additions like a radial menu, improved gunplay, auto saves, and so on.

Delivery 4/10 Put simply, ‘The Definitive Edition’ is a misnomer. With missing music, dodgy visuals, and a handful of performance issues, it’s a collection that fails to justify its premium price tag, and it’s billing as ‘Definitive’. These are games that deserve much better. [Version tested: Xbox Series X] 43

Reviewed by: Brandon Sawyer

“Be authentic. That’s always important. If you’re not into something, your audience will know.” 45

Known as “Ninja” by his fans, Tyler Blevins is an American streamer and professional esports player who began his career playing Halo 3 in teams such as Cloud9, Renegades, Team Liquid and Luminosity Gaming. In 2011, Ninja became a streamer with Justin.tv, then moved onto Twitch. He is predominantly known for playing H1Z1, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and later Fortnite, of which helped boost the games popularity. Ninja set the Twitch record for a single individual stream while playing Fortnite after hosting a game with Drake and JuJu Smith-Schuster. In April 2018, he broke his own viewing record during his event Ninja Vegas 2018 where he accumulated an audience of 667,000 live viewers. Many had heard of Ninja from when he had switched to Mixer, Microsoft’s streaming platform. However, after it was shutdown, he returned to Twitch. We are incredibly excited to have Ninja with us in this issue of The Gamer Guide! In this interview we ask him about his streaming career, any future plans, and ask him for advice for aspiring streamers.

Hey Tyler, AKA Ninja, First of all, we would like to thank you for chatting with us today. How have you been? Good, man. Good. Busy. There’s so much going on. Exciting stuff. That’s great to hear, let’s start from the beginning, tell us a little bit about your streaming life, how long have you been streaming and what made you want to start streaming? I mean, it didn’t start out with me wanting to stream, or be a streamer. It was about games and gaming. For me, that was Halo. I got into it because of my brothers, and then practice, practice, until I was really good at it. So first I was just trying to make it as a gamer. Going to Halo competitions, competing, and then streaming grew out of that. Over time it became less about the events as I started playing new and different games, H1Z1, you know, and building my community and streaming skills. I started competing in Halo in 2009 and started streaming in 2011. But when I started it wasn’t like it is now where people KNOW what

streaming is, or what a streamer does. What a great game to start your competitive run! At what point did you think “Damn, I could really make a career out of gaming and streaming”? Dude. I don’t know. There were those years at the beginning, where it was just the grind. No relationships. No friendships. All of that kind of fell by the wayside. It was just game, going to college two hours a day, working at Noodles and Company, forty hours a week. That was like all I did in the beginning. It was literally my entire life. Stream, first, 12, then 16, 18 hours a day. It’s 10,000 hours to get to be an expert at something. So, I knew I had to put in the work. And then, yeah, it started to pay off. First it was breaking that threshold, making something like close to $30,000 a year. That’s being a professional, right, but it’s not easy street or anything. Again, for me it was just knowing I had to put in the work, because I knew this is what I wanted to do. So, it was less, “maybe I can do this,” and more, “here’s HOW I do this: work, work, grind.” 46

What a great mentality to have, and it’s paid off! On the back of that when was the point in your career did you think “I’ve made it”? There have been so many points where I just thought, “wow,” you know? But there wasn’t one moment. I mean, Drake, obviously, that was huge, right? But that wasn’t just an overnight thing. Before that, I was regularly streaming to 100k. At the same time, every milestone, every success, just means there’s more to do. Right now, I’m doing so much incredible stuff outside of streaming, I was just in Free Guy, which was great. Working with Ryan Reynolds was incredible, and I have some voice over stuff, I can’t quite talk about yet. That’s all very exciting for me. But the streaming never goes away either. I just crossed 17 million on Twitch after coming back from Mixer and starting all over. That was huge milestone. So, it’s constant; I’m never standing still. So it seems you never stop the grind! Away from your streaming life & content creation what do you do in your spare time? Well, I mean, streaming and the other stuff we’re doing with “the brand” takes up a lot of time. But now, I have this family that I love, and I want to make sure I can spend time with them. That’s what you work for. I want to spend time with my wife. Actually hang out with my mom and dad, and my brothers. I watch football of course; the Lions. For better or worse. I’m passionate about the causes Jess and I support. We just made a huge commitment to the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Michigan, for an all-new gaming lounge, which I was very proud to have been asked to be a part of alongside the Pistons, Big Sean, and my team the Lions. But more than anything, it’s family. It’s great to see you set aside time for family. Let’s talk about your setup. What are the topmost essential things that you can’t stream without? Man, it’s a lot of moving pieces. You have to have a good PC obviously. I have a custom built Maingear. Amazing. But it’s the whole set up that matters. Camera; I use a Black Magic 47

URSA Mini Pro. Mic, I have a Rode NT 2000. I just switched to the new 100 Thieves Keyboard. My chair is a Maxnomic Pro. I use a Logitech G Pro X Superlight mouse. When you spend hours a day doing something, that’s not just your passion, but is your career, every piece is important. We totally agree, you have to feel confident in the tools around you. Do you have any key advice that you would personally give to any smaller streamers about making their stream better and growing their channel and or content? Be authentic. That’s always important. If you’re not into something, your audience will know. But beyond that, it’s just work. At the beginning, it was the grind for me. I was on a podcast a couple weeks ago and we were talking about Mr. Beast, and how he uploaded like thousands of videos, hundreds of hours of content, before even breaking a thousand or ten thousand followers. That’s the work, the grind. You have to be willing to do that to grow your channel. People connect with real people, so being authentic is great advice. As a big time gamer what would be your top 5 games of all time? Okay, so there are SO many great games. But top five? I guess – and this is just my opinion Final Fantasy XI (Eleven) is one of the greatest games of all time. Period. Legend of Legaia; if you haven’t checked it out, I highly recommend it. Halo 2 is still incredible, and my favorite. Fortnite, obviously. League of Legends - I have a complicated relationship with League. In the end, it’s a game I still love. That’s five, but I’m also addicted to Animal Crossing, and Pokémon Go, still. I still also really enjoy Valorant. See, so many great games! Some epic choices, and games that we also love! Now you have told us your top 5 games of all time, If you could only play one game for the rest of your life what game would that be and why? Probably Fortnite. It’s probably still the most important game to my career. 48

We get that 100% So being Ninja and being one of, if not the biggest streamer in the world we know you’ve had sponsorships with the likes of Red Bull, Adidas, Fortnite etc. How did it feel to get that email/call from those companies and them saying “Hey we want to work with you?” Well, not everyone may know this, but there’s the games right, and at least at the start, social media – that is all me. I used to always make sure I was uploading content regularly. Now I have a team, this amazing team, that works with me on that. But outside of that, everything is and always has been Jess. We had this meeting a few weeks back, where everyone is talking about the “Ninja brand,” and what we’re doing and why. I’m following right, but I look over and Jess is like “yes, right, definitely.” She’s getting all of it. She’s on top of it. She used to manage everything, and now she’s put together this incredible team that helps. Everything outside of gaming, that’s Jess. All the deals, everything. “The Masked Singer” – she just said yes. I come upstairs and she’s like “You’re going on the Masked Singer; I can cancel if you really want to, but otherwise, it’s done.” I do what I do and am good at, and then I do what my manager says, because she’s amazing at that part of things. Massive shout out to Jess and the team! We also know that you signed an exclusive deal to stream on Mixer, what was the thought process behind that and what made you want to leave Twitch? Man, there was a lot that went into that. At the time, there’s this thig about Team Ninja, where Jess wants us always to be the first. And so, there was so much appeal to a new platform. Also with Mixer, so much of what they were doing was so great for gaming, low latency, the hype zone, the platform had so much potential. It was this incredible opportunity. Twitch has always been such a great partner, but at the time, it just felt like the right move. And when I was on Mixer, I was all in. Again, most people won’t know this, but I was doing double, even at times doing triple my required hours. I was fully invested in making it work. We really wanted it to be successful. 49

Once again that shows your fantastic mentality on being invested in what you do. On the subject of Mixer, it’s no longer a platform to stream on. We want to know how you felt when you got the call saying that it was no longer going to be a streaming platform and what was the thought process of coming back to Twitch and not going to YouTube Gaming? So, again, people might not know this, but it wasn’t something we knew for months and were planning for. We were in constant contact with Mixer, always talking about what was and wasn’t working – what could make it successful. And then one day, they were like, “yo, it’s not looking good.” And that was that. That was when we knew. But I was so lucky. We have the best, most baller lawyer in the world. Arash made sure we were taken care of. So, while it wasn’t something I had a lot of advance warning on, I was okay. We were okay. Then coming back to Twitch, again, it just felt right. The timing, the changes Twitch had made. The community, you know, all of it. Just like with leaving for Mixer, when I came back to Twitch it just felt like the right thing to do. That’s important, making sure it feels like the right thing. So let’s talk about your highlight reel! What are the 5 top moments in your career so far that you would want in a montage? Top five. Man, you really like these top fives, huh? Okay, so Drake, obviously. That was still just so incredible. All of it. I mean, it was crazy, we’re playing, getting all these wins. Amazing. And we set the record at the time, but then later at Ninja Vegas, I broke the record. That was incredible too. But that’s the thing about milestones, there’s always the next, big, exciting moment. And some others that maybe aren’t the biggest but are so much fun. Jess and I had a blast a while back streaming with T-Pain. So we’re going to do that again. That’s not five, but I gave you more than five top games. There’s just so many great moments, you know? Crossing that 17 million mark on Twitch after coming back was huge. There will 50

be even more highlights that I know are going to be even more awesome. We do love a top 5! You have had some incredible moments! So let’s talk a little bit more about you! What is something that no one who watches your channel/content knows about you? Oh wow. Something people who watch my channel don’t know? I’m pretty much open on my stream, and I have people who have watched for a long time, so I’m not sure. Nothing really jumps out. But that’s what we love, being so open to your following. Finally, what are you currently working on that you’d like our readers to know about/check out? Like I said, there’s a BUNCH of exciting stuff that I just can’t talk about yet, but when I can, I’ll let you know. This year has been a weird one for everyone right, but I’m lucky. There have been so many incredible moments. Free Guy, my Adidas drops; there’s one more coming up this year, that I’m excited about. What we’re

doing with the Boys and Girls Club. My Raid: Shadow Legends collaboration. Takis- that was this year too. That’s a lot. And again, there’s all the stuff I can’t talk about yet. I guess, just tune into my stream and my socials, when there’s news, I always let people know. It does seem like you are always working on some incredible stuff, and we are super stoked to see what happens in the future! A huge thank you to Ninja for joining us for this interview! To find out more about Ninja and view his amazing content, follow his Twitch and socials!

www.teamninja.com

Twitch: twitch.tv/Ninja

Twitter: @Ninja

Instagram: @Ninja

YouTube: @Ninja

Facebook: @NinjaTB

TikTok: @Ninja

“But that’s the thing about milestones, there’s always the next, big, exciting moment...” 52

“If you build up a strong community around you they will drown out any negativity.” 53

Who knew there is more to this industry than gaming… well WE DID, and so did Julie, AKA ONE_ shot_GURL. ONE_shot_GURL has a MASSIVE following of over 148,000 on her Twitch, and varies her streams with gaming and Pokemon Pack openings! We needed to have a chat to see what it has been like for her to have a career in streaming and what advice she could give to those wanting to pursue streaming as a career!

Hey Julie AKA ONE_shot_GURL! First of all, we would like to thank you for chatting with us today. How have you been? I’m doing well! Just got back from a trip to Nashville. It was good to take a small break and enjoy the city and listen to some great music. Ah Nashville, home to some amazing music! So, tell us, how long have you been streaming and what made you want to start streaming? I’ve been streaming for about 6 years now. I thought streaming might be something that I’d really enjoy and be good at, so I (no joke) quit my current job at the time and decided to give it a go. Thankfully it’s worked out. TGG: Oh wow, that’s risky... But dedication! Away from your streaming life what do you do in your spare time? One of my biggest passions is music. I got my undergraduate degree in it so writing songs and playing the piano is something I really love to do. I also love watching football (Go Blue!) and binging shows on Netflix. I just finished Squid Game.. that show is crazy!

Four monitors?! We were happy with 2! What advice can you give to any smaller streamers about making their stream better and growing their channel/content? Having crisp, clean audio makes a big difference! Engage with your viewers and build a community - remember it’s quality over quantity. If you want to grow, post clips and content on as many social media platforms as you can. Also find other streamers to collaborate with! Some great advice, and it seems to have worked for yourself! As a female streamer & gamer, do you find that you face more negativity in the industry? I think every streamer/content creator faces a lot of negativity, no matter what gender you are or what you may look like. Unfortunately it’s just a part of being in this industry and constantly interacting with people online. There are also so many positive interactions though! Way more than the negative ones. If you build up a strong community around you they will drown out any negativity. I try my best to focus on all the good and positivity in those moments where the negativity may get to me.

TGG: Some wonderful hobbies and talents, also, Squid game IS crazy! Let’s talk set up! What 5 essentials can you not stream without?

That’s a great way of looking at it, we totally respect that.

Multiple monitors (I have 4), a good microphone, my Stream Deck (which allows me to easily change scenes in my streaming software), good lighting, and a top-of-the-line gaming PC/ laptop.

Given the current situation within the industry, including the recent happenings with Twitch, Activision, Blizzard etc. What are your thoughts on equality, diversity & what steps do you feel need to be taken to create a fair, safer & inclusive environment? 54

I think we have come a long way! I remember, when I was younger, being embarrassed at times for loving video games because none of my girl friends were into gaming. But as time has gone on it’s become much more accepted. We still have a ways to go, but I think for me, I just try to continue to be myself and show the world that no matter who you are or what you look like, you have your passions and talents for a reason. Don’t be afraid to use the gifts God has given you to make this world a better place and inspire others along the way! Absolutely. What are your Top 5 Games of all time? This is so hard! In no particular order I’m going to say The Sims (because of how many hours I have in that franchise), Golden Eye (where I fell in love with first-person shooters), Mario Kart & NFL Blitz (because of all the fun I had playing these with my family growing up), and finally Fortnite (because of not only it being an incredible, free-to-play battle royale, but also how it changed gaming). That is some collection, but with some awesome memories attached to them. If you had to choose one game only to play forever, what would you choose? Ahhhh this is even harder! Oh gosh.. I’m going to say The Sims because that game just never gets old. I have played just about every Sims game ever released. Top 5 Pokemon: 1) Pikachu 2) Squirtle 3) Dragonite 4) Gengar 5) Jolteon

What is the best moment you have had streaming? Or if you have a few, what are your Top 3? Some of my favorite moments from streaming over these last 6 years have been the times where I’ve played games with my viewers. Getting to hear people’s voices and game with them has been such a fun experience. Any moments where I get to interact in a more meaningful way with the people who support me day in and day out will always be the highlight of my streams! So, let’s talk a little bit more about you! What is something that no one who watches your channel/content knows about you? I am a pretty darn good foosball player! We had a table growing up and my brother and I would just play each other for hours and hours. We loved it! Finally, what are you currently working on that you’d like our readers to know about/check out? And do you have any big things planned you’d love to share for 2022? My very own GFuel flavor called Strawberry Slushie just released! If you love energy drinks and strawberry flavored drinks, you gotta try it. I stream every night on Twitch from 6-10pm ET so please come say hi. We have a really awesome community of people who hang out and I’d love to see you there!

Don’t forget to give Julie some love and follow her on Twitch and her socials! Twitch: @ONE_shot_GURL Instagram: @one_shot_gurl Twitter: @ONE_shot_GURL YouTube: @ONE_shot_GURL TikTok: @one_shot_gurl

Rob is a great streamer who is known for having great vibes and spreading that good energy with his community. He is a variety streamer as well as a YouTuber where he posts reviews and TikToks. We were lucky enough to get an interview with him to find out about his streaming career! Hey Big Rob Energy! First of all, we would like to thank you for chatting with us today. How have you been? Thanks for having me on! I’ve alway enjoyed giving people insight on who I am and what keeps me going on this journey of content creation and entrepreneurship. And I’ve been great btw, life is good! That’s great to hear! So, tell us, how long have you been streaming and what made you want to start streaming? My first stream was on August 1st of 2020, so in total I’ve only been streaming for a little over a year. I vividly remember my first stream, getting my first raid, and even who my first subscriber was (shoutout to Alx50!). It’s pretty insane how fast time goes by! Wow, only a year! It is always a thrill getting those first rewards! Away from your streaming life what do you do in your spare time? As a content creator and owner of a creative agency here in Oregon, I find that I seldom have spare time and it’s very hard to disconnect from work. Being “my own boss” has several benefits, but cons at the same time, I believe I’m fully in control of my future and how things play out, so taking time off and doing something that isn’t contributing to either my future as a content creator or the growth of my business always feels strange to me - I almost

feel guilty when watching TV or a movie for example, BUT, I am a huge NFL fan (go Ravens) and every sunday my wife and I make it a point to watch the game and cheer on the squad. I’m also a big fitness enthusiast and hit the gym at least 5-6 times a week, and have been since I was 15 years old. Health & fitness is a huge part of my life and I’ll be an advocate till the end of time. It’s super important to make time for yourself away from work! Let’s talk set up! What 5 essentials can you not stream without? 1. First thing that comes to mind is energy! I need to have some caffeine in my system or you just won’t get the same Rob. Back in January I partnered with GFuel Energy so that’s helped a lot! 2. A strong PC. I switched from console to PC a year ago and it’s been really nice having a beast that can easily run my games and the stream at a very high rate. Total game changer. Yes, pun intended. 3. A solid music playlist! During my streams you’ll always hear me listening to my favorite artists. I’m a very big fan of music in general and when a song you love comes on, it can change the entire vibe in a very positive way and I just need that! 4. Playing a game I actually enjoy. I think most people burn out from streaming because they’re playing games they don’t love - they’re just playing games that are popular and streaming becomes a chore. I play a variety of games, such as Call of Duty, Halo 2 & 3, Steep, Marbles, and a few others. I can’t stress enough how important it is to be playing something on stream that you genuinely love to play. 5. An internet connection. Literally can’t stream without it, so it’s pretty essential!

Fantastic list! What advice can you give to any smaller streamers about making their stream better and growing their channel/content? First off, I still very much consider myself a smaller streamer! I’ve had a decent amount of success so far but I genuinely still feel like I’ve just gotten started, but I also do have a few tips. Going back to my answer in the last question about my streaming essentials, playing a game that you genuinely love to play, and creating content around that as well, is the first step in all of this. “Burnout” is a very real thing and I believe it generally stems from doing something you don’t actually love to do, so I can’t stress enough to find what you’re passionate about and stick with it for the most part. And remember, there’s a community out there for every niche. It may take time for that community to discover you, but they’re out there. Just keep going. Secondly, I think most people know this, but if you want to grow your stream on Twitch, you should be making content and posting on other social platforms for new viewers to discover you on Twitch. Don’t ever rely on Twitch to push your stream, especially if you’re in the 0-3 viewer range, because it will simply never happen. I had a decent Twitch audience when I first started because I had been grinding TikTok for a year prior and made it known that I’m a streamer on TikTok. TikTok is an amazing app for this, and still is, so take advantage if you haven’t yet and let people know where they can find you and what to expect if they tune in. So the more you put in, the more you get out! What are your Top 5 Games of all time? 1. Halo 2 2. Halo 3 3. NBA 2K14 4. Need For Speed Underground 5. Fable 1

A fine collection, although we would say NFS Underground 2... If you had to choose one game only to play forever, what would you choose? Halo 2 and it’s not even close. I still stream and play that game almost daily and it came out 17 years ago haha. That was the first game I ever competed in and it just holds a very special place in my heart. We completely get that! So, we see that you play a lot of Halo, how excited are you for Halo Infinite and what do you think to the CoOp Campaign being delayed? I had a chance to play the Halo Infinite beta and it was super fun and visually looked amazing in my opinion. There’s hardly anything I’d change about the game and I’m extremely excited about its future. As far as the Co-Op Campaign being delayed, it’s a bummer but I’m not really worried about it. I know it’ll happen eventually so it’s all good! We also have seen that you’re a big car guy. What is your dream car to own and what would be the other 4 you’d have in a garage? My dream car is actually my current car! I was able to buy a Porsche 911 Carrera 4 back in March and it’s been incredible. I’ve wanted a 911 since I was 10 years old and I even designed a poster in my office a few years ago that said “Work Harder” above a silhouette of a 911 in bold text, and then I had a chance to get one, and BOOM. Still feels surreal! The 4 other cars I’d have in my garage would be: 1. RWB Porsche 911 2. BMW E30 M3 3. Hennessey VelociRaptor 6x6 4. Audi R8 V12

“I truly believe there’s an audience for any type of content, so figure out what you personally enjoy creating the most, stick with it, stay consistent, and opportunities will arrive, inevitably.”

Congratulations on getting the dream car! And that car line up is mega! What is the best moment you have had streaming? Or if you have a few, what are your Top 3? I did my first charity stream earlier in the year and raised almost $4,000 for the local children’s hospital, and that was easily one of the most fulfilling things I’ve probably ever done in my life. It felt incredible after the stream was over. I’ll never forget that moment. HUGE achievement, well done! What is your best moment on stream? This question is tough - I feel like something awesome happens every time I go live haha. One moment that does stand out is when I got raided twice in the span of about 2 minutes from two very large streamers and my view count went up to 700+ people. I always wondered what it would feel like to have that type of viewership, how I’d feel, and if I could even handle it, but once ithappened I found it to just be a LOT of fun and that was it. I didn’t get nervous at all either, which surprised me. I think that’s when I realized I’m truly built to be a streamer! Wow. 2 big raids in succession, that’s awesome! So, let’s talk a little bit more about you! What is something that no one who watches your channel/content knows about you? I’d say that I’m actually pretty introverted and I don’t enjoy having attention on me in most situations, as ironic as that is. I’m a pretty laid back dude in general and really enjoy other people’s company and to be entertained by

them - you’ll never see me trying to steal the spotlight of anyone. I also don’t really talk unless someone asks me a question or wants to talk about something specific that I’m passionate about. But yeah, the fact that I’m a streamer and can comfortably talk to 35-60 people for 3-5 hours at a time as an introvert is actually hilarious to me. The irony is just ridiculous. Haha! That’s really ironic! Finally, what are you currently working on that you’d like our readers to know about/check out? Right now, I’m just trying to work on myself, my craft, and try to progress every day. I know that may seem super cliche, but it’s just the truth. I’m trying to lose some weight, grow the stream, grow the YouTube channel, create quality content, grow the BigRobEnergy brand, and most importantly have FUN along the way. That’s awesome! Massive good luck for the future and Thanks so much for chatting with us! I appreciate you for having me on, it’s an honor. We are so grateful to have BigRobEnergy in this issue! Give him some support by following his Twitch channel and socials! Twitch: twitch.tv/bigrobenergy Twitter: @BigRobEnergy Instagram: @bigrobenergy Facebook: @BigRobEnergy YouTube: @BigRobEnergy TikTok: @BigRobEnergy