The Gamer Guide - Issue 2 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 steamers, 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 three steamers behind this magazine?

DifferentialUK Differential UK (or Diff for short!) has been streaming since September 2020 but has been gaming ever since he was gifted a Commodore 64 from his family. His platform of choice depends on the game! He currently has an Xbox One, PS4, and a gaming PC. Diff’s go to games include Destiny 2, Gears 5, The Last of Us series, and anything comic related. But in all honesty, if Diff finds it entertaining, he will probably play it! But that’s not all, Diff also hosts an automotive podcast/chat show, AND he is a beatboxer/singer/ songwriter which he also streams!

CreativeTrashGaming CreativeTrashGaming (Or just Emily, depending on how you feel) 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. She has been gaming since she could hold a controller, with the help of her two older sisters who are also avid gamers as well.

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.

EyeStayProd Everyone calls him Eye and a few calls him Prod. He has been gaming since the Nintendo 64 and his favourite game for that was Pokémon Snap even though Goldeneye was about! He has been steaming 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. A favourite hobby for him is collecting Pokémon cards which he unboxes on stream too! Finally, Eye is a graphic designer and will always help out where possible, but you can always get at him for merch/ logo/emotes etc via his Instagram. Why not check them out? So, there you have it, what we do, who we are and where to find us. The only thing left… is to enjoy the rest of the magazine! DifferentialUK | www.twitch.tv/differentialuk CreativeTrashGaming | www.twitch.tv/ creativetrashgaming EyeStayProductions | www.twitch.tv/eyestayprod So, there you have it, what we do, who we are and where to find us. The only thing left… is to enjoy the rest of the magazine!

contents 4

Recent releases

Pokemon Snap Review

neautraliti clothing

streamer kandy & streamr wear

x-gamer energy

return to retro

resident evil village review

Spoilers in the age of remakes

selfless streamers: mellowmanx

confab corner - sheiffer bates

Ones to watch - simplysam

Ones to watch - the dr outlaw

super servers

Capcom - Resident Evil Village

Credit: Torn Banner Studios

RECENT RELEASES Find out about the upcoming titles that are due to be released in June - July 2021

june 2021 Ghosts ‘n Goblins: Resurrection Platform: PS4/Xbox One/PC Release date: 1st June 2021

Operation: Tango Platform: PS5, Xbox Seriex X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC Release date: 1st June 2021

Credit: SQUAREENIX LTD.

Tour De France 2021 Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC Release date: 3rd June 2021

The Last Kids on Earth and the Staff of Doom Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC Release date: 8th June 2021

Chivalry 2 Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC Release date: 8th June 2021

Credit: Capcom

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Platform: PS5 Release date: 11th June 2021

Dark Alliance Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC Release date: 22nd June 2021 Credit: Torn Banner Studios

May 2021 Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin Platform: Switch, PC Release date: 9th July 2021

Where the Heart Leads Platform: PS5, PS4 Release date: 13th July 2021

Credit: Nintendo

F1 2021 Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC Release date: 16th July 2021

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD Platform: Switch Release date: 16th July 2021

Cris Tales

Credit: Dreams Uncorporated

Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch Release date: 21st July 2021

Neo: The World Ends With You Platform: PS4, Switch Release date: 27th July 2021

The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures Platform: PS4, Switch, PC Release date: 27th July 2021 Credit: Square Enix

Credit: Nintendo

The remaster everyone was waiting for... So where to begin with this remaster of an absolute classic? For one I was really happy to see something I loved as a kid get the remaster it deserved. I had been waiting patiently ever since it was announced and this did not disappoint! Playing through this game has been like stepping in a time machine to when I had my N64 hooked up to the tv in my grandparents bedroom that I could only play until my mum would come and pick me up. While some may find the premise of just taking photos of Pokemon repetitive and boring, I completely feel the other way, whether I’m throwing fruit, orbs or playing sounds to get the Pokemon to do different things it just feels amazing. I really do not know why it took nintendo so long to remaster it? So let’s talk playing through the game, you start at a research lab in the Lental Region (queue the bean/pea jokes) and the lab is called Laboratory of Ecological and Natural Sciences (L.E.N.S.) You then get given your camera and the NEO-ONE which is an updated version of the ZERO-ONE from the original Pokemon Snap and you are set on your way. Throughout your journey you unlock the Apple now named Fluffruit, Illumina orbs and a music player as well as the ability to scan to see where pokemon are to help fill your photo dex. As you play you keep unlocking islands and the choice of doing the courses at day or night as well as a special Illumina spot for the chance to capture a rare pokemon on film. The different poses, locations and interactions of the pokemon in this game are incredible and how the graphics have developed have truly built a stunning game! All in all if you were a fan of this game previously or even if you’re a pokemon fan I would recommend this game. My rating for this beautiful game is 4/5 I was blown away when I first started playing and really do look forward to keeping unlocking secrets throughout my play through. P.S you may see a familiar face as you start getting further into the game ;) To find out more about Pokemon Snap, head over to: www.nintendo.com/games/detail/new-pokemon-snapswitch/

Written by: Cal Howie

Quick scenario for you readers… You are gaming/ streaming/watching someone’s stream whilst having your favourite takeaway, or a nice refreshing glass of pop… then BOOM! You have spilt it down your top, what are you going to do now?! Well Neutraliti has a range of clothing designed for gamers/streamers alike that is “splash proof | Spill Proof | Life Proof” We needed to find out more so sat down with Mike! TGG: Hey Mike! 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? The pleasure is mine. Thank you for offering me the chance to feature in what you guys are doing. So, it’s a strange one really. I qualified as a barrister and couldn’t secure work due to the huge number of applicants each year for a tiny number of jobs. Whilst still working on securing pupillage I then began working in vehicle leasing, which led me into electric vehicle leasing. I then made a career shift to working in the electric vehicle charging industry before becoming a renewable energy consultant across the UK and Europe. I was placed on furlough by my employer in April 2020 as the pandemic really started to hit home. Like many people I went from being super busy with plenty of routine in my life into essentially doing nothing. It hit me fairly hard mentally and I found two things really helped get me through, those were gaming and working out a way to start a side hustle so I could continue to be busy. Having worked in some very traditional industries which do not permit too much individualism or allow you to really be yourself in whichever way you do that, the gaming industry is so accepting, open and fast moving who wouldn’t want to be part of it? TGG: Wow! That is quite the diverse range of industries to be included in, you may be a handy contact to have in our little black book! What is your take on the gaming industry & Clothing industry now especially with a global pandemic? Is it an exciting space to be working in? Is there a lot of competition to deal with? I feel the COVID pandemic has really brought gaming into a new and positive light. The pandemic allowed many of us to slow down from our crazy work and social routines and forced us to spend more time in our own company. And for me, certainly, it made me hark back to those days in my early teens, when it wasn’t nice enough weather to play out and the beautiful escapism that games provided.

And I can’t be alone. The number of people gaming, the frequency of their gaming and the time spent have all sky-rocketed during lockdown. Which has meant people are now looking not only at the games, but also their gaming set-ups, their nutrition and hydration when gaming but also their clothing. You aren’t spending money on clothes to look great going out every night/weekend because we haven’t been able too. Instead you want something that’s comfortable, durable, flexible , looks great and also isn’t ruined if you happen to miss your mouth. Which has been a great time for us to launch. For us competition directly doing what we do isn’t an issue. It’s more breaking a new brand into the scene, getting people to understand that even though the hydrophobic cotton repels stains and spills, it doesn’t feel like anything other than a high quality stretch fit cotton tee. TGG: Totally agree, the number of streamers has vastly increased, and lots of projects and startups have the lockdown to thank… including TGG! Tell us, what exactly is Neutraliti? Neutraliti is a clothing company with a difference. Although small, we haven‘t skrimped on any quality, design or customer service. We want each customer to feel like a member of our extended family when being kind enough to support us. We are currently running with our V1.0 t-shirt with a view to expand to four designs by the end of the year as well as joggers, jumpers and hoodies. All possessing the same high quality and hydrophobic qualities. I have based the business in Leicester in the East Midlands despite hailing from Yorkshire originally. Our aim is to be the number one provider of gaming apparel in both the UK, Europe and one day the US as well. We see no limit to what can be achieved. Then, using this success, we want to make a real difference to society by expanding in the most beneficial way to society we feel is possible. Because the gaming community is so accepting, so heartwarmingly open to people of all backgrounds we want to make Neutraliti a force for good. It saddens me more than anything to see that in such a developed country like the UK we still have homeless people, we still see people who are recovering from addictions or are working hard to turn their life around after falling on the wrong side of the law being rejected the chance for careers due to who they once were.

Beyond making amazing quality clothing we want to make sure that when we expand the team we do so in a way which will truly help those in society who need it most. Even if we only ever remain a small business employing a handful of people, we can at least know we have made a difference to people‘s lives whilst also keeping all our gaming family stain and spill free in comfort and style.

TGG: Wow! We are excited to follow your growth and new products, but the social responsibility that you are taking upon yourselves is fantastic! What, for you, differentiates Neutraliti from other similar companies operating within the same industries as yourselves? We understand that you have an amazing waterproof, stain proof clothing line, how did you come up with the idea? The first is that the clothing, its’ comfort, its’ design and the core values of the brand have not been the by-product of a corporation board meeting where they decided what they think gamers might like. It’s all come from those who matter, gamers themselves. The initial test samples were extensively tested by normal, everyday gamers who helped us really hone the product. The hydrophobic cotton really is a game changer. It enables the same feel and breathable qualities of a normal t-shirt, but keeps you dry and clean even when subjected to some pretty rough treatment from food and drink stains.

During the time on furlough, I’d sketched out some logo designs and business ideas on a pad and as the days all merged into one during the first lockdown I placed the pad into a kitchen drawer, did nothing with it and basically spent my days walking, playing warzone and watching TV. As I began to game more and for longer periods each day I found myself always forgetting to take time to eat/drink properly. This mean I would often “try” and multitask by eating any food I’d prepped between games or usually after I’d lost a gulag. Which was pretty often! Naturally when your attention isn’t on what your doing but on the game, you aren’t fully concentrating and after missing my mouth on more than one occasion I had a pile of my favourite t-shirts all with food/drink stains on which despite numerous washes with stain remover wouldn’t come out. And what got me the most was nearly all these clothing lines came from adventure clothing brands, the sort who show someone in their marketing shots halfway up a mountain. Yet they still couldn’t handle the everyday life. Which brought me to Neutraliti. I had designed the Neutraliti logo as a play on the word Neutral, the Swiss flag (as I thought it looked cool) and then splitting the t and i into lower case format made the logo when flipped on it’s side make up a capital tee, flipped the other way a lower case i.

I began to research how to get clothes to truly last when used in normal everyday life and the spills and stains it throws at you. I spent 8 months developing the hydrophobic clothing with a business partner in the clothing industry and I was so in love with the contrast and design of the Neutraliti logo, it seemed right to apply it to this new product to really make the brand stand out from normal everyday t-shirts. TGG: Great ideas do come from personal experience, and we can certainly see that! As a new company, how do you ensure growth moving forward? How important is innovation, and do you feel that you would rate your social media presence as one of your priorities? It’s always tough as both a small and a new company. The plan is to grow steadily with additions to the range launching every 6 months and to create a real core following amongst gamers. We want people to return to the brand and really feel part of what we’re creating. As the lockdown lifts, I feel hugely confident that growth will continue, as the world reopens, events begin to take place again and people venture out, we are already looking at some new and innovate areas in which our products can really be put to the test and show their true value. Our growth, presence and sales so far would be nowhere without social media.

And it has been hard, with lockdown, social distancing and the world really being closed – getting good partnerships, marketing imagery, event space and using all of these to grow brand awareness has been limited. But I’m confident, we will begin to really be a force in the gaming world now things have reopened. I know the product is something that once people have it, and once they have tested it and see what it can really do, they’ll love it just as much as I do and as much as our existing customers do. I know the product is something that once people have it, and once they have tested it and see what it can really do, they’ll love it just as much as I do and as much as our existing customers do. TGG: We will be testing the t-shirts you have sent us, and we are excited to do so! Are there any past projects or achievements that you’re particularly proud of which you’d like to highlight in the article? For me the main one is the huge help and support I was given by all my friends and family in setting up Neutraliti. Not one person has been negative or cast doubt on my idea or the vision for the brand and without friends and family helping with testing, website cross checking, photography, branding help and web design I really wouldn’t be where I am. TGG: That’s great to hear that all of the friends and family supported you whole heartedly! Looking ahead, what does 2021 bring, what are the plans and projects for the coming year? 2021 is a hugely exciting year. Due to restrictions lifting the aim is now to get more professional shots, videos and reviews of our t-shirts to really show off what they can do. We have some small scale events planned to really market the brand in person which I feel is crucial for any small brand to really deliver its’ message, its’ values and what we can offer to people. Social media is key, but nothing beats face to face interaction proving what we have to offer. The website is also going to be completely overhauled and we plan to expand into the mountain biking, music festival and live gig markets due to the stain and splash resistance of our attire.

TGG: Live gigs, music festivals, and mountain biking… our cup of tea! With your growing community 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’ve started small, but have three brand ambassadors already who we regularly work with on our socials. And these are people who reached out to support us from the earliest stages, we have @theshmelaarr, @sitcomt0m, @anidasgaming and @bubablux28. ‘But we are going to expand this. Special mention needs to go to the four streamers above, but our main goal is to have a core community of people who wear the shirts on stream, and in turn we can use our expanding social media and web presence to promote them. ‘We want any partners, ambassadors, and streamers who work with us to know that we want to support them just as much if not more than they have supported us. We’re also talking to some of the big names in UK streaming and will have some collabs and partnerships dropping in the summer.’ TGG: We will certainly check out those streamers, and it’s great to hear that you will be expanding your partnership programme! On a personal note, are you a gamer? If so, what’s your gaming platform choice and go-to game? And what really excites you about the gaming world? ‘Through and through gamer here! I’m currently on Xbox, but am on the cusp of deciding whether to move from Xbox One into the next gen or take the plunge, spend a bit more, and get a PC. I’ve always been slightly afraid of going down the PC route as I didn’t want to lose the connection I’ve had with consoles since I got my first PS1 as a kid. ‘But PC gaming has really become more accessible in the last few years for historic console gamers like me, but I feel that has changed hugely in recent times. So apart from the main ones such as Warzone and FIFA, I’m a huge RPG fan, whether that be Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Mass Effect, Skyrim, the Witcher etc.‘But I’m just really excited about how realism in games is advancing. Before long, the lines between a film or TV series and a game will be so blurred.

But I’m probably old school in really enjoying a single player campaign. Red Dead Redemption 2 for me was the perfect game. However, I wish Rockstar would develop more DLC for offline gaming as opposed to online, harking back to the GTA 4 style Lost & Damned add-ons.’ TGG: Join the PC master race, Mike… DO IT! All of those games tick our boxes, and we completely agree realism is advancing significantly! Finally, is there anything else that you feel you would like to mention that we may not have covered? ‘Just to say I wish you guys at The Gamer Guide every success. I love the concept, the content, and I’m not just saying this because I’m featured! There is such a great nostalgia around gaming magazines that creating one for the 21st century when the world of streaming can be so fast-paced, it’s nice to sit down and focus on one source of content for a period of time.’ Thanks Mike! We wish you all the best, and we will certainly stay in touch to see how things have been going!

Check out Neutraliti here: www.neutraliti.co.uk Facebok: @Neutraliti Instagram: @neutraliti_clothing

Stream Kandy &

Streamr Wear! When it comes to gamer apparel, merch, and more, there are so many different companies to choose from. It can certainly get hectic! STREAMR Wear has been operating in such a way as to break the trend of other apparel companies. They want to help content creators, give them a platform and push them in the right direction as Full-Time creators. Also, there are very few companies that have chocolate and sweet treats aimed at gamers and streamers. Stream Kandy is coming out guns blazing and has our mouth watering! Naturally, we needed to catch up with CEO & Founder, Jake Toynton. TGG: Hey Jake! 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 and Confectionery industry. What made you decide that these industries are right for you? Hey! Not a problem, thank you for having me. In terms of career, I’m currently a full time Canadian Forces Soldier, but I’m also the owner and CEO of STREAMR Wear Ltd. STREAMR Wear Ltd owns two companies; STREAMR Wear and Stream Kandy. STREAMR Wear is a custom apparel and accessory company for content creators and esports organizations, while Stream Kandy is a gaming snack food company. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always had a passion for business Esports. I began in the industry by streaming on Twitch for about 6-7 months, and I saw a bit of success. My average viewers and subscriber count were going up, but I remember feeling so burned out. So one day I sat down and thought about all of the ways that I could work in the industry and, after doing some market research, I found the Content Creator Apparel industry. I saw a gap in the market and decided to change that, that’s when STREAMR Wear was born. I saw the success STREAMR Wear was having

and wanted to capitalize on that by expanding the company and growing the business. I’ve always wanted to work in the gaming industry by owning a food or drink product. After a tonne of market research, I concluded that there were plenty of different companies all doing the same thing. Many doing energy drinks or pre-workouts targeted towards the gaming scene, and many doing Beef Jerky and or Popcorn. I said to myself ‘Well, I love chocolate, and I’m sure that plenty of people do as well, why isn’t there a candy company within the gaming industry?” I ran with that idea and, after 7 months of work, Stream Kandy was born. TGG: That’s an awesome insight into the history! What is your take on the gaming industry now especially with a global pandemic? Is it an exciting space to be working in? Is there a lot of competition to deal with? The gaming industry right now is at such a high, I’m really happy with where the market is and where the market will be within the next 5-10 years. I feel that Covid-19 has played a part in growing e-sports and content creation over the last year and a half, but I feel like the overall interest in gaming and videogame competition has really been propelled by platforms like Twitch as well as the younger generation of kids. We’re now in a time where 14

people are getting scholarships to university to play for their school’s e-sports team, tournament prize pool amounts are the highest they’ve ever been, and there’s a massive influx of talent that’s emerging onto the scene every few months, so it’s amazing to see for sure. Working within the e-sports scene is exciting and it’s something that I love to do, but over the last year it has been a little tough due to Covid as many LAN’s, Conventions, and tournaments have been cancelled or postponed indefinitely while we await the end of this pandemic. With that being said, thanks to the internet, we’ve still been able to remain within the e-sports scene and build a fantastic community of people. I feel like everyone is excited to get back to in-person events and play in front of a live audience again for sure. TGG: We are really excited about the industry for sure! Briefly introduce me to Stream Kandy & STREAMR Wear. Stream Kandy is the official candy of gaming and in the most unbiased way possible, it’s the best snack food on the market for gamers. I have an amazing team of staff and partners and they really are all essential to the massive success that we’ve had thus far. In terms of product, Stream Kandy sells gourmet chocolate bars in a variety of flavors such as Peanut Butter Cookie, Milk Chocolate Espresso, White Chocolate Sprinkle and Peanut Butter Crunch. With new flavors being added regularly, we’re looking to continually expand our product selection and become the face of gaming when it comes to snack food. STREAMR Wear sells just about anything apparel and accessory-related. With over 100 product options to choose from! 15

TGG: OH MAN! We need some of that! What, for you, differentiates you from other similar companies operating within the same industries as yourselves? The biggest difference is the revenue percentage that we pay out to our creators. I started the company to help creators profit off of their own personal brands and to give a way for creators to supplement some income so they can have a shot at making content creation a full time job. The next big difference is overall community engagement and customer service. Myself and my team work about 18-19 hours a day growing the company and have some of the best, if not the best, customer support and service in the industry. Stream Kandy stands out from other snack food companies in multiple ways through taste, quality, and product itself. We’re the only company that’s doing candy within the e-sports and gaming scene to my knowledge, so it definitely stands out in that way. TGG: That’s brilliant, trying to help content creators start their full-time careers! As a new company, how do you ensure growth moving forward? How important is innovation, and do you feel that you would rate your social media presence as one of your priorities? Social media presence is everything in this day and age. With the younger generation taking over most of the e-sports and gaming market while also statistically having the most amount of screen time per day, a strong social media presence is essential to business growth, innovation, and longevity. More and more brands are starting to realize this, and with that you’ll likely start to notice how much money larger

companies are putting into their social media marketing strategies. Some things we’re doing to make that a reality is having a strong social media presence, involving ourselves in a tonne of brand recognition campaigns as well as continually providing an amazing product and customer experience to everyone. TGG: Are there any past projects or achievements that you’re particularly proud of which you’d like to highlight in the article? In all honesty, I’m very proud of the growth of Stream Kandy and STREAMR Wear. I started the company with nothing and have grown it pretty significantly over the last year in terms of where we are as a company and the numbers that we have done, whether that be with sales revenues, social media impressions, etc. I’m a very numbers-driven guy, so I like to associate numbers with accomplishment and success. But I don’t really talk about achievements or projects that I’m proud of as I’d rather let my actions speak louder than my words. TGG: You certainly should be proud! Looking ahead, what does 2021 bring, what are the plans and projects for the coming year? 2021 has been a pretty great year so far in terms of business considering what’s going on in the world right now with Covid-19. I can only hope to replicate that success month after month. My main focus for the year is to continually bring on more content creators and e-sports organizations to STREAMR Wear, as well as expand Stream Kandy into at least 50 retailers across the United States. A huge priority for me throughout the rest of 2021 is to open distribution centres in Canada and the United Kingdom so that I’m able to reach a much larger audience with Stream Kandy. TGG: We would love to have the products in the UK! With your growing community and social presence, do you run a sponsorship or brand ambassador programme? I do have a partnership program with Stream Kandy, but not STREAMR Wear. Stream Kandy’s partner program has given me the opportunity

to work with some amazing creators and teams thus far. They’ve all been a great help when it comes to ideas and reviews for the company, and I truly value my partners very much. All of them are important to me in terms of creating an amazing brand, but I also feel it’s a 50/50 split. Stream Kandy has a truly great product and our team does an excellent job with the overall branding and marketing of the company, so I feel like it’s 50% who you partner and surround yourself with, but also 50% where you need to let the product speak for itself and let people truly be the judge of the company based on the product. TGG: 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’m a big-time gamer! I’ve been playing video games competitively and non-competitively for around 18-19 years. I have always had a passion for gaming and some of the best memories of my life have come from playing videogames with friends and competing in tournaments. Right now I play on PC. I had been a console guy my entire life, dating back to the N64 all the way up to the PS4, but I was convinced by my friends that I needed a PC. My go-to games right now are Valorant and Rocket League. With my day-to-day life being extremely busy due to my obligation to the Canadian Army and running my 16

company, those two games are ones where I’m truly able to just turn the game on and tune everything else out. The gaming world right now excites me primarily due to the competition aspect, but also what comes with the gaming world. I’m really big into marketing and business, so I love seeing all of the big companies put money into tournaments, advertising, sponsorships etc. It’s really cool if you look at it from the overall market perspective from where we were 10-12 years ago playing Halo tournaments for $5k, to now being able to win a Fortnite tournament for over $1million dollars, it’s crazy! TGG: It is crazy! They are some fine choices of games too! Finally, is there anything else that you feel you would like to mention that we may not have covered? I’d love to tell everyone who’s reading this that no matter what you want to do, in the e-sports world or in life in general, that you should follow your dreams and just go for it. It sounds so cliché to say ‘With hardwork and dedication, anything is possible’ but it’s very true. The world of content

creation and e-sports can be a very stressful, judgemental, and crowded place, especially for the younger generation of kids that are trying to break into the industry. Dig deep, block out all of the noise and judgment from others, and just do you. Find something within the space that you’re passionate about, become the best at it, and just capitalize on that opportunity no matter how long it takes. We’ve only got one life and the ups and downs in anything that you choose to do with it is your journey, and what makes life enjoyable so just have fun with it. TGG: That’s really inspiring! Thanks for speaking with us Jake! Please check out STREAMR Wear and Stream Kandy below!

www.streamrwear.com www.streamkandy.com Twitter: @streamrwear @streamkandy Instagram: @streamrwear @streamkandy

“I’d love to tell everyone who’s reading this, that no matter what you want to do in the Esports world or in life in general, that you should follow your dreams and just go for it.” 18

*Imitates the most cinematic voice* Previously in Issue #1, we featured several Energy Drink companies *record scratching* Enough of that! We have seen several new energy drink companies start up, and it is tough to crack the market at times. However, X-Gamer energy are certainly not a start-up and have cemented themselves as one of the front runners of the industry. With all this said, we caught up with Tommy Lundgren to find out more!

TGG: Hey Tommy! 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 energy drinks industry. What made you decide that these industries are right for you? I’m actually fairly new to the industry on a professional level, but I’ve been a gamer myself since I can remember really. I was recommended by an acquaintance to this position at X-Gamer, who thought I would fit this role as a Marketing Manager well, and so far I’m really enjoying my time here. TGG: Excellent to hear you are enjoying it! What is your take on the gaming industry & Energy Drinks industry now especially with a global pandemic? Is it an exciting space to be working in? Since a lot of people are staying at home people have naturally spent more time at their computers, so the gaming industry has really been booming from our point of view. And since our energy drink is targeted towards gamers we’ve seen a slight increase in our business as well.

TGG: They go hand in hand really don’t they! Great to hear that the pandemic has affected business! Briefly introduce me to X-Gamer. X-Gamer is a company who mainly focused on a powdered energy drink, but we are moving towards being a premium brand that offers both snacks and beverages to improve your experience behind the screen. So the plan is to release a wider range of products to our lineup, with a recent addition of flavored microwave popcorn for example. TGG: Ooh sounds tasty! We know first-hand that the popcorn is awesome! What, for you, differentiates X-Gamer from other similar companies operating within the same industries as yourselves? This is a hard question, I would say that even though we are expanding we are trying our best to stay real towards our customers and our community. Apart from that we want to bring affordable and high quality products to gamers, for example, our Tubs hold 60 servings, while quite a few other companies only do 40 servings, for the same price.

TGG: As an established energy drink company, with great branding, taste and products, how do you ensure you retain that position? How important is innovation, and do you feel that you would rate your social media presence as one of your priorities? Well, we are still a rather small company compared to other brands in the same industry. But what we do is focusing quite heavily on collaborations on Twitch. And of course on other social media as well. But I would say that our presence is maintained a lot by the community and our streamers communities. While innovation is important, we try to focus on releasing premium and well thought through products so we don’t put water above our heads so to say. And yes, social media is a big priority for us TGG: Great to hear that you are collaborasting and building that community! Looking ahead, what does 2021 bring, what are the plans and projects for the coming year? We are trying some samples for new flavors we want to add, but this might take some time because we don’t want to rush new flavors of our drink. But the biggest project is our new website we just launched, and the upcoming improved affiliate program. TGG: Ooh an Affiliate program? Tell us more! We do have sponsorships with Affiliates and Partners, however working on a complete overhaul of sponsorships with a proper Affiliate program among other things. The reason is that currently we, or more precisely I do a lot of manual work when it comes to managing all our affiliates and partners, with little to no automation when it comes to codes, media assets and so on. And with expanding we need a more future proof system where we have space to grow, and a better quality of life for both us and more importantly our affiliates and partners.

TGG: You do work hard Tommy, but great to see innovation and automation in the pipeline. 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’ve been gaming almost my whole life, and it started out on consoles when I was younger, but now it’s only PC for a couple of years. One game I’ve been constantly returning to is World of Warcraft, I’ve played every expansion except Warlords of Draenor. And my current favorite is Apex Legends, apart from World of Warcraft, FPS games are what I mainly play. TGG: Every expansion bar one?! Wow! Thanks for chatting with us Tommy and it was awesome to learn about X-Gamer and yourself on a personal note!

If you want to find out more about X-Gamer and their amazing products, head over to their website now!

Website: www.x-gamer.com

Socials: Twitter: @XGamerEnergy Facebook: @XGamerEnergy Instagram: @xgamerenergy TikTok: @xgamerenergy

RETURN TO

RETRO! It’s natural that we all desire the best tech, the best console, the newest game for our gaming and even streaming experience. We all know how easy it can be to be swept up in the hype of something new and exciting. But what about revisiting the classics, experiencing that nostalgic feeling of your childhood, and sharing that with the world? I’m going to be looking at the recent surge of people returning to retro games on their streams, and why this might just be.

Nostalgia We all know that the gaming experience has developed significantly in the years, in terms of the graphics, the cinematics, the file size (yes we are looking at you Call of Duty!) and even stuff like VR! But with everything at your fingertips… is it like how it used to be?

You get a sudden rush of nostalgia and it’s brilliant to reminisce about the first time you played said game. With this, you love how the graphics used to be, you love the glitches in the game, you laugh at the dodgy story lines, or how you can lock certain NPC’s in the walk-in fridge… Sorry Winston.

Personally, I remember heading into the local gaming store and spending hours in there on there in-store demo console, longing to be able to take home a copy. On top of this, getting a copy of the demo discs for Playstation, and trialling the latest games that were soon to be released, is another throwback to how it used to be. I won’t even get started on our crazy rituals like blowing the cartridge or trying to rub out a scratch from a disc! All these things do not matter when revisiting the games as they remind of you a worry-free time!

Younger Generation Another reason for the sudden reprisal in retro games being played and streamed, is the next generation of gamers and streamers discovering these games for the first time! Especially when a game is part of a long ongoing franchise (Tomb Raider for example) and they play the newest game in the franchise, but because of this also discover the origins of said franchise.

Now, I am not saying that the waiting for a certain game, the excitement, the longing to be able to play it has changed at all. This is all the same. But personally, I think that the feeling has changed from when you are a child and now as an Adult. As an adult, if you have the money to do so, you can buy whatever console, game, or accessory you like! As a child, you have to long for it, wish for it, beg for it, and make sure you have done all of the chores that your parents ask! When you load a certain game that reminds you of that feeling, it brings back those memories! You get a sudden rush of nostalgia

Not only that, but parents certainly play a part in the younger generation discovering the hidden gems of the retro era. Parents who used to, or currently, game will share their games, memories and experiences with their young ones, even if it does make them sound a million years old! These retro and throwback games are being played for the first time ever by the upcoming generation, which provides a great feeling not only for the proud parents, but for the kids themselves! They are amazed at the graphics, the gameplay, the glitches and how things “used to be”. It’s a completely different gaming experience and a whole new world for them! *Cue the Aladdin music* 24

Where do I start?

3. Emulators and ROMS

If you are looking to play these retro games there are a number of ways to do it.

Finally, one of the most popular methods of playing older games is to download an Emulator and the ROMs to go with it. This has proven popular, especially when it comes to playing and streaming the likes of GameBoy games including Pokemon.

1. Buy the console and the games This is certainly easier said than done. Depending on the console and the game, it can be hard to come by. Facebook marketplace is always a good start, if not eBay or Amazon. However, heading to your local pawn shop or second-hand retailer is always a good shout!

There are a number of emulators out there including and not limited to; • • • • • •

Gameboy SNES GameCube Playstation 1 & 2 Xbox & Xbox 360 N64

The emulators are not hard to find, with a simple Google search you should be able to find the relevant Emulator for the platform with an entire catalogue or ROMs at your disposal, ready to download and play! Things to look out for with Emulators and ROMs; 2. Play the retro game on a new console. That’s right, some new consoles will have a catalogue of older games that are compatible with the newer systems.

• They can be very glitchy – Sometimes the game glitches out and turns out that it’s unplayable. This is something you must bear in mind when it comes to playing these games.

For example, both Playstation and Xbox allow certain games from previous generations of their system to be played on the most recent console via disc, and they also have a catalogue of older games in their stores that can be downloaded too.

• Save Save Save – The games do not auto save. EVER. So make sure you are saving the state so if a glitch does happen, you don’t lose all that progress • Keyboard or Controller – Older consoles like the SNES or GameBoy you can get away with assigning the controls to your keyboard, there isn’t many! However, if you are planning on emulating N64 upwards, then it is wise to use a controller like an Xbox or Playstation one. Both are compatible with a PC, you just have to connect them. • Beware of Viruses! – Try to find emulators and ROMS from reputable sites… well as reputable as you can! Some sites will just contain viruses, and no one wants that!

In summary, returning to retro games is a good thing! But just don’t put all of your eggs in one basket… The way technology and games are developing, there is certainly some exciting stuff being released. However, who doesn’t love a bit of nostalgia now and again?! If you can take one thing away from this article, it would be to play the games that make you happy. If that means they are the very latest and best game available, awesome! If you find you are having fun reliving your childhood through some of the classics, then that awesome too! Whatever you play, whatever you stream, just make sure you are having fun doing it!

Written by: Josh Hyland

the next instalment is finally here.... worth the hype, or a disappointment? Set a few years after the horrifying events in the critically acclaimed Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, the all-new storyline begins with Ethan Winters and his wife Mia living peacefully in a new location, free from their past nightmares. Just as they’re rebuilding lives, tragedy befalls them once again. When BSAA captain (and infamous boulder-puncher) Chris Redfield attacks their home, Ethan must once again head into Hell to get Rose, his kidnapped daughter, back. So how did this game sit with me? Here I’ve written an in-depth look at everything that stood out in Resident Evil Village.

I’ll begin this review from a technical standpoint, firstly discussing the graphics and art direction. While I firmly believe that graphics do not amount to an amazing game, it would be silly of me to not mention how well-made this game is. From the get-go I was met with incredibly clear images and smooth animations, every little touch complimented well by the highly detailed lighting, shading, and textures. I instantly felt immersed in the hellscape I knew I was about to be thrown into. One of the first things I noticed was how good the motion capture was for the characters. While RE7 was definitely impressive in its own right, it had its moments where certain elements fell flat with the motion capture, or some animations struggled. In Village, however, everything felt smooth and complete. Note that I’m not the kind of person to get annoyed at minor glitches in animation (in fact, I find them funny), but they can break a player’s immersion.

Thankfully, I didn’t experience any major issues aside from the occasional framerate jitter when there was a lot happening onscreen, so nothing occurred that caused my immersion in the game to break. Generally speaking, Village has excellent graphics options for adjusting the game to suit your PC, and it remained gorgeous even at the less-than-full settings I needed to run it on my PC. Moving onto the art direction, I could waffle on about how beautiful this game is for hours. I often found myself pausing in my tracks and just gazing at the world around me, taking in every little detail and truly appreciating the amount of time and effort that had gone into the environments. I loved that every section of this game had its own unique style, with every little element you see geared towards a theme. For example, when Ethan is tasked with facing the four houses, each one has their own area to which a theme is assigned. 28

Castle Dimitrescu (of Giant Lady fame) was clearly influenced by the neo-renaissance era, drawing inspiration from the famous Romanian castles that are popular tourist attractions today. Then there’s House Beneviento, a more subdued but comfortable setting in contrast to the castle, reflecting the ‘welcome’ to which its name translates. Though simplified, the whole house feels exceptionally clean and the furniture in perfect order, almost entirely unused. Like a dollhouse, everything has its place. Moving onto Moreau, his area is mostly destroyed due to water damage, the whole area being half-submerged in a huge lake, immediately keeping to the theme of the mermaid on the house’s emblem. His area is the most visually disgusting of the four, with green slime stuck to everything from the moisture and Moreau’s lack of control over his mutation. Lastly, there’s Heisenberg’s factory, which is full of old WW2 machines. The entire place has a very steampunk aesthetic, with industrial influence everywhere you look. What I found amazing was that even the books describing the lords were decorated to their style, with Heisenberg’s book covered in cogwheels and Dimitrescu’s decorated with ornate golden flowers. Village misses no detail, and I thoroughly enjoyed gazing at everything I came across for quite a while. Alongside the art, though, where would this game be without its sound? With headphones on, every little sound had me questioning what was around me. It was so well done, and drew me in the moment I pressed Start. The music is also something to note, while the soundtrack stayed similar throughout the story, it would subtly change here and there depending on where you were, once again catering to the theme of the area Ethan found himself in. I particularly liked it when I was able to recognise the track from the trailer being used in the high-action sequences towards the end. It was almost adrenaline-inducing with its heavy beats and deep tones.The developers certainly made excellent decisions on when it was best to use sound – or lack thereof - to their advantage. Long moments of quiet were just as effective

as the noise, and there were several instances where, other than the occasional sound of a draft or Ethan’s footsteps, there was barely any sound at all, only for me to then hear a shuffling of something behind me or the growl of a nearby enemy, all of which worked well in startling me time and time again. Before I start rambling about every little sound and beautifully designed item in this game, allow me to move onto the next section of the review: gameplay and mechanics. I did attempt to play with mouse and keyboard initially, but found I was most comfortable with a controller due to my previous experience with Resident Evil being on consoles growing up. This change, however, did not prove to be a burden. I was concerned that the lack of mouse and keyboard would mean my turning circle would be slower, but the controls were extremely smooth! I didn’t encounter any instances where I was fighting with the controls to do the correct thing like climbing a ladder or guarding when I needed to. Everything responded the way it was supposed to, for which I am very grateful. I very much enjoyed all of the boss battles too. Not a single one felt like a chore in terms of mechanics, and I liked that something new was attempted with each one, like the use of a vehicle for Heisenberg, the weapon-switching needed for each of Miranda’s forms, and the hide-and-seek-loving hallucinations of Donna Beneviento. Speaking of mechanics, though Resident Evil is famous for its point-and-shoot playstyle with the occasional quick time event in some of the older, more action-focussed, games, the developers of Village attempted to introduce a few different playstyles. Ornate 3D labyrinths can be found throughout the game, all which were designed by an artist who visited the village a long time ago. In order to get the very valuable prize locked away at its base, the player must guide the metal ball through the maze to the end. I thoroughly enjoyed this little break away from the running and shooting of the game to play around with these little puzzles, and I really appreciated their design at that. 30

Another example of gameplay change was in House Beneviento, where the player is forced into an ‘escape room’ situation with no access to their weapons. While I am a huge fan of Resident Evil, I do tend to feel less afraid with a weapon in hand, so this entire sequence of having to play differently and run from any threats was a very welcome change. One major difference between Village and Biohazard is the storage system. In Village, Ethan’s inventory is much more like the system in RE4, where the player is given a certain number of squares and must organise their weapons and items to fit accordingly. One big thing to note is there is no storage box like there was in 7, so you only have your immediate inventory and that’s it. Don’t be disheartened, though, you do have the opportunity to expand your inventory via the conveniently teleporting merchant known as The Duke throughout. I didn’t mind this change personally, as I never actually had a time where my inventory was so full that I struggled, aside from one instance where a weapon needed an obscene amount of space to be picked up. But after a small amount of reorganising, even that was no longer an issue. Now, the section that’s probably what most people are looking for: the story. Did I like it? Were there issues? Well… let’s see… 31

I very much enjoyed Village’s story, and while I will go into detail as to why, please note that no story is perfect. Every story has its flaws and plot holes, and Village is no exception, and even though a lot of questions from the previous instalment were answered here, many more new questions were created. This, of course, is definitely to drive players to seek out the next game in the hopes of finding the answers to those questions, but it still can in no doubt can be frustrating to some. One element of the story and overall game that people seemed to focus on was its length, namely how short many believed it to be. I will say that I disagree with this criticism. I found Village to be a decent length, and while there were a couple of little areas here and there where I would have appreciated a tad more exploration, I think if the game had been much longer then it would started to feel like a chore. You never spend too long in one area, with some areas being slightly shorter than others. For example, the House Beneviento section is fairly short when compared to Castle Dimistrescu, but it had a completely different way of playing that was incredibly immersive and genuinely creepy. I think if that chapter of the game had been much longer, it would have lost its true fear factor if stretched out. As curious as I was about Donna and her backstory, I was happy for the section to be over before my fear was replaced with boredom.

Moving onto the overarching story itself. I thought this instalment into the Resident Evil franchise was very well done. The moment the game begins, you are sat on a roller coaster, set for an incredible, creepy, action-packed, and frankly emotional ride. I especially loved that something different was done in order to begin the game, with a Tim Burton-esque animation to the story that Mia was reading at the very beginning. It was a welcome change, with beautiful artwork to boot. In contrast to RE7, everything begins with a calm, pleasant atmosphere, something you don’t tend to associate with Ethan Winters. It’s welcoming, and yet unsettling all at the same time. Something doesn’t feel right, and when Ethan is thrown into the depths of Hell once more after Mia is shot to death and his daughter is taken away by none other than Chris Redfield, you know you’re in for a monster of an adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed the pacing of the story and felt that the answers to the mysteries that were presented to me were neither spoon-fed nor withheld for too long. With every step of progress I made, an answer came, though sometimes along with another question. It kept me on my toes and made me want to find out more. Truth be told, I struggled to put the controller down! I found the characters in Village’s story to be incredibly engaging, already feeling the hype for a few of them thanks to their introductions in the trailers and demos.

Again, I do wish there had been a little bit more exploration into the stories of a couple of the characters, like Donna Beneviento and Salvatore Moreau. Their sections of the game were undeniably the shortest, and there weren’t a lot of sources on their past to be found. I can appreciate that sometimes it is better to focus on the task at hand and, as mentioned before, the game may have become a little too long with any added exploration, but it is my hope that the developers will have some extra content to give to these characters, even if it has to be DLC. That being said, the glorious Lady Dimitrescu and Karl Heisenberg were excellently shown in the game. I would have preferred it if their sections of the story were far longer and allowed for their intriguing personalities to shine just a little more. Though I must say that their ‘final forms’ that you inevitably have to fight were nothing short of incredible in both design and appearance. I especially enjoyed Lady Dimitrescu’s final form. After all, what better creature to turn into than a dragon to protect a castle?! The twists and turns that the story takes are great as well, with some of them certainly creating more questions and mysteries for the next game to answer. The main villain, Mother Miranda, is an intriguing character in her own right. With her links to certain other characters in the Resident Evil universe, as well as her strong ties to the creation of Evelin, I reckon we’ve not heard of the last of her despite what appears to 32

have been her end. Although Ethan defeats her at the end of the game, the influence that she had in other places will certainly live on, and I’m certain more revelations regarding her will be made down the line.

his wife and daughter did not go unappreciated, and to have played along with this man who went through Hell and back twice in the name of the people he loves, I found it to be quite the emotional and heroic end for him.

Speaking of twists, the biggest twist of all in regards to Ethan himself was something that many players had been toying with the idea of since the events of RE7. Although the characters in the Resident Evil universe are known for being dragged through injury after injury and seemingly get through it just fine, Ethan was a very special case. The amount of injuries he faces in the previous instalment would be enough to kill off even Chris Redfield, but he pulls through almost without a scratch (though let’s not talk about the Frankenstein-esque staples to the wrist). Many theories began to pop up surrounding Ethan and whether or not he was indeed infected and possessed regenerative abilities, and those very theories were answered in Resident Evil Village.

It’s very rare that Resident Evil ever allows a main character to die, let alone the character you actually play as, so it was quite a surprise and a huge change to how Resident Evil stories are told. Could this be a precedent to more beloved characters meeting their end in the later instalments? I think it goes without saying that I loved this game. While I have attempted to review this in the least biased way possible, I cannot begin to express how much I enjoyed playing as Ethan Winters again and continuing his story, even if that also meant ending it. From start to finish, I was completely enthralled by the sheer beauty of the game, and thought it was a fantastic addition to the Resident Evil universe.

I won’t go into much further detail, but it certainly helped explain a lot of the events of both the previous game and this one, and why Ethan is labelled as ‘special’ on several occasions. It was a welcome twist, though one that I, and I believe most fans, expected and theorised on as the events of the game continued. As I said before, this game was certainly written well and even managed to pull on my heartstrings a bit, which is something I didn’t quite expect from a Resident Evil game. Ethan’s sacrifice to save

All in all, I think I would rate this game a solid 8.5/10. The only reason it was not a 9 or full 10 would be due to the lack of exploration of some characters, some noticeable plot holes, as well as the developer’s habit of lore-dumping in moments of downtime rather than spreading important information out in more natural and creative ways. Controversial as DLC is, I am looking forward to any that Village has to offer, and you can bet I’ll be first in line for Resident Evil 9 when it drops.

8.5/10 TGG’S!

Written by: Emily Welfare

For more information about the game, head over to the official website: www.residentevil.com/village/uk/ 33

Credit: All images in this article are the property of Capcom

Spoilers in the age of remakes Recently I’ve come across something of a conundrum... A lot of my friends started playing Final Fantasy VII Remake, and a lot of them streamed it. But in every single stream, I was told that none of them had really touched the original PS1 release, and many asked me to not spoil anything. Of course, I didn’t spoil anything, because good people don’t spoil things, but it led me to an interesting question; is it really okay to expect ‘no spoilers’ in a story that’s far beyond the currently accepted spoiler threshold? Let me be clear here. Final Fantasy VII is one of the most famous videogames of all time, and it was released on the PlayStation in January 1997. Surely, in its 24 years of being out, the story is fair game for spoilers, right? Wrong. Remake changed that. People who didn’t or couldn’t play the game in its infancy are now able to experience Midgar in all its glory for the first time ever thanks to the 2020 release of the new rendition. The story of Remake holds true to its original to a limited extent, granted, but I was asked repeatedly to not spoil even the most basic of plot points, none of which I’ll divulge here. This got me thinking; has the age of remakes and remasters changed the spoiler dialogue as we know it? New graphics technologies and storytelling possibilities have led old favourites and cult classics to be redone for a new audience, a new generation, and so spoilers must be considered in a different light than they were before. I could tell you Red XIII’s real name, I could explain why Cloud has visions of Sephiroth that no one else seems to see, and I could absolutely tell you the fate of every one of 35

the characters that fans have been flaunting all over the internet. But I won’t. Because despite the story of Final Fantasy VII (again, one of the most famous videogames in existence) now approaching its mid-twenties, Remake has made me shut my mouth. Let me put it into a different perspective. Darth Vader was revealed to be Luke Skywalker’s father in 1980. That’s 41 years ago at the time of writing this. A famous scene in a classic Simpsons flashback sees Homer leaving the theatre and loudly proclaiming this fact to a sea of angry movie-goers still waiting in line. That’s funny to us because now we all know it, it’s common pop culture knowledge. But back then that would have been huge! In the age of remakes and remasters, it’s important for us to now draw different spoiler lines with our friends. If you’re a streamer, it’s especially important to draw those lines with your viewers. In 2014, I could have shouted FFVII spoilers from the rooftops and no one would have been able to say a thing. But since its release in 2020, I’ve kept my lip fairly tightly zipped. Resident Evils, Pokémon titles, numerous other Final Fantasy games, and even the cult classic Deadly Premonition have gotten the HD rerelease treatment. Many of these games are decades old, and it’s important to note that these new updates aren’t just fan service, they are a legitimate chance for those who didn’t - or couldn’t - play these games before to experience them for the first time. For this reason, I think it’s important that we change our dialogue when it comes to spoilers. Not just because of these remasters, but because everyone needs to be able to experience these things in their own time. A few years ago, a friend of mine told me he really wanted to play Silent Hill 2, a game that

has a phenomenal twist at the end. Given how we would hang out in the same communities, I was quite surprised to learn that he knew absolutely nothing about the game and would be going in fully blind. This led me to bite my tongue despite all previous rules surrounding ‘spoiler etiquette’ dictating that I was well within my rights to open my trap. And this is where the context of spoilers needs to change from ‘time’ to ‘experience’, instead of simply talking about age-old twists that are far beyond the recognisable spoiler time period, I think more people should first asked those involved in the conversation if they are okay with certain twists being divulged. At least, that’s what I would say, were it not for the fact that more and more conversations about games, films, and books these days are gratifyingly marked with ‘Do you care about spoilers?’ And this is a question I believe is more important than ever these days. I have never finished Deadly Premonition, I have never watched Game of Thrones, and I’ve never seen a single Back to the Future film in my life. And I’m loving that people who don’t even know that I’ve never experienced these undeniable classics are asking me ‘Do you mind?’ The rules surrounding spoilers used to be steadfast and straightforward. But when older

Credit: All images in this article are the property of Square Enix

games are being re-released and even fully remade in ways set to capture the attention of veterans and newcomers alike, it’s important for us as fellow gamers to acknowledge that even the oldest and most famous of games may be entirely new adventures for players going in blind. How many of us out there wish we could experience selecting our Kanto starter Pokémon for the first time? Or find out who took over Giovanni’s gym? How many times do you wish you could watch your favourite film or play your favourite game again without knowing what was to come, remembering that ‘Oh my God’ moment of the big twist that left you speechless? These are the feelings we need to keep in mind when we go to say something that may spoil or even outright ruin something for someone else, regardless of how old it is. These are the feelings and experiences that can lead to amazing conversations. So next time you think ‘It’s old enough, I can say this’, stop and wonder if the person you’re talking to may be robbed of the chance to feel what you felt when you first played. It’s all about having fun, and it’s always about the experience. That experience may be newer to others than it rightly should be, and that’s okay. So let’s all take a deep breath and remember that, at least these days, spoilers aren’t just for new releases.

Selfless streamers

mellowmanx “I would like everybody to know that I am extremely grateful for the fantastic ongoing support that I have received...” Charity streams are great. They are selfless, they raise awareness, and ultimately raise money for amazing causes! Usually, streamers will do a one off charity stream here and there, but one streamer, Mellowmanx, raises money for the National Autistic Society EVERY time he streams. Every single pound that is earnt by streaming he donates to this amazing cause. With such a selfless streamer, we needed to find out more!

TGG: Hey Mellowmanx, thanks for chatting with us, how have you been? I am very well thank you. TGG: So, tell us, how long have you been streaming for now and what made you start? I have been streaming for just over 5 months now. I started to stream as I spend an obscene amount of time gaming anyhow and decided to try and do something good with my favourite hobby. TGG: That’s awesome! What made you choose Twitch as the streaming platform for you? I chose Twitch as I believed that it was the simplest way to begin creating content and the best way to build an audience. TGG: Twitch certainly is the leader now, so certainly is a great way to get into streaming! What is the most important thing to you personally when it comes to your streams? Engagement with my chat is the most important aspect of streaming for me and to try and have fun. 38

TGG: 100%! Keeping the people watching engaged and entertained is crucial! One of the most selfless things about you is that Every single stream you do, you are raising money and awareness for the National Autistic Society. What made you decide to do this, and why the National Autistic Society? So I have two grandchildren that live with autism and The National Autistic Society has been extremely helpful to them. They have provided support to them both with educational needs as well as help for them within their homes. It just seemed logical to me to give that support back. TGG: Wow, that’s great to hear how much support they have given, and the support you are giving back. How do you keep the momentum going around raising awareness? Is it purely social media or does your community play a part? So social media is a massive tool to raise awareness, but my community has also been a massive support to me. For example, what you are doing for me right here with this opportunity to explain why I do what I do.

TGG: It’s the least we could do! We want to shout about all of the good that you are doing! What’s your go to game, the one game you couldn’t live without? My go to game would be Apex legends however I don’t really stream it too much as of late as its very hard for me to engage with my chat with that sort of game so I’ve been concentrating on story based games a bit more. I guess you could say I’m a variety streamer. TGG: Finally, what is something you’d like our readers to know about/check out? I would like everybody to know that I am extremely grateful for the fantastic ongoing support that I have received from the twitch community and try my hardest to return the love when life allows it. TGG: Thank you so much for chatting with us Mellowmanx, it’s been a pleasure, keep smashing those streams, keep fighting the good fight, raising awareness and money, and we will be sure to keep our readers up to date with how you are getting on!

Confab corner

scheiffer bates “Ask the audience how they are, but

actually care… look after your audience and they will look after you, it isn’t quantum physics by any means!” Admit it, everyone reading this has at least once in their life tried to impersonate another person. Be it celebrity, cartoon, or even just an accent! Well, you may have come across voice actor Scheiffer Bates. Scheiffer is known for impressions including Jon Snow from Game of Thrones, Thomas Shelby from Peaky Blinders, and even smashing out 85 voice impressions in one go! With over 320 thousand subscribers on YouTube, Over 1.6 Million followers on Facebook, Scheiffer has decided to dive into the streaming world, and we are really excited to chat with him!

TGG: Hey Scheiffer, thanks for chatting with us, how have you been? Thank you! - not bad at all. It’s one of those questions that is naturally easy to answer, but so difficult during these times. I have been good! But I have been better. It’s such a weird time. TGG: We understand that! It has been quite the rollercoaster in the last 18 months! Your career started with impressions and comedy sketches on YouTube and Facebook, which gave you quite the following, what made you make the move into Gaming and Streaming? I have gamed since I was a young kid, PC gamed for the last 15 years and I love it, it’s an escape from my videos, from my life. It’s almost like a second life. Regarding streaming; I’ve always been encouraged to shift into standup comedy, but never wanted to take the plunge. This is the next greatest thing.

TGG: That’s quite a good take on streaming, it certainly can be like standup comedy! What made you choose Facebook Gaming as the streaming platform for you? I feel in terms of discoverability it is far superior to the other platforms, it seems to shove everyone new in your face and say “go check this person out!!!” And I respect that. The community on there seem far more generous with their support and networking - in my first few weeks of being on there, I was streaming with Stonemountain64, IGotPuppies and Jeff Leach. It’s also still very young platform in terms of streaming games, I predict a great future for it. TGG: Oh, Facebook Gaming is truly in its infant years! Gaming with those big streamers early on really bodes well! What is the most important thing to you personally when it comes to your streams? Just being transparent with your audience. I like to treat the podcast as though it were a podcast. Engage with the listeners and viewers constantly, tell the audience you aren’t feeling good, or you’re feeling great! Ask the audience how they are, but actually care… look after your audience and they will look after you, it isn’t quantum physics by any means! TGG: There’s never a right answer, but caring for your audience is always the most important thing! With a solid base of followers from your impressions and comedy sketches, did you find it was easy to build the following for the streaming and gaming side of your social media? It was actually quite difficult. People wanted to follow me just for impressions, not games. They would come into the stream and say “do this impression” to which I wouldn’t acknowledge it (it’s a new venture away from impressions) as I hammered that into new viewers I started noticing a great community coming through, visa vi “the reprobates” It was essentially a filtering out process. I would like to think most people watch me now on my gaming page, because of gaming and of course (the occasional impression) but not solely that. 43

TGG: We can imagine that being difficult to separate the two, although happy that people are coming to watch you for solely gaming now! How do you keep the momentum going, and keep that upward trajectory? Is it purely social media, is it working with other streamers, or does your community play a part? Working with other streamers is key, but also you have to say “what is it I can show that makes me different” so that when people watch you with other streamers, they know what to look out for when they come over to watch you. TGG: Absolutely! It’s certainly the “what makes me different” that counts! What does 2021 have in store, what are your plans this year, where do you want to be this time next year? A tough question. I would like to be back on the horse doing voice acting and auditions, unfortunately it’s tough at the moment. We will get there. Getting a TV show idea I have across the line as well, that would be great. TGG: Ooh a TV Show, that sounds really interesting, we will have to keep an eye out! A quick scenario, the last stream you had didn’t go to plan for whatever reason and you were pretty deflated about it, how would you bounce back from that to make sure it doesn’t affect your streams moving forward? Take a few days off and do something else. Over analyzing it will completely deter your process. Watch other streamers, gain some inspiration and structure what you want to do the next time you stream. Bad advice from me really, as I don’t structure my streams haha! TGG: That was great advice, structuring streams does help and getting inspiration is key! What’s your go to game, the one game you couldn’t live without? Warzone at the moment - I hope this changes. TGG: That’s super thoughtful, caring and kind! Thank you so much for chatting with us Scheiffer, it’s been a pleasure, keep smashing those streams, and we will be sure to keep our readers up to date with how you are getting on! A pleasure, you lovely bunch.

If you want to support Scheiffer Bates, check out his Twitch and follow him on his socials! Twitch: @SchiefferBates Facebook: Schieffer Bates Gaming Twitter: @SchiefferBates Instagram: @schifferbates TikTok: @sheifferbates

Ones to watch

As a viewer heading onto a streamer’s channel, we all go through a little checklist of what we would like to see, what engagement we want, and ultimately do you feel welcome and would you return. Well, we know a lot of streamers that can tick most (if not all) boxes. We have been following SimplySam for some time now, and the level of engagement and the warm welcoming nature is second to none. We needed to catch up with him to see how things have been getting on!

TGG: Hey SimplySam, thanks for chatting with us, how have you been? Hey, thank you for having me. I have been as well as I can. Just getting by like most of us during this pandemic, that’s all you can do now days. TGG: Absolutely, but there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel! So, tell us, how long have you been streaming for now and what made you start? So, I officially started streaming on the 20th of August 2020 and it was my brother JustifiedJack who actually got me into it. I saw him playing some games on what looked like an amazing set up. It looked like he was having so much fun meeting new people, making new friends and sharing his passion with others alike and I thought to myself I want to do this. I bit the bullet and splashed out on a gaming/streaming PC and I’ve never looked back.

TGG: Well from what we can see, it seems to be one of the best choices you made! What made you choose Twitch as the streaming platform for you? I really liked the idea of having Channel Rewards, having something to reward viewers in my eyes was amazing. I wanted to be creative, unique and stand out from others. TGG: We totally get that! What is the most important thing to you personally when it comes to your streams? The most important part personally to me is knowing that I’ve created a safe space for all, that everyone is welcome to come and hang out. The community I have are like family in my eyes and I couldn’t do this without them. TGG: You have hit the nail on the head, community is everything! You have really been building up quite the following and engagement, and we see you are pushing for partner, what are your goals for 2021, and where do you see yourself next year? I have been pushing for partner as my channel really has taken off since January, and I would love to hit the partner status for Twitch as I think for most it’s a great accomplishment. But it’s not just about me, It’s about every single one who has supported me along the way. I couldn’t be doing without them. Im also trying to get Sneak Energy to notice me and would love to be an ambassador, so Sneak if your reading this I’m waiting!

TGG: Haha! Sneak are like the illuminati, you never know when they are watching! How do you keep the momentum going, and keep that upward trajectory? Is it purely social media or does your community play a part? It’s a mixture of both, I love to network on social media sites, specifically Facebook is where I’m normally at. There are some fantastic groups out there and I genuinely love to meet new people. Typically I will create a post asking for a little info on them and if I like the reply I’ll catch them when I can. The community who supports me are literally amazing, they keep me going through it. I see everyone like family. We hang out in the Discord group we have “It’s So Simple” it’s nice and chill. TGG: We will be sure to check out the server! A quick scenario, the last stream you had didn’t go to plan for whatever reason and you were pretty deflated about it, how would you bounce back from that to make sure it doesn’t affect your streams moving forward? I think that everyone has these days, streaming is not streaming unless you’ve been in this position. Tech issues specifically or a quiet day, regardless I always keep a positive mind set and I do have a bunch of great friends out there to vent with. TGG: Venting is certainly needed at times, so that’s a great mindset to have! What’s your go to game, the one game you couldn’t live without? Wow this is a very difficult question, it’s very hard for me to narrow it down to one! If anything, I would say the Resident Evil franchise, this really made my child hood. Resident Evil Directors Cut 2, Nemesis and Code Veronica. I know this isn’t one game, however as a franchise they are incredible games and loved them for as long as I can remember. I’m fonder of the originals when the cameras where angles in the corners. This made horror games! Well done Capcom!

TGG: Our creative director will certainly like the fact you said Resident Evil! Finally, what is something you’d like our readers to know about/ check out? I often get messages and people asking with tips or hints for growth, I honestly believe the key is making genuine friends. Supporting them when and where you can, but not only that. Getting yourself out on social media does help, spend some time getting to know others, meet new people never be afraid to take a day off streaming. If you have time to stream there’s time to support. TGG: Thank you so much for chatting with us Sam, it’s been a pleasure, keep smashing those streams, and we will be sure to keep our readers up to date with how you are getting on!

SOCIALS Twitch: @SimplySamLive Twitter: @SimplySamLive YouTube: @SimplySam

The Dr outlaw TGG: Welcome to the interview, how have you been?

TGG: Away from your streaming life, what do you do in your spare time?

I’m doing really well, thank you. Just got done celebrating my 41st birthday. TGG: So tell us, how long have you been streaming, and what made you want to start?

I’m a stay-at-home dad. I home-schooled my daughter up until 7th grade, and now I’m doing the same with my son. When I’m not streaming or doing dad duties, I’m normally watching other Twitch streams and working on Discord duties.

‘I’m celebrating 2 years on Twitch on May 16th. My family made me want to stream.

TGG: Let’s talk setup! What 5 essentials can you not stream without?

My “squad” consisted of myself, a brother-inlaw, and a nephew, while I had 2 other gaming nephews and both my children started getting into gaming. Outlaw’s Family Gaming exists because I wanted to build something special for my family.

I’m a console gamer, so: 1. PS4 (PS5 soon, I hope!) 2. A good headset. 3. A PC 4. A comfortable chair 5. A good mic 48

TGG: What advice can you give to any smaller streamers about making their stream better and growing their channel/content?

TGG: Finally, what are you currently working on that you’d like our readers to know about/ check out?

Join the OFG discord. What we’ve created is something truly special to help any new streamer, no matter their setup.

If I ever find the time, I’m working on two huge projects for the OFG Community. One involves Apex Legends (two for Apex), and one more Marbles.

You have to want to learn and grow, though. It’s not easy. TGG: What are your Top 5 Games of all time? Borderlands 2, Skyrim/Elder Scrolls Online, God of War, Fallouts 3 and New Vegas, and Apex Legends. TGG: If you had to choose one game only to play forever, which would you choose?

Twitch: @TheDrOutlaw Twitter: @TheDrOutlaw

Borderlands 2, or maybe ESO because of endless quests.

Instagram: @thedroutlaw

TGG: What is the best moment you have had streaming? Or if you have a few what are your top 3?

TheDrOutlaw also has a family gaming account! Check them out on his channel!

The Cyberpunk release streams. We hit over 100 viewers in the first stream, then over 200 multiple times in the second. It was insane. TGG: 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 grew up in an itty bitty town of 1,500 people; Cornell, Wisconsin. I have 2 younger sisters who still live in that area.

You can check out The Dr Outlaws channel and other socials in the links below! Be sure to give him plenty of love and support!

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