Gamesmaster November 2018

After this year’s E3, there was one demo I just couldn’t stop thinking about – and not only because I had to creep past a bunch of actors dressed as zombies to get to it. I’m not even a die-hard Resi fan, but the Resident Evil 2 remake completely bowled me over – and I just knew we had to do a cover on it. This is that cover, if you’ve not worked it out, and inside you’ll find our juicy impressions from two sit-down sessions with the game – one as Leon, one as Claire. Capcom’s approached this remake with a reverence for its own history, but also a ruthless eye for what should be left in the past, and the result is shaping up to be the most exciting…

THE MOST DEDICATED TEAM IN THE BUSINESS It’s nearly time for the team to indulge in its favourite Halloween tradition: an annual re-watch of ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper classic Hell Comes To Frogtown. It’s not scary per se, but it’s definitely unsettling. Robin Valentine Our soon to be ex-editor has been spending his last month on the job in the traditional way: setting a series of traps for his successor. Anyone who can’t deal with a couple of punji pits doesn’t have the nerve to run a games mag anyway. What’s your scariest gaming moment? Having an existential crisis in Soma. Rob Crossland Our art editor’s fattened-up cockerel keeps escaping its pen, and the resulting rash of innuendo has left the team near-incapable of getting anything done this month. These are the things they don’t tell you about…

I’ve just played through the masterpiece that is Horizon Zero Dawn, and was blown away by the graphics, combat, and vast open world. However, what struck me the most was the sheer ingenuity of the story – surely the most original sci-fi story I’ve ever played. As an avid reader, I find it rare to encounter a game that compares to the storytelling ability of books, but Horizon Zero Dawn, with its fantastic twists and approach of letting the player discover the story at their own pace, may just be one. I find it exciting that gaming is starting to become an extremely powerful medium for stories in its own right. Hopefully, the shallow days of chasing a certain baddie who has kidnapped a certain princess are over! Samuel Mallett, email We couldn’t…

Counter-point I read Errol Kerr’s Take Aim on disability in games being shown in a negative light (villains having disfigurements and so forth) [see GM334] but I feel I must (and this may be the Bethesda fan side of me talking) call him out on his use of Wolfenstein as an example. Take The New Colossus – it is actually one of the most empowering games for disabled players if you don’t focus on the negative. The hero, William J Blazkowicz (who has degenerative injuries from the previous game) overpowers an actual boatload of able-bodied bad guys in the first mission whilst wheelchair bound, Fergus is an amputee who still pilots helicopter gunships, Caroline is a paraplegic who is the leader and mother of the team, Max Hass has learning difficulties,…

RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2 Format PS4, XO ETA 26 October Only a few short weeks until we’re all let loose on Rockstar’s wide open range – and the record for ‘best-selling game ever’ gets smashed… CYBERPUNK 2077 Format PS4, XO, PC ETA TBC At this point, it’s just a race to see if this game can come out before we hit the real cyberpunk dystopia. Read all the latest over on p36. THE LAST OF US PART II Format PS4 ETA TBC At least Naughty Dog’s latest will probably arrive before the actual apocalypse – though we’ve got a PS4 hidden in a bomb shelter just in case. RESIDENT EVIL 2 Format PS4, XO, PC ETA January 2019 Of course you’re excited – we’re right there with you. That’s why we’ve written a bloody great feature all about it. Flick to…

FIFA’s weird. Why don’t they just pick up the ball and run with it? Michael Dixonandon, Facebook Deathtrap Dungeon: Raiding dungeons in leather underwear. Scott Hutchinson, @Theninjagecko The music from ‘Road Rash’ sounds like a German porno from the ’80s. Steffan Longdon, @steffanlongdon I love the Dirt 2 soundtrack. Made my own CD and it was in my car stereo for well over a year. Still play it to this day. Awesome rock tunes. Neil Herlihy, Facebook Games that make you cry are the best! House, @MrPhiKapp Haven’t missed an issue of GM since the recent anniversary issue. The only mag I buy, great writing and keeps me updated with gaming. Ben Fenlon, @HailLeviathan I didn’t make Letter Of The Month, very disappointing! Samuel Hamilton, Facebook MANIAC OF THE MONTH! My prayer to the gods at EA is for them to give us a new…