STACK NZ Magazine April 2015 Issue 61

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PREVIEWS GAMES visit
APRIL 2015 JB Hi-Fi
When author Anthony Burgess coined the term
‘ultraviolence’ for his 1962 novel A Clockwork
Orange , it was a case of – to randomly quote a
1970s Canadian FM rock band – you ain’t seen
nothin’ yet (b-b-b-b-baby). When Mortal Kombat
first hit the arcades in 1992 with its realistic (for
the day’s tech) graphics and fatality ferocity,
‘ultraviolence’ didn’t seem an apt enough
description. It was brutal, bloody and confronting
– ever fancied ripping out somebody’s spine?
Now you had wish fulfilment! Some 20-plus
years later, Mortal Kombat is still with us, and
advances in technology mean that it’s now
virtually photorealistic – and the detail depicted
when you decapitate, dismember, maim or
otherwise rain horrific death upon an opponent
is almost forensic. Yep, it certainly isn’t for
the faint of heart. But those who dig the big
daddy of full-on fighting games wouldn’t want
anything toned down. This latest outing, X as it’s
the tenth, brings back all the favourite moves,
combos, characters and locations, adds a heap
of new things – including DLC guest Jason
Voorhees of Friday the 13th infamy – and, with
the assistance of now-gen graphical oomph,
turns the ultraviolence up to 12. They already hit
11 with the last instalment...
n action-RPG that requires no introduction for original
ii people, it’s time for 3DS owners to clap hands, eyes
nd senses on this acclaimed adventure. Well, more
pecifically, owners of the New 3DS that was released
n late 2014. Its extra processing power was needed
o bring this open world tale of humans and mechs
battling it out atop their homelands – the corpses of two
mighty titans who obviously weren’t mighty enough.
Bonus tokens can be collected to unlock goodies with
StreetPass as can your Shulk amiibo. Still got an old
3DS? This just might justify an upgrade.
XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 3D
GENRE: ACT RPG PLATFORM: NEW 3DS RELEASE: 02/04/15 MULTIPLAYER: NO
he series as a whole is already legendary amongst
amers. The latest entry, Dark Souls II, is renowned
ot only for its aceness, but also because it’s so bloody
ifficult! Actually, ‘challenging’ would be a more apt
escription, as there’s no namby-pamby mollycoddling
n the mysterious world of Drangleic. It’s action-RPG
uesting at its absolute finest, and this now-gen outing
rings the original together with three DLC packs,
nhanced graphics and enough other tweaks to have
ven the most intrepid adventurer looking over their
houl- BAM! You’re dead!
DARK SOULS II: SCHOLAR OF THE FIRST SIN
GENRE: ACT RPG PLATFORM: PS4 | PS3 | XB1 | 360 | PC RELEASE: 02/04/15 MULTIPLAYER: YES
If you liked this, you may also like... Fire Emblem: Awakening,
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
f you liked this, you may also like... Middle-Earth: Shadow of
ordor, Lords of the Fallen
If you liked this, you may also like... Injustice: Gods
Among Us, Dead or Alive 5: Last Round
MORTAL KOMBAT X
GENRE: FIGHTING
PLATFORM:PS4 | PS3 |
XB1 | 360 | PC
RELEASE: 16/04/15
MULTIPLAYER: YES