STACK Jul #129

84 / 113

– by all. The gameplay is fluid, fast, and offers
the level of complexity demanded by the
hardcore fanbase, without making it unplayable
for the novice. Of course it is early days, and
we were informed during a presentation that
the code on display was only 55 per cent
complete, but PES 2016 is looking like a real
challenger. AND IT HAS DYNAMIC WEATHER!
The box-thieving bandit with one eye is back
in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
Fans of Snake were definitely not disappointed
at this year’s E3; following the release of
Ground Zeroes last year, we were treated to a
trailer and a full 40 minutes of gameplay from
the latest title. Set in an open world 200 times
the size of Ground Zeroes, The Phantom
Pain combines close-quarters combat with
the best of the franchise’s namesakes (cough,
the cardboard box, cough) to bring what could
possibly be the strongest Metal Gear Solid
game to life. If we’re completely honest, we
just want to see the Chicken Hat in action.
Bring on September 1.
We always enjoy watching other people
play racing games, mostly because we're not
particularly good at playing them. This was the
case as gamer after gamer attempted to steer
Forza Motorsport 6 around a course without
hitting the wall after only ten seconds. Outside
the view of a spinning vehicle hurtling towards
the barriers, Forza 6 looks almost too real.
It’s a beautiful looking title, right down to the
realistic damage. Want 450 customisable cars,
1080p and 60frames per second? You’ve got it.
There’s a reason the Forza franchise is at the
top of the racer chain.
Microsoft's The Rise of The Tomb Raider
booth was festooned with Game of the Show
awards, and from those we spoke to who
sat through the 15-minute gameplay demo,
it was deservedly so. Unfortunately, every
time we were in the vicinity, we missed the
commencement of a session and were forced
to move on in order to keep to the timetable.
It’s difficult to describe Microsoft’s HoloLens
without experiencing it in person. We managed
to get into the presentation, which culminated
in a blistering Halo 5 multiplayer match towards
the close of the show. It was a priority for many
to see HoloLens, after the Minecraft demo
during the platform holder’s press conference.
Its must-see status was further confirmed
when Steven Spielberg dashed in before us.
More augmented reality than VR, the demo
commenced with headset fitted snugly to our
craniums, before being told to make our way
down a corridor, following a waypoint projected
onto the lens. Once inside a room, we were
briefed by a crystal clear image of a 3D Spartan,
who gave us a rundown of the objectives
JULY 2015 JB Hi-Fi
084
visit FEATURE GAMES
Despite having only Battlecry playable on
the booth, Bethesda's press conference on the
Sunday night was a sumptuous hors d’oeuvre
for E3 week. It would be advisable to secure
time off now ahead of Fallout 4’s release
in November – you may just find yourself
emerging from your own Vault 111 when all
else around you has been laid waste. According
to the erudite Todd Howard, production began
shortly after Fallout 3 released, and in 4 you
can play either a male or female role. This is a
game of Brobdingnagian proportions, and will
be on every gamer’s Christmas wish list.
We all have our own special memories of the
first time we played Doom, and its influence
remains as relevant today as ever. So it’s
good to see it return on a new generation of
hardware. If shooters are your forte, you know
you’re going to play this, and judging by the
gameplay trailer, you’re going to have a lot of
fun doing it.
The original Dishonored was our game of
the year in 2012 and we had an inkling that a
follow-up was due, but the official unveiling
of Dishonored 2 was a wonderful surprise;
this time around players can take the role as
either Corvo or Emily Attano. Is this up there on
STACK ’s list of most playable titles
for 2016? You bet.
Pull up a stool in a pub,
order a drink, and play PES.
Sound tempting? We’ll that’s
exactly what Konami offered up
this year on their booth. What’s
even better? PES 2016 is an
absolute belter of a game.
Last year PES was only
playable behind closed
doors. In a mark of
developer confidence,
this year it was being
played – and enjoyed