Gametraders October Magazine

October 2013
GTA V FULL REVIEW

pg 28
of gaming goodness!
99 PAGES
pg 22 pg 14
NINTENDO: STILL RELEVANT?

pg 15
BATMAN ARKHAM ORIGINS PREVIEW!
Win a double pass!

pg 90
MINECRAFT!
www.gametraders.com.au
WELCOME TO october
INSIDE
New Releases Pages 4-8 Nintendo: Still Relevant? Pages 15-20 Previews Pages 22-26 Reviews Pages 28-40 Gametraders News: Penrith Opening Pages 50-52 Comic & Graphic Novels Pages 58-59 Halloween Page 60 Anime & Manga Pages 61-67 Retro Round Up Pages 68-73 Cosplay Interviews Pages 74-87 Gametraders Logan Hyperdome Interview Pages 88-89 2 Guns Competition Pages 90-91 Your Say Pages 92-93 Trading Cards Pages 96-99
Welcome to Live Magazine and our October edition!

October already and that means Christmas is just around the corner. Here in Australia that means warmer weather, beaches, daylight savings and the great outdoors. In the northern hemisphere it means youre getting ready to rug up and keep warm. Such contrasts in our lifestyle depending on our locations. So too with game playing. Some of us love nothing more then to put on the heater and get a few friends around on a cold night and play our favourite games. Whilst here in Australia its likely well be organising a Barbie (BBQ for the rest of the world) and throwing snags (sausages) on the Barbie and having a beer or two. Then its sitting down in front of the Xbox or Playstation and few fighting games, racing games, FIFA 14 perhaps or some FPS action. No matter where you are, theres a ton of gaming news and previews in this months Live magazine and to kick things off we take a look at Nintendo. The Wii U hasnt been top of mind for gamers at present and many would say its a lack of great games and top third party titles. We ask industry writers what they think about Nintendo and where theyre headed. Youll either hate the comment or find yourself nodding in agreement. Either way its an important discussion as Nintendo is a much loved and important part of the gaming culture. With a ton of previews and reviews plus our monthly cosplay feature and anime releases theres lots of good reading inside. Keep warm or keep cool.
Rob Jenkins - Publisher
THE LIVE TEAM

Rob Jenkins: Publisher (Gametraders Operations Centre) Giselle Capozza: Art Director (Gametraders Operations Centre) Nick Getley & Kylie Tuttle (Sticky Trigger): Game Review & Preview Editors David Kudrev: Retro Writer Paul Monopoli: Retro Writer Johnathan Heng: Trading Card Writer Sticky Trigger Team: Alex Holmes Sam Babu Nick Pearce
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NINTENDO 2DS
Nintendo recently announced it would be introducing a new member of the DS family onto the market the 2DS. When the press releases first came out showing that the 2DS would look like, I was rather concerned that Nintendo were making a mistake by removing the 3D option off their console and slapping the two screens into a clunky looking piece of plastic something ala LeapFrog like! the design that the 2DS has been designed with a younger audience in mind. The 2DS has replaced the fliptop design (made famous by the DS family) with an almost wedged like shape. Size wise, the 2DS isnt actually any bigger that a 3DS. Surprisingly, looks are deceiving with this console and its actually smaller when compared to the 3DS side by side. hesitant about buying a 3DS over issues with their eyes. One can also assume that it will also stop mum and dads fears of hearing crack with the flip top being bent back too far! Being that the control pads are located in the centre of the unit, big and little hands will naturally and comfortably be able to navigate their way around the game. Buttons such as Home and Select are
The removal of the 3D capabilities will allow younger children the opportunity to play games without mums and dads being concerned or hesitant about buying a 3DS over issues with their eyes.
However after closer inspection, The removal of the 3D I might take some of those capabilities will allow younger thoughts back. children the opportunity to play games without mums It is obvious just by looking at and dads being concerned or much easier to control then those found on the 3DS. There is no difference in the size of the screens in the 2DS
when compared to that of the 3DS. They are exactly the same, however the screen on the 2DS does feel like is made from plastic and could be prone to scratching. Screen protectors will be a must! Hang on....So where is the stylus? Where do games go? And does it take photos? The stylus on the 2DS can be found on the top right hand side of the console next to a slot for an SD card. No difference in the stylus design here. Exactly the same as the 3DS. What is different is where games are inserted. Instead of the game cartridges being inserted in the bottom like in the 3DS, they game cartridge slot is now on the top of the console. And yes, there is a camera... 2 of them in fact. They do take 3D photos, but dont display them on this console. Why this feature has been included if you cant view the images is rather confusing to me! The 3DS featured stereo speakers, whereas the 2DS will have only mono sound when played through the speakers. This may or may not be such an issue for the kids, however an avid gamer will notice the difference. However, all is not lost if a set of headphones are attached to the jack awkwardly located on the front of the console. Another new added feature is the Sleep mode. As the 2DS cant be closed, the sleep mode button will come in very handy! The 2DS will also be backwards compatible.
Verdict
As noted above, its very evident that this console has been made to fill the gap in the younger market. There are no real added features that make me want to personally go out and buy this console. I will however be recommending it to friends with kids. Durability will be a plus for parents based on the new wedge design, along with the lack of 3D capabilities for concerned parents. The console layout is clear and much easier in my opinion to navigate around than the 3DS, however all my thoughts lead back to the evidence that this was designed with kids in mind. In saying that, it does have a kind of retro circa hand held Donkey Kong Jr feel to it! Was this a smart marketing ploy by Nintendo? You be the judge!
WRITTEN BY kylie tuttle (WWW.STICKYTRIGGER.COM)
The 2DS will be availble from 12 October. Check with your local store today!
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14
feature
NINTENDO: STILL RELEVANT?

What do you think of when you hear the word Nintendo? Quality games? Mario? Zelda? Most of would say all of the above, after all, Nintendo gave us the SNES, N64, multiple Mario games and a whole lot more. And lets not forget the ground breaking Wii with its unique controllers and quirky games. How many of us dragged out our Wii when friends dropped in, for a quick game of Wii Sport including the mega popular bowling game? So while the Wii was a massive seller and now the 3DS is also selling well, its the sales of the Wii U that has people wondering what next And its the Wii U that is simply not selling in the expected numbers Nintendo expected. Nintendo released its annual report at the end of March 2013 and this showed that while the Wii U started strong in its launch, sales slowed considerably. But is it all doom and gloom? A quick search on Google brings up quite a few news stories with a negative slant. TechCrunch on September 5th wrote an editorial headed The Death of Nintendo Has Been Greatly Under-Exaggerated and called the Wii U a dud saying its much worse then a dud. As of But is it all that bad? Most commentators seem to think that the Wii U needs quality titles to push sales of the hardware. Great new games will boost sales, but Nintendo needs to market the system. Theyve not done a great job in convincing customers to buy the hardware. With Christmas just around the corner, Nintendo will be in a battle with Microsoft and Sony for the big family purchase. Most families looking to buy a console will budget for just one. Will it be the Wii U or will the other big guns win out. And if Christmas doesnt see a lift in sales where does that leave the struggling
WITH CHRISTMAS JUST AROUND THE CORNER, NINTENDO WILL BE IN A BATTLE WITH MICROSOFT AND SONY FOR THE BIG FAMILY PURCHASE.
for the former card company. The Wii U is the the first of the 8th generation of game consoles, the Microsoft Xbox One and the Sony Playstation 4 will soon be launched finishing the release schedule of the major players. right now its a colossal failure. Nintendo Life on the 23rd August had an article by Thomas Whitehead titled Sales Data Demonstrates a Slow Wii to Wii U Transition Compared to Past Generations console? We asked some industry writers their thoughts on Nintendo and youll either hate the comments or find yourself nodding in agreement...
feature nintendo: still relevant?
INDUSTRY COMMENT
no other company has aimed at casual gaming..
Seven years and over 150 million sales have passed since Nintendo released its dual screen handheld back in 2004, introducing true touch screen gaming to gamers for the first time. The concept proved such a success that Nintendo implemented it in its home console, the Wii U, via a touch screen in the GamePad, essentially creating a giant home DS in a way. However it was so poorly marketed, that even a year after launch the console has sold well under the expectations. The Wii U is almost a write off with a lot of third party developers backing away from the system at alarming speed. Nintendo are heading down a very lonely path, a path that leads to a very grim future. Nintendo have always been known as marketing to the casual gamer, they never seemed to be interested in hard core games and so they shouldnt. No other company has aimed at casual gaming and while Nintendo may pull through, you have to wonder where that breaking point is. When will the ship sink and what will happen if it does? No, Nintendo will forge on, however I feel we will see the end of Nintendo in the home console department. It would be a wise move if they did. But one does not simply drop its new console off the line, so what are we looking at? Nintendo need to boost sales to stay in the game, to do this they would need to re bundle the Wii U with some new titles. The Wii U could be re-marketed with Mario Kart, the heart and soul of its casual party games, along with a theme on the body of the console would drive a number of new sales. Also, if Nintendo brought out a new Pokemon Stadium game, it could revitalize sales for the system. To do this, they would need to link in the DS handhelds like Sony is with the Vita system. Imagine playing Pokemon X or Y out and about, and then coming home to be able to use these in a Pokemon Stadium game? Or better yet, worldwide Video Game Championship tournaments VIA the Wii U? Anything is possible, Nintendo arent out yet, only time will tell if they can stay in the game though.
Al Caynes (www.tgeeknd.com)
nintendo: still relevant?
feature
INDUSTRY COMMENT
..BUT IS IT TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE?
Nintendo and I were best friends at school, right up until year 11. Nintendo handed up the Wii as its final assignment. While at first we all loved it, we soon realised that the Wii wasnt really what we all wanted. It couldnt live up to the previous work Nintendo had submitted, such as the Nintendo 64 and Gamecube. As we continued on with our schooling, Nintendo and I split apart. I became more close with my new friends Microsoft and Sony. They had innovation, and catered more for my needs. While my analogy may seem a bit weird, I feel it rings true for most Nintendo fans. There was once a day when Nintendo was the best around. You just werent a gamer if you didnt have a NES, SNES or N64. For me, the NGC was just as influential, for many others not so much. Nintendo then released the Wii, and while at first it seemed great, the lack of HD support, with the rise of HD televisions ensured that features that the Wii lacked became more obvious. Nintendo have gotten with the times now, the Wii U has HD capabilities, but is it too little, too late? Personally I dont think Nintendo are out of the picture yet, but if they dont change their strategy, they will be. Nintendo seems to think that people want all their old games rereleased, in HD, or marketed as a new game with minor changes. The fact is until Nintendo release games that are new and innovative; they wont be the gaming giants we remember them as. Sadly, the Nintendo we remember fondly may just be a vision of the past.
John Wright (www.johnnoshark-reviews.com)
..THESE GUYS ARE THE ROYALTY OF THE GAMING WORLD, AND WITH GOOD REASON.
Nintendo have become something of a joke within the gaming community for sure, but are they really dead in the water? Despite being a constant punchline to many, the once undisputed gaming champions are actually still one of the industrys biggest innovators, best marketers and consistent developers. In fact, theyre one of gamings most honorable and respectable companies. So why all the hate? Taking a look at the next gen of gaming, Nintendo are the only real innovator of the lot the only manufacturer straying from their own safe haven and taking risks, giving us something that isnt proven to work within the confines of their audiences. And who else could take gaming series older than a good 20 years or more, experiment with new technologies, and still deliver fun and exciting games that excel both commercially and critically? Sure, Nintendo are a far cry from the giants they once were mainly due to the influx of competition and option but these guys are the royalty of the gaming world, and with good reason. While Microsoft and Sony battle it out for top spot, taking jabs at each other and trying desperately to gain the market majority, Nintendo simply plot along at their own pace, make their own decisions, and keep pumping out the games their fans want, love and cherish. Nintendo today may be irrelevant to certain crowds and audiences in the community, but and correct me if Im wrong theres nothing irrelevant about giving your fans what they want.
JOHN ELLIOTT
INDUSTRY COMMENT
no single company is safe if they cannot adapt to the demands of the modern gamer.
Id like to think that in this day and age, any games company with a history of quality games is immune to dying or becoming irrelevant. Unfortunately, companies like Sega and Atari have proven that no matter how unique your games are or how strong your early catalogue is, no single company is safe if they cannot adapt to the demands of the modern gamer. With the Wii, Nintendo managed to create a gap in the market that they cleverly were also able to fill. Using well-known game figures like Super Mario, Nintendo created the casual games market for home consoles. Suddenly, people who had no prior interest in gaming were becoming hooked to laid back experiences like Wii Sports, Mario Party, and even exercise program-focused titles like Wii Fit and EA Sports Active. With a staggering 100 million titles sold as of June 2013, one would assume that the next Nintendo console would sell even more, the only problem is, it isnt. This isnt to say the Wii-U is an awful piece of tech. On the contrary, the Nintendo Wii did so well in establishing itself as a household necessity, that it has impeded its successors well succession. The problem also stems from bad marketing, that is to say, an almost complete lack of marketing. Even at the release of the Wii-U, there was little-to-no awareness of Nintendos new console, despite it having a highly-marketable tablet controller. Nintendo are still relevant, and with a back catalogue of gamings favourite characters like Mario, Link, Kirby and Starfox, they wont be going anywhere any time soon. Their loving fan base will embrace any console and games they release in the future. Nintendos consumers arent going to fix this problem, and therefore, major decisions must be made by Nintendo. The question they have to ask themselves now is Do we pursue the casual audience again? Or do we try to win back the hardcore gamer and compete with Microsoft and Sony?
Nick Getley (www.stickytrigger.com)
nintendo: still relevant?
feature
INDUSTRY COMMENT
NINTENDO WILL RISE AGAIN WITHOUT DOUBT..
Nintendo definitely are still relevant. They have a huge bank of money from the success that was the DS and the Wii. They definitely need to bring some of their standards into the 21st century however. The fact that they still dont have an account system on either the Wii U or the 3DS is an absolute farce. Nintendo also need to start taking more risks with their games. Everybody knows that Nintendo have some of the most creative developers in the industry but It seems like such a shame to see them working on the same recycled franchises. I think something that Nintendo could focus on is creating more smaller, budgeted titles for new and existing franchises. They have already attempted this quite a few times on the 3DS eShop and it has been a great success. My nephew absolutely loves Nintendo but unless its a special occasion his parents cant justify spending $60 for a 3DS game when he could get more than 50 games on his iPad for the same amount. I also think that Nintendo need to handle their launches better. Both the 3DS and Wii U have gotten off on the wrong foot with horrible delays to their launch window titles. We have seen this especially with the Wii U. The non Nintendo hardcore have seen no reason to purchase it within the first year due to a delayed lineup of their first year games and the lack of an account system. Taking these things into consideration I think that the Wii U will struggle more than any Nintendo console before it. Nintendo just havent done enough to improve sales of the system before the release of the PS4 and Xbox One. Nintendo will rise again without doubt though.
Shannon Grixti
HOW THE HELL DID THEY KNOW THAT WOULD WORK?

Nintendo are still relevant in every way, shape or form. As a cultural icon, as the name behind the biggest, most popular and most recognizable gaming franchises, they arent going to be forgotten to the annals of history in the foreseeable future. In regards to their business, one might look at the Wii U and think that now, now is the start of the endif youre to completely ignore the companys handheld market, which is set to get bigger once they release the 2DS. As to whether theyre irrelevant I think, more than anything, Nintendo have proven over and over again that a lot of us, especially in the media, dont really understand the core consumer anymore. We scoffed at the 2DS just like we scoffed at the Wii, and you know what? Those ugly, door-stop handhelds are going to fly off shelves, and everyone who initially thought what the hell are they doing? is going to be asking how the hell did they know that would work?. Personally, Ive found it hard to like Nintendo as I played few of their games during my childhood Ive got no nostalgic ties, and I find Mario platformers to be incredibly banal. The thing about nostalgia, however, is that it not only lasts, but it can be passed on. Those kids you see today playing the latest Nintendo exclusives on the DS they all seem to own? Their eventual nostalgia is Nintendos insurance policy. When Nintendo eventually falls, as everything does, their cultural impact will give them a very special place in history, and they wont be forgotten or irrelevant for many years to follow.
Mark Ankucic (www.dustycartridge.com)
INDUSTRY COMMENT
THE WII U HAS SOLD ABOUT 3.6M UNITS WORLDWIDE..
Are Nintendo relevant? In my opinion Nintendo with the Wii U are not actually in competition with Microsoft or Sony, they are going to continue to do their own thing. Nintendo are a very stubborn company and they believe that their 1st party software lineup of Mario 3D, Zelda: WW HD, Donkey Kong: TF, Sonic: Lost World, Wii Fit U during this holiday along with Bayonetta 2, Mario Kart 8, Yarn Yoshi, Smash Bros. and X in early 2014 will get them back on track just like it did the 3DS after its poor start and Sony are hoping the Vita can do the same as sales for Vita have increased recently as well. In my opinion this is what the Big N should do to make sure they do stay relevant: Increase the virtual console library with GameBoy, N64 and GameCube titles. Merge Nintendo 3DS/Wii U Nintendo Network I.Ds so purchases can be synced and customers dont have to purchase the same game twice at full price. More exclusives like Bayonetta 2 for example a Resident Evil 2 remake, Eternal Darkness 2, even a new Mega Man are projects fans want. Throw in a 3D Donkey Kong , Metroid and Pokmon RPG and realistic HD Zelda And most importantly, reach out to third parties and pay for titles like Minecraft, Final Fantasy and EA titles and make Platinum Games a second party developer! Nintendo has the money to do this! They have billions sitting in the bank and are not going to go bankrupt if the Wii U fails. Here is some interesting sales information. The Wii U has sold about 3.6m units worldwide since November 2012, the same amount the PS3 achieved in its first year. Microsofts Xbox 360 sold 7.5m in its first 12 months but has recently just been joined by the PS3 in overall sales at 79m each. While the Wii sold an incredible 20m in its first year and has sold over 101m worldwide! What these numbers show us is slow first year sales dont really mean anything at all just yet; lets see what Nintendo comes up with in the next 12 months before we decide if they should stay or go.
Nick Pearce (www.stickytrigger.com)
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preview
BATMAN ARKHAM ORIGINS

Batman: Arkham Asylum was a pleasant surprise to all fans of both Batman and video games alike. In a world where comic and film games have a track record for being remarkably average, such a game left a fond memory in all of our minds. Next came Arkham City where most of the major problems with Asylum (Im looking at you, Titan Joker) were changed and we bat-hungry Bat-game? Lets find out. From the trailer, we see that theres a lot more emphasis on the minor villains. Hopefully this means that characters such as Deadshot can be a part of the main campaign against Black Mask, instead of being an optional side mission (I for one am still waiting for Crazy Quilt to make an appearance.) The trailer is mostly focused around combat with Deathstroke, seems a lot more aggressive and on occasion includes the surrounding environment; however the fluidity of combos that has been a key part of the Arkham franchise is still the same. Another addition to combat is a new standard of thug, the Martial Artist. The main difference between them and the regular enemy is his speed and ability to counter Batmans counters, which in turn can also
it seems that the developers of the Arkham series have again listened to the feedback and given the audience what they wanted gameplay wise without sacrificing the story.
fans were even more pleased. Now the time has come for the third game in the series: Batman: Arkham Origins. The question is, will it carry on the tradition of improving the same formula to create a greater probably as an advertisement for the DLC campaign. be countered. After each fight with selected groups of thugs, there is a new grading system From the gameplay released at which shows you statistics of E3, there are many new features the fight you just came out introduced. One small change of including hits taken and is Batmans fighting style which experience earned. This is an
easy way to keep track of your experience and to show you what you need to improve on, however I think that after multiple small gang fights the large block of text in your HUD could get slightly tedious. One of my favourite additions to gameplay builds on the detective side of Batman. Previously, the worlds greatest detective could simply look at some evidence and scan it immediately, showing him everything he needed to know. With the small addition of a crime reconstruction visualisation, the Bat-computer can take us through what really happened at the crime scene. Once the visualisation is played out, the player can now interact with the reconstruction. From rewinding, pausing and even
walking around the virtual crime to collect more evidence and gain better understanding of the plots development and Batmans deductive power. Even from these small examples and the other evidence available, it seems that the developers of the Arkham series have again listened to the feedback and given the audience what they wanted gameplay wise without sacrificing the story. Batman: Arkham Origins is shaping up to be an equal if not greater game than its famed predecessors.
WRITTEN BY alex holmes (WWW.STICKYTRIGGER.COM)
format: PS Vita | Xbox 360 | Wii U | PS3 | PC | 3DS
Out: October 25
preview
ANGRY BIRDS STARWARS

A long, long time ago in a galaxy far away, the force was strong, as were the pigtroopers?!? Thats right! The epic and internationally popular mobile game Angry Birds: Star Wars has been remastered for gaming systems and will be out this month! Bird flinging takes on a whole new meaning when you are yielding a light saber and Angry Birds Star Wars looks to be very lucrative for distributor Activision who has picked up the title. Chewbacca, R2-D2 and several versions of Luke Skywalker (Pilot Luke, Endor Luke and Jedi Luke) and the pigs taking on the forms of Darth Vader, Storm Game play wise, if you are Troopers and Boba Fett from unfamiliar with the previous the original Star Wars trilogy Angry Birds games its simple, and a setting obviously in the well kind of! You use a Star Wars universe and that is slingshot to launch birds at pigs Angry birds Star Wars! stationed on or within various structures, with the intent of Using the same core game destroying all the pigs. As design as the mobile game,
Using the same core game design as the mobile game, Angry Birds Star Wars injects new characters, challenges and pays homage to the Star Wars universe.
Rovio Entertainment are piggy backing (pardon the pun) of the success of the Angry Birds franchise by pushing Angry Birds Star Wars to console. Downloaded more than 100 million times via mobile app, you move through the game, new types of birds become available some of which have special abilities. Angry Birds Star Wars injects new characters, challenges and pays homage to the Star Wars universe. In comparison to the mobile version players Swirl that in with the birds taking will be able to enjoy 20 levels on the personas of likes of which have exclusively been
designed for the console game (on top of 200 levels already on the mobile version) totalling over 25 hours of light saber wielding, pig popping fun! And for the first time ever, players will be able to enjoy multiplayer mode. Playing in two-player coop mode will help to achieve a combined high score or if you want to, play against them (with up to four players) in competitive mode. In addition to this, players will still get achievements and trophies, access to leader boards, high-def graphics as well as unlockable bonus levels, items and content. This game will be addictive, at times frustrating but will definitely have you wanting to claim 3 stars every time! If you are already a fan of the Angry Birds or the Star Wars franchise you will be thoroughly entertained! If youre not already a fan are you ready to join the porkside?
WRITTEN BY kylie tuttle (WWW.STICKYTRIGGER.COM)
format: Xbox 360 | PS3 | PC | WII U | WII | PS VITA | 3DS
Out: October 30
preview
WATCH DOGS
2013 appears to be the year of the urban sandbox with Saints Row IV, GTA V, and newcomer Watch Dogs all releasing. However, Watch Dogs is that rarest of things a new intellectual property from a AAA developer Ubisoft Montreal. Watch Dogs looks to be worth getting excited about. Watch Dogs takes place in Chicago in 2012, in a world not unlike our own, and has the player assume the role of Aiden Pearce hacker and vigilante. Aiden is an expert hacker and is bent on using his skills to better society and seek justice for past tragedies and wrongs as he sees fit, a morally grey anti-hero. With Aiden as its focus, Watch Dogs interesting story though, the game boasts a proprietary graphics engine to give it that next-gen sheen, and packs the usual toolbox of sandbox abilities large virtual city to explore, the ability to drive vehicles, stealth elements, gunplay, hand to hand combat and nifty parkour to get you from place to place on foot. But where Watch Dogs gameplay truly seems exciting is its hacking elements. In the Watch Dogs universe almost all major cities are controlled by a Central Operating System (CtOS), and Chicago is no different. Aidens hacking prowess allows him to get inside the CtOS and control the city systems. Police chasing you? No problem, hack the nearest aspect in which one player joins another players game secretly and attempts to hack their smartphone in order to obtain data. Developer Ubisoft Montreal has said that secretly entering players will integrate seamlessly with non playable characters, providing for some healthy paranoia and psychological tension, though more information is yet to come in regard to the multiplayer aspects of the game. If Watch Dogs can live up to the grand scope of its ideas and its potential, it looks to be an urban sandbox that fully embraces the true virtual interconnectivity of our age both in storytelling and in gameplay.
POLICE CHASING YOU? NO PROBLEM, HACK THE NEAREST TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND CAUSE A THIRTY CAR PILE-UP TO STOP THE COPS!
looks to examine the role of technology in our increasingly computerised world. Watch Dogs isnt just an traffic lights and cause a thirty car pile-up to stop those cops! Watch Dogs also contains an innovative multiplayer
WRITTEN BY alex holmes (WWW.STICKYTRIGGER.COM)
format: Xbox 360 | PS3 | WII U Out: NOVEMBER 21 format: Xbox ONE | PS4 Out: NOVEMBER 29
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review
GRAND THEFT AUTO V

Grand Theft Auto - the granddaddy of all open-world games and the franchise that opened the door to true anti-heroes in gaming. Since its humble beginning as a simple car-boosting game on PC and the Sony PlayStation, Grand Theft Auto has evolved into one of the most popular and successful franchises in gaming, and with good reason. Grand Theft Auto mixes clever design choices, such as the overuse of motion blur. Many fans cited that the game was nowhere near as fun to play as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which had more RPG elements (such as character stats and better character customisation) and more arcade-style driving mechanics. Grand Theft Auto V is finally here and Rockstar have both Andreas. The driving has also been overhauled to be more accessible, which is definitely a good thing. Overall, there is a fantastic mix of familiarity and innovation, which will win over long-time fans, newcomers and even people who didnt enjoy GTA IV (myself included). Grand Theft Auto V opens with a prologue mission, which also serves as the games tutorial
Everything about GTA V is impressive. Every single thing! Its as though Rockstar have taken the best parts from all their games and injected them into their best franchise.
writing, fast-paced vehicular carnage and action-packed shooting in a realisticallyportrayed open world. Grand Theft Auto IV, though successful, received some criticism for its bland story and listened to the criticisms of fans and offered something original, which is a balancing act that few can pull off. For starters, the game returns to the most popular location in the franchises history, San (introductory missions designed to introduce the player to the games mechanics, story and controls). In it, players assume the role of a criminal on a heist (though later, the ability to play as and switch
enormous silencers for shotguns, similar to Payday 2: The Heist. GTA wouldnt be GTA without some automobile-related activities though, would it? And after the somewhat clunky driving from GTA IV, players could be forgiven for assuming that the driving in GTA V would feel similarly heavy and difficult to master. Thankfully, the driving has been refined, and though some vehicles feel heavy, its only the ones that should feel heavy, namely vans and trucks. The cars also handle and drive differently depending on what type of car they are, unlike Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas where the majority of cars drove similarly. To put it simply, the driving in Grand Theft Auto V is a drastic improvement over Grand Theft Auto IV, but the sports cars and luxury vehicles still prove to be a challenge to master. In addition to refined gameplay and story elements, there are now more RPG elements to GTA. In GTA V, Rockstar have brought back the stamina, strength and driving stats, and also added new stats such as lung capacity, special ability, shooting and stealth. Completing different actions and activities (such as triathlons, shooting range challenges and street races) will reward the player with a stat related to the activity being increased. The aforementioned special ability stat increases how quickly a characters special move bar replenishes. Michael has the ability to focus his shooting (the game enters slow motion), Franklin has the ability to focus his driving skill (also a slow motion ability, but
between multiple characters is unlocked). Taking hostages, the thieves plant explosives on the doors of a bank vault, and blast their way inside. Normally I cant stand tutorial missions, as they are normally overused in much simpler games (who doesnt know that the right trigger shoots in every game nowadays?) however in GTA V, the mission is still highly entertaining, and the game has enough mechanics to warrant a tutorial. Upon making their getaway, the criminals are confronted by police, who of course, open fire. I assumed that the game would play and look a lot like GTA IV, with a simple face lift. How wrong I was. During my shootout with the police, I was in awe of just how detailed the textures were, and how
drastic the improvement to Grand Theft Autos physics and shooting mechanics were. At one point I shot and wounded a police officer, with his body visibly being pushed back from the force of the bullet. I then shot him in the knee, and he shifted his weight onto his other knee, and attempted to draw his weapon with his off-hand. When attempting to gather my thoughts for this review, I replayed the tutorial mission five times, and each time that I played it, the games artificial intelligence attempted different tactics to bring my criminal cohorts and I into custody. Everything about GTA V is impressive. Every single thing! Its as though Rockstar have taken the best parts from all their games and injected them into their best franchise. The shooting mechanics are the best Ive played in a Grand Theft Auto game, which is largely due to the fact that they are identical to the shooting mechanics from Max Payne 3 (another Rockstar game) which was undeniably flawless (in terms of gameplay). In addition to the shooting itself being refined and almost perfect, guns themselves can now be modified and customised to suit any players preferences. There are even
review
grand theft auto v
with added driving control) and Trevor has the ability to withstand extra damage and deal extra damage with his special ability (think the closing scene of Scarface, and youd be about right). The new special abilities are a lot of fun, and can often mean the difference between surviving a difficult mission, or winning a difficult street race. Speaking of difficult, GTA V is the first time in the series I have been genuinely challenged by the missions. Some missions, I would say, feel almost too difficult. This is due to the random an unpredictable
are uncensored, and although they could be a lot worse, they certainly arent suitable for minors to play or witness. When looking at these activities from a mature and adult frame of mind, they are perfectly acceptable, given the cleverly created world of Grand Theft Auto V. Rockstar both glorify and parody Hollywood films, their past games and even real life in GTA V. In my opinion, what can seem harmless and even comedic to an adult, may not be interpreted as so by a child. Comparisons are inevitable to other Rockstar games, but to do so in a negative way would
pure entertainment. It really is the best Rockstar game to date.
What about multiplayer?

At the time of writing this review, multiplayer in Grand Theft Auto V is yet to launch, making it impossible to review. From the available information and preview videos though, GTA V looks to be just as much fun online as it is in single player. Players create their own character, and are offered much more than simple games of team Deathmatch or capture the flag. Players
Using the same coreWith Grand Theft Auto V, all the problems from GTA 4 have been removed or rectified. There is no more overuse of motion blur, there are no more boring or bland characters (or cartoon-like stereotypes like Roman) and all thats left is pure entertainment. It really is the best Rockstar game to date.
game world Rockstar have crafted with GTA V. This is both a good and bad thing, as even when you have full health, it is possible for you to do if you are shot in the head, or set on fire. Now, like all GTA games, there is a significant amount of adult content in GTA V. I do not endorse or condone an underage child playing GTA V. The game is rated R 18+, and with good reason. From the very start of the game, there is a fair amount of swearing, and after completing the first mission, I had access to stripclubs, and other risqu scenarios. These adult situations make no sense. Rockstar are a developer and publisher that is always learning from their past games, and always finding new ways to improve. Grand Theft Auto 4 was a huge leap forward for the franchise, but a focus on a realistically-portrayed openworld meant that things such as character movement, the story and physics suffered. With Grand Theft Auto V, all the problems from GTA 4 have been removed or rectified. There is no more overuse of motion blur, there are no more boring or bland characters (or cartoon-like stereotypes like Roman) and all thats left is are able to form crews (using Rockstars Social Club website) and engage in a variety of match types, from Team Deathmatch to more unique features such as competitive heists and bank jobs. Footage from the multiplayer component showed the hugely-open world of GTA V functioning online with multiple players without skipping a beat, or suffering from lag or framerate issues. I was an avid fan of Max Payne 3s multiplayer, and if it is anything to go by, Rockstar will have huge plans and loads of fun in store for online play in Grand Theft Auto V.
Pros
Huge amount of content. Three likable anti-hero protagonists, instead of the usual one. Diverse missions and side activities make for the best GTA yet.
Summary
Grand Theft Auto V returns the series to its most popular location, but with more missions, side activities and detail than ever before. The game has a ton of content (which is also well-varied), a well-written story and brilliant game mechanics making it the perfect open-world action game to ride out the rest of this console cycle. A must-have.
Cons
Some minor texture popup (more present on Xbox 360) Some minor bugs (though they are currently being addressed)
9.5/10
WRITTEN BY NICK GETLEY (WWW.STICKYTRIGGER.COM)
review
RAYMAN LEGENDS
Originally designated as a Wii U exclusive title due out in February this year, Ubisoft appears to have had concerns over the low Wii U console sales and decided to delay Rayman Legends until late August and release on Xbox 360, PS3 and PS Vita alongside the Wii U. With the delay, this has allowed Michel Ancel and his team to add a whole bunch of extra content with more levels and kidnapped 700 Teenies (Little blue creatures, no not Smurfs, the ones from Rayman Origins). Murphy then awakens our heroes with a smack, and Rayman & his friends have a mission to rescue all the Teenies they can find. You can play single player or four play co-op with friends. To complete this adventure Rayman and co. must run, jump, climb, swing and swim to collect thousands This is pretty much a direct sequel to Origins but in my opinion its much more polished and fun with a lot more variety. Each level has a skull rating to determine difficulty from one (easy) to five (insanely hard), and trust me they do get hard towards the end with every level throwing something different at you! Collecting lums from hidden coins, enemies or turnips that you have to pull
The Visuals are absolutely gorgeous and a lot of work has gone into every animation..
and a much more polished experience. The story in Rayman Legends in very basic. Whilst our heroes have slept for a hundred years, the nightmares have invaded The Glade of Dreams of Lums (small yellow creatures) along the way to rescuing the Teenies. Each level has ten Teenies to find, some are in hidden doors that open up new areas with puzzles to solve to reach the Teenie. from the ground, each level also has a reward system for the amount of lums you collect 150 = Bronze Cup, 300 = Silver Cup, 450 = Scratch Card, 600 = Gold Cup the more you collect the more levels or bonuses you unlock like new characters,
9/10
new but they are very clever and really show off the visuals with lots of animation going on in the foreground and background during the battle. The level select screen is a map of paintings and can get a bit confusing to navigate through at times, and allows you to go to different worlds all which are very different from the last some levels are timed, some require stealth which is a nice surprise and adds a lot of variety unlike some other platformers that tend to rehash the same levels over and over. The Visuals are absolutely gorgeous and a lot of work has gone into every animation and level videos online really dont do the game justice until you see it in HD on your own screen; the art style is very reminiscent of an oil painting and thats a good thing. Match that with the amazing sound track and the incredible accurate controls (Unlike DuckTales/Castle of Illusion) which manage to immerse you into some of the best gameplay available in 2013. And with over 120 levels (Including forty updated levels from Rayman Origins) and a crazy soccer mini game make this title a must buy for any platformer enthusiast or anyone who thinks Nintendo or Way Forward are the only 2D platformer developers left. I reviewed the Xbox 360 version but I recommended to anyone with a Wii U to go get this game now, it has be designed specifically for that platform and it shows. This is not something I thought I would be saying about this game but it is the best Non-Nintendo platformer ever made everyone should go buy it! Note. If you purchase the PS Vita version it will be missing 28 levels, these will be added later as free DLC.
costumes, art work, bonus levels, scratch cards giving access to more Lums, even bonus levels from Rayman Origins, which have been updated to match Legends visual style. The difficulty increases at a steady pace, and expect to spend a few hours extra if you wish to find all the hidden rooms, lums and Teenies. One thing that deserves a mention is the musical levels that require you to control Rayman to the musical cues of actual songs like Black Betty or Eye of the Tiger! These are very well designed and show off how the difficulty can increase with some of these levels requiring ninja like reflexes to select Raymans correct ability at the right millisecond! The boss battles dont really off anything
Pros
Four player co-op (Five on Wii U) Lots of levels all with variety Amazing art/visual style Gameplay is incredible
Cons
Sometimes frustrating Rayman Origin levels only appealing to new players Some levels can be quite long
WRITTEN BY NICK PEARCE (WWW.STICKYTRIGGER.COM)
review
TOTAL WAR: ROME II

Reviewed on PC. The original Total War: Rome was released in 2004 by developer Creative Assembly and was a critically acclaimed best seller, becoming one of the most loved games of the Total War series to date. Fans of the series loved the epic scale of the battles that previously could only have been read about in the pages of history. men clashing across the field. The single player campaign has been expanded with over 150 regions and more than 100 different factions. Controlling this vast empire however has been made a little bit easier with the new province system that allows player to manage multiple regions in the same province reducing the need for micro-management. The management of units has large scale naval forces which can be used simultaneously with ground forces allowing for some spectacular coastal conquests. All of this is set out on an absolutely beautiful model of the ancient continents with small enhancements such as seeing the expansion of cities on the map in real time, adding to the grand scale of it all.
its a visual delight with an in-depth campaign that is sure to satisfy the most hardcore strategy gamer.
Huge campaigns and gigantic also been streamlined with battles was what this game was recruitment and movement now taking place in armies all about. that are raised under a general Rome II takes that scale to the instead of individually. The largest addition however is next level with an enormous the inclusion of naval battles campaign and large scale battles that see more than 5000 including sea regions and But while armies play their part, politics must also be managed. Within each playable faction you choose one of three parties for which you must amass power while plotting to take down your rivals. This can be achieved through diplomacy,
an advantage as they tend to make suicidal attacks and can sometimes even ignore your forces all together. The game also has some technical issues with sudden game crashes and in game bugs that can make for some frustrating moments. Yet despite these flaws the game still begs to be played. It could be the amazing visuals that show off some remarkable textures in the landscape and charging, and slamming ranks fantastic character details as with cavalry all too cause each unit fights for survival panic and break the lines of showing pain, anger, and fear regimented troop formations. in equal measures. Or it could Using these tactics successfully be the excellent soundtrack can make all the difference that immerses the player with meaning that you dont have grandiose orchestral tones that to fight to the last man and that create the perfect atmosphere you wont need to risk the lives for the era. Honestly though, I of your own men doing it. But think it comes down to seeing in the end the thrill of getting the huge armies crash into up close and personal to the each other on the battlefield action is where the fun really and the satisfaction watching begins. Things like being able your cities slowly expanding out to control and follow siege into a vast empire. weapons in the first person and watching your ships crash into The latest instalment of the the enemy really make you Total War series Rome II offers appreciate the detail in which some of the best turn based the battles are re-created. More strategy gaming to date. Its a often than not you will find visual delight with an in-depth yourself zooming in to witness campaign that is sure to satisfy the gory details. the most hardcore strategy gamer. The culmination of a Sadly the grandness of it all great historical setting with begins to wear away as the such a rich tactical experience number of factions begins to really makes this game a take its toll in the later game. joy to play. Unfortunately the With so many turns to complete experience is let down by an they can take up to 3 minutes incompetent AI, multiple game to cycle through and by turn 80 bugs and issues. Overall though they can take up to 5 minutes Rome II is a solid strategy game which does slow down the but its let down by technical action considerably. This also issues and minor bugs. becomes more frustrating to watch as the main problem of WRITTEN BY SAM BABU the game is the foolishness of your enemies. The AI is about as (WWW.STICKYTRIGGER.COM) far removed from the Caesars and Scipios as you can get. Creative Assembly have let themselves down with AI that frequently makes decisions that give the player far too much of
bribery, or even assassination. Each decision affects public opinion of you and as your empire grows can lead to a number of problems like ranging from small rebellions to full blown civil wars. You can also employ different types of agents including spies, dignitaries and champions and assign them different tasks to which they each can take unique approaches too. The endless machinations of the various competing parties and enemies make you feel like every small detail matters as your empire balances on the edge of knife. The battles themselves however are still the best part of the game and with the features like true line of sight, which adjusts a units view according to both their terrain and type, the tactics that you can employ are endless and with over 500 different types of units available you will never be short for choices when building your armies. Being able to fortify your armies or force them into a quick march for more action points allows for a great range of control of your forces. Even the skill trees can be built up as traditions so that your new recruits can obtain the same bonuses as the rest of your forces. Once the battle starts youll find yourself flanking enemy forces, bombarding troops with projectiles,
7.5/10
review
DIABLO III
Console RPG fans have certainly had to wait a long time between good RPGs. Since the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, there has been a trickle of RPGs released on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, ranging from terrible to mundane, but all that has changed. Diablo has returned to consoles with a port of Diablo III. The PC version of Diablo III 1 and 2 (the game is much brighter and more cartoon-like than Diablo 1 and 2). While there is no denying Diablo III (on both PC and console) has a very different look to previous games, the gameplay itself is thoroughly enjoyable. How does the game rate overall? Well, stay a while, and listen. Set twenty years after the events of Diablo 2, Diablo 3 The protagonist (a character created by the player), ventures into New Tristram to investigate the fallen star. Hordes of the undead rise from the ground, attacking the village and the soldiers protecting it. The player intervenes, and meets Leah, who asks for his help in rescuing Deckard from the crater in the cathedral. The player agrees, and thus the bloody adventure begins.
it serves as both a great RPG for experienced adventurers and also a fantastic introductory title to inexperienced Role-playing gamers.
launched back in May of 2012, and had more than its fair share of problems. There were bugs, glitches, and even complaints from fans that the game had become too easy and that the art direction had deviated too much from Diablo opens with Deckard Cain and his niece Leah reading ancient texts that foretell the end days and the events leading to it. The cathedral is hit by a falling star, which tears open the ground, swallowing Deckard into it. If youre unfamiliar with dungeon-crawling RPGs, thats perfectly fine. There hasnt been one on a home console in years (apart from the fantastic port of Torchlight). The original Diablo wasnt the original dungeon crawler, but
8/10
it certainly is one of the best. Combining a dark, bloody and mature atmosphere elevated Blizzards original RPG above the competition. Ambitiously, Blizzard even managed to port Diablo 1 to the Sony Playstation, and even added local co-op. Dungeon crawler RPGs are usually played from an isometric viewpoint, and usually from a zoomed out view. This allows game designers to hide enemies and treasures in fog or darkness, but also allows for many enemies to appear on screen at once. Diablo III seems to have hundreds of enemies on screen at times, and players must carefully decide whether to engage in combat with hordes of monsters or flee, depending on a number of things such as the number of healing potions, or their current equipment, etc. Also in dungeon crawlers, combat is in real-time, like in unlock additional skills and their stats improve. Whats great about Diablo III though, is how Blizzard have embraced the arcade-style combat of the game. There are challenges which reward buffs (temporary status improvements) and/ or bonus experience for completing them. It adds an Diablo IIIs combat and controls extra challenge to the game, and also makes levelling up are extremely simple, almost too simple. In my opinion, it has fun, and not a chore. perfectly found the delicate Visually, Diablo III is quite balance between simplistic a departure from previous arcade controls and that of a more complex RPG. Combined games. Thats not a bad thing, with Diablo IIIs graphics, which as the game certainly has its own unique look, but there are also simple, players could isnt anything that particularly be forgiven for thinking that wows me about its graphics. Diablo III is a shallow game with not much depth to it at all. That being said, we are three months away from the nextThere is, however, a very wellgeneration of consoles and written story with some highlyPC games, which means it is enjoyable gameplay. extremely hard for anything to come out and be graphically As with most RPGs, each kill superior compared to other and completed quest rewards recent games. the player with experience. Upon levelling up, players Diablo III is certainly a lot of fun (I cant stop playing it), and it serves as both a great RPG for experienced adventurers and also a fantastic introductory title to inexperienced Role-playing gamers. If youre after a great co-op game or an entertaining RPG to ride out the rest of this console cycle, Diablo III wont disappoint. action games. This added much excitement when Diablo 1 was released, as many console owners were used to RPGs having turn-based battles, a design technique of many Japanese RPGs, which were booming at the release of Diablo 1 (1996).
review
lost planet 3
Capcoms Lost Planet series of games has always managed to sell decently and score generally favourable reviews, but never really blow the minds of fans or critics. Lost Planet 3 manages to tell an interesting and even emotionally moving story, whilst refining combat and stripping away meaningless grinds and coop gameplay. I questioned some of the decisions made by The story takes place before the events of previous Lost Planet games, which is great for inexperienced Lost Planet players, but it also opens up the opportunity to give the story the polish that it deserves. Players are introduced to Jim Peyton, an extremely likable and human character, who gains employment with NEVEC (who are not quite yet the sinister antagonists they are in previous and if its not mo-cap, its damn fine animation. Every single character behaves and moves like a real person. Everyone is realistically written (with the exception of the annoying Frenchman, Laroche), and the conversations are a wellcrafted balance between a Hollywood movie, and what you would realistically expect if the conversation were to happen in real life, particularly the video
The facial motion capture is the best Ive seen in any Capcom published game, and if its not mo-cap, its damn fine animation. Every single character behaves and moves like a real person.
Spark Unlimited and Capcom when I read press releases, but thankfully the main campaign is better written and also plays better than every other entry in the Lost Planet franchise. Lost Planet games) and is sent to the planet E.D.N. III to help further NEVECs interests there. The facial motion capture is the best Ive seen in any Capcom published game, message scenes between Jim and his wife, Grace (who is back on Earth). Lost Planet 3 begins as a typical action game. There is shooting, agile enemies, cover-
based mechanics, and a nave (at first) hero who is baptised by fire, or in this case, thermal energy. There is even the overused technique of the clever introduction sequence, which is a typically unrelenting assault on the protagonist, after which the camera stays in place, and the character fades into the distance only to reveal the games title. The opening mission and the intro afterward made me expect a rather boring, by-the-numbers game. I was pleasantly surprised. Of course, there is only so much innovation that can be put into a third-person action game this end of the current console generation, and while Lost Planet 3 is certainly accessible, it doesnt offer any new gameplay or overly-exciting thrills at all. Gone are the bipedal mechs from previous Lost Planets, and in their place are giant mechs, called rigs. I knew the second I saw one that I would probably be getting one as well, and that the game would try to make a big song and dance about it, which it did. Even if getting your own mech does sound exciting
let me explain: these rigs do nothing exciting, ever. If you are a keen sailor in your spare time and enjoy tying down rigging, then maybe you will find the robot repair segments exciting. For me, having a giant and therefore slow mech slow down to a snails pace in a blizzard After reading other reviews of Lost Planet 3, I feel like Im the only person who actually understands the game. Pardon me if that sounds arrogant, but to review Lost Planet 3 based purely on gameplay (which is still pretty solid) is to do the game a disservice. There really is a good story present here, and its delivered extremely well (for the most part). Between missions, a video message is played from Jim to Grace or from Grace to Jim. The player gets to see both sides of Jim and Graces relationship, and a lot of the conversations are what you would expect. I actually smiled at the characters sending messages to each other. These messages (and other things, such as a photo of Grace in your Rigs cockpit) are a constant reminder of why a man would come to such a desolate and
dangerous planet. What really works in LP3 is just how ordinary and unspectacular Jim Peyton really is. Hes just a man, doing his best in a decently paying job where death is a constant threat. Despite a decent main story, and a touching romantic sub-story, the gameplay in Lost Planet 3 is quite dated. That isnt to say its bad, its just unimpressive. Gameplay missions usually take place on foot or in your rig, the former feeling a little too Gears of War and the latter failing to pique my interest. Quite often, there is a repair or mining mission in which you pilot Jim Peytons rig. When interacting with broken machinery or drilling through the frozen wastes, different actions are required to simulate the experience of controlling the mech. These are however, too simple or just too awkward to enjoy. The earliest rig mission involves fixing
lost planet 3
review
7/10
rigging which supports NEVECs home base, but it is so simple and over so quickly, it really does break any immersion the player may have experienced. Why couldnt anyone else do it? I was already rescuing people and fighting giant crab monsters, but apparently nobody else could be bothered piloting their rig the meagre 30 metres distance to the rigging. No, Jim Peyton must do that, despite being a few kilometres away and single-handedly exterminating a nest of alien beasts. Lost Planet 2s co-operative gameplay has been axed in favour of competitive multiplayer in Lost Planet 3, which leaves me confused. In a game where humans are constantly fighting to survive in a sub-zero temperature, why bother making uniform characters compete against each other online. There arent even matches that make use of the story in the single player campaign. Surely instead of Team Deathmatch, we could have teams fight over control of thermal energy hotspots. To summarise, the multiplayer is garbage, and not worth your time. If you consider yourself a fan of a good story, check out Lost Planet 3 before you write it off for its tired gameplay. Ultimately, with dated and unexciting gameplay, Lost Planet 3 feels like something you have done hundreds of times before in other games, with a few odd and occasionally awkward mech mission thrown in to break up the monotony. Thankfully, the story is told well and quite enjoyable.
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Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag Battlefield 4 Beyond Good & Evil 2 Call of Duty: Ghosts Carmageddon: Reincarnation Contrast The Crew Crusade Daylight Deep Down Destiny Diablo III Dragon Age: Inquisition DriveClub Doki-Doki Universe Dont Starve Dying Light EA Sports UFC The Elder Scrolls Online The Evil Within FIFA 14 Final Fantasy Project Final Fantasy XV Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn Galak-Z Human Element Infamous: Second Son Just Dance 2014 Killzone: Shadow Fall Kingdom Hearts III Knack LEGO Marvel Super Heroes Mad Max Madden NFL 25 Mercenary Kings Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Mirrors Edge 2 NBA 2K14 NBA Live 14 Need for Speed Rivals Octodad: Dadliest Catch Oddworld: New n Tasty
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The Order: 1886 Outlast Secret Ponchos Shadow Warrior Skylanders Swap Force EA Sports UFC Sniper Elite V3 Star Wars Battlefront Thief Tom Clancys The Division Transistor Trials Fusion Watch Dogs Warframe War Thunder The Witness Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Whore of the Orient The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Wolfenstein: The New Order
Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag Battlefield 4 Below Call of Duty: Ghosts The Crew Crimson Dragon D4 Dead Rising 3 Destiny Dragon Age: Inquisition Dying Light EA Sports UFC The Elder Scrolls Online The Evil Within Fable Legends Fantasia: Music Evolved FIFA 14 Fighter Within Final Fantasy XV Forza Motorsport 5 Halo Xbox One
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concept of giving gamers a bigger range of product choice and extends it to include product experiences. Mark Langford, Gametraders Managing Director and founder recently said in an interview I would describe Gametraders Live as an entertainment destination unlike anything in Australia. Gametraders Live Penrith showcased that philosophy some quality card time. Most Gametraders stores now offer tournaments, events and activities and the Live store franchise is built around having the space in-store to hold more activities. On just about any week you will find Gametraders stores holding trading card tournaments and the aim is to grow those event offerings in all stores. Penrith store will focus on On Saturday September 21st, the very first Gametraders Live store opened in Penrith. Its a new concept in game stores, one that offers fun and activities for a larger audience. Traditionally game stores have been about video games and consoles. Gametraders changed that around five years ago with the addition of new products such as trading cards, collectables including
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figurines, anime movies, manga books and clothing lines. These pop culture related product lines quickly grew in popularity and with no console releases at that time those secondary lines quickly grew into some of the stores most popular selling items. The new Live store takes the on their opening day with a number of events including a Dr Who dress up competition, a cosplay competition, Warhammer painting displays and tons more. Customers were able to try out new cosplay costumes in changerooms and card players could sit at the tournament tables with a hot coffee or cold drink and enjoy events and will be promoting them via their new FB page. So if youre into cosplay, anime or trading cards or perhaps Warhammer, check in regularly with your stores Facebook page and keep up to date with whats on and whats hot.
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E F I L R U O Y N I Y A D A
TODAY
This might be you. You wake up at 6. Another day another dollar as they say. Youre tired. Youve been working for years making another person richer. Everyday is the same. Get up, go to work. Lunch if youre lucky, then feel guilty when boss-man sees you taking your five... Then back at it. Suppose to leave at 5 but too much to do. Boss-man wants results, wants reports, wants their pound of flesh. Tired, tired, tired. Is this it? Is this what I studied for all those years. What about time for me? Enough.
TOMORROW
This could be you. You wake up. Another day another great day. Im my boss. I make the call. I decide. You jump out of bed. You grab breakfast and youre thinking about that new game coming in today and all those customers who pre ordered to collect. You think about how much people rely on you cause they love games. Those new DVDs came in from the supplier too. Plus those very cool new figurines. Its gonna be a good day. Your staff turn up, theyre happy to have a job, a boss that is fun. Its gonna be a good day. Yeah you work hard. But its all yours. Yeah youre busy. But you keep the money. Youve got games, movies, collectables and consoles surrounding you. Microsoft and Sony about to launch new hardware. Its going to be a golden time again. Excitement, powerful new consoles. All new games - life is good. Go play. Ready to take control of your life? Find out about owning your own Gametraders franchise and changing your today into an exciting tomorrow. Contact Managing Director and founder, Mark Langford on marklangford@gametraders.com.au or call (08) 8338 2557
Terms and CondiTions: CondiTions apply, see sTaff for full Terms & CondiTions. 1. The promoTion will be open from 06:00am ausTralian CenTral sTandard Time (aCsT) 30 sepTember 2013 unTil 12:00pmaCsT on 4 november 2013 (promoTion period). enTry in The promoTion is only open To sa residenTs aged 18 years and over; and aged under 18 years, who have obTained Their parenT or guardians ConsenT To enTer The promoTion. pre order Call of duTy ghosTs or buy a moTher aT evenT/greaTer union Cinema To reCeive a promoTion enTry form, CompleTe The enTry form (providing all deTails required) and plaCe iT in The enTry box provided aT The parTiCipaTing ouTleT. parTiCipaTing ouTleT is The greaTer union Cinemas arndale, evenT Cinema marion, gameTraders marion and eb games arndale (parTiCipaTing ouTleT). manual random prize draws will be ConduCTed aT The Cinema evenTs on The 4Th november from 9pm-12am from all eligible enTries reCeived during The promoTion (draw). winners will be drawn from The ToTal pool of enTries. The winners will reCeive The opporTuniTy To play Call of duTy in The nominaTed Cinema ThroughouT The nighT for a limiTed Time. seaTs are limiTed and CoCa-Cola amaTil CannoT guaranTee seaTs in The Cinema if aT CapaCiTy, The winners will be given prioriTy. promoTer is CoCa-Cola amaTil (ausT) pTy lTd (abn 68 076 594 119) of 40 mounT sTreeT, norTh sydney, new souTh wales 2060.
Max Usage 500Ml Daily: not recoMMenDeD for chilDren, pregnant or lactating woMen anD inDiviDUals sensitive to caffeine
AION 4.O DARK
$25 NCSoft AION Cards available in store from Oct 2013!
K BETRAYAL!
AION 4.0: Dark Betrayal is the most recent chapter in the ongoing struggle for the world of Atreia.The Elyos and Asmodians, sworn enemy races, battle for control of their world. However, there are other obstacles that stand in their way, including the belligerent Balaur, an intelligent and warlike race who, now free from their dimensional prison, are out to conquer the world. After the defeat of the Dragon Lord Tiamat, both sides celebrated a hard-won victory. But a new evil has risen to take Tiamats place, and this shadowy figure has been consolidating his power for a very long time. Atreia is still in danger, and Daevas must once again take up arms to defend their home. With this newest free expansion, players see the level cap raised to 65.The word Daeva is capitalized everywhere else and should be here as well for uniformity. And of course, Daevas need a place to spread their wings and soar while they work their way to the new level cap. Players will adventure through the lands of Katalam and Danaria, two new zones filled with ancient mysteries left behind by their former residents. But players should be cautious, as members of the enemy faction will also be questing nearby. Fans of instances will be thrilled to discover that eleven new instances have been added for players to explore and loot. New armor, new weaponsits all waiting for you to claim. Just defeat the denizens of these ancient areas and reap the rewards. And, for the first time in its four-year history, AION has added not one, but two new classes! Players can
Enter a World of Beauty and Danger
create a powerful Gunslinger or a graceful Songweaver. For mobility and sheer explosive power, the Gunslinger is hard to beat. However, the Songweaver is a versatile and powerful class, able to heal, damage, and crowd control all with the power of music.Those who underestimate this diverse and powerful class do so at their peril. The battle for Atreia continues unabated. And with new enemies appearing, Daevas will need as many allies as they can find. Heed the call and join the battle.You may just save the world.
2009 2013 NC Interactive, LLC. All rights reserved. Aion, Dark Betrayal, NCSOFT, the Interlocking NC Logo, and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCSOFT Corporation.
LINEAGE II
With the most recent chapter in the Lineage II saga, Lindvior, Lord of the Western Winds, unleashes his wrath against Aden. Sent by Shilen, the Goddess of Destruction, his assault chills the very air on which he flies. Players brave enough to challenge him can expect an incredible fightafter all, it isnt every day that one fights an epic dragon that is the hand-picked champion of a goddess. But the rewards will be worth the peril. Lineage II continues its 9-year legacy of cutting-edge PVP with the introduction of the Dimensional Siege, a contest that allows players to fight with their clans to capture Castles on the dimensional server and secure great rewardsand bragging rightsfor all to see. Lineage II continues to be one of the most complex and PVP-focused MMOs available today. And with NCSOFTs Truly Free model, 99 levels of fun and fighting await. Choose from one of over 32 possible classes and begin the journey of a lifetime.
2004 - 2013 NC Interactive, LLC. All rights reserved. NCSOFT, the Interlocking NC Logo, PlayNC, Lineage, Lineage II, Goddess of Destruction, Lindvior, Truly Free, L2 Store, L2 Galleria, NCoin, Path to Awakening, and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCSOFT Corporation.
Nine Years of Epic PVP Battles and Still Going Strong!
$25 NCSoft LINEAGE ii Cards available in store from Oct 2013!
$22 .95
With Season 4 about to come out - see where it all started with Volume One!
comics & graphic novels
THE WALKING DEAD

The Walking Dead is a monthly black-and-white comic book series created by Robert Kirkman that follows a group of survivors through a world overrun by The Walking Dead as they struggle to survive an even deadlier threat: Living humans so terrified about their own survival that they are willing to sacrifice everything else. translated into more than 30 languages, and is available in over 50 countries worldwide. IGN called it one of the best monthly comics available and Complex hails it as one of the best comic series of all time. Its also become the highestrated drama on basic cable of all time. season two premiere and was instantly renewed for a third season. As the first TV drama to be launched around the world simultaneously, its in 120 countries, translated into 33 languages and is in 250 million households. The Walking Dead also dominated the New York Times bestseller lists for graphic novels and was the top seller for 2011. The AMC television series, with Winner of the 2010 Eisner Award Kirkman serving as a writer and executive producer, for Best Continuing Series, the had 11 million viewers for the Skybound comic has been
Artwork above is a sneak peak of the coming volume 19 March to War
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anime
is back for 2013!

Were super excited that once again, Madman Entertainment are set to host REEL ANIME coming to a cinema near you! EVANGELION: 3.0 YOU CAN (NOT) REDO will lead a stellar line up of some of the best new animated feature films direct from Japan: 009 RE: CYBORG A LETTER TO MOMO GHOST IN THE SHELL: ARISE THE GARDEN OF WORDS prestigious Animation of the Year For more details about REEL ANIME 2013 Japan Academy Prize award), 2013 please visit: www.reelanime.com Makoto Shinkais CHILDREN WHO CHASE LOST VOICES and the first film in the new Berserk Golden Age Arc trilogy, BERSERK MOVIE 1: THE EGG OF THE KING. The 2013 festival sets some new precedents with so many acclaimed and fan demanded films on offer, not only does REEL ANIME screen annually for the first time across both Australia and New Zealand, but there will be REEL ANIME SPECIALS one day screenings outside the main festival. Traditionally a bi-annual event, 2013 will mark the first time REEL ANIME screens as a yearly program.
REEL ANIME
REEL ANIME 2013 will screen in Previous REEL ANIME events have selected cinema locations across included Studio Ghiblis FROM UP ON Australia and New Zealand. POPPY HILL, Mamoru Hosodas WOLF CHILDREN (winner of the
anime
REVOLUTIONARY
GIRL UTENA
Directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara, of Sailor Moon fame, be sure to have your eyes peeled for a fantastic transformation sequence and a balance of comedy intermixed with the drama.The animation of the series is also a delight to watch to this day and the soundtrack is a must listen that truly heightens the viewing experience. In the end, Revolutionary Girl Utena is a show that truly revolutionized all shoujo anime to come after it and so it is a series not to be missed for any serious anime fan.
Smash the worlds shell for the revolution of the world!

Released in 1997, Revolutionary Girl Utena was a landmark for of its time and even to this day it still is.The story focuses on teenage girl Utena whose chivalrous spirit will put her at odds against the schools student council members as she seeks to defend the Rose Bride from their clutches. The series breaks many of the expectations one has for a shoujo series most of which is a lackluster female protagonist. Instead of being passive, Utena is a lively and assertive character that you cant help but give your support behind.
anime
LUPIN THE THIRD A WOMAN CALLED FUJIKO MINE

One of the most recognizable characters from Japan, Lupin the Third, is a series that has seen many adaptations from book to manga to anime. Dubbed as the worlds greatest thief, Lupin makes an effort to ensure each heist is as extravagant as the next. So in celebration of its 40th year TMS created a series that celebrated not its main stay character but delved instead into the history of one of their little explored side characters - Fujiko Mine. Unlike other Lupin series, Lupin the Third ~ A Woman Called Fujiko Mine is definitely not aimed at children. Sex, nudity and dark themes are abound in this latest adaptation as Fujiko is not hesitant to use her feminine charms to get her way.This latest adaption focuses on how Fujiko interacts with the classic cast of characters from this franchise ranging from Lupin himself to the quick shot Jigen and the samurai Goemon. Interwoven within this character drama is an overarching narrative that is as gritty and dark as the animation for the series. Overall Lupin the Third ~ A Woman Called Fujiko Mine is a necessity for all Lupin fans but also for all those who are interested in something a little darker, a little more riskier than the standard anime fare.
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retro round up
HISTORY OF NINTENDO
When you think of Nintendo, what things spring to mind? Im sure the more popular thoughts would be things like the WiiU, 3DS, Zelda, Mario, Streetpass, Pokmon and Smash Bros. right? Well, fellow gamers let me give you a history of Nintendo before the NES and Famicom consoles that have taken home gaming to a level seen as a norm today. They didnt always specialize in as a playing card company who primarily marketed and sold a traditional Japanese card game called Hanafuda (or Koi Koi like in the epic feature-length anime Summer Wars). Nintendo still produce and sell playing cards today. The company continued to focus primarily on playing cards until 1956 when the company decided to try other ventures slowly towards a more family entertainment venture in 1966 when the Ultra Hand toy was made by Gunpei Yokoi who continued on to make the Game & Watch consoles from 1980, the Game Boy in 1989 and the short-lived Virtual Boy in 1995 before he moved on from Nintendo in 1996. Gunpei also did work on the Bandai WonderSwan portable console before he passed away.
..I hope you think about Nintendos roots and beginnings, because with such an awesome history, we dont know how long this exuberant company will be around for.
home games consoles either. The company Nintendo (or as roughly translated from Japanese as luck from heaven) was founded in 1889 out like taxi cabs, food like instant rice and noodles, even a TV network just to name a few ventures. Nintendo started to head In 1973 Nintendo continued with electronic entertainment by moving on to Laser Clay Shooting games with the most famous one called Duck Hunt. The 1976 release of the game is
the first increment of the game came from, and you dont have a laughing dog mocking your misses either! The company also secured rights for the distribution of the Magnavox Odyssey in Japan in 1974. The Odyssey is the first consumerbased video game console which came out in 1972. Nintendo didnt want to fall behind with technology so in 1975 they jumped in to the video arcade market with the first arcade game from the company being EVR Race and many more to list, but notable classics come to mind like Donkey Kong in 1981 and its sequels, Popeye in 1982, Mario Bros. in 1983 and Punch-Out and Super Punch-Out in 1984. Which brings us right to the Famicom in 1983 which is
the Japanese counterpart of the NES which came out in Australia in 1987 and well, that is a different part of history. So next time you don your trinket with the Hyrule insignia, rave on about how retro Mario is or when you have bouts of Smash Bros. or Mario Kart with mates? I hope you think about Nintendos roots and beginnings, because with such an awesome history, we dont know how long this exuberant company will be around for. This is Dave Kudrev from Retrospekt.com.au, signing off!
WRITTEN BY DAVID KUDREV founder - retrospekt (www.retrospekt.com.au)
retro round up
CLASSIC HORROR GAMES!

As video games have evolved over the years developers have been working overtime to make their imaginary worlds as realistic as technology will allow. From flowing water to clear blue skies, video games can immerse you in a fantasy world of magic, mayhem and horror! Yes horror!! Its a little known fact that for years now video game developers have been trying to scare us! From dodgy movie licenses to original ideas Many a classic horror film franchise has been turned into a game, though these tend to be hit or miss affairs. Halloween on the Atari 2600 was a strange title where you were required to fend off the advances of the deranged Michael Myers and protect the children. Your character was a babysitter who people assumed was Laurie, the main character from the film. The game was silent until Myers appeared on the Crystal Lake has been killed and resurrected possibly more times than any other movie villain. While Jason may be a famous and successful killer, the games he has featured in have been anything but. In 1985 Domark released a horrible Friday the 13th adaptation for Amstrad, Commodore and Spectrum which met with negative reviews from critics and fans alike. Four years later LJN
With a moody soundtrack, creepy sound effects, plenty of blood and gore, and an atmospheric feel, many 90s gamers would yell out in shock as a monster came out of nowhere and started attacking.
that make you jump in your seat, game makers are out to get you! With that in mind, keep a change of pants nearby as we delve into the dark depths of scary video games! screen, where he would be accompanied by a rendition of John Carpenters haunting theme song from the movie. Jason Voorhees, the killer from released a Friday the 13th video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System which was met with an equally poor response from gamers and the press.
Most Mortal Kombat fans would be familiar with Freddy Kruegers appearance in the latest game of the series. Freddys video gaming presence extends back much further than that however, as the NES played host to a game based on the third movie of the franchise; The Dream Warriors. This beat-em-up platform game had players recovering the remains of Freddy so they could burn them in the furnace to end his reign of terror once and for all! Or at least, until the next sequel came out. Unlike most other horror movie cash in games, this one was reasonably playable and is worth tracking down if youre a fan. Poor little maniacal Chuckie never received his own video game, though a Childs Play Kickstarter was setup not that long ago. Sadly the developers were unsuccessful and the game was never made. Most of those licensed games were as scary as the movies they were based on, though for all the wrong reasons. The problem with licensed games is the cost of the license itself which eats into the budget of the game. Copyright holders usually want a lot of money for the rights to base a game on their movie which leaves less money for development, so its little wonder that these pieces of software often turn out so bad. Thankfully developers have used their imaginations to develop some original ideas, most of which have turned out to be rather brilliant. Doom, developed by id Software, was the first game that made many people jump out of their chairs. With a moody soundtrack, creepy sound effects, plenty of blood and gore, and an atmospheric feel, many 90s gamers would yell out in shock as a monster came out of nowhere and started attacking. While the engine was improved upon and games such as Hexen and Quake are considered to be technically superior, nothing beats the original Doom for sheer atmosphere and playability. Shinji Mikami created the survival horror series Bioshock, known as Resident Evil outside Japan. While Mikami has been rather open about his dislike of renaming Bioshock to Resident Evil in the West, he has created a series that has sold over 50 million units worldwide. In the original game Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine investigate a mansion full of zombies and other creatures. Though the character roster has expanded and the series now includes over nine games, players can still get a fright when they play through any of these classic titles. There have been many video games released within the horror genre, both licensed from movies and original ideas. From Alone in the Dark to Silent Hill, game developers have been working for years to get a good scare out of gamers and will continue to do so in the future. For now, keep gaming and Happy Halloween!
WRITTEN BY paul monopoli RETRO WRITER
retro round up
SECOND HAND TIPS

So youre out and about and come across a garage sale. You see a treasure trove of gaming goodies, disks, cartridges and maybe a console too! Youre about to plonk down your hard earned cash but buyer beware. Theres a few things to look out for so you dont end up with a dud console or disks or cartridges that wont load. We paid a visit to our resident expert collector of all things retro whom well call Super Simons) top tips for buying and you want to sell eventually or selling game gear. trade - a booklet is a must.
Buying.
If youre buying PC games be especially careful. Some games First up ensure the disc or have once only registrations disk doesnt look too badly online and then you may not scratched. Most second be able to play them. Also hand games may have light older games from Windows 3.1 scratches but deeper scratches or Windows 95 days may not may need a resurfacing at work at all on newer systems. your local store. Also if ifs badly Do a search online if you really scratched it may not be usable want a game but are not sure no matter what we can do. if it will play. Also does it come
ThERES A FEW THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR SO YOU DONT END UP WITH A DUD CONSOLE OR DISKS OR CARTRIGES THAT WONT LOAD.
Simon. His super powers are limited to collecting games and consoles and running our game dispatch department. Not sure if Kryptonite hurts him but we did see him wearing some socks with a cape on them! Anyway heres SS (Super Secondly check the plastic case - if its cracked you might want to buy a replacement if thats important to you. Also does it come with manuals or instructions? Again it may not be important to you but should with the original box - if youre a collector you want a box! Check for manuals and ensure they all look in good condition. Find an old console you want? Maybe an old Dreamcast or NES? Firstly see if you can have
it working. Plug it in, ensure all cables are there particularly AV cables. On new TVs youll need an adapter to plug the old style arial plug into a TV - Gametraders does sell adapters for some systems. Is the console clean? Does it have scratches? Some wear and tear is expected but drink stains like coffee or cola on the console or controller is a red flag. Also make sure the controller buttons and sticks work and are not sloppy and broken. Does it need any memory cards or units? With cartridge systems too much dust can mean problems so always check them and see if you can plug it in and see it running.
the collector
His top tips for buying and selling 2nd hand.
SUPER SIMON
Top tips for selling.

If youre selling heres some tips: Ensure the system and software is clean. Wipe plastic down with Mr Sheen or similar.
Boxes add value - so if youre looking to one day sell, keep your box. Some rare games or those that people really want include: Conkers Bad Fur Day on Nintendo 64. Mario Party games are still popular as are Final Fantasy on Nintendo. For Playstation look for early Resident Evil games along with Spiro the Dragon and any RPG games by Square Soft On Xbox (original) check out Fable and GTA San Andreas. Halo too is a great game to have in your collection as is Elder Scrolls Morrowind.
If you want to sell or trade to a Gametraders store, you must take them in. Its difficult to give a price over the phone until the condition of an item is seen. And if you want the maximum trade, ensure you follow our guide with regard to clean items, all cables and manuals. Got questions on old games? Ask your local store for help or write to us via our Facebook page
interview
Photographer: George Wong www.georgeckwong.com
COSPLAYER: JACK ACTION

Cosplayers often dress in the costumes of their heroes. Batmans, Superman, Spiderman to name a few. They do this for a number of reasons, the challenge of getting the look just right. The passion they may have for that particular character or a combination of both. One thing we see regularly when we interview cosplayers is the dedication to their craft, in this interview we Tell us how you got into cosplay and when.. I got into cosplay in 2006 after having played MGS3 repeatedly. I really liked Naked Snake and wanted to do his outfit. My first convention was Sydney Supanova. My first attempt of Naked Snake was rather terrible with not a lot of research done. Now 7 years later I focus a lot of research What do you love about cosplay? The ability to perform openly to friends and other people. Since I was 10 I did theatre on and off and cosplay is an extension of this. Grand costumes. Melodramatic characters. Interesting voices. All able to be learned by us as cosplayers to then transition into the convention community.
People love it when they find out Dad and I are cosplaying a Father and Son team with the roles reversed. He gets a lot of attention directed his way due to him being a Dad that does this with his son.
talk to an amazing cosplayer who is totally dedicated to getting it just right but is a hero in his own right as he battles CF or Cystic Fibrosis. with gears and learning the characteristics and sometimes voices of the characters I portray. Ive entered some costume competitions over the years and a lot of the time I just go up on stage in-character and improvise (this year as either
click the photographers names to see more of their works!
scenes when speaking of Big Boss). Voice acting side, I love David Hayters performance of this Snake. Each MGS game he does a different voice and portraying any of the Snakes he is cast as is always a fun challenge to get right when I do it on stage and just around a convention in general. The Photographer: Ecky voice Big Boss is associated with is different in mannerisms Big Boss wearing my Olive Drab and tone to Solid Snake and I find it easier to do and the one Survival Suit from MGS Peace I practice the most. Walker. My brother Alex, who is just starting to look into other Youre getting some treatment things, normally borrows my at the moment for CF - can MGS4 Johnny Sasaki outfit. you tell us if that affects your cosplay and how you get People love it when they find out Dad and I are cosplaying a through those times when you are not well? Father and Son team with the roles reversed. He gets a lot of attention directed his way due to him being a Dad that does this with his son. We both also LOVED appearing on ABCs Good Game as Solid Snake and Big Boss back in June for their characters brought life in cosplay segment in the week leading up to Supanova. What character is your favourite and why? Ive been hospitalised before this year as well due to Cepacia (something that can quickly and very easily kill a person with CF but anyone without CF is 100% immune) and I missed out on going to Oz Comic Con at Adelaide in March and thus missed meeting one of my favourite voice actors, Paul Eiding, again.
Photographer: Noel Gosiengfiao
Big Boss or Solid Snake). I won Best Cosplay Advanced at Melbourne Supanova for my in character stage improvisation of Big Boss from Peace Walker and then Best Skit Advanced for a rehearsed performance as Solid Snake from MGS1 with a friend who did Psycho Mantis and Colonel Campbells voice actor Paul Eiding who generously donated his voice for our custom scripts codec calls. Lastly, for me it is a family thing. My Dad gears up as MGS4 Solid Old Snake and sometimes as an old looking
As I was born with Cystic Fibrosis, I know no different so Easily Big Boss. He is a man who was made into a hero (not when problems occur I just deal with and tough it out as his choice) and then turned best I can. But missing out on into an icon to be feared the convention was saddening. and respected by Americas enemies and allies in the game My spirits were lifted when Paul Eiding gave me a call and series. All this falls apart as he wished me better after a close ages and with MGS5 coming friend who went passed on my out over the next 2 years we number to him!!! will see him fall and possibly transition into the villain that Getting through it now I think is wants to bring total ongoing war to the world (what MGS1, 2 a little easier. My dad is looking and 4 mention a lot in their cut after my toy gun business,
interview cosplayer: jack action
Photographer: MtKnot
Photographer: Diego Ramirez
Armoured Heaven, and I have EB Expo to look forward to where Ill be at Ubisofts section as Kestrel from Splinter Cell Conviction/Blacklist as their official character alongside Sydneys Mad Maven who will be my co-op buddy Archer!!! I currently have a PICC line in my left arm which runs up through my vein into the top of my heart and through to the right side of my body. This delivers antibiotics to boost my lung function capacity similar to a cannula but doesnt need to be replaced every 3 days. Tell us a bit about CF and if readers want to know more where should they go? CF, or Cystic Fibrosis, is a Chronic Illness that one is born with. It affects your lungs and digestive system primarily. Tablets are required to be taken to digest food since my digestive system doesnt work. Im pretty lucky with 27 years of living with it I have had minimal
hospital visits when compared to other CF patients. It has killed a lot of people with CF I knew growing up. Those people did have Cepacia (like myself) which is basically a severe lung infection that is near impossible to defeat. Even a lung transplant may not cure someone with CF from Cepacia as it has the capability of jumping organs and affecting your new lungs again. It can also grow in antibiotics designed to kill it. Best place for all info regarding this disease is the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or even the Starlight Foundation! They grant wishes to all kinds of sick kids and when I was 12 they flew my family and I off to Legoland Denmark for an epic holiday!!! Youre going to some future events - who as and how long does it take you to prepare? Im really looking forward to October and November. First up is EB Expo. Ill be Kestrel at
the Ubisoft section on Friday and Sunday and just doing my own thing as Big Boss on the Saturday wearing my Stealth Suit (commissioned by Lary at SuperHero Concepts in Melbourne) Later that month I have Armageddon where Ill be at my stall Armoured Heaven selling toy guns (yeah Im a Drebin) and again will be filling the boots as Big Boss in my stealth suit and also my Tuxedo, which I wore at Supanova on preview night at Sydney this year, on the Sunday. November is Brisbane Supanova! Again at my stall Armoured Heaven with a HUGE Quad Booth! Same size as what I had running at the Sydney event. Costume so far will be a surprise but its MGS related with some much needed Christmas cheer! Sunday Ill be cosplaying as someone other than Naked Snake from the MGS series and cosplaying as Snake Plissken from Escape From New York ;)
cosplayer: jack action
interview
Photographer: Armoured Heaven
Finally, who are your favourite cosplayers you follow and look up to? I follow Jenn Croft and her epic Lara adventures. My business supports her with some toy gun donations and they have featured in a few of her images that have been published professionally by cosplay articles around the world (I enjoy the soft advertising). I follow Riot Arms Prop Fabrication and Photography as well. He and I help each other out cosplay prop wise. He assisted with the creation of Jenns toy gun modification I donated and he does a great deal of commissions with top of the line work. And I follow Lithium Cosplay. Close friend for a number of years who has knocked out a mean and badass Maya from Borderlands 2. And finally my little brother. He borrows my MGS4 Johnny Sasaki cosplay but I look up to him because hes taller than me.
Photographer: Trung Do
click here to check out JACK ACTIONS facebook page!
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interview
Photographer: Rob Jenkins
COSPLAYER: r4h scal

This month Live Magazine met up with a couple of passionate and dedicated cosplayers in Sydney during the opening of our new Penrith Live store. We spoke to a couple of amazing people with a passion for character costumes. First up, we speak to Sarah Callan aka R4Hscal, an immensely creative cosplayer based in Sydney. and as a teen I would take any excuse to dress up! It wasnt until I was studying for my HSC that I found out about the crazy world of cosplay. A friend went down to Supanova in Sydney, and came back with photos of the convention. The one shot that got me hooked was two stormtroopers. I grew up on Star Wars, and was gob smacked them I usually find myself in kit every month, sometimes every week! Why those characters? The lure of hundreds of excuses to get into costume with the 501st keeps me coming back. Being able to put on a helmet, and becoming something else entirely is just
..but through costuming I have been thrown way out of my comfort zone many times. Ive learnt to use resin, make armour from foam, pepakura paper craft, and even make realistic weapons.
Hi Sarah, tell us a bit about yourself - when did you get into costumes and how? My name is Sarah, but most call me Rah. I was born and raised in Newcastle, but have lived in Sydney the last five years. As a kid, I was always wanting fancy dress parties for my birthday, that someone could actually BE a stormtrooper. And what characters do you cosplay as the most? My most commonly worn is my Stormtrooper. Im a member of the 501st Legion (a Star Wars costuming group), and through so awesome. Under a few kilos of white plastic you become nothing but a stormtrooper. No gender, no looks, and no face for people to connect to. Get a squad of stormtroopers together, and suddenly youre just a somewhat intimidating trooper.
Photographer: Ecky
What draws you to a character? Im a bit alternative, and have been a tomboy most of my life, so that does influence my choice in characters. I love any character thats rough and tough, and maybe has a few anger issues, haha. Lets just say my Morality in Mass Effect swings pretty far to the Renegade side. Characters matter to me just as much as, if not more than, their outfits. Mamas costume is very simple, but shes such an unhinged
character. I value strength and badassery over femininity or sex appeal, and love me some armour.
Tafe, and only got accepted because of my portfolio of costumes that now make me cringe! Fabric is my friend, most of the time, but through costuming I have been thrown way out of my comfort zone many times. Ive learnt to use resin, make armour from foam, pepakura paper craft, and even make realistic weapons. I have a pretty standard system for new costumes: Research, research, research, start, panic, research, finish. I spend probably an obsessive amount of time researching the details of a costume. If its a game character, I have a quick look at promotional images, and then largely ignore them and go in-game to record every miniscule detail. I discovered very quickly with Lilith (from Borderlands) that the promotional shots varied an awful lot from the in-game character, and since then Ive always gone for the actual character I play. Once Ive got more details than is good for my health, I set about figuring out how to make it all, what parts come together and how it all goes on. Third stage of research is reading up on any new techniques I need to accomplish everything. I hate going in blind, so Google comes in super handy. After making the costume, my final and favourite step is weathering.
You make your own costumes And how long does a so tell us how difficult is it to particular costume take to create a costume - tell us a bit make? about the process. It can vary hugely. Part of it Ive been sewing for years. is how often I can sit down, I probably really got into it or how much time I can when I was ten, and made my dedicate to it. I have a bad own stuff on and off through habit of starting a costume, highschool. After I recklessly and then putting it aside for blazed through my HSC I went a few months while I work on and studied Fashion Design at something else. I avoid getting
interview cosplayer: R4Hscal
Photographer: Ecky
cosplayer: R4Hscal
interview
forward to PAX, it sounds like an amazing con, as well as my usual haunt of Sydneys Supanova, and Melbournes Armageddon. Add on- It can be really intimidating to first start out in cosplay, when you see some of the costumes that people create. I was lucky, and had a good foundation of sewing knowledge, but Ive learnt so much along the way. One of the great things about cosplaying is pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, and increasing or creating skill sets to produce a costume you can be proud of. Its so easy to get started now that there are so many ready-made costumes available online. I think its a great place to begin, and then move upwards from there! Find someone to teach you how to sew, or go to Professor Google and lay your needs at his mighty feet. Ive learnt more from tutorials through Google and Youtube than from people around me, so dont be scared if you dont know many people to help you out! And the greatest thing I can suggest is, never be afraid to talk to a cosplayer and ask them how they made something. Most of us are more than happy to share our knowledge, and I want to help others grow their own passion! In the words of Dr Seuss, You dont know what you can do, until you try.
Photographer: Ecky
Photographer: Ecky
fed up with a costume by working on more than one at a time, so I might work on four costumes over the course of six or so months, but if Id done them solidly in blocks they might have taken less than a month. I started on my costume for Sydney Supanova in June 2014, back at the start of this year. I spent four months researching and planning before I physically started anything, and still have a very long way to go. What about weathering a costume? To me, the devil is in the details. Accuracy and detailing is very important, but weathering is the thing that takes a costume from fancy dress to a believable costume. If youre living in a post-apocalyptic world, there is no such thing as clean. That goes for both clothes and skin. Anime holds a slight exception to the rule, but if youre bringing
a character off the screen and into the real world you have to consider what their environment in the real world would be. Even if its as simple as wearing in the garments, getting rid of the just-made starched look, wearing in the knees, elbows, and pockets. Its not right to see a brother of the Nights Watch dressed in fresh, nicely matching blacks; or to see a set of N7 armour looking like youve just stepped out of the recruitment office. Its a scary idea- youve just spent months on a costume, and probably more dollars than you want to count. The last thing you want to do is take to it with paint and dirt and sandpaper. You dont want to ruin your hard work! Start off with little bits, build it up in layers until youre happy with it. Its simple to achieve, and it adds so much! I wish there were more conventions in Australia! Im heading up to Brisbane for Supanova at the start of November, Im working on three costumes for that at the moment. Next year Im looking
click here to check out r4hscals facebook page!
interview
Photographer: Ecky
COSPLAYER: rchetype
While we were fortunate to have Sarah visit our recent Cosplay competition as a judge some of us were a bit taken back when Judge Dredd walked in the door packed ready for action ... and ready to be the co - judge of the Penrith cosplay event. Heres our talk with Dylan Wech, a guy who really loves his characters and is able to cosplay them brilliantly. irrevocably changed. I was fascinated by the fantastical and my imagination soared. I remember making my first Judge Dredd costume when I was 11 years old and wearing it to a school formal. I didnt care that everyone else was dressed in normal clothes, I just saw it as an opportunity to dress up. In 2007 I made a Secret Apprentice costume from Star Wars : The Force Unleashed and I am always thinking about new costumes to make. The creation of a costume is a very rewarding process and once I have finished one I am eager to move on to another. What do you like about being a cosplayer? Costuming is a very freeing experience. To inhabit a character for a day or even a
To dress as your favourite character is the ultimate expression of fandom and I applaud anyone who has the courage to throw off the norms of society and just let revel in what makes them happy.
Dylan, how did you get into cosplay and when? I became interested in costumes at a very young age. After seeing Star Wars at around 4 years old my life was attended Supanova Sydney for the first time. It was an amazing experience and I met some great friends and soon after joined the ranks of the 501st Legion and started making more and more costumes. few hours is a hell of a lot of fun. You get to wear a different persona, you can be a total badass or a cool and calm character. Sometimes youre more confident than you may
powers. I guess I can relate more as Im pretty flawed myself, it makes it easier to inhabit a costume when you have some common ground. Other costumes I have done include a man of the Nights Watch from Game of Thrones, Commander Bacara from the Star Wars Universe and a 6 foot Jawa. Do you make your costumes or buy them and use the purchased costume as a base to build on? Where possible I construct my own costumes and props. If you make something yourself you feel more invested in the costume and feel like you really own the character. Often times something needs to be sourced such as wigs, fake beards or items of clothing. Im not a purist by any means who has to sew every stitch of my costumes but I do like to make as much as I can where possible. I also trade skills for a few items with friends such as making them props in exchange for sewing services. There is nothing wrong with buying a costume to express your passion, I just prefer the challenge of creating something with my own hands. Its far more satisfying. What are your favourite cons that you visit and why? Supanova Pop Culture Expo is one of the best conventions in Australia, the crew do an amazing job and it just gets better every year. Sydney Zombie walk is also a great day out. Its a chance to get a little darker with your costumes. Last year my friend Kendall and I attended as Zombie Stormtroopers and she took
Photographer: Ecky
be in reality, youre empowered by the armour of anonymity. To dress as your favourite character is the ultimate expression of fandom and I applaud anyone who has the courage to throw off the norms of society and just revel in what makes them happy. Tell us about your favourite characters and how you cosplay them. My latest costume is a Street
Judge from the 2012 movie Dredd 3D. I have been a fan of Dredd since I was around 8 or 9 years old. The only comic I ever wanted was 2000AD. That obsession has stayed with me to this day and when I saw Dredd I knew it wouldnt be long until I would be donning the leather and taking to the streets. I am less conventional in my chosen heroes. I prefer flawed characters with more mundane strengths to the Supers with their god-like
Photographer: Ecky
rchetype
interview cosplayer: rchetype
Photographer: Ecky
out best costume. My favourite convention is DragonCon in the USA. It is by far the best event to go to in terms of costumes and hilarious after hours shenanigans. I have been for the past 2 years and I intend to keep going back, its that much fun. Its 5 days of 24/7 random adventure. Whats the cosplay culture like in Sydney - are there many opportunities for fans? It is getting bigger and better every year. It is great to see peoples skills improving over time and really getting into the scene. There arent as many opportunities in Australia as there are in Japan or the USA but I guess it makes us appreciate what we do have. Im starting to see more costumers take up the banner
and create events themselves which is fantastic. I myself am involved in organising a Cosplay Competition at Ironfest in Lithgow next year. The theme for the event is Life on Mars so were hoping to see some interesting costumes. Theres no fate but what we make. If you could meet someone famous who and why? I would like to meet the man who cancelled Firefly....its probably best I dont tell you too much as you may be compelled to give evidence later in court. I reckon Id like to have a drink with old Captain Tightpants, Nathan Fillion. I predict that would be a hell of a laugh.
Finally whats coming up next for you - what costumes or events are you planning on? Next on the costuming block for me is Kruger from Elysium. I was really impressed with Sharlto Copleys performance as the unhinged mercenary. I am pretty particular with what costumes I like to do, I need to have some sort of connection to the character...not just because it looks cool or its popular. I go for costumes that mean something to me. Im aiming to have it ready for Supanova Brisbane in November. Im also currently building a Cenobite from Hellraiser for Sydney Zombie Walk and a few other interesting projects that will be revealed at a future date. A costumer needs some secrets. ;)
click here to check out rchetypes facebook page!
photographer: ecky - click here!
interview
GT LOGAN HYPERDOME!
This month we decided to head north to sunny Queensland to talk to Steve at our Logan Hyperdome store. For all you readers in the northern hemisphere just heading into autumn (or Fall) just sit back and think of this lucky couple in the Sunshine State! Tell us about your store - what is it that customers love? products theres definitely something for everyone! Its great to be able find just the right thing for gamers, collectors, card players and the mums & dads too! What games do you like to play when you have time? Definitely depends on the mood a long day at work calls for a mind-numbing What was your first gaming experience and when? I remember when my Dad brought home the NES with Super Mario and a racing game called Rad Racer w/3D. Thats when I realised that these are fun to play and collect! I remember being torn up when a Konami or Capcom game didnt have the Nintendo logo on the game sleeve!
OUR DIVERSITY OF PRODUCT KEEPS PEOPLE COMING BACK AND WE TRY TO KEEP UP WITH A RANGE OF THE LATEST PRODUCTS - THERES DEFINITELY SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!
We constantly hear customers excitement over our competitive pricing and our service. Our diversity of product keeps people coming back and we try to keep up with a range of the latest shooter to zone out and relax! Usually games like Tomb Raider or Last of Us keep me entertained. Im looking forward to giving GTA V a serious go as soon as some time frees up! Any thoughts on the next generation of consoles from Microsoft and Sony? They look great really powerful systems. The graphics have come a long way, especially
when dealing with facial expressions. Plus a good list of games is on the way too, so Im excited to see them arrive. Where do you see gaming in 5 years time - 3D? Oculus Rift style gaming experience?? 3D seems a little on the trendy side. I believe gaming will follow a similar route to the way of Blockbuster. Online play and downloads will definitely start to increase (think Netflix US company). What events do you have coming up over the next few months in the lead up to Christmas that customers need to know about?? Deals: Anyone who preorders a PS4 or Xbox One gets 2 vouchers for $5 off an associated game purchase If you see something you like, get in and lay-by, so you can pay it off for Christmas! All customers save 10% when they pre-order with us. Events: Well be at Supanova Pop Culture Expo in Brisbane, November 8-10 at the RNA Showgrounds. This is an awesome show and customers can pick up some great deals! We hold Friday Night Magic every Friday, plus we have Theros Game Day coming up on Sunday 20 October. We hold regular YuGiOh tournaments for our YuGiOh players on Sunday afternoons, plus Vanguard at least once a month. Check in-store for more details!
GAMETRADERS LOGAN HYPERDOME AT SUPANOVA IN BRISBANE nov 2012.
GAMETRADERS LOGAN HYPERDOME WILL BE AT THE SUPANOVA POP CULTURE EXPO IN BRISBANE NOVEMBER 8-10 AT THE RNA SHOWGROUNDS!
2 GUNS!
cademy Award winner Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg lead an all-star cast in 2 Guns, an explosive action film that tracks two operatives from competing bureaus who are forced on the run together. But there is a big problem with their unique alliance: Neither knows that the other is an undercover federal agent. For the past 12 months, DEA agent Bobby Trench (Washington) and U.S. naval intelligence officer Marcus Stigman (Wahlberg) have been reluctantly attached at the hip. Working undercover as members of a narcotics syndicate, each man distrusts his partner as much as the criminals they have both been tasked to take down. When their attempt to infiltrate a Mexican drug cartel and recover millions goes haywire, Trench and Stigman are suddenly disavowed by their superiors. Now that everyone wants them in jail or in the ground, the only person they can count on is the other. Unfortunately for their pursuers, when good guys spend years pretending to be bad, they pick up a few tricks along the way.
Only at the Movies! October 10!

2013 CTMG. All Rights Reserved.
RELEASE DATE: 10 october 2013 ACTION GENRE: CAST: DENZEL WASHINGTON, MARK WAHLBERG www.2GUNS.com.au WEBSITE: director: Baltasar Kormkur
COMPETITION!
were giving away 20 doubles to 2 GUNS!
TO WIN A DOUBLE PASS, Watch the trailer FROM THE WEBSITE ABOVE & inbox us the answers to these 2 questions on OUR Facebook PAGE!
1. How much did the two guys steal from the bank and put in the car trunk? 2. After Denzel Washington tells Mark Wahlberg to pull over, what did Wahlberg say?
YOUR SAY
Thinking of the next generation of gaming just around the corner and among the hustle and bustle, you might instead consider a gaming PC? Stress no more, because with PCs you have a magnitude of choice and varying degrees of customizability! There is also the choice of having pre-built custom PCs from certain retailers, which makes it even easier and much less daunting for beginners and in either situation, much cheaper than pre-built branded PCs, which (unfortunately) do limit you with expanding, customizing and warranty conditions. So, the next generation of gaming is proving to be big and filled with choice, the question is, what will you choose to be your next Beast of a Console/System? By Ilija Vrtaric
Each month well feature your thoughts on games and popular culture. Plus, we pick a comment we feel is the comment of the month and give away a DVD from our friends at Madman and Hanabee! Heres what you had to say leading up to September...
It may be daunting at first for a beginner, but buying a custom PC is always a great choice, as you get to choose what you want out of your machine and there are many forums, websites and Youtube channels out there that have many users always willing to help all types of people through their custom PC escapades!
NEXT GEN CHOICE & GAMING PCS: A LITTLE INSIGHT FROM THE OUTSIDE
BLADE KITTEN
Blade Kitten (Xbox360/PS3/WIN) is an Australian IP/DLG developed by Australian developer Krome Studios and published by Atari. Its a 2.5D side-scrolling platformer presented in a cell-shaded anime style. Blade Kitten is a lot of fun with some very funny moments and very good voice acting (the game is fully voice acted). The platforming itself is clever and enjoyable without being overly challenging. This is definitely a game worth getting! By Paul Leach
YOUR SAY
PHOENIX WRIGHT: ACE ATTORNEY
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is the first game from the Ace Attorney franchise on the Nintendo DS. Introducing Phoenix Wright as the Defense Lawyer and protagonist of the series, we play as his character in solving countless cases that is brought to light in court. Ace Attorney has great humor, art and enjoyable characters to discover. The graphics are appealing to look at; as a visual novel game, we are playing from a first persons point of view. Using the DS stylus is optional; however the game isnt just limited to the keypad - you can use the microphone as well! The music is great and slightly ecstatic, and the game is easy to comprehend. Overall, enjoyment is great for those who love its story and intertwining cases. Ace Attorney is a fun visual novel and simulating game which stimulates logical thinking throughout the entire course of its game play, and this continues on in its sequel titles! Hopefully for Aussie fans, its latest title Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies will make its way to our eShop! By r0lan
GRAND THEFT AUTO V

GTA V is possibly the last great game to come out on current gen systems. It is the ultimate send off to 8 years of 360 and 7 of PS3. Everybody has no doubt garnered or heard of what a fantastic game this is. The character switching and back stories on each of them add a thirst for replay and there is much replay value in this game. It is a game worth getting up at 7am for or sticking it out till midnight and faking a Sickie the next day. Thank you Gametraders for opening early so I could play GTA for many hours before work and thank you from all of us for getting up at 5:30am to sell it to us. By James Donald
Want your say in next months magazine? Email us at: news@gametraders.com.au with your short article!
SHADOWLOO SHOW
Shadowloo Showdown is hailed as The biggest fighting game event in the Southern Hemisphere and growing. The 2013 event is taking place at The Atrium which is an event room at the Flemington Race Center just outside the Melbourne CBD on October 12th-13th. Aside from all the local Australian talent coming down to compete at SS2k13, there will be players traveling in from New Zealand, Japan, Kuwait, France, England, America, Singapore and many more nations. Special guests so far including team Mad Catz consisting of Tokido and Mago. AVerMedias star player from Taiwan; GamerBee as well as Evolution 2013 champion from Singapore; DM|Xian. For those who dont know, Xian became the EVO Super Street Fighter IV champion in Las Vegas using Gen, beating out over 2000 other competitors. BUT, Xian has yet to win an SS event. If he does, he will be the first player to ever win EVO and SS in the same year. Hopefully the Australians can stop him though! Last Shadowloo Showdown, there were over 400 competitors and hit just over 20,000 concurrent viewers on our TwitchTV channel. This year the aim is to beat those numbers!
FEATURES
List of official tournaments being run at SS2k13: Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition 2012 (Xbox 360) Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 (Xbox 360) King of Fighters XIII (Xbox 360) Injustice: Gods Among Us (Xbox 360) Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (Sony PS3) Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown (Xbox 360) Super Smash Bros Melee (GameCube/Wii) Super Smash Bros Brawl (Nintendo Wii)
WDOWN:
There will also be various other fighting games for people to play that may not have made the tournament list such as Dead or Alive 5, Skullgirls, Guilty Gear and more. One other key feature is SS2k13 will play host to a Fighting Game Themed Cosplay Competition with cash and prizes on the line. Well also be publishing a book after the event featuring some of the great shots and edits thanks to Soltography and Bosslogic Inc.
THE BIGGEST FIGHTING GAME TOURNAMENT IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE!
Want to know more about shadowloo showdown?

Visit the Webpage: http://ss.shadowlogic.com.au
W izKids Games/NECA! Games/NECA! Gree$ngs from WizKids
garding the upcoming Yu-Gi-Oh! HeroClix: Series One starter set (SKU with a handful of websites to promote the gural contents of this exci1ng The fan c response to the p Yreviews u-Gi-Oh! H eroClix as been nothing short of phenomenal. Were response tommunity o the Yu-Gi-Oh! HeroClix h as been p nreviews othing sh hort of phenomenal. W ere very e xcited to couple one A of the m popular nime p# roper1es with the #1 collec1ble m ple one o f the m ost popular nime post roper1es wA ith the 1 collec1ble m iniatures game, Hiniatures eroClix. g ame, HeroClix.
ed m ore informa1on regarding the upcoming Yu-Gi-Oh! HeroClix: Series OH ne starter set (SKU We recently released more informa1on regarding the upcoming Yu-Gi-Oh! eroClix: Series One starter set (SKU NECA! ow u p, w e p artnered w ith a h andful o f w ebsites t o p romote t he gural c ontents o f t his e xci1ng 71169) and as a follow up, we partnered with a handful of websites to promote the gural contents of this exci1ng . HeroClix starter set.
Oh! HeroClix previews has been nothing short of phenomenal. Were p acket contains a ll o the Y u-Gi-Oh! H eroClix: eries O ne sc tarter preview c ontent pular Af nime pu-Gi-Oh! roper1es w ith tf he #1 c ollec1ble m game, H eroClix . set s aThis ll o the Y H eroClix: S eries One siniatures tarter sS et preview ontent collected in one collected in one convenient and if nforma1ve resource for your perusal and your slease tas r Ps lease ree to share this with orma1ve resource or your perusal and your stas reference. P feference. eel free to hare fteel his fw ith your s ales eams, s ocial edia o distribu1on niewsleGers, rther etailers, and any o ther interested par1es! eroClix: S eries One starter sm et preview content collected n a ond ne any o ocial media otutlets, d istribu1on nutlets, ewsleGers, retailers, interested p ar1es! our perusal and your stas reference. Please feel free to share this with Please ote that all images a dnd isplay he Not Final Image watermark due to minor color revision in the nal product. tribu1on nn ewsleGers, retailers, any to ther interested par1es!
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ot FBeginning inal Image atermark due ti o m1 inor ctolor revision in the nal p Dw ecember 2013, ts me o duel as never before roduct. with Yu-Gi-Oh! HeroClix! And prepare for the wider er 2 013, i ts 1 me t o d uel a s n ever b efore w ith Y u-Gi-Oh! H eroClix ! A nd p repare for ), the wo ider 55-gure set release with the Yu-Gi-Oh! HeroClix: Series One gravity feed (SKU 71170 due ut in February 2014! e w ith t he Y u-Gi-Oh! H eroClix: S eries O ne g ravity f eed ( SKU 7 1170 ), d ue o ut i n F ebruary 2 014! el as never before with Yu-Gi-Oh! HeroClix! And prepare for the wider eroClix: Series One gravity feed (SKU 71170), due out in February 2014!
COMING TO GAMETRADERS:
FEBRUARY 2014
PRE-ORDER NOW!
*ARTWORK NOT FINAL. ASK STAFF FOR DETAILS.
2013 WizKids/NECA, LLC. HeroClix, SwitchClix and WizKids are trademarks of WizKids/NECA, LLC. All rights reserved.
PRE-ORDER NOW!
DIORAMA WITH FIGURES - 3 3/4 SCALE shadow specters booster set 49 9-card booster available 8 november! COLLECTABLE TINS 2013 WAVE 2 TIN CONTENTS:
2 Cosmo Blazer Booster Packs 2 Lord of the Tachyon Galaxy Booster Packs 1 Number Hunters Booster Pack 4 Super Rare Cards 1 Secret Rare Card
available 22 november! LEGENDARY COLLECTION 4: JOEYS WORLD judgement of light deluxe edition
available 11 OCTOBER!
available NOW!
SA
TRADING CARDS:
Ingle Farm Marion
Pokmon - Monday 6pm Cardfight!! Vanguard - Tuesday 6pm Yu-Gi-Oh - Wednesday 6pm Magic the Gathering - Friday 6pm (Arrive 5:30) No current tournaments.
NSW
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in-store tournaments!
Yu-Gi-Oh - Saturday 10am, Sunday 10:30am Magic the Gathering - Thursday 6pm Cardfight!! Vanguard - Sunday 2pm Weiss Shwarz - Saturday 2pm
Macarthur Square
Cardfight!! Vanguard - Tuesday 5:30pm Magic the Gathering - Tuesday 5:30pm Tournaments on 5:30 every Wednesday. Please check their facebook page for details.
Mt. Barker
Yu-Gi-Oh - Sunday 4pm Magic the Gathering - Saturday 4pm
Parramatta
Yu-Gi-Oh - Thursday 6pm, Saturday 2pm Cardfight!! Vanguard - Sunday 2pm Weiss Shwarz - Saturday 10am
School Holiday Additional Tournaments: Yu-Gi-Oh - Monday, Wednesday & Friday 2pm Cardfight!! Vanguard - Tuesday & Thursday 2pm
SEAFORD
Yu-Gi-Oh - Wednesday 4pm Cardfight!! Vanguard - Friday 4:30pm Pokmon - Monday 4pm Magic the Gathering - Monday 6pm Yu-Gi-Oh PRO (Paid - $10) - Sunday 1:30pm
Salisbury
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GAMETRADERS LIVE PENRITH

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BACCHUS MARSH
Magic the Gathering - Thursday 5pm, Sunday 2pm Yu-Gi-Oh - Sunday 10am Cardfight!! Vanguard - Sunday 12pm All TCG Casual Play - Sunday 10am - 4pm
TCG WEEKLY SPECIAL: 15% off TCG Stock every Sunday!
Logan Hyperdome
Magic the Gathering - Friday 6pm Yu-Gi-Oh - Sunday 3pm (Register 2:45pm, book in advance to secure a spot). Cardfight!! Vanguard - Dates announced on FB
Pre-Releases and Special Tournaments announced on facebook.
HIGHPOINT
Yu-Gi-Oh - Sunday 5pm Magic the Gathering - Sunday 5pm
Mackay
Yu-Gi-Oh - Sundays 3:45pm Cardfight!! Vanguard - Monday 5:45pm Magic the Gathering - Friday 6:15pm
MILDURA
Pokmon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic the Gathering and Cardfight!! Vanguard every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Click here for times and event details.
Morayfield
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trading cards
cardfight!! VANGUARD TCG

The Vanguard TCG scene is heating up in Australia as our Cardfight! Vanguard Regional Qualifiers are upon us this coming weekend where we will see which clans will make it into the top spot. If your skills prove unraveled and lady luck is on your side, theres a chance to win a trip to the Continental Championships which will be held in Singapore later on this year where youll Even Aqua Force made an appearance as a first place winner in one of the qualifiers! It still shows that most decks can make it to the top, with a little bit of luck! Gametraders Marion was lucky enough to host a State Championship recently for South Australia and the level of Ill be heading to the Regional competition was as fierce as Qualifiers in Sydney this always. 28 players attended the weekend so come and say $100 travel support for first and a $30 vanguard voucher for second. Theres a lot you can learn from a high level event and that is missing ride even just once, will not bode well for you if your opponent hits ride and you proceed to hit nothing to catch up.
GAMETRADERS MARION WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HOST A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP RECENTLY FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA AND THE LEVEL OF COMPETITION WAS AS FIERCE AS ALWAYS.
get to compete against other Regional champions. So far from the qualifiers held around North America, the crowd favorites for clans so far seems to be Kagero (The End), Gold Paladins (Ezel cross ride) and Bermuda Triangle (Prisms). event with members of Team Sagramore taking the top spot. Jordan Treacher came first with Royal Paladins (Majesty Lord Blaster build) with me coming in a close second with Kagero (The End build). We both received medals as well as hi or just challenge me to a game of Vanguard! You can never have enough practice in standing the Vanguard! Catch ya!
WRITTEN BY JOHNATHAN HENG I.R. STUDIOS

For more info visit: www.gametraders.com.au
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South Australia Ingle Farm.................................. (08) 8265 7283 Marion....................................... (08) 8296 1144 Mt Barker................................... (08) 8391 6300 Salisbury.................................... (08) 8281 0966 Seaford...................................... (08) 8327 1966 ACT Hyperdome................................ (02) 6293 3751 New South Wales Gametraders LIVE Penrith.........(02) 4731 3894 Blacktown................................. (02) 9676 1411 Macarthur Square (Campbelltown) (02) 4620 0750 Parramatta................................ (02) 9633 2833 Victoria Bacchus Marsh......................... (03) 5367 0717 Highpoint................................... (03) 9317 0188 Mildura....................................... (03) 5023 7702
Gametraders L!VE Mildura Opening Soon!
Cant see what you want in-store or on our website? Check out our product directory!
Terms & Conditions October Magazine valid until 31/10/13, unless specified otherwise. Stock is subject to availability and change without notice and may vary from store to store. No Rain Checks. All dates and prices are correct at the time of printing.
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Gametraders October Magazine

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October 2013

GTA V FULL REVIEW

NINTENDO: STILL RELEVANT?

BATMAN ARKHAM ORIGINS PREVIEW!

Win a double pass!

Welcome to Live Magazine and our October edition!

Rob Jenkins - Publisher

THE LIVE TEAM

Now available at Gametraders!

$ .95 EA REVERSIBLE BACKPACKS 59

Punisher Pewter Buckle $29.95

iPad Case $49.95

$19.95 Beanies $24.95

GET COMFY IN THESE!

Big Bang Theory Caped & Crew Socks

Mario Slippers $39.95

Sleep Pants $29.95EA

WRITTEN BY kylie tuttle (WWW.STICKYTRIGGER.COM)

papercraft! pre-order now!

NINTENDO: STILL RELEVANT?

feature nintendo: still relevant?

nintendo: still relevant?

John Wright (www.johnnoshark-reviews.com)

feature nintendo: still relevant?

Nick Getley (www.stickytrigger.com)

nintendo: still relevant?

HOW THE HELL DID THEY KNOW THAT WOULD WORK?

Mark Ankucic (www.dustycartridge.com)

feature nintendo: still relevant?

Nick Pearce (www.stickytrigger.com)

Jersey Tank $39.95

Cape Tank $24.95

Avengers Fragrances $39.95EA

BATMAN ARKHAM ORIGINS

WRITTEN BY alex holmes (WWW.STICKYTRIGGER.COM)

format: PS Vita | Xbox 360 | Wii U | PS3 | PC | 3DS

ANGRY BIRDS STARWARS

WRITTEN BY kylie tuttle (WWW.STICKYTRIGGER.COM)

format: Xbox 360 | PS3 | PC | WII U | WII | PS VITA | 3DS

WRITTEN BY alex holmes (WWW.STICKYTRIGGER.COM)

GRAND THEFT AUTO V

grand theft auto v

pure entertainment. It really is the best Rockstar game to date.

What about multiplayer?

WRITTEN BY NICK PEARCE (WWW.STICKYTRIGGER.COM)

TOTAL WAR: ROME II

WRITTEN BY NICK GETLEY (WWW.STICKYTRIGGER.COM)

WRITTEN BY NICK GETLEY (WWW.STICKYTRIGGER.COM)

3" Bobbleheads $ with Glasses

3" Free Wheelin $ Vehicle with Figure

3" Articulated Figures

6" Action $ Figures

Deluxe Plush $ with Sound

20" Wrestling Buddies with Sound

TM & Cartoon Network (s13)

Gumby & Friends Bendable Boxed Set

Gumby & Pokey Bendables

XY Starter Figure Boxes $29.99EA

$39.95 Collectors Pins 3-pack $24.99 Red Genesect Collection Box

Team Plasma Tins $34.99EA

COMING NOVEMBER - PRE-ORDER NOW!

Black & White Legendary Treasures Booster

DAY 1 LAUNCH TITLES & ACCESSORIES:

PLAY & CHARGE KIT