NAVIGATE |01 FREE! EXCLUSIVE #2 Issue 30 | May 2009 WOLFENSTEIN PCGZine Massive in depth interview inside. Free Magazine For PC Gamers.The Massive Preview Issue EXCLUSIVE #1

PROTOTYPE PREVIEWED! Hands On preview!

BORDERLANDS Too good to be true? REVIEWED! PLUS ALL THESE GAMES & MORE PREVIEWED!

PREVIEWED! EXCLUSIVE #3 REVIEWED! PLANTS VS ZOMBIES THE SIMS 3 CITIES XL BIOSHOCK 2 ZENO CLASH Hands On Preview’ Exclusive Video Big Daddy’s back!

Fantasy Fisticuffs! CONTROL NAVIGATE |02

Don’t miss! This month’s highlights… PCGZine For gamers of a certain age Wolfenstein is a Trine name that’s hard to match. Whether it stirs Yay! Physics are f un! memories of your first forray into, FPS, 3D, or years of teamwork sunk into Enemy Territory, Wolf gets your blood up. And over the walls. We’ve got a massive in depth interview on the latest incarnation this issue so check it out now. Also previewed this month is that peerless popular classic The Sims. We’ve had hands on Zeno Clash Prototype Oddball First Person Punching! for this third outing and it doesn’t disappoint. Hands-on preview We’ve also had a play with Prototype, MMO/ Wolfenstein Tycoon mashup Cities XL, side scrolling physics- Massive interview! ’em’up Trine and taken a look at the latest on Bioshocks and Borderlands. I’m READER especially excited by the latter, FEEDBACK! you should be too. Go lookit! Click here to tell us what James Carey, Editor Cities XL Plants vs Zombies The Sims 3 you think of [email protected] Town planning the MMO way. The ancient enemies... Spore who? The Sims is BACK. the magazine! MEET THE TEAM MORE FREE MAGAZINES! LATEST ISSUES! Probably the best games writers on the planet QUICK FINDER Every ga me’s jus t a cli ck away! Bioshock 2 Cities XL Borderlands Wolfenstein Lost Planet 2 The Sims 3 Street Fighter IV Trine Jim Rossignol Steve Hill Dead Rising 2 Zeno Clash Now sports a beard labelled As mean as he looks, Hill steals Prototype Plants vs Zombies ‘hoary’ by experts. (not pictured) sweets from pensioners. Fact. CONTROL PCGZine NAVIGATE |03 Previews FIRST Bioshock 2 LOOK Publisher: 2K Games The underwater epic returns from its watery grave Developer: 2K Marin Heritage: Bioshock, System Shock What’s the story? Link: www.something Bringing out a sequel for the boldest game of 2007 was always going to be a inthesea.com challenge, but it’s one that 2K Marin have taken on with gusto. We’re pleased ETA: Christmas 2009 to report that there’s no shortage of ideas spewing out of this return to the underwater city of Rapture. PREVIEW What do we know? FEEDBACK! You’re going to be a Big Daddy, one of the colossal diving-helmeted boss Click here to beasts from the original game, which should make for some interesting tell us what gameplay. You can also work with the Little Sisters too, and your enemies will you think of once again feature the gene-spliced horrors of the utopia-gone-lunatic. Bioshock 2 Anything else to declare? The water effects are even more prevalent This second game is set five years on from the events of the first, so the this time – with an underwater sequence. splicing has had even more horrible effects on the creatures that live down there, and something has produced a Big Sister – an agile, ninja version of the Daddy. All this ties into a Little Sisters can be harvested, The incredible combat abilities new, mysterious plot; one or they can be adopted and from the first game return, and that’s been overseen by a taken with you in your quest. this time you have a drill too. rising star of game design, Jordan Thomas, who designed the best parts of the original game as well as a big chunk of the excellent Thief 3. There’s every reason to believe that this will be an increasingly rare thing in the movie and game world… a sequel that stands up to the original game, and possibly even surpasses it. We’ll bring you much more very soon.

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© 2009 Activision Publishing, Inc. Activision is a registered trademark and Prototype is a trademark of Activision Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. ‘2’ and ‘PLAYSTATION’ are registered trademarks of Sony Computer activision.com Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Windows, the Windows Vista Start button, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies, and ‘Games for Windows’ and the Windows Vista Start button logo are used under license from Microsoft. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

CONTROL PCGZine NAVIGATE |05 Previews FIRST “Developers like to promise LOOK the world, and that’s exactly what Gearbox are promising Borderlands Publisher: 2K Games Developer: Gearbox with Borderlands” Heritage: Diablo, Mad Max A whole new world Link: www.borderlands thegame.com What’s the story? ETA: Christmas 2009 Every few years someone promises the world. A game that is an open- ended living world; has vehicles, weapon combat, exploration, randomly generated content, a story, and perhaps some other desirable features like PREVIEW drop-in/drop-out co-op or characters that can jump from one person’s FEEDBACK! saved games to another. Yep, developers like to promise us the world, and Click here to that’s exactly what Gearbox are promising with Borderlands. tell us what you think of What do we know? Borderlands If it lands anywhere near the dream-game that we’re being told about then this could be a very special creation indeed, but even without all that, it’s looking like being one of the most spectacularly beautiful games of 2009. The new art style, which you can see here, brings the game The new visuals have a closer to the ideal of hand-drawn concept art that the team initially potent concept-art style. envisioned the game with. The inky outline certainly make the game characters look unusual, and will hopefully carry over into the overall style of the world as a whole. Anything else to declare? Of course, the problem with games promising as much as Gearbox are promising is that they often fall short of the hype, or mess up in some other, undetermined way. Let’s just hope it doesn’t happen with this one, but with a pedigree like Gearbox’s, we’re more optimistic about Borderlands than we ordinarily might be. Taking on alien monsters will be Hordes of Spiderants just one part of the problem. will make life difficult.

CONTROL PCGZine NAVIGATE |06 Previews Singularity Publisher: Activision | ETA: Q3 Precursors Publisher: GFI | ETA: Q2 Raven’s new shooter has time-travel on its side. The most interesting feature of the Eastern European developers quite often chronologically clever combat game is aim for lofty ambition with their games, and More golden nuggets of that you are able to age, or de-age things this bounty-hunting space Shooter is no gaming glory to come in your environment, turning baddies into exception. The Kiev-based team are UP OAPs, or revamping ancient, crumbling creating multiple worlds, and a lavish cast of scenery to act as solid cover from snipers. aliens, robots and vicious space mercenaries 7 for you to meet, befriend, or slay. Tropic 3 Publisher: Kalypso | ETA: Q2 The island management series has never really Dead Rising 2 captured the general Publisher: Capcom | ETA: Late 2009 imagination, but it’s always What’s better than being able to been solid and entertaining – decapitate a zombie with a guitar? Well, being given chance to be the nothing. But it’s even more awesome if benevolent dictator of a you have a friend there to see it happen. Banana Republic is Fortunately, Dead Rising 2 on PC will surprisingly satisfying, and enable that to happen, as there’s a fully this time it will look even free drop-in co-op mode implemented more realistic. for instant team-up slaying. Lost Planet 2 Publisher: Capcom| ETA: TBC WINTER Streetfighter IV Not yet officially confirmed for PC, but a surefire certainty for later in the year. This epic Publisher: Capcom | ETA: July Dragon Age boss-battling sci-fi shooter might include the The PC version of this latest iteration of the classic AUTUMN best use of a grappling hook anywhere in a 3D fighting game has a bunch of tricks up its sleeve, game. The luscious new jungle environments Alpha Protocol including a set of distinct processing modes, which look good enough to rival Crysis, too. Resident Evil 5 allow you to take full advantage of the graphical JUNE cleverness of your 3D card. Should be stunning. Dark Void Publisher: Capcom | ETA: TBC This sci-fi shooter has a couple Prototype Alan Wake Need for Speed: of things going for it. Firstly, the Shift game is set in a violent dimension on the far side of the Bermuda The Sims 3 Triangle, where Nikola Tesla lives. And the action part of the game ON is delivered via hoverpacks and THE jetpacks for aerial combat. RADAR CONTROL Experience a world like no other!

Prepare yourself for the largest Lineage® II expansion to date, Gracia Final. Transform the way you play and enjoy the freedom of flight as you explore the brand new continent of Gracia! Start your adventure today

AVAILABLE NOW! Includes 30 DAYS www.Lineage2.com GAME TIME Over 19 million gamers worldwide

© 2004 - 2008 NCsoft Europe Ltd. All rights reserved. NCsoft, the interlocking NC logo, Lineage, The Chaotic Chronicle, The Chaotic Throne, Gracia and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

CONTROL PCGZine NAVIGATE |08 Previews

HANDS ON Publisher: Activision Developer: Radical Entertainment Heritage: Simpsons: Hit & Run, Scarface: The World is Yours Link: www.prototype Hug a hoodie… game.com ETA: June magine waking up in the morgue add to his grief, he’s also coming under about to be cut open, with no idea attack from a group of hideously Iof who you are or how you got disfigured mutants know as The there. Then imagine looking in the Infected, and is somehow wrapped up PREVIEW mirror and discovering that you’re in a 40-year-old conspiracy. On the plus FEEDBACK! wearing the kind of hooded top side, Alex has discovered that he has a Click here to favoured by surly teenagers at bus wide range of superpowers, and is able tell us what think of stops, needlessly spitting. It’s not a to run up the side of tall buildings, you great day for Prototype’s chief jump off the top of those buildings Prototype protagonist, Alex Mercer, and it gets with impunity, throw military vehicles considerably worse when he discovers around like confetti, and sprout razor that the might of the US Army has sharp claws like Wolverine’s older Always check behind you first. effectively declared war on him. And to brother. Every cloud…

When animals attack! Alex likes to fight dirty.

CONTROL PCGZine NAVIGATE |09 Previews “You can punch tanks to Prototype continued particularly bad mood, throw them at a nearby helicopter. death – or if you’re in a Something, clearly, is afoot, and For a bit of variety, you could leap particularly bad mood, throw while it may start as just another into the helicopter, violently ‘consume’ normal day in New York City, it soon the pilot and take over the controls. them at a nearby helicopter” escalates into wanton, ugly violence The consume mechanic involves Alex and carnage on a level not seen since, absorbing an enemy, simultaneously well probably since Radical acquiring his victim’s memories as well Entertainment’s last game, Hulk: as his abilities – hence being able to Ultimate Destruction. Taking their cue career around the streets of New York from that game’s extreme level’s of in one of the military’s finest tanks, demolition, the Canadian developers with a rudimentary driving model have upped the ante even further, and comparable to that of the choppers. playing as Alex, you can literally punch While there are some quieter tanks to death – or if you’re in a moments where you can acquire a

Alex wakes up with super powers, but there are enough forces around trying to make sure he doesn’t keep them for long. This one looks pretty tough – not sure about the purple cape, though. The action promises to be full-on.

We think it’s a little too late to slap an ASBO on this hoodie-clad bad boy.

CONTROL PCGZine NAVIGATE |10 Previews He might want to cut his nails. FEELING PECKISH? It’s all consuming…

Even the Marines are no match for our man.

His Spiderman Prototype continued impression fell flat. disguise and sneak into military bases, Target Punch Consume in the main, Prototype seems to be about littering the streets of New York with blood, guts, tanks, taxis and monsters, as you wage a one-man war against anything that gets in your way. TargetPunchConsume By way of plot development, a couple SoftenTheLead consume character him up move withAlex inMercera few its gory body has glory. ablows. unique Absorbing He ‘consume’ might his look mechanic, mind, like bodya bruiser whereby and butsoul heyou’re enables can absorb you equippedtoanother adopt human. his with form, superhuman Pick as wella likely as powersstealtarget his to that memories try includeout your and being fancy abilities. very move. good at fighting. of friends and family are on your side, but essentially Alex is an angry young man, assuming the role of an anti-hero as he strives for revenge on whoever placed him in this predicament. leaping back into the fray to crack We’ve had a dabble with the some more skulls. In theory an open- opening level, which is essentially a world game, the plot will be shoved tutorial whereby you learn how to use along with some linear missions, as you Alex’s various skills. It’s pick up and play endeavour to find out what on earth is stuff, and within minutes you’re going on. And hopefully, you’ll sprinting to the top of a skyscraper, eventually be able to get rid of that surveying the carnage below and then rancid hoodie… PCGZine HOW COMPLETE? FIRST IMPRESSIONS? 95% 85% Street crime looks set to get a lot worse…

CONTROL PCGZine NAVIGATE |11 Previews Ready to carve a glittering city into that fresh green countryside? HANDS ON

Publisher: Monte Cristo Multimedia Developer: Monte Cristo Multimedia Heritage: SimCity Link: www.citiesxl.com Could this great urban experiment be the ETA: June city-builder to unite the world?

PREVIEW he allure of building a city from you to create gigantic conurbations scratch has never gone away. FEEDBACK! with towering downtown skyscrapers Click here to TFrom the moment we laid down and heaving suburban orbits. Not since tell us what that first SimCity road in 1989, we were SimCity 2000 have we seen a game you think of hooked on the idea of creating vast that captures the notion of what it is to Cities XL urban sprawls and modifying them to conjure up a city from nothing quite so our mayoral whims. succinctly, and the sheer visual depth Cities XL is one of the most ambitious and detail of Cities XL means that it’s city-building projects ever, allowing unlikely that we’ll see anything with

PCGZine EXCLUSIVE VIDEO

It’s not often a developer gives you this amount of access to a game in raw form, so feast your eyes on this taster for how Cities XL is shaping up. As Infrastructure comes in it’s alpha, the’re no audio. all shapes and sizes, tunnels and bridge-spans.

CONTROL PCGZine NAVIGATE |12 Previews Realistic social dynamics will Zooming around the virtual populate the city according streets is like playing tourist in ON THE STREET to real-world behaviours. something you built yourself. I wanna wake up in a city that never sleeps…

Cities XL continued But what is most intriguing about Cities XL is that it isn’t simply trying to “There is the quite as much breadth any time soon. create an excellent building experience, possibility to build Bodge the Resource Down on It takes one backwards zoom of the as behind all of the graphical finery and builder management the streets camera for you to realise just how vast smart camera angles, it also has a wider, not just cities, but the maps are – Cities XL will make real- online game. There is the possibility to planets” world cities look unambitious. build not just cities, but planets. Going online with friends, you can embed BodgeResourceDown on the themanagement builder streets your city within an online world, and BuildingInGetting the online down your mode, city to street into cities the level canlandscape allows specialise you requires toto seeproduce some some care.specific of the Without detail resources. properof these This road cities. allows This you is infrastructuretoa game trade that and doesto your set urban upcitizens a global environments cannot economy. go about brilliantly. their business. start trading within a player-driven economy. Specialise your city for the production of particular resources, and you can begin to compete and co- operate with other players in a race to such as expanded tourism or enhanced make the largest, grandest city on the industries. It’s visionary stuff. planet. All this sits beneath a social We could scarcely be more excited networking platform, which allows you about a city-building game, as from to chat with the other city builders and we’ve seen so far, CitiesXL promises to visit their creations, and a content- do everything right. Hang on to your enhancement system which will deliver zoning laws people, we’ve got an entire new options to the game over time – planet to build…

HOW COMPLETE? FIRST IMPRESSIONS? Images like this give you PCGZine some idea of the scale of the 90% 85% cities you can expect to build. The SimCity sequel that Maxis never made? It could be

CONTROL PCGZine NAVIGATE |13 Interview

Publisher: Activision Developer: id, Raven Link: www.wolfenstein.com ETA: Summer Wolfenstein “We wanted to Five years in the making, the original first-person shooter make an exciting is about to get a very modern upgrade… game that fit within the confines e’re pretty excited about feedback. B.J.’s next appearance was in of the established this, and after talking to Return to Castle Wolfenstein, where we Good old normal, evil Nazi officers. WRaven Software, then we see him become more of a character universe” You know where you are with them. suspect you might be too… and get a slightly better understanding of what he does and the kind of What caused the decision to missions he takes. There is also a lot of Eric Biessman, Creative now give ‘B.J.’ Blazkowicz a voice imagery for B.J. in the packaging and Director for Wolfenstein, and personality? ads for the previous games. So we felt Raven Software B.J. began life as a face in the bottom that since we wanted to create a of the screen on Wolfenstein 3D. His driving story and a cinematic feel – as personality essentially revolved around well as tie players to B.J. as a character – how happy he was to find a new gun it would be great to give him a voice and how much punishment he could and more personality. take, giving the player valuable You first revealed Wolfenstein Lady Gaga might be able to way back in 2004. Five years is a get away with sholderpads worrying amount of time for any mate, but you ‘aint no lady. game to spend in development, so was there any particular reason for the delay? From the beginning of development we had some ideas that we wanted to try out to see how they would shake out in the Wolfenstein universe. We wanted to make sure that we created an enjoyable, exciting game that fit within the confines of the established universe. That said, we spent a It’s been a long-time good deal of time trying out ideas, coming. We can wait. prototyping, building and honing

CONTROL PCGZine NAVIGATE |14 Interview

Looks like WWII all right; rubble check, fire check, big green laser...

the treasures he can take the money friendly soldiers, set-pieces, side and go to the Black Market. Once he is missions, branching paths, shops, there he can buy upgrades for every special abilities and even an weapon and Veil power that he has. alternate reality you can enter at It’s really cool to mix and match your any point. Does it strike you as Nice orrery Adolf. Oh upgrades to hone your weapons and dangerous to be adding so much look it up you luddite. powers how you like them. depth to a series that rarely tried to be anything more than a simple, Interview continued come to know and love from Wolfenstein was never a series that highly polished shooter in a camp “As the player the Wolfenstein universe, we also was weighed down with options, setting where you could boot a until we came up with a formula that collects the treasures made sure that we followed the key but for this game you’re adding guy when you fancied it? we felt did justice to the license as well gameplay from the previous titles. First as created the next logical step in the he can take the and foremost, Wolfenstein is a fast Wolfenstein universe. money and go to the action combat game. It focuses on frenetic gunplay that uses super- This is shaping up to be quite the black market” powered weaponry, strange occult modern shooter. Are there any themes and conventional weapons. elements to it that hark back to gamer, moving me from the action/ We’ve taken something that many Wolfenstein’s roots, like the secret adventure and RPG games of the time people know and love from the areas that you can find in Return to an adrenaline junkie. So going into previous games: treasure. In Wolf 3D to Castle Wolfenstein? the development of Wolfenstein, we and Return to Castle Wolfenstein, the Wolfenstein 3D and Return to Castle took special care to pay attention to player was able to find and collect Wolfenstein are games that have a lot what people loved from the previous treasures and Nazi gold in secret areas of meaning to me, as a developer and games and use them as a starting and scattered throughout the levels. especially as a player. In fact, Wolf 3D point for the game. This time, we’ve taken the idea of holds a special place that is near and Beyond some of the characters, collecting gold and treasure and added dear to my heart – it changed me as a enemies and weapons that you’ve one more layer. As the player collects

CONTROL PCGZine NAVIGATE |15

Interview Health packs out, mechanics. We wanted to allow the off as they wanted. The next thing you regeneration in. It’s player to have access to some of the know, the Veil was in and working! Wolf, but with a twist. Interview continued weird occult things that the Nazis were creating in the story, so we started by Was it a difficult decision to Wolfenstein is focused around fast rapidly prototyping out the idea of the replace numerical health and veil action, big guns and visceral combat, various powers. In the beginning, the energy with the regenerating and it’s got everything that you’ve powers functioned like the upgrades health and energy now found in come to know and love from the you’ve found in games like Quake – almost all big shooters? franchise. So, even though we’ve they were strange runes that floated in As a fan of the previous games, this was offered the player some choices in the the air and when you touched them actually a very hard decision. There is a game, our goal was always to focus on they gave you a power for a limited set certain amount of coolness to being adrenaline, fast action and combat. of time. From there, we experimented down to five points of health and All of those things that you’ve listed in with ways to make the powers feel lapping up pools of blood and eating your question come together to set the more special and more controlled – dog food to get health back. We even scene, the emotion and the speed of which led to the creation of the Veil. We had turkey dinners spread throughout the gameplay. added this place that the player could the game at one point. What it all came combat situation, we found players enter and activate a power. Once this down to was our focus on making sure taking breaks to search for food. It Where did the idea for the Veil was in place we expanded on it with that the game continued to play as a ended up playing against our main “We even had come from? creatures, weapons and abilities, as well fast action combat game. Instead of goal for the game and instead became The Veil came from simple gameplay as allowing the player to turn it on and moving from combat situation to an inventory hunting game and it turkey dinners wasn’t as exciting. So, in the end, spread through regenerating health was really a great way to focus the game better. the game at

Can you tell us anything at all one point” about the multiplayer? Seems strange to have radio silence on

Look at that poor Nazi fella Yeah take that you goose- disintergrating! Aww, shame. stepping... er... window...

CONTROL PCGZine NAVIGATE |16 Interview

We decided at an early date that we on different emotions. Some areas are the variety of locations that the game really wanted to showcase the power bright daylight areas and some are has. Each one is highly detailed, and presence of the Nazis in the city dark, drippy and dreadful. Each area enjoyable to travel through and and the levels. We went through tons was created to evoke a different mood interesting visually. I think that this is and tons of reference materials and and feeling, and we definitely wanted the best part because it ties everything found that the Nazis were very much to push a realistic looking setting as together – the great models, the involved in their symbolism and the much as we could – even if we do have enhanced technology, the next-gen propaganda that it brought. We really eight-feet-tall suits of power armour features, the wonderful textures! wanted the city to feel like it is in the harassing the city streets. grip of the Nazis, draped with flags, statues, paintings and propaganda What are you particularly proud of “We really The setting is familiar, posters at every turn. It shows the in the visual design of the game? but in a comforting way, player how ingrained the Nazis are to There are a lot of things that I am really wanted the city to like your best shotgun. the city and continually reminds the proud of in the visual design of the feel like it is in the player of their involvement. game, from the high poly models to Interview continued find the same great game experience, As for colour and darkness, we have the lighting, to the characters. But the grip of the Nazis” and this time we’ve added the powers many varied looks in the level that play one thing that most stands out to me is the matter after Enemy Territory – and the Veil to play with as well. the last project to use the You’d be angry if your Wolfenstein license – became one The art department seem to be initials were B.J too... of the single most popular having a lot of fun with the Nazi multiplayer games on the planet. imagery in the game, producing More information on multiplayer will be something more colourful and coming soon… What I can say, is that darker than Return to Castle fans of Return to Castle Wolfenstein will Wolfenstein. Is this the case?

Whatt will MP bring? We’ll have to see...

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CONTROL PCGZine NAVIGATE |18 Previews My cross-dressing redneck puts his sofa in the front “You’ll probably spend yard, like any good citizen. HANDS ON a good deal of time in your first few games just zooming around Publisher: EA the local landscapes” Developer: Maxis Heritage: The Sims series Link: http://thesims3.ea.com The third Sims game will be interactive soap opera at its very best ETA: June t’s a common complaint that games made by the Sims 2, but this is PREVIEW are only good for action, gunplay, nevertheless an expansive new game, and violence. But just a few minutes FEEDBACK! I with some pretty significant tricks up Click here to with any of The Sims games shows that its fully customisable sleeve. Once tell us what not to be true. Having spent several again we’re creating artificial people appearance of your little comp uter few games just zooming around the you think of hours with the most recent game in from scratch – be it a teenage goth per s on, and then just five traits and a loc al lands c apes, checking out the The Sims 3 the series (The Sims 3) we started to with a love for computers, or a middle- li fetime aspiration s et them on the other hous es and the p laces your Sims realise that the pleasures of social aged mullet-wearing fisherman who cour s e of their per s onal li fe. c an v isit and wor k: bistros, the beach, a drama, situation comedy, and domestic fancies himself as a world champion Once again they’re li v ing in a s cience par k, a mall, a milit ary bas e. All meandering are all well within the Chess player. We found that the neighbour hood of other Sims, b ut this the usual loc ales your Sims might w ant reach of the modern videogame. creation process is also slicker and time the s cope and s c ale of the p lace is to li ve and wor k. Superficially, this seems like less of a simpler than the previous game. It rather more impressi ve. You’ll probab l y The approach this time, however, leap than the step up to 3D that was takes moments to create the physical spend a good deal of time in your fir st is to make The Sims 3 about shared

Choosing the bet locale for You can define the relationships your Sims can make their life between your Sims to create much easier in the long run. any kind of household.

CONTROL PCGZine NAVIGATE |19 Previews The more a Sim Buying a big villa down by the beach performs a skill, the will take some serious career work. BUILDING YOUR SIM better it becomes at it. A brief guide to creating life…

The Sims 3 continued of course, practically everything in the game world can be customised, “You can combine the creativity. There’s a new editing suite including dragging around the walls of genes of two adult Sims to Back to Bad taste Hair called the ‘Mashup Tool’, which allows a house to customise your dwellings, basics apparent you to produce soundtracked mini- and even combining the genes of two see what their offspring movies of your Sims in action – which adult Sims to see what their offspring would look like” is ideal for machinima dabblings. And, would look like. All these things can then be shared online with your BackBadHair tasteapparent to basics friends, via The Sims 3 portal. TheGiveThen game him you terriblemight automatically want clothes to generates lookand thenat applying perhapsa basic a Sim mulletselect that a and youparty-animal make-up can use right for personality a away, genuinely or alterfor scary good to suitmeasure.Sim yourredneck. whims Look Or, Mummy, – on the the choice other I’ve madeis hand, up to an youyou. idiot… may well not… Roll over screen for annotations What makes us most optimistic about this new game, however, is that the game has lost none of Maxis’ strange, silly sense of humour. The game excels in making you chortle as family to produce everything from the Sims spout their ‘Simlish’ language world leaders to great sportsmen and and interact with each other in all kinds even criminal masterminds. The scope of ways. Trust us, it really won’t be long and solidity of this game promise that before they’re having affairs and this will give greater life to a series that making enemies. The full potential of a already bestrides the world. We can see Sims’ life is larger than that, however, no reason why this shouldn’t be the and you can expect a well-played Sims best of the series so far. PCGZine HOW COMPLETE? FIRST IMPRESSIONS? 90% 85% We can see no reason why Maxis’ form should falter

CONTROL PCGZine NAVIGATE |20 Previews Put a duck on the other side and we’ll find out if he should be burned. HANDS ON “It works much like Blizzard’s ancient Publisher: Nobilis/Ascaron Developer: Frozenbyte Lost Vikings game” Heritage: Shadowgrounds Link: http://trine-thegame.com ETA: July A thief, a wizard and a knight go into a magic dungeon with hilarious consequences… PREVIEW FEEDBACK! Click here to tell t begins like a high budget kids TV of astounding beauty, is an exercise in us what you show, with a wholesomely voiced exemplary side-scrolling physics. think of Trine Inarrator detailing the background of It works much like Blizzard’s ancient our three heroes as you manoeuvre Lost Vikings game – you have three them towards a mysterious money-pile characters with different powers, here in a nearby dungeon. “By my trousers! I all blended into one crowded body, must escape!” one heavily intones, and you swap between them to giving voice to a wizard that we’re told navigate levels of whirring gears, has been asleep for two weeks after a spinning death traps, unbalanced see- fireballing session meant to impress the saws and giant weighing scales. The ladies went disastrously wrong. What it wizard can levitate objects, including goes on to become, as well as a game ones he’s standing on, and distribute

The art-style is half Pontius the Knight dashes fantasy and half slightly around gallantly, excited wonky golden steampunk. about bashing things.

CONTROL PCGZine NAVIGATE |21 Previews Skeletons occasionally get in the way of our bound threesome, but they’re WONDERFUL WIZARDRY soon crushed with mighty blows. Harry Potter? Pah!

Boxing A bit of Trolley clever a drag dolly Trine continued screen in the manner of Crayon Physics the scenery and protecting himself to create his own magical clockwork from the environment with a handy their weight on relevant parts of the cube. The knight, meanwhile, is best shield you can move around. Finally the screen, but if there’s nothing useful for bashing the skeletons that come slinky and rather lithe thief – easily the ATrolleyBoxing bit of dollyaclever drag FindingThisWhoever one that is hung a weepiled-up this bit stone tricky, boxes fist but are from stand something a golden in the ofrighttrolley a pain? place system Simply and then drag levitate put the itwheel your next heavy toaround a frail in a around can also draw a square on the your way – as well as making holes in most fun character to control – has a woodencircleancient and wall problems you’ll was be short-sighted outraised of theup topicture… victory.indeed… grappling hook hidden behind one mouse button, letting her swing like a woman possessed – coupled with a bow and arrow attached to the other to damage enemies and relevant bits unexpected journey into the rafters of level furniture. with your thief attached to a water Trine is a beautiful and hugely wheel. We’ve played it for a not satisfying puzzler, whether you’re inconsiderable amount of time and swinging a giant stone fist into a have been utterly charmed; the full delicate-looking wall or going on an game can’t come soon enough. PCGZine HOW COMPLETE? FIRST IMPRESSIONS? Zoya the slinky thief is the 90% 85% most fun to control, especially Give yourself one moment in Trine and you’ll be hooked with her grappling hook.

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www.gamerzines.com CO N T RO L PCGZine NAVIGATE |23 Reviews “At four hours, it’s short, but it’s intriguing,

Publisher: Steam/ astoundingly violent Direct 2 Drive Zeno Clash and visually lavish” Developer: Ace Team Heritage: Source Engine Punch and kick your way through splendid surrealism Link: www.zenoclash.com Zeno Clash is a visual feast – these OUT NOW t never ceases to amaze us that protagonist and his female companion, wondrous set-pieces to tell the tale. It giant tapir-giraffe things appear people find new life in the linear first- and partly as flashback for the reasons reminds us in part of Tim Burton’s several times during the game. System Requirements: Iperson shooter. Chilean developers why they are fleeing his home. Ghat, the cinematic imagination, but as equal Dual Core CPU, 2GB RAM, Ace Team have taken the ageing Source main character, has murdered ‘Father- parts films like MirrorMask, or games like 256MB 3D card engine (responsible for Half-Life 2 and Mother’, a huge, bird-like humanoid Sacrifice and Giants. Ultimately it adds ODDS AND SODS Portal) and turned it to something quite whose family he was a part of, but then up to a world that is deeply evocative The weird and wonderful world of Zeno Clash beautiful – a melee game set in a tribal abandoned to explore his strange world. and genuinely imaginative. Oh, and you fantasy world of dreamlike weirdness. Discovering why he murdered Father- get to punch dudes in the face. Cool! It’s a surprisingly visceral fighting mother is all part of the mystery, and it While there are a bunch of classical experience, and a new direction for brings in a cast of insane characters and weapons in the game, including a sniper these kinds of episode-length games. At four hours it’s short, but it’s intriguing, astoundingly violent and visually lavish. The spooky, nightmarish story is at the heart of the game – your adventures are told partly as a journey for your

Ghat, our hero, is never given an even break by the inhabitants of his world.

Weird Back to Freakish looking school fat guy WeirdBackFreakish to looking school fat guy TheThis Corwidsgameis your is tutor. arefilled a Exactlyclan with of loads weird-lookingwhy ofhe strangehelps you lunatics little isn’t vignettes, clear,who are but basically suchin this as second this too insanebar tutorial tosectionscene, live. whichYou he teaches end allow up fightingyou the lots story ofa bunch tothe unfold. more of them advanced The asfreakish the combat story burping progresses, techniques. fat guy although Atat thisthe pointbarthey’re is helater not smashes allseen violent. passing loads One of out mushroom of bythem the just side spores lays of the down on streetyour and face asdies, you and while fight you anotherend with up street hallucinatinggangsteaches in you the the weird three finer centralof points him, whichcity of unarmed area. you He’s then combat been are forced drinking throughout to fight cockerel the off game.in blood… succession.

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Reviews “This is one of the Zeno Clash continued most creative rifle, a cross bow and fish-pistols, most of games we’re going the hard work of putting people on the to see this year” ground is done with your fists. The melee options are fairly substantial, although all the controls are kept within familiar mouse-keyboard constraints. You can do a jab, block, dodge, do a big block-breaking punch and knock away incoming blows. You can also kick your If we had to put a genre enemy when they’re down, which is name on the style, it’d be brutal, but ruthless and necessary. something like ‘TribalPunk’. Occasionally you face very Hand to hand large monsters who must Unlike most other FPS the hand-to-hand It’s not all bad, because you have a be clubbed to death. stuff does not come second to ranged lovely lady friend to keep you company. weapons. These are useful – and even vital in a couple of the boss battles – but Roll over screen for annotations they are generally knocked out of your hands by close-ranged enemies, and you’ll usually choose to holster them rather than lose them in a brawl. What’s also brilliant is how well the game copes with you having to fight multiple opponents. It does feel much harder, but it never really gets out of hand, and the NPCs generally don’t get in each other’s way. The escalation to fighting bigger, tougher enemies is genuinely well-handled too. This is one of the most creative games we’re going to see this year. The visual rewards alone are enough to make it PCGZine Weird and wonderful, with worth playing, but the fact that it’s a solid, a roundhouse for everyone unusual action game means that this is something you can hardly afford not to buy. You’ll probably be able to spot the Solid melee % twist a mile off, but can you explain Weird story Golem? And what’s with the Rubik’s Cube? We’ll leave you to figure that out. Wild visuals Jim Rossignol 85

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The main game is interrupted Publisher: PopCap Plants vs Zombies with gameplay variations to Developer: PopCap shake up the progression. Heritage: Zuma, Bejeweled The eternal battle commences, but can you really keep zombies off your lawn? Link: www.popcap.com/ games/pvz lants vs Zombies is a tower the left. As the game progresses you OUT NOW “Your house, lawn CRAZY DAVE defence game; a strategy game collect a range of plants, and you must Come on down! We’ve got crazy prices! in which you have to hold off select just a handful for each defence. backyard and roof System Requirements: P enemy attacks by building defences. Some plants are single-use, and will This will run on the most are under attack It’s pretty much you and your plants versus the Zombies, but one person Familiar stuff, only this particular defence explode, squash, burn, hypnotise or is around to help you – your hirsute neighbour, Crazy Dave. He’s got a cranky and ancient of PCs. is to save your brains from being eaten, blast the zombies. Other plants are more from zombies” shop of anti-undead loot in the boot of his car, and you can make The spec is about as low and the ‘towers’ are plants which must defensive by blocking, eating or slowing purchases with coins blasted from your zombified foe. as it gets. are gifted with special powers. the zombies. Others still are more like daytime this falls from the sky, or pops Your house, lawn, backyard and roof classic turrets, firing organic ordnance from sunflowers. At night you’ll have to are under attack from zombies. The into the ranks of the undead. rely on sunflowers or convenient horde comes in the from the right, and You have to collect ‘sun’ to pay for mushrooms. As you play you’ll unlock you have to set up your defences from the plants you’re using, and in the plants and mushrooms for all kinds of circumstances, all of which are useful because the zombies are extremely inventive. They’ll float in on balloons, tunnel under defences, hop over plants with pogo-sticks, or come crashing through everything with a lawnmower. Only a planned, competent defence will keep them out. And it’s also great fun. Jim Rossignol

PCGZine Great fun overall, but also a bit too easy

Brilliantly conceived % Brilliantly executed The Thriller zombies make a Brilliantly balanced boogie-licious appearance. 88

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any website or similar without the prior permission of the copyright Cranberry Publishing Limited holder. You are free to, and encouraged to, link to the original file for www.cranberrypublishing.com download from our website and you can find help on doing so here. While the greatest care is taken in producing this guide, we do not accept responsibility for the loss of any data or any other damage caused by Commercial Director: Duncan Ferguson following the instructions in this publication. We always recommend that Telephone: 07770 648500 you keep a backup of your hard disk data and ensure that you check all files for viruses before installing or using any new software. None of the PLUS Email: [email protected] information in this guide is intended as legal advice. All articles are for Call Duncan to discover how e-publications can work for you! information purposes only. Websites mentioned in this publication are not affiliated to or controlled by the publisher. We are not responsible for the E3 special! Exclusive screens, interviews and videosAll rights reserved. This publication may be copied in its entirety without contents of these sites or any changes made to them. modification for non-commercial purposes, for example but not limited to All contents © Cranberry Publishing Ltd 2009 from the biggest videogame show of the year copying to CD-R for a friend, but it may not be offered for download from Company registration number: 4987058

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