












Special thanks to Apex Interactive for the review content
IT'S NEARLY CHRISTMAS!!! Logitech G and Early Axes wants to make you the lucky owner of some great Logitech G peripherals! All you need to do is the list below! Who knows the Logitech Santa might stop by for an early Christmas gift! Head over to the EarlyAxes Facebook Group and do the simple steps below!
1: like and share the original post! 2:give Logitech G a like! 3:Tag 2 friends 4: Tell us what item in the G-Range do you like most and why! The competition will run until the 6th of December 2019! Competition is only open to SA residents!
Special thanks to Prima Interactive for the review content
Special thanks to Apex Interactive for the review hardware
Special thanks to Prima Interactive for the review content
Review content supplied by Apex Interactive
If you are looking for a new headset, even if you are not, the Logitech G Pro X is the headset you haven't realized that you need!
Special thanks to Apex Interactive for the review copy
A big thank you to Apex Interactive for giving us the chance to review this game.
Special thanks to Apex Interactive for providing the review content
Special thanks to Prima Interactive for supplying the review content
Special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying the review item
All in all, Razer delivers once again, keeping up their name as one of the leading names in gaming equipment!
Special thanks to Apex Interactive for providing the review item
Special thanks to Apex Interactive for the review copy
Special thanks to Prima Interactive for supplying the review copy
Special thanks to MSI gaming for providing the review hardware
Special thanks to the MSI Gaming for supplying the review item.
Kon'nichiwa dokusha or Hello Readers this weekend I had the VERY distinct pleasure thanks to APEX INTERACTIVE, to play the latest Indie remake title: Samurai Shodown. And was very pleasantly surprised at the immediate liking of the game.
The game is a side scroll fighting game like street fighter but leaves its own mark on the classic take with its high paced and intense gameplay. Sporting a good selection of fighters each with their own unique brand of weapon(s) from the timeless classic Katana all the way to.......a 7 sword wielding fighter, that's a lot of swords for so few arms but hey he makes it work pretty well. The game offers gamers not only the unique story trail for each character but also online versus and even 5 levels of difficulty for the CPU. The game has even given the few of us who "struggle" with these types of fighting games a training AND tutorial mode to give you the know how to enjoy the game to its fullest.
The fighters have specials....Suprise, no not really but apart from your Haiduk......errrrr Lightning blade attack, each fighter can enter "Rage mode" and perform a REALLY impressive attack....if you can nail down that button combo.......don't judge me. The game even goes so far as to give the fighters a way to disarm your opponent, leaving them not completely vulnerable but with less damage output. You can recover your weapon or even while bare fisted.....disarm an armed opponent, so your never really out of the fight. The overall gameplay is quite pleasing, visually stunning and the control pretty easy to master, the game offers a very well rounded samurai feel and with all the vocals and flying swords you will without a doubt be reliving your childhood movies moments, cherry blossoms falling in the background, two swordsman (Or women) face to face in an epic duel for victory.
So the big question....would i recommend the game and the answers is.....Hai watashi wa.....or yes I would for those without google translate. The game is, in my opinion, a must-have for the fighter lover gamers out there, so challenge your friend or take on an increasingly difficult CPU and make your name legend in the sand garden of eternal destiny......
Watashi no kohiamanda o ubau.....errr. Wheres my coffee Amanda? This is going to be a long day.... Kuso (damn).
Huge thanks again to APEX Interactive for the chance to review a sure to be classic
With good improvements to career mode, the addition of Formula 2 and a possibly strong esports scene along with the ability to host your own league, F1 2019 is able to take an already solid franchise and give it the step-up it deserves. Codemasters have really applied improvements across the board, night races are spectacular and even the feel of bumps in the road creating nervous braking and hitting the curb too hard makes you winch as you hope your car is fine. The only aspect that falters the perfect overtaking manoeuvre is the disappointment of the Senna vs Prost rivalry. If Codemasters can salvage that, there is little reason it should be a 10/10!
special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying the review copy
With a much-anticipated audience waiting to see what 1 of the leading game developers had in store, we had some ups...but maybe not enough?
Ubisoft threw a varied assortment of interesting trailers and line ups at us from new additions, to a new movie to a tv show ripping on game development and a PC subscription service. Let's start with some of the lesser yet still interesting news, it involves the latest in the assassins creeds "Odessey" which is getting a story creator which allows you to create and design your own quests using a web-based tool. And scheduled later to drop on us is "discovery mode" very similar to origins Education mode. https://youtu.be/uLJGDiATv_s We move onto some more interesting news and news some of us have been waiting eagerly for... The new Watchdogs game, set in good ol jolly England, well Britain to be more exact, and the biggest twist on the game? You can control virtually ANY character in the game from that tough looking biker to sweet old Agnus, allowing you to build up your own crew of vigilante hackers. https://youtu.be/3orYqGDSDUk Ghost Recon: Breakpoint has already been on everyone's lips but who could've anticipated that Jon Bernthal would be a prominent role in the game, he even showed up on stage with the very best doggo "bam bam", the game is scheduled for launch October 4th. https://youtu.be/P2tOLL_sAYk A Very strange and unusual announcement was that Rob McElhenney, creator of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, is making a tv series which mocks game development and is titled "Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet", no one is quite sure where Ubisoft fits into the plot but many of us can guess. https://youtu.be/8A6eaEL2EN4 And Siege fans we were gifted with the announcement of Rainbow Six: Quarantine, its a co-op Squad based survival FPS, and is being spearheaded by a whole new Montreal Team, Will it be with new operators? will it be something similar to outbreak? we can only wait and see. https://youtu.be/DbL-ZpBle64 And another PC subscription is making its way out of the woodworks, as Ubisoft Unveiled Uplay Plus, which offers over 100 games INCLUDING its DLC and is set to hit your screens September 3rd. Kinda Exciting news of a Division movie which will be coming to NETFLIX and is being directed by Jake Gyllenhaal, Will it be able to live up to the hype the game had? and we are all dying to see who will take on the iconic roles of our beloved agents. https://youtu.be/1YuIKUJA31w Step up Sports fans as Ubisoft drops a new game title into the mix, Roller Champions is a competitive multiplayer roller Derby set in a futuristic vibe. And will set to be free-to-play when it drops. https://youtu.be/cFdyq9I1HZo The team behind Assassins creed Odyssey is working on another yet slightly smaller project called "Gods & Monsters" which dives into Greek mythology, it actually looks pretty good, but we sit in our now butt worn seat for more info, all we know is it will be available 25 Feb next year. https://youtu.be/Egzb6_HCqQw And with that readers Ubisoft drew to a close, leaving us hungry and wanting more. Did Ubisoft run out of ideas or are they planning to hit us with earth-shattering news in the near future, Ubisoft, in my opinion, is a well-liked and dedicated development team, with everlasting potential and a drive to keep us all entertained. Were you all excited or let down by the Ubisoft panel? we would love your honest opinion on our FB page, drop us a comment and let us know.Special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying the review hardware
And to further elaborate should one of our: real-life friends" be in a team which is questioning gameplay, player or even a specific instance the matter will be ruled upon by ANOTHER EAX admin member to prevent bias decisions and only truthful and honest rulings will be made
To many, she is the mascot of Fortnite. With her big purple and blue eyes, that scar above the one eye and her sadistic looking stare. She was one of the earliest and skins in the game as well as one of the most popular so it wasn’t surprising when she was the first figure revealed in McFarlane’s Fortnite line. Now full disclaimer, although there are new waves within the line and so much more to come, these things cost quite a bit so that is why I’m only reviewing her now for our readers.
The packaging is simplistic but pops as it is covered in pink. The window display shows Cuddles, her gun and her pickaxe as well as her stand in clear view while there are product shots of the other figures in the line on the back of the box and some in-game shots of her on the side of the box. There isn’t too much else going on with the box though if you’d like to keep her in her packaging on your shelf it can work, though the box is a little big.
Cuddle Team Leader comes with:
A Legendary Assault Rifle
Rainbow Smash Pickaxe
Cuddle Bow Back Bling
And a Base
But other than that she comes with a good range of motion:
She has a joint in the head which can be pulled off in case you’d like to put another female head on her for an unmasked version. I’ve seen people slap a Harley Quinn head on there. She also comes with a ball joint at the base of the neck
There’s a barbell or dumbbell (I’m not sure which name is the correct one) joint in her shoulders with a shoulder cap to hide that a little as well as a hinge that goes from that into her shoulder to add rotation.
Double jointed elbows and knees
Swivel at the biceps and wrists with the wrists having an extra hinge
Ball joint in her mid torso and another one in her waist so she has a lot of movement going on in her torso.
She has hinges at her legs as well as a swivel/hinge at her ankles and toe articulation.
It’s one hell of a good figure. It pops where wherever she goes. She has a unique look and a great range of movement. She’s by far my favourite out of my Fortnite collection so far (I only have three).
She’s also a well sought after character amongst the Fortnite community.
She can fit in any situation when it comes to photos, she can fill in as filler or be that crazy serial killer stalking other characters in the bushes. After all, she is a homicidal lady dressed as a pink bear. Or she could just go out on a picnic with some characters. I’ve had photos of her forcing dishwashing liquid down other figures’ throats and eating Pringles with some other characters. For a photographer, there is a lot you can do with her. But for collectors who prefer just having a desk or shelf look pretty, she adds a whole lot of colour to any environment.
Pros Good sculpt Great Articulation Really pops Versatile for scene setting Cons The only minor gripe is that pole on the pickaxe that just won’t straighten all the way.R227.19
R227.19
Whether it's picking up latest games, or looking for that good ol' classic CDKEYS has specials on a whole host of games. Don't be a scrub and pay full price when this safe online shop offers discounted rates on ALL its productsR284.09
Specials and deals change constantly so you can always guarantee to pick up something new at a better price and not just on games but their DLC CONTENT TOO. Halleluiah praise the RAM and pass the ammunition.
R33.89 (Skyrim - Dawnguard DLC)
The true meaning of life is love, peace and uncapped fibre
special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying the review content
R53.19
R408.79
R693.19
R266.49
No one knows true pain...Until you step on a lego at 2 in the morning
special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying review Hardware
special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying the review game
Visually there is not that much of an improvement when it comes to the console version apart from the 60fps gameplay and, for the Xbox X and PS4 Pro, HDR support which does give the colour pallet a new and vibrant look. Another welcome addition is 4-player split screen as well as co-op on console! Apart from that, not much is needed in terms of upgrade with a solid variety in campaign mission and classic comedic gold from claptrap what more could you possibly need.
Gearbox promised that The Destroyer, the final boss, would be more exciting to fight, but it is still just a bullet sponge and not that big of a challenge. Players of Borderlands 2 and the Pre-Sequel will also receive 75 golden keys and two of the new weapons for GOTY edition.Thanks to Prima Interactive for supplying the review code
Thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying the review hardware
special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying the review hardware
Aesthetics and feel
From the first time you pick up the Recon 70 you will notice it has a fair weight to it, not nearly as weighty as the Astro A40's or a Razer Thresher but a decent enough weight to feel like you are dealing with a respectable piece of hardware. The headset itself is predominantly made from moulded plastic which does help to keep the weight down, but in my personal opinion does create a sense of it being less "well-built". Styling is similar to the Stealth and other Recon headsets as mentioned before. The headband features a thin band of foam covered in leatherette which does help for the extended gaming sessions but it could be a little thicker in my opinion. Earcups are nice and big and fit nicely over your ears with ample space inside as well, this has been a past problem with some of the Turtle Beach headsets and they have definitely fixed that with this iteration. The earcups are also covered in leatherette which is a huge improvement on the 600 range which had cloth covering and would become extremely itchy when ears start getting hot during long sessions. The leatherette covers also improve sound isolation and wearing the headset does cut out the outside world a fair amount. The Recon 700 uses a 3.5mm jack to connect to any device that boasts a 3.5mm headphone port and has a fair length on the cable. It does however not have an inline mute or volume controller, the volume controller is situated on the left earcup which can be a bit of a pain when you need to take your hand off the controller when adjusting volume. This is a small drawback, nothing to make you doubt your decision but something to take note of none the less. Functionality, Sound and Features
The Recon 70 is aimed at the budget, and entry-level, gamer. With a cut in price to fall into the budget category comes a cut in features. Unlike the Recon 200 which boasts a chat mixer, active mic monitoring and active noise-cancelling, the Recon 70 is a lot more bare-boned in comparison boasting none of those features apart from the superb flip mic that is exceptional and can outperform mics on headsets that are easily triple the price of the Recon 70.Special thanks to Apex Interactive SA for providing the review hardware. If you are interested in buying one please visit their website.
It’s no surprise that Fortnite has been given the action figure treatment. I’ve said from day one of Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode that these characters would make good figures. And so that day has come. It was a smart move to include Skull Trooper in the initial line up as he is by far one of the most sought after skins in the game, in fact, he was my first skin which I then used for a year straight (because I couldn’t afford anyone else and missed the first few battle passes). When I saw Skull Trooper being added to the lineup, I was quite excited but having never bought a McFarlane toy before so I had no idea what to expect. Apparently, McFarlane Toys isn’t known for much articulation so people that knew more than I did were sceptical...until they got their hands on one.
The box is quite big but its simplistic design and the broad window display is done nicely. Skull Trooper and all of his accessories are nicely displayed and the box is good enough to go on a shelf if someone wanted it to. It has Skull Trooper’s in-game portrait on the side and a preview of the other figures in the wave is found on the back. No background in the box other than a plain yellow backdrop. It would have been a cherry on top of the cake to have a printed lobby screen though. The box looks good and eye-catching enough but it’s what’s inside that matters.
Skull Trooper looks amazing. Essentially he is a guy in tactical gear that drew a skeleton layout on himself which the figure captures perfectly. There’s patch work on his pants and his one shin guard is strapped to his leg with visible straps. His face captures that cartoony style that Fortnite is known for which some people might not like but that’s just the style of the game translating to figure. The figure might not stand out as much due to his dull colours but he does look menacing enough on the shelf which is what most people are after.
Skull Trooper stands at 7 inches tall (about 18cm) so he’s more in scale with NECA figures.
Skull Trooper comes with:
A Base
A Bolt Action Sniper Rifle
A Backpack
And his Death Valley Pickaxe.
The base is a nice addition. It’s a simple round black disk with little stilts that fit into the peg holes in the soles of his feet. It has Fortnite engraved on it too. There’s not much to it and it really is just there to help him stand up right on the shelf.
The Bolt Action Sniper Rifle is a splitting image of it's game’s counterpart which leaves it looking very simplistic, unfortunately. It has no elaborate detail and is just a cream coloured gun with a bit of black here and there. I suppose it can’t be faulted too much due to this being the design in the game but with the addition of gun wraps added to the game at the end of last year, hopefully, McFarlane picks out some fan favourite wrap designs to apply to future weapons with their upcoming figures.
The backpack is just a black bag with some little detail here and there on the zipper and the bag itself. It’s keeping to the dark colours that Skull Trooper sports. It fits his design, which is a very simple design, to begin with. It just clips into his back with a peg hole. The backpacks can be worn by any figure though just like in the game so it’ll be interesting to mix and match them.
And then there’s the Death Valley Pickaxe which is by far the best thing to come with him. It’s a bull skull strapped and nailed to a pickaxe but it looks so good! The brown straps add some colour to not only the pickaxe but to Skull Trooper when he holds it. The Bull Skull is nicely sculpted and I like the wash they applied to its hollowed out eyes, it looks like its staring into your soul. It looks like something a psychotic serial killer would wield (and who are we to say Fortnite characters aren’t just that?)
As with both the gun and the pickaxe, there’s a problem of Skull Trooper’s black paint rubbing off from his hands onto the lighter coloured accessories. It’s not that much of a big deal as it can be wiped off and it does give the gun and pickaxe a dirtier and more weathered look but I can see how some people would be annoyed at this. It’s just something one has to take into consideration when making him hold his weapons.
There is a ton of movement Skull Trooper can get into. His head can spin in a full 360-degree turn. It can look up quite well but the bandanna around his neck seems to block him from looking down, and no the bandanna is not removable. His arms can stretch out and can rotate with a swivel at the bicep. The shoulders can also move up and down with some fiddling. Double jointed elbows make for some really good pose ability as well as hands that can hinge up and down and swivel. He has a ball joint in the bit torso and a ball joint at the bottom by his waist so he can crunch, arch back and tilt. His hips are something I’ve never seen before. The joints are so well hidden one would think they’re not there but they are you just have to work them. There’s a swivel that allows them to point out and they can bend out although that can cause the white on his upper leg to rub off on the edge of his waist, again, some paint rubbing. He can kick forward decently and at least there’s some back motion. He has double knee joints which are just amazing as well as a hinge at the ankle which goes forward, back and sides to side and a toe joint.
I’d say for fans of Fortnite this is a must buy. It looks good, it has good articulation and it has game accurate weapons. For people who don’t play the game but like collecting good figures, I’d recommend it too as Skull Trooper can easily be henchman fodder for your other figures. The only real gripe is the paint rubbing which is a minor thing. He can get into some really nice poses and he can look good on a shelf. Or he can be some good luck charm to sit next to you while you play Fortnite.
Pros
Good Paint and Sculpt
Fantastic Articulation
Decent amount of accessories
Cons
Paint Rubbing
*I bought Skull Trooper from AWX, link below*
https://nexushub.co.za/product/fortnite-skull-trooper-figure-pid246312.html
special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying us with the review copy
Special thanks to Prima Interactive for supplying the review game
_________________________________________________________________________
Writer/Reviewer
JP Du Preez is a father that enjoys all things tech and gaming related.
He loves new tech and is always keen to unbox the next set of headphones and start reviewing them.
Special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying us with the review code
Special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying the review item.
Where do I even begin? This has been coming for a while now and I think I’ve finally snapped. I’ve reached the point where I can’t just brush it off anymore as it is having a blatant effect on the gaming culture and painting it in a bad light. For the last few months I’ve been seeing a lot of “controversies” (or “nontroversies” rather?) over video games as well as pandering to people pushing agendas within our gaming communities and I think it’s about time we as gamers start taking the blinkers off and taking note of this venom that’s seeping into our culture, because let’s face it, gaming is a culture.
Take Amazon’s new game, for example, New World, which they are dubbing as a Survival MMORPG set in a 17th Centaury style fictional land about these explorers arriving and braving the ‘new world’ full of magic and danger. Many are comparing the game to Ark but I think it looks more like Conan Exiles had a love child with The Elder Scrolls Online or older MMOs from back before I knew what the internet was. There are the typical gameplay tropes you’d expect, surviving, crafting, building and exploring but mixed with hubs and character progression akin to traditional MMOs. I don’t want to go too much into the game as this article isn’t really about the game itself. It’s about the fact that upon reading two articles from two very different websites about the game, the one site has a brain when talking about the game and asking questions about the game with the intent to inform while the other site has an agenda.
[caption id="attachment_4239" align="aligncenter" width="300"]The two sites in question are Red Bull Gaming and Polygon. I’ll provide links to both sites so that readers can read them both and come to a well-informed opinion but I will be including screenshots of certain things I’d like to comment on. So, in the same vein agenda driven ‘journalists’ like to say, this is my hot take.
Polygon Article: https://www.polygon.com/2019/2/8/18216053/new-world-game-mmo-impressions-preview-colonization-controversy
Red Bull Gaming Article: https://www.redbull.com/za-en/new-world-amazon-games-mmo-interview
An attack on an 'island resident' the caption says, pretty sure that's a zombie...but okay.
New World is a Problematic game according to Polygon. Why? It’s set in a new world where players are colonialists who have arrived on the shores of this new world and have to survive. It is also the time of tailcoats and Tricorne Hats which appears to be a big no-no in world building these days.
[caption id="attachment_4242" align="aligncenter" width="229"]The writer of the article even states that this setting, although draws from history is set in a fictitious region. So he's upset about a game set in a make belief world that just happens to pull inspiration from the time period. I may be going on a limb here but maybe some of these journalists may be writing down words and trying to make a fuss about something without realising what the words they are jotting down actually mean? It's good to know what words mean before writing something, just a thought.
I'm not downplaying history here. History is full of people killing each other for land or money or just for the sake of killing each other. Greed is at the root of all evil, that we can all agree on. Throughout history, all kinds of people have been inflicting harm upon each other. This world has and always will be a bleak place. But by this 'safe space logic', certain parts of history are taboo or at least drawing from them is problematic? These ideas infringe upon creative freedom though. Imagine if all storytellers were scared or banned from touching upon certain things because it may or may not step on toes. But alas, this is exactly what these people want. They want everything to be their way, to conform to their ideas because dare it triggers someone, oh no we can't have that.
The main thing here, or at least what the writer is trying to make the main thing, is the theme of the game. But let's just point out that there are no indigenous people in this game. This is a fantasy game where players have to explore a land untamed with danger. A world where magic is real and the corruption it brings is real too. Any reasonable person would agree that there were no zombies in America during the 1600's...
[caption id="attachment_4244" align="alignleft" width="171"]Oh geez, did Polygon just compare indigenous people to zombies? Isn't that a little counterintuitive to their whole rant here? Looking at the image to the side, the writer just compared Native American Indians to shuffling zombies to suit his reasoning to take a stab at the game. Maybe he has it in for Amazon or something? Maybe he didn't get a refund for a game that offended him? I am absolutely shocked that someone who is educated enough to string words into sentences and build paragraphs would make such a twisted and unfounded connection between zombies and indigenous people. By trying to find offence the writer ended up being offensive himself. The irony is as dense as the reasoning behind all of these nitpicks.
The lore of the game is similar to things we've seen in other games, like Path of Exile. The land is cursed or corrupt hence foul creatures emerge. But the writer of this article clearly wants to paint the picture that these withered creatures are an analogy for something. If you look for fault, you'll find it. That's how the world works. Are these people really progressive? I have to ask because looking at what was written there feels very regressive to me. Is he is going out of his way, beyond all reason just to try to look for something that isn't there?
This entire article is basically one big nitpick at the game but just wait, the pulling at straws gets worse!
Now there is some fact behind this writer, as soon as he starts to make sense he tosses it right out of the window though, as expected.
[caption id="attachment_4246" align="aligncenter" width="234"]Yes, the European Settlers had been exposed to some nasty germs which buffed their immune system, this is due to plague being ripe among overpopulation and/or lack of hygiene. Everyone knows that. And yes, when exposed to the germs that the Europeans carried it wreaked havoc on the population of the indigenous people.
The society at the time was very religious and they did write this off as a justification for everything that was going on at the time and for what they were doing. It was wrong, any decent human being will say it was wrong. But again, this game has no indigenous people. The zombies that do wander are former settlers who had come before and have turned into the wandering husks that they are now. There are no villages of indigenous people that players can expose to Cholera.
[caption id="attachment_4247" align="alignleft" width="271"]The game focuses on PVP between guilds. The game even allows players to create their own Settler determining their race and gender (whether these races are fantasy races like Drawves or Elves or just the colour of the player character's skin remains to be seen) that alone throws out the writer's earlier attempt of bringing race into the game. There's this trend where these game journalists try to nitpick a thing in a game and spin it as something political and when the developer they are talking to says it clearly isn't, the journalist rebukes them and goes on about how it clearly is because, well, you know, "I want it to be and also I need to make it so for the purpose of my article". That's the mentality behind this writer. I've seen this so many times and yet again, without fail, it happened again. Have to give them points for being persistent. I warn you, dear reader, the next image is so stupidly absurd that it may cause the death of some brain cells. I at least have the common decency to give a heads up before showing such utterances.
[caption id="attachment_4248" align="alignright" width="179"]Polygon, word of advice, if a developer says a game isn't what you are trying to make it out to be then it really isn't what you are trying to make it out to be. Now you're really just grasping at straws. They say that the devs are at fault for making these analogies (which is utterly absurd mind you) and the community are a bunch of bigots for enjoying the game but isn't it funny how the only people who are complaining about this and reaching far and wide to pull at these straws are the writers at Polygon and sites like them? It's like they really want it to be the case so that they can have something to rant about. Some could argue it's all about getting clicks on their site but looking at that article I pick up signs of delusion, maybe at first these articles were designed to generate clicks but I think the clickbait game has played the players who play it. They try to depict that the gaming community is so intolerant but when one looks at the community as a whole we clearly aren't. We don't care about who loves who, who believes what or what someone looks like, we just want someone to chase that sweet Victory Royale/ChickenDinner/Apex Champion Status with.
Gaming is a diverse community and a South African Clan, named F2O, is a testimony to that. They have brought together so many people from different backgrounds and have formed a bond like family. So no, there isn't an intolerance for diversity in gaming, there's an intolerance for bullsh*t.
The only ones who are divided are people like this who write articles like the one shown above with intent to divide. The players who got into the alpha joined looking for fun and not a sensationalized political agenda and low and behold, they are a lot happier about it.
[caption id="attachment_4249" align="aligncenter" width="281"]Talking to a fellow writer on this site about this made me realize something, after reading this article and the article by RedBull Gaming he said how reading the Polygon one was actually draining. The article was about 95% of the writer wanting to be offended but not being able to articulate a rational argument while the last bit briefly informed him on how the game is. Whereas the one by RedBull Gaming was actually informative and a joy to read that created hype for the game.
[caption id="attachment_4250" align="alignleft" width="246"]Well to them, I'm sorry if my abundance of common sense offends you.
New World is expected to have a beta in the coming months but no official announcement has been made as of the current time of writing.
Special thanks to Megarom for supplying the review copy of Just Cause 4 on Xbox One
Whether you like it or not mobile games have been on the rise for years. With our smartphones getting more and more advanced with each new version so too are the games that we find on our app stores.
One such game is Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem. A turn-based strategic RPG that includes the familiar characters from the timelessly classic Looney Tunes franchise and right off the bat, it brings a certain nostalgia seeing these characters whack each other over the head with hammers. That slapstick humour is probably one of the reasons why so many enjoyed watching Looney Tunes as a child and this game honours that in every way, from the graphics and art style to the sound and even the materials needed to tune up characters, it’s Looney Tunes through and through. The gameplay is standard turn-based RPG stuff that we have seen on the app store before. Players level up their toons and build the ideal squad then face off against the AI or teams put together by other players (more on that later) by taking turns utilizing their squads. The formula may be a bit overused for mobile games but it is a formula that is fun and has the depth that causes one to carefully plan their next move. This genre of game is similar to chess. One needs to know how their characters fit in the squad and their strengths and weaknesses. Support characters that buff and heal, Tank characters that taunt and put out heavy damage. Attackers that aren’t so good with taking damage but dish a lot of it out with Area of Effect abilities. The game feels balanced and it’s fun to see a new foe and study their abilities as you try to figure out how to deal with them quickly and effectively.The part of the game that does feel lacking is the Town aspect. It’d be nice to see more content there in the form of decorations and more customisable options for our little towns. Seeing the Toons march around in the streets just makes me want to make their world a nicer place to live in. Also, rotating buildings would be a nice touch.
Overall, Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem is as fun as it is chaotic and I'm still surprised how this game has hooked me as it has. With the copious amount of things to do and earn and making enemies by stealing chests, this game has a lot to offer and it’s even more fun in a clan with friends. Playing this game will make you feel a tad Looney and to be honest, there’s nothing wrong with that. It's nice to see these classic characters doing what they do best on a modern platform. Though I really wish there were more to do with the towns.
Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem gets 9/10 carrots from me. That’s what’s up, Doc.
Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem is free on the Play and App Store
special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying the review copy
Toy Photography has a huge community on Instagram and the work of famous Toy Photographer Mark Hogancamp has been featured in art galleries and his inspirational story is even being adapted into a movie coming later this month starring Steve Carell.
Anyone that knows me knows that I love action figures and I like snapping photos of them even more. So I decided to do a little interview with the guy whose photography inspired me to take my toys off the shelf and tell the stories that I wanted to tell through photography.
This is Eric Ruiz.
Q: Can you please introduce yourself and tell our readers a bit about you?
A: My name is Eric Ruiz, I'm 34 years old, I was born and raised in Los Angeles CA, I'm currently living in Xalapa Mexico. I'm a US Marine Veteran. I like Martial arts and I teach Brazilian Jiu-jitsu in my dojo down here in Mexico. I'm a fan of Marvel, DC, DragonBall, Wrestling and of course video games Ps4.
Q: How did you get into toy photography and for how long have you been doing it?
A: I was really looking for another way to keep my mind busy, after been in the Marines, sometimes it's hard to keep your inside beast under control, so I discovered that there was a marine taking pictures of his Stormtroopers and making some war scenes with them, I started following him on Instagram (@galacticwarfighters) and I got in love with his work and I said I have to start playing again, I purchased my 1st camera (Sony DSC-300) and since I have always been a fan of action figures I started taking pictures of them, at first it was just for fun but then I started getting more and more into it, so I enrolled my self into a photography degree online, I finished a few months ago and I was very pleased with the results.
Q: How did you discover the toy photography community and what are your thoughts on it?
A: I discovered the community when I started using the tag #toyphotography. A lot of Toy Photographers came and likee and commented [on] my photos, so I started following them and I think it's one of the greatest communities out there.
Q: Do you consider toy photography as an art form?
A: No doubt, I think the work that you put behind the scenes on a photo, the pose, the practical effects, the set up to get to the final product it's an art no doubt.
Q: Tell us about the process of how you take a picture. From finding a spot to idea conception to the setup and finally taking the picture.
A: First I get the idea of what I want to do, what's going to be the figure or figures I'm going to use, then I decide if it's going to be indoors or outdoors if I'm going to use practical effects or digital effects etc. If it's going to be an outdoor shot, I make sure the spot it's suitable for the location, I like taking most of my photos outside due to the natural lighting but I also take a bunch of shots inside, if it's going to be inside I make sure the area it's clear of house items, you don't want to make a scene of Kratos fighting Thanos and there is a bottle of soda in the background, I make sure that the scenario fits or simulates the dopeness that is needed for a fight like that.
Q: What is your camera setup? Do you have multiple cameras?
A: The set up depends on the environment, I always tried to keep the ISO to the lowest to avoid the graininess in the pictures, I have 2 cameras both are Sony. I have a Sony A9 and the camera I started with [a] Sony DSC-300.
Q: Are all your photos planned beforehand or do you have spur of the moment pictures?
A: I will say is a little bit of both, sometimes I try to recreate scenes from movies and sometimes they just flash into my head and sometimes from those pictures comes the next idea and so on and so forth.
Q: Tell us more about the practical effects that you add in some of your pictures.
A: They are my favourite, the practical effects that I have been using are fireworks, and my best friend the compressed air, it also depends on the photo that I will be taking but the compressed air works for mostly every photo. I use it to create a bit of atmosphere. I also use flour to recreate snow, water and dirt also work really good for practical effects.
Q: What is your favourite figure in your collection?
A: I would have to say Kratos from Neca
Q: What is your advise to collectors who may want to dabble in toy photography?
A: The main thing is to have fun doing it. Doesn't matter what your goal in Toy Photography is. Try to learn as much as possible about photography, maybe you can't get into a photography school but, there are a bunch of tutorials that you can use on YouTube, don't get discouraged if other Toy Photographers have a better camera of better figures, each of us have different styles and different goals and lots people have the money to invest in gear, figures etc. But that's is not the most important of all, you can have the best camera ever, but still, your photo can suck, so it's better to study and learn about photography and then if there is a chance, you get a good camera. But no matter what just have fun!
You can follow Eric on Instagram @erbigtoys as well as finding him on Facebook via the link below. Because where else will you see Thanos pushing Deadpool in a trolly?
https://web.facebook.com/ErbigToyPhoto/?
All images provided and owned by Eric Ruiz.
Winston Churchill
World War 2 saw what is arguable some of the fieriest and horrific actions known to mankind. Gaming thrives on moments like these. We see many games pushing the envelope when it comes to wow-ing the audience. Many FPS titles desensitize the player from what is happening making it out as if one man with a gun and bravery can single-handedly change the course of history and that life is nothing more than waiting a few seconds to respawn or going back to a checkpoint and trying again. Battlefield 5 wants you to experience what it feels like to be one of the many soldiers during this time. Battlefield 5 makes you experience the futility of being just a number. Battlefield 5 shows you the atrocities of war! Many developers have decided to drop campaigns, such as Call of Duty Black Ops 4 did to rather focus on what is popular at the moment, which is battle royale. The few games that do decide to include a single player aspect, can often become more of a tutorial to the more popular multiplayer section. Battlefield 5 however decided to keep the campaign, and looking at the massive production value that was put into BF1's war stories it was only right to assume more of the same when it came to BF5. The war stories of Battlefield 5 are very much like those of BF1. They feature unknown stories and tell the untold stories of brave men and women who fought in the great war.Please DICE, don't let this become another Battlefield 1, rather spend some time fixing all the little niggly bits and give the battlefield-family what they truly want!
Thanks to Prima Interactive for supplying the review copy
Special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying the review game
If I am Mad, it's a mercy! May the gods pity the man who is in his callousness, can remain sane.
H.P. Lovecraft
HP Lovecraft is synonymous with horror and science fiction and is endeared as one of the most imaginative figures of the genre, and even if you haven't heard of Mr Lovecraft you are sure to have heard about Cthulhu, arguably his most well-known creation. Call of Cthulhu takes many cues from the work of HP Lovecraft to create a likeness that any sci-fi horror enthusiast that picks a good story over gameplay and mechanics any day.Not a big reader? Rather watch a video review? THEED3 has you covered : THEED3 reviews Call of Cthulhu.
Special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying the review content
Special thanks to Theed3 for the video review
Special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying the Review hardware
Special thanks to Prima interactive for supplying the review copy of Red Dead Redemption 2 on Xbox One
This past weekend I attended a wedding at a really nice farm out in Mpumalanga’s countryside. Before I left home I made sure to pack my backpack with a handful of action figures in case there were photo opportunities. The results were amazing and I’m still in the process of periodically uploading them to my Instagram feed, but looking back, this got me thinking. The action figures are only part of the joy in collecting and I think any collector would agree that the hunt is just as exciting.
Either way, whether the market for it is strong or not, the hunt for plastic never dulls.
What do you think? Do we need more comic book shops in South Africa?
Do you collect anything?
Let us know in the comments.
Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic
Do you agree with my list?
Which games do you have fond memories of?
Let us know in the comments!
Special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying the review headset
Thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying the review game
Thanks to Prima Interactive for providing the game for this review
Special thanks to Brendon Jacobs for the review
Special thanks to Prima Interactive for supplying this review game
thanks to Prima Interactive for supplying the review title
This review title was provided by Prima Interactive
a very special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying me with this review copy
Special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying the Review game
As always a very special thanks to Apex Interactive for generously providing this headset for review as well as making it available to become a prize of a lucky Early Axes member!
A special thanks goes to Megarom Interactive for sending me this headset to review.
Thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying this game for review
Thanks to Apex Interactive for being so generous and allowing me to try this game out.
Special thanks to Apex Interactive for so kindly supplying this review headset
Once again a special thanks to Apex Interactive for always being at the forefront of the latest and greatest tech and allowing me to review them as they arrive!
A special thanks to Aiden and Alex for taking the time to visit FANCON and flying the EARLY AXES flag.
I would jump into Burnout Paradise Remastered in a heartbeat to simply relive the nostalgia, therefore I rate it...
Special thanks to Prima Interactive for supplying me with this review copy.
Like the look and feel of the Electra V2, the audio follows suite. It is, simply put, a little boring. Not in a bad way at all. But you will never hear anyone rant and rave about the punchy bass, or the boosted upper range to hear the footsteps of someone lurking around in PUBG. Instead, everything is rather unremarkable. Nearly every headset in this price range uses punchy bass and elevated highs to hide the, sometimes cheaper, smaller drivers that is used to drop the price tag. The Electra V2 does not do that. It does not hide the fact that it uses 40mm drivers instead of the more commonly used 50mm drivers.
The bass region I found to be rather shallow, but as expected from the 40mm drivers fitted to the Electra V2. Mids are a touch veiled but gives just enough to make vocals nice to listen to. At times the highs were slightly too gentle for my liking but they still provide enough detail to allow a good image. A good comparison would be like wearing a comfortable, yet bland t shirt. The Electra V2 delivers a rather flat but gentle sound which can pass quite easily for the less hardcore gamer or someone who plays in a rather quiet environment which will not overpower the 40mm drivers as they try their best to give you their best. The Razer website states that the Electra V2 produces a balanced sound. Never has any statement been more true than this one, which I suppose creates no illusions on the capabilities of the Electra V2 headset. Razer does not advertise them as phenomenal, ear-shattering headsets. It is a normal blue-collared headsets that does its' job as advertised. Nothing more. Nothing less. I did find the Electra V2 to be slightly on the soft side in my opinion, even with the volume slider turned all the way to the maximum at times it felt just that little bit too soft.Special thanks to Apex Interactive for providing this review item.
special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying me with the review item.
As the title suggests, this is a first look at a UFC title, so be aware I have zero reference points... Gloves on, mouthpiece in! Time to step into the octagon.
EARLY IMPRESSIONS
I have never touched a UFC title before, well maybe a demo… I think. So for me this is completely out of my comfort zone in terms of gaming. New territory I have only seen in videos.
So my impression of UFC 3 was, at most, daunting because I had no idea what I’m getting myself into. So I took a deep breath and Pressed Start.
So I jumped in and went straight for the Create-A-Fighter mode, I was greeted with a fair amount of options to play with. I am happy that there is variety in the mode to create all manner of fighters.
After creating the perfect representation of myself, a chiseled behemoth of a fighter, with dashing good looks ( I have to recreate myself you know ;) ) I proceeded to a few practice fights. I quickly realized that the beat’ - em - up style is vastly different from those of Tekken and Dead or Alive. So I had to adapt or this wasn’t going to go south, rather quickly!
I took my newly created fighter into Career mode, and adapted style of playing a beat’em game, to the Octagon to see how it goes. It didn't. I lost by way of submission.
My early impression thus far is good. I got my butt kicked in the first fight, but instead of making me want to quit, it made me want to learn from this and adapt even more, which I did and won by knock-out. It felt great landing that knock-out punch, so much that I wanted it more. So my journey as UFC fighter began.
GAMEPLAY
The game has an extremely solid feel to it. This is further enhanced by the incredible graphical detail of each fighter.
The movement is different from what I am use to in games like Tekken. I want to say a delay but the word delay must be taken with a pinch of salt. This style makes me plan my offence and defense very carefully. With this slight "delay" comes a sense of strategy, aimless button mashing will get you knocked down and out before you hit your second sequence of buttons. Strategy is key. Well timed and thought out attacks are devastatingly effective compared to button mashing a front hand jab hoping to drop your opponent eventually.
The character model movement is spot on. How they react to getting punched and kicked gives you the visual feedback that you actually doing damage.
UFC 3 matches are not to be considered a sprint race, quite the opposite they are marathons. If you go all out throwing punches and kicks like you playing an arcade brawler, you will lose, badly. You have to manage your stamina and decide when the right time to attack is. Landing a blow against an opponent that is blocking compared to missing entirely, I would rather take on a block.
The grappling side of things is a monster in its own right, this is truly a art form that when mastered can be magnificent but as a beginner it can be tough to get to grips with. The ground game can be handled easy, but when it comes to a submission move, it is difficult for a new comer as the feedback on that is rather minimal. It is easy to lose at submissions when you are new to UFC, but as they say, practice makes perfect.
Damage is also indicated accurately like a real UFC fight. Faces swell up and blood get spilled, and when landing a heavy damage dealing blow, the screen tilts and wobbles as your opponent stumbles, all while the crowd goes wild. It may sound like you are winning, but the fight can drastically turn with just one well-placed kick to the face. So it is always best to keep your guard up.
GRAPHICS
As far as the graphics go, it looks really great. You would easily mistake the game for a live UFC match on the TV if you gave it a quick glance.
The character models are super accurate and when landing those punches to your opponents face, you can see the blood, sweat and fortunately no snot, flying off your opponents face. Keep in mind also, it counts for your fighter too, but it still looks great none the less.
I will be honest about a few things. Some of the character models look weird, almost like cartoonish, but this does not mean they don’t pack the punch they are famous for.
In game there are some graphical oddities like certain head movements when punched or kicked, arm movements and even fighters walking into the ring barrier like it’s an invisible wall, but these are not game breaking or even enough to take you out of the moment.
All in all, the game looks great from start to finish and custom characters fits in like they were meant to be there.
REPLAYABILITY
UFC 3 has all the bells and whistles like any other beat’em up title. Fight Modes, Career Mode, Practice Mode and Online Fights.
Fight Mode is your straight up jump into a fight and enjoy with no loss or gain, just plain old fun. It is also the best place to get a feel for the game in a real fight. You can get the same in Practice Mode but in my opinion it’s only good for practicing to land punches and kicks. It also makes you a tad lazy in managing your stamina.
Career Mode is where the game really shines. You can either choose any of the existing fighters in the roster, or create your own, and yes there is even a feature to upload your own face to your fighter. After you tinkered with your fighter’s appearance and style, you start your career with a starter fight to lead you into what the UFC is about.
In career mode your stats do not simply build until you are a unstoppable force with a iron chin. You have to train to keep your health and stats up for each upcoming fight to ensure you have the best chance of winning. You are assigned points you can spend on various activities during your training. From gym sessions to self-promoting to create hype. This does give you the sense of being more involved with your fighter’s progress, making each victory well earned.
I decided to go onto the online octagon and see how I would stack up. I obviously expected to get my butt handed to me on a silver platter.
I didn’t do too badly actually, I still lost, but It was exciting and fun. I still have a long way to go if I want to be an online champion at UFC 3, but until that day, I will have to train hard.
UFC 3 also boast and Ultimate Team mode, which does have a fair share of loot boxes but this is only within the Ultimate Team mode. You can also acquire other items via the store that you buy with in game currency. Items switch up after a time limit so it’s never the same.
From all that is on offer, UFC 3 is a rather beefy package to sink your teeth into.
FINAL VERDICT
UFC 3 was nowhere near on my radar of games I would try, but I’m sure glad I did. It’s a proper brawler that I can see being used as a way to settle arguments.
It isn’t everyone’s type of fighter, but I would recommend it if you are a gamer that enjoys these type of games with friends.
I will be spending more time with UFC 3 because my victories feel earned. I genuinely get stoked when I get a knockout on my opponents.
Just like the real UFC, I stepped out of comfort zone and gave this game a try only to discover I loved it.
Special thanks to Prima Interactive for sending me this review copy.
I would like to thank Megarom Interactive for being so kind as to supply me with this review item. Check them out at the link.
From the moment of opening the box, you can tell the SteelSeries Apex M800 is gaming keyboard that means business and it comes with all the bells and whistles to do the job.
DESIGN
Before plugging it in, I took some time to inspect the hardware. It is a sturdy keyboard and feels strong. Strong enough to whack your friend over the head for taking the last slice of pizza during the LAN session. (Please don’t as this theory has not been tested)
The M800 is somewhat different to a normal mechanical keyboard. The switches is of a linear design, so you won’t be getting that clicking sound when pressing on the keys. It’s also worth mentioning, because of this design, the key stem is 1mm shorter than the traditional 4mm, making it very responsive and quick.
Another striking feature is the spacebar, yes that landing strip in the middle. Most people, including myself, will find it strange because of the size but it works well as it is always in reach. This makes the design of the keyboard great for gaming and typing. What?! Typing? On a keyboard? Nooooooooo *mindblown*
The USB cable is threaded making it more durable than normal rubberized cables. There is two USB plugs, one for the keyboard itself and one to power the two USB ports at the back. These can be used for your flash drive, mouse or even a desk fan.
FEATURES
The Apex M800’s main feature, besides being a mechanical keyboard, is its RGB illumination. When plugging it in, it lights up like a Christmas tree with its bright LEDs. The colour switching across the board is mesmerizing and extremely fun to play around with using the SteelSeries Engine 3 app. It is where you can tinker with all that is on offer.
I have played around with colour switching for a good while and it is just amazing what you can configure. My favourite setting is the Equalizer. This is exactly what it sounds like and to see it in action puts a rather stupid looking grin on my face.
Button Mapping is easy and the whole keyboard can be mapped to your liking. Same goes for the LED configuration, you can either use the pre-sets from the app or you can crazy and give each key its own colour and effect.
That being said, keys can be configured for Discord, CSGO and Dota 2 by default with the option to even make your own app. (This option shall not be reviewed). With 6 Macros buttons on the left side for dedicated mapping, again, this makes the M800 perfect for gaming or work related tasks.
Underneath the M800 you have four large rubber feet to keep the board in place. The two back feet can be interchanged with the bigger ones for those who prefer a keyboard at an angle. However, even when lying flat, it still feels incredible and is a joy to use, so the raised back is down to preference.
LIFE WITH THE M800
As an everyday PC user, and owning a rather older mechanical keyboard, I have grown to love mechanical keyboards and I don’t think I will ever go back to normal keyboards, also I don’t think my hands will allow it either. Mechanical keyboards are just amazing and believe they must become the standard.
But how has my experience been with the M800? It is one of the best keyboards out there, it feels great and is fun to look at when you made a setup on the app for a custom colour configuration.
Traditional mechanical keyboards make you sound like a pro hacker at work when you just to normal typing and use in general, due to the clicking sound of the keys. With M800 you can game and type away without sounding like a machine-gun on full auto at 12am.
ROUND UP
The SteelSeries Apex M800 is a fun and serious keyboard.
With the ability to setup each key individually for binding and colour, great for gaming, comfy for work and just so damn pretty to look at, I recommend it to anyone.
Some Bad News Below...
As always I would like to say a special thanks to Prima Interactive for providing me with this review copy.
As always thanks to Apex Interactive for allowing me to test this magnificent piece of hardware!
thanks to Prima Interactive for supplying us with this Review copy!
Once again A BIG thank you to APEX INTERACTIVE SA for supplying me with the headset
My Final Rating for this game is 8 ½ out of 10
written by Willie Botes, Edited by JP du Preez