Company of Heroes 2: The British Forces
Platform: PC, GNU/Linux
Status: Releasing on September 3rd – Available for pre-order on Steam
This standalone expansion pack for Company of Heroes, a top-down real-time strategy game, makes an entire new faction available to the player. Specifically, it adds eight new maps for multiplayer, six commanders and fifteen unit types.
Due to the fact that it is standalone, new players will be able to purchase this expansion without the original game, and still go “go toe-to-toe with every other faction in the game” as executive producer Greg Wilson stated. Starcraft players and the like will take an instant like to this game as it has a fairly similar feel. I recommend that new players buy this expansion, it is a great opportunity to get into the CoH series.
Along with the new features, the base game will also get a major update, which is intended to balance out the five factions within the game as well as improve the visuals and animations.
Tearaway Unfolded
Platform: PS4, PS Vita
Status: Releasing in September 2015
Originally on PS Vita, Tearaway has been remade to suit the PlayStation 4, with a longer storyline and enhancements in place to use the features of the DualShock 4. Along with that, players have the option of using a companion app, which allows you and your friend to mess about in the world and make your own creations, whether by picture or drawing. The app can be downloaded on your PS Vita, or any smartphone or tablet. The casual atmosphere of the game allows you to sit back and relax, and provides a, dare I say it, ‘kawaii’ – err, let’s just stick with ‘cute’ – alternative to the popular, fast paced action games that you’ll no doubt be playing.
Mad Max
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, GNU/Linux
Status: Releasing in September 2015
Set in the Mad Max universe, this game brings fast paced vehicular combat and third-person hand-to-hand combat to the table. With an open world environment, the player is free to explore their surroundings and scavenge for parts to upgrade their car, the Magnum Opus, with additions like nitro boosts and other modifications that can affect the engines, chassis and the body of the car. The game heavily emphasises on vehicles, as around 60% of the game requires the player to be in a car to defeat enemies, so upgrades are vital to survival.
Although the story is stand-alone, and the events of the movies haven’t happened, you will see some similarities of the universe, with locations such as Gas Town.
LEGO Dimensions
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U
Status: Releasing on the 27th of September
Another exciting edition to Warner Bros.’ LEGO game series, LEGO Dimensions puts all your favourite characters into one epic story.
There are 14 different franchises that the game features; DC Comics, The Lord of the Rings, The Lego Movie, The Wizard of Oz, The Simpsons, Lego Ninjago, Doctor Who, Back to the Future, Portal 2, Ghostbusters, Midway Arcade, Scooby-Doo, Lego Chima and Jurassic World. The game’s starter pack includes iconic characters such as Batman, Gandalf and Wyldstyle, as well as other extras like the Batmobile. The game follows a ‘toys-to-life’ format, which allows users to put physical toys onto a portal, unlocking that character in-game.
The story finds Batman, Gandalf and Wyldstyle in the Land of Oz, attempting to save the multiverse from the evil Lord Vortech. A perilous journey ahead of them, the trio must band together to save their friends and their home from Vortech’s scheme.
Adr1ft
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Oculus Rift, PC
Status: Releasing in September 2015
An Interactive fiction game that supports the Oculus Rift, this immersive first-person survival game puts you in the boots of an astronaut caught in the wreckage of a space station. The only survivor, stuck with a damaged EVA suit and a damaged memory, you must navigate your way through the ship you once knew so well, using the deceased crew’s audio logs to piece together the incident that caused the crash. Your only objective is to repair an escape pod to return home, although it won’t be easy. Numerous obstacles stand in your way, one of them being a human’s dependency on oxygen. Do your best to survive, and try not to get dizzy.
Adr1ft will be released in September, by developers Three Zero One and publishers 505 Games, who have brought games like Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and Payday 2 to the gaming world. It runs on the Unreal Engine 4, so you can expect a very, very pretty game.
By Arya-Jonah Mendonca
