New Releases: August 2016
Kicking off August in pure style is Hello Games’ incredibly ambitious PS4 space adventure No Man’s Sky. Be careful though, because you’re bound to get lost in space with this one. It takes off Wednesday August 10.
A day later on Thursday August 11 is Teddy Together for Nintendo’s 3DS. You must help feed and care for a mysterious bear after it appears on your doorstep, as well as answer strange questions like “How do you make friends?” Weird…
Meanwhile, speed ahead to Friday August 19 and you’ll find F1 2016 (PS4, XBO, PC), allowing revheads to enjoy racing through the season’s calendar of 21 tracks.
The month’s heaviest hitter, however, won’t reveal itself until Tuesday August 23. Yes, augmented super-agent Adam Jensen is back in Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (PS4, XBO, PC), the sequel to 2011’s Human Revolution. The game’s signature elements like multiple paths and upgrades also return.
If you’ve been waiting for some athletic action, on the other hand, look no further than Madden NFL 17 (PS4, XBO). The annual release packs a slew of updates like better commentary and the return of special teams. It tackles its way into your life from Thursday August 25.
Closing out the month on Tuesday August 30 is World Of Warcraft: Legions – the latest expansion for the PC behemoth. It introduces a new continent, a new class, raises the level cap and will hopefully make you forget the film ever existed.
News:
SMASH! 2016
Can’t stand the wait for this year’s EB Expo or PAX? Then why not check out Smash! Taking place from Saturday August 20 – Sunday August 21 at Rosehill Gardens, Smash! Sydney Manga And Anime Show is a pop culture convention that celebrates one thing: Japan. The whole event is devoted to artists, creators and fans, and draws thousands each year. You can check out some impressive cosplayers, sit through a few panels or stock up on a whole range of goodies. Plus, this year the event will also bring voice actor Hideo Ishikawa, voice actor/singer Ai Nonaka and internationally renowned cosplayer Yuegene Fay to our shores. Tickets start at $30 and can be purchased from smash.org.au.
WSSS Pokémon Go
Walk Sydney
After the overwhelming success of the Pokémon Go walk at the Sydney Opera House, follow-up events have been a dime a dozen. One of the most noble of these is the WSSS Pokemon Go Walk. That’s largely because although not compulsory, its organisers have asked attendees to donate a mere $5 to Open Heart International – a charity that provides the opportunity for those living in developing countries to receive the specialised healthcare that they deserve, yet cannot access. Kicking off in Hyde Park at 2:30pm on Saturday August 6, the event will make its way through the Botanical Gardens, Opera House, Museum of Contemporary Art and conclude at King Street Wharf. Those who donate will even be able to compete for the ‘Best Catch’ prize at the end of the day.
Review:
Pokémon Go (iOS, Android)
Most people expected Pokémon Go to be big – simultaneously tugging at the nostalgic heartstrings of older gamers while luring in a new breed of mobile players. Nobody, however, expected it to be this big. Thousands of Pokémon masters convening at the Sydney Opera House. New York City citizens literally leaving their cars to obtain a rare find. To some it’s magic, others madness. No matter your opinion, it’s not going anywhere anytime soon, but just because something’s popular doesn’t mean it’s good. Thankfully, though, Pokémon Go ticks enough of the right boxes – when it works.
The basic concept of Go is simple. Utilising the wonders of augmented reality via your smartphone’s camera and GPS signal, developer Niantic makes it look and feel as though there are wild Pokémon scattered around our everyday lives, and your job is to catch them all. For most of the time that means you’ll be following a prettier version of Google Maps as you explore your surrounding areas for rustling bits of grass that signal a Pokémon’s presence.
Once in sight, you merely need to get close enough to see and tap on it to initiate a Pokébattle – conducted by launching Pokéballs towards your desired monster with your finger in order to capture it. It’s a simple yet surprisingly addictive process, plus catching enough of the same creature will eventually allow you to evolve them into bigger and better versions.
Gyms, meanwhile, introduce a more competitive element. Use up to six of your best fighters to take over an enemy gym and you’ll be able to open it up for your team (red, blue or yellow) and add your own Pokémon for others to duel. These battles are arguably too easy to win, meaning gyms change hands quite often, but the mini rivalries they foster are actually a lot of fun.
Fans of the original Pokémon franchise will be disappointed to see how much of the core game has been stripped away, but they are inevitable concessions made to suit the mobile platform and its more casual users. As a result, this isn’t at all the Pokémon you remember, but that’s OK. Instead, when it’s not fighting against a barrage of server issues and performance glitches, Pokémon Go offers up a truly fascinating social experience that will create countless stories in the months ahead. The main thing is that you’ll almost certainly want to catch ’em all.
★★★☆
