Video game magazine that I worked on for my print and online module. I served as Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Online Editor.

1. HITBOX
Our 4-page special:
THE GAMES YOU ARE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO.
Issue #1 May 2019
Mental Health
Can video games
be a saviour, or
add to suffering?
CRACKDOWN 3
REVIEWS:
FEATURES:
ACE COMBAT 7
RED DEAD
REDEMPTION 2
FALLOUT 76
Unions
Game
developers are
putting in 100
hours a week - do
they need union
protection?
E3 and Sony
We predict the
thrills and spills
to expect from
the E3 Expo!

2. CONTENTS
FEATURES
4-5 What shall we expect from this year's
E3?
6 Our review on the growth of male char-
acters
7 How female characters have developed
over the years
12 Why video games do not cause violence
+ Microsoft's new disabled access controller!
14-17 The games YOU are most looking
forward to
18-19 How video games help mental
health
OPINIONS
8 EA cannot be trusted with Star Wars!
20-21 Online gaming: Are you get-
ting a fair deal?
22 Loot Boxes: the beginning of the
end?
23 DLC: A money grabbing evil or a
business marvel?
24 Single player is NOT dead!
25 Skyrim and its key to immortality
27 Can Bethesda Redeem Itself?
INTERVIEWS
9 Meet the man who quit university for
video games
10-11 Do we need gaming unions?
13 Tom Bissmire and his journey into com-
mentating
REVIEWS
26 Fallout 76: 'The post-nuclear glitch
fest.'
28-29 Red Dead Redemption 2:
'Rockstar has still got it!'
30 Ace Combat 7: '12 years was well
worth the wait'
31 Resident Evil 2 Remake: 'It's
Professor Layton meets The Thing!'
32 Crackdown 3: 'Mayhem takes
place!'
33 Steam Reviews Roundup
34-35 Hitman 2: 'Still heaps of fun!'
10-11
28-29
07
2 HITBOX APRIL 2019

3. MEET THE TEAMI’m a big fan of role-player games but I occa-
sionally venture out in fighter and shooter
games. I am from the unheard-of Glemsford in
the Suffolk countryside. For me the combina-
tion of plots and characters are the core of a
game. I enjoy games where there is an open
world element for when you don’t fancy play-
ing the main storyline. For me, this makes the
game feel more personal rather than following
the exact same story everyone else does. My
gaming time is primarily spent playing games
such as Skyrim, Red Dead Redemption, Tomb
Raider, the Witcher, the Arkham series, Fallout
and GTA.
Rhiannon here and, when I'm not writing,
I’ve got a controller in my hand. Fairing from
sunny Suffolk, my favourite titles vary –from
an 80 hour Dragon Age playthrough, to get-
ting my perfect town in Animal Crossing. My
project is writing about the gaming industry-
and holding the companies to account. From
loot boxes to “crunch time”, these past few
months have given me lots to write about!
This month, I’ve finally been getting through
the gorgeous Spyro Reignited Trilogy and
unlocking all the characters in Smash Bros.
Ultimate.
Logo icon made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com is licensed by CC 3.0 BY 3 HITBOX APRIL 2019
I’m Daniel, reigning from the English town of
Leamington Spa. Gaming is a large part of my
life. Whether it is pure escapism or being com-
petitive as can be in the server. You will catch
me playing all sorts of games when I’m not
writing for Hitbox. From an early age, Kirby’s
dreamland sucked me in and I’ve been gam-
ing ever since. When I pick up the keyboard
and mouse, I will be jumping into the worlds
of Valve’s Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: Global
Offensive.
Lately, I have been delving into Crackdown 3
and Total War: Three Kingdoms.
I’m the casual gamer of the group, speaking
for all the fair-weather gamers. Born and bred
in Ipswich, Suffolk, I tend to spend my gam-
ing time playing FIFA, Forza, Fortnite and
Grand Theft Auto – popular titles. When I’m
not playing, I’m working. I’m a freelancer with
BBC Local Radio, working on BBC Essex Sport,
whilst studying Multimedia Journalism at the
University of Essex. With a passion for radio,
and being a flamboyant broadcaster, I’m tak-
ing a dip into magazine creation with Hitbox,
and hope I can provide a voice for all casual
gamers around.
JACOB OTTAWAY Features Editor
HOLLY HAMMOND Review Editor
RHIANNON BEVAN Production Editor and Opinion Editor
Hi, I’m HK. I’m a political nut who looks to
video games as a means for escaping the real
world, because politics is really stressful. I was
born in Peterborough and raised in the middle
of nowhere, aka Rutland. My favourite kind
of video game is a big, ambitious, story-driven
open world RPG like Skyrim or Dragon Quest.
That said, I do have a soft spot for the odd
arcade shooter. Most recently, I’ve been doing
my 5th playthrough of Star Wars: Knights of
the Old Republic II and getting stuck into Ace
Combat 7 and Dragon Quest XI.
HK NORMAN Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Online Editor
Hitbox magazine has launched with a
bang with our very first issue! Our team
has worked very hard these last couple of
months to bring you the latest news and
reviews on games and technology. Our
big story of the month will be discuss-
ing the upcoming games YOU are most
looking forward to! This year is going to
be a big year for video games and we
have addressed this in our predictions
for E3 and why Sony have opted out of
it. And, although this is our first issue, we
won’t let that get in the way of reaching
the riskier discussions such as whether
gaming employees should have a union
and if Bethesda can dig themselves
out of Fallout 76. And finally, we have
reviewed recent releases from Red Dead
Redemption 2 to Ace Combat 7. Enjoy!
Hello, I'm Jess, editor of the magazine.
I've been a gamer since I was six-years-
old when I picked up my first Pokemon
game for the Gameboy Advanced.
Now I play story-driven single-player
games with my recent favourites being
Red Dead Remption 2 and The Witcher
3. For this magazine, I have reviewed
three titles, one of these being Red Dead,
and the other two being Hitman 2 and
the Resident Evil 2 remake. When I'm
not writing for Hitbox, I'm studying
Multimedia Journalism at the University
of Essex and co-hosting my Youtube pod-
cast called TheEntertainmentRoom.
DANIEL CHARLEY News Editor
JESS CLAYTON-BERRY Editor-in-Chief
WELCOME TO OUR FIRST ISSUE!
From the Editor and
Hitbox team

4. 4 HITBOX APRIL 2019
E3
WHAT WE KNOW
AND WHAT WE
THINK WILL
HAPPEN
Microsoft have confirmed their return this
year with their 3 main projects presumed
to be involved. The first being project
'Scarlett Family'; their upcoming hard-
ware duo. Not much is known about
this other than it contains two sub-pro-
jects called Lockhart and Anaconda,
rumoured to be two different consoles
with varying prices and spec.
The sixth instalment of the Halo
franchise, Halo Infinite, is an upcoming
game being released by Microsoft. First
announced at last year’s E3, it has been
confirmed to come back for E3 2019. One
of the biggest rumours for this project is
that it will be launched with Microsoft’s
next console, which is unsurprising consid-
ering it is the company’s most anticipated
upcoming game. Few information about
the game has been revealed other than it
will be rendered on the all new ‘Slipspace
Engine’.
The other main upcoming Microsoft
project is of course Gears 5 which was
also announced at last year’s E3. This
sequel to the Gears of War franchise will
follow the story of newcomer Kait Diaz
and her journey to learn more about her
Locust heritage. Characters from previous
instalments are also expected to return
including JD Fenix, Delmont Walker and
Marcus Fenix.
Something that could also pop up
at E3 would be the rumoured partner-
ship between Microsoft and Nintendo
which has been brewing for years after
the two companies previously stated in
the past their keenness to work together.
Nintendo already use Xbox live in the
Minecraft Nintendo Switch port to incor-
porate crossplay between their console
and the Xbox One and this could be
expanded to all Switch games to further
strengthen the alliance between the two
companies.
MICROSOFT
Written by Jessica Clayton-Berry
The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) is the biggest video game event of the year with this year’s confer-
ence due to take place from the 11th of June - 13th of June, 2019. Not much has been officially announced as
it’s still early days, other than the frequent visitors expected to make a return to advertise their latest prod-
ucts. Other than that we have nothing but speculation and guesses to work on. But here are our predictions
Halo 6 is among the very few games currently confirmed for E3.
In comparison to Sony, Microsoft have been lackluster in their exclusives but
fans are hoping Gears 6 could change this.
REVIEW FEATURE

5. 5 HITBOX APRIL 2019
BUT WHAT HAPPENED TO SONY?
OTHER LIKELY SHOWCASES THIS YEAR
Sony have announced they are not
attending E3 2019 for the first time
in 24 years, and it’s the only frequent
E3 publisher doing so. A spokesperson
said the reason for this was because
the company “are exploring new and
familiar ways to engage our commu-
nity in 2019”.
It’s speculated that their absence
could be due to them arranging their
own conference, as it’s not like they
have nothing to show being that their
3 upcoming games - The Last of Us
Part II, Death Stranding and Ghost
of Tsushima – are amongst the most
anticipated of all the upcoming games
this year. E3 made a similar move in
2018 by holding its EA Play conference
a few days before E3. However, Sony
have confirmed that they are not ‘pro-
gramming around E3’ and even can-
celled its own Playstation Experience
event in 2018.
Therefore, the most likely explana-
tion is that they are planning to come
back with a bang in 2020 with the
announcement of the Playstation 5,
rather than appearing this year with
only three games, which we have
already seen so much of in previous
events.
Nintendo
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Astral Chain
Bethesda Softworks
Wolfenstein: Young Blood
Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot
Doom Eternal
Starfield
Capcom
Deep Down
Tekken X Street Fighter
Konami
Pro Evolution Soccer 2020
Square Enix
Babylon's Fall
Final Fantasy VIII Remake
Project Prelude Rune
The Avengers Project
Ubisoft
Skull & Bones
Beyond Good and Evil 2
CD Projekt Red
Cyberpunk 2077
CD Projekt
Red's much
anticipated
Cyberpunk
2077 is also
among those
confirmed for
this year's E3.
Nintendo fans
are hoping
that Astral
Chain will
make an
appearance,
first
introduced at
the Nintendo
Direct event
earlier this
year.
The Last of
Us 2 is one
of the most
anticipated
games of the
year, almost
entirely stole
the show at
last year's E3.
Death
Stranding
is the
mysterious
upcoming
game from
the mind of
Hideo Kojima.
Not much is
known about
the story
line or even
gameplay.

6. GENDER REPRES
6 HITBOX APRIL 2019
One example goes all the way back to
BioWare’s Star Wars: Knights of the Old
Republic, published in 2003. The main
playable character, canonically a male in
subsequent material (though the gender
is at the determination of the player in
the game), has a level of depth that, at
the time, was rarely seen in video games.
Rather than being completely faithful to
the Jedi way or going full Sith, he seems
to walk a line between light and dark, for
extremely well-thought out and considered
reasons.
Even Darth Revan, the villain of the
game and a Dark Lord of the Sith, has
depth. Fortunately, Knights of the Old
Republic II by Obsidian had plenty of depth
for its huge cast of characters. In particular,
there’s Atton Rand, a former Sith soldier
and Jedi torturer turned-refugee and,
eventually, turned-Jedi.
And then there’s Duke Nukem. Probably
the epitome of the toxic male video game
character. He’s brash, sexist, doesn’t give
much thought to his actions, and lacks any
sort of depth. His autobiography is even
called “Why I’m so great”.
But we’ve come a long way from then.
It’s such a good time for single-player
games now, with expertly and superbly
written video game characters, from
Connor in Detroit: Become Human to Joel
in The Last of Us.
Just as women in video games are
becoming less sexualised, men are
becoming a lot more human. And that’s
good.
W
hen we think of men in video
games, we think of these buff,
heavily tattooed, attractive
action heroes with traumatic backstories
involving the death of their entire families
at the hands of some evil tyrant. That’s the
stereotype at least. Suffice to say, that’s no
longer the norm.
Master Chief is probably the pinnacle
of the stereotypical male video game
character. Tall, buff, shady past - but we
know it’s traumatic because that’s just how
it goes. He's referred to by his title rather
than his name, but in true video game
fashion his name is John. And he has an
intimate relationship with his computer
assistant, Cortana. I think Halo must’ve
predicted the Otaku movement.
Enter Connor. He’s the Android sent by
CyberLife. Probably the complete opposite
to Master Chief. He knows how to handle
himself in a fight, much like Master Chief,
but then Connor has something that
he doesn’t. Depth. Here is an Android
struggling with his place in the world. Does
he betray his own people in his search for
deviants? Or does he betray those who
created him and join the push for equal
rights for Androids? This is a level of depth
that I, as a writer, CRAVED in male video
game characters of old. And unlike most
other male video game characters, he
actually feels... real?
Of course, there are many, many
notable exceptions. There were some male
characters who, at the time, bucked the
trend and had depth.
From brooding
hunks to
sensitive
souls...
We've got a lot of Duke Nukems,
but could we do with more Joels and
Connors? HK Norman investigates
how men in games are being written
Source: 2K Games
Master Chief, as iconic as he is, isn't
very two-dimensional. (source:
Microsoft)
Connor shows just how far we’ve
come in humanising men in video
games.
FEATURE

7. SENTATION
The cries of outrage to video games’ representation of
females has been ongoing for years. Females characters
have been constantly criticised from being sexualised to
having no main role. With the evolution of Lara Croft from
her triangular assets to strong modern-day characters such
as Ellie from the Last of Us, I look at how females have been
represented in video games over the years.
Lara Croft, the iconic protagonist of the Tomb Raider franchise,
has undoubtedly come a long way since her debut in 1996.
Long-time fans will have noticed that in the 2013 franchise
reboot, designers had opted for a less sexualised appearance for
Croft. The outfit choices were also noteworthy as they were less
revealing and more practical than their predecessors. Perhaps
this was more suitable for a modern audience? Regardless, this
decision opened to controversy itself as many gamers felt that
there was nothing wrong with strong but sexy female characters.
The beloved Batman Arkham franchise was criticised for its
alleged misogynist approach to its female characters. Arkham City
was the prime target for criticism for the frequent use of ‘bitch’ by
male characters when referring to Catwoman. Although this was
heavily criticised, it should go noted that these terms would likely
be used in a real situation. It is unlikely they would refer to her
as a wonderful person whilst being round kicked to the face. It is
undeniable that the female characters were somewhat sexualised,
but as it relies on source material, part of the characters’
personality is based on their sex appeal.
...and from triangle
boobs, to combat moves
On the other hand, one legendary female character who
mostly avoids this criticism is Jill Valentine from the Resident Evil
franchise. She has often been praised for her competence, skill-
set and for her strong character being far less sexualised than
other females. Valentine has been applauded for being shown as
equal to her male companions. However, the game designers have
received some criticism for some of Valentine’s more revealing
costumes. Ultimately it is down to game designers for what their
end goal is for the characters and the way they want them to be
portrayed.
Ellie, the protagonist of the Last of Us has received unanimous
praise for her captivating strong character. She’s also been
applauded for her independence as well as boosting LGBT
awareness in a realistic light. Many have liked that Ellie hasn’t
been sexualised and has given a voice to minority groups. As well
as this her friendly and not romantically-inclined relationship
with the protagonist Joel has also been well loved.
Feminist, Afreen said that: “I think women in the video game
industry are sexualized to an unnecessary and unrealistic extent.
Female characters in video games are usually just sidekicks
to a “stronger” male protagonist. They’re simply viewed as
cheerleaders and not seen as capable to be a part of the action
themselves.”
In my opinion, if the game has a convincing storyline, enjoyable
gameplay and interesting characters, I do not mind how a video
game presents females. In fact, many of the mentioned games are
in my favourites.
How far have we come since Lara
Croft hit our screens in 1996? Holly
Hammond takes a look at how
women are being represented in our
games
Some have found issue with
Catwoman being called a 'bitch' in
Arkham City (2011)
7 HITBOX APRIL 2019
FEATURE
Lara Croft has certainly
gone through some changes
since her debut (credit:
playstation store)

8. 1
2
Think back to the early 2000s.
It was a golden age for Star Wars
video games. Star Wars Knights of
the Old Republic and its sequel were
released to rave reviews for their in-
depth, story driven gameplay, and
Star Wars Battlefront II and Lego
Star Wars were the go-to-game for
primary school kids playing on the
PlayStation 2 when they go around
to their friend’s house for tea.
LucasArts, and the few companies they
licensed the make these games, knew
what they were doing, and they did it so
well.
These games are still enjoyed by many
people the world over to this day. I’m on
my fifth playthrough of Star Wars: Knights
of the Old Republic II.
Fast forward to the present day, and
speculation is rampant that EA have can-
celled development of one their highly-an-
ticipated upcoming single-player Star
Wars RPG, code-named Orca, in order to
rush through their smaller-scale RPG, Star
Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
When Battlefront was released, it failed
to meet expectations, and began to raise
questions as to whether EA was the right
company to hold the license for Star Wars
games.
Then came Star Wars Battlefront 2,
which was also panned by fans and critics
alike, and sparked renewed calls for the
removal of EA’s Star Wars license.
What fans yearned for was a story-driv-
en, single player RPG, like what we had
in the old days. We nearly got that,
when Visceral Studios, a subsidiary of EA,
announced development of the game
Ragtag, billed as an open world, single
player RPG in which our character would
be part of a group of bounty hunters,
hence the name Ragtag.
But EA decided to close down Visceral,
and cancel Ragtag. And now, with the
cancellation of Orca, questions are once
again being raised as to whether EA
are the right people to hold the license
for Star Wars games, especially when
the only good thing to come out of EA
holding the license is Star Wars: The Old
Republic, something EA has no creative
control over, because it’s developed by
BioWare.
In my view, it’s pretty clear that Star
Wars does not belong with EA. In the last
five years that EA have held the license,
only two major Star Wars games have
been released. In the same amount of
time before the license was given to EA,
we had eight. EIGHT. For god’s sake,
EA, give the fans what they want. Give
us a single player, story-driven RPG.
Let BioWare make Knights of the Old
Republic 3, for god’s sake!
EA: Before
and After
Before
After
Then and now
1. It is SURELY a mark of quality on
a game as old as Knights of the Old
Republic that it’s been released for
Android and Apple.
2. Ugh. There are no words for this
other than ugh.
Star Wars and video games:
why EA cannot be trusted
HK Norman explores the recent controversy
surrounding recent Star Wars games
Think back to the early 2000s. It
was a golden age for Star Wars
video games. Star Wars Knights of
the Old Republic and its sequel were
released to rave reviews for their in-
depth and story driven gameplay.
Star Wars Battlefront II and Lego
Star Wars were the go-to-game for
primary school kids playing on the
PlayStation 2 when they go around
to their friend’s house for tea.
LucasArts, and the few companies they
licensed the make these games, knew
what they were doing, and they did it so
well.
These games are still enjoyed by many
people all over the world to this day. I’m
on my fifth playthrough of Star Wars:
Knights of the Old Republic II.
Fast forward to the present day, and
speculation is rampant that EA have can-
celled development of one their highly-an-
ticipated upcoming single-player Star
Wars RPG, code-named Orca, in order to
rush through their smaller-scale RPG, Star
Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
When Battlefront was released, it failed
to meet expectations and began to raise
questions as to whether EA was the right
company to hold the license for Star Wars
games.
Then came Star Wars Battlefront 2,
which was also panned by fans and critics
alike, and sparked renewed calls for the
removal of EA’s Star Wars license.
What fans yearned for was a sto-
ry-driven, single-player RPG, like what
we had in the old days. We nearly got
that, when Visceral Studios, a subsidiary
of EA, announced development of the
game Ragtag.
This was billed as an open world, sin-
gle-player RPG in which our character
would be part of a group of bounty
hunters, hence the name Ragtag.
But EA decided to close down Visceral,
and cancel Ragtag. And now, with the
cancellation of Orca, questions are once
again being raised as to whether EA are
the right people to hold the license for
Star Wars games, especially when the
only good thing to come out of EA was
Star Wars: The Old Republic, something
EA has no creative control over because
it’s developed by BioWare.
In my view, it’s pretty clear that Star
Wars does not belong with EA. In the last
five years that EA have held the license,
only two major Star Wars games have
been released.
In the same amount of time before the
license was given to EA, we had eight.
EIGHT. EA needs give the fans what they
want. Give us a single player, story-driv-
en RPG. Let BioWare make Knights of
the Old Republic 3.
EA did not respond in time to a
request for comment.
HK Norman explores the controversy surrounding Star Wars games
EA CANNOT BE TRUSTED
WITH STAR WARS!
8 HITBOX APRIL 2019
It is SURELY a mark of quality
on a game as old as Knights
of the Old Republic that it’s
been released for Android
and Apple.
Battlefront was a huge
disappointment to fans.
FEATURE

9. 'IT'S NOT FOR THE
MONEY...'
INTERVIEW
Bagging yourself a spot in Overwatch
League will see you at least $50k richer,
but what are the issues facing this grow-
ing sport? Pro-player, Karra, talks to us
about his job.
What spurs him on?
It can’t be money; in a year's work,
Karra has made just 800 dollars. He’s
quick to admit he “hasn’t seen much of
a return”.
The nineteen-year-old from the
Netherlands can’t speak to me for long;
his shift is starting soon. For the next few
hours he’ll be playing Overwatch with
his team, “We Have Org” - a joke on
their lack of financial backing.
Nevertheless, the Dutch player is
optimistic; “I've recently qualified for
Contenders so I should be getting an
extra grand or so from the season.”
It can’t be the security that keeps him
going either; there is none. Karra is now
about to compete in the second highest
tournament in the Overwatch’s “path to
pro” Contenders, but a win won’t send
him to the highest Overwatch League
(OWL) - where the audience hits the
thousands, and the prize pool reaches
the millions.
“Path to pro has a ceiling, that ceil-
ing is currently Contenders. You cannot
qualify into OWL in any way besides
getting scouted, so the path to pro ends
there,” explains the full-time gamer.
Karra may win - only to have to
qualify again, and be no closer to the
dream and the security of OWL.
So is it the support? Again, no.
Overwatch’s developers, Blizzard,
created the “path to pro” to encourage
more people like Karra to see profes-
sional gaming as a legitimate job, and
to see how well the community think
it’s being run - look no further from its
nickname.
“The ‘Path to poverty’ label arose
once it got announced that the
number of Contender steams per
region would go from 12 to 8,” Karra
explained.
“This meant four team's worth of
players would lose almost all financial
backing from Blizzard.”
This isn’t all that worries the young
gaming star. The sport is dominated by
one country, South Korea, who recently
bagged their third consecutive win at
the World Cup.
Contenders splits its tournaments
into regions. In Korea, eSports is much
more normalized, so it stands to reason
that Westerners get steam rolled by
their players. By keeping these cru-
cial tournaments confined to regions,
Karra is limited and worries he won’t
be able to prove he’s “just as good as
the Korean players”.
You’d expect that after two years
of trying and so much little return, it
would be enough to make him throw
in the towel. After all, that’s what three
of the six teams he’s played for have
done. If he wins his upcoming com-
petition, he and his team will split a
$30,000 prize, but if an OWL team
doesn’t notice him, he’ll be right back
at square one.
So what is it that stops him from
giving up?
"To get better and better until we’re
known around the globe!”
In spite of all the politics, the rising
star retains his hope. In a community
with so much hostility and players giv-
ing up, he’s just kept going and now
he’s closer than ever. Who knows?
Maybe it will be his gamertag on a jer-
sey next season.
Rhiannon Bevan had a chat
with an Overwatch Contenders
player ahead of the big game
Contender Season 3 roundup:
Losing in the group stage, Karra is down but not out.
Along with the rest of his team, he left We Hae Org
but now plays for Novus Ordo Seclorum and remains
optimisitc.
In a 4-2 win, Team Gigantti beat Angry Titans thanks
to a well timed Lucio boop - courtesy of Lilbow -
destroying the Titan's defences against a D.Va
bomb.
Karra, real name Karzan Schippers, is
a support main in the multiplayer game
Overwatch.
9 HITBOX APRIL 2019

10. REVIEW
Doweneed
gamingunions?
'They are made by
real people with real
problems'
FEATURE
Four day notice periods, rela-
tionships ruined, and long nights
sleeping on the office floor. These
are just some of the stories Kevin
Agwaze, treasurer of Game
Workers Unite UK, shares with
me when I ask him what being a
game developer is like.
While we’re speaking, it’s the
union’s two month anniversary -
and what a start they’ve had.
Between Telltale’s demise,
the public attention brought
to “crunch culture” and, more
recently, Activision Blizzard’s
shocking 8% staff layoff, there’s
no shortage of plans for the young
group. But despite how fresh these
controversies are to the public,
Agwaze is adamant that “these
are not isolated incidents,” and
are symptomatic of an industry he
calls 'tone deaf'.
“Everyone I know in the indus-
try has crunched at some point,
everyone has stories to tell about
how it affected them,” Agwaze
explains.
“The reason why companies are
getting away with it is because
nobody is holding them respon-
sible.”
But what is 'crunch'? It’s been
cropping up in the news a lot
lately. 'Crunch' is a time at the
end of a product's development
where, in order to reach the
deadline, employees must work
overtime. It isn’t a term used
much outside the games industry
nowadays, and when it’s used in
this industry, it goes hand-in-hand
with the critical issue the young
union wants to tackle: unpaid
overtime.
“It affects their relationships
with their friends and family, even
stuff like their personal hygiene,
their mental health, their physical
health,” explains Agwaze, a game
designer himself.
“You can see if someone’s
crunching really hard.”
It isn’t surprising that so many
developers have these stories.
According to research conduct-
ed by gameindustry.blz, 74% of
game workers do not receive pay
for their overtime.
You probably heard this
come up recently with Red
Dead Redemption’s developer,
Rockstar Games, when co-found-
er - Dan Houser - bragged to
New York magazine that “we
are working 100 hour weeks.”
Shocking to some, but just anoth-
er sign of an industry that expects
'martyrs', as Agwaze puts it.
The unionist raises the point
that, “a lot of the products that
do crunch don’t go anywhere,”
citing the latest Star Wars game
to be axed by EA.
“Crunch is not the solution to
make good games.”
The counterpoint to the
union’s concerns is that it’s just
a sad fact of the industry. Any
developer I’ve spoken to about
this has confirmed that they’ve
'crunched' before, and if they
hadn’t, they’d miss the deadline.
The aforementioned Rockstar’s
Red Dead Redemption 2 - with
its 100 hour working weeks - is
an absolute hit, so perhaps the
crunch was necessary?
But Game Workers Unite
is concerned that staff are not
Rhiannon Bevan sat down with Kevin
Agwaze from Game Workers Unite UK - the
first game workers union in the country, to
find out what issues workers are facing
Kevin (far left) with the rest of the executive of Game Workers
Unite UK. (source @GWU_UK on twitter)
Concerns were raised when Rockstar's Dan Houser
mentioned that the team was working 100 hour
weeks. (source: @GWU_UK on twitter)
10 HITBOX APRIL 2019

11. always aware of the legality surrounding
any extra hours they put in.
“There are some straight up illegal
working practices that people engage in
because they don’t know that it is illegal,”
says Kevin, telling us of the union's aims
to let workers know they are within their
rights to turn overtime down.
Coupling this with the fact that most
jobs in the industry last, at best, five years,
it’s easy to see why workers are getting
frustrated. It’s long hours, with no over-
time pay, and it’s not even secure. Just ask
the team behind Telltale’s The Walking
Dead, who were in the recording booth
with Clementine’s voice actress when they
were told to clean their desks.
On the other hand, even when the
office isn’t in crunch time, the young game
worker tells us that issues with sexism,
homophobia and racism also don’t make
for a pleasant workplace - another topic
we’ve seen crop up in the headlines.
When we speak about Riot Games, the
publisher now facing a lawsuit for alleged
sexual harassment and general mistreat-
ment of women, Kevin is again, not sur-
prised.
“It’s a self-fulfilling problem. So many
people are straight white and male that
they hire people like themselves,” he says,
telling us that this accumulates in a 'rock
star boy's club' in the office, where harass-
ment may be normalised.
He himself says he’s witnessed so called
micro-aggressions: speaking over women
or BAME workers and not listening to their
ideas. According to Kevin, it’s the dismiss-
ive attitude to complaints of discrimina-
still an EA game’, even though it’s made by
600 completely different people.”
Going back to Telltale, while the final sea-
son of The Walking Dead will get finished,
the nearly 300 staff left high and dry last
September are still waiting for their sever-
ance pay. It appears the industries concerns
may be with the brands, not the people. Will
they ever get it? “Unlikely,” says Kevin. Even
if they do, they’ve already lost their health-
care. “The damage is done.”
Wrapping up our chat, I have to admit,
this feels like far too much for this two month
old union to handle.
Unionising is about bringing change to the
workforce, and Kevin admits that they’re
contesting with “a lot of people who don’t
think that is possible.
“It’s about telling people that change isn’t
only possible, but they can make it happen.”
It must be remembered that, as small as
they are, the law is on their side. Unpaid
overtime is illegal. As is discrimination.
As our Discord call ends, I don’t think the
days are numbered for the CEOs of these
companies and it’s hard to imagine institu-
tional change happening in the industry so
soon. But they will be beckoning in a new
age of more confident and informed work-
ers, who won’t be so easily bullied into illegal
working practices.
“We want to show them that it is possible.
They can stand up for what they believe is
right and make a difference
“It’s definitely draining”, he laughs, ”but
worth it.”
Activison Blizzard and Telltale were con-
tacted for comment, but did not immediately
respond.
Game Workers Unite UK has been offering support to those affected by the Activison Blizzard layoffs. (source: @
GWU_UK on twitter)
11 HITBOX APRIL 2019
tion that’s also allowed employers to dis-
regard worker's rights across the board;
sexism, homophobia, racism and crunch
are all related.
“You’re facing discrimination at the
workplace, you’re probably in a zero hour
contract, you’re crunching, your mental
health is deteriorating and now you’re also
getting harassed,” the more we speak, the
more I can tell how personal the effects of
this can be.
As much as these issues may seem bur-
ied in the past, these claims from Agwaze
are supported in the 2018 report from
Kotaku, which first exposed Riot Games.
28 employees of the company shared their
experiences of the 'bro culture', where one
woman alleges to have received an email
detailing what it would be like to have sex
with her, and a male employee reported
having his genitals grabbed by senior staff.
Kevin becomes almost defeatist as we
approach the end of the interview; “I
could go an be a developer at a bank,
they don’t do unpaid overtime.”
On the flip side, worst of all is how this
bleeds into the entire gaming community.
“One of the most annoying things for
me in the Video Game industry, we think
about games being made by these corpo-
rate entities, totally ignoring that games
are made by real people with real prob-
lems. And they shape the games they
make,” an interesting point. Are we aware
of who’s behind our favourite games?
“So we let companies get away with
repeatedly firing people, or making a
sequel with a completely different team
and we’re like ‘oh this doesn’t matter, it’s

12. It’s no secret that violence has
prominence in video games.
From beating prostitutes on the shores
of Vespucci Beach in Grand Theft Auto
5, to beating the gory daylights out of a
dragon in Skyrim. Even being given your
first experience of it by smashing cars to
destruction in Simpsons: Hit and Run. But
does violence have a direct impact upon us
or is it merely an element of escapism from
modern society, where of course we abstain
from inappropriate violence, despite our
best temptations?
To the modern day, the older of us in
society have slandered and slayed video
games for their impact on youth. including
the likes of President Trump just last year.
And who can honestly blame him? 85% of
video games on the US market last year
had violence of some sort – although I’m
sure that doesn’t include a lovely two-footed
crunching tackle in FIFA. Whenever there is
a mass shooting by a young male, it tends
to be asked ‘video games, surely?’ and it’s
understandable. Even in the Columbine
High School Shooting 20 years ago, this was
asked – although the killers were found to
enjoy bowling instead.
So, what do we do to fight this off? The
American Academy of Paediatrics issued
guidance in 2016, stating ‘video games
I spoke to David Combarieu, a user
of the adaptive controller. He said: “I
started a project called handigamer in
2017 to find solutions for gamers with
disabilities. I started to hack some PS4
and Xbox controllers, adding buttons,
joysticks, or plugging some bigger boxes
that you can leave on a table when you
can’t hold the controller. With the Xbox
adaptive my work has changed, I don’t
have to hack any more but I have to
build some new things such as buttons,
joysticks and thumbsticks that you just
plug in the Xbox adaptive. I see there
are some good objects in USA but they
are quite expensive and hard to find in
Europe. I am now working on new prod-
uct in order to have a complete solution
here from France.”
The game-changing
Xbox Adaptive
Controller was
released last year
By Holly Hammond
MEET THE XBOX
CONTROLLER THAT
CHANGED THE
WORLD
should not use human or other living targets
or award points for killing, because this
teaches children to associate pleasure and
success with their ability to cause pain and
suffering to others.
However, I don’t think this is the problem.
It’s no secret video gamers themselves can
be toxic just via their attitudes, and not
the concept of violence on screen. I find
myself moved towards violence by the
actions of other humans, not by the actions
of graphics and things alike – I’d like to
think humans cause upset, not pixels. It’s
hyper-competitiveness. You lose, you smash
a controller, you break a TV, you send an
angry message – I’ve received them myself,
and embarrassingly, done all of the above
first hand.
VIOLENCE IS THE PLAYER'S
PROBLEM! By Jacob Ottaway
An example of where I did this? Fortnite.
It’s a brilliant game, but goodness me
there are numerous occasions where I’ll be
absolutely fuming at the game. And this
isn’t because I’m firing an RPG at a giant
wooden fort whilst assault rifle bullets
and grenades rain down upon me – if
anything I find that quite amusing. I get
so riled when my sheer lack of ability leads
to my death, and THEN my killer has the
audacity to dance on my body whilst my
friends laugh at my misfortune. It’s the
human reactions that cause, well, more
violent human reactions.
I believe the matter is not resolved
via limiting graphic violence, but by
implementing in-console software
to prohibit the use of the console via
censoring of violent messages or actions.
In the future it might be possible with AI,
but violence is a human thing. Since the
creation of mankind and always will be a
problem.
available elsewhere. The controller has been
met with mostly positive reviews for giving
those with disabilities the opportunity to
fully enjoy video games whilst catering to
their needs.
However, the adaptive controller costs
significantly more than a standard Xbox
controller which tends to retail between
£49.99 and £59.99 when bought from
Microsoft. As well as this, any of the addi-
tional input devices cost approximately
£50 each which has received some criti-
cism. Currently, additional switches and
other inputs have low to mixed reviews with
many people expressing confusions about
the arguably high price point. On the other
hand, components such as joysticks with the
price tag of £19.99 have been received with
far better reviews.
At the end of last year, Microsoft
released the first ever console control-
ler designed for those with disabilities.
But how suitable is the controller and
what could still be improved?
Although the controller was initially
intended for those with limited mobility, the
universal adaptability of it means that it can
accommodate the needs of many disadvan-
taged people. The Xbox Adaptive Controller
features two large buttons which can be
used by hands, elbows and feet.
A significant feature to this adaptive con-
troller is the inclusion of 19 ports on the back
of the controller. This enables the player to
plug in external devices such as switches and
joysticks which makes the controller cus-
tomisable to different needs. For example,
pedals which can be operated by feet. These
can also correspond to different buttons of
the adaptive controller to make it more
accessible.
The adaptive controller currently retails
at £74 on the Microsoft store and is not
12 HITBOX APRIL 2019
REVIEW FEATURE
Me playing Fortnite, shortly
followed by violence...

13. The now free-to-play title has been
a mainstay in the eSport scene since
2013 (Source: Valve)
By Daniel Martin Charley
The prize pools can reach $1 million
at the CS:GO tournaments. (Source:
Valve)
'A FAN AMONGST IDOLS'
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is
an eSport which evokes intense pas-
sion. The first offline event for many
modern British fans was Dreamhack
London 2015. EnVyUs’ Vincent ‘Happy’
Schopenhauer’s historic desert eagle
play left the Copperbox arena roaring.
A University of Greenwich business stu-
dent wanted to take this emotional roar
further than a release.
Tom Bissmire held nothing but aspirations
to become the immersing voice in the scene of
Counter-Strike after Dreamhack London 2015.
It is by no means an eSport which lacks
voices. The field of eSports casting is one of
the most competitive in the industry with such
limited room at the helm.
“The original grind was without a doubt the
most difficult part. When you first start into
commentating you are earning far less than
minimum wage or nothing at all.”
With such a workload and little gain comes
the responsibility of having to earn a living
elsewhere. Tom would have to work a regular
job alongside his passion if this was to work.
A menial job in the form of freelance waiting
came along. “I really did not enjoy this at all,”
he proclaimed.
“The other thing is getting to a place where
you actually earn decent money is partly
down to drive and the willingness to give
everything up for eSports. Like any success
story you need an element of luck.”
Exposure in a freelance creative role is of
high importance. If no-one sees your work, can
you really be considered an artist? Bissmire
would go onto joining a medium sized, Kiev-
based company in an attempt to merely
increase his popularity in the scene of Counter-
Strike.
“Starladder gave me my first real shot into
eSports. Up until that I had only really done a
few online commentating gigs and some free
offline events in Lithuania and Estonia. It’s
hard to say whether or not I would be in this
industry at all.”
“Joining them was one of the easiest choices
I have ever made. Although I was young,
unconfident and didn’t speak the language, I
was earning consistent money and was able to
attend events I would never have dreamed of
if it wasn’t for this company.”
Bissmire’s first event was the first Starladder
i-League invitational which was held at the
Olimpiyskiy Football Stadium. At this event,
he would go onto cast with the American,
now- Rainbow Six: Siege commentator John
“Blu” Mullen.
Tom would also get the opportunity to
operate alongside long term idol in the form
of Matt “Sadokist” Trivett, an established
staple in the world of Counter-Strike talent.
“I had told Sadokist at Dreamhack London
that I was going to become a commentator.
To be able to commentate alongside someone
who has probably heard these claims at every
meet and greet broke a real barrier for me
career-wise. This spelt victory for me.”
"When you first start into commentating you are
earning far less than minimum wage or nothing at all.”
Tom "Tombizz" Bissmire is
a commentator for Counter
Strike: Global Offensive
(Source: starladder
13 HITBOX APRIL 2019
INTERVIEW

14. “I'm excited for Beyond Blue mainly because the creators of this game made 'Never Alone', which I adored
for its story and visuals which were entertaining, educational and engaging. Never Alone took place in the
cold Arctic environment, so I'm excited what story they will be able to tell and what world they can create
with the deepest depths of the ocean.”
Corey, 22-years-old
Beyond Blue (2019), Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC
With all the stories, films and video games about outer
space, it’s easy to forget just how unknown and breath-
taking our own oceans are. There’s still so much that
haven’t explored and there’s a mystical awe-inspiring
beauty in what we don’t know.
Beyond Blue’s teaser trailer encapsulates this feeling.
With the gameplay, we can see protagonist Marai scan
almost alien-looking sea life. Publishers, E-Line Media,
have confirmed it will be educational to players, much
like Never Alone, but this will be an “added bonus” in
their words, with the focus being to entertain.
But this isolation won’t always be tranquil. According
to Polygon’s experience with a demo of the game, the
sense of being cut off from civilisation make the situa-
tions the game puts you in (repairing equipment, navi-
gating dangerous waters) all the more intense.
Judging from the trailer, it’s unsure if the game with
feature the puzzle elements of Never Alone, but we are
certainly in for another atmospheric experience.
“I'm a big fan of the story arc, the lore of the different characters, and most importantly the open world.”
The Elder Scrolls 6 (TBA)
Mark Adams
Elder Scrolls is, undoubtedly, one of the best video
series in recent history. Its upcoming sixth entry is a lot
more anticipated than it should be considering the
only bit of material available is a short trailer with a
logo shown at E3 last year.
People have, as expected, over-analysed this trail-
er. But the truth is, we have no idea what’s coming.
Bethesda are notoriously cagey about what goes in
their games. Still, after Fallout 76, the only way from
here is up!
14 HITBOX APRIL 2019
FEATURE
THE GAMES YOU ARE MOS
FEATURE

15. Super Mario Maker 2 (June 2019), Nintendo Switch
“Limitless customizability and massive online community.”
David, 22-years-old
Super Mario Maker 2 is an upcoming creative platform
game by Nintendo which allows you to design your
own custom Super Mario courses that can then be
shared online for others to play. It is the direct sequel to
Super Mario Maker (2015) where players could similarly
build their own courses based on material from the pre-
vious Super Mario games.
It was well received by critics and fans alike who
found the game to be creative and fun as well as hav-
ing flexible toolbox options with good online features.
Super Mario Maker 2 is expected to feature new ene-
mies, themes, items and editing tools such as creating
slopes, further embellishing upon the vast customisabil-
ity from the previous game.
It is due to be released worldwide in June 2019 and
will be exclusively available on the Nintendo Switch.
“I kind of have a few regrets with my Animal Crossing New Leaf copy (which I foolishly sold off without real-
ising what I was doing), so I guess a fresh start for me on a fresh game will be a good thing.”
Animal Crossing (2019), Nintento Switch
Richard, 18-years-old
We’ve had 3 spin-offs since the last main series entry in
2012 which, while exciting for the most part (looking at
you Amiibo Festival), they have failed to satisfy fans of this
bizarre, but simply entertaining, social simulation series.
We’re looking forward to Animal Crossing’s Switch debut
for good reason! The mainline games have never failed to
impress and always provide hundreds of hours of peaceful,
wholesome and mortgage paying gameplay.
We don’t know anything about the gameplay yet, but
given the game's track record, Nintendo wouldn’t make a
new Animal Crossing without some new features in mind.
With “Let’s go to the city”, we got voice chat and, of course,
a city to explore, letting us escape our towns. With 'New Leaf'
we became the mayor!
My best guess? Nintendo’s new focus with the Switch is all
about creativity, and player customisation is everywhere in
their games (a new Mario Maker, Nintendo Labo, the spirits
in Smash Ultimate). So I think it’s fair to assume we’ll get
even more free range with how our town looks, rather than
just stick a few buildings somewhere now and then. And fin-
gers crossed they’ll implement Animal Crossing Happy Home
Designer's decorating mechanics.
15 HITBOX APRIL 2019
ST LOOKING FORWARD TO
FEATURE

16. “I'm most excited for the graphics, gameplay and hopefully there will be a modern setting. Because this is
something that's not been used in recent years, especially in triple A first-person-shooter games.”
Battlefield 6 (TBA)
Lolo, 19-years-old
Fans have been speculating for months about
the future of Electronic Arts’ Battlefield franchise
and whether it could be heading to the mod-
ern day. Although this title hasn’t officially been
announced, fans are eager to see a more modern
day setting for the next shooter game due to the
progression through time with the previous game.
Battlefield 5 was released in 2018, with a mixed
reception before release for the historical inaccu-
racy including having female soldiers in the World
War 2 setting. However, once released the game
received praise for the gameplay but criticism for
the lack of change from other games. Battlefield
5 was considered a commercial disappointment
by EA as it sold less than half of the copies as the
previous game.
“It's one of the top horror game franchises. I'm excited to see how the creators choose to remake them.”
The Resident Evil Remakes (TBA)
Heather, 20-years-old
After the Resident Evil 2 remake dropped in
January, and the Resident Evil remaster before
that in 2016 – Resident Evil fans are now jumping
with joy at the prospect of the entire franchise get-
ting a makeover.
Capcom announced they were remaking
Resident Evil 3 soon after the latest installment
was released, which leaves fans anticipating
the possibility of a remake for the much-loved
Resident Evil 4 in the future.
The Resident Evil 2 remake received over-
whelmingly positive reviews from both newcomers
and long-time fans of the franchise. Built on the
all-new RE engine, it looked gorgeous and went
over and above all expectations.
Outer Worlds (2019), Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC
“I love Obsidian.”
Colin Mitchell, 22-years-old
The Outer Worlds is another hotly-anticipated game,
this time from Obsidian, the studio behind the hit
Star Wars classic, Knights of the Old Republic II: The
Sith Lords.
Think Fallout meets Mass Effect with a more light-
hearted twist and brighter colours. And what we’ve
seen so far of it looks amazing. The trailer paints a
picture of a game that is both serious and humorous
at the same time.
So far it looks visually stunning. It’s nice to see
Obsidian making big, ambitious games again. It’s just
a bit sad that Chris Avellone isn’t about anymore.
16 HITBOX APRIL 2019
FEATURE FEATURE

17. The Last of Us Part II (TBA)
“I thought the first one was one of the best story driven games of the last decade. I can’t wait to see where
they take our characters next, especially considering Naughty Dog take long to perfect their games.”
James Harrison, 18-years-old
The Last of Us Part 2 was first shown to us in 2016
as a sequel to the much-loved Playstation exclu-
sive. We were then treated to a gameplay trailer
at E3 last year but, since Sony are not making an
appearance at E3 this year, we probably won’t
get much more for a while.
Despite a release date not being in site, fans are
hoping that NaughtyDog are simply taking their
time to make this instalment even better than
the last. So far it’s already won multiple awards
for being the most anticipated game since its
announcement, and fans are eager to continue
Joel and Ellie’s journey in the zombie apocalypse.
Doom Eternal (2019), Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC
“It’s an ambitious and promising to what is one of my favourite shooters, and is shaping up to look bigger
Patrick, 19-years-old
It’s no secret that Doom Eternal has a lot to live
up to, with the Doom title released in 2016 by
Bethesda & id Software being received positively –
it was given 9/10 by IGN. Of course, this game will
also have to consider the legacy it carries from the
original Doom titles between 1993-2004.
The good news of course is you will have the
power to be DOOM SLAYER, in their first person
perspective, and as ever, you will kill everything
standing in your way.
The gameplay reveal last year was very posi-
tively received, with deep, vibrant graphics, won-
derful gore, and so many ways to kill enemies
– the game looks like a whole heap of fun. That’s
probably why it revived ‘Most Wanted Game’ at
the Golden Joystick Awards 2018. No release date
yet, but it is set to be this year, and I imagine it will
be very much in demand.
Halo Infinite (TBA)
Although all we’ve had is a trailer at last year’s E3 so far, from
that the capabilities of the gameplay engine – called SlipsSpace
- look magnificent, and hopefully this will continue into the
gameplay itself – continuing the trend of gorgeous Halo games.
The story continues on from Halo 5, and you will still be following
the story of the Master Chief.
No release date as of yet for this one, but if Microsoft follow
previous trends it could well be Autumn 2019. However, if the
game, with a gorgeous new engine worked on for years by 343 is
the real deal, then this game may well wait a while longer and
be a first release on the next generation console, rumoured for
2020 release.
Halo Infinite is a huge game on the horizon, and I think the
gameplay trailer when it comes has the potential to blow minds.
“The Halo games are visually stunning, it will be nice to have a new story to continue.” Elenid, 20-years-old
17 HITBOX APRIL 2019
FEATURE

18. FEATURE
Mental health is a pivotal part of every-
one’s life. Whether you’re a baby, tod-
dler, child, teenager, young adult, middle-
aged, or elderly.
For years, there has been debate over
the impact video games have on mental
health, it will always have an impact upon
your life. It is becoming more common
knowledge that video game ‘addiction’
can be awful and ‘gaming disorder’ is
now a recognized condition.
However, in these modern times,
maybe it is time for us to lose the ludec-
trophobia (fear of videos games) and ask
the question of whether mental health
can be boosted positively by video
games.
“At the very start of 2018 I lost my job,
my mental health deteriorated severely,
and aside from the other struggles that
these circumstances introduce, it also
stopped me from playing and enjoying
most video games”.
These are the words of Ollie, who, at
the age of 21, was in a position of huge
difficulty and struggling. Having been
a gamer for much of his life, Ollie was
aware of the relief video games can bring.
However, in such a dark phase, it was
hard to find a game that could do this.
“I’d load up in the e-shop on the daily
basis, desperately searching for a game to
bring me out of my depression-induced
state – more time passed, and I still
hadn’t found a game to give me some
small amount of pleasure in what ulti-
mately was the worst period of my life”.
The e-shop is, of course, on the
Nintendo Switch console, and one of
the games that was released during the
attempt to find a game to provide relief
was Celeste. A platformer game made by
Canadian developers Matt Thornson and
Noel Berry, it stirred a storm.
Getting a 10/10 from IGN and Steam,
it also later won multiple awards. Ollie
saw Celeste, and initially didn’t purchase
it due to ‘sucking at platformers’ - in his
own words.
However, a few weeks later Ollie decid-
ed to plunge into the world of Celeste.
“The very moment I loaded my first
level of Celeste, I knew I’d made the right
decision. Not since I was 12 or 13 years
old had I sat down with a new game and
played it for hours on end – it broke this
trend in the most spectacular way pos-
sible, gripping me so much that I com-
pleted it (celeste) twice in just three days”.
The game’s storyline is following the
character of Madeleine, who is attempt-
ing to overcome obstacles, and stark
warnings from ‘Granny’, to get to the
stop of Celeste Mountain. The game has
a large focus on the mental health and
wellbeing of Madeline herself, which was
a huge thing for Ollie.
“Every step of Madeleine’s journey I
found relatable – as her self-confidence
fluctuates throughout the journey, so did
mine. With a relatively small amount of
dialogue and cutscenes compared to the
majority of game releases these days, the
game still manages to deliver an emo-
tionally gripping, satisfying and uplifting
narrative – presenting a range of emo-
tions from total self-worthlessness to
embracing self-love to overcome one’s
own struggles. I felt obliged to perse-
vere to and make the way to the peak of
Mount Celeste no matter what stood in
my path”.
The game impacted Ollie massively.
“After two play-throughs of Celeste
I felt my mind opened up and directed
to a new path of recovery from my own
mental health struggles. I sought support
from friends and family, I began to eat
more healthily, and even double down on
the meditation sessions.
"All this from a video game made by
just two guys, rather than a big triple-a
studio. It taught me that there was hope,
it taught me to look after myself, it taught
me that mental health issues can be over-
come and ultimately defeated in time”.
The impact Celeste had on Ollie is still
felt to this day.
“Almost a year after the game's
release, I find myself a changed per-
son. I’m far from ‘normal’, but I’m no
longer the shell of a person I’d become.
'I FIND MYSELF A
CHANGED PERSON'
Jacob Ottaway has been exploring
gamers stories, seeing how their mental health
has been impacted, and the positive changes "Celeste
rescued me
and for that
I thank it
endlessly"
18 HITBOX APRIL 2019
Madeleine reaching the condescending 'Old Lady's' house, as she
aims to start her ascent of Celeste Mountain.

19. I embrace my inner struggles, like
Madeline does. I’m studying for a new
career in software development and I
even bought my first apartment. All of
us can learn from this game, whether
you’re experiencing hardships like myself,
or you’re 100% content in your daily life.
You’ll find a new appreciation in your own
existence, as well as the games industry
as a whole.
“Celeste rescued me and for that I
thank it endlessly”.
That’s Ollie’s story with Celeste. Mental
health can be impacted positively by
video games, but what about someone
who you wouldn’t expect to be helped by
video games?
Chris is 58-years-old and lives, for the
most part, alone – except when her busy
son finds the time to stay. By no means is
Christine particularly good at using tech-
nology – she doesn’t have a laptop and
has a very minimalistic smartphone.
Working 3 all-night shifts a week
means it isn’t easy to find time to be out
and about, to socialise and, of course, can
be exhausting. However, simple gaming
consoles and concepts help her mental-
ly, keeping her stimulated and her brain
active.
“Every day I’ll always spend a little
bit of time on the Nintendo DS or the
Gameboy. It keeps my mind active and is
enjoyable – even if rather simple”.
The consoles Chris refers to are obso-
lete to most. An original Nintendo DS Lite
(which can be found on eBay nowadays
for about £20) and a Gameboy Colour,
from 1998 – which is powered by two AA
batteries.
“I’m fully aware of how ‘outdated’
these consoles are, but the value they
have in just keeping the mind active is
really big. I have one, as does my sister,
and we have both played games which
help keep us entertained, fight off bore-
dom, and can even brighten a day slight-
ly”.
“My sister has played a lot of the
19 HITBOX APRIL 2019
Professor Layton games on her DS and,
from what I saw of them, I found them
fascinating! I find myself on the DS play-
ing 42 All Time Classics, a game with vari-
ous card, board and other games in.
Mahjong Solitaire tends to be one I
play the most. Other times I’ll play
Scrabble on the Gameboy – it may be
20-years-old but it does what it needs to
– keeps the mind active and is enjoyable.
Chris is a Senior Nurse, working with
many elderly dementia sufferers, and
knows how important an active mind is.
“I’m aware of research that video
games and computer usage can sup-
posedly lower the risk of dementia and,
whilst it’s not my job to prevent demen-
tia, but only look after those who are suf-
fering it, I can agree with such research.
The main idea is that keeping the mind
active is the way to lower the risk. Whilst
there are other ways to keep the mind
active – for instance my mother does a
crossword every day and plays along with
TV quizzes and game shows – I think these
small, portable, and nowadays relatively
cheap gaming devices are a great way to
do it”.
The research behind mental health and
video gaming is vitally important. More
so now than ever. The great thing about
research, however, is that it causes debate,
educates, and is easy to find with the inter-
net – which, of course, facilitates one hell
of a lot of gaming.
For instance, just typing in ‘The Benefits
of Playing Video Games’ will direct you to
free, brilliant research from Isabela Granic,
Adam Lobel, and Rutger C. M. E. Engels.
Highlighting a boost in cognitive skills,
motivation, emotional benefits, social ben-
efits and even education, this outstanding
case for mental health being impacted
positively is taken beyond the voices of
people, and into the hands of science and
research.
By no means can we take research
reports like this at face value - they must
be taken with a pinch of salt. Of course, we
must all be accountable for playing video
games and managing them in the right
way. As I mentioned earlier, we must avoid
violence - see page 14 for that.
However, we can look brightly at these
findings and these stories. For when the
first game consoles were released, their
purpose was, of course, to entertain, pro-
vide a form of escapism, and advance
in quality. They still serve this wonderful
purpose, but they have gone above and
beyond, and will hopefully continue to do
so.
Whether you are ever so young, or ever
so old, I believe there is a positive ben-
efit available for video game players and
their mental health. What have you got to
lose? With many millions of games, there's
bound to be something that you will enjoy.
And with more consoles and games avail-
able now than ever, the time to play and
discover the impact for yourself is now...
The Nintendo DS
that keeps Christine
entertained.
The
GameBoy
Colour with
Scrabble
that keeps
Christine
Entertained

20. 1. Plots are important. Incredibly important.
The plot of your game is going to be its central pillar. For many people playing, they’re
going to want to do more than just slash other players to death with lightsabers or blow
each other up with nukes. You’re going to want a plot that is well thought out, (eg. Star
Wars: The Old Republic, Elder Scrolls Online), and, ultimately, satisfying to the player.
Without the plot, your game has no lore. Without lore, people can’t roleplay and they
won’t play your game. And make sure your plot is longer than a few hours. You want
people to keep coming back and carry on with the plot. The only reason I play Star
Wars: The Old Republic anymore is to keep up with the plot.
2. Don’t be too reliant on your players.
You need non-playable characters. If you go down the Fallout 76 route of no NPCs your
game will fail. NPCs are what drive any game and plot. Star Wars, World of Warcraft, or
Elder Scrolls Online would be hollow shells without NPCs.
3. Keep your players engaged with expansion packs.
This is a tried and tested way to keep players engaged with your game. Regularly,
released expansion packs deliver new content to your players and creates revenue.
Which means you have more money to make more content.
4. As far as possible, make the game free to play.
Generally speaking, you should only make your game pay-to-play if you’re not expect-
ing it do very well as a way of cutting your losses. You’re likely to get more people (and
more money) if you make the game free-to-play with paid premium features, much like
what World of Warcraft and Star Wars: The Old Republic does. And at the end of the
day, more people can enjoy your game. And that’s what it’s all about.
5. If you have merch, make sure you give people what they paid for.
We’re all familiar with the canvas bag incident. What people are less aware of is the
dark rum incident. Bethesda, the developers behind Fallout 76, released a Nuka Dark
Rum for $80, with buyers expecting the bottles to be shaped like the Nuka Cola bot-
tles seen in the game. Instead, they got a normal glass bottle in plastic casing. Not really
worth the $80. Nice art books, visual guides, or plushies are a safe bet. You don’t want to
be in a position where you’re releasing merch that’s worse than what other people make
themselves to sell on Etsy.
6. Listen to your players.
Feedback is going to be the most informative thing that you use to develop your game
further. That’s why it is vital to listen to your players.
Looking at this, it seems really simple to make an MMORPG. Of course, there is a lot
more to it, but this guide will at least ensure you get a minimal amount of hate.
How to make an
MMORPG that works
We laughed at Fallout 76, we rejected Anthem... Where are the game developers going
wrong? HK Norman breaks it down: what are the ingredients for a decent online title?
World of Warcraft is one of the best known
MMORPGs, and sets the standards for all of
them.
The Elder Scrolls Online had a bit of a rocky
start, but it soon found its feet and makes for a
solid game.
Star Wars: The Old Republic was one of the
most expensive MMORPGs to make, and it
shows in just how good it is.
REVIEW FEATURE

21. Online Games. For the casual gamer, a
generally relaxing escape from reality.
There is a lot of platform for experienced,
seasoned-pro gamers to have fun online.
But do fair-weather gamers, like myself,
have enough on offer to them and how
are online games changing to give more
choice to our casual gamers?
It’s bad enough having to pay for a
membership to play online games – I pay
£60 a year for Xbox live because I’m too
lazy to not do it by direct debit and pay-
ing more for games is just another burden.
So what about free games? Free games
have always been available, albeit being
indie games, so seeing ‘Battle Royale’
game Fortnite come onto the scene, was a
big win for the fair-weather gamer.
A game with lots of hype, yet no cost.
If you didn’t like it, you didn’t lose – you
hadn’t invested a single thing. Now admit-
tedly, that’s what game demos are for
but if Fortnite can make an alleged £3
billion profit in 2018 alone just through
optional in game microtransactions, then is
there any reason why other predominantly
online-based games can’t do the same?
FIFA titles tend to be the best selling
physical copy titles most years and FIFA
19 was not an exception. But in terms of
online content, what justifies the purchase
of new content every year, when to most it
is an unchanged game?
In fairness, the last two FIFA titles have
boosted the credibility of the online plat-
form to a fair extent. The introduction of
the weekly worldwide tournament FIFA
Ultimate Team Champions (FUT Champs)
was a large stepping stone for Electronic
Arts (EA), makers of the FIFA titles.
The concept involves players playing
up to 30 games a weekend with their
‘ultimate team’ against various players
worldwide and a ranking being ascer-
tained from the results of the games,
resulting in in-game rewards for the
players.
The rewards, compared to how
much they’d cost to buy, are fantas-
tic, and are a real incentive for play-
ers who don’t throw themselves at
microtransactions to keep playing. I’ve
not spent a single penny on in-game
transactions on FIFA 19 this year and,
despite this, I find the Ultimate Team
mode the best it has ever been.
Even if you don’t have the time to
commit to FUT Champions, you can
play matches in the more open Division
Rivals mode. To put this in perspec-
tive, I only played 4 or 5 matches last
week in this mode, yet my rewards
were equivalent to just under £10 of
in-game currency, which is remarkable,
especially considering that was a bad
week. So, props to FIFA for encourag-
ing a fair-weather online player like
myself to stick with them. At least until
I get beaten 5-0 and get upset.
Escapism is a huge part for casual
gamers too. Most casual gamers will
have a full day of work, or education,
before coming back and will play not
much more than an hour or two.
Therefore, escaping from the every-
day cycle of work, and stress that it
may cause it vital. I believe one of the
games that does this most successfully is
the Forza Horizon series. To those unfa-
miliar, it is a racing game in which you
have an array of cars and an open-
world to drive wherever you please. In
Forza Horizon 3 this was a representation
of Australia, whilst in 4 this is the Northern
reaches of Great Britain. The premise of
Horizon’s online is brilliant.
You can cruise with friends – or race if
desired – with no limitations. The range of
cars has always been immense and players
can share their designs, tuning set ups, and
even sell their vehicles (for in-game earned
currency). That’s how I ended up with a
200mph Austin Mini, aptly named ‘FAST
BOI’, with a Union flag on top. Come on,
that's cool right?
That’s the beauty of it, it’s wherever you
want to be and with whoever you want to
be - driving whatever you like. Where in the
real world can you do such a thing?
For me, that sums up what online gaming
needs to be for casual gamers - rewarding,
innovative, and a form of escapism. To see
two of the bigger gaming series doing that,
as well as the new big game (Fortnite) on
the scene joining in, we could be looking
forward to a good future for fair-weather
online gamers.
21 HITBOX APRIL 2019
Rewards obtained from a
mediocre performance on FIFA
Ultimate Team - Division Rivals.
Whilst online games may well be excelling for
the more seasoned gamers, Jacob Ottaway
asks whether casual gamers are given enough
ARE YOU GETTING
A FAIR DEAL?
FEATURE

22. Gaming companies have had the rug
pulled out from under their feet as the
law catches up on Loot boxes. It may seem
that this is a sudden end to a short-lived
trend, but did you know they’ve been in
our games for a decade now?
Popularised in 2016 with the release of
Overwatch, the mechanic's roots actually
go back to 2007 in China – ironically one
of the first countries to kick off their regula-
tion recently. But going back a decade, the
intentions of the game developers appear
to be a lot more noble.
Zhengtu, or ZT online, is a Chinese made
free-to-play game that holds the honoura-
ble title of being the first to charge for ran-
dom in-game items. The thinking behind
it was that the Chinese market couldn’t
afford to shell out for a full priced game, so
the loot boxes were put in to assure some
return. And what a return it was.
The company behind ZT online reported
a monthly revenue of $15 million – a fair bit
more than what they would have got from
charging the standard 40 quid.
This is where loot boxes can flourish. Of
course, we must partially thank them for
keeping Team Fortress 2 going for twelve
years now. So where did it go wrong?
Moving on a decade later, it’s still work-
ing a treat, for the publishers at least. Last
February, Techspot reported that over a
half of Activsion’s $7 billion earnings came
from “in-game net bookings” (microtrans-
actions to you and I).
And of course, Activision’s cash cow for its
third year running now is Overwatch, which
now offers a mix of loot boxes and its own
micro-currency with Overwatch League
tokens.
“But I’ve never bought a loot box!” I
hear you cry. Or at least that’s what I hear
about 95% of you cry.
According to “A Case Study on Loot Boxes
in Two Video Games”, only 5% of players are
actually forking out enough money to make
the system profitable, but these “whales” (as
they are affectionately dubbed) don’t go
over the average by a few dollars.
These are the horror stories of players
running themselves into debt, as $10,000
goes into games like Counter-Strike: Global
Offensive.
It’s easy to say it’s all about personal
choice, and these big spenders only have
themselves to blame. But gambling addic-
tion is already a recognised mental illness
and the more games replicate casinos, the
more the law will be at their door.
So, that’s more or less where we are now.
The gaming community reached a consensus
that EA pushed it too far with Star Wars
Battlefront 2, where it took over 40 hours to
unlock a character as iconic as Darth Vader
if you weren’t willing to throw more money
at the full-priced game.
But whatever side of the fence you’re
on – whether you think it’s the worst blight
on the industry, or Battlefront 2 was just EA
being bad – it seems like the house of cards
is coming down. Last September, the Belgian
government declared that loot boxes are a
“game of chance” and thus subject to gam-
bling laws.
EA fought valiantly but lost the appeal
and, as of January, removed Fifa points from
their annual football game.
And it doesn’t end there. Investigations
are still active across Europe and over in the
US the Federal Trade Commission, calling
for more consumer protection in the gaming
industry.
Say what you want, but we’ve certainly
come a long way from horse armour...
Love them or hate them, the
might not be around much longer.
Rhiannon Bevan looks back at
the history of the loot Box
LOOT BOXES: THE
BEGINNING OF THE END
The Origins of lootboxes trace back to China in
a free-to-play game.
22 HITBOX APRIL 2019
The system can be a great way to fund free-
to-play titles, but it’s now commonplace in the
fully priced titles. (Credit: Corey Gibbs)
Where are we now? Battlefront 2 managed
to get on the wrong side of players and
lawmakers alike.
REVIEW FEATURE

23. DLCs. Downloadable Content. A worth-
while collection of extra fun for gamers or a
money-making scheme for publishers?
This is a question that has been posed
for a while, ever since the advent of online
gaming services like Xbox Live in 2005
and, of course, onto Sony PlayStation and
Nintendo online platforms not much later.
The original idea posed small transactions,
like horse armour in Bethesda’s Oblivion,
costing about £2. When this came about
in 2006, gamers around the world were
enraged at this ridiculous figure.
So why aren’t we enraged today? Why
do we see this as normal? Let's throw some
numbers at you so you can understand this.
The Sims 4 came out in 2014, made by EA.
The game itself currently costs around £45
for the popular ‘Deluxe Version’.
However, if you add all of the down-
loadable extras, the total comes to around
£300. You could go on Autotrader and buy
an actual car, maybe two for that – even if
they are spares of repairs. Shocking right?
Let’s give you some more shocking num-
bers. Rock Band, the popular music-perfor-
mance game, is still releasing downloadable
songs to this day despite being released in
2007. Most songs cost about more or less
£1, but the key number is 2,212 songs being
released as DLC to this day. No confirmed
figure is available for the cost of ALL these
songs together, but it is most likely over
£2200. For that you could buy a Samsung
Family Hub Fridge, which has a tablet on.
Of course, these are extremities. People
still buy normal, smaller DLCs, such as
FIFA Points in FIFA 19, car packs in Forza
Horizon 4, and of course, wonderful danc-
es and pretty things in Fortnite. Whilst we
badmouth DLC’s and microtransactions
for the cumulation of cost, I have to admit
they are marvelously clever. People laugh
and scoff when I say that, from a business
level, Fortnite might be one of the best
games of all time. Well, there’s a seemingly
never-ending supply of new items, they
keep the game fresh and they’re desired. I’ll
always openly admit that I see my mates
with a new skin, and I want it too, so I
spend a fiver on it. That’s harmless.
Or is it? These all add up – one purchase
turns into ten - I’ve done it, and my friends
have done it too. Why do we do it? I’d
say we are influenced by YouTube content
creators and those around us – we live in a
consumerist world, we want the best things,
even if we see it as another small digital
item.
It’s amazing – you’ll never see a tele-
vised advert for a DLC item and you’ll very
rarely see even an online advert for them,
but they advertise themselves just by being
used by fellow gamers – and thousands of
people spending a fiver makes thousands of
fivers for Epic Games and companies alike.
Clever.
How do we combat these transactions
though? Do we even need to? I’d say the
answer is no, and there is no way to fight
against it.
A price cap on DLCs would lead to larger
amounts of smaller purchases that add up
to the same value. Including things in the
full game. This is doubtful – publishers need
revenue. This is a fair way to make profit
and there’s not too much overly wrong with
it.
An analogy would be the prominence
of fast food restaurants. Fast food restau-
rants are addictive, convenient, and easy
- just like any DLC. However, unless you
are me, you don't uncontrollably buy fast
food. The exact same premise applies to
DLC, and funnily enough there has been a rapid
growth in these DLCs as fast as these food outlets.
Ultimately, it’s just an issue of self-control and
whether you can put the credit card down. Video
games need to be accountable of course, but the
video game companies don't have you debit card
number.
Jacob Ottaway has been
exploring the world of
Dowloadable Content in video
games, and whether YOU are
actually getting ripped off...
23 HITBOX APRIL 2019
A Dog from Sims 4: Cats &Dogs DLC, which
costs roughly £30. Cheaper than a real dog
I guess?
The £30 dog in question. He's cute, but
should he be in the base game?
DLC: A MONEY GRABBING
EVIL, OR A BUSINESS MARVEL?

24. Red Dead Redemption 2 was among those lined up to win Game of the Year.
The Evil Within 2 was one of many in a string of critically acclaimed linear single-
player games published by Bethesda.
F
or years, games developer tycoon
EA have been preaching the
impending doom of single-play-
er games. Just under a decade ago,
EA label president Frank Gibeau told
Develop that the single-player game
model was ‘finished’ and EA’s grow-
ing devotion to ‘connected’ online
games were ‘where the innovation,
and the action, is at’. However, 2018’s
year of games has proved him very
wrong indeed.
A few years after this comment Bethesda
Game Studios, a company barely a tenth
the size of EA, released Skyrim. It was a
hugely successful game which would go
on to sell over 20 million copies and even
7 years after its release, treated us to a
remaster which sold over 5 million.
In 2017, EA once again emerged with the
controversial statement that their reason-
ing for closing down Dead Space devel-
oper, Visceral Games, and cancelling their
upcoming single-player Star Wars game
was because there was no longer a market
for it.
This sparked backlash from vari-
ous game studios, including Bethesda
who spearheaded the #SavePlayerOne
campaign. Strangely enough, and argu-
ably even delusional, this was just two years
after single-player open-world game, The
Witcher 3, won over 250 Game of the Year
Awards (the most ever recorded), devel-
oped by Polish publisher CD Projekt Red
with under half the budget that an EA
game of that size would be granted.
As EA continue to insist that providing
games as a ‘service’ is the way to go, they
seem to be constantly proved wrong with
their recent release, Battlefront II, perform-
ing abysmally in sales only making half of
its predicted profits. This has been blamed
mainly on the bad press it received for
SINGLEPLAYER IS NOT DEAD!
including microtransactions – the much-
hated ‘elephant in the room’ for most
online releases.
Meanwhile every game nominated for
Game of the Year in 2018 had solid single-
player gameplay and half of the UK best
sellers last year were single-player games.
Red Dead Redemption II (originally
released as solely single-player) was the
second fastest selling video game ever to
GTAV and it hasn’t even been released
on PC yet. Its online BETA has performed
poorly in comparison.
And even when Bethesda* betrayed the
#SavePlayerOne campaign by announcing
Fallout 76 just 6 months later, the game
By Jess Clayton-Berry
26 HITBOX APRIL 2019
also failed to meet sale expectations and
was ripped apart by critics who branded
it ‘lazy’ and ‘broken’. Fans and critics alike
were begging Bethesda to return to their
old ways of releasing enjoyable open-world
single-player games.
Overall, it’s safe to assume that single-
player games are indeed not ‘dead’ and
the summary of their success in 2017 further
proves this.
With the most anticipated upcoming
games for this year and next being mostly
single-player such as the Last of Us Part II,
Death Stranding and Cyberpunk 2077, and
as EA continues to close down countless stu-
dios and cancel promising Star Wars games
- we can only wonder how long they will
parade the warped idea that ‘single-player
games are dead’.
*EA & Bethesda were contacted for com-
ment but didn't respond promptly.
FEATURE
FOLIO 2

25. H
ow did I end up here again?
There I was, trying to cross the
border into Cyrodiil, before a
horse thief got us both arrested by the
Empire, and now I’m on my way to get
my head cut off.
I get a bit too immersed in Skyrim.
With good reason, as well. It is one of
my favourite games of all time, with
an incredibly high level of replayability.
Bethesda’s fifth entry, and last entry to
date, to the Elder Scrolls series garnered
critical acclaim on release, over 200
“Game of the Year” awards, with some
hailing it as one of the greatest video
games of all time.
And now, as it reaches seven years
since its release, it has been remastered
and re-released with improved graph-
ics, VR compatibility and next-gen con-
sole support. But does it still hold up
as one of greatest video games of all
time?
Short answer, yes. Long answer...
Skyrim has become a buzzword for
describing story-driven, open world
RPGs, for the reason that it pretty
much set the standard for what makes
effective story telling in video games.
With a very loose main cam-
paign, you take the role of the “last
Dragonborn”, an individual with the
ability to absorb the souls of slain
dragons and use that to power your
Thu’um, or Voice, turning it into vari-
ous shouts of immense power. As
Dragonborn, you set out on a quest
to help the Blades find out why drag-
ons are re-appearing in Skyrim. But
the thing about Skyrim is that when
it’s described as ‘open world’, it is an
incredibly open world, with different
storylines and questlines pretty much
in every corner of Skyrim, from choos-
ing a side in the civil war between the
Imperials and the Stormcloaks, to join-
ing the elite band of warriors known as
the Companions.
Upon its release, the original version
of Skyrim set the standard for graphi-
cal detail in video games. The Creation
Engine, specifically built for Skyrim and
later used on Fallout 4 and Fallout 76
boasted immersive gameplay and cut-
ting edge graphics at the time. And
you need only look at the screenshots in
this article to see how stunning it really
looks.
Yeah, it looks a bit dated now, but
with the release of the Special Edition
in 2016, it set graphical standards once
more, and if you look at the com-
parison below, you can see why. The
character design leaves a little to be
desired (again, fixable with mods) but
one thing I have always loved about
Skyrim above everything else is just
how visually pleasing it is.
Sound and music are certainly
where this game excels. All the sounds,
from footsteps to animal yelps to the
sounds of Draugr in caves are enough
to immerse you completely. On top
of that, the soundtrack, by Jeremy
Soule, is one of the best video game
soundtracks of our age, and that’s not
'A PLACE IN VIDEO
GAME HISTORY'
27 HITBOX APRIL 2019
HK Norman looks back at what is
regarded as one of the greatest video
games of all time - Skyrim.
Killing in slow motion is fun, no matter what game you're playing.
just me saying that.
Skyrim, and the Special Edition, are
notorious for the sheer number of bugs.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve
seen random old ladies float up into
the sky, or birds flying underwater, or
corpses lodge themselves into walls.
Just yesterday I went to get a ride in a
horse and carriage and the driver had
merged with the horse.
The mechanics used for fighting are
simple, almost too simple at times. It’s
just a generic hack, slash, and block,
and lacks any sort of complexity.
So, looking back on everything,
is Skyrim still one the greatest video
games of all time?
I would certainly say so, even if it is
becoming a bit dated. There are games
that age well, and those that don’t.
Skyrim, thus falls into the latter. I per-
sonally think it will stay that way for
years to come, and Skyrim has earned
its place in video game history as the
standard-setting monolith in the realm
of visually stunning, open-world, single
player RPGs.
OPINION

26. 26 HITBOX APRIL 2019
REVIEW
Fallout 76: THE POST-NUCLEAR
GLITCHFEST
Tears filled their eye as the survivors wandered
the wasteland. 3 months ago, Bethesda’s first
multiplayer open-world game debuted in the
form of Fallout 76.
The game is set in post-nuclear America, spe-
cifically Appalachia, West Virginia. The game
features recreations of real-life locations from
the region. It was undoubtedly an ambitious
game filled with high potential and creative
opportunity, however fans quickly became wary
once the game was released with no non-playa-
ble characters (NPCs).
The game’s character creation was honestly
not that bad. Although it could be better, there
were plenty of customisation options for creating
the playable character. Perhaps compared to
some other online games, this was fairly substan-
tial. In comparison to Fallout 4, Bethesda’s pre-
vious addition to the post-nuked world, Fallout
76 is fairly similar in customisability. However,
the facial options are perhaps not as detailed.
Not to mention some options in Fallout 4 have
been removed to inforce microtransactions.
The game’s graphics are also quite similar
to Fallout 4, but you can take that as you will.
However, since Fallout 4 was released in 2015, it
could be argued that you’d expect slightly bet-
ter graphics in the newer game. On the other
hand, you can say that you’d expect lower qual-
ity graphics in an online game. But in my opin-
ion, even the Red Dead Redemption 2 online
BETA version’s graphics are superior to those of
Fallout 76.
Something to praise the game for is that it
hones in on creatively incorporating the setting
into development for the game. One example
of this is the inclusion of creatures from West
Virginian folklore.
Holly Hammond bites the bullet and
plays Fallout's first venture into online
gaming
Since the game’s release, Bethesda has been
frequently criticised by fans for failing to resolve
bugs and issues within the game, and sometimes
reinstating previously fixed ones. Glitches have
occurred frequently throughout my playthrough
of the game, such as killing the Grafton monster
which then respawned seconds later and essen-
tially become unbeatable.
The quests would usually be given by NPCs
in the Fallout universe, however the absence
of these mean that the player receives missions
through other means. It can be argued here that
they lack any real depth. I feel that not having
any NPCs in Fallout 76 really made me lose
interest in the missions and quests as I found that
they didn’t have the drive and character inter-
est behind them that is present in other Fallout
games.
Instead, the quests are largely found through
notes, terminals and holotapes where the player
can then explore the land and join factions. I do
think the idea of having factions in the game
lifts it to some degree as this can preoccupy
where the game would otherwise be lacking.
This could stop the quests from seeming quite so
repetitive.
The overall online gameplay isn’t bad if you
are playing it with friends, however as a solo
game it is relatively underwhelming. When
playing the game solo, interest quickly dies
down as there isn’t much to do due to the weak
storyline and quests. Then being faced with
overpowered players, progress in holding and
building a camp is almost impossible.
Another issue with the camp feature is that,
if you leave the online server, it is very unlikely
that you will still hold your camp once you go
back online. This essentially wastes all the time
spent building defenes and collecting materi-
als to build facilities. This ultimately calls into
question what the purpose of this feature is.
Overall I will rate Fallout 76 a 4 out of 10 as
although it is a broken and troublesome game,
it can be enjoyble if it is played with someone
else. Would I buy it again? I was disappoint-
ed, and that's a big statement for a Bethesda
game when they were once so good.
4/10
The game features recreations of
West Virginian landscapes.
The lack of NPC's has not gone
down well with the fanbase.
REVIEW

27. For years, Bethesda fans have laughed with
amusement at Todd Howard’s extravagant
and bold promises during promotional events
for a new game, which would ultimately turn
out to be either missing from the released
product or exaggerated.
Memes were made of their games’ infamous
bugs and glitches, some quite funny whilst oth-
ers frustrating. In the past, Bethesda have even
admitted to keeping some reported glitch-
es in a game because they find them funny.
However, it’s undeniable that Fallout 76 was
a colossal train wreck, from game-breaking
glitches that make it impossible to play, to
buyers not being able to get a refund.
Long-time Bethesda fans are, quite frankly,
hurt by the company’s seemingly lack of devo-
tion to their craft in comparison to companies
such as Rockstar or CDProjekt Red. No long-
er are these once laughable traits considered
‘cute’ which raises the question; Can Bethesda
redeem itself from this?
Possibly no, as not only is Fallout 76 a glitchy
mess – even completely unplayable at times
- but it also presents the same bugs reported
in Fallout 4. This shows that not only have
Bethesda failed to address these in the first
place, but they are even still present in future
titles.
When you consider the fact that other
games released today are capable of
much more whilst avoiding such hazards, it
makes Bethesda appear lazy in comparison.
Bethesda’s move onto multiplayer games
felt almost like a betrayal for fans who most
appreciated the company for making high-
quality single-player RPGs, even spearheading
the #saveplayerone campaign after E3 sug-
gested that single-player games are a dying
breed.
Most fans were on board for Bethesda
because the storylines of their games were
so fun and their worlds an exploration play-
ground. Though, without NPCs, Fallout 76
doesn’t even have this to fall back on and is
merely an open world shell of their previous
successes.
Customers are now bailing so it’s likely
Bethesda will continue desperately to return to
the glory days, meaning Starfield could suffer
being rushed and copying the same mechan-
ics and gameplay format Bethesda have been
pumping out for years. And, in a fast-growing
industry, their products are becoming highly
outdated whilst their fans move on to bigger,
Skyrim is seen as one of Bethesda's most iconic
games.
The Evil Within 2 was praised for its visuals and
atmosphere.
27 HITBOX APRIL 2019
OPINION
CAN
BETHESDA
REDEEM
ITSELF?
By Jess Clayton-Berry and Holly
Hammond
Fallout 76 has been met with vast criticism since
its release.
better things.
However, the possibility that Bethesda
could survive this is still in the water. Despite
Bethesda’s obvious problems over the years,
the majority of the games they have pro-
duced have risen to critical acclaim with
Skyrim, arguably their most successful, being
among the top best selling games of all time.
This could signify that Bethesda will be able to
redeem itself from its bumpy history as their
previous achievements are undeniable.
Bethesda’s ability to create captivating sto-
rylines, exciting and complex characters, and
huge open-world maps where everything you
see is at your fingertips, are some of their traits
that have been beloved throughout their
hardships. This is clear through the failure of
Fallout 76 where the absence of their intrigu-
ing NPCs and storylines caused the game to
suffer where previous companies, who pro-
duce similar multiplayer games, have not.
Notably, even if the company were to stop
actually developing games, they would not
be dead as their published titles have been
recently well-received with the Evil Within,
Doom, Dishonoured and Prey all having
recent releases that scored well in reviews.
The Evil Within 2 received praise for its
gameplay and visuals, and effectively creating
the appropriate suspense for a psychological
horror game.
Doom (2016) found success for its huge-
ly enjoyable single player mode with great
graphics, action gameplay and soundtrack.
However, the multiplayer mode did receive
criticism which signifies a clear flaw in
Bethesda’s games.
Dishonoured received positive reviews for
the missions’ narratives and stealth aspects,
this shows that at least the games published
by Bethesda are not repetitive and each has
their different strengths.
One solution to Bethesda’s rocky road could
be to alter their mechanics and upgrade their
Creation Engine to meet a more modern
demand.
The gaming industry has skyrocketed over
recent years which results in more pressure
to keep their games up to scratch with their
competing companies. If this were to happen,
Bethesda could finally redeem their reputa-
tion for the glitches and bugs in their franchises
such as Fallout and The Elder Scrolls.
We asked Bethesda for a comment but
they did not respond in time.
REVIEW

28. Jess Clayton-Berry and Holly Hammond have
been playing one of the most anticipated games
of the decade: Red Dead Redemption 2
Arthur could easily be Rockstar's most well-written character.
In 2013, Rockstar shocked the world with its
instant success, Grand Theft Auto V which
turned out to be the fastest selling enter-
tainment product ever (making $1 billion in
just three days). Players became involved in
the story of three main characters on their
mission to score big in the world of crime
and corruption – revealing the vast open-
world map of San Andreas. The question of
whether Rockstar could ever top the contro-
versial monument arose. Yet, after six years
in development, Red Dead Redemption 2
proved us wrong.
This glorious masterpiece of a game takes
place in 1899 across several fictional states,
some revisited from its predecessor. We play
as Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van
Der Linde gang currently on the run from
government officials and many other rival
outlaw groups as they continuously attempt
to scrape together enough money to make
a new start. The world Rockstar have cre-
ated is marvellous to behold, so full of life
and refinement that it’s hard to forget that
it’s only virtual.
Red Dead Redemption 2 serves as the
prequel to the award-winning Red Dead
Redemption which was released in 2010. In
fact, the predecessor was often regarded as
unbeatable, but Red Dead Redemption 2
has since risen to further critical acclaim. It
is not often that sequels and prequels are
released without vast critical differences.
Both games have been well received by
fans and critics alike, and it is not hard to
see why. They both feature prominent and
complex characters, a gripping storyline,
praised music and voice acting, and impres-
sive graphics for the time of release.
The Guardian has dubbed Red Dead
Redemption 2 the ‘most realistic game ever
made’ and it’s easy to see why with its vast
list of wildlife, huge variety of NPC models
and weather systems actually reforming in
the horizon (take note Bethesda). As you
ride through the varying environments from
the snowy mountains to the polluted streets
in the city of Saint Denis, you can see birds
of prey hunting rabbits, a bear taking on a
pack of wolves, and vultures feasting on the
decomposed carcass of a deer.
Arthur will run out of breath if he whis-
tles for his horse too many times; dogs that
you have petted and praised in the past
will remember you when you return and
come running to you with their tails wag-
ging; shopkeepers that you have robbed
and/or injured recently will return to work
with bandages and bruises where you hit
them; and during conversations on horse-
back the characters will gradually raise their
voice and shout at each other if they ride
too far apart.
And if that’s not all, one or several
Rockstar employees even created realistic
horse testicles that shrink in cold weather,
just for the players that have been wait-
ing for decades for this kind of attention to
detail to arise.
Your horse feels as though it actually has
some weight to it, having to actually build
up speed rather than magically turning to a
gallop in a second and rearing up in refusal
if you try to push it too far. I turned the
Witcher 3 on after a long stretch of Red
Dead Redemption 2 game play and the
horse felt as though it was gliding over the
road in comparison.
The bonding mechanism is perfect for
ensuring the player doesn’t view the horse
as just another vehicle like most RPGs –
after I had spent over half an hour tam-
ing my Arabian horse from the wild I was
devastated when she almost died after an
unfortunate accident involving a cliff and a
waterfall.
The survival elements are in depth and
realistic though not too demanding and
don’t hinder progress. Even though you have
to ensure that Arthur and his horse are fed,
rested and clean – it’s not so urging that it
becomes an annoyance. You can even grow
out Arthur’s hair and beard, or style it out so
he resembles Abraham Lincoln more than a
19th Century outlaw.
Hunting has become a huge part of the
game as it comes with the survival aspects.
When hunting, you need to first select the
right animal, consider the choice of weapon
and where to shoot it as these will affect the
price it can be sold for. If left for too long,
a carcass will rot and attract vultures and
various predators.
Fast travel is available, though present-
ed at rare opportunities, you can only fast
travel from Arthur’s tent, meaning you can-
not just randomly fast travel whilst out in
the wilderness. However, I think that this is
ultimately better as it can allow the player
to enjoy the richly detailed American land-
scapes, as well as chance encounters and
items for Arthur’s journal.
This is arguably a flaw with games such
as Skyrim where this option is possible which
means that the player can become depend-
ent and miss out on the years of landscape
creation by the game developers. For a
game spending years in development like
Red Dead Redemption 2 where there is such
precise attention to detail, this was a very
wise decision.
This is some of the best lighting and
graphics I have ever seen in a game. The
eerie nights look impeccable with the wild
darkness being so black and so sinister in the
foggy swamp areas of the game that I am
convinced to settle down and set up camp
for the night. Snow collects on your coat and
28 HITBOX APRIL 2019
REVIEW
ROCKSTAR
HAS STILL
GOT IT! 10/10
REVIEW