Each Friday PC Gamer s editors gather around the charred carcass of a once living being, and argue the best and worst of the week between mouthfuls.
THE HIGHS
Samuel Roberts: Maybe I ll play some Star Wars games this weekend
We re not a film site so I won t dwell on today s trailer for Star Wars: Episode VII—The Force Awakens (which you have already watched and wasn t it fun?), but it s inspired me to explore the movies extraordinarily varied legacy of PC software. I roughly break down the videogames of Star Wars into three key eras: the arcade-y stretch that ran until the early 90s, the X-Wing/Dark Forces-driven golden age that ran right up until Episode I came out and the far more mixed modern era that yielded mostly nonsense, but a few highlights like Battlefront and KOTOR. Put simply, that trailer made me want to destroy shit in a Millennium Falcon this weekend—so it s going to have to be X-Wing: Alliance and a flight stick. But there s loads of great Star Wars games on PC that I m not even sure some people know are on PC. Did you know that the N64 s Rogue Squadron and Shadows of the Empire were quietly released on PC as well, for example? They re rough by today s standards, but the latter features my favourite interpretation of the Battle of Hoth and a brilliant two-stage boss fight with Boba Fett and Slave I involving a jet pack duel. Worth tracking down.
Shaun Prescott: Embracing busywork in Dragon Age: Inquisition
I m loving Dragon Age: Inquisition. I know because the other night I caught myself fiddling around with weapon and armor upgrades for about two hours, weighing up the differences between pommels and metal types. Then I spent another half hour digging up Drakestone. Then, while I moseyed about the Hinterlands in search of Elfroot, a dragon turned up. I fled. Cocky ice mage Solas tried to show the dragon a thing or two but I had to tell him no. We re not killing dragons right now, we re collecting Elfroot. Kill dragons on your own time, Solas.
I don t have much time to play games after work, so usually I play through them as quickly as possible. I leave the busywork and collectibles usually: they re off-limits to me. That s not the case with Dragon Age because it s a beautiful world and I want to explore thoroughly. I ve not wanted to just be in a place like this since Dark Souls. There are a bunch of reasons the apocalypse is nigh in Inquisition, but there s also rings for grandmas to be found, and druffalo to be rounded up. The world can wait.
Tim Clark: The real meaning of the holiday is double-screening DreamHack
Having only decamped to the Americas earlier this year my other half and I (plus our furry familiar) have no real connection to Thanksgiving, nor local family to spend it with. But do not weep for us, dear and constant reader, for we will still be giving thanks. And what we ll be thankful for is the chance to blow four straight days on eating food and playing games, untroubled by the clarion call of family gatherings or, y know, actual work.
My plans include no-lifing Dragon Age: Inquisition and Far Cry 4, while she plans to plunge back into Azeroth by way of the Draenor Collector s Edition. Metaphorically I like to imagine this as being the equivalent of us wandering back into Hamsterdram , The Wire s unregulated drugtopia zone, and saying: Gimme all you got . While our binge occurs, I ll be watching DreamHack Winter play out on the second monitor. We previewed the CS:GO tournament here, but it ll be the Hearthstone tournament that has my attention. L I F E C O A C H B O Y S.
Tom Senior: Steam saaaaale!
I haven t bought anything in the Steam so far this week, which is most unusual. Am I ill? It might be too early to say, and I don t want to jinx the magic, but I may have everything I want already. Maybe I own everything I need, and can now live the rest of my life free of want, and considerably wealthier for it. Maybe I should take a - ooooh, 50% off Endless Legend! Now that s one worth buying if you like interesting strategy games about knights from space and stuff.
Tyler Wilde: Telltale s latest tale
The first episode of Tales from the Borderlands is really good. In a little over two hours I came to like, and sort of even care about, its main characters—and these are characters in a universe I previously associated with sincere feelings such as I want to shoot that and Oh, that s wacky, eh? And maybe that s not totally fair to Borderlands, which I admit I ve only really skimmed while mildly drunk, but Telltale got me interested in its universe with so much more efficiency than the main series ever has.
That s great for Telltale, and also for Borderlands—I even want to finish playing Borderlands 2 before the next episode so I m more familiar with the world. I probably won t, because y know, Dragon Age: Inquisition and Far Cry 4 need playing, but it matters that it inspired me, doesn t it?
THE LOWS
Samuel Roberts: The Assassin s Creed Unity climbdown
I don t enjoy watching series that are liked by millions of people launching with broken elements and therefore leaving fans disappointed—that s why Unity s release has been a real low for me. I think Ubisoft s handling of the situation has actually been pretty good considering what a mess that launch has been: a free piece of DLC for anyone who owns the game, and better yet, a free game for anyone who bought the season pass prior to Yannis Mallat s post earlier this week. Get Far Cry 4, damn it! The fact it even got to this point, though, where the head of a major developer is apologising for a problematic launch is a shame—especially when goodwill was on such a high for Assassin s following last year s Black Flag.
Shaun Prescott: DayZ is still ages away
I m glad Dean Hall and Bohemia are taking their time with DayZ. I really am. The 2014 blockbuster season has offered several good examples for why games should not release before they re finished. But at the same time I m very upset, because I just want to play DayZ without, y know, zombies clipping through the side of buildings.
I m angry in a positive way I suppose. My enthusiasm for DayZ knows no bounds. But still: I m worried about DayZ. Will it lose its lustre ahead of the scheduled 2016 release? Early Access is flooded with titles aping DayZ s ruthless approach, while Sony Online Entertainment has H1Z1 waiting in the wings. I really want DayZ to do well because the idea is incredible and I think the team deserves it. I just hope the world can wait.
Tom Senior: V-sync or G-sync?
I m hoping to pick up a monitor in the Black Friday madness to complete my three month part-by-part PC upgrade that I ve gone on about before. This is the final piece of the puzzle, and I m wondering if it s worth putting down extra for Nvidia s fabled G-sync technology. I m watching Nvidia s demo video but the only way to really know whether it s worth spending significantly more on a G-Sync enabled screen is to sit down and play with one for a bit. Instead, I ll use my low of the week to ask you a question. Do you have a G-sync monitor? Is it worth it?
Tim Clark: Trying to cope with Steam Sale anxiety. Failing
We re used to writing strategy guides here, but there may never be a more useful one than this. Just try not to think about all the amazing games that will be made, released, and put on sale at insanely low prices long after your dust has been scattered, collected up, and used to make additional computers on which yet more amazing games can be developed and sold. Circle of life I guess, but still likely to harsh your holiday vibe somewhat.
Tyler Wilde: I m playing Dragon Age: Inquisition with a controller
Last week I whined about not being able to walk in Dragon Age: Inquisition, which is possible with an analog stick, but not with a keyboard until a toggle is patched in. This week, I ve given up on using mouse and keyboard controls altogether. It s just too cantankerous.
So, I switched to an Xbox 360 controller, and while it took a while to get used to navigating the menus (they re not good), I m having a much better experience now. That saddens me. It doesn t sadden me so much that I m going to stop playing a game I m enjoying, but I will continue sighing loudly while I do.