Custom PC - UK (2020-07)

aspeoplehavesettledintolockdownmode
andareworkingfromhomeinlargenumbers.
Havea rummageinyourcupboards,though,
andyoumaybeabletofindthatoldsetof
earphoneswitha built-inmicrophonethat
camewithyouroldmobilephone– intrying
times,needsmust.

Collaborativegames

EverheardofWorldofWarcraft?If therewasa

timetofinallytryperhapsthemostinfluential

socialgameofalltime,otherthanTheSims,

it’snow.It’stheultimateopen-ended,time-

killinggamethatletsyouwhileawayhourson

yourownorcollaborateoncolossalmissions

withdozensofotherplayers.

What’sparticularlyappealingaboutWoW

nowis thearrivalofWoWClassic,which

returnstothemostbasic,originalformof

thegame,sobeginnerscangettogripswith

it moreeasily.It alsohasthesamebasic

graphicsoftheoriginal16-year-oldgame,so

it willrunonjustaboutanyspec.

Beyondthisclassic,thereareplentyofother

gamesthathavea morecollaborativebentbut

stillprovideplentyofthrillsandimmersion.

AsRickLanementionsinhiscolumnon

p62,Divinity:OriginalSinanditssequelare

fantasticoptions.ThisconventionalRPGmay

lookbroadlysimilartoMMORPGssuchas

WorldofWarcraft,butwherethefocusof

thosegamesis massivelymultiplayer(asthe

acronymsuggests),Divinitycanbringtogether

justtwoplayersfora morefocusedcampaign.

Stickingtotheisometricviewtheme,if

you’reintoreal-timestrategygames,the

excellentRedAlert3,whilepositivelyancient,

offersanexcellentcooperativecampaign

modefortwoplayers.Youcanplaythrough

thewholeofthefantastic maincampaignwith

anotherfriend,andthefactthatit’snaturally

splitupintomissionsmeansthat,onceone

missionis complete,youcaneasilytakea

breakfora weekbeforemeetingbackupto

progresstothenextone.

Anotherfinemessyoucangetyouand

a fewfriendsintois navigatingthechoppy

watersofSeaofThieves.Thiscartoonish

pirateadventureseesplayersexploringthe

islandsandoceansoftheCaribbean,looking

forfightsorfunasyouplease.You’llneeda

smallcrewofuptofourplayersinorderto

manthesailsandraindowncannonfireon

othershipsyouencounter,makingthewhole

adventurea funwaytoworkasa teamto

defeattheenemiesofthehighseas.

If you’relookingtosetasidecompetition,

andjustwantsomewheretohangout,there’s

plentyofoptionstoo.Stalwartssuchas

StardewValleyandMinecraftaresuitedto

allages,sothewholefamilycangetinonthe

act.Moreover,whenit comestoMinecraft,if

youhavethetimeandpatience,thelevelof

creativityyouandyourfriendscanbringto

projectsis secondtonone.

WOWCLASSICHASTHESAMEBASICGRAPHICS

OFTHEORIGINAL16-YEAR-OLDGAMESOIT

WILLRUNONJUSTABOUTANYSPEC

Beginners can get to grips with WoW Classic easily,

and you can play it on an old system too

Sea of thieves is a hilarious and fun-filled adventure
for up to four players

Stalwarts such as Stardew Valley are suited to all
ages, so the whole family can get in on the act

Divinity: Original Sin can bring together just two
players for a more focused campaign, and there’s
a split-screen local co-op mode

FEATURE / ANALYSIS