In the vast, unexplored ocean that is known as my backlog of games, I stumbled upon a title that I’m glad I recently got the opportunity to not neglect and play through to its end. Developer Ready At Dawn’s The Order 1886 is a bit of an anomaly in the gaming world, and looking back at its massive backlash, it undeniably made me hesitant to ever give it a chance. After spending a healthy amount of time exploring the game’s eye-catching world, awe-inspiring visuals, and occasional fights against some hairy foes, I’m more than happy to call it one of the most underappreciated games of this generation. Knights of the Round Table The Order 1886 is set in a fictional historical representation of London, albeit with some supernatural liberties taken. Her Majesty’s Order of Knights aims to keep the civilians safe from an outbreak of Lycans that have ravaged the unsuspecting communities. We follow and take the role of Sir Galahad, one of the Order’s knights who stumbles upon some earth-shattering revelations that could threaten to destroy the very foundations of the royal order and question everything we know about who – or what – is actually “protecting” the people. Before we dive into the rest of the article, a little disclaimer is in order: I will be discussing major spoilers from here on out. You have been warned. Diamond in the Rough The Order 1886 has a lot going for it. The grim Victorian setting melded with the supernatural may have been realized a bit better in Bloodborne, but here, it’s presented as close to reality as possible so that it comes across as authentic – thus, the Lycans become a far more intimidating presence. One complaint against the game is the Lycan battles themselves, but I’ll get to that in a bit. I’d like to first highlight everything that the game gets right, and when it does, it shines brightly. The visuals, for instance, blew me away. After playing graphical juggernauts like Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Doom, I didn’t think that a game could surprise me anymore, at least aesthetically on a console. The Order 1886 features some of the most incredible visuals I’ve ever seen on a console, and that’s saying a lot considering it was actually released before Uncharted 4. The fluidity in the animation and the mind-blowing attention to detail drew me in from the first second to the last. From an immersion standpoint, there are very few games that are able to suck you into the world through pure visual fidelity alone. For a large majority of the game, it felt like I was an integral part of a big, polished Hollywood blockbuster with excellent cinematography and CGI. The Order 1886 features some of the most incredible visuals I’ve ever seen on a console, and that’s saying a lot considering it was actually released before Uncharted 4. Secondly, even though the game tends to play out like a movie, driving one plot point forward after another without much in the way of exploration, it features plenty of gripping combat sections. This is further enhanced by the crazy arsenal at your disposal, lovingly crafted by an awkward Nikola Tesla. The game features a lightning gun that turns enemies into a cloud of blood, while the thermite gun sends out puffs of thermite can easily be ignited with a flare, dealing tons of widespread damage. If you opt for the stealth route, you can rely on your knife to do most of the work until you get your hands on the satisfying crossbow later on in the game, which pretty much turns you into the Solid Snake of the 19th Century. Of Monsters & Men The Lycan battles were prominently featured in the marketing leading up to launch, but unfortunately they’re quite sparse in the game. There are a few tense scenarios that have you fighting against two or three Lycans at a time, though the real meat of the battles happen in the boss encounters with the more aggressive types. Some haven’t been kind to the fact that they’re degraded to nothing but quick-time events, but I personally didn’t mind them at all as they gave you enough control in the fights to not seem like you were pressing button prompts for a cutscene. Once you’ve got the hang of how these encounters work, there’s something oddly rewarding about overpowering an eight-foot werewolf with nothing but a blade. Crumbling House of Cards Of course, I have to shed some light on the story. Despite The Order of Knights having several dozen members, we’re only (wisely) allowed to get attached to a few of them. Galahad is a great protagonist because there’s depth to his character; he starts off as a proud and loyal knight before slowly spiraling into rage following the death of his mentor, Perceval. This leads him to discover that the rebels they’re painting out to be the bad guys are, in fact, trying to expose darker secrets beneath the Knighthood. The head of the Knights, Lord Hastings, turns out to be a Lycan himself, who is secretly trying to build an army of vampires (yes, I know, Underworld comparisons need to inevitably be made). This causes friction between Galahad and his partner, Isabeau, who may or may not be his love interest. She is also one of the more endearing characters because, unlike most love interests in games, doesn’t base her decisions and actions on her feelings, but rather aims to uphold the moral values of the Knights – even if it means going against Galahad. Despite The Order of Knights having several dozen members, we’re only (wisely) allowed to get attached to a few of them. The story, for the most part, isn’t anything new or revolutionary, but the way it’s told manages to keep you invested throughout. I was constantly on the edge of my seat after each chapter and revelation, which made me want to keep playing the game to find out more. It all culminates in an exciting third act that infuriatingly ends way too abruptly, which brings me to my final point: this game is in desperate need of a sequel. The Order 1887 After the events of the game force Galahad to go rogue, it introduces a concept that’s absolutely brilliant for a sequel. London goes into lockdown (like The Purge), leaving the Order of Knights to mop up the Lycan-infested streets – only this time, there’s some hidden agendas and secrets yet to be uncovered about the true nature of the authoritative powers that be. Galahad is set on a quest to bring this house of cards crumbling down, but he has plenty of unanswered questions too. How will Galahad reconnect with Isabeau and convince her of the Knighthood’s lies? What will become of the vampire initiative? Are there more boss Lycans out there besides Hastings? How deep does the betrayal in The Order go? While it's certainly great to imagine how a sequel would improve upon the game, we shouldn't hold our breaths just yet. Reportedly, Ready At Dawn is already hard at work on their next title that will be an original IP, and not this sequel. However, there's potential buried beneath the grievances that people may have with The Order 1886, and a sequel would be the perfect way to fix those issues while building upon what they've already established - and it can only be for the better.

Nexus will be hosting auditions for our exciting upcoming Nexus O2 YouTube Channel; this is especially important if you haven't gotten a chance to submit your video audition yet! It will be an open call, so anyone and everyone is invited to audition. Time and Date: Saturday 29 September, 11am – 3pm Where: The Nexus Hub 21 Harley Street, Randburg "If you haven’t gotten round to showing us what you can do on camera then come through to the Nexus on Saturday 29 September to show us what you’re made of. We’ll be hosting open auditions from 11am – 3pm. No previous experience needed! You need to be a geek at heart, over 18 and be studying or working as this is a part-time gig. Don’t be shy; come with a friend… this could be your chance to star in our brand new YouTube Channel!" If you'd like to find out more about this initiative, all the necessary information can be found here. We look forward to meeting you!

Disclaimer: this article is not for younger viewers. Please click away from this article if you’re underage. It is to no surprise that many didn’t like the latest soundtrack for Devil May Cry: 5. I mean, after the perfection that was “pull my devil trigger,” how could they possibly think that there would be a follow-up? Well, the marmite song wasn’t the only thing that popped for Capcom. The song was made in collaboration with the band Suicide Silence. Soon, fans were quick to point out that the lead singer had a very disturbing past. According to Loud Wire, these allegations turned out to be true. According to Silicon Era, the song was meant to be Dante’s battle theme in Devil May Cry 5. Some fans criticised the song itself on various social media platforms. Shortly after that, the comments turned to the lead singer for Suicide Silence, who had been accused of preying on an underage fan. Lead singer, Hermida, was accused of manipulating a 17-year-old fan into a less-than-appropriate relationship with him back in November 2017. The fan-girl stated that Hermida was using his role in the band to get her to send inappropriate pictures to him. He then later apologised and stated that sexual acts only took place after she was 18. This allegation resurfaced only a few hours after the video went live and Capcom took action almost immediately after the complaints. Capcom stated that they were pulling the song out from any Devil May Cry 5 promotional material, and were looking into a replacement song for the full game. According to Kotaku, Capcom claimed that there were unaware of the lead singer’s past during their collaboration with Suicide Silence. In fact, here’s what they said: “The music was recorded for the game before the incident came to light and we were unaware of the incident until now. However, as we are now aware of the current situation, Capcom has decided that moving forward, we will not further highlight the Dante battle theme for promotional purposes at this time. We are also currently evaluating what options are possible for the full game at this point, which is dependent on various factors such as resources.” Video game composer, Cody Mather Johnson, who worked with Suicide Silence on the track, said that the project was two years in the making. With Capcom now aware of the situation, they will have to tread with caution when bringing in the new song. If it were up to me, I would just put Devil Trigger on everything. Devil May Cry 5 will be available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on March 8, 2019.

The LG 24GM79G Gaming Monitor is the follow on from the LG 24GM77, and while I enjoyed the previous monitor, the 24GM79G blows its predecessor out of the water. The Features and Specs The LG 24GM79G Gaming Monitor sports a 144Hz refresh rate with 1ms Motion Blur Reduction response time. To reduce screen tearing, it comes with AMD’s FreeSync technology, as well as Dynamic Action Sync. The TN panel comes in at 24” with a 1920x1080p screen resolution and an 8-bit, 16,7 million colour display. Unfortunately, there is no swivel function with this monitor, but there is a 170/160 viewing angle, a -5 - 35° tilt angle, and 90° pivot functionality, as well as a 13cm height adjustability (it doesn’t sound like much, but its quite significant). There is also a ‘SUPER+Resolution’ function which I will touch on later. The LG 24GM79G Gaming Monitor is the follow on from the LG 24GM77, and while I enjoyed the previous monitor, the 24GM79G blows its predecessor out of the water. When it comes to the vertical adjustment, I didn’t need to put a whole lot of weight onto it for it move up and down, which was great as I could easily adjust it mid-game. The pivot could use a little more resistance (maybe I just don’t know my own strength – like Superman) but after my adjustments were made, the monitor stayed exactly where it needed to. That may sound like a stupid thing to mention, but I have had monitors do that to me before – one minute it's fine and then it slowly starts to slip down. However, I never had any issues with adjusting LG’s panel. There are nine different picture modes for you to choose from, namely: Custom, Reader, Photo, Cinema, Colour Weakness, FPS Game 1, FPS Game 2, RTS Game, and Custom (Game). It offers a detachable base as well for wall mounting, or to mount on a dual-monitor stand, and if you are concerned about space, make sure you have 22.3” x 15.3” x 9.4” (WxHxD) on your desk, or 22.3” x 13.9” x 2.3” without the stand. LG’s monitor comes in at 5.9kgs, or 3.8kgs without the stand. For the full list of specs, visit the link here. The Aesthetics The LG 24GM79G blended seamlessly onto my desk. During this review, I had access to the model before the 24GM79G – the 24GM77 – and they looked perfect together. Even as a stand-alone panel, the 24GM79G is pretty enough, as it is lightly accented with red trimmings on each side, without becoming a distraction from my main box or peripherals. As I said, there are red trimmings on each side of the monitor to complement the AMD FreeSync capability of the monitor, as well as red accents on the buttons at the bottom of the monitor. The Functionality The LG 24GM79G is extremely versatile, with a single DisplayPort 1.2 connection and two HDMI 2.0 connections. At the moment, I have my PC hooked up via the DisplayPort connection, with an Xbox One and PS4 Pro hooked up via the HDMI ports. Switching between them is as easy as using the joystick to switch between connections. The LG 24GM79G is extremely versatile, with a single DisplayPort 1.2 connection and two HDMI 2.0 connections. There are two USB ports on the left side of the monitor for data transfer, and another next to the display inputs underneath the rear of the monitor. These are great if you would like to transfer files quickly, or if all of the ports on your box are used up. Navigating the monitors menu is simple with the joystick, giving you access to a whole array of customisation options. You can switch between the pre-sets already equipped on the monitor, control the sharpness, brightness, and contrast (as normal), as well as turn the various special features on and off. One of the greatest features with the LG 24GM79G is the ability to customise the various pre-sets to cater specifically for you. Some prefer their FPS to be brighter, or have more contrast, etc., so customising these, and then being able to quickly swap between these using the buttons is just amazing. Navigating the monitors menu is simple with the joystick, giving you access to a whole array of customisation options. One special feature I would like to point out is the SUPER+Resolution. While roaming around the desktop, it doesn’t look the greatest as it makes the image look so sharp that things look pixelated, but in-game it completely changes the image. Everything looks clearer, crisper, and just enhances the whole image on-screen. The Performance The difference between the LG 24GM79G and the 24GM77 is quite noticeable, especially when you use them side-by-side. Thankfully the 24GM79G has a better colour display, as the previous iteration never looked quite right. The previous monitor seemed to always be too bright, too soft, or too sharp, no matter how you changed the settings. The 24GM79G’s colour palette looks far better, displaying truer colours that look more natural. It took a little tinkering to get the settings exactly as I wanted, but after less than 5 minutes, it was set up just right. Strangely, I had to change the display settings to the ‘PC 1980 x 1080’ setting in order to get the 144Hz refresh rate, otherwise it would only display at 120Hz on the ‘Native’ setting, however, I think this could be a Windows or Nvidia issue. The 24GM79G’s colour palette looks far better, displaying truer colours that look more natural. I tested around six titles on the LG 24GM79G – including two titles on console – namely: Battlefield V Beta, Battlefield 1, The Division, and CS: GO using my PC; Spider-Man on PS4 Pro, and NBA 2K19 on Xbox One. First off, CS: GO is not really the prettiest game to look at but the frames were high and the monitor kept up spectacularly. Despite being optimised for AMD graphics cards, the monitor showed zero screen tearing, and with the Motion Blur Reduction on, the images were crisp, clear, and silky smooth. The Battlefield V Beta looked phenomenal on this panel, and so did Battlefield 1. My system can’t keep up with a 144Hz refresh rate, unfortunately, but it did chug out roughly 90fps, which was no problem for the monitor. Typically, you see some tearing between systems and monitors that refresh at various times, but I still didn’t see any tearing or stuttering when the frames were low. The colours from each game were displayed really well, but I did notice a slightly diminished richness in my testing, so while the colours were there, they just weren’t as rich as I would have preferred them to be. Lastly, the console titles. Spider-Man was obviously locked at 30fps, but with the SUPER+Resolution, the Motion Blur Reduction, the customised Game mode, and Dynamic Action Sync all on, the game looked so much better. The 24GM79G significantly improved the image quality, combined with the graphical boost of the PS4 Pro, it almost looked like a PC port. The Xbox One is standard but NBA 2K19 looked truer and more vibrant, thanks to the same settings mentioned above. The Audio The monitor does have audio output but there are no dedicated speakers. Instead, there is a standard 3.5mm audio jack for a set of speakers or headphones to be plugged into. Overall The LG 24GM79G is a beautiful, powerhouse monitor with features coming out the wazoo to really enhance your gaming experience. I love the micro-level customisation of the pre-sets, and I really love its versatility. The joystick underneath is really easy to get used to as well, and you feel archaic when going back to buttons. The FreeSync functionality is a great addition for those who have AMD cards, but there is no reason you can’t use it on a Nvidia-based system, as there is still no tearing or stuttering. I would have liked better colour depth and richness from the games, but otherwise, I can’t fault it.