Edge Issue 255

This magazine is dated July 2013 and priced at £5.00.

Knowledge
One Vision - 8 pages (10-17)
 * Microsoft finally clarifies its next-gen plans, but is Xbox One really a games console?

Meeting Next-gen expectations - 1 page (18)
 * Brighton-based conference Develop prepares to tackle issues presented by a new wave of console technology.

Challenge complete - 1 page (20)
 * After two months of frenzied coding, its time to reveal the winners of the Get Into Games Challenge 2013.

Soundbytes; Arcade Watch: Dance Dance Revolution - 1 page (22)

My favourite game: Matt Fraction - 2 pages (24-25)
 * The X-Men, Iron Man and Thor writer on Skyrim, the perils of bro culture, and conducting planning meetings over Xbox Live.

This Month on Edge - 1 page (26)

Dispatches
Dialogue - 2 pages (29-30)

Trigger Happy - Steven Poole - 1 page (32)
 * Games don't need to be more realistic per se, but logical coherency is the key suspending disbelief.

Level Head - Leigh Alexander - 1 page (34)
 * A reliance on big names is unhealthy for games journalism. We should be crowning new kings.

You're Playing It Wrong - Brian Howe - 1 page (36)
 * Following a bulging nappy load of family gaming journalism, YPIW decides to get in on this geek fad.

Hype
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (One,PS4,PC) - 6 pages (40-45)

Plants vs Zombies 2: It's About Time (Android,iOS) - 6 pages (46-51)

Tearaway (Vita) - 4 pages (52-55)

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified (360,PC,PS3) - 4 pages (56-59)

Project CARS (360,PC,PS3,Wii U) - 4 pages (60-63)

Call of Duty: Ghosts (360,PC,PS3,PS4,One) - 2 pages (64-65)

RuneScape 3 (PC) - 2 pages (66-67)

Round-Up - 2 pages (68-69)

Features
Check me out - 6 pages (70-75)
 * The new world of 24/7 on-demand videogame TV

An audience with... Eiji Aonuma - 4 pages (76-79)
 * The guardian of Zelda explains why A Link to the Past 2 is now a reality, following 22 years in the twilight realm.

Games of Chance - 6 pages (80-85)
 * What does randomness bring to videogames? And why does the unexpected elicit such a powerful response? We look to gaming's origins to find the answers.

The Rovio Story - 15 pages (86-100)
 * The Making of Angry Birds - 4 pages (88-91)
 * Mechandise: Plush Fund - 2 pages (92-93)
 * Profile: Studio Forge - 1 page (94)
 * Profile: Studio Wildfire - 1 page (95)
 * Profile: Studio Tampere - 1 page (96)
 * Profile: Studio Stockholm - 1 page (97)
 * Interview: Sami Lahtinen - 1 page (98)
 * Profile: Rovio Stars - 1 page (99)
 * Interview: Jaako Iisalo - 1 page (100)

Reviews
Post Script

The Last of Us - 1 page (107)


 * How Naughty Dog revitalises the post-apocalyptic setting.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf - 1 page (110)


 * Interview: Aya Kyogoku, director; Katsuya Eguchi, series creator

Create
People: Douglas Wilson - 2 pages (128-129)
 * Mee the mind behind Johann Sebastian Joust.

Places: Water Levels - 2 pages (130-131)
 * Why Adam's ale holds the power to dissolve gaming's rules.

Things: Plasma Cutter - 2 pages (132-133)
 * Isaac Clarke's signature weapon slices right to the heart of Dead Space.

Studio Profile: Infinity Ward - 4 pages (134-137)
 * How the house of COD was rebuilt after its foundations crumbled.

The Making of... Thomas was Alone - 4 pages (138-141)
 * The indie game that gave blocks real personality wouldn't be here if it hadn't won its own cast of friends along the way.

What Games Are - Tadhg Kelly - 1 page (142)
 * Let games be games

In The Click Of It - Clint Hocking - 1 page (144)
 * Beyond the grave

The Possibility Space - Randy Smith - 1 page (146)
 * The three levels of game creation

Word Play - James Leach - 1 page (148)
 * Who needs love like that?

Region Specific: Switzerland
Swiss Time - 2 pages (154-155)
 * One of Europe's youngest development scenes is ready to show the world its wares.

Round the table - 4 pages (156-159)
 * The founders of Switzerland's game industry on river swimming, privacy and what really defines the region.

Studio Profiles Bitforge; Zurich University of the Arts - 1 page (168)
 * Giants Software - 1 page (160)
 * PhysX By Nvidia - 1 page (162)
 * Gbanga - 1 page (164)
 * Everdream Soft - 1 page (166)

Other Credits
Online Editor
 * Neil Long

Senior Art Editor
 * Mark Wynne

Games Editor
 * Nathan Brown

News Editor
 * Michael Gapper

Features Editor
 * Jason Killingsworth

Writer
 * Ben Maxwell

Production Editor
 * Matt Clapham

Art Editor
 * Andrew Hind

Deputy Art Editor
 * Phil Haycraft

iPad Assistant
 * Helen Wilson

Editorial Contributors
 * Leigh Alexander, Alex Dale, Nathan Ditum, Clint Hocking, Brian Howe, Leon Hurley, Tadhg Kelly, Brendan Keogh, James Leach, Charlotte Martyn, Rich McCormick, Craig Owens, Steven Poole, Ryan Rigby, Daniel Robson, Jaime Russell, Chris Schilling, Randy Smith, Chris Thornett, Alex Turner, Alvin Weetman, Alex Wiltshire