Game Informer Issue 261

Full cover:

Features:

• Letter From the Editor: Games Are Science Fiction Come To Life (Andy McNamara discusses how video games have been influenced and have impacted science fiction)
• Feedback (Reader Letters, Responses and Artwork)
• PlayStation 4 & XBOX One: Year One Status Report (Overview on the past year for each console, both their successes and their failures and the major games for each system)
• BlizzCons Big Surprise (Blizzard unveils its first brand-new IP in 17 years, 6v6 team-based shooter Overwatch)
• Here Come The Amiibos! (A look at Nintendos new line of collectable figures)
• Top Ten: Alien Races
• Gamer (Spotlight on SamDabuz Buzby, winner of the 2014 Super Smash Bros. Tournament)
• Afterwords (Interview with Mike Laidlaw, creative director on Dragon Age: Inquisition)
• Massive (A look at the new expansion for World of Warcraft, Warlords of Draenor)
• Impulse (A look at Q-Games downloadable title The Tomorrow Children)
• Game Informers Fourth Inaugural Sacred Cow Barbecue (Tongue-in-cheek article that roasts some of the industrys most beloved titles, including Minecraft, Dark Souls and Assassins Creed)
• Interview: Paul Reiche III (Interview with the president and co-founder of Toys for Bob)

Cover Story: The Science Fiction Issue (Huge feature that spotlights science-fiction games, both past and present. Cover story looks at No Mans Sky (PS4, PC), which was first unveiled back during Spikes VGX award show last December, and is one of the most ambitious indie titles currently in development, giving players free-reign in an entire universe full of planets to discover and explore)

Destiny: The Dark Below (PS4, PS3, One, 360)(Having found both praise and criticism at launch, Bungies Destiny now preps for the arrival of its very-first full expansion)

Looking Into The Future Of Science Fiction (A brief look at some of the upcoming sci-fi games, both coming soon and still far off)

• Evolve (One, PS4, PC)
• Halo 5: Guardians (One)
• Axiom Verge (PS4, Vita, PC)
• Battleborn (PS4, One, PC)
• Mighty No. 9 (PS4, One, Wii U, PS3, 360, Vita, 3DS, PC)
• Mirrors Edge (PS4, One, PC)
• Quantum Break (One)
• Routine (PC)
• Star Citizen (PC)
• Star Wars Battlefront (PS4, One, PC)
• StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void (PC)
• Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U)

The Top 25 Science Fiction Games (GI's picks for the top 25 sci-fi games in video game history)

1. Mass Effect 2 (PS3, 360, PC)
2. Half-Life 2 (PS3, 360, XBOX, PC, Mac)
3. Portal (PS3, 360, PC)
4. Super Metroid (Wii U, Wii, SNES)
5. Halo: Combat Evolved (One, 360, XBOX, PC, Mac)
6. Deus Ex (PS3, PS2, PC, Mac)
7. Fallout 3 (PS3, 360, PC)
8. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (XBOX, PC, Mac)
9. StarCraft (N64, PC, Mac)
10. System Shock 2 (PC, Mac)
11. Alpha Centauri (PC, Max, Linux)
12. Xenosaga Episode 1: Der Wille zur Macht (PS2)
13. Eve Online (PC)
14. Star Wars: X-Wing (PC)
15. X-COM: Enemy Unknown (PS3, 360, PC, iOS, Android)
16. Chrono Trigger (Wii, SNES, DS, iOS, Android)
17. Dead Space (PS3, 360, PC)
18. Shadowrun (SNES)
19. Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi (PC)
20. BioShock Infinite (PS3, 360, PC, Mac)
21. Master of Orion (PC, Mac, Amiga)
22. Mega Man X (Wii U, Wii, PS2, XBOX, GC, SNES, PSP, PC, iOS)
23. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PS2)
24. The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay (PS3, 360, XBOX, PC, Mac)
25. Homeworld (PC)

Multiplatform Reviews:

• Grand Theft Auto V (PS4, One)
• Far Cry 4 (PS4, One, PS3, 360, PC)
• LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham (PS4, One, Wii U, PS3, 360, PC)
• Assassins Creed Unity (PS4, One, PC)
• NBA Live 15 (PS4, One)
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2015 (PS4, One, PS3, 360, PC)
• WWE 2K15 (PS4, One)
• Lords of the Fallen (PS4, One, PC)
• Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris (PS4, One, PC)

PlayStation 4 Review:

• LittleBigPlanet 3

PlayStation 3 Review:

• Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix

Wii U Reviews:

• Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
• Super Smash Bros.

XBOX One Review:

• Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Nintendo 3DS Reviews:

• Pokemon: Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
• Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth

The Score (Short, one paragraph reviews):

• Escape Dead Island (PS3, 360, PC)
• Shantae and the Pirates Curse (3DS)
• Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric (Wii U)
• Republique: Episode 3 Ones & Zeroes (iOS)
• Tales of Hearts R (Vita)
• Terra Battle (iOS, Android)
• The Legend of Korra (PS4, One, PS3, 360, PC)
• Legend of Grimrock II (PC)