SPORE

REVIEW!

Now I have your attention I can confirm that yes indeed, PCPP#156, on sale August 20 will include a SPORE REVIEW. That's a REVIEW, of SPORE.

We even made EA change its global embargo from August 25 to August 20 just so we could run it, though unfortunately it does mean subscribers will get their issue late this time as we had to agree to delay the mailout so you don't break the embargo.

Many apologies for this, and we can only hope the joy of a SPORE REVIEW will take the curse off it. Normal postage will resume for PCPP#157!




As you can see we also get some hands-on time with Far Cry 2. David Wildgoose spent many a cloistered hour with it at E3, and emerged asking the question: could this be the game that combines Crysis' looks with Deus Ex's brains?

Our E3 coverage doesn't stop there. You'll get extra insight into the fate and future of PC gaming, we'll ask what role the indies will play in the future, and speculate on the motives of the major distributors.

Reviews are dominated by Spore - we needed a massive six pages to do this game justice - which was fortunate because it was slim pickings elsewhere. GTR Evolution? Pro Cycling Manager? The bounty returns for PCPP#157, led by STALKER: Clear Sky.

In tech Lindsay brings you the ultimate upgrade guide. He takes four common PC configurations from the last five years, and shows you how to dramatically boost performance without having to resort to a complete system rebuild.


On the disc, all the movies you could possibly need, in glorious 720p HD. Scrutinise the latest offering from E3. We've also included every Diablo III movie so far released. Examine the hated rainbows without buffering or a million flashing banner ads in your periphery.

And there are some chunky game demos in there too, including the long-awaited Frontlines demo.

All in all, a fat issue indeed: two leaderboard PC games, a world first review, and a disc full of the future. Enjoy!