PC Zone Magazine – January 2005 – Issue 150 – 150th Collectors' Issue

Original PC Zone Magazine, January 2005, Issue 150 – Special 150th Collectors' Edition featuring F.E.A.R., EverQuest II, Brothers in Arms, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, Prince of Persia and more.

A collectable milestone edition of the classic British PC gaming publication, produced by Future Publishing to celebrate its 150th issue.

This special edition features an unusual two-cover design, with atmospheric artwork from F.E.A.R. on one side and EverQuest II on the reverse.

The magazine documents an important period in PC gaming history, with coverage of major upcoming releases, contemporary reviews, multiplayer gaming, hardware developments and the growing online gaming community.

IMPORTANT: This listing is for the original printed magazine only. Any original cover-mounted CDs, DVDs, demo discs, software, promotional gifts or other additional items are no longer included.

Magazine Details

• Publication: PC Zone

• Issue Number: 150

• Publication Date: January 2005

• Edition: 150th Collectors' Issue – Two-Cover Special

• Publisher: Future Publishing

• Country: United Kingdom

• Language: English

• Original Cover Price: £5.99

• Format: Printed PC Gaming Magazine

• Condition: Pre-owned – visible signs of previous handling and storage

• SKU: 1572

Special Collectors' Edition – Two-Cover Design

One of the most distinctive aspects of this particular issue is its special two-cover presentation.

The magazine celebrates the publication's 150th edition with two different pieces of major gaming artwork.

F.E.A.R. Cover

The photographed front cover features the haunting visual style of F.E.A.R. – First Encounter Assault Recon, the psychological horror first-person shooter developed by Monolith Productions.

The artwork is predominantly black and dark grey, with the large PC ZONE masthead printed in striking red lettering across the top.

The central image depicts a mysterious young girl standing barefoot in a dark environment.

She wears a red dress, while her face is obscured by long dark hair.

Dark red splatter effects appear around the lower portion of the artwork, while rough black lines create an unsettling background.

The minimalist composition deliberately creates a sinister and mysterious atmosphere.

Unlike conventional gaming magazine covers filled with multiple headlines, this special edition uses a largely uninterrupted image to emphasise the game's psychological horror themes.

The upper cover includes the wording:

"150th Collectors' Issue – Two-Cover Special"

The original January 2005 date and £5.99 cover price are clearly displayed.

This unusual cover design makes the issue particularly appealing to collectors of F.E.A.R., survival horror games and early-2000s PC gaming memorabilia.

EverQuest II Reverse Cover

The photographed reverse cover features colourful fantasy artwork from EverQuest II, Sony Online Entertainment's fantasy MMORPG.

The artwork depicts a heavily armoured fantasy warrior with long blond hair, an ornate outfit and a large glowing sword.

A second darker fantasy character appears in the lower portion of the illustration.

The background uses orange and gold tones, creating a dramatic contrast with the dark F.E.A.R. artwork on the opposite cover.

The large white PC ZONE masthead appears across the top, accompanied by the January 2005 publication information.

The two contrasting covers demonstrate the magazine's attempt to represent different major genres of PC gaming during its milestone issue.

Main Feature – F.E.A.R.

Page 42 – Exclusive Preview

The magazine includes a major feature covering F.E.A.R., one of the most anticipated PC first-person shooters of 2005.

The photographed contents page describes the game as a major forthcoming shooter.

Developed by Monolith Productions, F.E.A.R. combined military combat with supernatural horror elements.

The game became particularly well known for its atmospheric environments, intelligent enemy behaviour, cinematic gunfights and distinctive slow-motion combat mechanics.

The cover artwork introduces the mysterious girl central to the game's supernatural storyline.

The photographed editorial introduction also prominently highlights F.E.A.R. as one of the magazine's major features.

This original preview offers an interesting contemporary look at the game before its release.

For collectors of horror games, Monolith Productions or classic PC shooters, this is one of the magazine's most significant features.

EverQuest II

Page 106 – Review

The magazine includes a review of EverQuest II, the fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game released in 2004.

The photographed contents page features a colourful screenshot showing a character standing in a grassy landscape beside a large elephant-like creature.

A prominent quotation above the image discusses the game's ambitious scale and future potential.

EverQuest II offered a large fantasy world with extensive character development, quests, exploration and online multiplayer interaction.

The magazine's coverage captures an important period when subscription-based MMORPGs were becoming increasingly popular.

The review provides an original contemporary assessment of the game's world, gameplay systems and online experience.

The special reverse cover further enhances the appeal of this issue for EverQuest collectors.

Brothers in Arms

Page 50 – Preview

The magazine features coverage of Brothers in Arms, the Second World War tactical shooter series developed by Gearbox Software.

The photographed contents page shows soldiers wearing military uniforms and helmets advancing through a grassy countryside environment.

One soldier is pictured firing a weapon, with a bright muzzle flash visible.

The preview is described as coverage of a major forthcoming military shooter.

Brothers in Arms became known for combining first-person combat with squad-based tactical commands and historically inspired battlefield environments.

The article provides an interesting look at the series during its original development and promotional period.

Prince of Persia

Page 68 – Review

The magazine includes a review of Prince of Persia: Warrior Within, Ubisoft's action-adventure sequel to The Sands of Time.

The photographed contents page features the Prince standing in front of a burning environment, surrounded by flames and damaged structures.

The game adopted a darker visual style than its predecessor, with more aggressive combat and a heavier emphasis on action.

The review offers a contemporary perspective on one of the most recognisable action-adventure releases of the mid-2000s.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines

Page 74 – Review

The magazine includes coverage of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, the role-playing game developed by Troika Games.

The photographed contents page features a close-up image of a pale female vampire character with distinctive makeup, dark eye shadow and light-coloured hair.

The character appears against a warm orange background.

Bloodlines became known for its atmospheric urban environments, branching conversations, character development and supernatural storyline.

Built using Valve's Source engine, the game developed a dedicated following among PC role-playing enthusiasts.

The original review is particularly interesting to collectors of Troika Games publications and classic computer RPGs.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay

Page 62 – Review

The magazine features coverage of The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, the science-fiction action game developed by Starbreeze Studios.

The photographed contents page includes a dramatic screenshot showing futuristic machinery, mechanical equipment and bright explosions.

The game combined first-person combat, stealth, exploration and cinematic storytelling.

Its original release attracted attention for its advanced graphics and atmospheric presentation.

This review provides a contemporary record of one of the notable licensed video games of the period.

Additional Game Previews

The photographed contents pages confirm a substantial selection of additional previews.

Page 54 – Stolen

Coverage of the stealth-action game Stolen, featuring infiltration and tactical gameplay.

Page 56 – X2: The Return

Preview coverage of the planned space simulation sequel, including its relationship to the X series.

Page 58 – The Settlers: Heritage of Kings

A look at the strategy title and its developing gameplay systems.

Page 52 – Close Combat: First to Fight

Preview coverage of the military tactical shooter.

The magazine's preview section also includes F.E.A.R. and Brothers in Arms.

These articles provide an interesting record of the PC games being promoted at the beginning of 2005.

Additional Game Reviews

The photographed contents pages identify a broad selection of further reviews, including:

• Page 62 – The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay

• Page 68 – Prince of Persia: Warrior Within

• Page 70 – Painkiller: Battle Out of Hell

• Page 72 – Men of Valor

• Page 74 – Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines

• Page 77 – Need for Speed: Underground 2

• Page 79 – Worms Forts: Under Siege

• Page 82 – Fritz Chess 8

• Page 82 – Pitfall: The Lost Expedition

• Page 83 – Sonic Heroes

• Page 83 – SuperPower 2

• Page 84 – Replay

The reviews cover racing games, first-person shooters, action adventures, role-playing games, strategy titles and other PC releases.

Gaming News and Features

The magazine contains numerous additional features covering the wider PC gaming industry.

News and Editorial Features

The photographed contents page identifies:

• Page 10 – Darwinia

• Page 12 – id Interview

• Page 14 – Special Report

• Page 16 – EMUZone

• Page 23 – Diamond Geezer

• Page 24 – Stubbs the Zombie

• Page 26 – American McGee

• Page 28 – Search for a Game

• Page 30 – Charts

• Page 38 – Hotshots

These articles provide insight into gaming personalities, new releases, industry developments and the wider PC gaming community.

Games That Changed the World

Page 140 – Games That Changed the World

A retrospective feature exploring influential video games and their importance to gaming history.

The photographed contents page specifically highlights Will Wright's SimCity.

This is an interesting inclusion for collectors of classic strategy and simulation games.

Online Gaming Features

The magazine includes a dedicated Online Zone section covering multiplayer games and online gaming communities.

The photographed contents page identifies:

• Page 94 – Online News

• Page 97 – Welcome to My World

• Page 98 – Guild Wars

• Page 100 – EVE Online: Shiva

• Page 102 – Fight Club

• Page 106 – EverQuest II

• Page 110 – Reviews

• Page 116 – Community Chest

• Page 117 – Neverquest

The section documents the growth of online gaming during the mid-2000s, including MMORPGs, multiplayer communities and downloadable updates.

It is particularly interesting for collectors of Guild Wars, EVE Online and EverQuest II.

Hardware and Technology

The magazine also includes dedicated PC hardware coverage.

The photographed contents page identifies:

• Page 118 – Hardware News

• Page 120 – Hardware Reviews

• Page 122 – Dear Wandy

• Page 124 – Watchdog

• Page 126 – Buyer's Guide

The hardware section provides contemporary information about PC components, graphics cards, gaming equipment and technology available during 2005.

This material adds historical interest for enthusiasts of vintage computing and retro PC hardware.

Editor's Introduction – The Big One-Five-O

The photographed editorial page includes a special introduction by PC Zone editor Dave Woods.

The article is titled "The Big One-Five-O" and celebrates the magazine reaching its 150th issue.

The editorial discusses the publication's history, the importance of its milestone edition and the magazine's relationship with PC gaming enthusiasts.

The page includes a portrait photograph of the editor and a printed signature.

It also prominently features the F.E.A.R. cover artwork.

The editorial highlights the magazine's exclusive previews and reviews, reflecting the significance of this commemorative edition.

This is an interesting feature for collectors of PC Zone itself, rather than collectors of individual games.

Original Cover-Mounted Discs – Not Included

The photographed editorial page advertises original accompanying PC Zone discs.

These included promotional gaming software, demonstrations and other digital content.

The printed page shows images of the original disc packaging and references titles such as F.E.A.R., Pro Evolution Soccer 4, Fallout and other games.

IMPORTANT: THE ORIGINAL COVER-MOUNTED DISCS ARE NOT INCLUDED.

Any original CDs, DVDs, demo discs, software, promotional gifts, supplements, vouchers or additional items that may originally have accompanied this issue are no longer included.

The listing is strictly for the printed magazine shown in the photographs.

No playable games, software discs, activation codes or downloadable content are supplied.

Condition Report – Please Read Carefully

Condition: Pre-owned – generally presentable, with visible signs of previous handling and storage.

This is an original January 2005 magazine and should not be considered new or mint.

F.E.A.R. Cover

The distinctive F.E.A.R. cover remains present, with the large red PC ZONE masthead and atmospheric horror artwork clearly visible.

The dark cover surface shows noticeable signs of previous handling.

Visible imperfections include:

• Fine surface scratches and scuff marks.

• Light rubbing across the black printed areas.

• Small marks and blemishes.

• Minor edge wear.

• Slight wear around the corners.

• Light creasing and handling marks.

• Some rubbing along the spine.

The black background makes surface imperfections particularly noticeable under direct photographic lighting.

The main artwork and printed details remain clearly visible.

EverQuest II Cover

The reverse EverQuest II cover retains its colourful fantasy illustration.

The photographed cover shows some light surface rubbing and minor handling wear.

There is slight wear along the edges and corners, with minor curvature visible in the side photograph.

The main artwork remains attractive and clearly printed.

Spine and Binding

The photographed side view shows the magazine retaining its original bound format.

The spine appears generally intact, with light wear consistent with previous reading and storage.

The magazine has some natural curvature and does not lie perfectly flat.

The photographed interior pages remain attached.

Interior Pages

The photographed contents and editorial pages appear generally clean and readable.

Visible signs of previous handling include:

• Minor page-edge wear.

• Slight corner bending.

• Light handling marks.

• Some curvature near the centre folds.

• Minor surface impressions.

No major tears are apparent in the photographed interior pages.

The magazine has not been checked individually page by page, so absolute completeness cannot be guaranteed.

Overall Condition

A collectable original copy of PC Zone January 2005, Issue 150, featuring its distinctive two-cover special edition.

The magazine shows ordinary age-related and handling wear, particularly light surface scratching on the dark F.E.A.R. cover.

Both photographed covers remain present, and the sampled interior pages are clearly readable.

Please examine all supplied photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description.

Important – Missing Original Extras

MAGAZINE ONLY – NO ORIGINAL COVER-MOUNTED DISCS OR ADDITIONAL ITEMS.

Any original CDs, DVDs, demo discs, software, promotional gifts, supplements, vouchers or other items that may have originally accompanied the magazine are no longer included.

Only the original printed magazine pictured will be supplied.

Packaging and Postage

UK Orders

The magazine will be carefully packaged and dispatched in a protective hardback envelope to help reduce the risk of bending or damage during transit.

International Orders

International orders will be packaged in a sturdy cardboard mailing-size box for additional protection during shipping.

The photographs show the actual magazine being offered for sale.

Please review the photographs and condition description carefully before purchasing.

SKU: 1572