Behind the veil of the realms, with Ashley Miller, screenwriter of DOTA: Dragon’s Blood

While admittedly my review for DOTA: Dragon’s Blood – find it here, with partial spoilers! – was lukewarm, it’s still a decently made romp for a quick binge with your buddies, and avoids tanking your MMR (probably). Prior and after watching the show, we had the opportunity to email Ashley Miller, screenwriter of the show, to answer sate some of our curiosity. Check ’em all out below! This Q&A also includes a spoiler section, so be warned! If you rather not be spoiled, then go ahead and watch the anime now, this interview will be waiting for you.

GamerBraves: Okay, boring question out of the way: why Selemene, and bring Dragon Knight, Terrorblade and Carl Invoker into it?

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Ashley Miller / AM: A lot of visual development of these characters was already underway when I came onto the show, although I stuck with them because I thought there were interesting stories to be told there. As for Selemene, I found myself very interested in the suggestion there was some other god before her and I wondered exactly what happened with that. Everything else was about connecting things.
GB: I’m curious: how much do you know of Slacks and his lore videos? What was the research process like?
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AM: I watched all of his videos and I’ve gotten to know him over the last month or two. He’s a great guy, he loves his game and his passion for it is always on display. Watching Loregasm really helped me understand how things in the DOTA world connected, what questions had been answered and where there was room to play.

GB: What was it like working with Valve over the 2 ½ years?
AM: Valve has been a great creative partner and cheerleader through all of this. I’ve really enjoyed working with them and appreciated all the support they’ve given me.
GB: Would love to know how you see the community, or how involved you are in it.
AM: Because the project was so secret it wasn’t really possible for me to engage the community until very recently. I love how passionate they are and the artistic talent out there is just amazing. I’m constantly on the hunt now for fan art and I love to amplify those artists on social media.

GB: Was there any consideration for a live action show instead? What was the thought process opting for animation instead of live action?
AM: To my knowledge, the plan was always for animation. I’m not sure if a DOTA live action would be very satisfying. Doing it right would be insanely expensive.

if you're a brand new DOTA fan (or a seasoned veteran who needs to brush up on their lore), catch up on this incredible story that's eighteen years in the making. pic.twitter.com/wsRVQ2qok5
— Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) March 12, 2021

GB: How different is it writing for film compared to an episodic series, live action vs animation?
AM: Film is very closed-ended and your primary worry is structure. With television, you have a little more room to play it loose and focus on the characters and the emotions instead. The audience is less concerned with what’s happening than who it’s happening to. With animation, I just had to remember it’s hard to draw people walking and that crowd scenes are a nightmare, but I could open up the action and do things that would break the budget of a live action show.

GB: How often do you keep up with Dota in general e.g. competitive, patches?
AM: I keep my eye on it. I like to know what’s going on with the fans and what’s happening in the game. I don’t have any special insight on the patches, new heroes or any of that. Hoodwink was as much a surprise to me as anyone.
GB: I think after last year’s Dragon’s Dogma, some fans are on edge about art style choices for Netflix game adaptations. How do you decide on a visual look for a series when the source material is usually viewed top-down?
AM: I never had a concern about this show. Studio Mir is the best in the world at what they do. If they can’t do it right, no one can do it right. Everything else is about adapting the content so we can tell a story and treat it like drama rather than a video game.

GB: Let’s say you could work on another Dota anime: which story would you want to explore next?
AM: Let’s say if we’re successful and get to do more episodes I have very definite plans. I don’t want to set up any false expectations in the event I change my mind!
GB: What’s your favourite part of working on this project?
AM: I get to work with the most talented people in the world… amazing writers, artists, actors, musicians… how can it not be great to wake up everyday knowing this is my job?
GB: How is this different from adapting comic book material (e.g. X-Men, Marvel) to a game that doesn’t have that much supplementary material?
AM: Easier in the sense that I have more room to explore and invent. Harder in that I have less source material to pull from. It’s not like I can do DOTA: Days of Future Past. It pretty much has to come from my head or emerge from things suggested in the rather sparse and sometimes a bit vague or contradictory supplementary material.
Godspeed, Gamepedia maintainers.
GB: I know typical TV anime keeps roughly 30 minutes run time, but since the 8 episodes are available at once, why not have a longer runtime, or more episodes?
AM: Production. It takes a lot of work to do these episodes. The logistics — what we call the pipeline — would blow your mind.
GB: Dota is quite popular in non-English speaking countries, SEA notwithstanding. How much were you involved in the subtitling, to ensure it matched the base English?
AM: We sent Netflix’s localization team a lot of supporting material to help them understand the choices for names, dialogue and all that. But this is what these guys do and it seems to be working for them so far, so I’ve been more than happy to trust the process.
GB: Obviously you’d need a bunch of supporting NPCs. How did you create these additional characters without detracting too much from the mains?
AM: Every character on the show has a reason for being there. My point of view characters are Davion and Mirana, with a strong supporting cast. It can be tempting to put people in episodes or give them scenes just to give them scenes, but we simply don’t have the time or real estate for that. You have to be disciplined. In fact, the only major characters you see for the first two episodes are our leads. Everyone else comes in as needed and only appears as required.
SPOILER QUESTIONS BEGIN HERE

GB: Did Bram use a Town Portal scroll? Why did it need blood?
AM: We definitely nodded at the Town Portal scroll although the idea here is that the scroll is magic crafted at Dragon Hold from the remains of a void dragon. It needed blood and the ritual to work because I wanted to make it very, very hard to teleport from place to place or bypass a problem. The blood helps convey the idea that magic isn’t easy or free… especially when you borrow it.
GB: How did the Mirana and Dragon Knight ship come about?
AM: These are two very broken people who find each other at the worst possible time in their lives and prove to each other over and over that they can be relied upon. I think they see a lot of themselves in one another and I think there are aspects of the other they aspire to be. If that’s not a recipe for love, I don’t know what is.

GB: The Shopkeeper seems quite mystical, even if he only has a minor role. Can you elaborate on what he ‘represents’?
AM: The Invoker has knowledge, the Oracle sees the future, the Shopkeeper is the embodiment of karma and dharma. He is what you put out into the universe and what you receive back, and how you interact with him pushes you toward your purpose and higher truth.
GB: We see the other Eldwurms around, when Auroth (Winter Wyvern) should be the last once Slyrak is ‘dead’. How far exactly in the past does the story take place? Alternate universe?
AM: We posit the eldwurms are more than just creatures. It’s less a description than it is a title. I very specifically stayed away from making Auroth one of the Thunder, even though she is certainly old enough to be one of them. I hope we get a chance to meet her. As for where we are in time… my assumption is that all DOTA heroes appear on that final battlefield at once, but the Ancients don’t necessarily have to limit themselves to heroes who are contemporaneous; i.e., they can reach through time to find their representatives and even across many universes.
Not alone in this universe?
GB: Why the choice to have a humanoid dragon form, instead of say, a wurmling?
AM: The hybrid form was something that felt suggested by the lore and the way Davion is voiced and characterized in the game. I thought it was super cool and the hybrid humanized him enough that we as the audience could understand him as a “monster” versus just having a monstrous form. That said if you watch carefully, you’ll see Slyvion (as we call him) evolves every time he emerges. He has different designs in episode 2, 4 or 8. In fact by episode 8 he has wings. Every time, he seems to be a little less Davion and a little more dragon. If we get more episodes that evolution will absolutely continue. Who knows how far it will go? I have very definite thoughts.
GB: Terrorblade feels really under utilized, especially with the focus on other plot threads. Why not make TB more prominent?
AM: Terrorblade is like Jaws. The less you see of him, the scarier he is. Also, I hate shows where the villain pops up every episode and gets his ass kicked. When Terrorblade appears, he needs to make an impact.
SPOILER QUESTIONS END HERE

With the release of DOTA: Dragon’s Blood on Netflix for the wider audience, you can make the judgment call if the review was too harsh or otherwise. Personally, I would be interested to see a follow up season, perhaps with more episodes to sufficiently encompass the cast and tie up the loose ends of their stories. I mean, a good anime for Dota can be an effective hype vehicle for a new hero, wouldn’t it? I’m not looking at Fym or anything…
Thanks to Ashley Miller for taking the time to answer our certainly not-comprehensive list of questions about the show, and to Netflix for letting us watch the show prior to its release. Hope you guys enjoy, binge the show, and settle in for the Singapore Major.

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Tags: Ashley MillerDotaDota 2Dragon's BloodNetflix


Gameplay trailer for Tales of the Rays released by Bandai Namco

A promotional trailer for Tales of the Rays has been released by Bandai Namco. The game, as you may have guessed from the title, is the latest entry in the Tales franchise. This mobile RPG will be made available in 2017 on both Android and iOS as a free-to-play game.

As with other games in the franchise, the protagonist in Tales of the Rays will see you embark on an adventure to defeat a looming evil. Along the way you will recruit an assortment of characters to join your party. The battle system involves a series of taps and slides, with the addition of a Chain Capacity system which lets you combine skills to make an even stronger attack.

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Engage in a simple yet deep battle system to defeat your foes
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Meet and recruit heroes from games of past
Fans of the Tales series and JRPGs in general will definitely want to check the game out. For more details, head over to the official site.

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Tags: AndroidBANDAI NAMCOiOSRPGTales of the Rays


PlayStation Days Of Play Sale Gives You Discounts On PS Plus and Controllers

Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced the PlayStation Days of Play sale, bringing discounts on games, memberships as well as controllers for your PS5.

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The Days of Play summer Sale will run from June 2nd to June 12th, and will be available both via the PlayStation Store as well as physical Sony stores.
Here are some of the deals available via the sale:
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PlayStation Plus memberships

PlayStation is offering multiple deals for PlayStation Plus, be it for members renewing their membership or even seeking to upgrade to a higher tier.
“For both new and current PlayStation Plus members, all 12-month plans will be offered at 25% off – this includes Essential, Extra, and Deluxe.
Current PlayStation Plus Essential and Extra members can also receive 25% off a 1-month, 3-month, or 12-month membership when upgrading to a higher tier plan – it’s a great time to try PlayStation Plus Deluxe”, PlayStation says.
PS5 Dualsense Wireless Controller

Arguably the gem of the sale, the PS5 Dualsense Wireless controllers will be available at RM269- down from RM349.
Here are the controller models available via this sale:

White/Midnight Black
Cosmic Red / Starlight Blue / Nova Pink / Galactic Purple / Gray Camouflage

Note that this does not include the Dualsense Edge premium controller.
Physical Games

Various games will also be available for purchase, ranging titles like Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales as well as God of War Ragnarok.
Here’s the full list of games on offer:
Days of Play Summer Sale Games

                                        Platform

                                        Title

                                        Price

                                        PS4

                                        Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales

                                        RM129

                                        PS5

                                        Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales

                                        RM129

                                        PS4

                                        God of War Ragnarok

                                        RM169

                                        PS5

                                        God of War Ragnarok

                                        RM209

                                        PS5

                                        Horizon Forbidden West

                                        RM169

                                        PS5

                                        The Last Of Us Part 1

                                        RM209

                                        PS5

                                        Gran Turismo 7

                                        RM169

This is a chance for players to possibly expand their PlayStation library, especially those who might have recently acquired a PS5 thanks to the ready availability of the console.

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Tags: PlaystationSony Interactive Entertainment


Warhammer Quest 2: The End Times Will Launch Tomorrow!

Warhammer Quest 2: The End Times, the mobile game by Perchang that was first announced back in September 2017 with a trailer will be launching tomorrow! The game based off the Warhammer universe was announced earlier this month to be officially launched without any official dates. However this time, they have announced the official date to be on the 11th of April 2018.

Since it’s iOS release last year, the game is finally coming to Android. The game based on the Warhammer universe is a strategic RPG game that allows you to create a band of heroes to battle against creatures on your adventure. The game is filled with strategic battles that take place on a tiled board. You can either wield magic, bow and arrow or a melee weapons to take down your enemies. Traps can also be set to make use of the environment against the enemy based on your playstyle.

So if you are interested in the Warhammer series, this might be your cup of tea. Since it’s finally released for Android, the game will come with a price just like for iOS at about RM 19.90 or less.
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Tags: AndroidiOSMobilePerchangWarhammerWarhammer Quest 2Warhammer Quest 2: The End Times


The Deadmines Mini-Set arrives in Hearthstone with 35 all-new cards!

Patch 21.6 has come to Hearthstone, including the new Deadmines Mini-Set which will introduce 35 all-new cards. Edwin VanCleef has a bone to pick with everyone who found themselves so United in Stormwind, and he and his pirate crew are also coming to Mercenaries, Hearthstone’s latest game mode.

On top of all that, Diablo, the Lord of Terror himself, continues to wreak havoc in the tavern. For a limited time, Diablo will be a playable hero in Battlegrounds and will join Duels as the modes’ first dual-class character.

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Check out the Deadmines Mini-Set Cinematic Trailer, complete will a rousing sea shanty:

Deadmines Mini-Set Launches on November 2!
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Delve into the Deadmines in the United in Stormwind Mini-Set. Edwin VanCleef and his crew will be featured in 35 unique new cards including Pirates and new synergies designed around the Tradeable keyword.
The Deadmines Mini-Set, which launched worldwide on November 2, consists of 35 distinct cards: 4 Legendary cards, 1 Epic card, 14 Rare cards, and 16 Common cards. Those new cards can be found in United in Stormwind packs, or you can get the entire 66-card* Mini-Set for $14.99 (MYR62) or 2000 Gold.

* Includes one copy of each Legendary card and two copies of each other card, for a full playable set of all cards in the Mini-Set.
Pirates coming to Hearthstone Mercenaries
Mercenaries is getting its first content update! Edwin and four more swashbucklers are raiding Hearthstone’s newest game mode with unique new abilities and Pirate synergies! On top of that, we’re introducing three new Bounties and Bounty Bosses for your new recruits to take on.
The Deadmines Mini-Set became available for purchase on November 2. For more information on The Mini-Set and updates to Mercenaries, Battlegrounds, and Duels, check out the latest blogs on PlayHearthstone.com
View the full 21.6 Patch Notes here: https://playhearthstone.com/en-us/news/23739023

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Tags: HearthsthoneHearthstone Mercenaries


Get yourself the 35th anniversary Kingston FURY Beast DDR4 RGB Special Edition

Kingston FURY has released the Kingston FURY Beast DDR4 RGB Special Edition to celebrate the company’s 35th anniversary. The smooth, white heat spreader and RGB lighting makes it stand out from the regular line-up.

Naturally, you can personalize the lighting with 16 preset effects or your own via Kingston FURY CTRL software. The fully exposed light strip has 10 LED lightbulbs, kept aligned thanks to  the patented Infrared Sync Technology. Besides looking pretty, the 35th anniversary Kingston FURY Beast DDR4 RGB Special Edition goes at speeds of 3200 and 3600MT/s2, Intel XMP Certified, with pre-optimized timings, speeds and voltages to overclock through built-in profiles to meet your more practical needs. It’s also AMD Ryzen ready.

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“As the world’s leading memory brand, Kingston has always strived to offer top-performing products, and we are overwhelmed with the love and support for the brand from our users. Entering our 35th year, we’re happy to introduce this Special Edition of the favorited Kingston FURY Beast line for those who want to bring the style and performance of their system to the next level, we are sure that the Kingston FURY Beast DDR4 RGB Special Edition, with its bright RGB effects illuminating the unique white heat spreader, will do just that.”
Kingston
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Get yours in single module capacities of 8GB & 16GB, and kit capacities of 16GB & 32GB. Learn more through the official website.

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Tags: KingstonKingston FURYKingston FURY Beast


SINoALICE brings back Dorothy/Alternative in Darkroom Researcher Redux

Once again, SINoALICE reintroduces another limited rerun of one of the Alternative characters with the return of Darkroom Researcher. This time around, the lab coat-donning Dorothy/Alternative will be available for summoning.

Unlike the base Dorothy who is a Sorcerer, Dorothy/Alternative is of the Crusher class. Players can unlock her upon obtaining her weapon, Intent of Curiosity from the Darkroom Researcher Redux banner. Intent of Curiosity, Beast Puppet, Staff of Deep Prayer and Flute of Sunlight are the featured weapons of this banner. Check out their skills and stats in the pictures below:

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In addition, SINoALICE players also have a chance of getting the Ouroboros Nightmare which enjoys a rate up in Darkroom Researcher. Ouroboros is a solid Nightmare for free-to-play players, capable of reducing enemies’ physical attack. It will be highly effective against guilds that field Breakers and Crushers in their frontline.
While Dorothy/Alternative may be worth rolling for players who missed the first Darkroom Researcher banner, you may want to hold off on pulling her. This is because of the Slime collab banner which will be dropping on 18th February 2021. At least four never before seen event characters will be available. Until Pokelabo reveals their skills and weapons, it is highly advisable not to pull from Darkroom Researcher Redux for the time being.
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In the meantime, stay tuned to the SINoALICE updates on the game’s Twitter page.
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SINoALICEPublisher: Square Enix, PokelaboDeveloper: PokelaboRelease Date: 2017-06-06Android, iOS
Fairy tale characters fight to "revive their author". Enter the dark world of SINoALICE as imagined by Yoko Taro (Drakengard, NieR).

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Tags: PokelaboSINoALICESquare Enix


SAO: AL playable characters, story and gameplay reveal [Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris]

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Bandai Namco has revealed more SAO:AL / Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris  playable characters, alongside tantalizing glimpses into the story and gameplay! The upcoming action RPG game is slated for release on 22 May 2020 for the Southeast Asia region (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia & Philippines).

The latest trailer has revealed the opening theme ‘Scar / Let’ by artist, ReoNa. The Underworld will evolve even more with the emergence of the mysterious Hersyrian, Black Knight and Mysterious Giant. For game original character Medina, sneak a glimpse into her story, of her past and her future. These additions of new stories and characters will only expand the relationship players can have with these characters, as well as possible interactions between themselves in the game.

987654321

Utilize the eight different Sacred Arts in order to turn the tides of battle and counter your enemies! Each Sacred Art will have their own unique battle effects, and can be charged to become even stronger! Confirmed playable characters are listed as follows:
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Renly Synthesis Twenty-Seven: Part of the Integrity Knights, he battles against the Dark Territory forces as the leader of the Human Empire army. Renly is the only character who can use the Twin-Wing Blades weapons and especially the “Twin-Edged Wings”.
Sheyta Synthesis Twelve: Integrity Knight also known as Sheyta the Silent Taciturn, the Administrator gave Sheyta a divine weapon able to slash any and all things, The Black Lily Sword.
Sortiliena Serlut: Graduating second in her class at the Swordcraft Academy, Sortiliena was served by Kirito whom earned her respect. She uses her own battle style with Claymore-type weapons.

Digital early purchase bonus and Day-1 retail package bonus for Southeast Asia will also contain:

4 Original Costume Design Contest in-game costumes
SAO Coin: 200

Which of these SAO: AL playable characters are you most looking forward to?

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Tags: BANDAI NAMCOSword Art OnlineSword Art Online: AlicizationSword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris


Kingdom Hearts: Dark Road introduces new characters

Kingdom Hearts: Dark Road is beginning to reveal new information regarding the game, as part of a promise to lead up to the release, starting with the characters. The reveals were announced on the official Twitter, and is as follows:

【KINGDOM HEARTS DARK ROAD New Reveal】

We’ve kept you waiting, but from now until release we’ll have back-to-back reveals so stay tuned! We’ll begin by first introducing the characters who take part in the story.

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Xehanort
Xehanort, the strongest enemy in the Kingdom Hearts series who always stood in the way of Sora and his friends.
Why did this young boy become the seeker of darkness? That long journey will soon begin.

Eraqus
A young Master Eraqus who appears as Xehanort’s companion! How did the pair form such a strongly connected relationship? Having played an important role in the series, please look forward to his role in this part of the story!

Xehanort and Eraqus.
As young Keyblade wielders in-training, they work hard, but who’s better at games? Look forward to the answer on release.

Vor

Hermod

Urd

Bragi
What parts do you think these characters play in Xehanort’s journey to seek darkness in Kingdom Hearts: Dark Road? No new release date has been given, so keep an eye out still.

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Tags: Kingdom HeartsKingdom Hearts: Dark RoadKingdom Hearts: Union XSquare Enix


Pokemon Masters EX Rally event kicks off

To welcome Gloria to Pasio, Pokemon Masters EX is kicking off a celebratory Rally event! The rally is live on both the Japanese and English Pokemon Masters EX Twitter accounts. Hitting a combined 10,000 retweets of the affiliated rally tweet will reward everyone with 3,000 gems.

The rally period will be from 25 November 22:00 PST to 2 December 21:59 PST. Rewards will then be distributed from 16 December 22:00 PST to 30 December 21:59 PST.

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Rally aside, there will be several adjustments within the game itself according to the official dev update:

From events beginning the end of November, 5-star Power Ups, and more 5-star Guaranteed Scout Tickets and Move Candy Coins will be obtainable.
Stamina recovery time will be changed from 6 minutes for one point of stamina to 4 minutes for one point.
Champion Stadium will get a Master mode

Winning battles with added challenges will earn you more rewards

Select advantages for your opponent and receive points corresponding to the options on a win
5-star Power Ups, Power Up Tickets and Move Candy Coins are some of the rewards available

A new Legendary event is planned for February

Level caps of sync pairs from previous Legendary events will be unlocked when the events are rerun

The next developer update is scheduled for late December, for New Year’s event, the 1.5 year anniversary, and more.
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Pokemon Masters EXPublisher: DeNADeveloper: DeNARelease Date: 2019-08-29Android, iOS
Pokémon Masters has evolved! Discover a whole new adventure in Pokémon Masters EX!

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Tags: DeNaPokemonPokemon Masters EX


Summoners War World Arena Season 4 Begins!

Summoners War World Arena has been a huge success since it last held in LA 2017. Now it is time for Summoners War World Arena Season 4 2018! The season has begun and Com2uS has organized several months of worldwide World Arena competition since last year, 2017. They aim to bring together top professional gamers from Season 1 and Season 2 to pit against one another in 9 different cities around the world. The champion of the inaugural Summoners War World Championship 2017 (held in November) is Tomato (China) who ousted Psy! (America) to earn a whooping USD$20,000 top prize and distinction as the world’s best summoner.

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As for World Arena Season 2 champion, although he did not make it to centerstage, 云阙☆风月 (China) ended 2017 with a loud bang as he remained as the undefeated champion for Season 3. Will he be able to score a hat trick (3 consecutive champion titles) this Season 4? In this early stage of Season 4 which has just begun last week, Corrosiv3 (a Malaysian player who hails from Penang) sticks to the top spot, warding off the undefeated champion from the throne. Will this Malaysian dark horse emerge as the new king this time round? We all will be looking forward to the results when this Season 4 closes in April 2018.

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Dark King Panda Warrior
Com2uS has raised the rewards for participating this Season 4 compared to previous seasons in hopes to boost user participation and interest. Rewards such as Dark King Panda Warrior Transmogrification, Transmogrification Items that enables customization of Monsters’ outlook and many more has been added for participants. You can check out their official Facebook Page for more information.

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Tags: AndroidCom2uSiOSMobileSummoners WarSummoners War World Arena Season 4


Next chapter for Pogba: Verdansk F.C.

The next chapter for global football superstar and World Cup Winner Paul Pogba is to partner up with Verdansk FC in Call of Duty: Warzone Season 5.

Pogba revealed on Twitter his sights on working with a new club in Eastern Europe that recently opened up its stadium in the summer, boasting a 75 million-strong legion of fans around the world. Verdansk FC (also known as the Verdansk Sparks) is a football team based in the country of Kastovia. With the opening of Verdansk Stadium marking the beginning of Season 5 in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone, Pogba is announced to be the club’s first major signing.

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Warzone players can now drop in to Verdansk FC Stadium – nicknamed the National Acropolis Arena – as one of a few new locations added with the season. Other locations include the Train Station interior and a colossal, continuously moving freight train to claim as a mobile base of operations.

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Paul Pogba’s favorite loadout in Warzone is:

Primary weapon: The Glitch Bruen MK9
Secondary weapon: Open Season Kar98k
Lethal equipment: C4
Tactical equipment: Heartbeat sensor
Perk one: E.O.D
Perk two: Overkill
Perk three: Tracker

Season 5 is live now across Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone. For a more in-depth look at Verdansk, check out the Warzone Official Strategy Guide, which features an interactive Tac Map with over 300 points of interest – including those at Verdansk FC Stadium.

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Tags: ActivisionCall of DutyCall of Duty: Modern WarfareCall of Duty: WarzonePaul PogbaVerdansk Sparks


Level51 PC rebrands to AFTERSHOCK PC Malaysia

Level51 PC has rebranded to AFTERSHOCK PC, as the company celebrates its fifth year of growth. Malaysia’s premier custom PC brand will see changes to its name, and logo, as well as an expansion of products and services beyond its current offerings. The rebrand also plans to unify the company’s core identity with partners in Singapore and Australia to allow it to leverage resources and strengthen operational capabilities nationwide.

AFTERSHOCK PC Malaysia will be undergoing a visual overhaul with updates to its online and offline presences to reflect its new identity. The brand is committed to being the market leader for local custom PC offerings, competitively priced with industry-leading craftsmanship and service. Since 2018, nearly 10,000 custom PCs have since been sold, with a quadrupled headcount to support surging demand.

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“Level51 PC has evolved tremendously over the years, and the speed of our growth would not have been possible without the support of our partners in Singapore and Australia. For us, this rebrand offers vast opportunities for deeper collaborations with a diverse pool of Custom PC artisans across the world. As we look ahead to a rapidly fluctuating Custom PC market, we are excited to work together and innovate solutions uniquely suited to the needs of our Malaysian customers.”
Evan Wong, AFTERSHOCK PC Malaysia Country Director
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The visual refresh, updated products, services and website will follow in the coming weeks.

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Tags: AFTERSHOCK PC MalaysiaLevel51 PC


Like a Dragon: Ishin Shows off New Story Trailer Along With A Release Date

Today at the RGG (Ryu Ga Gotoku) Summit 2022 event, SEGA has revealed a brand new story trailer for Like a Dragon: Ishin as well as announcing the release date being 22th February 2023.

Like a Dragon: Ishin was revealed earlier today during the PlayStation State of Play event where another trailer of the game was shown as well as a vague release date February 2023, but during the RGG Summit event, the actual release date of the game was finally revealed to the public.

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Originally released back in 2014, Like a Dragon: Ishin is no being remade using Unreal Engine where you’ll be able to see both old faces as well as new ones joining in from the newer titles. This remake will offer players a brand new battle system, new mini-games and more.
Story

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At the end of the Edo Period, Japan, which was once ruled by the samurai, entered an age of
turmoil. The large-numbered Shishi, who wished to build a nation around the Emperor gathered in Kyo
with ideals of overthrowing the Bakufu and expelling foreigners. Within their numbers, harboring no desire to change the world, was a man who only lived for revenge: Sakamoto Ryoma.
In order to avenge his mentor, he hides his identity and blends into the city of Kyo, becoming a member of the Shinsengumi, a notorious group of assassins feared as the Mibu Wolves. Ryoma gives up his name and becomes “Saito Hajime”, determined to infiltrate the group no matter what dangers may lie in his wake. In an era of change, the heroic Sakamoto Ryoma carves out his place in history. Another legend begins now.
New Casts
Takeda Kanryusai voiced by Riki Takeuchi

Ito Kashitaro voiced by Hitoshi Ozawa

Takechi Hanpeita voiced by Hideo Nakano

Left: Riki Takeuchi. Middle: Hitoshi Ozawa, Right: Hideo Nakano

With Your Own Unique Battle Style, Aim to Become the Strongest in the Bakumatsu period
Cut, Shoot, Dance and Punch through your way the Like a Dragon: Ishin as you fully command these four battle styles in exhilarating and dynamic combat truly fitting of the “Extreme” Bakumatsu period.

In addition, the Soldier Skills that were previously limited to Battle Dungeons can now be used in regular combat. These soldiers who can become your allies, as well as their skills, have been revamped, allowing for more strategic battles with a high level of tactical freedom.

Like a Dragon: Ishin will be released on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X & S, Xbox One and PC via Steam on 22th February 2023.

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Tags: Like A Dragon: IshinRelease dateSEGAYakuza


Digimon: New Generation Closed Beta Impressions – Nostalgia Trip

After trying out the closed beta test of Digimon: New Generation for some time, here are my first impressions of the game.

For those who are unaware, the closed beta for Digimon: New Generation began on August 5, 2021 and lasts until September 5, 2021. Developed by Qixia Interactive Entertainment and Bandai Namco Shanghai, the full game is set to release exclusively in China for mobile devices.

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With that out of the way, here are my first impressions from the Digimon New: Generation closed beta test.

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Story and Setting
The game starts you off with Paildramon, Sakuyamon, Beelzemon, MagnaAngemon and MetalGarurumon in your team as you save the world from Apocalymon. Fast forward 20 years later, and you’ll then get to create your character.
You play as a DTF (Digital Task Force) leader tasked to keep both the real world and the digital world safe. As you may expect, danger is on the horizon and you will need to save both worlds again.
Digimon fans should be used to the plot by now. While it isn’t anything revolutionary (like the postponed Digimon Survive), the story gets the job done. It helps to set up a coherent premise that lets us meet our Digimon friends, which is where the game really shines.

The World of Digimon
What really blew me away is the game’s visuals. For a mobile game, its graphics are incredible. The game looks comparable to Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth and it really shows.
The central hub where you can walk around looks absolutely stunning. Even though the map is small, the buildings look incredibly colourful and vibrant. The best part about the map is definitely being able to walk around with your selected Digimon companion accompanying you, which is really nostalgic for fans of the old Digimon games.

Aside from walking around town, I was also really amazed by the game’s animations. I am not exaggerating when I say that every single Digimon plays their own unique animation when you view them on their stats screen. For example, when I first looked at Agumon’s stats, the game showed him running to the centre of the screen, tumbling down and getting up again. All other Digimon have their own animation, so I was really blown away by the level of detail that the developers placed into the Digimon.
One thing that Digimon fans will absolutely love is the music. The game has iconic music from the anime. In one fight, when I evolved my Agumon to Greymon, the battle music switched to Brave Heart. As my Greymon proceeds to utterly destroy the enemy as Brave Heart hypes me up, I cannot be any more pleased as a Digimon fan.

Gameplay
The game is similar to mobile MMORPGs in a sense that there is the option for auto-pathing that lets us move from one objective to another. In the city, we can meet with NPCs to advance the story or take on other events. There is also the convenient option to skip cutscenes and dialogue outright. In the Digital World, auto-pathing will send you to the next point of interest, which is usually item/resource pickups or a battle.

Battles follow your typical turn-based RPG combat, with up to 5 Digimon on each side of the field. Digimon take turns to attack and you can tap on various icons to activate different skills for your Digimon. You can also let battles play in double speed and/or let the AI take over and fight in your place with the Auto function. A really cool aspect in battles is that when the bar at the lower right of the screen is filled, you can temporarily evolve your Digimon to its next stage for the duration of the fight as it performs its signature move. This really feels like a homage to the old anime series, which is great.
Consistent with Digimon lore is the existence of the three main attributes for Digimon—Vaccine, Virus and Data. This sort of rock paper scissors mechanic determines how much damage a Digimon will deal or take when interacting with an enemy Digimon in battle. For example, a Data Digimon will deal 15% extra damage against Vaccine Digimon, but take an increased 15% damage from Virus Digimon. In terms of teambuilding, you will pretty much want to build different teams of 5 same-attribute Digimon to tackle some of the harder fights.

Overall, the combat is pretty grindy and can get repetitive quickly. Like most gacha RPGs, you will most likely progress through the story missions until you finally hit a wall. When that happens, enhance and evolve your Digimon, and the process repeats itself. There are other modes such as arena for PvP and Challenge missions, both of which is necessary for getting items for evolving your Digimon, but the grind remains largely the same.

What makes the grind somewhat bearable is getting new Digimon and the evolution system. As per most Digimon games, Digimon can branch out into various evolutions. For example, Agumon can evolve into Greymon or GeoGreymon. You will need to meet certain requirements to evolve into certain types of Digimon. This aspect of the game feels a lot more polished compared to other gacha RPGs as it is very satisfying to get new Digimon and raise them.

Gacha
Gacha in the game is pretty simple. Instead of rarities, the chance of getting a Digimon is divided according to their evolution stage. The rates are as follows:

Child: 83.5%
Adult: 15%
Perfect: 1.5%

Currently in the Digimon: New Generation closed beta, the highest stage a Digimon can appear as is Perfect. It may be possible to roll for Ultimate Digimon in the future but at the time of writing, the only way to get Ultimate Digimon permanently is by evolving a Perfect Digimon.

Since the gacha system is based on evolution stage instead of rarity, this makes progression quite flexible. In other games, not getting the highest rarity can make things very difficult. However, in Digimon, getting Child Digimon gives you a lot more flexibility in terms of how you want your Digimon to evolve. Getting Perfect Digimon saves a lot of resources needed to evolve, but you may not be able to end up in the evolution path that you want since your Digimon starts off in Perfect form.
To evolve a Perfect Digimon to Ultimate stage permanently, you will need soulstone. Soulstone is also obtainable via gacha but at a drop rate of 0.5%. Thankfully, there is a pity system, but it is rather large at 200 pulls for a guaranteed soulstone.

Closing Thoughts
Digimon: New Generation suffers from a lot of typical mobile gacha RPG problems such as being grindy and pay-to-win. However, I also feel that it is a love letter to Digimon fans. It is visually incredible and the animations are marvellous. The evolution and gacha systems also make it stand out amongst other mobile gacha RPGs.
Even though this was just a closed beta test, I didn’t encounter any issues with the game and it runs very smoothly. When the game officially releases in China, I sincerely hope it does well enough so that Western fans can give the game a shot.
Visit the game’s website to learn more about it.

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Tags: Bandai Namco ShanghaiDigimonDigimon: New CenturyDigimon: New GenerationQixia Interactive EntertainmentTencent Games


Talion collaborates with Ultraman for new update

GAMEVIL has just announced that its MMORPG Talion has just been updated with the appearance of Ultraman, in conjunction with the debut by the latter on Netflix.

⚠⚠⚠ ULTRAMAN x TALION Event ⚠⚠⚠Hi Talions,We've prepared some amazing events to celebrate the collaborator…
Posted by Talion on Tuesday, April 9, 2019
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In true collaboration fashion, you will be able to equip your in-game character with Ultraman outfits. Cosmetics aside, there are also numerous Ultraman related quests accompanying a new storyline. Under the Event Dungeon mode, players will be able to explore modern Japan. A new 90-minute raid has been introduced as well, but to avoid spoilers, it is best you take it on without knowing anything head-on.

Having already made a foothold in Japan and Southeast Asia, GAMEVIL is looking to take Talion to the western market, with pre-registration in Australia opened as a start. For more information about the update, you can check out the official Facebook.

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Tags: AndroidGameviliOSMMORPGMobileTalion


Pikmin 4 Confrimed For Nintendo Switch in 2023

At the recent Nintendo event, Mr. Shigeru Miyamoto came on screen and after briefly talking about the Mario movie, announced that Pikmin 4 will be launching next year for Nintendo Switch.

You can watch the teaser trailer for the game below on Nintendo’s youtube channel:

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The teaser didn’t reveal a lot about the game however according to Miyamoto the game will involve viewing the world from the Pikmin’s perspective on the ground.
“Nintendo Switch has made controlling the game simpler, meaning you can concentrate on the core essence of Pikmin gameplay,” Miyamoto said. “We call it dandori in Japanese, or strategically planning, deploying, and commanding the Pikmin.”
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The will be the first mainline Pikmin game since Pikmin 3 released for the Wii U in 2013. That being said, Pikmin 3 was later released for Switch as Pikmin 3 Deluxe. The series also received two spin-offs: Hey Pikmin for 3DS and Pikmon Bloom for mobile devices in the meantime.
Miyamoto actually announced Pikmin 4 was in development years ago in 2015, saying that the game was “close to completion” but nothing was seen of the game. Many assumed that it was vaporware or canceled but alas, here it is.
The Pikmin games are real-time strategy games where the player controls a Captain who in turn controls an army of plant-like creatures called Pikmin. The player must work with the Pikmin to defeat dangerous wildlife and collect various treasures.
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Pikmin 4 will release in 2023 for Nintendo Switch.

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Tags: NintendoPikminPikmin 4


Riot Games sued for sexism and gender-based discrimination

Best known for League of Legends, Riot Games is one of the biggest game companies in the world with 2500 employees. However it is now revealed that the work culture implemented inside the company wasn’t as healthy as most of us expected. A current and a former employee of Riot Games recently decided to file a lawsuit against the company for sexism and gender-based discrimination.

Earlier this year, Kotaku has revealed the company’s “bro-culture” citing experiences from over 20 employees including Jessica Negron – one of the two plaintiffs in this lawsuit. According to the report, the company with 80% male regularly turned down female applicants for not fitting the company’s image of “core gamers”. Moreover, the company reinforced a culture that hires and promotes aggressive male personalities, but disadvantages and harms female recruits and employees.
K/DA (a series of alternate future/universe skins in League of Legends)
It is also revealed that Riot pays men more than women who are fulfilling the same job role, promoting men into more superior roles more frequently than women, and demoting women who had similar qualifications as well-compensated men. By filing the lawsuit, the complaints are hoping to stop Riot from creating, encouraging and maintaining the accused work environment. You can read the entire lawsuit here.
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Riven in League of Legends
Riot Games has responded with a statement saying that they will take the allegations seriously and investigate them thoroughly. What are your thoughts on this matter? Tell us your opinions below!
Source: Kotaku

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Tags: gender discriminationLawsuitLeague of LegendsPCRiot Gamessexism


Forge Spiky Metal With The Total War: Warhammer III Forge of The Chaos Dwarfs Pack Available Now

The Forge of The Chaos Dwarfs Campaign Pack for Total War: Warhammer III is now officially released and is available on only the PC.

The Campaign Pack comes with new legendary lords, new units and new campaign mechanics

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The legendary lords that will be releasing with this Campaign Pack are:

Astragoth Ironhand
Drazhoath the Ashen
Zhatan the Black

The objective of the Chaos Dwarfs is to seek an unimaginable power called the Blood of Hashut, and to get to their prize, they will need to construct the Great Drill of Hashut which allows them to drill through the very fabric of reality to reach said power.
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The Chaos Dwarfs roster is a diverse mix of heavily armored warriors and hellish monstrosities such as the K’daai Fireborn which are supported by the infernal machinery of the Chaos Dwarfs such as Magma Cannons and Dreadquake Mortars.

Gorduz Backstabber, a Hobgoblin Chieftain turned Chaos Dwarf enforcer will also be recruitable as a new Legendary Hero.
The Chaos Dwarfs will also bring with them unique Campaign Mechanics such as:

The Hell Forge – Develop special schematics that grant bonuses in during battle.
The Tower of Zharr – Fight for ownership of special Seats within the mighty council which grants unique faction rewards upon promotion.
Convoys – Foster trades of varying resources by engaging in battles and exchanging labourers.
The Economy – A multi-layered approach on subjugating and managing labourers to construct advanced buildings.

Not only that, additional free content for all owners of Total War Warhammer III are also available today such as:
The Tzeentchian Mirror of Madness DLC which features two new game modes:

The Trials of Fate has players assuming the role of Daemon Prince of Tzeentch and fight through four infamous battles before having a final showdown with Kairos Fateweaver.
The Infinite Portal grants access to reality-bending features and settings, allowing you dramatically tweak many aspects of battle, including; gravity, collision impact, explosion radius, blood quantity, and much more.

Not only that, all owners of Total War: Warhammer III will be able to recruit the Legendary Hero Ulrika Magdova, she is available to both Kislev and the Empire.
You may check out our hands-on with the Chaos Dwarfs and visit their official website for for further information.

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Tags: CreatveiTotal War Warhammer III


New update comes to Super Mario Run

Nintendo had just shared a new trailer to introduce a new update for Super Mario Run, which includes a new mode, courses and playable character.

For the “Remix 10” mode, you will be able to play 10 really short courses, where you will be able to change characters on the 5th course. Clear all 10 and you will get to play a bonus game for an item. Collecting Bonus Medals will also give players a chance at the Super Bonus game for rare loot. In addition, a special course that is full of coins may also appear in Remix 10. As for the new character, you will be able to play as Daisy this time around.

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A new world of courses, World Star, has been also added to the game’s World Tour mode. Nine new courses are unlocked after the first six worlds are unlocked.  There is also a nifty “Headphone Mario” mode which lets players mute in-game music so they can listen to their own.
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Tags: AndroidiOSNintendoRunnerSuper Mario Run


Monster Rancher now out for Android and iOS

After much deliberation, the Monster Rancher franchise has made its return on the mobile platform now that it is available for the Android and iOS platforms. Instead of being a new game or a spinoff, we are getting the good old original release but on a much smaller screen.

To recap, the port will have all the contents from the original PlayStation game including breeding and battling monsters. Instead of using CDs like the Playstation game, there will be PVP and you will be able to select names and artists from a database online to generate monsters. In the original game, it used to be CD playback to generate monsters. Certainly a feature that would be missed, but with physical media being a relic of the past, this seems like a much better mechanic.

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If you are interested Monster Rancher can be be gotten off the App Store, Google Play and Nintendo Switch.  There is no announcement on the localisation yet as of time of publication. The possibility seems low however, but that would really depend on the reception of the port first, so never say never. With the game not having particularly lots of text, it should be easy enough for Koei Tecmo to do its thing should it decide to let the rest of the world have a go at a classic title.
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Regardless it is definitely a nice thing to see Monster Rancher make its return in some form or another, although this is possibly the best outcome as well. While it never quite achieved the popularity that Digimon and Pokemon were able to attain even back in the day, Monster Rancher was a rather interesting take on the monster breeder genre that was gaining traction in the day. In any case, while you are at it, pop by to their official website as well!

Monster RancherDeveloper: KOEI TECMORelease Date: 2019-11-28Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch
Known as Monster Farm in Japan, players raise monsters to fight in tournaments.

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Tags: AndroidiOSMonster RancherSimulation


Trials of Mana 25th anniversary update

Trials of Mana is celebrating the original Seiken Densetsu 3 25th anniversary with a patch update to the full 3D-remake, bringing new challenges and experiences to all players. Select digital editions of the series will also go on sale from 14 October to 2 November.

Patch 1.1.0 includes a number of game content updates an additions, including:

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No Future Difficulty: Challenge even stronger enemies and bosses with restrictions on certain abilities and item usage, as well as time limits on boss battles. Players can also obtain stronger versions of equipment and execute new chain abilities

Complete the story at No Future Difficulty to obtain the Rabite Slippers equipment, which will allow players to traverse fields and dungeons without encountering enemies.

Expert Difficulty and Level Reset in New Game Plus: When starting a New Game Plus playthrough, Expert will be available as a difficulty setting. You can also revert characters to level 1 in NG+
Costume Adjustments: Unlocked costumes can be accessed after resetting a character’s class or when starting a New Game Plus playthrough
Addition of goddess statues, bug fixes, and more

Trials of Mana is available at a 30% discount on:
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Playstation 4

Singapore
Thailand
Malaysia
Indonesia

Steam

Secret of Mana is also available, at a 50% discount on PS4 and Steam. PS4 sales will end 2 November, while Steam will be until 3 November. Last but not least, you can get some artwork and character illustrations which you can set as your Zoom background. Get them here.

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Tags: Seiken DensetsuSeiken Densetsu 3Square EnixTrials of Mana


Rainbow Six Siege will be free-to-play for a week

Now that the new season of Crimson Heist has kicked off Year 6 in Rainbow Six Siege, the game will go free-to-play for a week. Players can try out all the new content that comes with Crimson Heist. Check out the trailer for the new season here:

The free week will begin on Thursday, 18th March 2021. Depending on your region, players will be able to enjoy the full game for free until Thursday, 25th March 2021. Note that the free week applies to all platforms that support the game.

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Unfortunately, players who wish to play the game for free on Steam will not be able to enjoy the game for free until 25th March. Instead, players on Steam can only play the game for free between Thursday, 18th March 2021 – Sunday, 21st March 2021.
Here are the time slots of the free week for each region and platform (Note that PC times refer to UPlay PC Launcher and not Steam):
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During this period, players who wish to buy the game can get up to 70% off depending on the platform and version of the game. Any progress made during the free week will also transfer to the full game upon purchase.
To learn more about the free week for Rainbow Six Siege, visit rainbow6.com/freeweek.

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six SiegePublisher: UbisoftDeveloper: UbisoftRelease Date: 2015-12-01Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Live the counter terrorist operations in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege. Master the art of destruction.

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Tags: Rainbow SixRainbow Six SiegeTom ClancyUbisoft


How The Heisei Gamera Trilogy Acted As The Forerunner To Hideaki Anno’s Shin Japan Heroes Universe

Hideki Anno’s Shin Japan Heroes Universe consisting of Shin Godzilla, Shin Evangelion, Shin Ultraman, and Shin Kamen Rider has become a major talking among Kaiju and Tokusatsu circles, and for good reasons. They’re brilliant revivals of classic series bringing them into the modern-day and using them to tackle modern issues. When looking at these movies however I can’t help but see the DNA of an older classic of the genre: The Heisei Gamera Trilogy.

Consisting of Gamera Guardian of the Universe, Gamera 2: Advent of Legion, and epically the third movie, Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris. The trilogy revolutionized the kaiju genre just like how the original Godzilla and the more recent Shin Godzilla with a greater focus on the human characters and using the monsters to delve into deeper themes. If you’re excited to see the recently released Shin Kamen Rider and our looking for more, these might just be what you’re looking for.

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Who is Gamera
Image Credit: Kadokawa
Gamera is an oddity in the Kaiju kingdom. He’s a giant turtle-like monster that has fangs, breathes fire, and flies by shooting rocket propulsion out of his shell. The big guy had a string of movies in the 60s during the Kaiju boom. Gamera’s films were mostly light-hearted children’s movies, remembered for their weird yet unique monsters, cheezy writing, and annoying kid actors that would act as Gamera’s allies. They were far from the level of Godzilla but this still had a certain charm in how silly they were.
After the stock footage ridden was that was Super Monster Gamera in 1980, Gamera was shelved until 15 years later. Following the end of the Heisei Godzilla series when he would receive a second chance at life under the Direction of Shusuke Kaneko (Death Note Live Action) and the writing of Kazunori Itō (Ghost In The Shell).
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We should also note that The SFX Director for the trilogy was Shinji Higuchi, an alumnus of Studio Gainax who worked as the Art Director for Neon Genesis Evangelion (Shinji Ikari was named after him) and would go on to help his long-time friend Hideaki Anno in co-directing Shin Godzilla and solo directing Shin Ultraman.
If that’s not enough one of Hideaki Anno’s earliest live-action projects as a director was GAMERA1999 a documentary about the making of Gamera 3: The Revenge of Iris. Needless to say, both creators were aware of the Heisei Gamera Trilogy, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the series was a large inspiration for their later Toku works.
Guardian of The Universe
Image Credit: Kadokawa
While Kaiju movies have always been used as metaphors for issues in modern society, The Heisei Gamera movies pushed for a more grounded take on the original series, reflecting on the original character. Like the later Shin Japan movies, a lot of emphasis is put on the destruction the kaiju cause to regular people and cities, and the the effect this has on politics and society at large. It also makes the effort of creating human characters that are memorable and have differing viewpoints on the kaiju.
This all leads to the central theme and philosophy of the trilogy. While the Shin Japan Heroes movies, focus on the use of nuclear weapons, foreign policy, or the dehumanizing nature of technology, the Gamera Trilogy takes a more spiritual route, focusing on the theme of faith in the modern world.
When we first see Gamera in Guardian of the Universe, he’s a very different beast. Instead of a prehistoric turtle awakened by Nuclear testing, he’s an action bioweapon created by an Ancient Civilisation to destroy their previous creations: bat-like creatures called the Gyaos who were reawakened by the greater pollution in the modern world.
Despite this, however, he’s still a fairly lighthearted character. He’s not quite the friend of all children but he’s essentially a superhero, he forms a psychic bond with a girl named Asagi (a reinterpretation of his old kid companions) showing his human connection, and goes out of his way to protect people from the Gyaos. The viewer is shown that Gamera is a good monster and that he will save us in times of need, that’s why he was created.
The Advent of Legion
Image Credit: Kadokawa
This however starts the come into question with Gamera 2: Advent of Legion. Gamera is pitted against an alien kaiju named the Legion, a being so powerful it pretty much nukes the city of Sendai leaving Gamera a wasted carbonized husk. That is until Gamera absorbs further mana energy from the Earth itself to resurrect and destroy it.
Legion is a very different creature than any other kaiju in the series or many kaiju in general. A giant insect-like creature that required two suit actors to pilot. It houses a swarm of smaller soldier Legion to the size of cars, shoots beams, and has laser whips, pushing Gamera like before. It very much lives up to its Biblical namesake, and further considering Gamera has a resurrection scene it also furthers the idea that he is a godlike being.
That being said we learn something extra about Gamera: he’s not a friend to humans, Gamera’s job is to protect the planet, just the planet, and he will destroy anything that puts it ask risk including people if we ever get to that state. Further while resurrecting, the magatama that connects him to Asagi shatters, meaning that no human knows what Gamera is thinking.
At this point, I should mention that Director Shusuke Kaneko has said that regular turtles don’t exist in the Heisei Gamera universe. For the people of this world, he is truly an unknowable eldritch abomination that looks like nothing on this planet (although the dub ruined this by referring to him as a turtle).
The Revenge of Iris
Image Credit: Kadokawa
This all culminates in the third movie, Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris, one of the best kaiju movies of all time, right up there with the original King Kong and Gojira and the movie that has the most in common with the Shin Japan Universe films. A movie that builds on top of its two predecessors and shows the true consequences of living in a world of godlike beings.
Gamera’s use of the mana beam to kill Legion has caused more pollution and more Gyaos to be born all around the world. Gamera of course is trying to kill them all but when we see him in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo, it goes down like this:

What’s interesting about this scene is the little boy at the end. We learn the fight in Shibuya killed 20,000 people but that kid still says Gamera saved him. It puts into question the entirety of Gamera as a character, perhaps all this time he was only a hero because that’s what the kids that supported him saw, and in reality, he was a destructive monster. Politicians and the media debate this, and there’s even a growing cult rallying that Gamera and the other monsters are malevolent spirits meant to bring destruction to the world.
At the center of all this, however, is a young schoolgirl named Ayana. Her parents were killed during the battle between Gamera and Gyaos in the first movie and she soon finds an egg in an old cave containing a strange creative named Iris. Whether influenced by her hatred or further fueled by it Iris bonds with Ayana and grows into the closest thing there is to a live-action Angel from Evangelion and terrorizes Kyoto. The two act as a dark parallel to Asagi and Gamera, but it can be argued that perhaps Ayana’s dark thoughts are somewhat justified. We see clearly that when monsters fight, people do get hurt.
A Leap of Faith (spoilers for Gamera 3)
Image Credit: Kadokawa
Gamera 3 ends with Gamera defeating Iris and saving Ayana by pulling her out of Iris’ chest and placing her safely on the ground. From here we’ve learned that the fight has caused even more Gyaos to swarm Kyoto but Asagi is certain Gamera will fight them until the end, the final shot seeing the beaten down guardian with one hand blown off (after he gets stabbed through the palm, more Jesus symbolism), roaring into the distance as the city burns around him.
Many have said the cliffhanger ending is bittersweet but perfectly encapsulates the themes of the trilogy. Can Gamera beat the Gyaos? Does he actually have humanity’s best interests in mind: We don’t know but we have to have faith that he does.
In a world of god-like beings that can appear and bring calamity in the blink of an eye, we have to have hope that Gamera, a 50-foot monster that we have no way of properly communicating with or understanding, can save us and intends to save us, otherwise, we have nothing but despair. If I may be pretentious for a second, it very much mirrors Kierkegaard’s idea of a leap of faith: there’s no logical reason to believe but having faith may be necessary to function in this dark world.
It’s an interesting and nuanced take on the idea of a superhero-ish creature as a metaphor for god with a profound ending and message. It’s certainly better than anything Zack Snyder has come up with.
Shin Gamera
Image Credit: Kadokawa
In an interview with Tokusatsu Network, Shinji Higuchi was actually asked if fans could expect a Shin Gamera and he said the following:
“For me when I made Gamera [the Heisei series], that was Shin Gamera. So if there was a new version that would come out, it should be made by someone younger than myself. I was 28 when I made Gamera. I think it should be made by someone in their youth currently, someone who looks at my work and says “Oh Director Higuchi’s work, that’s boring, I can make it a lot more interesting”.
Well, that’s a pretty big confirmation but the Heisei series, particularly Gamera 3 very much did for Gamera what the Shin Japan Heroes Universe is doing for Godzilla and the others. These three movies pay homage to the original cheezy 60s romps but also update the character to fit a modern and more complicated world, deconstructing the characteristics associated with him. The best kaiju movies have always seen the monsters as allegories for the woes of the time they appeared and both the Gamera Trilogy and the Shin Japan Anthology understand and execute these ideas perfectly.
I suppose this article is my way of saying, if you like Shin Kamen Rider or the others in the anthology, give the Heisei Gamera Trilogy a try. They’re among the best that Tokusatsu has to offer with beautiful practical effects, mounds of miniature destruction, and giant monsters showing the best and worst of us as people.

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Tags: GameraShin GodzillaShin Japan Heroes UniverseShin Kamen RiderShin Ultraman


Top 5 new released mobile games of the month – November 2018

We are now 11 months into 2018, and there is only less than one month away from 2019. How’s your year going so far? As usual, we have quite a lot of great games being released on mobile platforms over the last month. Here is our list of top 5 new released mobile games in November, check it out to see what are our favourites in November!

Epic Seven (Global)

Epic Seven Global is finally released on both Android and iOS. With the exceptions of Japan and China, the game is available in 140 countries. Epic Seven’s turned-based RPG format makes players think twice before committing heavily to a battle as mistakes can be heavily punished.

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Assassin’s Creed Rebellion

Ubisoft first announced Assassin’s Creed Rebellion back in June 2017 and now it is launched  on the Android and iOS. The game leans on the hero collection aspect as players assemble a team of their favourite assassins for missions.
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Mist Gears

Mist Gears is a game by Alim, the developer of Brave Frontier, has finally been released for both iOS and Android devices! The game was made in collaboration with tri-Ace and Shueisha Character Business Bureau which was announced back in August 2018.
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IDOLA Phantasy Star Saga

Sega has launched its new Phantasy Star mobile title – IDOLA Phantasy Star Saga in Japan. The game is part of the project to celebrate the 30th-anniversary commemoration of the Phantasy Star series. It features a command-based battle system, you will be able to command a squad of 4 characters, then tap to release the character skills strategically in a battle to clear the stages.
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GrandChase

GrandChase is now available for download worldwide on Android and iOS. Previously, the game was only released in Korea, Japan and the Philippines. For those who did not know, GrandChase is the official sequel to the now closed PC online game, Grand Chase.
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Have you played any of the games in our list of top 5 new released mobile games? Be sure to try them out if you are interested!

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Tags: AndroidAssassin’s Creed RebellionEpic SevenGrandChaseIdola Phantasy Star SagaiOSMIST GEARSMobileNew mobile gameNovemberTop 5


Pokemon Sword / Shield DLC details revealed

More details regarding the Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield DLC Expansion Pass has been revealed today. The Galarian form of Slowbro has been revealed, the evolution of the Galarian Slowpoke that will require an item from the Isle of Armor.

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Besides the new locales already mentioned before, one of the legendaries confirmed to be appearing in dens will be Giratina! The Isle of Armor will be released on 17 June. Galarian forms for the various legendaries have also been revealed, along with the Dynamax forms of Venusaur and Blastoise.

One Regi is confirmed to be Dragon-type
One Regi is confirmed to be Electric-type
Galarian Articuno is Psychic/Flying
Galarian Zapdos is Fighting/Flying
Galarian Moltres is Dark/Flying
Galarian Slowbro is Poison/Psychic

The Crown Tundra DLC will unlock the Galarian Star tournament, where you can pick a friend and battle against all the people you’ve met on your Trainer’s Adventure! Restricted Sparring from the Isle of Armor will challenge your teambuilding skills as you will be limited in types with set battle conditions.
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As mentioned, Isle of Armor will release 17 June, so not too long now. Crown Tundra’s release date was previously mentioned to be Fall 2020, which seems to have some story revolving around the three Kanto-Galarian birds…
For Crown Tundra, Dynamax Adventure will see up to four Trainers (including yourself) venture into dens and possibly encounter Dynamax Pokemon. You’ll be able to catch them as usual, but you’d also be blown out if you lose!
Watch the Japanese trailer below:

Features available in the DLC include:

Additional Features
The Isle of Armor
The Crown Tundra

New areas
✓
✓

Kubfu and Urshifu
✓

Calyrex

✓

Gigantamax forms for Rillaboom, Cinderace, and Inteleon
✓

New regional forms
✓
✓

Pokémon that didn’t appear in Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield
✓
✓

New Pokédexes
✓
✓

New clothing items
✓
✓

New Pokémon added to Max Raid Battles
✓
✓

New items
✓

New tutor moves
✓

Restricted Sparring battle feature
✓

New co-op play mode

✓

Isle of Armor will have a new feature known as the Cram-o-matic, where you can feed four items to recycle and receive something new and possibly rare, depending on your combinations! There will also be the Max Soup, where a Pokemon with great hidden potential can drink and Gigantamax!
Did you already purchase the DLC for Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield?

Pokemon Sword / Pokemon ShieldPublisher: NintendoDeveloper: GamefreakRelease Date: 2019-11-15Nintendo Switch
We're off to the all new Galar region! With plenty of Pokemon to see along the way, how will your road to becoming Champion be like here? Gigantamax your way to the top!

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Tags: PokemonPokémon ShieldPokémon SwordPokemon Sword and Shield


Genshin Impact Developer’s Letter June 2021

A new Developer’s Letter for Genshin Impact was released with the tail end of June, with various points on the Serenitea Pot, the game and its mechanics. The full post can be found through the official forums. Notes are as follows:

The Furnishing, Sub-Space Waypoint, will be available in the next game version so that you will be able to more easily teleport between areas in the Serenitea Pot
Paimon will be able to hang out in the Serenitea Pot in the future
You will be able to choose your Daily Commission regions – among Mondstadt, Liyue, etc – and Daily Commissions will then be concentrated there the following day
Vegetables or flowers will be able to be grown in the Serenitea Pot, presumably with details to come with the next version livestream
The outdoor load for the Serenitea Pot had been increased, with optimizations to come like for furnishings used multiple times
More emoji packs will be added to the game, with future versions including 2 to 6 from the “Paimon’s Paintings” collection
Kazuha does not get the Elemental Mastery bonus from Sucrose to avoid infinite stacking of effects

Fixed value bonuses are not affected by this restriction

With this Developer’s Letter in June, Genshin should be getting its next proper update in the next version livestream, so stay tuned for more.

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 Download

Genshin ImpactPublisher: miHoYoDeveloper: miHoYoRelease Date: 2020-09-28Android, iOS, PlayStation 4
Step into Teyvat, a vast world teeming with life and flowing with elemental energy.

You and your sibling arrived here from another world. Separated by an unknown god, stripped of your powers, and cast into a deep slumber, you now awake to a world very different from when you first arrived.

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Tags: Genshin ImpactmiHoYo


Genshin Impact web event, Stone Harbor Treasure Journal, begins

Most players have probably seen the art for the event around after the event began in China, but the Genshin Impact web event, Stone Harbor Treasure Journal, has finally arrived to the rest of the world. Players will need to be Adventure Rank 10 and above to access the event.

The event notice can be found through the Paimon Menu. Here’s a description of the gameplay:

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Travelers can accept assignments in unlocked locations and complete assignments to earn Credits.
Before starting an assignment, Travelers can select Childe or Zhongli to accompany them. Depending on the character selected and the content of the assignment, different random events may be triggered.
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1. Each assignment has a chance of triggering random events. Completing such events will generate additional assignment rewards. Your choices will alter the course of the events!
2. Random events will always trigger on the very first time you accept a particular assignment.
Locations with even greater assignments and Credit payout can be unlocked after a set amount of Credits has been collected (unlocking locations does not require spending the Credits), along with Primogems and Mora rewards.
*Credits earned through completing assignments and random events can only be used to unlock event rewards on this page.
More assignment opportunities for the Stone Harbor event can be obtained through logging in to Genshin daily, which refreshes 04:00 server time. You can earn a maximum of 50,000 Mora and 200 Primogems, so don’t miss out.
 Download

Genshin ImpactPublisher: miHoYoDeveloper: miHoYoRelease Date: 2020-09-28Android, iOS, PlayStation 4
Step into Teyvat, a vast world teeming with life and flowing with elemental energy.

You and your sibling arrived here from another world. Separated by an unknown god, stripped of your powers, and cast into a deep slumber, you now awake to a world very different from when you first arrived.

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Tags: Genshin ImpactmiHoYo


Pre-order Ghost of Tsushima: digital sales open, launches 17 July 2020

Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced that Ghost of Tsushima will be released 17 July 2020, with digital pre-order now open. Suggested retail pricing for Digital Standard Edition is MYR 249, Digital Deluxe Edition at MYR 299, while Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray Disc) will be MYR 859. Digital Standard Edition and Digital Deluxe Edition for Ghost of Tsushima are available, both having the full game and bonus incentives with pre-order purchase.

Standard Edition (Blu-ray Disc):

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The initial production of disc includes the following digital content:

Ghost of Tsushima Digital Mini Soundtrack
Ghost of Tsushima Jin Dynamic Theme
Ghost of Tsushima Jin Avatar

Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray Disc):

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The initial production of disc includes the following digital content:

Ghost of Tsushima Digital Mini Soundtrack
Ghost of Tsushima Jin Dynamic Theme
Ghost of Tsushima Jin Avatar
Game
Sakai Mask with Stand
Cloth Map
Sashimono (War Banner)
Furoshiki (Wrapping Cloth)
SteelBook Case
48-page Mini Art Book by Dark Horse
1 Technique Point
Charm of Hachiman’s Favor
Hero of Tsushima Skin Set: Golden Mask, Body Armor, Sword Kit, Horse, Saddle
Director’s Commentary: The creative team sits down with a renowned Japanese historian to look at the world of Ghost of Tsushima and how it compares to the real-life events that inspired it
Ghost of Tsushima Samurai Dynamic Theme

Standard Edition (Digital):

Pre-order and receive the following digital content:

Ghost of Tsushima Digital Mini Soundtrack
Ghost of Tsushima Jin Dynamic Theme
Ghost of Tsushima Jin Avatar

Digital Deluxe Edition (Digital):

Pre-order and receive the following digital content:

Ghost of Tsushima Digital Mini Soundtrack
Ghost of Tsushima Jin Dynamic Theme
Ghost of Tsushima Jin Avatar
Game
1 Technique Point
Charm of Hachiman’s Favour
Hero of Tsushima Skin Set: Golden Mask, Body Armor, Sword Kit, Horse, Saddle
Digital Mini Art Book by Dark Horse
Director’s Commentary: The creative team sits down with a renowned Japanese historian to look at the world of Ghost of Tsushima and how it compares to the real-life events that inspired it
Ghost of Tsushima Samurai Dynamic Theme

Standard Physical
Collector’s Physical
Standard Digital
Deluxe Digital

Game
✓
✓
✓
✓

1 Technique Point

✓

✓

Charm of Hachiman’s Favor

✓

✓

Hero of Tsushima Skin Set: Golden Mask, Body Armor, Sword Kit, Horse, Saddle

✓

✓

Digital Mini Art Book by Dark Horse

✓

Director’s Commentary

✓

✓

Ghost of Tsushima Samurai Dynamic Theme

✓

✓

Digital Mini Soundtrack
✓
✓
✓
✓

Jin Dynamic Theme
✓
✓
✓
✓

Jin Avatar
✓
✓
✓
✓

Sakai Mask with Stand

✓

Cloth Map

✓

Sashimono (War Banner)

✓

Furoshiki (Wrapping Cloth)

✓

SteelBook Case

✓

48-page Mini Art Book by Dark Horse

✓

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Tags: Ghost of TsushimaSony Interactive EntertainmentSucker Punch Productions


Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time First Impressions – Platformer fun times

Here are some First Impressions to the gameplay demo for Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. And to those who are interested in our exclusive interview with Paul Yan, the co-head of Toys for Bob about Crash Bandicoot 4 you can check it out here.

A brief summary about the game so far is that the events of Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time comes after the third installment of the series Crash Bandicoot: Warped. Dr. Neo Cortex , N.Tropy and Uka-Uka were last seen stranded in an inter-dimensional void.

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And after countless failed attempts, the trio had successfully made their escape, but at the cost of ripping an Evil-Scientist-sized hole in the fabric of space-time. The only ones that can stop them from total dominion over the multiverse are of course the two lovable marsupials from N. Sanity Island and the friends they make along the way.
Crash and Coco Bandicoot
Crash and Coco are back as they spin, jump and wump on conflicts of cosmic proportions. Watch as they discover unexpected allies, fight against enemies that are larger-than-life and gain powerful new abilities with the help of Quantum Masks that are necessary to be united to restore order and balance to the multiverse.
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The whole game’s visuals look really refreshing with this new artstyle. I love how they went for a more painterly look rather than the classic semi-realistic fur and water of the N.Sane trilogy. Which in my opinion makes the game look a lot better. And the sound direction from the background music to the sound effects such as the crate-breaking sounds the game has, gives a pretty feels-good vibe throughout the whole time I was playing the demo.
Crash in Snow way out
The gameplay demo offers different levels, each of them located around the mid-way point of the overall game. Play as Crash in two levels which are: Snow Way Out and Dino Dash. The demo also offers players to play as Dr. Neo Cortex in an alternate view for the level Snow Way Out.
Gameplay Video:

Demo level 1 – Snow Way Out
In the level Snow Way Out, our marsupial friends find themselves in The 11th Dimension of the year 1954. The level overall looks absolutely breathtaking, and that’s not because of the freezing temperatures! The characters from our lovable marsupial protagonist to all the zombie fishermen enemies trying to stop you dead on your tracks in this map just oozes personality.
Snow Way Out screenshot
The map design just looks super clean. From the details to the color design palettes. In this snowy mountains, the player has to ascend to Dr. Neo Cortex’s lab while they face off against zombie fishermen and to put a stop on whatever evil plan the Dr. has in store this time. The controls are also really smooth and responsive which offers an overall enjoyable gameplay experience.
Gameplay screenshot
This level introduces one of the quantum mask that will help you out – Kupuna-Wa.
Quantum Mask Kapuna-Wa
Kupuna-Wa allows the players to slow down time to overcome some of the time-based obstacles that are scattered throughout the map such as timed Crates, fast moving platforms, enemies and exploding Nitro Crates. Speaking of the Nitro Crates, those got a slick new redesign which makes them have a minimalist touch. This time-slowing mechanic brings a fresh new gameplay experience that was certainly a change of pace. It is definitely a welcomed addition! From the time-stopping elements that the Quantum Mask Kapuna-Wa provides, as well as the time-based platformer obstacles, to the hidden areas filled with additional wumpa fruits is just so passionately made that players such as myself, would definitely love along the way.
Screenshot of Crash using the time-slow ability
Along the way, Crash will have to avoid an exploding ship in their path (check out the Cortex’s timeline to see the events that lead to this scenario!). In this level, players can also opt to enter the optional Bonus Path for some extra challenges, as well as clocking in some additional game time (especially if you’re a completionist).
Demo level 2 – Snow Way Out Dr. Neo Cortex alternate view
Another level that this demo offers is the alternative view of Snow Way Out where you get to play as Dr. Neo Cortex and his completely different playstyle that he offers to the table!
Dr. Neo Cortex in Crash 4
In this alternative view of the level Snow Way Out, Neo Cortex will be emerged as a playable character which is certainly a new experience for players since this is the first time that we could play as the antagonist of the game.
Gameplay screenshot as Neo Cortex
Play as Cortex in the level with his own set of skills. Players can utilize Cortex’s mid-air dash and transform enemies into solid and/or bouncing platforms to overcome the obstacles. Speaking more to Cortex’s abilities, it was definitely refreshing to experience from the playstyle that Crash has. His ability to transmute living objects into platforms for his advantage, was at first surprising to see. But it really fits in with his evil scientist and scheming personality which is a nice touch overall.
The dialogue that Cortex says when you play as him was super fun to watch and really immerses the player into his shoes…. or boots? Will you be able to put a stop to Crash and his meddlesome ways? Probably not.
Gameplay screenshot as Neo Cortex
After reaching to the point where the timeline converge, players then take back control and finish the level as Crash. The game will then introduce all the new types of crates and updated crate placements (or boxes if you go by the first game) that provide a fresh new challenge.
The final level that the demo offers is the level called Dino Dash.
Demo level 3 – Dino Dash
Crash in Dino Dash
On the hunt for the next Quantum Mask, Crash and Coco dash their way to the Eggipus Dimension of the 88 Million B.C.B. In this level, Crash and Coco must navigate their way through vicious flora and fauna as well as look out for the T.Rex chasing them down before they can progress to the next stage. But of course, you don’t have to do it alone!
Meet Lani-loli, the other new Quantum Mask that helps you along this level.
Lani-loli, Crash and Coco
With the help of your new met buddy, the player is able to phase objects in and out of existence. By using this power on crates and hazards along the path, rail grind your way through this perilous level filled with pre-historic vines, dinosaurs and molten lava.
More into the rail grinding mechanic, it was really enjoyable to do so since while you do it, you get to take in all the beautiful scenery as it fully immerses the players into this primeval timeline! And to whoever’s idea to add in the section of having to slide in between the obstacles with moving platforms or that you’ll drop and fall into lava, do you like to see us suffer?  But it’s probably just that I’m way too much of a beginner to time that section right. Either way, that part was the most fun and challenging part in my opinion!
The parts where the T-rex chases you while you maneuver your way through the level whilst saving your own fur, gives the level thrilling and nail-biting moments.
Gameplay screenshot
And once again, players (or completionists) are able to go through the optional bonus path for additional content.
Modern Mode & Retro Mode
Two different game modes are also introduced in Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, for players to suit their individual playing needs. Players can opt for either Modern Mode or Retro Mode when they start a new game.
Crash 4 screenshot
A main difference between Modern and Retro mode is that while in Modern mode, the stakes are lower because players can just continue from the last checkpoint. Whilst fans of the N.Sane trilogy might prefer this more because it sticks true to the old formula of having limited lives and can gain more by collecting Wumpa fruits.
Casual players (such as myself) might prefer Modern mode over the Retro mode because in Retro mode, once you run out of lives, it’s game over for you and you either have to choose to restart the entire level or to return back to the main menu.
Another difference between Modern and Retro mode is that in Modern mode, the Extra Lives Crate will be replaced with Golden Wumpa Crates which gives out a larger amount of Wumpa fruits than the regular crates. Players will also notice that the life counter has be replaced with a death counter which keeps track of the amount of times you have died in a single level. A nifty feature that can be used to compare it with your friends to determine who has more skill!
Crash 4 screenshot
As a First Impression overall, although it’s still a demo, the game has done an absolutely positive job of improving visuals and the gameplay mechanics. The buttons feels so responsive, the abilities that the new Quantum masks provide is just so well-made. The platformer section to me, offers both a challenging and engaging gameplay as some of the time it’s frustrating to play but in a good and exciting way! The demo so far feels really well polished although there are at some times where the loading time when the level set-ups can be a bit lengthy.
Veterans and new comers alike will definitely enjoy this new entry to the Crash Bandicoot franchise when it releases on October 2nd 2020!
More information of the game can be found here.

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Tags: Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About TimeFirst ImpressionsPlaystation 4Xbox One


The Crew 2 Season 3 Episode Two: Us Speed Tour West, Available Today Via Free Update

Today, Ubisoft announced that The Crew 2 Season Three Episode Two: US Speed Tour West, the latest update brought to Ubisoft’s open-world motorsports game, will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Epic Games Store, and Ubisoft Store on Windows PC.

After exploring the East Coast of the US, the US Speed Tour relocates to discover the West Coast in the new episode of The Crew 2. Players will have the opportunity to participate in the most challenging competition ever produced by Motorflix. Season 3 Episode 2: US Speed Tour West will push players to challenge themselves, get behind the wheel of their brand-new vehicles, and win the competition by racing along with the most iconic places on the West Coast. Each week, players will discover a new stage race from one city to another and special time attack events taking place along the way.

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To expand its vehicle line-up, The Crew 2 is also welcoming a special new brand of vehicles named “Creators,” with the goal of adding a new vehicle each Season, all created by 3D artists and designers. In Season 3, The Crew 2 collaborated with Yasiddesign who imagined the perfect mix between an Alpha Grand Prix car and a tractor.
Season 3 Episode 2: US Speed Tour West will be accompanied by a brand new Motorpass, an optional multi-tiered reward system offering both free and premium rewards, including vehicles such as the Yasiddesign x American Petrol Ed. (Alpha Grand Prix), the Mazda MX-5 Miata NA Spearhog Ed. (Rally Raid) and the Lancia Delta S4 Hoodlum Racing Crew Ed. (Rallycross).
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Apart from the Motorpass, Season 3 Episode 2: US Speed Tour West will continue its free monthly vehicle drops letting players enjoy and pilot new vehicles including the Chevrolet Corvette C3 Touring Car Ed. (Touring Car) on September 8th or the XtremAir XA42 (Air Race) on September 22nd. Players can expect more vehicle additions over the course of the Episode alongside new vanity items, including new rooftops, as well as avatar outfits, smokes, tires, under glows, and window tints.
The Crew 2 is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Epic Games Store, and PC via the Ubisoft store. You can find information on the official store.
Here’s our review of The Crew 2.

The Crew 2Publisher: UbisoftDeveloper: Ivory TowerRelease Date: 2018-05-31Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Steam, Xbox One
Take on the American motorsports scene as you explore and dominate the land, air, and sea across the entire USA. With a wide variety of cars, bikes, boats, and planes, compete in a wide range of driving disciplines.

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Tags: The Crew 2Ubisoft


OverHit for Japan is now available to pre-register

Nexon’s Overhit, a spinoff of Nexon’s another popular mobile action game HIT, was launched in South Korea last November with a Japanese release being announced not long ago. And now, the pre-registration event for the Japanese version of Overhit is officially live!

Different from HIT, Overhit is a command-based RPG with graphics created by Unreal Engine and a cast of diverse characters. The unique character designs allow you to freely assemble them in any way you see fit. The game features a CD-based skill system too, your characters will automatically attack enemies and you will be controlling the timing and strategy to use their skills.

We have tried out the game when it is released in Korea, so check out the video below and see how the game works!

Various pre-registration and milestone rewards including Gems, Sophia (in-game character) Exclusive Costume and 4-star Accessory Ring will be given out to those who signed the game out! Overhit for Japan will be released soon this summer so stay tuned!
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Tags: AndroidHITiOSMobileNAT GamesNexonOverhitRPG