Call Of Duty Vanguard Open Beta Starts This Weekend

The most ways to play. Tactical combat. The sights, sounds, and feel of war on next-generation technology. A focus on a global cast of Operators. All deeply integrated for a new era for Call Of Duty WarzoneÂ that includes a brand-new map and a PC anti-cheat system, both launching later this year.
As detailed through an in-depth Multiplayer Reveal led by members of the Sledgehammer Games development team, Call Of Duty Vanguard will put you in the shoes of a global force of Operators in a down-the-barrel experience of brute force weaponry, all built on an engine developed to power 2019â€™s Call Of Duty Modern Warfare.
Combined with updates from Call Of Dutyâ€™s lead PC developer Beenox and Warzoneâ€™s lead developer Raven Software, this reveal event set the tone for Vanguardâ€™s Multiplayer: a deeply connected ecosystem that details the origins of Special Forces.
The live stream also gave details for an opportunity to try the gameâ€™s Multiplayer before 5 November 2021 with the Call Of Duty VanguardÂ Beta.
Hereâ€™s everything you need to know about this Beta and what was revealed for Vanguard Multiplayer.
Call Of Duty Vanguard Beta Information and Download Instructions

There are two weekends of the Vanguard Beta.
Call Of Duty Vanguard Beta Weekend 1: PlayStation Early Access
Available to those who preordered Call Of Duty Vanguard for PS5 or PS4, this first weekend will take place from 1am GMT+8 on 11 September 2021 to 1am GMT+8 on 14 September 2021.
Digital preorders will be automatically registered for Early Access â€” those who preorder a physical version may find their Early Access code on the retail receipt or sent via e-mail.
 Early Access codes â€” given through physical preorders or through special promotions â€” can be redeemed at callofduty.com/betaredeemÂ while logged into an Activision Account.
This Beta weekend will introduce the following samples of the full MP content:

Three brand-new Vanguard maps: Hotel Royal, Red Star, and Gavutu.
Three traditional game modes to try â€” Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Kill Confirmed â€” and a new one called Patrol, available during Weekend 1.
A return to Champion Hill, now with a new weapon set.

Those who participate in the Beta and reach level 20 will receive a Weapon Blueprint for Call Of Duty VanguardÂ and Warzone (available in Vanguard following the gameâ€™s launch on 5 November 2021 and in Warzone when the new main map launches later this year).
Also, those playing Call Of Duty MobileÂ will receive an Arthur Kingsley Operator, available shortly after the end of the Beta.
Call Of Duty Vanguard Weekend 2: Crossplay Beta
Depending on the platform, the start of Vanguardâ€™s second Beta weekend â€” from 1am GMT+8 on 17 September 2021 to 1am GMT+8 on 19 September 2021 â€” is either an Open or Early Access Beta. More information to come next week.
Everything You Need to Know â€” The Most Ways to Play
Sixteen maps for traditional core play, four maps for 2v2 Gunfights, and one Champion Hill experience â€” this is what players can expect on day one for Vanguardâ€™s Multiplayer. These maps take place across a wide variety of different global environments and are ready to host an abundance of game modes.Â
More Modes to Play
Outside of Champion Hill â€” a fast and frenetic tournament for Solo, Duos, and Trios â€” Vanguard will introduce another new game mode: Patrol. Based on Hardpoint, this objective-based mode features a scoring zone in near-constant motion; if Operators want to rack up points for their team, they should keep up and move around the map within this Patrol point.
These modes are in addition to the classic offerings one would expect in Call of Duty. Modes like Team Deathmatch, Kill Confirmed, Domination, and Search & Destroy are just some of the ones returning with Vanguard. These are also the exact modes you can play alongside Patrol during the Beta period (Search & Destroy to be available later in the Beta).
Combat Pacing: More Ways to Play
Although these returning modes will be familiar, a new Combat Pacing system offers a new dynamic in the name of player choice. When queuing up for Multiplayer, the following Combat Pacing options are available to you:

Tactical: These are the lobbies that franchise veterans know well. This is the experience that youâ€™re used to with classic Call of Duty combat timing. Tactical Comat Pacing is always 6v6.
Assault: This option provides balanced Combat Pacing that gives you enough room to breathe and a lot of targets to kill. Assault is a middle ground between Tactical and Blitz. In Beta Weekend 1, player counts will vary between 20 and 28 players.
Blitz: High-action lobbies see the intensity cranked up to frenetic levels. Prepare for plenty of combat when choosing to join a Blitz. In Beta Weekend 1, player counts will vary between 28 and 48 players.

Those who want to hop into a game can also set the Combat Pacing to â€œAllâ€ and get a variety of Combat Paces between each match, in a similar fashion to how Quick Play allows you to hop between an assortment of modes you select.
More Ways to Squad Up: Clans and Group Rewards
No matter what map or mode or how big or small the lobby is through Combat Pacing, expect more innovations when you play as a squad with an all-new Clan system. The Clan system will feature elements from the Modern Warfare (2019) Regiments system, which will be carried forward and renamed â€œGroups.â€ Clans will feature bespoke progression, emblems, and even Battle Passâ€“related rewards unlocked for your entire group, giving you and your squadmates something to aim for outside of victories during play sessions.
And remember: Vanguard will be cross-generational and cross-platform â€” no soldier will be left behind, especially with Clans on the horizon.Â
Everything You Need to Know â€” Tactical Gameplay
Given all those maps, modes, pacing, and the Clan system, what can you expect after getting the squad together and loading into a match?
Sledgehammer Games is building Multiplayer on a pillar of tactical second-to-second gameplay and giving players tons of customization along with a reactive environment for new and improved movement features.
Create-a-Class and Gunsmith
When choosing a loadout for Multiplayer, players will be gearing up at the Gunsmith within Create-a-Class. An evolution of a system first introduced in Modern Warfare (2019), the Gunsmith will now feature up to 10 attachment slots on certain weapons, allowing for thousands of additional possibilities to help with nearly every combat scenario and playstyle.
For example, Shotguns can now be outfitted with a â€œBuck Slug,â€ which is a shell filled with short-range buckshot and a slug round for longer range. This combination is just one way that ammo can change for weaponry â€” expect other attachments that adjust a weaponâ€™s caliber up or down to affect bullet penetration, fire rate, and more.
Those who would rather bring a knife to a gunfight should know that Riot Shields are returning in addition to two melee options: a standard-issue knife at launch and a bayonet charge for weapons that can equip this underbarrel blade. And to counter those hand-to-hand combat fiends, Akimbo will return for select weapons, making for a high-powered, yet less accurate, close-quarters option.
Reactive Environments, Mounting and Sliding, Blindfiring
Once you have a weapon, itâ€™s time to tear through the map to defeat your enemies. Tactical destruction was a driving force for Sledgehammerâ€™s innovations to this gameâ€™s engine, so expect to blast through specific weak walls, break down doors and windows, or destroy tiles, scenery, structures, and other objects to flush out those pesky campers.
When you find cover behind sturdy objects, you now have two options for firing back aside from normal hip or aim-down-sights fire: the first is mounting, which returns from previous games, though Operators can additionally â€œslideâ€ their mounted weapon along the vertical or horizontal surface to move around. The other is blindfire â€” at the sacrifice of some accuracy, this manoeuvre allows for better cover in situations where youâ€™re about to experience suppressing fire.Â
However, itâ€™s not all-powerful, and specific Perks are there to counterbalance its effects.Â
Perks and Proficiencies
Speaking of Perks, both Operator Perks and Weapon Perks â€” now known as Proficiencies â€” make a return, with some of these augmentations affecting movement and firing techniques. For example, the Lightweight Perk allows for increased speed, including with Tactical Sprinting, while the Weapon Perk Gung-Ho, which is active when using a weapon with it â€œattached,â€ allows for an Operator to fire this weapon while sprinting.Â
Then there are Field Upgrades â€” yes, Dead Silence will return, and its active time will be extended through earning kills.
Everything You Need to Know â€” Sights, Sounds, and Feel of WarÂ
Although it will be tough to stop and admire the art direction during the heat of battle, especially when the environment is being ripped into fragments, Vanguard will leave you fully immersed in World War II through a contemporary lens.
Built on the engine that powered Modern Warfare, Vanguardâ€™s visuals are developed in part using photogrammetry, yet based in a â€œneo epicâ€ style. Its tone is also a departure from the traditional WWII fare: while remaining reverent to the background and time period, Sledgehammer Games is treating Multiplayer as an expression of celebration toward heroism â€” even through antiheroes, but not villains â€” on a truly global scale.
Photorealism and Reactive Environments
Those reactive environments have life to them in the four main theatres of war thanks to new lighting techniques and photorealism. Two of the maps shown during the live stream were Hotel Royal and Eagleâ€™s Nest, which offer a solid representation of what to expect with visuals and give a rough idea regarding the sizing of Multiplayer arenas and level of tactical destruction.
Both of these maps, in addition to Red Star and Gavutu, will be available during Vanguardâ€™s Beta, with Eagleâ€™s Nest to make its landing during the second week.
There will be maps coming to the full game that are love letters to those who enjoyed Call Of Duty World At War. Returning from that era are Castle and Dome, which will receive changes through reactive environments. Castle, in its Vanguard form, will see all its iconic shoju screens become destructible.
Expect similar effects across all maps, including persistent graphical details, such as grime, dirt, wear, burn marks, and other stains giving more life to every arena of combat. Such bespoke flourishes add evocative elements to specific areas; examples include dust-filled chambers, leaking pipes, and evidence of violence, such as marks from a body being dragged across the floor. Another effect is â€œcombat fog,â€ realistic dust kicked up in the air during a firefight from bullet impacts hitting different surfaces.
Everything You Need to Know â€” Become the Original Special Forces
Heroism is built upon heroes, individuals with personalities who arenâ€™t to be trifled with.
The Operators of Vanguard represent a global cast of countries, cultures, ethnicities, and walks of life. Through Sledgehammerâ€™s diverse writing team and an expert World War II historian, these fictional characters are inspired by real people who fought in WWII, and they all have a story to tell.
As some have already noticed during Vanguardâ€™s Alpha, Captain Carver Butcher is back, and heâ€™s just one of the characters youâ€™ll get to know in Multiplayer.
Operator Insight and Dialogue
Learn about Vanguardâ€™s Operators through new and updated systems: the first is an extended background for each Operator, which gives insight into their upbringing and purpose in the greater cause. Another is an expansion of the Quip system. Quips existed before for individual Operators, but with Vanguard, expect more unique dialogue from these characters that bring out their personalities like never before.
Operator Leveling and Weapon Favorites
Then there is Operator levelling. By earning Operator XP â€” separate from the regular, weapon, Battle Pass, and Clan XP â€” players can unlock new cosmetics, Skins, Calling Cards, Finishing Moves, and more just by playing matches with a specific Operator. Outside of their biography (which includes their nickname, citizenship, and ethnicity) and challenges, each Operator also has a Favorite Weapon.
For example, Polina Petrovaâ€™s Favorite Weapon is the 3-Line Rifle. In addition to it being a tool for her character that fits with her background, it has a purpose for gameplay as well: when using this weapon while playing as Polina, you receive additional XP.Â
Polina is also one of six Operators available for the Beta. Although Operator levelling will not be available until launch, you can still get to know her, Daniel Take Yatsu, Roland Zelmet, Lucas Riggs, Wade Jackson, and Arthur Kingsley during this experience.
Everything You Need to Know â€” PC Details
Vanguardâ€™s Multiplayer reveal also gave Beenox and Raven Software the opportunity to share what they have been working on, in what is shaping up to be another exciting year of Call of Duty.
With Call Of Duty Vanguard, lead PC developer Beenox is putting together features and improvements they have built over the years, such as uncapped frame rates, a whole host of customizable settings and key binds and ultrawide and multimonitor support. For that continued monitor support, Beenox is adding something called â€œfocused mode,â€ which is ideal in borderless mode when the brightness needs to be reduced on other monitors for multitasking.
Other new features include options to reduce motion sickness, improved text readability, ease-of-use settings, and work to reduce input latency to help you improve reaction time in terms of milliseconds.Â
There will also be a brand-new, multifaceted anti-cheat system for PC when it comes to Warzone.
Call Of Duty VanguardÂ will launch for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 5 November 2021. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


New The Flash Trailer Gives First Look At Michael Keaton’s Batman & Sasha Calle’s Supergirl

During Super Bowl 2023, Warner Bros and DC Studios unveiled a new trailer for the upcoming The Flash.
The trailer features the return of Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne / Batman, Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne / Batman, Michael Shannon as General Zod, Sasha Calle’s debut as Kara Zor-El / Supergirl, and more.
The synopsis reads:
Worlds collide in “The Flash” when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to turn to.
That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian… albeit not the one he’s looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?
The Flash premieres in cinemas on 14 June 2023.
Check out the trailer below:


Team17 Partners With Absolutely Games For New Historical Strategy Title

Publisher Team17 has announced its partnership with UK-based developer Absolutely Games to bring a brand-new strategy title to PC and consoles. Formed in late 2019, Absolutely Games – a studio of 27 developers led by industry veterans James Brooksby (CEO) and Adrian Hawkins (CTO) – will be teaming up with Team17 to bring its first title, an unannounced ‘historical strategy experience’, and original IP, to PC and consoles.
Roger Carpenter, Head of Studios, Team17 Digital, said:
“Team17 is thrilled to be working with Absolutely Games on their upcoming historical strategy title. We are always looking to establish new relationships with exciting and creative studios here in the UK – like Absolutely Games – and around the world, and we look forward to helping the team deliver their unique strategy experience to gamers. While the title is the studio’s debut, the team are games development veterans, bringing with them strong vision and engaging depth to their work. We can’t wait to share more information about their eye-catching title soon.”
James Brooksby, CEO, Absolutely Games said:
“We are very happy to be working with Team17 on our company’s first game and it is great to be partnering with a highly skilled and enthusiastic team who share our strong belief in what we are looking to bring to life.”
Adrian Hawkins, CTO, Absolutely Games said:
“It is very exciting to be working with a publishing partner who shares our values, holds a common vision for the game, and believes in extensive community engagement both before and after a game ships. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship working with Team17.”
Those interested in receiving access to the upcoming title’s closed alpha next year can register now by heading over here.


Capcom Showcase 2023 Confirmed, New Games To Be Announced

Capcom has officially announced that it will be hosting a Capcom Showcase, ready to show off what it has planned for the rest of 2023 and beyond to fans worldwide on 12 June.
The event will be celebrating the Japanese publisher’s 40th Anniversary, featuring the latest updates, alongside new information on upcoming releases and future titles, runtime is about 36 minutes. As for the time, viewers will be able to tune in at 3PM PDT/ 6PM ET/ 11PM BST (13 June, 6AM Malaysia time GMT +8) to catch the show livestream on Capcom’s official Youtube, Twitch, and TikTok account.

The big question is what games to expect from Capcom. As of now, the company has released two big game releases (Resident Evil 4, Street Fighter 6) in addition to previously announced remasters (Ghost Trick, Mega Man Battle Network). Exoprimal, a dino co-op which is scheduled for release in July, is yet to launch. Additionally, Pragmata is supposedly still on track for a 2023 release, yet we’ve seen absolutely nothing since its initial reveal in June 2020.
Besides those, we can only speculate on our end. More details about the program lineup will be announced closer to the event. Stay tuned for what’s next from Capcom at Kakuchopurei!
In the meantime, if you’re a fan of Street Fighter 6, you’re in luck! We’ve made a starter guide for all the 18 fighters’ move lists for you to get ready to battle!


Good Game Asia – Episode 1 Recap

The first of its kind, Good Game Asia (GGA) is a gaming reality show by Yup.gg on Warner TV. Formatted like reality game shows, Yup.gg’s take on the genre pits 15 streamers and gaming personalities throughout Asia-Pacific to face off to earn a grand prize of US$200,000 in cash goods and be crowned the title of the “Next Gaming Superstar”.
Is it any good? Is it super-cringe as advertised? Or is it beyond what you would expect from a show with this high a budget? Well, let’s find out!
check out our previous piece on Good Game Asia

We’re first introduced to the two prominent judges and commentator in Yup.gg’s CEO and GGA’s creator, Rai Cockfield III, Singaporean musician Sezairi and his wife, Syaza Qistina Tan respectively. Following this are B-roll shots of the contestants arriving at the Fairmont Hotel in Singapore as Syaza give a monologue on the premise of the show.
The first contestants introduced to us are Hades, a shoutcaster turned streamer and Cherzinga, who is also a streamer. We’re fed this typical reality show sob-story about how these two used to date and how the break-up ended on bad terms.

After this, the judges are brought to give the contestants a rundown of the how the competition will play out. In between this we’re shown snipets of post-interviews from the contestants as a form of introduction. Additionally the judges the first challenge where the contestants will have one hour to build a PC. They also introduce one of the guest judges for the episode in Kwang from AFTERSHOCK PC, a custom PC company in Singapore.
CHALLENGE – BUILDING PC
With the challenge on the way, in typical reality show fashion we follow contestants as they scurry around trying to build their PCs sprinkled with little interview segments here and there to spice up the commentary. Here we learn a bit more about the other contestants that we may not be as familiar with such as Rudeism and PandaTV, a Kiwi and Australian streamers respectively along with Fl0w3R, a former professional Overwatch player.
With the conclusion of the challenge, we are introduced to the concept of Yup points. In short, its a point system that winners of challenges receive and can use at the end of every episode to gain access to the “Swag Store” where the Top 3 contestants can use their points to buy streaming equipment and accessories that they can use on their personal streams. We learn that Rudeism is the first to finish as contestants are asked to bring their PCs up onto the stage to present and test them. This is then followed by a little gag of Fl0w3R having only assembled the motherboard and fan poorly.

CHALLENGE – on air / valorant
Next, the contestants are tasked with streaming VALORANT, with the objective being two-fold. Firstly, every week all contestants will be judged on their streaming, the content they produce and overall how versatile they are in entertainment and is dubbed the “On Air” segment. They will also have to submit two clips, one showcasing their audience interaction and overall entertainment, the other will be one of skilled gameplay. This will factor into who will be eliminated later in the episode.

It’s here where we are also introduced to another guest judge, Stephen Dowler, Head of APAC at Monstercat, the music label renown for its royalty free music used by streamers across the globe.
We’re later shown a montage of each contestants streams from throughout the week. We learn a bit more about the other contestants and their history with shooter games, whether it be a lot of experience on none at all.
Challenge – The Box
Having streamed VALORANT all week, teams will be selected among the contestants as they will go head-to-head in a mini-tournament, with the winner taking away the most points. As the judges present the mini-tournament to the contestants, it cuts to the beginning of the competitions as we watch the highlights of each match play out. Ultimately, Rudeism’s team came out on top.
WEEK 1 LEADERBOARD

As the week closes out, we are then presented with the MVP awards of the week. MVPs will be given out weekly and are awarded with an additional 1,500 Yup points to spend in the Swag Store. We are then treated to a shot of us following the Rudeism, V3nom and Kelvin browsing the items inside. Rudeism and V3nom buy themselves a StreamDeck and Elgato Capture Card respectively with Kelvin saving his points.
Critical Take
Although I think that it’s a interesting take on the genre and that there is indeed a market for this, I can’t help but find the writing behind it all a bit cheesy and cringe.
It follows too much of the mainstream reality TV show formula but with people who are as necessarily as entertaining to watch in a show format. I do look forward to see where they go with this and whether or not it will become a steaming dumpster fire.
But there is indeed potential in this concept and if refined, could revolutionise the content we see from streamings and content creators across all of Asia. Be sure to check out our recap on episode 2 coming that will be out very soon.

TAKE A LOOK at the other episodes we have recapped so far

Good Game Asia – Episode 2 Recap
Good Game Asia – Episode 3 Recap
Good Game Asia – Episode 4 Recap
Good Game Asia – Episode 5 Recap
Good Game Asia – Episode 6 Recap


E3 2019: 5 Things You Need To Know About Marvel’s Avengers

Square Enix recently capped out their E3 2019 press conference by finally revealing the long-awaited Marvel’s Avengers game by Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal. Not only did the cinematic trailer for the game receive divisive and mixed reactions from many, it ultimately left everyone (including me) with more questions than answers.
In an interview with IGN, Crystal Dynamics creative director and writer Shaun Escayg and lead combat designer Vincent Napoli explained more about the upcoming game. Here are five things we know about Marvel’s Avengers so far:
1. The Devs Still Can’t Clearly Define The Game One Year Before Release

After watching the reveal for Marvel’s Avengers, the biggest question that popped into my head was a worrying one: what kind of game even is this? There was no gameplay footage at all, and the way the game was described sounded vague and filled with confusing buzzwords.
Strangely, it seems that even developers of the game can’t define their game in clear terms, and this is one year before the game will be released on 15 May 2020. Here’s how Escayg described Marvel’s Avengers:

â€œI think it’s something new. So, it is an epic action-adventure. It is narrative driven. There is a single player campaign that sets up the world, set up the state of the Avengers. So, it’s very story driven.
But where it gets a bit of a hybrid is during the, say, set up of the campaign. Once you go through the campaign, you will have options in this linear story where you can then go off and do missions.
And by doing those missions, unlock players, your favorite superhero. Unlock different powers. Master different abilities. Then come back to the main thread if you wanted to.
â€œYou could then just take the set up and go straight into co-op. If you just want to play with your friends, right, in a multiplayer world. You could go, â€˜Hey, I want to play straight down, only story. I want to just go straight from start to finish and just go right through the story in a very linear fashion.â€™
So, you have a lot of options as a player. So, that’s why I say it’s a new thing. But it’s player driven. It’s story driven. And it’s the best way we can capture, at least in our minds, what it’s like to be an Avenger.â€

Meanwhile, here’s what Napoli had to say about the game:

â€œFrom a gameplay perspective, it’s hard to also give it a single definition. I would say it’s gameplay is… It’s Avengers gameplay.
We look at each of the characters and we’re like, â€˜These characters can’t be slotted into one category or another.â€™ We look at each of the characters and say, â€˜What do we need to do to build the character the way you would expect to play them?
The way we want to see them played.â€™ Wrap the mechanics around that. So, it’s a hybrid ranged melee, action, RPG. Everything combined.
The goal is you need to feel like you’re playing the Avengers. These characters need to come to life and everything else is built around that.â€

See what I mean? They’re needlessly long descriptions which don’t help in explaining what exactly Marvel’s Avengers is.
2. Online Multiplayer Will Be Limited To Side Missions

According to the devs, Marvel’s Avengers’ story campaign will be completely single-player. Online multiplayer segments (with up to four players) will only be playable during additional side missions that will occasionally be available throughout the single-player campaign.
During these side missions, the player can choose to be any Avenger they want, but they can also be played offline, so multiplayer won’t actually be forced onto players.
3. Three Primary Categories Of Customization

In Marvel’s Avengers, there will be three primary categories or aspects of customization; skills, gear, and cosmetics.
Napoli said:

â€œThere’s a pretty in-depth skill tree that lets you customize abilities, upgrade abilities, gain new moves. It’s a pretty robust moveset for each of the characters.
The tree layout is very distinct because the characters don’t really fit the similar mold. So while one character has alternate combos, another character might have weaponization stuff, like we did with Hulk.â€

Meanwhile, gears will provide “active abilities, passive abilities, attributes,” but these will not change the character’s appearance in any way. On the other hand, cosmetics is all about aesthetics and changing the character’s appearances, which likely means a variety of skins for each Avenger.
4. There Will Be Microtransactions

During the E3 2019 press conference, the devs reassured everyone that Marvel’s Avengers won’t have loot boxes. However, they neglected to announce that the game will instead feature microtransactions.
According to Escayg, there will be “custom outfits that players can purchase in microtransactions” while Napoli said:

â€œThere are other aesthetic ways to customize your player card and your player experience, but there is nothing that affects the gameplay.â€

5. The Multiverse Might Come Into Play

While the devs have yet to confirm whether Marvel’s Avengers will be set in the same Marvel Gamerverse as Insomniac’s Marvel’s Spider-Man, they did drop a bombshell that the Multiverse would likely come into play somehow in the game’s story.
Escayg said:

â€œYou’ll understand more once you play the game,â€ Escayg teased. â€œThe Marvel universe is huge. Will it resolve in this game? Who knows. Is this something else? Who knows.
The things that we draw from, it’s so big. We can pull from multiverses at this point. It’s a great question. You’re going to have to play it to see it.â€

Marvel’s Avengers is slated to launch for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC on 15 May 2020. For more of our E3 2019 coverage, head on over here.


Netflix November 2021: Our Picks & Highlights

Since everyone is (still mostly) staying home because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Iâ€™m sure you wonâ€™t want to waste time sifting through Netflixâ€™s extensive catalogue of shows and movies just to decide on what to watch. The streaming giant updates its site every day, week, and month with new content, so Iâ€™m here to save your precious time.
Here are my personal recommendations and highlights for Netflix Malaysiaâ€™s November 2021 lineup and how to fill up your free time with worthwhile content at home:
The Harder They Fall (3 November 2021)

This ain’t your grandaddy’s Western! Check out Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, Regina King, Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield, RJ Cyler, Edi Gathegi, Danielle Deadwyler and Deon Cole in this action-packed thrill ride that injects New Blood into the Old West. The Harder They Fall is directed by Jeymes Samuel and produced by Shawn ‘Jay Z’ Carter James Lassiter, Jeymes Samuel and Lawrence Bender.
Arcane (6, 13, 20, November 2021)

The synopsis reads:
From the creators of League of Legends comes a new animated series, Arcane.
Set in the utopian region of Piltover and the oppressed underground of Zaun, the story follows the origins of two iconic League champions-and the power that will tear them apart.
Based on the world behindÂ League Of Legends, Arcane dives into the delicate balance between the rich city of Piltover and the seedy underbelly of Zaun. Known across Runeterra as the â€œcity of progress,â€ many of the most brilliant minds call these cities home. But the creation of hextech, a way for any person to control magical energy, threatens that balance. While Arcane holds the backstories of League of Legends champions, the series is designed to stand on its own as a complex world filled with moral decisions, breathtaking animation, and suspenseful storytelling.
Episodes 1-3 streams on 6 November 2021.
Episodes 4-6 streams on 13 November 2021.
Episodes 7-9 streams on 20 November 2021.

Red Notice (12 November 2021)

When an Interpol-issued Red Notice â€” the highest level warrant to hunt and capture the worldâ€™s most wantedâ€” goes out, the FBIâ€™s top profiler John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson) is on the case. His global pursuit finds him smack dab in the middle of a daring heist where heâ€™s forced to partner with the worldâ€™s greatest art thief Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds) in order to catch the worldâ€™s most wanted art thief, â€œThe Bishopâ€ (Gal Gadot).
The high-flying adventure that ensues takes the trio around the world, across the dance floor, trapped in a secluded prison, into the jungle and, worst of all for them, constantly into each otherâ€™s company.

Cowboy Bebop (19 November 2021)
COWBOY BEBOP (L to R) JOHN CHO as SPIKE SPIEGEL, MUSTAFA SHAKIR as JET BLACK, DANIELLA PINEDA as FAYE VALENTINE and EIN in Cowboy Bebop Cr. GEOFFREY SHORT/NETFLIX Â© 2021
Netflixâ€™sÂ Cowboy BebopÂ is an action-packed space Western about three bounty hunters, a.k.a. â€œcowboys,â€ all trying to outrun the past. As different as they are deadly, Spike Spiegel (John Cho), Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir), and Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda) form a scrappy, snarky crew ready to hunt down the solar systemâ€™s most dangerous criminals â€” for the right price. But they can only kick and quip their way out of so many scuffles before their pasts finally catch up with them.
Based on the beloved anime series, Netflixâ€™sÂ Cowboy BebopÂ is executive produced by AndrÃ© Nemec, Jeff Pinkner, Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg of Midnight Radio, Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements of Tomorrow Studios, Makoto Asanuma, Shin Sasaki and Masayuki Ozaki of Sunrise Inc., Tim Coddington, Tetsu Fujimura, Michael Katleman, Matthew Weinberg, and Christopher Yost. Nemec serves as showrunner.
Original anime series director ShinichirÅ Watanabe is a consultant on the series, and original composer Yoko Kanno returns for the live-action adaptation. The series also stars Alex Hassell and Elena Satine.

tick, tick…BOOM! (19 November 2021)

Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda makes his feature directorial debut with tick, tickâ€¦BOOM!, an adaptation of the autobiographical musical by Jonathan Larson, who revolutionized theatre as the creator of Rent. The film follows Jon (Academy Award nominee and Tony Award winner Andrew Garfield), a young theatre composer whoâ€™s waiting tables at a New York City diner in 1990 while writing what he hopes will be the next great American musical.
Days before heâ€™s due to showcase his work in a make-or-break performance, Jon is feeling the pressure from everywhere: from his girlfriend Susan, who dreams of an artistic life beyond New York City; from his friend Michael, who has moved on from his dream to a life of financial security; amidst an artistic community being ravaged by the AIDS epidemic. With the clock ticking, Jon is at a crossroads and faces the question everyone must reckon with: What are we meant to do with the time we have?
tick, tickâ€¦BOOM! stars Academy Award nominee & Tony Award winner Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Tony Award nominee Robin de JesÃºs, Tony Award nominee Joshua Henry, Emmy Award nominee Mj Rodriguez, Emmy Award winner Bradley Whitford, Tariq Trotter aka Black Thought of The Roots, with Emmy and Tony Award winner Judith Light, and Vanessa Hudgens. The film is written by Tony Award winner Steven Levenson, and produced by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard for Imagine Entertainment, Julie Oh, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Masters Of The Universe Revelation Part 2 (23 November 2021)

Netflix released the following synopsis for Part 2 ofÂ Revelation:
The war for Eternia continues in the second part of â€œMasters of the Universe: Revelation,â€ an innovative and action-packed animated series that picks up where the iconic characters left off. With Skeletor now wielding the Sword of Power, the weary heroes of Eternia must band together to fight back against the forces of evil in a thrilling and epic conclusion to the two-part series.
The voice cast includes Mark Hamill as Skeletor, Lena Headey as Evil-Lyn, Chris Wood as Prince Adam/He-Man, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Teela, Liam Cunningham as Man-At-Arms, Stephen Root as Cringer, Diedrich Bader as King Randor/Trap Jaw, Griffin Newman as Orko, Tiffany Smith as Andra, Henry Rollins as Tri-Klop, original Skeletor Alan Oppenheimer as Moss Man, Susan Eisenberg as Sorceress, Alicia Silverstone as Queen Marlena, Justin Long as Roboto, Jason Mewes as Stinkor, Phil LaMarr as He-Ro, Tony Todd as Scare Glow, Cree Summer as Priestess, Kevin Michael Richardson as Beast Man and Kevin Conroy as Mer-Man.
Part 1 premiered on 23 July 2021 on Netflix. You can check outÂ our review of that here.
Super Crooks (25 November 2021)

Super CrooksÂ was originally a four-issue miniseries written by Mark Millar with art by Leinill Francis Yu. It was published by Marvel back in 2012 and is set in the same universe asÂ Jupiterâ€™s Legacy. Unfortunately, Netflix cancelledÂ Jupiterâ€™s LegacyÂ after only one season.
The anime is produced by BONES, the same studio behindÂ My Hero AcademiaÂ andÂ Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood.
The synopsis reads:
Luckâ€™s never been on their side, but this crew of small-time crooks with super powers recruited by none other than Johnny Bolt are rolling the dice on one last heist. Their target: A ruthless super-powered crime boss. What can go wrong? Based on the graphic novel of the same name by comic book legend Mark Millar, this super-powered heist story about eight super-villains is jam-packed with action and told in 13x 30-minute episodes, lushly produced by Bones.
Those are just several selected highlights from next monthâ€™s offerings of new TV series and movies on Netflix. Now you can plan your Netflix binge-fest for November 2021.


Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Irish Expansion Delayed To Next Month

Ubisoft has announced that Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Wrath Of The Druids expansion has been delayed to 13 May 2021. It was previously slated to release on 29 April 2021.
The news was revealed via the official Twitter account, citing the reason for the delay as wanting “to deliver a more refined experience”.

To deliver a more refined experience, we’re sharing that:
??Wrath of the Druids will now release on May 13?We’re working on an article to provide transparency and share insights on our dev process
Thanks for your patience. Keep an eye on our social channels for future news! pic.twitter.com/aQUPR8cWNV
— Assassin's Creed (@assassinscreed) April 14, 2021

In Wrath Of The Druids, players will visit Ireland and unravel the mysteries of an ancient Druid cult while conquering ring-forts and â€œinfluence the trading systems of Dublinâ€.
In the meantime, check outÂ our full review ofÂ Assassinâ€™s Creed ValhallaÂ here, orÂ head on over here for our guideÂ on how to be the best Viking in the game.


[Rumour] GTA 6 Story Is “Finished”

How far along is Grand Theft Auto 6 now? According to one person, at least one portion of the game has been finished.
Chris “Liberty93” from French fansite Rockstar Mag (via Dexerto) claimed on a livestream that the story has already been completed. Liberty93’s words, translated by Dexerto, were as follow:

“If Dan [Houser], who’s writing the story, leaves Rockstar it’s kind of a bit of Rockstar’s soul which is leaving. People tell me I shouldn’t be worried because GTA 6â€™s story is already finished. It could be true, but Red Dead Redemption 2â€™s story was finished in 2012, but they still made changes in late 2017, early 2018, and many little details were modified.”

He’s not the only one who has provided recent revelations aboutÂ GTA 6‘s development. Now-former Kotaku writer Jason Schreier wrote in a report that the next GTA game is “still early in development”. In contrast, aÂ Twitter user called Tez2 (@TezFunz2) tweeted that the game is “‘halfway done’ or even beyond that”, and wrote in the GTA forums (as “Fun 2”) that “It’s 60% to 70% done from what I have heard”.

Next title, a new GTA title is in "early stages of development"?It's hard to believe that when I'm hearing it's "halfway done" or even beyond that.
— Tez2 (@TezFunz2) April 16, 2020

Liberty93 has a response to both. “According to our trustworthy sources, the game has been in dev since 2017,” he said in response to Schreier’s report. As for Tez2’s account, he said, “Of course, I looked into it and the pre-production officially began in late 2014 and the real production in 2015”.Â
Rockstar has yet to say anything on the matter, but what seems to be guaranteed is that the wait for an official GTA 6 reveal will continue. In the meantime, let’s remember that Liberty93’s and Tez2’s reveals are still just rumours, so take them with a grain of salt.


Square Enix E3 2021: All The Games & Announcements

E3 2021 continues with the Square Enix Presents Summer Showcase 2021 live stream, featuring various release date announcements and new game reveals.
Check out the games below:
Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy

Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy will release for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on 26 October 2021.
Fire up Star-Lordâ€™s jet boots for a wild ride across the cosmos in this third-person action-adventure game, a fresh take on Marvelâ€™s Guardians of the Galaxy. With the unpredictable Guardians at your side, blast your way from one explosive situation to another, with original and iconic Marvel characters caught in a struggle for the fate of the universe. You got this. Probably.
There will be dialogue options, which will affect the narrative and your relationship with the team members.

Check out the cinematic and gameplay trailers below:

Stranger Of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin

Veterans Tetsuya Nomura and Kazushige Nojima join forces with Team NINJA from KOEI TECMO GAMES to deliver a bold new vision for Final Fantasy. It’s coming to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC in 2022.
The synopsis reads:
With the memory of their struggle buried deep in their hearts…
Jack and his allies, Ash and Jed, burn with resolve to defeat Chaos as they throw open the gates to the Chaos Shrine. Yet doubts remainâ€”are they truly the Warriors of Light the prophecy foretold?
Step into a world of dark fantasy and revel in the exhilarating, action-packed battles!

The trial version will be available on PS5 from today onward until 24 June 2021.

Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster

The games that inspired a generation come to life once more, in the ultimate 2D pixel remaster.
TheÂ Final Fantasy Pixel RemasterÂ series will consist of re-releases ofÂ Final Fantasy,Â Final Fantasy II,Â Final Fantasy III,Â Final Fantasy IV,Â Final Fantasy V, andÂ Final Fantasy VI. Keep in mind that all the sprites will be remastered so that they’re in line with the SNES/Game Boy Advance versions. This means parts I, II, and III will see the most reworking aesthetics-wise.
It’s coming soon to Steam and Mobile.

Babylon’s Fall

Babylonâ€™s Fall will launch for PS5 alongside its previously announced PS4 and PC (Steam) versions, publisher Square Enix and developer PlatinumGames announced.
Sign-ups for a closed beta test are also now available here. The closed beta test will be divided into three phases, each with different testing goals and additional platforms. Phase One, which will begin in late July, will be held for PC via Steam. Phase Two will add PS4. And Phase Three will add PS5.
Babylonâ€™s Fall from Square Enix is developed in partnership with renowned action specialists, PlatinumGames Inc., (NieR Automata). Featuring fluid co-op-combat, powerful weapons and a unique, striking art style, the epic world of Babylonâ€™s Fall is coming to the PS5 console, PS4, and Steam. The game can be played in co-op online multiplayer for parties up to four and will feature a range of post-launch game modes at no additional cost.
Check out the new trailers below:

Legend Of Mana

Now Remastered for the first time, featuring a colourful cast of characters, exciting real-time combat, and the option to alternate between the original or new rearranged music.
Legend Of Mana will release on 24 June 2021.
Watch the Legend Of Mana opening movie below:

Hitman Sniper The Shadows

Hitman Sniper The Shadows introduces a wholly original story set in the Hitman Universe. The game focuses on events following the disappearance of Agent 47 and follows the story of The Shadows, a group of highly skilled snipers – Soji, Kiya, Kolzak, Knight, and Stone – within the hidden world of assassination, where a new criminal network threatens global stability. Diana Burnwood and the International Contract Agency (ICA) activate Initiative 426, aka The Shadows, to eliminate this threat.
It is a free-to-play game set to be released in 2021 on iOS and Android.

Final Fantasy VII The First Soldier

Final Fantasy VII The First Soldier is coming to iOS and Android sometime in 2021.

Marvel’s Avengers Black Panther War For Wakanda

Black Panther must defend Wakanda from Klaw, who seeks to steal Vibranium for his own desires. Watch the cinematic trailer for Marvel’s Avengers Expansion: Black Panther – War for Wakanda. It will be vailable in August 2021.

Life Is Strange Remastered Collection

The Life Is Strange Remastered Collection includes â€˜Life is Strange Remasteredâ€™ and â€˜Life is Strange: Before the Storm Remasteredâ€™. Both award-winning games have been remastered with updated visuals across characters & environments.
Featuring the following remastered upgrades:
– Remastered visuals across characters and environments
– Vastly improved character animation using full facial mocap performance *featured in Life is Strange Remastered only*
– Updated and refined gameplay puzzles
It’s coming to all platforms on 30 September 2021.

Life Is Strange True Colors

Brought to life through full performance capture by rising talent Erika Mori, players will navigate Haven Springs as Alex Chen, a young woman who has long suppressed her ‘curse’: the psychic power of Empathy, a supernatural ability that allows her to experience, absorb and influence the strong emotions of others – which she sees as blazing, coloured auras.
When her brother dies, in a suspicious accident, Alex must at last embrace her volatile power to find the truth, and uncover the dark secrets buried by a small town. Alex Chenâ€™s journey, power and future are all fully under the playerâ€™s control.
The psychic power of Empathy affects every interaction and relationship Alex has in the game and is fully under the playerâ€™s control. Use it to reveal the secrets of Haven Springs, the hidden facets of Alexâ€™s past, and the future of her journey to find a place to call home.
Life Is Strange True Colors will release on 10 September 2021.
You can check out the full live stream below:


Razer Phone 2 Will Receive Android 9.0 Pie

As promised, the Razer Phone 2 will receive a major software update in the form of Android 9.0 dubbed Android Pie.

What Does The Update Bring?
The update includes a slew of features. These features include, but are not limited to:

Gesture-based navigation with Google Assistantâ„¢
Interactive app functionality and search
Battery life optimization
Privacy features including background app controls
Access to digital well-being
Video recording in 4k at 60fps.

You can check out the full list of features here.
The new update will enhance user experience with the Razer Phone 2 by operating more intuitively, more efficiently utilize its battery and significantly enhance the user experience for gaming and entertainment.

When Can We Get The Update?
The update will be delivered via over-the-air (OTA) update to all open market Razer Phone 2 units, starting from February 27, 2019 (US PST). The update will then start rolling out to all carrier phones in accordance with each specific carrier software build.
For support, please head to the phone’s official website here.


Mordhau Guide: How To Kick Ass In This Medieval Multiplayer Maimer

Triternion’s latest multiplayer title Mordhau is 2019’s medieval first-person combat offering for PC. So far, it’s getting a lot of positive reviews for its massive scale fights, free-form melee combat system, and all-around immersive fights.
Of course, it’s only natural that you want to come out on top in such a game, or at least not lose as much as you should in a typical online skirmish. Most Mordhau players want to keep things chivalrous: don’t run away from duels, follow “friendly fire” protocols, don’t interrupt duels to steal kills.
In reality, no one should adhere to such dated codes of conduct, especially in multiplayer PC games. We’re going to assume that you’re familiar with Mordhau via its tutorial, so we’ll go straight to the general tips & tricks, clean or otherwise.
Force yourself to chamber
If youâ€™re having trouble winning fights because youâ€™re not yet adept at chambering, then unbind your Parry key so youâ€™re forced to chamber attacks to deflect them. Doing this can condition you to master chambering in a quick fashion. Of course, you’ll die a lot but that’s the drawback of change.
Learn to ride horses well, then counter them
If youâ€™ve come up against a good horseback rider on the Camp map in Frontline, youâ€™ll know why horses are so paramount. In fact, the only time players die on horseback is if they manoeuvre their horses into a bad spot.
Learn to tap “S” to alter your riding speed on the fly. This is so you can manoeuvre through these difficult spots and learn to aim well with a long-reaching weapon.
Learn to kick shield spammers
Some shields allow you to block indefinitely, making them enormously more forgiving than normal weapon-based parries.
This can make it very difficult to deal with shield-abusers â€“ unless you know that all you need to do is bait them into getting close, then kick them. This will usually stun them long enough for you to land a devastating hit on them wherever you like. Rinse and repeat.

Learn to chamber-morph to deal with rapier stab spammers
Over the course of a few days, players have quickly learnt how fast the rapier is at stabbing. So how do you deal with such a “cheap” move?
First, you chamber their stab with a stab of your own. Then, during the wind-up of your counterattack, morph to a side strike instead. Theyâ€™ll be expecting a normal parry chamber, so theyâ€™ll continue to stab to no avail as you chop into them from the side. This works 99% of the time against any stab-abuser.
The key to 1vX situations is positioning, chambering, and target-switching
1vX fights happen a lot in large 32v32 matches, and youâ€™ll die very quickly to them if youâ€™re not prepared. First, donâ€™t ever let them surround you. Second, donâ€™t go purely defensive with constant parries â€“ youâ€™ll quickly die unless you chamber and counter with a more aggressive playstyle. Third, switch targets unpredictably. Chamber one, then use your counter-attack to damage another. If a player thinks theyâ€™ll be attacked at any moment they wonâ€™t be so quick to dive in on an outnumbered enemy.
Learning to drag and accel will enable you to beat 80% of the playerbase in a 1v1
This is particularly the case if you combine your ability to drag or accel attacks with a weapon that already has deceptive timing to its wind-ups. A dragged Maul or Zweihander attack is so slow that youâ€™re almost guaranteed a devastating hit on any player who hasnâ€™t yet passed the â€œpanic-parryâ€ stage of their Mordhau journey. So yeah. Learn to drag and accel your attacks.
Get used to dying
Easier said than done, I know, but seriously. Mordhau is a game with a very messy player skill curve â€“ by which I mean, no matter how good you are there can be situations where you die to someone much worse than you. Which means no matter how good you get, dying is part of the game, and if you want to play consistently well youâ€™ll have to train yourself not to get tilted when you die three times in a row to the same enemy. Breathe, think, and enjoy the game.

Want to play dirty? Use the spear
This five-foot weapon in Mordhau will make you deal damage while preventing enemies from closing in on you. Much like in For Honor, any weapon that gives you reach and zoning properties is king in a sword-fight. We suggest saving up in-game gold to unlock this asap.
Plus, stabbing enemies with a spear means more damage and instant kills via “headshots”.
Remember: It’s A Team Game
As fun as duels are, one well-fought 1v1 battle does not mean victory for your team. If you see any opportunities to get the kill, go for it. If you think your friends need help, don’t be a dick and sort them out.
Don’t think of yourself as a vulture. Think of yourself as that eagle who is mopping up the battlefield of easy pickings, leading to a planned and mounting victory.
NEXT: MORDHAU PERKS GUIDE


SDCC 2019: Two Superman Animated Movies Coming In 2020

DC Comics has announced their animated movie slate for 2020, and for the first time ever, they will be releasing two Superman movies in the same year, along with a Justice League Dark movie to boot. It’s a nice change of pace after years of too many Batman-related animated contents.
During the Batman: Hush animated movie premiere panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, the company announced that Superman: Red Son will be the first animated movie to be released in 2020.

The original Elseworlds story Mark Millar, Dave Johnson and Killian Plunkett (on which the Superman: Red Son is based on), is one of the most iconic alternate-world stories starring the Man Of Steel. The premise is essentially what would happen if Kal-El landed in the Soviet Union Russia and becomes a symbol of Communism.
While this will be the first full-fledged adaptation of Superman: Red Son, CW’s Supergirl Season 4 did feature a loose take on the story by including a clone of Kara Zor-El who was then raised in a Communist Kaznia.
Spring 2019 will see the release of Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, which is a sequel to the underrated but excellent 2017 animated movie Justice League Dark. Instead of the main Justice League team, it assembles several of DC’s most prominent magical heroes like John Constantine, Zatanna, Deadman, Swamp Thing, and more.
Justice League Dark (2017)
Last but not least, the last DC animated movie in 2020 will be Superman: Man of Tomorrow, which will be an original story and not based on any existing comic book. It will feature a younger Superman at an early point of his superhero career, but besides that, details are scarce.
Action Comics New 52 starring a younger Superman.
Besides these three animated movies, DC Comics will also be releasing several animated â€œDC Showcaseâ€ shorts, which will be included with the movies as bonus content. These shorts will feature Sgt. Rock, Adam Strange, Death, The Phantom Stranger and an adaptation of Batman: Death in the Family.
Despite Warner Bros being absent from SDCC 2019, it’s good to get some DC Comics-related news coming out of the event, which is already being too dominated by the likes of Marvel.


TGS 2019: New Final Fantasy VII Remake  Trailer Brings In Familiar Faces & Summons

Square Enix has released a new trailer for the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake and it’s chock full of fan-pleasing moments. It features the return of familiar faces like Turk agents Reno, Rude, and Tseng, who are operatives of the oppressive Shinra Electric Power Company.
Besides gameplay segments with Cloud, Aerith, Barrett and Tifa, we also get a glimpse of two iconic summons, Ifrit and Shiva, as well as a slew of returning minigames like the infamous squatting one featuring Cloud.
What’s interesting is that one of the characters in the trailer, namely the creepy Don Corneo, seems to be voiced by none other than legendary Star Wars actor and Joker voice actor Mark Hamill, though this has yet to be confirmed.
The Final Fantasy VII Remake is slated on 3 March 2020. In the meantime, feast your eyes on the new TGS 2019 trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBpq_Jq7yn0&w=560&h=315]


Squid Game Star Lands Lead Role In Star Wars The Acolyte Series

Squid Game star Lee Jung-Jae is officially joining the Star Wars universe as the male lead in the upcoming Disney+ Star Wars series The Acolyte. According to Deadline, Lee will star alongside Amandla Stenberg (she will be playing the titular Acolyte, an alleged Sith in training). However, the specifics of Lee’s role are currently unknown.
Lee is best known for starring in Netflix’s Squid Game series, which has become extremely popular worldwide. Star Wars The Acolyte will be helmed by series director, writer, exec producer and showrunner Leslye Headland, who is best known for co-creating Netflix’s Russian Doll.
All we know about The Acolyte so far is that it will be a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging Dark Side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. The project was originally revealed in December 2020. In Star Wars canon, Acolytes are usually the Jedi’s Padawan equivalent for Siths.
Maybe we’ll learn more this weekend during Disney’s D23 event.


Foundation Season 2 Teases An Epic Return This July

Apple TV+ has revealed the first teaser trailer for the second season of the science fiction series, Foundation. The first season originally aired back in 2021.
Based on the award-winning novels by Isaac Asimov, Foundation chronicles a band of exiles on their monumental journey to save humanity and rebuild civilization amid the fall of the Galactic Empire.
Foundation is led by Emmy-nominated actors Jared Harris and Lee Pace, alongside rising stars Lou Llobell and Leah Harvey. Also starring returning cast Laura Birn, Cassian Bilton and Terrence Mann, Season 2 of Foundation introduces new characters and stars, including Isabella Laughland (Brother Constant), Kulvinder Ghir (Poly Verisof), Ella-Rae Smith (Queen Sareth of Cloud Dominion), Holt McCallany (Warden Jaegger Fount), Rachel House (Tellem Bond), Nimrat Kaur (Yanna Seldon), Ben Daniels (Bel Riose), and Dimitri Leonidas (Hober Mallow).
The series is produced for Apple by Skydance Television and led by showrunner and executive producer David S. Goyer, with Alex Graves, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Bill Bost, Robin Asimov and Marcy Ross also serving as executive producers.
In other related news, there is also a Foundation VR game currently in development for PlayStation VR2.
Check out the trailer below:


This SOTN Alucard Twilight Statue Is No Miserable Little Pile Of Secrets

First 4 Figures announced its latest creation: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night’s very own bishounen protagonist Alucard.
It costs US$499.99, but holy hell does it look amazing! And heavily-detailed with the black cloak and the suit and the hair and the sword! And the size!

If your wallet does not mind taking a Holy Water hit, you can place your preorder on the site. It’ll only be active two days from now though, and the final product will only be shipped at Q1 2019 at the earliest. Hope you aren’t needing this bad boy in a hurry!


Razer Universal Gaming Controller For Android Will Arrive In Malaysia Later This Month

Razer has announced that the Razer Kishi Universal Gaming Controller for Android devices will be available to purchase at select retailers in Malaysia for the price of RM389 starting from 27 June 2020.
Earlier this year, the new mobile accessory (which is a successor to the Raiju) took home two Best of CES awards. An iOS version of the Razer Kishi Universal Gaming Controller is also slated to arrive sometime later this summer.

The Razer Kishi Universal Gaming Controller can fit snugly on a phone in landscape mode, which is reminiscent of the Nintendo Switch. This is due to its clickable analogue thumbstick (two analogue triggers), multiple face buttons (two bumper buttons), and an eight-way D-pad.
It connects with mobile devices via USB-C, supporting a wide range of Android smartphones and providing ultra-low latency gameplay. Players also don’t need to worry about battery because the Razer Kishi Universal Gaming Controller also supports pass-through smartphone charging.


Top 10 Pop Culture LEGO Sets: Star Wars, Marvel & More

Everyone likes LEGO, regardless of age or gender.
Old and young alike can be into LEGO, whether to play or to display (for collection purposes). This is especially so when that LEGO set is from your favourite IPs, such as Star Wars, Marvel, James Cameron’s Avatar, or anything else for that matter.
Almost anything popular can get its own LEGO set, so here are my picks for 10 of the best LEGO sets you can get. However, for the sake of this article, I’ll be choosing only those available officially in Malaysia via LEGO-certified stores like Box Of Bricks and Brick Magic.
76178 LEGO Marvel Spider-Man Daily Bugle (RM1,549.00)

This is the ultimate set for any Spider-Man fan. Why? Not only is it an authentic recreation of the iconic Daily Bugle from the comics, but it also comes with a whopping 25 mini-figures, including Doctor Octopus, Spider-Man, Venom, Miles Morales, Spider-Ham, Green Goblin, Peter Parker, Spider-Gwen, Mysterio, Sandman, Robbie Robertson and more. What more would you want as a LEGO and Spider-Man fan?
21336 LEGO Ideas The Office (RM599.00)

This is for fans of the popular sitcom, The Office. Imagine having a LEGO version of Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton office featuring 15 LEGO mini figures: Michael Scott, Dwight Schrute, Jim Halpert, Pam Beesly, Ryan Howard, Angela Martin, Oscar Martinez, Kevin Malone, Stanley Hudson, Kelly Kapoor, Phyllis Lapin Vance, Meredith Palmer, Creed Bratton, Toby Flenderson and Darryl Philbin, plus a LEGO figure of Angela’s cat Garbage. There are also lots of accessory elements referencing hilarious moments, including a stapler in gelatin, Golden Ticket, Dundie trophy and ‘World’s Best Boss’ mug. Who says LEGO sets are just for kids?
75579 LEGO Avatar Payakan the Tulkun & Crabsuit (RM449.90)

James Cameron’s Avatar The Way Of Water is one of the biggest movies since perhaps 2019’s Avengers Endgame and some of the fan-favourite elements/characters from the movie include Payakan the Tulkun. This LEGO set not only comes with a nice LEGO Payakan, but also one of those unique Crabsuits from the movie. The Crabsuit can even transform into a submarine mode. After watching the movie, who doesn’t want a Payakan of their own?
75325 LEGO Star Wars The Mandalorian’s N-1 Starfighter (RM299.90)

With The Mandalorian Season 3 coming up, the Razor Crest is out and the N-1 Starfighter is in. This is Din Djarin and Grogu’s main ship for now and it’s also great because it’s based on the Naboo Starfighters from Star War Episode I The Phantom Menace. Let’s show some love for the prequels.
75257 LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon (RM849.90)

Of course, one of the LEGO must-haves for a Star Wars fan has always been the LEGO Millennium Falcon. It’s arguably the most iconic ship in the franchise, and it’s still a sought-after LEGO set to this day, even with all the other newer Star Wars LEGO sets.
71374 LEGO Super Mario Nintendo Entertainment System (RM1,149.90)

If you grew up playing games on the NES or if you’re just a fan of retro gaming, this comes with a 1980s-style television displaying the classic Super Mario Bros. game, including a controller and an opening slot for the buildable Game Pak with a realistic locking function. It’s also unique even amongst LEGO sets, as it’s a LEGO version of a legendary game console. Until they make a LEGO PlayStation or Xbox, this one is great.
71411 LEGO Super Mario The Mighty Bowser (RM1,149.90)

There are a lot of Mario sets out there, but did you know that you can get a giant LEGO Bowser AKA the King of the Koopas? If you want, you can even get one of the smaller LEGO Mario sets first and put that tiny plumber alongside this monstrosity of a LEGO set. Bowser supremacy!
76155 LEGO Marvel The Eternals In Arishem’s Shadow (RM349.90)

Despite being perhaps one of the most divisive films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there were a few things that Eternals got right. One of those things was the depiction of the Celestials. When Arishem showed up in the movie, it really felt like staring at a cosmic space god. With the MCU going more cosmic in the future, a LEGO Arishem is definitely something you’d want.
21331 LEGO Ideas Sonic Mania (RM349.90)

We have a Mario on this list, so let’s give some love to SEGA as well. Sonic The Hedgehog has his own LEGO set, the Green Hill Zone. It comes with Dr. Eggman, Chaos Emeralds and Sonic’s iconic golden rings.
71043 LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle (RM1,999.90)

This is probably the ultimate LEGO set for Harry Potter fans. It’s a freaking LEGO version of Hogwarts Castle itself. It has a whopping 27 mini-figures and a bunch of other Wizarding World elements that fans of the franchise will love.


Haven’s Exploration & Love Story Makes Up For Its Simple Combat

Platforms: Xbox Series X | S, PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre: Survival Exploration Chillax Love Story, With Some RPG Combat Thrown In
I feel Haven’s survival RPG moniker is an exaggeration. True, your main characters Kay and Yu can level up their stats, and there’s a nifty partner combat system that runs in real-time. But it’s pretty simple to get the hang of; you have two different attacks, you can guard, and you can pacify enemies whose health has been depleted. Outside of a few “boss” encounters, you can stock up on healing tools and persevere through the challenges.
Some enemies can resist Blast damage instead of Impact, while others can only take max damage after pulling off a heavy attack. But there aren’t any other variations to make its nifty combat controls & system all the more engaging than it should be. Thankfully, Haven’s combat isn’t the focus here. The spotlight goes to its lovely alien planet arranged in a maze-like fashion, and its leads’ narrative.
If I Ain’t Got You…

Let’s delve into the latter. See, Kay and Yu are lovers who escaped from their respective societies and chose to be stranded onto an alien planet. It’s up to the two to survive and live on the planet’s resources while also not get eaten by the wildlife there.
Both Kay and Yu are a charming couple who joke with each other, argue over both serious and silly things, and show their affection (kissing, caressing, or making love off-camera) through lovely dialogue moments and voice acting. While some lines do come off as forced for the sake of moving the plot, the overall relaxed and endearing tone when the couple are just being themselves just feels genuine. You want to uncover every piece of interaction and dialogue not just to hear what they have to exchange, but also to level them up to deal more damage as well as take it more.
And its more touchy subjects like sex? That’s all handled very tastefully here; any semblance of nudity is either done off-screen, implied, or covered up artistically (especially with its alluring pastel-filled 2D intro). Despite its outerworldly setting, Haven’s message & writing highlights the pros and cons of a relationship that many couples, and even ex-couples, can relate to. Except for maybe the bit where you feed a marble cake to attract a giant alien manta ray to serve as your makeshift taxi cab.

Exploration-wise the pair of lovers glide and hover all across the planet to either gather resources (to either keep your appetite meter filled up or create healing aids) or clear out red rust that’s infecting the planet. To get rid of it, you need to charge your boots with “thread energy”, which you get by following thread lines from start to finish.
Some thread lines can get you atop platforms and hard-to-reach spots in the air. If you’re lost, you will eventually get a map that shows the general direction you need to go to. There’s also an overarching mission where you need to collect crystalized rust to repair your ship.
But really, Haven’s not a game you should rush to get to the end. Its lovely electronica soundtrack, its lush simple cel-shaded visuals, and its hovering controls all combine for an esoteric chillaxing ride. There’s even a lovely “beach holiday funtime” section you can completely miss out if you just beeline towards the story instead of taking your time.
Faithfully…
Which is why it’s a shame that the camera that tails you could have done a better job at orienting you, especially when you’re doing u-turns and drifting to stay on-course a thread you’re gliding on. It’s not the worst camera, but the default settings will need getting used to movement-wise.
Other than that, I can’t see any huge issues that plague Haven. It’s a solid indie title that does its job at being a survival exploration game with a great story on how love can transcend practicality no matter how society proves otherwise. Its combat could be a lot more engaging, but it’s serviceable and takes a backseat to its tale about a pair of lovers and the planet they’re stuck in.
Final Score: 70/100


Blizzard Partners With Renowned Designer For Overwatch League Streetwear Lineup

It’s been said time and time again that esports players don’t need to dress like traditional sports players. Jerseys are cool and all but the materials are made for more abrasive usage. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that companies are catching up with that opinion yet.

Blizzard has just announced a new lineup of streetwear jerseys designed by the legendary Jeff Staple for the Overwatch League (OWL). For those of you who’ve never heard of him, Staple is the founder of Staple Design. It’s a studio that has collaborated with a boatload of brands including Adidas, Nike, Pepsi, and even PlayStation.
Dubbed the OWL X STAPLE collection, it includes short-sleeve jerseys, long-sleeve jerseys, jackets, compression sleeves, hats, and beanies for each of the 20 OWL teams. Fans can pre-order the products starting from 28 January 2020 on the OWL merchandise website.

“I have been observing esports for years and am a huge fan of what Overwatch League has been able to accomplish, so when they asked me to design their new kits, I was stoked.”
– Jeff Staple
The collection will be officially out on 8 February 2020. Perfect timing since OWL 2020 begins this February. Do note that each team will have their own unique home and away kit which has been designed for OWL 2020.

As someone who’s not that big on esports merch, I’ll admit that these jerseys actually look really appealing. I honestly wouldn’t mind wearing one of them in public while doing my day-to-day activities. Despite that, I’m still not a big enough fan to fork out cash for them.
I’m sure OWL fans will definitely want to get their hands on these jerseys. Not just to look good but to show their support when they attend the matches that their favourite team is playing.


SEA Games 2019 Esports Live Update: Day 4 Results

The time has come, folks. We’re now on Day 4 of the SEA Games 2019 Esports event and that means it’s time to start the playoffs for DOTA 2, Arena of Valor, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. We’re pretty sure you’re just as excited as we are to find out who brings home the gold medals for these games.
These are your Day 4 results:
DOTA 2
Upper Bracket Final
Vietnam vs. Philippines (0 – 2)
Lower Bracket Semifinals
Laos vs. Thailand (0 – 2)
Lower Bracket Final
Vietnam vs. Thailand (1-2)
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
Lower Bracket Final
Philippines vs. Malaysia (2 – 0)
Arena of Valor
Lower Bracket Semifinals
Indonesia vs. Thailand (2 – 1)

Upper Bracket Final
Vietnam vs. Malaysia (2-1)
Malaysia gets 4th place for Arena of Valor, while the country got 5th place in Dota 2. Commendable job.

Cover image from AFP.


George Perez Retires: 6 Reasons Why He’s A Comic Book Legend

Comic book legend George Perez has officially announced his retirement after a whopping 46 years in the comics industry. In a published open letter, he cites his deteriorating health as the main reason for his retirement, with 2019 set to be his final year making formal appearances at conventions.
Here’s the final excerpt from his open letter:

“Long story short, I will be just fine. Iâ€™ve had a wonderfully good run doing exactly what I have wanted to do since I was a child. Now I can sit back and watch the stuff I helped create entertain whole new generations.
Thatâ€™s a pretty nice legacy to look back on. And so much of that is thanks to all of you, the GREATEST fans in the world. I am humbled and forever grateful.”

What made George Perez such a legend in the comics industry?
1. Almost 50 Years In The Comics Industry
Five decades worth of experience in the comics industry has made George Perez a legend rivalling that of few others. Though he’s been both a writer and artist, he is best known for his phenomenal and iconic illustrations.
2. Legendary and Timeless Artwork
Perez did most of his best work during the 1980s, which is when he pencilled and drew for several comics now regarded as timeless must-read classics. His crisp and clear artwork even when drawing hundreds of characters on the page has made his art revered as some of the best in the history of comics.
3. The New Teen Titans

Perez really started making a name for himself and marking himself in the annals of comic book history with The New Teen Titans in 1980. Along with writer Marv Wolfman, the New Teen Titans were DC’s answer to what was one of the most popular comics at the time; John Byrne and Chris Claremont’s X-Men.
The New Teen Titans remain one of the most iconic incarnations of the team roster to this day. It included Robin, Wonder Girl, and Kid Flash, as well as introduced Beast Boy, Cyborg, Starfire, and Raven. Recognize them? The popular Teen Titan animated series that ran on Cartoon Network from 2003 to 2006 was actually based on Wolfman and Perez’s run.
4. Crisis On Infinite Earths

1985’s Crisis on Infinite Earths is undisputable in its rightful place as the very first comic book crossover event of its kind, earning it a legendary status in comic book history that can never be toppled. Part of what made Crisis On Infinite Earths worthy of its epic story by Marv Wolfman was Perez’s artwork.
If anyone were to ask me what was George Perez’s finest work, the answer would be none other than Crisis On Infinite Earths. It was groundbreaking in its sheer epicness, with splash pages filled with hundreds of heroes in a desperate battle against the impossibly-massive universe-eating Anti-Monitor.
George Perez, folks, Nuff said.
5. Wonder Woman

After The New Teen Titans and Crisis on Infinite Earths, George Perez went on to draw Superman, on which he began to co-write several issues. His biggest writing contribution would later be on Wonder Woman, celebrating the character’s 50th anniversary in 1991 with the War of the Gods storyline and mini-series.
Though it became one of his finest works alongside The New Teen Titans and Crisis on Infinite Earths, problems popped up while working with his editors and the company as a whole caused him to leave DC Comics for a while. Due to this, he then went to work at Marvel.

6. Infinity Gauntlet and JLA/Avengers

According to Diamond Distributors, Infinity Gauntlet was 2018’s best-selling graphic novel/comic book collection. It was boosted by the success of Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War, which adapted elements from the iconic comic book crossover event.
The first four issues of 1991’s Infinity Gauntlet was drawn by George Perez, with Ron Lim replacing him for the final two issues. Perez’s art in Infinity Gauntlet was reminiscent of Crisis on Infinite Earths, as it shared a similar universe-ending scale of epic proportions.
Years later in 2003, Perez would be the artist for the JLA/Avengers or Avengers/JLA comic book crossover. That mini-series remains the last ever official crossover between Marvel and DC as of 2019. Where else can you see Superman wielding both Captain America’s shield and Thor’s Mjolnir? Only the great George Perez could have made that page so epic.

So, there you have it, true believers. Those are just several reasons why George Perez is a comic book legend, and we’ve listed some of his best works over the years too. While his official retirement is a blow to both the comic industry and comic book fans, we will always remember George Perez as the legend he is.


Spider-Man No Way Home Swings Past One Billion Worldwide

Spider-Man No Way Home has become the first movie since 2019’s Star Wars Episode IX The Rise Of Skywalker (and the 49th movie in history) to have surpassed a whopping US$1 billion at the worldwide box office. According to Deadline, the latest Marvel Studios film has managed to garner US$1.05 billion to date.
It’s also the third-fastest movie to surpass US$1 billion in only 12 days, tied with 2015’s Star Wars Episode VII The Force Awakens. Meanwhile, in Malaysia, the movie managed to grab a big chunk of the Malaysian box office on its first day (16 December 2021) with RM4.1 Million, the highest collection in a single trading day since March 2020. In just under two days, an estimated half a million Malaysians flocked to catchÂ Spider-Man No Way HomeÂ in cinemas.
If youâ€™re looking for a non-spoiler review, you canÂ head on over here. If youâ€™ve watched the movie or donâ€™t mind spoilers, check outÂ myÂ Spider-Man No Way HomeÂ breakdown and post-credits explanation article here.


COD: Vanguard Multiplayer Free Access Starts Today

Remember the golden age of Call of Duty and modern combat pew pew-ing? Want to re-experience it? Well Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Multiplayer will be free-to-play from 18 May through 24 May.
That’s right ladies and gentlemen, Call of Duty: Vanguard will have free access this week from 18 May at 9:00 am (PST), that’s 19 May at midnight (GMT+8) for our fellow Southeast Asians, and will go on through to 24 May.
You’ll have full access to all maps and modes, including the new Mayhem Multiplayer map, Arms Race, Ship Haus, and more.

IMAGINE GODZILLA VS. KONG BUT WITH GUNS… AND NO COSTUMES…
Mayhem’s the new multiplayer map that’s inspired by the early King Kong and Godzilla movies.
Despite the map’s tiny layout, you’ll feel gargantuan as you battle through a small-scale replica of a metropolis.
Fight among the skyscrapers in the centre of the map, surrounded by an outer path where you can traverse an ocean or move off-set.
The official Call of Duty site has a rundown of the map and the best ways to play it so feel free to check it out.

BIG BATTLES ARE BACK
For those unfamiliar, Arms Race is a large-map objective mode first introduced in Season Two. The goal is to capture all the bases.
Players respawn at captured bases with access to buy stations where they’ll have access to armaments and abilities to assist in upping the ante.
You earn cash by capturing objectives or eliminating enemy players to purchase weapons, equipment, killstreaks, field upgrades or custom loadouts.
Vehicles are scattered throughout the map to help you move from base to base as you lay siege on the opposing team. The team that best coordinates their efforts between offence and defence will often win.

THE NOSTALGIA
Classics such as Dome and Castle made their return with the release of Vanguard, experience the nostalgia of World at War as these fan favourite maps have been coated with modern graphics and see the new generation of CoD kids get tilted as returning players of the franchise reign terror across the server.
With free access, you’ll also be able to play on maps such as Radar and Shipment. If you’re looking for faster-paced gameplay then enter playlists like Ship Haus, which features constant battle, or set your own parameters using the Quick Play filter.
Vanguard Multiplayer Free Access begins on May 18 and ends on May 24.


Hailee Steinfeld Rocks Full Kate Bishop Costume In BTS Photos

Hailee Steinfeld was confirmed to be playing the role of Kate Bishop, protÃ©gÃ© of Clint Barton AKA Hawkeye, earlier this month when photos of them on set filming Disney Plus’ Hawkeye series popped up online.
As you can see, the costume sported by Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop looks comics-accurate, with the same purple colour scheme. However, it noticeably doesn’t feature the holes on the hips that the comic book version is infamous for.
Still, it looks pretty decent, and just like other Marvel Cinematic Universe versions of comic book costumes, seems to be designed more on practicality rather than simply accuracy.
Check them out below, courtesy of Twitter user @CreamOrScream and Getty Images:

In case you missed it, Disney Plus’ Hawkeye series also added several cast members, including Black Widow’s Yelena Bolova as played by Florence Pugh.
HawkeyeÂ is set to premiere sometime in fall 2021 on Disney Plus. To get ready for the upcoming series, you should probably read Matt Fraction and David Ajaâ€™s whole 2012 to 2015 run, whichÂ you can check out here.
(Image Credits: Getty Images)


Hobbs & Shaw Adds Superhero Vibe To Tired Fast & Furious Formula

No one would ever have predicted that the Fast And Furious franchise would grow into a whopping eight movies and a spinoff, but here we are. Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw is the series’ first foray into expanding the Fast & Furious Cinematic Universe (not the official name). It’s an entertaining effort, to say the least.
Hero Time

Hobbs & Shaw is pure mindless balls-to-the-walls action from beginning to end. It shamelessly derives its action beats from superhero movies. How do you make the movie thrilling and suspenseful when your two main protagonists (Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s Hobbs and Jason Statham’s Shaw) can perform near-superhuman feats with no effort?
By including an actual super soldier Ã  la Captain America (Idris Elba’s Brixton) and an apocalyptic tech cult/ organization named Eteon, not unlike Marvel’s A.I.M or G.I. Joes’ Cobra. Heck, the leader of this organization is a mysterious unseen villain, one with an ominous and unsettling disembodied voice (go figure).

In order to provide just a lick of urgency, the filmmakers had to resort to outrageous and outlandish premises. Hobbs & Shaw riffs off familiar comic-book elements and settings for its plot, with a deadly virus threatening to annihilate humanity. So it’s up the dynamic duo to save the world despite their conflicts and differences.

Plus, the fact that Shaw is now portrayed as more of a hero than the violent anti-hero/ex-villain he was might be too abrupt and sudden. Perhaps the filmmakers hoped that audiences would already have forgotten that Shaw straight-up murdered people in previous movies (Han in Fast & Furious 6, etc).

The movie tries to sell Shaw’s ongoing path of redemption by introducing viewers to his sister, Hattie (Vanessa Kirby). She delivers a serviceable performance, kicking some ass of her own, but ultimately doesn’t do much to rein in the testosterone overload.

But who cares about plot and worldbuilding in Fast & Furious movies, right? This movie screams unadulterated popcorn flick, and it knows that. Expecting anything more would be nonsensical, just like the movie itself. If you can accept that, you’ll enjoy this movie for what it is.

Hobbs & Shaw would have been better off as a subtler buddy cop movie, instead of the explosive action superhero movie it turned out to be. This is evident in the many scenes that both Hobbs and Shaw banter with each other, which personally are some of the funniest scenes in the movie.
They trade insults, pull out witty comebacks, and pull pranks on each other. That sounds an ideal setup for a buddy cop movie, besides the fact that they’re actually just two brawny dudes with a penchant for punching, shooting and driving fast vehicles.
Fast Cars And Pop Culture Overload

Speaking of fast vehicles, fans of the franchise need not worry; there are still several car chase setpieces to look forward. Unfortunately, they look less like the realistic kinetic action of the Mission Impossible movies, and more like the dumb bits from the Michael Bay-directed Transformers movies.
What I mean by that is the car stunts blatantly use CGI, as they are often used to perform crazy acts that defy the known laws of physics (which probably doesn’t exist in the FFCU). The antagonist even rides a shapeshifting bike, which even emits sound effects like a freaking Transformer.
These are probably deliberate easter eggs that were meant to be fun callbacks to other movies. Sure, it’s amusing to hear my thoughts being spoken aloud by Hobbs when he described Brixton as a Terminator. It rings true, due to the similar visual scanning interface as seen from the perspective of Brixton’s eyes.

Catching each pop culture reference in Hobbs & Shaw is fun, but ultimately distracting. Do we really need more than one Game Of Thrones reference in the same movie? The writers clearly need to practice some measure of self-control, this isn’t a parody (though it sometimes feels like it).
However, I do appreciate the various cameos that popped up throughout Hobbs & Shaw. I won’t spoil who the actors are, but they’re pleasant and welcome additions in a movie like this. They’re clearly included as potential candidates for future sequels, but in the brief amount of time that they appeared, I definitely wanted to see more of them.
The filmmakers must have brokered a deal with the tourism folks from Samoa because the movie takes a hilarious but equally fun left turn when the climax takes place in the island nation. The script and picturesque shots feel like the movie is trying to help the island’s tourism board, but it does add a certain diversity.
Fun But Mindless

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw is best for existing fans of the franchise, and those looking to spend their free time with some fun but mindless entertainment. If you’re the sort of person who tends to nitpick details or someone who actually cares about the plot, it’s best to avoid this movie.
FINAL RATING: 50/100
We received a special preview screening courtesy of United International Pictures. Fast & Furious Presents Hobbs & Shaw premieres in Malaysian cinemas today.


RSG MY Are Your Mobile Legends MPL MY Season 7 Playoffs Champions

The winner of the Mobile Legends MPL Malaysia Playoffs Season 7 has been decided after a 3-day tournament spree starting 28th May: Resurgence MY (RSG MY).
The Malaysian team consisting of players Rush, Leixia, Kaizer, Zaraki, Logan, Lolealz, Syno, Izanami, and Zacus scored their very first MPL MY victory against Todak. The team won a respectable 4-2 in a best-of-seven series against all odds and a number of failures in past Mobile Legends seasons. The fact that RSG MY was in the winners bracket for the entire three-day tournament with good wins did help secure their placement.
Todak was leading 2-0 before Resurgence MY made the right picks and plays to catch up and beat them at their own game.

Here are the team rankings for the tournament.

RSG MY
Todak
Suhaz Evos
Red
Orange Esports
Geek Fam
Team SMG
Homebois

RSG MY will be representing Malaysia in the upcoming Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Cup (or MSC 2021) tournament for Southeast Asian mobile MOBA glory. Check out the entire match starting from 5:15:00 on the video below:


DNF Duel Open Beta Test Announced; New Trailer Showcases Hitman

Arcy System Works & Neople has revealed the dates and times of the upcoming open beta test of its upcoming fighting game DNF Duel.Â
Based on the Dungeon Fighter Online action RPG universe, the fighting game pits multiple classes from the title in 1v1 fights. The open beta dates are from 18th December 10am to 20th December 10pm GMT+8 and will be for PS4 and PS5.
In the meantime, here’s the trailer featuring a new addition to the DNF Duel roster: the Hitman.


Halo Infinite Bids Farewell To It’s Multiplayer Creative Director Tom French

Friday, 2 December last day of Halo Infinite’s multiplayer creative director Tom French’s stint with the company after working on Halo for over 11 and a half years.
French announced his departure on Twitter stating “It’s been a massive honor to have been part of a game I loved so much as a player and admired so much as a developer. I couldn’t be more proud of my time at 343,”

After over 11 1/2 years on Halo, I step out of my Spartan armor for the last time today to head off to new adventures. It's been a massive honor to have been part of a game I loved so much as a player and admired so much as a developer. I couldn't be more proud of my time at 343. pic.twitter.com/2CBD7kOPIj
— Tom French (@pardontomfrench) December 2, 2022

During his time with 343 Industries, French was a mission designer, worked on Halo’s Forge features, and departed as the Multiplayer Creative Director on Halo Infinite. It is currently unknown what French plans to do going forward as he did not mention in his tweet what his plans are or even if he will stay in game development.
This announcement marks the third departure in a series of very public personnel changes at 343 Industries beginning with Studio head and founder Bonnie Ross leaving the company in September to attend to a family medical issue, followed shortly after by David Berger, a developer on Halo Infinite’s Slipspace Engine.


Microsoft Flight Simulator: VR Is A High Priority

It takes a long-awaited follow-up to a 1997 shooter for people to jump on-board the VR train. But did you know that there’s another company that’s going full-on with the idea that will also fit very well with its game?
If you answered “Microsoft” and “Microsoft Flight Simulator“, you’ve won yourself a bunch of gold stars. According to its lead producer Jorg Neumann, he said that VR was implemented as soon as people thought it would be automatically added in after the E3 2019 reveal. This made Microsoft and Asobo Studio put VR as a “very high” priority feature according to a Der Standard interview (via PC Gamer).

“Asobo and I have years of experience with VR. We know what a lazy and a good implementation look like. We want to bring a good solution, for example by cutting off the cockpit from the rest of the world. Then you can move freely in it, and the world in the background does not start to shimmer. We have started with VR, but we want to do it right.”

The team will also add more details and real-life stuff into Microsoft Flight Simulator, including but not limited to:

Trains.
Ships.
Animals. Lots of them.
Seasons and weather, like winter and snow.

If you’re interested in flying across the blue yonder, the next alpha will be happening this month. Head here to sign up after you created a Microsoft account.


Playing The Balan Wonderworld Demo Can Unlock Bonus Costumes

The Balan Wonderworld demo is out now. You can check out the links to each respective platform store below. However, the Steam version will only launch on 29 January 2021.

PS4: PlayStation Store
PS5: PlayStation Store
Xbox Series X/S: Microsoft Store
PC: Steam

The demo features three of twelve magical worlds and also supports local two-player co-op that can be enjoyed with friends and family by plugging-in and pressing any button on a second controller. Players can battle Negati, play Balanâ€™s Bout mini-games and collect Balan Statues together as Leo and Emma, combining abilities from different costumes to explore each wonderous world and access new paths that are unavailable in solo play.
By downloading and playing the Balan Wonderworld demo, you can unlock platform-specific bonus costumes, including the following:
â€˜Blue Launcherâ€™ PS5/S4 Edition Demo Play Bonus

The Blue Launcher costume shoots blue bullets studded with Circle and Cross symbols to the front when standing still, which can defeat enemies or destroy blocks.

â€˜Star Launcherâ€™ Nintendo Switch Edition Demo Play Bonus

The Star Launcher costume shoots sparkling star bullets to the front when standing still, which can defeat enemies or destroy blocks.
â€˜X Launcherâ€™ Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One Edition Demo Play Bonus

The X Launcher costume shoots green, glowing X-shaped bullets to the front when standing still, which can defeat enemies or destroy blocks.
â€˜Steam Launcherâ€™ Steam Edition Demo Play Bonus

The Steam Launcher costume shoots three linked valve-shaped bullets to the front when standing still, which can defeat enemies or destroy blocks.
It is slated toÂ release for the PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on 26 March 2021. In the meantime, you can head on over here for our preview of the game here, or check out our gameplay footage of the demo below:


Hot Toys’ New Black Panther Action Figure Was Probably Made in Wakanda

Hot Toys yesterday revealed what is probably the coolest, most technologically advanced 1/6th action figure to date since Hulkbuster with the unveiling of the Black Panther 1/6th scale action figure from the upcoming movie of the same name. If you seen the trailers, you’d notice King T’Challa’s got a new Black Panther suit which glows purple at times. Without revealing too much about the movie, it’s a new tech for his Black Panther suit which would even impress the likes of Tony Stark, and was designed by T’Challa’s sister, Shuri – and guess what?Â  The action figure comes with the same effects as well!

Watch this short clip to find out how #HotToys takes the warrior kingâ€™s Panther Habit suit to the next level! Catch a first glimpse of this very first collectible figure by Hot Toys with extraordinary luminous reflective element on 1:6 scale Black Panther collectible figure! pic.twitter.com/ua1Wi5nQvl
â€” Hot Toys (@hottoysofficial) February 10, 2018
For more close-ups of the figure, check out the slideshow below:

Now that’s one action figure fitting for a royalty.
Expect it to stand around 12-inch tall and come with the usual bells and whistles that accompany all Hot Toys action figures; extra and exchangeable hands and head (awesome Chadwick Boseman head sculpt!), tons of articulation and of course, movie-accurate detail. Although, one cool feature we noticed is the removable covers around the eyes allowing you to replicate several scenes from the movie. You should be able to pre-order this action figure from high-end collectible and toy stores near you and we’d estimate its retail price to hover around the US$230 or MYR900 range.
Marvel’s Black Panther is set to hit cinemas locally come Feb 14th 2018. We saw it last week and we have it reviewed here.


Scream Character Posters Teases: Who Is Ghostface?

United International Pictures Malaysia has unveiled 12 new character posters for the upcoming Scream, the fifth entry in the long-running horror franchise first created by the legendary Wes Craven. Any one or more of these characters could potentially be the latest version of Ghostface, the franchise’s iconic killer.
Check them out below:

				Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers.

				David Arquette as Dewey Riley.

				Dylan Minnette as Wes Hicks.

				Jenna Ortega as Tara Carpenter.

				Jack Quaid as Richie Kirsch.

				Jasmin Savoy Brown as Mindy Meeks-Martin.

				Melissa Barrera as Sam Carpenter.

				Mason Gooding as Chad Meeks-Martin.

				Mikey Madison as Amber Freeman.

				Marley Shelton as Judy Hicks.

				Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott.

				Sonia Ben Ammar as Liv McKenzie.

The synopsis reads:
Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the townâ€™s deadly past.
Neve Campbell (â€œSidney Prescottâ€), Courteney Cox (â€œGale Weathersâ€) and David Arquette (â€œDewey Rileyâ€) return to their iconic roles in Scream alongside Melissa Barrera, Kyle Gallner, Mason Gooding, Mikey Madison, Dylan Minnette, Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid, Marley Shelton, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Sonia Ammar.
Scream is slated to premiere on 20 January 2022. The last instalment was 2011â€™s Scream 4, which was the last to be directed by Scream creator Wes Craven himself before he passed away in 2015.


Get Some Speed With This Sonic The Hedgehog Bundle

If your life needed more blue hedgehog and 2D platforming, then you should check out the latest Humble Bundle.
Creatively called the Humble Sonic Bundle 2019, this collection features a lot of Sonic games like:

Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic 3 and Knuckles
Sonic CD
Sonic the Hedgehog 4- Episode 1
Sonic Adventure DX

All for the low, low price of US$1. If you pay more, you’ll get Sonic Generations (plus the Casino Night DLC), Sonic Lost World, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 – Episode 2, and Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. For US$10, you can also top your Sonic bundle with Sonic Mania, the Sonic Mania Encore DLC, and Sonic Forces.
This bundle will be available until 17th December; all funds will go to support the Whale and Dolphin Conservation. The charity selection is up to you, really.
Also, if you need more Sonic in your life, check out the movie trailer below…


The King of Fighters XV Is Confirmed For PlayStation, Xbox, & PC

SNK and Koch Media will be partnering up to release the former’s sequel fighting game The King of Fighters XV on a global scale.
The game will be out for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, and PC (Steam and Epic Games) in Q1 2022. Just like past entries, the fighting game pits fighters in a 3v3 match featuring characters from Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, and other SNK properties.
The current roster includes:

Shun’ei, Meitenkun, Benimaru
Iori Yagami, Kyo Kusanagi, Chizuru Kagura
Terry Bogard, Andy, Joe Higashi
Yashiro, Chris, Shermie
Leona, Clark, Ralf
Blue Mary, Luong, Vanessa
Mai Shiranui, Yuri Sakazaki
Ryo, Robert, King
K’


Star Wars Battlefront 2 Will Be Free On Epic Games Store Next Week

The Epic Games Store is giving away two sci-fi themed games this week and the next for free.
Crying Suns (From now until 15 January at 12am GMT+8)

Crying Suns is a tactical rogue-lite that puts you in the role of a space fleet commander as you explore a mysteriously fallen empire.
In this story-rich experience, each successful run will uncover the truth about the EmpirE and yourself as well.
If you’re a fan of sci-fi such as Dune and Foundation, you should definitely check out this game.

Star Wars Battlefront II Celebration Edition (From 15 January to 22 January 2021)

This is definitely a surprising offer. EA doesn’t always just offer their games for free, and especially not a major AAA title like Star Wars Battlefront 2 Celebration Edition.
The game may not have been great when it initially launched in 2017, but after all the content updates and changes to how the microtransactions work, it’s currently a much better game.


Malaysian Game Bake ‘n Switch Is Getting A PS4 Version

We covered Streamline Games’ upcoming game Bake ‘n Switch last year during Level Up KL 2019, calling it one of the most promising local games currently in development. At the time, it was only confirmed for PC (via Steam) and Nintendo Switch. Now the Malaysia-based studio has announced that the game is also coming to the PS4.
For those unfamiliar, Bake â€˜n Switch is a party brawler that features co-op and player-versus-player party action for up to four players with online multiplayer capabilities. Players assume the role of a Baker who must punch, merge and bake adorable Bun creatures by throwing them into ovens in colourful levels to appease the Guardians.

The bigger the Bun, the higher the points. It’s hectic and good multiplayer fun, similar to what you’d expect from games like Overcooked. According to Streamline Games Chief Community Baker Layla Amir (via PlayStation Blog), Bake â€˜n Switch will launch with two Worlds, six Bakers, seven Buns, two Bosses, as well as an abundance of unlockable abilities, levels, and costumes.
However, Streamline Games has yet to announce a release date for the PS4 version of Bake â€˜n Switch, but the Nintendo Switch and PC versions are slated to arrive sometime in summer 2020.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf04gZpqPb0&w=560&h=315]