Phantomly Phenomenal: A Ghost Trick Phantom Detective Review

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS5, PS4
Genre: Adventure game where you play a ghost
If you have never heard of Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, it is a game that was released for the Nintendo DS in Japan way back in 2010. Yes, you heard right, Nintendo DS. Capcom has recently released a remastered version of it on modern platforms. The script was written by Shu Takumi, best known as the creator of the Ace Attorney series.
The series is a mystery adventure visual novel game. I’ve personally never played any of them, and I had never even heard of Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective before being given the game to review. so I went into this knowing nothing except that people who have played it say that it’s amazing.
And it is. Even in 2023, there isn’t quite a tale or adventure like this Capcom gem that deserves a remastered re-release.
Scare Tactics

You start off confused not knowing what is happening. No, really. Not just you, but the character you play as well. A good looking blonde man named Sissel. Oh, and you’re dead. A red haired woman is held at gunpoint by a mysterious man and you’re forced to watch as she dies. How tragic honestly. But hey, you’re a ghost with tricks up your sleeves and you can apparently manipulate objects in the ghost world. You eventually learn that you can even turn back time to also change the fate of people caught in this weird mystery web. The downside? You only last until the next sunrise to solve your own murder, figure out what exactly is happening and along the way try to stop others from following his tragic fate.
What really struck me as interesting about the game is that although it revolves around ‘death’, the world is portrayed in such a colourful way. The art style is absolutely stunning. It has a lovable cast of characters with a great sense of humour that will make you laugh out loud. The narrative of the game is definitely where the game truly shines. I’ve never been a fan of visual novels or point-and-click games, but I actually sat through and played Ghost Trick rather addictively. The entire game is weird and silly and I love that.

The game revolves around Sissel being able to possess objects with ‘special cores’. So he can’t actually fly around like other ghosts. His movement is also limited and he can only possess certain objects within a few feet away. To go from one location to another, you’ll need to think smart and learn different travel paths to get around to your objective. You are then able to manipulate some of these objects that you’ve possessed, but it’s only limited to one action. For example, you could possess a folded umbrella to extend, and by doing so, it could open up new pathways for you to travel through. The puzzles never get too hard, but they do keep you on your toes.
You use these ghost tricks to try and prevent certain deaths while trying to figure out what the heck is happening. Sissel can go back 4 minutes in time when a character has died, and try to prevent their deaths by creating distractions or full-on getting rid of pesky bad gunmen. Having the time limit makes the game more engaging and exciting as you learn new things and new pathways as you go through a puzzle. Some of them even require you to restart and do them multiple times. But that’s why I like it so much: it’s forgiving.
Spooktacular

All in all, it’s been over a decade since the original was released and here’s my two cents. I’ve never played the original although I did look up gameplay on it, and the HD graphics definitely add more flair to the game. I personally feel that the remastered version gives the characters a whole lot more personality, which makes you adore them even more. Plus you’ve got Missile, the goodest boy on the planet.
The game doesn’t have too much to offer other than that when compared to its original. The remastered version offers some new rearranged music and retained some of the old ones and it is catchy. Otherwise, it’s the same game you loved years back.
Ghost Trick: Detective Phantom is one of those rare gems that shows you standalone games can exist, and you don’t need follow-ups. It’s rewarding. It’s fun. And they’ve got a cute darn pomeranian trying to protect its owner with its life. What’s not to like about it?

Final Score: 80/100


Celebrating Video Games’ “Best” Socialites

There are just days where you just want to punch a rich snob in the face. Video games offer plenty of these archetypes. Just like Nazis and zombies, the rich bastards and bitches are perfect cannon fodder and also a great go-to villain for your possibly anti-authority action or RPG title.
To “celebrate” the recent addition to Astro Awani’s quality-tier socialite-focused TV show The House…
https://twitter.com/501Awani/status/1318838096620736513
…oh, the comments on this Twitter post are truly the best..*ahem..we shall talk about the most infamous socialites in video game history.Â Just some ground rules:

We’re selecting a special breed of rich socialites who aren’t philanthropists. So no Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark here, because they actually contribute to their respective societies.
They don’t necessarily have to be major villains. Heck, some socialites are good guys. But they have to be the gaming equivalent of your Kardashians and Paris Hiltons.

With that, let’s begin:
Lady Aurelia Hammerlock (Borderlands 3)

The Baroness of Ice was actually useful at one point in the Borderlands series, serving as a playable Vault Hunter in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. But her backstory and socialite “rich bitch” status is peerless. She takes up the hobby of hunting dangerous creatures and making them extinct much to the chagrin of her brother Sir Hammerlock.
The Borderlands 3 writers, unaware of the goldmine of fleshing out Aurelia as nothing more than a cold-blooded rich bitch, just typecasted her as another boss for our BL3 Vault Hunters to axe off in a story bit. Not only does she chastises players over how super-rich she is, she also likes doing the nasty with youngbloods like Troy Calypso. Pretty stereotypical casting, but what’s done is done.
Lady Waverly Boyle (Dishonored)

A rich socialite who hosts annual lavish parties in her inherited ancestral home amidst the plague and calamity that’s happening in the city of Dunwall. Yeap, that’s about as tone-deaf as you can get in Dishonored.
Luckily, you have the pleasure of either assassinating her (or her sisters Esma and Lydia depending on the game’s RNG), or drug her and have her be whisked away by a lover named Lord Brisby.
Lady Smith & All The Other Socialites Aboard Rapture (Bioshock Series)

Yes, Andrew Ryan’s vision of creating an underwater city away from the government is a noble failure indeed. Too bad it was populated by rich elite cunts who just waste away enjoying life while using ADAM for personal gain. Folks like Lady Smith, the kind who are elitists, prejudiced, and shallow, are monsters then and are monsters when you fight them in their Splicer form.
Dudley (Street Fighter Series)

He pronounces unworthy fighters as gutter trash, he drinks tea and socializes with the rich, and only participates in fights because it involves his inherited antique Jaguar sports car. Hell, his actual occupation is professional boxing and socialite.
He’s the person you would bump into at Jho Low-organized parties. The only difference between him and the other socialites in said parties? He will punch your face in repeatedly in style if you badmouth him.
Queen Brahne Raza Aelxandros XVI (Final Fantasy IX)

The Final Fantasy series has its history of rich assholes and bitches, but Queen Brahne takes the cake. Ever since her husband passed away, she’s been running her kingdom of Alexandria to the ground, mostly thanks to letting the mysterious Kuja and her jesters-slash-mages Zorn and Thorn to run the show. Cruel and bitter, she rules the country with an iron fist, puts her daughter Garnet at risk over absolute power, and hosts lavish birthday parties. She’s basically a puppet ruler and a socialite all in one; perfect for our FFIX heroes to oust from the story.
Know of any rich socialites in video games that contribute little to their respective societies? Let us know on Kakuchopurei. We leave you with the trademark laugh of a rich bitch.


Disney Plus Exclusive WandaVision Is Now Releasing This Year

One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s planned Disney Plus exclusives series will be released earlier than expected. WandaVision was originally slated to premiere sometime in 2021, but will now be debuting sometime in 2020 instead.
This means that WandaVision will be joining The Falcon And The Winter Soldier as two exclusive Disney Plus MCU series to release in 2020.
WandaVision will star Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch and Vision, respectively, while Teyonah Parris will be playing the adult version of Monica Rambeau (who was first introduced as a child in 2019â€™s Captain Marvel).
We still have no clue as to how the Vision will be brought back to life or just in flashbacks, but this Disney Plus series is confirmed to take place post-Avengers Endgame. Wanda will be dealing with the loss of her partner, and that may mean a House of M event on the horizon.
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The Umbrella Academy Season 2 Is Good Fun But Losing Its Spark

The first season of The Umbrella Academy was refreshing and unique in a sea of comic book adaptations, successfully translating some of the zaniness and sheer insanity of Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba’s comics of the same name. A little more than one year later, the second season has arrived, but does it live up to the first season?
Having read the comics, I had rather mixed feelings about The Umbrella Academy Season 2 after watching all 10 episodes. In fact, some of what I mentioned in my predictions for Season 2 of the series last year actually came true, but let me explain why this new season of the series feels underwhelming.
Stuck In The Groovy 60s

The Umbrella Academy Season 2 manages to maintain its bonkers tone of misfits in a dysfunctional family trying their best to, well, be a family. However, that’s not easy to do when your father is a cold bastard who raised you for the sole purpose of stopping the apocalypse. In the first season, we saw how the family tried to cope with the death of their father and the return of an old family member, but things didn’t go so well.
Suffice it to say, the Hargreeves siblings are now stuck in the early 60s, just around the time of the Civil Rights Movement and near the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy. To make things more complicated, the siblings find themselves separated from each other, dropping in the same place but at different times from 1960 to 1963.
Some of the siblings were forced to move on and make their own lives in the 60s, as Five (Aidan Gallagher) discovers that their disruption of the timeline is causing another impending apocalypse. Now it’s up to Five to assemble his siblings and once again attempt to cancel the apocalypse yet again.

Instead of the first season’s contemporary modern setting, The Umbrella Academy Season 2 should more aptly be described as a historical period piece of sorts, as it takes places almost entirely in the 60s. Thanks to this, showrunner Steve Blackman is able to depict the dark side of the era; namely the rampant racism and homophobia in the US back then.

I can’t reveal much about the plot and circumstances of each Hargreeves family member in the 60s, but this season does show some of them struggling with the aforementioned racism and homophobia.
What’s even more bizarre is how these themes in The Umbrella Academy Season 2 makes the show uncannily timely, especially in light of what’s been happening in the real world with the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement and the struggle against police brutality.

The Umbrella Academy Season 2 isn’t afraid to touch on these themes, but this is still The Umbrella Academy we’re talking about, so they’re not really the focus of the season as a whole. Actually, that sort of encapsulates what The Umbrella Academy Season 2, which feels like a hot mess as it veers further and further away from the comics.

Diverging from the source material doesn’t necessarily mean that the adaptation won’t be good, but in The Umbrella Academy Season 2, they’re definitely not for the better. I mean, with Gerard Way taking cues from the bizarro king Grant Morrison, the comics don’t make much sense sometimes, but the main plot is still great.
I can’t really say the same about the narrative in The Umbrella Academy Season 2. It’s all over the place, and even then, the weirdest thing about it all is that it still suffers from the same problem that Netflix’s Locke And Key faced; it feels like the showrunners are holding themselves back from their full potential by not really making full use of the more fantastical elements from the source material.
This won’t be the case for those who haven’t read the comics, but while watching The Umbrella Academy Season 2 and recognising some the familiar scenes, all I could think of is how the comics did everything so much better. What is The Umbrella Academy Season 2? Is it about stopping the apocalypse again? Is it about stopping the assassination of President JFK? What were the villains’ plan again?

Again, there’s nothing wrong with deviating from the comics. Sometimes they even elevate the adaptations over the source material, but The Umbrella Academy Season 2 is not one of them. I was worried of this when the showrunners already used up most of the first volume (Apocalypse Suite) and some elements from the second volume (Dallas), which means that they were already running out of material after just a single season.
In case you’re not familiar, there are currently only three volumes of The Umbrella Academy comics; only the first two of which were complete at the time of filming the second season. To use a comparison, the same thing problem always happens to anime adaptations when they surpass the manga and there’s nothing left to adapt from.

What makes all of this more disappointing is that I absolutely loved how The Umbrella Academy Season 2 starts. The first episode starts with a (literal) bang and got the ball rolling.
The first half of the second season kept the momentum, but the second half is where things start unravelling. Still, kudos to the series for not suffering from the accursed Netlix bloat too much.

Ten episodes still feel like one too many when they could have shortened it to perhaps even half of that, but The Umbrella Academy Season 2 is not draggy like other Netflix shows, with decent pacing. All of the above may make it seem like I hate this second season of the series, but it’s actually not that bad, which is mostly thanks to the charming and charismatic characters (and the actors/actresses who portray them).
The Super Seven

All seven members of the Hargreeves family return in The Umbrella Academy Season 2, and I’m happy to confirm that the best characters are still the best; everyone knows that I’m referring to Five (Aidan Gallagher) and Klaus (Robert Sheehan). What’s even more good news is that most of the other siblings are also improved and much more likeable characters this time around.
The highlights remain Five and Klaus, both of whom are the most memorable yet again (not surprising really, considering how great they were in the first season). It’s extremely impressive that despite only having turned 17 years old in 2020, Aidan Gallagher pulls off another convincing and charismatic portrayal of the badass teleporting Number Five.
Sheehan’s Klaus is as quirky and enigmatic as ever. What does he do when dropped in the 60s? Why; make a cult, of course. As funny as the character is, he also provides some of the more emotional and heartbreaking scenes in The Umbrella Academy Season 2.

The presence of both Gallagher’s Five and Sheehan’s Klaus are more than enough to have kept me watching, but the others hold their own in this second season as well. Diego (David CastaÃ±eda) gets into his own little fling with a new character named Lila (portrayed by Ritu Arya), Allison (Emmy Raver-Lampman) faces racist bigots, Vanya (Ellen Page) loses her memories, and so on and so forth.

Many of these characters still have lingering issues and emotions brought over from the first season. Unfortunately, some of those questions remain unresolved and unanswered in The Umbrella Academy Season 2 even until the end and even the answers we do get are unsatisfying.
Oh, let’s not forget about the villains, which is probably the most unsatisfying part of this new season.

Don’t expect anything like Mary J. Blige’s Cha-Cha and Cameron Britton’s Hazel from the previous season. The main antagonists chasing down the Hargreeves siblings this time around is a trio of Swedish assassins, who are also brothers. They’re so bland and meh that they don’t even have names. That’s right, their names aren’t uttered even once in the ten episodes, which just goes to show how devoid of personality they are.
Future Unknown

The Umbrella Academy will probably still be a hit and get a third season, but it’ll only be in virtue of its great cast of characters. It’s a shame that they squandered the potential of what could have been, and made this instead. It’s clear from the ending of The Umbrella Academy Season 2 that the showrunners are no longer taking anything from the comics and are carving their own path.
However, if the quality of The Umbrella Academy Season 2 is any indication, the series is quickly losing its flavour and refreshing uniqueness that made it so popular last year despite the obscurity of the source material. No, The Umbrella Academy Season 2 is not bad at all, but it’s also not that good.
The showrunners should take an example from the folks over at Amazon Prime Video. Their The Boys series also deviates substantially from the source material, but still manages to keep a consistent tone and theme with the comics that they’re adapting. With the third season acting as a blank slate, I believe there’s still hope yet for The Umbrella Academy.
FINAL SCORE: 70/100


Square Enix Releases Kingdom Hearts 3 ReMind Concert Preview

Square Enix has released two brief preview videos for the ‘Concert Video’ that comes with the Kingdom Hearts 3 ReMind + Concert Video bundle.
For RM169 on the PlayStation Store, the Kingdom Hearts 3 ReMind + Concert Video bundle includes the Kingdom Hearts 3 ReMind DLC and footage of the 19 tracks from the Kingdom Hearts â€“World of Tresâ€“ Orchestra concert, which was recorded in Osaka, Japan last year.
The Kingdom Hearts 3 concert video tracklist will likely include fan-favourite music from composer Yoko Shimomura such as Face My Fears (Utada Hikaru and Skrillex), Don’t Think Twice (Utada Hikaru), and maybe even other iconic songs like Simple & Clean and Passion/Sanctuary from past entries in the franchise.
However, the Kingdom Hearts 3 ReMind DLC can also be purchased without the Concert Video for RM131, which means that the concert video is just RM38.Â
The Kingdom Hearts 3 ReMind DLC is slated to release for the PS4 on 23 January 2020 and Xbox One on 25 February 2020. In the meantime, check out the concert preview videos below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FKRUiSJGdw&w=560&h=315]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj5mzlpQgJg&w=560&h=315]


Pinocchio Director Robert Zemeckis Explains Differences Between Live-Action & Animated Versions

Robert Zemeckis is the director of the upcoming live-action Pinocchio movie, which will premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on 8 September 2022. Tom Hanks stars as?Geppetto, the woodcarver who builds and treats Pinocchio (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) as if he were his real son. Joseph Gordon-Levitt?is?Jiminy Cricket, who serves as Pinocchio’s guide as well as his “conscience”; Cynthia Erivo is the Blue Fairy; Keegan-Michael Key?is?”Honest” John; Lorraine Bracco is Sofia the Seagull, a new character, and Luke Evans?is?The Coachman.
The screenplay for “Pinocchio” was written by Robert Zemeckis & Chris Weitz. The film’s producers are Andrew Miano, Chris Weitz, Robert Zemeckis and Derek Hogue. The executive producers are Jack Rapke, Jacqueline Levine, Jeremy Johns and Paul Weitz.
Zemeckis previously won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and a Director’s Guild of American Award for Best Director for Forrest Gump. The film’s numerous honours also included a Best Picture Oscar and for Tom Hanks, a Best Actor Oscar. Early in his career, he co-wrote with Bob Gale and directed Back to the Future, which was the top-grossing release of 1985, and for which Zemeckis shared Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Best Original Screenplay. He then went on to helm Back to the Future, Part II and Part III, completing one of the most successful film franchises in motion picture history.
He also directed Who Framed Roger Rabbit, cleverly blending live action and animation in a feature film, resulting in a worldwide box office smash. Zemeckis re-teamed with Hanks directing and producing the contemporary drama “Cast Away” which opened to critical and audience acclaim.
He directed and produced Contact, starring Jodie Foster, based on the best-selling novel by Carl Sagan. He also co-wrote and directed the motion capture film The Polar Express, starring Tom Hanks as a charming train conductor taking children on a magical adventure to the North Pole. He also produced and directed his second motion capture film, Beowulf, which starred Anthony Hopkins and Angelina Jolie, based on one of the oldest surviving pieces of Anglo-Saxon literature, written before the 10th Century A.D. He released another advanced motion-capture film: A Christmas Carol, based on the celebrated and beloved classic story by Charles Dickens which he both wrote and directed for Disney Studios.
Speaking with Disney+ Hotstar, Zemeckis explains the differences between his live-action version and the original 1940 Disney animated movie.
He said:
The original animated film is a vast departure from the source material. We use the Disney version as a template and an outline for our story. It follows pretty much the same adventure that Pinocchio follows in the animated version. We modernize the storytelling because there was a different sort of pacing in movies 60 years ago than there is now.
There’s also some ambiguity. We’re not telling the audience what they have to feel or what they have to think. Audiences are way more sophisticated, and they don’t want to be spoon fed. They want to be able to think for themselves. We added some characters, but basically kept the spirit and the tone and the theme of the first movie.
Zemeckis also confirmed that there will be four original songs in the upcoming movie. About those, he said:
We went through the process of doing what you do whenever you’re going to make a musical. When we were writing the script, there were places where we said, ‘Hey, why don’t we do a song there?’
And the composers came up with places where they got an idea for a song. We just kind of went back and forth. What songs do best in musicals is shore up the emotional growth of a character or help express what a character is feeling at any given moment. So that’s what we did with the songs.
In the meantime, check out the trailer for Pinocchio below:


Nintendo Indie World Showcase 2021: All The Games

The last Nintendo live stream took placeÂ in December 2020, but now weâ€™ve finally received a new one. The presentation showcased a lot of exciting new indie games for Nintendo Switch owners to look forward to.
You can check out our compilation footage of all the best games from the presentation in the video below:

If you want more details and information on each of the game revealed in the live stream, check out my full recap and roundup of the Nintendo Indie World Showcase April 2021 below:
Oxenfree 2 Lost Signals

Publisher MWM Interactive and developer Night School Studio have announcedÂ Oxenfree II: Lost SignalsÂ for Switch and PC (Steam). It will launch in 2021.
The synopsis reads:
Five years after the events ofÂ Oxenfree, Riley returns to her hometown of Camena to investigate mysterious radio signals. What she finds is more than she bargained for.

Road 96

Procedurally-generated road trip gameÂ Road 96 will launch for the Nintendo Switch alongside its previously-announced PC (Steam) version in 2021, developer Dixiart announced.

Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield

3D side-scrollerÂ Aerial_Knightâ€™s Never Yield will launch for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on 19 May 2021, publisher Headup Games and developer Aerial_Knight announced. A Nintendo Switch demo will be available later today.

Last Stop & Hindsight

Single-player third-person adventure gameÂ Last Stop will launch for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam in July 2021, publisher Annapurna Interactive and developer Variable State announced.
Publisher Annapurna Interactive and developer Joel McDonald have announced the narrative exploration game Hindsight for the Nintendo Switch and PC (Steam). It will launch later this year in 2021.

OlliOlli World

The bold new entry in theÂ OlliOlli series is here. In OlliOlli World, tear up the streets of Radland and search for the mystical skate gods in this slick action platformer.
With super-tight controls and level design that flows with your combos, youâ€™ll have a blast mastering tricks, meeting colourful characters and discovering the hidden secrets of this vivid and vibrant world.
OlliOlli World launches for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC in winter 2021.

The Longing

With a beautiful hand-drawn art style and an intriguing story, as the main character Shade, you must wait 400 days for your king to awaken. While waiting, you can explore dark caves, complete time-based puzzles and collect items. Start your countdown clock now, as The Longing launches for Nintendo Switch later today.
It’s been available on PC since 2020.

There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension

There is No Game: Wrong DimensionÂ is a point-and-click comedy adventure filled with riddles and puzzles. If youâ€™re looking for something different and experimental thatâ€™s full of surprises, look no further. It launches for Nintendo Switch later today.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shredder’s Revenge

Publisher Dotemu and developer Tribute Games have released a new gameplay trailer for pixel art side-scrolling beat â€™em up Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredderâ€™s Revenge.Â The trailer shows off each of the Turtles in action as well as an OST sample courtesy of one Tee Lopes (Sonic Mania, the upcoming Streets of Rage 4 DLC).
It’s coming to the Nintendo Switch and PC (Steam) later in 2021.

Cris Tales

Drawing inspiration from classic and modern JRPGs,Â Cris Tales incorporates time-travelling into its storyline and combat with a variety of surprise effects, like making enemies younger and thus easier to defeat. While exploring this handcrafted, dark fairy-tale world, youâ€™ll recruit a diverse cast of allies and discover new realms.
Cris Tales lands on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC on 20 July 2021.

GetsuFumaDen Undying Moon

From Konami Digital Entertainment and GuruGuru: Showcasing a stylized Japanese aesthetic, GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon delivers a dynamic hack-and-slash roguelike experience, filled with perilous dungeons, fierce boss battles and intense, skill-based combat.
GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon launches for Nintendo Switch in 2022, but it will arrive on PC via Steam Early Access in 14 May 2021.

Aztech Forgotten Gods

If youâ€™re looking for a grand adventure inspired by Aztec mythology, look no further thanÂ Aztech Forgotten GodsÂ from Mexican studio Lienzo. Gain powerful arm upgrades, traverse different areas within an advanced Mesoamerican metropolis and encounter all sorts of characters to uncover ancient secrets.Â A
Aztech Forgotten Gods soars onto Nintendo Switch in fall 2021.

Skul The Hero Slayer

Take on an entire army to rescue your king in this 2D fast-action roguelike. And the best part? To progress in the game, youâ€™ll need to swap abilities, which is done by swapping â€¦ heads! With 90 playable character variations, each with their own special abilities, you might think youâ€™re out of your skull in real life!
Skul: The Hero Slayer launches for Nintendo Switch in summer 2021. It’s already available on PC via Steam since January 2021.

art of rally

Will you master the art of rally? Drive iconic cars inspired by the golden era of rally racing on challenging stages through stylized environments set around the world.
art of rally launches for Nintendo Switch in summer 2021. It’s already available on PC via Steam since 2020.
KeyWe

KeyWeÂ is a cute, cooperative postal puzzler starring two small kiwi birds working in a whimsical post office. They must jump, flap and butt-slam across an interactive landscape of levers, bells and buttons to get those messages delivered on time!
KeyWe launches for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC in August 2021.
Labyrinth City Pierre The Maze Detective

Adapted from the childrenâ€™s book series,Â Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze DetectiveÂ takes you across incredibly detailed mazes to retrieve a powerful artifact. On your quest, you will interact with more than 500 items or characters, find over 100 hidden objects and wander about in beautiful locations.
Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective launches for Nintendo Switch and PC in spring 2021.
Weaving Tides

Call your Weaver and soar across a stunning woven landscape. Set out on a journey to explore ancient dungeons, solve puzzles, wrap up your foes and unravel the great mysteries of a long-forgotten past.
Weaving Tides, a charming single-player adventure set in a world of magic and textile, launches for Nintendo Switch and PC in May 2021.
The House Of The Dead Remake

Publisher Forever Entertainment and developer Megapixel Studio have released the debut trailer and screenshots forÂ The House of the Dead: Remake. It’s coming to the Nintendo Switch later in 2021.
Ender Lilies Quietus Of The Knights

In this dark fantasy 2D action RPG, encounter horrific enemies against whom a moment of inattention could be fatal. Overcome these hardships and seek the truth with the help of fallen knights.
ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights launches for Nintendo Switch and PC on 21 June 2021. It’s also coming to PS4 and PS5 later on 6 July 2021.
Beasts Of Maravilla Island

In this 3D adventure game, take on the role of a young wildlife photographer who traverses Maravilla Islandâ€™s magical ecosystems to discover extraordinary creatures, learn their behaviours and, most importantly, photograph their majesty.
Beasts of Maravilla Island launches for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PC in June 2021.
Fez

Gomez is a 2D creature living in a 2D world. Or is he? When the existence of a mysterious third dimension is revealed to him, Gomez is sent out on a journey that will take him to the very end of time and space. Use your ability to navigate 3D structures from four distinct classic 2D perspectives.
The critically acclaimed FEZ launches for Nintendo Switch later today!


Here’s Your Netflix Binge Checklist For March

February 2019 was a great month with even greater binge fests like The Umbrella Academy and The Dragon Prince Season 2. Next month, users can look forward to more awesome binge-worthy offerings on the streaming service as we usher in March 2019. Despite the death of Marvel Netflix, you can rest assured that a lot of diverse and exclusive Netflix content will still be coming our way.
Check out my personal picks from Netflix’s upcoming March 2019 lineup below:
The Order (7 March 2019)

The Order seems to be Netflix’s answer to Syfy’s The Magicians, conjuring up the image of young adults playing with magic. The premise is simple enough, as it follows a college freshman named Jack Morton, who joins a secret society called The Order to avenge his mother’s death.
What Jack Morton doesn’t realize is that he just recruited himself into a war between practitioners of dark magic and werewolves. It currently looks like Harry Potter meets Underworld with a side of collegiate drama, but this new series may surprise us all when it arrives next month.
I’m a sucker for anything that has to do with magic, so here’s hoping that The Order manages to infuse a tired genre with fresh ideas and a unique personality of its own. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD-cFgDDuqM&w=560&h=315]
Immortals (8 March 2019)

Netflix’s The Protector impressed me with its first season, immersing me in an exotic world with its own language, culture, and setting, which were all further reinforced by a compelling cast of characters and plot. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised to discover that another Turkish production is making its debut on Netflix next month.
Immortals is a dark fantasy tale set in the seedy underbelly of Istanbul, starring human turned-vampire Mia who is on a vengeful mission to hunt down a ruthless vampire leader named Dmitry, who is seeking an artifact that grants immortality.
It will be refreshing to see Turkish capital Istanbul in a different light, as Immortals seems to be going for a grittier take on the ancient city. It’s true what they say, that vampires never go out of style.
The trailer for Immortals isn’t available on YouTube yet (at the time of writing) but here’s the link to its official trailer on Netflix itself.
Love, Death & Robots (15 March 2019)

I anticipate this to be the absolute highlight of the month for me. Love, Death & Robots looks like it’s going to be a treat not only for lovers of all things animation but also science fiction and horror buffs out there. Let me tell you why.
The directors of Deadpool and Gone Girl have teamed up to create this animated anthology series featuring a total of 18 stories featuring “sentient dairy products, werewolf soldiers, robots gone wild, garbage monsters, cyborg bounty hunters, alien spiders and blood-thirsty demons from hell”.
I kid you not because that’s exactly what’s stated in the official description. Did I also mention that it’s all NSFW and R-rated? Yeah, that too, so you can see why Love, Death & Robots is set to be unlike anything you’ve probably seen before.
Want a glimpse of all that crazy 18+ animated goodness? Feast your eyes on the trailer below, and you won’t be disappointed.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUFwunMKa4E&w=560&h=315]
The Highwaymen (29 March 2019)

The Highwaymen stars Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson as two former Texas Rangers who must rely on their gut instincts and old school skills to capture the most notorious outlaw of the 1930s: Bonnie and Clyde.
This Netflix exclusive movie is based on an untold true story so period piece enthusiasts will find a lot to love here. The amazing cinematography and intense atmosphere also look to be authentic to the era, which are added bonuses.
Personally, the heavy outlaw-centric theme reminds me of Red Dead Redemption 2, and the buddy-cop dynamic between the two main protagonists is further accentuated by the charisma showed by the veteran actors.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH6vC-BBKOc&w=560&h=315]

Those were just my personal picks from Netflixâ€™s massive March 2019 lineup. Besides that, there is considerably more new content in store for viewers next month where that came from, including movies like Freaky Friday, Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Thor: The Dark World, and The Princess Diaries, all of which will debut on 1 March 2019.
Check out the other highlighted shows and movies from Netflix March 2019 lineup in the video below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3ue7ka6fDk&w=560&h=315]


Seoul Dynasty Names Overwatch League Captain

Seoul Dynasty has named ‘Ana God’, Je-hongÂ “ryujehong”Â Ryu as team captain during their sendoff ceremony in Seoul yesterday. This official announcement follows the absence of of former Lunatic-Hai team captain Esca from final Seoul Dynasty roster for the Overwatch League.Â  Known for his spectacular plays as AnaÂ  which brought him the nickname ‘Ana God’, Je-Hong is also well known to be a very astute reader of he game and in theory should be the next shotcaller for the highly-favored Koreans.Â
Also announced was the addition of ex-GC Busan coach,Â Lee “Hocury” Ho-cheol into Dynasty’s coaching staff. Hocury was last seen coaching GC Busan to win OGN APEX Season 4, beating Seasons 2 and 3 finalists – Lunatic-Hai, RunAway and Cloud9 KongDoo in the process.

APEX Season 4 Chamions former GC Busan Coach (ì´í˜¸ì² ) has joined Seoul Dynasty! pic.twitter.com/7QSXru7NaR
â€” Seoul Dynasty ðŸ¯ (@SeoulDynasty) November 18, 2017

You can check outÂ Part 1 of our Overwatch League teams preview here.Â Â and Part 2 of it here. The inaugural Overwatch League season is set to kick off January 10, 2018, with preseason starting December 6, 2017. The regular season concludes in June 2018 and will be followed by a playoffs and finals. All regular season games will be played at theÂ Blizzard Arena Los AngelesÂ for the inaugural season.


IO Interactive’s Next Game Is Reportedly An Xbox Exclusive

IO Interactive’s upcoming online fantasy RPG might turn out to be an Xbox exclusive. This is according to internal Microsoft documents revealed via the ongoing Xbox/Activision and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
On a page listing “expected and previously shipped games” (via IGN), IOI Interactive is mentioned to be developing a game codenamed Project Dragon for PC and Xbox Series X/S. This could be one of two fantasy RPGs they’re currently working on, alongside their planned James Bond game.

The documents strongly indicate that this upcoming online fantasy RPG game will be an Xbox exclusive published by Xbox Game Studios. At the time of writing, IO Interactive and Xbox have yet to give their official statements.
In other related news to come out of the Xbox FTC trial, it was revealed that the upcoming Bethesda MachineGames Indiana Jones game will be an Xbox exclusive and that Starfield was originally planned for the PS5 before Microsoft purchased Bethesda. Microsoft also expects that the next-gen consoles will arrive in 2028.


Gamescom 2019: Deep Silver Announces Post-WW1 RTS With Mechs

Every RTS fan feels it. The genre is dying and there’s not a lot of hope that the future will be any different. However, it’s not entirely hopeless either. Deep Silver and King Art Games is attempting to breathe some life into the genre with its latest RTS Iron Harvest.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml9ujiyASB8&w=560&h=315]
It’s going to be a bit difficult not to draw comparisons to Red Alert idea-wise. Iron Harvest takes place in an alternative timeline where nations have been secretly building mechs and robots during World War 1. Subtitled 1920+, the game takes place right after the Great War.
According to the game’s official website, there will be a “mature story” and it’ll be told from the perspective of the game’s three playable factions. A mature story is definitely what you’d need to differentiate yourself from Red Alert.
To further emphasise that Iron Harvest is a classic RTS game that strategy fans will love, players will experience both single player and co-op campaigns plus competitive multiplayer, skirmishes, and challenges. There will be free DLC too.

Aside from the expected feature of base building, an advanced cover and destruction system will also be implemented where every single form of cover is destructible, as long as you have the firepower needed to bring it down.
Iron Harvest is scheduled to be released on 1 September 2020 for PC, PS4 and Xbox One. That’s right, it’s an RTS game for consoles too. If you’re interested, don’t forget to add the game into your Steam wishlist.


You Might Want To Give No Man’s Sky Another Chance

My only memory of 2016’s No Man’s Sky was the following:

I mined a ton of rocks and minerals.
I flew around in space a bit and robbed some aliens.
I fought a bunch of space pirates with more guns than I do. I was mauled repeatedly as a result.
10 planets and a few solar systems later, I traded my PS4 copy for The King of Fighters XIV.

I figured it was the end of Hello Games and Sean Murray’s development/snake oil-selling career. How wrong I was, as I heard recently that No Man’s Sky now has a mega-patch called Next that really changed up the game and experience. Oh and it’s also out for Xbox One, so that helps, I guess.
So what’s new with this version of No Man’s Sky? Is it worth getting back to after all these years? Let’s highlight the good and bad bits of this major revamp:
It’s Not A Full Retail Game
Thank god for that. If you still have an old copy of No Man’s Sky lying around, you can just pop that sucker in and get the major update for the price of absolutely nothing!Â Of course, if you’re like me and sold it off aeons ago, you can just get a copy for US$20-ish (or SG$29+) either on Steam, on PSN, or on Xbox Live game store.
You Can Play With Friends!
For starters, the game has multiplayer. You can have a bunch of online players traversing around the same solar system. You can even team up with them to deal with the aforementioned space pirate problem. Having friends on board, or bumping into random online strangers does add a lot of company in the void of seemingly-infinite space.
You Can Do A Lot More This Time Around
Base building and crafting have received several upgrades, and there’s a noticeable uptick to No Man’s Sky’s visuals that reinvigorates the now two-year-old game. New story missions continue to push you into exploring the unknown, adding photography, feeding, freighter attack and defense, archaeology, and hunting variants to No Man’s Sky formula.
In short, there’s a lot more you can do and a bit more purpose and context to push you towards a clear direction.
There’s A Lot More Random S***
The procedurally generated content in No Man’s Sky has been upgraded so that you’ll come across more esoteric things when you’re out adventuring into space. You can visit a colourless planet that may or may not be filled with aliens who look like the xenomorphs in Aliens.
You also get planets where starfishes walk on land and the landscape is 80% blue all over. No matter what new save you create, your experiences with No Man’s Sky will be totally different than another person’s space walk.
The Graphics & Music Are Still Enchanting
Say what you will about the borked 2016 release of the game, but you can’t deny the game’s lovely aesthetics. The music is still mesmerizing up to this day. The new third-person perspective feels nice, though it’s just a minor change.
And you get creative gamers who managed to capture pictures like these (via Reddit):

It’s The Game We Were Supposed To Be Playing 2 Years Ago
While this update is nice and all, it doesn’t hide the fact that Hello Games messed up its previous launch, only to keep silent, update the game in increments, and then come up with an apology 2 years in the making.
Still, it’s more than what most companies have done in their lifetimes when supporting a seemingly-dead game.Â Â 99% of any other game devs would have chocked it up as a loss and worked on No Man’s Sky 2. However, Hello Games actually worked tirelessly for years under extreme scrutiny and prejudice to bring us a game worth our time and money. That at least should earn them a modicum of respect.
I’m just glad that with a lower price point and with a developer’s commitment to atone for its past mistakes, more people will be willing to forgive and forget with their wallets.


Sony Has Shipped 17.3 Million PlayStation 5s Globally At The End Of 2021; PS4 Tops 116.8 Million

It’s a good last year for Sony PlayStation, as the company has shipped a ton of PlayStation 5s.
Sony has shipped 17.3 million units of PlayStation 5 consoles worldwide while also shipping 116.8 million PS4 units as of 31 December 2021. For the three months leading up to that date of December, Sony has shipped 3.9 million PS5 units and 200,000 PS4 units.
Here are a couple more stats from PlayStation concerning their financial results in 2021.

There are 48 million PlayStation Plus subscribers as of December 31, 2021, which is up 0.6 million from the 47.4 million subscribers during the same period the previous fiscal year.
PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 software combined sold 92.7 million units in the third quarter of the fiscal year 2021, which is down 11.5 million from the 104.2 million software sold during the same period the previous fiscal year. 11.3 million units were first-party titles, which is down 7.7 million from the 19 million sold during the same period the previous fiscal year. 62 percent of software sales were full game software digital downloads, compared to 53 percent the previous year.

Despite all this, the PS5 has faced significant supply issues, thus unable to keep up with PS4’s past numbers despite demand.

The PlayStation 5 has sold in 17.3 million units as of December 31, 2021 according to Sony.
This compares to 20.2 million for PlayStation 4 in the same timeframe, when launch aligned
PS5 has faced significant supply issues. It has been unable to keep up with PS4 despite demand pic.twitter.com/Nz60oElCyK
— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) February 2, 2022

On a related note, Sony has reportedly extended production of the PlayStation 4 console beyond its intended lifecycle, probably due to both the ultra-high demand of the PS5 that cannot be met, worldwide chip shortage, and the pandemic effin’ things up in general economy-wise.


Singapore’s Iterative Digital Announces New 3D Action RPG Knight Crawlers

Singapore game publishing company Iterative Digital announced a new 3D action RPG during Gamescom Asia.
The title is called Knight Crawlers and is made by developer Good Morning Games. This dungeon crawler action RPG features physics-based ragdoll combat (featuring a deft use of a hammer), with each stage and crawl being unique thanks to its skill cards you get to choose from. The action RPG also features shared screen multiplayer mode; a rarity in this day and age.
Knight Crawlers will be out in 2022 for PC. Check out the gameplay and ragdoll chaos below:


Ni no Kuni 2 Will Get New Content Next Month

If you have already finished Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom and wish for more new things to do, you’re in luck.
Bandai Namco announced that it will be releasing the free-to-download Adventure Pack in 9th August; it’ll feature new floors in the Faraway Forest Cave, new bosses like Blackhart and Zeta, and additional quests after you’ve finished the game.
That’s not all: the company will be releasing more new content at the end of 2018 and early 2019. This is basically what your Season Pass money will be for: the first DLC will have Evan and co. exploring a brand-new cryptic dungeon with high-level enemies, while the second DLC is an extension of the main story.
Should be fun! I did say earlier this year that Ni no Kuni 2’s all about the gameplay and kingdom-building fun. It’s good to know that Level-5 and Bandai Namco are still adding some life into this JRPG, especially with its free DLC next month.
Official descriptions are below:

Adventure PackÂ (free) â€“ The Adventure Pack provides new challenges for experienced players. It adds additional floors to the Faraway Forest cave, upon clearing, players will be rewarded with new costumes for Evan and other characters. Players will have the opportunity to challenge themselves with even stronger new bosses: Blackhart and Zeta. Additional quests will be unlocked after completing the story and unique rewards can be acquired.
Season Pass DLC #1Â â€“ Available this winter, this DLC will feature a brand new enigmatic dungeon for players to explore. Evan and friends will plumb the depths of this cryptic dungeon facing increasingly stronger enemies while trying to reach its deepest levels. The journey will be difficult, but the reward will surely be worth it!
Season Pass DLC #2Â â€“ Expected to release early 2019, an additional story expansion ofÂ Ni no Kuni II: Revenant KingdomÂ will be available full of exciting content. More details to be announced soon.


GameFreak Will Not Add Missing PokÃ©mon In Sword And Shield

Gamers everywhere are already decrying the fact that PokÃ©mon Sword and Shield for the Nintendo Switch will be the first mainline title in the franchise not to feature every single PokÃ©mon, of which there are currently a total of 890 (including the new Generation 8 PokÃ©mon).
Approximately half of that number will not be available in PokÃ©mon Sword and Shield. To matters even worse, developer GameFreak has clarified and confirmed that they don’t have plans to add the missing PokÃ©mon, in an interview with Dutch publication Inside Gamer.
PokÃ©mon producer Junichi Masuda said the following:

â€œWe have no plans to make the PokÃ©mon that are missing in the Galar pokÃ©dex in-game available.
That is an approach that we want to continue in the future with PokÃ©mon games.
â€œOf course, up to now it has not been possible to encounter every PokÃ©mon in every game, so people had to transfer them from old games via PokÃ©mon Bank to the new game, for example.â€

However, the only silver lining in all of this is that the upcoming PokÃ©mon Home app will allow players to â€˜storeâ€™ PokÃ©mon from different titles and transfer them to future titles.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xLZzJsvthw&w=560&h=315]
Masuda continued:

â€œCurrently the PokÃ©mon Home app is under development, where players can collect their different PokÃ©mon, and only the PokÃ©mon in the Galar-PokÃ©dex can be transferred from there to Sword and Shield.
We encourage people to use PokÃ©mon Home to collect their PokÃ©mon from old games there.
From there, they might be able to take it to other games in the future.
So take good care of your old PokÃ©mon, because you might be able to go out with them again in the future.”

PokÃ©mon Sword and Shield are slated to release exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on 15 November 2019. Stay tuned to our site for our eventual review and guide for this long-awaited title.


Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut Listed For PS4 & PS5

The Entertainment Software Ratings Board has listed Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut for the PS4 and PS5. This might mean the game could be receiving DLC or an expansion from Sucker Punch. However, nothing has been confirmed as of yet.
There could be some truth to that Ghost Of Ikishima rumour after all, but let’s take everything with a grain of salt until anything has been confirmed by the developer. For now, say tuned on Kakuchopurei for the latest news.
In the meantime, you can check outÂ our review of the game here.


Atelier Ryza 3 Gets A Deep Dive First Look Worthy Of Its Summer Moniker

Koei Tecmo and Gust’s biggest JRPG franchise, the Atelier series, is getting another entry in its thigh-licious Ryza storyline.
Atelier Ryza is getting a third game, and it’s subtitled Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key. Yes, we talked about it in brief when it was announced for Nintendo Switch, but it’s also coming out for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC (Steam) as well.
Both Koei Tecmo and Gust published a new 7-minute gameplay trailer of the game, detailing its story, its cast, and its new literal keys mechanics used for combat. Here’s a quick overview:
Open Field
While uncovering the mysteries of Kark Isles, Ryza and her friends will explore four regions in a new “open field”—all explorable with seamless transitions!
As players travel through these beautiful and vast sprawling landscapes and vistas, they will find mysterious keys that will aid them on their adventure.
There are various types of keys that can be found and created, useful for exploration, synthesis and battle. Each key has a different effect, so players will want to try experimenting with them as the keys to unlocking the island’s secrets are now in your hands.
Characters
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key reunites players with characters from previous games, as well as making new friends pivotal to the story!
A total of 11 party members will be featured in this latest entry, one of the largest rosters in series history!
Returning for the third summer adventure is the reliable and friendly Reisalin Stout [Ryza] (voiced by Yuri Noguchi), the intelligent and hard-working Klaudia Valentz (voiced by Hitomi Oowada), the devoted ruins researcher Tao Mongarten (voiced by Junta Terashima), and the humble and sincere Lent Marslink (voiced by Takuma Terashima)—with more characters to be announced in the coming months.

Atelier Ryza 3 will be out on 24th February 2023.


Monster Hunter World Iceborne Director Leaves Capcom

Monster Hunter World has been a huge success for Capcom since it launched in 2018. Both the base game, and the 2019 Iceborne expansion, have sold millions of units worldwide across PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
However, Monster Hunter World IceborneÂ andÂ Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate director Daisuke Ichihara has left Capcom and is now employed byÂ ILCA.
ILCA (I Love Computer Art) is a a Japanese studio that mainly produces games, but also CG animation and other digital-based content.
The news comes from an ILCA special interview published byÂ CGWORLD.JP, in which Ichihara is introduced as ILCAâ€™s Kyoto Development Division director.
In a statement, Ichihara said:
â€œYou only live once, right? Iâ€™d like to build an organization that can realize the proposals of staff who have something they want to create. I myself joined the company as a mid-career hire, but I really want to build up this young organization together.â€
(Image Credit:Â Spice)


Spotting The Villains In First Spider-Man No Way Home Official Poster

Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios have finally unveiled the first official poster for Spider-Man No Way Home.
The poster depicts Spider-Man in his Iron Spider suit facing off against Doctor Octopus’ tentacles, but that’s not all. If you look closely, the small thunder on the top left has a slightly darker yellow colour than the longer thunder, which means that it might have been unleashed by Electro. Meanwhile, the swirling dust behind Spider-Man can only be none other than Sandman. Of course, who wouldn’t notice the Green Goblin flying in the corner of the poster as well?
That’s already four confirmed villains in the poster, with Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx), Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), and Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe). Only two more and we’ll have a complete Sinister Six for the first time in cinematic history.
If it really is the Sinister Six, the remaining two might be Vulture (Adrian Toomes as played by Michael Keaton in Spider-Man Homecoming), Scorpion (Mac Gargan as played by Michael Mando in Spider-Man Homecoming), the Lizard (played by Rhys Ifan in The Amazing Spider-Man) or Shocker (played by Bokeem Woodbine in Spider-Man Homecoming).

For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighbourhood hero is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a Super Hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.
Directed by Jon Watts. Written by Chris Mckenna and Erik Sommers. Based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Produced by Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal. Executive Producers are
Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, JoAnn Perritano, Rachel Oâ€™Connor, Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach. The film stars Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau and Marisa Tomei.
Directed by Jon Watts (who also directed 2017â€™sÂ Spider-Man HomecomingÂ and 2019â€™sÂ Spider-Man Far From Home),Â Spider-Man No Way Home is slated to premiere on 16 December 2021.


One Of The Most Popular Clicker Games Will Be On Steam

Remember that browser game Cookie Clicker, the game where you do nothing but click on cookies and get millions of them for that sense of gratification? Welp, that’s coming out of Steam after 8 long years.
The PC Steam version of Cookie Clicker will be out on 2nd September. This version of the browser game will have 600+ cookie-related upgrades and music by C418 (of Minecraft fame), as well as over 500 Steam achievements. You know, to show off to people you’ve spent many hours just clicking for cookies.
If you just want to play Cookie Clicker, just click here.


Street Fighter V X Pocky = Ridiculously Hard Challenge

Capcom andÂ  Glico are teaming up to bring you one of the more absurd yet thrilling contests for fighting game fans which involves online matches and Pocky sticks.
Here’s how the brilliantly-dubbed Pocky K.O. Challenge works, voiced by James Chen at his shilliest:

During an online match, players must allow their health to be reduced to the point where the health bar matches the chocolate-to-biscuit ratio of a standard Pocky stick (see screencap below)

Then, whileÂ  they’re at that stateÂ  of health,Â  they needÂ  toÂ  K.O. theirÂ  opponentÂ  to score a specialÂ  “Pocky K.O.”
Once that’s done, players can send a clip to the Pocky K.O. Checker forÂ  confirmation.Â Be sure to tag it with the hashtag #PockyKO.

If your clip is selected, it will be displayed during the upcoming Capcom Cup in 15th and 16th December. 11 clips will be eligible for screening (and selected worldwide), so hop to it and get to streaming & recording!
If that wasn’t enough Pocky, a special exhibition match will also take place at the event. Here, professional players will engage in a special Capcom Cup Pocky Challenge, held on an exclusive UI variant ofÂ SFVÂ dubbedÂ Street Fighter V: Pocky Edition.
This being a cross-promotion marketing thang, Glico will be releasing Street Fighter-branded Pocky to commemorate the occasion. It contains the following:

1x Limited-EditionÂ  SFV Pocky box
3x Pocky Chocolate
3x PockyÂ  Strawberry
3x Pocky Cookies & Cream

Jesus, that box art is reminiscent of that Street Fighter story arc by Malibu Comics. You can order it here onÂ Asian Food Center (US-based,Â  by the by) starting 13thÂ  December.


Overwatch 2 Drops Phone Number Requirement After Many Complaints

Blizzard has apologized for Overwatch 2’s rocky launch. Furthermore, the company has taken out the recent policy that requires all players to have a phone number attached to their Battle.net account to access the game.
Many players have stated that this phone number requirement, which barred certain pre-paid services, heightens the barrier of entry as most people prefer to use pre-paid phone services, some even out of necessity. Here is Blizzard’s public apology on the matter, as well as its steps moving forward:

“While millions of people have been enjoying the game, the launch has not met your, or our, expectations. First, we want to apologize to our players. We expected the launch of Overwatch 2 to go smoothly. We hold ourselves to a higher standard and we are working hard to resolve the issues you are experiencing.
Any Overwatch player with a connected Battle.net account, which includes all players who have played since June 9, 2021, will not have to provide a phone number to play.
We remain committed to combating disruptive behavior in Overwatch 2—accounts that were not connected to Battle.net as well as new accounts will still have to meet SMS Protect requirements.”

At this point in time, it still takes a while for players old and new to enter a game of Overwatch 2 due to the queue system.


The Matrix Resurrections Drops On HBO GO This Weekend

The Matrix Resurrections, the fourth chapter in the ground-breaking sci-fi franchise from visionary filmmaker Lana Wachowski, streams first onÂ HBO GOÂ beginningÂ Saturday, 5 February 2022, reuniting original stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss in the roles they made famous, Neo and Trinity. Fans can also revisit the original trilogy,Â The Matrix,Â The Matrix ReloadedÂ andÂ The Matrix Revolutions, allÂ onÂ HBO GO.
InÂ The Matrix Resurrections, return to a world of two realities: one, everyday life; the other, what lies behind it. To find out ifÂ hisÂ reality is a physical or mental construct, to trulyÂ know himself, Mr Anderson aka Neo will have to choose to follow the white rabbit once more. And if he has learned anything, itâ€™s that choice, while an illusion, is still the only way out ofâ€”or intoâ€”the Matrix. Of course, Neo already knows what he has to do, but what he doesnâ€™t yet know is that the Matrix is far stronger, more secure and more dangerous than ever before.
Reliving this world after so many years was an emotional experience for Wachowski, Reeves and Moss.
For Wachowski:

â€œI wanted this older self, this older heart, to be a part of The Matrix Trilogy. Thatâ€™s one of the reasons I wanted to go back.Â It is beautiful to watch Keanu and Carrie in this. Theyâ€™re the perfect age to do this right nowâ€”weâ€™reÂ the perfect age.
And you see them both reflecting that in this way, and itâ€™s only possible because of the time that has passed. Carrie was fearless and fierce through the first trilogy, but sheâ€™s taken that to another level in this. And of course, Keanu, I love him, and I really wanted to see what it was like to go back into this narrative with him.â€

The Warner Bros. Pictures film also stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen IIÂ (Candyman, theÂ AquamanÂ franchise)Â asÂ the wise and worldly Morpheus, Jessica Henwick (TVâ€™sÂ Iron Fist,Â Star Wars: Episode VII â€“ The Force Awakens) as the hacker Bugs, Jonathan Groff (Hamilton, TVâ€™sÂ Mindhunter) as Thomas Andersonâ€™s business partner Smith, Neil Patrick Harris (Gone Girl) as The Analyst, Thomasâ€™ therapist, Priyanka Chopra Jonas (TVâ€™sÂ Quantico) as Sati, a young but wise woman with the ability to always see the truth, and Jada Pinkett Smith (Angel Has Fallen, TVâ€™sÂ Gotham) as Niobe, the fierce General who is suspicious of Neoâ€™s return to the Matrix.
Lana Wachowski directed from a screenplay by Wachowski & David Mitchell & Aleksandar Hemon, based on characters created by The Wachowskis. The film was produced by James McTeigue, Lana Wachowski and Grant Hill. The executive producers were Garrett Grant, Terry Needham, Michael Salven, Karin Wachowski, Jesse Ehrman and Bruce Berman.
Wachowskiâ€™s creative team behind the scenes includedÂ Sense8Â collaborators: directors of photography Daniele Massaccesi and John Toll, production designers Hugh Bateup and Peter Walpole, editor Joseph Jett Sally, costume designer Lindsay Pugh, visual effects supervisor Dan Glass, and composers Johnny Klimek and Tom Tykwer.
You can stream or download The Matrix Resurrections from 5 February 2022 and all Matrix movies first on HBO GO.Â Subscribe toÂ HBO GOÂ onlineÂ atÂ https://www.hbogoasia.my/Â or the mobile appÂ via the App Store or Play StoreÂ forÂ as low as RM23.30/month. Or accessÂ HBO GOÂ via Astro. HBO GO is also available on Android TV, Apple TV, LG TV and Samsung Smart TV – and comes with AirPlay and Google Cast functionality.
In the meantime, you can read our non-spoiler review here, or head on over here for my breakdown and explanation of the movie and its ending.


AMD Radeon Releases Latest Driver Update For Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy & More

AMD has released Radeon Software Adrenalin 21.10.3, providing Day-0 support and optimizations for several exciting games, includingÂ Marvelâ€™s Guardians of the Galaxy, Riders Republic, Age of Empires IVÂ andÂ Doom EternalÂ alongside several fixes and stability improvements.
Gamers with Radeon RX 6800 XT and Radeon RX 6900 XT graphics cards will enjoy up to a 21 percent performance increase inÂ Marvelâ€™sÂ Guardians of the GalaxyÂ at 4K with Ultra settings compared to the previous 21.10.2 driver. Gamers will also experience performance optimizations forÂ Age of Empires IVÂ ahead of its 28 October 2021 release.
Check out part of the driver notes below:

Marvelâ€™s Guardians of the Galaxy

Up to 21% increase in performance in Marvelâ€™s Guardians of the Galaxyâ„¢ @ 4K Ultra Settings, using Radeonâ„¢ Software Adrenalin 21.10.3 on the 16 GB Radeonâ„¢ RX 6900 XT graphics card, versus the previous software driver version 21.10.2.RS-423
Up to 21% increase in performance in Marvelâ€™s Guardians of the Galaxyâ„¢ @ 4K Ultra Settings, using Radeonâ„¢ Software Adrenalin 21.10.3 on the 16 GB Radeonâ„¢ RX 6800 XT graphics card, versus the previous software driver version 21.10.2.RS-424

Riders Republic
Age of Empires IV

Up to 45% increase in performance in Age of Empiresâ„¢ IV @ 4K Max Settings, using Radeonâ„¢ Software Adrenalin 21.10.3 on the 16 GB Radeonâ„¢ RX 6800 XT graphics card, versus the previous software driver version 21.10.2.RS-425

Doom Eternal:

Update 6.66

You can see the full driver notesÂ here, and download the latest driverÂ here.
You can also check out our review of Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy or head on over here for our guide on how to be the best galactic heroes.


PS4 Crossplay Officially Out Of Beta, CoD Modern Warfare First Title To Truly Test It

Amidst the news of PlayStation lowering the prices of their PS Now cloud gaming subscription service to only US$9.99 monthly, one little bit of potentially massive news has spilt through the cracks. It turns out that the PS4 crossplay functionality is now officially out of beta, according to the good folks at Wired.
PlayStation previously launched the crossplay beta for PS4 players back in September 2018, starting with Epic Games’ Fortnite and later, even Psyonix’s Rocket League. Now that it is out of beta, PS4 players can participate in crossplay multiplayer with players on other platforms with any games (and developers) that support the functionality.
The first game to truly take advantage of this will be Infinity Ward’s Call Of Duty Modern Warfare, which is slated to release for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC later this month on 25 October 2019. Crossplay functionality will be enabled at launch, as it was already tested during the open beta sessions last month.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3gWpu3jMcY&w=560&h=315]
All of this will hopefully lead to more inclusive multiplayer and gaming environment for everyone in the future, as the games industry is about to enter a whole new generation soon.
Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan said:

“The track record of the incumbent platform winning the next time around is not a great one.
So the major thrust of my executive energy is to avoid complacency.”


EVO 2022 Lounge Live Show To Announce New Fighting Games & DLC This Weekend

The weekend of 5th and 8th August is a fun time for many worldwide fighting game fans as the Evolution Championship Series is happening. Street Fighter 5, Tekken 7, Guilty Gear Strive, and many other top fighting games will take centerstage in esports glory.
PlayStation, the main company that is sponsoring the event, will be hosting an EVO PlayStation Tournaments EVO Lounge (or just EVO Lounge) to cover all the events and upcoming news and reveals that are usually reserved after the top eight of each highlighted game. If you’re sponsoring the brunt of the tournament, you call the shots on when your big announcements are made, right?
“The Evo Lounge will feature top-shelf curated show coverage, bracket updates, interviews with players, and exciting content and reveals from developers and publishers, such as Arc System Works,  Warner Bros. Games, Capcom, SNK, and Bandai Namco Entertainment, as well as all the latest from the scene with pro players and casters.
Viewers will be treated to the latest news for our favourite games and a few sneak peeks of what’s ahead. It’s every spectator’s source for Evo and FGC intel.”

You can watch the stream either on Twitch.tv or on YouTube via PlayStation’s official channel. EVO 2022 is happening on 6th to 8th August GMT+8 time.


Gamescom Asia Announces First Wave Of Participating Companies, Including PlayStation, Persona Theory, Sloclap, & More!

Gamescom Asia announces the first wave of participating companies welcoming Gamedriver, TikTok, Microsoft Xbox, Potato Play, Nuvei, and Xsolla as sponsors. PlayStation, 9GAG, Lai Games, Brace Yourself Games, Hooded Horse are also among some of the names joining the event this year.
The only satellite event of the world’s largest video games festival, Gamescom, will return to Singapore from 20 to 22 October 2022, with a larger-scaled physical Trade Zone, Conference, and a physical Entertainment Zone for the first time. Online segments will be made available for all audiences on 19 and 23 October 2022.
Mathias Kuepper, Managing Director of Koelnmesse Singapore, the organiser of Gamescom Asia, said:
“We are delighted to have the commitment of global leading video game players for the event. This is testament to the increasing interest in the games market in Southeast Asia as well as in gamescom asia. With just three months before the event, the team is working hard to develop an exceptional experience for all trade visitors and the public alike. We are expecting many more companies to join us over the coming weeks in this widely anticipated event.”
Gamescom Asia 2022 expects to attract 15,000 visitors and over 100 exhibitors from Asia Pacific and beyond. So far, delegations from several countries in APAC and beyond are expected to gather in Singapore as physical events make a strong comeback. At present, those participating in Gamescom Asia represent over 19 countries and counting. The Singapore and German pavilions have been confirmed, with more applications from Asia ongoing.
Registration is now open for Trade Conference and Trade Visitors.
Over 80 industry experts are set to present, in person, at the Trade Conference and Exhibition. They will dive deep into diverse facets of the gaming scene and trends ahead. Speakers and topics include:

Peter Vesterbacka, Finnish mobile game developer and former MightyEagle of Rovio Entertainment Corporation (Finland), the creator of Angry Birds;
Sarah Delahanty, Cinematic Director, Blizzard Entertainment (USA), on the cinematic storytelling process in games;
Tim Fields, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Digital Gaming, Wizards of the Coast (Canada) on the future of game development;
Simon Alty, Vice President & Managing Director Asia Pacific, Bethesda/ ZeniMax (Australia) on AAA game publishing;
Hans Jagnow, Vice President Operations, ESL Pro League (Germany) on Esports Trends;
Brigitta Rena Estidianti, Co-founder & Art Director, Mojiken Studio (Indonesia) on weaving Southeast Asian cultures into games;
Vanessa Lorena Tate, Studio Director & Head of Eternal Games, King (UK), publishers of Candy Crush and discussing live ops strategies;
Jad Boniface, Head of Community Expansion, Roblox (USA) on becoming architects of the metaverse.
Saqina Latif, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Persona Theory Games (Kabaret, Fires at Midnight).
Dylan Cuthbert, CEO of Q-Games.
Theo Caselli, Game & Combat Designer of Sloclap (Sifu).

The list of speakers is available here.
Gamescom Asia’s Trade Zone will consist of an Expo area, a Trade Conference, Networking, and a Developer-Publisher-Investor Speed Dating event from 20 to 22 October. Trade visitors and conference delegates can expect to see country pavilions, attend exhibitor talks and talent drives, arrange face-to-face business meetings, and try out the Entertainment Zone ahead of the opening to public visitors.
Within the Entertainment Zone, public visitors will be treated to a display of games and interactive entertainment and explore featured areas like esports, cosplay, tabletop games, group play zones, and more, from 21 to 22 October. Pre and post-event online shows PRIMETIME and STUDIO return again as teasers and extended content for global audiences.
Gamescom Asia will share updates on more confirmed partners, Entertainment Zone programmes and activities, and access details closer to the date.
Registration to the Trade Zone & Conference is now open! Early bird tickets end on 23 September 2022. The Ticketshop to purchase public tickets to the Entertainment Zone will open in August.
Companies who wish to exhibit in both Trade and Entertainment Zones can apply here.
For more information and the latest updates, visit Gamescom Asia or follow Gamescom Asia on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Discord, TikTok, and LinkedIn.


One Of The King Of Fighter’s Top Players From China Shares His KOF XV Tier List

Xiaohai is a name you hear often in high-level The King of Fighters and 2D fighting game play. Without him, there wouldn’t be other Chinese and Taiwanese players like ET picking up the KOF mantle and keeping the scene alive.
So when you hear him craft up his tier list for the recently-out The King of Fighters XV, you would darn well listen. His KOF XV tier list takes into account the four new characters released in the Season 1 Pass so far: Rock Howard, B.Jenet, Gato, and Omega Rugal.
Xiaohai’s KOF XV tier list is listed in number form from the highest (11) to the lowest (2). Here’s the ranking:
S Tier
11: Gato, Ralf
10: Elisabeth, Terry Bogard, Vanessa
9: Dolores, Mai Shiranui
The reasoning behind this selection is similar to what we gathered in our last tier list pre-Season 1 character additions: Ralf, Elisabeth, Terry, and Vanessa can end games with full meter and DM chains. Both Ralf and Terry’s damage output is insane, while Elisabeth and Vanessa have oodles of moves to combo into.

Gato is clearly the best character to use and exploit among the Garou Team lot because of his mixups and huge offensive/okizeme kit. He is a great point and mid character, and doesn’t require much meter (if any at all) to hold his own against the rest of the cast, especially when he has loads of combos he can launch from the corner.
A Tier
8: Kyo Kusanagi, Robert Garcia, Rock Howard, Isla, Blue Mary, Kukri, Chris, Joe Higashi
7: Ash Crimson, Andy Bogard, Clark, Athena Asamiya, King, Iori, Shermie
While not as powerful as the S Tier characters, these characters are still great and have synergy with the majority of the cast. Joe and Athena are still top-tier zoners, while Robert and Kukri can get the combos and damage going. In terms of solid grapplers for mid and anchors, you can’t go wrong with Clark and Shermie.
Rock Howard has tons of potential being a new KOF XV character with his well-rounded skills and moveset.
B Tier
6: Chizuru, Leona, Antonov, King of Dinosaurs, Heidern, Meitenkun, Kula Diamond
5: Luong, Omega Rugal, K’, Krohnen, Yashiro, Maxima, Benimaru, B.Jenet
4: Yuri Sakazaki, Shun’ei
Some of these characters require a bit more effort to learn and play, while the easier ones to use are outshined by the S and A tier characters.
Omega Rugal has great pokes and zoning tools, as well as the best invincible DP in the game (Genocide Cutter). But he is slow. This means that half the cast can run circles, out-footsie him, and just mix him up like crazy once he gets knocked down.
C Tier
3: Angel, Ryo Sakazaki
2: Ramon, Whip
These characters require a lot more effort to play at a high level. Yes, Angel combos are great to watch in a real tournament, but only because the players behind them practiced way more hours using her when compared to less intensive characters above the list.


Genshin Impact Serenitea Pot Housing Realm Guide: How To Build Your Fantasy Pad

This guide is periodically going through updates, since the Genshin Impact 1.5 update just went live. There’s a lot to unpack, so pardon our dust.
Genshin Impact’s version 1.5 update not only introduces new bosses and new quests/hangouts, but also a housing system called the Serenitea Pot. Basically, your new home for your husbandos and waifus are all in a tiny magical teapot controlled by some old bird adept lady.
Once you complete the simple Serenitea Pot quest, you’ll gain access to your first-ever Genshin Impact housing. Here are some tidbits on how to make your home a lovely one.

Realm Depot
The Serenitea Pot features a special store called the Realm Depot (heh) that sells you special items. You can only buy them with Realm Currency.
There are three tabs in the Realm Depot store: Realm Treasures, Furnishings, and Furnishing Blueprints. Realm Treasures features items that help you in your adventures.

Item
Realm Currency Cost
Trust Rank

5x Fabric
10
2

Transient Resin (instantly replenishes 60x original resin; expires a week after itâ€™s obtained)
1200
6

Heroâ€™s Wit
120
8

Mystic Enhancement Ore
60
8

10,000x Mora
120
8

Sanctifying Essence
(gives 10,000 artifact EXP when used)
360
8

Sanctifying Unction
(gives 2,500 artifact EXP when used)
)90
8

Furnishings offer decorations and furniture. The tab also offers the Vial of Adeptal Speed which finishes the crafting process of a single furnishing.Â Furnishing Blueprints offer dozens of blueprints for sale.
Getting Wood

In order to craft furniture and decorations for your Serenitea Pot house, you need resources and materials. You get dyes and fabrics from fruits, and craftables from wood.
To gather wood, you’ll need to hit trees with melee weapons like an actual anime JRPG lumberjack. When you hit a tree, you can get up to three pieces of wood. We’re literally talking ANY tree you come across in Genshin Impact; it’s open season for all fauna as far as furniture-crafting is concerned. Different trees yield different types of wood.
Here are the types of wood you can get and the prime locations to farm for them:

Fragrant Cedar – Wolvendom, Springvale, Dadaupa Gorge, Starfell Lake.
Bamboo Segments – Qingce Village area, Wuwang Hill.
Pine Wood – Dragonspine region (close to the Statue of the Seven)
Cuihua Wood – Cecilia Garden (near the fast travel point), Falcon Coast.
Birch Wood – Starfell Lake (close to the Statue of the Seven), Stormbearer Mountains, Cape Oath.
Fir Wood – Midsummer Courtyard domain.
Sandbearer Wood – Dihua Marsh, Mt. Tianheng, Mt. Aozang.

Secret Blueprints
You can gain access to additional blueprints later in the game after you’ve levelled up your Trust ranking in the Serenitea Pot housing system realm. These special blueprints cost a lot of Mora and are sold from specific vendors. Here’s how you can find them.
Goth the hotel owner: You can find him at the southern part of Mondstadt close to the windmills. He’ll be around the area from 8am to 5pm in-game time.

Item
Cost (Mora)

Deadwood Road Sign
25,000

Lightning Protective Tent
50,000

Simple Single-Person Tent
50,000

Adventurer Camp
50,000

10,000x Mora
120

Master Lu: You can find him at the southern part of Qingce Village, close to the watermill. He’ll be around the area from 8am to 5pm in-game time.

Item
Cost (Mora)

“The Adventurer’s Burden”
50,000

Lone and Cautious Adventurer
50,000

Dialogue Twixt Ancient Tree and Rock
50,000


Whatâ€™s Better Than Bayonetta 2 On Console? Bayonetta 2 On The Go!

The beauty of the Nintendo Switch, apart from having kick ass games in 2017 like Splatoon 2 and Xenoblade Chronicles 2, is letting you play console quality games when you’re mobile.
Whether you’re in your car, on the bus, on an Uber, or on the LRT/MRT, you can’t deny how convenient and awesome this is. Heck, I’ll just say that it’s conveniently awesome because cunning linguists like us like to portmanteau everything in sight. Or was that lazy people who love doing that? Same difference.
Point is, you can now add Bayonetta 2 to the ever-growing list of “current gen console games you can now play on the go” like Doom and a bunch of other top-tierÂ Nintendo games. As someone who loves all things Platinum Games way back from their time at Capcom when they were called Studio Clover, this is pretty epic.
For those who don’t know, Bayonetta 2 is the sequel to the Xbox 360 action game darling Bayonetta. You remember the title, don’t you? Hyper-level action game featuring a witch who looks like a sexy librarian and can create giant fists, swords, and enslaved beasts out of her hair (they call it Wicked Weaves here). Her bad guys are primarily angels of different shapes and sizes; some are draconic, some are demon-like and some are giants with literal baby faces.
She can also transform into a panther to run really fast, slow down time when she dodges enemy attacks at the last second, and can ride an airplane and a bike to the themes of Space Harrier and Afterburner respectively.

Bayonetta 2 is all of that and more, but only exclusive to Nintendo. There’s a plot of sorts, where Bayonetta has to rescue her bosom buddy Jeanne from Hell by venturing into a sacred mountain called Fimbulventr. If I did not have Wikipedia I would have just called it Funkytown and it wouldn’t make a lick of difference because who the f*** plays Bayonetta for the plot?
No, you’re playing Bayonetta 2 because you want to beat the crap out of demon and angel of varying sizes and strength and look cool doing it with your magic pistols strapped onto your hands and feet like a boss. Specifically a lady boss.
The controls and gameplay are more or less the same, with some major differences.

You can now go into Umbra Climax. Press the L button once you have max Moon power to have your attacks pack a bigger wallop than before. This is important because there will be instances where you’re fighting more than two giant angels and demons.
You get Nintendo-themed costumes. Bayonetta can dress up as Princess Peach, Link, Fox McCloud, and Samus. Each of them has their little quirks and touches. For example, when you let loose a Wicked Weave as Princess Peach, Bowser’s hand pops up instead.
You get to wear chainsaws on your feet, and you have a scythe that doubles as a shotgun. You get a giant hammer and a pair of demon swords too but I already got you at “chainsaws on your feet”, right?
You get to ride a demon unicorn in Hell. For a game that relishes in its pop music trappings and candy-coated rendition of Moon River, it sure can be metal when it needs to be.
This version of Bayonetta 2 can be played on the road or on the commute.Â

Bet Sony wished they could do this with their upcoming God of War.

Long story short, Bayonetta 2 is worth the money if you haven’t played it yet. Yeah, it was out on the Nintendo Wii U but can you honestly tell me that you bought a Wii U just for the game? Yeah me neither *cough*.
Besides, we have no idea when Bayonetta 3 is coming out, so you might as well sate your lust for hack-and-slash Devil May Cry-but-with-Barbie-doll-heroines action gaming with one of Platinum Games’ finest.


Planet Of Lana Is An Immersive & Cinematic Sci-Fi Odyssey

Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Genre: Puzzle, Platformer, Adventure
Once in a while, an indie game comes along and reminds you that it doesn’t need a AAA budget or production values to make it cinematic and immersive. Planet Of Lana is one of those games.
What is Planet Of Lana? Developed by Swedish developer Wishfully, Planet Of Lana is their debut game; a cinematic puzzle adventure game framed by an epic and immersive sci-fi narrative.
Meet Lana And Mui

To best describe Planet Of Lana, it plays similarly to other iconic side-scrolling indie titles like Limbo, Inside, OddWorld, Flashback, and Another World. To be clear, it doesn’t feature any conventional combat. For the majority of the gameplay, you’ll be jumping and performing platforming feats (like swinging from a rope), as well as giving commands to your cute creature companion, Mui. The game’s story kicks off with Planet Of Lana protagonist Lana’s home planet Novo getting invaded by a strange alien robot army, and in the ensuing commotion, Lana narrowly manages to escape capture.
Unfortunately, her big sister and fierce protector Elo, along with the rest of her village, are not so lucky. Scared and alone, Lana is left with no choice but to venture into the hostile Novo landscape in search of her sister. This marks the beginning of a perilous journey through lush forests, dingy swamplands, dark caves, pristine archipelagos, and bone-dry deserts full of native predators and alien machines. She then meets her cute creature companion, Mui, who she can control by issuing verbal commands (essentially bossing her around). This reminds me a lot of The Last Guardian but in a way less annoying and more responsive way.

Timing your jumps and platforming, while issuing commands to Mui, at the right time is often the key to solving puzzles and getting past enemies in stealth sections. Another mechanic that adds to the complexity of the puzzles and progression that comes a bit later in the game is the ability to control animals and robots in fun and imaginative ways. However, none of the puzzles in Planet Of Lana are frustrating or too difficult. The developers reached the right balance between difficulty and pacing to ensure players feel challenged yet not overwhelmed. There are one or two puzzles that will require players to stop and think for a bit, but they aren’t too obscure or vague.
Best of all, there is one quality-of-life feature that the developers at Wishfully inserted into the game that more developers out should really emulate and add to their games. What I’m referring to is the checkpoint system in Planet Of Lana. For instance, the most frustrating thing in puzzle games is often when you die or fail when you’re halfway through or have almost completed a puzzle, and the game forces you to restart the entire puzzle from the beginning. Planet Of Lana features a great checkpoint system where the game autosaves at certain points during a puzzle segment.
What this means is that you won’t lose progress and have to start all over again for that particular puzzle if you die or fail. I truly appreciate this quality-of-life feature, as it saves the players’ time and energy, allowing them to enjoy the game without having to worry about arbitrary difficulty such as repeating a puzzle from scratch if they fail. Once again, kudos to the developers at Wishfully.

Another aspect that Planet Of Lana has in common with those games is how it uses environmental storytelling and atmospheric visuals for narrative purposes. There is no English dialogue in the game, as the developers have created their own simple and unique language for the inhabitants of Novo (the name of the planet in the game). Not only that, but the developers have chosen not to include subtitles, so it’ll be up to players to infer meaning and comprehension from the context, action, and tone of voice of the characters. All of this adds to some impressive subtle world-building. I definitely prefer this to the walls of text that some AAA games would force players to read as in-game notes or books if they want to delve into the game’s ‘lore’.
Last but not least, the music in Planet Of Lana (composed by Takeshi Furukawa, who also previously worked on 2016’s The Last Guardian, as well as various sci-fi series like Star Wars The Clone Wars and Netflix’s upcoming Avatar The Last Airbender live-action adaptation) adds to the overall immersive atmosphere and vibe as well. There’s this one segment in the game where I’m just walking forward and doing nothing else, but the music during this segment was phenomenal.
It’s great then that the developers have confirmed that the game’s official soundtrack will be available on streaming platforms when the game launches. The game’s score is an orchestral soundtrack that fits the epic tone of the science fiction elements in Planet of Lana.
An Epic Odyssey

Planet Of Lana is one of the best indie titles so far in 2023. It’s epic, cinematic, responsive and can be completed in less than five hours, though this can be a con as well. Since it will be on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass, I hope that many players give this game a chance, which the developers definitely deserve.
I look forward to seeing more great work from the folks at Wishfully in the future.
PROS

Great checkpoint system, progress in puzzles get saved.
Very cinematic, great visuals.
Multiple biomes, jungles, swamps, deserts.
Phenomenal music from composer makes game even more immersive.
Platforming feels responsive and commands to companion, Mui, don’t feel clunky.

CONS

Too short, perhaps (less than 5 hours long).

FINAL SCORE: 90/100
Planet Of Lana was reviewed on PC based on a review copy provided by the publisher. It is slated to launch for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 23 May 2023.


10 Malaysians Are Set To Represent Malaysia in PUBG Mobile At The 32nd SEA Games

Malaysia’s finest PUBG Mobile players are set to face off at this year’s 32nd Southeast Asian Games from 11–15 May. The tournament will be held at the Olympia Mall in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and feature 10 countries competing for the top prize.

Check out the schedule for the tournament!

Representing Malaysia will be two of the country’s best teams, MAS 1 and MAS 2. MAS 1 will consist of:

Irzam “DamRUDE” Aman – Geek Slate
Nabil “Snipes” Nazaruddin – Geek Slate
Daim “Mica” Rosli – Geek Slate
Nadzrul “Stuxnet” Sagal – Geek Slate
Dhiya “uHigh” Ulhaq – Bigetron Red Villains
Azmi “Pasha” Halim (Coach) – MPX Esports

While MAS 2 will have:

Izzrudin “Jumper” Hashim – Team Secret
Farish “FlaxOP” Husaini – NSEA
Azli “Oliyo” Amran – Yoodo Alliance
Aiman “Echo” Mahadzir – Don’t Break Dreams
Syazwan “YeN” Adrian – Don’t Break Dreams
Mosleh “MosGoku” Subairi (Coach) – Don’t Break Dreams

Both teams are determined to show off their skills, bring pride to their nation, and make their fellow Malaysians proud.
uHigh, who is from Indonesia’s Bigetron Red Villains, will once again be joining the Malaysian squad with the powerful Geek Slate lineup, which is considered to be the strongest in Malaysia. In February 2023, Geek Slate won the consecutive championship title at the PUBG MOBILE Pro League Malaysia Spring.
Meanwhile, Jumper and FlaxOP, who were awarded the Bronze medal at the 31st SEA Games in Vietnam, will also represent Malaysia once again. Jumper was even recognized for his impressive performance with the Meritorious Service Medal by the Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan back in January 2023.

19 teams from 10 different countries are set to compete for the championship title, representing their respective nations. Among the countries that will be participating are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
Unlike previous SEA games, where only three medals were awarded to the top finishers (Gold, Silver, and Bronze), this year’s tournament will see four medals awarded, two Bronze medals being up for grabs. This could mean that Malaysia will have a better chance of taking home some hardware.

The team tournament qualifiers will begin on 11 May, with teams duking it out in six matches. Only the top 16 teams will advance to the Finals, which will be held from 12–14 May, and will feature a total of 18 matches.

The individual tournament, which will be held on 15 May, will see 60 players from different countries battling it out to be the last one standing. There will be eight matches played throughout the day.
Throughout both the team and individual tournaments, participants will be awarded points based on their performance. The team that accumulates 10 points will take 1st place in the team tournament, while the individual player who accumulates 20 points will be crowned the individual tournament champion.
Don’t miss out on the action! The tournament will be streamed on PUBG MOBILE Esports Malaysia’s official YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok channels. Be sure to tune in and cheer on the Malaysian teams as they battle for victory!


One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 Release Date Revealed

Nobody except Eiichiro Oda and one cancer-stricken child know the ending of the One Piece manga. I estimate that the series won’t be ending anytime soon which means that more One Piece games are coming our way and one of them is coming out next year.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNCWDuy1_K4&w=560&h=315]
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 will be the latest entry of the manga’s musou game series. A new trailer uploaded by Bandai Namco Entertainment Southeast Asia has revealed that the game will be launched worldwide on 27 March 2020. It will be playable on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.
At the end of the trailer, we get to see some of the pre-order bonuses, season pass content, and our first look at the Kaido Edition. It’s basically a collector’s edition box set that comes with an “exclusive 30cm LED diorama” of Kaido and Luffy. It looks awesome, to say the least.


Zombieland 2 Trailer Features Returning Cast A Decade Later

It’s rare that the entire original cast of a cult classic movie would often return for its sequel, especially so when it’s getting released a decade later, but that’s what’s happening with Zombieland: Double Tap. Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin are all back for the highly-anticipated sequel to 2009’s Zombieland.
A lot has changed for the returning cast after ten years. Emma Stone is now an Academy Award-winning actress (Best Actress for 2017’s La La Land), Jesse Eisenberg went on to star in 2011’s The Social Network (and nominated for an Academy Award), and Abigail Breslin is now a 23-year-old adult (she was 13 in 2009).
Not only are the original cast back, but also the same director (Ruben Fleischer) and writing team (Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick). The cast is growing beyond the fearsome foursome too, with the addition of Madison (Zoey Deutch), the handsome Berkeley (Avan Jogia), and the kickass Nevada (Rosario Dawson) into the mix.
The official description for Zombieland: Double Tap reads:

“Through comic mayhem that stretches from the White House and through the heartland,
these four slayers must face off against the many new kinds of zombies that have evolved since the first movie,
as well as some new human survivors.
But most of all, they have to face the growing pains of their own snarky, makeshift family.”

Prepare for more outrageous ways to kill zombies, as Zombieland: Double Tap is slated to premiere on 18 October 2019. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlW9yhUKlkQ&w=560&h=315]


Here’s Your First Look At Starfire’s New Costume In Titans Season 3

Actress Anna Diop is finally turning into a more comics-accurate Koriand’r AKA Starfire, as her character will be getting a snazzy new costume in Titans Season 3.
HBO Max has revealed our first look at Starfire’s new costume, with both a full phot and Gina DeDomenicoâ€™s concept art of the Laura Jean Shannon costume design.

Ok wow can we just admire @TheAnnaDiop as Starfire for a minute!? Seasons 1 & 2 are now streaming on HBO Max. #DCTitans pic.twitter.com/JGLkVRxqUd— HBO Max (@hbomax) November 23, 2020

Speaking with TVLine, TitansÂ executive producer Greg Walker said:
â€œWeâ€™re planning a big season for Kory this year.The arrival of her sister/nemesis Blackfire (new series regular Damaris Lewis) launches Kory down a path where she uncovers both secrets about her past and clues to her destinyâ€¦ all of which will lead to her true calling as Starfire.Plus, we have a few other surprises in store for hardcore Starfire fans this season.â€
Titans Season 3 is currently in production and will premiere exclusively on HBO Max, following the shutdown of the DC Universe streaming service.
Besides Diopâ€™s Kory/Starfire and Lewisâ€™ Blackfire, returning characters include:
Brenton Thwaitesâ€™ Dick Grayson/NightwingTeagan Croftâ€™s Rachel Roth/RavenRyan Potterâ€™s Gar Logan/Beast BoyConor Leslieâ€™s Donna Troy/WondergirlCurran Waltersâ€™ Jason Todd/now Red HoodJoshua Orpinâ€™s Conner Kent/SuperboyAlan Ritchsonâ€™s Hank Hall/HawkMinka Kellyâ€™s Dawn Granger/Dove


Here’s How You Can Get A Free Headset With Your New ROG Phone 5

Here’s a great deal for everyone, courtesy of the folks at Asus. For a limited time, you can get a complimentary ROG Cetra II Headset (worth RM499) with any purchase of a ROG Phone 5 (8GB/128GB).
The deal only lasts from now until 9 July 2021, or while stocks last. You can get yours at the following links:

Shopee
Lazada
ROG Phone 5 Product website
Official ROG Msia FB post

The ASUS ROG Phone 5 was officially announced earlier this year in March 2021. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888. It comes with a 6.78-inch 144Hz Samsung AMOLED display with HDR10+ support, as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack. Powered by a 6000mAH dual battery, it also features a 64MP + 13MP + 5MP triple camera on the back and a 24MP front camera.
Asus ROG Phone 5

8GB RAM and 128GB ROM storage space â€“Â RM2999Â (Phantom Black or Storm White).
16GB RAM and 256GB ROM storage space â€“Â RM3799 (Phantom Black or Storm White).

In the meantime, you can check out our in-depth review of the ROG Phone 5 by heading over here.


Can The Worst Assassin’s Creed Game Fix Notre Dame?

In case you haven’t heard, restoration efforts are being made to restore and fix Paris’Â Notre Dame following a recent fiery accident. To keep up the trend that video games can truly help in such dire times, the Assassin’s Creed series can help restore the Paris cathedral thanks to the game’s 3D mapping for its historical buildings in its setting.
The game in question? The Paris-set Assassin’s Creed Unity, arguably the worst game of the series thanks to repetitive gameplay, copy-pasta plot, and bugs like these:

Anyway, a Verge report back in 2014 said that the game’s senior level designer Caroline Miousse has spent two years building the game’s version of the iconic cathedral. She worked with texture artists so that no brick was out of place, as well as with historians to make its interior as historically accurate as possible.
While not completely accurate -this is a game where you need to climb onto stuff and parkour to victory, so some liberties are taken- this can help in recreating and rebuilding the burnt-down bits of the cathedral. Better late than never to find a use for one of Ubisoft’s darkest hours in open world gaming, right?