Dune Spice Wars Is A Deep But Surprisingly Accessible RTS For Both Dune Fans & Casuals

Platform(s): PC
Genre: 4X, RTS, Strategy, Sci-Fi
Frank Herbert’s Dune franchise is arguably at its highest pop culture zenith right now, thanks to the critically-acclaimed epic that was Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Part One film (check out my review of that here) in 2021. It’s the best time for a Dune video game to arrive and it’s even double the auspiciousness that the new Dune game is an RTS, just like 1992’s Dune II (which is known to have kicked off the modern RTS genre of PC games).
Dune Spice Wars is a 4X RTS game from the developers of 2017’s Northgard. Set in Frank Herbert’s Dune universe, you have to lead your faction and battle for control and dominance over the harsh desert planet of Arrakis. There are four different factions to choose fro, including, of course, House Atreides, House Harkonnen, the Fremen, and last but not least; a generic smuggler faction.
Conquering Arrakis

A faction starts with only a capital so you start exploring, taking over villages and find resources. A colonial’s dream, yeah? Well, that’s basically what you are. Victory conditions include either wiping out your enemies, or scoring enough political points (Hegemony) to become the Governors Of Dune (more on this later).
Each faction has bonuses, with several unique sub-leaders with their own respective bonuses to choose from (of which you can only choose two). With this being an RTS game, you can expect there to be lots of different resources to accumulate and keep track of, as well as different mechanics representing military, economics, politics, and espionage. It may seem like a lot to master, but the learning curve actually doesn’t feel too steep. Granted, I’m a Total War veteran with thousands of hours in the franchise, but I’d say that Dune Spice Wars is still easier to understand and more accessible than most other strategy games.

The gameplay loop in Dune Spice Wars is basically that you have to scan the world around your capital with Ornithopters (yeah, those dragonfly-looking helicopter vehicles) to search for settlements, resources and other points of interests. You then send in your units of troops and other specialized vehicles to expand your territory and harvest Spice, which is the main resource in the game.
Different factions have different playstyles. You can take the path of honor and political power as the respected House Atreides, choose violence and tyranny as House Harkonnen, become master of desert survival and guerilla tactics with the native Fremen and gain influence through shady deals and infiltration as the Smugglers.
For instance, as House Atreides, I could peacefully annex settlements and villages without having to send my units for combat. The political mechanic of the game is gaining Influence/Hegemony points and participating in the Landsraad council. You can use your Influence to sway votes in order to approve or decline certain policies/resolutions (whichever is most beneficial to your faction).
Dune Miss Out On This Game

Dune Spice Wars doesn’t really do anything new, but most of the mechanics, like the military and economics, feel fleshed out. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about the politics and espionage mechanics. These still feel undercooked, with some balancing issues to iron out. In addition, the game’s mechanics and victory conditions in the current state of the game clearly favours House Atreides and House Harkonnen.
The developer will have to find and introduce more ways for the Fremen and Smuggler factions to feel more fun to play as, and less of being at an disadvantage (though in hindsight, that could have been a deliberate choice). Still, the Fremen and Smuggler factions shouldn’t have to necessarily play the same game as House Atreides and House Harkonnen, It doesn’t make much sense that these factions would participate in the same imperial politics as House Atreides and House Harkonnen.

Despite being in Early Access, the game doesn’t feel unfinished. It’s very much playable with a decent amount of content, but I did experience stuttering issues from time to time. However, it’s reassuring that the developer has promised that the game will be updated and expanded with a full campaign and multiplayer, including more features and improved balance throughout Early Access, based on your crucial feedback.
Ultimately, there’s a lot of potential and space for Dune Spice Wars to grow and improve, but if you’re looking for a Dune game or even a fun RTS game to invest in, you can’t go wrong with this one. Obviously, this game would be much better appreciated by Dune fans for its world and details.
Early Access preview copy provided by Funcom. Played on an Acer Predator Triton 500 (2020). Dune Spice Wars is now available on Steam Early Access for RM79.99.


Guilty Gear Strive’s Awesome Soundtrack Is Now Available On Spotify & Other Streaming Services

Good news, Spotify and music streaming fans: Guilty Gear Strive’s rocking soundtrack is now available on these services.
You can now check out the first volume of the OST, featuring every character’s battle themes (except for Goldlewis’ and Jack-O’s), on the following music stream apps:

Spotify
Apple Music
YouTube Music
LINE Music
Amazon Music Unlimited
AWA
iTunes Store
Recochocu
Amazon
Mora
Deezer
KKBox
Tower Records Music
Rakuten Music
USEN
MySound
Ototoy
D Hits
D Music
Dwango.jp
Billboard x Dwango
Animelo Mix
Music.jp Store
Hikari TV
K-Pop Life
Oricon
Konami (uta.573.jp store)

Here is the full tracklist, with music performed by Daisuke Ishiwatari, Naoki Hashimoto, AISHA, Jamison Boaz, and the Arc System Works music crew :

Smell of the Game
Find Your One Way
The Roar of the Spark
Totsugeki The Disaster of Passion
Out of the Box
Play the Hero
Armor-clad Faith
Alone Infection
Love the Subhuman Self
Let Me Crave Your Way
Necessary Discrepancy
Hellfire
What do you fight for
Trigger
Rock Parade
Requiem
Crawl
The Name of Heaven
Talk About You

So what are you waiting for? Go rock out with your **** out with these bangers. For more Guilty Gear Strive, head on over to this link.


[Updated] Valorant Champions Tour 2022: APAC Last Chance Qualifier – Teams, Schedule & Results

With Stage 2 Masters Copenhagen having concluded, we now shift our eyes towards Champions in September. But before that, we still have plenty of slots to fill as we lead up to the event. The Asia-Pacific (APAC) Last Chance Qualifier is currently underway as teams face each other online to fight for the last spot in APAC. I’m here to give you all a rundown of the teams and the schedule going ahead.
RESULTS

PLACE
QUALIFIES TO
TEAM

1
Champions
BOOM Esports

2
–
ONIC Esports

3
–
Bleed eSports

4
–
Team Secret

5-6

–

ORDER

Made in Thailand (MiTH)

7-8

–

Alter Ego

CERBERUS Esports

9-10

–

Griffin E-Sports

Fancy United Esports

TEAMS

Bleed eSports – Singapore
ONIC Esports – Indonesia
BOOM Esports – Indonesia
Made in Thailand (MiTH) – Thailand
Team Secret – Philippines
Fancy United Esports – Vietnam
Griffin E-Sports – Hong Kong
CERBERUS Esports – Vietnam
Alter Ego – Indonesia
ORDER – Australia

Note: Teams seeded 7–10 play an extra round
DATE & SCHEDULE

Date: 1–7 August
Timezone: Singapore Time (GMT+8)
SCHEDULE
DAY 1 – 1 August
1:00 PM – Fancy United Esports [0] vs. [2] ORDER (Upper Bracket Round 1)
4:00 PM – CERBERUS Esports [0] vs. [2] Alter Ego (Upper Bracket Round 1)
7:00 PM – BOOM Esports [2] vs. [1] Griffin E-Sports (Upper Bracket Quarterfinals)

DAY 2 – 2 August
1:00 PM – MiTH [1] vs. [2] Team Secret (Upper Bracket Quarterfinal)
4:00 PM – ONIC Esports [2] vs. [0] ORDER (Upper Bracket Quarterfinal)
7:00 PM – Alter Ego [0] vs. [2] Bleed eSports (Upper Bracket Quarterfinal)

DAY 3 – 3 August
1:00 PM – CERBERUS Esports [2] vs. [1] Griffin E-Sports (Lower Bracket Round 1)
4:00 PM – Fancy United Esports [1] vs. [2] MiTH (Lower Bracket Round 1)
7:00 PM – BOOM Esports [2] vs. [0] ONIC Esports (Upper Bracket Semifinal)

DAY 4 – 4 August
1:00 PM – Bleed eSports [2] vs. [0] Team Secret (Upper Bracket Semifinal)
4:00 PM – ORDER [2] vs. [0] CERBERUS Esports (Lower Bracket Round 2)
7:00 PM – Alter Ego [1] vs. [2] MiTH (Lower Bracket Round 2)

DAY 5 – 5 August
1:00 PM – Team Secret [2] vs. [1] ORDER (Lower Bracket Quarterfinal)
4:00 PM – ONIC Esports [2] vs. [0] MiTH (Lower Bracket Quarterfinal)
7:00 PM – BOOM Esports [2] vs. [1] Bleed eSports (Upper Bracket Final)

DAY 6 – 6 August
1:00 PM – Team Secret [1] vs. [2] ONIC Esports (Lower Bracket Semifinal)
4:00 PM – Bleed eSports [1] vs. [2] ONIC Esports (Lower Bracket Final)

DAY 7 – 7 August
3:00 PM – BOOM Esports [3] vs. [1] ONIC Esports (Grand Final)

BRACKET

WHERE TO WATCH?
English: Twitch / YouTube / Facebook
Tagalog: Facebook
Bahasa Indonesia: Twitch / YouTube / Facebook
Thai: Twitch / YouTube / Facebook
Vietnamese: YouTube / Facebook
Mandarin: Twitch / YouTube / Facebook


Pokemon Scarlet & Violet’s First 7-Star Raid: Tips, Tricks, Dos, and Don’ts

As Pokemon Scarlet & Violet’s very first 7-Star Raids are beginning to pop up all over Paldea, many trainers are scrambling to find out the best strategies and best Pokemon to bring into these all-new raids.
Before we dive deep into some theory-crafting, here are some details about these 7-Star Raids.

Charizard will be making its debut in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet starting 1 December at 4pm– 4 December at 3:59pm PST (MYT: 2 Dec, 8am – 5 Dec, 7:59am) and a second round from Thursday, 15 December at 4:00 p.m. – 18 December at 3:59 p.m. PST (MYT: 16 Dec, 8am – 19 Dec, 7:59am).
Charizards that are caught from these exclusive raids will have the Mighty Mark which allows your Charizard to have a nifty little title whenever you throw it out into battle. (eg. Charizard the Unrivaled).
Charizard will have the Dragon as its Tera Type.
Only one Charizard can be caught per trainer (take note of this if you intend to Shiny hunt).

Now with the essential details out of the way, let’s get into the guide for the Charizard 7-Star Raids!
NEW TRAINERS BEWARE!
We’re fully aware that not everyone has managed to play through the entirety of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. So here’s your first and only warning: These 7-Star Raids are not for the faint of heart!
These exclusive raids are specifically designed to test the most dedicated trainers. For context, players are only able to unlock 6-Star Raids after completing the main game and some post-game content, and even those raids require some amount of coordination or luck to complete.
So if you’re still a while away from completing the game, fret not as Charizard will be returning again in mid-December. Go out there, take down the Gym Leaders, defeat the Titans and conquer the Elite Four, then come back stronger, ready to take on the mighty Charizard!
HOW TO UNLOCK 7-STAR RAIDS
If you haven’t completed a particular post-game activity, you most likely will not see these exclusive raids pop up around your map, here’s why.
In order to unlock 6-Star Raids and above, you will need to have defeated the Elite Four, rematch every single Gym Leader and finally participate and win the Academy Ace Tournament. After you’ve successfully completed these, go complete some raids after which your Biology teacher, Mr Jacq, will give you a call alerting you to the appearance of 6-Star Raids which will appear on your map as black crystals.

Once you’ve reached this stage, you should have the all-new 7-Star Raids showing up on your map indicated by a unique black raid icon.
However, if you haven’t had the luxury of completing the post-game yet, you can still join these high-tier raids via the Tera Raids lobby screen. As mentioned above, you’ll have to come sufficiently prepared. Read on and find out what you’ll need to take on the mighty Charizard!

YOUR USUAL RAID POKEMON WON’T CUT IT

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet has only been out for less than a month but the end-game raiding meta has already taken shape. If you’ve been doing raids around your map using online mode, you’ve probably seen other trainers using Pokemon like Iron Hands, Perrserker and Miraidon/Koraidon.
This is no coincidence. These particular Pokemon have formed the current raid meta because of their insane damage potential. Let’s cover why these particular supposedly high-tier raid Pokemon won’t cut it and why brute force might not be the solution to defeating Charizard.
So first off, Charizard is an insanely versatile Pokemon with an incredibly wide moveset, and as of now, no one really knows what moves in particular Charizard will have in these raids. What we do know is that its moves can be randomized with each raid that you enter and that it can use more than four moves.
Early testing has shown that Charizard has been seen using the following moves:

Overheat (immediately followed by cleansing its Sp Atk debuff).
Hurricane (it spams this a LOT!).
Tera Blast (happens occasionally and is a Dragon type move).
Fire Blast (also happens occasionally).

Despite the above, Charizard has access to a myriad of moves ranging from Flying, Ground, Dragon, Fire and even Steel. Unfortunately for these meta Pokemon, Charizard possesses moves that would take them out instantly! Iron Hands, weak to Flying and Ground moves. Perrserker, weak to Fire moves. Miraidon/Koraidon, weak to Dragon moves. Whatever way you slice it, these Pokemon aren’t surviving all that long to do significant damage.
But let’s say, for argument’s sake, that your Pokemon survive and you’re able to buff up your team with offense and defense, brute force and big damage numbers might not actually prove to be a viable solution. It has been theorized that Charizard in these 7-Star Raids might have up to 30 times more HP than usual! So if by some miracle your team doesn’t get wiped in the first 30 seconds of the raid, Charizard will eventually be able to wipe them in the next 30 seconds.
In a nutshell, this raid is a challenge of endurance and strategy. In most 5-Star Raids and some 6-Star Raids, you can go in guns blazing with these heavy hitters, but you’ll need to treat Charizard with respect. Keep reading and find out what Pokemon we suggest bringing to the Charizard pummel party.
SUGGESTED POKEMON TO TAKE ON CHARIZARD
Alright, so your usual big damage Pokemon won’t make the cut, what Pokemon SHOULD you be turning your attention to?
The general community’s consensus is that a dog made of hot buns will be the champion to take on Charizard. Our frontrunner for best Pokemon for 7-Star Raids is none other than Dachsbun!

Here’s a breakdown of why Dachsbun will be the most viable Pokemon.

Is a Fairy type and has Fairy type moves which are strong against Dragon.
Its Fairy typing is immune to Charizard’s Dragon moves.
Has Fire immunity thanks to its Ability, Well-Baked Body.
Has stat reducing moves that will minimize the amount of damage Charizard can deal.
Has moves that can buff its own damage.

This strategy however comes with a few caveats.

Dachsbun may be immune to Fire moves but Charizard may very well whip out other hard-hitting moves of varying types. The biggest hazard would be a couple Steel type moves that Charizard is able to learn.
After bringing down Charizard’s health enough, it will nullify all stat increases and Abilities, which will remove Dachsbun’s immunity to Fire. Equip your Dachsbun with an Ability Shield to preserve your Well-Baked Body Ability.

If you do decide to try out this hot cross dog, here is the suggested moveset:

Yawn (Host) / Helping Hand (Joiners)
Howl
Play Rough
Charm

It’s recommended that your entire lobby be using Dachsbuns for this to be successful. The strategy is as follows:

Turn 1: Everyone Howls. This move raises your own and your party’s attack, resulting in a +4 Attack going into turn 2.
Turn 2: Host Yawns, the rest should either Cheer to raise attack or use Charm to reduce Charizard’s physical damage.
Turn 3: Joiners use Helping Hands on the Host, Host uses Play Rough.

One of the Joiners can also opt to have Rain Dance handy to negate Charizard’s usage of Sunny Day which significantly boosts its Fire damage. Setting up Rain Dance also reduces Charizard’s Fire damage in return. Seeing as early testing has shown that Charizard uses more Special moves, you can opt to remove Charm in favour of Rain Dance or even Tail Whip to help reduce Charizard’s defense.
Honourable Mentions:

Azumarill (Fairy type, big damage potential with Belly Drum).
Grimmsnarl (Fairy type, has Light Screen & Reflect to reduce damage).
Sylveon (Fairy type, Light Screen & Reflect to reduce damage).
Blissey (Big HP, access to Healing Pulse and other healing moves).
Suitable Pokemon with Taunt to disable Charizard’s stat-increasing moves.
Suitable Pokemon with Rain Dance to negate Charizard’s use of Sunny Day.

General tips to follow:

Pokemon with resistances/immunities to Charizard’s core damage are superior
Moves that can reduce Charizard’s damage to your team are great but don’t depend too much on them as it can cleanse any stat reductions inflicted on it. That’s why Light Screen/Reflect users are pretty handy.
Pokemon with access to Rainy Day are great to have if Charizard chooses to utilize Sunny Day.
Healer/Support Pokemon can be pivotal to keeping your team alive long enough to dish out damage.
Always utilize the Cheer mechanic to either boost your team’s Attack or Defense and even heal your team in a pinch.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR 7-STAR RAIDS

Right off the bat, level up your desired Pokemon to level 100.
With how big Charizard’s health bar and damage will be, your Pokemon has to be able to withstand some hits while also being able to dish out enough damage. While levelling to 100 may be an obvious step for most, you’d be surprised at how many people will be joining these raids with level 70-80 Pokemon thinking that they’ll be fine.
The best way to do this is to collect EXP Candy from Raids, so get out there and clear out every Raid you can see on your map and chuck those candies down your Pokemon’s food hole!
Next, EV train your Pokemon.
EV training is a little-known or extremely well-known method of strengthening your Pokemon, really depends on who you ask. To explain briefly, EV stands for Effort Values. Every time your Pokemon battles a certain Pokemon, they’ll gain some Effort Values that will translate to raw, hard stats for your Pokemon. If you wanna be fully prepared, do take some time to look up some guides about EV training on YouTube, there are plenty! Alternatively, you may use EV vitamins like Iron, Protein etc in order to increase your base stats.
Lastly and possibly the most difficult, find some friends.
These raids will be definitely much easier if you’re able to coordinate with a dedicated group of players to best optimize your strategies. Lest you wish to try your luck with randoms, if you do, we wish you and your sanity, the best of luck.
TLDR:

Charizard is very strong, new players stay away!
Usual meta Pokemon can hang out in a dumpster for this event.
Dachsbun is the theorized MVP of this event.
Level 100 Pokemon FTW.


Marvel’s What If…? Opens The Door To A Multiverse With Amazing Tales & Strange Fantasy

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is finally vast and expanded enough to warrant its own What If…? series after almost 13 years and more than 20 movies. With that wealth of content to explore and spin out of, Disney+’s Marvel’s What If…? is a great medium to introduce more casual viewers to the concept of the Multiverse and alternate worlds.
Welcome To The Multiverse

Following the ending of Loki Season 1, the MCU is now free to mine the infinite possibilities that come with the introduction of the Multiverse. Marvel’s What If…? provides creators with the opportunity to make up situations and narratives that would be too far-fetched for the main continuity, and so far this animated series certainly fulfils that potential.
We were lucky enough to receive early screener access for the first three episodes of Marvel’s What If…?. At first, I was worried that they were going the 3D CGI route, but Marvel Studios has clearly made sure the series has high production values and it definitely shows. The animation is smooth and detailed, while the facial animations are expressive enough.
Thankfully, it doesn’t suffer from the same quality problems that TV shows like Star Wars The Clone Wars suffered from earlier in its run. In my interview with Marvel’s What If…? director Bryan Andrews, he revealed that they initially wanted to go the 2D route, but ultimately had to settle for 3D.
Each episode is only around 30 minutes or so, but they each feature self-contained and standalone stories that one would expect from an anthology series. From the first three episodes, there is no overarching storyline or continuing narrative linking them together, which means that viewers can enjoy each episode on their own merits. However, the potential of crossing over is still possible down the line due to the concept of the Multiverse.
Basically, it all depends on the butterfly effect, where one small decision or action can have big ramifications or consequences on how things play out. That’s the premise at the core of Marvel’s What If…?. For instance, the first episode is set in a world where Peggy Carter received the Super Soldier Serum instead of Steve Rogers, turning her into Captain Carter (no, she’s not Captain Britain because that name belongs to another completely different superhero).
I won’t spoil how that happens, since the fun of it all is in watching how things unfold differently from the main MCU timeline. It’s great that the writers of this episode made the most of the episode’s narrative and setting, highlighting the misogyny and gender-based discrimination faced by Peggy Carter after she becomes Captain Carter. This is especially so since Steve Rogers received the opposite treatment and reaction from those around him, just because he’s a cis-gendered man.
It’s also great to see Hayley Atwell reprising her role as Peggy Carter, Bradley Whitford as SSR agent John Flynn, Neal McDonough as Dum Dum Dugan, Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark and others. However, there are certain compromises. Chris Evans doesn’t return as Steve Rogers but Josh Keaton does a good job of replicating his voice. Instead of Hugo Weaving, the Red Skull is voiced by Ross Marquand, who reprises his role from 2019’s Avengers Endgame.
Meanwhile, the second episode is set in a world where T’challa becomes Star-Lord instead of Peter Quill. MCU fans will appreciate that many of the Guardians Of The Galaxy movie cast returns for the second episode. It features one of the late Chadwick Boseman’s last performances as the character, so it’s fitting that the episode ends with a touching tribute to him.
The third episode is where several characters get assassinated before Nick Fury could recruit them for the Avengers Initiative. This is by far the most interesting episode of the three, as it has a lingering whodunit mystery vibe. It’s pretty compelling compared to the first two episodes, which were much more straightforward.
Dimension Of Imagination
Doctor Strange in Marvel Studios’ WHAT IFâ€¦? exclusively on Disney+. Â©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
What I’ve realised is that Marvel’s What If…? likes to riff on scenes from the movies, featuring different takes on similar events from the MCU. Remember the iconic scene where Korath doesn’t recognise Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord? Well, in Marvel’s What If…?, the tables are turned and Korath elicits the opposite reaction as he’s actually in awe of T’challa’s version of Star-Lord in a fanboyish kind of way.
In another example, Steve Rogers still plays an important part in the Captain Carter episode despite not becoming Captain America in that world. I won’t spoil it, but this Hot Toys set already did so you can head on over there if you don’t mind spoilers.
Best of all though is how each Marvel’s What If…? episode can feature vastly different tones, styles and genres. The first episode featuring Captain Carter is focused on old-school pulpy action in a classic war setting, while the second episode with T’challa as Star-Lord is a heist episode. Meanwhile, the third episode is a whodunit mystery and thriller. Everyone knows by now that there will be a Marvel Zombies episode (which I didn’t get to watch as part of the screeners) and that will likely be horror.
That’s the appeal of anthologies like Marvel’s What If…?. There’s something for everyone; action, comedy, mysteries, horror, and more. I would also like to point out that the three episodes I watched had pleasant twists and turns and plenty of easter eggs. There are things you won’t see coming but I can’t and won’t spoil them here, but rest assured that they’ll amuse and excite MCU fans.
Squeeze Animation Studios worked on the first five episodes, including the three episodes that I watched and described in this review. Lest I forget, it would be remiss of me not to mention the brilliant Jeffrey Wright, who delivers an amazing performance as The Watcher. It’s as dramatic and regal as his character from Westworld. He actually does more than simply narrating the beginning of each episode, as he will provide commentaries at certain parts throughout the episodes as well.
House Of Ideas
(L-R): Nick Fury and Hawkeye in Marvel Studios’ WHAT IFâ€¦? exclusively on Disney+. Â©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
If there’s anything I can criticize, it’s pretty disappointing that Marvel’s What If…? will be restricted to spinning off from events that have already happened in the MCU. What this means is that we won’t be seeing never-before-seen characters from the comics popping up; merely riffs on what we’ve already seen in the MCU. That somewhat limits the scope and potential of the series, but it’s an understandable decision in order to make the series less confusing for casual viewers.
With nine episodes planned, there’s a lot to look forward to in Marvel’s What If…? The Multiverse is here, and the Watcher is here to guide us through all the twists and turns. Buckle up, folks.
FINAL SCORE: 80/100
We received an early access screener of Marvel’s What If…? courtesy of Disney+ Hoststar Malaysia. It will premiere on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia on 11 August 2021.


Sonic The Hedgehog Redesigners Shut Down Their Animation Studio

Hope you all enjoyed the Sonic The Hedgehog redesign, because it came with a heavy price.
The company behind the new Sonic redesign, Moving Picture Company Vancouver, has shut down effective immediately. They were responsible for both the original teethed Sonic mutation and the final design that fans and the internet are adoring so far.
If the company’s name sounded familiar, it’s because they are responsible for the VFXs in shows like Detective Pikachu, Guardians of the Galaxy, and a number of Disney’s live-action remakes.
An internal email obtained by Canada news site CBC stated that the company shut down due to “increasing external market pressures in Vancouver and more attractive opportunities in other locations”.
Other sources, particularly on Reddit, stated otherwise. An artist who claimed to be an ex-employee of the company said the following online: “Weâ€™ve all put in extreme hours wrapping two infamous projects in the last couple of months”. This quote is referring to the initial Sonic The Hedgehog design and company taxing revisions.
Here are more standout quotes regarding the toll of the project.

“We’ve done multiple weeks without a day off, regular 17+ hour shifts to the point that most of us are seriously sleep-deprived and are suffering still. [The company is allegedly] prioritizing their profit margins and tax incentives over the insane talent and commitment of hundreds of dedicated VFX artists in Vancouver.
“Didnâ€™t want to work OT at the weekend? You had to give a satisfactory reason as to why you couldnâ€™t do it or theyâ€™d label it an unauthorized absence.”

The fact that the entire redesign only cost US$5 million means that the company may have diminished morale and underpaid their staff.


Diablo Creators Have Words Regarding Today’s Blizzard

So yeah, Blizzard has changed quite a bit since its announcement of Diablo Immortal last year, among other issues. This isn’t just apparent to everyone else who supported the company, but also from its former employees.
Such is the case ofÂ  Diablo creators and Blizzard North’s founders David Brevik, ErichÂ  Shaefer, and Max Schaefer. According to aÂ  PC Gamer write-up, the trio unanimously agree that the company has changed.

“It’s not ‘sort of’ changed, it has completely change,” saidÂ  Max Schaefer. “The old Blizzard is gone. When we quit, there was like 180 employees total. There’s thousands now. The whole empire is different, and Activision didn’t have any influence. At that point it was just Blizzard and then some anonymous corporate owner, Vivendi or whoever. That was it.”
And so now [Blizzard is] a video game empire that has to appease shareholders and all that sort of stuff.”

Brevik added that this change isn’t exclusive to just Blizzard,Â  but to all companies. When the company got big with its trifecta of IPS -WarCraft, StarCraft, and Diablo- it was harder for the trio to focus on creative design and avoid the corporateÂ  talk.
“I think the biggest thing is we didn’t talk about shareholder value,” said Erich Schaefer. “We didn’t talk about the Chinese government and what they might want. The only thing we ever talked about was what we wanted to do and what the fans would like. It’s obviously not the case anymore, for better or worse. I don’t blame them. They’re a giant corporation.”
Max Schaefer added that they left because they wanted to be more self-deterministic and not be beholden to some organization.

“Nothing ever stays the same. We would not have survived [Blizzard’s] growth in any form by staying there. It would have just driven us crazy because it’s just all we want to do is have a team and make the games we want to make. That’s possible in the small group like Blizzard used to be and it’s not possible in a media conglomerate empire thing that they have right now.
Because of the structure of Blizzard now they think with their wallets first. I think that kind of led the decision making more than anything, and they’d maybe underestimated what people’s perception of [buckling under ChineseÂ  government and NetEase pressure] would be.”


Black Widow Intel: What To Know For The Next MCU Movie

How long has it been since the last Marvel Cinematic Universe movie? Let me remind you: the last official MCU movie was 2019’s Spider-Man Far For Home, so it’s been a whopping two years. That’s the longest period of time we’ve been without an MCU movie since its debut in 2008 (2009 was previously the only year without an MCU movie). So it’s good to know that the MCU movie train is starting to roll out in full force, beginning with July’s Black Widow film which focuses on the spytastic escapades of Natasha Romanoff.
Weâ€™ll be delving into spoiler territory for past MCU movies and perhaps for Black Widow itself, so hereâ€™s your warning:

Natasha Romanoff AKA Black Widow (Scarlett Johannson)

Just like 2019’s Captain Marvel, Marvel’s Black Widow movie takes place in the past, not in the present. This time, we’re going back to the time period between 2016’s Captain America Civil War and 2018’s Avengers Infinity War. During this point in time, Natasha Romanoff AKA the Black Widow (Scarlett Johannson) was on the run from the authorities ever since she sided with Captain America’s anti-Sokovian Accords stance.
Yes, almost everyone knows that Natasha died in 2019’s Avengers Endgame, but the Black Widow movie takes place before all that even happens. To recap, Natasha first appeared in 2010’s Iron Man 2 as a SHIELD spy, before becoming an Avenger in 2012’s The Avengers. She later joined Captain America to take down HYDRA in 2014’s Captain America The Winter Soldier and helped defeat the rogue AI Ultron in 2014’s Avengers Age Of Ultron.
Even after appearing in all those films, we still don’t know much about Natasha’s past. However, the Black Widow movie will explore all that as she returns to her old family of former KGB agents and assassins to take down the still-operating and infamous Red Room program (which trained her in the first place all those years ago).
Now that we’ve established that, let’s meet the rest of Natasha’s estranged family, most of whom will make their debut for the first time into the MCU in the Black Widow movie.
Yelena Belova AKA Black Widow (Florence Pugh)

In the comics, Yelena Belova was the second person to take on the mantle of the Black Widow, as she was also trained by the Red Room program. She was originally sent to kill the original Black Widow, but she ends up becoming an ally and hero herself. Before that though, she was even transformed into a Super-Adaptoid by HYDRA at one point, but the less said about that, the better. Unlike in the MCU, Natasha and Yelena have never really been “sisters” in any way, except sharing the same Red Room training and origins.
In the MCU, however, things are different. It turns out that Natasha was once part of an undercover KGB family in the US (back in the 90s), which includes “father” Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), “mother” Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz) and of course, “younger sister” Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh). In the present, things will have changed a lot since then, so Natasha will have to face a difficult reunion in the Black Widow movie.
It’s no secret that Marvel Studios is probably planning for Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) to be the next Black Widow moving forward, especially since the actress will be appearing in the upcoming Disney+ Hotstar series Hawkeye, which takes place post-Avengers Endgame (when Natasha is dead).

Alexei Shostakov AKA Red Guardian (David Harbour)

In the comics, there are multiple versions, or rather, various people who have carried the mantle of Red Guardian. What’s important to know is that Red Guardian is essentially the Russian counterpart of the USA’s Captain America. The most prominent person to be Red Guardian is Alexei Shostakov, who is the former husband of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow back when both were still part of the KGB. Another vital piece of information to note is that the Red Guardian is traditionally the leader of the Winter Guard; who is basically the Russian equivalent of the Avengers (albeit with a freaking anthropomorphic bear named Ursa Major in their ranks).
In the MCU, David Harbour’s Alexei Shostakov is not a former husband to Natasha Romanoff, but as previously mentioned above, he was actually the “father” of Natasha’s undercover KGB family when she was younger. The dynamic will likely be different, as this version will likely be the closest thing to a real father that Natasha’s ever had. It will be interesting to see if there exists a Winter Guard in the MCU as well.
Check out the latest version of the Red Guardian (who is now called Vanguard for some reason, though this isn’t Alexei Shostakov anymore) and the Winter Guard below:

Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz)

This one is a bit more complicated, as she is a lot more obscure than Red Guardian or Yelena Belova. In the comics, Melina Vostokoff is a KGB agent who goes by the name Iron Maiden. She stands in the shadow of the Black Widow’s reputation, which is why she hates Natasha and would jump at the opportunity to kill her. She gets her name, Iron Maiden because she wears a metal mask to conceal her face.
In the MCU, she was the “mother” of Natasha’s undercover KGB family and apparently a product of the same Red Room as both Natasha and Yelena. Not much is known about this version of the character, but there are speculations that she might actually turn out to be the movie’s mysterious antagonist, Taskmaster. We’ll have to wait and see.
The MCU version probably won’t look like the comics version though (see below), who looks like a cross between Doctor Doom and Colossus of the X-Men.

Taskmaster AKA Tony Masters???

Taskmaster is an iconic Avengers villain in the comics, due to his ability of photographic reflexes, which allows him to mimic the fighting styles and movement of any individual. However, in the comics, Anthony “Tony” Masters is the real identity of Taskmaster, and he’s pretty much a mercenary similar to the likes of Marvel’s own Deadpool or DC’s Deathstroke.
Speaking of Deadpool, he has a unique relationship with the Merc With A Mouth. During the events of 2006’s Civil War crossover, Deadpool helps Taskmaster regain his reputation as a merc, and ever since then, they have had a bizarre sense of respect for each other, despite still hating each others’ guts.
The MCU version will most likely be different. We still don’t know who will be playing the villain or if the person inside the mask will even turn out to be Tony Masters. Speculation is rife that the MCU’s Taskmaster could either be Rachel Weisz’s Melina Vostokoff, another man/woman or someone else entirely new. It’s hard to say at this point, considering that I haven’t watched the film.
Still, it’s a shame that the MCU’s Taskmaster looks so generic in design. It would’ve been nice to see the character’s classic orange and blue caped costume from the comics translated to live-action. At least it looks like he’ll still be wielding his iconic sword and shield combo.
His classic look (see below) might look garish when translated into live-action. However, if you look closely at the live-action version (see above), he/she still has some orange and blue hues here and there, which is a nice touch by the costume designers.

Rick Mason (O-T Fagbenle)

In the comics, Rick Mason is another relatively obscure character. He’s a SHIELD agent, but what makes him interesting is that he’s the son of the Marvel supervillain Tinkerer AKA Phineas T. Mason. In case you forgot, Michael Chernus played the role of the Tinkerer in 2017’s Spider-Man Homecoming in an unremarkable role as one of the goons in Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) AKA The Vulture’s group of villains.
The current fate of the Tinkerer is unknown in the MCU, but it will be interesting to see his son, Rick Mason (O-T Fagbenle), appearing in the Black Widow movie. The MCU’s version of Rick Mason is someone who was previously romantically involved with Natasha Romanoff in the past.
Even the cover to his own graphic novel looks as generic as his codename (The Agent).

Dreykov (Ray Winstone)

This character doesn’t exist in the comics, but Dreykov will be the head of the Red Room in the MCU. So, yeah, here’s another antagonist in the Black Widow movie.
Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt)

General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (William Hurt) last appeared in 2016’s Captain America Civil War as he presented the Sokovia Accords to the Avengers. He’s one of the oldest supporting characters in the MCU, having first appeared in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, in which he created the Abomination and is the father of Betty Ross (who was the girlfriend of Bruce Banner AKA Banner and was portrayed by Liv Tyler). In the Black Widow movie, he is the United States Secretary of State and not just a general in the army anymore.
In the comics, he eventually turned into the Red Hulk, but I don’t see that happening in the MCU anytime soon. Look at how they’re treating the Hulk himself, and you’ll see what I mean.
With a She-Hulk Disney+ series on the way, Thaddeus might find himself getting gamma before we know it.

Marvel’s Black Widow is slated to premiere in US cinemas and Disney+ on 9 July 2021. In the meantime, check out the latest poster and trailer below:


Atelier Sophie 2 Reveals New Character & Weather Control System

Atelier Sophie 2 was originally announced back in October 2021, Now, publisher Koei TecmoÂ and developerÂ Gust have shared new details and information about the upcoming JRPG.
InÂ Atelier Sophie 2 The Alchemist Of The Mysterious Dream, players will follow Sophie Neuenmuller in her search for her friend Plachta in the mysterious dream-like world of Erde Wiege. As Sophie makes new friends in town, they set off in search of the missing Plachta. Unfortunately, instead of finding Plachta, they uncover a rift in space that leads them to a mysterious location with no inhabitants in sight.
Just as they decide to give up on their search and return to town, Sophie hears a familiar voice, but before she has time to investigate, a water dragon suddenly appears and attacks the party. Luckily, thanks to the arrival of aspiring alchemist Ramizel and a former knight named Diebold, they are saved in the nick of time.
Elvira

As they continue exploring this mysterious new land further, they stumble upon the location of Elvira (voiced by Reina Ueda), the goddess who created Erde Wiege. Here, Sophie is finally reunited with Plachta, but her friend appears to be lifeless. Does Elvira know the secret behind Plachtaâ€™s unconscious state?
Weather Control System

Throughout the many adventures in Atelier Sophie 2 The Alchemist Of The Mysterious Dream, players will encounter environmental obstacles, such as raging rivers, that will stop their progress. Each area of Erde Wiege has pre-determined weather, but thanks to the discovery of the Dreamscape Stones scattered across the land, Sophie and her friends are able to change the weather to help them progress on their journey.
Using a Dreamscape Stone to change the weather can drastically change the environment, such as lowering the water level of a once flooded location, as well as uncovering new gathering spots with a wealth of unique materials.
Major Gathering Spots

When exploring these new locations, players might also discover Major Gathering Spotsâ€”spots that allow them to obtain better materials than those found in traditional gathering spots. If the correct gathering tool is equipped when arriving at a Major Gathering Spot, a mini-game will start, and the quality and number of materials gathered will increase according to their results.
These mini-games include a fishing rod style game where a certain number of fish must be caught and a slingshot game where players have to shatter various targets within the time limit. Mastering these mini-games will help in obtaining rarer materials that are extremely useful for synthesis!
First-Print Run Bonus

In addition, Koei Tecmo also announced today that those who purchase the game physically on its first run will receive a special reversible coversheet for their game and a bonus poster with exclusive artwork by NOCO.
Limited Editions

Koei Tecmo America â€“ The Limited Edition of Atelier Sophie 2 The Alchemist Of The Mysterious DreamÂ is exclusively available through the NISA Online Store. It contains an art book, deluxe fabric poster, keychain, bonus BGM CD, and an exclusive DLC costume all packaged into a beautiful collectorâ€™s box.

Koei Tecmo Europe â€“ Two special edition versions of Atelier Sophie 2 The Alchemist Of The Mysterious Dream, a Premium Box and a Special Collection Box, exclusively available through the Koei Tecmo Europe Online Store. The Premium Box version of the game includes an artbook, a B3 fabric poster featuring an original art piece, an â€˜extra tracksâ€™ soundtrack CD, an early-access downloadable content costume for Sophie, and the game all packed into a charming collectable box.
The Special Collection Box version of the game contains all of the contents featured in the Premium Box version, as well as an A1 wall scroll featuring an original art piece, a whale necklace motif metal keychain based on Sophieâ€™s in-game jewellery, a set of two illustrated clear files, and a special large crystal paperweight.

Atelier Sophie 2 The Alchemist Of The Mysterious Dream is slated to release for the PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam on 24 February 2022 in Japan and 25 February 2022 worldwide.


Yohane The Parhelion BLAZE In The DEEPBLUE Is A Game Based On Upcoming Love Live Sunshine Spinoff Anime

INTI CREATES has announced Yohane The Parhelion BLAZE In The DEEPBLUE, which is based on the official anime spin-off of Love Live!! Sunshine. Yohane The Parhelion BLAZE In The DEEPBLUE is a 2D action game set in that fantasy world.
The player takes control of Yohane as she ventures into a mysterious dungeon alongside her partner Lailaps. She must challenge the monster-infested labyrinth to rescue her missing friends. As Yohane crafts new equipment from the items she finds and gains the power of her comrades, she’ll be able to explore more and more of the dungeon.

Parts of the dungeon will have randomized layouts, making for a hack & slash action game that stays fresh each time you play it.

Characters

Yohane (VA. Aika Kobayashi)
A young lady who tells fortunes in Numazu.
She tends to fuss over small details, but is nonetheless kind at heart. She never turns down someone in need.
With the power of “Casting”, she can create a variety of weapons, and relies on her companion Lailaps to fight for her.

Lailaps (VA. Yoko Hikasa)
Lailaps is a large wolf-like creature who lives with Yohane. Her gentle personality makes her well-suited to be Yohane’s trusted partner.
She accompanies Yohane from the start of her journey, and can be summoned at any time without costing any DP (Darkness Points).

Hanamaru (VA. Kanako Takatsuki)
Yohane’s childhood friend, Hanamaru loves anything delicious. She makes a living selling homemade sweets.

Dia (VA. Arisa Komiya)
Dia is the Numazu administrative Bureau’s Chief Secretary.
A supreme perfectionist, she can’t stand to see a rule broken or paperwork unfiled.

Ruby (VA. Ai Furuhata)
Ruby is a descendent of a fairy tribe.
She tries to live her life outside of the purview of humans thanks to her introverted nature.

Chika (VA. Anju Inami)
Chika is the youngest of three sisters, working at a long-standing inn. She has a bold personality, but is a bit of a sore loser.

You (VA. Shuka Saito)
You works as a message-girl in Numazu.
Always bright and cheerful, she has a surprising amount of physical prowess.

Kanan (VA. Nanaka Suwa)
Kanan works as a mechanic in a workshop near Chika’s inn.
She collects flotsam from the beach to repair and use in her own creations.

Riko (VA. Rikako Aida)
Riko is a traveling veterinarian visiting Numazu.
Her calm personality belies her true inquisitive nature. She seemingly pays little attention to her appearance.

Mari (VA. Aina Suzuki)
The daughter of a family of demon lords, Mari lives in an island castle. She rarely shows herself to humans.
Yohane The Parhelion BLAZE In The DEEPBLUE launches for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam on 16 November 2023. Check out the trailer below.


Suicide Squad Kill The Justice League Unveils New 4-Player Co-Op Gameplay

During PlayStation State Of Play February 2023, WB Games and Rocksteady Studios unveiled new gameplay from the upcoming Suicide Squad Kill The Justice League.
In the new trailers, we received our first look at 4-player co-op gameplay for Suicide Squad Kill The Justice League and a first behind the scenes look at the game.
In the new gameplay video, the Suicide Squad face off against waves of Brainiac’s corrupted soldiers to take down a huge artillery gun that has been phased into Earth from somewhere. With their unique traversal abilities, gunplay, melee, tactics, and teamwork, they must use the chaos to their advantage and succeed in their own style.
According to the devs, Metropolis is more than twice the size of Batman Arkham Knight’s Gotham.
During The Game Awards 2022 last year, Rocksteady Games revealed our first look at an evil Batman in their upcoming Suicide Squad Kill The Justice League. The late Kevin Conroy will be voicing the game’s version of Bruce Wayne AKA Batman. Suicide Squad Kill The Justice League launches on 26 May 2023 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Check out the new videos below:


The Witcher 3 Is Coming To PS5 & Xbox Series X

CD Projekt Red has announced that they are working on an improved next-gen version of 2015’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The news was revealed via a tweet from the official The Witcher 3 Twitter account earlier today.

The Witcher 3 is coming to the next generation!A visually and technically enhanced version of the game will be available for purchase for PC and next-gen consoles & as a free update for owners of the game on PC, @Xbox One and @PlayStation 4. More: https://t.co/JclubxpJim pic.twitter.com/gWCJzST3vr— The Witcher (@witchergame) September 4, 2020

According to the developer, the next-gen edition of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will feature “a range of visual and technical improvements, including ray tracing and faster loading times, across the base game, both expansions, and all extra content”.
Although it will be released as a standalone purchase for the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, existing owners of the game on the PS4, Xbox One and PC will receive the next-gen version as a free update.
However, a release date has yet to be revealed.


We’re Getting The Last Stand Vibes With The New X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer

The latest X-Men: Dark Phoenix trailer has arrived. Thanks to Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox, the upcoming movie might very well be the final movie to take place in the cinematic universe which originally began with the first X-Men movie in 2000. However, from the looks of the new trailer, it seems like the once-mighty franchise will be ending with a whimper instead of the swansong farewell it could have been.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-q8C_c-nlM&w=560&h=315]
Although I’ve already anticipated this turn of events, it’s still very worrying that I’m getting X-Men: The Last Stand vibes from the new X-Men: Dark Phoenix trailer. It looks doomed to repeat the mistakes of its predecessor, which also attempted to adapt Chris Claremont’s iconic X-Men storyline from the comics; The Dark Phoenix Saga.
Albeit what I believe will turn out to be a disaster of a movie, I’ll still try to break down some of the more important reveals from the new X-Men: Dark Phoenix trailer.
The Death of Mystique Sparks The Events Of The Movie

The new X-Men Dark Phoenix trailer begins by showing us the X-Men confronting an emotionally-distraught Jean Grey in front of her childhood home. Raven Darkholme AKA Mystique tries to calm her but fails, getting blasted by an energy burst courtesy of Jean’s Phoenix Force.
Who Is Jessica Chastain’s White-Haired Character?

Throughout the new X-Men: Dark Phoenix trailer, we can see Jessica Chastain’s character manipulating Jean Grey into embracing her Phoenix Force and goading the Dark Phoenix persona to emerge. In the source material, it was a villain with psychic powers named Mastermind who succeeded in causing the Dark Phoenix to surface.
The biggest difference is that Jessica Chastain’s character is confirmed to be an alien shapeshifter with a mysterious connection to Professor Xavier. Unlike Mastermind in the comics, she seemingly knows the true potential of the Phoenix Force inside Jean Grey. Therefore, I could only think of three characters from the comics who could possibly fit the bill here.
Lilandra Neramani
The first likely identity of Jessica Chastain’s character is Lilandra Neramani, best known as the Empress of Majestrix of the intergalactic Shi’ar Empire. This character is so closely connected to the X-Men that she was once married to Charles Xavier in the comics at one point in time.
In the comics, Jean (or rather, her Dark Phoenix persona) committed genocide by causing the destruction of a populated planet in Shi’ar space. Lilandra wanted to put her to death, which put her at odds with the X-Men. However, she’s most often an ally to the X-Men and one of the ‘good guys’, so it doesn’t make sense for them to suddenly make her a villain.
Cassandra Nova
The second likely identity of Jessica Chastain’s character is Cassandra Nova, best known as the twin sister of Charles Xavier. She has caused much suffering to Professor X and the X-Men, due to the fact that he tried to kill her in the womb before they were born. Don’t ask me how that makes sense because that came from the mind of Grant Morrison.
She was never involved in The Dark Phoenix Saga in the comics, though there’s no reason why they couldn’t give her a part in the movie. Cassandra Nova is one of the X-Men most powerful antagonists, capable of god-like psionic powers and shares the same abilities with Charles Xavier himself.
Lucifer
The third likely identity of Jessica Chastain’s character is Lucifer. I’m not talking about the biblical Lucifer, but rather an alien named Lucifer who is best known as the one who crippled Charles Xavier. His powers include telepathy and ionic manipulation.
In the comics, Lucifer is a male, though there’s no reason why they couldn’t just change his gender. He’s also an “alien” with a “mysterious connection to Professor Xavier” so he fits the bill pretty well, although he doesn’t have “shapeshifting” powers.
X-Tinction Agenda?

There’s nothing much of note in the rest of the new X-Men: Dark Phoenix trailer. The scene where the X-Men are being restrained by inhibitor collars and transported by soldiers to what could turn out to be Genosha indicates that the movie could be adapting another iconic X-Men storyline, X-Tinction Agenda.
In X-Tinction Agenda, the X-Men were abducted by the Magistrates to be turned into mindless slaves serving the nation of Genosha. This might be the debut of the famous mutant island nation from the comics.

X-Men: Dark Phoenix is slated to arrive on 6 June 2019.


Bardock & Broly Will Be In Dragon Ball FighterZ, To No Oneâ€™s Surprise

Update: We have official pics of them in full form and their intros. Check them out.
Remember in our Dragon Ball FighterZ review where we predicted who is going to be DLC? Turns out that we may be on the ball here, but if you’re a fan of the series, you can see this reveal coming a mile away.
According to the latest V-Jump magazine scan (via ShonenGames), the two Dragon Ball Z characters will be the first DLC duo for the game.
Broly’s patented Gigantic Meteor (ie his giant-ass green ball of death) is going to be a level 3 Super. Bardock will gain access to a move called Revenger Assault where he briefly goes Super Saiyan to pummel his foes.

Here are their official descriptions.
Broly: He holds fearsome strength, and is a extreme power character. His body is big, so his reach is great! He can take some hits without even flinching! He crushes his foes with his overwhelming power! Destroy everything with his Eraser Cannon!
Bardock: A rushdown character who puts his power and speed to use together. With heavy rush moves, he can get in close to his specialty area, point blank fighting! He has simple special moves, that are all powerful. Change your fate using his Riot Javelin!
With this bit of info, we can more or less confirm that the previous DLC leak (reported here) might be right on the money. Apart from the duo, the game will include the following characters as a two-pack DLC thang:

Cooler
Zamasu
Vegito (Goku & Vegeta + Fusion + Potara Earrings)
Android 17 (in Ranger outfit)
Base Goku
Base Vegeta

While some people are worried that the game will start using more Goku and Vegeta templates for future characters (like the DBZ equivalent of Mortal Kombat ninja clones), I for one welcome an OG Vegeta with the power to transform into Oozaru as a Super move.


Vikings Season 6 Final Episodes To Premiere Later This Month

The last 10 episodes of Vikings‘ sixth and final season will premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime on 30 December 2020 before it debuts on the History Channel.
Vikings creator and writer Michael Hirst said (via Entertainment Weekly):
“Our monumental Vikings saga is coming to its conclusion, but not before youâ€™ve had to chance to watch some of my all-time favourite episodes.Prime Video will uniquely expose the series finale to a streaming audience first. Prepare to be astonished, and for many surprises along the way. And if you have tears to shed, then also be prepared to shed them.”
The first episodes of season 6 finished with a battle between the Rus and Vikings for control of Norway. Betrayed by his brother Ivar the Boneless (Alex HÃ¸gh Andersen), Bjorn Ironside (Alexander Ludwig) was left for dead on the battlefield, but his fate was left ambiguous and vague.
The official synopsis reads:
“While in Iceland, Ubbe is determined to fulfil his father Ragnarâ€™s dream and sail further west than any Viking has travelled before. And there is unfinished business in England. The Vikings have established settlements there, and over-run most of the country â€“ except for Wessex. The King of Wessex, Alfred the Great, is the only Saxon ruler to seriously challenge their complete domination. Ivar the Boneless must again face, in battle, the King he only knew as a boy for a final reckoning.”
Hirst is already working onto production on a sequel series titled Vikings Valhalla for Netflix, as well as a limited series about the bubonic plague in 17th century London for History Channel.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom Is A Quaint Game About A Despot-In-The-Making

Platforms: PS4, PC
At first glance, Ni no Kuni 2 is an innocent tale of an innocent deposed king named Evan who wants to build his own kingdom called Evermore. But looking back at the story so far, this little kid is a dictator in the making. The story is framed so that everyone who comes into contact with him swears fealty either instantaneously or after a major quest which involves taming a country’s kingmaker (ie RPG level boss).
There is a sense of “my way or the highway” from Evan’s approach. He literally said that he wants to rule the world countless times -granted, to end all wars and unite every country you see under Evermore’s banner as the story progresses. If you’ve watched enough documentaries and films depicting historical figures, you know that this is how most jerkass rulers get their start: with a seemingly innocent idea of uniting nations. You know what they say about absolute power, right?

This does warrant many discussions on forum boards, but taken at face value, the story is harmless and has that friendly whimsical anime vibe. It sure doesn’t feel like a Ghibli-written narrative though. Compared to the previous game, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, which deals with loss and acceptance of said loss wrapped up in one 50 hour experience, the sequel’s story comes off as standard. There’s a magnitude of charm and camaraderie in Evan and his newfound pals -Roland, the former president before he teleported to the Ni no Kuniverse) and sky pirate daughter-father duo Tani and Batu (the latter uses Earth spells; figures)

Coupled with the game soundtrack which could have used a lot fewer remixes and arrangements of the main theme’s leitmotif and melody, one would think that this game is just a shadow of its more charming prequel. Dig a little deeper though and you’ll find out that developer Level-5 has addressed a lot of the game’s past faults: they’re accentuating gameplay this time around.

How So, You May Ask?

For starters, the combat is more action-heavy. You control one of three heroes in a group as you defeat enemies with light and heavy attacks, as well as with magic. The playing field is big enough that you’ll fight more than four enemies at a time, or just one big lug like a Porc swordmaster or a chimera.
The combat features a weapon-swapping system: you can swap between three different weapons with each of them having their own Zing meter. When it goes to a 100%, that weapon will get buffed up a bit. If you pull off a Special move with a 100% Zinged weapon, you get an EX version of that move at the cost of resetting the Zing to 0.
You also gain access to cute little blighters called Higgledies who can help turn the tide of battle. These Mononoke Kodama clones usually gather in a group on a random spot during a fight. Once they’re gathered and a circle pops up around them, you can activate it to pull off a Higgledie special. These range from healing circles to giant cannons that periodically fire at enemies.

These elements help make combat incredibly fun, flashy, and gratifyingly. Your basic plan of attack includes kiting enemies so that your Higgledies can gather and be activated when there’s an opening. Enemies themselves can bum rush you or just flail randomly to disperse Higgledies, so you’re left to figuring out whether to use brute force or just turtle.

My only gripe here is that the enemies in the main quest are easy to deal with. Even if they’re 10 levels above you, you can eventually kill them off if you dodge right, summon the right Higgledies, or just build up your kingdom right to get the best possible weapons and spells.

Speaking of which…
You Can Manage YourÂ Kuniland!

…or Evermore. After playing the game a few hours, you gain access to managing & building up your own kingdom. You can level up your populace, build facilities and shops, and assign citizens to them so that they gather resources or research new tech for you.
At the same time, you have to find new citizens from all across the Kuniverse and bring them over to your new country after doing a bunch of side quests for them. Because it’s a JRPG and no one, not even a king like Evan, is above being the Kuniverse gopher boy.
Luckily, the fast travel system here makes even this sort of busywork go by quick. And the map itself has one button that instantly brings you back to your kingdom. Keep in mind that if your kingdom coffers and resources vaults are full, it can’t amass more, so you have to make regular visits lest you waste precious time.
This bit ties into the game’s narrative and gameplay well. Getting more citizens mean that certain ideas and projects can get researched faster, and levelling up your kingdom and facilities means more power-ups and skills for your main party.

Ni no Kuni 2’s kingdom management system is a fun enough diversion that makes you do more quaint side quests that expand the story a tad more, and also helps out with the game’s other mode…

The Total War Arena Mode
…or Skirmish Mode. Certain fights require you to lead a small army to destroy another army of monsters or warring countries. You control Evan who surrounds himself with four units; you Attack enemies by simply walking up to them since your units auto-attacks whoever is within their line of sight.
Evan can either reposition units with either the L1 or R1 button, use special abilities to buff units up, or just summon more units at the cost of military might. Military might can also be used to launch special attacks like an air strike or an army stun move.
There’s also a simple unit triangle system to consider (red >green >blue>red) so that you can determine a unit’s effectiveness against another colour-coded enemy on the battlefield. While this Mode is rather basic, since fights can be won by mere attrition and numbers, it’s still a pleasant diversion.
Good Things Come In Threes

On their own, these two mini-games aren’t that strong to warrant separate games. When blended together with the new and improved Kuniverse combat however, they all make for a rich 30 hour or so JRPG experience that in many ways supercede the prequel.

True, it takes a hit in the story department, but it’s not a crippling blow as so much a graze. If you’re looking for a revelation of a JRPG like Xenoblade 2 or that Final Fantasy XII PC remaster, Ni no Kuni 2 is just a step below in that regard. On its own merit, it’s a worthy investment for your JRPG-loving time. The awesome-looking graphics and Ghibli aesthetics help a ton too.
Now if maybe Level-5 and Bandai Namco can push out a DLC to bump up the game’sÂ difficulty a tad further…


SD Shin Kamen Rider Rumble DLC To Add Evangelion, Godzilla & Ultraman

Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia has announced that SD Shin Kamen Rider Rumble is now available on the Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. The game is part of the beat ‘em up/hack and slash genre, while the concept of the game is based on the recently released movie, SHIN KAMEN RIDER.
Representatives of the Shin Japan Heroes Universe (S.J.H.U.) characters – Godzilla, Unit-01 and Ultraman – will appear as playable characters as part of the title’s DLC.
Based on the recently released SHIN KAMEN RIDER movie, this action game combines side-scrolling speed with hack-and-slash gameplay. Featuring the fierce battles between Kamen Rider and SHOCKER, SD Shin Kamen Rider Rumble puts together cute SD-style visuals along with a simple yet profound power-up system to create the unique Kamen Rider thrill of cutting down dozens of enemies at once.
Check out the new trailer below:


After Avengers, The Russo Brothers Are Tackling Magic: The Gathering

Pop quiz: after doing a bunch of Marvel Cinematic Universe films and sticking the landing for all of them box office grossings-wise, what else can you do to top that? For the Russo Brothers, probably not much, so they might as well kill time with creating a series based on Magic: The Gathering.
Wizards of The Coasts and Hasbro’s famous card collecting game featuring magic, mana-tapping, and planeswalkers will be adapting the game’s story into a Netflix animated series as part of a new partnership between the streaming company and Hasbro’s Allspark Studios (cleverly named after Hasbro’s other moneymaker, the Transformers).
The show will be set in the game’s multiverse, including the iconic world of Dominaria, and will focus on the planeswalkers if the teaser art below featuring Chandra Nalaar is of any indication. The official synopsis states that the show will “expand on the stories of the Planeswalkers, which are MagicÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s unique magic-wielding heroes and villains.”

Here’s what the Russo Brothers have to say about this new venture:

“We have been huge fans and players ofÃ‚Â Magic: The GatheringÃ‚Â for as long as it has been around, so being able to help bring these stories to life through animation is a true passion project for us.”

Showrunners for the animated series include Henry Gilroy (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and Jose Molina (The Tick). The animation will be done by Bardel Entertainment, the studio behind Rick and Morty. So far, there’s neither a release date/window nor how many episodes the show will contain.
It’s nice to know that the Russo Brothers will be going back to their analog gaming roots and flesh out the rather interesting stories of the Magic universe. Me personally? I’d like them to deal with the Urza/Mishra saga and maybe the Fallen Empires/Ice Age/Homelands saga.


E3 2019: Seiken Densetsu 3 Will Finally Be Out In English; Original And Remake

Here’s an old game I never thought would be ported in English, let alone get a remaster. After 25 years of being only in Japan, Seiken Densetsu 3 will finally see an English release twofold.
First : Square Enix is publishing a 3D remake labelled Trials of Mana…

…which looks pretty sweet, features a new 3rd person camera perspective, and will probably not control like ass like that godawful Secret of Mana remake. This version will be out early 2020.
Second: we’re also getting a Collection of Mana bundle featuring Final Fantasy Adventure (Game Boy; the first Seiken Densetsu), Secret of ManaÂ (SNES), and Trials of Mana (SNES). The latter is finally seeing light outside of Japan, and you can buy it later today on Nintendo Switch. Now we don’t need to play ROMhacks of this title on emulators anymore.

Why was Seiken Densetsu 3 sought after by JRPG gamers? Because it was the natural evolution to Secret of Mana. Great battle system, a nifty class fusion system, six awesome protagonists with various backstories and fighting styles: what’s not to love from this game made during Squaresoft’s prime as a game developer who could do no wrong?


These Cartoons Are Free To Watch Right Now, Legally

The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is making entertainment companies take a step forward to entertain folks while they’re quarantined at home. Some companies like Amazon and Showtime are offering a one-month free trial available for new subscribers.
Other companies are instead opening up their backlog of animation favourites without any pre-made charges whatsoever.

First up: Samurai Jack is completely free to watch right now on the Adult Swim website. No cable subscription needed: just get a VPN ready and you’re good to go.

The 80s action cartoon toy-selling juggernaut G.I Joe series is available on Hasbro’s YouTube page. Yep, you can watch the entire series online legally.
We’ll keep an eye out for other animated shows that are made free to watch without any use of insidious streaming portals that take the illegal route. In the meantime, stay safe!


404 Game Re:Set Launches Next Week In Japan & Asia

Sega has announced that 404 Game Re:Set will launch for iOS via App Store and Android via Google Play on 25 April 2023 in Japan and Asia. A prequel story titled 404 Game Re:Set Prologue will launch on 17 April 2023. It is told from the perspective of a certain researcher and will introduce players to the world, cast, and battle elements of 404 Game Re:Set.
Pre-registration is available now via App Store and Google Play.
The game is described as:
“Video games turned everything upside down.
This is a world by SEGA, for SEGA.
From infrastructure to entertainment, SEGA reigns supreme in all areas. The player, who lives in this world, one day encounters a mysterious being called “X.”
“The world you live in is not as it should be.”
The player, who learned that this world has been warped by SEGA, must throw themselves into a battle with SEGA in order restore the world to its true form.”
So, yeah, typical Yoko Taro, we would say.
You can head to the official website here.
Check out the trailer below:


Projekt Z Is A New Zombie Shooter From Modus Games

Modus Games has signed an agreement with developer 314 Arts to publish a new co-op zombie survival first-person shooter Projekt Z for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam, the company announced. A release date was not announced.
The game is set to be an atmospheric zombie cooperative first-person shooter set in World War II with a diverse crew of soldiers, each with their own unique abilities, whose mission is to unravel the secrets of a Nazi experiment on a lush, remote island. Players will discover covert schemes related and unrelated to “Projekt Z”—a plan formulated by the Nazis to turn zombies into weapons to shift the war in their favour.
“We are pleased to announce to the community that has supported us since the beginning of development that we’ve found an excellent partner in Modus Games and look forward to completing this passion project.”
– Justin Miersch, Game Designer at 314 Arts
Already attracting a devoted fanbase, Projekt Z‘s feature set upon launch will be expansive. Build and customize your hideout, craft and upgrade weapons, recruit allies, select your missions based on the story arc of your character, solve sporadic puzzles, find hidden loot and, of course, fight hordes of undead across multiple modes.
“Projekt Z is much more than your average cooperative shooter, and we are very excited to reveal its depth and uniqueness to fans of the genre. Together with the team at 314 Arts, we are eager to share more in the coming months.”
– Shane Bierwith, President at Modus Games


Mass Scale Battles For Free? That’s What Total War: Arena Is Telling Us…

There are times where you want to go all-out and go big with an army instead of one sole hero. You want to command a batallion of soldiers who will follow your every order no matter how suicidal. You want to see them march slowly, position them and then ambush the opposition when they least expect it. You want to recreate all those scenes from films like Centurion, Troy, and/or Titus: lots of flying piercing arrows, clashing of blades, and cavalrymen tramping their victims.
Maybe a little less Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins, but whatever floats your boat, right?
Fighting with spells and magical weapons is fun and all, but what’s equally entertaining is playing god general, commanding your units alongside other generals to achieve total nation domination. Game publisher Wargaming & developer Creative Assembly are planning to scratch that god complex itch you have.
Good For Absolutely Nothing?

Total War: Arena is a free-to-play real-time strategy game where you lead three army units alongside 9 other players in a 10-versus-10 skirmish. The game uses classic civilization leaders like Julius Caesar and Leonidas of Sparta as avatars you can choose, with each of them having different unit setups and boons/skills that can be activated on the battlefield.
This does beg the question: why go for this F2P scheme of a game when there’s already Total War: Warhammer and past Total War series instead? Simple: they want players to get into the nitty-gritty of battles on a large scale and appeal to a wider audience.
To quote Creative Assembly game director Gabor Beressy : “A passion for history and multiplayer gaming, combined with years of fine-tuning and hard work from both our developers and our valued players, has gone into bringing this [game] to the public. We canâ€™t wait for new players to try out this unique Total War multiplayer experience, while we work on more factions and features to add to the Total War: ARENA experience.”

How Does It Play So Far?
Pretty damn good, if you need a real-time strategy fix that’s free. See, you get to pick a commander and work with three units. You then team up with nine other commanders to fight in 10-versus-10 skirmishes where you win by (i) killing every enemy or (ii) take over their territory.
The second objective will be the most common win condition. See, even if your team is down a few guys, you can sneakily push your remaining forces to your enemy base, kill off whoever is defending there, and then hold that position until it’s fully captured. We’ve seen quite a number of games won using that tactic during the open beta, so you may want to consider that as a last minute change of plans.
You also have to worry about positioning yourself during a fight and planning your attack with your team. Strangely enough, there’s no lobby for players to discuss strategies; everyone just chooses their positions on the map, and then let loose. You’re expected to discuss tactics on the fly while the war goes on. With just three units, that’s enough to start forming quick skirmishes and perform flanking maneuvers against the opposing team.

You can level up your commanders so that they get more skills, weaponry, and armour to use. You get to command legendary generals of history like Leonidas of Sparta and Alexander the Great. Each of them have their perks and weaknesses. If you control any Greek general, you can play the long-range game where you poke your enemies from afar and then bait them to get close. Meanwhile, your online friend can use his Barbarian/Gaul horsemen who can ram into enemies from the side and then dissipate their morale, meaning that they’re susceptible to retreating and routing.
Still, your Barbarian pals need help since they do burst damage better than sustaining themselves, which is where the Roman faction comes in. They are better at close-quarter combat and the occasional burst long-range attacks.
Getting Tactical
All fights in Total War: Arena all boils down to which team is better at coordinating and initiating attacks, and whether they can defend long enough from counter-attacks. Screw historical accuracy; just mix and match factions to see which ones suit your playstyle and your team’s dynamic. Because you’ll never get tired of seeing large-scale fights in this game at all.
For a F2P game, Total War: Arena is pretty generous. If you have played Wargaming’s World of Tanks, you will get into the F2P groove here.

Wins and losses will earn you XP, which increases your rank, which also means new unit types for you to buy and upgrades for existing ones. A small subset of units can only be bought with premium currency (ie: real money); everything else can be bought with in-game currency if you don’t mind the grind.
When you fight, you will be matched with players of your own tier, meaning that you will not be destroyed by a player who paid more for their prestige. Of course, you won’t be seeing high-level ballista/elephant cavalry units and mass battles involving high-tier units at lower ranks so early in the game, so you have to keep playing until you’re at a decent or high rank.

At the end of the day, we’re surprised at how fun this real-time strategy game turned out, from Creative Assembly and Wargaming no doubt.
The devs took the fun visceral bits of the Total War series and just made it instantaneous to get to; you just have to focus more on the large-ass skirmishes.

Whether they end up as total wipes lasting mere minutes to drawn-out battles, the fights in Total War Arena succeeds in streamlining it well and getting to its point.
If you want the other micromanaging aspects of the series, however, you will not find it here. To everyone else who wants a competitive version of a Total War game that doesn’t last hours? This one’s for you!


Assassin’s Creed Symphonic Adventure Offers An Interactive Concert Experience

Ubisoft and Overlook Events have announced Assassinâ€™s Creed Symphonic Adventure, a new official symphonic concert created especially to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the globally acclaimed video game series.
Assassinâ€™s Creed Symphonic Adventure features a full orchestra and choir in a unique and immersive concert experience that covers the musical journey of Assassinâ€™s Creed from its ancient origins through to modern-day Animus settings.Â In thisÂ originalÂ concert performance, the narrative of the games is at the heart of the music experience. The audience will be able to follow each game with itsÂ individualÂ musical identity, accompanied by video montages on screen, perfectly synchronized with the orchestra, choir, and soloists.
An Immersive Symphonic Concert Amplified With Video, Lighting & Special Sound Effects

This brand-new immersive concert is developed by the dynamic team from Overlook Events, creators of the world-acclaimed Dragon Ball & Saint Seiya Symphonic Adventure concerts, alongside Ubisoftâ€™s own creative teams.
The world premiere ofÂ Assassinâ€™s Creed Symphonic Adventure begins in Paris, France on 29 October 2022 at the prestigious Grand Rex in the heart of the city. This event will celebrate not only the 15th Anniversary of the game series but also the 90th Anniversary of this historic venue! A World Tour is scheduled from early 2023 internationally during the anniversary year.
Jesper Kyd, composer of the Assassinâ€™s Creed series, said:

â€œMusic has always played a pivotal role in the Assassin’s Creed experience and Iâ€™m thrilled to join Overlook Events’ Symphonic Adventures Concert in celebrating the music, mythology and rich stories of the Assassin’s Creed series. I hope you will join us for this exciting new concert production touring in 2022 and beyond.â€

AzaÃ¯zia Aymar, transmedia and business development Director at Ubisoft, said:

â€œThis collaboration with Overlook Events will allow fans to immerse themselves in the rich and powerful world of Assassin’s Creed, as a special celebration of the 15th anniversary. Overlook brings creative expertise to put together this symphonic concert, using high-quality special effects to enhance the immersion and deliver a thrilling Assassinâ€™s Creed experience.â€

For more details and information, you can visit https://assassinscreedsymphonicadventure.com/.


Cyberpunk 2077’s 1.1 Patch May Have A Save-Killing Bug [Update: Not Anymore, Phew!]

Update: It’s been fixed.Â
Cyberpunk 2077 fans and gamers may rejoice at the many fixes of the new 1.1 update, but not so soon. There’s a new save-killing bug you should be aware of.
This happens at the end of the quest “Down in the Street” where the character Goro Takemura calls the player. There’s a chance that Takemura will call the player and not speak. Worst, reloading an older save does not fix the problem. This bug will affect and halt your game progression since the save will affect once it takes place.
Fortunately, there’s a workaround.

First, load a save from before V and Takemura leave Wakako’s office.
Once V finishes the conversation with Takemura outside the office and the quest progression updates, immediately skip ahead 23 hours.
This should make the call and conversation happen.

Cyberpunk 2077’s 1.1 patch recently came out a few days ago. It fixed a number of things, but of course it did introduce new ones like these.


Marvel Studios Delays Blade, Deadpool 3, Fantastic Four & Avengers Secret Wars

Disney and Marvel Studios have announced new release dates for several movies, including Blade, Deadpool 3, Fantastic Four and Avengers Secret Wars.
Check out the full list below:

Blade: 6 September 2024 (previously slated for 3 November 2023)
Deadpool 3: 8 November 2024 (previously slated for 6 September 2024)
Fantastic Four: 14 February 2025 (previously slated for 8 November 2024)
Untitled Marvel Movie 1: 7 November 2025 (previously slated for 14 February 2025)
Avengers: Secret Wars: 1 May 2026 (previously slated for 7 November 2025)
Untitled Marvel Movie 2: Removed from the schedule (previously slated for 1 May 2026)

The Marvel movie delays are probably caused by the pre-production problems of Blade, which currently has no director attached to the project. Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige originally announced the previous release dates for Phase 5 and Phase 6 of the MCU during San Diego Comic-Con 2022.
The next MCU movie will be Black Panther Wakanda Forever, which will premiere on 11 November 2022.


Kaiju-Sized Mistake As Monster Hunter Movie Premieres With Offensive Slur

Update (6 December 2020):
Just one day after it premiered in China to extreme backlash due to one racist joke, the Monster Hunter movie has already been pulled from cinemas in the country.

The Monster Hunter movie has been pulled from theatres in China just 1 day after it releasedThis happened after strong backlash on social media over a scene that is considered offensive (below). It is unclear if the movie will returnHere is a thread to explain the situation: https://t.co/9NbV3imLxA— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) December 5, 2020

At the time of writing, it is unclear if the movie will ever return to showing in cinemas in China, or if it will remain banned in the future. According to video games analyst Daniel Ahmad, Capcom themselves are currently investigating the production company and the issue at hand.

As the backlash intensified there were multiple parties that chimed in. 1. Capcom said it would follow up with the production company and investigate2. Key figures in China called out American hypocrisy – How racist jokes against Asians aren't seen as a big deal to Hollywood pic.twitter.com/9XGHgOzACm— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) December 5, 2020

You can check out the original story below:

The Monster Hunter movie by Paul W.S. Anderson only just premiered in China today on 4 December 2020, but it’s already going viral for the wrong reasons.
As shared by video games industry analyst Daniel Ahmad on Twitter, a brief 10-second clip from the movie features an interaction between two soldier characters in a military vehicle.
One of the characters makes an offensive joke that pokes fun at the Chinese, using “Chinese” as a racist slur for the punchline to his joke. The dialogue is as follows:
“Look at my knees. What kind of knees are these? Chinese.”
It turns out that this joke is considered especially offensive in China and even Japan (if you replace Chinese with Japanese).

Anyway, this is going down about as well as you'd expect in China where it's being linked to the rhyme / phrase "Chinese, Japanese, dirty knees – look at these?" which is considered offensive. pic.twitter.com/pQCFNQ86Je— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) December 4, 2020

For a movie that’s already being ridiculed for not being accurate to the games that it’s adapted from, featuring offensive jokes like this one just hurts the movie even more.
How did this even get past the director and editors in the first place? It’s even more mind-boggling seeing as the movie’s very first market is in China of all places.
This doesn’t bode well for the movie in other markets, as many Twitter users are already showing off their dismay at the racist joke.

https://twitter.com/TazoGumball2345/status/1334806416536825856

Good job ruining your only chance at a decent theatrical release lmao https://t.co/XHK4XlPz7b— digmouse (@nerddigmouse) December 4, 2020

https://twitter.com/moondlite/status/1334795793820078080

Update: This revelation also affected the Steam community page of Monster Hunter World. The game received a huge number of negative reviews as of this time of writing, with most of them in Chinese & criticizing the joke made.

Monster Hunter is slated to premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 28 January 2020. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Mobile Legends MPL Malaysia Season 8: The Full Schedule

Malaysia’s biggest Mobile Legends tournament has started, with intense MOBA matches for fans to witness online.
This season of MPL Malaysia, now in Season 8, will bring in new faces and old rivalries.
MPL Malaysia Season 8 Teams

Geek Fam
Resurgence MY (or RSG MY)
Todak
Orange Esports
Team Bosskurr
EBLZ
Team SMG
RED Esports
Suhaz Esports
HomeBois

MPL Malaysia Season 8 Schedule & Stream
All times listed on the schedule are in GMT+8 (Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, etc.).
Stream Links
YouTube, Facebook
Week 1

13th August
Suhaz Esports vs EBLZ (2-1)
HomeBois vs Team Bosskurr (2-1)

14th August
Orange Esports vs Team SMG (0-2)
RSG MY vs Suhaz Esports (2-0)

15th August
Todak vs HomeBois (1-2)
RED Esports vs Geek Fam (2-1)
EBLZ vs Orange Esports (1-2)
Week 2

20th August
RED Esports vs Team Bosskur (0-2)
Team SMG vs EBLZ – 5pm
21st August

Geek Fam vs Homebois -3pm
Todak vs RED Esports – 5pm
Orange Esports vs RSG MY – 7pm
22nd August

RSG MY vs EBLZ – 3pm
Suhaz Esports vs Orange Esports – 5pm
Team Bosskurr vs Geek Fam – 7pm
Week 3
27th August

Red Esports vs Geek Fam – 3pm
RSG MY vs Suhaz Esports – 5pm
28th August

RED Esports vs Team Bosskurr – 3pm
Todak vs Homebois – 5pm
Orange Esports vs Team SMG – 7pm
29th August

Team SMG vs EBLZ -3pm
Orange Esports vs RSG MY -5pm
Geek Fam vs Homebois -7pm
Week 4
3rd September

RED Esports vs Geek Fam – 3pm
RSG MY vs Suhaz Esports -5pm
4th September

RED Esports vs Team Bosskurr – 3pm
Todak vs Homebois – 5pm
Orange Esports vs Team SMG – 7pm
5th September

Team SMG vs EBLZ – 3pm
Orange Esports vs RSG MY – 5pm
Geek Fam vs Homebois – 7pm
Week 5
10 September

Suhaz Esports vs Orange Esports -3pm
Todak vs RED Esports -5pm
11 September

RSG MY vs EBLZ -3pm
Team SMG vs Suhaz Esports -5pm
Team Bosskurr vs Geek Fam – 7pm
12 September

Homebois vs RED Esports -3pm
Team Bosskurr vs Todak -5pm
RSG My vs Team SMG -7pm
Week 6
17 September

RSG MY vs Homebois – 3pm
Orange Esports vs Geek Fam – 5pm
18 September

EBLZ vs Team Bosskurr – 3pm
Team SMG vs Homebois – 5pm
19 September

EBLZ vs Geek Fam -3pm
Team SMG vs RED Esports – 5pm
Suhaz Esports vs Todak -7pm
Week 7

24th September
EBLZ vs Todak -3pm
RSG MY vs Team Bosskurr -5pm
25 September
Orange Esports vs Homebois -3pm
Team SMG vs Todak – 5pm
Orange Esports vs RED Esports -7pm
26 September
EBLZ vs Homebois -3pm
Suhaz Esports vs Team Bosskurr -5pm
RSG MY vs Geek Fam -7pm
Week 8
1st October
Orange Esports vs Todak -3pm
Team SMG vs Geek Fam -5pm
2nd October
EBLZ vs RED Esports -1pm
RSG MY vs Todak -3pm
Suhaz Esports vs Geek Fam -5pm
Team SMG vs Team Bosskurr -7pm
3rd October
Orange Esports vs Team Bosskurr -1pm
Suhaz Esports vs Homebois -3pm
RSG MY vs RED Esports -5pm
??? vs ??? -7pm


Nintendo Switch Sales Surpass 122.55 Million

According to Nintendo’s latest financial earnings that were recently been published, the Nintendo Switch has sold even more units, with over 122.55 million units worldwide as of 31 December 2022. In the last three months of 2022, Nintendo Switch sold 8.22 million units and 76.71 million software titles on the platform.
Back in May 2022, the Nintendo Switch had only sold 107.65 million units.
Another interesting new statistic is the sales numbers for Bayonetta 3, which launched for the Switch on 28 October 2022. As of now, the game has since sold 1.04 million units worldwide.
Check out the updated list of the top ten best-selling first-party Switch games below:
The 10 best-selling first-party Switch titles are:

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – 52 million
Animal Crossing: New Horizons – 41.59 million
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – 30.44 million
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – 29 million
Pokemon Sword / Pokemon Shield – 25.68 million
Super Mario Odyssey – 25.12 million
Pokemon Scarlet / Pokemon Violet – 20.61 million (New)
Super Mario Party – 18.79 million
Ring Fit Adventure – 15.22 million
Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! / Pokemon: Let’s Go, Eevee! – 15.07 million

In addition, Nintendo has also announced the sales numbers for other games as well:

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe – 14.75 million
Pokemon Legends: Arceus – 14.63 million
Luigi’s Masnion 3 – 12.44 million
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury – 10.82 million
Splatoon 3 – 10.13 million
Mario Party Superstars – 9.38 million
Nintendo Switch Sports – 8.61 million
Kirby and the Forgotten Land – 6.12 million
Mario Strikers: Battle League – 2.47 million
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 – 1.81 million
Bayonetta 3 – 1.04 million (New)


Borderlands 3’s True Vault Hunter Mode Will Be A Tad Different

Borderlands fans who wish to look for more challenges post-game will be getting that and more in part 3.
Borderlands 3‘s creative director Paul Sage told Kakuchopurei that the series’ patented True Vault Hunter mode (ie: the obligatory New Game+ mode) will be back, just like in past instalments. However, instead of enemies who are scaled from level 30 to 50, they will now be scaled to your current level.

“If you start out at level 35, all of those enemies will be level 35. Anytime you go back and forth between maps, those enemies will all be leveled to you.”

In other words, it’s similar to Ultimate Vault Hunter mode in part 2 instead. This is probably due to the many benefits your Vault Hunter has with extra skills and augments to work with like Zane’s two-skills-at-the-same time playstyle and FL4K’s pet class shenanigans. All that may make the previous system’s 30-50 scaling a possible breeze.
At least with the added challenge, the loot in True Vault Hunter mode is sure to be grand. Gearbox will reveal additional info on the difficulty modes and possible OP mode options for part 3 in the near future.
Paul Sage, creative director of Borderlands 3.
On a related note, here’s what Paul Sage shared too regarding the design process of Borderlands 3:

Among all the new planets, Promethea was the hardest to create and design. According to Paul, Borderland‘s Pandora is uncivilized, so creating an area that is a complete opposite of what the team was used to doing was tough. Their solution? Create a war scenario in the city to match with the game’s tone and what the team does best: to “give that raw Borderlands feel to it”.
The Torgue alternate fire was Paul’s favourite part when talking about weapon design. The sticky bullets that detonated upon reloading were an inane idea among the devs at first, but they grew to love it.

Check out our preview of Borderlands 3 and how FL4K plays here. To see his skill tree in all of its descriptive glory, head here.Â
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/posts/2043239932447078


Netflix’s Gudetama An Eggcellent Adventure Reveals Key Art & Main Cast

Netflix has revealed the voice cast for Gudetama and Shakipiyo, as well as a sneak peek of Gudetama: An Eggcellent Adventure with the key art and cast announcement trailer. Gudetama: An Eggcellent Adventure will premiere on 13 December on Netflix.
Voice actor Shunsuke Takeuchi plays “Gudetama”, the world’s most unmotivated egg and the protagonist of the series. Gudetama’s ride-or-die sidekick “Shakipiyo” is voiced by Seiran Fukushima, a promising child actress. In addition, Shunsuke Takeuchi will be performing as a total of 24 egg characters, including Gudetama, all by himself.
The synopsis reads:

Gudetama just wants to be lazy all the time having resigned themself to the fact that they will just end up on someone’s plate. But, swept up by the go-getting, overbearing chick Shakipiyo, they leave the refrigerator and head out into the world. Together, these polar opposites go on an adventure to find their mother! Along their trip, they meet various eggs and learn how each one is cooked. Gudetama begins to think about its own path and realizes it must do something or just go rotten! Can Gudetama, who doesn’t want to move or work, actually reach its mother?

Voice Cast: Shunsuke Takeuchi (Gudetama, etc.), Seiran Fukushima (Shakipiyo)

Cast: Akiyoshi Nakao, Serena Motola, Sarutoki Minagawa

Based on a character by: Sanrio

Director: Motonori Sakakibara

Series Composition: Yoichi Kato

Music: Koji Endo

Theme Song: “Gudetama Koshinkyoku” by Yuko Hara

Production: OLM

Production Cooperation: L’ESPACE FILM

Length of the series: 10 episodes x 10 mins (approx.)

Check out the cast announcement trailer below: