God Of War Ragnarok Is The Perfect Capstone To 2018’s Epic Reboot

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
Genre: Sequel to 2018 Norse-themed action-adventure reboot with third-person perspective highlighting father and teen son
2018’s God of War was a lovely surprise for many PlayStation owners and fans, and even action fans by and large. It starts off a new story for action star Kratos, has a new perspective and gameplay style and flow that feels familiar yet unique, and features a ton of action, puzzles, exploration, and battle setpieces that elevates it above its action game peers. And for a game loaded with a dash of ultraviolence, it has a lot of heart with its tale about a man and his kid fulfilling the wishes of their late wife and mother.
The sequel, God of War Ragnarok, is essentially more of that and bookends the two-parter story of Kratos and his son Atreus. There’s nothing wrong with more of the same, as long as there are some meaningful additions and changes to make you want to buy a brand-new console for this. And if I’m being honest, there’s a lot to love from Studio Santa Monica’s latest and finest action RPG experience that’s going to keep you busy for a while.

Frozen Lightning, Very, Very Frightening

God of War: Ragnarok’s plot takes place a few years after 2018’s reboot. The fabled long winter known as Fimbulwinter is screwing up Midgar, and the father-son duo of Kratos and Atreus has to figure out their plan of action after scattering their mom’s ashes atop Jotunheim in the last game, since they saw a bunch of murals detailing their destinies and fates. Also, they have to figure out how to deal with the titular Ragnarok war involving Odin and their intertwining fates.
The entire story of who they meet, team up, rescue, and fight off is all spoiler-laden and really worth experiencing for yourself. There are a lot of themes touched on here: trust, fatherhood woes regarding their children branching off on their own and supporting their decisions, forgiveness, seeing a conflict from the other side of the literal tall man-made fence, and wondering whether it’s worth it to defy your predetermined fate. Given the pedigree of the studio and the first-party nature of the title, the production values are top-notch with sweeping visuals, great music, and stellar voice acting from Christopher Judge (Kratos), Ryan Hurst (Thor), and Sunny Suljic (Atreus/Loki).
And whoever thought it was a great idea to cast The West Wing/The Good Doctor’s Richard Schiff as Odin deserves a huge raise; you will remember that delivery and voicework once the game is done and over with.
Amidst all that, there’s a lot of heart, emotion, depth, nuance, and finality from the tale that’s told here, amidst the ripping off of werewolf jaws and the splitting of rogue Norse warriors & Einherjars in two with your bare dad hands. While also using those same hands to row your boat across giant bodies of rivers (or similar modes of transportation like a wolf sleigh) to explore the realm you’re in, be it the humid jungles of Vanaheim to the mystique corridors of Alfheim.
There’s a lot to love in the combat department as well. Santa Monica’s adage here is “if it ain’t broken, don’t fix that part too much and just add more scenarios & playable characters to accentuate it”. Kratos fights with his Leviathan Axe that he throws, chops, and recalls with sheer will. He also has his trademark Blades of Chaos from the get-go with its flame attacks, wide area-of-attack radius, and sweeping hits which I usually gravitate towards. Both weapons now have “charge” states that let you do a power-up animation, then let you follow up with an alternative powerful attack be it a sweeping frost axe slash or a wide flame Blades strike.
Later on in the game, you get another weapon that complements Kratos’ existing playstyle really well. This new tool has quick and long-reaching thrusts, can be thrown an infinite amount of times, and can be stuck onto enemies to be detonated like C-4 charges. These trinity of weapons are just so much fun to play and feel meaty enough to switch effortlessly from. Expect to see massive combo videos of this game’s combat post-launch.
Taking Aim

The big kicker in this sequel is that now you get to play as Atreus in major parts of the story. And both father and son have different fighting partners throughout the course of the 25-hour story journey. Without spoiling much, Kratos isn’t just teaming up with Atreus, and Atreus himself has unlikely allies assisting him when you press the Square button. Your new dance partners can either fire their own volley of magic arrows, or even cast their own trademark “painter” magic. Or giant bombs; you haven’t lived until you see a bald muscled man command a dwarf to chuck a Norse equivalent of a pipe bomb in the face of zombies and magic warriors.
Atreus’ moveset relies on speed and unlimited bow fire, only requiring energy for his Sigil and Sonic shots that help debuff enemies and amplify the damage you deal respectively. You’ll also need both Sigil and Sonic shots for the game’s plethora of logic puzzles throughout the Nine Realms. Long story short, Atreus/Loki is fun to play just because he’s faster and caters towards fans who want a bit of third-person shooting in their melee-based fighting, trading power for guile.
It isn’t all violent fighting though; exploring in God of War Ragnarok will take you a bit of time as you go from point A to B forwarding the plot along, solving puzzles along the way and using your weaponry to help you out. Some of these environment puzzles seem tricky, but they’re not too taxing and are a brief respite before the next round of combat against the realm’s most dangerous.
Each of these locations and optional puzzle spots will also house much-needed treasure and additions to Kratos’ and Atreus’ arsenal, be it extra life, extra Rage for your Spartan get-off-me burst moves, extra Hacksilver for buying stuff from the dwarven brothers Brok and Sindri, and rare crafting materials for armour sets to buff you up against the game’s optional challenges like Berserker bosses and Muspelheim trials.

God of War Ragnarok does a great job going back and forth between Kratos and Atreus via the game’s one-shot pan style of interweaving gameplay and cutscenes just like the first game. Only here, you have the PlayStation 5 to render all of this seamlessly and in glorious 60fps motion. Yeah, you can turn on Fidelity mode, but the game’s overall art direction and gorgeous production values -visuals and music- are peerless that I’d rather have omitted a few details of snow pixels and hair strands from Kratos’ beard than have all this majesty run in less than 60fps.
In fact, I’d be hard-pressed to find anything wrong with God of War Ragnarok overall that doesn’t sound incredibly nitpicky, but I’ll try. Once you finish the 25+ hour game and see the credits roll, you cannot skip cutscenes and fast-forward bits you’ve seen in a brand-new playthrough. There’s no fast-travel option to places you’ve visited (as far as I know).
Unless you have the right armour sets, Kratos by default seems a bit slower than usual. When fighting, you have to accommodate his active frames when launching attacks. I usually gravitate towards the Blades of Chaos because they’re faster and have a better range than his other weapons.  Either that or just spam Leviathan Axe range “headshots” and back the heck away until your hitpoint sponge target is dead.
That’s a preference rather than a detriment; you fight how you wish to fight in this. Speaking of sponges, some boss fights do repeat themselves with slight variations to their attacks, echoing the one slight issue from 2018’s immaculate God of War.

Winter Has Come

As the Illiad is to the Odyssey, so too is God of War Ragnarok to its 2018 prequel. They are two pieces of an epic that are made whole; perfect when played one after the other. God of War Ragnarok is not only a fitting end to a saga that had no right to be this enthralling and engaging, but it does more than enough to justify players to buy this off the shelf. And perhaps even get a new PlayStation console to see it in its 60fps high-res majesty.
While some segments could be shorter -particularly padded exploration bits in the main quest- the overall experience is one not to be missed. Besides, what else will you be playing on your PlayStation 5; a bunch of unnecessary remakes now and in the future?

Pros

Lots of questing and controlled explorations worth partaking in.
A fitting ending to the rebooted God of War saga.
Combat still feels great to play, with a few new additions.
New playable character(s) feel great.

Cons

Some repetitive boss fights & main quest padding.
Could use fast travel options.

Final Score: 90/100
Early PS5 review copy provided by PlayStation Asia.


EA To Remove Battlefield 1943, Bad Company 1 & 2 & Mirror’s Edge From Digital Storefronts (Update)

Updated at 4.30 am on 22 March 2023:
Several hours after the initial announcement, EA updated their original post to remove Mirror’s Edge from the list of games that will be removed from digital storefronts.
It’s currently unknown if Mirror’s Edge was supposed to be part of it, or if EA saw the online backlash and decided to backpedal their initial decision.
*UPDATE*

EA has made a surprise announcement that they will be delisting and removing several games from digital storefronts, including Battlefield 1943, Battlefield Bad Company, Battlefield Bad Company 2, and Mirror’s Edge. This will come into effect starting from 28 April 2023.
The official statement partially reads:
“Starting April 28 2023, Battlefield 1943, Battlefield Bad Company 1 & 2 and Mirror’s Edge will be removed from digital storefronts and you will no longer be able to purchase them. This is in preparation for the retirement of the online services for these titles which will happen on 8 December 2023.
For Bad Company 1 & 2 and Mirror’s Edge, you can still continue playing them and use their respective offline features, such as the single player campaign. You can also read our FAQ and Service Updates for further information on the retirement of online services.”
This makes for a bad precedent, considering that there’s no reason for EA to make these games unavailable on digital storefronts. This is especially true for games like Mirror’s Edge, which has a single-player story campaign that players can play offline.
It’s strange that EA chose to make this announcement just as Nintendo is shutting down the Nintendo eShop for the Nintendo Wii U and Nintendo 3DS in March 2023. It’s hard to advocate for a fully digital future if publishers and developers can simply remove games from digital storefronts.


SEA Games 2019 Esports Live Update: Day 3 Results

Day 3 of the SEA Games 2019 Esports event is finally upon us! This means that we’ll finally start to see DOTA 2 and Arena of Valor matches being played. So let’s see who’s going to conquer these MOBAs:
DOTA 2

Vietnam vs. Malaysia (2 – 0)
Thailand vs. Singapore (2 – 0)
Laos vs. Philippines (0 – 2)
Myanmar vs. Indonesia (1 – 1)
Philippines vs. Indonesia (2 – 0)
Laos vs. Myanmar (2 – 0)
Vietnam vs. Thailand (1 – 1)
Malaysia vs. Singapore (2 – 0)
Malaysia vs. Thailand (2 – 0)
Laos vs. Indonesia (2 – 0)
Vietnam vs. Singapore (2 – 0)
Philippines vs. Myanmar (1 – 1)
Thailand vs. Vietnam (0 – 1)

Arena of Valor

Singapore vs. Indonesia (0 – 2)
Thailand vs. Myanmar (2 – 0)
Vietnam vs. Philippines (2 – 0)
Laos vs. Malaysia (1 – 1)
Malaysia vs. Singapore (2 – 0)
Laos vs. Indonesia (1 -1)
Vietnam vs. Thailand (1 – 1)
Indonesia vs. Malaysia (1 – 1)
Laos vs. Singapore (2 – 0)
Myanmar vs. Philippines (0 – 2)

It looks like the Malaysian teams for both games have had a good run on Day 3. Starting from tomorrow 8 December 2019, we’ll start to get into the Upper Bracket Finals and Lower Bracket Finals for DOTA 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Arena of Valor. Get hyped!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB-tlSUxH6Q&w=560&h=315]
Cover image from AFP.


PlayStation 11.11 Sales To Offer PS4 Bundle Discounts

Sony Interactive Entertainment Singapore Private Limited (SIES) has announced the 11.11 Special Sales, offering attractive prices on PS4 console bundles and games for a limited period.
From 11 November to 20 November 2020, customers can purchase the following PS4 products and games at a discounted price from PlayStation Authorized Dealers, Sony Stores, and selected major electronics retailers:
PS4 MEGA PACK at a promotional price of RM1,049 (discount of RM300)PS4 MEGA PACK includes a PS4 system (CUH-2218BB01, Jet Black, 1TB HDD), and three PS4 software titles from Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios: God of War (Disc), Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition (Disc), and The Last of Us Remastered (Digital).

Ps4 Pro God of War / The Last of Us Bundle at a promotional price of RM1,399 (discount of RM400)PS4 Pro God of War / The Last of Us Bundle includes PS4 Pro system (CUH-7218BB01, Jet Black, 1TB HDD), two DUALSHOCK 4 Wireless controllers (Jet Black), and two PS4 software titles from Sony Interactive EntertainmentWorldwide Studios: God of War (Disc) and The Last of Us: Remastered (Disc).

PS4 DUALSHOCK 4 Wireless Controller (selected colours only) at a promotional price of RM179 (discount of RM60)

You can head on over to their official website now. In the meantime, check out all our PS5-related coverage here.


This Valkyrie Profile Tribute Album Is Epic On All Counts

The RPG Valkyrie Profile signalled a time in late 90s JRPGing where companies like Enix showcased their innovation to the fullest while delivering stellar production value. This is especially telling given the bombastic soundtrack from composer Motoi Sakuraba who is just going through the motions with the Dark Souls and Tales Of series.
Which is why I’m glad to have stumbled across this Valkyrie Profile tribute album from a band of intrepid music composers & arrangers under the Pixel Mixers production banner. Called Nibelung Valesti -which is the name of the finishing strike Lenneth uses in the game- the album features a slew of well-produced arrangements. The Norse chants & monologue added in this mix of “Epic Poem to a Sacred Death” is chilling yet harmonious.

This upbeat take on “Turn Over A New Leaf” prove that the album is also taking chances with other genres of music.

If you fancy rock music, this arrangement of “Illuminating Magic Links” should cure what ails your ears.

The best part? The entire album is free; it comes in two parts and 51 tracks.


Southeast Asia Gets A Guilty Gear Strive Invitational Tournament This July

If you’re looking for more high-tier Guilty Gear Strive play, but want it close to home, here’s a tournament you can get hyped about.
Arc System Works, Bandai Namco Asia, and tournament organizer Versus Asia will be hosting a Break The Walls Invitational tournament featuring the best Guilty Gear Strive players in the region. Notable participants include anime fighter pro RSG | SEO, Malaysia Guilty Gear pro InC | D.R. Fierce, and Tekken 7 Thai champion Talon | Book. Special guests such as content creators Kizzie_Kay and HiFight will be popping by the stream as well.
Here are the details:

Date: 10th July
Time: 12pm (GMT+8)
Stream: twitch.tv/versusasia
Players Invited: RSG | SEO, Ayansaki, Talon | Book, PBE Noob, GM | Alden, Wai Wah, InC| D.R. Fierce, AG | Division
Guilty Gear Strive is available now; find out what we love and hate about the new 2D fighting game here. For a quick tier list of the game, head here.


VCT Challengers APAC Playoffs – Stage 2: Teams & Schedule

With the VCT Challengers APAC Stage 2 main events well underway means we can look forward to the APAC Playoffs Stage 2!
WE DID A RUNDOWN OF ALL THE DOMESTIC LEAGUES
Over the past month, hundreds of teams from across Southeast Asia have been engaged in local tournaments around the region for a chance to compete at the upcoming pan-regional event in June.
The two top teams from the APAC Playoffs Stage 2 will be given a direct invitation to represent the APAC region at Masters 2, VCT’s 2nd and final global tournament of the year.
Teams who have not qualified to Masters 2 will still have a chance to compete for a spot at Champions through the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) scheduled in early August. More details about the LCQ will be shared closer to the date so stay tuned!
Regional allocations for the upcoming Challengers APAC Playoffs Stage 2 in June are split across a 20-team competitive format. Seeds are determined by the size of the competitive player base in each region.
QUALIFIED TEAMS

Thailand – XERXIA, FW Esports, Made in Thailand (MiTH)
Philippines – Team Secret, Oasis Gaming, Rex Regum Qeon (RRQ)
Indonesia – ONIC Esports, Alter Ego, BOOM Esports
Vietnam – Fancy United Esports, Cerberus Esports, Team Big Baam
Singapore/Malaysia – Paper Rex, Gaimin Gladiators (formerly LaZe), Bleed Esports
Taiwan/Hong Kong – Griffin E-Sports, Ghetto Artist
South Asia – TBD, TBD
Oceania – Order

TOURNAMENT FORMAT & DATES

Play-ins: 9-12 June

Format: 8 teams will play in GSL format. 4 successful teams will proceed to the next stage.

Groups: 15-20 June

Format: 16 teams will play in GSL format. 8 successful teams will proceed to the knockout stage.

Knockouts & Finals: 23-26 June

Format: 8 teams will go through a series of double elimination brackets. The final 2 teams will be invited to Masters 2.

The tournament starts at 11:00 AM (GMT+8) each day.

WHERE TO WATCH?
You can catch all the action live either on their official YouTube channel, Twitch or Facebook page.


Samsung Malaysia’s Year-End Sale Offers Great Deals On TVs & More

The end of the year is near and you know what that means… Samsung is holding a special â€˜Smarter Gifts for Celebrationsâ€™ year-end promotion. Whether youâ€™re thinking of redesigning your interior, buying gifts for your loved ones or gifts for yourself, there are a lot of offers here.
Hereâ€™s what you can look forward to:

Product
RRP
Promo RRP
Promo,,

Jet Bot AI+ with Intel A.I. Driving

RM4,999
–
Free gift of RM300 Touch â€™n Go eWallet credit

Convection Microwave Oven with HOT BLASTâ„¢, 35L
RM1,859
–
Free gift of RM50 Touch â€™n Go eWallet credit

Smart Air Purifier, 60 ãŽ¡
RM1,799
RM1,599
–

WindFree Premium Plus , 1.5HP
RM2,799
RM2,599
Free gift of RM100 Touch â€™n Go eWallet credit

Front Load Washer Dryer with AI Ecobubbleâ„¢, 21KG Wash & 12KG Dry
RM7,999
–
Free gift of Grill Microwave Oven (MG30T5018CP/SM) worth RM799 & RM400 Touch â€™n Go eWallet credit

Side by Side with Family Hub, 660L
RM9,199
–
Free gift of RM400 Touch â€™n Go eWallet credit

85â€ QN900A Neo QLED 8K Smart TV

RM49,999
–
Free gift of RM6,000 Touch â€˜n Go eWallet credit and Slim Fit Wall Bracket (WMN-A50EB/XY) worth RM499

65â€ QN800A Neo QLED 8K Smart TV
RM18,999
–
Free gift of RM1,800 Touch â€˜n Go eWallet credit and Slim Fit Wall Bracket (WMN-A50EB/XY) worth RM499

65â€ The Frame QLED 4K Smart Lifestyle TV

RM9,499
–
Free Gift of 65″ Modern Bezel Brown + Additional Bezel of your choice worth RM 1,398 + 3 Month Art Store Access

LSP9T The Premier Smart 4K UHD Ultra-short throw Triple laser projector Â
RM39,999
–
Free gift of RM6,000 Touch â€˜n Go eWallet credit

Moreover, there is also a Purchase with Purchase promotion for Samsung Q series Soundbars with purchase of any Samsung TV, with savings up to RM 1,700.Â
The Smarter Gifts for Celebrations promotion will be running from 15th November 2021 to 20th February 2022.Â For more details and information, you can head on over to https://www.samsung.com/my/smartergifts2122/.


[Report] GTA 6 Confirmed

GTA 6 is one of those games that has long been rumored to be secretly in development. While Rockstar Games has yet to officially announced the next installment in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, a new piece of information may confirm the existence of GTA VI.
According to a post by ResetEra user @deadasdisco, GTAForums member @ApolloThunder discovered that a former Rockstar Games India employee named Bibin Michael has listed GTA 6 as one of the games he had worked on in his digital resume on the website Artstation.
The listing states that he worked as a “Vehicle Artist” at Rockstar India, creating in-game concept vehicles for GTA 5 DLC and GTA 6. While the resume looks pretty questionable in nature, there is, in fact, a Rockstar Games subsidiary in Bangalore, India, which launched only three years ago in 2016.

It may be a while yet before Rockstar Games officially announces GTA 6, the most likely time of which would probably be during the launches of a next-gen console like the PS5 or Xbox Scarlett. However, it’s still exciting to find little (albeit unconfirmed) details like this that point to the game still being in active development.
It’s been six years since GTA V was released, and even then, it actually initially launched for the PS3 and Xbox 360. A GTA VI game would probably look a lot like Red Dead Redemption 2 in terms of visuals, though it has even bigger potential if it does turn out to be a launch title for the next generation of consoles.


Fortnite Star Wars Update Adds New Anakin Skywalker Skin & More

Epic Games has announced that the Fortnite Star Wars crossover is here and will run until 23 May 2023.
Players can complete Find the Force Quests to unlock cosmetic and level-up rewards in the free reward track for Find the Force, including the Clone Trooper Outfit. The Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala Outfits are available now in the Item Shop, along with the 501st Trooper and 212th Battalion Trooper Outfits.
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Darth Maul await you on the Island in hologram form during Find the Force. If you accept their offer to train you, you’ll jump into a rift… then return wielding a lightsaber and new Force abilities. These Force abilities can be used while wielding your lightsaber, which remains in your inventory until you drop it, get eliminated, or the match ends.
Force training will give you the ability to sprint faster and double jump while your lightsaber is equipped, regardless of which trainer you chose. Additionally, the lightsaber you get from Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, or Darth Maul can be used as a melee weapon. From Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’ll receive a green Jedi Padawan Lightsaber, and from Anakin Skywalker you’ll receive a blue one. From Darth Maul, you’ll receive a red Sith Apprentice Lightsaber.
Players can complete Find the Force Quests to earn Galactic Reputation. You can complete them by doing things to enhance your Jedi or Sith skills, like getting trained by Jedi or Sith trainers, dealing damage with lightsabers, and searching Republic Chests. Completing Find the Force Quests will increase your Galactic Reputation, and the more Galactic Reputation you get, the more rewards you’ll unlock.
Navigate to the Galactic Reputation tab in the Lobby to keep track of your Galactic Reputation and remaining rewards. When clicking this tab, you’ll notice the free reward track and the Premium Reward Track upgrade which is unlockable for a fee. The free reward track contains 11 unlockable rewards, including the Clone Trooper Outfit as the final reward.
If you purchase the Premium Reward Track upgrade, you’ll unlock extra rewards as you unlock rewards in the free reward track (without having to complete additional Quests). The Premium Reward Track upgrade can be purchased for 1,000 V-Bucks and contains 11 unlockable rewards, including the Darth Maul Outfit as the final reward.
This track upgrade also contains the unlockable Wolf Pack Trooper Outfit and Ahsoka’s Clone Trooper Outfit. Upon purchasing the Premium Reward Track upgrade, you’ll automatically receive the Coruscant Guard Outfit.
Just as Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith are a trilogy, so are the Find the Force Quests. The Find the Force Quests are separated into three main sets with certain Quests associated with each one. If you complete twelve Quests in a set, you’ll earn a Sith Holocron. Earn three Sith Holocrons to unlock the Sith Infiltrator Glider!
Check out the trailer below:


Overwatch League: Spitfire Complete Sweep of Los Angeles With Stunning Win Over Valiant

No one gave them a chance in the playoffs but the boys of London Spitfire proved everyone wrong by beating the second Los Angeles team in as many weeks when they overcame a lackluster Los Angeles Valiant 3-0 earlier today, to claim a spot in the Overwatch League Grand Finals.Â  Going into the series with a one-match lead after an impressive 3-1 win on Thursday, the Spitfire opened the day in the best way possible by winning 3-2 on Dorado.

HOW?! @GestureOW is out there with 9 lives ðŸ˜Ž. #OWL2018 #TheFirstPlayoffs
LIVE: https://t.co/U6dIioZfOU pic.twitter.com/8DltrrHwoO
â€” Overwatch League (@overwatchleague) July 20, 2018
The DPS pair of Birdring and Profit who played pivotal roles in their Thursday win again were the standouts, outperforming their Valiant rivals. In the next map on Oasis, the Spitfire were again too much for the Valiant to handle as they comfortably won 2-0 and one map away from claiming another LA team scalp.

These skies belong to @PROFIT_OWL. #OWL2018 #TheFirstPlayoffs
LIVE: https://t.co/U6dIioZfOU pic.twitter.com/3hZOcOqa7m
â€” Overwatch League (@overwatchleague) July 20, 2018
Coming off the break, many thought the Valiant would finally wake up and show everyone why they were the champions of Stage 4 as both teams head to Eichenwalde but the truth is far from that. The Spitfire, buoyed by their form of the day put out a clinic as they ferried the payload to the end with minimum fuss.Â Realizing it was make or break time, the Valiant woke up as they pushed hard on their turn to attack, and somehow managed to push the payload all the way to the end as well.
Sadly for Valiant fans, a comeback was not on the cards as the Valiant’s payload was stopped just beyond the first chokepoint on timebank round. There onwards, it was a mere formality for the Spitfire to nudge over that yellow box to stamp their ticket to New York. They now await the victors between sixth-seed Philadelphia Fusion and the New York Excelsior.

It’s coming home ðŸ‘€! @Spitfire #OWL2018 #TheFirstPlayoffs
LIVE: https://t.co/U6dIioZfOU pic.twitter.com/D79QE9bVGF
â€” Overwatch League (@overwatchleague) July 21, 2018
Since winning Stage 1, the Spitfire form took a nosedive as they struggled through Stages 3 (5-5) and 4 (4-6) which saw their overall standings drop to fifth. Heading into the playoffs, they were considered outsiders by many – even more so having to face the mighty impressive Los Angeles Gladiators who finished Stage 4 with a 9-1 record. Alas, form is temporary but class is permanent as the Spitfire defeated both LA teams, silencing their doubters.
The Overwatch League Playoffs action continues tomorrow as the Fusions seek to pull off a huge upset by defeating heavy favourites, the NYXL. Going into the match with a 1-0 series lead thanks to a 3-0 win on Thursday, the Fusion will bank on their aggressive playstyle to overcome the methodical NYXL who have only lost six games in total throughout the regular season. You can catch all the action live via Twitch here.


Overwatch League Pro Handed 72-Hour Ban

Dallas Fuel’s newest recruit and tank main FÃ©lixÂ “xQc”Â Lengyel was handed a 72-hour ban for the offence of â€œmisuse of reporting system”. A typical ‘severe’ ban is 24-hours so the 72-hours punishment is not only surprising, but in our opinion, quite hilarious. Lengyel was served the ban midway through a competitive match which he was coincidentally streaming leading to speculations of the real nature of the ban and whether it was a tad too excessive.

To those not in the know, apart from his stellar Winston plays, xQc is known within the circuit for his brash personality and at times, a recurring toxic behavior and expletive-laden outbursts as seen on his streams. He was part of the Canadian team which finished second in the recent Overwatch World Cup and also won the TMobile MVP Vote for theÂ 2017 World Cup.
In response to the ban, Lengyel tweeted:

pic.twitter.com/BI1Zgqstxm
â€” xQc (@xQcOW) November 18, 2017
The Overwatch League team Lengyel was signed to, Dallas Fuel responded swiftly with the following tweets:

Yesterday, @xQcOW received a 72 hour suspension on his @PlayOverwatch account. Our management is investigating the suspension and will act accordingly to assist @xQcOW and @Blizzard_Ent in correcting the situation.
â€” Dallas Fuel (@DallasFuel) November 18, 2017

After discussing the @xQcOW 3 day suspension with @overwatchleague Commissioner @natenanzer and Felix, we have decided to bypass any further punishment and hope you all accept Felix’s apology for his in game actions yesterday. #BurnBlue
â€” Dallas Fuel (@DallasFuel) November 18, 2017
A tad excessive? Or just right? TheÂ â€œmisuse of reporting system” ban came following xQc’s repeatedly reporting of a teammate, live on stream before the round even started. His supporters and detractors are of equal number following the incident and we are sure there are several layers to this drama but have a look and judge yourself:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXGtjG0hTBo?start=130&w=560&h=315]
According to Kotaku,Â  some ‘stream detectives’ pointed out that Lengyel might have had some reason behind his report; it was aÂ player from a previous gameÂ that had refused to switch off a character, even when they were repeatedly dying. Commenters to the thread later pointed out to other past clips inÂ his past stream archives of him reporting users, with captions like â€œur such a piece of shit. fuck youâ€.
This issue highlights the potential abuse and issues surrounding the report system as well as Blizzard’s stance and their approach when it comes to banning and punishing toxic players. Recently, issues arise about the perimeters and the types of behavior that could get you banned as a one-trick Torbjorn player was reportedly banned for only using one character in competitive mode – but that’s not the full story. The user, Xul was found to be griefing whenever other players picks Torbjorn before he does leading to him throwing his games and even sitting in spawn.
It also reflects on Dallas Fuel and how they handle their players moreover as we head closer into the inaugural Overwatch League season. xQc is no saint and he is notorious for his toxicity. But signing to a team such as Fuel, competing on the highest level of the sport requires him to act in a certain manner – just like how it is required from professional athletes in other sports. Alas it is still early days and we hope Blizzard comes to a solution in dealing with such issues. Also we would very much prefer to report on news about team strategies and awesome plays instead of players’ disciplines. So come on guys.
You are pros. Leave the childish behaviour behind.


Jump Force’s Toriyama-Created Bosses Will Be Playable Soon

Bandai Namco’s Jump Force was just released a few months ago and it didn’t exactly get hot reviews. The 3D fighting game had decent but ultimately forgettable combat plus laughably bad character animations in cutscenes. However, the game did allow us to see some fun interactions between anime characters from different universes and a lot of hardcore shounen fans still love the game.

For those of you still loyal to Jump Force, a duo-set of good news has just arrived. Two of the game’s original villains will be playable in an upcoming free update. After getting patch ver1.10 and ver1.11, you’ll be able to play as Kane and Galena. Aside from the two characters, the patches also come with other additions and improvements:

Added sword fighting style “Type D”

Added Online Event “Raid Boss Battle”

Added Clan Boost (Raid Attack Boost / Raid Physical Resistance Boost)

Added purchasable event tickets at Shop Counter

Added purchasable costumes at Shop Counter

Improved game stability

– via Bandai Namco.
Jump Force is currently available for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.


Here’s How You Can Play The Resident Evil 2 1-Shot Demo [Update]

Update: Added in a method to circumvent the demo’s 30-minute restriction, as well as a speedrun video from YouTube user SVINT & a few others.Â
With the Resident Evil 2 reboot coming out soon on 25 January, it’s no surprise that there’s a demo coming out soon. In fact, it’ll be available from 11 January to 31 January, for the PC (via Steam), PS4, and Xbox One.
The catch? The demo will last 30 minutes. We’ll break it down:

You have 30 minutes to play the demo in its entirety. You have one shot at this.
If you die halfway through the game, you can still continue.
If you finished the mission objective, you can still continue exploring the Raccoon City Police Department.
Once your 30 minutes are up, the demo is locked. You can’t play it anymore.
The demo runs via online DRM and allows one playthrough per account.
Basic protips of the demo: conserve bullets, don’t attempt to kill everything, run > fight, remember to use the quick turn command a lot.
Feel like the timer’s a bit much for the demo? Why not reset the demo timer on the Steam version instead? Here’s how; it involves using a trainer.

Thirty minutes, one shot!
The Resident Evil 2 “1-Shot” Demo is coming to PS4, Xbox One, and Steam on January 11th!
Learn more: ?? https://t.co/wBXu6Uv65e pic.twitter.com/GK05cBL3nd
— Resident Evil (@RE_Games) January 8, 2019

Have fun! Also, if you want to speedrun the heck out of this game, look at these videos below.


Star Wars Andor Season 1 Finale Episode 12 Breakdown & Easter Eggs

The eleventh episode of Star Wars Andor is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. I’ll be discussing heavy spoilers so if you haven’t seen it or want to avoid spoilers, now’s your chance to stop reading.
Check out my spoiler-free review of Andor here.
The Andor series will explore a new perspective from the Star Wars galaxy, focusing on Cassian Andor’s journey to discover the difference he can make. The series brings forward the tale of the burgeoning rebellion against the Empire and how people and planets became involved. It’s an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue where Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero.
Diego Luna returns as Cassian Andor and is joined by cast members Genevieve O’Reilly (who will portray a young Mon Mothma), Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, Denise Gough and Kyle Soller. The executive producers are Kathleen Kennedy, Sanne Wohlenberg, Diego Luna and Michelle Rejwan. Tony Gilroy is the creator and showrunner.
In the meantime, check out my interview with Andor actors Kyle Soller and Denise Gough by heading over here for the written article, or you can watch the entire interview below:

Check out my breakdown of the first three episodes of Andor, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10 and Episode 11 here.
Check out my breakdown of Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode 1 and 2, Episode 3, Episode 4 and Episode 5 here.
You can check out my previous breakdowns of The Book Of Boba Fett Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6 and Episode 7 here.

Those Are Death Troopers Accompanying Deedra

Death Troopers first appeared in Star Wars canon in 2016’s Rogue One A Star Wars Story, so it’s nice to see them appearing in Andor for the first time.
Death troopers are an elite variant of stormtroopers specializing in stealth, espionage and lethality that served the Galactic Empire. Operating under Imperial Intelligence as the death trooper division, they acted as a protective detail for significant Imperial officers and members of the Tarkin Initiative, as well as special-assignment commandos.

Canto Bight Mention

Mon Mothma’s husband, Perrin, is a gambling addict. Mon suggests that he should go gamble at Canto Bight and not on Coruscant, where people can see him.
The city of Canto Bight first appeared in 2017’s Star Wars Episode VIII The Last Jedi, as a city where wealthy people from all over the galaxy gather to gamble and do all sorts of stuff.
Maarva Urges The People Of Ferrix To Fight The Empire

Maarva left a hologram before her death, inspiring the people of Ferrix to rebel against the Empire.
Andor Joins Luthen

It looks like Cassian Andor will be continuing his rebel activities with Luthen Rael.
Post-Credits Scene

Yeah, for the first time, Andor Season 1 Episode 12 has a post-credits scene.
This is a treat for Star Wars fans, as we get to see the first Death Star in construction and nearing completion. As was previously confirmed, Andor takes place five years before the events of Rogue One A Star Wars Story. The events of Andor Season 1 takes place across the span of 1 year, while the second season will feature the remaining four years.
According to showrunner Tony Gilroy, Andor Season 2 only began filming in November 2022, and that will last until around August 2023. Add about a year of post-production, and it’s highly likely that a second season will only premiere sometime in 2024.
Until then, excelsior!


PS5 Sales Surpass 30 Million Units

During the Sony CES 2023 press conference, Sony CEO Jim Ryan announced that the PS5 has sold more than 30 million units worldwide. Back in September 2022, the console sold about 25 million units.
He also revealed that December 2022 was the biggest month ever for PlayStation 5 console sales, which is logical considering that it’s the holiday season and the first holiday season to be after the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, good news for those looking for PS5s to buy because Jim Ryan also said that the PS5 will likely be easier to find and purchase starting this month.


Ninja Theory Is Making An Experimental Game That Recreates “Real Mental Terror”

The folks over at Ninja Theory have been really busy ever since the release of Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. They’re currently simultaneously working on three projects: Hellblade II, hero-brawler Bleeding Edge, and something spooky that they just announced.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyYzrcZurAs&w=560&h=315]
That third spooky game is called Project: Mara. I actually don’t feel comfortable calling it a “game” since Ninja Theory themselves are calling it an “experimental title“. The hook here is that it’s designed as a “real-world and grounded representation of mental terror“.
It’s very hard to determine what kind of title Project: Mara is in its current state. The above teaser trailer doesn’t tell us much aside from the fact that it might blend real-world filmography and digitally generated visuals. Then again, it’s just an early teaser.
Judging by their success in portraying mental conditions such as schizophrenia in the first Hellblade, it’s not entirely surprising to see them venture into something like this. In case you didn’t know, they actually referred to mental health experts when designing the game.
As expected, there’s no release date yet and I recommend not holding your breath. The studio is probably breaking their backs to launch Bleeding Edge and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.
For more information, check out the official announcement Ninja Theory made through the Xbox website.


Greedfall Gets A Sequel; Slated For 2024 Release

Greedfall is a 2019 action RPG that features fantasy battles, a magical island paradise, and loads of colonization from outerworldly empires. It was made by developer Spiders and published by Focus Home, and we enjoyed our time with the game despite some of its flaws.
Welp, the game is getting a sequel and it’s published by Nacon this time around. The sequel is called Greedfall 2: The Dying World, and it’s slated for a 2024 release on PC and next-gen consoles PS5 and Xbox Series. Part 2 is a prequel set three years before the events of the first game. You play as a native of Teer Fradee, the fantasy realm being colonized by the Gacane empire. Players need to use a combination of diplomacy, cunning, and combat to gain your freedom and halt the conquest of your home. The developers also said the game will get a combat revamp, opting for a more tactical approach to conflict.
“In this new chapter, players will explore the old continent with its bigger and more diverse environments. They will meet new companions and new factions, and I hope they will have unforgettable adventures.”
The trailer below says what needed to be said: indigenous magic folks being raided by colonizers with swords and better tech. It’s one way to talk about something touchy in history without referencing actual history, despite how on-the-nose this can get.


Metal Gear In Concert 2020 Live Stream Tickets Are Now Available

Konami has announced that theÂ Metal Gear In Concert 2020Â in Tokyo, Japan, on 11 October 2020. However, fans will be happy to learn that the entire concert will also be watchable through live streaming for the first time ever (via 4Gamer).
TheÂ Metal Gear In Concert will feature an orchestra performance of music from all five mainlineÂ Metal Gear SolidÂ games, as well asÂ 2010’s Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. It will be performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Hirofumi Kurita.
The best part of it all is that Donna Burke herself will also appear and perform the iconic theme songs from the franchise, such as â€œSnake Eaterâ€ and â€œHeavens Divideâ€.
This will be the fourth consecutiveÂ Metal Gear In ConcertÂ to be held in Tokyo since 2017. The concert also previously took place in Osaka in 2017,Â Paris in October 2018, New York in March 2019, and Los Angeles in April 2019.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the organizers have made measures in place to prevent infections in the venue on theÂ Japanese official website. The measures include limiting the audience up to 50 percent of venue capacity, intensifying sterilization and ventilation, and refusing access to anyone who measured over 37.5 degrees Celcius in body temperature.
Everyone who attends the live concert will also be lucky enough to receive a face mask with theÂ Metal Gear In ConcertÂ logo emblazoned on it.
Meanwhile, the live stream tickets will be sold at 3,500 yen or roughly RM137+. The concert will be streamed exclusively on the j-stream platform for those who bought the ticket onÂ Kyodo Tokyo, and Streaming+ when purchased fromÂ eplus.
Live streaming ticket owners can also watch a recorded archive of the concert until 14 October 2020.
Metal Gear In Concert 2020Â will take place at Tokyo International Forum Hall A in Tokyo, Japan on 11 October 2020.
The concert will begin at 5pm JST, or 6pm GMT+8 for Southeast Asian countries in Malaysia, and will be about 2 hours and 30 minutes in length.


Streets Of Rage 4 PlayStation Trophies Revealed

Whenever a new game’s trophies are revealed, it means we might be getting the game within a month or so. I’m guessing that’s the case with Dotemu, Lizardcube, and Guard Crush Games’ sequel to Streets of Rage (or Bare Knuckle for you Japanese Megadrive gamers out there), because we have trophies!
Website Exophase just listed down the PlayStation trophies list for Streets of Rage 4. It’s full of spoilers, so I’ll just put this right here…

From what we’ve gathered here, it seems that:

Streets of Rage 2‘s Max is a boss. The big bruiser who sounds like a Mexican gorilla will now bodyslam and atomic drop Axel and co.
Also, he might be a secret playable character if the bottom achievement is of any indication. As far as I know, SOR1 characters are Axel, Blaze, and Adam, while Cherry and Floyd are brand new to the series.

Shiva is returning as a boss. He’s renowned to be a tough SOR2 boss and an early SOR3 fighter.

Mr. X’s kids (I presume) will be a pair of bosses. I said “presume” because they’re referred to as Mr. and Ms. Y.

These are the noteworthy achievements so far. The full list is below:

My Work Here is Done – Obtain all trophies.

All Clear: Axel – Clear all stages in single-player mode as Axel.
All Clear: Blaze – Clear all stages in single-player mode as Blaze.
All Clear: Cherry – Clear all stages in single-player mode as Cherry.
All Clear: Floyd – Clear all stages in single-player mode as Floyd.
All Clear: Adam – Clear all stages in single-player mode as Adam.
All Clear: SOR1 – Clear all stages in single-player mode with a “SOR1” character.
All Clear: SOR2 – Clear all stages in single-player mode with a “SOR2” character.
All Clear: SOR 3 – Clear all stages in single-player mode with a “SOR3” character.
Throwback – Discover a retro level.
Miss Me? – Meet Adam.
Dojo Master – Beat Shiva.
Snap Out of It – Beat possessed Max.
Old-Schooled – Beat Mr. and Ms. Y.
Stage Mastery – Get an S-Rank on any stage.
Perfect – Complete a stage without taking damage.
Maniac – Get an S-Rank on all stages on Hard difficulty or higher.
All Too Easy – Complete a stage on Mania difficulty.
Combo Pro – Achieve a “Super!” combo.
Combo Expert – Achieve an “Amazing!!” combo.
Combo Master – Achieve an “Out of this world!!!” combo.
100 Yen – Clear the Arcade mode on Hard difficulty or higher.
Bleeding Knuckles – Reach a lifetime score of 5,000,000.
Oops – Hit an ally.
Birth of the Cool – Catch a weapon in the air.
Eating off the Ground – Consume a healing item.
THIS IS WOOD OAK CITY!!! – Kill an enemy by tossing them in a hole.
Life’s a Struggle – Free yourself from a grab.
It’s Chilly in Here – Break both elevator window panes.
Family Reunion – Get the Golden Chicken from the art gallery to the stock room.
Somebody Call The Cops! – Call the police with a Streets of Rage 1 character.
Dude, My Car! – Break the car in The Streets.
Wasted Wine – Break a wine bottle.
Walk on Foot – Destroy all motorcycles.
Demolition Man – Use a wrecking ball to kill an enemy.
Collateral Damage – Use a barrel or a grenade explosion to kill 3 enemies at the same time.
An Elegant Death – Use a chandelier to kill an enemy.
Broke My Toy – Break a spear.


These Adidas Shoes Bring New Meaning To Walking On LEGOs

Almost everyone who’s played with LEGO can attest to the unbearable pain of stepping on even a tiny brick of the colourful toys. However, Adidas and LEGO have come together to bring a new meaning to stepping or walking on LEGO bricks; actual LEGO-themed shoes.
First up, we have the Adidas ZX 8000 X LEGO shoes, which retails at RM599 and comes in a variety of different colours. You’ll surely stand out in these striking and vibrant kicks.

Then, we have the Adidas SUPERSTAR X LEGO shoes, which retails at RM599 and it features a custom-made shell toe, serrated 3-Stripes and heel, carefully crafted to replicate the LEGO brick in black and white.

Last but not least, we have the LEGO ADIDAS ORIGINALS SUPERSTAR shoe, which is actually a buildable shoe made up of LEGO. You can recreate the iconic Superstar sneaker from bespoke LEGO bricks to make a collectable display piece that’s sure to spark conversations. Just like the real thing, this LEGO version includes the iconic Adidas Originals Superstar trainer graphics, shell-toe shape, trefoil logo and 3-Stripes.
This one retails at RM499.

They have a lot more than shoes too, with a bunch of clothing, t-shirts, socks, bags and more. You can check out all of the Adidas LEGO products on offer by heading to the official Adidas Malaysia website here.


Grand Theft Auto The Trilogy The Definitive Edition Launches Next Month

Rockstar Games has announced thatÂ Grand Theft Auto The Trilogy The Definitive EditionÂ will launch digitally for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Rockstar Games Launcher on 11 November 2021 for US$59.99. A physical edition will then release on 7 December 2021.
Pre-orders are now available via PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Nintendo eShop, and Rockstar Games.
Grand Theft Auto The Trilogy The Definitive Edition includesÂ Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas updated for a new generation, now with across-the-board enhancements including brilliant new lighting and environmental upgrades, with high-resolution textures, increased draw distances, Grand Theft Auto V-style controls and targeting, and much more, bringing these beloved worlds to life with all-new levels of detail.
The Updated Player Experience making it easier than ever to play these classic games, including:

A Grand Theft Auto V-style controller layout.
Improved gunplay and targeting controls, with upgraded drive-by controls in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
Updated Weapon and Radio Station selection wheels.
Updated Mini-Maps with enhanced navigation allowing players to set waypoints to destinations.
The ability to immediately restart a failed mission.
Plus new Rockstar Games Social Club Accomplishments for members.
Enhanced Visuals, with improved graphics and fidelity across all three games, including:
Higher resolution textures from characters to weapons, vehicles to roads, and much more for greater detail.
A completely rebuilt lighting system with enhanced shadows, reflections, and more.
Improved water and weather effects.
Enhanced detail in trees and foliage.
Increased draw distances to provide a new level of depth and definition.
Plus Platform-Specific Features, including:
4K-resolution support with up to 60 frames per second performance for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X systems.
NVIDIA DLSS support for PC.
Touch screen camera zooming, pans and menu selections as well as Gyro aiming for the Nintendo Switch.
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy â€“ The Definitive Edition was built on Unreal Engine and adapted by Grove Street Games.

Check out the trailer below:


Is 2020’s Battletoads The Retro Callback We Deserve?

Platform(s): PC, Xbox One
Genre: 2D beat-em-up with a LOT of racing and minigame bits spliced in
Throwbacks to 90s games can be tricky to design. You don’t want to alienate your fanbase with your recreation of a wayback title, yet you kinda want to accommodate newbies who are curious at best.
Some titles do it well like this year’s Streets of Rage 4 where the difficult bits are tucked in the game’s options. Others just feel like half-assed cash grabs and misguided attempts, like that one Bionic Commando remake with the main character in dreadlocks and other terrible story ideas.
Special cases just say “eff it”, covers its game with a divisive aesthetic, but retain the spirit of its franchise. Seems like Dlala Studios is doing this with 2020’s Battletoads for the Xbox One and PC. This sequel-slash-remake is just as action-packed, genre-“rojaking” mish-mash, and tough as the previous games but comes with a generous checkpoint system and a logical life system, for better or worse.
Personally, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Frog Stomp

See, Battletoads will always have you control a party of three either in single-player mode or co-op mode ( up to three players with drop-out functionality). Half of the game requires you to beat up enemies with your morphing hand toad powers in 2D left-to-right sidescrolling glory.
Let’s talk more about that part I remember most about the series because it’s presented and done up really, really well here. Smooth controls and a neat dodging and “grapple” system (ala the ‘Toad’s tongue) makes these segments fun and meaty.
However, it’s far from a cakewalk, especially when you have a ton of enemies filling up the screen and some of them have super-fast projectiles that knock you down. Co-op here, with up to three players, makes these segments slightly easier.

You’ll be getting a rank A or S combo just by grappling and pulling enemies your way, and then launching and juggling them to kingdom come while deftly avoiding enemy fire and cheap jabs. You’re far from defenseless in this segment thanks to your tools, but these bits require you to use everything you have to stand a chance. I do wish there were some more callback fights like with the walkers and shrinking/enlargening giant rat boss, but what I ended up fighting here is still noteworthy.
The other half of the game blends in 3D racing, 2D racing, platforming, 2D shmup segments with analog shooting controls (ala Geometry Wars), and a few quick-time events for levity’s sake. The Battletoads series is renowned for its multiple genres of games, and this 2020 iteration is no exception. The 2D shmup sections give you an evade button that gives you brief invincibility, but the bullet-hell nature of the fights balances it all out. The platforming sections aren’t timed, but they do present some tricky head-scratching puzzles and precise jumping, as well as “air rolling” ala the Donkey Kong Country series.
They’re challenging, but they come with great controls and a fair difficulty curve. Mostly.

Warts & All
We should address the elephant in the room: the art style may not look like much when it’s static. But in motion, it’s actually decent and looks great. Some people may not be fans of some of the changes, or even care much about the game’s plot and cartoony character development, but as a PG cartoon, I’m alright with it.

The story is as such: the Battletoads have been in a hero simulator machine for 20+ years where their world is under rule by the Topians. Struggling to adjust to the new life they’re in, the trio (Rash, Pimple, Zitz) have to team up with former nemesis The Dark Queen to take the godly Topian leaders and army down while also trying to get famous.
I honestly find myself chuckling at the Saturday Morning vibe and silly banter/jokes that keep coming in. Yes, there are a few low-hanging fruits involving adult diapers, but seeing as the Battletoads are originally rip-offs of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the early 90s, the whole plot and the jabs at its self-absorbed heroes and former villain warrant a few giggles at the very least.
Rash is the bro chasing for stardom, while Zitz is the leader with an inferiority complex. Pimple gets his own arc where he’s trying to be a gentle giant with hilarious consequences. British accent Dark Queen somehow is the much-needed voice of “reason” for the toad trio; the dynamic between them works given the 5-hour-or-less length the team is given. The Topian villains have their moments, but the overall tone and story arcs are harmless and good fun.

What isn’t harmless is the way some of these aforementioned minigames work. While most of them are good, some of them do sour the experience. There’s a section where you race from a horde of aliens in the second Act that requires you to “grind” onto colour-coded rails. The second half of that stage will make you break a controller or three, especially if you’re not adept at precisely pressing the grind button.
There is also one segment in the third Act that is incredibly annoying and aggravating. It requires you to scan the screen, find an interactive segment, finish that segment quick, then repeat until the game tells you you’re done for the round. This segment will give you the order in which to approach each section on the panel (look up at the panel), but you won’t have time to do that for the last two rounds of this minigame. You basically have to mash buttons and move your d-pads and analogues until something blinks first. Thankfully this only happens once and there are checkpoints for each round.
And while the game brings back the turbo cycle segments, the first one you play is tough and fair, with generous checkpoints. However, there’s ANOTHER turbo cycle segment that has no checkpoints whatsoever and requires split-second and precise dodging. You’ll know if you made it far enough in the game. It’s true to its Nightmare namesake, I’ll tell you that.
Oh, and good luck playing these segments with two of your buddies. The beat-em-up segments are fine, but the aforementioned segments will be a handful to coordinate to.
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride

If you want a smooth cruise with hand-holding for the first half of the game, this isn’t the place. But for everyone else who long for a late 80s and 90s challenge that’s made somewhat fair and tailored for this generation, Battletoads (2020) is a surprising effort if you think this era’s crop of games aren’t hardcore enough.
You’ll be tested just like last time, but your time will not be wasted and you’ll be a better score-hunting and achievement-grinding player for it. As for others, it’s pretty fun until the second, third, and/or fourth Act curveballs stomp you to oblivion. The rest of you: dock off 20 points from the final score below because this isn’t going to change your mind about old-school games and what they offer.
Handle with care, is all I’m saying.
Pros

Funky art style that’s better in motion.
Spot-on controls for all of its genres.
Great beat-em-up action & genre combos.
Funny story.

Cons

Some minigames are aggravating and poorly-designed.
Co-op can be frustrating.
Could use more beat-em-up segments.

FINAL SCORE: 70/100


Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse: The Biggest Cameos In The Movie

Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar-winning Spider-Verse saga, Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse. After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.
Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse premieres in Malaysian cinemas on 1 June 2023. Check out my review by heading over here.
In the article, I’ll only be mentioning and listing down the biggest and most major cameos. This includes ones that elicited reactions from viewers such as shock and gasps when I was watching the movie in cinemas, as well as those that actually have speaking lines. So, no, this won’t be an exhaustive list of all 200 plus or 90 plus Spider-Man in the movie. It’s literally impossible to list down every single one of the Spider People in Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse because according to co-director Justin Thompson, there are approximately 95 named Spider People scattered throughout the movie.

Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse Cameos (The Notable And Major Ones)
Donald Glover Prowler

The biggest and most surprising cameo is probably this one; a live-action Donald Glover appearing for the first time in costume as the Prowler. While it hasn’t been confirmed, this is seemingly him reprising his role from the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s version of Aaron Davis, who originally appeared only once in 2017’s Spider-Man Homecoming.

Andrew Garfield From The Amazing Spider-Man

Spider-Man Across The Spider-Man features several sequences of the deaths of various captains from the lives of Spider-People and one of them is the one with Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker AKA Spider-Man from 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man mourning the death of Captain George Stacy, the father of Gwen Stacy. However, it’s not new footage filmed by Andrew Garfield, but just existing footage taken from the movie.

Tobey Maguire From Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man

Spider-Man Across The Spider-Man features several sequences of the iconic death of Uncle Ben and one of them is the one with Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man from 2002’s The Amazing Spider-Man. However, it’s not new footage filmed by Tobey Maguire, but just existing footage taken from the movie.

Spectacular Spider-Man Speaking Cameo

Josh Keaton voiced Peter Parker AKA Spider-Man in the popular Spectacular Spider-Man animated series. It only lasted two seasons, but remains one of the most beloved versions of Spidey to date. In Spider-Man Across The Spider-Man, Josh Keaton reprises his role for the Spectacular Spider-Man character, speaking a few lines during a pivotal moment.

LEGO Spider-Man

The LEGO universe makes a cameo in a brief sequence as LEGO Spider-Man warns Spider-Man 2099 when the Spot accidentally invaded his Earth.

Peni Parker

Kimiko Glenn reprises her role as Peni Parker, and she’s the only one from the group of returning Spider-People in Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse who actually has new speaking lines in Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse.

Mrs. Chen From Venom

This was already spoiled on social media, but Peggy Lu reprised her role as convenience store owner Mrs. Chen from Venom movies in a live-action sequence when Spot first starts using his Multiversal powers. You can actually watch the scene below:

J. Jonah Jameson

Multiple versions and variants of J. Jonah Jameson appear throughout the different dimensions in Spider-Man Across The Spider-Man. However, it remains unconfirmed if this is J.K. Simmons reprising his iconic role, or if it’s another voice actor.


Persona Theory’s Next Visual Novel Looks Spooktacular

Persona Theory, the Malaysian indie developer studio behind last year’s remarkable visual novel Fires At Midnight, has just launched the PC Steam page of its upcoming horror visual novel title Kabaret.

We checked out the prototype of Kabaret a while ago, and it seems that the team has taken a lot of feedback to finish up and perfect the game. Judging from the trailer, we’re looking at a creepy-looking afterlife of a time. Here’s the description & synopsis of the game:
“Welcome to the Kabaret – where monsters from Southeast Asian myths and folklores dwell. Decipher tea leaves, play traditional games, and question your humanity.
“The truth is this, every monster you have ever met, was once a human being.”
Cursed into a monster, Jebat journeys into a realm called the “Alam”. Taken in by the charismatic owner of Kabaret, known only as The Caretaker, Jebat is tasked with providing tasseomancy services to the dwellers in an effort to gather information on how to break his curse.”
Persona Theory is hammering the SEA myths and folklore stuff home, and that’s refreshing. We’re guessing Jebat is going to meet up with pontianaks, toyols, penanggalans, and other folklore nasties that should be right at home in a Shin Megami Tensei entry.
Kabaret will be out this August 2021. Enjoy these screenshots in the meantime.


Sega Mega Drive Mini 2 Confirms 11 More Games For Japan

SEGA has announced 11 more games that will be included with the Japanese version of SEGA Genesis / Mega Drive Mini 2.
These 11 titles include:

Cartridge Titles
Gain Ground
Phantasy Star II
Populous
Sorcerian
Tougi Ou: King Colossus
Viewpoint
SEGA / Mega CD Titles
Ecco the Dolphin CD
Robo Aleste
Romance of the Three Kingdoms III
Shin Megami Tensei
Tenka Fubu: Eiyuu-tachi no Houkou

SEGA Genesis / SEGA Mega Drive Mini 2 is slated to launch in North America and Japan on 27 October 2022.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Marvel’s First MOBA Is Getting A Demo At Level Up This Weekend

This weekend during Level Up KL 2019 from 9 to 10 November 2019 at the KL Convention Centre, Marvel Games Senior Producer Danny Koo will beÂ revealing more details regarding the backstory of the Warriors Of The Sky and its four members. However, that’s not all there will be from Marvel Games.
Marvel Super War is Marvel’s first-ever free-to-play MOBA mobile game for Android and iOS platforms. Developed by NetEase Games, the game features everyone from the Avengers and X-Men to the Guardians of the Galaxy and Spider-Man.
Attendees can look forward to a hands-on experience with a demo of Marvel Super War this weekend during Level Up KL 2019 from 9 to 10 November 2019 at the KL Convention Centre.
Another closed beta test will also be arriving soon for the game sometime in November 2019. No release date has been announced as of yet. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rk8Mw46T-A&w=560&h=315]


Everything You Need To Know About Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

March Madness in gaming is still ongoing. With titles like Devil May Cry 5 and The Division 2 already making headway and turning heads, let’s not forget about From Software’s latest entry that will be a quite a departure from their Dark Souls series. It’s got ninjas, it’s got mythical creatures, and it’s got tough-as-nails combat.
Okay, maybe it’s not a huge departure, but the combat damage numbers and character customization bits are taken out in order to focus on something new. Here’s what you need to know about Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
It heralds From Software’s return to action games.

They’ve done a lot of action RPGs with tough challenges. Now, they’re regressing back to the days when they made games like Otogi and Ninja Blade. Oh yes, we can’t forget about those janky-but-fun pieces of work (which we’ll talk about in great detail later this month).
After making so many awesome and challenging Dark Souls games and trying out a slightly different spin with the PS4-exclusive Bloodborne, it’s nice to see the company attempting to go back to its roots while hopefully infusing what they’ve learned into this ninja game.
It’s set in feudal Japan….
Specifically in the Sengoku period, where there’s a lot of unrest and war between different factions and daimyos. You play a shinobi sworn to protect a young lord. After the latter is kidnapped, you have to fight your way through a major city to hunt down the kidnappers and mess them up.
Sure, your arm was cut off during the fateful assault, but luckily you get a sweet prosthetic that allows you to do all sorts of things.
…And it’s full of mythical creatures, spirits, and all sorts of samurais
Not only will you fight against heavily armoured samurais and cutthroat assassins, you’ll also be dealing with a ton of giant beasties and ogre-like monstrosities brandishing giant weapons and axes. How do you like to fight a giant buffalo with flaming horns, a giant ghost monk with a polearm and teleportation skills, and a giant white snake? If that sounds like fun, you’re in for a heckuva spiritual ride.
Combat is all about parrying & breaking posture
When fighting many of the “friendly” denizens of Sekiro’s map, you’ll be brandishing your sword and using all of your available gadgets (which we’ll go into detail after this section). You’ll need to fill up an opponent’s “Stun” meter, breaking their posture and guard, and then landing hard-hitting blows that come with their unique set of animations.

To do this, you need to just attack your enemies, or just defend and parry their assaults. Parrying will give opponents more stun meter, but doing it wrong will put you at a disadvantage. You can block, but you’ll just keep getting more stun meter as opponents will keep attacking you. Sekiro’s aggressive gameplay encourages you to hit first, parry when needed, and deal maximum damage when your opponent fumbles.

Or failing that, you die: easy as that.
Your main character is all kitted-out…
…thanks to the prosthetic arm. You can use it as a grappling hook to swing around the place. You can also turn your arm into a makeshift metal axe that breaks shields and enemy defense. And you can even use it as a flamethrower of sorts, like how Rurouni Kenshin‘s Shishio did with his sword and gunpowder.
Your shinobi can also play the stealth game, as all ninjas should. Most enemies will engage you in combat, but if they don’t see you, you can just stab them from the back or jump on them from above.
Your main character can resurrect himself
Yes, you can die twice as the subtitle suggests. You can resurrect yourself after falling in battle. However, if you use it at the wrong time, you can respawn with all your stuff missing; presumably stolen by some grunt walking around your corpse.
Also, the enemies in your area will respawn at a set time, so you can wake up and all of a sudden get a sword shoved up your skull. However, you can resurrect the moment a single enemy’s back is turned, so you can go for a stealth kill and take your stuff back from him/her/it.
The game is looking more like a 2019 version of Tenchu
Remember the Tenchu series? Those 3D action games where you had to sneak around to your objective and stealth kill bad guys? People forget that game after the Metal Gear Solid series and indie darling Mark of the Ninja stole its thunder, eh?

It’s coming out 22 March for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
It’s a week away. Better start pre-ordering now. Or you can try your luck with this super-limited edition PS4 Pro.Â


DE-EXIT – Eternal Matters Is A Voxel-Based Cinematic Game Out This April

The afterlife in video games is usually portrayed in unique ways; here’s one more interpretation from publisher HandyGames and developer SandBloom Studios.
Said vision is called DE-EXIT: Eternal Matters and it’s a cinematic adventure game where you play a skeleton trying to save the surrealistic afterlife it’s stuck in. There’s stealth, platforming, and exploring going on in the gameplay trailer below.

De-Exit – Eternal Matters will be out on 14th April for PC, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS5, and PS4.
Game Features

A Cinematic Voxel Experience – DE-EXIT embraces the clash of minimalistic voxel aesthetic and simple textures on one side, complex cinematographic features, more realistic visual effects, and even motion capture animation on the other.
A Mysterious Journey into a New World – You wake up in a new and intriguing and surrealistic world. Where are you? What are you doing here? Why does everything seem so different?
Commence a voyage full of questions, broken worlds but hopeful people. Of strange, unexpected sights and grandiose sceneries. Discover what happened to the Plane of Memory and help fix it.
The Story is the Core – Set out in a thrilling journey where puzzles, stealth, platforming, and action work as tools to potentiate cinematography, story, and setting.
A Reflection about Death and the Afterlife – Death tends to be a taboo subject. With DE-EXIT we want to open the discussion around these fascinating topics from a more positive perspective than we usually do. You will be able to experience and hear about death from plenty of different perspectives. We hope that you will enjoy our ode to life.


Borderlands 3 Gets Casino Heist DLC Next Month

Guess we were kind of off the mark; the latest Borderlands 3 DLC will NOT be onÂ  Opportunity. However, it’ll be set in a Handsome Jack-themed location full of bling. So we’re half-right.
Anyway, Gearbox officially announced its new paid DLC: Moxxi’s Heist of the Handsome Jackpot. It will be the first of four story expansions included in the game’s season pass, which will cost you US$50.

The expansion will feature:

A brand new map featuring the Handsome Jackpot, the gaudiest gambling spot in the galaxy.
The return of Hyperion troops, rogue Claptrap units, and loader bots, waiting to murder you.
That also includes everybody’s favourite mini-boss, the Constructors and their flying sentries.
New loot and guns, duh. And probably a “raid” boss.

On a related note, the Takedown at Maliwan’s Blacksite free DLC will go live later this week. And yes, yours truly Mr Toffee will be playing the s***Â  out of it.


Prime Studio 1 Delivers The Goods With This Sam Porter Bridges Statue

If you are one of those folks who are keen on collecting figurines and statues of your favourite fictional characters then you probably know about Prime 1 Studio. The company will be hosting a special corner at their Shinjuku shop dedicated to Death Stranding.

The Sam Porter Bridges statue made by Prime 1 Studio will be appearing at the shop together with many other video game statues as a part of their Video Games Vol. 2 time-limited event. It started on 1 November 2019 and will end on 6 January 2020.
The 1/2 scale statue comes in two different versions, a standard version which costs US$2,799 and a limited edition Black Label version made using “premium grade silicone” that costs US$3,599. Both versions can be pre-order right now but earliest estimated arrival starts from November 2020.
Details on each statue:

Sam Porter Bridges High Definition Museum Masterline Statue
Product code: HDMMDS-01
Price: US$2,799.00
Scale: 1/2
Dimensions: H 106.4cm x W 48.2cm x D 54.3cm
Weight: 30.4kg
Comes with:

One (1) specially designed base
Built-in LED light up function in 8 places

Sam Porter Bridges High Definition Museum Masterline Black Label Statue
Product code: HDMMBLDS-01
Price: US$3,599
Scale 1/2
Dimensions: H 106.4cm x W 48.2cm x D 54.3cm
Weight: 30.5kg
Comes with:

One (1) specially designed base
One (1) Alternate Silicone Portrait
One (1) Alternate Polystone Portrait
Built-in LED light up function in 8 places

Limited to only 500 units.
There’s no denying that the Black Label version looks absolutely stunning and photo-realistic. I guess that’s to be expected when you look at the price tag. For those of you who really love the game and maybe even got yourselves the Collector’s Edition BB Pod, this would be a great addition to that collection.
For more information and if you want to pre-order these statues, just head on over to the Prime 1 Studio online shop.


Clint Eastwood’s Richard Jewell Biopic Clearly Has An Agenda Against The Media

As talented as Clint Eastwood is as an actor in his prime (in the 60s and 70s) and as a director (Gran Torino, Sully), he will somehow shoehorn in his right-wing agenda and views that can sometimes stand out like a sore thumb. And nowhere is this more apparent than his biopic(?) of Richard Jewell called, well, Richard Jewell.
Sensationalism, Ho!
The story is about tryhard security guy Richard Jewell (Paul Walter Hauser) who becomes famous for discovering a pipebomb and saving folks during the 1996 Olympics in Centennial Park. Of course, the FBI (led by agent Tom Shaw played by Jon Hamm) suspects that Jewell fits the profile of perpetrators who seek for glory and attention by rescuing people from dangerous situations they manufacture themselves. And top journalist Kathy Scruggs (Olivia Wilde) from the Atlanta-Journal Constitution also digging info and then publishing a story that puts Jewell’s heroism in question.
Jewell isn’t alone, as he has attorney Watson Bryant (Sam Rockwell) who took a shine to him in his earlier clerk jobs and his mother (Kathy Bates) help him out while also enduring the media and authoritative crossfire.
The tale of a falsely-accused man being left to the FBI and media hounds to feed on is incredibly on-the-nose with painting the aforementioned entities as the antagonists. Actors Jon Hamm and Olivia Wilde feel like caricatures than actual human beings who have different viewpoints of how the actual news story plays out.
That’s all well and good in a fictional story. But in an adaptation of something that happened in real life where each party have their own sides of the story? That’s a bit much and did leave a sour impression to me at least. It’s clear as day from the way its director and cinematographer frames Shaw and Scruggs as unbelievable antagonists that Eastwood really wants to enforce his beliefs and attitude out there with a subtlety of a sledgehammer.
Bombs Away
To its credit, everybody’s performances are top-notch. Paul Walter Hauser plays a believable kind-hearted but naive cop-wannabe who ends up fulfilling his character arc, while Sam Rockwell’s polar opposite-attitude attorney showcases that he can play a loveable abrasive asshole fighting for the good guys. And yes, Kathy Bates’ performance as Jewell’s mom deserves the nominations for being incredibly sympathetic and dishing out the speeches to tug audience heartstrings in the film’s final on-the-nose moment.
Like I stressed, the film’s heart is in the right place: media can be a terrible power in the wrong hands and can ruin a person’s life overnight. As someone who writes and reports facts while sifting away fiction, we are incredibly aware of its huge influence. But we are also human. Clint Eastwood’s film gets his message across with stellar acting work and tense moments with a bit of comedy in-between, but at the expense of portraying its antagonists like soap opera villains.
FINAL SCORE: 60/100


Star Wars Jedi Survivor Will Address One Major Problem From The First Game

It seems like EA’s Respawn Entertainment has listened to feedback and complaints from players of 2019’s Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, thereby solving an issue from the first game and implementing it in the upcoming Star Wars Jedi Survivor.
In an interview with Play Magazine (via GamesRadar), Star Wars Jedi Survivor director Stig Asmussen said that the sequel will feature both fast travel and mounts as new mechanics.
The lack of fast travel in Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order was one of the few issues in what was (and still is) a phenomenal game. The game encouraged players to backtrack and return to older areas after progressing further, which is a common Metroidvania mechanic. However, since there was no fast travel, players were forced to start at the beginning on every planet they revisited, which translated to a lot of wasted time simply manually backtracking.
Asmussen said:
“We will feature both fast travel and rideable creatures to help players quickly get from point A to B, and back to A. The fast-travel is point to point, and the rideable creatures offer a way to quickly negotiate between points and explore what is in between.”
That’s interesting. What will Cal ride on? Tauntauns like Luke Skywalker? A rancor like Boba Fett? Anything is possible.
Star Wars Jedi Survivor will now launch for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 28 April 2023.
Picking up five years after the events of Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, Star Wars Jedi Survivor is a third-person, narrative-driven action-adventure game from Respawn Entertainment, developed in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games. No longer a Padawan, Cal has come into his own and grown into a powerful Jedi Knight. Carrying the memories and expectations of the Jedi Order with him, his crusade against the Empire has only become more perilous. The Dark Times is closing in – with enemies new and familiar surrounding him, Cal will need to decide how far he’s willing to go to save those closest to him.
Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order is available now for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC. Check out our full review of Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order here to find out why we named it one of the best games of 2019.


Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 Fantastic Four DLC To Drop Next Month

Marvel Entertainment has announced that the third DLC pack for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: Black Order, Fantastic Four: Shadow of the Doom, will be releasing next month on 26 March 2020. It will be the last DLC content as part of the game’s first (and so far, only) Expansion Pass.
The upcoming Fantastic Four: Shadow of the Doom DLC will add members of Marvel’s First Family into the roster, including Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and The Thing. Interestingly, there are five character slots for this DLC, which means that Doctor Doom himself may become playable.
It’s been a while since the Fantastic Four were featured in a major Marvel game, so it’s great to see not only them but also more of the X-Men again (as part of the previous DLC, X-Men: Rise of the Phoenix). The Marvel universe feels more whole again, and not just inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In the meantime, check out our review of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 here.


Netflix’s Yasuke Black Samurai Anime Drops In April

Netflix has revealed the release date for Yasuke, an anime based on the Black (African) samurai who served under Oda Nobunaga. The streaming service originally the Yasuke anime back in 2018 and now it finally has a release date of 29 April 2021.
Featuring six episodes, the official synopsis reads:
In a war-torn feudal Japan filled with mechs and magic, the greatest ronin never known, Yasuke, struggles to maintain a peaceful existence after a past life of violence.
But when a local village becomes the center of social upheaval between warring daimyo, Yasuke must take up his sword and transport a mysterious child who is the target of dark forces and bloodthirsty warlords.
The Yasuke anime is produced and directed by LeSean Thomas (Cannon Busters) and animated by MAPPA (the studio behind Attack On Titan The Final Season and Jujutsu Kaisen). The anime’s character designs come from director and animator, Takeshi Koike (Lupin The Third The Woman Called Fujiko Mine)
Meanwhile, Yasuke will be voiced by LaKeith Stanfield (Sorry To Bother You, Judas And The Black Messiah) and Grammy Award-nominated artist, Flying Lotus, is composing the music for the anime.
On a Netflix Blog Post, LeSean Thomas said:
“There is a serendipitous nature about this project, how an African-American man goes to Japan to live and work amongst the very best in Japanese anime to create an anime about an African who goes to Japan to live amongst the Japanese elite and become a warrior.
Part of me deep down feels I was meant to create this adventure series with MAPPA, Flying Lotus, LaKeith & the rest of this talented team.
Yasuke is a fascinating, mysterious figure in Japanese history thatâ€™s drawn a growing interest in todayâ€™s media over the decades.
I first learned of Yasukeâ€™s role in Japanese history over a decade or so.
The childrenâ€™s book, Kuro-suke by Kurusu Yoshio, featured images that piqued my curiosity.
To eventually learn that he wasnâ€™t just a fictional character, but a real person, was exciting material for an adventure story.”
While there’s no trailer as of yet, check out these first-look screenshots from the upcoming anime:


PUBG Gets A Nations Cup Tournament With A US$500k Prize Pool

Not to be outdone by Epic Games’ Fortnite, the battle royale game that started it all is getting an upcoming worldwide tournament. Because the world needs more friggin’ battle royale esports nonsense.
Fresh off its gameplay updates (see video here), the PUBG Corporation is launching the PUBG Nations Cup which will be hosted in Seoul, South Korea, this August from 9th to 11th.Â According to a public announcement, the tournament features a large US$500,000 prize pool and will have the country’s best professional PUBG players fighting against each other for a huge chunk of that money.

No, I have no idea why this trailer and those 3D sculptures and layout look like it came out from the Overwatch World Cup trailer template.
The tournament will feature 16 teams from 5 continents: North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Oceania. Players will be selected either using the peer-review method or through the country and its community’s voting process. Each 16-player team will play 5 matches per day, with the entire tournament lasting 3 days to tally up the top teams in this round robin battle royale
Speaking of upcoming PUBG tournaments the rest of the world gives a crap about, the MET Asia Series: PUBG Classic tournament will be held in Bangkok, Thailand from 26th to 28th July, and will feature a butt-ton of Chinese and Korean teams like Team Weibo and ViCi Gaming.
To the three teams who will be occupying the Southeast Asian slots: good luck because you’ll need it.