Filipino Streamer Riku To Host Breast Cancer Research Charity Overwatch Stream

With the new Overwatch pink Mercy skin catching headlines since it’s tied to a charity cause for breast cancer, it’s only a matter of time until a prominent Southeast Asian streamer take up arms to amass more funds for a worthy cause. Enter the Philippines’ very own Riku.
Yeap, the same Riku we featured on our SEA streamers feature. According to a Mineski.net report, she is working together withÂ Blizzard EntertainmentÂ andÂ Breast Cancer Research FoundationÂ to host a charity Overwatch stream under the pink-ribboned banner of breast cancer research on May 11 at her officialÂ Twitch channel.
There will be a team of content creators who will join Riku in leading charity Overwatch streams for the next 2 weeks. All 100% of the donations will be sent to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation; a noble proceeding indeed since the foundation is working towards a cure for this malignant affliction. Sounds cool to us, since fans get to tune into Riku strutting her stuff while also championing a good cause. Let’s hope her Overwatch game is just as good as her singing game.Â
Blizzard released a pink Mercy skin for Overwatch in response to their campaign with the research foundation. From May 9 to May 21, Overwatch players can show their support towards the cause by purchasing the skin for $15 with proceeds going to Breast Cancer Research Foundation.


Xbox Series S Officially Announced, Coming This November [Update]

Update (9 September 2020):
Xbox has officially released the trailer for the Xbox Series S, confirming the specs and the release date. The console will launch on 10 November 2020.

Update (8 September 2020): A trailer and the specs for the Xbox Series S have been leaked.
Check them out below:
60% smaller than the Xbox Series X.Custom NVME SSD (512 GB).All-digital (no disk tray).1440p up to 120 FPS.Ray-Tracing support.4K media playback.4K game upscaling.Variable-rate shading.Variable refresh rate.Ultra-low latency.

no point holding this back now I guess pic.twitter.com/SgOAjm3BuP— WalkingCat (@_h0x0d_) September 8, 2020

Update (8 September 2020): In response to today’s leaks, Microsoft has officially confirmed the Xbox Series S, along with its official price of US$299 (or roughly RM1245).
However, no new details were revealed (besides being dubbed the smallest Xbox ever), but the company did promise to announce more details “soon”.

? Let’s make it official! Xbox Series S | Next-gen performance in the ???????? Xbox ever. $299 (ERP). Looking forward to sharing more! Soon. Promise. pic.twitter.com/8wIEpLPVEq— Xbox (@Xbox) September 8, 2020

It has long been rumoured that Microsoft is actually working on two Xbox consoles for next-gen, even though only one has been officially revealed so far; the Xbox Series X. Now, the design and price of the Xbox Series S have finally leaked.
According to Windows Central and BWW Media Group Executive Editor Brad Sams, the entry-level Xbox Series S will cost US$299 (or roughly only RM1245) at retail, with an additional US$25 per month Xbox All Access option.
Meanwhile, the more powerful Xbox Series X will reportedly cost US$499, with a US$35 per month Xbox All Access option. According to the same sources, both consoles will apparently launch on 10 November 2020.

Hello Xbox Series S https://t.co/hQoDBRHt7d pic.twitter.com/2MIF5I6YHO— Brad Sams (@bdsams) September 8, 2020

The Xbox Series S looks small enough to fit inside an Xbox Series X (as shown by a Twitter user named WalkingCat). Sources claim it to be around 4TF RDNA2, making it roughly around as powerful as the Xbox One X, but geared more towards 1080p than 4K.

pic.twitter.com/VMkQY9271K— WalkingCat (@_h0x0d_) September 8, 2020

However, none of this have been confirmed by Microsoft themselves at the time of writing, so it’s better to take it all with a grain of salt for now. With the leaks already out in the wild, perhaps the official announcement will be arriving sooner rather than later.
In the meantime, enjoy some of these reactions to the leaked Xbox Series S.

https://twitter.com/KyrosThunder/status/1303153610470100993

Someone already got that Xbox Series S. pic.twitter.com/xWbJsdXUNx— M.H. Williams (@AutomaticZen) September 8, 2020


Fire Emblem Three Houses Guide: How To Prep For Lunatic Difficulty

Fire Emblem: Three Houses boasts some of the most complex systems in the series to date. Not only does it represent a culmination of various elements built throughout the series, but it also introduces new features that completely shift how the majority of the game is played.
Though the game hosts in-depth tutorials and guides to explain the bulk of its mechanics, some of the finer, crucial details can still evade most users. The onslaught of new information and mechanics will surely feel overwhelming regardless, especially to players who are new to the series.
To that end, this guide serves as a good primer on the important things you should focus on if youâ€™re looking to get the best out of your characters. Some of the tips here might also help if youâ€™re planning to tackle FE3H’s hardcore Lunatic difficulty.
Manage Your Time Efficiently Through The Calendar System

The game uses a calendar system that limits the amount of time you can spend on activities per month. Activities can be used to further your bond with characters as well as improve their abilities. Given that the story will progress at a set pace, youâ€™re expected to carefully manage your time so that characters can have the edge in upcoming battles.
If youâ€™ve played games like Persona, the idea of a calendar system with finite time can sound a little daunting. Rest assured, Three Housesâ€™ calendar is nowhere near as complicated, though itâ€™s still possible to end up wasting valuable time.
The game broadly divides your time between weekdays and weekends. On weekdays, you are working as a professor and teaching your students in the class. Weekends is when youâ€™ll be spending your free time, in which you can choose between battling (to gain experience), exploring Garreg Mach Monastery (to interact with characters and complete side quests), or attending seminars (improving the proficiencies of yourself and a group of students).
During the beginning of every month, you’ll want to explore the monastery first and squeeze out everything you can from it, such as important side quests and conversations. Once those are done with, they will remain complete until the next month begins when you must start the cycle anew. This helps make your decision-making on the following weeks easier, where you can focus solely on your relationship with characters and their battle potential.
Learn This One Thing In Being A Good Teacher

As a professor of Garreg Mach Monastery, most of your weekdays in a month will be spent instructing the students. For every week, you will have the option to manually instruct students, set goals for them to study certain proficiencies on their own, as well as to pair two characters in a group task.
Manual instruction is probably the most important one of the bunch. Youâ€™ll have a set number of activity points per week that you can use to improve studentsâ€™ proficiencies. The catch, however, is that students must first be motivated for you to even use these activity points on them. Low motivation levels can mean youâ€™ll have no one to teach during a week, thus wasting your allotted activity points.
This is where the balance between activities during the weekdays and weekends comes into play. If your students arenâ€™t very motivated for next week, youâ€™ll want to spend your weekends having a meal with them or giving them gifts. There is plenty to do in the monastery on the weekends, but studentsâ€™ motivations should always be prioritised so that your weekdays donâ€™t go to waste.
In terms of goals, you can set two proficiencies for a student to study on their own. Would you like Edelgard to focus on Reason and Axe? Go for it. What you prioritise is ultimately up to you, but keep in mind that each student has their own stat growths and favourite proficiencies, so the effectiveness of your investment may vary.
For group tasks, you can have two students engage in a weekly activity based on one of three movement types: cavalry, flier, or armoured. Decide on which movement type you want your students to specialise in and make sure to pair together ones with the best synergy to achieve better outcomes. If youâ€™re looking to improve the synergy between select students, you can do so by improving their support levels through spending time together in battles and on weekends.


Shock Horror Guy Eli Roth To Direct Borderlands Movie

Would you watch a Borderlands movie directed by the guy who directed the awesome horror film Hostel and a half-assed Cannibal Holocaust tribute? If “yes”, you might like this piece of news.
Randy Pitchford made a quick announcement that Eli Roth will be directing the upcoming Borderlands movie with Lionsgate and Arad Productions. More info will be revealed at this year’s PAX East on 27th February.
Given the crappy state of Borderlands 3’s narrative -which is thankfully the game’s only major issue- we do wonder if Eli Roth will get the correct folks to write a better tale fit for an R-rated production. At the very least, we’ll see some comedy and over-the-top gore blend hand-in-hand here.


So Who Has The Best-Selling Overwatch League Jersey?

Well, well, well; we finally have insights on the best-selling Overwatch League (OWL) jersey this season. And it’s not what you expect.

From this infographic, we can see Daniel ‘Dafran’ Francesca’s Atlanta Reign jersey holding in number 1, while New York Excelsior support player JJoNak has his jersey on the runner-up spot. Surefour has his LA Gladiators jersey in 3rd position. Hangzhou Spark’s Guxue sticks at number 4.
Spark’s jersey might be the best-looking jersey in my opinion. Shanghai Dragon’s tank player Geguri goes in number 5. While two Philadelphia Fusion jerseys, from Carpe and Poko, landed on the 6th and 7th place.
I might just pick up one of these jerseys. They look great, especially Hangzhou Spark’s pastel + white colours.


Loki Episode 3 Breakdown & Easter Eggs Explained

The third episode of Marvelâ€™s LokiÂ is available now on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. Iâ€™ll be discussing heavy spoilers fromÂ Loki Episode 3 so if you havenâ€™t seen it or want to avoid spoilers, nowâ€™s your chance to stop reading.
For previous breakdowns ofÂ LokiÂ episodes, check outÂ Episode 1 hereÂ and Episode 2 here.
Also, if you havenâ€™t, you can check out my previous breakdown and easter egg articles forÂ WandaVisionÂ Episode 1 and 2,Â Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5,Â Episode 6,Â Episode 7,Â Episode 8Â andÂ Episode 9.
ForÂ The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, you can check out my previous breakdowns here atÂ Episode 1,Â Episode 2Â andÂ Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5Â andÂ Episode 6.
If you want a non-spoiler guide toÂ Loki, you canÂ head on over here.

Loki Gets His Favourite Weapons Back

Look, Loki retrieves his favourite weapons back; the dual-wielding daggers.
Lamentis Is The Name Of A Doomed Planet From The Annihilation Crossover Comics

In the comics, Lamentis was a planet located at the very edge of Kree space and it was part of the Annihilation crossover, when the Annihilus’ Annihilation Wave crossed over from the Negative Zone to conquer the universe. In Annihilation: Conquest Prologue #1 (August 2007), the planet first appeared as where Phyla-Vell Quasar and Moondragon are trying to rebuild the worlds devastated by the Annihilation Wave.
In Loki Episode 3, Loki Variant Sylvie even mentions the word “annihilation”, probably as a reference to the comics. In the MCU version, Lamentis is colliding with its own moon.
Annihilation Conquest is also notable for being the comics that brought back Ultron as a villain in a huge way. Perhaps we’ll see a return of Ultron or even the introduction of Annihilus in the future of the MCU?

Yes, That Loki Variant Is Sylvie

She introduces herself as “Sylvie” to Loki, referring to that name as an “alias”. In the previous episode breakdown, I already mentioned that aÂ document that Loki reads during Episode 2 just before the Roxxcart scene reveals that the Loki variantâ€™s name is Sylvie Laufeydottir. What this means is that sheâ€™s not Lady Loki or Sylvie Lushton from the comics, but possibly a combination of the two.
There is a precedent for this in the MCU. This is similar to how Marvel combined Emily Van Campâ€™s Sharon Carter and the Power Broker in The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, two previously unrelated characters from the comics.
In 2008 during the J. Michael Straczynski, Marko Djurdjevic, and Olivier Coipelâ€™s Thor series, they introduced Lady Loki.
She appears in theÂ Dark ReignÂ arc,Â New Avengers, and theÂ Original SinÂ event. It was only later in 2014â€™sÂ Original Sin: Thor and Loki: The Tenth RealmÂ that Lady Loki was actually one of many personalities hidden inside Loki. Other personalities include Kid Loki and the aforementioned Loki of the Viking Age (see above earlier this episode).
Thereâ€™s nothing much to say about the character. In the comics, she was just Loki in female form, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe might be unique. Itâ€™s interesting to point out that Loki is now officially gender-fluid in the MCU canon, and that heâ€™s not really male per se.
Earlier in this episode, Mobius refers to Loki as an â€œice runtâ€, reminding us that Loki is first and foremost not even an Asgardian; heâ€™s a Frost Giant. As a result, his real skin would be blue. He changes his appearance to blend in and perhaps to hide in plain sight, which is likely why this variant decided to become a woman instead.
In addition, it could also be that this Loki variant has unique personality traits that led to her becoming more comfortable in this Lady Loki form. Weâ€™ll have to wait and see how her story unfolds in future episodes.
However, she could also turn out to be Sylvie Lushton from the comics. Sylvie is best known for being created by Loki in the comics and later being part of the Young Avengers, taking on the name Enchantress (the original Enchantress is an Asgardian named Amora, who also hasnâ€™t debuted in the MCU).
Since this is a variant from another timeline, she might very well have originated from a universe where she really was created by Loki. If so, why is the TVA still identifying her as a Loki variant?
Everyone Working At The TVA Is A Variant, According To Sylvie

Wow, that’s a bombshell right there. Loki was told that everyone at the TVA was created by the Time-Keepers, but Sylvie reveals that everyone working at the TVA are actually Variants themselves.
If this is true, then everything at the TVA is a lie. Are the Time-Keepers even who they really are, or something or someone else entirely? Perhaps they’re actually just Kang The Conqueror masquerading as the Time-Keepers all along?
Kang The Conquerer.
Conclusion

Loki Episode 3 was a pretty short episode, relatively, at only 36 or so minutes, and nothing much of note happens. We’ll have to wait until the next episode to see how Loki and Sylvie will survive the Annihilation of Lamentis-1. It’s not a matter of if, but rather a matter of how. We’re already halfway through the first season of Loki and the remaining three episodes will have a lot of plot lifting to do from the looks of it.


Bethesda Shows Off Three New Locations Of Starfield, But…

Good news: Bethesda showed off some bits of its upcoming sci-fi RPG Starfield. Bad news(?): it’s not gameplay.
Still, these vids of the three major Starfield locations show some actual insight as to what they’re about. We have the city of Akila which is a confederation of many intergalactic races, New Atlantis the powerful military and political hub, and Neon the pleasure district with fishing industry prosperity.

Starfield will be out exclusively for Xbox Series and PC on 11th November 2022.


It’s Official: Red Dead Redemption 2 Is Coming To PC

Just as we expected, the launching of the Rockstar Games Launcher was a set up for something big. We just didn’t expect a set up this huge and recent.
Rockstar has just announced that Red Dead Redemption 2 will be coming to PC. The best part about this announcement is that the game is actually only a month away, scheduled to be released on 5 November 2019.
It was initially released for PS4 and Xbox One just a year ago on 26 October 2018. Damn, time really flies when you keep getting dragged into Dutch’s dumb schemes.

The PC version will be mainly sold on the Rockstar Games Launcher but it will also be available on Steam, the Epic Games Store, Greenman Gaming, the Humble Store, and other digital stores.
Here are the dates for you to pre-order the game on each store:
Rockstar Games Launcher – 9 October 2019
Epic Games Store – 23 October 2019
Greenman Gaming – 23 October 2019
Humble Store – 23 October 2019
Steam – No pre-order, available for purchase in December 2019
To promote the Rockstar Games Launcher, Rockstar is giving a tons of pre-purchase bonuses for those who pre-order the game on the platform. If you nab a pre-order from 9 October to 22 October 2019 through the Rockstar Games Launcher, here’s what you’ll get:

Free upgrade to Red Dead Redemption 2 Premium Edtion
US$20 Discount for Special Edition and Ultimate Edition
Outlaw Survival Kit for Story Mode
War Horse for Story Mode
Treasure Map for Story Mode
Cash bonus for Story Mode
50 gold bars for Red Dead Online

Get two free Rockstar games from these choices:

Grand Theft Auto III
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Bully: Scholarship Edition
L.A. Noire: The Complete Edition
Max Payne 3: The Complete Edition

The Red Dead Online component will be available to PC players on day one and will include all previously released improvements and the latest content updates that console players have received.
In an attempt to pull in another purchase from those who have already experienced the game on consoles, Rockstar is enhancing the game’s Story Mode with new content such as new Bounty Hunting missions, Gang Hideouts, Weapons, and more. Of course, there will also be new graphical options. Red Dead Redemption 2 in 4K 120fps? Yeehaw indeed, pardner.
Red Dead Redemption 2 for PC comes out on 5 November 2019. For the official announcement by Rockstar, read here.


Moon Knight Directors Talk About The Costume, Working With The Voice Of Khonshu & More

Moon Knight follows Steven Grant, a mild-mannered gift-shop employee, who becomes plagued with blackouts and memories of another life. Steven discovers he has dissociative identity disorder and shares a body with mercenary Marc Spector. As Steven/Marc’s enemies converge upon them, they must navigate their complex identities while thrust into a deadly mystery among the powerful gods of Egypt.
Courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia, we were recently lucky enough to interview Moon Knight directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead on working with Oscar Isaac and F. Murray Abraham (the voice of Khonshu), as well as the Moon Knight costume, and more. The directing duo directed two episodes of the series (Episode Two and Episode Four). This interview has been edited for clarity.
How did you make sure that Oscar Isaac’s performance as the two characters (Steven Grant and Marc Spector) would feel authentic and not just switching between accents?
Justin Benson: I heard a great actor once say; “If I’m getting too much feedback from the director, they’d cast someone else. If I’m getting none, I’m freaked out.” With every performer, you try to find that thing. With Oscar specifically, he’s such a perfectionist. He is so unbelievably prepared that you’re really just there to give him feedback on the various options he has brought you on the day, and to help hone in on what exactly is the best of those options, if that makes sense. He’s one of our greatest actors and he certainly doesn’t need something whispered in his ear to do a great role.
Aaron Moorhead: I think the thing that we were trying to figure out is if he was struggling with playing Marc, for example. I think our biggest contribution is trying to dig out vulnerability, in scenes where it could come across as irritability, something like that. But really, Oscar is the author of those characters. Him and Jeremy Slater, the writer. So, so much of it is complex beyond our own actual comprehension of the character, to be totally honest with you.
Oscar Isaac as Steven Grant/Marc Spector in Marvel Studios’ MOON KNIGHT. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
Can you tell us more about the relationship between Steven and Marc?
Justin Benson: It’s an interesting question. We made a movie in 2017 called The Endless and it dealt with fraternal relationships, brotherhood, with all of these things. Having spent a huge chunk of our lives exploring that relationship, we did see some similarities between that and Marc and Steven’s relationship with himself. I think at times we felt like paternal aspects coming into their relationship, even though ultimately, obviously, it’s about coming to peace about oneself and the many forms one takes.
Aaron Moorhead: There’s kind of an easy temptation to make it purely antagonistic, where they just want completely different things at any given moment. But it didn’t really work for us, it was ringing bells of falsehood, a lack of humanity and vulnerability. A lot of the time, what Oscar and the two of us and Mohamed (Diab) were trying to do was make sure that there’s always a pathos underneath their entire relationship. There’s ultimately some kind of deep-rooted respect, you just have to figure out exactly where it comes from.
What was it like with Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke playing off each other?
Justin Benson: Watching Ethan Hawke and Oscar Isaac in a scene together is essentially watching two of the greatest actors of our lifetimes interacting with each other and seeing what kind of alchemy results. That’s very exciting to get to set and look at that but what is just as exciting is sitting in the room with the two of them and just talking about the broader philosophical implications of each of their characters, of them finding the humanity in those characters, especially Ethan finding the humanity in a villain.
There was so much to be learned from those conversations and also something so special that that we were empowered to contribute to their process in some way, and they would actually listen to us and internalized what we say to any extent, was a pretty profound experience to have.
Ethan Hawke as Arthur Harrow in Marvel Studios’ MOON KNIGHT. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
Can we expect horror elements from Moon Knight similar to your previous works?
Aaron Moorhead: I think if you’ve seen any of our independent films, there’s a very specific tone and a very specific genre that it rides. We feel like the phone ranged to be able to work on Moon Knight because of that tone, because of the way that they feel, because of the focus on character, they’re darker, they have complicated human beings in it, and of course, these complicated human beings dealing with this gigantic fantastical thing that’s happening to them.
Obviously, we’re working in the Marvel universe. It is its own universe, it has its own specific tone. But you know, Moon Knight is beholden to no one. He does not have to fit in the Avengers or anything like that, and so we were able to do our own thing with it.
Also, by the way, we directed episodes two and four, we worked with Mohamed (Diab), another director, and we tried to give it its own tone. That wasn’t just something we imported from our own films, so that Moon Knight can forever be its own thing.
What were your cinematic inspirations?
Justin Benson: We’re always trying to create content where no one would detect what our inspirations were. It’s like the opposite of doing a homage. Yeah, we’ll talk internally about what it was and not tell anybody.
Children Of Men?
Aaron Moorhead: You know what’s funny? A lot of the visual language and the editing language and the rhythm was to find Children Of Men and No Country For Old Men. These are whole, like great movies, that we worry to compare ourselves to the greats. The greatest of the greats. But we can tell you we are also fans of great movies. So, we do watch them and try to emulate why these movies are entertaining to watch and also seem to have a deeper thematic resonance.
The movie doesn’t end when you go, “Oh? Cool movie. I enjoyed it for two hours.” The story’s not over. Your brain’s still working on it. You’re going to bed and you’re like, that movie, what was it about that. You know, we really tried to bring things like he (Justin Benson) just mentioned.
Justin Benson: There’s a lot of discussion about David Lean and especially being in the Jordanian desert, where Lawrence Of Arabia was shot. I don’t know if this is an inspiration, but my parents met at a double feature of Lawrence Of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago, so I’ll just be at the desert thinking, “Oh, I wouldn’t exist without this desert”.
Aaron Moorhead: And David Lean. You know, just on a simpler broad aesthetic levels, we looked for movies with dualities like Persona or Reflections, lots and lots of Reflections. See how people presented the desert before we did, see if we wanted to steal or steer away from it in that way.
For the costume, how much of it was CGI and how much was Oscar Isaac actually wearing physically?
Aaron Moorhead: 47 percent (laughs). You know, it’s funny about those costumes, one is that they go through so much, very careful, almost like every thread is looked at. Our costume designer, Megan, was an incredible asset, talking about exactly how they would react to the light and how many doubles you’d need, because you’ll be tumbling around and it’s white, and you’re gonna get in the mud and you can’t clean it that fast.
Also, what’s kind of wonderful about Marvel stuff is that they’re wearing hoods a lot of the time and stuff that covers their face, which means that you can have a stuntperson do, you know (laughs).
Justin Benson: You can, but really, Oscar Isaac, I mean. If someone was going to backflip off a cathedral and throw off a crescent. If that happened, I’m just saying, it may have been Oscar.
Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight in Marvel Studios’ MOON KNIGHT. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
Did you shoot Moon Knight as one six-hour film or an episodic TV series?
Aaron Moorhead: It’s funny, because calling it TV would not be accurate, and calling it a six-hour movie wouldn’t quite be accurate either. I guess what it really is for us is there is a singular story, which hinges on one thing, the problem of Steven Grant and Marc Spector, what they’re having, and the emotional beats one would have to go through to resolve that in a real mental health way or just an emotional way as a human being, are the hallmarks of where we put our beats in the episodes.
Now, we were only responsible for episode two and four, so this is something I’m kind of speaking out of turn for Mohamed’s episodes and Jeremy Slater’s writing and all of that, but it was really about telling one singular story while also making sure that the episode breaks weren’t just at these random times. They all have their own flavour to it, it’s not quite a bottle episode where you could just eject it and it’d still have the same story. They each have this wonderful little personality to them. For us, that’s episodes four and five. We did four, Mohamed (Diab) did five. Five is one of my favourite episodes of TV ever, and we’re also really proud to have done episode four. It doesn’t exist exactly on its own, so it’s not quite an episode of TV, and yet it’s so completely different from the other five episodes.
What was it like working with F. Murray Abraham (the voice of Khonshu) and was he ever on set while filming?
Justin Benson: It’s interesting. We actually can’t answer if he was on set, because he could have been without us knowing. But we can say in the capacity of working with him, it was just an honour to work with the star of Amadeus and one of the greatest living actors. To finally see Khonshu brought to life in that way, it felt like Khonshu was always supposed to be him.
It takes time to land on what it is, obviously, but it literally couldn’t be anybody else. It was fun to watch that alchemy happen.
Aaron Moorhead: It was really tough when you have a legendary character like Khonshu and a legendary actor like F. Murray Abraham, who also by the way has a legendary voice, right? I mean, you can recognise his voice like that, and to be able to bring that together, he completely changed the character all at once. Went from something that could have been a domineering, sneering evil sort of thing to something that has a bit of a paternal, thoughtful caring nature while also having that wonderful gravitas, that deep rumble. Yeah, I was smiling the whole time we got work with him.
Oscar Isaac as Steven Grant and Khonshu (voiced by F. Murray Abraham) in Marvel Studios’ MOON KNIGHT. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
Moon Knight premieres on Disney+ Hotstar on 30 March, and will comprise of six episodes. Stay tuned for our review and more coverage of the series.


The Suicide Squad Comes To HBO GO Next Week

James Gunnâ€™s collection of the most degenerate delinquents in the DC lineup, THE SUICIDE SQUAD, will premiere onÂ HBO GO on 18 November 2021.
THE SUICDE SQUAD, from writer/director James Gunn (the â€œGuardian of the Galaxyâ€ films), is based on characters from DC, the film features the worst Super-Villains in prison including Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Captain Boomerang, Ratcatcher 2, Savant, King Shark, Blackguard, Javelin and everyoneâ€™s favourite psycho, Harley Quinnâ€”who will do anything to get out of prisonâ€”even join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X on a do-or-die mission.
The film stars Margot Robbie (â€œBirds of Prey,â€ â€œBombshellâ€), Idris Elba (â€œAvengers: Infinity Warâ€), John Cena (upcoming HBO Max series â€œPeacemaker,â€ â€œF9â€), Joel Kinnaman (â€œSuicide Squadâ€), Jai Courtney (the â€œDivergentâ€ franchise), Peter Capaldi (â€œWorld War Z,â€ BBCâ€™s â€œDoctor Whoâ€ ), David Dastmalchian (upcoming â€œDune,â€ â€œAnt-Man and the Waspâ€), Daniela Melchior (â€œParque Mayerâ€), Michael Rooker (the â€œGuardians of the Galaxyâ€ films), Alice Braga (â€œElysiumâ€), Pete Davidson (â€œThe King of Staten Island,â€ TVâ€™s â€œSaturday Night Liveâ€), JoaquÃn Cosio (â€œSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,â€ TVâ€™s â€œNarcos: Mexicoâ€), Juan Diego Botto (â€œThe Europeansâ€), Storm Reid (â€œThe Invisible Man,â€ â€œA Wrinkle in Timeâ€, â€œEuphoriaâ€), Nathan Fillion (â€œGuardians of the Galaxy,â€ TVâ€™s â€œThe Rookieâ€), Steve Agee (â€œBrightburn,â€ â€œGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2â€), Sean Gunn (the â€œGuardians of the Galaxyâ€ films, the â€œAvengersâ€ films), Mayling Ng (â€œWonder Womanâ€), Flula Borg (â€œRalph Breaks the Internetâ€), Jennifer Holland (â€œBrightburn,â€ upcoming HBO Max series â€œPeacemakerâ€) and Tinashe Kajese (TVâ€™s â€œValor,â€ â€œThe Inspectorsâ€), with Sylvester Stallone (the â€œRocky,â€ â€œRamboâ€ and â€œExpendablesâ€ franchises), and Viola Davis (â€œMa Raineyâ€™s Black Bottom,â€ â€œSuicide Squadâ€).
You can subscribe to HBOÂ GOÂ onlineÂ atÂ https://www.hbogoasia.my/Â or the mobile appÂ via theÂ App StoreÂ orÂ Play Store forÂ as low as RM23.30/month. HBOÂ GOÂ is also available on Android TV, Apple TV, LG TV and Samsung Smart TV – and comes with AirPlay and Google Cast functionality.
In the meantime, you can check out my breakdown of the ending and easter eggs inÂ The Suicide SquadÂ byÂ heading over here.


Let’s Celebrate The Superman Film’s 40th Anniversary With This Game Recap

The Man of Steel’s first-ever blockbuster movie came out on 15 December 1978 to the public.
It was a glorious film that set the stage for every single superhero film out there, though other films have done it shorter and with arguably better flow and edits. To be fair, Richard Donner’s Superman was the first and ahead of its time, so cut it some slack.
To celebrate, let’s take a look at the games he’s been in. Whether they were bad or….really REALLY bad, this SoundScape video ranks them chronologically. Have fun watching!


The Studio Behind Metro Exodus Are Making A New Game IP

4A Games, the team known for making the Metro first-person shooter games, are looking for people to make a new game IP with.
The company has advertised a number of job listings; specifically six roles for the new IP which involves design and art (via PSU). The positions are:

Senior Game Designer
Technical Designer
Lead Game Systems Designer
Senior Technical Artist
Environment Concept Artist
Creatures Concept Artist

The project is still at its early stages so there wouldn’t be much news about it for now. Still, it’s good to know that 4A Games are branching off from the Metro series into new ventures. Speaking of which, Metro Exodus is now on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Go check them out if you haven’t.


Star Wars The Bad Batch Season 2 Deploys In 2022

Disney has announced that Star Wars The Bad Batch will return for a second season in 2022, which is less than a year from now. However, they have yet to reveal a specific release date.
Star Wars The Batch Batch is the latest animated series in the long-running sci-fi franchise and itâ€™s currently ongoing with 14 episodes so far available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. Only two episodes are left in this season.

Star Wars: @TheBadBatch will return for a second season in 2022. Prepare for the two part finale of season one starting tomorrow, only on @DisneyPlus. #TheBadBatch pic.twitter.com/TOs5Lh34bT
— Star Wars (@starwars) August 5, 2021

Star Wars The Bad BatchÂ follows the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone Wars. Members of Bad Batch; a unique squad of clones who vary genetically from their brothers in the Clone Army; each possess a singular exceptional skill that makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew.
We managed to participate in a brief exclusive interview with actress Gwendoline Yeo, who voices the Kaminoan named Nala Se inÂ Star Wars The Bad Batch, courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia.
We managed to participate in a roundtable interview with head writer and executive producerÂ Jennifer CorbettÂ as well as supervising director and executive producerÂ Brad Rau, courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia.


Project Sakura Wars Will Be Out In English This April

Well, it was bound to happen: a popular Japan-only franchise featuring RPGing and dating gets a “reboot”, with said “reboot” getting an English language release the following few months.
Project Sakura Wars, the sequel to the Sakura Wars franchise after 20 long years, will be out in English on 28th April under the simple localized title Sakura Wars. The last time Sega localized a Sakura Wars title was back in 2005 with the PS2 title Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love, which was considered the black sheep of the Sakura Wars titles by hardcore fans.

The game combines action-role-playing elements with dating sim and visual novel gameplay. In this steampunk version of 1940s Imperial Tokyo, players control captain Seijuro Kamiyama who has to lead a squad of theatre performers-slash-mecha pilots serving under Japan’s defense force. The mechs here are called Spiricle Strikers and they’re used to protect Tokyo from a demon epidemic.
Remember when I said “black sheep”? Yeah, this new entry might get that status too; we’ve played a few hours of this game and while its production values and story-slash-dating aspects are stellar, the same can’t be said about the rest of the game. Let’s break it down:

The action gaming portions are pretty average.
The game’s story and third act will end up pissing off long-time Sakura Wars fans.

I’m all for kickass visual novel and anime tropes set in an alternate 1940s world with Tite “Bleach” Kubo artwork. But if half of your action bits are on par with a crappier Dynasty Warriors entry, you may need to reconsider adding and tweaking some bits for the international version before that pretty close April release date.


Activision Dismisses Call Of Duty Lawsuit From Humvee For Attacking First Amendment Rights

The Humvee is one of the most recognizable military utility vehicles in the world, having appeared in countless media, everything from the first Avengers movie to even video games like the Call Of Duty franchise. However, AM General, the company that manufactures Humvees, is now getting more aggressive in regulating their trademark, declaring a lawsuit against game developer and publisher Activision.
Activision has retaliated in kind with an opening summary judgment in preparation for its defense, which was filed on Friday last week. They are dismissing AM General’s lawsuit as having violated the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
If like me (you’re not an American), the First Amendment actually states that “CongressÂ shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
The statement by Activision reads (via The Hollywood Reporter):

“This case is nothing less than a direct attack on the First Amendment right to produce creative works that realistically depict contemporary warfare.
AM General LLC, a government contractor that manufactured military ‘HMMWV’ (or ‘Humvee’) vehicles for the U.S. military, seeks to use trademark law to control the mere depiction of those vehicles in Defendantsâ€™ fictional Call of Duty video games.
The use of purported trademark rights to restrict the content of expressive works is dangerous under any circumstance.
But the claims in this case are particularly egregious because they involve a U.S. military vehicle paid for by American taxpayers and deployed in every significant military conflict for the past three decades.”

According to Activision, Humvees have “cultural and historical significance” and therefore, allowing AM General to control and restrict the use and depiction of its vehicle is the same as giving them “a stranglehold on virtually any expressive depiction of 21st Century U.S. military history.”
Meanwhile, AM General disagrees with Activision’s claim that it cannot prevent unauthorized use of its intellectual property (Humvees), especially since Call Of Duty games even feature characters calling out to their comrades in arms to “get in the Humvee.”
AM General’s statement reads:

“A defendant who engages in willful infringement may not invoke laches.
[T]he evidence is undisputed that Activision acted willfully. The evidence comes from Activisionâ€™s own documents, its executivesâ€™ deposition testimony, and its own conduct.
The evidence proves that Activision used the HUMVEEÂ® Trade Dress knowing that it had no right to do so, knowing that it was unlawful to do so, yet intending to reap a substantial benefit from its widespread, unauthorized use.”

Activision defended itself by asserting that:

“Activision made clear to the public that Activision, and not AMG, was the source of the games and never once even suggested that AMG sponsored, endorsed, or approved of them.
These basic facts dispose of all of AMGâ€™s claims, under both state and federal law.”

Most of the case remain sealed due to the order of the judge since it is still ongoing. In fact, the case originally began back in 2017, but it is only now that Activision is invoking the First Amendment for its defense.
Activision’s Call Of Duty franchise is one of the most lucrative game series in the world, so it’s really not surprising that AM General is suing them in a lawsuit that could potentially be worth tens of millions of dollars.


Listen To The New Genshin Impact Soundtrack EP Featuring Sumeru

To celebrate the release of the new Genshin Impact update tomorrow, HoYoverse has released a new EP video featuring the game’s prominent soundtrack.
The latest video is called “A Handful of Golden Dreams” and features the following tracks:

“Obliterated Dust” featuring Cyno in the desert.
“Ruins of Scorching Might” featuring the insides of the desert ruins.
“Sleepless Night” with Tighnari and Cyno playing cards in one of the Sumeru cities at night.

If you want some chillax music to go with your studying and your JRPG/action RPG grinding, you can’t go wrong with putting this on your playlist. The Genshin Impact 3.5 update will be out tomorrow 1st March for PC, PlayStation consoles, and mobile devices.


Sifu Punches Its Way To Switch This November

During the Nintendo Direct September 2022, Sifu developer and publisher Sloclap revealed that the game of the year contender is making a long-awaited trip to the Nintendo Switch on 8 November 2022.
Starting today, fans of the Kung-Fu-packed brawler can pre-order digitally from the Nintendo eShop or physically from select retailers with a limited Vengeance or Redemption Edition to choose from. The Redemption Edition, available to pre-order physically now, features a SteelBook copy of the game for the Nintendo Switch, as well as a figurine, pendant of tenacity, lithograph set and a 160-page ‘Behind the Art of Sifu’ developer’s diary.
Sifu places players in the shoes of a Pak Mei Kung-Fu student who has spent their life training for a day of reckoning after the brutal murder of their entire family by a mysterious assassination squad. With just one day and countless enemies in their way, players must beat insurmountable odds and defeat members of the powerful organization to claim revenge. However, on such a quest for vengeance, time is the price paid. With a magical talisman to revive players after death, defeat doesn’t spell the end. Though the student always gets back, the cost of magic is dear, however, and they will age significantly every time they come back to life.
Following its debut on PlayStation consoles and PC in February, Sifu was hailed as one of 2022’s early GOTY contenders surpassing more than one million copies sold in its first three weeks and garnering critical acclaim. Sloclap’s support of Sifu has been extensive, with two updates having launched throughout this year that added difficulty modes, a long list of exciting gameplay modifiers, new outfits and more. All update content added to Sifu to date will be available to players on Switch upon launch.
Sifu launches on Nintendo Switch on 8 November 2022. In the meantime, check out our review of the game here.


Xbox Game Pass September 2022 Adds Disney Dreamlight Valley, Metal Hellsinger & More

Microsoft has announced new titles coming to Xbox Game Pass in September 2022, including Disney Dreamlight Valley, You Suck at Parking, Metal Hellsinger, and more.

Available Today

Disney Dreamlight Valley: Founder’s Edition (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Available on day one with Game Pass:  Members get early access, exclusive cosmetic rewards, and in-game currency for Disney Dreamlight Valley, a hybrid between a life-sim and an adventure game rich with quests, exploration, and engaging activities featuring Disney and Pixar friends, both old and new. Once an idyllic land, Dreamlight Valley was a place where Disney and Pixar characters lived in harmony – until the Forgetting. Night Thorns grew across the land and severed the wonderful memories tied to this magical place. Now it’s up to you to discover the stories of this world and bring the magic back to Dreamlight Valley!

Opus Magnum (PC) ID@Xbox

An open-ended puzzle game from Zachtronics, the creators of Shenzhen I/O. Master the intricate, physical machinery of the transmutation engine – the alchemical engineer’s most advanced tool – and use it to create vital remedies, precious gemstones, deadly weapons, and more.
Train Sim World 3 (Console and PC) ID@Xbox
Available on day one with Game Pass: Explore three highly detailed routes and learn the controls of the nine high-powered locomotives in Train Sim World 3 with the brand-new Training Center. Battle through extreme weather with the new dynamic weather system and see volumetric skies powered by a new lighting system that breathes new life into the routes of Train Sim World 3.

Coming Soon

Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation (PC) ID@Xbox – September 13A massive-scale real-time strategy game where you command entire armies on a dynamic battlefield. Conquer multiple worlds across several single-player campaigns; or play with your friends in multiplayer combat.
DC League of Super-Pets: The Adventures of Krypto and Ace (Cloud, Console, and PC) – September 13
Suit up as super-dogs Krypto and Ace to uncover Lex Luthor’s plot to pet-nap Metropolis’ strays. Soar through the skies, unleash your special abilities and protect the streets of Metropolis from Lex’s plans and bring the evil LexBots to heel.
You Suck at Parking (Cloud, Console, and PC) ID@Xbox – September 14
Available on day one with Game Pass: You Suck at Parking is the world’s most extreme parking game, and the only racing game where the goal is to stop. The game is all physics based and you drive, drift, jump, and teleport through tricky courses. Collect cars, learn new mechanics, and customize your ride in this ever-evolving parking racer. When you’re done beating world records in the solo campaign, give your friends the hard shoulder in multiplayer, and battle to pull into podium position!

Despot’s Game (Console and PC) ID@Xbox – September 15
Available on day one with Game Pass: Guide puny humans through Despot’s Game – a rogue-like tactics army battler. Equip your team and sacrifice them through procedural dungeons as you fight enemies, and other players!
Metal: Hellsinger (PC and Xbox Series X|S) ID@Xbox – September 15
Available on day one with Game Pass: Metal: Hellsinger is a rhythm FPS brimming with diabolical enemies, powerful weapons, and metal music. Strike terror into the hearts of demons as you fight your way through eight Hells on an infernal journey to achieve the purest of goals: Vengeance.

In Case You Missed It

Grid Legends (Console and PC) EA Play – Available now
Buckle up for high-octane racing as Grid Legends becomes the latest game to join The Play List with EA Play. Game Pass Ultimate members can experience edge-of-your-seat motorsport action, an immersive story mode in ‘Driven to Glory’, and stunning racing variety, as recurring EA Play events keep the wheel-to-wheel action alive.

DLC / Game Updates

Dead by Daylight: Resident Evil: Project W – Available now
Game Pass members save 10%! Dead by Daylight: Resident Evil: Project W features a new Killer – Albert Wesker, The Mastermind – and two new Survivors Ada Wong and Rebecca Chambers.
Grounded: The Home Stretch Update – Available now
Grounded enters its home stretch as this is the final major update for Game Preview before the 1.0 Release on September 27. Pet gnats, shared saves, and enhanced weapon and armor upgrades systems are just a few of the new goodies you’ll find in this Home Stretch update.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Lost Depths DLC – Available beginning today
Xbox Game Pass members can save up to 10% on Crowns in the Xbox Store! Explore two new dungeons and continue your Legacy of the Bretons year-long adventure in The Elder Scrolls Online: Lost Depths dungeon DLC. With new dungeons to conquer, stories to experience, and unique rewards to earn, ESO: Lost Depths is available today on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles.
Halo Infinite: The Yappening Event – Available beginning today
The legacy of the legendary Grunt warlord, YapYap, continues in Season 2 of Halo Infinite. The Yappening is a one-time event that will run for two weeks during Season 2 and is coupled with a free 10-tier Event Pass offering players fun, whimsical rewards worthy of YapYap himself.
Fallout 76: The Pitt – September 13
Fallout 76 takes you to the Pitt. Journey outside of Appalachia for the first time and explore the City of Steel! Expeditions offer a new way to earn rewards through story-based missions and daily quests.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks

Rumbleverse: Smash Boxer Pack – Available now
This Perk includes the exclusive Smash Boxer cosmetic set, an exclusive title card background and border, and a 120-minute gameplay Fame booster.
Dead by Daylight: The Legion & Yui Outfits – September 8
Explore the backstories of The Legion and Yui Kimura with 2 very rare outfits: The Legion’s High-Vis Horror and Yui’s Kumi-Daiko Performer.
Need for Speed Payback: DLX Content Pack – September 13
Get an edge over the competition with the Deluxe Edition Upgrade.
Warframe: Twin Grakatas Jade Bundle – September 15
Boost your Arsenal with the powerful Twin Grakatas, their elegant Jade Weapon Skin, Jade Clem Emblem, Platinum and more for a limited time!

Leaving September 15

The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon. Consider jumping back in to wrap up any loose ends or grab some extra achievements before they go! Remember you can save up to 20% on your purchase of these games to keep them in your library.

A Plague Tale: Innocence (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Aragami 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Craftopia (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Final Fantasy XIII (Console and PC)
Flynn: Son of Crimson (Cloud, Console, and PC)
I Am Fish (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Lost Words: Beyond the Page (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Mighty Goose (Cloud, Console, and PC)
SkateBird (Cloud, Console, and PC)
The Artful Escape (Cloud, Console, and PC)


You Should Totally Watch Asobi Asobase, This Year’s Filthiest Comedy Anime

This feature is from The Last King podcast. Check out their awesome show on their Soundcloud page.Â
Forget your FLCL sequels and your Pop Team Epics; if you want an anime that is part slice of life and part Whiskey Tango Foxtrot levels of surrealism and vulgarity, you should watch Asobi Asobase. The anime has started its run since August and has yet to let up since.
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/341403283268024/?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDrL_zG9Izm680FHxkeVoQpes_dF99uUJcBCGn_xw1slsxrO3IxDu12IQPaOV3gU0XMJ16IN61NOOHoVpDfAL-izqoY8qQ6AlkcmzUlXiE8Qm-DGqm06fjwgXa_YDmJhz1NPkYbbmyKWDluEysvUQT7y11spUkiUHdYgF1-TTo9ygmQBPyD&__tn__=-R
What’s it about?Â The series centers on memelord “rich girl” Hanako, mixed Japanese girl Olivia, and female otaku Kasumi, second-year students and only three members of the Pastimers Club, a not-officially-recognized group at an all-girl middle school. The club has very ambiguous goals, usually consisting of whatever so-called “pastimes” the girls happen to think up.
These pastimes include a hardcore version of Rock Paper Scissors…

…a numbers game where the loser has to smell their opponent’s armpits….

…and building a robot that teaches them the wrong kind of English.

To say that Asobi Asobase is a messed-up show is putting it mildly. The kicker of this “family friendly gem” is that it takes the trappings of an innocent school girls and slice of life series and then puts in a ton of mean-spirited twists and turns.
With 2018’s sensibilities and PC-ness, I’m happy that a show like this displays its insanity streak and surreal humour. It also tries its damnest in crafting the ugliest facial expressions for the show’s heroines whenever they land the punchline or pull off one of their dumb tricks.

The premise is simple enough to follow and comes equipped with some side characters that brighten/darken up the trio’s lives. We have the meek teacher Chisato who somehow gets blackmailed into being an advisor for the Pastime Club,Â  the Student Council President who looks shy and quiet but has a stern disposition, and the androgynous Tsugumi Aozora whom the club is going to great lengths to determine if she’s a he.
Yeap, it’s all wacky, mean-spirited, and absurdly amusing humour right there all fleshed out in spades. The crazy thing is that Asobi Asobase builds it up instead of relying on the random jokes-a-minute stylings from shows like Pop Team Epic.
Most gags and setups are structured in a way that it escalates and its punchline/message hits you when you least expect it. The sex education segment where the girls are discussing about where babies come from to how skittish the teachers are in handling the situation is a perfect example of the show’s well-crafted structure.

We’re not sure how many episodes are left for this series, but I do hope the team behind Asobi Asobase still maintain their current winning streak. Honestly, I haven’t been impressed with a slice-of-life series since Azumanga Daioh.
Carry on with your shenanigans, little girls. And please deliver more screencap-worthy gems like this one:


Hogwarts Legacy Will Make You Love The Wizarding World Despite How Familiar It Feels

Platform(s): PC (version reviewed), PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One
Genre: Harry Potter Wizarding World action-adventure simulator
It’s a really corny phrase to mention, but Warner Bros., Portkey Games, and Avalanche Software’s Hogwarts Legacy really does make you feel like a wizard/witch in the Harry Potter universe.
The game that many Potter fans have been wanting to get into since god-knows-when (I believe the last major Harry Potter game was a Gears of War clone?) is a really good time despite all the controversy surrounding it, mostly for the views of the Wizarding World creator J.K. Rowling who is currently enjoying her fifth cancellation (or fourth? It’s hard to keep count). Regardless, the only flaws in the game are ones that are tied to triple-A games in general, but let’s focus on the highlights.
Enchanted

As someone who is indifferent to the series, I’m clearly the right person to judge the game on its own merit. Suffice to say, the game’s whimsical approach, stellar presentation, and controls are what got me hooked.
After an hour or so of getting your bearings from checking out the Hogwarts school of magic to taking classes that buff up your fifth-year custom protagonist, to even checking out the Forbidden Forests and magic shop-lot Hogsmeade, I just couldn’t put my controller down. I’m learning a lot of cool things about the Wizarding World while also being an inquisitive and trigger-happy open-world-set wizard (creatively named Chang Cho), blasting bad guys, flying on my broom to check out parts unknown, and solving puzzles involving Merlin’s statues to get sweet loot and gear slots. And just like being a student, hard cash is hard to come by so you need to search high and low for ingredients and materials to make your own potions and grow your own plant items (like the Chinese Cabbage chomper thing or the paralyzing Mandrake) to bring to battle.
Speaking of which, combat in Hogwarts Legacy takes up quite a bit of the game, and it’s fun to play. In addition to spot-on controls, the plethora of spells you get have the potential to make you feel like a Potter May Cry action character; you’ll find loads of opportunities to juggle enemies with your Accio and Leviosa spells, then slam them down with a Descendo spell for massive damage. Then build up your Ancient Magic meter for the coup de grace, as well as press the shoulder bumper buttons on your controller to throw items and exploding barrels at anyone your way.
The world you’re in will have lots of treasure and goodies to find, and poachers and goblins to murder with your magic. Once you’re past the 5-hour mark, you’ll just want to keep on roleplaying as a magic student, taking it all in while leveling up to be the best.
Spell Break
I’m glad that the game’s world, action, and exploration gameplay work in tandem, because everything else in Hogwarts Legacy feels standard, though not without a high level of polish. The story itself isn’t really anything to shout about other than to establish context as to why you’re adept at these high-level spells from the get-go and why you’re entering the school in its fifth year. There’s a goblin uprising to deal with, but the story takes too long and loves dallying about despite some lovely puzzles and level design in these main quest levels.

Hogwarts Legacy is clearly a big-budget game aimed for all-ages, so it’s not a surprise that its take on action-adventure open-world gaming is playing it safe most of the time, at least past the 15-hour mark. Like any checklist-style open-world game, you’ll start feeling Hogwarts Legacy’s tasks to unlock progress a little tiring were it not for the oodles of checkpoints and traversal options in tow. This is a 40-hour game after all and a lot of open-world tropes you see in other open-world games are clearly in here. And the less said about the gear system that equals ton of unnecessary micromanagement, the better.
But really, the enchanting world and context of being a student learning a ton of spells, exploring the vicinity with its many dangers and poachers armed to the teeth, and the intuitive controls from spellcasting to flying just make the Hogwarts Legacy experience better than most of its open-world contemporaries.
You do expect this level of polish, care, and diligence from a big team like Portkey Games and Avalanche Software, and the fact that it’s tailor-made for all-ages fans and people curious about the IP. As someone who is indifferent to the Harry Potter universe, the fact that I want to go back to fighting in illegal magic duels and taking care of fantastic beasts is proof that Hogwarts Legacy has worked its gameplay magic on me. Both fans and non-fans will find a lot to enjoy here from its presentation to its open-world gameplay filled with magic and deathtraps.
Pros

Great controls and action that make you feel like a wizard/witch.
Amazing presentation.
Spellcasting is intuitive, and combat is fun.
Hogwarts & outskirts are fun to explore.
Fun dungeons and puzzles to tax your brain with.

Cons

Standard storyline that doesn’t really wow many.
Open-world structure may lead to tedium after the 15-hour mark.
Stupid Destiny-style gear system and cursor.

Final Score: 80/100
Review copy provided by Epicsoft.


GAME LIFE: 2018 In The Life Of A Southeast Asian Gamer

2018 was rough for some but was awesome to many gamers and purveyors of digital entertainment. Trust us, we know. We had a helluva time figuring out our GOTYs for the Kakuchopurei Best of 2018 Awards.
So how about a highlight reel that showcases the highs and lows of gaming? Check out the audio-visual journey below.

Be sure to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to the YouTube channel and on our Facebook page for more tributes and love-letters like this.


Is NetherRealm & TT Games Being Sold By Warner Bros?

There have been rumours of two prominent game studios that are up for sale from Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment. This is due to the AT&T US$43 billion deal to spin off WarnerMedia and merge it with Discovery as a means to compete against networks like Netflix and Disney Plus.
Said studios are NetherRealm and TT Games, or so it seems. While WBIE are planning to sell off parts of its subsidiaries, it is not selling those two companies. A WBIE said the following (via TheGamer):
“I can confirm NetherRealm Studios and TT Games will continue to remain a part of Warner Bros. Games, and all are included in the Warner Media Discovery merger.”
Apart from NetherRealm and TT Games, WBIE owns Monolith, Avalanche, Rocksteady, Playdemic, and WB Games studio in San Diego, Boston, Montreal, San Francisco, and New York. Cast your votes on which of these studios will be sold off; we won’t know until later this year though.


Thor Love And Thunder Toys Offer First Look At Characters From The Film

We haven’t seen as much as an official poster, let alone a trailer, for the upcoming fourth Thor movie; Thor Love And Thunder. However, new merchandise and toys may have given us our first look at the character featured in the film.
These include Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord, Vin Diesel’s Groot, Tessa Thompson’s King Valkyrie, Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster, Christian Bale’s Gorr The God Butcher, as well as Chris Hemsworth’s Ravager Thor and Thor.
Check the out below:

¡Primer vistazo a las figuras Marvel Legends de 'THOR LOVE AND THUNDER'! pic.twitter.com/JvPUx7Lqgp
— Geek Zone ? #SDCC #SDCC2022 (@GeekZoneGZ) April 9, 2022

https://twitter.com/REDACTEDSpider/status/1512961114929205248
Thor Love And Thunder is slated to release on 8 July 2022.


DC FanDome: Catwoman Hunted Trailer Unveils First Look At Anime Movie

Warner Bros has unveiled the first trailer for the upcoming animated movie, Catwoman Hunted.
The movie also features an impressive voice cast that includes Elizabeth Gillies (Victorious) as Selina Kyle, Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) as Kate Kaneâ€™s Batwoman, Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad) as Black Mask, Steve Blum (Cowboy Bebop) as Solomon Grundy, Kieth David (The Thing) as Tobias Whale, and Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek: The Next Generation) as Boss Moxie.
Catwoman Hunted is one of five DC animated movies coming in 2022. It will release on 8 February 2022.
Check out the trailer below:


The New Mutants Gets Yet Another New Release Date

20th Century Foxâ€™s The New Mutants is probably stuck in a time loop or something because the last movie set in the studio’s X-Men cinematic universe has now received yet another new release date; 28 August 2020.
This marks the fifth release date for The New Mutants after its original release date over two years ago in early 2018, to its most recent 3 April 2020 release date. The movie was then postponed indefinitely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; until now, that is.
It’s unclear if this new release date for The New Mutants (via The Hollywood Reporter) will still hold true by the time we reach August, but perhaps we’ll finally be able to see these young mutants in action.
ItÂ stars Anya Taylor-Joy as fan-favourite Russian mutant Illyana Rasputin or Magik, Game Of Thronesâ€™ Maisie Williams as the shapeshifter werewolf Rahne Sinclair or Wolfsbane, Stranger Thingsâ€™ Charlie Heaton as Sam Guthrie or Cannonball, Henry Zaga as Roberto da Costa or Sunspot, and Blu Hunt as Danielle Moonstar or Mirage.
This movie will technically be the last of 20th Century Foxâ€™s X-Men movies, now that Disney and Marvel Studios has regained access to the X-Men IP. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_vJhUAOFpI&w=560&h=315]


Sweet Transit Chugging In With A New Update

Team17 and Ernestas Norvaišas have announced the release of the second update for Sweet Transit, the city builder powered by trains, created by the former Factorio 3D artist and developer.
The update, named “Forging Forward”, offers players the opportunity to experience expanded stations with multiple platforms for enhanced creativity, a detailed blueprint library for sharing their creations with others, and take on 20 diverse challenges with varying levels of difficulty such as track merging, signalling, bridge building, and more. These challenges are designed to introduce new players to the game and challenge the skills of experienced engineers.

In case you don’t know Sweet Transit is home to a world where the railway is king and trains are the sole means of transportation and expansion. Sweet Transit sees players use these mighty iron horses to build new settlements, create intricate production lines, and grow humble villages into thriving metropolises while moving through distinct eras such as the introduction of steam power and the invention of the combustion engine.
The “Forging Forward” update also brings various quality-of-life improvements to Sweet Transit, such as a quick build feature with undo/redo options for easier correction of mistakes, steel bridges with corners for additional architectural possibilities, and improved mid-game balancing.

Key Features

Systems-led city builder: Starting with a single warehouse, build a thriving interconnected world of villages and cities as you expand your rail network and evolve your society
Customisable rail network: Construct platforms and stations linked by intricate railway routes to help connect settlements and ensure a painless transit for both workers and civilians
Evolve your industry: From steam to diesel, play through distinct eras of the railway and plan the most economical expansions using the technology at your disposal
Be a person of the people: Keep a close eye on your citizens and ensure their needs are met as you expand your routes and scale up your settlements
Full modding support: Create custom content via Steam Workshop, including structures, locomotives, in-game rules, progression markers, and graphics


Brawlhalla Halloween Event Is Now Live For Your Spooky Enjoyment

Ubisoft has announced that the Brawlhalla Halloween event, dubbed Brawlhalloween, is now playable on all platforms, Halloween-themed items, the main menu takeover, and daily login gold bonuses to players. These include the following:

Haunting colours for all Legends (available for 3,000 Gold or 20 Mammoth coins each)
Graveyard shift 2019 podium (available for 240 Mammoth coins)
Pumpkin Pyre animated avatar (available for 60 Mammoth coins)
RIP avatar (available for 6,000 Gold)
Jac-KO-Lantern KO effect (available for 200 Mammoth coins)
Legend skins, each of which comes with two weapon skins (available for 140 Mammoth coins):

New for 2019: Dusk Till Dawn skin
New for 2019: Petra Reanimated skin
Horseman Lucien skin
Skel-asuri skin
Werebat Ragnir skin
Immortal Caspian skin
Punkin Spice Yumiko skin
Demonkin Diana skin
The Monster Gnash skin
Bewitching Scarlet skin (available for 200 Mammoth coins,Â comes with two weapon skins and an animated hat!)

Crossplay has also been made available for players on the PS4 starting today. All Brawlhalla players can now be matched against players in online queues and share custom lobbies on all available platforms.

BrawlhallaÂ is out now for the PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. Check out the Brawlhalloween trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfNiieEntUI&w=560&h=315]


We Finally, FINALLY Have A Freakin’ Release Date For Kojima’s Death Stranding

After so many years of uncertainty and mere speculation, Hideo Kojima and PlayStation have released the first full-length gameplay trailer for Death Stranding, which finally reveals the release date for one of the most highly-anticipated games this generation.
Mark your calendars, Death Stranding will be releasing exclusively for the PS4 on 8 November 2019.
Here is the official description for Death Stranding courtesy of Kojima himself:

“People have created “Walls” and become accustomed to living in isolation.
“DEATH STRANDING” is a completely new type of action game, where the goal of the player is to reconnect isolated cities and a fragmented society. It is created so that all elements, including the story and gameplay, are bound together by the theme of the “Strand” or connection.
As Sam Porter Bridges, you will attempt to bridge the divides in society, and in doing create new bonds or “Strands” with other players around the globe. Through your experience playing the game, I hope you’ll come to understand the true importance of forging connections with others.”

Death Stranding Gameplay Trailer
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piIgkJWDuQg&w=560&h=315]
Running over eight minutes long, the Death Stranding trailer shows gameplay segments interspersed with cinematic sequences from the upcoming game. From the looks of it, Kojima’s next game seems to be a third-person open-world game similar to other PS4 exclusives like Days Gone and Horizon Zero Dawn, albeit with stealth elements and mechanics.
That’s totally expected, considering that stealth is a staple and signature of Kojima since his Metal Gear/Metal Gear Solid days at Konami.
Death Stranding Characters And Their Actors/Actresses
Coinciding with the release of the trailer, Kojima himself posted several tweets, revealing the brand new images of characters featured in Death Stranding, as well as their names.

				Sam (Norman Reedus)

				Higgs

				Deadman (Guillermo Del Toro)

				Fragile (Lea Seydoux)

				Amelie (Lindsay Wagner)

				Heartman

				Mama

				Die-Hardman

				Cliff (Mads Mikkelsen)

Death Stranding Editions
Various editions of Death Stranding are now available for pre-order starting from today on 30 May 2019. Check them out below:
Death Stranding Standard Edition

Costs RM239.
Includes Death Stranding full game.
Pre-order Bonus: Death Stranding Chibi Ludens PSN Avatar.
Pre-order Bonus: Death Stranding PS4 Dynamic Theme.
Pre-order Bonus: Special gold versions of in-game items earned through gameplay .such as Gold “Sam” Sunglasses, Gold Hat, Gold Speed Skeleton, Gold Armor Plate.

Death Stranding Special Edition

Costs RM299.
Includes Death Stranding full game.
Pre-order Bonus: Death Stranding Chibi Ludens PSN Avatar.
Pre-order Bonus: Death Stranding PS4 Dynamic Theme.
Pre-order Bonus: Special gold versions of in-game items earned through gameplay such as Gold “Sam” Sunglasses, Gold Hat, Gold Speed Skeleton, Gold Armor Plate
Death Stranding steelbook case
Special gold version of the following in-game item earned through gameplay: Gold “Ludens Mask” sunglasses
Death Stranding: Timefall (original music from the World of Death Stranding): music album digital download and Behind the Scenes Making Of Digital Video

Death Stranding Digital Deluxe Edition

Costs RM329.
Includes Death Stranding full game.
Pre-order Bonus: Death Stranding Chibi Ludens PSN Avatar.
Pre-order Bonus: Death Stranding PS4 Dynamic Theme.
Pre-order Bonus: Special gold versions of in-game items earned through gameplay such as Gold “Sam” Sunglasses, Gold Hat, Gold Speed Skeleton, Gold Armor Plate (Level 2).
Special gold version of the following in-game items earned through gameplay: Gold “Ludens Mask” sunglasses, Gold Power Skeleton, Gold All-Terrain Skeleton, Gold Armor Plate (Level 2).
Death Stranding: Timefall (original music from the World of Death Stranding): music album digital download and Behind the Scenes Making Of Digital Video.

Death Stranding Collector’s Edition

Price to be confirmed.
Death Stranding full game.
Pre-order Bonus: Death Stranding Chibi Ludens PSN Avatar.
Pre-order Bonus: Death Stranding PS4 Dynamic Theme.
Pre-order Bonus: Special gold versions of in-game items that can also be earned through gameplay such as Gold “Sam” Sunglasses, Gold Hat, Gold Speed Skeleton, Gold Armor Plate.
Special gold version of the following in-game items earned through gameplay: Gold “Ludens Mask” sunglasses, Gold Power Skeleton, Gold All-Terrain Skeleton, Gold Armor Plate (Level 2).
Death Stranding steelbook case.
Death Stranding: Timefall (original music from the World of Death Stranding), includes music album digital download and Behind the Scenes Making Of Digital Video.
Life-sized BB Pod statue.
Ludens keychain.
BRIDGES cargo case.

How The Internet Reacted To Death Stranding
It’s pretty much as expected if you were shown a bonkers premise set in an action game with some stealth mixed in.

Hideo Kojima on naming his character Die-Hardman pic.twitter.com/MSSNGCEPXj
— bento (Vtube hell???????????) (@althisguy) May 29, 2019

say what you will about Death Stranding, you’ve gotta give Kojima this: nobody else is making whatever the hell that game is.
— Yo La Waingro (@alex_navarro) May 29, 2019

Death Stranding having two male characters named DIE-HARDMAN and HEARTMAN and two female characters named FRAGILE and MAMA is kojima to the point of parody lmao pic.twitter.com/pEyL2AAOpB
— Nikko Ronsayro (@NikkoGuy) May 29, 2019

death stranding naming the female characters Fragile and Mama pic.twitter.com/sxAeHO1udj
— BULLDYKE BULLIES (@zoe_zoestar) May 29, 2019

Today Kojima will reveal that Death Stranding has been out for two years, you’ve already played it, and don’t know it yet.
— Nick Chester (@nickchester) May 29, 2019

I was cut from Death Stranding in the early motion capture stages- my character was named Female Ass Worship Shorts
— Rocco Botte (@rocco_botte) May 29, 2019

This article will be updated as more details and information come to light. Stay tuned to Kakuchopurei for more!


XDefiant Might Be The Refinement Call of Duty Players Are Looking For

The closed beta for Ubisoft’s new multiplayer shooter has done something no other game in its catalogue has done in years: garnered actual interest among gaming fans.
For the first time since forever, Ubisoft’s game XDefiant has actually attracted more eyeballs on Twitch than the game it’s emulating from: Call of Duty and its Warzone 2 modes. The game took out its Tom Clancy moniker in favour of being its own game, and as a result, is being championed by streamers and esports-level players.
It’s as if players are clamouring for a 2010s-modern shooter title with a skillgap, especially for one that’s fast and has features like red dots on minimaps that indicate gunfire location. And also skill based matchmaking in casuals: seems like XDefiant has these and a couple more.

i missed playing a game with a skillgap  #XDefiant pic.twitter.com/193w8RwW5D
— rA matt ??? (@Entervene) April 16, 2023

Even ex-Modern Warfare lead Robert Bowling called XDefiant “a refinement” of the CoD genre.

Oh come on.@PlayXDefiant is legit.
It’s not a knock off what what COD is, it’s a refinement of what Call of Duty WAS.
COD made a choice to move away from it’s roots and origins, it’s expanded to be an “everything shooter”.
XDefiant knows what it is and does it well. https://t.co/IDNSyXZDWH
— Robert Bowling (@fourzerotwo) April 15, 2023

Other noteworthy features in XDefiant include special abilities and comprehensive gun customization, and the fact that the game is free-to-play. If you’re curious about XDefiant and whether it’s a true CoD competitor in the multiplayer front, you can register for the beta on the official site and try it out until 23 April.


Why Borderlands 3’s Latest DLC Hits A High Note Despite Being, Well, Another Borderlands DLC

Truth be told, there isn’t anything in Borderlands 3’s latest DLC, Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck, that is going to revolutionize the series. It’s a solid DLC expansion with a ton of great weapons and shield mods (hello My Hero Academia reference!), a bunch of new bosses to farm from, and the usual linear level design with fantastical locations & aesthetics.
There’s also a cool nod to the General Knoxx DLC in the post-final boss bit where you have to scour for loot for 60 seconds before it vanishes.Â Without spoilers, I’d say buy this DLC if you already have Borderlands 3 and are still playing it. If not, then carry on.
Also, be sure to check out our guide on the DLC’s new loot and what to get. My personal favourite weapons to farm are the Prompt Critical (explosions-filled pistol),Â  Septimator Prime (a great Vladof sniper for rapid-fire builds), Major Kong (the perfect Yellowcake substitute), and Plus Ultra (said anime reference that gives added survivability). However, it would be remiss on my part if I didn’t talk about the middle bits of the Psycho Krieg storyline in great detail. As much as bigger and better loot in a Borderlands game still matters, the DLC’s expansion on lore and storytelling is arguably noteworthy and shouldn’t be dismissed.
I’d say it’s a chief reason to fork over money for this new addition. The following bits will be spoiler-heavy and details the story arc of the campaign. You’ve been warned.

The Psycho Krieg DLC is essentially about our Vault Hunters helping out crazed scientist-slash-Siren Patricia Tannis as she explores the mind of Borderlands 2’s playable Psycho character Krieg. You enter his literal mind castle, help both Sane Krieg and Psycho Krieg come to terms with their co-dependency, and clean out the cobwebs and self-doubts he faces. The DLC also expands upon Krieg’s apple of his eye: the Borderlands 2 Siren Maya.
As you remember, Borderlands 3’s main storyline killed off Maya through contrived plot conveniences and attempts to put new character Ava in the spotlight as the new Siren who succeeds the previous ones. A lot of people hated it. While the DLC did not change up the status quo, it did reaffirm that Maya is indeed still alive in a metaphorical sense.
See, Krieg is still keeping memories of her, going so far as to recollect her last few messages to him as well as the first time they both met: at the train on Pandora’s wasteland.

Hence, this is why players had to fight a train called the Locomobius to rescue Maya and her “memories” for Krieg in his mind palace. It’s such a cool setpiece and boss fight that we’ll allow it. From the train doing surprise attacks and just popping up all over the place from this pretty cool version of Athenas (since that’s Maya’s home planet) to the touching reunion and “farewell” scene, this portion of the DLC is well put-together.
It’s not a total fix for Borderlands 3’s main story cancer, but it’s a good antidote that washes away the sour taste from many fans. Plus, you get to talk to her memory ghost and get some cool quips from her, ranging from the whereabouts of Axel the gunner to teases for future DLC.

The Psycho Krieg DLC also touched upon the origin story of our subject matter, as well as all Psychos on Pandora. It was essentially an experiment done by Hyperion and its then-chief scientist Dr. Benedict. He actually used a manufactured virus in the form of a gas cloud to not only inject it onto Pandora’s derelicts, but also into the water supply of many of Pandora’s villages as a form of chemical warfare. A pretty brutal and heavy revelation, if you ask me.

After dealing with Dr Benedict in Krieg’s mind palace, we then head off to the source of the Psycho’s lust for blood: Vaulthalla. Apparently in Krieg’s mind, a big dude called the Psychoreaver resides in there. Once you unlock the passage to Vaulthalla, you deal with it and then resolved Krieg’s differences through the power of teamwork.
It’s essentially a classic tale where two psyches in one person have to coexist with one another because they’re the same people. If one takes over the other, that person becomes unbalanced. Sane Krieg would be passive, while Psycho Krieg would be too aggressive and solve everything with violence.
It’s not the most original tale, but within the Borderlands context and the fact that Krieg does get his happy ending in the end, we’ll allow it.

Final Score: 80/100


Football Manager 2021 Free Demo Now Available

Still unsure on whether to pick up this year’s Football Manager game? Well you’re in luck as developers Sports Interactive and publishers Sega have made it easier for you to decide, and way harder to resists.
Akin to an in-game player trial before signing them for real, this year’s Football Manager 2021 free demo is now available for download. This comes swiftly alongside its official launch which is today – or tomorrow depending on your timezone. While you will be restricted to half a season for this demo – which we suspect ends sometime around your save’s first transfer window which is normally set in December – you will be able to carry forward your save to the full version, assuming you decide to purchase it. You can download the demo by clicking on this link.

If the link does not work, simply search for Football Manager 2021 in your Steam client. A link for the demo version should be available.
The beta version for this yearly installment football managing sim is already playable to those who pre-ordered it, bringing a host of new improvements – or shall we say, more depth to an already mind-boggling complex sports management title. Managers will now be able to better convey their thoughts through a range of new gestures during press conferences, player interactions and interviews.Â  The game engine has also been updated, running significantly faster and better compared to last year’s edition.
A Football Manager fanatic myself, I’ve been successfully managing Liverpool (who else) since FM21 beta was made available and I cannot recommend signing Erling Haaland enough. That 70m required is a bargain.


Apex Legends Season 5 Fortune’s Favor Is Live; Check Out These Patch Notes & Upgrades!

Battle royale fans, take note. Apex Legends’ Season 5 is now live.
Called Fortune’s Favor, players will get to play with a new Legend called Loba and also experience a bunch of updates to areas like Kings Canyon and Season Quest additions. Here’s the breakdown.
New Legend – Loba
Her schtick is her Jump Drive bracelet that lets her teleport where she pleases to get the drop on opponents. Or make a quick getaway.
Tactical – Burglarâ€™s Best Friend

Teleport to hard-to-reach places or escape trouble quickly by throwing your Jump Drive bracelet.

Ultimate – Black Market Boutique

Place a portable device that allows you to teleport nearby loot to your inventory. Each friendly or enemy Legend can take up to two items.

Passive – Eye for Quality

Nearby epic and Legendary loot can be seen through walls.
The range is the same as Black Market Boutique.

Kings Canyon Update

Skulltown and Thunderdome have fallen.
A new POI, Salvage, has been added to the Broken Coast.
Across the map, the Offshore Rig connects to the former Relay and Wetlands.
Wetlands has been replaced by the excavation of the Capacitor, which has a new underground pathway to Singh Labs.
Nesting Grounds has continued to regrow into the Reclaimed Forest, which features an expanded Singh Labs exterior and a small camp outside of The Cage.
This map will be available for two weeks after the season launch. After the two week period, Map Rotation will start rotating World’s Edge Season 4 into the mix.

Charge Towers
New devices in Apex Legends. Activate them to grant a full Ultimate charge to any Legends standing on the platform when the charge blast goes out.
New Season Quest
Called “The Broken Ghost”, this lets players go on a season-long search for 9 pieces of a mysterious relic. Find your first daily Treasure Pack in any competitive match to get started on your hunt, and enjoy free weekly drops of new Story, Gameplay, and Rewards along the way.
The Ability To Reconnect
Now players that leave a match unexpectedly can rejoin their match in progress. Be it a crash or “dashboarding” to close the game on console, you can now reconnect by simply restarting the game and entering the lobby. This option is available for all competitive modes.
If a player doesn’t reconnect in time,Â  the disconnected player’s character is removed as normal, and the game will treat their disconnect as an abandonment. There is a limited time window in which a player can reconnect and failing to do so in Ranked will result in a loss penalty.
New Legend Updates

Mirage

Tactical: Psyche Out

Pressing the character utility action button allows Mirage to gain control of his decoy.
When controlling the decoy, it will mimic Mirageâ€™s every move.
Decoys now last for 60 seconds.
Releasing another decoy will remove the previous decoy.

Ultimate: Life of the Party

Mirage deploys a team of decoys that mimic his every move (think â€œEmergency Dance Party” from DUMMIEs Big Day).
Cooldown 60 seconds.

Passive: Now You See Meâ€¦

In addition to cloaking when downed, Mirage also cloaks while using a respawn beacon and reviving a teammate (the teammate is also cloaked).

Mirageâ€™s â€œYou got Bamboozledâ€ line will now trigger when you bamboozle an enemy, instead of when you release a decoy.

Bloodhound

Tactical: Eye of the Allfather

Increased Sonar Detection from 3 seconds to 4 seconds.
Decreased Cooldown from 35 seconds to 25 seconds.

Crypto

Tactical: Drone

Crypto can now ping banners, while in drone, to warn teammates of nearby squads.

Lifeline

Increased Lifeline bin ratio to 20%
Removed Knockdown Shields from Secret Compartment loot pool

Caustic
Designer note: this is something that is a bit of an experiment.Â  We will be keeping an eye out to make sure this change doesnâ€™t cause any degenerate player behavior.

Friendly gas no longer slows teammates.
Caustic traps are no longer triggered from the other side of a door.

Octane
Designer note: This is a first step in pushing more team utility for Octane. We have more updates planned but they didnâ€™t make the cutoff for this patch.

Launch Pad cooldown is reduced from 90 seconds to now 60 seconds.

Gibraltar
Designer note: Internal data shows that Gibraltarâ€™s performance in individual fights is in a good place, but we want to bring down his power a bit in team fights.

Reduced Dome Shield duration from 18s to 12s.

Pathfinder
Designer note: Given the power of quick repositioning in Apex, being able to use Pathfinderâ€™s Grappling Hook multiple times in a fight is both too powerful and muddies combat legibility.

The cooldown for Grappling Hook has been increased from 15 seconds to 35 seconds.

Weapons & Loot Update

Season 5 Fully-kitted Gold Weapons

Longbow DMR
Hemlok
Spitfire
EVA-8
RE-45

Mastiff

The Mastiff is being rotated out of the care package to a regular weapon with its power reduced accordingly.
Reduced damage per pellet from 18 to 13.
Reduced headshot multiplier from 2.0 to 1.25.
Increased blast pattern distances for the outer pairs of pellets.
Increased blast pattern scale ADS multiplier from 0.5 to 0.55.
Reduced fire rate from 1.3 to 1.0.
Reduced projectile size to be more in line with other regular shotguns.
Increased shell count from 4 to 6.
Increased projectile speed to standard shotgun speed.

Peacekeeper

Peacekeeper is being rotated out of a regular weapon and into the care package weapon with its power being increased accordingly.
Tightened pellet spread pattern.
Reduced rechamber time from 1.2 to 0.9.
Reduced reload times from 2.65 to 2.45 base and 3.6 to 3.35 empty.
Increased projectile size to improve consistency at close range.

Alternator

Increased Mag size from 16 to 19. Level 1 Extended mag is now 22, Level 2 is now 25, and Level 3 is now 27.

RE-45Â

Increased damage from 11 to 12.
Reduced reload time from 1.74 to 1.5 base and 2.12 to 1.95 empty

Havoc

Vertical recoil increased.
Horizontal recoil slightly increased.
Recoil on the first 2 shots increased.

Longbow DMR

Headshot scale reduced from 2.15 to 2.1.

Wingman

Headshot scale reduced from 2.1 to 2.0.

Hop Ups

Adding Skullpiercer Hopup for DMR and Wingman.
DMR w/ Skullpiercer – Headshot scale 2.1 -> 2.5
Wingman w/ Skullpiercer – Headshot scale 2.0 -> 2.25
Vaulted Anvil Receiver.

Gold Armor

Added Perk: Shield Cells & Syringes give double the amount per use.
Removed Perk: Removed 50% heal speed.

Bug Fixes

Fixed various conditions causing prediction errors.
Fixed looting in pillboxes being difficult around weapons.
Fixed aiming speed during zooming lerp to be consistent with hipfire and ADS speed.
Fixed disabling Melee Target Compensation.
Fixed Legend banners having a black box when having AA disabled.
Fixed a condition where the third character model would be missing on screens with three Legend banners.
Fixed sometimes erroneously pinging enemies while skydiving or in the plane.
Fixed exploitable spots against Prowlers in Bloodhound Trial.
Fixed Prowlers not attacking Gibraltar’s Dome Shield.
Fixed deathboxes sometimes not moving on the train.
Fixed subtitles in Russian showing up as English in the Bloodhound Trial area.
Fixed Havoc VFX while on the train.
Fixed depth of field when selecting charms in the loadout menu.
Fixed lighting on Legends sometimes being dark throughout the menus.
Fixed tooltips not appearing correctly when highlighting items in the menus.
Fixed the Charge Rifle beam shooting from the scope while using the Hard coded skin.
Fixed melee not doing any damage when interrupting the Sentinel charge animation.
Fixed Wingman having higher than normal hipfire accuracy while crouched.
Fixed Golden Barrel attachment having more muzzle flash than intended.
Stability fixes to reduce crashing and script errors.
Cryptoâ€™s EMP now affects D.U.M.M.I.E. in the Firing Range.
Fixed Revenantâ€™s Death Totem being visible through smoke or gas.
Fixed a few Pathfinder banner poses that caused corrupted art.
Adjusted Octaneâ€™s Jump pad to make it harder to fall through cracks when deploying.
Fixed Caustic’s Ultimate not deploying when thrown under small surfaces.
Fixed Bangaloreâ€™s smoke canisters getting stuck under the Train.

Quality Of Life Changes

Weâ€™ve overhauled the Deathbox UI to compartmentalize loot better so you can find what you need faster.
Crypto can now ping banners while in drone to warn teammates of nearby squads.
Added voice over for pinging enemies who are reviving.
Favorite option now available for Weapon Skins.
Observer Highlights for Tournament Matches.
Removed location based Weekly Challenges. These caused players to have mixed motivations from their squadmates, and didnâ€™t work well with map rotation.
Optimized CPU usage.
Improved texture streaming quality on GPUs reporting less memory than advertised.
We’re excited to announce that at the start of Season 5 we will be adding Apex servers to the Middle East as we look to further support our fans in the region.


Attack On Titan Exhibition Invades Singapore ArtScience Museum

Who said nothing fun ever happens in Singapore? For fans of Attack On Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin,Â it’s going to start this February.
There will be an Attack on Titan exhibition happening at the Singapore ArrtScience museum on 19 February. The exhibition will feature over 180 artworks by creator Hajime Isayama from then to now. These include concept artworks and storyboards that come with his notes. The exhibition will also feature artwork that isn’t available elsewhere.

Other highlights include a “choose your path” exhibition. You can either pick Outside The Wall/Blue or Inside The Wall/Red, with each path focusing on the different aspects of the Titan wars. There’s even going to be a Great Titan Theatre that showcases an animated battle between the Attack Titan and Armored Titan that aims to be immersive for visitors. And like any anime exhibit, there will be a store with exclusive Attack on Titan merchandise and a photo booth where fans can pose with their favourite characters and giants from the manga/show.

How Much?
If you’re planning on visiting the place, you’ll be spending at least S$18 if you’re a Singapore resident. Outsiders and foreigners will have to pay S$21. If you’re a senior or a child, you only have to pay S$14. You can get the tickets at all Marina Bay Sands box offices and the official website starting 20th January.

The exhibition will be from 19 February until 3 July.