Silent Hill Is Allegedly Making A Comeback, With A Bunch Of Games & A Silent Hill 2 Remake

It’s (possibly) official: Konami and a third-party developer might be working on a couple of new Siilent Hill games. Best of all? Konami’s recent actions have solidified this like a certain Snake-named spy.
According to prominent horror game insider Dusk Golem (@AestheticGamer1), he has confirmed that there will be a number of Silent Hill game projects in the works dating back from 2020, with screenshots to prove it.

(1/2) Silent Hill leak. There's a lot I'm not sharing for now. This is from a relatively new source for me, but I have been given more than enough proof to believe them. I also will mention the names "Anita & Maya", "SMS Messages", & this is not the only SH game in dev. The shots pic.twitter.com/t5MWzNxfFS
— AestheticGamer aka Dusk Golem (@AestheticGamer1) May 13, 2022

Or at least there were screenshots before Konami used a DMCA takedown on them, further proving that the projects are indeed true. Here are they, in their creepy and mysterious form; there’s a bit of a hikikomori and paper theme/motif going on here. Don’t be too shocked if these get taken down too.

Now comes the bit of news with controversy via multiple insiders: the third-party developer Bloober Team will be involved with a Silent Hill 2 remake, which will feature reworked puzzles, new endings, and a timed PlayStation console exclusivity. The rest of the Silent Hill projects are in development, including a new mainline entry and a story-focused episodic series. So that’s three new Silent Hill games total.

-Bloober Team working on Silent Hill 2 Remake. Reworked puzzles. New Endings. Timed PlayStation Console Exclusive
-Multiple Silent Hill projects in development; including new mainline entry & side "stories"
Not confirmed. Just sharing what I've heard pic.twitter.com/eZJDQu9qKY
— NateTheHate2 (@NateTheHate2) May 15, 2022

This is the stuff I've heard, and it comes from multiple different sources. Not all of my sources are primary, but everything is mostly lining up. To me, the biggest indicator is the stuff I've seen lines up with Konami doing a big reveal at E3 last year before it pulled out. https://t.co/GzUb3jzrwX
— Jeff Grubb, No. 3 games journalist (@JeffGrubb) May 16, 2022

Sources and insiders from Video Games Chronicle, alongside others, have reported that Konami has been actively taking to several developers about reviving the Silent Hill IP from Supermassive (Until Dawn) to Annapurna Interactive (Outer Wilds, Sayonara Wild Hearts).
These aren’t hard confirmations -take all of these with a grain of salt- but Konami’s recent DMCA action are pushing it towards the “definitely going to be announced later this year” kind of situation. Assuming all of these are true, survival horror game fans looking forward to the return of the Silent Hill series will have a heckuva 2023. Or even late 2022 if we’re lucky.


The Expanse Renewed For A Sixth & Final Season

Amazon Studios has renewed science fiction series The Expanse for a sixth and final season. This news comes just weeks before the upcoming premiere of The Expanse Season 5 on 16 December 2020.

“You can’t stop the work.” Season 6 is a go. pic.twitter.com/ayk93DChGm— The Expanse (@ExpanseOnPrime) November 24, 2020

In a statement (via Deadline), showrunner Naren Shankar said:
â€œThe dedication and artistry of everyone who helps bring The Expanse to the screen is incredible.Our fans are awesome, and we cannot wait to get rolling on season six.â€
Unfortunately, one cast member, Cas Anvar (who portrays Alex Kamal, pilot of the Rocinante), won’t be returning in The Expanse Season 6, due to ongoing sexual misconduct allegations.
The Expanse Season 6 is slated to begin production sometime in January 2021.
Just likeÂ The BoysÂ Season 2, The Expanse Season 5 will release the first three episodes of its total ten-episode season on premiere day and will then debut on a weekly basis for subsequent episodes.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Farewell To A Fighting Game Icon: Maximilian Dood’s Mascot Benny Passed Away

Benny The Dog, the real-life dog that is the mascot to Maximillian Dood’s YouTube and Twitch channel in the fighting game heydays of 2008 onward, has passed away.
The news was relayed in a special Thank You, Benny video from the Maximillian Dood YouTube channel. Maximillian said that while the news of Benny’s illness was mentioned to him earlier, he said that he and his wife JJ had to wait until they were in a point where they would even receive sympathy.
Benny was a huge part of Maximilian Dood’s channel for many years, featured in his past YouTube shows Assist me back in the late 2000s when Street Fighter IV and Marvel vs. Capcom 3 were at their prime. Benny was a star of many skits and videos in the channel, as well as making guest appearances at game tournaments and conventions. Benny was an integral part in making Maximillian Dood the biggest fighting game content creator on both YouTube and Twitch on a worldwide scale, because he’s cute and he works well as punchlines in skits and shorts. Plus, Benny’s face was merchandising gold; who wouldn’t want to buy a t-shirt with an iconic fighting game content creator dog that looks adorable as all heck?

My apologies on waiting to announce this. We needed to be in a point where we could even receive sympathy. Benny meant the world to me & JJ, and your kind words/fanart would always brighten up our day. Plz share any Benny memories with @maximilian_ & @pbandjaejae #ThanksBenny
— Maximilian Dood (@maximilian_) December 6, 2022

Rest in peace, FGC icon, and hope you enjoy doggie heaven.


Ghost Recon: Breakpoint Classes & Skills Guide

We had a go at Ghost Recon: Breakpoint and it was a decent action fare despite all the bugs & online kerfuffles. So what better way to celebrate the next Tom Clancy military shooter than with a guide to tell you what’s the best approach?
Class
Assault
Technique:Â True Gritâ€”Recoil reduction and damage resistance. Kills heal and extend duration.
Item:Â Gas Grenadeâ€”Hand-thrown Area Control Device: damages over time.
Proficiencies:Â Resilience (extra health), Assault Proficiency (bonuses with assault rifles and shotguns.
Technique Gauge Filler:Â kills and damage dealt to drones, kills with explosives, close-range kills.
Panther
Technique:Â Cloak & Runâ€”Disappear behind a smokescreen.
Item:Â Cloaking Sprayâ€”Self-use: renders user undetectable by drones.
Proficiencies:Â In The Shadows (bonus stealth), Swift Steps (faster movement speed), Silent Death (suppressors on handguns and submachine guns do not reduce damage).
Technique Gauge Filler:Â kills and damage dealt to drones, kills while in stealth, close-range kills.
Field Medic
Technique:Â Healing Droneâ€”heals and revives friendly teammates.
Item:Â Medkitâ€”hand-deployable device: heal injuries and gain extra health.
Proficiencies:Â First Aid (faster revive), Pallbearer (carry bodies faster), Phoenix (can self-revive).
Technique Gauge Filler:Â kills and damage dealt to drones, revive teammates, kills by teammates.
Sharpshooter
Technique:Â Armor Busterâ€”high-penetration bullets with bonus damage and muzzle velocity.
Item:Â Sensor Launcherâ€”launched device: marks enemies in a large area.
Proficiencies:Â Deep Lungs (longer breath control while aiming) Long Range Proficiency (bonuses with sniper rifles and DMRs).
Technique Gauge Filler:Â kills and damage dealt to drones, headshot kills, long-range kills.
How To Change Classes
You can do this at Breakpoint’s bivouacs. Just find one, set up, and then change your class. You will need an extra skill point to purchase a class though.
You can also do skill prep, buy and sell weapons, craft items and food rations, and spawn vehicles at the bivouacs.
TAKE ME TO THE SKILL TREES!


Crysis Remastered Trilogy Drops This October

Crytek has announced that the Crysis Remastered Trilogy, a great value all-in-one bundle featuring the remasters of the iconic single-player campaigns from Crysis, Crysis 2, and Crysis 3, will launch on 15 October 2021. Fans of the franchise will also be able to purchase Crysis 2 Remastered and Crysis 3 Remastered individually on the same date.
Crysis Remastered Trilogy will also receive a physical release for Xbox and PlayStation platforms. Nintendo Switch will get a separate retail release for Crysis 1, 2 and 3 Remastered, with players being able to get their hands on an exclusive bonus art card. Additionally, twenty art cards randomly inserted into day one orders for each format will be numbered and autographed by members of the development team.
The Crysis Remastered Trilogy is optimized and enhanced towards next-generation consoles meaning the Crysis games play smoother and better than ever before. The original games played at an average of 720p resolution and up to 30 FPS. On Xbox Series X & PS5 the Crysis remasters play between 1080p and 4K at 60 FPS, achieved with Dynamic Resolution for excellent performance on today’s hardware. In addition to substantial performance gains, Crysis Remastered Trilogy features improved lighting and visually enhanced characters, weapons, and environments, plus high-definition textures for crystal clear images.
Crysis Remastered Trilogy Launch
Crysis Remastered Trilogy will launch for PS4 and PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, and PC on 15 October 2021 as a digital release via the Epic Games Store, the PlayStation Store, and the Microsoft Store for US$49.99.
Crysis 2 Remastered and Crysis 3 Remastered Launch
Crysis 2 Remastered and Crysis 3 Remastered, featuring the single-player campaigns from the original games released in 2011 and 2013 respectively, will launch on the Epic Games Store, the PlayStation Store, the Microsoft Store, and the Nintendo Switch eShop on October 15th for US$29.99 each. With retail Nintendo Switch versions coming later.
Crysis Remastered â€“ Available Now
Crysis Remastered, which features the single-player campaign from 2007’s original game, launched last fall and is available to buy digitally today from the Epic Games Store, the PlayStation Store, the Microsoft Store, and the Nintendo Switch eShop.
Project Lead Steffen Halbig said:
“We’re delighted to bring fans of the Crysis franchise, Crysis Remastered Trilogy, which will accompany the separate release of the remasters of Crysis 2 and Crysis 3.
Players can look forward to reliving the adventure with stunning graphics, smooth frame rates, and high-quality textures on whichever platform they choose, with lightning-fast 60 FPS gameplay available on PC and next-gen consoles, alongside a host of other graphical optimizations.
Weâ€™d encourage all players to check out the comparison trailers to see the differences themselvesâ€œ.
Ahead of the 15 October 2021 launch, Crytek has released comparison videos that show the difference between the remasters on Xbox Series X compared to the original games on Xbox 360, and a PS3 vs PS5 comparison trailer with a PC version coming soon. Watch below to see the differences between the games.
[videopress A6z4cCWQ]


Deadpool 3 Slated For 2024, Will Feature Hugh Jackman As Wolverine (Update)

Updated at 9.08pm on 28 September 2022:
Ryan Reynolds released a new video “explaining” certain stuff about Deadpool 3. However, we can’t actually hear what they’re saying because of the music.
He does confirm that this version of Wolverine will not be the same one from 2017’s Logan.

Third time’s a charm, right?
Deadpool/Wade Wilson’s debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be happening on 6th September 2024, in the form of Deadpool 3. To make that occasion special, Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds teases a long-awaited meeting with his old friend Wolverine.
Yes, Hugh Jackman will reprise his role as Wolverine in the MCU universe via a teaser video on Ryan Reynolds’ Twitter account. It showcases him thinking up ideas to make Deadpool 3 stand out, confessed that he has nothing, and then said he has one idea: bring in Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.
The last time Hugh Jackman played Wolverine was in 2017’s Logan directed by James Mangold. While Jackman said that film will be the last time he plays the titular X-Man with the claws, he did express excitement to see other actors pick up the mantle. As for Deadpool teaming up with Wolverine? That’s been a common thing in the comics since Deadpool’s debut as a Rob Liefeld joint. Plus, Deadpool and Wolverine are from the same Weapon X program in comics lore, so it’s only fitting they eventually team up in the cinematic universe.
Check out the teaser video below.

Hard keeping my mouth sewn shut about this one. ?? pic.twitter.com/OdV7JmAkEu
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) September 27, 2022


Check Out This Ultra Rare Limited Edition Sekiro Shadows Die Twice PS4 Pro

A number of awesome limited edition PS4 consoles have been released in the past year or two, including the ones for God of War, Kingdom Hearts 3, and the 500 Million special. Now a limited edition Sekiro Shadows Die Twice PS4 Pro is coming (via Dutch retailer Game Mania), and it might even be the rarest one yet.
The limited edition Sekiro Shadows Die Twice PS4 Pro features the Japanese title of the game masterfully engraved in a maple wood effect on top of the console with what appears to be a Japanese shoji screen design for the console itself. The controller also comes adorned with its own bamboo art design, as well as the English title of the game displayed on the touchpad.
The reason why I described it as “the rarest one yet” is because the limited edition Sekiro Shadows Die Twice PS4 Pro will be exclusive to the Netherlands and Belgium. There’s no official word yet from the folks at From Software or PlayStation on whether this limited edition console will be available elsewhere in the world.
Oh, and players can’t exactly buy the limited edition Sekiro Shadows Die Twice PS4 Pro. First, they will have to pre-order a copy of the game, which grants them some free chopsticks. The only way that they can win a limited edition Sekiro Shadows Die Twice PS4 Pro is if those free chopsticks turn out to be the elusive golden chopsticks.
Yes, the Willy Wonka ‘golden ticket’ shtick.
So you see, it won’t be easy to get your hands on this limited edition console. Sekiro Shadows Die Twice is slated to release for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC on 22 March 2019. In the meantime, check out the pricing and contents of the collector’s edition here, and my hands-on impression of the demo here.
Feast your eyes on the limited edition Sekiro Shadows Die Twice PS4 Pro below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KyefquucUM&w=560&h=315]


Final Fantasy 16 Has New Game Plus Mode; Find Out More

If you think you’re done with RPG title Final Fantasy 16’s 35+ hour campaign, think again.
An IGN video interview with director Hiroshi Takai and combat director Ryota Suzuki revealed that FF16 will indeed have a “New Game Plus” mode with its own unique and tougher challenges. Dubbed Final Fantasy Mode, the new game plus mode will carry data over from a previous playthrough, with the level cap raised to 100 and enemies being far more powerful. Also, late-game enemies like the Chimera and Iron Giant (an FF staple) will show up in earlier stages and dungeons in the game.

Helping you out is the fact that you can craft the Ultima weapon immediately when you start the game, along with other rare drops and rewards not found in previous playthroughs. You can only access this mode once you beat the game, so this is clearly meant for those looking for a challenge beyond the main game or just want to go the completionist route. We’ll bet you that there’s a PSN Trophy for just completing this mode.
Final Fantasy 16 will be out on 22nd June exclusively for PlayStation 5. For more on Final Fantasy, check out our feature on which FF game you should start off with if you want to explore the earlier games.


ECHO Send ONIC Esports To M4’s Lower Bracket

The M4 World Championship of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is nearing its end with just six teams remaining in the Knockout Stage: Blacklist International, ECHO, ONIC Esports, RRQ Hoshi, Falcon Esports, and The Valley. RRQ Akira was eliminated on Day 6, leaving The Valley and ONIC Esports as the only remaining teams from the Americas. The next match will feature a rivalry between Indonesia and the Philippines, with ECHO facing Blacklist International, and ONIC Esports taking on The Valley in the Lower Bracket.

Check out our M4 Schedule with live score updates!

The Valley vs. RRQ Akira
RRQ Akira and The Valley faced off in a high-stakes match in the Lower Bracket Knockout Stage of the M4 World Championship on 12 January. The match was a do-or-die situation as the losing team would be eliminated and placed 7th or 8th in the tournament, taking home a prize of US$30,000. The match was played in a Best of Five format, with the first team to earn three points advancing to the next round. The Valley had the initial advantage, but RRQ Akira tied the score 1-1. The match then became increasingly intense, with The Valley ultimately delivering a stronger performance, winning 3-1. As a result, RRQ Akira was eliminated from the tournament, while The Valley moved on to the next round to face ONIC Esports.
Game 1

The first match between RRQ Akira and The Valley was intense. Despite being behind multiple times, RRQ Akira never gave up and continuously pushed forward. RRQ Akira used Claude, Martis, Pharsa, Mathilda, and Joy, while The Valley used Yve, Karrie, Grock, Khufra, and Karina.
In the beginning, RRQ Akira’s jungler was defeated due to the strong collaboration between The Valley’s Grock and Khufra. However, RRQ Akira still attempted to gain objectives to catch up. Eventually, a battle broke out in the 13th minute where RRQ Akira attempted to capture the second Lord, but due to a mistake, they were defeated by The Valley’s players until they were completely wiped out.
This caused The Valley to shift their focus to RRQ Akira’s main base, ultimately leading to a 1-0 victory for The Valley. Additionally, Grock from FwydChickn celebrated by intentionally dying at the opponent’s base.
Game 2

The loss in the previous match fueled RRQ Akira’s determination in the second match, as they sought to take revenge on The Valley by dismantling their defence. This time, RRQ Akira chose Karrie, Akai, Pharsa, Chou, and Grock, while The Valley used Yve, Harith, Yu Zhong, Khufra, and Granger.
RRQ Akira had a clear advantage in terms of objectives, as they successfully captured the Turtle twice and the Lord three times without reply. This proved to be crucial as the third Lord helped RRQ Akira gain an edge against their opponent.
During the match, both teams’ junglers fell, which allowed RRQ Akira’s Gold Laner, Gustalagusta to secure the Lord without any resistance from The Valley. The presence of the Lord led RRQ Akira to victory and tied the score at 1-1.
Game 3

The third match proved to be a turning point for The Valley, as they displayed greater confidence by selecting Yve, Claude, Thamuz, Lolita, and Karina as their heroes. On the other hand, RRQ Akira chose Beatrix, Fredrinn, Valentina, Grock, and Lapu Lapu as their heroes.
At the start of the match, RRQ Akira had a clear advantage and were ahead in terms of gold. However, starting at the 7th minute, The Valley began to turn the tide. The climax occurred during the struggle for the second Lord where RRQ Akira, unable to secure the Lord, made a mistake and were defeated one by one until they were wiped out. Without waiting for Lord’s reinforcements, The Valley then marched straight towards RRQ Akira’s main base via the bottom lane.
As a result, The Valley officially closed the match in the 13th minute with a gold difference of almost 10,000. FwydChickn, who played the hero Thamuz, was named the MVP of the match.
Game 4

In the crucial fourth match, The Valley’s mid laner Hoon was not able to use his preferred hero Yve, as RRQ Akira had already secured it. As a result, The Valley used Lylia, Claude, Lapu Lapu, Grock, and Fredrinn as their heroes. Meanwhile, RRQ Akira used Harith, Martis, Yve, Chou, and Grock as their heroes.
RRQ Akira was not given much opportunity to gain objectives, as Lapu-Lapu from FwydChickn frequently disrupted their defence and The Valley’s EXP laner often initiated fights, limiting RRQ Akira’s mobility. By the 10th minute, the gold margin between the teams had reached 8,000.
This proved to be very beneficial for MobaZane and The Valley, who were optimistic about winning the match and often taunted RRQ Akira while still in the Land of Dawn. Without the help of a second Lord, The Valley closed the match in the 12th minute with a win.

ONIC Esports vs. ECHO
In a match between the strongest regions, ECHO faced off against ONIC Esports and amassed over 2.8 million viewers according to Esports Charts. The Filipino orcas had a slight advantage throughout the match but were careful not to overextend. Despite ONIC having the home advantage, ECHO won the first game of the series. However, the home team fought back and won the second game, with their star Jungler Kairi being named MVP. ECHO then came back with a vengeance, easily winning the third game and putting ONIC on match point. The fourth game was a close contest with both teams exchanging control, but ECHO ultimately emerged victorious and advanced to the upper bracket final for an all-Filipino match-up.
Game 1

The opening match between ONIC Esports and ECHO was marked by intense back-and-forth attacks. ECHO used a lineup of Joy, Kaja, Fredrinn, Xavier, and Melissa, while ONIC Esports countered with Lunox, Grock, Granger, Khufra, and Valentina.
ONIC Esports was aggressive in the early game, with Kairi on Granger getting the first blood against Yawi‘s Kaja. However, ONIC Esports struggled to keep up with ECHO during fights and ECHO was able to secure objectives more easily. ECHO often made breakthroughs, but ONIC Esports’ defence was able to block many attacks.
Before the fourth Lord battle, ECHO successfully defeated Kiboy and CW giving them the advantage and they immediately secured the Lord and moved towards ONIC Esports’ base turrets. One by one the heroes fell and it became difficult for ONIC Esports to defend, forcing them to give up the first points to ECHO.
Game 2

In the second match, ONIC Esports was more cautious in selecting their heroes and chose Moskov, Lapu Lapu, Hayabusa, Kaja, and Yve. ECHO Philippines picked Yu Zhong, Khufra, Chou, Pharsa, and Karrie. ONIC Esports played with more discipline than in their previous game and were able to set the tempo of the game early on.
The performance of Kairi and CW was particularly outstanding, as Kairi’s deadly strikes on Hayabusa and CW’s high-damage Moskov surprised ECHO’s players. ONIC Esports’ solid play allowed them to maintain their lead.
The climax of the match occurred in the 19th minute when ECHO, who managed to secure the second Lord, attempted to destroy ONIC Esports’ main base again. However, Kairi’s play and ONIC’s excellent defence turned the situation around, allowing ONIC Esports to win and tie the score at 1-1.
Game 3

The previous match outcomes made the third match even tenser. Kairi was considered to be a disruptive force for ECHO, causing them to ban almost all heroes that Kairi could play, including Fanny, Hayabusa, Ling, Harith, and Martis.
ECHO, who had the first pick, chose Dyroth, Chou, Fredrinn, Faramis, and Claude as their heroes, while ONIC Esports went with Lesley, Barats, Kaja, Valentina, and Gloo. In this match, ECHO set the pace of the game again and played aggressively. They were also successful in securing objectives and maintaining a strong defence, not losing a single turret to ONIC Esports.
Finally, KarlTzy and his team were able to close the match in the 11th minute with the help of the first Lord. Faramis’ excellent play from Sanji gave ECHO their second win.
Game 4

ONIC Esports lost their fourth match against ECHO, losing their chance to advance to the upper bracket and being sent to the lower bracket with a heavy heart. The match was intense, with both teams close in kills and gold throughout the match. ONIC Esports had an early lead, securing the second Lord, but ECHO’s defence was solid and they were able to turn the match around by securing the third Lord and pushing towards ONIC Esports’ main base, resulting in their defeat.


Yuji Naka Confirms Michael Jackson’s Involvement With Sonic 3’s Music

After 30 years of speculation and theories, all it took is one Twitter message from an ex-Sega employee.
Former Sonic Team head Yuji Naka has confirmed (nonchalantly online) that Michael Jackson did compose some of the music for Sonic The Hedgehog 3. The question of the King of Pop’s involvement with the game has been shrouded in mystery since the game’s release in 1994. After all, he wasn’t credited in the final game.
Yuji Naka’s tweet was in direct response to the music changes in the Sonic Origins port of Sonic The Hedgehog 3 (video below). The songs were replaced with recreated versions of prototype music originally for the 1994 game, which ended up officially on the PC version of Sonic The Hedgehog 3 in 1997.
“Oh my god, the music for Sonic 3 has changed, even though Sega Official uses Michael Jackson’s music.”

Oh my god, the music for Sonic 3 has changed, even though SEGA Official uses Michael Jackson's music.
— Yuji Naka / ???? (@nakayuji) June 23, 2022

A History of Sonic 3 & Michael Jackson’s Involvement
The first debate over Jackson’s involvement came in 2006 from a video by YouTuber Qjimbo showcasing similarities between songs in the Sonic game and Jackson’s own music.
The video was then followed up on a 2005 interview with ex-Sega Technical Institute director Roger Hector. He said Sega recruited him to compose music for Sonic 3, but the sexual abuse allegations made Sega erase the music. However, Qjimbo’s video said the music wasn’t erased and various pieces in the tracks resembled Jackson’s melodies.
In 2009, Michael Jackson’s musical director Brad Buxer claimed that he worked on the Sonic 3 OST for four weeks back in 1993. Sega did not confirm this, with ex-Sega of America president Tom Kalinske stating that if he was involved, it was without their knowledge.
It’s now 2022 and welp, cat’s out of the bag.


SEA Games 2019 Esports Live Update: Day 1 Results

The SEA Games 2019 Esports matches begin today! Nine Southeast Asian countries have sent their athletes to battle it out across six video games for a chance at winning 18 medals. Let’s see who’s conquering the first day:
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

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

StarCraft II

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

Hearthstone

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

Day one has concluded and it’s good to see Malaysia holding up well across the board. It’s good to see most of the other teams putting up a good fight against each other. Now we wait and see what’s going to happen on Day 2.
Catch the SEA Games Esports tournaments here:


These Are The Most Popular (And Expensive) Genshin Impact Characters Since Launch

miHoYo’s free-to-play action RPG Genshin Impact has been taking the world by storm ever since it launched for the PS4, PC, Android and iOS back in September 2020. According to a report by mobile app analytics company Sensor Tower, the mobile version of Genshin Impact alone has managed to surpass a whopping US$1 billion in player spending to date.
Compared to the likes of even Niantic’s Pokemon Go (which reached its first US$1 billion in nine months), it only took Genshin Impact around six months to achieve the same impressive feat. This makes Genshin Impact the fastest title ever to hit the US$1 billion milestones on both the Google Play Store and App Store.

What made players spend so much in Genshin Impact? Why? To obtain new playable characters through the game’s gacha system, of course, and that means spending a lot of money in the game. Developer miHoYo has been steadily adding new characters into the game with every major update, including the latest 1.4 update which recently went live last week.
Who Are The Most Popular Characters In The Game?
Here they are, in ascending order. These results are based on single-day spending estimates on both the Google Play Store and App Store following the release of each respective character. Basically, that translates to how much money was spent on these characters on the day they became available in the game and during their banner events (where a slew of character’s gacha rates go up for a limited time). Whether they have a sexy kit for in-game combat and Elemental Bursts, or whether they have a cool backstory and personality, the results are clear as day.
5. Albedo (US$9.1 million)

4. Hu Tao (US$12.9 million)

3. Ganyu (US$14.8 million)

2. Xiao (US$15.1 million)

1. Zhongli (US$15.5 million)

You heard right: the top two characters are Zhongli and Xiao. Seems like the players love their bishounen with edgelord qualities. And the funny thing is Zhongli started off his debut banner with the worst-possible kit for a 5-star character, but it was fixed a few months later. This proves that character design, backstories, and personalities are arguably more important than how they play, though Zhongli’s kit isn’t anything to scoff at on a base level.
Hu Tao is the most recent character on this list since her banner debuted three weeks ago. To climb up to US$12.9 million in that short amount of time is quite a feat and a testament to the frightening power of character-driven gacha games.
Was your favourite character on the list? In the meantime, you can check out our other Genshin Impact features and news articles here.


PlatinumGames Could Make As Many As 9 Bayonetta Games, Says Vice President

PlatinumGames vice president Hideki “Twitter banlord” Kamiya plans to make more Bayonetta action games for the world, at least according to a recent IGN Japan interview.
The Bayonetta director/supervisor/producer said that creators need to “have their own convictions” and make the games they want to make instead of what many people want, using Bayonetta as a prime example.
“Taking the Bayonetta IP as an example, while I have a structure in mind for where the story is going to go far into the future, players are only able to pass judgment on the story that they have at the moment. They’ll say things like the series is going to end because the creators have no love for it. I want people to know that’s obviously not how it is. I love Bayonetta more than anyone. How could I not love Cereza and all the other characters I’ve fostered for this long?
I want to make a Bayonetta 4 and Bayonetta 5, and I intend on pitching them to the company. We often talk internally about how we could make nine of them. I want people who love the Bayonetta series to believe me when I say I’m not going to do anything that will betray the player.”
That would be great, though I do hope that the next entry sticks the landing better. Bayonetta 3 is a great action game, but comes with a terrible climax. At least we have Bayonetta Origins coming soon on 17 March 2023 for Nintendo Switch; that looks like something different and experimental for people to try out.


MMORPG Chrono Odyssey Trailer Shows Off Gameplay Footage

South Korea-based NPIXEL has unveiled the first gameplay trailer for the MMORPG Chrono Odyssey, which is slated to release for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam. However, there is currently no release date.
The game’s description reads:
Setera is a land full of unexplored regions, with rewards and riches yet unknown. Let your courage carry you to new regions as you face formidable foes. With your newly acquired control over spacetime and the alliances you form throughout your journeys, you may just yet conquer the lands you discover. There is no one way through this world filled with opportunity born of the chaos of warping spacetime. Welcome to Setera. The adventure is yours to be had.
At first glance, Setera may appear as a peaceful, beautiful land filled with nature. However, Setera is also now the frontlines of the war against the Void, which has been ongoing since the beginning of time. This land is filled with the dangers and chaos caused by twisted time and space and contradicting timelines. These same dangers provide countless mysteries and opportunities not afforded to any other world. Uncover the secrets behind Setera’s timeline and find a way to save everyone—including yourself.
There are not many details or information to go on just yet. Perhaps more will be revealed in the future.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Michelle Yeoh Becomes First Malaysian To Win An Oscar

Michelle Yeoh has made history by becoming the first Malaysian (and Asian woman) to win an Oscar or Academy Award. She won the Best Actress award for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once at the 95th Academy Awards, or Oscars 2023, which took place earlier today on 13 March 2023 at 8am GMT+8.
Check out her full acceptance speech below:

Michelle Yeoh accepts her #Oscar for Best Actress: "For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities. This is proof that dreams do come true." https://t.co/ndiKiHfmID pic.twitter.com/pQN8nHDhCx
— Variety (@Variety) March 13, 2023

Earlier this year, Michelle Yeoh also became the first Malaysian to win a Golden Globe Award at the 80th Golden Globe Awards, where she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical for the movie, Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022).
We’re proud of our Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh. We hope that her achievement will inspire more Malaysians to rise above and beyond in the global stage. Malaysia Boleh! In addition, if you’re looking to watch Everything Everywhere All At Once, you can watch it on HBO GO, or catch it in cinemas (it’s currently showing in limited screenings).
You can check out the rest of the Oscars 2023 winners by heading over here.


Diablo 3 Season 25: The Best Builds & Sets For The New Season

This feature is still under development.
Diablo 3 is getting a new Season this week and will last for a good number of months. And since it’s celebrating the franchise’s anniversary, we’re getting new Soul Shard gems to power up your favourite builds.
Speaking of which, here are the best ones we’ve found for Season 25.Â Because this guide is meant for easy builds you can create in a day or two from diligent farming, we’re excluding Legacy of Dreams builds. These require specific gear and may take you longer than you need to farm.
At the very least, the sets are easy to get especially if you get duplicates of the same set thanks to Kanai’s Cube set item-changing powers. Here are the best easy-to-farm builds for each class in Diablo 3 Season 25 (via Maxroll.gg).
Monk

Inna Mystic Ally
The last Season’s best Monk build is stronger than ever thanks to the Soul Shards. The Inna Mystic Ally build is tanky and makes you go through the Season’s content pretty quick, and has useful pets with variable elements. Make sure the Dregs of Lie Soul Shard on your weapon is the one that buffs up your Mystic Allies.
Skills
LMB -Way of the Hundred Fists (Assimilation)
RMB – Cyclone Strike(Implosion)
1 – Mystic Ally (Fire Ally)
2 – Dashing Strike (Radiance)
3 – Epiphany (Desert Shroud)
4 – Serenity (Ascension )
Passives: Beacon of Ytar, Seize the Initiative, Near Death Experience, The Guardian’s Path
Kanai’s Cube Powerup: Messerschmidt’s Reaver, Bindings of the Lesser Gods, Ring of Royal Grandeur
Gear
Armor & Set: Inna’s Radiance (Sliver of Terror gem), Inna’s Vast Expanse (3x Diamonds), Inna’s Hold, Inna’s Favor, Inna’s Temperance (2x Diamonds), Aughild’s Power, Aughild’s Search, The Crudest Boots.
Weapon: Shenlong’s Fist of Legend (Dregs of Lies), Shenlong’s Relentless Assault (Emerald).
Amulet/Ring: Focus (Bane of the Trapped), Restraint (Gogok of Swiftness), Squirt’s Necklace (Enforcer).
Patterns of Justice Tempest Rush
Not as strong as in Season 24, but still very useful nonetheless. Turn on Sweeping Wind, use Tempest Rush for max damage, Blinding Flash and Breath of Heaven when needed. Spin to win, baby! The Essence of Anguish makes the mob deaths all the faster and DOT-plentiful.
Skills
LMB- Tempest Rush (Flurry)
RMB- Serenity (Ascension)
1 – Sweeping Wind (Inner Storm)
2 – Epiphany (Desert Shroud)
3- Blinding Flash (Faith in the Light)
4 – Breath of Heaven (Blazing Wrath)
Passives: The Guardian’s Path, Harmony, Seize The Initiative, Beacon of Ytar
Kanai’s Cube: Balance, Mantle of Channeling, Ring of Royal Grandeur
Gear
Armor & Set: Decree of Justice (Sliver of Terror), Mirrors of Justice, Lamellars of Justice (3x Diamond), Bazubands of Justice , Mountains of Justice (2x Diamond), Captain Crimson’s Silk Girdle, Captain Crimson’s Waders, Cesar’s Memento,
Weapons: Won Khim Lau (Essence of Anguish), Pig Sticker (1xEmerald)
Amulet/Ring: Squirt’s Necklace (Bane of the Trapped), Convention of Elements (Bane of Stricken), Unity (Taeguk)
Sunwuko Tempest Rush
This Monk build uses the Monkey King’s Garb set and focuses on Tempest Rush and Sweeping Wind combo damage. Similar to the Patterns of Justice build, but not quite. The poison damage and DOT effects from Essence of Anguish helps strengthen this build.
Skills
LMB- Tempest Rush (Flurry Rune)
RMB- Serenity (Ascension)
1- Epiphany (Desert Shroud)
2- Sweeping Wind (Inner Storm)
3-Blinding Flash (Faith in the Light)
4-Mystic Ally (Air Ally)
Passives: Harmony, Beacon of Ytar, Seize the Initiative, The Guardian’s Path
Kanai’s Cube: Balance, Mantle of Channeling, Ring of Royal Grandeur
Gear
Armor & Set: Sunwuko Crown (Sliver of Terror), Sunwuko Balance, Sunwuko’s Paw, Sunwuko’s Soul (3x Diamond), Sunwuko’s Leggings (2x Diamond), Cesar’s Memento, Captain Crimson’s Silk Girdle, Captain Crimson’s Waders.
Weapons: Won Khim Lau (Essence of Anguish), Vengeful Wind (1x Emerald)
Amulet/Ring: Squirt’s Necklace (Bane of the Trapped), Convention of Elements (Bane of Stricken), Unity (Taeguk)

Witch Doctor

Arachyr Corpse Spider
Arguably the easiest set to get in the first few hours if you’re grinding and farming for the Witch Doctor, depending on your luck. This build has high DPS and is fun to play, and its starter gear is easy to get thanks to the Season 25 buffs and Soul Shard powerups. Your Corpse Spider is going to be your best attack here.
Skills
LMB- Soul Harvest (Languish)
RMB- Corpse Spider (Leaping Spiders)
1- Horrify (Frightening Aspect)
2- Pirahnas (Pirahnado)
3- Locust Swarm (Cloud of Insects)
4- Spirit Walk (Jaunt)
Passives: Pierce the Veil, Confidence Ritual, Grave Injustice, Swampland Attunement
Kanai’s Cube: Echoing Fury, Mask of Jeram, Ring of Royal Grandeur
Gear
Armor & Set: Arachyr’s Vision (Sliver of Terror), Arachyr’s Mantle, Arachyr’s Claws, Arachyr’s Carapace (3x Topaz), Arachyr’s Stride, Brood of Araneae, Lakumba’s Ornament, Depth Diggers (3x Topaz)
Weapons: The Spider Queen’s Grasp (Dregs of Lies), Shukrani’s Triumph
Amulet/Ring: Traveler’s Pledge (Enforcer), Compass Rose (Bane of Trapped), Ring of Emptiness (Simplicity’s Strength)

Crusader

Thorns of the Invoker
This set is part of Haedrig’s Gift if you complete all the early Season 25 paths, so you can get started with high-level farming. The Thorns of the Invoker build utilizes Thorns to deal most of its damage and all from Punish. The Remnant of Pain Soul Shard helps amplify this further and buffs your crits.
Skills
LMB – Punish (Celerity)
RMB- Steed Charge (Endurance)
1- Consecration (Bed of Nails)
2- Iron Skin (Reflective Skin)
3 – Laws of Valor (Critical)
4 – Akarat’s Champion (Hasteful)
Passives: Heavenly Strength, Iron Maiden, Fanaticism, Finery
Kanai’s Cube: The Furnace, Belt of the Trove, Convention of Elements
Gear
Armor & Sets: Crown of the Invoker (Sliver of Terror), Burden of the Invoker, Pride of the Invoker, Shackles of the Invoker, Zeal of the Invoker, Aquila Cuirass (3x Diamond), Captain Crimson’s Silk Girdle, Captain Crimson’s Thrust (2x Diamond)
Weapons: Flail of the Charge (Remnant of Pain), Shield of the Steed
Amulet/Ring: Traveler’s Pledge (Bane of the Trapped), Ring of Royal Grandeur (Bane of Stricken), Compass Rose (Boyarsky’s Chip)
Roland Sweeper
This build revolves around the Roland’s Legacy set Sweep Attack and buffing this AoE skill. With the items and equipment here, your Sweep Attack will be your main damage dealer; it’s fast and effective. The Soul Shards basically make this a cut above the typical set builds for the Crusader. The best part? No need for any Support skills!
However, you will need a Golden Flense mace to solve the Sweep Attack’s Wrath meter drain. Until you find that weapon, you’ll need to use a Punish standard attack as your LMB main.
Skills
LMB – Sweep Attack (Blazing Sweep)
RMB – Condemn (Vacuum)
1- Iron Skin (Flash)
2- Steed Charge (Draw & Quarter)
3 – Laws of Valor (Unstoppable Force)
4 – Akarat’s Champion (Prophet)
Passives: Finery, Heavenly Strength, Indestructible, Holy Cause
Kanai’s Cube: Golden Flense, Magefist, Ring of Royal Grandeur
Gear
Armor & Sets: Roland’s Visage (Sliver of Terror), Roland’s Mantle, Roland’s Grasp, Roland’s Bearing (3x Diamond), Captain Crimson’s Silk Girdle, Captain Crimson’s Thrust (2x Diamond), Roland’s Stride
Weapons: The Furnace (Essence of Anguish), Denial
Amulet/Ring: The Traveler’s Pledge (Bane of the Trapped), The Compass Rose (Bane of the Stricken), Convention of Elements (Gogok of Swiftness)

Wizard

Firebird Flame Blades
Despite the nerfs it’s getting in Season 25, the Firebird’s Finery set still burns bright. You still can die if a demon so much as sneezes at you, but its high DPS and fast-paced gameplay make it worth the trouble. The Shard of Hatred and Remnant of Pain can help mitigate some of the weaknesses and nerfs of the set.
Skills
LMB – Spectral Blade (Flame Blades)
RMB – Disintegrate (Chaos Nexus)
1 – Explosive Blast (Chain Reaction)
2 – Teleport (Safe Passage)
3 – Black Hole (Spellsteal)
4 – Frost Nova (Bone Chill)
Passives: Audacity, Evocation, Elemental Exposure, Unwavering Will
Kanai’s Cube: Orb of Infinite Depth, The Shame of Delsere, Ring of Royal Grandeur
Gear
Armor & Set: Firebird’s Plume (Shard of Hate), Firebird’s Talon, Firebird’s Breast (3x Topaz), Firebird’s Tarsi, Aughild’s Search, Aughild’s Power, Captain Crimson’s Silk Girdle, Captain Crimson’s Thrust (2x Topaz).
Weapons: Fragment of Destiny (Remnant of Pain), Firebird’s Eye.
Amulet/Rings: The Traveler’s Pledge (Gogok of Swiftness), Convention of Elements (Bane of Stricken), The Compass Rose (Bane of Trapped).

Barbarian

Waste Whirlwind Rend
Still the best and most consistent Barbarian build ever. Spin to win using Whirlwind, but with Rend effects. Furious Charge to get to one spot super-fast and get all the buffs from Band of Might. The Essence Anguish makes it all the more painful for mobs.
Skills
LMB – Furious Charge (Merciless Assault)
RMB – Whirlwind (Wind Shear)
1 – Rend (Bloodbath)
2- Sprint (Marathon)
3- Ignore Pain (Bravado)
4 -Wrath of the Berserker (Insanity)
Passives: Rampage, Nerves of Steel, Boon of Bul-Kathos, Pound of Flesh
Kanai’s Cube: The Furnace, Mantle of Channeling, Band of Might
Gear
Armor & Set: Helm of the Wastes (Sliver of Terror), Pauldrons of the Waste, Gauntlet of the Wastes, Cuirass of the Wastes (3x Diamond), Tasset of the Wastes (2x Diamond), Sabaton of the Wastes, Lamentation, Mortick’s Brace.
Weapons: In-geom (Essence of Anguish), Ambo’s Pride (1x Emerald)
Amulet/Rings: Squirt’s Necklace (Molten Wildebeast’s Gizzard), Focus (Taeguk), Restraint (Bane of the Trapped).

Necromancer

Rathma Army of the Dead
The best Necromancer builds are all Legacy of Dreams-focused, so we have to resort to this Rathma set to make your life a bit easier. The Bones of Rathma Necromancer build is pet-focused & comes with a nuke: summon skeletons, bum rush them onto enemies, use Army of the Dead often and stay away from enemies. The Soul Shards on this build help amplify your minion’s strength and durability further.
Skills
LMB- Grim Scythe (Cursed Scythe)
RMB- Command Skeletons (Frenzy)
1- Bone Armor (Dislocation)
2 – Army of the Dead (Blighted Grasp)
3 – Blood Rush (Potency)
4 – Revive (Horrific Return)
Passives: Spreading Malediction, Eternal Torment, Swift Harvest, Grisly Tribute
Kanai’s Cube: Nayr’s Black Death, Fate’s Vow, Ring of Royal Grandeur
Gear
Armor & Set: Rathma’s Skull Helmet (Sliver of Hate), Rathma’s Spikes, Rathma’s Macabre Vambrace, Rathma’s Ribcage Plate (3x Topaz), Rathma’s Ossified Sabatons, Captain Crimson’s Silk Girdle, Captain Crimson’s Thrust (2x Topaz), Bonds of C’Lena.
Weapons: Jesseth Skullscythe (Essence of Anguish), Jesseth Skullshield
Amulet/Rings: Squirt’s Necklace (Gogok of Swiftness), Krysbin’s Sentence (Bane of the Trapped), Convention of Elements (Zei’s Stone of Vengeance)

Demon Hunter

Marauder Sentry
The Marauder Sentry has taken over as Season 25’s best and viable Demon Hunter build after the OP Gears of Dreadland Hunger Arrow build. If you love Sentry, Multishot, and Cluster Arrow, this build is for you. The Dregs of Lies and Sliver of Terror help amplify the damage dealt from your skills further.
Skills
LMB- Evasive Fire (Focus)
RMB- Multishot (Arsenal)
1- Sentry (Polar Station)
2- Companion (Wolf Companion)
3- Vault (Tumble)
4- Vengeance (Seethe)
Passives: Cull the Weak, Ambush, Custom Engineering, Ballistics
Kanai’s Cube: Dead Man’s Legacy, Zoey’s Secret, Ring of Royal Grandeur
Gear
Armor & Sets: Marauder’s Visage (Sliver of Terror), Marauder’s Spines, Marauder’s Carapace (3x Diamond), Marauder’s Gloves, Marauder’s Treads, Wraps of Clarity, Captain Crimson’s Silk Girdle, Captain Crimson’s Thrust (2x Diamond).
Weapons: Yang’s Recurve (Dregs of Lies), Bombardier’s Rucksack.
Amulet/Rings: Squirt’s Necklace (Zei’s Stone of Vengeance), Focus (Bane of the Trapped), Restraint (Enforcer)


Bike Lovers Will Be Excited For The New LEGO Technic Yamaha MT-10 SP

LEGO has announced the all-new 42159 LEGO Technic Yamaha MT-10 SP. This extraordinary replica of the real motorcycle in LEGO Technic form combines the boundless power of imagination with the heart-racing thrill of the open road, resulting in a true masterpiece of engineering and creativity.
Brace yourselves, motorcycle enthusiasts and LEGO lovers, for an exhilarating project that will ignite your passion for speed and creativity. Designed with meticulous attention to detail, the 42159 LEGO Technic Yamaha MT-10 SP captures the essence of Yamaha’s iconic motorcycles. Drawing inspiration from the esteemed flagship Hyper Naked range, the stripped-back aesthetic honours the premium styling of its real-life counterpart.
Every aspect of this model has been crafted to faithfully replicate the Yamaha experience. It boasts authentic detailing that mirrors the finest attributes of Yamaha motorcycles, including LEGO Technic renditions of the 4-cylinder engine and the multi-speed transmission. The gearbox elements, such as the shift drum, shift fork, gear shift ring, and ratchet drum, have also been thoughtfully incorporated, enhancing the model’s realism and captivating builders with their precision.
The 42159 LEGO Technic Yamaha MT-10 SP delivers an unparalleled building experience, uniting motorcycle enthusiasts and LEGO fans in a shared passion for precision, innovation, and the pursuit of excitement. To complement this remarkable set, a display stand is included, allowing builders to proudly showcase their creations. Measuring over 25 cm high, 44 cm long and 15 cm wide, the set serves as an exceptional gift idea for motorcycle collectible aficionados and devoted Yamaha enthusiasts.
The 42159 LEGO Technic Yamaha MT-10 SP set will be available for the price of RM999 across LEGO Certified Stores, LEGO Official Store on Lazada, Shopee, LEGOLAND, as well as major retailers and department stores in Malaysia from 1 August 2023.


Dota 2 Hit Six-Year Low in Player Count

Dota 2 fans boast of having one of the largest esports communities and players bases in the world. Little do these people know that the MOBA game is currently experiencing its lowest player count since 2014.
Why is that? According to Dot Esports, the average player count for Dota 2 has fallen below 385,000, while the peak player count has continued to dip, reaching a pathetic 627,790 (for the month of December 2019).
The glaring difference is made more apparent, considering that Dota 2 managed to reach a peak player count of more than one million just earlier in January 2019.
What’s the problem with Dota 2? Well, there are no new players coming in, due to the current level of already present in the community and the steep learning curve.
As for older players, nothing is keeping them playing, despite all the pointless updates, new characters, and meta overhauls. Valve needs to do something to revitalize Dota 2, or it will be populated with nothing but sketelons.


Atlus Unveils Groovy New Persona 5 Royal Opening

Atlus has released the brand new opening sequence for the upcoming Persona 5 Royal. It will also be on display at the Sega/Atlus booth at Tokyo Game Show 2019 from 12 to 15 September 2019 at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan, where attendees will be able to experience Persona 5 Royal hands-on.
The new Persona 5 Royal opening features a new song and more intricate animated sequences, as well as showcasing the mysterious new female member of the Phantom Thieves, Kasumi Yoshizawa. Compared to the original Persona 5 opening sequence, Persona 5 Royal‘s is more vibrant and colourful in nature.
Perona 5 Royal is slated to release in Japan on 31 October 2019 (Halloween!) while the rest of the world (other Asian regions and the West) will receive the localized version of the game sometime in 2020.
For all the additional information and details on Persona 5 Royal that we have so far, head on over here. In the meantime, check out the swanky new opening sequence below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdyH3qHq1eA&w=560&h=315]


Here’s What Destiny 2’s Final Season Has To Offer Over The Next 3 Months

Bungie’s shooter isn’t dead yet, if the latest Annual Pass content is of any indication.
Destiny 2: Forsaken and its final Annual Pass content, The Season of Opulence, hasn’t hit live servers yet. However, Bungie has teased players with a roadmap revealing what’s coming in the next three months.
Check out the trailer for the upcoming new season below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZAnNh_y5Go]
The Season of Opulence will go live on 4 June, six hours after the launch of the final Raid, Crown of Sorrows.

The first activity on the list is the new Menagerie activity. Based on the trailer, it seems like Menagerie is some kind of wave-based mode similar to Escalation Protocol or the Blind Well.
The next week, starting on 11 June, the Menagerie will see a new boss. The quest for the Exotic rocket launcher Truth also starts on the same day.
Iron Banner returns on the next week, 18 June, featuring an all-new questline for players to earn armour. Another Menagerie boss arrives this week as well.
Bungie launches the Heroic mode for Menagerie on 26 June. There’s no guessing what Heroic has to offer as no one knows what the mode is yet.
The following week, 2 July, players can seek out the Lumina. This is Destiny 2â€™s fifth Exotic hand cannon in four seasons and based on the design, it might be another Weapon of Sorrow.
On 9 July marks the opening of the Tribute Hall and Moments of Triumph. Bungie hasn’t revealed anything here yet.
The end of July is the time for celebration. The Solstice of Heroes holiday event returns.

This is the time to search for new secrets and hidden quests. The hidden quest in the previous season, the Zero Hour mission, wasn’t discovered by anyone until a few days.
Here’s hoping Bungie slips more secret missions into the next season.
A Better Tomorrow?
It feels like yesterday that the second season, Season of the Drifter, was released, and now here we are, with the final season of Year 2.
Destiny 2 has gone very far from its initial bad days, which I admit I was very cross about. However, the Forsaken expansion, as well as the Annual Pass, has redeemed itself and is now a great game to pick up with tons of endgame activities to do.
Season of Opulence will happen from 4 June until the end of August. Destiny‘s next Forsaken-sized expansion might be revealed or released around September, but that’s just my speculation.


The RGB Razer Visa Card Is Now Open For Beta

It’s already a running gag by now. Razer is first and foremost a gaming peripherals maker, but it has made non-related stuff in the past, the most infamous of which was the Razer Toaster.
Razer has announced the Razer Card, in collaboration with Visa. It’s a prepaid card that offers cashback whenever you spend, with the option of paying through the virtual card.

https://twitter.com/minliangtan/status/1313367171259461633

If you’re a true gamer, you can even opt for the Premium card, the world’s first card that literally lights up on payment. You know, if you can’t get enough of all that RGB.
Beta testing for the Razer card is now open exclusively to 1337 users in SIngapore who are 16 years and above.

Here’s how to sign up:
Fill up and submit the form on the official website. Please ensure that the email address and mobile number provided is associated with your Razer Pay account.Be informed via email on the status of your submission within 7 days.Download or update your Razer Pay app to view and access the Card Beta within the app upon acceptance.
What else does Razer have in store in the future? Razer drones and Razer fast-food chains? In other related news, Razer recently announced RazerCon 2020; a full-day digital event produced by the peripherals giant with its network of hardware and software partners.


Naraka Bladepoint Adds Bruce Lee Skins & A Free Weekend

24 Entertainment has announced that the legendary martial arts master, Bruce Lee, is coming to Naraka BladepointÂ via a series of character skins that pay homage to his most iconic outfits.
A total of eight skins will be coming to the forerunners of Morus Island inspired by Leeâ€™s iconic films. Fans of Bruce Leeâ€™s filmography will recognize looks from Enter the Dragon, Fist of Fury, The Big Boss, and the fan-favourite yellow tracksuit from cult classic Game of Death. Tianhai, Kurimi, Yueshan, and Valda will be the first characters to have Bruce Lee skins available with additional skins arriving at a later date.
New players looking to experience Naraka BladepointÂ will have the perfect opportunity during the gameâ€™s free weekend. Beginning from 12am GMT+8 on 18 December 2021 to 12am GMT+8 on 21 December 2021, the game will be free to play for players around the world. Players will be able to wade into battle in the all-new Bruce Lee skins and unleash the new Nunchuck weapon.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Warzone 2.0 Pre-Load Is Double The Size On Xbox Compared To PlayStation & PC

With the launch of Warzone 2.0 literally hours away, players can now pre-download the assets required to run the game at launch, with the size of the update varying from platform to platform.
In a Tweet from CharlieIntel, they clarify that the pre-load update is about 32GB on PC, roughly 25-30GB on PlayStation, and 50-60GB on Xbox.

It’s 32GB on PCAround 50-60GB on Xbox And 25-30GB on PlayStation (the content packs have updates along with the base game) pic.twitter.com/IGpmI1xuyx
— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) November 16, 2022

In the replies to the Tweet, people—mainly Xbox users—are sharing their frustrations in regard to the size of the update when compared to other platforms. CharlieIntel reported that the Xbox update is roughly 50-60GB but looking through the replies, you can see that the update size varies from person to person, with some people’s updates being almost 100GB.

Left is Xbox series X and right is Xbox One. Nice 60gb update pic.twitter.com/QXi2IgpmAM
— Bullet Daddy (@BulletDaddy556) November 16, 2022

WHO YOU TELLIN pic.twitter.com/au5Um5Ic78
— ????????? (@SchmeefBurgh) November 16, 2022

Another user claims that their PC update is 70GB.

On PC 70gb.. And I have MW2 pic.twitter.com/vZ7bUZEzgx
— ar_ok17 (@Arok173) November 16, 2022

We’re currently unsure as to why exactly these update sizes differ so greatly, but if you’re looking to pre-load Warzone 2.0 to play at launch then be sure to start downloading now as it could take the entire day to update depending on you’re internet speed.


Lunark’s Cinematic Platforming Antics Entertains & Frustrates Simultaneously

Platform(s): PC (version reviewed), PS4, PS5, Xbox Series, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre: Cinematic platformer brought back from the 90s
You have to thank folks like Jordan Mechner, Paul Cuisset, and Éric Chahi for introducing cinematic experiences in the 90s era of gaming. Not only do you have lavish artwork and animation to admire, but also a challenging set of games with tough platforming and puzzles to sort out, along with their intended combat mechanics.
Of course, the real kicker of these titles is how “realistic” your characters move; because of the extra set of animations your main protagonist has, you have to anticipate delays and responsiveness when doing basic actions like stopping while running, jumping, and loading your weapon. Because nothing screams “fun” like fighting both the controls AND the obstacles present in front of you.
Sarcasm aside, these titles were made for their time, and I’m not sure who else wants to see these kinds of experiences surface again in 2023. Based on the huge Kickstarter list in the credits and in-game text bits of Canari Games’ latest 2D platformer Lunark, there are a lot of them. They’re probably sadomasochists, but there’s a certain appeal to these cinematic platformers, and Lunark has that charm to keep you going in its 5-hour playtime.
Jumping Jack Flash(back)

You play as Leo, who is tasked with getting an artifact from another alien planet. Upon returning, things went haywire and you have to find out what’s going on and why you’re being hunted down. There’s quite a tale going on here, especially since you are wondering why your main character is a half-man-half-cat hybrid who wields a laser gun and can use shields. It’s all unravelled methodically without wasting your time, with the star of the game being its 2D pixel artwork and animation. And the aggravating controls.
Don’t get me wrong: folks who like their cinematic adventure platformers will love how purposely difficult it is to control the game, from the movement to the jumping. And truth be told, Lunark handles it well with its instant inputs, and the fact that you don’t have to turn to the direction of the platform ledge when you’re climbing up ledges. But a lot of Lunark’s combat and platforming bits come to trial and error at times.
Half the time I don’t know if I will die jumping down from certain ledges without attempting a leap of faith. Sometimes it doesn’t pay off and I have to start the section all over. To the game’s credit, doors you unlocked earlier and machines you activated will remain unlocked and turned on even if you die and go back to the checkpoint. No need to do the process all over again, at least.
An Unlikely Adventure?

If you like a Flashback or Another World throwback title that kindles your nostalgia, go ahead and jump into Lunark. It’ll keep you sated for a few hours with its lush pixel artwork and quirky puzzle-and-platforming gameplay. I cannot recommend this title to anyone else looking for a standard and modern 2D gaming experience, because Lunark is purposely designed for that specific 90s mindset. Bump a couple more points onto the final score if you’re into that semi-frustrating-but-lush-pixel-cinematic experience.
Final Score: 60/100


Here Is Our Early Contender For Best Game Soundtrack Of 2018

Our very own Mr Toffee created a SoundScape video focused on this year’s best soundtrack: Octopath Traveler for the Nintendo Switch. Find out what’s the big deal below:

Thanks, Yasunori Nishiki! For more Octopath Traveler goodness, check out our review and our guide below:
Review
Guide


EA’s New Football Game Without The FIFA License Has Its Release Date Leaked

EA’s new football game is coming out this year and will not have the FIFA license. The game will be rebranded as EA Sports FC 24, with its release date leaked recently.
EA Sports FC 24 will allegedly launch on 29 September for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, according to bilbil-kun (via Video Games Chronicle). Which isn’t really surprising to many, as that’s when all football games from EA will come out: at the tail end of September.
What might be surprising is that the game will offer a one-week early access period. However, just like most games with early access days prior to launch, you’ll need to buy the Ultimate Edition of the upcoming football game.
Why the name change? Apparently FIFA asked EA to pay US$1 billion to use the FIFA name in its new football titles. The latter clearly refused. This led FIFA to work with third-party studios and publishers to possibly make a new football game without EA’s help. Here’s a quote from FIFA president Gianni Infantino:
“I can assure you that the only authentic, real game that has the FIFA name will be the best one available for gamers and football fans. The FIFA name is the only global, original title. FIFA 23, FIFA 24, FIFA 25 and FIFA 26, and so on–the constant is the FIFA name and it will remain forever and remain THE BEST.”
It remains to be seen if EA Sports FC 24 will do better than the last FIFA game. After all, FIFA 23 has reached 10.3 million players during its first week of launch last September.


Netflix’s Gears Of War Movie Takes On Dune Co-Writer Jon Spaihts

Netflix’s Gears Of War movie is progressing quite well as the project adds Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Jon Spaihts. He is best known for co-writing Warner Bros. Dune, Dune Part Two and 2016’s Doctor Strange. That’s pretty impressive, considering how good the first Dune movie was back in 2021 (check out our review here).
Speaking with Variety, Spaihts said:
“Gears Of War is one of the all-time great action games, with vivid characters, a beautifully designed world, and a combat system that drives home the lethality of war and the importance of standing by your squadmates. It wants to be cinema, and I’m thrilled to have the chance to help that happen.”
Gears Of War developer The Coalition said:
“We’re thrilled to partner with Jon and the Netflix team to bring ‘Gears of War’ to life. Jon is a master storyteller with a talent for creating epic, science-fiction universes, and he truly loves ‘Gears of War.’ We couldn’t ask for a better partner to honor our franchise and deliver an authentic story to our fans.”
Netflix’s plans to adapt the Gears Of War franchise includes live-action feature film, followed by an adult animated series, as well as more potential adaptations.
The first Gears Of War game was originally launched for Xbox 360 in 2006. The most recent instalment was 2019’s Gears 5 for the Xbox One and PC, as well as 2020’s Gears Tactics, which was a turn-based strategy spinoff game.
Netflix’s Gears Of War movie was originally announced back in November 2022.

Jon Spaihts (Dune 1 and 2 and Doctor Strange) will adapt the iconic video game Gears of War into a live action feature film for Netflix! https://t.co/OHDAQUPm0l
— Netflix (@netflix) March 21, 2023


Diablo 4: How To Find The Butcher & Get His Unique Weapon

The Butcher is an iconic boss in the Diablo franchise. he’s a big demon with a butcher’s axe who chases down beginner players and hacks them to death, and he’s pretty fast on his feet too. And takes quite a beating. And also has the immortal intro quip “Fresh meat!”
The last time action RPG folks fought the Butcher is in Diablo 3 as one of the game’s earlier bosses. Well, he’s back again in Diablo 4, and in a way that’s sure to terrorize you.
How To Find The Butcher In Diablo 4
You don’t find the Butcher; the Butcher finds you!
See, the Butcher in Diablo 4 is a boss who randomly appears in any of the game’s dungeons. Once he appears at random at a spot in said dungeon you’re in, he’ll give chase and attack you. The Butcher leaves the area when (a) he kills you and your party or (b) too much time has passed in the fight. We’re not sure how long he’ll stick around if you keep kiting the demon though.
The Butcher’s attack plan is simple: he runs up to you and deal huge melee damage until you’re dead. He can also do a stomp that causes Fear and Slow status effects. Simple, yet effective. Here’s a video from YouTuber Pupsker on how to effectively kill him; it took him 3+ minutes so at least you know The Butcher won’t bail from the fight after that amount of time.

If you do manage to kill him, you will get the only Unique item in the beta: The Butcher’s Cleaver (via Icy-Vein). Stats & info about the weapon are below:

Gear Type: Unique Axe
Class: Any
Trait:
-Lucky Hit: When you Critically Strike an enemy you have up to a 100% chance to Fear and Slow them by 70% for 4 seconds.
-Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies+
-Critical Strike Damage+
-Critical Strike Chance against Injured Enemies
-Damage to Injured Enemies
-Critical Strike Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies
So yeah, it pays to team up as a party in case The Butcher pops up. Plus, the Unique Item isn’t a guaranteed drop, so you may need to pray to the RnG gods in hopes that you can fight him again and again.
Will There Be Other Diablo Bosses Ambushing You?
Personally, I like this idea of a surprise boss to ambush players when they’re doing dungeon runs; it makes for entertaining streams and also loot run experiences. My wishlist for surprise boss fights is as follows:

Skeleton King (D1)
Ghom (D3)
Archbishop Lazarus D1)
Andariel (D2)
Duriel (D2)
Baal, or an Aspect of him (D2)
Belial (D3)


Kaiju No. 8 Anime Reveals Teaser Trailer And Poster

Kaiju No. 8, the sci-fi fantasy manga that has been recently getting attention since its launch in July 2020 on Shueisha’s Shonen Jump+ website, is getting an anime series.
Earlier this year, creator Naoya Matsumoto confirmed the manga adaption is in the works. After a long silence, a teaser trailer of the project has gone live. The trailer showcase Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell) will be handling the adaption production and Studio Khara (Rebuild of Evangelion) is in charge of designs and artwork. The anime will be getting its debut in 2024; no specific release window is mentioned.

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??????????#ProductionIG????????????#?????????????????????
????PV???https://t.co/p9KcivvAxB#KaijuNo8 pic.twitter.com/fDSp7zaEet
— ???????? (@KaijuNo8_O) December 15, 2022

Not familiar with the series? Here’s the original synopsis of Kaiju No. 8;
“With the highest kaiju-emergence rates in the world, Japan is no stranger to attack by deadly monsters. Enter the Japan Defense Force, a military organization tasked with the neutralization of kaiju. Kafka Hibino, a kaiju-corpse cleanup man, has always dreamed of joining the force. But when he gets another shot at achieving his childhood dream, he undergoes an unexpected transformation. How can he fight kaiju now that he’s become one himself?!”

The official Kaiju No.8 Twitter account releases the key art of the protagonist, Kafka Hibino’s Kaiju transformation. We are definitely loving the badass design. It’s going to take a while for both studios to get the full series ready but from the looks of its teaser trailer, it will turn out gorgeous and diabolical. The series has a total of eight volumes published digitally and physically. It is also one of the top-selling titles at Shonen Jump this year, based on Oricon annual report.


You Can Change Genders At Any Time In Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

During the Ubisoft Forward live stream earlier this week, Ubisoft confirmed that players would be able to change the genders of protagonist Eivor (from male to female and vice versa) at will and at any time in the game.
The same goes for romance in the game, as Eivorâ€™s gender will not limit or change any of the available romance options that will be present in the final game. This means that players can romance anyone and everyone possible regardless of what gender they choose.
Speaking with IGN, Ubisoft’s Youssef Maguid confirmed that â€œthere are multiple people you can romance in the game, and you can romance all of them as either gender.â€ This won’t exactly be new, as Assassinâ€™s Creed Odyssey already featured the mechanic of romance options not being restricted by the playerâ€™s gender back in 2018.
Male Eivor (left), Female Eivor (right).
However, the main difference between the two games is that Alexios and Kassandra in Odyssey are two different characters, while both male and female Eivor are essentially the same character albeit in different genders.
To explain this new gender-switching mechanic,Â Assassinâ€™s Creed Valhalla narrative director Darby McDevitt attributed it an upgraded Animus. He said:

â€œTo explain why would spoil a long-running secret, but I will say that the whole reason for why you can switch [Eivorâ€™s gender] back and forth fully embraces the often-overlooked science fiction nature of our series.”

Assassinâ€™s Creed ValhallaÂ is slated to release for the PS4 and Xbox One, as well as PC via the Epic Games Store, Uplay, and Stadia on 17 November 2020. Itâ€™s also coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X, but a release date was not announced.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrwKP2iTPb8&w=560&h=315]


Vampire Survivors Gets 4-Player Co-Op Update For Xbox Next Month

You don’t have to kill Castlevania-esque sprites in reverse bullet hell WASD combat all by your lonesome anymore.
During an ID@Xbox Showcase session, Vampire Survivor developer poncle has announced a new 4-player couch co-op update that’s due 17 August for all versions of the game. The update is basically just that: up to 4 players can slay together on the same screen in the same room.

Vampire Survivors is out right now for cheap on PC and Xbox consoles; it’s also free on Xbox Game Pass.


Old Master Q Comics Publisher Dies At 98

Years ago when I was still a kid living in Penang, I remember looking forward to reading the â€˜Lao Fu Ziâ€™ or Old Master Q comics during my trips to the barber. Despite not understanding the dialogue (since it was in Mandarin), the humour transcended the limitations of language and I still found the comics extremely funny.
As reported by the Sin Chew Daily and China Press, the publisher of the Old Master Q comics, Wu Zhongxing, has died at the age of 98. He was the founder of the renowned Ng Hing Ke Book & Newspaper Agency and has been working together with Old Master Q comics creator Alfonso Wong until the latter’s death in 2017.
The Old Master Q comics features an elderly and lanky man dressed in a distinctive traditional Chinese attire named Old Master Q, with many supporting characters that he engages in laugh-out-loud and slapstick shenanigans with. To this day, the Old Master Q comics goes on and remains in publication, thanks to the late Alfonso Wong’s eldest son, Joseph Wong Chak.

In remembrance of the late publisher, check out some of the funny Old Master Q comic strips below. The best thing about these comics is that you don’t even need to understand Mandarin to find them funny.


Blizzard President Confirms Exact Diablo 4 Launch Times

Blizzard Entertainment President Mike Ybarra has clarified the global launch times for Diablo 4. He also confirmed that those who pre-ordered the Deluxe and Ultimate editions of Diablo 4 will be the first to play on 1 June 2023.
He announced it via Twitter:

Oops, I was wrong! Early access for Deluxe and Ultimate pre-orders in the US is Thursday 6/1 at 4PM, 6/2 at 12am in Europe, 6/2 at 8am in Asia. Regular launch 6/5 at 4pm, 6/6 at 12am Europe, and 6/6 8am Asia. https://t.co/ArlnmZE3AJ
— Mike Ybarra (@Qwik) April 5, 2023

“Oops, I was wrong! Early access for Deluxe and Ultimate pre-orders in the US is Thursday 6/1 at 4PM, 6/2 at 12am in Europe, 6/2 at 8am in Asia. Regular launch 6/5 at 4pm, 6/6 at 12am Europe, and 6/6 8am Asia.”
In follow-up Tweets, he confirmed the US time was in Pacific Time. For Europe, he confirmed that it was in British Standard Time, and for Asia, he confirmed it was Korea Standard Time.
What that means is that for those in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, Diablo 4 will be available on 7am GMT+8 on 6 June 2023.
In the meantime, head on over here for our review-in-progress of the game after playing the open beta.
Check out the latest Diablo 4 video below:


Narita Boy’s 2D Retro Platforming Both Intrigues & Frustrates

Platform: Xbox One/Series, PS4/PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch
Genre: 2D Action Game With Tron’s Plotline
The best kinds of stories do not have to be original written works. Otherwise, nothing will get done. Narita Boy’s “stranger in a strange-yet-familiar land” isekai tale is a familiar story if you’ve seen films like Tron, even right up to the digital world and retro stylings. You play the title character, who happens to be a kid sucked into the Digital Kingdom and is put in charge of stopping an evil red program called HIM who is terrorizing the place. You also have to help unlock the memories of the world’s Creator so that whoever this entity is can help you stop HIM.
So, after its humble Kickstarter beginnings in 2017 up until its developer Studio Koba managed to get publishing help from Team17, is Narita Boy a worthy odyssey for your time? Yes it is, though its 2D Metroidvania platforming needs a bit more work.

Vintage Wine
I’ll say this: Narita Boy’s aesthetics are about as retro and as purposefully murky as you can get. The game’s digital world from deserts to forests are pixel-drawn to loving detail. The characters from your title swordwielder to even the random chatty-catty NPCs here just look good moving around and remaining in their idle state.
Still, as hypnotic as the world of Narita Boy is, it can get really busy and confusing. This is apparent in later stages where the reds in the colour palette are really strong and there’s a lot of foreground clutter going on. Thankfully, you can turn on the soft filters so that the “80s” retro-look is toned down and is less strenuous on the eyes. I felt the burn after a couple of hours staring at Narita Boy’s gorgeous-yet-busy filter-laden artwork. It can be a bit much if your eyes aren’t trained to endure such saturation and unique lighting.
How’s the game though? Like I said, the Digital Kingdom and its many coloured Houses are divided into sections -Metroidvania style- each with their own semi open-ended areas for Narita Boy to explore. You fight a lot of HIM’s enemies ranging from zombies to even shielded foes, as well as annoying bats and programs flying Red Baron-esque fighter planes.
You also have to do a lot of platforming and also use items and techniques you get to ascend to higher platforms or traverse certain obstacles. These range from sword moves like the Uppercut that lets you jump higher than usual, and the Shoulder Dash that destroys barricades that block your way. When it comes to the fighting and basic movement, Narita Boy gets really fun. I never had any issue with the fighting and combat controls. Narita Boy’s sword swipes are fine and combo really well, as well as comes with cancel properties so you can attack and cancel to a dash to dodge oncoming attacks.
After much practising and getting the timing down pat, killing off zombies while also comboing your sword strikes to your shotgun/laser charge blasts become intuitive after the first hour or so. With more moves like the aforementioned Uppercut and Shoulder Dash, you also get more opportunities to attack enemies from the air, or even avoid attacks altogether and prep for a counterattack.
The boss fights are also challenging without being utterly unfair. From a program that shoots out pixelated blocks at you to a disappearing-and-reappearing white-cloaked ghost giant, defeating them is a clear case of figuring out their patterns. Standard stuff, but it’s done in a pretty exhilarating way that makes you wish Narita Boy came with a boss rush mode post-completion.

Technope
This brings us to a niggling point: Narita Boy’s other controls are hit-and-miss. Just moving inch-by-inch precisely during non-fighting bits can be troublesome as Narita’s default movement speed doesn’t allow him to tip-toe to certain parts of the floor.
Sometimes, it takes a few extra unnecessary seconds just to place Narita Boy in line with the door so that he can go to the next room. Jumping in Narita Boy can also be awkward, because his jump arc can sometimes not make him land precisely on a platform. Short of pressing down to do an instant vertical quick drop, Narita Boy’s jumping physics is all over the place. Don’t act too shocked if you’re taking way longer than you should when doing a jumping puzzle. This also gets aggravating when you also have to unnecessarily backtrack through previous locations a couple of times. You also don’t get a map, meaning you have to commit a number of pathways and areas to heart. With the levels being pretty expansive and the game lasting about 7 hours or so, you will get lost quite a bit.
For context, I played Narita Boy right after completing another Metroidvania action title Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth. The latter game’s controls just blows the former out of the water.
Narita Boy’s gameplay and challenges are invigorating and exciting, but nowhere near the level and polish of other Metroidvania titles with spot-on controls and feel. Still, I would recommend you power through Narita Boy just for its plot and aesthetics alone. Without spoiling anything, let’s just say there’s a big reason why the game’s narrative uses a lot of Japanese symbolism throughout the Digital Kingdom, and why the colours red, yellow, and blue are prominent in its design. Dive deep in this immersive 2D pixel-savvy world Studio Koba has created; just mind the controls.
Pros

Fun boss fights & enemy gauntlets.
Sweet combat controls that rely on sword swipes and dodging.
Beautiful graphics & artwork.
Great plot that fleshes out the motives of the world.

Cons

Awkward platforming controls & movement.
Some areas have terrible backtracking methods and layout.
Default aesthetics can be a headache to some.

Final Score: 70/100


Malaysia’s GigaBash Nintendo Switch & Xbox Ports Are In The Works

Malaysian developer Passion Republic Games have announced that they are officially porting GigaBash to Nintendo Switch and Xbox platforms. However, they also admit that it will likely be a while before these ports will be released.

A quick announcement, we’re porting #GigaBash to Nintendo Switch™ & Xbox! It’s harder than it sounds tho… please give us a bit of time! ?????
 #PassionRepublicGames pic.twitter.com/ioH3hBhx9S
— GigaBash (@GigaBashGame) February 17, 2023

GigaBash is an arena brawler featuring four players as giant monsters inspired by classic kaiju battling it out in cities and exotic places around the world.
GigaBash is now available on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, as well as PS4 and PS5, via PlayStation Store. In the meantime, check out our review here or head on over here for our guide to unlocking more Titans in the game.


Retro Cute-Em-Up Cotton Gets A Reboot; Hooray To All 5 Of You Fans Out There

Does anyone here remember the 1991 arcade 2D shooter classic Cotton which features a pink-haired witch, her shapely skimpy sprite-slash-option, and some pretty dark and dreary graphics for a saccharine game of this stature? No? I’m not surprised.
Well, we’re getting a reboot of this Japanese classic, courtesy of a game company called Beep which is a sales division of Japanese company Sangatsu Usagi no Mori. Called Cotton Reboot, this game will be out for PC, PS4, and Switch.
The reboot will feature a new “Arrange Mode” that will probably remaster the graphics to an acceptable standard for 2019. If you’d rather play the arcade and X68000 version of the game, you will get that in this bundle. Beep also plans to re-release the floppy disk version of Cotton. Remember floppy disks?
Cotton had quite a following back in the 90s, spawning a couple of sequels including a Space Harrier-esque spin-off called Panorama Cotton, which I heard is fetching quite a high price among retro-gaming collectors out there. Here’s some gameplay of the original Cotton in all of its witch anime glory.

No release date has been announced yet.


EVO 2022 Melty Blood Player Beats Opponent 3-2 With Guitar Hero Controller

EVO 2022 is already making history with crazy fighting game plays like a Street Fighter 5 pools match featuring Caba versus Uzura. The craziest so far is a player beating another with an unorthodox controller for a fighting game.
A participant named My Wife’s Son was competing in the Melty Blood: Type Lumina EVO 2022 tournament and brought a Guitar Hero controller, of all things, to play in the tournament. He did quite well for himself. He managed to snag 129th place using a Guitar Hero controller, even going 3-2 against a player named Rix. I’ll say this: My Wife’s Son makes it look easy and effortless.

???????????????????????#Evo2022 #MeltyBlood #MBTL pic.twitter.com/8mqiGwWkuH
— WISE/WIREDHOUSE (@oha_wise) August 5, 2022

Omg it's the same guy the stickers confirm it. pic.twitter.com/yGXNTNo3Yb
— AussaFP (@AussaFp) August 6, 2022

Omg it's the same guy the stickers confirm it. pic.twitter.com/yGXNTNo3Yb
— AussaFP (@AussaFp) August 6, 2022

It may not be a top 8 placing, but he made it pretty far while making a spectacle out of it. At the very least, people are talking about it on Twitter. The last time he used a Guitar Hero controller in an EVO tournament was in EVO 2019 during an Under Night In-Birth tournament, competing under the name Mad Camelz Lord Hoseph Dong.


Dread Pilots Is A New Space Survival Game From Don’t Starve Devs

During the PC Gaming Show 2023, Klei Entertainment announced Dread Pilots. It’s coming to PC via Steam in 2024.
From Klei Entertainment, creators of Don’t Starve, Invisible Inc, and Griftlands comes Dread Pilots, a new space survival exploration sandbox game. You are a Dread Pilot, an unfortunate soul trapped in a dangerous and uncaring purgatory with only your wits to aid you in your quest to escape.
The Dread is a pocket dimension somewhere between deep space and a nightmare. You face mutated, carnivorous plant life, mind-bending anomalies, living computers, fanatical cults, space vampires and more as you traverse its many regions in a desperate search for resources and allies. Explore dark infected caverns, soar past glistening technological landscapes, and navigate chaotic mineral fields, all animated in Klei Entertainment’s signature hand-drawn 2D style.
Check out the trailer below:


[Report] Ken Levine’s Ghost Story Team Trapped In Development Hell

It seems as if the creator of Bioshock and his team is nowhere close to releasing a game at all, despite having so many years of operating since 2014.
According to reports from Bloomberg (via Kotaku), Ken Levine’s small game studio Ghost Story Games is in a state of perpetual development hell due to the founder himself. The studio was meant to be a small company that delivers on big ideas and is helped out by 2K’s financial backing, but nothing has popped up due to Ken Levine’s managerial style.
His way of running the studio -the kind that delayed Bioshock Infinite for years before settling on a 2013 date & scaling back its grand ideas- has caused the employees of Ghost Story Games burnout, pain, and grief. Ex-co-founder Mike Snight left the company with its other founders due to Ken Levine’s “creative process” where he wishes to create a triple-A game with an indie team, along with his temperament and perfectionist attitude.
Levine would have his team work on an idea before scrapping the whole thing on a whim. He also had ideas of having “narrative Legos” that offer different experiences to every player, which is in conflict with his other idea of a cinematic game that lets him see everything at once; something that even big studios have issues working on.
While some may applaud Ken Levine for thinking big, people like him need producers and realists to ground him and actually ship a product. And as I’ve stated earlier, this all makes sense given the troubled development of Bioshock Infinite.


Overwatch League: Resilient Spitfire Crowned Stage 1 Champions

London Spitfire defied the odds, showed incredible grit and pulled off a remarkable reverse-sweep to win the Grand Finals of Stage 1 in the Overwatch League by defeating New York Excelsior 3-2. Playing their 14th map of the day entering the final map on Dorado, Spitfire earlier played two top ranked teams within the span of 10 hours in the form of NYXL and Houston Outlaws and no one gave them much of a chance heading into the finals.

After defeating Houston Outlaws 3-1 in the 2nd/3rd playoff game, London Spitfire head into their third match of the day almost immediately, aiming for revenge for their earlier loss as well having an eye on the US$100,000 prize money. It was indeed a questionable schedule, seeing championship teams forced to play back-to-back matches and hopefully such scenario does not repeat itself again this season.

Probably due to fatigue, the Spitfire looked disjointed and less coordinated compared to their rivals at the start as they lose Map 1 on Junkertown. The combination of Pine and Libero outplayed Profit and the highly impressive Birdring to open the series 1-0. However situation went from bad to worse for Spitfire on Map 2 as the confident Excelsior carried on their momentum to win back-to-back maps on Oasis to go 2-0 up. Undeterred, London pulled off an epic defense on Horizon Lunar Colony as their DPS pair lit up the killfeed to start their comeback. Score moved to 2-1 and we had a game in our hands.
A strong hold on Numbani Point A tied the score 2-2 before Spitfire showed everyone that they are made of sterner stuff, while also consigning the players of NYXL, who were infamous for choking when it mattered when playing under the old LW Blue banner, another playoff loss with an epic performance

Stage 2 of the Overwatch League season starts February 22nd and we are in for a treat as Stage 1 Week 5 matches will be reversed which will see another huge Spitfire vs Excelsior showdown. Other matches include:

All times are according to Malaysia local time. Stay tuned to Kakuchopurei.com as we bring you the analysis of Stage 1 of the Overwatch League’s inaugural season.


The Book Of Boba Fett Will Be A Separate Show From The Mandalorian

After last week’s The Mandalorian Season 2 finale, Disney Plus has finally officially announced The Book Of Boba Fett. It will be a separate TV series from the upcoming The Mandalorian Season 3.
However, it will take place in the same general timeline and timeframe as The Mandalorian. This opens up the possibilities for more potential crossovers between the two series.

The Book of Boba Fett, a new Original Series, starring Temuera Morrison and @MingNa Wen and executive produced by @Jon_Favreau, @Dave_Filoni, and Robert @Rodriguez, set within the timeline of #TheMandalorian, is coming to #DisneyPlus Dec. 2021. pic.twitter.com/vAoPWpxquq— Disney+ (@disneyplus) December 21, 2020

The tweet also confirms that both Temuera Morrison and Ming-Na Wen will reprise their roles as Boba Fett and Fennec Shand, respectively. Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni and Robert Rodriguez (all of whom are also involved with The Mandalorian) will be executive producers of the new series.
According to Variety, The Book Of Boba Fett is already in production, which means that we might be seeing it premiere before The Mandalorian Season 3. It is set to premiere sometime in December 2021.
The Mandalorian Season 3 is set to enter production right after The Book Of Boba Fett finishes filming so we might be seeing it a bit later than December 2021.
The Book Of Boba Fett is the eleventh Star Wars TV series to be announced after the ten previously-announced ones, which includes an Ahsoka series and more.
In the meantime, check out my breakdown of The Mandalorian Season 2 finale and what it might mean for Season 3.


F1 2018 Release Date Announced With First Gameplay Footage of Monaco

Strap yourselves up as developers Codemasters just announced that the official video game for the Formula One World Championship, F1 2018 is set to drop worldwide on August the 24th 2018 for the PC (via Steam), Xbox One and PS4 – on the same weekend as the weekend of the Formula 1 2018 Belgian GP at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps Circuit.
â€œWe were delighted by the reception that the highly-acclaimed F1 2017 game received, and are extremely excited to be able to further build on such a strong starting point with F1 2018â€ said Paul Jeal, F1 Franchise Director at Codemasters.
â€œOver the past few years we have engaged heavily with our fan-base to understand what is important to them, and we cannot wait to unveil more details on features we know our fans will love. Career mode has been further expanded to immerse players even deeper into the world of F1 than before, with the return of a highly requested feature back into the franchise. We are also adding more classic cars, again listening to our fans as to which of the historical F1 cars they would most like to virtually drive next. Outside of those headline additions there are many other great enhancements to be revealed before the game launches.â€ he added.Â
So what’s in store? Well, you can expect the most realistic depiction of an F1 racing game in the market since …. since the game’s last iteration which we reviewed here. Aesthetics-wise, the cars will look different this year most notably due to the halo safety device around the drivers’ cockpit and you’ll get to drive around new circuits which weren’t in last year’s game;Â the Circuit Paul Ricard, which last hosted the French Grand Prix in 1990 and the Hockenheimring which is set to host the German GP in this year’s race calendar.
You can get a glimpse of the game in the video below as Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 team driver, Charles Leclerc shows you around his ‘home’ track of Monte Carlo in Monaco.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4C01Psi7nM&w=560&h=315]
For more info on F1 2018, you can follow their official website here as well as their social media accounts on Twitter and Facebook.


You May Want To Hold Off Getting Cyberpunk 2077 For Now…

Computer role-playing game fans looking for their cyberpunk fix in CD Projekt’s latest, out now by the way, may want to wait a while before spending US$60 and above on the triple-A title.
According to a heckaton of Twitter posts and news feed, the game has a ton of bugs and glitches, arguably moreso than their previous blockbuster CRPG The Witcher 3. This is apparent on the base Xbox One and PS4 versions of the game, which not only has glitches from the PC versions but also a lot of optimization-related issues that just makes the game barely playable. Last gen woes, in other words.

Will never progress in Cyberpunk 2077 because I can't stop watching every single driver slowly crash into this one barricade and then yell at me about it pic.twitter.com/AqE5wbCsvT
— Chris Livingston (@screencuisine) December 10, 2020

Long story short:
Rockstar is still unmatched at making immersive open-worlds #Cyberpunk2077 pic.twitter.com/aEzogt0k3Z
— ???? (@ClunkSpider) December 9, 2020

This is Cyberpunk 2077 on PS4 currently. Shockingly disappointing. pic.twitter.com/J5nXB0gEYO
— ajb1310 (@ajb1310) December 10, 2020

Imagine defending this. Cyberpunk 2077 is a terrible game. Base PS4 footage. pic.twitter.com/uHTmMACi3R
— Michael Does Life (@MichaelDoesLife) December 9, 2020

Don’t worry everyone we’ll just crunch the staff for another year to iron these out. pic.twitter.com/brj1v0ibtj
— Steven (@MrDelabee) December 10, 2020

https://twitter.com/delaypubk2077/status/1336870084548038657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1336870084548038657%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.polygon.com%2F2020%2F12%2F9%2F22166912%2Fcyberpunk-2077-base-ps4-xbox-one-bugs-issues-glitches-performance-trees-bushes
https://twitter.com/Spray_UK/status/1336645207023099905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1336645207023099905%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pcgamer.com%2Fcyberpunk-2077s-release-version-is-still-buggy-as-hell%2F

Keep in mind that these aforementioned issues will not show up if you’re running the console versions of Cyberpunk 2077 on next-gen consoles like PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Also, keep in mind that footage that exists prior to the 10th December “Day Zero” update will contain worst glitches and bugs.
Of course, the PC version of the game plays just fine and comes out unscathed. Sure, there seems to be some foliage that pops up now and again, but that’s been patched out by recent graphic driver updates. Still, some issues pop up on the PC version. NSFW glitch at the end; you’ve been warned.

DO NOT LET ME DRIVE IN CYBERPUNK pic.twitter.com/SsMVVdggpA
— J (@mnkzi) December 10, 2020

https://twitter.com/Maityoman/status/1336867961752023040

Cyberpunk 2077 is a landmark video game: the first I've ever played where my character's dick started clipping through their pants after I changed equipment.
— Nerium (Nere) (@neriumstrom) December 9, 2020

Best #Cyberpunk glitch so far, absolutely flawless 10/10 pic.twitter.com/xzgAH1uHYw
— FISK (@FiskyBizniz) December 9, 2020

Our CyberTake
We are currently 10 hours or so in Cyberpunk 2077, playing the Xbox One version on the Xbox Series X console. Apart from slight frame rate drops on performance mode and the “draw in” issues during daytime Night City segments, and the occasional missing HUD during non-story bits which required a reload, the game plays just fine.
It’s still absurd that in this day and age publishers still want to release games in its current state just to satiate shareholder and gamer demands. In a way, this also ties in to the company’s alleged mismanagement and eventual crunch work periods covered in great detail by the media.
However, seeing as CD Projekt’s starting point has always been PC gaming, and the fact that in hindsight the company could have just opted to release the console versions after the PC version (optimization takes time), you could chalk this up to the company biting off more than they can chew. I doubt the company would lose much if they opted to release the game just for PC, and then worry about the console versions at some point; probably early next year.
Still, if releasing unoptimized base versions of the game means more publicity, even the bad kind, CD Projekt got their wish.Â In the meantime, enjoy the following trending Cyberpunk 2077 memes using the “PS4 1.00, below 720p” joke.

This is Cyberpunk 2077 – PS4 version 1.00. Resolution is literally below 720p and the game takes 20 seconds to load in textures. Inexcusable. Unfathomable. Unplayable. pic.twitter.com/BZbgdlsCOX
— Mecca Allahzilla (@TheEpicDept) December 10, 2020

This is Cyberpunk 2077 – PS4 version 1.00. Resolution is literally below 720p and the game takes 20 seconds to load in textures. Inexcusable. Unfathomable. Unplayable. pic.twitter.com/bDoTI7aSz9
— albert camus fancam (@GoudaOnRye) December 10, 2020

https://twitter.com/YellowParenti/status/1336881435899285504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1336881435899285504%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.polygon.com%2F2020%2F12%2F9%2F22166912%2Fcyberpunk-2077-base-ps4-xbox-one-bugs-issues-glitches-performance-trees-bushes