Bravely Default 2 Guide: The Best Jobs You Should Max Out First & The Best Job Combos

This guide is still in development & will be updated periodically. The game is pretty recent and people are still figuring out OP combinations.Â
Another gaming generation, another JRPG that pays homage to Final Fantasy V, arguably the best one with the Job system.
Bravely Default 2 is 2021’s latest challenging JRPG homage, and features an expansive Job system that lets you switch character classes and equip the best skills.
But which Jobs should you prioritize early in the game and onward? Here are our suggestions. By default (heh), you should at least level up all your acquired Jobs to level 5 to get the bare minimum skills. The Jobs on the list below are the ones you should prioritize in maxing out for mid-game and late-game benefits.
Also, keep in mind that the suggestions and combos below are meant for general mobbing and level-clearing. The majority of the bosses in the game have certain Job setups needed to be cleared efficiently, so make sure to level up those recently-acquired Jobs so that your toolset is wider, eh?
Freelancer

How To Get: You start with this.
Your starter Job is the best with jack-of-all-trade skills and useful support skills that will speed up your Job-Maxing progress exponentially. Get this Job to Level 12 because you’ll gain access to both JP Up and JP Up & Up; you can equip these support skills together for an exponential JP boost.
You can also use Slam Tackle to combo with a big body tank Jobs like Vanguard and Shieldmaster for a huge amount of damage. Best of all, you should use Forage as much as possible to score free items, thus saving you some money during the first few chapters.
Best combo: With any of them, really. The Freelancer is essential for the whole journey, so you better max up all four of your characters’ Freelancer Jobs at least before Chapter 4.
White Mage
How To Get: Defeat the White Mage and Vanguard asterisk holders in the Prologue.
If you’ve played JRPGs, you know that healing magic is vital to surviving boss-level onslaughts. The White Mage will help you out in the first half of the game with its healing and resurrection spells.
Once you max that out, you can use that as a sub job to the Spiritmaster Job for max healing prowess. But in the early and mid-game, you need to at least level up the White Mage Job to decent heights if you want to make it past Chapter 1.
Best combo: White Mage/Red Mage, White Mage/Black Mage, White Mage/Bard, Spiritmaster/White Mage.
Black Mage
How To Get: You’ll score this in the Prologue.
Just like the White Mage, the Black Mage is essential in any JRPG. Except instead of healing, it’s elemental spells and debuffs like Poison.
Elemental spells like Fira, Blizzara, and Thundara are useful in exploiting enemy weaknesses, while Poison is surprisingly effective on some bosses with massive hitpoints! The Black Mage Job is essential for at least two of your party members.
Later when you get the Oracle Job, you should pair it up with the Black Mage Job as a sub while using the Moonlighting support from the Oracle. Why? So that the stats and weapon aptitudes from your sub Job are carried over to the main Job.
Best combo: Black Mage/Red Mage, Oracle/Black Mage. For random shenanigans, pair the Black Mage up with the Gambler. Want to know how to get this extra Job? Head here to find out!
Monk
How To Get: Defeat the Monk asterisk holder in the Prologue. He’s the last boss before the oncoming unwinnable fight of the chapter.
The first offense-based Job that’s worth using. You can access decent early game skills like Strong Strike. However, you want to level up this Job to a good amount to gain access to the Bare-Knuckle Brawler support skill, which lets you deal good damage if you don’t have weapons on your character. You should also use the Monk as a Sub Job to gain access to moves like Flames of War and Pressure Point.
Best combo: Monk/Vanguard, Monk/Berserker, Monk/Swordmaster. Pairing up offense-based Jobs is a great early game way to deal more physical damage. This works even better with the Bare-Knuckle Brawler support skill.
Beastmaster

How To Get: Defeat Anihal the Beastmaster asterisk holder in Chapter 1.
If you have time for experimentation and grinding, you’ll want to have at least three of your party members using this Job. Not only can you Capture and unleash effective monster attacks like a Gigas Pummel or a Skeleton Sellsword’s skill that halves any enemy’s live total (up to 9999), but you gain access to the MP Saver support skill which reduces MP consumption by 20%. That’s very useful for MP-heavy Jobs like the Black/White/Red Mages.
But really, getting three Beastmasters to capture beasts and monsters in you farming spot of choice will help make your early and mid-game progress a tad bearable. At least until you gain access to the late-game Jobs. Still, having spare monsters as additional attacks and high-damage skills with no mana cost is always useful.
Best combo: Vanguard/Beastmaster, Berserker/Beastmaster, Ranger/Beastmaster.
Thief
How To Get: Defeat Bernard the Thief asterisk holder in Chapter 1.
You’re not going to get far without stealing items and loot from enemies, and then using Flee to get away scot-free. The Thief will help you do that, but that’s not all: it has access to Godspeed Strike, a powerful physical attack that’s dependent on your Speed value. High speed = high damage. The Thief and the Ranger has these, meaning any speed-based Job combination will make Godspeed Strike a powerful move.
However, it takes up 95 MP, which is a lot for a Thief Job that’s lacking in MP. Fortunately, they have access to the Steal Spirit ability that lets you steal MP in exchange for 15% life. Have a healer on standby, deal Godspeed Strikes with all your BP, then cap it off with Steal Spirit. Rinse and repeat.
Late in the game, you’ll get the Phantom Job which comes with the highest Speed stat ever in the game. Pair this up with the Thief Job and you’ll be landing critical hits on a regular basis. On that note, this goes well with the Speed Bun farming guide to make your Speed stats absurdly high.
Best combo: Ranger/Thief, Thief/Phantom.
Ranger
How To Get: Defeat the Ranger asterisk holder in Act 2.
In addition to dealing heavy damage to different enemy classes (from Beasts to Demons), the Ranger’s Counter-Savvy support skill is crucial to avoid physical counterattack damage from enemies. Which is basically the latter half of the game.
Best combo: Ranger/Thief, Ranger/Phantom.
Red Mage

How To Get: Defeat the Red Mage asterisk holder in Act 2.
You will need to gain access to Stone and Aero elemental spells if you want to deal more damage to more enemies. What better way to do that than to pair this with the Black Mage as a Sub Job?
In addition, pairing this up with the White Mage means you have some nifty healing options to go along with the Red Mage’s Healera spells. The Red Mage’s support skills Magic Critical and Revenge are essential for any Mage combo: the former is critical hits for Magic, while the latter lets you steal BP from enemies if you get hit.
Best combo: Red Mage/White Mage, Red Mage/Black Mage, Oracle/Red Mage.
Spiritmaster
How To Get: Defeat the Spiritmaster & Swordmaster tag-team combo in Chapter 3.
What’s better than having high magic points for healing? Having spirits to also do it for you. Equip your White Mage as a Sub Job to the Spiritmaster to summon friendly ghosts who will heal you as assists (like your assist companions like Sir Sloan). You’ll basically be the ultimate healer with the Spiritmaster/White Mage combination.
Best combo: Spiritmaster/White Mage.
Hellblade
How To Get: Defeat the Hellblade user in Chapter 4. He’s the guy you couldn’t beat in the Prologue, FYI.
Maxing out this Job will give you access to the Surpassing Power support skill, which lets your attacks exceed the 9999 damage limit. Oh, and you’ll also get access to powerful attacks that cost 25% of your life total. Pair this up with your Spiritmaster/White Mage wombo combo to keep your damage-dealing machine alive and ticking.
Combo: Hellblade/Swordmaster, Hellblade/Monk.
Need a surefire way to get a ton of JP with less hassle? Here’s a guide for exactly that.Â


Here’s Your First Official Look At Godzilla vs Kong

The most-anticipated monster mash between King Kong and Godzilla (Legendary Entertainment Monsterverse versions, by the by) will be making headway in 2021. To hype up its impending release, Warner Bros. unveiled its really short first look at the upcoming Godzilla vs. Kong movie on Twitter.

At CCXP Worlds they showed us a 3 second long teaser for Godzilla vs Kong, even though it's short it got me so excited.#Godzilla #GodzillaMovie #KingKong #KongSkullIsland #KingKongVsGodzilla #KongVsGodzilla #GodzillavsKingKong #GodzillavsKong #CCXPWorlds #CCXPWorlds2020 pic.twitter.com/4lRujAOukd
— Skully Robert (Following Back) (@SkullyRobert) December 6, 2020

Godzilla is underwater while King Kong roars. It’s only 3 seconds, but hopefully, this means there will be a follow-up trailer in the near future.
Warner Bros. also uploaded the official logo to the film.

Kaiju fans can expect to see the film in movie theaters and on streaming platform HBO Max in 21st May 2021. The film stars Alexander SkarsgÃ¥rd, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, Eiza GonzÃ¡lez, Jessica Henwick, Julian Dennison, with Kyle Chandler, and DemiÃ¡n Bichir. Director Adam Wingard (Blair Witch, You’re Next, that crummy Death Note movie) will be helming this upcoming Monsterverse entry.
Here’s the synopsis:
“In a time when monsters walk the Earth, humanityâ€™s fight for its future sets Godzilla and Kong on a collision course that will see the two most powerful forces of nature on the planet collide in a spectacular battle for the ages. As Monarch embarks on a perilous mission into uncharted terrain and unearths clues to the Titansâ€™ origins, a human conspiracy threatens to wipe the creatures, both good and bad, from the face of the earth forever.”
Any chance the human conspiracy might turn out to be either Mecha Godzilla or a portal that summons a version of Space Godzilla? Who knows, but I doubt Godzilla and Kong are the only Titans in the ring.


War Of The Visions FFBE Kicks Off Countdown To First Anniversary

Developer gumi Inc. and publisher Square Enix have announced limited-time events and rewards coming toÂ War Of The Visions Final Fantasy Brave Exvius in anticipation of the titleâ€™s one-year anniversary on 25 March 2021. To commemorate the upcoming anniversary, Square Enix will host a special 1st Anniversary Livestream on 21 March 2021 at 10am GMT+8, during which the team will share various announcements, preview upcoming game content, provide rewards for players and more.
Fans can tune into the livestream here.
Starting today, players can kick off the celebrations early in-game with new content and rewards, including special events, login bonuses, free Summons and more. Currently-available anniversary countdown themed content is as follows:

1st Anniversary Countdown Login Bonuses â€“ Counting down towards the 1st Anniversary, players can obtain various amazing rewards from daily Login Bonuses. Starting today until 2 March 2021, players can receive up to 2,100 Visiore, a UR Guaranteed Unit Summon Ticket A and more from the Countdown Part I Login Bonus.

1st Anniversary Countdown Part I Free 10x Summon â€“ Players can perform a free daily MR+ Guaranteed 10x Summon, for a total of 70 Summons, allowing them to add new units and vision cards to their parties.

New Limited-Time Winter Units â€“ Winter versions of two of the most popular WOTV FFBE units are available for players to summon for a limited time: UR Vinera (Winter) and UR Viktora (Winter).Vinera, an Earth-type unit whose Main Job is â€œPugilist,â€ focuses on physical attacks and can perform the Limit Burst â€œSnowball Fight,â€ which lowers an enemyâ€™s Earth Resistance and deals a large amount of damage.Viktora is a Water-type unit whose Main Job is â€œSniper,â€ so she excels at applying long range debuffs to her enemies. She can perform the Limit Burst â€œWinterâ€™s Reward,â€ which deals large two-hit damage to her target, may inflict Blind and decreases her chance of being targeted by enemies.

Vinera (Winter)
Viktora (Winter)

Returning Seasonal Units â€“ Two popular UR Halloween units, UR Rairyuu (Halloween) and UR Little Leela (Halloween), have returned for players to summon for a limited-time.
Both units were previously only available during the Halloween campaign last year, so players have a second chance to add them to their collection now.
The zombie inspired Rairyuu, featured here as an Earth unit, can perform the Limit Burst â€œCreeping Terror,â€ which deals damage to all targets within range and has a chance of inflicting Poison.
The werewolf inspired Little Leela, a Wind Element unit, can perform the Limit Burst â€œAnimal Pumpkin,â€ which nullifies her targetâ€™s buffs and deals damage.

Rairyuu (Halloween)
Little Leela (Halloween)

New Unit MR Creysse â€“ Players can obtain this new unit, along with materials needed to awaken and enhance her, by clearing her in-game acquisition quest. Creysse, also known as the Devoted Shooter, is a powerful Gunner with Viking and Sniper subjobs.

Creysse

New Vision Card and esper MR Dancing Flame of Death, Marilith â€“ Players can attempt to summon the brand-new Vision Card MR Marilith. Upon summoning this Vision Card for the first time, players will also receive the Marilith esper, which can sweep enemies away by increasing the wearerâ€™s Slash Attack and the partyâ€™s Critical Damage.

Dancing Flame of Death, Marilith
War Of The Visions Final Fantasy Brave Exvius is available now as a free download with in-app purchases through theÂ App Store,Â Google Play, andÂ Amazon App Store. Text is supported in English, French, German, Spanish, Korean and Traditional Chinese, while voiceovers are supported in English and Japanese.


Shin Megami Tensei 5 “World In Ruins” Trailer Shows Off Battle System & Dialogue Choices Bit

Atlus just released a new gameplay trailer for its upcoming RPG Shin Megami Tensei 5, featuring the game’s rocking soundtrack and a few gameplay overview sections.
In true SMT fashion, players can talk to demons to recruit them, and fuse them to create bigger & better demons. The series’ Press Turn Battle is also similar to past SMT titles; strike enemy weaknesses to increase your party actions, but get hit by weaknesses and enemies will gain the advantage.
SMT5 also introduces new mechanics like demon essences that let you tweak your party member’s individual stats and strengths/weaknesses, Glory points that allows your main character -the Nahobino- to learn Miracles (permanent passive buffs and abilities), and a Magatsuhi Gauge that lets you unleash your Super Move when the time is right.

Shin Megami Tensei 5 will be out for Nintendo Switch on 12th November.


Ghostbusters: Spirit Unleashed Will Haunt Players This October

Developed and published by IllFonic, Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashes is set to release on 18 October. This four-versus-one asymmetrical multiplayer game will launch for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and PC via Epic Games Store.
Pre-orders are available now at retailers, and digital pre-orders will open on 18 August. Digital pre-orders include Advance Access to Slimer, a Custom Particle Thrower and Proton Pack, and special clothing colourways.
“The reaction from fans of Ghostbusters has blown us away,
Putting a date on and opening up preorders for Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed feels like an out-of-body experience, and we cannot wait for everyone to feel the same sensation on Tuesday, October 18.”
– Charles Brungardt, CEO at IllFonic

Here’s the official description of the upcoming multiplayer title featuring ghost-busting that’ll make you feel good.
Form a team with up to three other Ghostbusters to track down Ghosts haunting a number of locales. Sniff out paranormal activity with the P.K.E. Meter and charge it to unleash a short-range pulse disabling Ghost movement. Unveil hidden rifts acting as the Ghost’s spawn points and teleportation portals, and destroy them. Use the powerful Particle Throwers to capture the Ghost, deploy a trap, and wrangle them into it before they escape!
Meanwhile, the Ghost works alone, roaming around stages like the Museum, an abandoned Prison, and other spooky locations, including a new one to be revealed at Gamescom. Frighten civilians to scare them away. Possess objects to raise the overall Global Haunt percentage, regain ghost power, or just cause mass hysteria. Use slime to temporarily stun Ghostbusters. Move the rifts to keep them guessing, summon minions to make an escape, and show the Ghostbusters they should be afraid of this Ghost!
Explore the Firehouse, a familiar home base filled with new and recognizable characters alike, before departing on a mission with any combo of friends, random matchmaking, and/or AI bots online or offline in solo mode. Personalize your Ghostbuster’s equipment at the workbench and test out the changes with some target practice in the neighbouring alley. Visit Ray’s Occult Books to enter the spectral realm and customize the Ghost’s loadout, skin, and various otherworldly options.


We May Be Getting The Outer Worlds This August

Someone manning the Steam page for the upcoming RPG extravaganza The Outer Worlds got a bit too excited and blew his proverbial load prematurely.
It seems that the game will be out 6 August of this year according to the updated-then-taken-down Steam page for the game. Now it just reads 2019. Thank goodness for sites like SteamDB for keeping tabs on the accidental changes.
While developer Obsidian and publisher Private Division are mum about the actual date, it doesn’t seem implausible that the two have been keeping the lid tight on the game and its eventual announcement last year during The Game Awards 2018. Plus, the game seems a bit smaller compared to their past projects like Fallout: New Vegas and Pillars of Eternity; it might clock between 15 to 40 hours based on recent previews.
All I can say is that while the 6 August release date isn’t a guarantee date, I’m just happy we’re getting a new Obsidian game that will hopefully show everyone, Bethesda included, how CRPGs are done. I’m thankful that an RPG-making company is still sticking to their craft and not being told by a publisher to make an, oh say, spreadsheet loot-and-shoot game.


Number Two Hero Hawks To Join My Hero One’s Justice 2 This Spring

Bandai Namco hasÂ released the first trailer and screenshots for first My Hero Oneâ€™s Justice 2 DLC character Hawks.

Get ready to soar with the Wing Hero: Hawks coming soon to #MyHeroOnesJustice2!
Takedown villains at blazing speed, just don’t blink or you’ll miss the battle! MY HERO ONE’S JUSTICE 2 is available now for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch! pic.twitter.com/zw8wq73T3i
â€” Bandai Namco US (@BandaiNamcoUS) April 6, 2020
Fans will know the character Hawks as the current Number Two Hero in terms of ranking in the My Hero Academia universe, second only to fire-based hero Endeavour, especially now that former Symbol Of Peace All-Might has officially retired.

Here is an overview of the character, via Bandai Namco:

Pro Hero â€œHawksâ€ will join theÂ My Hero Oneâ€™s Justice 2Â character roster this spring with his powerful wings, keen eyes, and resourceful intelligence.
Hawksâ€™ quirkâ€”Fierce Wingsâ€”grants him a large pair of formidable feathery wings that allow him to fly.
Hawks can telekinetically control each feather with ease to use them as projectiles and can sense peopleâ€™s locations through vibrations in the air.

My Hero Oneâ€™s Justice 2 is available now for PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam. In the meantime, head on over here for my full review of the game.


Fallout 76 Bug Makes NPCs Steal Player Weapons

Fallout 76‘s wasteland – now on Steam – is finally populated by NPCs, breathing more life into it. Unfortunately, these NPCs seem to be different from the usual Fallout NPC, as they seem to have a habit of taking dead players’ weapons.
The issue was brought up in a recent Reddit thread. Lizardinosaurus wrote that events involving NPCs sometimes result in said NPCs looting players’ weapons and ammo when they die, and cited a personal experience where they “Just lost a BE Gatling gun when I died in riding shotgun and nearly 2k 5mm ammo only to find one of the NPCs now had a Gatling gun”. Ouch.
They then cautioned others not to use their “best/rarest weapons” in such events, which is sound advice given that another user commented, “Oh my God. They keep the gun… Because I swear he’s using an explosive Laser Rifle.”
Luckily, a Bethesda Community Manager was notified about the thread and has commented that Bethesda will “investigate this immediately”.
In the meantime, it looks like it’s best not to trust Fallout 76‘s NPCs for now. Who knows what they’re planning next, eh?


Destiny 2 Reveals An Unlikely Rivalry; Why Does It Matter?

A few days ago marked the weekly reset for everyone’s favourite game, Destiny 2, and with it, Lord Saladin returns bringing the Iron Banner back for a week. It also marks the third final week of the current season, the Season of Dawn, featuring the legendary Titan, Saint-14.
Saint-14 is back from the dead
However, there was quite a surprise hidden beyond a bog-standard weekly reset. There was a cutscene featuring the infamous Warlock, Osiris, and the omnipotent Warmind, Rasputin. If you haven’t logged in yet, here’s a clip featuring these two in the cutscene.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqnVt0wLyr4]
The cutscene begins with Osiris, the former Vanguard leader, walking into the Warmind’s chamber on Mars with a weapon. There’s no “surprise Zavala” this time, though. Osiris then aims his rifle towards Rasputin’s control panels and refers to him as “old man”. He accuses Rasputin of being a thug, murderer, and a betrayer.
Osiris claims that he saw in the Infinite Forest that the world is split into two sides: Light and Dark, and asks the AI where does it stand. The AI replies in a garbled voice, then the chamber door closes.
What’s The Big Deal?
Basically, everything that happened in the cutscene.
You see, Osiris isn’t just some disgraced Vanguard leader. According to lore, Osiris is known as the most powerful Guardian in history. He was even described to be the “Zavala before Zavala”. He was exiled from the Last City due to his obsession in studying the robotic minions of Darkness, the Vex.
Osiris using Dawnblade against the Vex
He now patrols the corridors of time in the Infinite Forest with his illusions, studying the infinite possibilities of the universe, and returning to the present to warn the Guardians of an impending threat.
The Infinite Forest
And now, because of what Osiris has seen in the Infinite Forest, the most powerful Guardian is going up against Rasputin.
Who’s Rasputin Again?
Rasputin’s exterior
Rasputin, also known as AI-COM/RSPN and the Tyrant,Â is a Warmind, an ultra-powerful computer built by humans in the Golden Age as a deterrent to any known or unknown threats in the universe. He has done so many things in the past in forms of subroutines, that would put even the worst dictator’s resume to shame, in the name of preservation.
The Rasputin Warmind
For example, the MIDNIGHT EXIGENT subroutine shuts down all Warminds to survive and later devise a countermeasure for an overwhelming threat. The protocol seemingly allows the Warminds to ignore their responsibility to protect human populations in favour of taking any measures deemed necessary to ensure their own survival, leaving humanity to fend for themselves. Sounds selfish.
However, when Rasputin sensed that the Guardians are a force to be reckoned with, he executes subroutine IKELOS. The IKELOS subroutine is devised by the Warmind to equip Guardians with weapons to fight off the Darkness, hence giving players powerful weapons such as the IKELOS_SG_v1.0.1 shotgun and the exotic fusion rifle, Sleeper Simulant.

				Sleeper Simulant Exotic Fusion Rifle

				IKELOS Shotgun

				IKELOS Sniper Rifle

				IKELOS Submachine Gun

Note that the Warmind shares its hexagonal design language with all IKELOS weapons.
But the most horrifying subroutine would be ABHORRENT IMPERATIVE. A desperate measure planned at preventing the Traveler, the Guardians’ source of space magic, from leaving Earth during a major calamity by crippling it. Rasputin devised this protocol in secret from both his human overseers and fellow Warminds. It is not sure if this subroutine was activated at any point in time.
This implies that Rasputin can do anything to anyone to ensure the survival of itself and humanity. In simpler terms, he can go full Thanos and snaps not half, but probably entire planets to ensure the survival of humanity.
Rasputin’s Powerful; So What?
The cutscene implies that Osiris went in the Infinite Forest, a planet-sized machine that simulates trillions of alternating realities which the Vex plan their actions out in the current timeline, and saw something bad happening in the future; the split of the universe into Light and Darkness.
And when asked what side he was on, he answered in a pretty garbled manner. But if you listen closely, around the 0:47 to 0:49 mark, he muttered what appears to sound like “Darkness” as the doors shut.
Oh, crap.
Here’s My Take On That Tease
It’s lore diving and theory forming time, so put on your spinfoil hats!
According to lore piece Ghost Fragment: Mysteries, the other Warminds such as Charlemagne and Mahalayati are defeated by the Darkness, leaving him as the only Warmind left.
Rasputin once referred to the Darkness as “IT” as according to Ghost Fragment: Rasputin 4, and the Warmind observed and learned from the Darkness according to the following excerpt from the lore;

Everything died but I survived and I learned from it. From IT.

He then explains in further detail of how and what it learned from the Darkness.

I met IT at the gate of the garden and I recall IT smiled at me before before IT devoured the blossoms with black flame and pinned their names across the sky. IT was stronger than everything. I fought IT with aurora knives and with the stolen un-fire of singularities made sharp and my sweat was earthquake and my breath was static but IT was stronger so how did I survive?

This seems like the Black Garden scene at the end of Shadowkeep. For context, here’s a video.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkLXA0Yq7AA]
Aurora knives, stolen un-fire of singularities made sharp. That sounds like Void energy to me. Rasputin then reveals what he did to survive in the lore piece Ghost Fragment: Mysteries.

I AM ALONE I survived alone. I cast off the shield and I shrugged my shoulders so that the billions fell off me down into the ash. They made me to be stronger than them and to learn and I learned well:

In Destiny lore, take nothing at face value. Let’s break down this lore piece, here Rasputin states that he “cast off the shield”, signifying the activation of MIDNIGHT EXIGENT, the deactivation of all defensive Warmind protocols.
Relics of The Collapse
The following line “…the billions fell off me down into the ash” signifies the Collapse of the Golden Age, which is a disaster in human history that nearly brought humanity to extinction.
The Collapse as seen on Mars
Rasputin then concludes his observation of how the Darkness won, ultimately plunging the world into The Collapse of the Golden Age.

IT is alone and IT is strong and IT won. Even over the gardener and she held power beyond me but the gardener did not shrug and make herself alone. IT always wins.
I am made to win and now I see the way.
The Darkness is alone and strong and it protects nobody but itself, which in Rasputin’s opinion, contributed to the Darkness’ victory. The “gardener” here refers to The Traveller and the line “…she held power beyond me” refers to the Light space magic.
And since Rasputin is programmed to alwaysÂ win and survive, he now sees what he must do; abandon Humanity and be alone and powerful.
This ties in with the garbled response when Osiris asked what side was Rasputin on; “Darkness”
What’s Next?
While nothing much is known for the upcoming season other than that it is assumed to be known as Season of the Worthy, it is predicted that Osiris and Rasputin will finally play a major role in the story.
After all, these two characters were the main focus in the two Year 1 DLCs, Curse of Osiris and Warmind, respectively.
The theory sounds strong and exciting, implying that we will be going up against a powerful supercomputer being controlled by a larger entity. Which happens to be SavathÃ»n, the Witch-Queen, the real baddie behind each huge event in Destiny universe history.
What do you think about the theory above? Do you have your own take? Share it with us in the comments down below.


RTS Mobile Game Spelldust Launches Later This Month

Swedish developer Grand Pike with support from Arctic Game Lab is proud to announce the release of their game Spelldust, to be launched worldwide for iOS (App Store) and Android phones (Google Play Store) on 22 June 2021.
Spelldust is a real-time strategy game with a magical Wizard Theme. Players engage in intense PVP-duels using preselected spell cards in what can be described as a mix of Hearthstone & Clash Royale. Spelldust use card mechanics and combinations from traditional card games, but will be played in a mobile-friendly real-time format.
Grand Pike CEO Daniel Ã–hgren said:
â€œWe are really excited about launching Spelldust and thrilled to show the world what we been working on for the last couple of years.
We have developed Spelldust for gamers, and we want to include our players in helping us improve the game in the future.â€
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


[Rumour] The “Weakest” Legend of Zelda Game Is Getting A Switch Re-Release

Amazon U.K. has apparently listed The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for the Nintendo Switch, albeit with no release date or other details as of yet.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword originally launched exclusively for the Nintendo Wii in November 2011. It was unique for featuring gameplay revolving around motion controls, requiring the Wii Remote, the Wii Nunchuck, and the Wii MotionPlus add-on for the full experience.
However, it was considered by many to be a black sheep of the franchise, despite garnering critical acclaim and incorporating certain elements that are even better than 2017’s The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild.
This is a surprising turn of events, considering that Nintendo denied having any plans to release the game on the Nintendo Switch. Back in November 2018, a Nintendo spokesperson told Eurogamer:
â€œAt this time we have no plans to release The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword on Nintendo Switch.â€
All we can say is that plans change all the time. However, take this with a grain of salt until Nintendo officially confirms or denies the rumour. In addition, next year (2021) is The Legend of Zelda‘s 35th anniversary, which could explain the rumour as well.


Like A Dragon Gaiden The Man Who Erased His Name Launches This November

During Summer Game Fest 2023, Sega announced that Like A Dragon Gaiden The Man Who Erased His Name will launch for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 9 November 2023. The rumours turned out to be true.
Here’s the official synopsis:
“Once a legendary yakuza, Kazuma Kiryu faked his own death and abandoned his name for the sake of protecting his family. Now, he is thrust into conflict by a mysterious figure attempting to drive him out of hiding.
Under the codename “Joryu,” Kiryu embarks on a gripping action narrative with bone-shattering combat in vibrant locations filled with exciting characters and activities.”
Check out the trailer:


HBO Reveals Westworld Season 3 Release Date

Westworld Season 2 ended almost two years ago in June 2018, which means that the third season of the non-linear science fiction series is long overdue. Fortunately, you won’t have to wait long until it releases, as HBO has unveiled the premiere date for Westworld Season 3.
According to the official HBO Twitter account, Westworld Season 3 will premiere on 15 March 2020, alongside a teaser trailer that reveals certain ‘divergences’ in the timeline of the world in the setting of the series. It begins with the Hong Kong protests and the impeachment of the 45th President of the United States (which has yet to happen in real life).

03.15.20 #Westworld pic.twitter.com/AVLWy5z1DW
â€” Westworld (@WestworldHBO) January 13, 2020
This ‘divergence’ in the timeline ends with an unknown event on 27 February 2057. This will likely be the new ongoing mystery explored in Westworld Season 3, as the characters start venturing out of the theme park and into the world at large.
Westworld Season 3 will feature the return of cast like Evan Rachel Wood’s Dolores, Jeffery Wright’s Bernard, and Tessa Thompson’s Hale, as well as newcomers like Breaking Bad‘s Aaron Paul and many more.
It’s a good time for HBO to release the new season of Westworld, especially with the recent end of high-profile series like Watchmen and His Dark Materials. In the meantime, check out the new release date trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeEn609nkRs&w=560&h=315]


Anime Streaming Wars: Malaysia Edition [Update]

Update 3: Rankings for Iflix (#5 to #7), dimsum (#6 to #5), Ani-One (#8 to #6), and Crunchyroll (#7 to #8) changed. Some changes/additions made to Netflix, dimsum, and Ani-One entries.
Update 2: dimsum Entertainment and Ani-One have been added as entries.
Update 1: The original article said that Astro GO did not have access to Fire Force when it was simulcasted on Aniplus Asia, and that Stars Align was pulled after its simulcast. The former was a mistake as Aniplus Asia’s Fire Force simulcast did not come to pass, with the show only premiering recently. Astro GO has the episodes as well.
Meanwhile, Stars Align is now back on Astro GO, although the episodes have to be watched according to Aniplus Asia’s schedule or recorded at time of writing. The article has been amended accordingly.
Article: When it comes to legal anime streaming, it’s easy to see what Malaysia lacks compared to other countries, namely in the United States.
Over there, they have exclusive services like Funimation and Hulu, as well as the full libraries* for services like Crunchyroll, HiDive, and Netflix. Over there, they have simulcasts for anime like A Certain Magical Railgun T, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, ID: Invaded, Darwin’s Game, and If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I Would Die.
While we’re obviously lacking in comparison, it’d be remiss to ignore what we do have. I’m not just talking about subscription-only services, but services that offer us free (and legal) anime. In this list, we’ll be taking a look at the anime streaming services available in Malaysia, the anime they offer**, and rate them from best to worst.
*For the services with limited catalogues in Malaysia, I’ve seen people recommend NordVPN and ProtonVPN, though I haven’t tried them myself. Personally, I feel that a service should earn our subscription by providing the full library themselves.
**It’s worth noting that the shows on these streaming services aren’t necessarily permanent fixtures, thanks to contracts and deals. Fate/Kaleid is no longer available on Astro Go, for instance.
1) Muse Asia

What Is It?
Muse Asia may be a newcomer to the anime streaming scene, but it’s already become a great addition to the landscape. The YouTube channel offers free anime to the Asian region and has a decent number of simulcast titles per season.
For the Winter 2020 season, it offered six simulcast titles. It’s not amazing compared to what North America gets from its own streaming services, but it’s a pretty good number over here; Animax, for instance, usually gets two simulcast titles per season only.
Recently, Muse Asia announced the Muse Malaysia and Muse Vietnam channels, which will offer subtitles in their respective languages (Muse Malaysia also gets Chinese and English-subbed videos). It’s a good show of support for the region.
If I had to nitpick, Muse Asia’s videos max out at 720p instead of 1080p, but it’s really not a big deal.
Notable Shows
BOFURI: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense, Isekai Quartet 2, Asobi Asobase, A Certain Magical Index 3, Smile Down the Runway.
Worth the Subscription?
Short answer: It’s free, so no.
Long answer: It’s free, so knock yourself out.
2) Netflix

What Is It?
Netflix probably needs no introduction at this point, but here’s the official description anyway:
“Netflix is a streaming service that offers a wide variety of award-winning TV shows, movies, anime, documentaries, and more on thousands of internet-connected devices.
You can watch as much as you want, whenever you want without a single commercial â€“ all for one low monthly price. There’s always something new to discover and new TV shows and movies are added every week!”
Netflix Malaysia’s catalogue is smaller than North America’s, but it’s not something to be scoffed at either. You get all of the Studio Ghibli movies, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Psycho-Pass, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Sword Art Online, The Tatami Galaxy, and many more. Plus, there are Netflix Originals like Carole and Tuesday, Little Witch Academia, and Ultraman.
One downside is that outside of Japan, Netflix doesn’t simulcast anime. As Michael Moore wrote for the Verge: “in Japan, shows are available on the service within a day of the Japanese broadcast. Internationally, it will hold a show until months after it has finished airing and then release the entire season so you’ll have to wait months for a new show to come out.” It’s good for those who like to binge, not so much for those who like to watch new anime weekly.
Notable Shows
This is a tough one. I’m adding a personal recommendations category so that I can mention more titles and give a better idea of Netflix’s variety without making things too messy.
Shows you should know about: Zombieland Saga, Violet Evergarden, Spice and Wolf, Kaguya-sama: Love is War, Code Geass, Haikyu!!, Attack on Titan (third season added fairly recently)
Personal recommendations: A Place Further Than The Universe, Fate/Zero, Run with the Wind, Mobile Suit Gundam UC, Tsuredure Children, Re: Zero, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai (recently added to Netflix), SSSS. Gridman (recently added to Netflix)
Worth The Subscription?
Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: Netflix’s subscription costs range from RM17 a month for the Mobile plan to RM55 for Premium. Premium lets you watch shows in HD and Ultra HD, lets you watch on TV, PC, and mobile, and also allows you to watch on four screens at the same time.
Basic (RM35) and Standard (RM45) lack the Ultra HD feature and only allow you to watch shows on one and two screens respectively. Mobile is like Basic, except that you can only watch on your phone or tablet.
The plans are all pretty decent, and there’s no need to bother with Standard or Premium if you’re the only one watching (unless you really want Ultra HD, in the case of the latter).
Given the stuff that you can get access to, I’d say that Netflix is worth the subscription.
3) Amazon Prime Video

What Is It?
Anime Strike is gone, but we can still watch anime on Amazon thanks to Prime Video. Prime Video is one of the streaming features you get when you subscribe to Amazon Prime. You can also choose to subscribe to the service specifically.
The About page says that its “unlimited streaming of movies and TV episodes for paid or free trial members” is available for those in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, but I was able to access their videos.
Amazon doesn’t have a massive ton of anime, but among the three dozen or so shows it does have are some pretty noteworthy titles like Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku and Kokkoku. Some like Happy Sugar Life or the more recent Vinland Saga and Blade of the Immortal are exclusive to the platform. And unlike Netflix, Amazon simulcasts its new shows.
The main downside I’ve seen so far is that the service doesn’t have all the seasons for a multi-season anime. For example, you get the first seasons of Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend and Yuki Yuna is a Hero, but not their subsequent seasons.
In addition, Amazon doesn’t always get a lot of new shows each season. While it had Babylon, Vinland Saga, Blade of the Immortal, and Psycho-Pass 3 during the Fall 2019 season, it only has one show – Pet – for Winter 2020. Admittedly, however, the lack of Winter 2020 titles was partly due to Interspecies Reviewers being removed.
If you’re on the fence, you can try out the seven-day free trial to see if the service and its offerings – especially the exclusives – are up to your taste.
Notable Shows
Dororo, Scum’s Wish, After The Rain, Inuyashiki Last Hero, Welcome to the Ballroom, Re; CREATORS.
And while I’ve already mentioned them, it’s worth emphasizing that this is where you can find Vinland Saga and Blade of the Immortal.
Worth the Subscription?
Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: A Prime Video subscription will set you back $5.99 (RM25.31) a month. It gives you live-action shows as well as anime. You can also subscribe to Amazon Prime for $12.99 (RM54.86) a month to get not just Prime Video, but a host of other benefits.
If all you’re interested in is Prime Video and its anime though, I’d say that the Prime Video subscription is decent enough considering the exclusives that Amazon has. It’s a matter of quality over quantity.
4) Astro Go

What Is It?
Astro GO is an online service that’s exclusive to Astro customers. Instead of restricting yourself to the TV, you can watch your favourite shows on mobile, tablets, and PC. You can also stream on four devices simultaneously with a single ID.
The best thing about it is the stuff you won’t find on Astro TV. Aside from being able to watch Animax TV online, you get access to Animax On Demand. On Demand’s catalogue includes shows you can find on Animax TV, but it also has a fair bit of exclusive content, which includes some pretty good titles.
Aside from Animax On Demand, Astro Go also gives you access to Singapore’s Aniplus Asia. This gives you access to a notably wider range of anime, as well as more simulcast shows. Sadly, we don’t have some Aniplus titles like Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend.
It’s worth noting that Astro GO has some minor but noticeable flaws. After the recent revamp, it seems that new episodes of simulcast shows are only uploaded after they air according to their broadcast schedule, and you have to wait for the encore to finish to boot (edit: after checking out episode nine of Magia Record, it seems that episodes are uploaded after the initial broadcast, not the encore). You can still watch the show online according to its schedule, however, or choose to have Astro GO record it for you.
In addition, the white subtitles lack black outlines (which is really dumb), so they end up turning invisible during bright scenes. It got so annoying that I ended up submitting a feedback form. Luckily, Magia Record‘s eighth episode has black outlines for its subtitles, so things might be changing. (Edit: episode nine’s subs don’t have the black outlines. So much for improvements.)
Also, the mouse cursor doesn’t disappear when you’re watching a video (again, really dumb). Thankfully, you can hide it by moving it to the side, which was something you couldn’t actually do before the revamp.
Notable Shows
Animax On Demand (exclusives only): Golden Kamuy, March Comes in Like A Lion, Your Lie in April, Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuna, Orange.
(I’d include Aldnoah Zero, but only the second season is available, for some baffling reason.)
Aniplus Asia: Attack on Titan, The Ancient Magus Bride, Steins;Gate 0, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, The Promised Neverland, Fire Force
Worth the Subscription?
Short answer: Maybe.
Long answer: If you’ve already got an Astro subscription, there’s no reason not to sign up for Astro GO, which is provided for free and gives you a notably wider selection of anime.
For those who don’t, the cheapest Astro TV package is the Starter Pack which costs RM61.32 after the 6% service tax. The Starter Pack gives you a basic pack with “36 basic channels and 22 radio stations” and a mini pack of your choice; the eight-channel Variety pack includes the Animax channel. Aniplus Asia is exclusive to this package.
There’s also an ongoing Starter Pack promotion (it ends on March 31) that makes your third month free, and it costs RM58 a month (inclusive of the 6% tax).
While Astro GO’s anime selection has quite a bit of good stuff, a price of RM58 still gives me pause. As such, I’d say that justification for the price will rely on the mileage you get from Astro’s non-anime content.
The other issue is that there doesn’t seem to be a way to check out what Animax On Demand has unless you already have Astro GO, so you’re making your purchase decision while partially blind. I’ve taken screenshotsÂ of the On Demand catalogue in case you’re curious.

Also, it’s worth noting again that we’re not guaranteed to get everything that Aniplus Asia has (like Kids on the Slope and Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend), which sours the deal a bit.
5) dimsum Entertainment

A streaming service thatâ€™s pretty cheap. Thereâ€™s a free package, but youâ€™ll need one of the VIP subscriptions to access the anime content, which is provided via a partnership with Ani-One (see #8).
Itâ€™s not an all-mighty catalogue, but there are a number of noteworthy shows here like Tales of Zestiria the X, Saga of Tanya the Evil, and Your Lie in April. The issue is that a number of these shows can be found on other streaming sites (the latter two are also on Netflix, for instance). On the other hand, Ani-One has the latest seasons for shows like Food Wars! and Haikyu!!, whereas Netflix Malaysia is lagging behind in that regard (at time of writing).
As for simulcast titles, there arenâ€™t a lot of these. But if you want to watch Gleipnir, which is airing as part of the Spring 2020 season, then this is where youâ€™ll find it.
Notable showsÂ
Gleipnir, Dr. Stone, Tales of Zestiria the X, Himouto! Umaru-chan (both seasons), Recovery of an MMO Junkie, My Hero Academia (season two to four), Food Wars! The Fifth Plate, Haikyu!! To The Top.
Is it worth the subscription?
Short answer: Maybe. Try the 30-day free trial first.
Long answer: Having the fourth season of My Hero Academia and Food Wars! The Fifth Plate (Netflix Malaysia only has two seasons of the former and three seasons of Food Wars at time of writing) is great. While I canâ€™t recommend a continuous subscription based on its catalogue completed shows, dimsum has a strong enough offering that a couple months of subscriptions, in addition to the free trial, is worth considering.
For a continuous subscription, Iâ€™d say it largely depends on how you feel towards its simulcast titles. Iâ€™m usually not a fan of paying a subscription just to watch one or two exclusive shows, dimsumâ€™s prices are cheap enough that I donâ€™t mind that subscribing just to watch Gleipnir. The VIP subscription (access for two devices) only costs RM8.90 while the VIP Family subscriptions (access for five devices) costs RM14.90, with these being inclusive of the Service Tax (see the FAQ here).
I signed up for VIP Family for reasons that escape me now, but the anime content should be accessible even with the regular VIP subscription (I’ll update this if this turns out to be false).
Itâ€™s worth noting that my subscription seemed to replace my free trial period instead of adding on to it so you should enjoy the trial to the fullest before committing to any subscription. (Edit: although it looks as if the free trial is supplanted by the paid subscription, in practice that does not seem to be the case. Despite the expiration of my first paid subscription and not making any renewal, I’m still able to watch VIP content in May, which I assume is because I haven’t used up my free trial yet.)
And as a FYI, subscribing via online banking requires manual renewal.
6) Ani-One

What is it
Like Muse Asia, itâ€™s a YouTube channel that offers anime, both simulcasting and completed, for free. Its catalogue isnâ€™t too bad either, with shows like Fate/Kaleid liner PRISMA ILLYA 3rei!, Angolmois: Record of Mongol Invasion, and The Fruit of Grisaia on offer. In terms of newer titles, thereâ€™s How Heavy Are The Dumbbells You Lift? and Sing â€œYesterdayâ€ For Me. I mentioned earlier that dimsum gets its anime via a partnership with Ani-One, but there’s no content overlap between that streaming service and this YouTube channel.
I wanted to give Ani-One a higher spot than this, but I canâ€™t because of the subtitles. Some shows, like Sing â€œYesterdayâ€ For Me, Sakura Wars; The Animation, and How Heavy Are The Dumbbells You Lift? have English subs, but the vast majority only seem to have Chinese subs. (Edit: Some shows, namely the more recent uploads, now have English subs added. I’m not sure if the entire Ani-One catalogue is getting retroactively Eng-subbed, but the current changes are enough for me to move this up from its previous position of #8.)
If you can read Chinese or understand Japanese, you can treat this as a #5 entry. For English speakers, Asia-One is still a welcome presence, but thereâ€™s a barrier to many of its free offerings.
Notable shows
With English subs: Sing â€œYesterdayâ€ For Me, No Game No Life, How Heavy Are The Dumbbells You Lift?, Room Camp, Fate/Kaleid liner PRISMA ILLYA 3rei!, Angolmois: Record of Mongol Invasion
With Chinese subs: Fate/Kaleid liner PRISMA ILLYA 2weiï¼Herz!,Â The Fruit of Grisaia, Akashic Records of Bastard Magic Instructor
Is it worth the subscription?
Short answer: It’s free, so no.
Long answer: Itâ€™s free, so thereâ€™s no need.
7) Iflix

What Is It?
Netflix, but cheaper and with more regional stuff than Western, basically. In the past, the only thing I liked about Iflix was its cheap price, and even then, the anime content didn’t seem great enough to bother with it. Now, however, Iflix has free stuff thanks to the introduction of Iflix Free.
I’m not sure when Iflix arrived at its current state. SoyaCincau did write an article on Iflix giving free content in 2018, but there have been further changes since. I was able to watch shows without registering, which was mentioned as a requirement in the article, for instance.
When you register, you get a free trial of Iflix VIP. Regardless of the tier you choose, you get “unlimited access. No Ads”. According to Startup Thailand, the VIP version gives you “premium movies and TV series, LIVE special events”.
It’s worth noting the differences between the mobile app and browser versions. When I launched the app, it stated that all shows were available for free. On PC, there are some shows that are restricted to Iflix VIP, namely raunchy live action shows.
The app also has ads, while I didn’t notice any on PC. In addition, you can download shows with the app, but I noticed that most anime lacked the function, despite the PC version showing the download button for them.
Anime-wise, it seems that everything is available for free on both versions. The selection is very limited, but there are some notable titles like Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory and Made in Abyss. Unfortunately, the audio for Made in Abyss and a few other shows sounds muffled.
Notable Shows
Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory, Full Metal Panic! movies, Made in Abyss, New Game!
Worth the Subscription?
Short answer: You can watch for free, so no.
Long answer: The subscription prices are very cheap. You can pay RM3 a week, RM10 a month, or RM96 a year. There’s also a Chinese New Year promotion that gives you 6 months of VIP access for RM6.
However, since you can watch Iflix’s anime catalogue for free, you don’t have to bother with subscriptions.
8) Crunchyroll

What Is It?
An anime streaming service with a good catalogue… if you’re in the United States.
Still, credit where credit is due. First, we can watch several anime on Crunchyroll for free, and these include recognizable titles like The Ancient Magus’ Bride and Shugo Chara. Second, it is the only legal streaming service I can think of that lets Malaysians watch not just the original Naruto series, but also Naruto Shippuden and the ongoing Boruto anime.
Where Crunchyroll disappoints the most is in its simulcast offerings. In the United States, Crunchyroll is currently simulcasting titles like Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, Haikyu!! To The Top, and Somali and the Forest Spirit for the Winter 2020 season. Last season, it had shows like Dr. Stone, Black Clover, and Fire Force.
Over here, the only simulcast shows we currently have are Boruto and Radiant.
But while the lack of simulcast titles is a glaring fault, the shows that Crunchyroll provides for free here – like Darling in the FranXX and Laid-Back Camp – are enough to prevent me from dismissing the service entirely. Just remember that there are still some that require a subscription.
Notable Shows
Free: ReLIFE, Darling in the FranXX, Laid-Back Camp, Recovery of an MMO Junkie, School Days.
You also get the first Jo-Jo’s Bizarre Adventure season, Stardust Crusaders, and Stardust Crusaders – Battle in Egypt. Diamond is Unbreakable and Golden Wind aren’t available at all.
Subscription: YuruYuri, Muv-Luv Alternative Total Eclipse, THE UNLIMITED Hyobu Kyosuke
Worth the Subscription?
Short answer: Probably not.
Long answer:Â While I haven’t watched anything on Crunchyroll long enough to run into ads, they do exist as Premium offers an ad-free experience. Aside from that perk, there’s also the fact that some shows require a subscription to watch.
A Crunchyroll Premium subscription will set you back $7.99 (RM33.76) a month. You can also try out a 14-day free trial.
As much as I’d like to have access to shows like YuruYuri and Total Eclipse, Crunchyroll’s subscription feels overpriced, especially compared to what Netflix offers with its Basic Plan. It might be worth subscribing for a short while if you really want to watch those shows and can’t binge everything within the free trial period, but overall? I’d say don’t bother.
9) HIDIVE

What Is It?
An anime streaming service with a Malaysian catalogue that’s just plain bad. There are great shows like Bloom Into You and Mawaru Penguindrum on HiDive, but none of them are available here.
What we do get are FIVE shows – three series and two movies. Out of the five, I only recognized one title. There’s not much else to say.
Notable Shows
Kino’s Journey (2003), Chance Pop Session
Worth the Subscription?
Short answer: Absolutely not.
Long answer: While you’re only paying either $4.99 (RM21.13) a month or $47.99 (RM203.20) a year, the atrocious catalogue doesn’t justify the cost at all. Luckily, there’s a free 14-day trial. Use that instead.
***
As you can see, legal anime streaming in Malaysia isn’t a complete disaster. While we still have a lot of catching up to do (especially when it comes to simulcasts), it’s worth acknowledging the services (especially Muse Asia) and anime that are available to us. Hopefully, we’ll see even greater improvements from here on out.


Bloody Action Game Wanted Dead Is Now Available To Pre-Order

110 Industries has opened up pre-orders for its stylish limb-severing action game Wanted Dead ahead of its 14 February 2022 launch on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms. These are available digitally on PlayStation Network and the Xbox Marketplace for US$59.99, or physically from wherever games are sold. Players who pre-order the digital PlayStation version will be able to play the game 72 hours early.
Additionally, fans can pre-order a US$79.99 PlayStation or Xbox physical Collector’s Edition on Amazon that contains the following exclusives:

116-page Hardcover Design Works Artbook in landscape format
Wanted: Dead Steelbook
Official Soundtrack CD with 20 tracks
Zombie Unit Magnet
Set of 3 postcards
Collector´s Edition Box, housing all the exclusive contents, plus the physical game

Sergei Kolobashkin, founder and Creative Director at 110 Industries, said:
“We know excitement around Wanted: Dead has been through the roof, and we wanted to do something extra for fans by offering them this limited Collector’s Edition. People have really been taken with Wanted: Dead’s stylish art direction and killer soundtrack, so we wanted to be sure our more hardcore fans could get some high quality physical goods to fully celebrate the game’s bright, cathartic, comically violent sci-fi vibe.”
Developed by Japanese studio Soleil and featuring talent that created Ninja Gaiden, Wanted Dead carries that series’ hardcore DNA with intelligent enemies pushing you to master the game’s systems. Utilizing a blend of melee sword combat, exciting gunplay and a unique limb severing mechanic that changes enemy attack patterns, Wanted: Dead forces players to learn how to use combos, parries and other tools to full effect. The reward will be aesthetically pleasing bouts of blood and violence and the sense of satisfaction that comes with becoming a flawless fighting machine.
In Wanted Dead, players take on the role of Lt. Hannah Stone, stepping into a dark and dangerous vision of cyberpunk Hong Kong as leader of the “Zombie Squad”, an elite team who works outside the purview of the traditional police force. You’ll have to master Stone’s arsenal of fighting skills and issue orders to her teammates if you’re to uncover a shadowy corporate conspiracy and cut it off at the knees.
Check out the trailer below:


Transformers Rise Of The Beasts Super Bowl Ad Features New Autobot Mirage

During Super Bowl 2023, Paramount Pictures unveiled a new teaser for the upcoming Transformers Rise Of The Beasts.
The teaser is a short one, but it puts the spotlight on a new Autobot named Mirage, who transforms into a Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8.
Returning to the action and spectacle that have captured moviegoers around the world, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on a ‘90s globetrotting adventure and introduce the Maximals, Predacons, and Terrorcons to the existing battle on earth between Autobots and Decepticons.
The cast includes Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback and the voices of Michelle Yeoh, Pete Davidson, Peter Cullen, Ron Perlman, Peter Dinklage, Liza Koshy, John DiMaggio, David Sobolov, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Cristo Fernández and Tobe Nwigwe.
Directed by Steven Caple Jr., Transformers Rise Of The Beasts premieres in cinemas on 8 June 2023.
Check out the teaser below:


Barbie Goes To The Real World In Brand New Trailer

Warner Bros. Pictures has released a brand new official trailer for the upcoming Barbie movie and it’s now clearer what the premise of the movie will be. Barbie and Ken will venture into the “real world” when Barbie discovers weird new things happening to her, such as “flat feet” and “heels that touch the ground”.
From Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig comes Barbie, starring Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, alongside America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell.
The film also stars Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Ana Cruz Kayne, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, Jamie Demetriou, Connor Swindells, Sharon Rooney, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren.
Gerwig directed Barbie from a screenplay by Gerwig & Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach, based on Barbie by Mattel. The film’s producers are Oscar nominee David Heyman, Robbie, Tom Ackerley and Robbie Brenner, with Gerwig, Baumbach, Ynon Kreiz, Richard Dickson, Michael Sharp, Josey McNamara, Courtenay Valenti, Toby Emmerich and Cate Adams serving as executive producers.
Barbie will premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 20 July 2023.


Where The F*** is Kakuchopurei.com’s Spider-Man Review?

Addendum: To clear the air….
The original version of this post mentioned that the review code was supplied via Sony Interactive Entertainment Asia. In that, we state that the code received was a few days late hence the delay in our review.
However, to clarify off any misunderstandings against them, we implore that you do not take this on them as we know they did their best to deliver the codes for review on time. As such, it is also our aim to deliver the best review for our readers to help you in forming an early opinion of the said game.
– K

Yes.
You are probably wondering why we haven’t published our Spider-Man review when everyone else’s are already online. The answer is simple.
It isn’t ready yet.
Like everyone else in Asia, we were supposed to receive the review code last Monday. However, a minor kerfuffle caused a delay in downloading our copy. As a result, we were only able to start downloading the game last Friday which – which was already five days behind.
Of course we could just rush through our gameplay to meet the global embargo date but that would no do justice for the game, and for you, our readers. An open world game should not be reviewed in haste and doing so would be a disservice to the publishers. Hence, we have decided to hold off from publishing it until we are 100% confident that we have produced the best review of the game for you.
Rest assured, it will be out before the game’s release which is this 7th September 2018. As for now, we’d highly recommend you to check out our preview of the game here as our final thoughts of the game so far have not deviated that much from what we discussed following our first playthrough of it.
[wpvideo hkV1REpB]


Spellbreak Shuts Down; Developers Bought By Blizzard

Developer Proletariat has shut down its battle royale spellcasting game Spellbreak after its 2020 launch. The game will shut down in Early 2023.
While there is no exact end date yet, any currency that’s bought for the free-to-play game can still be spent in the shop. However, real-money purchases have now been disabled. Here are some parting words from Proletariat CEO Seth Sivak about the game and its end.

Breakers, an update on the future of Spellbreak: https://t.co/gqTGwd08J8 pic.twitter.com/503r1HoaIN
— Spellbreak (@PlaySpellbreak) June 28, 2022

“Unfortunately, the game industry is a difficult business. Spellbreak was not able to break through and reach a sustainable place where we could continue to invest in it the way we had dreamed of. We picked a hard path as an independent studio and decided to compete with some of the biggest games in the world. While we could not get the escape velocity needed, I do not regret the bold decisions we made in bringing Spellbreak to life.
While this is goodbye for Spellbreak, I cannot thank this community enough for the support and help along the way. Spellbreak transformed our studio and touched the lives of so many. So again, thank you.”
And now the (sorta) good news: Blizzard has bought Proletariat for an undisclosed amount. The 100-person company will be working on World of Warcraft and its upcoming Dragonflight expansion. At the very least, the developers still have jobs albeit ones that are similar to a gaming sweatshop of sorts.


The Obligatory Spoiler-Filled Kingdom Hearts 3 Ending Post – Past, Present, & Future

It’s still hard to believe that Kingdom Hearts has finally arrived after years of waiting and countless spinoffs later. At the time of writing, it’s been a week since the game launched, and I’m sure many players will have finished the game by now. Some will even have unlocked the cryptic and mysterious secret ending after collecting those hidden Mickeys, or Lucky Emblems as they’re referred to in-game.
I will be discussing full spoilers from Kingdom Hearts 3‘s ending, epilogue, and secret movie below, as well as what I believe the future of the franchise will be. It’s not too late to turn back, because I won’t be holding anything back.

Kingdom Hearts 3 Ending

As much as I personally loved the ending of Kingdom Hearts 3, I do recognize that there are many others who dislike it. For me and other longtime fans, the game’s ending provided closure for almost all the franchise’s lingering plot threads and characters, giving us everything we ever wanted and more. For others, the ending was not exactly the definitive end of the franchise that was seemingly promised by franchise creator Tetsuya Nomura all these years.
To recap the ending of Kingdom Hearts, the seven guardians of light have been gathered, consisting of Sora, King Mickey, Riku, Aqua, Ventus, Kairi, and Lea (who are also accompanied by Donald and Goofy). They reach the Keyblade Graveyard but find themselves severely outmatched, losing their hearts in the process. However, Sora then finds himself in the Final World, his heart still somehow intact, albeit in many pieces.
In the Final World, Sora gathers the pieces of his heart (with the help of dream eater Chirithy) and helps recover the hearts of all the other guardians of light too after he discovers that the ‘power of waking’ has been inside him all along. After that, all of them return to the Keyblade Graveyard and defeat most of the Organization XIII members.

A lot (and I do mean a LOT) of stuff happens during this time. This includes Roxas returning via his heart being placed in a Replica body, Terra regaining control of his own body from Xehanort, and the surprising reveal of Xion existing again. All of this leads to the tearjerking and long-awaited reunion between Terra, Aqua, and Ventus, as well as Xion, Lea, and Roxas.
It then turns out that this was all according to the original Master Xehanort’s plans, as he prepares to summon Kingdom Hearts. He does this by destroying Kairi’s body and stealing her heart to complete the thirteen hearts of darkness and seven hearts of light needed to forge the Ï‡-blade. He then disappears to Scala Ad Caelum, the nexus and origin of all worlds.
The other guardians of light stay back to try and close Kingdom Hearts, while Sora, Donald, and Goofy follow Master Xehanort to Scala Ad Caelum for a final earth-shattering battle. The other guardians of light then arrive just as Master Xehanort is defeated. While Master Xehanort is dying, a heart comes out of Terra’s body, which turns out to be the long-presumed-dead Master Eraqus.

Master Eraqus convinces Master Xehanort to surrender. It’s revealed that Master Xehanort’s ultimate plan was actually to have Kingdom Hearts reboot the entire universe to its initial state, one that’s pure and free from darkness. Master Eraqus and Master Xehanort then depart to join Kingdom Hearts, as all hearts do in the end.
Sora then uses the Ï‡-blade to seal Kingdom Hearts and help everyone escape from Scala Ad Caelum. It’s heartbreaking that everyone received a happy resolution except Sora, who decides to embark on a new journey to find Kairi alone and revive her using his ‘power of waking’, despite the risk of losing himself in the process.
The next few scenes unfolded rapidly (which brought tears to my eyes), as we see Aqua, Ventus, and Terra returning to a restored Land of Departure, while Roxas, Lea, and Xion are eating sea-salt ice cream with Hayner, Olette, Pence, and Isa in Twilight Town. Namine returns when her heart is placed in a Replica (just like Roxas), when she is then picked up by Riku on a Gummi ship.

As everyone gathers on Destiny Islands for a celebration, we see Kairi sitting with Sora before he suddenly fades away as the two are holding hands and watching the sunset on top of a crooked Paopu tree. Kairi starts to cry (and I do too), as it seems that Sora sacrificed himself to reclaim Kairi’s heart and body. Fin.
That’s the simplest recap I can think of. Obviously, there’s more to all that but you’ll have to play the game for the details. If you’re still not convinced, go read my review of Kingdom Hearts 3 here. Anyways, the ending of the game was emotionally-satisfying for me, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Well, maybe a happier ending for Sora and Kairi would have been nice but we can’t have everything we want.
Kingdom Hearts 3 Epilogue

I would have loved nothing better than to see Sora smiling and reunited with his friends in the Kingdom Hearts 3 epilogue. Alas, it was not meant to be. Instead, the epilogue is actually planting the seeds for the future of the franchise, marking the end of the Xehanort Saga (or Dark Seeker Saga) and the beginning of a new one.
The epilogue begins at the Keyblade Graveyard, as Master Xehanort’s Keyblade plummets from the sky to the ground. A hooded figure picks it up, saying “Finally, back where it belongs.” Four more figures in animal masks then appear, who turns out to be the Foretellers from Kingdom Hearts Ï‡ Back Cover (read my story recap of that here). The Foretellers were the earliest Keyblade Masters, who each had their own factions of Keyblade wielders called Unions. The first Keyblade War began when these Foretellers and Unions fought each other.
The hooded figure reveals himself to be Xigbar (or Braig), one of the Organization XIII members. However, he also reveals that his true name is Master Luxu, one of the six Foretellers. In truth, all six Foretellers were apprentices of the Master of Masters, who mysteriously disappeared all those years ago.
Xigbar AKA Master Luxu.
The four Foretellers demand to know why Luxu has summoned them. He said that he has finally completed the secret role and task given to him by the Master of Masters -each Foreteller was given a unique role to fulfil. One foreteller, named Ava, is noticeably absent, and Luxu notes that it must mean that she has completed her own role too.
We then see the black box, which was entrusted to Luxu by Master of Masters, was by his side. This is the same box that Maleficient and Pete was hunting for throughout Kingdom Hearts 3. However, the epilogue does not reveal the contents of the black box, which is presumably being saved for Kingdom Hearts 4 or any future instalment of Kingdom Hearts.
The black box.
The final scene in the Kingdom Hearts 3 epilogue shows a young Master Eraqus and young Master Xehanort still playing chess. However, this time Eraqus rearranges the chess pieces to include seven black pieces (representing darkness) and one white chess piece (representing light).
It seems likely that the seven black pieces are meant to represent the six Foretellers and the Master of Masters while the one white chess piece is meant to represent Sora. If this is true, then Luxu and the rest of the Foretellers, including the Master of Masters himself, will probably be the next main antagonists of the Kingdom Hearts franchise.
According to the secret reports in Kingdom Hearts 3, this has all been an elaborate plan by Luxu to instigate another Keyblade War to bring back the Foretellers and the Master of Masters for a yet undetermined purpose. Ava and the remaining Dandelions are also seemingly on another worldline (the franchise’s equivalent of parallel worlds or parallel timelines), thanks to a ‘lady of magic’ (which is hinted to be Maleficent).
Kingdom Hearts 3 Secret Ending

The Kingdom Hearts 3 secret ending is even weirder than the epilogue. We see Sora and Riku waking up and finding themselves in two very Tokyo-like cities. The short footage ends with an unknown hooded figure making the shape of a heart with his hands and projecting it onto the moon in the sky, symbolizing Kingdom Hearts.

What the heck is happening? Let me tell you.
Sora looks like he’s actually in Shibuya, the main setting of the Square Enix JRPG, The World Ends With You. That particular game was originally developed by the same team behind Kingdom Hearts for the Nintendo DS. The game has also already crossed over with the Kingdom Hearts franchise for the first time in Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance, with characters from the former appearing in the latter.
Sora in The World Ends With You’s version of Shibuya, Tokyo.
Meanwhile, Riku is in what appears to be the city from the Verum Rex video game that we see the promo of in Kingdom Hearts 3‘s Toy Box world (and also when Rex was playing the game). We can see Yozora, Verum Rex’s main protagonist, looking at Riku from afar. Fans are speculating that Verum Rex is actually based on Tetsuya Nomura’s original plans for the scrapped Final Fantasy Versus XIII, which later went to Hajime Tabata and became Final Fantasy XV.
Yozora, the main protagonist of Verum Rex.
What’s most interesting about these two is that both The World Ends With You and Verum Rex/Final Fantasy Versus XIII are from Tetsuya Nomura himself. I’m sure everyone noticed not a single Final Fantasy character appeared in the entirety of Kingdom Hearts 3. Perhaps Nomura is saving them for the next game, where we will probably also see Final Fantasy Versus XIII come to life.
The fact is that Sora sacrificed himself to save Kairi in Kingdom Hearts 3, which means that he basically died. It’s fascinating that he finds himself in Shibuya of all places. Why is that? It has everything to do with the main premise of The World Ends With You.
In The World Ends With You,Â everyday life goes on in the Realground (RG) while the chosen dead are brought to an alternate plane of existence called the Underground (UG). The UG is also the venue for the Reapers’ Game. By offering their most treasured possession to enter the Game, the dead obtain the chance to contest for the prize of being brought back to life or transcending to a higher form of spiritual existence. See the connection? This could be the way for Sora to come back to life.
Last but not least, I think that the hooded figure at the end of the Kingdom Hearts 3 secret ending could be none other than the Master of Masters himself, who was very eccentric and mischievous. The way the hooded figure was tracing the shape of a heart onto the moon felt like something no one but the Master of Masters would do. I can’t imagine Xigbar or any of the Foretellers doing the same thing (they’re a serious bunch).
The Master of Masters?

What We Can Deduce About Kingdom Hearts 4 So Far
Possible Kingdom Hearts 4 title? Or spinoff (let’s hope not)?
Thanks to the Kingdoms Hearts 3 ending, epilogue, and secret ending, we can now glean what Kingdom Hearts 4 could possibly be about.

Moving forward, the main antagonists will be Master Luxu and the Foretellers.
The Master of Masters will be the wild card (due to his unpredictable and eccentric nature). Moreover, we still don’t know his ultimate goals and motivations, as well as the true identity of the Master of Masters.
Sora waking up in The World Ends With You‘s Shibuya will lead to his eventual resurrection, due to the premise of that particular world, where the dead enter the Game for the prize of being brought back to life (or transcending to a higher form of spiritual existence).
Riku might be looking for Soram which is how he finds himself in Verum Rex. Verum Rex will be our chance to witness Tetsuya Nomura’s lost vision of Final Fantasy Versus XIII.
The question of what’s in the black box remains the biggest question of all. What’s inside it and why is it so important?
Where is the one remaining Foreteller, Ava? Is she the one mentioned in the Kingdom Hearts 3 secret reports?
Expand the concept of Worldlines, which is the franchise’s equivalent of parallel worlds or parallel timelines.

As of now, all of the above is simply my theories and speculations about the future of the franchise post-Kingdom Hearts 3, none of which have been confirmed. I only hope that Kingdom Hearts 4 (or whatever the next instalment of the franchise will be, which hopefully won’t be a spinoff) will arrive sooner rather than later.
I speak for everyone when I say that no one wants to wait another decade or more for a sequel. Regardless of how everyone else feels about Kingdom Hearts 3 (and its ending, epilogue, and secret ending), I remain optimistic and genuinely look forward to whatever Nomura has in store for us in the near future.
Nomura, please give Sora the ending he deserves. A happy one, so that we can all stop crying.


The Meg Spoiler-Free F.A.Q

Let’s face facts: a movie like The Meg is only for the kind of audience who appreciates a certain kind of film of B-grade pedigree, like that one movie with the CGI dragons and Craig Robinson or the one where a giant shark fights a mega octopus. If you’ve seen the trailer, you’ve already made up your mind about the film.
Rather than do a conventional review, I opt for a simple Q&A with yours truly about the experience.
What is this film about?
It’s about man vs. nature. Man is represented by Jason Statham and a bunch of scientists, while nature is represented by a CGI giant shark named The Meg. Like in the movie title. Basically, Jason Statham gets called in to rescue people from a deep-sea expedition, one of them happens to be his ex-wife.
Turns out he had a sordid past where he left his crew to die in a submarine rescue mission, meaning that he has some history with some of the expedition crew members there. Of course, that bit in his past involves the titular character.
Wait, doesn’t Jason Statham has a name in the movie?
It’s Jonas -yeah the biblical allusions are as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face. But you’re going to call him Jason Statham regardless because he’s typecasted for this film: gruff, no-nonsense, British accent tough guy who gets shit done no matter what. At least they didn’t make him completely superhuman when fending off the sharks.
Is there a bad guy in this film apart from The Meg?
Well, there is Rainn Wilson as billionaire Morris. But from the way he acts and behaves after the second half of the film, he might as well wear a moustache and twirl it around.
There’s also another bad guy in the film, but I already gave it away in the previous question.
Hey, no spoilers!
Rainn Wilson’s villain role is so telegraphed and obvious, we’d be more surprised if he didn’t end up as shark bait. Also, it’s not like this film is going to kill off its main human actor, and you’re going to watch this film to see how the man vs. nature theme plays out.

Trust me, you’ll love the climax and action of this flick.

Ah well. This film should be done and over quickly, right?
Well, it’s close to 2 hours long. Yes, a monster thriller flick featuring sharks has finally reached that threshold. And surprisingly, I wasn’t bored at the very least.
Why is that, Mr Toffee?
Well, they fleshed out the potential shark bait, character-wise. At least the ones who obviously aren’t going to get eaten, like love interest Suyin (Bingbing Li), her daughter Meiyin (Shuya Sophia Cai), Jason Statham’s ex-wife Lori (Jessica McNamee), and that one scientist guy Mac (Cliff Curtis).
They got their moments, they come off as likeable, and the little spunky Chinese kid is charming without getting in the way of Jason Statham and co. Plus, Jason Statham and Suyin have good chemistry and work well together while also pandering to the “white guy hooks up with Asian girl” trope-loving demographic that’s prevalent in SingaporeÂ SPG archetypesÂ Southeast Asia.
Anything for the guys?
No T&A unfortunately, unless you count Bingbing Li and Jessica McNamee’s wetsuit ensemble. However, there’s a scene where Jason Statham is topless that is sure to make all the ladies & gay people swoon. It’s on-par with Chris Hemsworth’s shirtless Thor bit.

Let’s get to the nitty-gritty. How’s the gore?
Well, it’s a PG-13 movie, so all you’re getting is blood, animal guts, fresh dead mammal and fish carcasses, a severed hand, and people getting chomped PG-13 style.
What’s the death toll?
Quite a bit. 5 guys from the expedition bite it, along with a bunch of Chinese sharkfin hunters (very on-the-nose bit here), and a lot of Chinese swimmers and tourists in PG-13 fashion. I laughed really hard at the guy who was eaten while in the Zorb ball for some reason.
What’s really great about this bit is how it was framed and shot, where the film is building up the setpiece before The Meg goes all Pac-Man on these metaphorical pellets.
Strangely enough, the black guy scientist (Page Kennedy) makes it out alive.
Are there any thrills?
Quite a few jump scares, actually. We have one involving a giant octopus and a few surprise “gotcha” moments. In fact, the scene before the end credits gives us a different kind of “gotcha”, capping it off with a groan-inducing pun.

The suspense here is well-handled and framed adequately. A slightly higher-than-B-grade budget will do that to a film.

Should I watch The Meg?
Yes, but it depends. If you want a film where you don’t need to think too much about oceanography and marine science stuff while going “ooh” and “aah” at the CGI sights and sounds, go watch The Meg without any reservations whatsoever. It’s pretty, it’s got some decent humans you want to root for, and a lot of ship-slash-giant-shark action.
If you want a gorefest like the Pirahna 3D series, you’re SOL. The PG-13 rating means that your kills are either through explosions, quick Meg chomps, and fake animal gore.

I’d rate this movie a lot higher if it went all-out with an R rating, but it’s not every day you get a shark movie featuring Jason Statham. You could do worse, honestly.

If you want a thorough intellectual film about the follies of man tampering with nature and nature’s ancient ways, you might want to stop reading this because you got here by mistake.

What’s really nice about The Meg is that it knows what it is and revels in its thrills and action set pieces, while also making Jason Statham’s ego a lot bigger than usual. So there’s that.

Sounds nice. Anything else you want to add?
Masi “Hiro Nakamura” Oka is in it. We need to see more of this fella in future films.

This article is brought to you by the folks from The Last King podcast, since I’m one of the guys on the show. Hear our awesome stuff on this here SoundCloud page.Â


Monster Hunter Legends Of The Guild Drops On Netflix Next Month

Monster Hunter Legends Of The Guild is an upcoming announced 3D animated movie from Pure Imagination Studios based on Capcomâ€™s Monster Hunter franchise.
The protagonist of Monster Hunter Legends Of The Guild is named Aiden and what’s interesting is that he is actually the same character as the Ace Cadet in Monster Hunter 4Â and the Excitable A-Lister inÂ Monster Hunter World. This upcoming animated movie tells his story from the time before he became a full-fledged hunter.
The synopsis reads:
Humans, nature, and giant monsters coexist in the world while maintaining a careful balance.
A young man named Aiden who calls himself a hunter protects his isolated village.
One day, he learns that his village is threatened by the Elder Dragon, a monster cloaked in mystery.
Needing to find a way to save his village, Aiden leaves his home and sets off on a journey into the unknown alongside Julius, a first-rate and member of the Hunterâ€™s Guild, and his companionsâ€¦
*Hunterâ€™s Guild: The Guildâ€™s main objective is to protect citizens from various threats, including the Elder Dragon, which is said to be the most powerful of all monsters, and to survey and maintain this ecosystem.
It will premiere exclusively on Netflix on 12 August 2021. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


PS Plus Celebrates 10th Anniversary With Three Free Games In July

Gamers will have not just two, but three new games to look forward to in the PlayStation Plus Asia July 2020 lineup.Â FromÂ 7 July to 3 August 2020, PS Plus Asia subscribers will be able to redeem NBA 2K20, Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration, and Erica.
NBA 2K20
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT1emQNSI4A&w=560&h=315]
NBA 2K20 is the most recent entry in the long-running sports game series, and barely a year later, it’s already available for free. Players can take their skills to the next level, featuring an upgraded motion engine with signature styles, advanced shooting controls, a new dribble size-up system, refined off-ball collisions, and a new read & react defensive game.
Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_FIyNcQSgA&w=560&h=315]
In Rise of the Tomb Raider, Lara uncovers an ancient mystery that places her in the crosshairs of a ruthless organization known as Trinity. As she races to find a powerful and sought-after artifact before Trinity, the trail leads to a myth about the Lost City of Kitezh. Lara knows she must reach the Lost City and its hidden secrets before Trinity as she sets out for Siberia on a thrilling expedition.
Erica
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9n-4khwctI&w=560&h=315]
Developed by Flavourworks,Â ERICAÂ is essentially a live-action movie in which players will have the choice and option to shape the fate of Erica, a young woman who has been thrust into the middle of a murder mystery connected to her familyâ€™s history and the traumatic events that impacted her childhood.
Featuring a haunting score by acclaimed composer Austin Wintory (Journey), players will use either their DualShock 4 controllerâ€™s touchpad or the touchscreen of their mobile device to choose the multiple dialogue decisions and actions to influence the gameâ€™s multi-branching narrative.
They will also utilize the same controls to physically interact with their environment, including carefully placing a record playerâ€™s needle onto vinyl or slowly peeking through doors to spy on people without being seen.
PS Plus 10th Anniversary
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDFRqkuySXs&w=560&h=315]
In commemoration of the 10th anniversary of PlayStation Plus, players can look forward to a free PS4 theme later this week. It will only be available on the PS Store for a limited time.
PlayStation will also be hosting a free online multiplayer weekend starting from 4 July at 12.01am 5 July at 11.59pm in your local time.


Here’s How To Watch The Upcoming PokÃ©mon 2019 Press Conference

The PokÃ©mon Company will be hosting a special press conference in Tokyo, Japan on Wednesday, 29 May. This special show will feature tons of updates for the discerning PokÃ©mon fan.

The livestream can be watched here at theÂ official PokÃ©mon Twitch channel as well as their official YouTube channel. It will go live at 9am, Wednesday, 29 May local time.
What Can We Expect?
The previous PokÃ©mon Company press conferences have covered titles such as PokÃ©monÂ QuestÂ and PokÃ©monÂ Letâ€™s Go, as well as PokÃ©monÂ GO,Â and since PokÃ©mon Sword & ShieldÂ are off the menu, we’re expecting new titles.
Mobile game developer DeNA, developer of titles such as Super Mario RunÂ andÂ Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp,Â has recently announced a new mobile Pokemon title.

DeNA was the developer responsible for titles such as Final Fantasy Record Keeper,Â Engines of War,Â Godus,Â Shadow Wars,Â Super Mario Run,Â Fire Emblem Heroes, andÂ Animal Crossing: Pocket CampÂ and is currently developing Mario Kart Tour.Â With great titles under their belt, the next game is surely going to be a hit.
What do you think the PokÃ©mon Company will reveal in the coming press conference? Drop a comment below and tell us your thoughts!


Bond 25 Official Title Is To Die For

United International Pictures has finally revealed the official title for Bond 25, and once again it’s another variation on “death” or “die”. The 9th, 20th and 22nd Bond movie all had the word “die” in their titles (1973’s Live And Let Die, 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies and 2002’s Die Another Day).
The 25th James Bond movie is officially titled, No Time To Die. It is directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga of True Detective fame and set to be the fifth outing for actorÂ Daniel Craig, who will be reprising his role as the dashing and suave secret agent.
Meanwhile, No Time To Die will also star award-winning actorÂ Rami MalekÂ as the primary antagonist, as well as the following actors/actresses:

Ralph FiennesÂ as M,Â the head of MI6 and Bondâ€™s superior officer.
Naomie HarrisÂ as Eve Moneypenny, a former agent who left the field to become Mâ€™s assistant.
Rory KinnearÂ as Bill Tanner, the MI6 chief of staff.
LÃ©a SeydouxÂ as Dr Madeleine Swann, a psychiatrist who assisted Bond on a previous mission.
Ben WhishawÂ as Q, the MI6 quartermaster who outfits Bond with equipment for use in the field.
Jeffrey WrightÂ as Felix Leiter, Bondâ€™s friend and a CIA field officer.
Ana de ArmasÂ as Paloma (the new Bond girl).
David DencikÂ as Waldo, a villain.
Lashana LynchÂ as Nomi, the new Agent 007 for MI6.

Hereâ€™s the official synopsis forÂ No Time To Die:

Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica.Â
His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix LeiterÂ from the CIA turns up asking for help.
The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous newÂ technology.

No Time To Die is slated to release on 9 April 2020.

[wpvideo 4LGUYrEP]


League of Legends All-Star Event 2020 To Take Place Next Month

Riot Games has announced that the 2020 League of Legends All-Star Event will take place from 18 to 20 December 2020. To cap off a unique season, the event will feature an online format.
All-Star is a celebration of the most-loved personalities in League Of Legends. Both pros and influencers will be playing from their home or regional studio, which means the introduction of a new format, divided into two stages: Underdog Uprising and Superstar Showdown.
Underdog Uprising
18 December 2020 will be a packed day of head-to-head matches between neighboring regions, with smaller regions aiming to upset their nearest powerhouse. Teams will be made up of top pros as voted by fans.

Superstar Showdown
From 19 to 20 December 2020, Superstar Showdown will feature three superteams each from the LCK, LCS, LEC, and LPL. LCK and LPL will take the virtual stage on Saturday, while the LCS and LEC will play on Sunday.
A special Red Bull 1v1 Competition will also take place within each of these four regions, with the first stage broadcast on the 18 December 2020 and Semis/Finals from 19 to 20 December 2020.

LCK & LPL – Saturday, 19 December 2020
Queue Kings & Legends: Non-pros will compete in a Bo1 each on Summonerâ€™s Rift.
All-Stars: The five top-voted pros from the LCK and LPL will play in a best-of-three showdown.
LCS & LEC – Sunday, 20 December 2020
Queue Kings & Legends: Non-pros will compete in a Bo1 each on Summonerâ€™s Rift.
All-Stars: The top vote getters from the LCS and LEC will draft â€œdream teamsâ€ consisting of five players total.
To mix things up a bit, each captain will pick at least 2 pros from each region. These teams will then compete in a Bo3.
Charity Stakes
Most matches played at this yearâ€™s ASE will have prize money for charity on the line.
How To Watch
Check out the 2020 All-Star broadcast schedule below:

You can catch every match on lolesports.com.
Voting

Voting will take place from 9 to 16 November 2020. Fans will be able to vote for one pro in each role from as many leagues as theyâ€™d like.


[Rumour] Street Fighter 6 Release Date Leaked

It’s inevitable: a Capcom game’s release date has been leaked way ahead of time.
According to various sources on the internet (Resetera and Twitter’s Genkin_JPN) Street Fighter 6 will be coming out on 2nd June of 2023 for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms. The date was accidentally revealed by Sony via the PlayStation Store pre-order page for the game, presumably saved as an announcement for The Game Awards this Friday at 9am GMT+8.
The pre-order page features a standard edition of SF6, a Deluxe Edition with Outfit Color 10 for 6 characters, Special Titles and Stickers, and a Year 1 Character pass, and an Ultimate edition that has all that and a Year 1 Ultimate Pass. If it’s anything like Street Fighter 5, that means Year 1 Season pass characters and all the extra costumes that goes with it.

Street Fighter 6 key art pic.twitter.com/jf6ut3GRdS
— Wario64 (@Wario64) December 8, 2022

Street Fighter 6 release date has leaked via the PSN store! June 2, 2023!
It is definitely the US date format as the word “color” has the American English spelling and not the British English spelling. pic.twitter.com/MLKi9R4JvS
— Genki? (@Genki_JPN) December 8, 2022

In related news, a second round of closed beta tests for Street Fighter 6 will be happening on 16 to 19 December. Playable characters include Ryu, Chun-Li, Guile, Juri, Ken, Jamie, Kimberly, and Luke.


See Soul Hackers 2’s Persona 5 Phantom Thieves Costumes In Action

Soul Hackers 2 will be coming out later in August for PC and consoles, so why not check out more gameplay while we’re waiting?
Atlus shared new gameplay of the upcoming cyber JRPG with demon-summoning, now with the main character Ringo and her team of Summoners now donning Persona 5 Phantom Thieves apparel. In addition, the new 30-minute footage also showcases the new Soul Matrix character-specific dungeons that are a bit more challenging than the main game’s.
Watch the video below (clipped via Dengeki Online):

Soul Hackers 2 will be out on 26th August for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PS5, and PS4.


Ex-Halo Infinite Dev Criticizes 343 Leadership & Leaks Allege Campaign DLCs Have Been Scrapped

On the same day that Microsoft announced it would be laying off 10,000 workers, including employees at game studios Bethesda and 343 Industries, former senior multiplayer designer on Halo Infinite, Patrick Wren, criticized the management’s direction for the game. Leaks also emerged claiming that there were plans to develop DLCs for Halo Infinite’s Campaign but were scrapped due to the new management.
He stated that the layoffs were unnecessary and that the game should be in a better state. He blamed this on the “incompetent leadership” during the game’s development which led to a lot of stress on the team. Although the layoffs were not solely due to 343 Industries, Wren suggested that the studio could have done more to spare or at least minimize the impact on their team. Halo Infinite has had a difficult journey, with its initial reveal met with scepticism and delays, but ultimately had a positive reception when it launched in the Fall of 2021.

The layoffs at 343 shouldn't have happened and Halo Infinite should be in a better state. The reason for both of those things is incompetent leadership up top during Halo Infinite development causing massive stress on those working hard to make Halo the best it can be.
— Patrick Wren (@Witdarkstar) January 19, 2023

However, since then, the game has struggled to maintain momentum with fans dissatisfied with the slow pace of updates and promised features not being added until a year after launch. Additionally, the studio has seen a number of key departures, including the studio’s founder and lead designers. Wren and a contractor who worked on Halo Infinite also criticized how 343 Industries used contract labour in the game’s development.
They both lamented the Microsoft-imposed time caps on contract workers, which led to a lot of talent leaving the team. Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier also posted a Tweet about this issue in 2020, stating that at Microsoft, contractors can only work for 18 months max and that this limit leads to a lot of attrition. Wren did have some positive words for the multiplayer team, stating that they were amazing during development. It is unusual for a developer to speak so openly and critically about a former employer, but this shows how strongly Wren feels about the leadership during Halo Infinite’s development.

At Microsoft, contractors can only work for 18 months max. (They can then come back after a six-month break.) Microsoft uses so many contractors that this limit leads to a lot of attrition — and for games that take 4+ years to make, like Halo Infinite, it has been disruptive
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) August 27, 2020

343 Industries’ lack of readiness to launch a live service game after a full year’s delay has been baffling and disappointing for players. The frustration within the studio must be high, especially as layoffs are happening at one of the wealthiest companies in the world.
Now with that said, leaks have also surfaced via the French Halo podcast Bathrobe Spartan‘s Twitter where they posted a thread addressing the layoffs alongside some other controversial topics regarding Microsoft, 343 and Halo Infinite.

Les licenciements au sein de 343 Industries s'inscrivent malheureusement en conséquence d'une mauvaise gestion du studio et de ses effectifs par les personnes en charge.
Si cela aurait pu être évité, l'impact sur la stratégie reste minime: du contenu axé multijoueur.
? Thread pic.twitter.com/eB1AyaNk1O
— Bathrobe Spartan ? Podcast Halo (@BathrobeSpartan) January 19, 2023

The Twitter thread is in French but thankfully user, P40L0 on ResetEra, summarised the points from the translation. What the thread essentially states is that with the layoffs in Microsoft, it seems that 343 Industries has lost around 1/3 of its workforce, both internal and contractors.
Despite this major reshuffle, the company’s plans for 2023 remain unchanged, with a focus on multiplayer for this year. This includes the addition of Forge MM, new Seasons/BP, new maps, and possibly Tatanka. Before Bonnie Ross quit, Joseph Staten and a small team were preparing to ship multiple contained Campaign DLC to expand the game’s narrative over time.
However, this plan was halted when Pierre Hintze and new key roles came in after Ross, as they saw too much complexity in creating new content for the Campaign and it was not profitable enough to sustain. As a result, they decided to focus solely on multiplayer for the time being, which may have led to Staten’s decision to leave.
Halo Infinite largely missed its financial and overall goals, leading to Microsoft’s decision to halt 343’s “active development” and transform them into “franchise coordinators.” This means that, in addition to supporting Halo Infinite’s multiplayer, which is already largely outsourced to Certain Affinity, Spearsoft, and others, their role will be limited to ensuring that different external studios create further Halo projects (direct sequels to Infinite’s story or spin-offs of different genres) while respecting all the established lore and fundamentals for the IP.
The Slipspace Engine is still in place along with its internal engineers, but it will be opened up for use by all external studios working with the IP (if they want).
In this sense, 343 Industries, along with Microsoft Game Publishing, started contacting and contracting external studios to create “future Halo experiences” together in 2020, with the aim of reducing and optimizing costs and budget.
So in essence, for the Multiplayer fans, it’s pretty much the same old. We’ll still be getting new Battle Passes and Seasons. Whether or not they’ll actually fix what’s wrong with the game is up in the air right now.
Unfortunately for Campaign players, the base Campaign is all that we’ll be getting for the foreseeable future. If enough noise is made, then maybe 343 will do something about it but given the fact that the Campaign side didn’t bring in much from a monetary standpoint, I doubt anything will be done of it.