Blizzard State They Are Working On Diablo 4’s Long Beta Queue Times

Hey, if you’ve been trying to get into the Diablo 4 beta this weekend, you might have been stuck in a crazy long queue. Some folks were waiting for hours just to get in. And even if you did manage to get in, there were a bunch of issues like crashes and problems connecting with friends.
But don’t worry! Blizzard knows what’s up and they’re working on it. Diablo’s community manager, Adam Fletcher, posted on the forums thanking everyone for their patience and explaining that they’re trying to fix some issues that are causing players to get disconnected.

Players are sometimes unable to join a party with other players while in-game.
Players that are dropped from a game receive an error that their party does not exist.
Rubberbanding occurring with players while transitioning between zones.
High RAM and GPU usage occur on select hardware.

They’re also keeping an eye on a bunch of other problems like players not being able to join parties, rubberbanding, and high RAM and GPU usage. For now, they’re controlling the number of players who can get in until they can fix things up. But once those issues are resolved, they’ll let more players in and queue times will go down.
If you pre-ordered the game, you can play the beta this weekend until 21 March 3am GMT+8. If you didn’t pre-order, you’ll have a chance to check it out from March 25th-28th GMT+8. The beta has no time limit, so you can play until you hit level 25 and get a taste of almost all of the game’s first act.
Oh, and one last thing – some folks were wondering if Diablo 4 would be coming to Xbox Game Pass because of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. But Rod Fergusson, the general manager of the Diablo franchise, said on Twitter that it’s not currently planned.


Netflix Users Can Now Share Their Favourite Shows On Instagram Stories

iPhone users can now share their favorite Netflix shows on Instagram Stories straight from their Netflix app. While this new feature is currently only available for iPhone users, the streaming giant confirms that there are plans for it to become available for Android and Snapchat sometime later this year.
How does the new feature work? iPhone users can simply go to their Netflix app, select which show they want to share, add that show’s custom art, and share it as an Instagram story or even through a direct message to friends and followers.
The Instagram story will then be visible for 24 hours, providing a ‘Watch on Netflix’ link that redirects anyone who clicks on it to the show’s page on the Netflix app.
“We’re always on the lookout for ways to make it easier for members to share the Netflix titles theyâ€™re obsessing about and help them discover something new to watch. We hope our members enjoy this new feature!” said Netflix Head of Communications for Southeast Asia Leigh Wong.
This new feature will be another great new way for Netflix users to share what they’re watching with friends and family, without having to post it manually on Twitter or Facebook. Watching The Punisher Season 2? Share it on Instagram Stories.


Beautiful Pixel Art And Intricate Mechanics In This Free Adventure Game

In today’s microtransactions-filled climate, indie games are like rays of hope in a dark cavern. No fluff gameplay that’s often coupled with touching narratives, that’s what they usually offer. Atma seems to be just that and it’s completely free.

Just 295MB large, the game can be downloaded from its itch.io page here. Obviously this isn’t one of those games you’ll be losing weeks playing but it’s pretty much perfect as a “rest game”. The average session is supposed to last just around half an hour. Take a break from those big AAA titles and relax with something light but beautifully made.
You play as Shaya, a “guardian of the unseen” and you go on a quest to recollect the fragments of deceased lover’s memories so that he can find peace in death. In doing so, she will have to make difficult decisions which might go against her vows as a guardian. It’s up to you to make those decisions.

The game seems to have been inspired by Capcom’s beloved Okami as well as other popular games such as Zelda. You’ll have to slow down time and draw lines to defeat enemies and you’ll gain other abilities which will help you solve puzzles.
The game is developed by a group of creatives calling themselves Team Atma and you can leave comments for them on the game’s itch.io page.


*SPOILER ALERT* – What Next After Infinity War and Avengers 4?

Hi! Before we begin, we would like to stress that this will be a spoiler-ridden post so if you are yet to watch Avengers: Infinity War, we strongly suggest you look away. This post was intended for those who have watched the movie and are looking for additional theories and thoughts following the ending of Infinity War.
Want to share your two cents? Awesome. Comments section is right down below. But before we head any further, we have to say this:
SPOILERS IMMINENT BEYOND THIS POINT
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LET’S GO
Like most of you who have watched Infinity War, we came out of the cinema hall with tons of questions and theories as of the direction of the Marvel Cinematic Universe following the multiple deaths and shift in status quo. While our first guess was that the remaining heroes to reverse the deaths of their friends in Avengers 4, we cannot help but imagine the direction Marvel intend to take with their heroes beyond that point. So today we are presenting six theories on the MCU direction post-Avengers 4.
1. Replacing the Legacy Heroes with Someone ‘New’ to Take Over their MantleÂ
We know that the contracts for Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans is set to end with Avengers 4 and while it does not necessitate that they leave the roles they are best known for, we feel that Marvel might take a clean slate approach by introducing new characters to carry the roles of Iron Man and Captain America respectively. They’ve done it in the comics, so why not do the same for the movies? While I personally cannot see anyone else donning the Iron Man suit or carrying the Captain America shield aside from the above-mentioned actors, a breath of fresh air with new faces may be what Marvel need.

In the comics, Sam Wilson a.k.a Falcon and Bucky Barnes both carried the shieldÂ in Steve’s absence while Riri Williams assumed Iron Man (as Iron Heart) duties while Stark was in comatose following Civil War II. While I doubt that they would cast another actress to assume the Riri Williams role, I’m gonna go out on a limb here to claim that Shuri will be the next person to don the Iron Man suit.
2. Launch All New AvengersÂ
Still on the theme of replacing the legacy heroes with more youthful and modern counterparts, we have the All New Avengers. While it will indeed be a bold move that may rub some quarters the wrong way, Marvel have always been on the path of preaching that a hero is more than just the suit, shield or hammer. Don’t believe me? It has always been the theme in the following movies:

Captain America: First Avenger – Dr Erskine to Steve – “You will stay who you are. Not a perfect soldier, but a good man.”
Thor Ragnarok – Odin to Thor – “What are you, Thor, god of hammers?”
Spider-Man: Homecoming – Stark to Peter – “If you’re nothing without the suit, then you shouldn’t have it.”

There are many more examples peppered throughout the 18 movies preceding Infinity War that essentially says ‘anyone can be a hero’. It also opens endless possibilities on the direction of the MCU. The current heroes live in parameters we are well accustomed with. Normal is boring. Perhaps it is time for a massive shake-up.
3. Focus More on Individual Hero Arcs e.g StandalonesÂ
Aside from the earlier movies within MCU’s Phase 1 and selected movies in Phase 3, most of the MCU movies are significant pieces of the larger arc leading to Infinity War. Perhaps Marvel will tackle stories with isolated issues as they take a break from grand-scale events following Avengers 4. Perfect examples of such movies include Ant-Man, Spider-man: Homecoming and Iron Man 2.

I would personally like to watch a stand-alone Hawkeye movie (The Bourne Legacy does not count) or even a focus on Hulk’s time in Sakaar prior to Thor: Ragnarok. Perhaps it’s high time for a Black Widow movie even focusing on her years between the KGB and SHIELD even.
Such movies allow viewers to better understand these characters and in a way, shifts focus on character development rather than an over-arching plot advancement.
4. Integrate their Netflix Superheroes Into the MCUÂ
Who wouldn’t want to see a Daredevil & Spider-Man movie going against the likes of Kingpin and his goons in the streets of New York? To date, our Netflix Marvel heroes, while living in the same city as Spider-man, Doctor Strange and Tony Stark, haven’t come in direct contact with the Major League players and the time is nigh.

Spider-man has always been the scrappy sort and wouldn’t it be awesome to see him sharing screen time with Luke Cage, Jessica Jones and (ugh) Iron Fist as well? This could be a standalone arc which opens room for even Spider-Man’s appearances on the smaller screen. There’s almost unlimited potential in shifting Peter’s focus to issues closer to the ground and it would be such a waste for Netflix to pass this opportunity up.
5. Return of the Fantastic Four to the Silver Screen – Under the MCU Banner
Now we are putting on our tinfoil hats for this theory but hear us out aye. In 2015, Marvel Comics cancelled the run of their Fantastic Four comic. This was just around the time the reboot version of the movie, which starredÂ Erik KillmongerÂ Michael B Jordan was released by Fox.Â Jonathan Hickman, the writer ofÂ Fantastic FourÂ at the time, said that the series was cancelledÂ due to movie rights issues. Of course we all know – the movie tanked big time. Now back to present day.
While it is a well known fact that arcs and stories in the comic books rarely gets reflected in the movies save for some broad themes (e.g Civil War, Infinity War), these comics’ releases were timed to serve as additional reading material for the Marvel world as a whole and sometimes even riding on the wave of the movies. For example, about the same time of the release of Captain America: Civil War in theaters, Marvel Comics released Civil War II. Coincidence? We think not.
Mistakes were made
The recent Disney/ Fox deal not only opened up so many possibilities and the reason we are confident that a F4 movie is around the corner was due to the fact that Marvel recently announced that a reboot of the Fantastic Four comicÂ  which is due in August.
â€œThe First Family is returning to Marvel on a monthly basis,â€ said Marvel Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski in Marvelâ€™s announcement video.
Also, this would be a two-pronged move. Not only are Marvel introducing new (but familiar) heroes to the MCU, by shifting the focus on Reed Richards and his family, the core Avengers characters are allowed to take a break and avoid the dreaded superhero fatigue on the marketing standpoint.
Sidenote:Â We can’t wait to see Chris Evans as Steve Rogers introduce himself to Johnny Storm if this movie ever comes to fruition.
6. Crossover with X-Men and other Marvel IPs Deemed Impossible In the Past
If you told me in 2015 that Spider-Man would be starring in an MCU movie alongside Iron Man, Doctor StrangeÂ and Star-Lord kicking Thanos’ butt – I’d report you for #fakenews. But look at how far we’ve come.
Sony Pictures saw the light and they allowed Disney to use Spider-Man under their MCU wing. Fox would be wise to follow suit and we aren’t dismissing the chance of seeing the likes of Deadpool running amok alongside Hulk and Spider-Man or even an X-Men crossover.

The recent reveal of the Venom standalone movie was received with mixed reactions but we felt there’s more to it. Such setup sans Spider-Man, while is weird considering the back-story of Venom may be a buildup to a larger arc. We are counting on a big reveal at the end of this Venom movie starring Tom Hardy.
Even at the end of Infinity War we are yet to feel the full extent of what the Infinity Gauntlet is able to do and we won’t be surprised if Marvel decides to use it as basis to alter the reality of the MCU altogether. The idea of parallel universes can be easily ret-conned into the timeline allowing such crossovers to take place; and with Fox’s blessing, perhaps reboot the X-Men and fitting them into the MCU.

Of course all these theories mentioned above are just based on our assumptions of how Disney would steer the Marvel brand post Avengers 4. Surely you folks have your own ideas – perhaps even better than ours. As usual, comments section is right down below.


The New GTA Online Casino & Resort Is Now Open

Denizens and criminals of Los Santos, a new portion of the city’s already-chaotic sprawl is open for your enjoyment. The Diamond Casino & Resort is prepared to host the best gambling, shopping and other reckless recreations you can take part in. All you need is GTA$500 to become a standard member and start your journey of high-profile degeneracy.

After signing up for your standard membership, you’ll be given 5,000 chips and granted access to the casino’s services including the valet parking. You can redeem 1,000 chips daily too, you just have to stop by the counter each day you come in. Need a reason to come everyday? Look no further than the Lucky Wheel which you can spin daily for money, discounts, clothes, and even one of the new cars made available through the new update.
It’s a casino so if you’re not going to gamble, then you haven’t found the right game to play. Try your hand at Roulette, Blackjack, and Three Card Poker or just sit yourself down and watch those digits line up at a slot machine. If none of those are to your liking then there’s still Inside Track for you to enjoy. Put your bets, buckle up, and cheer for your digital horse.

When you’re done draining your chips or emptying the pockets of everyone else in the casino, you don’t have to go far to get some rest. Buy yourself a Master Penthouse through the casino’s website and decorate it to fit your personal style of extravagance and debauchery. You want to add a spa or a media room for your penthouse? All that and more can be done.
Buying a penthouse also automatically makes you a VIP member of the casino and with that comes new story missions, freemode missions and two new arcade games. VIP members also get access to the limo service as well as an aircraft concierge. With all that, the Diamond definitely doesn’t expect you to just gamble away with the standard crowd. Oh no no, VIP members can play at the High Limit tables and relax in the VIP Lounges.

The free update also comes with a brand new storyline that’ll allow you to play missions for Tao Cheng (yup, he’s back) and the Diamond’s head of operations Agatha Baker. The Duggans, a business family made rich through their petrochemical empire seeks to snatch the Diamond through a hostile takeover. It’s up to you and your pals to help Cheng and Baker keep the Diamond. Don’t worry, the Diamond doesn’t do charity so you’ll be paid in chips and cash.

The game’s called Grand Theft Auto so there’s no point if there aren’t any new cool cars to steal. That’s why the update comes with not five, but seven new vehicles for you to acquire. It’s not just new cars, there’s also more than 400 new clothing and artwork for you to purchase and collect.

Everything I’ve mentioned and more is up for grabs in GTA Online‘s latest update The Diamond Casino & Resort. The free update is now live on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. If you haven’t dipped your feet in the absolutely chaotic and utterly fun playground that is GTA Online, now would be a good time.
Read the full patch notes here.


Black Adam Delivers Action & Spectacle But Not Much Else

Black Adam is the only DC movie to release in 2022 after Warner Bros. delayed both The Flash and Shazam! Fury Of The Gods. That puts high expectations on this movie, especially after 2021’s brilliant The Suicide Squad and the hype from Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson himself.
Does it live up to that hype? Read on to find out.
Shazam!

First things first, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is great as Teth-Adam AKA Black Adam himself. He pulls off the stoic character pretty well, and he refrains from relying on his usual patented moves like raising his eyebrow or cringy stuff like that. Simply put, it does look like he put some effort into this role, making it seem more than just playing himself like he usually does in most movies. That said, if you like the Rock, he’s still as charming as ever with some quips here and there; it’s just that he’s toned it down to make it more suitable to his character, which is great.
As for the other characters, they mostly perform well, but the standouts are Pierce Brosnan’s Kent Nelson AKA Doctor Fate, Noah Centino’s Atom Smasher and Quintessa Swindell’s Cyclone. However, they don’t get nearly as much screentime or character development as they deserve, which is a shame. If anything, they prove that we need a Justice Society movie spinoff or at least a TV series to serve them justice (pardon the pun). Meanwhile, the normal non-powered supporting characters aren’t anything special to shout about. In particular, young actor Bodhi Sabongui’s Amon Tomaz can be a bit grating and forced when delivering his lines.

The villain of the movie also isn’t compelling enough to provide good fodder. He’s basically just there to provide Black Adam and the Justice Society someone else to fight beside themselves. Another missed opportunity for a good villain in the DCEU, which is a continuing issue for non-DCEU superhero movies in general as well. Black Adam is what you’d expect from a typical DC superhero movie these days. None of it is really surprising or offers anything new. Black Adam feels generic in that you feel like you’ve seen everything done better or similarly elsewhere in other movies. Add that to quite a bit of scenes mainly for the purpose of forced exposition, and the movie can sometimes feel draggy and plodding for a lot of its roughly two-hour runtime.
Fortunately, there are plenty of action scenes to keep you paying attention to the movie. The main highlight of Black Adam is definitely the action scenes. They’re reminiscent of those from other DC movies like Man Of Steel or Justice League since Teth-Adam AKA Black Adam himself fights just like Superman with the addition of being able to generate and shoot magical lightning powers from his hands and body. The movie is also surprisingly violent but without blood or much actual gore, which is probably how they managed to keep the movie’s rating at PG-13 despite some decapitations and the like. That said, some of these action scenes are depicted in slow-motion in the vein of Zack Snyder’s style or something similar to Quicksilver’s iconic slow-mo scenes in the X-Men movies. Different viewers may have different tolerance of those types of action scenes.
Beware His Power

Black Adam isn’t really the game-changing entry in the DCEU that was promised, but it’s also not the worse movie by far. It’s nowhere near as bad as 2016’s Suicide Squad or 2017’s Justice League (Joss Whedon’s version), but it’s not as good as 2021’s The Suicide Squad or 2018’s Aquaman. If I could compare, Black Adam is probably closest in quality to 2018’s Shazam!, though it’s not as fun.
Still, Black Adam might be worth watching for that mid-credits scene alone (which I won’t spoil, a simple Google search can do that now). It will certainly satisfy many DC fans, but it also has the potential to divide the fandom further. Who knows these days? Ultimately, Black Adam is enjoyable enough with some decent action and The Rock. That’s likely enough motivation for many out there to go and watch this movie.
FINAL SCORE: 70/100
We received an early screener of Black Adam courtesy of Warner Bros. Malaysia. Black Adam will premiere on 20 October in Malaysian cinemas.


RunAway Breaks the Curse: Wins Overwatch Contenders Korea Season 2

RunAway displayed true grit coming back fromÂ  being down three maps to win the Grand Finals of the Korean Overwatch Contenders Season 2 yesterday. Going against another team well accustomed at losing out at the last hurdle, KongDoo Panthera, it was back and forth action paired with roller-coaster of emotions as both teams who are known for their aggressive approaches went all out in hopes of breaking their hoodoo.
Known best for their pink player jerseys and sweaters, RunAway have never won a finals match prior to last night, losing OGN APEX Seasons 2 and 4 finals, and only managing third in Contenders Korea Season 1. KongDoo on the other hand were losing finalists of Season 3 before a bulk of that squad got drafted into what came to be Overwatch League’s inaugural season Grand Finals champions, London Spitfire.
First blood went to RunAway as they swept through the bewildered KongDoo on Lijiang Tower. Cleaning up house in surprisingly efficient manner, we can’t blame if the RunAway players’ confidence shot through the roof and it seemed like the day would be wrapped in four maps before long.Â However, the early momentum were quickly diminished as they lost three of following four maps; Eichenwalde, Gibraltar and Oasis as KongDoo rediscovered their groove. By nulling Bumper’s effect on tank thanks to effective plays by Chang-hoonÂ “r0ar”Â Gye and SonÂ “CoMa”Â Kyung Woo, the rest of KongDoo were able to outplay the rest of the RunAway squad to earn a commanding 3-1 lead.

Looking back at things, the draw on Temple Anubis was the key factor in keeping RunAway remaining in the fight. While RunAway only started to mount the epic comeback on the sixth map of the series (King’s Row), their refusal to surrender the only Assault Map in the map pool ensured that both teams only have six maps to win between the two of them, forcing an eighth tie-breaker map on Ilios.Â Having recorded better completion times on King’s Row and Route 66, RunAway won both rounds 4-3 forcing an epic conclusion to the series.
Spurred on by their manager who plays a motherly role on and off the big stage, Flowervin – who only assumed the role since her husband who was also the founder of the team, Runner is serving his national service – RunAway kept their cool even when they were facing yet another disappointing end to their long season. But fortune favors the bold (and the relentless) and RunAway lived up to the hype that made them one of the best supported pro Overwatch teams out there. Well aware thatÂ momentum clearly shifted back in their favor heading into the final match, they dug their heels and with Bumper rediscovering his swagger on Reinhardt, there was no one holding them back from making history.
We’ve seem many teams win their first titles in the past but none of those come close to RunAway’s win. It was a culmination of six seasons of multiple heartbreaks, perseverance and grit which eventually resulted in the biggest prize for their players. It is cliched but their win stay true to the saying; if you put your heart and mind to it, you will succeed.
The match was won by the much-storied team in RunAway but the clear victor of the night would surely be the viewers and fans of pro Overwatch. We wish them all the luck in upcoming tournaments, and surely would not be surprised to see two of the new Overwatch League franchises pick the whole roster up for Season 2.


Not Even “Old Man Smith vs. Fresh Prince: The Movie” Premise Can Save Gemini Man

Will Smith has acted in many movies throughout his illustrious career, but never in those decades has he ever gone against an enemy like this: himself.
He also turns 51 years old this year, a fact that he can’t stop reminding everyone of every few minutes in Gemini Man, just to prove that this Old Man Smith can still kick ass.
So much so that the movie essentially becomes a meta-commentary of how Will Smith is as much of a star now as he was in his golden era in the 90s and 00s, when he was still the Fresh Prince who could save the world from aliens and futuristic vampire monsters. Well, that’s what Gemini Man could have been, if not for the utterly predictable plot and laughable script saved only by its action scenes (still pretty meh) and technical wizardry.
Literal Old vs. New

Gemini Man turned out not to be as self-indulgent as I thought it’d be, especially for a movie starring Will Smith fighting against a younger version of himself. He plays Henry Brogan, an ageing government assassin looking to retire, but instead finds himself going up against a younger clone of himself named Junior (also played by Will Smith, made possible by advanced de-aging tech) as the government wants him dead.

The basic premise of Gemini Man is like the plot of every action spy espionage movie from Jason Bourne to Johnny English, with the exception of a science fiction twist (in that the hitman is the clone of the protagonist). The movie can’t hide the fact that it offers nothing new in terms of narrative or plot twists, all of which you’ve likely seen executed elsewhere in a much better fashion.

The script is terrible, to the point that some of the dialogue comes out as unintentionally funny and hilarious. For example, one scene has Junior (the clone) shooting Brogan (the hero) with a dart containing bee venom (to which Brogan is allergic to). That act prompted a supporting character to react by literally saying, “You can’t do that. He’s allergic.”, spoken in a way a child would to someone hurting his/her friend.
There’s nothing that you haven’t seen in this way. The only saving grace is the action scenes, which are decent but not that impressive either. The highlight of the movie would have to be the intense motorcycle chase scene, the only scene in which I feel like the Junior really could kill Brogan. The other scenes are Old Man Smith just showcasing to the world how he’s the best at what he does.

Gemini Man could have been something great if it focused more on how it’s a meta-commentary on how Will Smith still regards himself as a massive star but gets ironically slammed down to earth by a younger version of himself at his prime, mirroring how the world sees Will Smith now as a shadow of his former self.
However, that’s not what happens in the movie.

Throughout the movie, Junior never really feels like a real threat to Brogan, despite him supposedly being him at his prime. Heck, he even looks like Will Smith during his Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air days, and the filmmakers even put a reference/easter egg to that in the movie itself, so I definitely know that I’m not just spouting nonsense here.
As Brogan, Will Smith is a slightly more serious version of his usual charming and charismatic self, as Brogan is supposedly haunted by his 72 kills throughout his career. He then tries to be an angsty and brooding teenager as Junior, which is convincing mostly due to the impressive technical effects at play.
As much as Will Smith carries the movie, Gemini Man is made a little bit better by the presence of Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Danny Zakarweski and Benedict Wong’s Baron as supporting characters. Wong’s Baron acts as the comic relief and gets the best one-liners, while Winstead tries her best with the script she received, which unfortunately includes the cringe-worthy line I previously mentioned above.
Technical Cinematic Feat

Director Ang Lee boasts that Gemini Man is one of only several movies to have been shot entirely at high frame rates (HFR), specifically in 120fps. However, due to how badly the first Hobbit movie at 48fps was received by the general audiences, Paramount is distributing Gemini Man in versions ranging from 2D 24fps to 3D 2K 60fps and 3D 4K 120fps.
The problem with this is that only entirely new and costly projection systems are capable of presenting Gemini Man at its top-range format of 4K resolution in 3D at 120 frame rates per second. I was lucky enough to catch the 3D 2K 60fps (which is already a major change in fps from the usual 2D 24fps of normal movies) thanks to United International Pictures Malaysia and MBO Cinemas 3D+ halls.
Gamers would know how much playing in different fps modes results in improved gameplay experiences, though I find anything higher than 60fps to be nauseating and headache-inducing. The same applies to movies as well, though in even starker contrast. Watching Gemini Man in 3D 2K 60fps felt jarring at the beginning and took my eyes a while to get used to.

However, the feeling that I’m watching something as if it’s filmed directly in front of me never goes away, as everything looks too realistic. It feels as if you’re right there with the actors on location or like something recorded on a DSLR camera. The biggest pet peeve I (and many others) have about watching movies in HFR is how immersion-breaking it is.

Watching a movie in 60fps made the movie look fake and made-up, especially the action scenes, losing the cinematic sheen that’s supposed to be part of the movie-watching experience.
I would even say that it’s like watching a video game in movie form, which is particularly apparent in Gemini Man where some scenes feature the camera in first-person-perspective.

As for the 3D effects, those were negligible at best. Only one or two scenes truly made noticeable use of 3D, and one of them just featured the muzzle of a gun pointing towards the screen and poking out. How innovative indeed (I’m being sarcastic).

Many gamers will be there scratching their heads and wondering what the big deal is with HFR when high framerates have already been utilized in gaming for years.
The future of cinema? Nope. It’s really just more of a gimmick or tech fad, the same way that tacky 4D or 3D movie experiences often are.

A Typical Action Flick

If you’re a fan of Will Smith or just looking for an action popcorn flick for two hours of mindless entertainment, then you could probably watch Gemini Man. If you’re interested in experiencing HFR movies for yourself, just make sure that you’re choosing the appropriate cinema halls for 3D 2K 60fps and not just standard halls, which will likely just screen the normal 2D 24fps version.

Just like James Cameron’s Avatar in 2009, Gemini Man is only good for being a piece to showcase achievement in cinematic technology, but nothing can save it from ultimately being a shallow movie.
Is it worth it catching Gemini Man in HFR? You’re better off playing any FPS/action game on a decent PC rig and getting the same results.

FINAL SCORE: 30/100
We received a preview screening courtesy of United International Pictures Malaysia. Gemini Man premieres in Malaysian cinemas on 3 October 2019.


Capcom Cup IX: Street Fighter 5 Full Schedule & Results [Update]

It’s time to celebrate the final season of Street Fighter 5 with a bang, and what better way to do that than with a big esports fighting game tournament?
Capcom Cup IX features the best 2D fighting game pros from Japan to the US of A, duking it out for the ultimate prize of being the year’s champion, featuring 8 days of fighting from now until 19 February. The prize pool total is US$300,000, so the top players will win big here.

Capcom Cup IX Schedule

Last Chance Qualifiers Day 1: 13 Feb 4am GMT+8
Last Chance Qualifiers Day 2: 14 Feb 4am GMT+8
Group Stage Day 1: 15 Feb 4am GMT+8
Group Stage Day 2: 16 Feb 4am GMT+8
Group Stage Day 3: 17 Feb 4am GMT+8
Street Fighter League World Championship Day 1: 18 Feb 7am GMT+8
Street Fighter League World Championship Day 2: 19 Feb 7am GMT+8
Capcom Cup IX Top 16 + Grand Finals: 20 Feb 7am GMT+8

Notable Players In Capcom Cup IX

HB|Kawano
Victrix|Momochi
XSET|iDom
Punk
MisterCrimson
NASR|AngryBird
UYU|NL
EndingWalker
NASR|BigBird
MenaRD
00|Phenom
G8S|Pugera
The4philzz
UYU|OilKing
TSM|ChrisCCH
DCQ
RR|Mono
Takamura
Samurai
M.Lizard
VegaPatch
00|Veggey
MDZ|Jimmy

Capcom Cup IX Livestream
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Capcom Cup IX Results

1. Bandits| MenaRD (Luke, Birdie)
2. BLG| Zhen (M. Bison)
3. XSET| iDom (Laura, Poison)
4. Mister Crimson (Dhalsim)
5. M80| EndingWalker (Ed)
5. NASR| AngryBird (Ken, Rashid)
7. MADFGC| VegaPatch (F.A.N.G)
7. UYU| NL (Luke)
9. BLG| Vxbao (Cody, Luke, Urien, Balrog)
9. HB| Kawano (Luke, Kolin)
9. Victrix| Momochi (Cody)
9. Takamura (Akuma, Ken)
13. G8S| Pugera (Balrog)
13. M.Lizard (Vega)
13. 00| Phenom (Luke, Necalli, Karin)
13. Valmaster (Chun-Li, Menat)
Street Fighter League World Championship
1st. Good 8 Squad

RB|Gachikun (Rashid)
G8S|Pugera (Balrog)
HB|Kawano (Luke)
G8S|Dogura (M. Bison)

2nd. UYU

UYU|OilKing (Rashid, Seth)
BLG|DCQ (Urien)
UYU|NL (Luke)
RZR|Xian (Seth)

3rd. SFL Europe: Team Mouz

Mouz|Problem X (M. Bison, Alex)
Mouz|The4philzz (Falke)
Broski (Oro)
Shakz (Laura)


Total War Pharaoh Unveils First Look At Gameplay

SEGA and Creative Assembly have revealed our first look at Total War Pharaoh gameplay, the first new historical Total War in a long time after all the Total War Warhammer titles and pseudo-history fantasy titles like A Total War Saga Troy.
In Total War Pharaoh, the newest entry in the award-winning grand strategy series, immerse yourself in ancient Egypt at the zenith of its power and experience the dramatic events that threaten its destruction.
The setting is this:
With the end looming for the great Pharaoh Merneptah, the people of Egypt cry out for a new leader. Many desire the power of the throne, but the path to becoming Pharaoh is a perilous one. Unearth a breathtakingly vibrant recreation of the Bronze Age Collapse as you battle societal disarray, face natural disasters and fight to protect your people against waves of invaders.
Prove your legitimacy to become Pharaoh, or Great King of the Hittites, and expand your growing empire on a campaign map that spans the rich cultural hubs of Egypt, Canaan and Anatolia. With a choice of eight Faction Leaders, step into their unique playstyles and take charge of diverse unit rosters. Whether you’re charming the courts as a peerless diplomat, charging into battle as an unwavering commander or causing chaos as a fearless warlord, become a leader that history will remember.
The base game contains eight playable factions from three diverse cultures:

Egyptian: Ramesses, Seti, Tausret, Amenmesse
Canaanite: Bay and Irsu
Hittite: Kurunta and Suppiluliuma

With a brand-new Campaign Customisation feature, no two campaigns will ever feel the same. Determine how you play with an extended range of campaign customisation options, such as random starting positions for all factions, detailed resource settings, the ability to toy with natural disasters and much more.
Total War Pharaoh will launch on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store sometime in October 2023.
In the meantime, check out our review of A Total War Saga Troy MYTHOS here. In addition, check out my review of Total War Warhammer 3 and Immortal Empires here.
Check out the whole 45-minute video below:


Former World Of Warcraft Developer Joins Blizzard Boycott

The recent debacle concerning Hong Kong Hearthstone player Chung “blitzchung” Ng Wai‘s suspension has motivated many people to boycott Blizzard. One of those people is Mark Kern, a former Blizzard employee who helped make World of Warcraft, Diablo 2, and Starcraft.
In a Twitter thread posted recently, Mark announced that he’s giving up on playing Classic World of Warcraft, a game he helped make, due to what Blizzard did to Chung. However, the controversy isn’t the only reason he’s boycotting Blizzard. He also talks about his own experience in dealing with Chinese game companies throughout his career as a game designer and the former CEO of Red 5.

Iâ€™ve seen firsthand the corruption of Chinese gaming companies, and I was removed from a company I founded (after Blizzard) for refusing to take a 2 million dollar kickback bribe to take an investment from China. This is the first time Iâ€™ve ever spoken pubically about it.
â€” Mark Kern (@Grummz) October 9, 2019

His most noteworthy tweet contains recollection on how he was removed from a company he founded because he refused to take US$2 million bribe to take an investment from China. In a follow-up tweet, he said that he’s seen American company representatives who have been given the same offer and unfortunately, “not everyone refused like I did” said Mark.

“Of all the companies in the world, Blizzard is the LAST company I ever expected to give in to Chinaâ€™s demands. Blizzard was always about â€œgamer firstâ€ and â€œdonâ€™t be greedy.â€ At least, it was when I was there.“
– Mark Kern, game designer and former Blizzard employee.
For more information on what happened to blitzchung and why Blizzard suspended him, read here. You can read Mark’s thread starting from here.


New Ultraman Netflix Trailer Debuts Multiple Ultramen

Netflix has released a new full-length trailer for its upcoming Ultraman CGI series, ahead of its premiere on 1 April 2019. The new anime is actually an adaptation of the Ultraman manga written by Eiichi Shimizu and drawn by Tomohiro Shimoguchi.
The Ultraman Netflix series takes place several years after the events of the original live-action Ultraman series, which ran from 1966 to 1967. A high school student named Shinjiro Hayata inherits his father’s role and abilities as Ultraman and must fight against alien threats.
What’s interesting about the trailer is that it showcases two other people who have the power of Ultraman: Dan Maboroshi and Seiji Hokuto. Their Ultraman suits are inspired by Ultraseven and Ultraman Ace, respectively.

				Dan Maboroshi

				The original Ultraseven

				Seiji Hokuto

				The original Ultraman Ace

Check out the awesome new Ultraman Netflix trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbRBOq8jajg&w=560&h=315]


Valorant Plans To Add Six New Agents Per Year

It’s been a few weeks since Riot Games’ Valorant has been out in the wild (you can check out our preview of the game here), but the developer is already teasing new content. They have released a video update for Valorant with executive producer Anna Donlon revealing what to expect from the game in the future.
The biggest news from the update is that Riot Games plans to release a new Agent with each Act, which means that there will be approximately six (6) new Agents (the equivalent of Heroes in the game) every year.
The Valorant calendar will also be separated into Episodes; each lasting about six months with three Acts per Episode. Players can expect story development and major updates with the release of each new Episode. Besides that, a new game mode is coming to Valorant before Episode 2, and there will be an increased focus on reducing disruptive behaviour in the near future.
You can watch the entire video below.
[wpvideo ZafjLTJW]


PC Specs For Battlefront II Released

In case you aren’t aware, the PC specifications required to run the upcoming Star Wars shooter, Star Wars: Battlefront II are out – and these specs are pretty reasonable we must say. They are as follows:
Minimum PC System requirements:

OS: 64-bit Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10
Processor (AMD): AMD FX-6350
Processor (Intel): Intel Core i5 6600K
Memory: 8GB RAM
Graphics card (AMD): AMD Radeonâ„¢ HD 7850 2GB
Graphics card (NVIDIA): NVIDIA GeForceÂ® GTX 660 2GB
DirectX: 11.0 Compatible video card or equivalent
Online Connection Requirements: 512 KBPS or faster Internet connection
Hard-drive space: 15GB

Recommended PC System requirements:

OS: 64-bit Windows 10 or later
Processor (AMD): AMD FX 8350 Wraith
Processor (Intel): Intel Core i7 6700 or equivalent
Memory: 16GB RAM
Graphics card (AMD): AMD Radeonâ„¢ RX 480 4GB
Graphics card (NVIDIA): NVIDIA GeForceÂ® GTX 1060 3GB
DirectX: 11.1 Compatible video card or equivalent
Online Connection Requirements: 512 KBPS or faster Internet connection
Hard-drive space: 15GB

To run the game in 1920Ã—1080, Nvidia suggests using a GTX 1060, the GTX 1070 for 2560Ã—1440, and a GTX 1080 Ti for 3840Ã—2160.
While we enjoyed the beta, we are still quite skeptical of the whole lootbox and progression system which we feel heavily leans to the realms of microtransaction and is potentially game-breaking. You can read about our thoughts of it here. The singleplayer portion of the game will put players in the boots of a Galactic Empire special forces soldier, right after the destruction of the second Death Star. The storyline is cannon and fits right after Episode VI.
Star Wars: Battlefront II releases November 17th 2017.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uvmx94cUVEY&w=560&h=315]


How Tall Is Resident Evil Village’s Tall Vampire Lady? Capcom Finally Reveals

The internet still thirsts for the sweet caress of Resident Evil Village’s Lady Dimitrescu, or Tall Vampire Lady. It’s no surprise: she dresses classy, has looks that kill, and can actually kill you if you so much as look at her funny.
A lot of us have been guessing how tall she is, but Capcom has recently made it official. On the official Resident Evil Twitter, RE Village art director Tomonori Takano stated that she is….

….9 foot 6 inches tall! That’s including her hat and high heels. So maybe our 8 feet guess wasn’t too far off if we remove her head accessory & shoes.

Your love for Lady Dimitrescu is loud and clear. ?
Here's a message from our RE Village art director Tomonori Takano, along with a very curious fact you may have wondered about: pic.twitter.com/Lj4m5pN2dJ
— Resident Evil (@RE_Games) February 2, 2021

“These bewitching, vampiric characters are relentless in their pursuit of Ethan, and I can’t wait for you to meet them yourselves when you enter Castle Dimitrescu in May.”
Understatement of the century. I wonder if the Capcom RE Village team have recovered after seeing millions of Lady Dimitrescu NSFW fanart.


It’s Official, Crypto Is In Apex Legends Season 3

Respawn and EA has finally dropped the next Stories from the Outlands short film and this time, our long-rumoured hacker Crypto takes center stage.
There’s a ton of cool little details shown in the video which is titled Forever Family. The biggest takeaways are that Crypto is a Korean by origin and has been thrown into the deadly rounds of Apex Legends due to a mistake done by a family friend named Mila Alexander.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_8WHxyW86o&w=560&h=315]
Titanfall fans will immediately notice that Crypto lives somewhere that bears a very strong resemblance to Angel City. It’s a very tasteful kind of fanservice for long time fans of Respawn. Season 3 will also bring another new weapon from the Titanfall series: the Charge Rifle.

No details about Crypto’s skills and abilities have been revealed yet and there are still more new info to be revealed on what Season 3 is offering. Be sure to stay tuned on Kakuchopurei to get the latest Apex Legends news.


These New Xbox Game Pass PC Games May Sate Your City-Building Lust…

Are you in need of more PC games for your ever-growing Xbox Game Pass library? Well, you’re getting three more according to the recent Xbox live stream insider show.
The following games will be available alongside your copy of Gears 5 (our favourite Xbox One/PC/Steam multiplayer fragfest at the moment) and Shadow Warrior 2:

Cities Skyline, a city-building simulation,
Dirt Rally 2.0, a dirty racing game,
Saints Row IV: Re-Elected, the remastered version of the fun action-adventure open-world game.

Keep in mind, you’re only paying US$5 for the Xbox Game Pass for PC in its beta form. That’s quite a steal for all this and more.


Dune Drops First Image Of Paul Atreides

Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming Dune movie has released its first official image (courtesy of Vanity Fair), providing us with our first glimpse of protagonist Paul Atreides.
The image depicts Paul, played by TimothÃ©e Chalamet, on his home planet of Caladan. Behind him are transport ships, which are landing on the oceanic world to ferry his family to the desert planet Arrakis.
“The immediately appealing thing about Paul was the fact that in a story of such detail and scale and world-building, the protagonist is on an anti-heroâ€™s-journey of sorts,”Chalamet told Vanity Fair. “He thinks heâ€™s going to be sort of a young general studying his father and his leadership of a fighting force before he comes of age, hopefully a decade later, or something like that.”

Based on Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, the story will see Paul’s father, Duke Leto, being sent to the planet to manage the mining of its melange, a spice with unique properties. However, things aren’t as straightforward due to politics, and Paul later allies himself with Arrakis’ native Freman people to battle the antagonistic House Harkonnen.
Leto and his wife Jessica are played by Oscar Isaac and Rebecca Ferguson respectively. Freman leader Stilgar is played by Javier Bardem, and Zendaya plays Paul’s Freman love interest Chani.
The star-studded cast also includes Josh Brolin and Jason Momoa as House Atreides loyalists Gurney Halleck and Duncan Idaho respectively. Meanwhile, Stellan SkarsgÃ¥rd plays the role of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, while Dave Bautista plays Vladimir’s nephew Glossu “Beast” Rabban.
Dune remains set to release on 18 December, though whether that will eventually change because of the COVID-19 pandemic remains to be seen. Villeneuve’s last film was 2017’s Blade Runner 2049, which earned a score of 85 from our resident movie buff Alleef. He previously directed Prisoners, Sicario, and Arrival.


Amnesia: The Bunker Releases 10 Minutes Of Gameplay

Horror enthusiast, Frictional Games have finally released a gameplay video of upcoming Horror game Amnesia: The Bunker. The video showcased 10 minutes of gameplay.
Amnesia: The Bunker is a first-person horror game from the creators of SOMA and Amnesia. Left all alone in a desolate World War I bunker with only one bullet remaining in the barrel, you’re forced to face the oppressing terrors in the dark. Keep the lights on at all costs, persevere, and try to make it out alive.
About Amnesia: The Bunker
You play as Henri Clement, a French soldier armed with a revolver gun, and a noisy dynamo flashlight. Supplies are scarce and you need to scavenge and craft them along the way. No playthrough will be the same as the game randomizes items and the monsters have unpredictable behaviours.
Hunted down by an ever-present threat which reacts to your every move and sound, you must learn to adapt your play-style to face hell. Every decision you make will affect the outcome of how the game responds. Actions bear consequences.

Escape the Nightmare
The game is a semi-open world which means you get to solve things your own way. With no clear path, you must explore and experiment to make your way out. Figure out what’s going on down here- and what has happened to all the other soldiers? Where have all the officers gone?  What diabolical nightmare lurks underneath this hellscape? Unravel the mysteries that await you in the Bunker and get to know the nooks and crannies of this cruel sandbox to up your chance of surviving.

KEY FEATURES

Dynamic and ever-present monster that will react and respond to player actions
Constant tension, race against time- time is not on your side
A tactile and physics based interactions with the world
Scavenge for resources and craft tools along the way to aid your survival
Multiple solutions to problem solving in a non-linear world

Amnesia: The Bunker is due out for Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store this May 23.
You can watch the footage below.


Riot Games Allegedly Hit By Layoffs

It hasn’t been a great week for those working in the games industry. The publisher behind League Of Legends and Valorant, Riot Games, has allegedly been laying off its employees.
The source comes from esports reporter Jacob Wolf, who tweeted that “multiple people” have told him that Riot Games have been making layoffs across multiple departments.
However, at the time of writing, Riot Games has yet to officially confirm or deny the allegations.
Wolf tweeted:
“Riot Games is making layoffs, which started earlier today, multiple people have told me. Size and scope are unclear at the moment, so far I’ve heard of effects across recruiting and human resources, support and esports.
Riot’s historically not made many reductions in force in the past, but it’s in line with a broader trend in tech, gaming and entertainment as economic hardship begins to affect many corporations.”

Riot Games is making layoffs, which started earlier today, multiple people have told me.
Size and scope are unclear at the moment, so far I’ve heard of effects across recruiting & human resources, support and esports. Will do more reporting in the morning for the newsletter.
— Jacob Wolf (@JacobWolf) January 19, 2023

Earlier this week, the biggest news about layoffs was that Microsoft laid off a whopping 10,000 employees around the world, including those at 343 Industries, Bethesda and more. The situation isn’t looking good for the games industry going into 2023, as the world is preparing for a potential economic global recession.


Here’s A Guilty Gear Strive 2022 Tier List From One Of The Game’s Top Players

If you’ve kept your ear to the ground about Guilty Gear: Strive’s competitive scene, you may be aware of the high level plays of one Hotashi. He’s known for his game-ending Nagoriyuki gameplay and combos, as well as winning notable tournaments like EVO and Next Level Battle Circuit.
The tournament player has crafted his own tier list for Guilty Gear Strive on Twitter, based on his matchup knowledge and experiences; he also included the latest character Testament into the mix. Here’s the breakdown:
S Tier
Happy Chaos

This esoteric and unique fighting game character has a gun that’s an instant attack. However, he has a bunch of meters and resources to keep track of that will scare off less experienced players. In the right hands, he’s a beast.
A Tier
Sol Badguy, Zato-1, Leo Whitefang, Nagoriyuki, Ramlethal

These characters have all the advantages and kit needed to be placed higher than the rest, whether you want an all-or-nothing playstyle like Nagoriyuki or a footsie-oriented character like Leo Whitefang. It should also be noted that Sol Badguy and Ramlethal has remained unseated from the A tier category since the game’s launch.
B Tier
I-No, Axel, May, Giovanna, Baiken, Testament, Ky Kiske

New Season Pass character Testament joins the B tier list alongside Baiken and Ky Kiske. These characters also have advantages and kits that are beneficial (I-No’s dash & rushdown kit, May’s all-rounder toolset), but are just a step below other characters above the list who can do the same.
C Tier
Potemkin, Chipp, May, Jack-O, Goldlewis

While far from useless or power-lacking, these C tier characters will require a tad more effort especially against their bad matchups. For instance, Potemkin will be outzoned by characters like Testament and Chipp can die from a single combo from powered-up all-rounders like Sol Badguy and Nagoriyuki.
D Tier
Anji, Faust

These characters need a lot more effort to use to win matches consistently against the rest of the cast.
For more Guilty Gear Strive, check out the rest of our articles.


Genshin Impact Kuki Shinobu Hangout Event Full Walkthrough

Genshin Impact’s second half of its major 2.7 update is out now and features a ton of new events. Most importantly, you can now gacha for 5-star gang leader Arataki Itto and his trusty-yet-grumpy assistant ninja Kuki Shinobu.
The latter character has a new Hangout Event dedicated entirely to her. Hangout events in Genshin Impact are basically side adventures with branching paths ala your favourite visual novel(s), but set in Genshin Impact’s fantasy universe and features a bit of combat here and there. Here’s a full walkthrough for Kuki Shinobu’s adventure.
Kuki Shinobu Hangout Event Walkthrough

Ending #1 – Unexpected Wages: At the start, defend the Arataki Gang when prompted then select “it’s more important that they apologize”. Agree to follow Shinobu to Yae Miko’s Shrine north of Inazuma. Then accept the Shrine Maiden gig. Give advice to the patrons and the story will eventually end.
Ending #2 – Time For Some Secret Dealings: Follow the path to Ending #1 that leads you to the shrine. However, decline Yae Miko’s offer to do shrine maiden duties (usually the second option). You’ll end up taking down the Arataki Gang posters down with the help of Shinobu’s relative.
Ending #3 – Arataki Gang Community Service Chronicle: At the start of the Hangout event, step away from Kiku and the gang when prompted. Then, agree to help check on Shinobu. You’ll head to the nearby teahouse to see Shinobu in an interview, followed by a series of misinterpretations and aggravation from special guest Arataki Itto.
Ending #4 – Official Business!: Follow the path to Ending #1, but select “Oh? Then allow me!” followed by “Punishment isn’t necessary…”. The gang will then be prompted to run away from Shinobu. Find them. When you reach the third gang member, convince him to face the music and meet Shinobu.
Ending #5 – Doom Arrives All The Same: Follow the path to Ending #4 until you meet the third gang member. Then choose to help him hide from Shinobu. Be prepared for an ensuing battle with some ronin and Fatui Ice and Water elites though.


11 Years Later, Drawn To Life Is Still As Cutesy As Ever

505 Games and indie studio have teamed up to bring back the Drawn To Life series after 11 years of hiatus and Scribblenauts nonsense that spawned from it. And so far, the latest sequel that’s a long time coming, subtitled Two Realms, is basically retaining its charm while maintaining its build-a-hero concept.
The gist is this: you play a chosen hero who has to help solve problems in both the human and cat-people realm by entering their mind palaces and solving three stages of platforming and enemy-bonking. Usually, the third stage of these sections will have you placing enemy toys anywhere in the 2D space so that you can advance to the goal easily.

While the earlier stages are easy, they can get pretty tricky later on. The difficulty curve can be challenging if you don’t familiarize yourself with the game’s platforming mechanics and physics. So far, the controls seem standard and workable; you jump, you do a spin, and you can do a ground pound. Fun stuff, but it does get better with the third stage since you have to start placing objects to help your progress. For example, I placed a cannon toy onto lone platforms so that they can shoot out bullets that my character can jump on to advance forward and upward.
The big hook here is you can draw and create your own hero. I basically took a cat humanoid template and replaced its limbs with more…esoteric functions. Also, he wears a hockey mask near the end of the gameplay clip I took below, appropriately in nighttime segments.

The other hook, of course, is its art style, aesthetics, and music. It’s just whimsical and a much-needed dose of positivity in a year filled with blockbusters. I mean, just listen to some of the music in the platforming segments; doesn’t that scream relaxing?

Drawn To Life: Two Realms will be out on 7th December for PC and Nintendo Switch. Stay tuned for our full review.


Catch the Pikachu Parade at Malaysia’s First PokÃ©mon Festival in Genting

Malaysia‘s first ever official PokÃ©mon Festival is taking place at Genting from now until February 28, 2019. Celebrate this jolly Christmas and auspicious Chinese New Year with exciting PokÃ©mon-themed activities and merchandise.
PokÃ©mon fans must be familiar with the cute Pikachu parade with lines of adorable Pikachus walking and dancing in unison. Well, get ready to witness our very own Pikachu Parade and Dance live with a total of 8 Pikachu performers. For a sneak preview of what to expect, check out the video below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku-nRI_GbGc&w=560&h=315]
Attendees can not only check out the world’s tallest PokÃ©mon-themed Christmas tree adorned with PokÃ© decorations, but there will also be a massive 6-meter tall Pikachu inflatable surrounded by over 50 tiny Pikachu plushies.
Budding PokÃ©mon trainers can test their mettle and search for the 32Â PokÃ©mon figurines scattered in SkyAvenue throughout various locations and at different times. Gotta catch ’em all!
The PokÃ©mon Pop-Up store also offers official PokÃ©mon merchandise imported from Japan’s PokÃ©mon Store, as well as other activities like the special Trainer Program, where the younger trainers can collect 8 limited-edition PokÃ©mon stickers by completing tasks.
Check out what’s in store at the PokÃ©mon Pop-Up store below, courtesy of our friends at Gamehubs.
Credit: Gamehubs Facebook Page
Credit: Gamehubs Facebook Page
Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for more PokÃ© news. In the meantime, head on over to the official PokÃ©mon Festival website here for more details and information.


Kate Bishop Joins Marvel’s Avengers As First Post-Launch Playable Hero

Square Enix, Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal hosted their Marvel’s Avengers War Table September 2020 live stream presentation earlier today, and it revealed a lot of exciting new details about the upcoming game, including a brand new playable character.
The developers have confirmed that the very first post-launch playable character addition to the existing roster of Marvel’s Avengers will be none other than Kate Bishop, also known as the former protege of Clint ‘Hawkeye’ Barton.

In a post-game Operation event that will take place after the conclusion of the game’s main campaign, players will help Bishop search for Clint Barton after he disappeared while looking for SHIELD director Nick Fury and investigating tachyon rifts.
According to PlayStation Blog, she will be voiced by Ashly Burch. Meanwhile, Hawkeye will be voiced by Giacomo Gianniotti, and will receive his own Operation event separate from that of Kate Bishop.

The rest of the live stream included a look at how Outposts worked, as well as more details on Operations.
Marvelâ€™s Avengers has daily and weekly content resets, and the War Table is also dynamic. Villain Sectors are special missions that provide epic showdowns in boss fights that youâ€™ll want to keep coming back to, especially the closer your Heroes get to the gameâ€™s launch power level cap of 150.
There are also hidden SHIELD Vaults around the world. Players can unlock these to claim resources, gear, and secrets. However, coordinates for SHIELD Vaults must be located within other missions first.
In addition, SHIELD Substation Zero is a new Resistance Outpost led by Commander Maria Hill, who is voiced by industry veteran Jennifer Hale (of Mass Effect FemShep fame). Available shortly after launch, the Substation opens as a social space after temporal anomalies begin forming across the world.
AIMâ€™s Secret Lab will also drop shortly after launch and be a true test of late-game co-op team-play. Only available once a week, the Lab must be completed within a set time window and concludes in a huge boss fight that will take some strategic thinking from your four-player team.
The Mega Hive also arrives shortly after launch if players are looking for a meaty solo challenge. This weekly mission type will test your full roster as you fight your way through descending floors with increasingly difficult enemies. When one hero goes down, another will join. After your full roster is defeated, youâ€™ll need to start over from the beginning.
You can watch the entire 15-minute Marvel’s Avengers War Table Launch Week presentation below:

Marvelâ€™s Avengers is slated to release for the PS4, Xbox One, PC via Steam, and Stadia on 4 September 2020.


New Avatar The Way Of Water Trailer Teases Even More Epic Action

James Cameron’s long-awaited sequel to 2009’s Avatar, Avatar The Way Of Water, has received another new trailer ahead of its premiere next month.
Franchise newcomers include Kate Winslet, Michelle Yeoh, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, Edie Falco and Jemaine Clement, as well as the children of Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), including Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), and Tuktirey (Trinity Bliss).
The synopsis reads:
Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, “Avatar: The Way of Water” begins to tell the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.
Directed by James Cameron and produced by Cameron and Jon Landau, the film stars Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, Jemaine Clement and Kate Winslet.

Avatar The Way Of Water is slated to premiere in cinemas on 16 December 2022.


The Second New Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki Game Will Be Out This September In Japan

Good news for JRPG fans: the second installment of The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki series will be ready on 29th September for PS5 and PS4. The bad news? It’s the Japanese version.
The latest issue of Famitsu confirmed the return of the series’ characters Swin Abel and Nadia Rayne, along with new areas and story progression details. The game’s story progresses through chapters with main character Van and his allies acting separately for each chapter. You can even choose between two chapters in the same timeline for replay value. The game will also feature third-person shooter perspective missions with quicktime inputs as well as stealth missions to mix thing up from the turn-based combat that’s forefront.
There will be more information about the sequel later on 9th June on Dengeki Online’s YouTube stream of the game.

In related news, there hasn’t been any word on an English version of the first The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki game. We’re guessing Falcom needs to release The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero first before committing to a brand-new The Legend of Heroes installment.


Bad News For Folks Anticipating For Fortnite Mobile on Android

While the big talk these past few days has been aboutÂ Epic Games’ decision to not list Fortnite on the Google Play Store, we feel the more important news is whether and when will your Android device be able to run the game as well as the (potentially) gross misconduct and mistreatment of the mobile gaming scene by Epic Games and Samsung.
Word has it that the gameâ€™s launch was delayed because Samsung and Epic Games plans to launch the battle royale game at theÂ Samsung Galaxy Note 9 unveilingÂ on August 9th. How true is this? We sincerely hope it’s just a rumour but since the folks at XDA are reporting on it, we tend to take this news seriously.
In hindsight, we doubt Google would have allowed this Samsung-exclusive treatment if the game is downloadable via Google Play so say all you want, Epic Games. We know what you’re onto.

To add salt to injury, all rumours point towards Fortnite Mobile on Android launching as a Samsung Galaxy Note 9Â exclusiveÂ for at least thirty days, and worse, a Samsung Galaxy exclusive forÂ up to an additional three months.
All rumours point towards Fortnite Mobile on Android launching as a Samsung Galaxy Note 9Â exclusiveÂ for at least 30 days
This exclusive deal will see Samsung Galaxy owners getÂ a huge leg-up over everyone else and as for Samsung, a monopoly of the Fortnite Mobile scene over every other Android hardware makers.
And as planned, once this period is over, Epic Games will allow supported devices toÂ download and install the game from their website.Â
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyYzfMOUvZU&w=560&h=315]
OK, enough talk about that. Before we go to the nitty-gritty of things, here is the initial list of supported Android mobile phones for Fortnite Mobile on Android released not long ago.
Google PixelÂ

GoogleÂ Pixel 2
GoogleÂ Pixel 2 XL

Huawei

Huawei Mate 10
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
Huawei Mate 10 Pro
Huawei P10
Huawei P10 Plus
Huawei P10 Lite
Huawei P9
Huawei P9 Lite
Huawei P8 Lite (2017)

LG

LG G6
LG V30
LG V30+

Motorola

MotorolaÂ Moto E4 Plus
MotorolaÂ Moto G5
MotorolaÂ Moto G5 Plus
MotorolaÂ Moto G5s
MotorolaÂ Moto Z2 Play

Nokia

Nokia 6

Razer

Razer Phone

Samsung

SamsungÂ Galaxy A5 (2017)
SamsungÂ Galaxy A7 (2017)
SamsungÂ Galaxy J7 Prime (2017)
SamsungÂ Galaxy J7 Pro (2017)
SamsungÂ Galaxy Note 8
SamsungÂ Galaxy On7 (2016)
SamsungÂ Galaxy S9
SamsungÂ Galaxy S9+
SamsungÂ Galaxy S7
SamsungÂ Galaxy S7 edge
SamsungÂ Galaxy S8
SamsungÂ Galaxy S8+

Sony

SonyÂ Xperia XA1
SonyÂ Xperia XA1 Ultra
Sony Xperia XA1 Plus
SonyÂ Xperia XZ
SonyÂ Xperia XZs
SonyÂ Xperia XZ1

The list above is based on data from Epic Games’ own website but the good folks at XDA went a step further andÂ have found the minimum requirements that an Android device must meet to play Fortnite Mobile on Android. So if your phone is not on that list, you can cross-check your device’s spec sheet against the minimum requirements required to run Fortnite Mobile on Android here:

OS:Â 64-bit Android 5.0 Lollipop or higher
RAM:Â 3GB or higher
GPU Type:Â Adreno 530 or higher, Mali-G71 MP20, Mali-G72 MP12 or higher

Seems that the game prioritizes GPU power over the CPU. Based on these GPU requirements, most older, unlisted devices like theÂ Google Pixel,Â OnePlus 3,Â OnePlus 3T, and equivalent devices should be able to run Fortnite Mobile as well.
Considering the likes of Google Pixel and OnePlus 3 are over two years old, any high to mid-ranged phones released in 2017 should be adequate to run Fortnite Mobile on Android.


Samsung Galaxy Z Series 5G Arrives In Malaysia With Special Deals

Samsung Malaysia Electronics enters the next chapter of foldable devices with the arrival of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3 5G via the New Era, Life Opens Up with Galaxy virtual show.
Hosted by Jin Lim and Yaya Zahir, the show commemorated the third generation of Foldables alongside other star-studded hosts and well-esteemed designers to reiterate the importance of local collaborations during this time of recovery. Following this announcement, special promotions for the mentioned devices and accessories will also be held from mid-September to the end of November.Â
Samsung Malaysia Electronics President Edward Han said:
“The past year brought an unexpected change to the world and positioned technology as the only bridge between many individuals and their daily functions.
As an industry leader pioneering foldable technology, Samsung believes this moment requires a different approach â€“ one where our devices work to empower our activities through an ecosystem built on flexibility, openness, intuition, and innovation.â€
Experience Productivity Like Never Before

Productivity is one of the main focus areas of every Samsung userâ€™s expectation. With the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G, Samsung understands the need to get more done, in less time, and continues to push the limits of innovation with a variety of new features, including the addition of S Pen to the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G for the first time ever.
Local celebrity Alif Satar said:
â€œDespite the work-from-home period, an actorâ€™s schedule remains packed with meetings for upcoming projects. What was once a stressful process with notes spread out all over my workspace has now become streamlined thanks to the Galaxy Z Fold3 5Gs app continuity and emphasis on being an all-encompassing smart device. Itâ€™s quickly become my companion of choice to strike off daily tasks.â€
Technology That Elevates Your Style

Self-expression and creative freedom are equally important to Samsung users. In resonance, Samsung is keen to empower their expression through the Galaxy Z Flip3 5Gs bold colour options and sleek look.
Artist, poet, and fashion darling Daiyan Trisha said:
â€œThe Galaxy Z Flip3 5G is BOLD & Unique. I feel it was designed for me, a person who loves style and fashion. It is light but packed with innovative functions. Taking photos is easy with Flex Mode, allowing you to be free while exploring more angles!â€Â
Top Notch Durability for Better Peace Of Mind

Above all, Samsung users expect devices that are built to last. Thatâ€™s why this generation of the Galaxy Z Series 5G is built with unrivalled craftsmanship to deliver that satisfaction. For the first time in foldable smartphone history, the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Z Flip3 5G are equipped with IPX8-standard water resistant parts to protect from spills. Samsung also equipped these devices with Armor Aluminum and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus to create the one of the toughest Foldables to date.Â
Actor Dini Schatzmann said:
â€œHaving owned fragile devices in the past, itâ€™s nice to finally have a device without the anxieties of needing to be overtly gentle with them. I usually carry my phone in the same bag as my keys and yet, not one scratch!â€

Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3 5G Celebratory PromotionÂ

Samsung Malaysia Electronics, high on the thrill of the availability of its latest Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3 5G, will be launching with exceptional offers for a limited period! From 22 September to 31 October 2021, purchase the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G to receive a RM500 e-voucher and 1 year plan of Samsung Care+ worth RM799.
Simultaneously, users who purchase the Galaxy Z Flip3 5G within the promotional period will instead receive a RM350 e-voucher and 1 year plan of Samsung Care+ worth RM699.Â

Model
Colours
RRP
Exclusive Gift(s)

Galaxy Z Fold3 5G (512GB)
Phantom Black
Phantom Green
Phantom Silver
RM7,099
Samsung Care+ 1Year Plan worth RM799
Samsung Online Store eVoucher worth RM500

Galaxy Z Fold3 5G (256GB)
RM6,699

Galaxy Z Flip3 5G (256GB)
Phantom Black
Cream
Lavender
Green
RM4,199
Samsung Care+ 1Year Plan worth RM699
Samsung Online Store eVoucher worth RM350

Galaxy Z Flip3 5G (128GB)
RM3,999

Galaxy Z Accessories Purchase with Purchase Promotion
Thereâ€™s more â€“ with the purchase of a Galaxy Z Fold3 5G or the Galaxy Z Flip3 5G starting from 14 September to 30 November 2021, customers are entitled to receive 30% OFF the original price of up to three selected accessories, ensuring that you get a head start to your journey into the Samsung Galaxy ecosystem.
The Foldables Make Its Debut Exclusively on Malaysiaâ€™s Top TV Channels
Last but not least, for eager fans who are keen on further discovering how the future of mobile devices will impact daily lives, Samsung Malaysia, together with leading TV channels in Malaysia â€“ Astro RIA and Astro AEC, are proud to showcase a series of content exclusively highlighting the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3 5Gâ€™s outstanding features. Samsung aims to reach out to Malaysians across the nation through this fun and engaging shows with a variety of local artist appearances.
So be sure to catch the live shows here during these times:Â

Astro RIA (Channel 124), 17 September, 9:30p.m.
Astro AEC (Channel 346), 19 September, 8:30p.m.

To own the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G or Galaxy Z Flip3 5G, you can visit:Â
Galaxy Z Fold3 5G: https://www.samsung.com/my/smartphones/galaxy-z-fold3-5g/buy/Â
Galaxy Z Flip3 5G: https://www.samsung.com/my/smartphones/galaxy-z-flip3-5g/buy/Â
For more information on the Galaxy Z series, you can visit:
Samsung Malaysia website: https://www.samsung.com/my/smartphones/galaxy-z/Â


Saw Director To Produce New Universal Monster Movie

The Dark Universe may already be dead, but it seems like Universal is going full steam ahead with its plans to remake and reimagine their classic movie monsters like with director-focused standalone stories. This is especially in light of the recent The Invisible Man‘s financial and critical success (check out our review here).
Now, Malaysia-born Saw creator/director James Wan will be producing a new monster movie for Universal, with Supernatural writer Robbie Thompson on script duty.
The horror movie title is unknown as-of-yet, but sources from The Hollywood Reporter claim that it will focus on a group of teen kids whoÂ discover that a neighbour is building a monster in his basement.
This new Universal monster movie will be produced under James Wan’s Atomic Monster banner. Meanwhile, The Invisible Man has already garnered US$98.2 million to date, which is impressive considering that it was made on a US$7 million budget.
There are also a bunch of other Universal monster movie remakes in development, including The Bride Of Frankenstein, and others. If they’re all close to the quality of Leigh Whannell’s The Invisible Man, then bring them on.


Serious Sam Returns For A Fourth Time This August

A recent classic-esque first-person shooter letting you down because of publisher-sanctioned DRMs? Never fear: Devolver Digital just announced part 4 in the Serious Sam action-packed shooter story, slated for PC this August 2020.
Developed by Croteam, the same folks behind all the Serious Sam games, the new game (a prequel apparently) will be loaded with “an explosive arsenal, intergalactic carnage, and perfectly-timed one-liners”. It’ll be a classic old-school FPS experience: hordes of enemies, lots of weapons to carry with no reloading (with dual-wielding options), and a lot of strafing and running.
Oh and drums-heavy music.

The game also boasts a Legion system which allows thousands and thousands of enemies on-screen for you to mow down without tearing up your CPU. The engine allows for more than 10,000 enemies to hunt you down. So have fun!

You can pre-purchase it now on Steam for SG$34 (RM104).


Ni no Kuni 2’s Big Expansion DLC Revealed

I hope you haven’t deleted your installed copy of Ni no Kuni 2 yet because Bandai Namco just unleashed a ton of information about its upcoming DLC later in 2018.
The large-scale DLC is called “Labyrinth of the Ghost King” and it features the following:

A new dungeon called the Labyrinth, which is said to be much tougher than the Faraway Forest dungeon on the highest difficulty. It’s safe to say that the game’s lack of difficulty is amended exponentially.
The Labyrinth comes with a new boss called Ghost King Lamikyl. He’s sure to be anything but a cakewalk.
The DLC also introduces the Gokui System where your playable characters experience new changes in battle if they leave behind Gokui items. Bandai Namco will reveal more information later.
The DLC will feature over 80 new equipment and items.Â These are but a sample of the weapons you’ll be getting in the DLC dungeons.

In addition, there will be new character quests and rematches with certain bosses from the main game’s story mode.
You can access the Labyrinth after clearing the Chapter 4 scenario quest in the game.

This sounds like a perfect opportunity to jump back into Ni no Kuni 2, which I enjoyed wholeheartedly earlier this year. What say you?


Dragon Quest Series Composer Dies At Age 90

Dragon Quest series composer, Koichi Sugiyama, passed away on 30th September due to septic shock. He was 90 years old.
Sugiyama was the oldest video game composer to ever be around the scene since he had composed more than 500 songs for the Dragon Quest series starting back in 1986. His last musical contribution was for the upcoming Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate.
Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda wrote a statement about his passing:
“I would like to take this opportunity to offer my deepest sympathy to Koichi Sugiyamaâ€™s friends and loved ones. Words cannot express the scale of the contribution made by Koichi Sugiyama from the birth of the DRAGON QUEST series until now. I remember seeing him conduct the orchestra in a DRAGON QUEST concert as if it were yesterday.”
Sugiyama was also a controversial figure; he was a public denier of the Nanking Massacre, and also downplayed the role “comfort” women”/sex slaves played in the Japanese war effort. He also said that there was no need to have LGBT education in Japanese schools and dismissed concerns about high suicide rates among the community, though later he backed out of that stance.
Rest in peace, Sugiyama. Thankfully, we have music composers like Hayato Matsuo who is basically Sugiyama’s “heir” in making Dragon Quest music to carry on his legacy.


Fish Are Friends: A Quick Guide of Aquaman’s Heroes and Villains

Aquaman will be the one and only DC Comics movie coming out in 2018, as well as the last comic book movie of the year. It will arrive with high expectations, especially since it will be the first DCEU (DC Extended Universe) movie to be released since 2017’s Justice League (which was the lowest-grossing entry in the franchise to date).
Aquaman is probably the least well-known member of the DCEU Justice League since he has long been ridiculed for only being to ‘talk to fish’ (which started from his ridiculous portrayal in the 1960s Super Friends animated series). Heck, Cyborg is more popular than him, thanks to the iconic Teen Titans animated series.
However, kudos to DC Comics for successfully managing to make Aquaman a badass and respectable character again due to the incredible run by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis at the beginning of the New 52 reboot. Now it’s up to James Wan’s Aquaman movie to change the public conception of Arthur Curry and make him as beloved as other DC superheroes.
Therefore, here are some brief introductions to the major heroes and villains in the upcoming Aquaman movie.
Aquaman (Arthur Curry)

To make things easier to understand, I’ll explain Aquaman’s backstory using his most recent origin. His real name is Arthur Curry, the half-human half-Atlantean son of Tom Curry and Queen Atlanna of Atlantis.
He has the telepathic ability to communicate with marine life, including whales, sharks and even ancient sea creatures from the dark depths of the ocean. Thanks to his Atlantean heritage, he has super-strength and extreme endurance (sometimes even on par with that of Superman) which allows bullets to just bounce off him and withstand deep sea pressures.
Unlike most other DC heroes, Aquaman wields a weapon. This Trident is a mark of his royal Atlantean heritage, and also insanely powerful; able to pierce the skin of godly beings like Darkseid and fire blasts of magical energy.
Aquaman may seem like Marvel’s Black Panther at a glance but their circumstances are very different. Aquaman AKA Arthur Curry spent most of his life on land, which makes him more human than Atlantean. Even so, the responsibility of being a monarch is still thrust upon him, whether he likes it or not.
Mera

She is a princess of Xebel (an undersea kingdom rivaling that of Atlantis), the love interest of Aquaman, and a bonafide superhero in her own right. What makes her so powerful? Imagine the most powerful water-bender, who also lives and breathes in water.
Mera is a hydrokinetic; able to form hard constructs by manipulating water or liquid in general. She’s also a full-blooded Atlantean, so don’t forget to add super-strength and extreme endurance to that too. In the comics, she has even been deemed worthy enough to join the Justice League on several occasions.
Groomed to be queen, she is actually better-suited to be a leader than Aquaman is, but her Xebellian heritage prevents her from doing so (until recently, that is). She’s strong and capable of being her own character, without being tied to Aquaman.
Orm (Ocean Master)

King Orm is Aquaman’s half-brother and the second son of Queen Atlanna. In the upcoming movie, he is the current ruler of Atlantis, and he wants to unite all the undersea kingdoms into one. By doing so, he will obtain the title Ocean Master.
He wants to declare war against the surface-world because he accuses them of polluting the oceans. As a full-blooded Atlantean, his strength is equal to that of Aquaman. He wields a Trident of his own, as well as his iconic helmet (which he calls a Crown in the comics).
Black Manta (David Kane)

Black Manta is a popular DC supervillain in the comics, as he has been part of several villainous organizations like The Society, the Injustice League, the Legion of Doom and even the Suicide Squad. That means he is a formidable villain, despite having no powers or special abilities of any kind.
In the comics (and his most recent origin), Black Manta wants revenge against Aquaman for killing his father. Albeit having no powers, his scientific and engineering skills allowed him to build the highly-advanced Black Manta armor (which in turn allowed him to fire searing optic blasts and breathe underwater). He is also skilled in hand-to-hand combat. All of this makes him more than a match for Aquaman.
Atlanna

Queen Atlanna is the mother of Aquaman. She tried to escape her forced arranged marriage but was injured in the attempt. A human named Tom Curry found her and rescued her, later falling in love with each other and having a son.
She has the same abilities as any full-blooded Atlantean (like I mentioned before). Atlanna is portrayed by Nicole Kidman in the upcoming Aquaman movie.
Vulko

Nuidis Vulko is the chief royal advisor of Atlantis. Portrayed by Willem Dafoe, the character is a mentor of sorts to the young Arthur Curry. He secretly taught and trained Aquaman when he was growing up.
Vulko is also a potential villain, despite being a heroic supporting character. Recently in the comics, he instigated an Atlantean war, causing widespread destruction on the surface world during the Throne of Atlantis storyline. There’s always a chance that Warner Bros decides to use that in an Aquaman movie.
Nereus

King Nereus is the ruler of Xebel. Nereus is a quite a recent addition even in the comics, as he first appeared in 2013. However, the movie Nereus and the one in the comics are different.
In the Aquaman movie, Nereus is the father of Mera, while in the comics, Nereus is the betrothed husband of Mera. Interestingly, they made King Orm the betrothed husband in the movie instead. Dolph Lundgren of Rocky fame is portraying the Xebellian king.
There you go, folks. Now that you know the major characters, check out Aquaman when it releases in Malaysian cinemas on December 13, 2018.


Hail Mary Plays: Video Game Companies That Came Back From Failure With One Hit Title

With each passing year, the video game industry only seems to get bigger, cultivating an ever-growing audience that’s ripe for the taking. But the world of video game development is a harsh place. And when new titles seem to launch every week, or even every day, it can be hard to sway the interest of the masses without the reputation, money, or resources that only major corporations command.
Even worse when you’re a developer that hasn’t quite made their mark yet – when every game made is received poorly, doesn’t interest players, or scrapes by with only so much success that it at least justifies the next project.
Still, nothing of worth was ever built in a single day. For many successful game companies that eventually bubbled to the surface of public consciousness, you may also find a fair string of failures in their wake. Curious about which companies went from mediocre nobodies to the talk of the town? Let’s start with the first one on our minds:
#1.


Powerwash Simulator’s New DLC Will Let You Clean Cloud’s Awesome Bike

Square Enix, the publisher of Powerwash Simulator for some reason, is going to make its partnership with developer Futurlab bear more fruit than usual. And it now involves the Final Fantasy brand.
The hit indie game where you wash houses and vehicles will now give you the pleasure of cleaning iconic vehicles in Final Fantasy VII with a brand-new DLC. The DLC is called the Midgar Special Pack, though it has no release date at this time of writing.
You’ll not only be cleaning the Hardy-Daytona bike in the promo picture, but also places and mechas like 7th Heaven and the Guard Scorpion.

????DLC?????FFVII???????FFVII??????DLC??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????#PowerWash #?????????#FF7 pic.twitter.com/L2R6SwKas4
— SQEX EXTREME EDGES (@sqex_ee) January 31, 2023

Powerwash Simulator is out now for PC and consoles.


Azur Lane & British Ships Cruising Into World Of Warships Next Month

World of Warships: Legends will be receiving its first feature update of the year on 3 February 2020. Players can look forward to new skins and commanders from the Azur Lane collaboration, a new British cruiser tech tree, a new campaign, and Season 3 of Ranked Battles.
Azur Lane World Of Warships: Legends Collab

This will be World of Warships: Legends’ first collaboration with the popular mobile game, Azur Lane. Azur Lane is a side-scrolling shooter RPG mobile game (for Android and iOS) that features ships anthropomorphized into beautiful girl waifus.
Azur Lane characters Dunkerque, Nelson, Atago, Hipper, Hood, and Belfast will be appearing in World Of Warships: Legends, each of whom will have unique skills and voice-overs. For example, Atago’s ‘Arsonist’ skill has been brought to World of Warships: Legends as a unique commander skill that provides similar effects.
Each Azur Lane commander’s ship also has new colourful camouflage to fit their respective theme. However, there is an option to remove the Azur Lane visuals for those who prefer to retain the classic approach.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkwgyt8RvoI&w=560&h=315]
New British Cruisers & Campaign

The British cruiser tech tree will finally be complete with the addition of new ships royal which comes equipped with excellent 6-inch guns, light armour, torpedoes that can be individually launched, repair parties, and smoke generators. Along with awesome acceleration, players will be able to use these new British cruisers to ambush enemies and punish exposed flanks.

There will also be a new campaign to tie-in with both the British cruisers and the Azur Lane collaboration, ‘His Majesty’s Raider’. This campaign offers items for players, ranging from Doubloons and Equipment to Premium Account time and more.

At the end of the level 80 campaign lies the Belfast, a famed British cruiser that now serves as a museum ship in London on the River Thames. In-game, the Belfast is a Tier VI cruiser equipped with quick-firing 6-inch guns, Radar, Sonar, and a Smoke Generator. This load-out makes Belfast ideal for fighting enemy destroyers, setting fires, and evading the enemy.

Season 3 Ranked Battles

Ranked Battles are back for a third season to provide players with the opportunity for intense and competitive battles. Season 3 will focus on Tier V ships throughout the update, which means that there will be five weeks to climb through the 20 available ranks. These 7v7 battles are the best place for players to show their skills in-game, with tons of rewards.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq_xFAHwDjQ&w=560&h=315]


Wolfenstein: Youngblood Lets You Double Team Nazi Fools This July

There’s no such thing as too much Wolfenstein, especially when you can do it co-op. The upcoming Wolfenstein follow-up will let you do just that since you’ll be playing as either twin daughters of BJ Blazkowicz: Jess and Soph.
Your mission is to liberate Paris from the Nazi threat as you search for your dad in the good ol’ 80s. Check out the ass-kicking trailer below, complete with funky battle suits that make the twins look like they’re cosplaying for a Daft Punk theme party.

It’ll be as story-driven as the last Wolfenstein games, but the shooting and action setpieces will still be solid as heck. The devs are the same folks who put Starbreeze on the map before it went through heck.
Look forward to this co-op venture this 26 July. Pre-order the game to get a legacy pack featuring alternate costumes and gun skins. If you buy the Deluxe version of the game, you get a Buddy Pass which you can pass to your buddy to play co-op even if they don’t own the game.
To which we say: thumbs up!


Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Adjusts Quest Difficulty For Smaller Hunt Parties

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is a massive expansion coming to the base game in September, and with that comes some changes on hunt difficulty. Earlier this week, Iceborne producer Ryozo Tsujimoto announced that difficulty scaling for two players will be added after listening to community feedback.

Here’s why this happened: In Monster Hunter World, there are only two difficulties for hunts; ‘singleplayer’ and ‘multiplayer’. This means that hunts with more than one player will be automatically be scaled to four players, regardless of how many players are in a hunt. The new feature means two-man hunts are now manageable.
Iceborne will also introduce a difficulty rescaling function. If a player leaves a hunt midway for whatever reason such as disconnections, the game will dynamically scale down the difficulty to a more appropriate level depending on the number of current players.
Here’s another treat for players. Capcom also showed off the new base, Seliana as well as the new area, Hoarfrost Ridge. The monstrous fan-favourite, Tigrex, also returns and is featured in the video below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=509&v=a1hov9yqfaU]
Iceborne also brings new weapon attacks across the hunter arsenal. You can check out all the attacks on our page; the bladed weapons here, blunt weapons here, lances here, axes here and the agile weapons here.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne will be released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One on 6 September while the PC via Steam version will arrive in Winter 2019.


Reminder: Genshin Impact Real Life Bubble Tea Event Starts Now In Malaysia & Singapore

Malaysian and Singaporean Genshin Impact fans are in for a bubbly treat for the next few weeks.
Hoyoverse/Mihoyo are teaming up with Malaysia tea chain Tealive and Singapore’s tea chain LiHO TEA for a Genshin Impact event involving Ayato Kamisato’s favourite drink: bubble tea! During the Paimon’s Bubbly Encounter event, customers who buy a drink from participating outlets can receive a complimentary Genshin Impact cup sleeve; these are available for both walk-ins and delivery orders while stocks last. Genshin Impact character standees are also available at certain Tealive and LiHO TEA outlets. The event will last from 20th April (today) until 19th May.
If you want to see what the special cup sleeves look like, check out the tweet below (via @fatcatlim). You may want to remove the sleeve immediately from your bubble tea cup to avoid water damage on it.

For those curious about the special cup sleeve. It's quite thin, so remove it immediately from your cup once you receive it to avoid it getting water damage pic.twitter.com/0IURF5t2E8
— Kuan 'Trying to Slim Down' Lim (@fatcatlim) April 20, 2022

Here are some pictures of the standees and also the ongoing Bubble Tea contest rules. Winners will get 300 Primogems and a couple of Tealive/LIHO TEA vouchers.

You can use this official link to find out participating outlets near your area, be it in Malaysia or Singapore. For example, if you are in Kuala Lumpur, you can get your special sleeve at Tealive in Bangsar Village, Kuala Lumpur City Centre (Lebuh Ampang), Sunway Putra Mall, Megamall and Wisma UOA Damansara. If you’re in central Singapore, you can get it at Asia Square Tower 2, Cineleisure Orchard, Millenia Walk, Suntec City Mall, and Vivocity.


The Great Sony PlayStation 5 Reveal At CES Is A Logo.

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past few days, the 2020 International Consumer Electronics Show, or CES is happening right now in Las Vegas. Known to be the curtain raiser for what’s to come in the realms of technology for the rest of the year, CES has always been the place where hardware and software makers parade their products for the tech media to speculate and the public, salivate.
So it is only natural for the makers of PlayStation, Sony to tease all of us about their upcoming next-gen home console, the PlayStation 5. Rumor has it that we would be getting a tech or games demo featuring never-seen-before titles including the next God of War game at CES.
Alas, as it always been the case, reality disappoints as Sony’s biggest reveal at CES turns out to be the official logo of the PlayStation 5.

No fancy lines. None of them bright colors. Just a simple number change, utilizing the same fonts used for the PS4 logo. Along with it were the hardware features you can expect to come packaged with the console once it drops ‘holiday’ this year.

Our guess is good as yours but if we had to guess, the PS5 should hit markets early November. We predict the first big batch of titles will be made available just in time for Black Friday sales – assuming the world hasn’t gone to hell by then.
Also revealed were some interesting numbers relating to the lifetime sales numbers of the current gen console. We’ll let you ingest the data yourself.

So will you be getting the PS5 on day one, or will you hold off for a while before committing yourselves to getting it? While you’re at it, do tell us via comments below or on our Facebook page – what’s your prediction on the retail price of the PS5 once it hits shelves?


Astral Chain Trailer Showcases Lots Of Gameplay & Legion Breakdown

Nintendo just raised the curtains on the latest Astral Chain trailer, and it looks pretty sweet.
The 10-minute trailer features an introduction to the story and setting from Neuron Special Forces Operator Olive Espinoza, which is then followed by some interesting action presented by Neuron Special Forces Captain Maximilian Howard. Man, these names are straight out of an 80s cop drama.
The trailer also showcases the device that lets players summon the Legions – somewhat like Stands from JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure – and features various types of Legions and their combat styles. Here’s a breakdown:

There are five Legion types: Sword, Arrow, Beast, Arm, and Axe. You can switch between different Legion types mid-combat.
Each of them has unique skills of their own: the Sword Legion can slow time down and precisely stun enemies with a vertical sword slash ala Raiden’s Zandatsu from Metal Gear Revengeance.
The Arrow Legion can slow time down so you can aim properly and deals critical damage with headshots.
The Arm Legion lets you temporarily use it as a suit of armour to deal heavy AoE damage.
You can ride on the Beast Legion to get the heck away from things, or just run really, really fast.
The Axe Legion can employ an energy barrier that absorbs heavy hits for a short duration.
You can use all these abilities in non-combat situations, like slicing a door down using the Sword Legion’s skill, or activating a series of moving switches with the Arrow Legion’s slowdown technique.

Check out the full trailer below to see these in action. Official game description below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRgolbpH6Qg]

As part of a police special task force, itâ€™s up to you to fight against mysterious, alien-like creatures who have invaded the world.
In the Ark, a multi-cultural city in the near future, disaster strikes when gates to another dimension suddenly appear! Dangerous creatures begin to emerge, attacking the people and polluting the land, and normal police forces are unable to compete with them. To stand up against these threats, a brand new, special police unit known as Neuron is formed.
Choose between two playable characters â€“ one male, one female â€“ on your adventure. The character you donâ€™t choose also appears as your younger twin, and a fellow member of Neuron.
In order to resist the creatures, humanity developed a special weapon: the Legion. The Legion acts as your partner, and helps with your investigations. However, itâ€™s in battle where the Legion shows its real abilityâ€¦
Work together with the Legion and use all sorts of combat styles to fight your enemies. You could both attack the same enemy simultaneously, target different opponents, or send your Legion on the offensive while you support it with items. Use this synergetic action system to battle and explore together!

Collectors’ Edition
Of course, Nintendo is going to come up with a finite amount of copies for the Collectors’ Edition of Astral Chain. It includes:

Astral Chain game
Astral Chain Sound selection CD
A 152-page art book
Special artboard by Masakazu Katsura

Only 2000 copies will be available at launch making it quite rare and valuable. The Collectors’ Edition is priced at RM425.
Astral Chain will release exclusively on Nintendo Switch on 30 August.