Those Disney Plus Marvel Shows Are On Hiatus Due To COVID-19

If you’re excited to watch the upcoming Marvel TV shows on Disney+ as soon as possible, we have bad news for you.
Disney recently announced that it will temporarily shut down production on all of its upcoming Disney+ Marvel shows and films (via Variety). Why? Because of the COVID-19 coronavirus. These include:

Loki
WandaVision
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Disney has yet to mention how long the pause on production will last, as well as the new delayed release dates for the above shows. Previously, Disney announced that they have delayed the live-action Mulan to an “indefinite” release date.


We Have Pressing Questions About The Live-Action Sonic The Hedgehog Teaser (Updated)

Update: we added an alleged leak of movie Sonic’s face in full, all the way at the bottom of this post.Â
So IGN just released an exclusive “motion poster” of the live action Sonic The Hedgehog movie. And….

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Where to begin?

Why are his quills and spikes made out of fur?
Is this hedgehog humanoid going to be running buck naked?
Is the “giant head, proportionate arms and legs” aesthetic kinda eerie to you? Because it is to me.
Here’s a quote from executive producer Tim Miller (of Deadpool fame): “It would be weird and it would feel like he was running around nude if he was some sort of otter-like thing.” AS OPPOSED TO WHATEVER THE HECK THAT THING UP THERE IS?
Minor gripe: the shoes aren’t pointy enough and it’s missing the white socks to hide the ankles so that he comes off as limber & lanky when doing action stuff. That’s probably the least of the producer’s worries though.

I’m sure the internet is a bit more open-minded than I am, right? RIGHT?!?

We’ve even got some internet artists trying to make sense of this adaptation.
https://twitter.com/heyshanmurphy/status/1072159478521495552

I’m trying to work out how they even got to Movie Sonic from Normal Sonic
And my conclusion is – inhaling absolutely shedloads of glue, it’s the only logical explanation pic.twitter.com/qfcaK5HFeH
— Tracker (@Tracker_TD) December 10, 2018

I've worked out who's doing mocap for the Sonic movie. pic.twitter.com/eTu4c6qUOo
— Commander Stephanie Sterling (@JimSterling) December 10, 2018

https://twitter.com/MagicalIvory/status/1072122460378673155
https://amayamii.tumblr.com/post/180986610831/good-lord-sonic-what-did-they-do-to-you
http://ballad-of-gilgalad.tumblr.com/post/180994894854/put-some-quick-inks-on-that-sonic-picture
That last Tumblr image makes more sense, to be frank.
We’ll try to reserve judgment when the full reveal with lighting comes out. The film will be out 8 November 2019. Or you can look at this leaked picture of movie Sonic courtesy of Twitter user farrisken210 (heh).


Microsoft Collaborates With Waze; Turns Your Vehicle Icon Into The Warthog

A new global partnership has formed between Halo Infinite and the navigation app Waze. Starting today, drivers around the world can access a brand-new Waze experience that allows them to drive with vehicles and characters straight from the Halo universe.
Upon selecting the Halo theme, drivers can choose their side: the UNSC or the Banished. Those siding with humanity and the UNSC will have their in-app car replaced with the Warthog and will have their trip navigated by none other than the Master Chief himself, and even select him as their Waze profile â€œMood.â€
Drivers embracing their more rebellious side can choose the Banished, Halo Infiniteâ€™s enemy faction. Theyâ€™ll have their in-app car replaced with a Ghost, get their navigation audio from the Banished war chief, Escharum, and an Escharum â€œMoodâ€ to let others on the road know which side theyâ€™ve chosen.
Access the first-ever video game-themed experience on Waze to choose your faction, and your drives will take on a decidedly Halo flavour. Or open the Waze app, tap â€œMy Wazeâ€ and select the Halo banner to activate the experience. The content is available worldwide starting today in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese, and will remain on the Waze app for a limited time.
Back in June 2021, Xbox head Phil SpencerÂ reaffirmedÂ thatÂ Halo InfiniteÂ remains dedicated to a Holiday 2021, so weâ€™ll have to wait and see if a release date will be announced in the near future, since itâ€™s already August 2021. In the meantime, you can catch the latest gameplay footage of the game below:


The Best Video Game Waifus & Husbandos Of 2020

2020 has been rough, but there was a good chunk of bright spots here and there. Like a heckaton of games to play, next-gen making its way to people’s home entertainment setup (sorta), and a lot of us picking up new hobbies and reconnecting with loved ones using online chat tools.
But screw all that; 2020 gave us the best waifus and husbandos gaming has to offer! This is clearly a thinly-veiled attempt at listing down our favourite characters of 2020 in the video game sphere, but we figured the term “waifu” and “husbando” are pretty popular not to use.
Here are the best of the best, in no particular order.
Joel (from The Last of Us Part 2)

Recently grumpy killer-turned dad figure for Ellie. Likes guitars and Pearl Jam covers. Hates golf.Â
Aerith (from Final Fantasy VII Remake)

Winner of the “most improved character in a 2020 remake” award.
Cloud (from Final Fantasy VII Remake)

Winner of the “best-dressed female” award.
Tifa (from Final Fantasy VII Remake)

Winner of “Cloud’s partner“ by default, if we’re following FFVII canon. Sorry, we just had to.
Blaze (from Streets of Rage 4)

26 years have been VERY kind to this hot-headed dancer-slash-vigilante.
Estel (from Streets of Rage 4)

Badass to a tee. Not only do you have to fight her twice in Streets of Rage 4, but she actually uses the AoE cop attack against you. And summons two Commissioners as extra muscle.
We’re still waiting on for an eventual DLC where she’s playable and has her own stages. Make it happen.
Doom Slayer & Isabelle (from Doom Eternal and Animal Crossing: New Horizons)

2020’s best power couple. Do not argue with us or the internet about this.
Mayday and Zuke (from No Straight Roads)

Malaysia-made duo who are loveable and endearing even with their flaws. They strive to carry the rock revolution forward while being the subject of many, MANY fanarts.
Sayu (from No Straight Roads)

This virtual idol mermaid is so charming in one particular stage in No Straight Roads, it launched a thousand simps. And also a slew of nonsense videos like the one below.

The Stranger (from Destiny 2: Beyond Light)

We don’t discriminate when it comes to love, c’mon. Even immortal sentient beings with serious daddy issues need some TLC now and again.
Male Eivor (from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla)

That rugged beard. That awesome physique. The fact that he can handle two two-handed axes with no effort. No wonder Sigurd’s wife wants to check out his Mjolnir. He’s basically the human reincarnation of Thor himself, if he liked ravens, climbing trees and parapets, and hiding in bushes.
Ladiva (from Granblue Fantasy Versus)

Four words: The Shape Of Love.
Panam Palmer (from Cyberpunk 2077)

Potential nomad leader, badass girl who doesn’t take s*** from anyone, and the owner of this fine piece of denim.

This is literally the first thing you see when you’re starting her quest line. Thanks, CD Projekt! Now please keep fixing your fine-ass game.
Helen A. Park (from Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War)

2020’s charming military operative who also loves denim. Check out the woman at work below:

Anastasia Palma (from Sakura Wars)

Meanwhile, on the anime flip side of “sexy secret agent waifu” material…
Yep, Tite Kubo’s art still holds up. He still makes well-endowed shrine maidens and default selections look good.
Jett (from Valorant)

The cool big sis type who shows off with her double jumps and wind abilities.
Joon-Gi Han (from Yakuza: Like A Dragon)

Affectionately dubbed Korean Vergil for a reason: he’s handsome, badass, and fights with style.
Man, all the Koreans are always going to be portrayed as aloof badasses, aren’t they?
Shang Tsung (from Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath)

He can make our souls his anytime, baby. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa’s voice sweetens that deal.
Amber (from Genshin Impact)

It wouldn’t be a great waifu/husbando listicle without Genshin Impact’s gachas, right?
Haters are going to hate, but this supposedly low-tier Genshin Impact heroine gets all the love and conversations because of her kit, her utility, her Baron Bunny dance, and her fashion sense.
Lisa (from Genshin Impact)

Try not to get her climbing a hill or letting her get hurt while she has her Japanese VO turned on, especially if you’re playing this game in a public setting. At least have your headphones ready.
Diluc (from Genshin Impact)

You never forget your first Genshin Impact banner pity draw. Diluc’s a worthy catch because he’s rich, calm, collective, and makes Pyro users look good.
Zagreus (from Hades)

Handsome, affable, charming, cocksure, handy with weapons, rebellious, and a tad bratty.Â He’s on our Kakuchopurei Best of 2020 banner; of course he’s going to be on this coveted list.
Meg (from Hades)

The sanest of the Furies. And the one most likely to debase you and making you love every minute of it. #steponme
Dusa (from Hades)

Worth simping over, even if she’s just a disembodied head with snakes for hair. Definitely friendlier than that the Castlevania variant.
Did we miss one? Tell us your favourites on the comments, on Facebook, on Discord, and on Twitter.


Star Wars Visions Volume 2 Drops On May The 4th 2023

Disney and Lucasfilm have announced that Star Wars Visions Season 2 will premiere on 4 May 2023, which is also known as May The Fourth or Star Wars Day amongst fans of the franchise.
The shorts included in Star Wars Visions Volume 2 were created by the following international animation studios: El Guiri (Spain), Cartoon Saloon (Ireland), Punkrobot (Chile), Aardman (United Kingdom), Studio Mir (South Korea) Studio La Cachette (France), 88 Pictures (India), D’art Shtajio (Japan), and Triggerfish (South Africa). D’Art Shtajio’s short was created in collaboration with Lucasfilm Ltd. (United States).
Waugh serves as executive producer on Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 along with Jacqui Lopez and Josh Rimes.
Check out details on each short and filmmaker below:
Title: “Sith”
Studio: El Guiri
Writer-director: Rodrigo Blaas
Rodrigo Blaas is an Emmy Award®-winning director who has spent more than 20 years in animation. After co-founding Stromboli Animation in 1997, Blaas joined Blue Sky Studios in 2000, working on the feature film Ice Age, before transitioning to Pixar Animation Studios. There, he worked on such projects as Finding Nemo (2003), The Incredibles (2004), Ratatouille (2007), and Wall-E (2008) and on the Oscar®-nominated short film La Luna (2011). More recently, Blaas partnered with Guillermo del Toro to develop the award-winning series Trollhunters, served as creative director for Mikros Animation Paris and, in 2021, created El Guiri Studios in Madrid with his partner, Cecile Hokes. He also wrote and directed 2009’s award-winning short film Alma.
Title: “Screecher’s Reach”
Studio: Cartoon Saloon
Director: Paul Young
Paul Young is a co-founder of Cartoon Saloon, an IFTA winner and Oscar®, Emmy® and BAFTA nominee. He produced the animated features My Father’s Dragon, WolfWalkers, The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, and The Breadwinner as well as award-winning TV series including Puffin Rock, Dorg Van Dango, and Viking Skool.
Title: “In the Stars”
Studio: Punkrobot
Writer-director: Gabriel Osorio
Gabriel Osorio majored in Fine Arts at Universidad de Chile, later specializing in 3D animation. After working in commercials, movies and television series, he founded Punkrobot Studio. Since 2008, he has directed projects for children’s television including Flipos, Muelin y Perlita, Soccer Girls, and television spots. In 2016, his short film Bear Story became the first Latin American project to win an Oscar® in the animated short category.
Title: “I Am Your Mother”
Studio: Aardman
Director: Magdalena Osinska
Magdalena Osinska is an award-winning director who has been with Aardman for eight years. She has directed stop-motion, CGI, 2D and live-action commercials including Wallace & Gromit’s “The Great Sofa Caper” and “Share the Orange.” Osinska directed development of the children’s series Joyets and has also directed films including Spirits of the Piano and Zbigniev’s Cupboard. A graduate of the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, UK, as well as the Polish Film School in Lodz and Art College in Warsaw, Osinska is currently developing the feature film Jasia, based on her grandmother’s memories of WWII Poland.
Title: “Journey to the Dark Head”
Studio: Studio Mir
Director: Hyeong Geun Park
Rising star Hyeong Geun Park had already made a name for himself when he entered the Korean animation industry in 2017, thanks to his strong drawing and animation sensibilities. He has directed animation for dozens of cinematic game trailers and has since expanded into animated series, working on projects including Dota: Dragon’s Blood: Book 3 (2022) and Lookism (2022). Journey to the Dark Head is the first title he has executive produced from start to finish.
Title: “The Spy Dancer”
Studio: Studio La Cachette
Writer-director: Julien Chheng
Julien Chheng is CEO of Studio La Cachette, an Emmy Award®-winning French animation studio he co-founded in 2014 with fellow Gobelins school’s alumni Oussama Bouacheria and Ulysse Malassagne. Chheng was trained in visual development at Disney and has worked as a character animator on acclaimed 2D animated features The Rabbi’s Cat, Mune, and the Academy Award®-nominated Ernest and Celestine. In 2021, he won an Emmy Award® as animation executive producer of Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal, for which he also served as animation supervisor. In 2022, Chheng directed with Jean-Christophe Roger the Cesar-nominated feature Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia.
Title: “The Bandits of Golak”
Studio: 88 Pictures
Director: Ishan Shukla
Ishan Shukla started his career as a CG artist in Singapore. For more than a decade, he spearheaded projects ranging from TV commercials to series and music videos. His 2016 animated short, “Schirkoa,” was long listed for the Academy Awards® after receiving dozens of awards and playing at 120 international festivals, including SIGGRAPH Asia where it was named Best in Show. He then set up his own animation studio to work on adult-oriented animated feature films including a feature-length version of Schirkoa, set to hit festivals in summer 2023.
Title: “The Pit”
Studios: D’art Shtajio and Lucasfilm Ltd.
Writer-director-executive producer: LeAndre Thomas
Co-director: Justin Ridge
LeAndre Thomas is an award-winning writer and director from Oakland, Calif., whose most recent film won Best Director at the Pasadena International Film Festival. In addition to his independent films, Thomas is a part of the franchise studio team at Lucasfilm Ltd. where he has worked for more than 11 years being credited on recent titles such as Light & Magic, The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, and many more.
Justin Ridge executive produced the Emmy®-nominated series Star Wars Resistance. His credits also include Star Wars Rebels, Storks, The Cleveland Show, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Title: “Aau’s Song”
Studio: Triggerfish
Writer-directors: Nadia Darries and Daniel Clarke
Nadia Darries is a director, animator and co-founder of Goon Valley Animation, with an avocation for songwriting. Born in the Cape Flats in South Africa, Darries has worked on high-end animated film and motion design as an animator, project manager, creative director and director since 2015. Her experience includes animating at Triggerfish Animation Studios on the award-winning BBC films Stick Man, Revolting Rhymes, and Highway Rat.
Daniel Clarke is a Cape Town-based director and artist working in animation, film and illustration. He started his career in animation in 2008 at Triggerfish Animation Studios, where he has served as production designer, art director and director on projects such as the feature film Khumba, BBC’s Stick Man, and The Snail and the Whale. In 2018, along with James Clarke and Daniel Snaddon, he completed the graphic novel Kariba.
In Season 1, seven different has been given the reins to bring their unique talent and perspective to the anthology series. These included Kamikaze Douga, Geno Studio (Twin Engine), Studio Colorido (Twin Engine), TRIGGER, Kinema Citrus, Science Saru, and Production I.G.
The first season also boasts a bunch of big Hollywood names (check out the full list here). In the meantime, you can check out our review of Star Wars Visions here.


Hitman Creators Will Be Making A James Bond 007 Game

Best known for their Hitman franchise, IO Interactive has announced that their next project is a new James Bond game. It was revealed via a brief live stream earlier tonight.
IO Interactive’s new game is a simply titled Project 007 (which is the game’s working title and not final), with no new details besides the fact that it will be both developed and published by them. You can head on over here for the official website now.
Project 007 is described as featuring a “wholly original Bond story”, where players will delve into the “very first James Bond origin story”. If that’s the case, then it will probably be in the vein of Casino Royale, which is canonically first-ever James Bond book by Ian Fleming.


Here Are All the New Overwatch Hero Skins You’ll Be Getting Next Week (And More)

There’s plenty to look forward to for Overwatch players come January 23rd 2018 as a slew of new hero skins are set to drop along with the new Blizzard World map. Missed out on what the skins are like? Fret not. We have full-figure pictures of the confirmed skins so far, including the recently revealed ASP Pharah.

				7. Widowmaker – Our favorite Terran in Overwatch. How can we not spend 1000 coins for this?!

				10. Orisa – Our favorite Omnic gets a thorough makeover. We like.

				14. Torbjorn – Makes Torbjorn look like an uncredited extra from Thorin Oakenshield’s band of dwarves

				1. Pharah – Imagine pairing this skin with a golden weapon

				8. Doomfist – Not a Doomfist fan but this one ticks all the boxes for the game’s main protagonist.

				4. Zarya – The designers at Blizzard are again most kind to our favorite Russian

				5. Roadhog – The scariest hulking mass of muscle is now ten times scarier

				2. Reinhardt – Finally a skin representing Reinhardt in his (hair) prime. Glorious detail all around

				9. Mei – Our favorite Mei skin to date – also the cutest one. We knew this one was coming from her animated short.

Along with these new Legendary Skins, expect all-new player icons, sprays and emotes for all 26 heroes to be made available from 23rd January 2018 onwards. Check them out
Player Icons:Â

New Sprays:


Craftopia’s Exciting Early Access Journey Continues With ‘Seamless World’ Update Next Month

Brace yourselves for some exciting news from Pocket Pair, the masterminds behind Craftopia. They just announced that the highly anticipated “Seamless World” update will be hitting the Early Access version of the game in June on Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam.
Let’s take a moment to reflect on the journey Craftopia has embarked upon since its Early Access release back in September 2020. Over the past year, the game has gone through some serious transformations, morphing into something entirely different from its original form.
Pocket Pair initially set out to provide daily updates, but soon realized that this approach was not sustainable in the long run. Challenges arose, and solutions weren’t always easy to find. So, they decided to take a breather and put in some hard work to ensure that Craftopia would become the best it could be.

After a year and a half of dedication and countless hours poured into this project, Pocket Pair is thrilled to declare that they have finally reached a point where they are ready to unveil their masterpiece to the world.
But wait, there’s more! This is not the end of the road for Craftopia. Pocket Pair is committed to continuously improving the game, and they highly value your feedback in shaping its future. So, a big thank you goes out to all of you for your unwavering support.
If you’re itching to dive into the Craftopia adventure, you can get your hands on it right now in Early Access for Xbox Series, Xbox One, and PC via Steam. Make sure to check out the brand-new trailer below. It’ll surely give you a taste of what Craftopia has in store for you.


Serious Sam Siberian Mayhem Gets A Surprise Release Later This Month

Publisher Devolver Digital and developers Croteam and Timelock Studio have announced Serious Sam Siberian Mayhem for PC. It will launch via Steam on 25 January 2022. It’s essentially a standalone expansion of 2020’s Serious Sam 4.
In Serious Sam Siberian Mayhem, players will make their way through the vast Russian landscapes on a quest to catch up with the traitorous General Brand. The last we heard from Croteam was that they had been acquired by publisher Devolver Digital back in October 2020, which was only a month after they launched Serious Sam 4 in September 2020.
You can pre-order the game on Steam now for only RM44.10 after a special 10 per cent discount.


Our Favourite Car & Bike Chase Sequences In Film History

Car chases: who doesn’t love them?
We like to see action scenes done in a practical manner, unfolding onto us on-screen and releasing all that adrenaline onto our collective senses. From the craftsmanship and planning, all the way to the final visceral result, there’s nothing as satisfying as a great chase scene involving automobiles of various sizes and build.
To celebrate the release of the new Fast & Furious “gaiden” movie starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jason Statham, the KKP team will list down their favourite car/bike/automobile chase sequences in film history. No, we cannot list all of them because they’re too many, but we’ll talk about the ones that stood out to us.
The Bourne Identity’s Paris Chase

While most car chases focus on speed, Bourne Identity’s pursuit scene through the narrow streets of Paris exemplifies the skill and precision which can only be exhibited by THE super spy who’s deadly regardless of gear. Where other super spies rely on secret hidden blades to incapacitate their enemies, Jason Bourne only needs a pen. While James Bond relies on his tricked-out Aston Martins to get himself out of a pickle, the REAL JB only need a beat-up Mini Cooper with sloshy tyres which veers to the right to out-maneuver Paris’ finest.
Oh yeah. Paul Oakenfold’s Ready Steady Go blaring in the background definitely helped dial the coolness factor of this scene to eleven as well.
Baby Driver, The very first 6 minutes of the film

When you have a getaway driver who tunes to his iPod for music while on the go, and your escapades are put on-screen by Edgar Allen Wright, you know you have something spectacular that’s also car chase-savvy. Viewers were introduced to a lovely chase scene that set the tone of the film, all the way to the third act with resolutions and showdowns involving lots of crashes and in-sync-to-the-music action.
Mission Impossible: Fallout’s Bike Chase
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwx9wZgxUoQ&w=560&h=315]
The Mission Impossible movies have always been chock full of action only Tom Cruise can pull off. It’s positively insane how the famous actor still insists on doing his own stunts, despite being 57 years old. Most people are busy enjoying their retirement plans by that age, but not Tom Cruise.
2018’s Mission Impossible: Fallout was the most successful instalment in the franchise to date, and the crazy stunts in it are a testament to that. One of the most memorable and thrilling scenes in the movie has Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt trying to escape from the French authorities on a motorcycle while skillfully evading the congested Paris traffic.
While he ultimately crashed, it turned out that he had a contingency plan in place. That’s how good Ethan Hunt and his team is. That is also why they’re now working on the next two sequels, which will be shot back-to-back. Let’s not kid ourselves, Tom Cruise is actually Ethan Hunt in real life too.
Blues Brothers’ Third Act Climax

Who knew that one the best car chases in film history is in a friggin’ Saturday Night Live sketch turned into an awesome full-fledged movie? Our heroes Jake and Elwood are chased down by the state police, their rival the Good Ole Boys, and nazis, while the duo are on the run to get the money for their childhood orphanage on time. The hallmarks of a great car chase are prevalent in this 80s film: gravity-defying stunts, gunfire, and a lot of metal and automobile casualties.
Ronin’s Paris Chase Scene

Way before your Jason Bourne, Mission Impossible, and Baby Driver flicks, John Frankenheimer’s Ronin shows all these guys how it’s done.
Robert De Niro and Jean Reno drive down a scaled-down version of Paris in Birmingham just so they and a couple of other BMWs can burn rubber and asphalt for what could be one of the most intense chases in an action film. Almost all these beats from driving in opposite traffic to narrowly driving over 100mph through narrow gateways and arches are enough to inspire others to follow suit.
Hell, one could argue that this 1998 ode to films like Bullitt and The French Connection surpasses its inspirations, right down to the tense music that punctuates the halfway point courtesy of Elia Cmiral. Even Burnout creators Criterion cited this pivotal scene as their source of inspiration to their car-crashing racing game antics.
Mad Max Fury Road; All Of It
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtjGTrVwRr4&w=560&h=315]
This might seem like cheating. since the entire freaking movie is a madcap balls-to-the-walls car chase/road trip. Some people would call an entire movie like that to be too simple or boring, but director George Miller and his talented cast pulled it off somehow.
The most incredible thing about it all is that the car chases and stunts were made with practical effects and not CGI. Remember the scene when Tom Hardy’s Max was strapped on the front hood of a moving car? Yeah, he really was actually honest-to-goodness strapped to that speeding metal deathtrap.
That’s only one of the many bizarre scenes and setpieces in the movie, which is essentially almost two hours of pure adrenaline and action. The people living in Mad Max Fury Road’s post-apocalyptic wasteland even worship the V8 engine for god’s sake. What could be more pedal to the metal than that?
We’ve also got a guy whose sole purpose is to play riffs on his flame-spewing guitar while on a moving vehicle outfitted with loads of speakers. Look upon his glory below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozmjV_VLYyo&w=560&h=315]
Death Proof’s Final Car Chase

Serial killer stuntman Mike McKay gets his comeuppance in this thrilling chase scene directed masterfully by Quentin Tarantino. Part righteous ass-kicking, part female empowerment, all car-chasing awesomeness.
The Matrix: Reloaded’s Highway Scene

This scene is proof that you can blend practical and special effects masterfully and come up with a great action beat that stupifies and defies all sorts of physics while coming off as super-cool. You can slag the Matrix for its convoluted story, but you can’t knock it for its revolutionary film-making and action scene-making techniques, especially with this top-tier scene that’s just the right amount of badassery.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day’s Truck Chase

Remember when everything in the 90s wasn’t CGI and all done with one takes because these things are expensive to do? Well, James Cameron knows this too well and went on to do one of the highlights in his career: defining action films with his take on killer cyborgs who look like humans chasing down kids on a bike. With a truck. And good Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger doing his best to waylay Robert Patrick’s persona with a pump-action shotgun. Action scene gold.
Let us know what your favourite chase sequences involving cars and bikes are on our Facebook page, or on our website.Â


Hololive Announces Four New Holostars In Their English VTuber Lineup

COVER Corporation and Hololive have announced the debut of four new members to HOLOSTARS English -TEPMUS-”. Gavis Bettel, Machina X Flayon, Banzoin Hakka, and Josuiji Shinri are set to debut on 8 January 2023.  They will join existing members like Regis Altare and others.
Check them out below:
Gavis Bettel

©COVER, 2016

Gavis Bettel is the jester of the Adventurer’s Guild, and is described as:
Visited Xenokuni in the past to learn its traditional performing arts, and used that experience to draw up and lead the expedition into the land eventually.
Currently performs in the combat arena, but is planning to take his talents global someday.
His diverse clientele has given him an undeniably keen eye for aesthetics,
and he can sometimes be a wise guy who goes straight for the jugular.
Illustrator: Makoto Senzaki
YouTube Channel
Twitter
Debut: 11am to 12pm on 8 January 2022
Machina X Flayon

©COVER, 2016

Machina X Flayon is the pilot of the Adventurer’s Guild, and is described as:
A real prodigy who can instantly grasp the piloting mechanism of any form of transport.
As a result of skipping many steps in his education, he is at times unable to maintain a conversation and can be misunderstood.
He is frequently seen as haughty and arrogant, usually when he’s muttering pointed remarks under his breath.
Illustrator: SHOKUEN
YouTube Channel
Twitter
Debut: 12pm to 1pm on 8 January 2023
Banzoin Hakka

©COVER, 2016

Banzoin Hakka is the exorcist of the Adventurer’s Guild and is described as:
Dual wielding spears, he is the latest of a long line of exorcists who have defended Xenokuni from the evils of the world. He fights not only out of a sense of duty, but also because he feels a special kind of excitement when on the frontlines.
Unfortunately, his right hand is being eroded by the scourge of Records Corruption.
Has inherited Karasutengu data, and thus possesses otherworldly leaping ability and endurance.
Joined TEMPUS after the battle in Xenokuni.
Illustrator: airumu
YouTube Channel
Twitter
Debut: 1pm to 2pm on 8 January 2023
Josuiji Shinri

©COVER, 2016

Sosuiji Shinri is a ronin who is part of the Adventurer’s Guild and is described as:
Has the appearance of a wandering samurai, but was widely renowned as a master of the longbow.
So famed was his prowess, they would say he could use anything as an arrow and yet never fail to hit his mark.
He went into isolation for a while, lamenting the futility of war, but took up his bow and arrow once again after witnessing the young men fighting a pack of Corruption Beasts.
Illustrator: Nitaka
YouTube Channel
Twitter
Debut: 2pm to 3pm on 8 Januay 2023
By joining “HOLOSTARS English -TEMPUS-”, all four of the new talents will 11am to 12pm on 8 January 2022 Regis Altare, Magni Dezmond, Axel Syrios, and Noir Vesper. The unit was formed in July 2022.
Check out the teaser below:


These PS4 Games Will Be Loading Faster

It looks like Sony is preparing several first-party PS4 games for their eventual backwards-compatibility on the PS5, which is slated to launch next month.
According to VGC, these games include The Last Of Us Remastered, 2018’s God Of War, Until Dawn, and more. The loading times for these games have reportedly been a lot faster and even almost non-existent for some of the games.

Right, so it appears these #PS5 B/C updates that #PS4 games are getting are even having a huge effect on load times on the current gen system.Case in point: #UntilDawn on #PS4 now doesn't load at all. This tech must have been used in #GhostOfTsushima ??Very impressive! pic.twitter.com/9myqT4mK9D— Craig ?? ??????? (@PureDeadCraig) October 25, 2020

Perhaps these patches have something to do with the fact that some of these games will be made available on the PlayStation Plus Collection on the PS5; a list of classic PS4 games that will be free for all PlayStation Plus subscribers on the PS5.
These include all of the following (so far):
God of WarBloodborneMonster Hunter WorldFinal Fantasy XVFallout 4Mortal Kombat XUncharted 4: A Thief’s EndRatchet and ClankDays GoneUntil DawnDetroit: Become HumanBattlefield 1Infamous Second SonBatman: Arkham KnightThe Last GuardianThe Last of UsPersona 5Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Maybe they’re all faster now? We won’t know for sure until other gamers report the same thing for all the other games.


We Answer Your Red Dead Online Beta Questions

This guide is still in development…
Red Dead Redemption 2‘s online component is out in beta form. We managed to play it for a few hours. We figured you might have some questions about it, so we’ll do our best to answer them and even offer a bit of insight on how to tame the online Wild West, one posse at a time.
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/1927848040617790/
Can I Play It Now?
Sure, if you own the Ultimate Edition of Red Dead Redemption 2 and if you played the game between 26 October to 29 October. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait until 30 November, which is tomorrow.
What Can You Do In The Beta?
You can create a new character and start off from the Sisika Penitentiary. The story in Red Dead Online is separate from the main game, so you can jump in without spoilers.
Once you’re out and finish the intro, you set up your own camp, and then get to explore New Hanover, Lemoyne, and even the firstÂ Red Dead Redemption’s New Austin. On the main server, there will be up to 32 players (yourself including) roaming around, hunting animals, raid gang hideouts, and all that extra stuff you do. That also includes the chance to harass them.
Your main story missions and bounties are dished out by a rich woman named Jessica LeClerk. You’ll even take on a sidequest or two from familiar faces in the Red Dead games like Bonnie from part 1 and Sean from part 2.
Free roam events, player-versus-player challenges, will appear throughout the world, which you can tackle solo or as a group.Â You’ll get notifications that certain competitive challenges are beginning, and you may warp to another area of the map if you decide you want to take part in these quick gameplay modes. And yes, there’s a battle royale mode where everyone’s armed with bows and arrows, and the map shrinks as time goes by; it’s called Make It Count mode.
If you’re feeling competitive, there’s a Showdown Series playlist which features three events in a row you and 15 other players participate in. These include the aforementioned Make It Count mode, horse-racing, and various forms of deathmatches.
How Does The Game’s Posse System Work?
You can temporarily team up with up to four players, but you’ll be disbanded once the session is over. If you want a permanent posse, you have to fork over US$200 to set it all up.
Do You Need To Go To Stores To Buy Provisions, Bullets, etc?
Nope, you can use the handheld catalogue to shop for your goods. Your orders will be sent straight to your camp. Of course, there’s a delivery fee for this. Much like Amazon.
How’s The Ability System Like?
Abilities will now be added with ability cards. These cards add active abilities you can engage while in Dead Eye mode, or passive abilities that change how you do certain things throughout the game.
You can unlock new cards by buying them with cash or gaining rank by finishing activities around the gameâ€™s world. You can also upgrade these cards with gold or by earning more XP.
You can have one active card and up to three passive cards in your loadout at any given time, so youâ€™ll want to spend some time thinking about what kind of character you want to build as you unlock and equip cards.
How Does Dead Eye Work In Red Dead Online?
For one, it doesn’t slow down time. It’s basically a temporary power up you can activate to boost your shooting skills. For example, the Paint It Black ability card lets you paint targets while in Dead Eye, while the A Moment To Recuperate card regenerates your health bit by bit when in Dead Eye.
Can I Fight Other Players?
Yes, you can. Just find a “Showdown Series” signpost and join one of the five competitive modes in the game like classic gunfights, or “bow & arrow only” fights with limited lives.
Are There Microtransactions?
Apart from in-game cash you use to buy cards, Red Dead Online introduces gold. Gold can be spent on a number of luxury & cosmetic items. You can farm for gold nuggets while you play; 100 gold nuggets make one gold bar. If you finish your challenges and maxed out your awards, you can reset your progress for more gold nuggets.
If you want to skip the gold nugget-converting process, you can pay real money to buy gold bars, though the exact cost for this is unknown at this point in time. We’ll update this section once the beta opens up to the public.
How Is It So Far?
Pretty fun, but it’s not as developed and fully-fleshed out like Grand Theft Auto Online. Which is understandable given that Red Dead Online is fresh out of the box. The foundation for a long-term multiplayer spaghetti western action game is clearly fast, frenetic, and at the same time also detailed. We’re excited to see how this game develops in 2019 since it’ll be Take Two and Rockstar’s cash cow for the next few years.
Any Protips?
Just a couple.

Play with a posse. Don’t be a lone wolf; you’ll die faster and get robbed more.
Want to get rich and get lots of experience points? Then do Story Missions and make yourself available for public matchmaking. It’s a grind, but it’s the most consistent method so far.
Decide if you want to be a bad guy or a good guy. The Honor system in Red Dead Online decides what kind of missions you’ll be doing. If your Honor level is low, you’ll get crook missions like breaking prisoners out of jail. If it’s high, you’ll get more white hat missions.


Call Of Duty Modern Warfare II Ranked Play To Be Added Next Year

Developer Treyarch has confirmed that the Ranked Play for Call of Duty Modern Warfare II will be out in 2023.
The devs said it is working to deliver the following in Ranked Play:

Competitive Modes
Ranked Skill Divisions
Visible Skill Ratings
Top 250 Leaderboards
Competitive Rewards

To sate players waiting for this, they can check out the CDL Moshpit playlist later this month on 16th November. Furthermore, the developer is retiring Black Ops Cold War League Play and Vanguard Ranked Play this month; players must collect their rewards until 22 November.
“The success of these modes has directly contributed to the future of Ranked Play. We sincerely thank you for all the data, feedback, and time played that was collected over the past two years. We look forward to sharing more soon!”
To recap, the CDL Moshpit and Warzone 2.0 (free-to-play battle royale mode) will be out on 16 November. The three-player Raids Special Ops mode will be out in December. Better mark your calendars if you haven’t, digital jarheads.


AEW Fight Forever Launches Next Month

THQ Nordic and Yuke’s have announced that AEW Fight Forever will launch for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC on 29 June 2023.
AEW executive vice president and former AEW World Champion and World Tag Team Champion Kenny Omega said:
“When I first signed with AEW, Tony Khan gave me the opportunity to assemble the best gaming team that understands and respects professional wrestling, to make the best wrestling games ever. Thanks to our incredible collaboration with Geta, Yuke’s, and THQ Nordic, a new era of professional wrestling gaming is quickly approaching. AEW: Fight Forever has exceeded my highest expectations, and I’m confident that June 29 will be a momentous day for wrestling fans and gamers alike.”
AEW CEO, GM, and head of creative Tony Khan added:
“Since our initial announcement, fans worldwide have shown unbridled passion around the launch of Fight Forever, and AEW has proven through our exciting storylines and hard-hitting wrestling action that good things come to those who wait. With Fight Forever, Kenny and our world-class team have delivered an authentic, nostalgic feel of wrestling games past, along with the unmatched creativity that AEW brings to the table. It’s going to be cool to see our fans finally getting a fresh and much-needed alternative next-gen console wrestling game on June 29. AEW has the greatest fans on the planet, and I’m excited for them to experience this new way to engage with our stars.”
Recognized for its retro approach to design including hand-crafted animations and nostalgic arcade feel, AEW Fight Forever presents wrestling fans with their first chance to pull off wrestling moves only seen on the wildly popular AEW programming. Players can look forward to the long roster of the most popular AEW wrestlers, career mode, wrestler customization, signature AEW arenas, and multiple match types.
Check out the trailer below:


PokÃ©mon Legends Arceus Showcases Hisui In 360Â° View Video

The PokÃ©mon Company has released a PokÃ©mon Legends Arceus Hisui 360Â° View video. The video features the setting for the PokÃ©mon Legends Arceus, Jade Region in a 360-degree view.
In the Hisui 360Â° View video released this time, The PokÃ©mon Company has recreated a realistic feeling where you can â€˜immerseâ€™ in the rich nature and vast land of the Hisui Region, the stage of your adventure.

In the video, you can encounter PokÃ©mon by clicking or tapping on the screen. You can also â€˜rideâ€™ a PokÃ©mon around the Hisui region with three PokÃ©mon: Wyrdee, which runs on the ground; Hisuian Braviary, which flaps its wings in the sky; and Basculegion, which moves vigorously on the water.
PokÃ©mon Legends Arceus will be released on 28 January 2022 for Nintendo Switch. Preorder is now available on the Nintendo eShop.
Check out the video below:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=467861454750162&ref=sharing


Sub-Zero Knocks Out Tanjiro At The US Box Office

The new Mortal Kombat movie has come out on top at the domestic US box office in its opening weekend. It’s a surprise, considering that the highly-anticipated Demon Slayer Mugen Train movie also came out at the same time. This is despite the fact that the Demon Slayer movie managed to break the record for a foreign-language film’s opening weekend with a whopping US$19.5 million.
Meanwhile, the Mortal Kombat movie is at the top of the chart with US$22.5 million (via Variety), which is actually the second-best post-COVID opening weekend yet after Godzilla Vs Kong‘s US$31 million debut last month. Speaking of that movie, it has already crossed US$400 million in worldwide box office revenue as of this weekend with a total of US$406.6 million to date.
This bodes well for the US cinema industry as a whole, as only 55 percent of theatres have reopened in the country. In the meantime, you can check out my spoiler-free review of the Mortal Kombat 2021 movie here, or head on over here for our spoiler-filled breakdown of the movie (if you’ve already watched it).
[videopress L3WxZiKm]


Microsoft Streaming Site Mixer Is Shutting Down

In a shocking announcement, Microsoft has announced that it is shutting down its Mixer streaming service on 22 July 2020 but plans to move existing partners (like Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins, Shroud and others) over to Facebook Gaming.
Mixer has always struggled to compete with the likes of other more successful streaming services like Twitch, YouTube, and even the aforementioned Facebook Gaming, which is what probably led to Microsoft’s decision to ultimately close it.
Microsoft Xbox head Phil Spencer said (via The Verge):

â€œWe started pretty far behind, in terms of where Mixerâ€™s monthly active viewers were compared to some of the big players out there.
I think the Mixer community is really going to benefit from the broad audience that Facebook has through their properties, and the abilities to reach gamers in a very seamless way through the social platform Facebook has.â€

Starting from 22 July 2020, all Mixer sites and apps will automatically redirect to Facebook Gaming, while existing Mixer Partners will also be granted partner status with Facebook Gaming. In addition, any streamer using the Mixer monetization program will be granted eligibility for Facebookâ€™s Level Up program.
Besides that, Mixer viewers with outstanding Ember balances, channel subscriptions, or Mixer Pro subscriptions will receive Xbox gift card credit. This closing of Mixer also means that Ninja, Shroud, and other top streamers are now free to rejoin Twitch or stream on Facebook Gaming.
Spencer added:

â€œIt wasnâ€™t as much about return on sell, it was about finding a partnership that was the best things for the community and streamers.
We think this is it, and it gives us a great place to launch more xCloud content and give gamers the ability to play from there.â€

Partnering with Facebook Gaming will also help Microsoft grow Project xCloud; their upcoming streaming project. Spencer continued:

â€œWhen we think about xCloud and the opportunity to unlock gameplay for 2 billion players, we know itâ€™s going be critically important that our services find large audiences and Facebook clearly gives us that opportunity.
I donâ€™t think weâ€™re going to have to wait too long to see the outcome of the collaboration between the two companies to enable this tech for Facebook Gaming viewers.

It remains to be seen how this will affect Xbox and the future of next-gen gaming with the Xbox Series X.


One Of The Best Sitcoms Of All Time Is Coming To Netflix

Friends was arguably the most popular and definitive 90s sitcom, but what about the 2000s? Some would say it’s How I Met Your Mother or The Big Bang Theory while others would say The Office or Parks And Recreations. However, many others (including me) will say that it’s Community, which ran from 2009 to 2015 for six excellent seasons.
Why made Community so great? It’s about a diverse ensemble cast of characters in a community college setting, but that’s not what makes it unique. The single best thing about Community was the concept episodes, where the series would divert from its basic sitcom trope setting for special episodes that focused on brilliant gimmicks and premises.
These include iconic paintball episodes, meta episodes, special Halloween and Christmas episodes, the darkest timeline concept, a satirical take on documentaries and a whole lot more. You’ll probably recognise the darkest timeline thing from this popular GIF.

All six seasons of Community will be launching on Netflix starting from 1 April 2020.

Only a fool would joke about this. All six seasons of Community are coming to Netflix April 1st. pic.twitter.com/DBdtkyHh6S
â€” Netflix Malaysia (@NetflixMY) March 17, 2020
However, this deal will not be exclusive to Netflix, as Sony Pictures TV is also giving the streaming license to Hulu as well. If the show gets a lot of viewers on both streaming platforms, Sony might even consider making the movie that Community showrunner Dan Harmon and fans have been asking for since forever.
It’s wishful thinking for now, but let’s all revive the hashtag #sixseasonsandamovie.


HBO GO Warner TV August 2021: Our Picks & Highlights

Since everyone is (still mostly) staying home because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Iâ€™m sure you wonâ€™t want to waste time sifting through HBO GOâ€™s extensive catalogue of shows and movies just to decide on what to watch. The streaming site updates its site every day, week, and month with new content, so Iâ€™m here to save your precious time.
Here are my personal recommendations and highlights for HBO GO and Warner TV’s August 2021 lineup and how to fill up your free time with worthwhile content at home:
DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow Seasons 1 to 5 (1 August 2021)
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow — “Crisis on Earth — X, Part 4” — Image Number: LGN308c_0118b2b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Rick Gonzalez as Rene Ramirez/Wild Dog, Maisie Richardson- Sellers as Amaya Jiwe, Vixen, Caity Lotz as Sara Lance/White Canary, Grant Gustin as Barry Allen/The Flash, Nick Zano as Nate Heywood/Steel and Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow– Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW — ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â© 2017 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
When heroes alone are not enough, the world needs legends. Across five exciting seasons, a diverse group of individuals are united by the enigmatic time-traveller Rip Hunter to battle a threat to the entire planet and all of time itself. Where else can you find an entire pantheon of both heroes and villains, ranging from The Flash and Arrow to John Constantine and White Canary, and so many more?
DCâ€™s Legends Of Tomorrow is an epic series set within an interconnected universe, with time travel, seamless visual effects, and a cast of infectiously entertaining characters. Stars Victor Garber, Brandon Routh, Arthur Darvill, Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell, Franz Drameh, Caity Lotz, Amy Louise Pemberton, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Nick Zano, and Tala Ashe.
DCâ€™s Legends Of Tomorrow Season 1 to 5 will be available to stream starting from 1 August 2021.

Obama In Pursuit Of A More Perfect Union (4 August 2021)
President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and senior staff applaud in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, as the House passes the health care reform bill, March 21, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House.
Learn more about the life of Barack Obama in this three-part documentary and follow the trail of his political career, from a young Illinois State Senator to the 44th President of the United States, through archival interviews and speeches.
With insights from a whoâ€™s who of political experts such as Jelani Cobb, David Remnick, Cornel West, Sherrilyn Ifill, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, see how race and politics intertwined to make history as Americans elected the first black president of the United States.
Obama In Pursuit Of A More Perfect Union will premiere over three consecutive days from Wednesday, 4 August 2021 on HBO GO.

DCâ€™s Stargirl Season 2 (11 August 2021)

High school sophomore Courtney Whitmore continues her efforts to keep her team of young heroes intact. In this new season, fresh characters emerge and new challenges put Stargirl and the Justice Society of America in increasingly difficult situations that will require all their combined talents to overcome.
It stars Brec Bassinger, Yvette Monreal, Anjelika Washington and Cameron Gellman. DC Comics will not want to miss this. The entire first season is already available on HBO GO.
DC’s Stargirl Season 2 premieres the same day as the U.S on Wednesday, August 11 at 9pm GMT+8 on Warner TV (Astro Channel 712 / UnifiTV Channel 451).

Irresistible (21 August 2021)
4142_D014_00038-00042_RCCRose Byrne stars as Faith Brewster and Steve Carell as Gary Zimmer in IRRESISTIBLE, a Focus Features release.Credit: Daniel McFadden / Focus Features
A small Wisconsin town gets a taste of political ambition when Gary Zimmer, a Democrat political consultant from the big leagues, lends his expertise to a retired Marine colonel in his bid to become Mayor. Stars Steve Carell, Chris Cooper and Rose Byrne.
The movie will premiere on Saturday, 21 August 2021 at 9pm GMT+8 on HBO GO and HBO (Astro Channel 411).

Superman & Lois Season 1 (27 August 2021)

Clark Kent aka Superman and Lois Lane have faced down megalomaniacal supervillains, monsters and alien invaders over the years. Now, they come face-to-face with their greatest challenge ever – dealing with all the stress, pressures and complexities that come with being working parents.
In addition to the daunting job of raising two boys, Clark and Lois must also concern themselves with whether their sons Jonathan and Jordan could inherit their father’s Kryptonian superpowers. Stars Tyler Hoechlin, Elizabeth Tulloch, Jordan Elsas and Alex Garfin.
Superman & Lois Season 1 will stream on HBO GO starting from 27 August 2021. You can check out my review of the series here.

Those are just several selected highlights from next monthâ€™s offerings of new TV series and movies on HBO GO next month. Now you can plan your HBO GO watchlist for August 2021.


Singaporean, Japanese, & Other Asian Cosplayers Arrested In Malaysia

Three Singaporean cosplayers who joined Cosplay Festival 4 in Kuala Lumpur at the weekend were detained by the cops, along with five Japanese, two Thai, and one Hong Kong cosplayer. That’s a total of 11 people arrested and detained at Malaysian customs.

The Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia conducted a raid on Cosplay Festival 4, a two-day event located at Sunway Putra Hotel, around 2 pm on Saturday.
Several international guests were invited to the event. The event had booths selling fan-made merchandise, photo prints of cosplayers, along with song and dance performances.
Is Cosplaying A Crime Now? What Gives?
The detained 11 were allegedly violating the conditions of their social visit passes. By law, one cannot work here if they don’t have a working visa.
The organizer was also arrested on the grounds that the event was conducted without the prior approval of Malaysiaâ€™s Central Agency for Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes (PUSPAL) for the event. He was released on 24 March.
Whereas for the other detainees, they will be investigated under Section 56(1)(d) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Rule 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963.
Day 2 of the event was cancelled as well.

Can’t Argue With That
Rest assured, cosplaying is NOT a crime, but violating your work visas is. However, organiser Ahmad Syafiq Nizar Ahmad Radzi said that only Malaysian performers were paid and cosplayers paid for their own expenses when talking to The New Paper.
He’s taking the bullet for this one, he says, and has hired a lawyer for the 10 detainees who did not have their legal representation. The organiser hopes to refund at least half of the money paid by sponsors and related parties by the end of April, as well as the tickets.
The worst part of this is the comments about the event and its repercussions for the anime convention scene in Malaysia in the future.

Top image credit: China Press, alvinology


The Mandalorian Looks Like A Gritty Western In The Stars With Rogue One Tone

At D23 2019, Disney has finally revealed the first trailer for the upcoming Star Wars’ The Mandalorian live-action series. From the looks of it, it looks like a gritty spaghetti space western with dark elements clearly inspired from 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
This is especially apparent in the many tense shootout scenes seen in the trailer, as well as the official but unexpected return of Rogue One’s Death Troopers. It also looks like the protagonist in The Mandalorian will be facing the remaining remnants of the Empire, who somehow still have some of their Death Troopers left.
It will take place between the events of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of The Jedi and Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. The show seems to be focusing on the underbelly of the Star Wars universe, and the bounty hunters that populate it.
It’s interesting that we get to see several shots of The Mandalorian’s ship, Razor Crest, in action. Those dogfighting scenes look as good as they do in the movies, which is mighty impressive for a TV series.
The Mandalorian stars Narcos’ Pedro Pascal as The Mandalorian, Gina Carano as Cara Dune, Carl Weathers as Grief Carga, and more. It is slated to debut on Disney Plus starting from 12 November 2019.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOC8E8z_ifw&w=560&h=315]


Ninja Gaiden’s Tomonobu Itagaki Is Back In Games

Controversial video game director Tomonobu Itagaki, renowned for creating the Dead or Alive series, rebooting the Ninja Gaiden franchise, dissing Tekken at one point, and releasing the travesty called Devil’s Third, is back.
He has returned to game development with a newly-formed studio called Itagaki Games according to his Facebook page (via Video Game Chronicles). And yes, he did say that he is open to an acquisition from Microsoft if they want him.

“Haha, I would start again with questions that I made to [Xbox designer] Seamus [Blackley] two decades ago. Back then, I asked him, are you confident that you will beat PS2? He said yes. Xbox is called â€˜Project Midwayâ€™ and Iâ€™ll gain the supremacy with it.
Thatâ€™s why I trusted him and actually created Xbox-exclusive games for about 10 years. 20 years have passed since then, and I established my own company, Itagaki Games, which is not Tecmo, nor Valhalla.
I know Microsoft is still aggressive. If they reach out to me, it will be an honor for me.”

For those who do not know, Itagaki left Koei Tecmo in 2008, formed Valhalla Game Studios in 2010, released Devil’s Third in 2015 (the company’s sole game), and was mentoring & fostering juniors up until now. It’ll be interesting to see whether the developer will learn from his past mistakes.


SoulCalibur 6 EVO 2019 Finals Filled With Voldo Levels Of Gyrating

EVO 2019’s first grand finals tournament has concluded, with SoulCalibur 6 player Yuttoto winning it all with his fancy Voldo play.
Considered a high-tier character with high-level requirements, Yuttoto showed the world that with the right moves and a lot of body-pumping, he can dominate the best players the US, France, and Singapore has to offer.
In this winners final match, for instance, Yuttoto, made a comeback against France’s Skyll thanks to a well-timed Soul Charge and keeping his opponent on his toes. And with barely a pixel of his life left to boot.
[videopress xPIwd6nu]
Yuttoto’s climb to the grand finals was pretty spectacular, having to deal with US Bluegod’s Azwel and his weapons-master shenanigans. Not only did he have to fight him in the brackets, but he also had to adapt to his high-level Azwel play in the grand finals.
[videopress 8eXbplx7]
In the end, though, Yuttoto figured out Bluegod’s playstyle and proceeded to play Voldo just as intended; lots of crawling on all fours and air-humping.
[videopress OljsvTgq]

Here are your top 8 players:

Yuttoto (Voldo)
BlueGod (Azwel)
Skyll (Mitsurugi)
Woahhzz (Raphael)
Shen Chan (Cervantes, Voldo)
Tamonegi (Maxi)
Kayane (2B, Xianghua)
Saiyne (Ivy)

Special props should go to Singapore’s Shen Chan for making it to top 8 and placing pretty high in the worldwide standings of the game. His Cervantes is not to be messed with, and he even got on board the Voldo love train.
[videopress H1MO216a]
[videopress AGo2uMvQ]
[videopress CIaq7iCG]
Truly 2019 is the year where SoulCalibur’s Italian gimp bodyguard shines.


Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival Out This September

Need a big drum rhythm game fix? Then you’ll have to wait until a few months later.
Bandai Namco announced that Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival, the latest drum rhythm game where you hit on a taiko drum to the beats of the song, will be out for Nintendo Switch on 23 September worldwide. At launch, the game will feature more than 500 songs but via a Taiko Music Pass paid subscription. The game’s features are below:

New Modes – Have fun with up to four players in Donkatsu Toy Wars and Donchan Band.
New and Classic Songs – With up to 76 songs in the game and hundreds more online, there is a song for everyone to enjoy.
Welcome to Omiko City – Join Don-chan and your guide, Kumokun on a journey to becoming a Taiko master.

Check out the game trailer and a special Don-derful Festival With Everyone Da-Don promo video (with English subtitles) featuring three kids interacting with the game’s mascots and playing drums like their lives are depending on it:


Cyberpunk 2077 Showcases Keanu Reeves’ Johnny Silverhand &  Awesome Music

The Cyberpunk 2077 Night City Wire Episode 5 live stream took place earlier tonight. This is the final episode of the game’s live stream series on Twitch, focusing on Keanu Reeves’ in-game character, Johnny Silverhand, the game’s music and more.
Cyberpunk 2077 Johnny Silverhand
First, here’s a new trailer showcasing Keanu Reeves’ Johnny Silverhand.

If you’re a fan of Keanu Reeves, you can also check out some behind the scenes look at how the legendary actor brought the character to life. It’s Keanu in mo-cap gear, folks!

Cyberpunk 2077 Music & DMCA-Friendly Option For Streamers
The composers for Cyberpunk 2077 revealed that the game features over seven and a half hours’ worth of music, with collaborations from musicians like Tina Guo, Ilan Rubin, Grimes, Gazelle Twin, Run The Jewels, Rat Boy, and more.
Streamers who wish the stream the game also don’t need to worry, as the game features an option that allows players to disable copyrighted music to avoid getting hit by DMCA strikes.
Instead, what the game does is replace these copyrighted music with one of more than 150 custom songs available on the radio of Night City in the game.

Fans who can’t wait for the game can also already listen to the Cyberpunk 2077 Original Score EP on various streaming services like Spotify.

According to the developers, Cyberpunk 2077 features a whopping 10 different languages. You can see how they achieved that through the groundbreaking JALI software in the video below.

Cyberpunk 2077 Digital Goodies & Gameplay Trailer
The standard edition of Cyberpunk 2077 will come with some digital bonuses; including an art book, the official score, and a comic.
There are also in-game cosmetics that can be redeemed by linking the game to your GOG account, including a Wolf School jacket that features the now-iconic wolf insignia from The Witcher franchise.
Last but not least, CD Projekt Red has graced us with what seems to be the final gameplay trailer for the upcoming game.

Cyberpunk 2077 is slated to release for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC, and Google Stadia on 10 December 2020.


Activision Releases New CoDBLOPS 4 Trailer Ahead of Beta Test

Publishers Activision and developers Treyarch released today aÂ new trailerÂ for theÂ Call of Duty: Black Ops 4Â Multiplayer Beta which drops in the first week of August. The schedule for the beta are as follows:

PlayStation 4 (Early access for PS4) â€“Â for those who pre-ordered the game on PS4Â (Starts: August 4 1am Malaysia/ SG/ HK â€“ Ends August 7 1am Malaysia SG/HK
PlayStation 4Â andÂ Xbox One â€“Â for those who pre-ordered the gameÂ (Starts: August 11 1am Malaysia/ SG/ HK â€“ Ends August 14 1am Malaysia/ SG/ HK
PC Beta Early Access (for those who pre-ordered the gameÂ )Â (Starts: August 11 1am Malaysia/ SG/ HK) *PC exclusively on Battle.Net
PC Open BetaÂ (Starts: August 12 1amÂ Malaysia/ SG/ HK Â â€“ Ends: August 14 1am Malaysia/ SG/ HK)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4Z_XB-wQEg&w=560&h=315]
The Beta features 10 playable Specialists, 6 maps and 6 game modes, and debuts new weapons, equipment and scorestreaks. We discussed about the beta here.

Â


Destiny 2: The Collection Will Remain A Stadia Exclusive

When a game reaches the point where the developer has released most, if not all, of the DLC, a complete edition of sorts will usually be launched. That’s what Destiny 2: The Collection is. Unfortunately, it seems that it will not be a version of the game that everyone can get. In fact, I think most people will never get it.

In an email sent to GamesRadar, Bungie has clarified that Destiny 2: The Collection will not be released for PC and consoles and will remain as a Stadia-only title. The clarification was prompted by Games Radar’s original article that talked about The Collection having PEGI ratings for a PC and console versions.
Looks like the ratings board must have made a mistake, an occurence that isn’t exactly uncommon. It must still be a bit disappointing for a lot of fans who want to get everything Destiny 2 in one package.
Taken from the PEGI website.
With Stadia’s rocky launch that has added to the lack of confidence in the cloud gaming console, it only means that the number of people getting The Collection will only keep on shrinking. I guess that’s why they are giving it away for free alongside the Stadia Founder’s and Premiere Edition.


Saudi Arabia Owns 5% Of Nintendo

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which is the country’s bottomless pit of money used to diversify into sectors beyond oil, has a new acquisition in place: a small chunk of the Big N.
Saudi Arabia now has 5.01% stake in Nintendo according to a Bloomberg report that detailed a recent Japanese Finance Ministry filing. Other companies with some of its stake and shares owned by Saudi Arabia include EA, Capcom, Take-Two, Activision, and SNK. This makes the fund company the fifth-largest shareholder. The fund is run by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
As to why this is controversial to many, one can argue that the PIF is just a way to whitewash the Saudi Arabian government’s human rights violation records. There’s also the fact that the country was involved with the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the backing of the ongoing Yemeni genocide.


Barry’s Director & Lead Actor Bill Hader On The Dark Comedy’s Final Surreal Season

Barry’s final season, which touches on an ex-marine named Barry who kills for money and ends up taking acting classes to change his nature, is incoming. It’s the tour de force of the show’s writer, director, and main actor Bill Hader, and it clearly shows that he’s developing a style of dark comedy that’s executed really well. After all, its actors like Henry Winkler (who plays acting teach Gene Cousineau) and NoHo Hank (Anthony Carrigan) who help enrich the comedy to something more than your standard TV fare.
We talk to Bill Hader about the show’s final season, and why it’s going the direction it’s going, and how his earlier stint with Saturday Night Live help him in directing and writing. And also a thing or two about human nature.
What are the challenges in writing for a show like Barry? Were your expectations brought to life?

Bill Hader: Yes! Yeah, I think so.
The biggest thing to figure out when writing the script for Barry is that I have only 30 minutes to work with. It’s difficult to tell a story in that timeframe with a beginning, middle, and end. And then you want the whole season to have a beginning, middle, and end. It does have to be tightly structured, then throw it away, and then restructure it again. You’re trying to hone it down to this place where you can tell a story. And to be honest, it makes sense. You have so many ideas with all these many character directions, but it’s really hard to be honest and true to everything while making sure that the story is moving. It’s very difficult and hard to present it to the actors especially when a character is doing something I want them to, and it happens every season. But this season, since it’s the fourth, everyone was into it. It was good.
You don’t really know (those expectations) until you reach the edit room. You’re editing and you go “why did I write that? We don’t need that!” That happens all the time and it’s constantly reorganized. In fact, this morning [at the time of this interview -KKP] my editor was on the phone and said “this part in episode 7? We don’t need that part!” [The media] has already seen it, and so I’m still (does wavey gestures and laugh) thinking about it!
What do you think Season 4’s surreal moments add to the show as a whole, especially when it all stemmed from Season 2’s ronny/lily episode?
BH: The surreal elements are a way to get into the character’s heads a bit. The surprising elements of the show tend to come to us, structuring something very tightly.
In ronny/lily, you structure something like a story where Barry has to kill someone, and it goes wrong. How it goes wrong? Well, you start coming up with weird stuff, especially when it’s me where I get bored while writing the draft. I show it to the team and they like some parts, but hated some parts, and then we restructure everything. It’s a weird combination of structure and being intuitive about something.
How do you balance the humour and dark themes of Barry for the later seasons?
BH: I don’t know. It kinda… you write something in one way, and you tell the story. You tell it the way you want it; here’s an example. You see two people arguing at the grocery store, and you told your friend about it. You naturally add suspense and POV.
It starts that way where you’re telling a story, and then i tend to get bored and go “what if this funny thing happened?”. And then I present the idea and the writing team go: “Oh this is going too far” and we dial it back. And then we go “this is really funny but what was the original point of this thought?” And then we go back to it, and just go back and forth. We’re just trying to balance it out; it’s honestly an arcane process. I don’t know what I’d be without (the writing team).
What was going through your mind when creating Barry from start to finish, and do you really think people like him deserve a second chance?

BH: I think Barry came from this idea that I wanted to make a film. And it wasn’t even supposed to be a comedy. I didn’t think I could do comedy; I am a fan of comedy. It’s massive luck I ended up on Saturday Night Live, took that opportunity to do impressions and so forth. I had this natural ability to do that, but I really wanted to write and direct.
Barry really came out of that. I should also mention that I have a form of anxiety when I was at Saturday Night Live. It was really hard on my health and body. And so I was in a situation where the natural thing you’re good at is hurting you, and the thing you strive to do…you’re not good at it. That’s where it came from initially. The amazing thing is that when I’m doing the show, I learned how to direct and learn more. It’s been better than anything that I’ve ever experienced.
As for Barry, it boils down to one question: can you change your nature? That’s the kind of question that’s present in the show: the best thing when you’re writing is that you don’t have an answer. You get these characters and you send them off and see what they do.
That’s what’s so fascinating about it: their choices and their motivations.
Did you manage to wrap up the show the way you want it since 5 years ago with the final season?
BH: Doing Season 2, I had a general idea of how the show would end. But some of the other things, no. I don’t want to spoil Season 4’s mid-turn, but we want to write it like “this is one way our characters can try to change their nature”. So in some ways “yes” and in some ways “no”.
You’ve showed off that you can direct and write a show with great results. How was the journey getting there and where do you want to go next?
BH: So much of this was just me dealing with insecurities. There’s a thing that happens where you follow your instincts and it doesn’t work, and you then question your instincts. That can be really dangerous, and what you need in creating things is confidence. So it’s good to go back and ask “what didn’t work?” as objectively as you can.
For me, an example would be the pilot of Barry, which was more based on hitmen and movies. The initial pilot was Barry in the suit and tie, there was a picnic with hitmen, they hung out. It was more fictionalized. Casey Bloys at HBO said that the acting class part worked, but the hitmen and picnic fantasy didn’t because it was cartoonish. That point, I realize I was going off on movies and had to figure out how to ground this. In the pitch meeting, I brought up “what if Barry was a marine?” and everyone said that made more sense. I also had to make it something that everyone can connect to, and then come from that.
Learning little things like that along the way was helpful. In Season 4, I felt that a kind of style of emerging for filmmaking and directing, and I felt more confident.
Where do I want to go next? After the show ends, I just want to sleep. And I haven’t had a vacation in 12 years, as I figured out yesterday. And maybe write some scripts for movies. Or maybe write a TV show. But I love stories.
Barry’s final season will air this 16 April on HBO and HBO Go.


Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Is Big In All The Right Ways

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters has finally arrived half a decade after 2014’s Godzilla. It’s only the second ever live-action American version of the iconic monster/Kaiju (one that some fans have endearingly referred to as Fatzilla), although its Japanese incarnation has gone through multiple versions since the original 1954 movie more than half a century ago.
Fortunately, Godzilla: King Of The Monsters is a titanic sequel that towers above its predecessor in almost every aspect, which is great news for fans of the oversized lizard, as well as one that expands on the MonsterVerse established by both the 2014Â Godzilla movie and 2017’s Kong: Skull Island.
Beasts Of The East

The biggest criticism directed towards the 2014 Godzilla movie was the titular Kaiju’s severe lack of screentime in his very own movie. Imagine watching a two -hour movie with barely 15 minutes of Godzilla appearing. Director Michael Dougherty has rectified this problem by showing us more of Godzilla, despite the fact that his movie features more than twice as many monsters than its predecessor.
The trailers for Godzilla: King Of The Monsters promised a smorgasbord of new monsters to accompany Godzilla’s return, and boy, does it deliver in spades. While there quite a few monsters featured in this movie, only four of them really received most of the screentime, including (in ascending order) Rodan, Mothra, King Ghidorah, and Godzilla himself.
There aren’t many surprises in store for viewers in terms of unexpected monsters. Almost none at all, actually, since the other monsters only appear in glimpses and passing moments of destruction. However, what everyone really wants is Godzilla fighting King Ghidorah, and in that sense, you will not be disappointed in the slightest.
The monster-on-monster action is on a scale of sheer epicness unrivalled by almost anything you’ve seen. You’ll be staring slack-jawed at the Titans brawling with each other amidst apocalyptic showers of death and destruction.

Remember when monster movies made you feel a certain sense of awe and dread? Prepare to feel that way again with Godzilla: King Of The Monsters.

Magnitude of God-zilla

Getting more of Godzilla was what viewers and fans wished for, and that’s what they’re getting in Godzilla: King Of The Monsters. That said, the human parts in 2014’s Godzilla were the most panned parts of that movie, as they were described as bland and with the drama lacking any emotion. We simply didn’t care at all for the human characters, with the sole exception of perhaps Bryan Cranston’s, who died way too soon at the beginning of the movie.
I’m glad to say that the human characters in Godzilla: King Of The Monsters are no longer the weakest link in the chain like they were in 2014’s Godzilla. This time around we have a family consisting of our main protagonists; ex-spouses Dr. Mark Russell (Kyle Chandler) and Dr. Emma Russell (The Conjuring‘s Vera Farmiga), as well as their daughter, Madison Russell, played by none other than Millie Bobby Brown of Stranger Things‘ fame.
Their relationship forms the emotional core of the movie and is important to the plot as well. They are bolstered by an exceptional and memorable supporting cast in the form of Dr. Rick Stanton (Bradley Whitford), Dr. Sam Coleman (Thomas Middleditch) and my personal favourite (and MVP) in the entire movie, Dr. IshirÅ Serizawa (Ken Watanabe).
Watanabe steals many scenes reprising his role as Serizawa, without whom the movie would have suffered greatly, as he plays a colossal part in the movie’s plot. The movie is made all the richer with him in it.
Unfortunately, there had to be at least one weak link in the chain, and it’sÂ Colonel Alan Jonah (Charles Dance), the human antagonist of Godzilla: King Of The Monsters. Dance is an actor of the highest calibre, whose forte is playing dastardly wicked villains, including the likes of Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones. He’s not given much to do in the movie, but that’s ultimately not his fault.
Long Live The MonsterVerse…

What some people might not realize, especially if they haven’t been paying much attention to the post-credit scenes and subtle easter eggs in 2014’s Godzilla and 2017’s Kong: Skull Island, is that Godzilla: King Of The Monsters is the third movie in the MonsterVerse.
The MonsterVerse is Legendary’s attempt at making a cinematic universe featuring iconic monsters like Godzilla and King Kong. The mightiest praise I can give Godzilla: King Of The Monsters (and by extension, the MonsterVerse) is that this might turn out to be only the second cinematic universe after the Marvel Studios’ MCU to really justify its existence and fulfil its potential.
What do I mean by that? Look at both Warner Bros’ DCEU and Universal’s Dark Universe. While the DCEU still technically lives on, its original plans have long been scrapped and it has only recently been revitalized by the likes of 2018’s Aquaman and 2019’s Shazam, both of which have been mostly solo outings. Meanwhile, the Dark Universe miserably failed at launch, with its debut movie 2017’s The Mummy bombing at the box office.
The next movie in the MonsterVerse after Godzilla: King Of The Monsters will be releasing just next year, with Godzilla vs. Kong slated for a 13 March 2020 release date. Could the MonsterVerse be the next billion-dollar movie franchise? It’s very likely to happen at this point.
…Forever May It Reign

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters is a movie that has to be experienced in a movie theatre (preferably IMAX) at least once. Nothing beats the intense cinematic experience of watching enormous monsters on the big screen as the whole cinema shakes with every roar and mighty stomp.
I can’t fully describe Godzilla: King Of The Monsters without going through a bunch of expletives and inaudible sounds of me shrieking not unlike Godzilla himself.

If you liked 2014’s Godzilla and 2017’s Kong: Skull Island, the most important thing you need to know is that Godzilla: King Of The Monsters gives you everything you want in a monster/Kaiju movie.

If (however unlikely it is) you’re not satisfied with Godzilla: King Of The Monsters, don’t forget that you’ll be getting a lot more in only a year’s time with Godzilla vs. Kong in 2020. One last piece of advice: there’s a post-credits scene at the end of Godzilla: King Of The Monsters, which you surely don’t want to miss.
FINAL SCORE: 90/100
Godzilla: King Of The Monsters opens in Malaysian cinemas on 30 May 2019. We caught the movie via IMAX 2D press screening, courtesy of Warner Bros. Malaysia Sdn Bhd.


Ghost Of Tsushima: Everything You Need To Know From Maps To Swordfights

This story is updated with new info regarding Sucker Punch’s latest.
In a recent interview with VG247, Ghost Of Tsushima creative director Jason Connell elaborated more about the game, and what Sucker Punch wanted to achieve with it. Here’s what he said:

Almost everything is animated and can move in Ghost Of Tsushima. This includes grass, bushes, leaves, birds, and hair, as well as the clothes on protagonist Jin Sakai and everyone else in the game.
The player’s health only appears when the katana is unsheathed and will disappear when it is sheathed. Both of these actions are manually done by the player, and sheathing the katana will often result in a special animation like flicking the blood off or wiping it clean.
The developers had dedicated forestry and biome teams to make the open-world in the game more varied and distinctive. Places can be recognised by their distinct designs like a massive bamboo forest or a giant field covered with red flowers.
The sun will rise and fall in real-time (and other dynamic weather) in Ghost Of Tsushima.
The intricate particle effects engine from Infamous: Second Son is back in Ghost Of Tsushima but is now used to power the detailed visual effects in situations like scattering leaves when the player ruffles them, falling leaves, and blood splatter.
There will be special armour sets that augment specific combat playstyles; either Samurai or Ghost. Some will have perks for stealth, higher defence, exploration, and more.
Every player will experience the same story in Ghost Of Tsushima, regardless of which playstyle (Samurai or Ghost) that they favour.
Stealth combat will be less about playing in the shadows and more about relying on ranged weapons, close-ranged sneak attacks, and gadgets.

After years of anticipation, Sucker Punch recently revealed actual gameplay footage for Ghost Of Tsushima. Speaking with YouTuber Julien ChiÃ¨ze (translated via ResetEra) Ghost Of Tsushima creative director Jason Connell has dished out even more juicy details about the upcoming game.
Connell said that the map in Ghost Of Tsushima will be bigger than 2014’s Infamous Second Son and will be the developer’s biggest game yet in terms of content and sheer square footage of traversable landscape.
He also said that the map seen in last week’s Ghost Of Tsushima trailer was “very zoomed in”, and that it was just a “small portion of the starting area”. Conell reassured that although the map is huge, it won’t feel empty as it will be “packed with people, items and stories to explore”.

Other details mentioned by Connell for Ghost Of Tsushima include:

Ghost Of Tsushima was inspired by The Legend Of Zelda franchise and Shadow Of The Colossus in regards to artistic direction.
Players can reduce the shine effect on pickable items (like Red Dead Redemption) for more immersion and even pick up items while riding their horse.
In last week’s gameplay trailer, Ghost Of Tsushima protagonist Jin Sakai can be seen playing a musical instrument of some sort. It will be the only one in the game, but it also plays a role, one which Connell chose not to divulge.
Players can hunt animals in Ghost Of Tsushima, but there is apparently nothing to be gained by doing so.
The line of yellow balls above Jin’s health bar is his Resolve Meter. It will increase as Jin hits enemies and can be used for many things, including healing.
There will be more than two combat stances available in Ghost Of Tsushima.
The main weapon of the game will be the katana and will remain so throughout the game, but there will also be other weapons and gadgets.
If Jin wears heavier armour, he will be less agile, which will make infiltration and stealth harder.
There are several ways to obtain more outfits, which includes via completing the main story, completing side quests, buying them in villages or simply by exploring the world.
There are a lot of side stories in the game where players can build relationships with different characters to learn more about their stories. However, these will actually be missable.
The music in Ghost Of Tsushima is composed by Shigeru Umebayashi but Sucker Punch also hired a second composer, Ilan Eshkeri, to work with him.
Players won’t have to choose between playing as a Samurai (honourable combat) or Ghost (dishonourable stealth) in the game.
Ghost Of Tsushima won’t feature a Karma system like the Infamous franchise.
Connell didn’t specify how much time Ghost Of Tsushima will take to complete, but he did say that players can take about “30, 40, 50 or more hours if they do the optional activities”.
Combat will be grounded and challenging, so several hits from enemies will already kill the player. Fighting too many people at once can cause players to get overwhelmed and die easily.

Ghost Of Tsushima is slated to release exclusively for the PS4 on 17 July 2020. For the Malaysian prices and details for different editions of the game, head on over here.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur0pQblaZcE&w=560&h=315]


Chadwick Boseman Tribute Spotted In Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales End Credits

For the past few months, the world has mourned the tragic passing of Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman. The late actor has received tributes from many parties, and the latest is featured in the end credits of the recently-released Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales.
Kakuchopurei head honcho Kenn Leandre discovered the emotional tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman after he finished the game for our review. The tribute is a touching one:
“In loving memory of a noble king,Chadwick Boseman.His honor, strength, and compassion will reverberate for generations to come.Wakanda Forever.”

Before credits roll for #SpidermaMilesMorales #PS4share pic.twitter.com/gYiSC2yeZM— Obi-Wan KENNobi (@kennleandre) November 12, 2020

In addition, Kenn also spotted another interesting tidbit from the end credits of the game. It turns out that Malaysia’s Lemon Sky Studios contributed to the development of Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales.
Lemon Sky also worked on PS5 exclusive Demon’s Souls, Square Enixâ€™sÂ Marvelâ€™s Avengers, Naughty Dogâ€™sÂ The Last Of Us Part 2, theÂ Resident Evil 3 Remake, and theÂ Final Fantasy VII Remake.

Ayy another one from  Malaysia‘s Lemon Sky Studios #PS4share pic.twitter.com/eJFy1s8dey— Obi-Wan KENNobi (@kennleandre) November 12, 2020

You can head on over here to check out our full review of Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales.


90s Action Movie Icon Joins World Of Tanks’ Holiday Ops Celebrations

World Of Tanks has just dropped a trailer for its eagerly anticipated festive event, Holiday Ops 2022, and it features a true action hero, Arnold Schwarzenegger. For years, the forums and social media have been abuzz of tankers calling for Arnie to come to World Of Tanks and while the team are keeping their cards close to their chest, it might just be the communityâ€™s dreams are coming true.
The trailer tells the story of Little Johnny and his letter, which had been left undelivered for almost 30 years. Even though itâ€™s been three decades since it was sent, Arnold receives the message and knows exactly what he needs to do: get to his choppa and go visit Little Johnny.
In a statement, Schwarzenegger said:
â€œWorking together with the team at Wargaming on this special event has been a great experience and I know itâ€™s something that will get the players excited. I have a long history with tanks as I own the M-47 Patton that I drove in the Austrian Army when I was 18, so I know the thrill of commanding these steel beasts!
After years of my friends on reddit asking me about World of Tanks, Iâ€™m happy we can finally give the fans the partnership they want. Holiday Ops is coming, so put the holiday cookie down and get ready to come with me if you want to spread the festive cheer this year!â€
Holiday Ops is a fan-favourite event that occurs through the festive season and the New Year as players are tasked with adorning a special in-game village with a vast collection of decorations and other items of various styles. As tankers add elements to this village, the festive atmosphere will increase and for each new level they reach, they will be rewarded with great in-game goodies.
More details and information about Holiday Ops 2022 in World Of Tanks will arrive soon.


AEW Fight Forever Details Leaked

An Amazon UK listing for AEW: Fight Forever has revealed details, including the platforms and more. As spotted by Gematsu, the game is currently listed on Amazon UK for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
The game’s release date is listed as 31 December 2022, which is a placeholder as a final release date has yet to be announced. According to the Amazon description, AEW will be distributed by THQ Nordic. THQ was the original publisher of Yuke’s previous wrestling games in the WWE franchise.
The game’s product description reads:

Combines nostalgic arcade wrestling feel with innovative All Elite Wrestling finishers and offensive moves.
Talent roster combines the biggest legends to enter the ring pus brand new, high-flying AEW stars.
Single, tag-team, 3-way, 4-way, ladder, Casino Battle Royale, Falls Count Anywhere, Unsanctioned Lights Out, Exploding Barbed Wire Death and online co-op multiplayer matches.
Online co-op multiplayer.
Tag team matches feature a sequence of team manoeuvres performed with simple commands.

Our first look at the game was revealed back in May 2022.


Relic Unveils Epic Age Of Empires 4 Gameplay

During the X019 London Inside Xbox live stream, Relic Entertainment finally unveiled our first look at gameplay from the highly-anticipated Age Of Empires 4 (or Age Of Empires IV). Relic is being supported by Microsoft’s new studio, World’s Edge.
Microsoft’s Shannon Loftis confirmed that Age Of Empires 4 will feature a medieval setting and revealed two of the many factions that will be playable in the upcoming game, which includes the English and the Mongols.
That’s all we know about the game so far. Age Of Empires 4 is slated to release for the PC, though no release date or window has been announced. In the meantime, feast your eyes on the epic gameplay from Age Of Empires 4 below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAbI0fewc7w&w=560&h=315]


New Alone In The Dark Games Stars David Harbour & Jodie Comer

There’s no rest for the wicked, especially for the pioneers of survival horror.
No, we’re not referring to Resident Evil, but Alone In The Dark (from the 90s PC gaming era). There will be a new remake of Alone In The Dark, and it stars David Harbour (Stranger Things) and Jodie Comer (Killing Eve, Help). Harbour is Edward Carnby and Comer is Emily Hartwood; together, they explore the mysterious and possibly haunted mansion of Derceto.
The game will be developed by THQ’s Swedish studio Pieces Interactive and will be out on 25 October, in time for Halloween. The game is slated for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series; you can play a prologue demo of it right now that’s called Grace in the Dark.
Alone in the Dark came out in 1992, but the series has been rebooted in 2008 by Atari. This 2023 version is the second time it’s going through a retelling using Edward Carnby as the protagonist.
Feature list and trailer below:

See Emily and Edward brought to live by the Hollywood talent of Jodie Comer (Killing Eve, Free Guy) and David Harbour (Stranger Things, Black Widow), who lend their voices, their appearance, and their formidable acting skills to the protagonists.
Explore Derceto Manor in this reimagination of Alone in the Dark, a love letter to the 90’s cult classic horror game.
Return to the roots of psychological horror and experience an atmospheric journey worthy of the game that started the genre.
Dive into a world full of sounds that make your skin crawl with a haunting, yet mesmerizing doom jazz soundtrack.
Enjoy the thrill of desperate survival in a world where reality starts to crumble, evil lurks in every shadow and ammunition is scarce.
Experience this nightmare from either Emily Hartwood’s or Edward Carnby’s perspective and unearth the dark secrets of a gothic mansion.
Immerse yourself in a deep psychological story that goes beyond the realms of the imaginable, by Mikael Hedberg, cult horror writer of SOMA and Amnesia.


DICE Design Head Resigns Following Battlefield 2042’s Disastrous Launch

Battlefield 2042 launched just last week and developer DICE’s Head Of Design is already leaving the company.
As reported by VGC, DICE Head Of Design Fawzi Mesmar has announced that he is leaving the studio, but he clarified that he already decided a while ago to do so when Battlefield 2042 was finally released. He originally joined DICE in 2019, and he worked on the Battlefield and Star Wars Battlefront franchises.
In an email to DICE staff, Mesmar wrote:
â€œIt was an absolute pleasure to serve on the best design teams in the galaxy,â€ he wrote in his email to staff. â€œThe incredible design work that you do continues to inspire me every day. Thank you for putting some faith in me, I hope I didnâ€™t disappoint.
I have been made an offer I couldnâ€™t refuse at another company that has been kind enough to wait for me until we have shipped [Battlefield 2042]. It was super important to me to be here with the team as we achieve this historical milestone.
While Oskar [Gabrielson, studio GM] and myself have been discussing my succession plans for some time â€“ and it will be announced in due course â€“ we opted to delay this communication till after launch to keep the focus â€“ rightfully so â€“ on the game weâ€™ve been putting a monumental amount of effort on.â€
Mesmar also revealed that his next job will be in Stockholm, Sweden, though he stopped short of mentioning which company. In addition, EA has confirmed that Mesmar is indeed leaving DICE “at the end of the week” and that they “wish him the best in his future endeavours”.
It’s hard not to see Mesmar’s departure as leaving a sinking ship, considering how disastrous the launch of Battlefield 2042 has been so far. Less than a week after launch, the game is already one of the worst-review games on Steam, getting on the same list as games like Urielâ€™s Chasm and RollerCoaster Tycoon World.
Many of the gameâ€™s negative reviews cite many bugs and technical problems. Players also complained about the game feeling like itâ€™s missing many features and a lot of content, including the lack of a traditional scoreboard and others. Thankfully, DICE has already plans for further major patches to fix the game.
Battlefield 2042 is now available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.


Far Cry 6’s Joseph Seed DLC Will Be Out Next Week

That was quick.
Hot off the heels of the Pagan Min DLC, the next Far Cry 6 DLC may be out sooner than expected. Ubisoft announced that the Far Cry 6 DLC titled Joseph: Collapse will be out on 8 February for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PS4, and PS5.

Step into Joseph's mind on February 8th with the release of Joseph: Collapse ? pic.twitter.com/tHUx34mqiP
— Ubisoft (@Ubisoft) February 3, 2022

The DLC will be focused on Far Cry 5’s memorable cult leader Joseph Seed, with the gameplay being more or less the same as the first and second DLC involving Far Cry 3’s Vaas and Far Cry 4’s Pagan Min respectively. For those who forgot, you’ll control Joseph Seed and try to escape his mind palace, collecting up to three relics involving his past/circumstance and getting out. Joseph can also get permanent buffs to help him in his roguelike FPS questing.
For more on Far Cry 6’s DLC, check out our guides.


Exoprimal Reveals Post-Launch Plans

Capcom has released new details for the post-launch plans of Exoprimal.
This includes a new mode, Alpha and Beta Exosuit variants, Monster Hunter and Street Fighter 6 crossovers, and a “Final Mission Selection” feature for the main mode, Dino Survival. This option offers a choice between player-versus-player, player-versus-environment, and random matches.
Dino Survival mode will include a “Final Mission Selection” feature that offers players three matchmaking options: player-versus-player, player-versus-environment, and random. In player-versus-player games, two rival squads of Exofighters go head-to-head at the end of matches.
Meanwhile, player-versus-environment is all about speed. These missions generally do not involve direct player-versus-player. Instead, the team to complete all objectives first will be granted permission to survive. There is also a random option, which provides the adventurous with a small experience bonus. Exofighters are also free to change their preference settings and mix things up at any time.

Capcom is supporting Exoprimal with seasonal content updates that introduce major new features, and today’s showcase shared a taste of what fans will be sinking their teeth into over the next few months.
Season 1 commences alongside the game’s launch and will usher in a new game mode two weeks later on 28 July 2023. Savage Gauntlet is a co-op experience that challenges teams of five players with late-game player-versus-environment missions that rotate weekly and can be replayed for higher rankings and rewards. Then, on 17 August 2023, Exoprimal will roll out its first major title update, introducing 10 Alpha variant Exosuits to the roster all at once. These alternate designs feature completely different weapons from their standard counterparts, presenting new ways to enjoy both Dino Survival and Savage Gauntlet.
Season 2 kicks off in mid-October 2023 and will feature the next title update, which packs in the downright fierce Street Fighter 6 collaboration that was teased last month. Players can look forward to other additions too, including a new map and Final Mission, plus more rigs and modules.
In January 2024, Season 3 will see the armoury expand once again with Beta variant Exosuits. Alongside these shiny new sets of armour, this update will summon a new foe to battle, the Neo Triceratops. A collaboration is also in the works with the Monster Hunter series that will launch as part of Season 3.
Exoprimal will launch for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC, as well as Xbox Game Pass, on 14 July 2023.