WandaVision Episode 6 Breakdown & Easter Eggs Explained

In WandaVision Episode 6, we’ll finally see what will happen following that shocking ending from Episode 5.
Iâ€™ll be discussing heavy spoilers fromÂ WandaVision Episode 6 so if you havenâ€™t seen them or want to avoid spoilers, nowâ€™s your chance to stop reading. If you havenâ€™t, you can check out my previous articles on the first two episodes,Â Episode 3Â andÂ Episode 4.

Wearing Their Comics-Accurate Costumes
Several of the characters wear their comics-accurate costumes for Halloween, including the following:
Billy (Wiccan)

Wanda (Scarlet Witch)

Vision

Tommy And Pietro (Speed And Quicksilver)

Speed Gets His Powers

We finally get to witness Tommy AKA Speed’s powers in action, and just like in the comics, he has super speed like his uncle, Pietro AKA Quicksilver.
SWORD Director Hayward Has His Own Agenda (And What Is Project Cataract?)

SWORD director Hayward is tracking Vision for some reason (via his unique Vibranium body) and he’s not telling anyone else about it. In WandaVision Episode 6, we can also see him exhibit clear antagonism and prejudice towards superpowered individuals, as he blames them for the Blip.
Even though Jimmy, Monica and Darcy have decided to go against Hayward’s wishes, not even they understand what the SWORD director is trying to do. Why is he only tracking Vision? Later in the episode, he doesn’t even try to help Vision when the Avengers attempts to escape from Westview. What are his plans?
Most importantly, what the hell is project Cataract? It’s some sort of weapon? I don’t think there’s any precedent for anything called Cataract in the comics, but I could be mistaken. We’ll have to wait and see.

Possible Kick-Ass Reference

After speaking with her brother Pietro, Wanda suddenly says the word Kick-Ass, which might be a reference to the 2010 movie Kick-Ass. What’s the connection, you ask? The movie starred both Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Evan Peters, both of whom have played different versions of Quicksilver. With how meta WandaVision is at times, it wouldn’t be surprising if the writers sneaked in this sly easter egg into the dialogue.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson (left), Evan Peters (right) in 2010’s Kick-Ass.
People On The Edges Of Westview Are Barely Alive Or Aware

It looks like Wanda’s powers have limits. Vision (and the SWORD trio Jimmy Woo, Monica Rambeau and Darcy as well) discovers that people who live on the edges of Westview (whom Wanda rarely directly interacts with) are barely moving or aware. Perhaps she’s not powerful enough to sustain the Hex for everyone in Westview.
This includes…
Vision Awakens Agnes From Her Hexed State (And Returns Her To It Again)

… Agnes, who is seemingly in the same boat as the other denizens of Westview. She knows that Vision is supposed to be dead, but it seems like she herself is under the same Hex and apparently can’t do anything about it. If this is true, then perhaps she’s not who we think she is. maybe she’s not Agatha Harkness, or maybe she’s pretending to be confused. We still don’t know yet.
What’s interesting is that Vision can also return Agnes back to her Hex state by touching her again.
Warren Ellis Easter Egg

I might be wrong, but this looks like an easter egg reference to acclaimed comic book writer Warren Ellis. I’m not entirely sure why he’s been included as an easter egg. He hasn’t written much for Marvel, but perhaps the clues lie in the comics he’s previously done. For now, though, I have no idea if this means more than just a shoutout to the writer.
Monica Rambeau Might Be Getting Her Powers Soon

Darcy points out that Monica’s cells have been re-arranged on a molecular level twice, which means that she might have been permanently altered by her experiences in Westview. In the comics, Monica Rambeau has the power to transform herself into any form of energy within the electromagnetic spectrum.
What’s interesting is that even in the comics, she unlocked her powers after getting bombarded and exposed to extra-dimensional energies, which is very similar to what’s happening to her in WandaVision.
Will we see the birth of a new Captain Marvel (she has also gone by the names Photon and Spectrum)? Time will tell.

Pietro Somehow Already Knows That Wanda Is Causing The Hex

Somehow, Pietro already knows that Westview is fake and that Wanda is causing the Hex effect. How does he know? Is he even Pietro, or some kind of entity? It’s still possible that he might turn out to be something else (my predictions are Mephisto, Chthon or Enchantress).
Vision Attempts To Escape Westview… And Fails

Vision tries to escape Westview but fails as he finds himself bound to the Hex energy (which is probably what’s sustaining him). Perhaps it’s true after all, he can’t leave the boundaries of Westview without dying.
Billy Gets His Powers Too

Billy manages to stop Tommy with his hands, confirming that he also has powers. However, his is similar to Wanda’s, just like in the comics. In the MCU, his energy has a blue hue, in comparison to his mother’s reddish hue.
Wanda Can Expand The Borders Of Westview

When Wanda finds out that Vision is dying outside the boundaries of Westview, she accomplishes something astonishing. She can expand the borders of Westview, thereby absorbing and assimilating most of the SWORD agents, including Darcy.
Conclusion

As a conclusion, WandaVision Episode 6 was an eventful one, but it doesn’t really answer any of our biggest questions yet. However, things will most assuredly be very, very different in the next episode. With three episodes left, it’s getting more and more epic. Stay tuned for next week, true believers.


FIGHT Esports Launches Regional Campus Tournaments In Malaysia, Indonesia & Philippines

FIGHT Esports will host its first-ever regional FIGHT Campus League to establish a strong gaming community among colleges and universities. Since the pandemic hit students were forced indoors, resulting in the increase of gaming hours and time spent consuming content online.
Bringing together enthusiasts, pro-gamers, and experts to play, connect, and compete in this varsity league, the regional league kicks off in Malaysia with a PUBG Mobile tournament, and qualifiers will take place from 5 May to 11 June 2021, ultimately leading to the grand finals on 15 and16 June 2021.

The tournament will be live-streamed on FIGHT Esportsâ€™ TikTok and Facebook accounts, as well as Astroâ€™s eGG Network.

QUALIFIER STAGE
GROUP
LIVESTREAM

Thu, May 27
Group A vs Group B
8 PM â€“ 11.30 PM

Fri, May 28
Group C vs Group D

Thu, Jun 3
Group A vs Group C

Fri, Jun 4
Group B vs Group D

Thu, Jun 10
Group A vs Group D

Fri, Jun 11
Group B vs Group C

GRAND FINAL
GROUP
LIVESTREAM

Tue, Jun 15
Day 1
8 PM â€“ 11.30 PM

Wed, Jun 16
Last day

FIGHT Esports Malaysia Team Lead Ariff Abu said:
â€œWeâ€™ve been looking into regional, multi-title tournaments for some time after organizing community level tournaments in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines for the past year and getting feedback from students asking for a dedicated tournament of their own.
The FIGHT Campus League will pave a way for students to compete in selected top titles and demonstrate many different skill levels across several demographics.â€

Meanwhile, the FIGHT Campus League Malaysia also marks the partnership between FIGHT Esports with TikTok Malaysia, following the previously-inked partnership with TikTok Southeast Asia. Fans of the popular video-sharing app will stand a chance to win exclusive giveaways worth a total of 12,000 PUBG UCs from Wallet Codes during each live stream on TikTok.
TikTok Malaysia User and Content Operations Manager Cheah Sheau Mei said:
â€œWeâ€™re excited to expand the thriving gamer and esports creator community on TikTok.
TikTokâ€™s short-form format and unique content makes it the perfect platform for gamers to showcase their unique stories, connect with other gamers, and celebrate modern gaming culture â€” all whilst having fun.
As the gaming community continues to grow on TikTok, we look forward to collaborating closely with like-minded organizations like FIGHT Esports to fuel the passions and originality of more gamers on our platform.”
As part of a regional movement, the FIGHT Campus League Philippinesâ€™ Call Of Duty Mobile tournament will begin from 7 May to 18 June 2021 with a prize pool of PHP190,000 (RM16,172) while the FIGHT Campus Legend Indonesia will be looking for the top Mobile Legends Bang Bang teams from June to October 2021 with a prize pool of IDR50,000,000 (RM14,158).
You can register for FIGHT Campus League Malaysia here.


Hearthstone Celebrates Free Pack Day Next Week

Good news for Hearthstone players -Â Free Pack Day happens next week and those who log into the game on June 13 2018 will get a free Golden Classic Pack. Blizzard also revealed a special animated short to celebrate the event. Check it out:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQb46Kyh-xA&w=560&h=315]
This free pack event follows another easy way to earn free Hearthstone card packs as players in the SEA region will be rewarded simply by voting for their country’s representatives at the upcoming Hearthstone Global Games. Further details on that can be found here.


Pixarâ€™s Coco Review

Coco might possibly be the best animated film Pixar Animation Studios has ever made. The emotions and feels hit as hard as 2009â€™s Up and 2010â€™s Toy Story 3, which already reduced many children (and adults!) to tears with its heartbreaking opening montage of Carl and Ellieâ€™s ups and downs together as well as Woody and the gang resigning themselves to their fiery fate in the incinerator scene.
Coco tells the story of the Rivera family in Mexico, beginning with Imelda raising her daughter, Coco, alone after her husband left the family to pursue his dream of making music. A few generations later and fast-forward to the present day, Imeldaâ€™s great-great-grandson named Miguel now lives with his huge family who has continued the shoe-making business that Imelda started. Miguel secretly dreams of becoming a musician but his entire family has banned music from their lives due to what happened with Imelda in the past. As Miguel goes against the wishes of his family, he finds himself in the Land of The Dead on Dia de Muertos or the Day of The Dead. I wonâ€™t spoil anything but viewers will only realize why the film is named after Mama Coco, who is Miguelâ€™s great-grandmother, after the movie ends, which lends itself narrative brilliance.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlnPHQ3TLX8&w=560&h=315]
I felt like Pixar has truly taken the time and effort to craft and respectfully adapt Mexican culture and Dia de Muertos into Coco. It also speaks to the growing diversity being embraced by Pixar that they hired a cast comprising almost entirely of voice actors and actresses of Latino descent. All of this paid off, seeing as Coco is already the highest grossing movie of all-time in Mexico!
The visuals are on par with the best of what Pixar has to offer. The most visually impressive scenes are set during Miguelâ€™s time in the Land of the Dead, like when heâ€™s crossing the vivid and colorful bridge made entirely of Mexican marigold flower petals, connecting the Land of The Living and the Land of The Dead. The Land of the Dead itself is expansive in scope and extremely detailed, looking like an actual living, breathing city from a distance when seen from the perspective of Miguel. Before Coco begins, thereâ€™s also a short video by the folks at Pixar showcasing the technical wizardry needed to bring Cocoâ€™s Land of The Dead to life, which is a great effort to make more people realize how much work and time is put into developing these works of art.
Coco explores concepts such as mortality with a bit of existentialism sprinkled in too. Some kids might find some scenes frightening, although thatâ€™s not to say that thereâ€™s none of the usual wit and charm weâ€™ve come to expect from Pixarâ€™s animated fare. The jokes and adorable side characters (Dante the dog, magical spirit animal guides called Alibrijes) are still there but thereâ€™s no denying some of the content being a bit dark for kids.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rvr68u6k5sI&w=560&h=315]
Aside from the aforementioned darker themes as well as lighter themes like pursuing oneâ€™s dreams, the core at the heart of Coco is family and its importance. Itâ€™s also about how to accept the death of loved ones and how memories can keep them alive in our hearts and minds even after their passing. All in all, pretty heavy stuff for kids to digest but itâ€™ll resonate further for older kids and adults who can relate (This writer is not ashamed to say he cried a lot and he promises you will too.).
Thereâ€™s only ever been 3 animated films ever nominated in the Academy Award for Best Picture category and that includes 1991â€™s Beauty and the Beast, 2009â€™s Up and 2010â€™s Toy Story 3. This writer believes that Coco more than deserves to be on that list, alongside Best Animated Feature, for next yearâ€™s Oscars.
PSA: Thereâ€™s usually an animated short before a Disney or Pixar animated film and that holds true for Coco as well. The short is titled Olafâ€™s Frozen Adventure and itâ€™s been quite divisive amongst viewers due to its duration, at a whopping 21 minutes long. This writer feels that it was a definite bonus and delight while some might find it annoying and a waste of time.

Final Score: 95/100


Christ Almighty, That Horrendous New Mega Man Cartoon Has An Air Date

We’re excited about the Mega Man X Legacy Collection next week and Mega Man 11 later this year, so what other Mega Man news can we expect that will knock our collective socks off?
Probably not Mega Man: Fully Charged, that upcoming Western TV animation that’s meant for wee kids.Â The show will start airing on 5th August in America, so do check out your friendly neighbourhood streaming services legit or otherwise.
Check out the new artwork below, where we have new versions of Fire Man, Wave Man, and Drill Man alongside other new Robot Masters.

Here’s the full presser about the show:
Created for kids 6 to 11, and their parents who grew up loving the video games, Mega Man: Fully Charged features exciting new technologies and robots, and the introduction of Mega Man’s alter-ego, Aki Light, a normal, upbeat, schoolboy robot with nano-core technology that allows him to transform into the mega-powered hero Mega Man!
With his Mega Buster arm cannon and iconic helmet, Mega Man battles the wickedest villains Silicon City has to offer. Beloved characters, such as Mega Man’s robotic dog, Rush, will return â€“ while new characters, like Mega Miniâ„¢ and Suna Light, will make their debut!
Finally, here’s a review from Rockman Corner.com’s Protodude who has seen the show:

I have seen a lot ofÂ Fully ChargedÂ already and let me just say that the show is very much its own thing. You’d be wise to go into it with that mindset. It’s not a reboot of theÂ classicÂ series, but it’s heavily inspired by it. Go into it like its a new series along the same lines asÂ Battle NetworkÂ or evenÂ Star ForceÂ and you’ll be gold.

Whatever, as long as it’s a useful vehicle to introduce them to the joys & controller-breaking challenge that is Mega Man 2 and Mega Man 3 somehow, right?Â


This Fan-Made StarCraft Kids Book Is Totally Adorable

Most Blizzard StarCraft fans take their love of the sci-fi lore -an “homage” to Warhammer 40k if you want to be polite about it- and channel it into different and productive ways. Cosplay, fanfic, even more cosplay; just throw a digital rock at Tumblr and you’re bound to see some hot Kerrigan and Jim Raynor slashfic action going on.
Gaming geek father Drew Pan from Singapore took it to a whole new handmade level and created a cute kid’s book for his 5-year old daughter for her birthday. Basically, the book reimagines the iconic StarCraft characters as kids playing in a playground, costumes & gear and all.
The heartbreaking Kerrigan storyline where she went from loyal Terran trooper to the Queen of Blades is done in a playground-context fashion. Not only is it framed and illustrated in an adorable fashion but the short-but-sweet tale can still stir the hearts of those who really loved that pivotal plot arc in StarCraft.
Alas, the book isn’t for sale as it’s only meant for Drew’s daughter and his close friends. But there are pictures of the whole book (via Geek Culture), so go take a look!


This Tales Of Arise Character Is The Most Popular Tales Of Character Of 2021

Bandai Namco has recently publicized the results of its Tales of popularity poll for 2021. And the results are expected if you’re into the new games.
During the Tales of Festival 2021 event, the top ten characters are as follows, with Tales of Arise’s Dohalim at the top (via Abyssal Chronicles). We’re guessing it’s because of his good looks, his fighting style, his exotic nature, his backstory, and his aloof personality.
For context, Yuri and Leon from Tales of Vesperia and Tales of Destiny respectively are not included because they’ve been winning podium positions for these popularity contests multiple times. Hence, new Tales of heroes:

Dohalim (Tales of Arise)
Mikleo (Tales of Zestiria)
Alphen (Tales of Arise)
Luke (Tales of the Abyss)
Ludger (Tales of Xillia 2)
Asbel (Tales of Graces)
Sorey (Tales of Zestiria)
Raven (Tales of Vesperia)
Lloyd (Tales of Symphonia)
Zelos (Tales of Symphonia)

Fan-favourite Mikleo from Tales of Zestiria, known for his wit and pretty-boy looks, takes second place while shonen lead Alphen from Tales of Arise takes third. There are no women in sight on the top 10; Shionne from Tales of Arise is at number 11 while Rose from Tales of Zestiria is at number 13.
The latest Tales of game, Tales of Arise, is out now for PC and consoles. Check out our review here.


PokÃ©mon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Out This November; Features New Additions

If you fancy a new coat of paint for your traditional top-down PokÃ©mon JRPG experience with some new bells & whistles, Nintendo and the PokÃ©mon Company will be releasing the remake of PokÃ©mon Diamond & Pearl.
Dubbed PokÃ©mon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, the RPG features new additions like the Super Contest Shows, Union Room, and Capsule Decoration. Check out the video below.

Also, a special edition Nintendo Switch Lite Dialga & Palkia Edition will be released on 5 November to commemorate the launch of these titles. These limited edition consoles will have a design on the back featuring a silver-coloured Dialga and a gold-coloured Palkia.

PokÃ©mon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl will be out for Nintendo Switch later in 19 November. For more Pokemon features, we have a list of the best ones.


TI10: The International – Dota 2 Championship May Not Be Held In Sweden

Sad news for esports fans: the next major Dota 2 event may not be hosted in Sweden.Â
According to a recent blog post on the Dota 2 website, Valve’s appeal to classify The International – Dota 2 Championships as an elite sporting event has been denied by the Swedish Minister of the Interior. This is after talks with the Swedish Esports Federation and Visit Stockholm group (since this is also a tourism effort), and two weeks after the Swedish Sports Federation voted not to accept esports into its organization.
The post detailed Valve’s back-and-forth with the government, but as of now the company are looking for possible alternatives elsewhere in Europe to host The International this year.
“We remain committed to hosting The International this year in a way that is both safe for all involved, and properly celebrates the players and fans of Dota 2. We will be communicating what we find out as soon as we are able.”
Rest assured that the TI qualifiers will still be happening and will start on 23rd June. Still, this does bode the question of where the backup location for TI10 will be at.


The Gunk Feels Like The Dev’s Tech Demo For A Future 3D SteamWorld Game

Platforms: Xbox Series (version played), Xbox One, PC
Genre: 3D adventure platformer with a metal arm-shaped bio-vacuum
The Gunk sucks. Literally.
There, I got that obligatory pun out of the way that’s related to the game’s core mechanic. Now for the real talk: The Gunk may be developer Image & Form’s first attempt at making a believable 3D world and narrative in an indie studio capacity. After all, they’ve been at it in the 2D space with the really fun & creative SteamWorld series of titles.
Did they succeed in making something immersive & enthralling? For the most part, yes.
Suck As You’ve Never Sucked Before

The Gunk focuses on two scavengers: Rani and Becks. They pilot a ship named the Dust Bunny and end up on a brand new planet in search of resources and treasure to sell. Rani, being the adventurer, heads out while also coming across a mysterious polluted substance called The Gunk. So it’s up to her to find out what’s going on and clean up the planet in the process, while also being in conflict with priorities thanks to her partner’s level-headedness and pragmatism.
The Gunk is part exploration, part puzzle-solving, and part relationship-building between our two heroines. The main mechanic here is Rani’s power glove which sucks up the Gunk. It can also suck in other objects and collectibles, pull things, and do other vacuum-related things. She can also shoot out a stun projectile to hit faraway objects, and upgrade the glove and her tools over time with collectible resources. You’ll need these tools and your jumping prowess to solve the game’s many exploration and puzzle segments, which takes place in the alien forest and its eventual ruins, to something more sinister further down the line.

Unfortunately, it can be a tad short even if you explore every nook and cranny on the game’s planet. To its credit though, there’s no filler and everything here is resolved in a timely and neatly-paced manner. You’ll start caring about the leads Rani and Becks, and discover more about their current predicament and relationship quirks during the 5-hour-or-less odyssey.
Newfound Space

If you’re at least decent with a 3D platformer title, you will blow through this game in less than 5 hours. For what it’s worth, the game’s plot and narrative thread does not outstay its welcome and is laid out just fine. In fact, most parts of the game in the first half can be pretty relaxing and chill thanks to its atmosphere and serene music that is a combination of folk guitar and slow ambience sci-fi exploration tracks. The gameplay itself seminally entertains and challenges you without pressuring you so much. They’re not incredibly taxing, but they’re not built to be. It’s just Image & Forms’ way of playing around with their newfound 3D game engine for their eventual future 3D SteamWorld project(s).
And even as a “first draft”, The Gunk is a step in the right direction for Image & Form. Barring a few bugs, its length, and mostly easy difficulty that’s intentional, you’ll have a blast with Image & Form’s new universe that isn’t called SteamWorld.
Final Score: 70/100
*Review copy given by Thunderful Publishing PR rep.


Gran Turismo 7 Media Event Cancellation Might Indicate Potential Delay

A Gran Turismo 7 media event was supposed to take place on 25 January 2022, but it has since been cancelled and postponed to an unspecified date. This has sparked speculation among gamers that the game might be getting another delay due to the cancellation of the media event.
This was revealed by Tom Henderson on Twitter, who revealed the news. He also said that the same thing happened with 2020’s The Last Of Us Part 2. The media event for that was delayed and the game itself was eventually officially delayed. The same thing might be happening to Gran Turismo 7.
However, as of now, Gran Turismo 7 is still officially slated to release for the PS4 and PS5 on 4 March 2022. Also, share your #MyGTStory and stand a chance to win (more details and information here).
In the meantime, check out the video below:


Singapore-Made Noir Adventure Game Gets Malay/Singapore Accents & A Chunky Free Prologue

The incredibly promising-looking 2D adventure title Chinatown Detective Agency is dishing out a free prologue on Steam next month, according to a reveal during Gamescom 2020.
In addition, the game will get authentic voice-acting as it’s set in a futuristic Singapore. One of the more notable VOs include Su Ling Chan, renowned for portraying No Straight Roads’ Mayday.
You play a PI in Singapore 2032, and you have to sort out a mystery that is wrecking your already-crumbling city. You’ll be dealing with different clients to get to the bottom of this.


Overwatch League: Playoff Guide – Quarter-Finals

So after each Overwatch League team has played 40 games in the regular season, we now move into the playoff stage starting tomorrow to crown the overall champion of the inaugural season. After weeks of downtime in between the final regular season game and tomorrow, we don’t blame you if you lost track of what’s happening, how the playoff stage is going to be played or even who are in it.
So without further ado, here’s a quick recap of it.
Who’s In It
Six teams will qualify for the Playoffs, based on their Regular Season records. The top seed from each Division will receive a first-round bye. The next four teams, regardless of Division, will also advance which leaves us with the following teams (seeds in brackets):

New York Excelsior (1)
Los Angeles Valiant (2)
Boston Uprising (3)
Los Angeles Gladiators (4)
London Spitfire (5)
Philadelphia Fusion (6)

The brackets for the playoffs are as follows:

Each series will be best of 3 matches, with each match being best-of-five maps. The first team to win two matches win the series. The first set of matches kicks off tomorrow with the Philadelphia Fusion taking on the Boston Uprising at 8am Malaysia time followed by London Spitfire vs Los Angeles Gladiators at 10am.
The full schedule for the quarter-final series are as follows:

Predictions
The quarter-finals matches – well actually, all of the playoff matches – are tough to call but if we were to pick the winners for each series, they would be:
Philadelphia over Boston in three (2-1).Â
The Fusion are clicking well and have one of the most potent and versatile DPS combinations in the league. Carpe is our pick for league MVP and with a strong supporting cast including the likes of Eqo, Snillo, ShadowBurn and the recently unbanned SADO, the Fusion are the dark horses of the quarter finals.
While the Boston Uprising seem to have regained their footing following a weak start to Stage 4, they still appear vulnerable in several areas and are still very reliant on Gamsu and Striker’s clutch moves to win games.
“But Kenn, the Uprising finished higher in the league!”
Ah yes of course they did but that was thanks to their brilliant run in Stage 3 – a distant memory by now. The Boston Uprising is nowhere near that invincible team and we have a feeling that the Fusion being able to pull off the first upset of the Overwatch League playoffs by winning in two matches even.
Los Angeles Gladiator over London Spitfire in two (2-0)
That’s a bold one isn’t it? But look again at both teams’ recent form and you’d easily agree with me. The Gladiators have been on a roll and save for that disappointing loss to LA Valiant in the Stage 4 playoffs, they had one of the strongest finishes to the regular season with wins over the likes of Outlaws, NYXL, Spitfire and Dynasty.
Everyone’s clicking and popping off at the same time and we find it hard to see the Gladiators going out this early – moreover to the out-of-sorts Spitfire who are a far cry from the team that won Stage 1. Spitfire’s decision to trim down the team roster to only seven players haven’t pan out as expected and they ought to be booking their flights back to Korea for an early holiday.

That’s that for the quarter-finals preview. We’ll be back with more Overwatch League playoffs soon as we delve deeper into it. Til then, keep it locked on to Kakuchopurei.com!


Cassette Beasts Mixes Pokemon Combat With 80s Tape Decks

Publisher Raw Fury and developer Bytten Studio has released a new trailer showcasing its upcoming open-world RPG Cassette Beasts.
As you can tell from the title, yes, you summon monsters out of your cassettes and can fuse two monsters to create better ones. Features & trailer below:

Transform into monsters using… retro cassette tapes? Faced with the constant threat of monster attacks, the residents of Harbourtown, New Wirral choose to fight fire with fire. Record a monster to tape, then play it back to take on its form for battle!
Fuse monster forms. Getting close to your companion has benefits–while transformed you can combine your strengths to gain the upper hand in battle! Any two monster forms can be fused to produce unique, fully-animated new fusion forms.
Explore a rich open world. Certain monster abilities can be used in human form. You’ll need these to help you get around, solve puzzles, and locate dungeons. Glide, fly, swim, climb, dash, or turn magnetic!
Travel alongside a diverse cast of human companions. Never fight alone! Form bonds, spend time together, and help your selected partner complete personal goals to become a better team.
Master a deep battle system. Take advantage of elemental chemistry to apply extra buffs or debuffs alongside your attack, or even alter your opponent’s elemental type!

If you know how to make a party in Pokemon, chances are you’ll know how to play Cassette Beasts. The game is still in development, but it’ll be out for PC, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.


SD Gundam G Generation: Cross Rays Is Made For Fans; Everyone Else Need Not Apply

Platform: PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch
Genre: Grid-based tactical Gundam game with dozens of stories.
From the get-go, it’s easy to see that a game like SD Gundam G Generation: Cross Rays is made exclusively for Gundam fans. It’s not meant to be accessible to anyone who isn’t knowledgeable about Gundams and the various anime and stories that they have been featured in. The game makes that clear very early on.
If you’re looking for a review of the game done by someone who doesn’t know anything about Gundams and never played any games similar to this title such as Super Robot Wars, then you’ve come to the right place. I approached the game as a total newbie to these kinds of games and simply put, I felt lost 90% of the time.
However, my experience wasn’t entirely horrible.
Made For Mecha Heads

I wasn’t able to understand a single thing happening in the story mode missions but it’s quite obvious that fans of the Gundam universe will definitely appreciate. There’s easily more than 50 hours of story mode content spread across four campaign storylines based on Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, Mobile Suit Gundam 00, and Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans.
The primary reason why non-fans will never understand what’s going on is that the story mode missions never really gives you any context as to what’s happening before thrusting you straight into the JRPG-esque dialogue section often seen in games like the Super Robot Wars series.

If you’re not a fan of Gundams and you know next to nothing about them, playing this game will leave you just as clueless.

For fans of the Gundam universe, especially the four series mentioned above, you’re definitely in for a treat. Not only can you mix and match Gundams and pilots from the four different series but you’ll also be able to fine-tune other fanservice elements such as choosing specific BGM tracks for each of your pilots.
There were moments where I definitely felt that the characters from the different series were interacting in funny ways while spouting references I should but didn’t really get. I have no doubt that moments like these would be greatly appreciated by fans of the various series.
Chess With Chibi Robots

The gameplay in Cross Rays bears a lot of resemblance to how Super Robot Wars V is played. Even the gameplay cycle is largely the same. In story mode, you watch characters talk in fully voiced dialogue until someone gets offended due to political reasons and brings out their giant robot thus prompting everyone else to bring out their giant robots too and then the battle phase starts.
I’ve never played anything like this so I went for the Normal difficulty setting which is the easiest setting available. It was too easy at first since I was one-shotting enemies left and right but it helped set a good pace for me to understand the dozens of mechanics that the game had. Believe me, this isn’t a simple game but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Cross Rays is a tactical game which is easy to learn but hard to master. It will take you hours to fully understand how the game is truly played but once you get it, it’s a rewarding experience.

The basics of the battle phase are pretty simple. You move your Gundams on a grid-based map and then attack enemies. I started to realise how deep the game was when I discovered how limited my energy (used for attacks) was and the various ways I could regain energy. There were also abilities which I could get from defeating special enemies and team attacks that I could initiate by placing my Gundams near each other.
Around the 8 hour mark, I began to face tougher battles that required to make use of the Sortie mechanics which allowed my Gundams to heal and regain energy when positioned near team members. Sometime I would get so engrossed in planning out my moves for these battles that I didn’t realise I spent hours just on a single mission.

My only gripe with the battle system is that some of tutorial instructions were a bit hard to understand and it took me hours of experimentation to really get some of the systems and mechanics.

As someone who couldn’t understand much of the storyline, I’m super thankful that the game lets you skip all the dialogue sections with just pressing the touchpad. You’re even given the choice to manually skip attack animations every time they’re prompted. These features saved me a lot of time, especially when I wanted to retry missions that I failed.
Fanservice To The Max

As someone who’s used to seeing the art direction in other grid-based games like Super Robot Wars and Disgaea, I consider the visuals in Cross Rays to be nothing special but it gets the job done.
The Gundams looks cool and their attack animations are absolutely amazing to watch especially the crazier ones such as this one all-out attack where a Gundam uses every gun and cannon on its body.

Playing on the PS4, I never suffered a single frame drop or graphical glitches. Honestly, the game shouldn’t have any of those problems seeing as how visually lightweight it is.

When it comes to sound, I will give a lot of praises for the voice acting and music. Don’t get me wrong, the sound effects like the explosions and laser sword slashes sound decent enough but I could feel the emotional impact of most characters’ dialogue lines despite me not really understanding what was going on. That’s something really impressive.
After putting the controller down after about 14 hours of playing Cross Rays, I felt extremely sad that I couldn’t get more out of this game due to my lack of love towards the Gundam universe. I was already enjoying the gameplay and everything else suggested that I would love the game even more if I was familiar with the source material.
Pros

Tons of content from the story mode alone.
Deep tactical gameplay that feels rewarding.
A treat for Gundam fans.
Decent visuals and audio.

Cons

Absolutely inaccessible to non-Gundam fans.
Repetitive.
Some tutorial instructions aren’t very clear.

FINAL SCORE: 60/100


Foamstars: Square Enix’s Colourful PS5 Game That Channels The Spirit of Splatoon

Square Enix just unveiled a fresh multiplayer game during the PlayStation Showcase, and it’s a real treat for gaming enthusiasts. Say hello to Foamstars, a vibrant 4v4 hero shooter set against the dazzling backdrop of a neon city. The trailer provided an exhilarating glimpse into the intense battles between rival teams, as they engaged in a colourful firefight using foam projectiles. As the foam flew, the battlefield transformed into a mesmerizing landscape of undulating bubbles, creating peaks and valleys that could be traversed effortlessly on surfboards.

Aside from the eye-catching visuals, the trailer also showcased an array of whimsical character designs, exuding a delightful cartoonish charm. Moreover, it teased us with tantalizing glimpses of ultimate abilities that players can unleash. While the trailer cleverly omitted any specific release date, it did confirm that Foamstars will be gracing both the PS4 and PS5 platforms.
The PlayStation Blog further elaborated on the game’s mechanics, revealing an intriguing feature centred around the foam itself. Apparently, players can utilize this unique mechanic to manipulate the terrain, enabling them to construct fortresses, seize advantageous positions, or mount a stalwart defence against incoming assaults. This opens up a world of strategic possibilities, allowing for dynamic gameplay experiences that go beyond the typical shooter formula.
So, mark your calendars and get ready to dive into the bubbly chaos of Foamstars—coming soon to a PlayStation console near you!


Kakuchopurei Best 30 Games Of 2022: #24

#24: Warhammer 40K: Darktide

The successor to the Warhammer: Vermintide series hit all the right notes in delivering an intense and challenging co-op first-person action experience, thus earning a spot on our prestigious gaming list here.
Instead of flaying humanoid rats, you deal with cultists and fanatics with their own brand of guns and adversaries like hounds and war orks who can incapacitate your group. There is a lot more emphasis on gunplay here, though you still need to use your melee skills to conserve ammo. The game’s four unique classes -from the magic-bound brains-exploding Psykers to the brickhouse-stacked Orgryn- each with their respective skill trees and unique weaponry, help cater to various playstyles.
With a great mix of action, challenge, and aesthetics made intense and visceral thanks to the audio and soundwork, Fatshark deserves commendation for making us like PvE shooter games more than ever, especially after Turtlerock disappointed us with their Left 4 Dead imitation last year.


Sony Accidentally Reveals Sensitive Call Of Duty Player Count Data

Someone should really tell Sony how to redact court filings properly.
In the Microsoft vs FTC court battle that’s ongoing, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has accidentally revealed highly sensitive details about the PlayStation business involving Call of Duty (via The Verge). Specifically, the documents reveal how many people are engaged with Call of Duty on PlayStation consoles: about 14 million users, with 1 million from that number spending all their gaming time on Call of Duty titles.
Here’s what the documents stated:
In 2021, over [14] million users (by device) spent 30 percent or more of their time playing Call of Duty, over 6 million users spent more than 70% of their time on Call of Duty, and about 1 million users spent 100% of their gaming time on Call of Duty.
In 2021, Call of Duty players spent an average of [116] hours per year playing Call of Duty. Call of Duty players spending more than 70 percent of their time on Call of Duty spent an average of 296 hours on the franchise.
So these numbers may confirm that Call of Duty software account for US$1 billion or so in sales on PlayStation consoles in 2021.
Sony also laid bare the development costs for both The Last Of Us Part 2 and Horizon Forbidden West.


These Are The Games We’re Looking Forward To In 2021

2020 is coming to a close, and it sure is filled with a ton of games from your triple-A stuff to indies.
Is 2021 going to be the same? You bet! Thanks to the Xbox Series and PS5 existing, and possibly being available mid-2021, there’s going to be a need for games to entertain yourselves. From the bigwig titles to indie offerings, here are the games you should have on your radar in 2021.
The Medium (Xbox Series, PC)

Probably the first game coming out this year that everyone’s looking forward to.

With music by Silent Hill’s Akira Yamaoka and a team called Bloober who know their horror games, this game uses a dual-reality system where heroine Marianne inhabits the real world and spirit realm simultaneously. The game’s narrative ties into the system, where its story has two different sides. Literal sides that can spawn terrors to kill you.Â

This horror title will be out 28th January. –Jonathan “Mr Toffee” Leo
Endling (PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4)
Here’s an adventure game where you play a mother fox who has to take care of her cubs, in a world where all animal species are near extinction. The trailer below should tug your heartstrings.Â

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if2QAnoV4LU

It’ll be out in 2021 and will definitely rely more on its storytelling hooks to entice gamers and journalists. –Jonathan “Mr Toffee Leo
Ruined King – A League of Legends Story (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PotZzQvPdl4

I may not care much for League of Legends and its esports scene, but I do love me an indie RPG developed by Airship Syndicate, a team comprised of folks who created the awesome Darksiders series. The publishers? Riot Games’ new LoL side game-focused arm Riot Forge.

Players will get to control famous LoL characters like Miss Fortune, Yasuo, and Ahri in a single-player turn-based RPG to discover more about Runeterra and the Ruined King in the title.Â

If you’ve played Airship Syndicate’s Battle Chasers: Nightwar, Ruined King is essentially that, even down to the Joe Madureira-drawn cutscenes. But with Runeterra trappings and a few bells and whistles to keep RPG fans and Riot Games lore hounds entertained. I’m cool with that; hopefully, it’ll make its early 2021 release window. –Jonathan “Mr Toffee” Leo
Tunche (Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox One, PS4)
I won’t say no to a 2D beat-em-up, especially one this cute and charming-looking. Tunche is a 4-player action game where you go left to right beating up bad guys threatening the forest you live in.

You get to pick between five characters with their own movesets & skills, as well as experience roguelike gameplay to mix up the monotony found in these kinds of games.Â  Out Spring 2021. – Jonathan “Mr Toffee” LeoÂ
The Ascent (Xbox Series, PC)

Need an isometric action-RPG set in a cyberpunk universe? The Ascent may be your cup of tea. This shooter features loot-based rewards and online co-op, as well as a gritty aesthetic that’s sure to make Cyberpunk 2077 fans happy.

I for one just want an isometric action RPG to sate my jollies since we all know Diablo IV isn’t coming anytime soon. Prove me wrong, Blizzcon. The Ascent will be out 2021. – Jonathan “Mr Toffee” Leo

A Space For The Unbound (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch)

A slice of life adventure title set in 90s rural Indonesia, this title has a lot of slice-of-life stories going for it.

Only with supernatural powers & happenings surrounding our protagonists Atma and Raya. What’s really great, apart from the surreal-yet-normal landscape and setting, is just seeing verandahs, bungalows, and Southeast Asian rural areas immortalized in lovely pixel art that’s reminiscent of classic Sierra-slash-Lucasarts adventure games.Â

Out in 2021, hopefully. – Jonathan “Mr Toffee” Leo
Little Nightmares II (PC, Xbox One, PS4)
The sequel to Little Nightmares pits new protagonist Mono to brave the nightmarish landscape filled with platforming challenges and puzzles.

Slated for 11th February, expect creepy aesthetics and some co-op gameplay. – Jonathan “Mr Toffee” Leo
Chinatown Detective Agency (PC)

You play Amira Darma, a private eye who has to work a case set in 2032 Singapore. You need to do actual detective work via browser-searching to processing in-game evidence you find, as well as manage your job and relationships while also hiring staff to help your agency. Fun!

No, really. Part of what makes these titles fun is the length you’ll go through just to get the verdict and answers you want. That’s why 2020’s Paradise Killer works so well; I do hope the devs for Chinatown Detective Agency follow that non-linear style of design for its graphic adventure throwback.

Out “early 2021”. – Jonathan “Mr Toffee” Leo
Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart (PS5)

It’s good to know that Insomniac Games hasn’t abandoned their best and most iconic original IP in the wake of Marvel’s Spider-Man‘s success. The last Ratchet & Clank game was a 2016 remake of the original 2002 game and it wasn’t that good.

Hopefully, Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart will be a return to form for the third-person shooter platforming game franchise. From what we’ve seen so far, it looks like the game will be taking full advantage of the PS5’s powerful SSD, with seamless hopping across dimensions and smoother gameplay than ever.

It will arrive exclusively for the PS5 sometime in 2021. – Alleef ‘Comicslord’ Ashaari
Horizon Forbidden West (PS5, PS4)

Guerilla Games’ highly-anticipated sequel to 2017’s Horizon Zero Dawn will continue the post-apocalyptic adventures of Aloy and answer lingering questions from the first game.

We should expect more gorgeous open-world locations and exciting bow-and-arrow-heavy combat thanks to the developer’s incredible Decima Engine.It’s coming to the PS4 and PS5 sometime in 2021. – Alleef ‘Comicslord’ Ashaari
Gotham Knights (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

From the developers of Batman Arkham Origins comes Gotham Knights. It is apparently set in a different universe from the Arkham franchise, and will feature a world where Batman is presumed to be dead.

Players can choose from either Nightwing, Red Hood, Robin (Tim Drake) and Batgirl. It’s an interesting concept, especially for comic book fans, to be able to play as the other members of the Bat-family.

It’s coming to the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC sometime in 2021. – Alleef ‘Comicslord’ Ashaari
Back 4 Blood (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

It’s been more than a decade since Left 4 Dead 2 and Turtle Rock Studios’ last game, Evolve, was dead on arrival. Their next game, Back 4 Blood, will be a Left 4 Dead 3 in all but name (the rights to the Left 4 Dead franchise remains with Valve).

It will be interesting to see what these veteran developers will have in store for their upcoming game. A sequel to Left 4 Dead 2 is one of the most highly-anticipated games of all time.

If all goes well, it could potentially be the biggest multiplayer game of the year in 2021.Back 4 Blood is slated to release for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 22 June 2021. – Alleef ‘Comicslord’ Ashaari
Kena Bridge Of Spirits (PS4, PS5, PC)

Developed by Ember Lab, Kena Bridge Of Spirits looks like a Pixar or Disney animated movie brought to life. The story follows Kena, a young spirit guide who uses her magical abilities to help deceased people move from the physical to the spirit world.

Players will use Kena’s staff for attacking enemies and collect small spirit companions known as the Rot, who help to complete tasks and battle against enemies.

It’s coming to the PS4, PS5, and PC via Epic Games Store sometime in 2021. – Alleef ‘Comicslord’ Ashaari
Ghostwire: Tokyo (PS5, PC)

Tango Studio’s upcoming title is an amalgamation of everything I enjoy – first-person combat, the supernatural and … Tokyo.
Ghostwire: Tokyo presents everything in what I hope to be not only a genre trailblazer, but also serves as the closest I can get to experience the sprawling city of Tokyo. Make no mistake, I do miss Japan.

It’s like Skyrim x Cyberpunk 2077 x Yokai Watch all rolled into one. What’s is there to complain about, right? – Kenn Leandre
Kabaret (PC)
Speaking of evil spirits, I for one am looking forward to Persona Theory’s upcoming visual novel about Malaysian ghouls & ghosts. You play a transformed being called Jebat who has 30 nights to break his curse. He has to navigate through a web of conversation and introspection with the nightkin like the Pontianak, while doing tea leave readings & tea-drinking.Â

Kabaret is the chief reason why the game developers are on my radar. Alongside their dark tale of love & the ending millennium that is Fires At Midnight (one of our top 30 games of 2020, FYI), this Malaysian-flavoured Shin Megami Tensei-esqueÂ adventure game might be another feather in the country’s game dev cap.Â – Jonathan “Mr Toffee” Leo
Hollow Knight: Silksong (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch)
The sequel to indie darling Metroidvania Hollow Knight looks to build on the prequel’s design. Part Castlevania title and part Dark Souls, Hollow Knight: Silksong puts you in the shoes of Hornet from the first game, who ends up having to fight her way out of unfamiliar territory.Â

Expect the same obtuse gameplay, the same sense of exploration with many things out to kill you in three hits or less, and a new cast of bugs and flora that will make you go “awe” and also “arrghh!” Hollow Knight is not exactly perfect despite its gripping atmosphere; let’s hope part 2 fixes some of its issues like repetitive backtracking.Â

It may not have a release date yet, but we’re betting 2021’s the best time as any to unleash this gorgeous yet dystopian adventure about a bug who fights with a sharp-as-heck needle. – Jonathan “Mr Toffee” Leo”
Gigabash (PS4)
Anyone here missed the days of 4-player War of the Monsters and Godzilla 3D fighting games? Don’t lie; we all had a hand in playing them back in the PS2 and Xbox days. Gigabash is a Malaysian-made arena brawler featuring archetypes from kaiju and tokusatsu films from your Gameras to Ultramen.

It’s four players-ready, it has solid controls & simple fight mechanics, and the roster seems plentiful so far for an indie fighting title. I can’t wait to host party games with this bad boy when it gate-crashes our peaceful metropolis sometime in 2021. – Jonathan “Mr Toffee” Leo
Biomutant (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series, PS5)

When the heck is this open-world action game starring furries of different shapes and sizes coming out? This THQ Nordic-published title has been delayed a number of times, but I guess it’s for the best.

The last gameplay trailer has shown promise for this title featuring RPG elements, kung-fu fables and martial arts attacks, and mutant ability action.

Let’s hope 2021 is the year Biomutant finally sees fruition. – Jonathan “Mr Toffee” Leo
Stray (PS4, PS5, PC)
Developed by BlueTwelve Studio, Stray will have players assume the role of a cat. Yes, a cat. It’s described as “a third-person cat adventure game set amidst the detailed neon-lit alleys of a decaying cybercity and the murky environments of its seedy underbelly”.

The entire selling point of this game is that you’ll experience everything from the perspective of a cat, and honestly, that alone will more than enough. – Alleef ‘Comicslord’ Ashaari
Season (PS5, PC)

Developed by Scavengers Studio, Season is a third-person atmospheric adventure bicycle road trip game. It feels a lot like Life Is Strange but with a sort of melancholic beauty to it all.

We’re still in a pandemic but this game looks like it’ll be perfect for anyone who’s craving a bit of travelling and experiencing the outdoors. –Alleef ‘Comicslord’ Ashaari
Twelve Minutes (Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC)

TheÂ 12 Minutes ensemble cast boasts James McAvoy (It Chapter 2,Â Split,Â X-Men franchise), Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,Â Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi,Â Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens,Â Murder on the Orient Express), and Willem Dafoe (The Lighthouse,Â At Eternityâ€™s Gate,Â The Florida Project).

Directed by Luis Antonio and written by Steve Lerner and Luis Antonio,Â 12 Minutes invites players to solve the mystery of a man stuck in a time loop.

In this interactive thriller, a manâ€™s romantic evening with his wife is interrupted by a violent home invasion. The man tries to stop the attacker and gets knocked out only to immediately find himself back to the start of the evening, stuck in a time loop of 12 minutes.

He must use the knowledge of what is about to happen to change the outcome and break the loop. –Alleef ‘Comicslord’ Ashaari
Garden Story (Nintendo Switch, PC)

Developed by Picogram, Garden Story is a pixel graphic adventure game. Gamers will like the retro graphics and great soundtrack, where they’ll rebuild the community as the newly appointed Guardian of the Grove, Concord.

They will also traverse a vibrant island to combat invasive Rot, cultivate fruity friendships, gather precious resources, restore buildings, and rebuild your home. –Alleef ‘Comicslord’ Ashaari
Know By Heart (PC)

Developed by Ice-Pick Lodge (the same studio behind Pathologic), Know By Heart looks like it’s going to be another heart-breaking game. The plot, the music, the intuitive gameplay and atmospheric mini-games work together to weave an illusion of briefly returning to oneâ€™s childhood and inevitably growing up, the feeling of time slipping through our fingers.

Players will be immersed into the quiet life of a provincial Russian town, where traces and echoes of the Soviet era can still be seen and heard. –Alleef ‘Comicslord’ Ashaari
Resident Evil Village (PC, Xbox Series, PS5)

The next Resident Evil game is slated for this April, and it’s going to be a first-person horror game experience. It’s also going to be set in a European village, and features characters from Resident Evil VII. The game is also hinting at a supernatural sort of ordeal, with vampires and werewolves going to hunt players down. 10 bucks says it’s all Umbrella Corp genetics nonsense. – Jonathan “Mr Toffee” Leo

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Five Nights At Freddy’s Movie Trailer Teases Animatronic Frights

United International Pictures Malaysia has unveiled the first full trailer for the upcoming live-action movie adaptation of Five Nights At Freddy’s, the popular horror game franchise of the same name.
Produced by Blumhouse, the studio behind M3GAN, The Black Phone and The Invisible Man, and directed by Emma Tammi, the movie stars Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Kat Conner Sterling, Piper Rubio, Mary Stuart Masterson and Matthew Lillard. The film follows a troubled security guard as he begins working at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. While spending his first night on the job, he realizes the night shift at Freddy’s won’t be so easy to make it through.
Five Nights At Freddy’s premieres in cinemas on 27 October 2023.
Check out the trailer below:


Ubisoft Singapore Managing Director Ousted From Position & Skull And Bones

Hugues Ricour, the managing director of Ubisoft Singapore which is handling the development of Skull And Bones, has been removed from his position following a leadership audit conducted a few weeks ago.
According to an internal memo from Ubisoft chief studios operating officer Virginie Haas (leaked to Kotaku), Hugues is no longer in charge of the Singapore team.

“Effective immediately, Hugues Ricour is no longer Managing Director of Ubisoft Singapore. The results of the leadership audit that was conducted in the last few weeks by our external partners makes it impossible for him to continue in this position.”

Why is that? Well, a previous report on Ubisoft’s culture of abuse listed the former managing director as one of the folks responsible for perpetuating said culture in the Singapore branch. Huges was accused of sexual harassment and unacceptable work behaviour involving “bullying, demeaning comments, and retaliatory action” in those reports.
Hugues will be continuing on with the company, but will be leaving Ubisoft Singapore. A spokesperson from Ubisoft said the following:

“We can confirm that Hugues Ricour is both stepping down from his role as MD and also leaving the Singapore studio, but will remain at Ubisoft”.


My Little Pony Now Has Its Own Magic: The Gathering Decks

Here’s a new entry to add into your list of “crossovers I did not expect”. In celebration of the series finale of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and Magic: The Gathering’s Extra Life charity event, Hasbro has brought together the two brands to produce special edition cards and Ultra Pro playmats.

Of course, the cards are not tournament legal as some of them have hilariously overpowered conditions. For example, the Princess Twilight Sparkle card will automatically win you the game if you also control the rest of the show’s main characters – Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie.
The cards are sold in a three-pack for US$50. Out of that amount, US$30 will go to the Extra Life children’s hospital charity organisation. Ultra Pro’s Ponies: The Galloping playmat set is priced at US$100, with US$80 going to the same charity organisation. The set contains three 24-inch wide, 13.5-inch tall playmats featuring artwork of characters from the show.

In case you didn’t know, Hasbro owns both My Little Pony and Wizards of the Coast, publisher of Magic: The Gathering. The above products can be bought through Hasbro’s online store.


Epic Games Store To Feature A Slew Of Falcom’s Legend Of Heroes Games In English

Fans of Falcom RPGs: you’re getting English localizations of past Legend of Heroes games for PC.
Which digital store gets the pleasure of selling these niche RPGs though? Turns out it may be Epic Games Store (via ResetEra); the store has leaked unannounced localizations of the following The Legend of Heroes titles:

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero
The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure
The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie
The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails

These four titles, with most of them previously out on PSP but in its native Japan language, are most likely to be announced during the NIS America-hosted Falcom 40th anniversary celebration. That’s good news for fans looking for English versions of the Trails from Zero titles; it’s the missing piece from their Trails of the Sky and Trails of Cold Steel Legend of Heroes collection.


Xbox Cloud Gaming Beta Launches On PC & iOS Tomorrow

Starting tomorrow, Microsoft will send out invites to select Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members to start testing the Xbox Cloud Gaming limited beta for Windows 10 PCs and Apple phones and tablets via web browsers.
According to Xbox Wire, they will also be launching this official website where invitees can play over 100 Xbox Game Pass titles through Edge, Google Chrome, or Safari. Offering cloud gaming through the browser and having a simplified, universal landing page presents a great opportunity to make cloud gaming approachable to more players in more places over time.
They will continue to send more invites on a continuous basis to players in all 22 supported countries, evaluate feedback, continue to improve the experience, and add support for more devices. They’re planning to iterate quickly and open up to all Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members in the coming months so more people have the opportunity to play Xbox in all-new ways.
Those who receive an invite will only require a compatible Bluetooth or USB-connected controller or can use custom touch controls for more than 50 games to start playing and testing. In the early stages of the beta, Microsoft will be focusing on fine-tuning features and creating a consistent experience across platforms, while making sure games are running their best.
In other related news, Microsoft recently added more original Xbox and Xbox 360 games to Xbox Cloud Gaming.


Ubisoft Forward Live Stream Returns This Weekend With Special Assassin’s Creed Showcase

Ubisoft’s online showcase, Ubisoft Forward, returns on Sunday, 11 September 2022, at 3.00 am GMT+8, with brand-new updates on the upcoming Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope and Skull And Bones, and a special Assassin’s Creed showcase that will unveil the future of the franchise, including more details on the new Assassin’s Creed Mirage.
For even more updates, the pre-show starts at 2.35 am GMT+8 with news on the latest seasons, characters, and content from Brawlhalla, For Honor, The Crew 2, Anno 1800, and more.
Viewers from around the world are invited to tune in to watch the show in their preferred format on the official website Ubisoft.com/Forward, and on a variety of live stream platforms including Ubisoft’s YouTube and Twitch channels.
In line with Ubisoft Forward’s vision to be a celebration for all players gathered around a common passion, the broadcast will be available in multiple languages, including American Sign Language, British Sign Language, German Sign Language and International Sign Language and audio description in both English and German.
Those watching on Twitch will be eligible to earn Twitch drop rewards for multiple games just by watching on Ubisoft’s official Twitch channel or any number of official co-streamers.
Here’s the full list of games and rewards:

Watch for 15 minutes and earn the “Skull Logo Emblem” in Skull and Bones.
Watch for 30 minutes and earn the “Explosive Detail Charm” in Rainbow Six Siege.
Watch for 45 minutes and earn the “RC22 Original Cosmetic” in Roller Champions.
Watch for 60 minutes and earn the “Sphinx Tattoo Set” in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.

All updates and highlights from the show will be available on Ubisoft News.
For your convenience, we’ve embedded the stream below:


Elden Ring To Get Colosseum PvP Update This Week

The Elden Ring rumours are true: we’re getting PvP and colosseum-style battles sooner than we thought.
Bandai Namco and From Software has released a new trailer spotlighting its new Elden Ring DLC, dubbed the Colosseum Update. The new PvP mode will be free for all players this 7 December for PC and console players. Here’s a brief description:
“The Colosseums of Limgrave, Leyndell and Caelid will open their gates, allowing players to engage in battles such as duels, free-for-alls and team fights.”
Check out the DLC in action below.


Yakuza 7 Will Encourage You To Steal From The Homeless

Whenever I’m assigned to write news about Yakuza 7 AKA Yakuza: Like a Dragon, I have to double check whatever I’m reading because it’s very obvious the developers just keep trying to outdo the ridiculousness of their past games.

New information and screenshots released by Sega have revealed more interesting features that will be coming in Yakuza: Like a Dragon. This includes rummaging around vending machines for money and racing on bikes to collect cans so that you can turn them in for money. A new summon has also been revealed: Jay-san, a butcher who wears a hockey mask.
The context here is that the protagonist Ichiban Kasuga is absolutely broke at the start of the game. You’ll need money to summon help during battles and to buy other important items. So the earlier portions of the game will task you with scrounging for change near vending machines and collection cans on a bike.

When collecting cans on a bicycle, you’ll have to watch out for other homeless people who are trying to make a living doing the same thing plus garbage trucks and drum cans. You can drink nutritional drinks to get a boost and if you ram into other homeless cyclists while boosting, you’ll cause them to fall over and you get their cans.

As for Jay-san, it’s explained that he’s one of the summons that can be activated during the game’s JRPG battle sections. For 60,000 yen, Jay-san will sprint over to your side and deal massive damage to enemies plus inflicting a “nervous” debuff.

Sega also released new information detailing the Part-Time Job Quests feature. Basically, the player can take up quests from an online service called “PartTimeJobQuest.com” which is managed by man named Hiroo who wears a… hero mask.

There are three types of quests:

Support â€“ Quests like supplying items and searching for someone, which can be resolved by walking around town.
Rescue â€“ Quests where you have to defeat hoodlums causing people trouble.
Challenge â€“ Quests where you can improve yourself to become a human worth of the title hero. You can significantly develop Kasugaâ€™s â€œLife Experienceâ€ by clearing such Challenges.

Completing these quests will sometimes earn you more than money. Rewards include equipment, replenishment items, and more.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is scheduled to launch worldwide sometime in 2020 for the PlayStation 4. It will be released earlier in Japan on 16 January 2020. For more news and updates on Yakuza 7, stay tuned on Kakuchopurei.
Thanks, Gematsu.


Marvel’s Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur Premieres On Disney+ Next Month

Marvel has announced that Marvel’s Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur will premiere with its first six episodes on Disney+ on 15 February 2023 after its 10 February premiere on Disney Channel.
Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur follows the adventures of 13-year-old super-genius Lunella Lafayette (aka Moon Girl) and her 10-ton T-Rex, Devil Dinosaur. After Lunella accidentally brings Devil Dinosaur into present-day New York City, the duo work together to protect the city’s Lower East Side from danger.
The series stars Diamond White as Lunella/Moon Girl; Fred Tatasciore as Devil Dinosaur; Alfre Woodard as Lunella’s grandmother, Mimi; Libe Barer as Lunella’s best friend and manager, Casey; Sasheer Zamata as Lunella’s mom, Adria; Jermaine Fowler as Lunella’s dad, James Jr.; Gary Anthony Williams as Lunella’s grandfather, Pops; and series executive producer Laurence Fishburne in the recurring role of The Beyonder, a curious and mischievous trickster.

The season one guest cast includes Gideon Adlon, Pamela Adlon, Anna Akana, Ian Alexander, Alison Brie, May Calamawy, Andy Cohen, Wilson Cruz, Daveed Diggs, Asia Kate Dillon, Luis Guzmán, Maya Hawke, Jennifer Hudson, Dr. Mae Jemison, Josh Keaton, June Diane Raphael, Paul Scheer, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Cobie Smulders, Wesley Snipes and Tajinae Turner. Recurring stars include Omid Abtahi, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Michael Cimino, Indya Moore and Craig Robinson.
Guest stars Jennifer Hudson and Daveed Diggs will voice the characters of “Mane” and “Rat King”, two villains that will be featured in the first season.
From Disney Television Animation, the series is executive produced by Laurence Fishburne and Helen Sugland’s Cinema Gypsy Productions (black-ish, grown-ish) and Emmy Award-winner Steve Loter (Kim Possible). Emmy Award-winner Rodney Clouden (Futurama) is supervising producer, Jeffrey M. Howard (Planes) and Emmy Award-winner Kate Kondell (The Pirate Fairy) are co-producers and story editors, and Pilar Flynn (Elena of Avalor) is producer.
Check out the trailer below:


New Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 DLC Adds Ultra Instinct Goku & More

Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia has announced the release of a new paid DLC pack, the Awakened Warrior Pack, for its popular PS4 and Nintendo Switch title, DRAGON BALL Xenoverse 2 today.
Additionally, a special campaign commemorating these launches is currently ongoing, alongside the release of the Free Update #14 today. Finally, the Legend Patrol Pack, which is already available as a paid DLC for the Nintendo Switch version of DRAGON BALL Xenoverse 2, is also on the PlayStation®4 version now.
The Conton City DLC, the Awakened Warrior Pack, has been released today. In addition to the new playable characters – Goku (Ultra Instinct -Sign-), Dyspo, and Vegeta (GT) – that were selected by users in the Conton City Vote held last year, the pack also contains Extra Missions and new costumes such as King Vegeta (DBS)’s Battle Suit.

This DLC also contains Skills replicating the characters’ moves from the movies, including the Ultimate Attack of Goku (Ultra Instinct -Sign-), Sign of Awakening and Dyspo’s Awoken Skill, Supersonic Mode. The Extra Missions include new stories that are told using brand new video sequences. These stories continue from the Extra DLC Pack 2, where the player must cooperate with Fu to tackle scenarios from the Majin Buu and GT storylines that have been altered by Dabura.

With the new playable characters set to play a prominent part, this is an opportunity for players to acquire this latest DLC and experience a new history

Awakened Warrior Pack Contents

Playable Characters

Goku (Ultra Instinct -Sign-), Dyspo, Vegeta (GT)

Skills

Ultrasonic Blitz / Spirit Pulse / Sign of Awakening / Celestial Wave / Wild Buster / Counter Burst / Shield Barrier / Justice Kick / Justice Blade / Circle Flash / Supersonic Mode

Parallel Quests

Even Further Beyond / Dyspo’s Wanted Man / Seeing Double/ Dabura the Loyal? Servant

Extra Missions

Vengeful Villain Baby/ S Match with the Majin

Costumes/Accessories

Android 17 (DB Super)’s Ranger Outfit, Android 17 (DB Super) Wig, King Vegeta (DBS)’s Battle Suit, King Vegeta (DB Super) Wig

Loading Screen Customisation

15 new illustrations

Free Update #14

Free update #14, which contains features such as Extra Raids that awakens boss characters, has also been released. In addition to the costumes, CC mascots, partner customisation elements and illustrations selected as part of the Conton City Vote, this update contains new content such as Dual Ultimate Attacks, Super Souls, and more.

Raid Boss Battles

Kind-hearted Killing Machine (Lite) / Impending Danger (Lite) / The Supersonic Warrior / King of the Demon Realm / Ever-Changing Nightmare / Goku’s Challenge / Vegeta’s Tough Training

Crystal Raid

Dyspo will become available to use!

Dual Ultimate Attacks

DUAL Super Spirit Bomb / DUAL Minus Energy Power Ball / DUAL Assault Rain /DUAL Power Rush / DUAL Gigantic Burst

Super Souls

Now I’m MAD! / It all comes down to this! / Emoc htorf! Peas and Carrots!/ Goku! Time for dinner! Looks like I mixed up the capsules…

Partner Customisation

Goku (Super Saiyan God) / Gogeta (SS4) / Vegeta (Super Saiyan God) / Super Baby 2 / Goku Black

Loading Screen Customisation

77 new illustrations

Hero Colosseum

20 Free Battle Quests (vs COM) / 68 Digital Figures / 34 Posing Skills / 12 Character Skills / 5 Conton City NPCs / 5 Quests featuring Figure Battles with roaming NPCs / EX Limit Break

Costumes/Accessories

Yamcha’s White Gi

CC Mascots

Icarus / Icarus (Gohan (Kid)’s Colors) / Icarus (Demon Clan Colors)

The Legend Patrol Pack DLC is now available on the PS4

The paid DLC, the Legend Patrol Pack, that was previously available for the Nintendo Switch, has also been released for the PS4 today. The paid DLC allows players to experience the main story from the previous title, DRAGON BALL Xenoverse.


So Who Will Be Representing Malaysia In 2019 Philippines SEA Games Esports? [Update]

Update: schedule for SEA Games Esports added below. Thanks, Low Yat!
With the 2019 Philippines SEA Games Esports tournament happening soon, it’s high time Malaysia reveals its roster of players who will be representing the nation.
Thanks to a recent player list email Kakuchopurei received, we now know the players representing Malaysia for the gold and the games they’ll be in:
General Manager

Firdaus “MasterRamen” Hashim

Lead Coach

Ahmad Syazwan Anuar

Coaches

Katsuhiro “BeiChun” Kitamura

Dota 2

Khoo “Ohaiyoo” Chong Xin
Denise DanialÂ  Abdullah
Bakri Anwar
Ahmad Rizqan Muzakkir Ahmad Nizam
Mohd Helmy Ibrahim
Muhammad Naufal Osman

Â StarCraft II

Kien “M8HEXA RANGER” Khun Yap
Jonathan “Neutrals Fong” Wong Choon Hoong

Mobile Legends

Ahmad Ali Huzaifi Abdullah
Abdul Wandi Abdul Kadir
Izme Haqeem Hamsjid
Muhammad Hazeem Onn
Jamil Nurolla
Mohd Faris Zakaria

Arena of Valor

Cham “Zer0” Hong Xin
Poh “Luna” Jing Sheng
Kok “Raizel” Kar Seng
Loo “LYL77” Yong Leong
Tai “Shinkie” Tong
Chan Choung Guan

Tekken 7

Muhammad Zarif “Boost | Zaba” Aiman
Abdul Rahim “FLASH VISION | FATE” Abdul Shukor

Hearthstone

Hee “lalasong” Zi Song
Yew “wkyew90” Weng Kean

And now, some words from Youth & Sports Minister Syed Saddiq following this major announcement which will hopefully not be used against him in the future:
“We are here for our athletes. [I]t’sÂ about time for all Malaysians to take eSports seriously and treat eSports players as athletes like in any other sports. Now those who play eSports as kids will aspire for something bigger.”
“My first hope is for them to make Malaysia proud when they represent Malaysia in the SEA Games. We find their performance to be very impressive and I am very confident that they will bring home many medals for Malaysia, and can dispel the negative perceptions placed onto those who are active in the e-sports field.”
“I think this is the way forward for them to break the negative perceptions faced by e-sports athletes in Malaysia, because when they carry the Malaysian flag, they become national athletes. The heroes and heroines of the nation who must be respected and helped as best possible.”

“I think in South-east Asia, we look good, but we need to work a lot harder to be an Asian superpower. Not Asean, but Asia.”
“If you look at China, they have Tencent and they have Ali Baba, and many more. In Malaysia, we need to start cultivating our e-sports industries, giving full support to them and at the same time the sports side of e-sports, should work collectively together with the industry.”
Full schedule below:

Â


Fantastic Beasts 2 is a Middle Finger to Harry Potter Lore

In tone and enchanting magical wonder, Fantastic Beasts: The Crime of Grindelwald feels more like a Harry Potter movie than Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them did. Despite that, it is one that attempts to appeal to Potterheads by cramming in loads of Wizarding World references. In doing that, it loses not only casual viewers but also ardent Harry Potter fans.

J.K. Rowling = The New George Lucas?

The Harry Potter fan in me desperately want to like this movie. There’s something wrong for everything Fantastic Beasts 2 does right. George Lucas did it to the Star Wars prequels. Now J.K. Rowling is doing it to her own creation.
Although I believe in the notion that creators have the right to change/alter anything of their own work, it’s hard to see the unnecessary retcons in The Crimes of Grindelwald as anything other than simply breaking established Harry Potter lore just to create shockingly shallow plot twists.
The McGonagall Error

An example of this is a continuity error involving a younger Professor Minerva McGonagall in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. J.K. Rowling initially established using Pottermore that McGonagall was born in 1937, which means that she can’t possibly have appeared in the Fantastic Beasts 2, which is set in 1927.
She has presumedly retconned McGonagall’s backstory just t include a fun easter egg for fans. While it was amusing seeing McGonagall acting like herself even in her younger years teaching at Hogwarts, was it really necessary to retcon the lore? Keep your sorting hats on, Potterheads, because that’s nothing compared to the huge plot twist of Fantastic Beasts 2.
The Dumbledore Conundrum

Let’s discuss that Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald plot twist at the very end of the movie. J.K. Rowling regaled us with the revelation that Credence Barebone (the Obscurial from the first movie) is actually Aurelius Dumbledore, a long-lost brother of the one and only Albus Dumbledore.
Let’s ignore the fact that this clichÃ© plot twist hasn’t been done to death, or how it seems to be lazy uninspired writing on J.K. Rowling’s part. Revealing Credence as a Dumbledore breaks the fabric of reality that is established Harry Potter lore. It doesn’t make any sense.
Potterheads know that we heard the origins and life story of Albus Dumbledore from his younger brother, Aberforth Dumbledore, who told it to Harry Potter (and by extension, the reader) in the final book Harry Potter and the Death Hallows. The great Professor Dumbledore never revealed any of it himself.
The story of Albus Dumbledore’s family is a tragic one and also one that sheds light on his darkest past. Here’s a recap. When she was six years old, Dumbledore’s sister, Ariana, was attacked by a couple of Muggles. This traumatized her so much that she was never able to function normally as a human being or even perform magic. Their father, Percival, was sentenced to Azkaban when he retaliated by tracking down those Muggles. Their mother also died in one of Ariana’s uncontrolled outbursts of magic (she’s rumored to be an Obscurial like Credence).
Due to these events, Albus Dumbledore had to be responsible for taking care of his family. He became resentful for being thrust into this burden, hindering his dream of becoming the greatest wizard of all. He then met Grindelwald, with whom he became close with. An argument between Albus, Aberforth and Grindelwald later resulted in Ariana’s death. He has been burdened by guilt ever since.
If we take the events of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, how is it that Aberforth never mentioned an Aurelius Dumbledore, and neither did reporter Rita Skitter in her biographical book, The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. If Rita did indeed dig up all of Albus’ greatest secrets and write about even the nastiest rumors, how did she miss this piece of incrimination and juicy detail?
Why Break Established Lore?

The answer is simple. J.K. Rowling just doesn’t respect the lore that she has already established in her Harry Potter books, lore that Potterheads such as myself have kept close to our hearts. She’s retconning details willy-nilly just because she felt like adding that particular bit of lore, despite the fact that it ignores everything else that came before.
There are few possibilities for what J.K. Rowling might be trying to accomplish with the Aurelius Dumbledore plot twist. The biggest theory circulating right now is that Grindelwald could just be lying to Credence as part of a convoluted plan to manipulate him into entering his side of the conflict. This is the most probable theory as of now.
Of course, it could always turn out to be the truth, no matter how farfetched it is considering the Harry Potter saga that comes after the events in the Fantastic Beasts movies. We still have three movies in the franchise to look forward to, and I remain optimistic in the hopes that Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’s biggest plot twist will be explained in the eventual sequel.
Besides my clear problems about the lore-breaking in Fantastic Beasts 2, I actually liked Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Grindelwald. He’s a different kind of monster than Ralph Fiennes’s Voldemort. I appreciate this manipulative and crafty Dark Wizard instead of the more outright evil and raspy Dark Lord.


Swashbuckler Action Game En Garde! Demo Is Now Available

During Future Games Show 2023, Fireplace Games announced that En Garde! will launch on PC sometime in August 2023, and the free demo is now available on Steam.
En Garde! is a swashbuckler action game. Players will battle graceless guards and nefarious noblemen in fast-paced fights full of spectacle. This game is a love letter to larger-than-life swashbuckling stories such as The Three Musketeers, Zorro or The Princess Bride.
In a fantastical pastiche of the 17th century, you’ll experience spectacular combat gameplay as Adalia de Volador, a fabled swashbuckling hero who fights with panache to defy tyranny.
Check out the trailer below:


Dragon Age Dreadwolf Alpha Gameplay Leaked

We haven’t heard much about Dragon Age Dreadwolf since it was originally announced back during The Game Awards 2018. Now, new Dragon Age Dreadwolf gameplay has leaked online by Reddit user revanchisto.
According to the leak, Dragon Age Dreadwolf will feature real-time combat similar to hack-and-slash games. Combat is allegedly inspired by 2018’s God Of War and it’s possible that players won’t be able to control their party members. The animation has been improved compared to previous games and the game is apparently fully single-player.
In addition, it currently seems like Dragon Age Dreadwolf won’t be completed in time to be released in 2023. However, none of this information has been verified by BioWare or EA, so take it all with a grain of salt for now.
Head on over here to check out the leaked footage.


Sekiro Expert Guide: 9 Helpful Tips To Shinobi The Best

Games can be hard, but if youâ€™ve played Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, youâ€™re probably reconsidering what difficulty even means.
Sekiro is a game that preys on the typical gaming habits we may have developed over the years. Dodging, a staple in action games, just doesnâ€™t work against many attacks; to effectively win, you may have to put yourself into the thick of a fight.
If you feel that youâ€™ve tried all you can and need a little more to overcome Sekiroâ€™s trials, youâ€™ve come to the right place.
We have some expert tips on how you can improve your gameplay and eventually take down that troublesome boss.
#1. Guard, even in safety
Naturally, guarding protects you from incoming blows, but did you know that it can also help recover your Posture?

Since having your Posture broken will leave you open to attacks, you may decide to retreat when the gauge gets too high. Donâ€™t just move around while doing this, though. Guarding during this downtime will recover your Posture much more quickly than without, which can be helpful against aggressive opponents that give you little breathing room.
#2. You can deflect multiple attacks in a row
When you play through Sekiroâ€™s tutorial, the game quite appropriately teaches that you can deflect attacks by timing your guard just as an enemyâ€™s attack lands. Youâ€™ll want to perform deflects, as these build up Posture damage on the opponent that eventually net you a devastating Deathblow.
However, you may have noticed that many enemies in Sekiro do more than just one attack, like this friendly chap below:

Some of these attack patterns are quick and give you little room for retaliation, but that doesnâ€™t mean youâ€™re helpless against them. If you time your guard button correctly against these attack strings, you can deflect each individual hit and rack up some serious Posture damage.
We recommend recognising an attack pattern and then counting the hits. Donâ€™t worry about mistiming, because the game is cleverly designed so that Sekiro will still block against quick, consecutive attacks. Treat it as if youâ€™re playing a rhythm mini-game and you should be fine (you may even have a little fun).
#3. Vitality or Posture?
Sekiro is different from many games in that both you and your enemies have two important gauges, called Vitality and Posture. Vitality represents the traditional health bar whereas Posture shows how close you are to breaking an enemyâ€™s guard. If you’ve played fighting games such as Street Fighter, think of Posture as a stun gauge that helps you land big damage once filled up!
There is one problem though: Some Posture gauges recover quicker than the damage you dole out. If even immaculate deflects donâ€™t work against them, consider going for the actual health gauge instead. The more Vitality lost, the weaker an enemy’s Posture becomes, as shown in their Posture gauge changing colours.
Sometimes the best approach to victory is a less obvious one, so try whittling their health down before trying again.
#4. Dodge when the time is right
As we mentioned before, sometimes youâ€™ll want to go in for an enemyâ€™s Vitality. Occasionally, you can get one or two good hits in after a successful guard, but this isnâ€™t always the case. There are some tough opponents out there that guard exceptionally well or attack relentlessly so even Vitality damage may prove difficult to achieve.

For these enemies, make sure to look out for attacks with long recovery animations that leave them wide open. Instead of guarding against these and getting yourself locked in blockstun, a well-timed dodge could let you immediately hit them as they swing down.
#5. Staggered? Try guarding
There are some brutal enemies on the road that will send you reeling more than once. Getting staggered from an attack is par for course in a game like Sekiro, which is why you should also be familiar with the options you have in this sticky situation.

If youâ€™ve played previous Souls games or Bloodborne, you may have the urge to roll away from your troubles. This is a fine tactic, but itâ€™s less effective in Sekiro due to how easily attacks track you.
Guard, however, and your character will recover much more quickly from the stagger and be protected against any further attacks. If your Posture isnâ€™t in critical danger, this is the best option to quickly get yourself back into the action.
#6. Watch out for sparks
Going on the offence isnâ€™t as scary as it initially appears. There are distinct visual and audio queues that signal when you should stop attacking to take up a defensive stance.

Look for big flashes of sparks and a loud clang – a similar effect to whenever you deflect an attack. This means that an enemy deflected you and now has the advantage. Stay attentive and immediately guard or deflect, and you may just make it out alive.
#7. Know the best counters against Perilous Attacks
In case you didnâ€™t know, Perilous Attacks are attacks which you cannot guard against. Whenever a Red Symbol appears over your head, that means a Perilous Attack is coming. These are comprised of three types: Thrusts, Grabs, and Sweeps.
Thrusts are attacks that move straight towards you, so youâ€™ll want to deflect them or dodge to the side.

If you learn the Mikiri Counter under the Shinobi Skill tree (like our previous guide told you to), you will be able to counter these relatively easily by dodging towards the enemy for a lot of Posture damage.
Grabs will catch you in an enemyâ€™s grasp and allow them to deal huge amounts of damage. The easiest way to avoid these is by jumping away.

However, if you perform a well-timed dodge instead, youâ€™ll be able to land some good damage in retaliation.
Lastly, Sweeps are circular attacks across the ground that can be avoided with a jump. If youâ€™re up for it though, try jumping towards the enemy and pressing the jump button in mid-air for a kick.

Itâ€™s a counter specific to Perilous Sweeps that also deals heavy Posture damage.
#8. Prosthetics are a helpful niche
In all the chaos, it can be easy to forget about the Shinobi Prosthetic, a handy make-shift arm equipped onto Sekiro. This prosthetic and its different abilities can be difficult to make effective use of, seeing as they’re limited by a resource known as Spirit Emblems.

But certain Prosthetic arms can turn the tide of battle if you use them well. Shurikens drop enemies that like to take to the air, and Firecrackers stun even the deadliest of beasts. If you manage to find a weakness, the Shinobi Prosthetic may help determine the difference between life and death.
#9. Thereâ€™s no harm in running away
Last of all, if the cards are stacked against you, remember that escape is always a viable option. In Sekiro, death can mean the loss of valuable experience points and money. It also spreads a plague across the land called Dragon Rot that weakens a valuable boon called Unseen Aid.
These penalties only apply to true death, though. If you happen to get killed and decide to resurrect, you will still have the opportunity to make a run for it. This way, you can rest up and replenish your stocks and Resurrection Nodes for free before trying again.

One very helpful method for getting to safety is through an item called the Homeward Idol. This exists in your inventory at all times and can be used to transport you to your last Sculptorâ€™s Idol (or checkpoint). It has unlimited uses too, so why not? Just be sure to use this in a safe spot, because the transport sequence lasts longer than you may expect!
Hope you find this expert-level guide helpful! Let us know what you think on the comments below or on Facebook.


PS Plus Game Catalogue August 2022 To Add Several Yakuza Games

Sony Interactive Entertainment has revealed the PS Plus Game Catalogue August 2022 lineup for PlayStation Plus subscribers, which will be available to play for Extra and Premium members. It’s headlined by the Yakuza games, including the most recent entry, Yakuza Like A Dragon.
Anyone who’s been intrigued by Sega’s long-running series will be able to experience its signature mix of crunchy combat, explorable districts, mini-games and fascinating storylines starting next month. PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium members can begin Kazuma Kiryu’s epic journey through the criminal underworld with Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2 when they launch as part of the August Game Catalogue lineup.
Then later this year, for Extra and Premium members, Kiryu’s story concludes with Yakuza 3 Remastered, Yakuza 4 Remastered, Yakuza 5 Remastered and Yakuza 6: The Song of Life.
PS Plus Game Catalogue August 2022
Yakuza: Like a Dragon | August | PlayStation Plus Essential / Extra / Premium
Level up from underdog to dragon in this action RPG. Ichiban Kasuga, a low-ranking grunt of a low-ranking yakuza family in Tokyo, returns to society after serving 18 years for a crime he didn’t commit. Uncover the truth behind his family’s betrayal while exploring – and fighting – your way across a modern-day Japanese city. Build a party from a ragtag group of society’s outcasts, spending time with them to unlock new abilities and combo skills. Take time off from your quest to immerse yourself in go-karting, arcade games or 50 substories.
Yakuza 0 | August | PlayStation Plus Extra / Premium
The glitz, glamour, and unbridled decadence of the 80s are back in Yakuza 0. Fight like hell through Tokyo and Osaka with protagonist Kazuma Kiryu and series regular Goro Majima. Play as the former to discover how he finds himself in a world of trouble when a simple debt collection goes wrong. Then, step into the silver-toed shoes of Goro Majima and explore his “normal” life as the proprietor of a cabaret club.
Yakuza Kiwami | August | PlayStation Plus Extra / Premium
The first Yakuza title debuted in 2005 on PS2. This PS4 remake rebuilds that experience from scratch. Follow the early days of Kazuma Kiryu as he returns to the streets of Japan after serving a decade-long prison sentence for a crime he didn’t commit to save his best friend.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 | August | PlayStation Plus Extra / Premium
Yakuza’s sequel receives the remake treatment, not only updating the original but expanding it with a playable adventure starring Goro Majima set before the events of the main game. A year after the events of the first Yakuza, an assassination pulls Kazuma Kiryu out of a peaceful life to broker peace between rival clans and face off against Ryuji Goda, known as the Dragon of Kansai.
PS Plus Game Catalogue Later This Year
Yakuza 3 Remastered | PlayStation Plus Premium
Kazuma Kiryu had earned his retirement. Yet he’s ripped from his new life as caretaker of an orphanage when a shadow from his past threatens to entangle his new life with that of his old clan and the political world. Adventure through the sleepless city of Kamurocho, Tokyo and the tropical lands of Okinawa to help rescue his new wards.
Yakuza 4 Remastered | PlayStation Plus Premium
The Yakuza story expands as the first time in the series you’ll control multiple protagonists, four souls – a loan shark, a death-row inmate, a corrupt cop and legendary former yakuza Kazuma Kiryu –  are drawn together to solve a murder. Unravel a hidden battle over money, power, status, and honor as well as the mysterious woman at the center of it all.
Yakuza 5 Remastered | PlayStation Plus Premium
Multiple perspectives once again shape a sprawling story as peace between the Tojo Clan and Omi Alliance disintegrates. Play as five different characters, including Kazuma Kiryu, across five major cities whose stories are interwoven as the yakuza organizations go to war.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life | PlayStation Plus Extra / Premium
The conclusion of Kazuma Kiryu’s epic story sees the Dragon of Dojima take on the responsibility of foster father as he seeks to protect his young ward Haruto and discover the mystery behind the grevious attack on Haruto’s mother. Explore Onomichi, Hiroshima and with the help of some unlikely friends, delve back into a merciless criminal underworld, outwit the clans seeking Haruto and find the answers you seek.
In other related news, Sega recently gave us our first look at Yakuza 8 (check out the full story here). In the meantime, check out our review for Yakuza Like A Dragon by heading over here.


Kakuchopurei Best 30 Games Of 2022: #22

For the rest of the list, head here. For #23, head here.
#22. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (PS5, Xbox Series X | S, PS4, Xbox One, PC)

Developers Infinity Ward had their work cut out for them no thanks to their own blockbuster success in MW 2019 which was the ‘reboot’ of their fan favourite, 2007’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
So how do you top a runaway hit? Well, instead of making things bigger and louder – something CoD games are synonymous with, they instead brought the fight to ground level for more intimate, close-quarters gun battles without sacrificing the pace and tight gunplay.
The campaign in MWII was a fun ride with Task Force 141 which was reintroduced at the end of the prequel, whilst the gunplay in the multiplayer mode is as fun, if not, more enjoyable than ever. The pace is more deliberate, rewarding all styles of play and the camo grind is more streamlined now. The introduction of DMZ mode brings new ways to enjoy the CoD universe and while battle royale rats may encounter bugs and a steep learning curve in Warzone 2.0, they are already playing the best battle royale in the market right now.
True, battle royale isn’t for everyone but with Warzone 2.0, Infinity Ward released a battle royale for all kinds of BR players out there.


Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba The Hinokami Chronicles Gets New Giyu Trailer

SEGA has released the intro trailer for Giyu Tomioka from Versus Mode of Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles, the video game adaptation of the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba anime.
Giyu Tomioka, the Water Hashira who led Tanjiro towards joining the Demon Slayer Corps, fights using his â€œWater Breathingâ€ in Versus Mode. The animated adaptation of Koyoharu Gotouge’s manga series from Shueisha Jump Comics has now sold over 150 million copies of volumes 1~23 in total. The show, which originally began broadcast in April 2019, follows the story of Tanjiro Kamado, a boy whose family was murdered by a demon while his own sister, Nezuko, was turned into one herself.

Tanjiro Kamado joined the Demon Slayer Corps, in order to find a way to turn his sister back into a human. This adventure exploded in popularity not only in Japan but also around the world, as it portrayed the heartrending ties between humans and demons and a ghastly swashbuckler while having moments of comic relief.
Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train, premiering October 2020 in Japan and later worldwide, directly follows the events of â€œTanjiro Kamado, Unwavering Resolve Arcâ€ of the anime series. By 24 May 2021, in Japan alone, the movie scored around 28,966,806 audiences and Â¥40,016,942,050 in box office revenue, with total revenue of around Â¥51.7 billion-plus 41.35 million audiences in 45 regions around the world. The Demon Slayer Season 2 anime titled Entertainment District Arc is also set to release in 2021.

Check out the new trailer below, or head on over to the official websiteÂ here::

TitleÂ
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles

Release DateÂ
Coming sometime in 2021.

PlatformsÂ
PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC.

LanguagesÂ
Japanese / English VoiceoverÂ
English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese Subtitles

DeveloperÂ
CyberConnect2

ProductionÂ
Aniplex Inc.

PublisherÂ
SEGA CORPORATION

WebsiteÂ
https://asia.sega.com/kimetsu_hinokami/en/

SEGA Asia FacebookÂ
https://www.facebook.com/sega.asia.EN

SEGA ASIA BLOGÂ
https://asiablog.sega.com/?lang=en

CopyrightÂ
Â©Koyoharu Gotoge / SHUEISHA, Aniplex, ufotable.Â
Â©DEMON SLAYER KIMETSU NO YAIBA THE HINOKAMI CHRONICLESÂ  COMMITTEE. All rights reserved.


My Adventures With Superman Animated Series Premieres Next Month

Adult Swim has announced that My Adventures With Superman will premiere with its first two episodes on 6 July 2023.
My Adventures With Superman is described as a serialized coming-of-age story that catches up with a twentysomething Clark Kent (Quaid), the bright and driven Lois Lane (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist‘s Alice Lee) and their best friend Jimmy Olsen (Ishmel Sahid), as they begin to discover who they are and everything they can accomplish together as an investigative reporting team at the Daily Planet.
The story follows Clark as he builds his secret identity as Superman and explores his own mysterious origins. Lois, meanwhile, on her way to becoming a star reporter, teams up with photographer Jimmy Olsen to break the stories that matter. “All the while, Clark and Lois are falling in love,” the official synopsis tells us, “as Lois gets closer and closer to uncovering his secret identity!”
It was originally announced back in 2021.
Check out the trailer below:


Monster Hunter Stories 2 Gets Post-Launch Updates

Capcom announces a post-launch roadmap for its upcoming turn-based RPG spinoff game Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, which is as close as you’re going to get to Capcom doing a Breath of Fire style RPG.
The roadmap is as follows:

9 July: Game comes out.
15 July: Free title updates #1, new monstie: Palamut.
5 August: Free Title Update #2, Co-op quest exclusive monster: Kulve Taroth, new monsties: Hellblade Glavenus, Boltreaver Astalos.
Early September: Free Title Update #3, new monsties: Soulseer Mizutsune, Elderfrost Gammoth, Oroshi Kirin.
Late September: Free Title Update #4, new monsties: Dreadking Rathalos, Molten Tigrex, co-op quest exclusive monster: Kulve Taroth (High Difficulty).
October: Free Title Update #5, co-op quest exclusive monster: ???, new monsties: SIlver Rathalos, Gold Rathian.

That’s a lot of free updates for a mostly single-player RPG, eh? Co-op gameplay and post-launch content showcase below

Monster Hunter Stories 2 will be out for PC and Nintendo Switch this 9th July.


Guilty Gear Strive Sold Over 300,000 Units Worldwide A Few Days After Launch

A pretty face and a great personality will get you pretty far in life. In Guilty Gear Strive’s case, it’s a really beautiful-looking and fun game to play and hang out with which also happens to feature a rocking soundtrack.
That combination can definitely convert to sales; Guilty Gear Strive has already sold over 300,000 units worldwide for all platforms (PC, PS4, PS5) within a span of 3 days since its launch. Arc System Works said the following in a tweet:
“Bursting onto the scene strong from the start, Guilty Gear Strive ships 300k units worldwide. We thank everyone for supporting us and will continue to rock on to greater heights.”

?Bursting onto the scene strong from the start Guilty Gear -Strive- ships 300k units worldwide! ?We thank everyone for supporting us and will continue to rock on to greater heights! ??#GuiltyGearStrive #Letsrock pic.twitter.com/3Q5mbcGRJO
— ArcSystemWorks (@ArcSystemWorksU) June 15, 2021

Will there be more content for the game down the line? Yes, as there’s a Season 1 Pass with upcoming DLC and extra characters. Rumours have it that story-exclusive characters Asuka, Happy Chaos, and Goldlewis Dickinson, as well as veterans Jam Kuradoberi and Jack-O Valentine, will be added to the 15-character roster in the coming months. Guess we’ll find out later this July and August.