Team Liquid Upset Fnatic In VCT EMEA Grand Finals

In an intense BO5 showdown, Team Liquid came out on top against Fnatic, snatching the title of champions in the first-ever VCT EMEA League.
Fnatic had been unbeatable for a whopping seven months, exuding an air of invincibility throughout the league and playoffs. Team Liquid faced an enormous challenge. It was no small feat to even win a single map against their formidable opponents, let alone the entire series.
Moreover, having lost both previous encounters against the LOCK//IN Champs this season, the Liquid squad entered the grand finale as massive underdogs. However, under immense pressure and with everything at stake, they exhibited exceptional VALORANT skills, ascending to the throne of EMEA as the triumphant rulers.
The match kicked off on Fnatic’s chosen map, Lotus, unfolding just as everyone expected. Boaster and his crew stormed ahead, leading 8-4 at halftime. While Team Liquid had a significantly stronger attacking half, Fnatic ultimately closed out the map thanks to Alfajer‘s rock-solid defence on the sites and impressive shutdowns.

.@leojannesson and @Alfajervl solve a 2 vs. 3! ?#VCTEMEA pic.twitter.com/8FmY4vnZYK
— VALORANT Champions Tour EMEA (@valesports_emea) May 28, 2023

From the start of the second map, Ascent, Team Liquid appeared to be in control. The star duo of Jamppi and Sayf put on a show, securing a commanding 12-5 lead for their team. However, the tides began to turn as Fnatic mounted an impressive comeback, winning seven consecutive rounds and pushing the match into overtime. Just when it seemed like the world’s number one team was about to pull off an incredible turnaround, Team Liquid showed nerves of steel, securing the map victory with clutch performances in OT.

JAMPPIIII HOOOOW??? ? @Jamppicsgo #VCTEMEA pic.twitter.com/qiM8Bf7YVq
— VALORANT Champions Tour EMEA (@valesports_emea) May 28, 2023

Carrying the momentum forward, Redgar‘s team didn’t allow their opponents a moment to catch their breath on the third map, Haven. soulcas, who hadn’t performed up to par throughout the season, had a standout performance, displaying mastery as an initiator. With a convincing 13-6 win, Team Liquid found themselves on the brink of championship glory.

Sorry, no permission to plant the spike here ? @Jamppicsgo #VCTEMEA pic.twitter.com/c18I13y2XU
— VALORANT Champions Tour EMEA (@valesports_emea) May 28, 2023

Throughout the VCT 2023 season, we hadn’t witnessed Fnatic playing Fracture. Adding to that, Team Liquid boasted an impressive 80% win rate on this map, setting the stage for them to seal the series. Led by nAts and his teammates, Liquid had a strong start, securing an 8-4 half on the defensive side.
However, mirroring the overall theme of the entire BO5, Fnatic launched a remarkable comeback, taking the lead in the second half. Once again, the young Finnish prodigy, Jamppi, emerged as the hero for Team Liquid. In the last three rounds, the 22-year-old delivered six crucial frags, ultimately helping his team secure the map win and the series.

JAMPPI THE KING OF CLUTCHES!! ? @Jamppicsgo
(on a thrifty round btw)#VCTEMEA pic.twitter.com/EFSEghBS0S
— VALORANT Champions Tour EMEA (@valesports_emea) May 28, 2023

With this resounding victory, Team Liquid will represent the EMEA region as the top seed in Japan. By triumphing over Fnatic, who were previously considered the undisputed best in the world of VALORANT, Liquid has cemented their status as one of the top contenders for the upcoming Masters event in Tokyo.


Microsoft Xbox Acquires Bethesda [Update]

Microsoft has announced that they have acquired ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Bethesda Softworks.
These include developers such as Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Arkane, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog, and Roundhouse Studios. These are the teams responsible for franchises like The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Wolfenstein, DOOM, Dishonored, Prey, Quake, Starfield and many more.
According to Microsoft, what this means is that they will be adding Bethesdaâ€™s iconic franchises to Xbox Game Pass for console and PC.
According to Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier, Microsoft paid a whopping US$7.5 billion for Bethesda.

Microsoft is paying $7.5 billion for Zenimax/Bethesda— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) September 21, 2020

Though Bethesda has been working closely with Sony with titles like Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo, Microsoft will honour those agreements Bethesda has previously done. Both games will be on the PS5 for a fixed period of time before coming to Xbox. Xbox chief Phil Spencer said that Microsoft will keep that commitment.
Future titles like Starfield, the next Elder Scrolls, and even a new Fallout will be available exclusively for Xbox and PC. “We’ll take other consoles on a case-by-case basis”, he added.


What’s in Store for Fallout 76’s Future Post-Release?

We’re only one day away from the release of Fallout 76 for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 14, 2018. In a recent post, Bethesda announced that it’s already planning post-release updates, some of which the developer has revealed.
Thanks to the participation of gamers in the Fallout 76 B.E.T.A., the developer has pinpointed key areas that it will be addressing in post-launch updates, including improvements and new features:
The following are post-release Fallout 76 updates revealed so far:

C.A.M.P. building improvements
New Quests
New events
New Vault openings
The option to respec characters
The addition of a faction-based PvP system

It’s clear that Bethesda is listening to community feedback after complaints arose due to the unavailability of character respeccing in Fallout 76. Many massive games now offer the ability to respec characters, so that players will be able to experiment with a variety of different playstyles without resorting to a new game.
Besides that, the addition of a faction-based PvP system will spice up the gameplay, and provide motivation for players to actually build their own communities within the game. Confirmed factions include fan-favorites Brotherhood of Steel, Enclave, and Raiders, as well as two brand new factions; the Free States and the Responders.
We’ll have more details and information once the game releases on November 14, 2018. Stay tuned to Kakuchopurei for more on Fallout 76 soon!


First Person Shooter Showdown of 2021: Which One Shows The Most Promise?

To claim that first-person shooter gamers are blessed this year would be an understatement. Come the final two months of 2021, we have three major FPS titles coming our way instead of the customary one or two we’ve been getting these past couple of years. On 5th November, Call of Duty: Vanguard drops while Battlefield 2042 swoops in two weeks after, on 19th November.
On the 8th of the following month, Halo Infinite launches making 2021 one of the most stacked years when it comes to FPS titles releases in recent memory. Conventional wisdom would see any hardcore FPS fan worth their salt would end up picking up all three.
But what about the more casual sort like you and I? Assuming we only have a budget for only one or two of the three on offer; which ones do we go for?
Thankfully, the publishers and developers of all three titles recently launched beta exercises which gave us a decent impression of the titles coming our way. To help you make a more educated decision for your next FPS title, we compare all three titles and their state of readiness leading into the holiday season.
These titles will be judged on several criteria during their beta tests, and while one can expect minor issues to be ironed out come full release date, are fair gauges on the final product. Also, if you are already a fan of a particular franchise – for example, Call of Duty – then your decision might have been already made.
This assessment is more for the ones on the fence and/ or aren’t committed to purchasing a specific title yet.
Theater of War
So let’s start with what we feel is the weakest of the bunch. When we say weakest, it essentially means the title which we feel requires most work leading up to its release. And this unwanted tag goes to Electronic Arts’ Battlefield 2042.

Perhaps it boiled down a lot to the mode EA has chosen to feature in BF2042’s open beta. While Conquest is a fun mode to play on paper added with the fact that you’ll be running around like a headless chicken with 127 other players, it all feels same-y but with less punch. The modern setting takes you back to Battlefield 4 but is somewhat watered down as EA tries to capture the more casual FPS crowd. The destruction of buildings and structures felt muted as well; nowhere near the devastation fans of classic Battlefield were used to.
Although the graphics are indeed gorgeous and the ridiculous verticality of Battlefield is definitely something to harp about, the game gets a bit old quick.
Sure, we have four different ‘Operators’ for the Beta but I’m willing to bet that almost everyone who tried the beta just stuck with the one with the grapple hook. Because he’s the best and most fun to use.
The on-the-fly weapons customization grew old pretty quickly as well, mostly due to the limited number of weapons made available during the beta. As it turns out, the map made available for the beta isn’t the largest one in DICE’s arsenal – and in my opinion, is already too big, even for a 128-a-side game.
For the beta, most players would find themselves in one of these three scenarios.

Running around like headless chickens in the open to only be sniped by a camper,
Camping to only be shot in the back by remnants of the headless chickens who managed to get into one of the buildings safely; or
Overconfident headless chicken whose slaying spree got abruptly ended by a content creator or tryhards in vehicles.

Thankfully (and hopefully) I feel these gripes can be instantly addressed and quashed once more maps are made available on launch. But believe me, there’s an equal chance of things turning for the worse. Because while I constantly found myself awed by the presentation, I rarely had fun throughout the beta.
Duty Bound
A close second is Call of Duty: Vanguard. We enjoyed the beta sessions but let’s not downplay the fact that a ton of work needs to be worked on.
One big negative being that the World War II setting has already been done to death definitely didn’t help. In 2017 we got Call of Duty: WW2 which was developed by the same guys who are also responsible for this year’s iteration, Sledgehammer Games. In 2018, DICE took another stab at the dead horse in Battlefield V. Three mainline FPS games set in World War 2 in the span of five years is a tad too much, don’t you think?

While the gameplay was solid and fun, it grew old pretty quickly and the developers really need to work on the spawning and overall game audio if they are to release a much more enjoyable game with decent longevity. The saving grace for the game moving forward would be its engaging gunfights, variety in locations and maps – even for the beta – and the fact that this style of play will be the future of Call of Duty’s battle royale arm, Warzone. So love it or hate Vanguard, you better get used to it if you plan to invest a ton of hours into Warzone.
Spartans Unbound
We saved the best and most promising of the lot and by far, it is Halo: Infinite.
Easily the most fun we had on beta tests this year, and probably the most solid beta release for FPS titles in years, the Halo Infinite Insider Test Flight was a joy. It was so fun, that if it was released in this state, I’d be fully satisfied to jump right in. Of course, there were bugs but they were of the fun sort. The sort of bugs well within the expected realms of Halo games.

In my books, betas aren’t only just to test the technical capabilities of a particular game, but how it actually resonates with its player base. A general consensus was that, if the campaign of Halo: Infinite was half as good as the beta we were given, we should all be happy. It was that good.Â  The biggest shame is that Halo Infinite will be restricted to Xbox and PC players.
Then again, betas should not be treated as the final representation of an unreleased game. A sampler, more like it. But just like food, that first bite plays a crucial role in determining your purchasing pattern and decisions. Honestly, we are still excited for all three titles and we look forward to improvements being done from top to bottom, and developers addressing gameplay and notable issues brought up throughout their respective beta tests.


Heroes Of The Storm Still Has Mecha Events Despite Being ‘Dead’

It seems that Blizzard still has faith in its MOBA game Heroes Of The Storm, despite the fact that the game’s player base has pretty much dried out since its initial launch in 2015. The company has announced that Heroes Of The Storm Mechastorm II event is now live for all players.
In Heroes Of The Storm Mechastorm II, the Xenotech invasion led by Mecha Malthael threatens the Nexus once again with the goal of destroying Neo-Stormwind. Players must stand together with Mecha Valla and Mecha Yrel of MechaStorm to help put Mecha Malthael and Xenotechâ€™s devious plans to a halt.
Here are all the new skins as part of the event:

New Mecha Yrel Skin
New Mecha Valla Skin
New Xenotech Malthael Skin
New Seraph Wing Mount

				OnBlack Malthael Xenotech Gamma TF

				Kharazim Dropkick Maritime Skin

				Malthael Xenotech Alpha Skin

				Malthael Xenotech Umbral Skin

				Valla Alloy Mecha Skin

				Valla Attack Mecha Skin

				Valla Master Mecha Skin

				Yrel Carbon Fiber Mecha Skin

				Yrel Channel Interact Mecha Skin

				Yrel Lunar Mecha Skin

				Yrel Master Mecha Skin

Players can take part in the MechaStorm II Quest to earn Mecha-themed sprays, portraits, loot chests and unlock Tyrael the Hero, as well as the unique Perfect Mecha Tyrael skin.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJkABoGZB-g&w=560&h=315]


Seoul Dynasty Announces Partnership with Razer

One of Overwatch League ‘s strongest teams, Seoul Dynasty yesterday announced an official partnership with gaming peripheral makers, Razer which will seeÂ will see Seoul Dynastyâ€™s players use Razerâ€™s esports grade peripherals in all their 2018 training and tournament activities.
The deal between Razer and Seoul Dynasty’s parent company KSV eSports will also see Razer supply similar peripherals to other KSV eSports teams competing in other tourneys.

â€œHelping ambitious organizations and players reach the next level has been a matter of the heart for Razer since the very early days of professional esports,â€ said Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO. â€œThe passion and dedication to building a long-term, winning organization of players makes a two-year deal with KSV eSports and Seoul Dynasty an easy decision.â€ he added.
We’ve reached out to the Razer CEO on whether his company’s logo will be included onto the Seoul Dynasty shirts. So if you are planning in getting a Dynasty shirt soon, we suggest you hold off for the timebeing.
We also reviewed the team’s official jersey here, if you are still unsure on whether to get them. Hopefully it will assist you in your decision making.


The Falcon And The Winter Soldier Guide: What You Need To Know

Marvel Studios’ The Falcon And The Winter Soldier is slated to premiere on 19 March 2021 exclusively on Disney Plus. As such, let’s give you the lowdown on these two Marvel Comics characters.
What We Know About The Falcon And The Winter Soldier

It is planned to run for a total of only six episodes and will focus on the post-Avengers Endgame adventures of both Sam Wilson AKA the Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes AKA the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), as well as who will be picking up the mantle and legacy of Captain America after Steve Rogers.
According to director Kari Skogland (via ComicBook.com), The Falcon And The Winter Soldier takes place roughly six months after Avengers Endgame. That also means that the series takes place several months after the events of WandaVision (which takes place one month after Avengers Endgame).
So far, just like WandaVision before it, we know next to nothing about the plot of The Falcon And The Winter Soldier. However, we do know the key characters who will be playing the biggest roles in the series, including:
Sam Wilson / The Falcon

Sam Wilson is the hero known as the Falcon. The last time we saw him was in 2019’s Avengers Endgame when he was brought back to life and given the shield of Captain America by Steve Rogers. While Steve Rogers willingly gave him the shield, the government and even the citizens of the US might not accept him as the new Captain America.
That’s exactly what happened in the comics. In the comics, Sam was the third person to carry the shield and pick up the mantle of Captain America, and it wasn’t an easy transition. A lot of people didn’t accept him, saying that he’s not “their Captain America”. The Marvel Cinematic Universe version will most likely face the same level of scrutiny and discrimination.
Who knows, Sam might not even turn out to be the next Captain America, and that brings us to the next candidate for the mantle…
Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier

Some might say that Bucky Barnes should be the best candidate to be the next Captain America. Not only was he Steve Roger’s oldest and best friend, but he’s also a man out of time and imbued with enhanced strength. Even though Bucky seemingly approved of Steve choosing Sam as his successor, he might be feeling more than a little envious and hurt inside.
Why didn’t his best friend choose him? Isn’t he more deserving? Sure, The Falcon And The Winter Soldier might be buddies for now, but there could be conflict down the road. In the comics, Bucky was the second person to carry the shield and pick up the mantle of Captain America, but he was never chosen by Steve. He did so out of necessity and a sense of duty.
But wait, there’s another unexpected candidate in the mix, and his name is…
John F. Walker / US Agent

John F. Walker AKA US Agent (Wyatt Russell) is a brand new character making his debut into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the US government appoints him as the new ‘officialâ€™ Captain America, much to the chagrin of both Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes.
In the comics, John F. Walker was a super-soldier who started as a villain called the Super-Patriot, before replacing Steve Rogers as Captain America when the former refused to follow the orders of the government agency Commission On Superhuman Activities. However, he goes to blows against Steve Rogers for being too brutal and crossing the line while carrying the shield. After Steve Rogers reclaims the shield, John takes on the name US Agent and joins the West Coast Avengers (at the time consisting of the Scarlet Witch, Vision and more).
He’s not a full-on villain, but he’s more like what the Punisher would be like if he takes on the shield. An overzealous and sometimes even psychotic anti-hero, if you will.
Helmut Zemo / Baron Zemo

The real antagonist of The Falcon And The Winter Soldier is Helmut Zemo AKA Baron Zemo (Daniel BrÃ¼hl). We last saw him in 2016â€™s Captain America Civil War and he was being detained. However, this is a supervillain we’re talking about and he must have somehow escaped since then. Perhaps he was gone during The Blip (Thanos’ Snap) in prison and brought back to life to discover newfound freedom? We’ll find out soon enough.
Comic book fans will be happy with his new costume, which is more faithful to the comic book version compared to his look in his debut movie. Not only does he finally wear the iconic purple mask, but he also has the fur collar trenchcoat thatâ€™s also part of his trademark look. In the comics, he’s traditionally been both a Captain America and Avengers villain. He was responsible for creating the supervillain group Masters Of Evil and being the leader of a group called the Thunderbolts (which is a group of villains masquerading under the public pretence of being superheroes).
Karli Morgenthau / Leader Of The Flag-Smashers

Actress Erin Kellyman will make her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as Karli Morgenthau AKA the leader of the Flag-Smashers; an anarchist terrorist group with a goal in mind. In the comics, the Flag-Smasher has always been an individual supervillain who is basically anti-patriotic and anti-US, so the MCU has basically adapted the character into an entire group/organization instead and changed the gender of the original Flag-Smasher (whose name is Karl Morgenthau).
Is Karli Morgenthau and the Flag-Smashers related to Zemo? We don’t yet, but it’s definitely possible.
One of the Flag-Smashers.
Sharon Carter

Sharon Carter (Emily Van Camp) returns to the MCU for the first time since 2016â€™s Captain America Civil War and sheâ€™s seemingly on the run for some reason. I have reason to believe that The Falcon And The Winter Soldier will introduce a version of the comic bookâ€™s Commission On Superhuman Activities and thatâ€™s probably why Sharon is now like a fugitive of some sort.
Her current allegiance is unclear; she could either be working for the government or against them. Once a (SHIELD) spy, always a spy. She will probably help both the Falcon and the Winter Soldier, considering that she was once in love with Steve Rogers.
Which Movies Or Comics Should Check Out Before Watching The Falcon And The Winter Soldier

Of course, I could simply recommend watching all 23 movies and 1 TV series (WandaVision), but that might be too much to retread. To prepare for The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, all you really need to watch (which are essential) are the following:

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Avengers Infinity War (2018)
Avengers Endgame (2019)

What about comics? Well, that’s a bit difficult to recommend, considering that The Falcon And The Winter Soldier isn’t based on any single comic book story arc. However, the following comics will let you learn more about both the Falcon and the Winter Soldier:

Falcon & Winter Soldier (the first series starring the unlikely duo)
Captain America: Sam Wilson (when Falcon was Captain America)
Falcon (Falcon solo series)
Captain America: Winter SoldierÂ (when Steve first met Winter Soldier)
Captain America Road To Reborn (when Bucky was Captain America)

What To Expect From The Falcon And The Winter Soldier

It’s too early to say anything much about the upcoming series, but it’s important to note that The Falcon And The Winter Soldier will be our first proper look into the world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe at large since 2019’s Spider-Man Far From Home. The recently-concluded WandaVision was focused more on just Westview, as well as telling the personal stories of the Scarlet Witch and the Vision.
It will be interesting how the world and the US government’s perception of superheroes have been affected by the Blip (Thanos Snap). We saw a bit of that in former SWORD Director Heyward’s actions in WandaVision. He was paranoid and adamant to have Vision as a weapon in a world filled with threats of all kinds.
Perhaps now the entire world is more paranoid and suspicious of superpowered individuals than before? We’ll see when The Falcon And The Winter Soldier debuts on 19 March 2021.
Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei, because I’ll still be breaking down the references and easter eggs in each and every episode of The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, just like I did with WandaVision. Also, if you havenâ€™t, you can check out my previous breakdown and easter egg articles for WandaVision Episode 1 and 2,Â Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5,Â Episode 6,Â Episode 7,Â Episode 8Â andÂ Episode 9.


Street Fighter 6 Will Be Getting New Drive Rush Cancel Inputs Alongside The Rashid Update

24 July is the day Street Fighter 6 fans will get a new character to play as: Rashid from Street Fighter 5. It’s also the day that they’ll get a most-requested feature added in-game.
Starting from 24 July, you can now perform Drive Rush Cancels by pressing MP+MK (medium punch plus medium kick) for Classic Controls, or Drive Parry button for Modern Controls. Previously, you can only do this by pressing forward twice. Now you have an additional input to work with!
Some caveats: you need to keep your sticks/analogs in the neutral or forward position. This means you can not perform this alternative set of inputs while holding down or backwards (ie: buffering charge moves).

A new quality-of-life feature is coming with the Rashid update on July 24!
???? After cancellable normal attacks, simply press MP+MK (Classic) or the Drive Parry button (Modern) to perform a Drive Rush cancel! pic.twitter.com/a3kq2WvJ2h
— Street Fighter (@StreetFighter) July 18, 2023

This is great news as players have experienced wrist strain by tapping forward twice while attempting heavy Drive Rush Cancels, which is incredibly common in intermediate play and onward.
Street Fighter 6 is already out now for PC and consoles.


Riot Games Reveals Valorant Champions Weapon Skins

Champions 2021 will take place between 1 December to 12 December 2021. Starting from today on 24 November 2021, players will be able to purchase in-game items, earn drops, and receive a free commemorative player card as part of the event.
Additionally, the press kit for the glorious Champions 2021 skin line is here. The limited-edition Champions 2021 skin embodies the ethos of the â€œArt of Greatnessâ€ through a set of aspirational features designed to reward top-tier play. Whether your team is watching you clutch or youâ€™re on broadcast, everyone will know when youâ€™re top fragging.
From 24 November to 12 December 2021, 50 percent of net proceeds from the Champions 2021 Collection will go to participating teams. However, items won’t return to the Store or Night Market.
Key Features
Visual Effects, On-Kill Effect, Finisher, Championâ€™s Aura, Inspect Effects & Music
Weapons:

Vandal
Karambit Melee

Price Tier:
XE tier
Bundle Info:
Price: 6,264 VP
Includes:

Champions 2021 Vandal
Champions 2021 Karambit
Art of Greatness // The Flame Card
Art of Greatness // Inspiration Card
Art of Greatness // Unbreakable Card
â€œChampionâ€ Title

Levels

Champions 2021 Karambit (Melee)

Level 1 – Brand new karambit melee animations (equip, swipes, inspect, and idle pose); custom Champions 2021 texture designÂ Â
Level 2 – Custom gold VFX swipes; inspect animation loops
Level 3 – â€œChampionâ€™s Auraâ€ activates while the player has the most kills in the game (no ties)

Champions 2021 Vandal

Level 1 – Custom Champions 2021 texture design; custom ADS reticleÂ
Level 2 – Custom gold muzzle flash in the shape of the VCT Spark logoÂ
Level 3 – Finisher and Kill Banner
Level 4 – â€œChampionâ€™s Auraâ€ activates while the player has the most kills in the game (no ties)


Dedicated Fan Fixes Street Fighter V Netcode Bug In Just Two Days

Since its initial release in 2016, Street Fighter V has suffered from a netcode bug. Basically, one player’s game can lag behind the opposing player when playing online. Capcom has yet to launch a patch to fix this problem in the past four years.
Fortunately, a dedicated fan of the franchise by the name of Reddit user Altimor has stepped up and created a fix for the Street Fighter V netcode bug.
He claimed that he worked on the fix in just two days, which is an impressive feat when compared to Capcom who have had four long years to fix the problem.
According to Altimor, he managed to create the fix simply by reverse-engineering the bug.
The fix ensures the player’s “clock” never gets more than half of their packet round trip time ahead of their opponent’s so that they never experience more rollback or lag.
Keep in mind that the fix is only for the PC or Steam version of Street Fighter V. All players need to do is download the fix on the Reddit post here and extract the contents of the zip file to “Steam/steamapps/common/Street Fighter V”.
Here’s hoping that Capcom notices the problem and come up with an official fix as soon as possible. It’s pretty embarrassing that one guy can do what a massive AAA game developer can’t.


Colin Cantwell, Designer Of Star Wars’ Iconic Ships & Space Stations, Has Died

Star Wars lead starship designer and previous CBS analyst for the moon landing Colin Cantwell has passed away. He was 90 years old.
His partner Sierra Dall confirmed that he died at home in Colorado on Saturday to The Hollywood Reporter.
Colin Cantwell is a name well-known in the Star Wars world. He’s the man who came up with the designs of many iconic Star Wars ships and space stations like the X-Wing, TIE Fighter, Y-Wing, the sandcrawler and the Death Star. He worked closely with George Lucas to draw and build prototypes for the aforementioned ships. Here’s what he had to say about the creation of the iconic station of doom, the Death Star, and how it ended up getting a trench where Luke did his X-Wing run in the first film.
“I didn’t originally plan for the Death Star to have a trench but when I was working with the mold, I noticed the two halves had shrunk at the point where they met across the middle. It would have taken a week of work just to fill and sand and re-fill this depression. So, to save me the labor, I went to George and suggested a trench. He liked the idea so much that it became one of the most iconic moments in the film!”
Apart from Star Wars, Colin has also worked on 2001: A Space Odyssey, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and WarGames. He made the computer graphics for the latter movie that dramaticize a nuclear launch that would inspire DEFCON. Rest in peace, Colin, and thank you for the iconic starships.


Miles Morales Has His Own Unique Animations & Powers In Upcoming PS5 Exclusive

Insomniac Games hasn’t revealed much on the upcoming PS5 exclusive Spider-Man: Miles Morales, but in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, they have confirmed several new details.
The game will take place one year after 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man. In addition, Miles will have his own unique animations and abilities, including a Bioshock (or ‘venom’ attack as it’s known in the comics) and invisibility.
The article also reaffirmed that while Spider-Man: Miles Morales isn’t a full sequel to Marvel’s Spider-Man, it will be comparable in length to Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. The game’s creative director Brian Horton said:
“This is a full arc for Miles Morales that started in Spider-Man. We really are completing this hero’s coming of age in our game. It is a complete story.”
Spider-Man Miles Morales is slated to release for the PS4 sometime in Holiday 2020, but there is no release date as of yet. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=gHzuHo80U2M


Stray Guide: How To Get Through The Dead City With Cat-Like Grace

Stray is out now. If you need a game that lets you play an ordinary cat living in a metal world with robots, this adventure game will sate that itch. It’s got great controls, a lovely atmosphere, has a chill vibe at times, and has a lovely narrative.
Some of the game’s puzzles can get tricky. Luckily, we’re here to help with video walkthroughs for each Chapter. Just keep in mind, these will be spoiler-filled, so if you rather play blind, come back when you’re stuck.

Chapter 1, Chapter 2

Chapter 3, Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8, Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12


Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Mio Is Getting Her Own Figma

Good Smile Company has revealed a Xenoblade Chronicles 3 figma version of Mio, one of the main characters of the game, during WonHobby 36.
The figurine is her posing with her signature chakram weapons while in her default look. We’re guessing it’ll be a while before there’s a long-haired variant, or maybe there’s an accessory where we can change her hair like how the game gave us that option.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Mio Figma

No release date or pre-order date has been announced yet. There will also be a 1/7th scale statue of Mio from the company, but there’s no photo of the WIP product as of yet. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is out right now for Nintendo Switch and is a highly-recommended JRPG. You may need to kill off 50 hours+ to get through the game though.


Gamers Hideout Is Having A Final Fantasy 16 Midnight Launch Event Next Week

Local Malaysian gaming store chain Gamers Hideout is organizing a midnight launch event for the release of Final Fantasy 16 on 21 June 2023 from 9 pm to 12 am at Sunway Pyramid Mall.
It’s exclusively for those who pre-ordered Final Fantasy 16 from Gamers Hideout, but if you want to pick up your game at the event, you’ll first have to fill out the Google Form here.

Final Fantasy 16 is slated to launch for the PS5 on 22 June 2023. The free demo of the game is currently available to download and play as well.


Bullet Train Is Like An Action-Packed Over-The-Top Anime Brought To Life

Bullet Train is the latest film by director David Leitch, best known for movies like John Wick, Deadpool 2, and Fast & Furious Presents Hobbs & Shaw (check out my review of that here). If there’s one thing he can do well, that’s action, action and more action. In Bullet Train, he manages to add some stylistic flair and comedy to his action, culminating in a fun movie that’s perhaps a bit too long.
Assassins On A Train

All you need to know going into Bullet Train is that Brad Pitt plays an assassin/mercenary simply named Ladybug, and during a job, he has to steal a briefcase containing something from aboard a train in Tokyo. Chaos ensues as he meets other assassins on the train, including Tangerine (Aaron-Taylor Johnson), Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry) and others. Bullet Train is the kind of movie that’s best to experience all the surprises and twists firsthand without prior knowledge, so there’s really no need to know anything other than what I’ve described. That said, this movie boasts an all-star cast with lots of familiar names, but their roles are awesome reveals in the movie itself, and half the fun is when they pop up, including brief cameos from guest stars who you’d immediately recognise at first glance.
That said, Bullet Train is a crazy ride but the highlight of the movie is definitely its action scenes and comedy. Director David Leitch has taken everything he’s learned from his previous movies and applied them here. The action is kinetic, dynamic, brutal, and violent, but most importantly of all, they’re also clear. There’s no frustrating shaky cam here or choppy cuts. David Leitch knows how to make his action both stylish, brutal and fresh. It doesn’t look or feel formulaic, which is refreshing considering that action movies tend to start blending into each other when the action is the same old beats.

This movie feels inspired by the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Guy Ritchie in terms of tone and style. That’s not a bad thing either, because David Leitch doesn’t just copy them; he infuses them with his own signature sauce. The action can be bloody just like a Tarantino movie, with chopped heads, stabbings and more, while the comedy feels a lot like what a Guy Ritchie movie would be like. In fact, each of the major characters in Bullet Train even gets introduced via a Guy Ritchie-esque intro sequence.
Brad Pitt is the biggest star of the movie, and he proves yet again why that is. I love seeing Brad Pitt in roles like these, where he’s clearly having fun and having the time of his life. Brad Pitt’s Ladybug isn’t some brooding overly-serious assassin type with a dark past like Keanu Reeves’ John Wick. He’s a chill dude who just wants to get the job done, and he’s funny as heck, but he’s a badass dude who can still kick ass with the best of them. Another highlight of the movie is the chemistry between Tangerine (Aaron-Taylor Johnson) and Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry). Besides Brad Pitt, their combined comedic chops help carry the movie. The one who stands out for me is Aaron-Taylor Johnson, who brings another performance similar to that like his turn in Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen.
The movie isn’t perfect though. The jokes can be hit-and-miss depending on your preference for this brand of comedy, and not all of them land so well. Bullet Train also wastes the potential of its Japanese actors and actresses, including Hiroyuki Sanada and Karen Fukuhara, who don’t really get much to do for most of the movie (the latter especially, who pretty much gets a minor role doing nothing significant at all). The biggest issue with Bullet Train is probably its length or duration. It’s more than two hours long, and the middle part of the movie feels draggy as a result, which makes the pacing suffer. Thankfully though, the bonkers third act is one that’s worth waiting for.

Murder On The Tokyo Express

Ultimately, Bullet Train is a movie that doesn’t take itself very seriously at all. It revels in its almost-cartoonish anime-like quality of action comedy (hence the headline of this review), which makes this movie that’s plenty of fun. It’s not quite fully Tarantino or Guy Ritchie, but it’s David Leitch doing what he knows best; over-the-top action that’s a bit more fluff than substance. And that’s OK.
FINAL SCORE: 60/100
We received an early screener of Bullet Train courtesy of Sony Pictures Malaysia. Bullet Train is slated to premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 4 August 2022.


Donald Glover Joins The Community Movie But Another Cast Member Is Not Returning

Last year, it was confirmed that the long-awaited Community movie is officially happening. However, the only confirmed cast members back then were Joel McHale, Danny Pudi, Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, Jim Rash, and Ken Jeong reprising their roles as Jeff, Abed, Annie, Britta, Dean Craig Pelton, and Ben Chang.
However, In an interview with Kelly Ripa’s Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast (via EW), Joel McHale himself has confirmed that Donal Glover will also be returning and reprising his role as Troy.
He said:
“Donald’s coming back and that’s really important. The fact that Donald’s gonna do it, that was the big piece. But I think everyone’s coming back. I mean, so far we’re pretty good. And I think that will happen. If not then, you know, Donald will be there.”
McHale also re-confirmed that Chevy Chase, who played Pierce Hawthorne, won’t be returning in the Community movie.
He added:
Yeah, I don’t think so. There wasn’t any issues at all when we were making the show (sarcastically).”
Community originally aired for six seasons from 2009 to 2015. The series followed a study group at a fictional community college in Greendale, Colorado, which consisted of Joel McHale’s Jeff Winger, Chevy Chase as Pierce Hawthorne, Gillian Jacobs as Britta Perry, Danny Pudi as Abed Nadir, Yvette Nicole Brown as Shirley Bennett, Brie as Annie Edison and Donald Glover as Troy Barnes. Ken Jeong portrayed Ben Chang, who appeared in a variety of roles from Spanish professor to fellow student. The series also featured Jim Rash as Greendale’s dean, Craig Pelton.
Why made Community so great? It’s about a diverse ensemble cast of characters in a community college setting, but that’s not what makes it unique. The single best thing about Community was the concept episodes, where the series would divert from its basic sitcom trope setting for special episodes that focused on brilliant gimmicks and premises.
These include iconic paintball episodes, meta episodes, special Halloween and Christmas episodes, the darkest timeline concept, a satirical take on documentaries and a whole lot more.
All six seasons of Community are currently streaming on Netflix.


Action RPG Flintlock Siege Of Dawn Delayed To 2024

Kepler Interactive and A44 Games have announced that they have delayed action RPG Flintlock The Siege Of Dawn from its previously-planned 2023 release window to sometime in 2024. It will be available for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, as well as via Xbox Game Pass.
Here is the full statement from A44 Games:
We want to update our fans on the development of Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn. To make Flintlock the absolute best experience it can be at launch, we have made the decision to move the game’s release to 2024.
We’ve been hard at work crafting a unique and deeply detailed open world brimming with thrilling fights, rewarding exploration and a true sense of discovery.
It’s important to our whole team that Flintlock is a special experience, and we owe it to ourselves and to all of you who have been following the game since we announced to make it the most impressive and unforgettable game it can be.
Your ongoing and unwavering support has been incredible. Each of us at A44 Games are humbled and inspired by your excitement for what we are creating and we truly appreciate your patience. We have a lot of exciting things to show you and we’ll have updates for you soon.
Check out the trailer below:


Project L Aims To Boost The Fighting Game Community; Confirmed Free-To-Play To Nobody’s Surprise

New information about Riot’s upcoming 2D fighting game Project L has surfaced, and it’s all from
One of the world’s top Street Fighter players, Bruce “Gamerbee” Hsiang, was invited to attend a Project L banquet held by Riot Games. He was allowed to talk about several key points surrounding the game, including points we’ve confirmed before when the game debuted.

Project L will be free-to-play. We’ve predicted this a year ago, but Riot has confirmed this.
The game’s controls include 3 buttons: Light, Medium, and Heavy attack. These will include other combination keys and directional inputs for special effects.
The game is still far from closed beta.
There will be no sequels for Project L; it’s billed as a live service game with updates, expansions, and such.
There will be a Retreating Guard mechanic: you can cancel backdashes while in defense.
The game has no cooldown system when it comes to characters pulling off their moves.
Pro players will not be prohibited from playing other fighting games.
Riot is working hard to coordinate with PlayStation and hope to create a fighting game with the same input lag across all platforms.

There’s no release date set for Project L at this point in time, but you can bet there will be a major announcement at this year’s EVO. The game is slated for PC and consoles, at the very least.


Hack-And-Slash Action Game Soulstice Demo Is Out Now On Steam

During Future Games Show 2022 at Gamescom 2022, Modus Games and Reply Game Studios announced that the Soulstice demo is now available to download and play on Steam.
Soul-bound sisters Briar and Lute must overcome on their mission to reach the Tear in the sky above the once-holy city of Ilden…now a city fraught with vile and ravenous beings from beyond the other side of the Veil. Players will explore a dark world brimming with hidden mysteries, master a diverse combat system, and inhabit the dual forces of two sisters in a coming-of-age dark fantasy story with fast-paced action, vicious enemies, and spectacular boss fights.
Soulstice is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on 20 September 2022.


The Book Of Boba Fett Episode 1 Breakdown & Easter Eggs Explained

The first episode of The Book Of Boba FettÂ Season 1 is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. Iâ€™ll be discussing heavy spoilers so if you havenâ€™t seen it or want to avoid spoilers, nowâ€™s your chance to stop reading.
The Book Of Boba FettÂ finds legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett and mercenary Fennec Shand navigating the galaxyâ€™s underworld when they return to the sands of Tatooine to stake their claim on the territory once ruled by Jabba the Hutt and his crime syndicate.
It stars Temuera Morrison and Ming-Na Wen. Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Robert Rodriguez, Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson are the executive producers. Karen Gilchrist and Carrie Beck serve as co-executive producers, with John Bartnicki producing and John Hampian as co-producer. There will be seven episodes in the first season.
You can check out my previous breakdowns ofÂ HawkeyeÂ Episodes 1 and 2 here,Â Episode 3 here,Â Episode 4 hereÂ andÂ Episode 5 here.
In addition, you can check out my previous breakdowns ofÂ Marvelâ€™s What Ifâ€¦? Episode 1,Â Episode 2,Â Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5,Â Episode 6,Â Episode 7,Â Episode 8Â andÂ Episode 9 here.
If you havenâ€™t, you can check out my previous breakdowns and easter egg articles forÂ WandaVisionÂ Episode 1 and 2,Â Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5,Â Episode 6,Â Episode 7,Â Episode 8Â andÂ Episode 9.
ForÂ The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, you can check out my previous breakdowns forÂ Episode 1,Â Episode 2Â andÂ Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5Â andÂ Episode 6.
For previous breakdowns ofÂ LokiÂ episodes, check outÂ Episode 1 here,Â Episode 2 here,Â Episode 3 here,Â Episode 4 here,Â Episode 5 hereÂ andÂ Episode 6 here.

Episode 1 Starts By Showing Us Boba Fett In A Bacta Tank

We see what looks like Boba Fett recovering in a bacta tank. To those unfamiliar, a bacta tank is a cylindrical tank into which anyone can be submerged for extensive exposure to bacta, which is a fluid or liquid that could accelerate healing and treat major injuries in the Star Wars universe.
This is taking place after the events of The Mandalorian Season 2, as Boba simply chooses to sleep in a bacta tank but is already with Fennec Shand on Tatooine.
A Flashback To Star Wars Episode II Attack Of The Clones

During his recovery in the bacta tank, Boba Fett remembers the moment when his father, Jango Fett, was killed by Jedi Master Mace Windu during the events of Star Wars Episode II Attack Of The Clones. As a reminder, Boba Fett is a clone of Jango Fett, whom Jango raised as a son.
The Insides Of A Sarlacc Pit And How Boba Fett Escaped

This is it, folks. For the first time in the new Star Wars canon, we get to see the insides of a Sarlacc Pitt and witness exactly how Boba Fett escaped the stomach of the monster and survived.
How?
He found a dead Stormtrooper inside the Sarlac Pit’s stomach and took his life support breathing apparatus. He then used his flamethrower to burn his way out.

He then literally digs himself out of the Sarlac Pit.

A Bunch Of Jawas Looted Him, Which Is How He Lost His Armour And Why He Went Looking For It In The Mandalorian

We originally met Boba Fett in The Mandalorian as he was on a quest to find his lost armour. Now we know why and how that started. A bunch of sneaky Javas looted his unconscious body after he escaped the Sarlacc Pit.
A Bunch Of Tusken Raiders Revived Boba Fett, Intending To Turn Him Into A Slave

Boba Fett is discovered by a bunch of Tusken Raiders, who revives him from his unconsciousness. However, they’re taking him in to be a slave. For those unfamiliar, the Tusken Raiders are known to be slavers. The most notable example of this was when they took Shmi Skywalker (the mother of Anakin Skywalker) as a slave, which caused her death and led to Anakin turning to the Dark Side.
Boba Fett Saved The Tusken Child From A Sand Monster, But It’s Unclear If He’s Immediately Free Or Still A Slave

At the end of the Episode 1 flashbacks, we see Boba Fett saving the Tusken child from a ferocious sand monster. When they returned to the Tusken camp, the Tuskens celebrate the death of the sand monster, and the Tusken leader approaches Boba to give him some water.
However, it’s unclear if he’s already considered freed just for saving the Tusken child or if he’s freed by his actions. Maybe the flashbacks will continue in the next episode.
Cameos By Max Rebo And Figrin D’an

Any Star Wars worth his salt would recognize these two, as well as the Cantina Theme. It’s Max Rebo (the blue one) of the Max Rebo Band and Figrin D’an (the other one) of Figrin D’an And The Modal Nodes.
Max Rebo was last seen in Star Wars Episode VI Return Of The Jedi while Figrin D’an was last seen in Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope.
In this scene, they’re both playing a remix of the Cantina Theme.
A More Prominent Japanese Influence Than Ever Before, First Use Of Daimyo In The Star Wars Universe

When the Trandoshan leader Dokk Trassi came to pay tribute to Boba Fett, he referred to Boba as a “Daimyo”. That’s the first time Daimyo has been used in the Star Wars canon.
Daimyo is a Japanese word to refer to feudal lords who were vassals of the Shogun in Japan. They’re basically the Japanese equivalents of Dukes or Lords from England, and they usually had lots of power and wealth.
The creation of the Star Wars franchise as a whole was inspired by classic Akira Kurosawa films and other aspects of Japanese culture, but this is the first time in Star Wars canon that a Japanese word is used almost verbatim as its meaning in the real world.
Maybe using the word Daimyo is nothing more than the writers of The Book Of Boba Fett paying tribute to Japan and Japanese culture for its influence in building the Star Wars universe. Perhaps they’re more open to this after the release of the Star Wars Visions anime anthology series, which fully embraced Japanese culture and elements.
The Gamorreans From Star Wars Episode VI Return Of The Jedi

Back in Star Wars Episode VI Return Of The Jedi, these Gamorreans were the guards in Jabba’s palace. Now, Boba hires them to be loyal to him.
Who Sent The Assassins To Kill Boba Fett?

Nothing much happens in this first episode, besides Boba and Fennec going around consolidating their power base. However, the biggest question is this; who sent the assassins?
The answer to that might be one of the rival criminal syndicates or organizations in the Star Wars universe, but which one? Maybe it’s Crimson Dawn? Crimson Dawn is currently getting the spotlight in the Crimson Reign storyline currently ongoing in the Star Wars comics published by Marvel. In those comics set during the Galactic Empire era, Crimson Dawn was rising again and led by Qi’ra, the former lover of Han Solo who was played by Emilia Clarke in 2016’s Solo A Star Wars Story.

However, this all remains speculation for now. It might be any rival criminal syndicate for now. We have six episodes to go, so strap in for a ride, folks. Until next time, excelsior!


Marvel’s What If…? Gets First Epic Trailer

Marvel Studios has released the first trailer for their upcoming What If…? anthology animated series.
What Ifâ€¦? features fan-favourite characters, including Peggy Carter, Tâ€™Challa, Doctor Strange, Killmonger, Thor and more. The new series, directed by Bryan Andrews with AC Bradley as head writer, features signature MCU action with a curious twist.

Marvel’s What If…? will premier on 11 August 2021 with new weekly episodes on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. In the meantime, check out the trailer below or head on over here for what stories we think the series should adapt.


PSX SEA 2018 Will Be In Bangkok, Thailand This August

Earlier this week, PlayStation Asia teased its PlayStation Experience (PSX) SEA gaming expo. We even came up with a few predictions ourselves on where it may take place.
Turns out that it’ll be in Bangkok, Thailand on the 18 and 19 August at the GMM Live House. Unlike the one last year in KL, this new PSX SEA will last for 2 days over the weekend.

Here’s what we said about Thailand being a viable spot for the next PlayStation Experience SEA 2018 expo:

Bangkok is an interesting city which everyone should consider visiting at least once in their lifetime. The atmosphere in the city is awesome, the Thais are among the friendliest people on Earth and Bangkok is home for the best street food scene in Southeast Asia.
Game-wise, the burgeoning esports scene in Thailand should not be taken lightly and they have one of the most rapidly growing gaming communities in the region. For your information, Bangkok is set to host one of the Overwatch World Cup stages this year and that alone says a lot about their capabilities to host world-class events.

Here are the confirmed games for the expo so far, with more titles to be announced closer to the date. Let’s hope PlayStation gets to it, for their sake. We’re very sure the SEA gaming crowd would rather see a Resident Evil 2 remake build or a Ghost of Tsushima demo than these VR offerings.

Blood and Truth
Astrobot: Rescue Mission
Firewall: Zero Hour


Space Jam A New Legacy Trailer Features King Kong, Iron Giant, Game Of Thrones & More

Warner Bros. has unveiled the very first trailer for Space Jam A New Legacy, the long-awaited sequel to the 1996 fan-favourite Space Jam.
NBA champion and global icon LeBron James goes on an epic adventure alongside timeless Tune Bugs Bunny with director Malcolm D. Lee and an innovative filmmaking team including Ryan Coogler and Maverick Carter.
The synopsis reads:
When LeBron and his young son Dom are trapped in a digital space by a rogue A.I., LeBron must get them home safe by leading Bugs, Lola Bunny and the whole gang of notoriously undisciplined Looney Tunes to victory over the A.I.â€™s digitized champions on the court: a powered-up roster of professional basketball stars as youâ€™ve never seen them before.
Itâ€™s Tunes versus Goons in the highest-stakes challenge of his life, that will redefine LeBronâ€™s bond with his son and shine a light on the power of being yourself.
The ready-for-action Tunes destroy convention, supercharge their unique talents and surprise even â€œKingâ€ James by playing the game their own way.
James stars alongside Oscar nominee Don Cheadle (the â€œAvengersâ€ films, â€œHotel Rwandaâ€), Khris Davis (â€œJudas and the Black Messiah,â€ TVâ€™s â€œAtlantaâ€), Sonequa Martin-Green (TVâ€™s â€œThe Walking Dead,â€ â€œStar Trek: Discoveryâ€), newcomer Cedric Joe, Jeff Bergman (â€œLooney Tunes Cartoonsâ€) and Eric Bauza (â€œLooney Tunes Cartoonsâ€).
Space Jam A New Legacy is slated to premiere on 16 July 2021 in cinemas and HBO Max.
Check out the trailer below:


Here’s What You Need To Know About The New Nintendo Monster Hunter Games

On Nintendo Direct Mini showcase this 17th September, we get to see more of Capcom’s latest Monster Hunter games, Monster Hunter Rise and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, for the Nintendo Switch. Let’s tackle them one by one.
Monster Hunter Rise
-Capcom director Yasunori Ichinose will be in charge of the game.
-The game introduces a new mechanic that lets you traverse fast and vertically. You can do this using the wirebug, which not only makes running around and hunting really fun,but also use it for your moves and big game hunting. This will make Monster Hunter a lot more fresh and less cumbersome than in past Monster Hunter titles.

-You also get to ride a canyne called Palamute; it’s basically the Monster Hunter equivalent of giant dogs. You do not consume stamina when riding on Palamute, so you can dash and traverse as long as possible at top speed. Palamute can also act as attacking support partners, so it can attack and harass in combat. You can still bring in Palico cat slaves from past games as support.
-New monsters include flagship badass wyvern Magnamalo, bird wyvern Aknosom, Great Izuchi, and the amphibian Tetranodon. So far, they look challenging to fight against; the bird wyvern is fast and charges at you crest first, while the Great Izuchi will always have its two other lesser Izuchis protecting its flank.
-Your base is Kamura Village, a Japanese-like town where you meet colourful folks and folks who can make your weapons and armour.
-Monster Hunter Rise will be out 26th March 2021. You can pre-order the game right now via the Nintendo E-Shop. If you pre-order the game, you’ll get the Plamute Retriever costume layered armour, Palico Forest Cat costume layered armour, and a Novice Talisman to help you out in early bits of the game.
As if the two new assists aren’t already adorable enough…

-As per Nintendo tradition, players will also be able to buy amiibos based on the new characters in Monster Hunter Rise. You get to buy the Palamute, the new monster Magnamalo, and Palico when the game is out next March.

Monster Hunter Stories 2

-You play a Monster Hunter rider whose job is to help figure out why the world’s Rathaloses are disappearing. You meet party members who can join you in your quest, led by a Wyvern girl who has to guard a Rathalos egg.
-There’s no other info about the game. But If it’s anything like the first Monster Hunter Stories, combat will be turn-based and use Power, Speed, and Technique category attacks in a weapon triangle sort of way.
-The game will be out Summer 2020.


Chinese Dota 2 Team Gets Lifetime Ban For Alleged Match-Fixing

It’s a dark day in Dota 2 esports as organization and esports group Newbee has been found fixing matches; allegedly, anyway. As a result, Newbee is receiving a lifetime ban from the Chinese Dota 2 Professional Association and IMBA TV; no more Dota 2 tournaments for these guys.
The punishment stays in place for the organization, all its main team players, and team leader Feng Yiqing. The banned players are:

Xu “Moogy”Â Han
Yin “Aq” Rui
Wen “Wizard” Lipeng
Yan “Waixi” Chao
Zeng “Faith” Hongda

In an official report (via VPEsports) there is “relevant evidence was synchronized with all the parties and has been submitted to Valve and Perfect World”.
Imba TV also posted a separate announcement regarding this:

“Imba Media resolutely cracks down on all actions that violate the spirit of e-sports, and resolutely maintains a fair and just competitive environment. The original intention of holding the DOTA2 series league is to help the Chinese DOTA2 team and players to better practice themselves, improve the level and improve the overall strength of CNDOTA2, rather than provide a hotbed for unfair competition!
I hope that all participating clubs can take this as a warning, strengthen the management of players and teams, and resolutely resist unfair competitions such as fake matches”

Newbee made an official statement denying all accusations and expresses their intention to file an appeal.

“We express our understanding and respect for the CDA allianceâ€™s decision. However, since the establishment of the Newbee eSports club, it has never participated in any fake matches and gambling activities with the club or branch as the main body. We will file an appeal for the penalty of the CDA alliance regarding the Newbee eSports club.”


Alan Wake Remastered Launches This Fall

Alan Wake Remastered was leaked back in June 2021, but it’s finally confirmed. Remedy Entertainment has announced that Alan Wake Remastered will launch sometime in fall 2021 for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC via Epic Games Store.
According to the official blog post, Alan Wake Remastered will feature 4K resolutions, the original gameâ€™s two expansions (â€œThe Signalâ€ and “The Writer”), and the directorâ€™s commentary.
With Control and Alan Wake now sharing the same connected universe, Remedy Entertainment will likely continue making games set in that aforementioned universe. Perhaps theyâ€™re even making a sequel to eitherÂ ControlÂ orÂ Alan WakeÂ right now.
For now, you can head on over to the official website here.


Black Myth: Wu Kong Is Dark Souls Meets Journey To The West

Games from China are getting way more ambitious and polished these past few years. Check out our F5 Games Show supercut if you don’t believe us.
Now we have a Dark Souls action RPG game in the mix courtesy of Black Myth: Wu Kong. The game is still under development by Chinese indie studio Game Science Studio and has no release date as of yet. But so far, their pre-alpha gameplay video below impresses.

As you can tell, you play as the Monkey King as he hacks and slashes his way through ancient China to fight off mobs of enemies and giant bosses. He has a stamina bar so that you dodge and attack appropriately without resorting too much to spam (via ZhugeEX). The Monkey King will have 72 different abilities to use in combat.

Black Myth: Wu Kong will be slated for PC and console, running on Unreal Engine 4. You can get more info about the game here.Â


Cull Classic: My Favourite Halloween Film/Series So Far

This post is brought to you by The Last King. Check out the crew’s crazy pop culture podcasting shenanigans here.Â
It’s going to be the 31st of October, which means the Southeast Asian nightlife & social scene will be Halloween-themed. Cosplays, traditional Universal Monster getups, pop culture icon outfits, skin-revealing ensembles: no outfit type is spared.
Or maybe not since it’s a weekday and all the Halloween parties were happening during the past weekend while I was at ESGS, but whatever.Â The whole costume dress-up is fun and all, but I prefer to have a solid foundation of entertainment and activities to go along with the dress-up bit. Oh, and Halloween-themed drinks: can’t forget those.
That means movie marathons, gaming marathons, and even more of that. Whether they’re new or old, I’m going to list down my favourites. Hopefully, they’ll be yours too.
The Exorcist Trilogy

The first one is a classic, no questions asked. Priest exorcizes demon from a little girl; all kinds of awesome scares, dread, and crazy horrifying moments.Â The second one is awkward and feels more like a drama-comedy of errors. The sequel focused more on what happened to Regan post-Exorcist 1; it gets silly especially when the cast keeps mentioning the name “Pazuzu” so many times.
Yes, it’s a real demon in Babylonian times but it doesn’t make it less goofy.

The third one is underrated. It features ghost psychos, really cool jump scares and shock moments, and a narrative with a number of twist and turns. It also proved once and again why Brad “Chucky” Dourif is a horror treasure.
The Saw Franchise; All Of It

The one show that made torture horror mainstream before it died in obscurity thanks to other cinema horror fads at the time -hello Paranormal Activity! Still, the first few Saw films and even the sixth one were decent films that kept the Jigsaw legacy going.
If you don’t know what this film is, here’s a brief synopsis: a serial killer named Jigsaw creates traps for his victims that they can escape from if they sacrifice some of their flesh and blood (and even more). There’s a subplot involving Jigsaw himself, John Kramer, and his successors and the people tied to him, but it’s all weaved in some elaborate scheme.

Of course, there’s a ton of plot twists and turns that I won’t go into detail, with some of them kinda making sense and most of them requiring a lot of precognition and lucky assumptions from Jigsaw and his proteges. The absurdity of the plot threads and even the traps requires your attention; do keep an open mind and a strong stomach when making this film series your Halloween staple.
I even got a kick out of watching Jigsaw, the latest Saw film that builds upon the show’s legacy, but alas we won’t be seeing more sequels since it flopped hard in box offices everywhere. Guess no one can appreciate a good Jigsaw trap, eh?
Tim Burton’s Claymation Extravaganza

Forget the noise that is the Alice in Wonderland duology. Tim Burton made his mark as an auteur with his stop motion animated wonders (and also Batman and that one other movie with a guy with scissors for hands). I’m talking about Vincent, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride, and Frankenweenie. All of his stop-motion animated works are usually goldmines due to how cute and weird they can get, and comes with some tinge of scariness and delightful ugliness to them.
From the one about how a Halloween icon tries to take over Christmas with horrid consequences to a meek groom accidentally married to a half-ghost bride, you cannot fathom the amount of work and thought put into these film’s art direction, animation, and charm.
The First Three Nightmare On Elm Street Films

Before Freddie Kruger became a horror-comedy icon who is fond of catchphrases, ads, and the word “bitch”, he was an actual horror icon in the first three films. He’s the guy who kills you in your dreams, a former basement janitor pedophile who terrorizes future generations of Elm Street kids with his claw hands, disfigured face, and twisted mad dream-killing skills.
He makes the bed eat people and spit them out, have his head and elongated neck pop out of a TV and kill victims, and even terrorize kids in a pool party somehow. I don’t care; it’s pretty cool to watch.
You can just forget about the next few films (save Wes Craven’s New Nightmare; that was awesome) and just look back at the trilogy that showed us new and inventive ways to kill people in their sleep.
Cabin In The Woods

One of Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon’s best love letter to the horror genre. Basically, it’s about four teens who reside in a cabin in the woods; strange horror stuff happens. That is all I am going to say because the twist and premise are just too good to share and spoil.
I will say this: Detroit – Become Human fans will get a kick out of seeing Marcus out of his revolutionary element here.
Halloween 3: Season of the Witch

Nope, this film has nothing to do with Michael Meyers, Laurie Strode, Michael’s psychic cousin, Dr. Loomis, or even Paul Rudd pre-Ant-Man. This one’s a totally separate film that just happens to have the Halloween title in it. When I saw it the first time, I hated it because it wasn’t the Halloween I remembered. But I gave it a second chance and watched it as a standalone film. And surprisingly, it captured my attention.
It’s unfortunate that this film has Halloween and “3” in the title, which led to a lot of angry John Carpenter slasher flick fans. But as a film about a TV Halloween ad that messes up kids wearing specialized masks and the heroes who need to stop this weird magic schtick, the film is all kinds of funny, weirdness, and dread.
Castlevania Netflix Series
After seeing both Season 1 and Season 2 of this animated action-horror series, I am convinced that there is such a thing as a damn good film adaptation of a video game series. This series recaps the story of Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse but with a number of great key changes. Trevor’s a drunk trying to reclaim glory and relevance, Alucard’s got daddy issues, and Sypha’s bringing the team together with her optimism.
Along the way, we get not so subtle nods to the evils of religion, fleshed out villains, and a load of easter eggs for Castlevania fans. Remember Hector and Isaac from the Curse of Darkness games? They’re in here.Â Slogra and Gaibon in a fight scene? That’s pretty awesome, don’t ya think?
[wpvideo yIHO0kSG]
[wpvideo hWgc809a]
And of course, who can forget the two standout moments from each season? Season 1 had the lovely fight between Trevor and Alucard, and Season 2 capped the series off with the three heroes kicking ass in Dracula’s Castle to a remix of “Bloody Tears”. Absolute magic.
Halloween (1978) and Halloween (2018)

Let’s cap off this feature with the two films that made Halloween and slasher flicks pretty iconic: the first Halloween film and the most recent one, both from John Carpenter. The first one is about Michael Meyers and his killing spree and focuses more on the “where is this indestructible boogeyman hiding at?” and dread these horror films are supposed to evoke.
The 2018 film, basically the sequel, ignores all that mumbo jumbo with Paul Rudd, Rob Zombie’s directorial touch, a pretty good Dr. Loomis by Malcolm Mcdowell, and Busta Rhymes. Instead, we get an enhanced version of what we saw back in 1978; lots of gotcha moments, heavy breathing, having Michael Meyers hide in plain sight, lots of shadow and suspense.
We also get a lot more fleshing out of the Strode family tree since we now have two other women carrying the film: Judy Greer as Laurie’s daughter Karen and Andi Matichak as Karen’s daughter Allyson. As far as slasher flicks go, this one’s a surprisingly decent entry that just goes straight to what the Halloween series is about: victims and innocents trying to deal with the force of unexplained mysterious evil known as Michael Meyers. The ones who try to prod through this simple exposition and find out why Michael is like this? They’re the ones who are asking to be in the big guy’s “To Kill” list.
That’s it for my Halloween classic picks, whether they’re oldies-but-goldies or new cult gems in the making. Share your favourite Halloween classics with us!


Respawn Becomes First Games Studio To Win An Oscar

In a momentous occasion for the video game and interactive entertainment industry, Colette, a documentary produced by Respawn Entertainment and Oculus Studios has won an Oscar for Best Documentary Short at the 93rd Academy Awards (Oscars 2021).
Marking the first time a video game company has been nominated and awarded an Oscar, ColetteÂ is directed by Anthony Giacchino and was originally featured inÂ Medal Of Honor Above And Beyond, an immersive VR experience that puts players in the boots of a soldier during World War II.
Colette follows the emotional journey of a 90-year old former French Resistance fighter who travels to Germany for the first time after World War II. Colette Marin-Catherine is one of the last living members of the French Resistance, as she returns to Germany for the first time in 74 years. She had refused to step foot in the country since the conclusion of World War II, but that changed when a young history student named Lucie entered her life and encouraged her to visit the concentration camp where the Nazis killed her brother.
Respawn Entertainment Creative Director Peter Hirschmann said (via press release):
â€œWe could not be more proud of Anthony Giacchino and the team’s work in bringing Coletteâ€™s story to life as part ofÂ Medal Of Honor, a video game franchise rooted in history and the retelling of veteransâ€™ stories to generations for years to come.
As we continue to take steps towards further legitimizing the creativity and passion of those in the games industry, we hope this is the first of many Oscars for video game companies who have shown time and time again how powerful and impactful storytelling through this interactive medium can be.â€
Medal Of Honor Above And Beyond is now available for the Oculus Rift and Steam platforms and provides one of the deepest VR experiences available to date. Players will be immersed in an emotionally-driven single-player campaign, fully-realized multiplayer modes, a powerful retelling of history from veterans and heroes in the franchise’s iconic Gallery and more.
You can watch the award-winning Colette documentary in its entirety below, or head on over here to check out our recap of the Oscars 2021:


Apex Legends Season 5 Gameplay Trailer Teases New Season Quest & More

Apex LegendsÂ will officially kick offÂ Season 5: Fortuneâ€™s Favor on 12 May 2020, and a new gameplay trailer has revealed more about what to expect from the upcoming season in terms of content.
According to the official website, the arrival of latest legend Loba Andrade has caused the destruction of Skull Town in an entire section of the King’s Canyon map, leading to the introduction of the battle royale game’s first-ever Season Quest, The Broken Ghost.

In The Broken Ghost, players will take part in a season-long search to find nine pieces of a mysterious artifact, collecting daily Treasure Packs in competitive matches (including Duos, Trios, Limited-Time Modes and Ranked) to unlock Rewards and new Hunts for the missing pieces.
Treasure Packs are a new lootable item but unlike other loot, these donâ€™t go into the player’s backpack. Instead, theyâ€™re collected immediately on pickup and players will get their contents when they return to the Lobby after their match.

The catch is that players can only collect one Treasure Pack per day. In total, there are 45 packs to collect this season, and each one can contain Crafting Metals, BattlePass XP, Apex Packs, or the ability to play a new weekly Hunt for the next piece of the artifact.
Each of these weekly Hunts into Kings Canyon at Night will unlock exclusive Weapon Charms and serial chapters that tell the Story of The Broken Ghost. The biggest question in Season 5 is: What is this mysterious artifact, and why does everybody from the Apex Legends to Hammond Robotics want to get their hands on it?

The first Hunt will be available on 19 May 2020, and can be played as soon as players have collected their fifth Treasure Pack. Subsequent Hunts will be released one week at a time after that, until all nine are finally available to play.
Apex Legends lore master Tom Casiello said:

Caught between the Apex Games and Hammond Robotics, Loba is spinning a web of lies and deceit in her personal quest for vengeanceâ€¦ but how far is she willing to go?
How does the Broken Ghost fit into her plans for Revenant?
And what happens when one Legend stumbles upon the truth?
See a side of the Legendsâ€™ lives youâ€™ve never seen before… outside of the Games!
Alliances will be formed, friendships will be tested, vendettas will be born, and when the dust settles, nothing will be the same again in a mystery that has far-reaching consequences for them all.

In the meantime, check out the action-packed gameplay trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quACziGJqQM&w=560&h=315]


Diablo 4 Season of the Malignant DLC Arrives 20th July

Blizzard have revealed a new update to their smash-hit, titled “Season of The Malignant”. As we previously covered, there were plans to expand Diablo 4 via updates, and now this first update is set for release on July 20th, with a future update giving more details to be released on 18th July.
This new update showcases new enemies to go against named Malignant Monsters, alongside a new questline. You will follow Cormond, a former priest of the Cathedral of Light, who helps to train you to turn the Malignant Hearts that fuels these monsters into build-altering abilities and powers.

Season of the Malignant, begins a new feature within Diablo 4 called Seasons. Every Season, you need to make a new character on the seasonal realm and must have completed the campaign on either the Eternal or Seasonal Realm with one character at least. Once the Season is over (it’s usually lasts 3 months or so), any progress you made with your new character and the character itself will be transferred to the Eternal Realm, along with whatever items and so on that you got! Only season-specific items such as Malignant Hearts and so on would not be accessible.

During the Season, your progress will net you rewards from the Season Journey and Battle Pass, with different chapters to complete throughout giving you big rewards such as Favor, new Legendary Aspects, a Mastery Title and a Scroll of Amnesia, which is a tool that allows you to completely reset both your Paragon Board and Skill Tree. For the best rewards, you can upgrade to the Premium Battle Pass, including extra cosmetics, armour and equipment.
For a quick look into the new update, you can watch the Announcement Trailer below:


The Mandalorian Special Episode To Explore Luke Skywalker’s Return

The MandalorianÂ Season 2 was one of the highlights ofÂ 2020â€™s TV offerings. There were many fan-pleasing moments in the series, but one of the biggest and most memorable aspects was Mark Hamill reprising his role as the legendary Luke Skywalker.
Fans exploded in excitement as they witnessed the Jedi Knight in his post-Star Wars Episode IX Return Of The Jedi prime.Â  For that reason, the story of the cutting-edge technology used to bring Luke back and de-age him will be the subject of a special extra episode of The Mandalorian.
Disney Gallery Star Wars The Mandalorian Making Of The Season 2 FinaleÂ is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this celebrated â€œchapterâ€ of The Mandalorian, with a focus on the technology used for recreating Luke Skywalker.
It delves into the collaborative process, including working with Mark Hamill, to create an authentic and fitting recreation, and explores the immense pressure and responsibility the filmmakers had in bringing back one of the most important characters in film history.
Disney Gallery Star Wars The Mandalorian Making Of The Season 2 Finale will premiere on 25 August 2021 exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia.
You canÂ head on over hereÂ for our analysis ofÂ The MandalorianÂ Season 2 ending and post-credits scene, as well as what the future might hold for the series moving forward.


Mortal Kombat 2 Movie Adds Adeline Rudolph As Kitana

The cast for the Mortal Kombat 2 movie, the sequel to 2021’s Mortal Kombat, is growing. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Adeline Rudolph, who made her acting debut as part of Netflix’s Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina, has been cast as Kitana.
Rudolph will play Kitana, a character who was first introduced in 1993’s Mortal Kombat II. In the game’s lore, Kitana has a close bond with Jade, a character who will be played by Tati Gabrielle in Mortal Kombat 2. The character was originally known as the daughter of Outworld emperor Shao Kahn until she learns her true father was murdered by Shao Kahn when he conquered Edenia. She then becomes one of the good guys and is also the love interest of Mortal Kombat character Liu Kang.
Besides Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina, Adeline Rudolph also starred in CW’s Riverdale and co-starred in Netflix’s Resident Evil series. She is currently filming the female lead in Hellboy The Crooked Man, a new Hellboy movie reboot.
Earlier this month, The Boys actor Karl Urban was cast as the iconic Johnny Cage. Simon McQuoid, who directed 2021’s Mortal Kombat, is returning as the director. There is currently no release date for Mortal Kombat 2.
In the meantime, check out our review of 2021’s Mortal Kombat by heading over here.


[Report] Avengers: Endgame May Hit the 3-Hour Mark After All

With Captain Marvel hitting the screens last week, it put us fans in a state of hype, waiting for the next Marvel movie to come grace us.Â Avengers: Endgame would be the final conclusion of an epic, 21-piece cinematic universe spanning over 11 years. So it’s only common to see discussions on how long the movie should be.
That being said, a Reddit post featuring a screenshot of the movie’s details in IMAX has shown that the movie might be 3-hours after all.
The run time of Avengers: Endgame will be 3 hours from r/marvelstudios
However, as some commented, it might be just a placeholder at the moment, before the final reveal, as the non-IMAX runtime is only 140 minutes.
Take this with a grain of salt, and let’s lower expectations so we won’t be disappointed when the true runtime is finally revealed.


Is Resident Evil Resistance Worth Playing After Beating RE3 Remake?

For the first time in Resident Evil history, Capcom has included a separate online multiplayer mode to a title in the form ofÂ Resident Evil Resistance, which comes bundled with the Resident Evil 3 Remake for free.
Resident Evil Resistance is a 4v1 asymmetrical multiplayer game similar to titles like Dead By Daylight, Evolve or Friday The 13th: The Game. Players either assume the role of a cunning Mastermind or as one of four Survivors desperately trying to escape. These Masterminds consist of the franchise’s most familiar villains, including Annette Birkin, Daniel Fabron, Alex Wesker, and Earl Spencer.
As a Survivor, the objective is to methodically search the map for several keys to unlock the exits of three areas/levels and successfully escape before the timer ends. That won’t be easy, as the Mastermind spews cheesy and over-the-top lines while throwing zombies, explosives, traps, and other obstacles to stop the Survivors from escaping, all in the name of conducting ‘experiments’ and ‘research’.
Masterminds Have All The Fun

When you first boot up Resident Evil Resistance, you have two choices; whether to play as the Mastermind or as a Survivor. At the very beginning, you’ll only have access to one of the four different Masterminds, which is a bummer, considering that each of them comes with not only their own unique abilities but most importantly, Bioweapons.

For instance, Annette Birkin has access to Resident Evil 2 Remake boss William Birkin, while Daniel Fabron can summon the infamous Mr. X or Tyrant from the same game.
Yes, these monstrosities are actually playable.
In fact, Masterminds are given the ability to control almost all the zombies and manner of undead creatures that they summon, though most of them move so clumsily and clunkily that I prefer to let them be AI-controlled instead.

It’s unfortunate then that players are forced to actually use Annette Birkin until she reaches Rank 5 before unlocking the next playable Mastermind, Daniel Fabron. Rinse and repeat for the two subsequent Masterminds, which beats the purpose for anyone who’d want more variety from the very start instead of having to work for it.

Still, Masterminds do have all the fun in Resident Evil Resistance, compared to the Survivors.
Once you get the hang of properly using everything the Mastermind has at their disposal, it becomes fun as hell to let out your inner evil and villainous side.
In each of the three areas that the Survivors must escape from, the Mastermind can access any of the many cameras strewn around the map.

You observe the Survivors through the perspective of these cameras, and you’ll have to switch between them often to keep track of the Survivors. You also know where the keys are, so you can prepare by putting ‘surprises’ in these specific areas before the Survivors even reach them.

Nothing beats the joy of successfully trapping the Survivors’ progress by trapping them in a locked room with the lights out, filled with zombies, zombie dogs, and explosive mines galore.
You can even use machine guns and grenade launchers that can somehow sprout on the cameras.

I can’t count how many times I find myself cackling gleefully at the mayhem and suffering that I’m inflicting on these poor Survivors, but there are times that the Survivors actually work together and manage to overcome my machinations.
Who The Heck Are These Nobodies?

You must be wondering why I’m mostly discussing the Masterminds and not the Survivors. Well, the true highlight of Resident Evil Resistance is the thrill of playing as the Masterminds, just like how it’d feel to play as the Predator in Predator: Hunting Grounds or Jason Vorhees in Friday The 13th: The Game.

In contrast, the choice of Survivors now consist of only six unestablished and frankly-generic human characters that even fit certain stereotypes.
For example, Tyrone is African-American and he’s the Tank-class character, capable of both dishing out and taking a beating.
Another character named January is a Goth girl who, as you’ll probably guess by now, is a tech whiz capable of hacking stuff.

Some of these characters are clearly more useful than others. Valerie, who is not only Healer of the group (she can heal allies with an AOE First-Aid Spray) but her exclusive Survival Instinct ability turns her into a Scout and marks nearby important items like keys. All of that makes her an indispensable character and a must-have in every match. The problem is that only four players can be Survivors in any given match, so someone has to be Valerie, or risk making it a generally-harder experience.

The biggest problem here is why players would even want to play as one of these virtually-unknown nobodies (who are also stereotypes and caricatures) when they could play as actual Resident Evil characters when playing as the Mastermind. Fortunately, Capcom is already looking into fixing that as we speak, by adding Jill Valentine as a playable Survivor later this month on 17 April 2020.

Still, I would always prefer to play as the Mastermind than the Survivors.
To play well as the Survivors, you need to a level of cohesion and teamwork with your team members.
Playing with strangers thus far has yielded me more of the ‘you do your thing and I’ll do mine’ variety of teammates, which is frustrating.
Have none of these people ever played Left 4 Dead before?

The best strategy for playing as the Survivors so far (for me, at least) has been to stick together with my team members as much I could and keep moving through the map even if you’re not sure where to go. Stopping for even a second would easily enable the Mastermind to ambush you.
Night Of The Living Loot Boxes (And Boosters)

We all thought that we saw the last of the loot boxes in EA’s Star Wars: Battlefront II in 2017. To my horror, Capcom has decided to return the dreaded loot boxes and feature them in Resident Evil Resistance. The process goes like; players earn RP (in-game currency) by participating in matches. These RP can then be used to acquire loot boxes, of which there two varieties; cosmetic and equipment to upgrade your characters.

Thankfully, you can’t buy RP using real money, so these loot boxes can’t be abused… or so I initially thought.
Here comes the RP Booster, which is a similar mechanic to Assassin’s Creed Odyssey‘s XP Booster.
Instead of XP, the RP Booster increases the amount of RP you obtain after every match.
Capcom is using the same sneaky and exploitative strategy employed by Ubisoft in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.

How is that? Well, you can actually spend real money to buy these RP Boosters. More RP boosters means more RP to acquire more loot boxes, which is essentially a pay-to-win cheese tactic. This is extremely disappointing coming from Capcom, who has thus far refrained from using scummy tactics like this even in recent multiplayer-heavy games like Monster Hunter World.
Not Worth Your Time

Resident Evil Resistance does have its genuinely fun moments and concepts, especially when playing as the Masterminds. However, it’s ultimately a hokey attempt on an easy buck, and cashing in on the current wave of the so-called Capcom renaissance and goodwill generated by great games like Monster Hunter World and the Resident Evil 2 Remake.

It’s a tacked-on multiplayer mode that could have been a standalone free-to-play title of its own ala Call Of Duty: Warzone.
Instead, Capcom bundled it together with the Resident Evil 3 Remake, hoping for it to somehow make up for the main game’s shortcomings and lack of content.
That’s not even mentioning the devious microtransactions, something that shouldn’t still be accepted today.

Say goodbye to the Capcom renaissance, folks. It looks like they’re reverting back to their old 2010-era ways. Let’s hope that’s not the case, considering that we’re about to enter a brand new gaming generation soon.


New Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness TV Spot Teases Mystery Villain

Marvel Studios has released a new 30-second TV spot for the upcoming Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness. Most of it is footage we’ve seen before in previous trailers, but there are a few shots of a mysterious and unknown new monster, which many are speculating to be none other than Chthon.

In the comics, Chthon is one of the Elder Gods and a demon who wrote the forbidden and dark magical book known as the Darkhold. He also marked Wanda Maximoff AKA the Scarlet Witch as a potential vessel when she was just a baby. Recently, when he was summoned by Carnage, he looked like this, which sort of resembles the monster in the TV spot:

However, nothing is confirmed as of yet. That might just be another monster or something that Doctor Strange has to fight. We’ll have to wait and see when Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness premieres in Malaysian cinemas on 4 May 2022.
In the meantime, check out the TV spot below:


Nvidia Plans To Make More RTX Remasters Of Classic Games

As time goes by, more PC gamers are adopting ray-tracing cards so that they can witness what future games look like at their best. However, it’s not just new games that are getting the treatment.
Earlier this year, Nvidia Lightspeed Studios released Quake II RTX. It’s a full-fledged remaster of the original Quake II with integration of ray-tracing. It might not be what RTX GPU owners think of playing to test out their expensive cards but I guess that’s why it was released for free. It’s still a cool treat for fans and those who never got to play the game.
Quake II RTX.
A recent job listing for a producer at Lightspeed Studios reveals that Nvidia is “kicking off an exciting new game remastering program”. This job ad was put up only 18 days ago. The description also hinted at an upcoming project that involves a title people “know and love”. Here’s the full description:

“NVIDIA is kicking off an exciting new game remastering program. Weâ€™re cherry-picking some of the greatest titles from the past decades and bringing them into the ray tracing age, giving them state-of-the-art visuals while keeping the gameplay that made them great. The NVIDIA Lightspeed Studios team is picking up the challenge starting with a title that you know and love but we canâ€™t talk about here! Weâ€™re building a team of talented, dedicated game developers who are ready to get going quickly.”

So what are these new remasters going to be? My money’s on titles from series like Unreal, Doom, and System Shock. Those games would probably look amazing with ray-tracing technology.
Thanks for the heads up, PC Gamer.


EVO 2018 Aftermath feat. Malaysia’s Own JandaHunter (TCSS)

Yes, it’s a little too early for a Kakuchopurei Talk Cock Sing Song episode, but we couldn’t resist. After all, EVO 2018 is over and done with, and we need to talk about the damn fights and finishes stat!
Hear our resident fighting game guy Mr Toffee and awesome shoutcaster/fighting game guy JandaHunter talk about this year’s magnanimous EVO 2018 fighting game event. We talk about JandaHunter’s personal national stake in the tournament as well as our favourite and least-favourite moments.

LINKS
JandaHunter
https://www.facebook.com/JandaHunter/
twitch.tv/jandahunter
Patreon


Final Fantasy VIII Remaster Will Feature Both English And Japanese Voiceovers

If you’ve played the original Final Fantasy VIII, you’ll remember that like most FF games prior to Final Fantasy X, the game didn’t have voice acting and dialogue was conveyed through text boxes. Things might be different for the remaster coming out later this year.
DSOGaming checked out the source code of the game’s official website and found that the game’s description plus a few extra details were buried in there. Aside from having English and Japanese voiceovers, the text will also be localised into French, Italian, German, and Spanish.

At this point, it’s still unclear whether the game will be fully voiced or it’s just for the FMVs.
P.S. The website source code has already been changed and no longer features the game description. At least we have a screencap of that.Â


Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Event Announced, Among Other KH-Related Things

Square Enix has released a new video celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Kingdom Hearts franchise. The game first came out back on 20th March for the PlayStation 2.
God, I’m old.
Anyway, the trailer highlights the following:

The cloud versions of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind are on their way to Nintendo Switch.
Square Enix will be selling all sorts of 20th anniversary Kingdom Hearts merchandise.
The offline version of Kingdom Hearts: Union Ï‡ is now available for free. Basically, you can watch all the story cutscenes in the game’s story mode so you can get up to date with the series’ detailed storyline.
Kingdom Hearts: Dark Road will be out this Winter.
The 20th anniversary event is announced; no details and date has been announced yet.

On a related note, Kingdom Hearts protagonist Sora will be in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in mid-October. Guess it’s good a time as any to be proud of being a Kingdom Hearts fan.


The Wheel Of Time Season 2 Premieres On Prime Video This September

Prime Video has released first-look images from the second season of The Wheel Of Time.
Season 2 of the Amazon Original series will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories around the world on 1 September 2023. Viewers can catch up on the first season of The Wheel Of Time streaming now on Prime Video. Prime members in Prime members in Malaysia enjoy savings, convenience, and entertainment, all in a single membership, for just RMMYR per month, after a seven-day promotional trial.
The synopsis for The Wheel Of Time reads:
Based on the best-selling Robert Jordan fantasy series, a humble farm boy, Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski, Gran Turismo), learns he is The Dragon Reborn—a dangerous figure from history destined to save the world … or break it. Desperate to protect him from the Dark One, an army of powerful sorceresses must reckon with his burgeoning power and encroaching madness. The Wheel Of Time turns, and the Last Battle approaches.
Though Rand thought he destroyed the Dark One, evil is not gone from the world. In Season Two, threats new and very old seek out the young friends from the Two Rivers, now scattered over the world. The woman who found and guided them is now powerless to help, and so they must find other sources of strength. In each other, or themselves. In the Light … or the Dark.
The Wheel Of Time also stars Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, I Care a Lot) as Moiraine Damodred, Daniel Henney (Criminal Minds) as Lan Mandragoran, Zoë Robins (Power Rangers Ninja Steel) as Nynaeve al’Meara, Madeleine Madden (Dora and the Lost City of Gold) as Egwene al’Vere, Marcus Rutherford (Obey) as Perrin Aybara, Dónal Finn (Rogue Heroes) as Mat Cauthon, and Ceara Coveney (Young Wallander) as Elayne Trakand.
The Wheel Of Time was adapted for television by executive producer and showrunner Rafe Judkins (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,?Hemlock Grove). Larry Mondragon and Rick Selvage of iwot productions (Winter Dragon), Ted Field or Radar Pictures (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Winter Dragon), Mike Weber (Jumanji: The Next Level, Beirut), Darren Lemke (Shazam!, Goosebumps, Winter Dragon), Marigo Kehoe (Outlander, The Crown), Justine Juel Gillmer (The Survivor, Halo), Sanaa Hamri (Empire, Lovestruck) and Amanda Kate Shuman (The Blacklist) also serve as executive producers. Rosamund Pike also serves as co-executive producer, and Harriet McDougal, Brandon Sanderson, and Lauren Selig are consulting producers.?The Wheel of Time?is co-produced by Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures Television.
Check them out below:


Kepler Interactive Is A Singapore-Based Global Publisher Co-Owned & Run By “Super Game Developers”

A gathering of developers has made its mark in 2021, and it’s from a number of prolific video game developer studios of the past few years.
Kepler Interactive is billed as a “super-developer” global publishing group composed of 7 exceptional teams, with operations based in Singapore and London. The game developers are Ebb Software (Scorn), Sloclap (Sifu), Timberline Studio, Shapefarm, Awaceb, Alpha Channel, and A44 Games.
Kepler Interactive’s CEO and founder is Alex Garavaryan, who is also the CEO of Kowloon Nights. You may remember that publisher for bringing one of last year’s GOTY titles Spiritfarer to the public. Kepler Interactive’s goal is to unify the strength of multiple independent studios with a world-class operation, finance, and publishing arm, while supporting the 7 studio’s vision. To quote Alex:
“When we founded Kowloon Nights, our goal was to support the next generation of independent developers. The evolution of that work is now Kepler, which takes the developerâ€‘first approach a major leap forward in terms of scale and empowerment.”
How It Works
The structure of Kepler Interactive is simple, according to Alex. When a studio joins Kepler, the studio founder(s) receive cash and Kepler shares to make them co-owners while retaining a significant amount of ownership in their own studio. This accomplishes a number of things for both parties:

It ensures that studio owners financially benefit immediately, releasing an amount of equity into cash.
The founders receive Kepler shares and are collectively rewarded when the group does well.
The founders maintain ownership of their studio and are directly rewarded if they perform well.

Founders will be in the driver’s seat to make their decisions and ideas heard in the Kepler collective while also being financially secure in making their game(s) without major outside studio interference. All studios and games under Kepler will be fully supported financial-wise, with priority given to exceptional teams and people. Meritocracy in practice, basically.
The publisher has plans for the future beyond 2022, and will continue its growth by welcoming more partner studios. We’ll most likely see more Southeast Asian devs joining up with Kepler in the near future. With the company raising US$120 million from China’s Netease, it looks like it’ll be around for a long while.

The last time we’ve heard of a publishing company run by game developers was back in 2003; it came out and fizzled after a year or so of hype. Hopefully Kepler Interactive and its motley don’t fall for the same trap and actually keep word on their promised titles.


Star Wars Squadron Will Support Full Throttle & Stick Setups

Several days ago, EA finally unveiled the first trailer for Star Wars: Squadrons, a new first-person dogfighting game based in the Star Wars universe. The question on many flight simulator game fans since then has been; will Star Wars Squadron support a HOTAS (hands-on throttle and stick) setup?
You’ll be happy to learn that the answer is yes. This was confirmed by Star Wars Squadron Creative Director Ian S. Frazier in a reply on Twitter:

Well hey, double checked and apparently I AM allowed to tell you that without being tackled by PR!
Yes, we fully support joystick on PC, including full HOTAS rigs with a throttle. 🙂
â€” Ian S. Frazier (@tibermoon) June 16, 2020

HOTAS setups can make flight sim games more immersive. However, Frazier stopped short of confirming if HOTAS support will also be arriving on consoles. In theory, the PS4 and Xbox One also have HOTAS setups available, though it remains to be seen if this game will support them.
Star Wars: SquadronsÂ will launch for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC (Steam, Origin, and Epic Games Store) on 2 October 2020. More details and information (including gameplay) will be revealed later this week during EA Play 2020 at 7am GMT+8 on 19 June 2020.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0eRkhR1z6A&w=560&h=315]