Isaac Asimov’s Foundation Is Getting A VR Game On PS VR2

During the PlayStation State Of Play 2023 presentation, a new PS VR2 game was unveiled. Journey To Foundation is based on Isaac Asimov’s iconic Foundation sci-fi books. The same books were also recently adapted into a great live-action TV series on Apple TV+.
80 years following the release of this epic sci-fi book series, Archiact is bringing the world of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation to life in VR. The groundbreaking saga that has been incredibly influential on science fiction, having shaped much of what we see today.
Adapting Asimov’s work into an immersive VR narrative adventure has been an incredible journey for our team, and we can’t wait for people to experience it first-hand.
In this story-rich world, players are plunged into an epic journey through an area of space called The Periphery, where relationships will be strained, loyalties will be tested, and they must decide which factions will rise and fall. In this game, the future is in your hands.
You play as Ward, an agent of the powerful Commission of Public Safety, who is sent to investigate civil unrest at the edge of the Galactic Empire. The Empire has kept peace across the galaxy for over 12 thousand years, but cracks have started to emerge. Stagnation, apathy, and internal revolt all threaten to break it apart.
Your mission takes a turn when you discover a group of defectors who are planning to abandon the Empire and make their way to the Foundation, an organization that was formed by famous psychohistorian Hari Seldon, who used mathematics to predict the Fall of the Empire. The player must join with the defectors to learn more about the Foundation and their plan to save humanity.
In the end, you’ll need to decide who to trust. Will you fight for a dying Empire, or will you defect to the Foundation and help rebuild what has been lost?
Characters will respond to your actions (or lack thereof). Keep in mind: how you approach each situation will impact the world around you. You have the power to influence your environment; will you rely on stealth and diplomacy, or take a more direct approach?
Journey To Foundation is slated to release for the PS VR2 sometime in fall 2023.


FIFA 21 Soundtrack Features Over 100 Artists From 23 Countries

EA has unveiled the officialÂ FIFA 21Â soundtrackÂ with music from different cultures and sounds that represent global fans from all over the world.Â Featuring over 100 emerging and renowned artists from 23 different countries across the FIFA 21 and VOLTA FOOTBALL soundtracks, FIFA 21 is representing global culture like never before.
International headliners such as multi-Grammy Award-winning global superstar Dua Lipa, Brazilian pop sensation Anitta, Charli XCX, Disclosure, and Stormzy are celebrating the worldâ€™s game with the hottest artists-to-watch including Tkay Maidza, Madame Gandhi, ChlÃ¸Ã« Black and more to offer the latest in grime, electronic, and hip-hop.Â

It's time… ? Here is the #FIFA21 soundtrack?Listen to the playlist here ?? https://t.co/BBiZ7RbUqT pic.twitter.com/Rz78NArYyO— EA SPORTS FIFA (@EASPORTSFIFA) September 28, 2020

EA Music President Steve Schnur said:
â€œAt a time when our shared connections mean more than ever, the soundtrack to EA SPORTS FIFA 21 defines global culture like never before. The days of borders â€“ musically speaking â€“ are gone. Our soundtrack goal is to change the way players around the world hear and experience football and introduce them to new music that will change their lives.â€
To bring FIFA 21 players together as one world, fans will be able to listen to the VOLTA FOOTBALL Soundtrack while playing other modes, such as FUT and Career, and enable settings to hear both FIFA 21 and VOLTA FOOTBALL tracks across all menus.

Introducing the #VOLTA soundtrack ?Listen to the playlist here ?? https://t.co/rH5kftfMgd pic.twitter.com/MdyJ3Ovipz— EA SPORTS FIFA (@EASPORTSFIFA) September 28, 2020

Both the FIFA 21 and VOLTA FOOTBALL soundtracks are available today on major streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple and Deezer.
To help celebrate the all-new soundtrack, fans can also experience the first-ever FIFA World Celebration, whereÂ more than 40 global artists featured on the FIFA 21 Soundtrack will come together on their respective channels to celebrate the FIFA 21 World Premiere.
Fans can tune in to see performances from Dua Lipa, Diplo, and Anitta, all taking place on 1 October 2020, along with in-game giveaways and more. Stay tuned to the official Twitter accountÂ @easportsfifaÂ for the full schedule of performances.
FIFA 21Â is slated to release on 9 October 2020 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.


Blizzard Is Making A New Survival Game In All-New Universe

Despite not releasing Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4 yet, Blizzard is still hard at work on another triple-A title.
The company that made Warcraft is developing a new high-budget survival game for PC and consoles, featuring “a world different from any other Blizzard has created”.
“Blizzard is embarking on our next quest. We are going on a journey to a whole new universe, home to a brand-new survival game for PC and console.
A place full of heroes we have yet to meet, stories yet to be told, and adventures yet to be lived. A vast realm of possibility, waiting to be explored.
For thirty years, Blizzard has been creating universes for millions of players around the globe. This requires a diverse team of developers willing to lend their voices, to listen and to be heard. That is our mission.
Do you like survival games? Do you want to join a collaborative team of experienced developers at the early stage of a new project in a new worldâ€¦and help write the next chapter in Blizzardâ€™s story? This is your call to adventure. Will you answer it?”

As you can tell from the last few lines from the official news blurb, Blizzard is looking for artists, designers, and engineers for the project. The company is currently facing multiple investigations over alleged sexual assaults and harassment of female employees.


Diablo 4 Has Gone Gold

After so many years, Blizzard has finished making Diablo 4.
The upcoming action RPG has gone gold, meaning that development is complete and the game is ready for mass production. Here are some words from Diablo general manager Rod Fergusson:
“Going gold is a landmark milestone for the incredible Diablo IV team, who have all worked so hard crafting the next-generation instalment of this iconic franchise. This is a concrete, meaningful step toward our June 6 launch.
Whether players are veterans of the franchise or jumping in for the first time, we can’t wait for everyone to experience the full game: taking part in the incredible storytelling, experimenting with character classes and builds, and exploring what the endgame and the dark world of Sanctuary has to offer.”

#DiabloIV has Gone Gold. Can you feel her presence now?
See you in Sanctuary. 6.6.23 ? pic.twitter.com/OGX8oACUCr
— Diablo (@Diablo) April 17, 2023

Diablo 4 will be out for PC and consoles on 6th June. Check out our coverage of the game here.


You Can Eventually Own Bayonetta’s Guns From The First Game

Platinum Games and First 4 Figures recently showed off some big guns in the form of Bayonetta’s starting weapon from the first game: the Scarborough Fair 4-pistol set.
First teased on PlatinumGames’ Facebook page and by Bayonetta creator Hideki Kamiya,Â  First 4 Figures will be announcing pre-order opportunities for these four 1:1 Scarborough Fair replica pistols soon enough. In the meantime, you can voice out your comments on Twitter.

Look who's got his hands on Scarborough Fair! These samples of the iconic guns from the first #Bayonetta were developed by @First4Figures with cooperation from the PlatinumGames armory. The amazing quality and detail in these models will make them a must-have for Bayonetta fans. pic.twitter.com/vAXzwwC96M
— PlatinumGames Inc. (@platinumgames) July 20, 2020

The four guns – Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme, will come with their own craft stands. We can guarantee that these guns will cost you an arm and a leg, but they’re definitely a must-own for fans of the high-octane action series. We can also look forward to cosplayers who plan on attaching two of them on their feet and show off some physics-defying acrobatics.


Apex Legends Mobile Specs & Details Leaked

We still don’t know much about Apex Legends Mobile, despite being initially announced back in 2019. However, EA teased in 2020 that they were working with a partner in China on the mobile version of the popular free-to-play battle royale game. We might finally know who they were talking about back then.
According to multiple sources (via IGN India), Tencent is developing Apex Legends Mobile, with Respawn Entertainment in a supervisory role. Apex Legends Mobile will also reportedly launch sometime in the third quarter of 2021, though that remains subject to change considering the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the same sources, we might also already have the specs for Apex Legends Mobile for both Android and iOS devices. The spec requirements suggest an A11 Bionic and above for iOS (which is equivalent to iPhone 8 and above) and at least a Snapdragon 625 or above for Android devices.
However, none of this has been confirmed by EA or Respawn Entertainment at the time of writing, so take all of this with a grain of salt for now. Meanwhile, Apex Legends is officially coming to the Nintendo Switch on 9 March 2021, developed by Panic Button. Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei.


Amazon Games Launches New Studio, Multiplayer Game In The Works

Amazon Games hasÂ announced the establishment of a new games development studio in Montreal, Canada. The new studio will focus on creating AAA games and is already working on an online multiplayer title based on a new original IP.
The new studioâ€™s founding members include head of production Luc Bouchard, creative director Xavier Marquis, head of product Alexandre Remy, and content director Romain Rimokh. All of these veterans are notable for having been the core development team behind the Ubisoft multiplayer tactical FPS Rainbow Six Siege.
In a statement on the official website, creative director Xavier Marquis said:
â€œBuilding upon 8 years of experience with Siege, we are excited to start with a blank page and the creative freedom to create a completely unique experience in the multiplayer space.
From our first discussion, we felt a true connection with the people at Amazon Games, their approach to gaming and the sheer amount of knowledge, expertise and technology available there.
It is quite humbling and we couldnâ€™t be more excited to start a studio with them.â€
Amazon Games Montreal is currently hiring to build out its team. A bunch of job positions are available, including Software Developers and Game Artists. For more details and information, you can head on over to their official page here.
Amazon Games was originally founded in 2012 but their biggest project so far was Relentless Studios’ team-based PvP online multiplayer shooter,Â Crucible, which launched in May 2020. However, less than a year later, it became their biggest blunder as Crucible was officially shut down in November 2020, just months after its initial launch.
Let’s see if the latest endeavours by Amazon Games will finally bear some good fruit or just turn out to be a new Crucible instead.


New Hogwarts Legacy Trailer Reveals New Gameplay

WB Games has unveiled a new gameplay video for Hogwarts Legacy.
Hogwarts Legacy is launching for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam on 10 February 2023, followed by PS4 and Xbox One on 4 April 2023, and Nintendo Switch on 25 July 2023.
Check it out below:


Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Will Be The Biggest Switch Game To Date

The first-party Nintendo Switch game, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, boasts the largest file size of any Nintendo Switch game to date.
According to Reddit user bob4978135, the Japanese eShop entry for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom displays a file size of 18.2GB. This information is confirmed on the US Nintendo site and listed as 18,637MB on the UK Nintendo site.
The size of this game surpasses that of Nintendo’s current largest game, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which has a file size of 14.4GB.
For comparison, other notable Nintendo Switch games have a smaller file size, including Xenoblade Chronicles 3 at 14GB, Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition at 13.7GB, Fire Emblem Engage at 13.4GB, and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 at 13.2GB.
It is important to note that while The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the largest first-party Nintendo game, it is not the largest game available on the Switch. Third-party games such as NBA 2K23 (53.7GB), Mortal Kombat 11 (32.5GB), and The Witcher 3: Complete Edition (31.5GB) are much larger in terms of file size.
Earlier this week, Nintendo released a new gameplay trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, showcasing the game’s features.


John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum Is 2019’s Craziest Action Offering

You don’t need to know much about the backstory and story bits of the John Wick films apart from the following synopsis: former super assassin gets mad after his dog died and his car stolen; he kills a LOT of bad people who probably deserve it. That premise worked in the first film, and it worked in the second film.
Does the third film elevate it beyond that? No, but it didn’t need to because the action and stunts are all that matters.
All you need to know is this: infamous hitman John Wick is on the run from the many, MANY assassins going after his US$14 million bounty ever since his “excommunicado” status from the Continental in the second film. So it’s up to him to buy some time to keep on living, cashing in long-term favours from old disgruntled contacts.
To its credit, the show’s special Continental hotel (a safe haven for assassins who pay using special assassin coins) and the High Table organization (the giant overseers that sort these contracts and hits out) get fleshed out a bit more. That’s nice for a few of you who want to see this film become its own fleshed-out universe with some semblance of its logic and plot threads.
Stay Awhile, Stay Forever

But enough about the fluffy world-building and story bits. You’re here to watch John Wick become super-assassin and super-killing folks left and right, and this film delivers a lot of that. Cinematographer Dan Laustsen and production designer Kevin Kavanaugh keeps the vistas and shots glossy and heightened, while also adding in some new elements to satiate the eyes and ears of franchise followers.
Get ready for:
-creative uses books,
-a knife fight in a knife shop,
-a horseback battle against motorcycles,
-amazing foley and sound work to make each hit, gunshot, and attack matter,
-and even more reasons not to piss off dog owners especially when they have two of them,
-And let’s not forget the “sushi” ninjas led by “Iron Chef” Mark Dacascos,
-coupled with a glass maze-like final battle with this chapter’s boss.

As ever, main star Keanu Reeves who plays the title character still exudes badassness and some semblance of silent charm. As a determined person who solves every problem with breakthrough solutions, this usually nets him satisfyingly bloody and battered results.

New additions like Halle Berry (Sophia, the aforementioned dog owner), Asia Kate Dillon as the purposefully pragmatic & robotic Adjudicator, Angelica Houston as The Director, and Dacascos as half-chef-half-ninja Zero all shine with their action scenes and entertaining interactions with the legendary hitman.
Old faces like Ian McShane’s Winston, Lance Reddick’s Charon, and Laurence Fishburne’s Bowery King also get their scenes, though the former two have a bigger role concerning John’s excommunicado status from the hotel and its services. It doesn’t get in the way of the main attraction, as they’re timed and paced just well to give us a breather from its freneticism.
Dog Beats

Even The Raid Indonesian ass-kickers Yayan Ruhian and Cecep Arif Rahman get their moment to shine against Keanu in a mid-boss fight. Hell, the more I think about it, the more this series is a Platinum Games script adapted into an American show; more grounded gunplay and less wire fightfests. That’s not a knock against the entire film at all.

In fact, you’ll have a tough time coming up with a better action film that can top this John Wick entry.Â There’s really nothing else to elaborate here; this action orgasmic thrill-ride needs to be seen to be believed.

Yes, cinema fans of yore; old-school practical effect action films can still work in this day and age especially if done well. And this third Keanu Reeves-starring force of nature does it with style and substance.
FINAL RATING: 90/100


Sonic Colors Ultimate On Nintendo Switch Is Allegedly Buggy

Sonic Colors was an underrated 3D platformer gem that was exclusive to the Wii back then. So it’s nice that Sega is giving this game a second chance on current platforms.
However, there are reports of the Nintendo Switch version of Sonic Colors (with the subtitle “Ultimate”) being incredibly buggy, with even warnings of potential seizure risks. Players have highlighted “severely glitched visuals”, characters falling through scenery, soft locks, and crashes. Some even draw comparison with the infamous previous-gen title Sonic The Hedgehog (2006).
Just keep in mind that these are copies from fans who received the Switch build prior to its 7th September release date. So there’s a chance that a Day One patch will fix some of these issues. In any case, do check out the bugs, watch out for the seizure-inducing ones, and just wait a week until things blow over.

I no longer feel safe playing #SonicColorsUltimate. #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/kJV69xS6KP
— Trendy Brendy (@TrendanBrendan) September 4, 2021

 PSA: The Sonic Colors footage showing the seizure-y footage was captured on a hacked Switch and Emulator from      NintendoSwitch

WHO WOULDA GUESSED ANOTHER SEIZURE WARNING #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/PSdBovrDwd
— Smonc (@Smoncdahonk) September 4, 2021

seizure warning #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/hiatXJdQX0
— Smonc (@Smoncdahonk) September 4, 2021


Star Wars Squadrons Trailer Looks Like X-Wing & TIE Fighter For A New Generation

During the Summer Game Fest reveal tonight, EA has finally unveiled the first trailer for Star Wars: Squadrons, a new first-person dogfighting game based in the Star Wars universe. It will take place between Star Wars Episode VI: Return Of The Jedi and Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, chronicling the rise of the New Republic and the last days of the Galactic Empire.
According to the press release (via Geoff Keighly), the game will support VR and crossplay between platforms. Players can look forward to 5v5 multiplayer space battles and a singleplayer campaign, where players will learn what it means to be a pilot as they battle from the alternating perspectives of two customizable pilots, one serving in the New Republicâ€™s heroic Vanguard Squadron, while the other fights for the Galactic Empireâ€™s fearsome Titan Squadron.

They will also be able to visit new locations like the gas giant of Yavin Prime and the shattered moon of Galitan. The game will feature cosmetic and gameplay customization options with rewards and bonuses that are earned solely through gameplay. As players move up the ranks, theyâ€™ll earn components such as weapons, hulls, engines and shields to customize the performance of their starfighters; and gain cosmetic items to customize their cockpit, ship exteriors, and appearance of their pilot.
Star Wars: Squadrons 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]


[Contest] MapleStory 2 Closed Beta 2 Keys Giveaway

Hey all, so we have this MapleStory 2 contest going on. We figured you want in on this cute MMO action game, so go check out the Facebook post below.
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/photos/a.1222916664479413.1073741828.1217891358315277/1497733573664386/?type=3
Special thanks to Nexon for this.Â


Hololive Super Expo 2022: The Full Schedule

Hololive will be hosting its 2022 major VTuber concert dubbed Hololive Super Expo 2022.
The concert will feature virtual streamers and stars will be performing a variety of songs on stage. It’s also the third fest VTuber concert that’s existed so far.
Here are the major details. More information will be added over time:
Date & Time: 19 March, 20 March
Location: Online
Ticket Prices: 2,000yen (Expo), 8,000 yen (All Areas)
Hololive VTubers: Amelia Watson, Calliope Mori, Kiara Takanashi, Inaâ€™nis Ninomae, Gura Gawr, Risu Ayunda, Moona Hoshinova, Iofifteen Airani.
Official website: https://hololivesuperexpo.hololivepro.com/live/

Schedule
19 March
Ina’nis, Gura, Amelia
20 March
Calliope, Kiara

Livestream (TBA)


Celebrate Tanksmas With World of Tanks: Mercenaries

It’s Tanksmas for World of Tanks: Mercenaries players this month and Wargaming is planning a bunch of new festive content and updates for everyone.
First of all, the Toy Tank Mode will be available from now until December 25, 2018. In this mode, players roll out in Toy Tanks or Toy Artys that shoot suction cup darts to watch their enemies explode in flurries of confetti in a battlefield decorated with presents. If you think it doesn’t get more Tanksmas than this; it does.

Beginning from December 21, 2018, the 12 Days of Tanksmas event will start, rewarding players who complete Special Ops with gifts ranging from Silver to XP Boosts, Silver Boosts, and Consumables. Discounted Tanksmas bundles will also go on sale, while an exclusive Premium tank Father Frost LTP will be going to those who log in and play a single battle between December 21 and January 2.
Father Frost LTP Tank
World of Tanks: Mercenaries recently received its final major content update of 2018 with Update 4.8. This update not only introduced the Polish Tech Tree which adds 10 new tanks but also highly-anticipated features requested by the community.
One of the new Polish tanks
Last but not least, check out the new Premium Mercenary tank, Brick. Its rock solid armor is literally encased with a layer of solid brick. For a more historically-authentic option, check out the Pudel, a strong yet mobile tank based on one of the German Panther Ausf. Gs captured by Polish rebels during the Warsaw Uprising of 1944.
Brick
In the meantime, check out the World of Tanks: Mercenaries Toy Tank Mode trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWV9aBKugfI&w=560&h=315]


The Nun 2 Gets A Spooky First Trailer

Warner Bros. Pictures has unveiled the first trailer for The Nun 2, the next chapter in the story of The Nun, the highest-grossing entry in the US$2 billion The Conjuring Universe.
1956 – France. A priest is murdered. An evil is spreading. The sequel to the worldwide smash hit follows Sister Irene as she once again comes face-to-face with Valak, the demon nun.
Taissa Farmiga returns as Sister Irene, joined by Jonas Bloquet, Storm Reid, Anna Popplewell and Bonnie Aarons, surrounded by an ensemble cast of international talent.
Michael Chaves (The Conjuring The Devil Made Me Do It) directs, from a screenplay by Ian Goldberg & Richard Naing and Akela Cooper, with a story by Cooper, based on characters created by James Wan & Gary Dauberman.
The Conjuring Universe is the highest-grossing horror franchise in history with more than US$2 billion worldwide. Globally, four of The Conjuring Universe titles have earned more than US$300 million worldwide each (The Nun, US$366 million; The Conjuring 2, US$322 million; The Conjuring, US$320 million; Annabelle: Creation, US$307 million), and all seven have each grossed more than US$200 million. The Nun is the top-earning film in the franchise, with more than US$366 million worldwide.
The Nun 2 will premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 6 September 2023.
Check out the trailer below:


Jurassic World Evolution 2 Feathered Species Pack Drops Next Week

Frontier Developments has announced that Jurassic World Evolution 2 Feathered Species Pack will launch on 30 March 2023 on PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, Windows Store and GeForce Now, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 and Xbox One.
Jurassic World Evolution 2: Feathered Species Pack invites players to expand their parks with four eye-catching prehistoric species, each sporting magnificent plumage that is bound to captivate guests.
Yutyrannus, whose name translates as ‘feathered tyrant,’ lives up to its moniker as one of the largest known feathered carnivores ever discovered. First discovered in Northeast China, this bipedal predator boasts a light yet dense coat that insulates against cold weather conditions.
Equally as mesmerising is Jeholopterus, an agile flying reptile whose only paleontological specimen is among the best preserved of any pterosaur. The smallest species to weave through the skies in Jurassic Word Evolution 2 to date, Jeholopterus is said to have exhibited a coat of short, delicate fibres. Guests will be able to spot the diminutive species feeding from the new insectivore feeder.
Park managers can also welcome Deinocheirus, one of the largest ornithomimosaurs ever discovered. While its long arms, duck-like bill, and humped back cut an intimidating figure, Deinocheirus is the second omnivorous species to arrive in Jurassic World Evolution 2, and is the first to feed on both plants and fish.
As well as these majestic marvels, Sinosauropteryx is a fascinating addition to any park. Discovered in 1996, this compact pack-hunter’s fossil was the first to suggest the existence of feathered dinosaurs. Guests will delight at its long, striped tail and thick feathered coat.
The DLC arrives alongside an exciting free update offering existing players a range of new features and enhancements. The new Log Viewing Gallery and Dome Viewing Gallery bring avid builders even more ways for their guests to observe pre-historic residents, while the introduction of a Cinematic Camera Mode allows players to capture their parks in all their splendour. Zip line variants and additional square levels allow players to get even more creative.
Check out the trailer below:


Arc World Tour 2022 Finals Showcases The Best In Anime Fighting High-Level Competition

Arc System Works continues the esports tradition of anime fighting games with the last bout of 2022’s Arc World Tour.
The Arc World Tour Finals 2022 pits the best players from all across the world in 2D fighting game glory via Guilty Gear Strive and DNF Duel. The dust has already settled, the new trailers for content have been revealed, and the winners have been determined.
Check out the highlight reel (complete with noteworthy/cringeworthy player intros) and tournament results below:

Arc World Tour Finals 2022 Guilty Gear Strive
1. JOZ| Mocchii (Sol)
2. TY (Giovanna, Chipp)
3. Oplon| Skyll (Sol)
4. ONi| NBNHMR (Nagoriyuki)
5. M&I| TempestNYC (Leo)
5. Zando (Ramlethal)
7. Nth| Gobou (Zato-1, Goldlewis)
7. RZR| Umisho (Happy Chaos)
Arc World Tour Finals 2022 DNF Duel
1. CO| Go1 (Crusader, Swift Master)
2. Nanpon (Striker)
3. YOG| Kubo (Grappler)
4. EGOISM| YuSeongCha (Ghostblade)
5. Kikyochan (Ranger, Crusader)
5. LostSoul (Dragon Knight)
7. Vexed| MysticSmash (Vanguard, Hitman)
7. STG| K-Top (Hitman)


Hisense Malaysia Offers Great Deals On TVs & A Chance To Win World Cup Tickets

Looking for a TV is one thing, but what if you could stand a chance to win tickets to the FIFA World Cup 2022 along with your brand new TV?
That’s exactly what Hisense Malaysia is doing, as they’re holding their Mega Special Deals from the 1st of September 2022 till the 31st of October 2022. They are holding a variety of discounts, gifts with purchase, and a Goal To FIFA World Cup 2022 Lucky Draw where 16 people will stand a chance to win a FIFA World Cup 2022 ticket and exclusive FIFA World Cup 2022 merchandise.
Hisense Malaysia is offering huge deals on their newly launched Hisense TV series like the 4K UHD A6100H, 4K Google TV A6500H and ULED TV U7H series that rave about their superior visual quality. There are also deals on Hisense refrigerators, load washers, and smart air conditioners.
However, the biggest and most advanced pick of the lot would be the new Laser Cinema PX1-PRO, which brings a truly cinematic experience to your home.

Mr. Derek Jin, Managing Director of Hisense Malaysia, said:
“Passing the half-year mark, many of us find ourselves looking to upgrade our homes before 2022 comes to an end. We wish to offer Malaysians the chance to get their dream home appliances at special prices with exciting gifts to bring home. We hope everyone enjoys the variety of deals we have prepared during the Hisense Mega Special Deals!”
Here are some highlight deals and gifts offered during Hisense Mega Special Deals :

Product
Model
RRP
Promo Price
Gift(s)

TV
65’’ 4K UHD TV A6100H
RM3,999
RM2,299
MPOW Sports Bluetooth 5.0 Earphones

TV
70’’ 4K Google TV A6500H
RM5,799
RM2,999
MPOW Sports Bluetooth 5.0 Earphones

TV
65’’ ULED TV U7H
RM4,999
RM3,799
RM100 T’nG gift card + FIFA World Cup 2022 Towel

TV
100’’ 4K Smart Laser TV 100L5F
RM29,999
RM14,999
1 x FIFA World Cup 2022 Group Stage Ticket + 1 x 55’’ 4K UHD TV  A6100H(worth RM2,799)

Laser Cinema
PX1-PRO TriChroma Laser Cinema (with 100’’ screen)
RM26,999
RM18,999
1 x FIFA World Cup 2022 Group Stage Ticket

PX1-PRO TriChroma Laser Cinema (without screen)
RM 21,999
RM 14,999
1 x FIFA World Cup 2022 Group Stage Ticket

Load Washer
Front Load Washer and Dryer
10.0KG WDQY1014EVJM
RM3,399
RM1,999
Premium Gastronomy Set Non-Stick

Fridge
Side by Side Inverter 620L RS688N4ABU
RM4,299
RM2,499
Digital Scale

Malaysians can get these and many more offers with free gifts at all authorised Hisense retail stores. To redeem the gifts, you can go to https://campaign.hisense.com.my/megadeals  and fill up the purchase details accordingly. Free gift redemptions are only applicable for retail stores purchase.
Goal To FIFA World Cup 2022 Lucky Draw

As the official sponsor for FIFA World Cup 2022 held in Qatar, Hisense Malaysia will be holding a lucky draw in celebration of this proud collaboration. All who purchase a product worth a minimum of RM1,999 at any Hisense authorised retail stores in Malaysia and Hisense authorised online stores are eligible an entry to join the lucky draw. In short, buy more, get more entries for a higher chance to win.
Hisense will be giving away 16 units of FIFA World Cup 2022 prizes which include one group stage FIFA World Cup 2022 Ticket and exclusive FIFA World Cup 2022 merchandise for those who win the lucky draw. Be sure to fill in the details of your purchase at https://campaign.hisense.com.my/megadeals from 1st September 2022 to 31st October 2022 to enter.
To learn more about all of Hisense’s premium offerings, visit Hisense Malaysia and follow @HisenseMalaysia on Facebook, and YouTube.


The Next Purge Film May Be The Last In The Series

The Purge movie franchise may have had a rocky start, but the following sequels The Purge: Anarchy and The Purge: Election Year fleshed out the series’ lore and had better budgets and action horror bits to work with. In short, they’re fun and brutal films to tune into.
With the success of the prequel film The First Purge, Blumhouse has announced the next (and possibly last) entry in the series called The Forever Purge. The film is about a Mexican family working for a rich ranch hand who is assaulted by a masked gang of killers the morning after The Purge. Apparently, there’s a group of psychopaths who want to keep The Purge going even after that one night of bloody massacre “fun”.
The film takes place a year after the events of The Purge: Election Year, and is directed by Everardo Gout and written/co-produced by The Purge creator James DeMonaco. It stars Ana de la Reguera, Josh Lucas, Tenoch Huerta, Leven Rambin, Will Patton, and Cassidy Freeman.

The Forever Purge will be out on 2nd July 2021 worldwide in cinemas, serial killer masks and all.


Genshin Impact Watatsumi Island, Seirai Island, & Raiden Shogun Guide

This guide is still under development…
Genshin Impact version 2.1 is now live for all to play through. That means you get to experience the new Watatsumi Island and its glories, the new gacha characters like Kujou Sara and Raiden Shogun, and finally complete the Inazuma story arc.
Here’s a guide that tackles all of those in great detail. But before that, do check out our existing guides:
Genshin Impact Starter Characters + Top Characters Guide
Genshin Impact Beginner Guide
Genshin Impact Endgame Guide: Whatâ€™s Next?
Genshin Impact V1.2 Dragonspine Zone Guide
Genshin Impact Inazuma Continent Guide (First Half)
Raiden Shogun Best Build & Weapons

Artifacts
Raiden’s best when she deals damage and gets buffs from her Elemental Bursts, so find artifacts that improve that. Here are a select few, with the Noblesse Oblige being the easiest to get:
Emblem of Severed Fate (Momiji-Dyed Court Domain)Â Â â€“ (2 piece) Energy Recharge + 20%, (4 piece) Increases Elemental Burst DMG by 25% of Energy Recharge. A maximum of 75% bonus DMG can be obtained in this way.
Thundering Fury (Midsummer Courtyard Domain)Â â€“ (2 piece) Electro DMG +15%, (4 piece) Overload, Electro-Charged, and Superconduct damage +40%. Triggering those 3 reactions reduces Elemental Burst cooldown by 1 second. Can only activate once every 0.8 seconds.
Noblesse Oblige (Clear Pool & Mountain Cavern)Â â€“ (2 piece) Elemental Burst DMG +20%, (4 piece) After using an Elemental Burst, all teammates get +20% ATK. Lasts 12s, does not stack.
Weapons
If you cannot be bothered with spending real-life money to gacha her trademark Engulfing Lightning, just go for Skyward Spine, The Catch, and Favonius Lance as alternatives.
Engulfing Lightning (5 star, weapon banner)Â – Attack increased by 28% of Energy Recharge over the base 100%. You can gain a maximum bonus of 80% ATK. Gain 30% Energy Recharge for 12s after using an Elemental Burst.
Skyward Spine (5 star) –Â Increases CRIT Rate by 8% and increases Normal ATK SPD by 12%. Additionally, Normal and Charged Attacks hits on opponents have a 50% chance to trigger a vacuum blade that deals 40% of ATK as DMG in a small AoE. This effect can occur no more than once every 2s.
Primordial Jade Winged-Spear (5 star)Â – On hit, increases ATK by 3.2% for 6s. Max 7 stacks. This effect can only occur once every 0.3s. While in possession of the maximum possible stacks, DMG dealt is increased by 12%.
The Catch (4 star)Â – Increases Elemental Burst DMG by 16% and Elemental Burst CRIT Rate by 6%
Favonius Lance (4 star) –Â CRIT Hits have a 60% chance to generate a small amount of Elemental Particles, which will regenerate 6 Energy for the Character. Can only occur once every 12s.

How To Unlock Seirai Island & Complete The Stormchasers Quest
To unlock this island, you’ll need to initiate the Seirai Stormchasers quest. Once you reach Adventure Rank 30 and complete Act 1 of the Inazuma Archon quest, you can get the mission from Katherine in the Adventurer’s Guild. Use the Waverider that you can spawn on the southeast of Tatarasuna to head to Seirai Island, which is southeast of Inazuma.
Head to the Statue of the Seven in the middle of the island to reveal Seirai Island onto your map. Refrain from exploring the island; there are way too many areas affected by thunderstorms for now. Continue on with the Stormchasers quest by heading to the quest marker and talk to Eiko.

Head to the next marker and you’ll be paired up with another adventurer named Taisuke. When that’s done, head to the marked spots where you’ll see several cats. Eventually, you’ll come across Asase Shrine and a talking cat named Neko.

You’ll be assigned to various locations. Defeat the Treasure Hoarders located there. You’ll then head to a second location; pick up the glowing objects, then return to the Asase Shrine. Fix the donation box, talk to Neko, then return to the area where Eiko and Taisuke were last seen.
You’re now able to solve the Warding Stone puzzles and able to stop the thunderstorms on Seirai Island. To solve them, you have to rotate the stones to match the symbols, making them glow. When that’s done, you can touch the paper charms that were protected which then shrinks the thunderstorm area, making it easier for you to explore the island.

Warding Stone Puzzle #1

Touch all three paper charms.
Rotate the top stone once.
Rotate the bottom stone three times.

Warding Stone Puzzle #2

There are three paper charms to touch. The first two are easily spotted, while the third requires you to use a Phase Gate to head to a nearby island.
For the puzzle: Rotate the top stone three times.

Warding Stone Puzzle #3

Rotate the Phase Gate in this location until itâ€™s got a purple glow. Pass through it and itâ€™ll take you to ledges that are further up.
Use the Thunder Boughs/Electrograna grapples and tag the fast travel point. Continue using the grapples until youâ€™ve interacted with all Paper Charms.
For the puzzle, rotate the bottom stone once then the top stone twice.

Warding Stone Puzzle #4

Use the thunder grapple until you reach the highest platforms.
For the puzzle, rotate the bottom stone twice, then rotate the top stone twice.

Once that’s done, you’ll have to head to a newly-formed arena and fight the Thunder Manifestation. Beat it and the quest is complete. We suggest adding a non-Electro bow use and non-Electro catalyst user in your party to hit it while it’s flying around.
Amakumo Fruit Location (For Raiden Shogun & Kujo Sara Ascension)
To level up Raiden Shogun’s Ascension levels, you need to collect Vajrada stones, Amakumo Fruit, Handguards, and Storm Beads. You can get Vajrada stones and Storm Beads by fighting bosses like Hypostases and Thunder Manifestations, while you can get Handguards from ronins and samurai in Inazuma. To find Amakumo Fruit, you have to search for them high and low all over Seirai Island.
Here’s a visual guide to help you out:

Raiden Shogun Story Quest Walkthrough

Need help with fishing in Teyvat? Here’s a guide on how to catch big ones.


Narrative-Driven Game Oxenfree Is Now Available To Play On Netflix

During Netflix TUDUM 2022, Netflix announced that Oxenfree is now available to play for free as part of Netflix’s offering of games.
Oxenfree is a supernatural thriller about a group of friends who unwittingly open a ghostly rift. Play as Alex, a bright, rebellious teenager who brings her new stepbrother Jonas to an overnight party on an old military island. The night takes a terrifying turn when you unwittingly open a ghostly gate spawned from the island’s cryptic past.
How you deal with these events, your peers, and the ominous creatures you’ve unleashed is up to you. You determine every aspect of Alex’s story while exploring Edwards Island, uncovering the base’s dark past, and changing the course of your friends’ lives.
It was originally released for PC and Xbox One in January 2016. PS4 and Linux versions were released later in 2016, followed by iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch versions in 2017.
If you have a Netflix subscription, you can play it now by heading over here.
Check out the trailer below:


The Best Rainbow Six Siege Teams To Duke It Out At The ROG Masters APAC 2022

ASUS Republic of Gamers has announced the start of the ROG Masters Asia Pacific 2022 esports tournament. The US$40,000 prize pool tournament, which starts on 15 August 2022, will pit the best Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege teams across the region against each other for a spot at the grand finals in Bangkok Thailand.
Players from the Southeast Asia, South Asia, Japan and South Korea regions will be able to sign up to compete for qualifier spots starting August 15 with the online tournament starting on September 17. Once qualified, teams will move forward to the regional finals and then onward to the grand finals at the Thailand Game Show on October 21. The Regional Finals and Grand Finals will be broadcasted live online across multiple languages.

“We built the ROG line to create a platform for gamers of all levels to develop their skills, and the ROG Masters APAC is our way to allow them to showcase their incredible talents” said Peter Chang, General Manager, Asia Pacific Region, System Business Group at ASUS. “This year, with Rainbow 6: Siege, we aim to cultivate the best teams across APAC for a phenomenal showdown in Bangkok.”

Launched in APAC in 2016, the ROG Masters APAC continues to bring the best esports opportunities for gamers across the region with a focus to nourish future local talents and provide a pathway for them to an international spotlight. This year, for the first time, ROG Masters APAC 2022 will feature the fast-paced tactical action of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege.
Interested participants can register at the official tournament page at: www.rogmastersapac.gg. Registration for the ROG Masters APAC 2022 starts on 15 August and ends on 15 September 2022. Regional Qualifiers will take place online from 17 to 18 September 2022 with qualifying teams competing in Regional Finals on September 24. The finals will take place in Bangkok at the Thailand Game Show from 21 to 23 October 2022.


Why 2021 Will Be AMD’s Year In Influencing Pop Culture

AMD has always gone toe-to-toe with NVIDIA, but this year might finally be their year to come out on top. What did AMD showcase at CES 2021? A lot of gaming and graphics talk.
But they didn’t focus on just that. They also touched on other matters as well, including combating the COVID-19 pandemic, powering VFX in movies and TV series, next-gen consoles and more.
AMD is definitely dipping their hands in all forms of entertainment and pop culture; let’s count the ways:
#1. Helping Combat COVID-19

AMD is doing their part to combat COVID-19. The AMD COVID-19 HPC Fund donated over 12 petaflops of supercomputing to labs conducting research for vaccines using machine learning algorithms. That is a lot of flops to speed up data-gathering for medical solutions!
#2. Powering Next-Gen Consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X/S)

The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S are both powered by a Custom 8-core AMD Zen 2 CPU and Custom AMD RDNA 2 GPU. However, these are already getting obsolete, as AMD is preparing to unleash the Zen 3 architecture and RDNA 3 GPUs to the world. This means that PCs are more powerful than the newly-released current-gen consoles at launch.
#3. AMD Ryzen 5000 Mobile Processors For Gaming Laptops

What would an AMD keynote be without the spiel on graphics cards and the “next big thing”? In this case, the latter is laptops.
These powerful Zen 3 CPUs and RDNA 2 GPUs will now be put into ultra-thin gaming laptops; 8 cores, 16 threads and up to 4.4 GHz boost.

How powerful, you may ask? These gaming laptops can apparently even run a graphics-intensive game like Horizon Zero Dawn above an impressive 100 FPS (frames per second) in 1080p. They are also capable of running games in 4K.

These gaming laptops will begin going on sale in February 2021 and the first half of 2021.
Oh, and 60FPS in 1440p while playing Dirt 5.

For more details and information on the new AMD Ryzen 5000 mobile processors, head on over here.
#4. Powering Visual Effects In Movies And TV

According to Lucasfilm Vice President of Technology Francois Chardavoine, Industrial Light And Magic Sydney exclusively use AMD Epyc to power their rendering of computer-generated visual effects. These include shows like The Mandalorian, Star Wars Episode VII The Force Awakens, Star Wars Episode VIII The Last Jedi, and Star Wars Episode IX The Rise Of Skywalker.
Future Star Wars shows on Disney Plus like Star Wars Ahsoka, The Book Of Boba Fett and more will also be powered by AMD Epyc.
#5. Driving R&D And Esports For Formula One

During the CES 2021 presentation, Lewis Hamilton himself appeared and awkwardly spoke about his PS5. You can watch what he said in the video below:

According to Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport Formula One Team CEO Toto Wolff, AMD is used to power everything from the F1 performance department, aerodynamics, simulation, and even F1 esports.
When All Is Said & Done…

To be frank, the entire AMD presentation at CES 2021 was dull and full of techno-babble. I felt like I was turning into a machine myself. During the stream, one person even said that they were in love with “cores” and “thread”. Though keep in mind; someone was paid to say that.
In all seriousness, AMD is really taking the world by the reins, and pushing their technology in various industries. NVIDIA may have the upper hand in gaming and Intel may still have a bigger monopoly on processors, but AMD is slowly increasing their influence and showing the world that they’re a force to be reckoned with.
The evidence is all of the above that I’ve mentioned. It’s impressive how AMD is doing so much at once, proving that their CPUs and GPUs are versatile enough for a wide range of uses beyond just gaming or simple computing. AMD truly has their assimilating fingers in the pop culture pie; it’s only a matter of when they’ll fully take control of that narrative.
You can check out the full AMD CES 2021 presentation below:


My Hero Academia Will Get A Live-Action Netflix Adaptation; Why?

Because the Cowboy Bebop and Death Note Netflix adaptations were so successful, we might be getting another live adaptation of a popular anime series.
A Variety report stated that a live-adaptation version of the hit shonen anime/manga My Hero Academia will be appearing on Netflix. There’s no release date set, but we do know that Legendary Entertainment producers Mary Parent and Alex Garcia will be producing the show.
If you somehow lived through life without knowing what My Hero Academia is, it’s basically X-Men and the Marvel comics superhero universe, but anime. It follows ordinary human Izuku “Deku” Midoriya who somehow gains superhuman powers (called Quirks) and goes to superhero school. The usual shonen stuff happens: rivals, high school girls to simp at, villains aplenty, and a superhero conspiracy going on. It’s pretty fun to watch; the series is available on Netflix right now.


Sega’s Future Plans To Focus On PC Ports & Existing IPs

While Sega aren’t the juggernaut they were several decades ago in the heyday of the 80s and 90s, the games giant has remained relevant and doing particularly well by shifting focus to existing IPs and PC ports of those IPs in the past few years. In their fiscal year report (via ResetEra), they plan to focus on these same approaches in the near future.
More PC Ports
For instance, several Yakuza games like Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami were released for the PC last year. Their Total War games like Total War Saga Thrones of BritanniaÂ also performed well. Those reasons are why Sega will continueÂ porting games over to PC platforms like Steam “in a bid to maximize reach, exposure, and sales across all gaming segments.”
Less Exclusivity, Embracing Multi-Platform
Additionally, Sega will start to decrease PS4/PlayStation exclusivity as it opts for a multi-platform approach instead. The company confirms that upcoming “new games will come to all systems, from PC to mobile and even next-gen consoles like the PlayStation 5.”
Reviving Dormant IPs
Sega also plans to revive “dormant IPs and fan-favorite content” while launching special commemorative re-releases like the Sega Genesis Mini. Will this mean more Sonic reboots and relaunches in the future?
Retail Packaged Games
Digital game sales are improving year-by-year, slowly closing its gap with physical copies. Sega enjoyed impressive physical sales in the last fiscal year, especially in North America so they will continue to employ the same strategy in the future.
Will Sega Completely Abandon New IPs?
The truth of the matter is that Sega’s yearly profits plummeted over 70% to $23.82 million in the last fiscal year. According to the company’s report, this is due to the “deterioration of the business environment and lack of hit titles.”
That is why they are looking to focus on what is actually working business-wise. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be any new IP at all from the company. Judgment is slated for a worldwide release next month. Still, future new games will probably be based on existing IP, such as new Yakuza games or Persona titles.
All of this should be great news for gamers who have enjoyed what the company has been doing in the past few years, though those looking forward to new and innovative content may be disappointed.


What Will Konami Bring To Gamescom? The Results Will Not Surprise You

If you think Konami is going to bring a Contra reboot or a Metal Gear Solid announcement to Germany later in 21st to 25th August, you are sorely mistaken (though I like to be proven wrong here).
The fine folks from the house that brought you the FOX Engine will be bringing in a couple of games for Gamescom, like Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 and some Yu-Gi-Oh thing for mobile platforms. We’re also getting Hyper Sports R for the Nintendo Switch that’s basically like the company’s Track & Field game from the NES days, as well as another port of Zone of the Enders 2 for PS4 and PC.
So yeah, no new Metal Gear or Metal Gear Rising game. Meanwhile, Hideo Kojima is going bonkers with his Death Stranding idea which is getting more coverage than it really deserves.

Full details are below:

Hyper Sports RÂ (Switch) â€“ Making its playable demo debut to the public for the first time,Â Hyper Sports R, a new sports compilation title exclusive to Nintendo Switch, features a wide variety of individual and team sports for gamers to compete in. Playable events at the show include Track & Field, Swimming and Beach Volleyball, with more details to be announced at Gamescom. The game allows for up to four friends to compete with a choice of traditional button or accurate motion controls. Additional details forÂ Hyper Sports R, including the release date, will be announced later this year.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2019Â (PS4, Xbox One, PC) â€“ The Power of Football will be experienced like never before withÂ Pro Evolution Soccer 2019, with the latest iteration in the graphically-advancedÂ Pro Evolution SoccerÂ series as it continues to highlight Konamiâ€™s commitment to creating the definitive football gaming experience.Â Pro Evolution Soccer 2019â€™s new features include Visible Fatigue, impacting performance and behaviour; new shooting mechanics and improved ball physics; â€˜Enlightenâ€™ software for true-to-life visual effects; and for the first time, 4K HDR across all platforms. myClub has also received the biggest overhaul to date, featuring a new card design system and featured Legend Players such as Phillipe Coutinho, this yearâ€™s main cover star. PES League will be included inÂ Pro Evolution Soccer 2019, building on the success of this yearâ€™s eSports initiatives.Â Pro Evolution Soccer 2019Â will be available from August 28th in the Americas and August 30th for Rest of the World on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Fans can expect a playable demo to debut at this yearâ€™s Konami gamescom booth.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel LinksÂ (iOS, Android) â€“ A dedicatedÂ Yu-Gi-Oh!Â booth will also be set up in hall 5.2/E039, where attendees can get their hands on the latest product additions to the popularÂ Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game, learn how to play, compete in tournaments, and play Konamiâ€™s massively popularÂ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel LinksÂ mobile game.
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner MARSÂ (PS4, PC) â€“ Launching on September 4th and 6th in the Americas and rest of world respectively,Â Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner MARS, the remaster of the original 2003 sequel, will showcase its enhanced graphics and re-engineered audio specifically for PlayStation 4 and PC. This high-speed mech action classic will be fully playable in 4K or VR â€“ providing a brand new perspective of play for new and veteranÂ Zone of the EndersÂ fans.Â Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner MARSÂ will launch on PlayStation 4, PlayStation VR, and PC on September 4th in the Americas and September 6th globally at an SRP of $29.99. Fans can expect a playable demo that showcases the gameâ€™s VR feature and more at this yearâ€™s Konami gamescom booth.


Mortal Kombat 11 Looks Like A Worthy Sequel With Some Minor Kaveats

2011: Eons after suffering through the many 3D Mortal Kombat games where fighters can switch between stances and pull off custom Fatalities, I was incredibly skeptical about the Mortal Kombat reboot. This was my time at GameSpot, so I was on high alert as to whether Ed Boon and his then-new studio can recapture the glory days of the simple-but-fun Mortal Kombat II.
Thank goodness I was proven wrong, because the reboot knocked my socks off with its plethora of modes, its insanely-packed single-player story campaign, and fun-if-kombo-centric fighting mechanics.
2015: The 10th Mortal Kombat game got a bit too serious for its own good. With a washed-out palette and a grittier approach to its violence, particularly its snuff film-esque fatalities, I wasn’t really feeling it with this version. Plus its females are less tarted up like in the past game. The goofiness was gone.
Thank goodness the game itself was still fun to play and had a ton of guest characters from horror films I knew and loved. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen Scorpion get mauled by a xenomorph.
2019: Four years later, I get to try out the closed beta of the latest Mortal Kombat 11, now with a slightly-saturated palette, a bunch of old characters joining the fray, and a crazy time-travelling story where old and new versions of the same character meet.
Thank goodness it at least manages to stay consistent in being a very goofy yet serious Western fighting game for good or ill. I’ll explain below.
What’s Kool?

Mortal Kombat’s fighting does not need to change drastically to cater to its audience, but the new UI and fighting game additions help make things flow better from the get-go. For starters, the segmentedÂ special Attack and Defence bars are easy to keep track of and helps players allocate their resources efficiently. Now you don’t have to worry about 3 stocks of bars for your offence and defence: you have 2 for each style of play.
I just went to town with Baraka and his Hack’ n Slash variant, applying footsie and poking pressure until my opponent reacts with a heavy recovery move. The fact that I didn’t need to learn that many combos on the get-go also helps in me winning the games through fundamentals alone.

I can play this game using proper footsies and mid-range poking tactics like Street Fighter but with an “alternate” control scheme, while not worry too much about eating a 10+ hit combo.

Since you can’t use a Combo Breaker move like in the last games, you have to use up meter for a quick armour-property wake-up move when you’re knocked down. I notice I haven’t been using my defensive options more during my smooth matches against online foes during the weekend. I got wrecked by Scorpion players and their Misery Blade variant, as well as Kabals who knew what they were doing; perhaps if I bothered to figure out my wakeup moves and defensive options, I would have a fighting chance.
What’s also great? I can customize my own version of Baraka so that he doesn’t look that plain. The character kustomization isn’t just relegated to gear and power levels; you can pick your favourite outfits and colour schemes. Time will tell if I can give Baraka a sombrero or some other customization options ala Tekken 7 instead of presets, but I’ll take what I can get for now.
As far as online fighting is concerned, which is the whole point of these betas, I haven’t come across any absurdly bad connections when fighting against Malaysians and other Southeast Asians. There is going to be lag in online play, but it’s pretty minor from my side of the world; your mileage may vary.
What’s Konvoluted?

Older players may not find the game to their liking if they liked how it was back then. The combo-centric and aggressive game style may not gel well with MK9 and MKX players. Personally, I love the neutral and footsie approach to the game this time around, but I don’t represent the core fanbase and long-term players.
MK11 has mixups and meaty setups aplenty, but you have to implement them a little differently this time around since you only have 2 bars for offensive maneuvers. Which is why fishing for whiffed attacks and counter-attacking is more important than ever.
Just like SoulCalibur 6’s lethal hits and Street Fighter V’s Crush Counter, it’s about figuring out which attacks are best to punish or close the gap quick. If the five selectable characters and their three variations are of any indication, MK11’s roster will have tons of long-range projectile and teleportation wars going on before a player seals the deal with an up-close custom combo of their own.

Let’s also not forget about the controls of the game. They’re standard NetherRealms Studio fighting game controls. They’re neither bad nor good; they’re just their style of controls and that’s how their fighting game engine works.

Even with the alternate inputs added and tweaked, most players who come off from “perfectly-mapped” Japanese-made fighting game controls will have to take a lot of time readjusting to how different the game feels and plays.
Is Everything Coming Up Rosey (With Blood)?
The more things change, the more they stay the same. As far as the game’s feel and look go, it’s a big improvement. No longer do I feel like I’m experiencing a one-sided fight if I don’t know all of my strings. Damage scaling feels fair. The counter-hit/lethal hit system lets you punish characters appropriately while also making you wary about whiffing attacks on purpose.
I’ll tell you this: it’s hard to go back to Mortal Kombat X after this. With refined controls and fighting systems, this may be Mortal Kombat’s finest iteration yet. Let’s hope the game’s other modes like the Krypt and its non-kompetitive bits are just as promising and as refined as its current fight mechanic. After all, these are the important ingredients in making a fighting games fun as a whole for all levels of players instead of for a subset of esports-savvy folks who like to keep it real.


One Piece Odyssey Is An Anime RPG With Pirates; Out 2022

Bandai Namco and developer ILCA will be making a new RPG based on the One Piece anime/manga juggernaut franchise, because the world still needs more pirate games that happen to be RPGs.
The game is called One Piece Odyssey and it’s coming out for PC, Xbox Series, PS4, and PS5 in 2022. The game features:

A Mysterious Island – Luffy decides to scout the island to meet up with his scattered crew members. They come across various mysterious ruins and never-before-seen monsters. Although excited to scout the island together, things soon take an unexpected turn. Discover and experience an original storyline!
Straw Hats as One – Defeat new enemies, unravel mysteries, and unearth a whole adventure with your favorite Straw Hats! In addition to Luffy, you can play as Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Frankie, and Brook!
RPG with a One Piece Twist – Experience quests and dungeons all with an authentic One Piece twist. Enjoy what you love about RPGs but with your favorite characters and an original touch from the One Piece universe.
New character and monster designs by One Piece author Eiichiro Oda, music from Motoi Sakuraba.

Hey, if it’s a fast-paced turn-based JRPG with Luffy and the Straw Hats, along with a new story that has jack all to do with the 800+ volumes, I’m game. Developer ILCA has previously worked on the Pokemon Diamond/Pearl remakes last year, so the team has some JRPG-making chops. Check out the gameplay trailer below.


SDCC 2019: Kojima Unveils Death Stranding PS4 Box Art

While San Diego Comic-Con has historically never been much for gaming, Death Stranding is an exception to the rule, owing not only to the star-studded cast featured in the upcoming PS4 exclusive but also the industry icon that is Hideo Kojima.
Kojima hosted an SDCC 2019 Death Stranding panel earlier today, with actor Nicolas Winding Refn (who plays the character Heartman in the game) joining him on stage. They explained more about Refn’s character, the concept of which sounds totally farfetched and bizarre.
According to IGN (who attended the panel), Heartman was described as having a “unique” heart that stops beating every 21 minutes. Therefore, he is constantly hooked up to an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), occupying his time with music and movies.
He actually dies every 21 minutes, and during that brief three minutes of ‘death’, Heartman spends time searching for his family “on the other side”. Frankly, this explanation makes things sound even more confusing for this particular writer.
Thankfully, the official unveiling of the Death Stranding PS4 box art makes it all worth it, amidst the confusing exposition.

Death Stranding is slated to release exclusively for the PS4 on 8 November 2019. For more details and information on Death Stranding (and the collector’s edition contents), head on over here.
(Image Credits: IGN)


Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Adds Stunning New Colours

Samsung Malaysia has announced that they are bringing in more stunning colours to their Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, giving you more options to choose from.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra ticks off all the essential components of a smartphone, such as an excellent and immersive display, a versatile set of cameras and performance, a striking design and an integrated S Pen1. With these three stylish new colours – Graphite, Red and Sky Blue – anyone can stay fashionable and trendy without having to worry about forgoing epic features.

If you are looking to elevate your epic lifestyle with a groundbreaking device you’ve been longing for, we have exciting news for you! Pre-order starts from 4 July to 14 July 2022, and Samsung Malaysia is here with a limited time offer to add some flavour to your purchase experience, online.
You will also receive a RM800 e-Voucher upon purchase to get your hands on a range of Galaxy products including selected Galaxy smartphones2, Galaxy Tab, wearables and mobile accessories. All you need to do is to insert the voucher code at checkout and you’re good to go.
In addition, you can also trade in your old eligible device and get up to RM600 instant rebate, as well as earn Samsung reward points when you make your purchase.
Pre-Order Promotion

Models
RRP
Colour
Exclusive Promotion

Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G (256GB)

RM5,499
Graphite

E-voucher worth RM800
Trade-in old eligible devices, in any device condition and get RM600 instant rebate added to the base trade-in-value.
Samsung Reward Points

Red

Sky Blue

You can head to Samsung Malaysia Online Store now to pre-order these fabulous colours and seize the savings before the deal is gone for good. To make your purchase, you can visit: https://www.samsung.com/my/smartphones/galaxy-s22-ultra/buy/.
To find out more, or purchase the latest Galaxy devices, check out the respective links below:

Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G: https://www.samsung.com/my/smartphones/galaxy-s22-ultra/buy/
Galaxy S22+ | S22 5G: https://www.samsung.com/my/smartphones/galaxy-s22/buy/

In the meantime, check out our review of Samsung Galaxy S22+.


Here’s How You Can Celebrate Star Wars Day On Disney+ Hotstar

Star Wars Day is happening on 4 May 2023 and you can catch all the Star Wars content you want on Disney+ Hotstar. This includes brand new content, such as Star Wars Visions Volume 2, as well as all the classic films again from the Original Trilogy to the Sequel Trilogy.
Star Wars Visions Volume 2

Get ready to blast off to a galaxy far, far away all over again with Star Wars: Visions Volume 2, the highly anticipated follow-up to the first volume of the series. Building on the success of Volume 1, this new season features an all-new roster of renowned anime studios from around the globe bringing their unique styles and perspectives to the Star Wars universe. Expect exciting and varied stories with new sets of characters, each staying true to what we love about the Star Wars franchise, with action-packed fight scenes, heartwarming moments and battles between good and evil – or rather, the light versus the dark side.

Star Wars Young Jedi Adventures
(L-R): Jedi Younglings: Lys Solay (voiced by Juliet Donenfeld), Kai Brightstar (voiced by Jamaal Avery Jr.) and Nubs (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) in a scene during a training sequence from “STAR WARS: YOUNG JEDI ADVENTURES” exclusively on Disney+ and Disney Junior. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
For the parent who wants to share the Star Wars love – Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures.
Set before the events of the movies, aka the Skywalker Saga, Young Jedi Adventures follows a group of young Padawans as they embark on a series of exciting missions and learn what it takes to become Jedi Knights. A heartwarming adventure story, with its universal themes of friendship, loyalty and overcoming adversity, this series is perfect for kids, whether they know anything about the Star Wars universe or not. While for parent fans of the franchise, this is the perfect chance to share just how special the Jedi and The Force are to your heart – you could even pull out your old lightsaber and teach them a few tricks.

 Star Wars The Clone Wars

For die-hard fans looking for a classic Star Wars tale – Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
2023 marks the 15th anniversary of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and if this year’s Star Wars Day isn’t the best time to rewatch this beloved series, we don’t know when is. With amazing storylines like the Siege of Mandalore, Order 66, the Mortis Arc and so much more, whether this is your first or fifteenth rewatch, you’ll never be bored. Besides, getting to see Ahsoka Tano grow from impulsive Padawan to thoughtful leader is always a joy and the perfect way to prepare for the upcoming Ahsoka series – though we’d definitely add Star Wars: Rebels and The Mandalorian to your prep list too.

Grab your lightsaber and sense of adventure, and join Disney+ Hotstar for a Star Wars Day celebration that’s truly out of this world!


Cyberpunk 2077 – How To Get 85,000 XP In 1 Hour Or Less

Want to know the best way to get your Cyberpunk 2077 merc V to tip-top level up shape? Then follow this video guide; we’ll spill the deets on the best XP farming spot to get pumped.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

Head to Pacifica West Wind Estate, southwest of Night City. Head to the spot where a melee weapon store, a ripper doc, and a fast travel point to the West Wind hotel area are located.
You’ll be patrolling the block and killing any Voodoo Boys/criminals you see in that block. Circle around, fight them, get the XP, and then rinse and repeat.Â
Why rinse & repeat? The enemies respawn at the same spots after 30 seconds or so. In an hour or so, you’ll get 85,000 XP and a couple of perk points from the shooting and meleeing you’ll be doing.
Also, you’ll get uncommon and rare crafting components, as well as rare and uncommon weapons & equipment you can break down for parts.

If you’re not sure where or what to spend perk points on, this guide we did a while back should help. If you rather farm money, check out this easy eddie guide too!


Total War: Three Kingdoms Release Date Revealed

Sega and Creative Assembly’s latest epic,Â Total War: Three Kingdoms will launch for PC next year, on 7th March 2019. The 12th mainline entry in theÂ Total WarÂ series, the game is set during the famed Three Kingdoms period, where players control one of the game’s eleven factions who are at war with one another.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j88YrN4vrYA&w=560&h=315]
Pre-orders for the game is now available on Steam and purchasing it early will reward you with an extra content pack – The Yellow Turban Rebellion, which centred aroundÂ a peasant revolt in China against the Eastern Han dynasty.
And as usual, there’s also a physical Collectors Edition whichÂ comes with a 24-cm Guan Yu statue, calligraphy paper disc case,Â art book, and map.

Huge fans of the Total War series, we welcome the return of the franchise to a more …. historically accurate period. Be sure to keep it locked on to Kakuchopurei as we bring you more news related to it, alongside any cool stuff released by the devs.


Overwatch League: What’s Next for the Shanghai Dragons?

When Shanghai Dragons (SHD) announced their SHD 3.0 lineup, my eyes rolled thinking, “Not another Korean team!”. Initially, I told my editor that I can’t write on this news without sounding biased but I was told to just write it up, with substantial reasoning.
So I sifted through facts and figures of the players and the teams. Surprise, surprise! SHD has a lot of ground to make up.Â  Notoriously known as the team that have never won a single match (even the preliminaries season matches) during the last Overwatch League 2018 season, SHD aims to prove to the world that they still have a lot on their plate.
Personally, I want SHD to show that the Chinese players are on par with the rest of the pro players. On the surface, the Contenders China scene indicate that they have more to offer; but if you look closely, considering Contenders is the path to pro for each region, it has anÂ abundance of Korean players in the scene. I was hugely disappointed by this issue.
Lucky Future Zenith, the team that has won both Seasons 1 and 2 of Contenders China, has all Koreans for their starters. One of the new SHD recruits, DPS main, Min-seongÂ “diem”Â Bae was from Lucky Future Zenith. It is worth mentioning that the Contenders Pacific Season 1 Champions was Detonator KR while Season 2 was dominated by Talon Esports; both of which consist of all-Korean rosters.

There is no doubt at all that South Korea have the biggest talent pool in esports. This could be tracked back to their culture of PC bangs and support by the government itself.
For me – an avid fan who watch all kinds of Overwatch matches regardless of level, I would like to see other players from other regions make their name and given a chance as well. Contenders should be the platform for these players.
At the 2018 Overwatch World Cup Bangkok Group Stage, players like Patiphan, Guxue, SHY and Teetawat were able to shine on stage. Patiphan in particular, showed that he can be either a deadly DPS or the unbeatable tank during at World Cup. He was only 15 years old and we hope that he will continue to be given the chance till he is old enough to compete on the biggest stage.

Both Guxue and SHY were from LGD Gaming, who were runners-up in Contenders China Season 2 after losing out to Lucky Future Zenith. SHY showcased his extremely deadly Widowmaker during the World Cup, stopping most teams off their tracks. Guxue on the other hand, was Contenders China Season 2’s MVP. China dominated the Bangkok Group Stage, suffering zero loss. I hoped that SHD would have signed at least both Guxue and SHY to the OWL scene.
But let’s get real. The SHD franchise which is essentially a business entity, wants to win. They need to win. They do not want a 0-41 record and the notorious record should stop at 0-40 and that’s that. They have dabbled with fielding an all-Chinese setup which only led to more losses. We could argue that it was due to bad management but casual fans have been asking, “Is the Chinese scene really that bad?”. As reports suggested midway through last season, these players had to endure a 22 hours of practice which is very questionable to the players mental and physical health.

SHD’s will to win is as fieryÂ as the dragon’s breath and so they went with the Korean teams, with the exception of Diya, the only surviving original SHD players. SHD brought in 4 players from Kongdoo Panthera, the first runner-up of Contenders Korea Season 2. These 4 are extremely strong, both in their gameplay and their stats. They gave Runaway the run (cough!) for their money and it was never an easy task for Runaway to take the champion title from Kongdoo Panthera. I remember watching CoMa (who is also part of SHD now) giving Bumper a living nightmare by constantly booping him off the map.
You don’t need to look at the stats and figures to fathom why SHD opted for these players. They want to come back in Season 2 stronger. To prove to the world that as an organization, they can still do it. A team is not just about the players, but it’s about the whole organization. A lot is at stake, and losing is not a risk that they are willing to take anymore.

Intan a.k.a Megikari is our newest features freelancer at Kakuchopurei.com. When asked how she’d describe herself, she simply put “I can talk about Overwatch & JRPG for hours”. You can also follow her on Twitter at @kiyarieÂ
Additional read: Is There A Problem With Too Many Koreans in the OWL?


Pokémon Game Sound Library Now Available In Malaysia and Asia

It’s time to hit down memory land Pokémon fans as the Pokémon Company reopened the Pokémon Game Sound Library website.
To commemorate the 27th anniversary of the release of the first Pokémon titles for the GameBoy, the site will feature the soundtracks of Pokémon Diamond & Pearl and Pokémon Red & Blue (Pokémon Red & Green in Japan). However, the website is region-locked and can only be accessed from Malaysia, Japan and the rest of Asia.

The Pokémon Game Sound Library is a website dedicated to background music and sound effects from the Pokémon series, for all players to listen to and enjoy at no cost. Users are not required to create an account or provide personal information before listening to it. The website includes several made playlists: Relax, Power-up, Challenge, Adventerous, and many more, which feature tracks that fit each theme. In addition, selected tracks and music scores are available to be downloaded.
Aside from the Sound Library, several notable Pokémon news announcements were the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC Area Zero, the Pokémon Sleep app, the Pokémon World Championships 2023, and an upcoming Netflix series, Pokémon Concierge.
The Pokémon Game Sound Library was reinstated on 27 February 2023, exclusively for Malaysia and Asia region.


Spider-Man No Way Home Trailer Confirms Fan Theories

Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios have finally unveiled the first trailer for Spider-Man No Way Home.
The highlight of the trailer is the appearance of three returning villains from past non-MCU Spider-Man films, including Willem Dafoe’s Norman Osborn AKA the Green Goblin from 2002’s Spider-Man, Alfred Molina’s Doctor Otto Octavius AKA Doc Ock from 2004’s Spider-Man 2, and Jamie Foxx’s Electro from 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
Directed by Jon Watts (who also directed 2017â€™sÂ Spider-Man HomecomingÂ and 2019â€™sÂ Spider-Man Far From Home),Â Spider-Man No Way Home is slated to premiere on 17 December 2021.
Check out the trailer below:


Granblue Fantasy Versus Gets Rising Update; Includes Crossplay & Rollback Netcode For 2023

Cygames has announced that it’s going to continue supporting its 2D fighting game spin-off of its fantasy gacha franchise, Granblue Fantasy Versus, via a brand-new overhaul and update.
This new version of the game, called Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising. This major update not only contains all the content and fighters from the previous version, but will add in new gameplay mechanics (like Ultimate Skills that slows down opponents briefly for combo opportunities), new characters, new stages, and even a new single-player story campaign. This new version will also add in rollback netcode and crossplay between the PC, PS4, and PS5 versions.

Not only that, but GBVS Rising will add in a Fall Guys-style last-man-standing mode called Grand Bruise, where you control the chibi versions of the characters (the ones in the game lobby for online play) and duke it out in a bunch of minigames. These range from collecting as many items as possible to even a football minigame.

Check out the trailer below:


Etrian Odyssey Origins HD Remaster Collection Announced For Nintendo Switch & PC

The recent Nintendo Direct showcased a long-awaited RPG collection: The Etrian Odyssey trio of games on the Nintendo DS back in 2007 onward.
For the first time, players will get to play this first-person RPG and cartographic-savvy title on the easiest setting possible. In case you didn’t hear, the Etrian Odyssey series back in the Nintendo DS days got its reputation for being bats**** hard and unforgiving. Oh and also sports an awesome Yuzo Koshiro soundtrack that sounds like a revved-up Actraiser OST.
The collection features the first three games in HD form, and will be for Nintendo Switch and PC on 1st June. Trailer and key features below:
Key Features

An all-in-one bundle of Etrian Odyssey HD, Etrian Odyssey II HD, and Etrian Odyssey III HD.
Touch screen mapping functionality for the Nintendo Switch: Plot your progress through the labyrinth, drawing walls and placing icons to note special events and items.
Full mouse support and functionality to map drawing, menus, and dungeon exploration.
Newly remastered graphics, remastered soundtrack and quality of life improvements including difficulty selection and save slots.
Easy access to the monster compendium, quest log and skill tree.
Maximize your adventuring by optimizing your party, choose the characters that work for your playstyle or the best team for the job.


Jordan Peele’s ‘Us’ Is Thrilling, Scary, & Full Of Subversive Metaphors

Trust Jordan Peele, the man who wowed horror buffs with the masterclass film Get Out, to add in his own two cents about America’s political climate in a simple “home invasion via boogeymen” horror movie focused on middle-class folks. The victims are husband Gabe (Winston “Man Ape” Duke), wife Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyong’o), and two kids (Evan Alex, Shahadi Wright Joseph). The antagonists? The Tethered, doppelgangers of said victims wearing red and brandishing scissors, played by their respective actors.
The big question is whether the social exploration is needed in a simple tale? To be frank, it does make the whole film a bit more unique though a little less nuanced than Get Out, still his superior horror film from the budding director. Still, don’t count Us out: it’s still a slickly-directed and striking film and will make you unnerved and leery about scissors and shadows. And rabbits.
Down, Down Underground

The story begins in a 1986 flashback featuring an ad about Hands Across America and a girl who comes across a creepy apparition in a Santa Cruz beach carnival that looks like her. Fast forward to the present, the girl’s all grown-up now and has a family, taking time off to their beach house.
The home invasion bit starts a little later, but it’s great that we get to see the family all fleshed-out in the daytime beach scenes from Adelaide being the stoic and emotional mom while also being uncomfortable in a place that brings her bad memories, to the laid-back tryhard jokester of a patriarch that is Gabe. Lupita’s Adelaide really shows off a lot of her face and body acting in the show’s pivotal parts.
And the more said about the usually-quiet-but-forward-thinking Evan Alex as the young weirdo, the better. Kid’s got a bright future ahead if he keeps up with these roles. His counterpart is as feral as he is playful. Heck, their red-clad doubles in the film act as actual bogeymen, with nothing more than grunts and their eerie and imposing figures to scare and shock us. Only Adelaide’s double speaks, and in a raspy creepy deathbed voice too.
The actors not only play their regular roles just like a family that eventually sticks together through times of need, their other roles as creepy mirror images with prophetic and off-kilter names like Abraham, Pluto, and Red steal the spotlight. After all, the worst kind of enemy to fight is yourself; this film hammer that point home to a tee.
More Than This

The film also hammers its message onto its audience with some form of subtlety; where we should not take the simplest things and easiest of conveniences for granted lest someone takes it away from us. The themes of class and privilege are mentioned and alluded in bits and pieces of the dialogue, from Gabe’s attempt at one-upping his white friend’s middle-class status to the dopplegangers’ reasoning for invading the main family’s house.
As soon as they revealed themselves to be “Americans” in the first third, the message and tones then take a crazy turn close to the end of the show. I’ll admit, I did not see the film’s expansion from its home invasion angle coming. I liked it a lot more for taking that unusual route, but its other revelations brought it back to classic horror tropes. In the grand scheme of things, it makes the entire film stand out though most viewers may need to rewatch some parts of the second half and open up discussions about what transpired post-credits.
Dark City
Is this film better than Get Out? Nope, it isn’t. Get Out‘s story is more direct yet filled with subversions to many, many horror and thriller tropes. Us’ second half goes off the rails for good and ill, but at least it doesn’t flop the landing with its main horror plot of its family trying to deal with their literal savage selves.
Do give Us a watch or two; you may appreciate its nuances and subversions a lot more depending on how high-brow you want your scarefests to be. At the very least, Jordan Peele should keep challenging himself to do more of these fares while perfecting that balance of being crafty with filmmaking and being smart with his political views.
FINAL SCORE: 80/100


Mega Man 11 Is A Triumphant Return To Blue Bomber Form

In hindsight, perhaps my US$300+ could have been well-spent on funding development for Mega Man 11 than Keiji Inafune’s post-Mega Man pretender.
After eons has passed, Capcom has seen to it that its Blue Bomber brand gets the respect, and proper 2D game, it deserves. And how did it fare? Pretty darn well, actually! Mega Man 11 -yes, part 11; there are a ton of these games– is now rockin’ a new look with the same hardcore 2D action platforming hijinxes coupled with a new mechanic to set it apart from its ilk. And it works because Capcom sort of went back to basics and remembered what made a great Mega Man experience.

Blue Streak
Letâ€™s get the story out of the way: while itâ€™s not important, it at least sets context to the Dr. Light/Dr. Wily rivalry that has been going on since the first Mega Man game. Itâ€™s at least nice to know that there are some story nuances in the whole â€œgood robots vs evil robotsâ€ conflict that was the heart of the series, especially since Capcom is most likely going to make more sequels of this Mega-resurrection.
The same run-and-gun shooting and platforming return, and it comes with really solid controls which is basically what is required from such neo-retro fares. You run, you jump, you shoot, you slide, and you summon your robot dog Rush to reach places up high. The same goofy humour and kid-friendly approach to the gameâ€™s narrative are still prevalent, like as if it hasnâ€™t aged one bit.
And as usual, the themed stages occupied by the eight new Robot Masters and the final few stages are tough as heck if your 2D run-and-gun skills arenâ€™t up to snuff.

Prepare yourself for deathtraps such as Bounce Manâ€™s balloon-filled walls and platforms, and Blast Manâ€™s action movie setting and laser trip explosive setpieces.

For the record, Michael Bay would employ Blast Man in a heartbeat.
Fortunately, Capcom has taken a number of new-age design sensibilities to make the experience less punishing than it should be. Case in point: the Double Gear system. At any point in time, Mega Man can either turn on the Power or Speed Gear to deal double damage or slow down time around him respectively. The catch is that they use up a single Gear meter; if that’s filled up, the abilities will be on cooldown.
If you are near death, you can activate Double Gear mode which slows down time AND makes you powerful but will weaken your regular shots temporarily once the meter is full. Oh and you cannot cancel from it, which means your meter will fill up and eventually short-circuit your powers temporarily. It’s a last-ditch effort basically.

With the Double Gear system, you have the option of at least making the game slightly easier on your side. This leads to players experimenting and even accessing secret spots that require you to use them. All of the Robot Masterâ€™s weapons can be bolstered with the Power Gear; Tundra Manâ€™s column-sized blizzard can expand to clear the screen if you turn on that particular Gear. So far, each Robot Master’s weapon is practical in most situations, be it Acid Man’s shield-and-acid-fireball combo or Block Man’s raining blocks of doom.
The Double Gears system also can help speedrunners hone their Mega-craft when theyâ€™re streaming or trying to complete Mega Man 11 in the fastest time possible. Trust me; youâ€™ll be using the Speed Gear a lot at Torch Man and Tundra Manâ€™s stage a lot. The former has a one-hit kill flame barrier that goes left to right while the latter while the latter has slippery floors.
Speaking of extra help, you can also cash in your collection of bolts to buy permanent powerups that you can turn on and off like an Auto Charge option or the ability to slip less on slippery terrain. And if the game is still insanely tough for you. You can choose the casual and newcomer mode to make your Mega Man platforming a breeze, either with more lives or even infinite lives.

That’s Mega Man 11’s strength: taking the best bits from newer Mega Man titles while adding in a new gimmick that is anything but a one-hit wonder. As well as making it accessible for everyone without forsaking the hardcore fans.

While the following opinion may cause a ruckus, I actually dig the new 3D cel-shaded look. Granted, itâ€™s not as timeless as Mega Man 8â€™s tour de force animation and not as stark as the NES-styled Mega Man 9 and 10, but it looks great in motion and doesnâ€™t detract from the main Mega Busting action.
Didn’t Stick The Landing
My only gripes are concerning the latter half of the game and the game’s music. The Wily Stages â€“because Capcom loves tradition- usually require you to use them to the fullest, with pitfalls and past stage gimmicks making a comeback to make sure you conserve your energy. Unfortunately, the Wily Stages in this iteration arenâ€™t as fun as they were.

They just feel like retreads and mashups of past Robot Master stages without any sort of dread or finality from these climactic sections. Compare Mega Man 11â€™s Wily Stages with the Cossack/Wily mashup from Mega Man 4 or even the Mega Man 9 and Mega Man 10 surprises. Hell, I even welcome the auto-scrolling bits from Mega Man 8; theyâ€™re infuriating but at least they leave a lasting impression. I canâ€™t say the same for these Wily stages.
OST-wise, this is perhaps the weakest entry. I cannot for the life of me figure out a theme which stuck out to me. This has nothing to do with my biasness for chiptunes ala Mega Man 9 and 10; I can at least say with confidence that Mega Man 8’s full CD audio OST work has standout tracks. In Mega Man 11, I’m having trouble figuring out the hook and jingle in Block Man and Blast Man’s stage.
Blue-balled?Â

While itâ€™s not a perfect return to form like Mega Man 9, Mega Man 11 is still worthy of the licenseâ€™s legacy and is a respectful entry. You know, unlike the other pretender from ComCept which I will not mention.

With challenging gameplay, a lovely Double Gear system that’s required to even finish the game, and fun bosses and stages to fight in, you can’t do no wrong in putting this gem alongside your 2D platform gaming collection.
Pros
-Great level design & challenge
-Robot Masters & stages are charming
-Double Gear system is fresh, fun, & necessary
-Accessible for newbies
Cons
-Wily Stages are not as fun
-Weak soundtrack
FINAL RATING: 80/100


For Honor’s Season Four, Order & Havoc Available Now

The fourth season of Ubisoft’s For Honor, Order & Havoc launches today with a host of new offeringsÂ including the brand-new 4v4 Tribute mode, two news heroes, two extra maps, new customization items for all heroes as well as ranked 4v4 Dominion play, set to drop later in the season.
And get this – Tribute mode and the new maps will be free for all players at the start of Season Four. The new heroes â€“ the lethal Aramusha and the savage Shaman â€“ will be immediately playable for season pass holders starting today and for all players from November 21 for 15,000 Steel each.
Here’s a quick description for all the new additions:

New Team Based ModesÂ â€“ Tribute mode introduces a new objective-based mode to For Honor. Players will fight for control of three distinct Offerings placed throughout the map. Finding and securing those Offerings at their teamsâ€™ designated Shrine awards unique team wide buffs, forcing players to make strategic choices on where to place their Offerings. In addition to Tribute, For Honor competitive play will continue to grow with the introduction of Ranked Dominion mode later on within the season. Players will be able to team up with friends to compete in online Dominion matches for a chance to win in-game rewards.

New HeroesÂ â€“ Rounding out the Samurai and Viking factions, the Aramusha (Samurai Hybrid) and Shaman (Viking Assassin) join the fray. The Aramusha capitalize on the mistakes of their opponents and punish them with a never ending flow of fast attacks in every direction. The Shaman areÂ fierce and aggressive warriors who are strongest when on the offensive. Pouncing on their opponents like wild beasts, they become more deadly as their opponents bleed out onto the battlefield.

New Maps: Market Town and The Gauntlet join the selection of multiplayer maps. A Samurai village, Market Town is a densely populated maze of twisting alleys. The stilt houses sit above the water, and necessitate a push skyward, creating multi-tiered neighborhoods at varying elevations. Players can navigate the vertical maps through a system of zip lines throughout the map. The Gauntlet represents the Viking Capital, an imposing fortress perched high on a hill, protected by a defensive gauntlet. Few have made their way into the Viking citadel, none have made it back out.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oaKGyaeePw&w=560&h=315]
Released earlier this year, players pick a side in a three-way bloodbath involving Crusader Knights, Samurais and Vikings on intense and believable melee battlefields while utilizingÂ The Art of Battle – the game’s combat system – which allows full control of each player’s character. For Honor is available on PC, PS4 and the Xbox One.


Code Vein Is Relishing In Its Anime Dark Souls Coat Just Fine

To say that Bandai Namco’s upcoming RPG Code Vein is a Dark Souls knockoff but anime and sci-fi is disingenuous, but not entirely inaccurate.Â The controls, the motions, the level design filled with possible one-hit pitfalls and traps. Even down to the core one-on-one duelling focus against enemies, it’s emulating the From Software series tooth and nail.
That’s not a knock against the game’s merit at the slightest at all; a few games can copy the RPG formula and truly succeed on its own merit. Code Vein is looking to be one of those that can get away with its mimicry.
Blood Clot

One of the reasons why it can do so, apart from its uniquely colourful post-apocalyptic sci-fi trappings, is because of how you can change your class anytime in a stage. In Code Vein, you get to choose between three initial classes to start off with -called Blood Codes here- that focus on brute strength, fast attacks, and ranged attacks respectively. But instead of picking one and sticking with it in the rest of the possibly 30-hour adventure, you get to switch back and forth between it whenever you want.
Plus, you’ll get even more Blood Codes to choose from as time goes by. After defeating the first boss, you get his Berserker Blood Code that lets you take in a bit more damage, deal a lot more slow-but-hard-hitting moves, and gain appropriate tanking and armour-property moves.
The Thoth Blood Code lets you carry more melee attacks and grant you a bit more spells to use at the cost of your speed. Yeah, so spells here use a resource called Ichor; it’s basically mana points you can only gain back either through items or through finishing moves you pull off with the O button.
Your Blood Veil armour determines what kind of drain moves you can pull off, as well as the parry/counter types you have available. You may get either a twin dragon gauntlet counter or a scorpion tail counter, each with different parry properties and startups. Either way, pulling off a sweet counter means you can instant-kill most regular baddies, even the bigger ones.
Cells At Work

Waltzing around the tutorial level multiple times means I can start experimenting with the aforementioned Blood Codes and Veils after going through the stage and its first real boss once. I found a comfortable pair of Codes to switch between -Ranger and Berserker- while also figuring out attack patterns of enemies. The fact that you can have another player join in your party means the game gets manageably decent challenge-wise.
During my jaunt in one of the level 40 dungeons, my random online Caster Blood Code-wearing pal helped deal the usual DPSes at the enemies I’m kiting and luring with my Berserker, while I alternate between blocking and blind luck parrying. Needless to say, did manage to power through most of the level.
True to Dark Souls, there were some larger enemies I could stand underneath or get close to them -like “uncomfortably just below their torso and throw away rules of personal space” close- that I avoided all their giant swings and power attacks while being able to slash them repeatedly. I really hope that the full game doesn’t have too many moments like these, which can defeat the purpose of a challenging RPG that punishes habits and lax reflexes.
The more I play this version of Code Vein, the more its “Dark Souls sci-fi anime” label starts to become more apparent. Nonclemature titles made up to confuse the heck out of you initially, the flexible controls, the colour palette that emphasizes more on the stark and stylish than the grim, and the special Ichor moves lifted out of a shonen diatribe; Code Vein wears its speedline-influenced sleeves loud and proud.
Code Vein is slated to be out 2019; we’ll have to wait if Bandai Namco will stamp on a release date during E3 week. Yeah, we’re covering that awesome event too; do visit our archives.


Get Your Stylistic Action RPGing On With Curse Of The Dead Gods

Need another action RPG fix after Wolcen? Then why not check out this Steam Early Access game called Curse of the Dead Gods?
The one thing that stands out from this isometric action RPG is its striking visuals. Look at it; it features both colour and a ton of pitch-black shadows in the right places. While the game itself doesn’t look that innovative, I do appreciate how it moves and how those attacks land with a lot of “oomph”.

Curse of the Dead Gods is filled with randomized dungeons you have to crawl to for loot and glory. As you traverse deeper, you’ll get more abilities and powerups in return of some sacrifice on your part, like perhaps your health or your stats. Yeah, we’re dealing with curses here that debilitate you the longer you’re alive.
This early version of the game features the “Jaguar section”, which is the first of three sections of the dungeon planned for Early Access. Here’s what developers Passtech Games have to say.

“Throughout Early Access we plan to do large monthly updates, alongside smaller patches roughly weekly. Some of these may be unstable, and will use a special branch so that the core game is never in a messy state. Major changes can and will happen based on your feedback, and weâ€™re excited to get started.”

Curse of the Dead Gods is available for US$15 right now. Get more info here on the game’s official website, or check out the game’s screenshots and lush visuals below.


Who Will Win Capcom Cup 2019? Our Top 10 Contenders

Itâ€™s that time of year again. After what has been arguably the most competitive season of the Capcom Pro Tour so far, the top 32 Street Fighter V players in the world will be gathering for the Capcom Cup 2019 finals – the culmination of the international esports fighting game circuit that is the Capcom Pro Tour.
Given that you have to be one of the strongest and most consistent players in the international Street Fighter scene in order to qualify for the Capcom Cup finals in the first place, pretty much every one of the 32 players in the bracket has a chance to win it all. Having said that, there are several players that we will be paying special attention to.
Last year’s winner: Gachikun.
All 32 players here are excellent competitors, but even among them, you have a select few top contenders – the ones who have been truly dominant in major tournaments throughout the year.
Then you have the dark horse picks – players who most people wouldnâ€™t choose as their favourite to win, but actually, have a very high chance of showing up and beating everyone else.
Here are our top 5 contenders and top 5 dark horse picks for the Capcom Cup 2019 finals. Let’s go!