Loki Costume Designer Discusses Sylvie’s Hidden Zippers

Loki is the latest Marvel Studios TV series in the long-running franchise and itâ€™s currently ongoing with five episodes so far available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. For previous breakdowns of Loki episodes, check out Episode 1 here, Episode 2 here, Episode 3 here, Episode 4 here and Episode 5 here.
If you want a non-spoiler guide to Loki, you can head on over here.
Courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia, we were lucky enough to be the only Malaysian media to participate in a roundtable interview with Loki Costume Designer Christine Wada and Loki Production Designer Kasra Farahani.
This interview with Loki Costume Designer Christine Wada has been edited for clarity.
Keep in mind that we’ll be discussing some elements from all five episodes of Loki so far, so there will be spoilers below:

Q: Sophia Di Martino recently revealed that she had hidden zippers as part of her costume. Was that already part of the final design or were they added later on?
I added that right after my first fitting with her. She was a new mom and two weeks after her baby was born, we had her fitting so we quickly pivoted on the design a little bit to accommodate her comfortability and her needs. We worked on that but we didn’t start with that. We didn’t start there but as soon as I met with her, I decided to pursue that approach immediately, so she could continue to be a successful mom.
Q: Did you work with Tom Hiddleston (Loki) and Sophia Di Martino (Sylvie) with the design of the costumes?
Let’s start with Tom. His breadth of knowledge on the Loki character is incredible and it’s a designer’s dream come true because there’s so much story and backstory to work from that all your design choices can be directed and very grounded in the characters. Even though he might not have been the one sketching the designs or making them, just that knowledge alone speaks to the collaborative process of what the final costume ended up being.
You could pretty much give Tom a white t-shirt and he is going to know how to make that a Loki white t-shirt. I quickly recognised that in him and it helped us to really keep the costume very grounded and very middle-management and real and yet he adds so much style to all that.
And for Sophia, that was an incredible journey because it’s creating a whole new character. The whole design intention there is to have her feel like bringing that Mad Max element that she’s been through battle and that she has a bone to pick. She looks like she can really defend herself. It’s a huge motivation for Sophia to represent a strong female character in a new way. Not just through being a sexy armour, but through an actual performance and backstory. Seeing a broken horn on her is a lot tougher than seeing big earrings.
Q: What was the inspiration for the costumes in different timelines in Loki?
For Loki, his inspiration within the TVA was inspired by a mid-century middle-management world where the choice of brown and all those neutral tones were to present this almost-like police station culture and to create this ranking. His design worked towards bringing out the vulnerability in his character to take him out of all the sci-fi costumes. All the armour you’ve seen him in before and then plunk him into this uniform was a great way to make for a vulnerable character. You got to watch him progress and it was very much guided towards it; film noir, Mad Men, sort of launching point.
For Sylvie, hers was definitely inspired by a more Mad Max found armoured and battle-worn vibe. That was her launching point, and to give some sort of nod to the Loki colour palette; the gold and the green. Little cues.
Q: What are your favourite costumes in Loki, and why?
I really have to say that white shirt getting battle-worn like he’s gone through the wringer is my favourite thing. It’s so simple but it helps tell the inner story that’s going on with his character and I really love that. Even though it wasn’t simple to arrive there, it was a very simple way to relate to Loki’s journey and to help tell that story.

I also had a lot of fun doing the bandit suits (in Loki Episode 5). It was fun for me to research and it was fun for me to draw and it was fun for me to execute. It has the right amount of humour to it and it still kind of played into the Mad Max feel. They were the most fun.
Q: How much were you influenced by the comics or how much freedom did you have when working on the costumes for the many Loki variants?
There are several of those characters, including Classic Loki and Kid Loki, who are definitely rooted in their comics and it’s very important to stick to that, I think. Again, especially with Classic Loki. It was a real joy to make him like the old-time 1950s comics and you know, just very classic.
The rest of them, we really got to run free and that’s where it’s really nice to have this established library of Loki knowledge and the Marvel comics.
There are things you can kind of take cues from because there’s the wolf imagery and there are so many different parts of Loki that could be reimagined. We were able to create some new fun characters in that Loki Episode 5. It was a mishmash of classic and very true to the comics and some new flourishes.

Q: Are there any other Marvel characters you would like to work on if given the chance?
I would really like to work on any of the other female Marvel characters. I’m interested in continuing with the female characters of Marvel.
Q: How does designing these costumes empower female characters?
I think that they empower me because they offer so many opportunities for new perspectives on female power. Whether that is not just through sexuality or appearance but also through a different place to find strength. Whether that is to actually give female characters a real backstory, it’s extra important for me to make the choices in these characters feel purposeful and come from a real place of reason instead of arbitrary, which I feel has happened to many female characters in the past.
It’s just that choices are driven by stereotypes. I mean, I think it’s funny. There was something I did years ago that involved an office setting and there were both men and women in the office. They wanted the women to in a sweater. Why do the women have to be the only ones wrapped up in comfort blankets? In all reality, it would probably be the opposite. So, I like the idea that we can start to find these design choices that come from a place of reality and really give our female characters a real story and a real reason for their choices. Not just these stereotypes, and because we all have these stories in us, and they all contribute to what we wear, how we choose to portray ourselves.
I love that we have the choice to do that now.


13 Sentinels Is This Generation’s Best Sci-Fi Work That’s Attached To A Game

Platform: PS4
Genre: Adventure game/visual novel/real-time strategy/all the animes
When you think sci-fi epics, you think of the names Frank Herbert, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Robert A. Heinlein, Orson Scott Card, and a few others. There are a good number of talented authors who set the standard and template of the genre, that there is truly no wrong answer. Unless you go to an online forum or want to start a fight on Reddit.
As it stands, you can now add George Kamitani to that prestigious list. I can safely say that his latest writing and game directing work, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, is truly a pinnacle work of science fiction that is of Iliad status.
Standing Tall

The beauty of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, a PS4 exclusive title published by Atlus, is not just its outstanding visuals and dinstinctive art style. Neither is it just its lovingly-composed Basiscape orchestra-slash-electronica hybrid soundtrack. Though with these elements alone, 13 Sentinels is gorgeous in motion and in static form. What sets this game apart is that it unabashedly cherishes its linearity and visual novel adventure game format. It wears it loud and proud, yet at the same time reveals its innermost secrets and plot twists in a methodical structure. And from that method of game-creating, George Kamitani and the Vanillaware team has crafted what essentially is the equivalent of the Foundation, Hyperion, and the Ender series, but in a digestible video game form.
How does 13 Sentinels play? Well, you start off with a cutscene that sets the stage, then play through the scenario of one of its 13 protagonists (kaiju otaku Juro Kurabe in this case), and then get a sample of the real-time strategy section which we’ll hit on later. The story starts off simple: set in the 1980s, it’s humanity’s last stand and a bunch of teenagers, from a bespectacled waifu archetype to a tough guy with a heart of gold archetype, are tasked with piloting mechas called Sentinels to defend their home from giant mechanical beasts called kaijus. It’s when the narrative starts unfolding itself bit by bit, via the extensive prologue and the perspectives of the 13 heroes, that makes 13 Sentinels stand apart from the rest.
True, you will find a lot of anime, sci-fi, and anime sci-fi tropes and inspirations from the aforementioned sci-fi authors and other older shows. Raven-haired bespectacled girls, lovesick supporting characters, budding romances between a prettyboy and a tough girl, amnesiac heroes; you know the drill. However, all of that is blended, told, and presented in the best way possible. When you play through 13 Sentinels, the game is told in media res, and it’s up to you to unlock every story and plot point and then watch it in the correct order to piece it all out. Every revelation and story swerve in 13 Sentinels will keep you invested and excited as you turn the proverbial page to find out more and how it all led to the aforementioned last stand.
You’ll be questioning everything that’s going on within the game and its 13 main characters. Why is a cat telling said bespectacled girl to shoot random folks? What’s up with Juro and his buddy Shiba? Why is Iori Fuyusaka always sleepy? All this and more gets revealed to uncover the overarching epic sci-fi plot.
The game’s flowchart system and archiving make it easy for you to backtrack and rewatch key scenes to make sense of its complex narrative. During each visual novel adventure scenario, you have to unlock keywords and activate dialogue options, sometimes in timed sequences where you can die if you don’t act quick. This, along with the gaming bits, will take you about 30+ hours, and it’s well-spent. I won’t spoil anything about 13 Sentinels at all; apart from the fight you see in the first 10 minutes, everything will make sense in the end.
Mech My Day
So where does the challenge and gameplay of 13 Sentinels come in? Enter the real-time strategy portion where you control six of the 13 sentinels in a tower defense setting. You have to protect your Aegis tower from invading kaijus who come in all shapes and sizes. Fights are done in real-time, but when it comes to your sentinel’s turn, time stops and you can take your sweet time either selecting your many attacks, repairing, or defending to charge up spent EP points. You need EP to pull off your more powerful Sentinel attacks like an armour-piercing mecha Jojo reference punch barrage, or a rail gun blast, or a Macross-style game-changing missile salvo. Your Sentinels also come in classes, ranging from melee Generation 1 mechas to support-savvy Generation 4 bots.
All the fights aren’t presented in Vanillaware’s illustration, however. They’re all pulled off using Wargames-like wireframes.

You still get each character’s portrait popping up during dialogue bits, but all fights will look like an elaborate isometric version of Robotron and Geometry Wars. Granted, it looks nice, but it does come with slowdown when the screen gets overloaded with kaijus and you are sometimes left with that feeling that Vanillaware could have done some sort of Advance Wars-style combat transition to showcase the impact of each hit and attack better. Still, it looks decent.
Pity it isn’t that challenging, because the objectives are largely similar, and you can get away with the same defensive tactics. Like overequipping your Gen 4 with armour-piercing interceptors, or just having your Gen 1 Sentinels go up close and punch the big kaijus to death. If they’re in the air, any one of your Sentinels can use their many anti-air options to ground them permanently. Or setting up turrets with your Gen 2 Sentinels. And you can call in special Aegis Tower powers that affect either all your enemies or buff up all your squad. While limited, these can turn the already-in-your-favour tide of battle into a walk in a park. True, you can up the challenge with Intense difficulty, but that just means you’ll take longer just to be careful and position yourself better. The same turret strategy still works.
That doesn’t get in the way of the 13 Sentinels interactive fiction experience, because its maudlin RTS gameplay isn’t the highlight. Rather, it’s the epic sci-fi story that will make Vanillaware’s latest the talk of the town, be it in JP dub or English dub (which is done very well). It might be a tad expensive for what amounts to be a high production value visual novel, but its breadth, its gameplay, its structure, and its payoff is definitely worth it. Throw your prejudices out the window; you haven’t experienced a story of this magnitude and quality not just in a video game, but in the sci-fi genre as a whole.

13 Sentinels, and Vanillaware as a whole, are video game cultural treasures, no buts and ifs about it.

Pros

Gorgeous artwork and lovely music.
Epic sci-fi storyline.
Lovely characters with different perspectives.
Mostly fun real-time strategy combat with some degree of customization.

Cons

Arguably pricey for what you’re getting.
Strategy portions could be visually interesting…
…and actually challenging; main RTS missions are a cakewalk.

Final Score: 80/100


Elio Is Pixar’s Next Movie & It’s A Cosmic Space Adventure

Pixar has unveiled the first teaser trailer for their upcoming 28th movie, Elio.
Jameela Jamil and Brad Garrett join previously-announced America Ferrera and Yonas Kibreab in the intergalactic misadventure.
The original feature film introduces Elio, an underdog with an active imagination who finds himself inadvertently beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide. Mistakenly identified as Earth’s ambassador to the rest of the universe, and completely unprepared for that kind of pressure, Elio must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, survive a series of formidable trials and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be.
Directed by Adrian Molina (screenwriter and co-director of “Coco”) and produced by Mary Alice Drumm (associate producer of “Coco”), the film features the voices of America Ferrera as Elio’s mom, Olga; Jameela Jamil as Ambassador Questa; Brad Garrett as Ambassador Grigon; and Yonas Kibreab as the title character.
Elio premieres on 1 March 2024.
Check out the trailer below:


WWE 2K20 Socials ‘Taken Over’ By AEW In Apparent Hack

Yes, you read the title right.
At this time of writing, the WWE2K20’s Facebook page is currently being “taken over” by its rival promotion, All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Taking the rivalry into the digital world by taking shots atthe bug-ridden game, AEW – or apparently one of its staunch fans – have given the newly launched promotion a leg up over their more established rivals.
The page in question is WWE Games and has this as its most recent post:

A hacker (or user) by the name of NuBLoM claims to have taken over the said page and not only changed the profile pic to show AEW’s logo but also, in poor judgment, changed the banner page to depict the deceased Chris Benoit who infamously committed suicide after murdering his wife and son.
As a result of this, WWE removed nearly all mentions of Benoit from their website from future broadcasts and all publications. So that particular use of Benoit’s photo is, in our opinion, of poor taste.

Whether it’s all scripted (this IS pro wrestling we talking about here) or AEW upping the ante, it’s all fun and games for us viewers – until Chris Benoit was brought into the picture.
Thanks for the tip-off, Blacktrix.


Valorant Champions Tour Game Changers Southeast Asia: Full Schedule

Get ready, VCT Game Changers is back for a second year! Held in collaboration with FSL, SEA’s premier women gaming circuit, VCT Game Changers is a competitive series that aims to create new opportunities and exposure for women and other marginalized genders within theÂ  VALORANT esports ecosystem.Â Â
The Game Changers APAC 2022 Series will supplement the ongoing VCT competitive season by providing a pro player circuit that reflects the diversity and global nature of the VALORANT community and player talent seen in the region.Â
TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW

This yearâ€™s series consists of 4 stages with a total prize pool of USD60,000 up for grabs throughout the year. This yearâ€™s stages are as follows:Â
VCT Game Changers APAC Open 1 – 4: A maximum of 64 teams will compete in a series of double elimination rounds across 4 Open tournaments to win points. The top 3 teams on the leaderboard will qualify for the APAC Elite stage. Teams stand to win USD5,000 at each stage of the Open tournaments.Â
VCT Game Changers APAC Open Overtime: 8 teams ranked 4th to 11th in the previousÂ  APAC Open stage have another chance to qualify for the APAC Elite tournament. Matches will be played in a double-elimination format and the top 3 teams will qualify for the APAC Elite stage.Â
VCT Game Changers APAC Last Chance: This is the final opportunity for teams who have not qualified for the APAC Elite tournament to fight for one of 2 final qualification slots. A maximum of 64 teams will fight through a series of double elimination brackets. Successful teams also stand to win a USD5,000 prize.Â Â
VCT Game Changers APAC Elite: This is the grand final stage in the APAC 2022 series. The final 8 qualifying teams will compete over two weekends for a chance to be crowned the champion in APAC. They will also be fighting for a part of the final USD35,000 prize pool and aÂ  chance to be invited to participate in Riot Gamesâ€™ global Game Changers tournament later in the year. More details about this global tournament will be released closer to the date.Â

TOURNAMENT DATES
VCT Game Changers APAC Open 1 -Â

 Registration: February 7 – 20Â
 Groups: February 26 – 27Â Â
 Playoffs: March 3 – 6Â

VCT Game Changers APAC Open 2 -Â

 Registration: March 18 – 29Â
 Groups: April 2 – 3Â Â
 Playoffs: April 7 – 10Â

VCT Game Changers APAC Open 3 -Â

 Registration: April 15 – 26Â
 Groups: April 30 – May 1Â Â
 Playoffs: May 5 – 8Â

VCT Game Changers APAC Open 4 -Â

 Registration: May 13 – 24Â
 Groups: May 28 – 29Â Â
 Playoffs: June 2 – 5Â

VCT Game Changers APAC Open Overtime -Â

 June 29 – 3 JulyÂ

VCT Game Changers APAC Last Chance -Â

 Registration: July 25 – August 9Â
 August 16 – 20Â

VCT Game Changers APAC Elite -Â

 October 1 – 2 & 8 – 9Â Â

REGISTRATION
Individuals and teams from the APAC region (excluding Korea, China, Japan) are eligible to register for this yearâ€™s series.Â Â
For more information on participant eligibility requirements, please visit the FSL Game Changers rules and guidelines.Â
Registration links will be made available soon on the official VALORANT website.Â
WHERE CAN I FOLLOW THE ACTION ON VCT GAME CHANGERS APAC 2022?
Playoff matches will be broadcast live in English, Bahasa Indonesia and Thai! Keep up with allÂ  the action on FSLâ€™s channels:Â Â

 English: FSL Twitch, FSL Facebook
 Bahasa Indonesia: FSL YouTube
 Thai: FSL_th Twitch

For the latest updates on VCT Game Changers APAC, follow FSL on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For more information, you can always contact FSL directly via their Discord channel.


TGS 2018: Here’s The Breakdown Of the Grandia & Grandia II Remaster

Grandia series fans, this one’s for you. GameArts’ RPG opus -that isn’t the Lunar series- will be getting a remaster for the PC and Nintendo Switch. These games were fun because of their real-time-slash-turn-based approach to combat and its colourful-if-cliched storyline with a rotating cast.
According to a Game Informer report, we now have full details of the Grandia and Granda II remasters courtesy of Gungho Games. These include UI and sprites enhancement and the option to play it in its native Japanese audio with English subtitles.
This is good, considering the first Grandia had one of the worst English dubs in video game history.Â Grandia II? Not so much since it had Cam Clarke (TMNT), Jennifer Hale (Mass Effect), and Jodi Benson (Disney’s The Little Mermaid).
Another tidbit: the remasters are only out for North America and Europe, not for Japan.Â Here’s the full list:
Grandia

Enhanced details to UI, sprites, and texture art.Â 2x to 4x upscaling
Original cinematic videos receiving visual enhancements
Widescreen support and customizable resolutions for PC
Addition of MSAA, bloom, normal mapping, and blur effects
Steam cards and Achievements
Japanese Audio and Subtitles, English Audio and Subtitles
Language Support: English & Japanese
Digitally converted game manual
Utilizing PS1 & Sega Saturn source code
Gamepad and keyboard support with remappable controls

Grandia II

Digitally converted game manual
Utilizing Grandia II Anniversary Edition source code, which originally was based on the Sega Dreamcast source code
Fix PC video/audio desync and switch to XInput
Add support to exit to title
Japanese Subtitles added, for Switch version


Could We BE Anymore Excited About This LEGO Friends Central Perk Set?

LEGO’s immortalization of Friends for the 90s comedy show 25th anniversary will be out in full force this 1st September. Maybe.
True enough, the show’s iconic Central Perk coffee house (at 21319) and the main stars (Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Monica, Joey, Chandler) will be turned into a LEGO playset. The set includes the table, the stage where Phoebe performs (to the chagrin of most), spotlights since this is a TV show being aired back in the day, and the counter where side character Gunther works at.
Yes, they included Gunther in addition to the main cast; that’s pretty rad.

How much is the price of owning this piece of the 90s? Why it’ll cost you US$59.99, though the Malaysian/Singaporean local price may vary. You may want to keep watch at LEGO.com if you’re keen on this.
In the meantime, you can admire at how well they capture each character’s personality in LEGO form from Ross’ demeanour to Joey’s happy-go-lucky smirk.

Hell, they even have a LEGO poster of Joey’s Ichiban blue lipstick ad. That pretty much sealed the deal for me!


Kingdom Ashin Of The North Gets Chilling New Poster

Itâ€™s a bloodthirsty morning with the reveal of the second poster for Kingdom Ashin Of The North, a special episode from the Kingdom series. The 92-minute special episode will tell the story of Ashin and the resurrection plant that led to Joseonâ€™s great tragedy.
The new poster gives off an imminent sense of danger as we see Ashin on top of a roof ablaze in flames. Ashin draws her bow back in order to fend off the bloodthirsty zombies below her. Despite the threatening situation, Ashin appears calm and expressionless, adding to curiosity about the perilous circumstances.
Check out the new poster below:

Special episode Kingdom Ashin Of The North takes place in the north prior to the beginning of the plague which spreads from the southern region of Dongnae all the way to Hanyang, expanding upon the Kingdom universe. The special episode will include Head of the Royal Commandery Min Chi-rok who received a lot of love from the second season as well as new characters like Pajeowi tribe leader Aidagan and Seongjeoyain village head Tahab who is Ashinâ€™s father.
The 92-minute special episode will tell the origin story of the resurrection plant and serves as a present to those who have been eagerly waiting for a new story from the popular series. Kingdom Ashin Of The North will further serve as a strong foundation for the K-zombie craze.
Look forward to Ashinâ€™s story of revenge when Kingdom Ashin Of The North premieres on 23 July 2021 on Netflix.


Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto Said The Mario Movie’s Negative Reviews Helped It Grow

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a box office hit worldwide. It garnered over US$375 million worldwide in the first five days since its 6th April release date, and this is in spite of its middling reviews from critics.
According to Nintendo game director/producer/Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto, the poor reviews actually helped the film become successful. During an interview with Japanese press in lieu of the movie’s Japan debut this week (via Video Game Chronicle), he was surprised by just how successful the film has become, since the negative buzz somehow led to more people being curious about the animated film tailored for kids and made by a studio known for all-ages animation flicks.
“I did have a level of expectations that this movie would also do well. But I was very surprised that it went beyond what I could have imagined when it finally came out. You need some luck to achieve this level of success for a film. While many foreign critics have given the movie relatively low ratings, I think that also contributed to the movie’s notoriety and buzz.”
On the lighter side, Miyamoto has become a TV critic over the last decade since the topic of negative criticism popped up. He said to the press that he watches a lot of TV morning drama shows and critiquing them at Nintendo.
“At Nintendo, I have the joke title of ‘NHK Morning Drama Critic. I check morning dramas every day and provide various critiques. Sometimes I’ll praise them as being fantastic, and other times I’ll point out their shortcomings.”
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is out now in theatres everywhere. Check out our review here.


Marvel’s She-Hulk Delays Premiere Date But Not By Much

Marvel and Disney+ have delayed She-Hulk Attorney By Law from its original premiere date of 17 August 2022 to… one day later on 18 August 2022.
Sorry to scare you, folks, especially after Andor got delayed by almost a whole month. According to Variety, She-Hulk will change the established Disney+ formula by premiering on a Thursday instead of a Wednesday. Subsequent episodes after the premiere on 18 August 2022 will release every Thursday.
At the time of writing, it’s unclear why this decision was made by Disney+.
During San Diego Comic-Con 2022, Marvel Studios unveiled a new trailer for She-Hulk, and it confirmed that Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock AKA Daredevil will be appearing in the series. In fact, this will technically be the first time that he officially suits up in the MCU. Keen-eyed viewers would also notice that Daredevil will be sporting a comic-inspired yellow crime-busting costume. Check it out in the freeze-frame below.
The trailer also reveals that the premise of the series will be Tatiana Maslany’s Jennifer Walters AKA She-Hulk will not only have to train under Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner AKA the Hulk, but she will also have to represent Tim Roth’s Emil Blonsky AKA the Abomination as his lawyer. Along the way, she’ll meet other MCU characters as well, including Benedict Wong’s Wong.


Overwatch 2’s Brand New Hero Is Already Getting A Rework

If you’ve been playing Overwatch 2 lately, you might have noticed that the game’s newest hero, Lifeweaver, hasn’t exactly been a hit with players. Between his low healing output and a passive that can actually heal enemies, many people have been left feeling pretty underwhelmed.
One of the biggest issues with Lifeweaver has been his “clunky controls,” which have caused a lot of frustration for players. To address this problem, the Overwatch 2 team is planning to make some major changes to the way Lifeweaver handles, and they’ve just revealed exactly what those changes will be.
According to Game Director Aaron Keller, the new controls will be released in a patch next week, along with some other tweaks to the hero’s abilities. For example, Lifeweaver’s Thorn Valley weapon will now be tied to alt-fire, but switching between weapons will be slower to balance things out. Additionally, his Dash ability will be replaced with Petal Platform, which can be cancelled with the same button.

This will become the new default, with options to use the old style.
Details on coming balance changes for Lifeweaver will be posted later this week by our lead hero designer – @GW_Alec  (2/2)
— Aaron Keller (@aaronkellerOW) April 18, 2023

Perhaps the most interesting change, though, is that Lifeweaver’s Dash will be turned into a double jump, similar to Hanzo’s lunge ability. This will be the new default control scheme, but players will still have the option to use the old style if they prefer.
Lead Hero Designer Alec Dawson is still working on balance changes for Lifeweaver, so it’s not clear yet how these new controls will affect the hero’s overall performance. And as for when Lifeweaver will be available in ranked play, Blizzard hasn’t said whether they’ll be pushing back the release date or not.


Genshin Impact Eula Guild – The Best Build For The 5-Star Spindrift Knight

Genshin Impact’s Eula is now available in the game’s new gacha banner, meaning she’s up for grabs if you have Primogems to spare.
If you do: congratulations! Here’s a guide to maximizing her potential in your party.
Eula In A Nutshell

Eula has surprisingly fast attacks for a Claymore user and a pretty awesome buff-heavy number of Elemental skills. When she performs an Elemental Burst, she gains a temporary pet companion, the Lightfall Sword, that explodes in a burst of damage after 7 seconds.
During these 7 seconds, you need to deal as much damage as Eula as possible to give the sword additional stacks so that the subsequent explosion deals bigger damage. Just use Eula’s regular attacks on enemies and you should be fine.Â She also gains resistance against interruption whenever she triggers her Skill and Burst, which is pretty useful if you want to deal damage unimpeded. Just be mindful of her health since she still takes damage.
A typical Eula skill rotation goes like this.

Elemental Skill (press) â€“ She gets 1x Grimheart.
Elemental Burst â€“ Spawns the Lightfall Sword, resets the elemental skill cooldown, and grants 1x Grimheart stack.
Elemental Skill (press) â€“ She gets 1x Grimheart. However, since you already have two stacks, this wouldnâ€™t matter. This is mostly to hit more enemies for the Lightfall Swordâ€™s stacks.
Elemental Skill (hold) â€“ Consumes 2x Grimheart stacks and debuffs enemies.

This rotation is more useful once Eula is past level 70. To make the most of Eula’s moves, pair her up with Pyro and Hydro characters to get the Melt and Freeze triggers, which can help in getting enemies close to Eula’s giant-ass sword swipes.

Talent Breakdown
Normal Attack: Favonius Bladework – Her attacks are faster than most claymore users, giving her a slight edge.
Elemental Skill: Icetide Vortex – She deals Cryo damage and gains a stack of Grimheart. Grimheart boosts her defense and resistance to interruption. Can be stacked two times. Charging the Elemental Skill makes Eula deal AoE Cryo damage in front of her. The charged skill will consume Grimheart stacks; doing so will boost the charged attack’s Cryo damage and lowers enemy Cryo and Physical resistances if they’re hit.
Elemental Burst: Glacial Illumination – Deals AoE Cryo damage and summons a Lightfall Sword. Dealing damage with regular and special attacks will give the Lightfall Sword stacking charges.Â After 7 seconds, the Lightfall Sword explodes and deal big damage depending on the charges it receives.
You may want to focus all your talent-leveling materials on her Elemental Burst over everything else, since it’s her strongest move in her kit.
Constellations, In Case You Lucked Out Getting Multiple Eula Copies

C1: Tidal Illusion – Each time the Icetide Vortexâ€™s Grimheart stacks are consumed, Eulaâ€™s Physical damage is increased by 30% for six seconds. Each stack consumed adds to the duration of this effect by six seconds up to a maximum of 18 seconds.
C2: Lady of Seafoam – Decreases the 10-second cooldown of Icetide Vortexâ€™s holding/charged skill. Itâ€™ll simply have the quick pressâ€™ cooldown of four seconds.
C3: Lawrence Pedigree – +3 levels for your elemental skill; maximum level is 15.
C4: The Obstinacy of Oneâ€™s Inferiors – +25% Lightfall Sword damage against opponents with less than 50% health.
C5: Chivalric Quality – +3 levels for your elemental burst; maximum level is 15.
C6: Noble Obligation – All Lightfall Swords created by the elemental burst have five energy stacks already. All hits with normal attacks, elemental skills, and the elemental burst have a 50% chance to add an extra stack of energy.

If you’re thinking of rolling multiple Eulas, just keep in mind that it will be an incredibly expensive procedure. For a rough idea of your chances, go watch this video.

Eula’s Ascension Materials
Being a Monstadt region hero, she will need a lot of Dandelion Seeds to max her level. She’s also a Cryo-based heroine, so she’ll need Shivada Jade stones and Crystalline Blooms; the latter materials can only be found on the game’s new Cryo Hypostasis enemies.
Here’s a nifty Dandelion Seeds farming guide from Syrx, in case you need 53 of them in one run.

The Best Weapons & Artifacts For Eula
Eula uses Claymores, so she hits like a beast but has slow startups in her swings. We suggest the following swords for her:

Wolf’s Gravestone – Adds +20% to ATK and triggers a big ATK buff if you hit an enemy with low health.
Prototype Archaic – A great F2P option if you want to save Primogems. Gives a chance to deal 300%+ ATK to enemies; happens once every 15 seconds.
Snow-Tombed Starsilver – Another F2P option for Eula. This weapon can summon random icicles if you hit them with regular or charged attacks. These icicles deal more damage to enemies with Cryo effects, which is perfect for Eula. You can get this by finding all the stone tablets in Dragonspine.
Song of Broken Pines – Gives users the Millennial Movement buff, which increases ATK by 16% if you land normal or charged attacks. Getting 4 stacks of this buff will grant players the Millenial Movement: Banner-Hymn buff that increases ATK and normal ATK speed. You can only get this weapon from the Epitome Invocation banner though.

Eula’s DPS skills are top-notch, so it makes sense to give her artifacts that amplify her regular damage-dealing options.

Pale Flame artifact set – Two pieces of these artifacts will give you a +25% Physical damage buff, while four of them will grant an ATK bonus that stacks if you hit enemies with an elemental skill. You can obtain these from the Ridge Watch domain.
Bloodstained Chivalry artifact set – Two pieces of these will give you a +25% Physical damage buff.
Noblesse Oblige artifact set – Two pieces of these will grant you a +25% elemental burst damage buff.

Ideal rolls for artifact stats include ATK and Physical damage boosts, as well as critical rate.

Eula’s Story Quest
Eula’s story quest requires only one story key to unlock. You can get story keys by completing daily quests.


A Live-Action Death Stranding Movie Is In The Works

Hideo Kojima’s Kojima Productions has partnered with Barbarian EP Alex Lebovici’s Hammerstone Studios to develop and produce a live-action Death Stranding movie adaptation. The film is fully financed by Hammerstone and will be produced by Kojima and Lebovici, with Kojima Productions US and Allan Ungar serving as executive producers.
According to the report from Deadline, the Death Stranding movie will introduce new elements and characters within the Death Stranding universe. However, there is no writer or director attached to the project yet.
Kojima said:
“I couldn’t be more excited about this new partnership with Hammerstone Studios. This is a pivotal moment for the franchise and I’m really looking forward to collaborating with them in bringing DEATH STRANDING to the big screen.”
Lebovici said:
“We are thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to partner with brilliant and iconic Hideo Kojima on his first film adaptation. Unlike other big budget tentpole video game adaptations, this will be something far more intimate and grounded. Our goal is to redefine what a video game adaptation could be when you have creative and artistic freedom. This film will be an authentic “Hideo Kojima” production.”
Lebovici’s Hammerstone Studios has financed, developed and produced independent films across all genres, including the 20th Century Studios horror film Barbarian and Bill & Ted Face The Music.
During the recent The Game Awards 2022, Hideo Kojima officially revealed Death Stranding 2, the sequel to 2019’s Death Stranding. It’s being developed for the PS5.
Check out the trailer below:


[Rumour] The King of Fighters XV Will Bring Back A Few Fan-Favourites

The upcoming SNK fighting game The King of Fighters XV may be bringing back some fighters from the dead. At least if we’re basing this on the endings of KOF XIV.
New Blood Team head Yashiro (or Orochi Yashiro), Ash, and Nameless (K9999) will be some of the new characters returning to KOF XV according to a recent playtest session of the game featuring a few SNK influencers in Osaka (via Reddit).
The early build of the game featured the following fighters: Kyo, Iori, Nameless, Nelson, Yashiro, Shun’ei, Ash, Daimon, and Kim. The characters were picked to help test charge motions, physics, and complex combos for the latest internal build.
Here’s a full breakdown on what to expect:

There will be 60 characters to pick from in the game, according to the blank spaces on the character select screen.
Speaking of characters, Yashiro’s moveset is a combination of both his normal and Orochi forms.
Ash, Shun’ei, and Yashiro will sport new outfits, while the other 6 have their old KOF XIV garbs. Shun’ei’s attire and headset-sporting look wasn’t well-received by fans, so he went through a wardrobe change.
The gameplay will be a mix between KOF XIV and KOF 2002 Unlimited Match. EX moves can now be used outside of Max Mode at the cost of half of a meter stock. Cancels are back, either by spending a full meter stock outside of Max Mode, or a fraction of the Max meter during Max Mode.
Combos also feel a bit more like KOF XIII in the sense that juggle-based combo possibilities will be frequent.
While SNK will not reveal the rest of the roster, the 9 characters will determine what teams will be in KOF XV. So there’s a good chance some characters like Shen Woo, Duo Lon, Shermie, and Chris might make their official 3D KOF debut.

Treat this Reddit rumour with a grain of salt, but this is definitely good news for folks who want to see the possible return of the New Blood/Orochi team. Or the 2003 Hero team if that’s your jam; we’re not judging. For those who aren’t up to date with their KOF lore, the New Blood Team canonically died summoning Orochi in KOF ’97, making guest appearances in all-star non-canon titles like KOF ’98 and KOF 2002. Ash sacrificed himself at the end of KOF XIII.
Basically, KOF XIV’s retcon ending is just the team doubling back and creating an avenue to bring back dead characters. While it’s a bit of a cop-out, it’ll be nice to see some of them make their return after a hiatus.


Creator Of Coffee Talk, What Comes After, & Afterlove EP Has Passed Away (Update)

Update (31/3/2022): Toge Productions has revealed that Mohammad Fahmi Hasni’s cause of death was from an asthma attack. The company has also started a fundraising initiative for Fahmi’s family through Coffee Talk. The game will be discounted for 32% from 31st March until 4th April. All proceeds from this period will be given to Fahmi’s family.
You can buy the game here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/914800/Coffee_Talk/
Original story:
The Southeast video game community mourns the sudden passing of Indonesian game developer Mohammad Fahmi. He was 32.

innalillahi wa innailaihi rajiun telah meninggal adik saya fahmi, mohon dibukakan pintu maaf yang sebesar2nya jika ada urusan atau hutang yang belum diselesaikan bisa menghubungi kami pihak keluarga
— fahmi? | check pinned & wishlist our upcoming game (@fahmitsu) March 27, 2022

Fahmi was known for creating hit Indonesian adventure game Coffee Talk, What Comes After, and the upcoming Afterlove EP. Both Coffee Talk and What Comes After have been received very positively on PC and other platforms, with many reviews citing how the former makes players feel comfortable and relaxing, and the latter touching upon how people should love themselves.
Fahmi was also renowned for being one of the brightest stars from Indonesia and the Southeast Asian indie game-developing region according to a number of developers in the region, particularly with those who met up with him in Malaysia’s Level Up KL game developer event.

Our industry has lost one of the brightest stars. ?@fahmitsu? was someone I was always inspired by. We met at the first Level Up KL where we talked about how we could grow the region together. No words can explain how great this kind and amazing soul. I will truly miss you. pic.twitter.com/eW3YxK3Fho
— Hasnul Hadi ? (@mistahasnul) March 28, 2022

“May you be remembered always Fahmi. One of the brightest stars from Indonesia and the region. May you inspire others with your journey. Rest well my friend. Al-Fatihah.” – Hasnul Hadi, PlayStation Studios Malaysia lead.

I was still joking with him last night…I’m devastated.
Fahmi is a visionary game designer and great storyteller, and he is a good friend.
Rest in peace, Fahmi https://t.co/KUwHTBQh0U
— Kris Antoni – Toge Productions (@kerissakti) March 28, 2022

“Fahmi is a visionary game designer and great storyteller, and he is a good friend. Rest in peace, Fahmi.” – Kris Antoni, Toge Productions

Today we've received the most devastating of news. Our beloved Fahmi, the writer of Coffee Talk and a beloved friend of Toge Productions has passed away. We are absolutely devastated by his early departure.
Thank you, Fahmi.Rest in Peace.
— Toge Productions ? (@togeproductions) March 28, 2022

Today we received a devastating news that Fahmi, the creator & writer of Coffee Talk, has passed away. May his soul rest in peace, and our hearts are with his family and loved ones.
May all the good things he shared, story he wrote, live on with us forever.
Thank you, Fahmi.
— Coffee Talk ?? (@coffeetalk_game) March 28, 2022

“Wherever you are now, I hope you’re at peace, Fahmi. We lost one of the good ones today.” – Vladislav Tsypljak, Co-Founder & CCO of Neon Doctrine.

Absolutely devastating.
Wherever you are now I hope you’re at peace Fahmi.
We lost one of the good ones today. https://t.co/amLFp8e6sZ pic.twitter.com/YUF6EfaxOI
— Vlad?????? (@Stutsies) March 28, 2022

Fuck. The passing of Fahmi is a huge loss not only to his beloved family and friends but also to the South East Asian indie games scene. I hope he knew the incredible impact he had on people just from purely being his authentic self. I’m sorry but I don’t know how to process this
— Anisa Sanusi (@studioanisa) March 28, 2022

Innalillahi wa innalillahi rajiun. Al Fatihah.
so sad to hear this, just saw his videos with his cats just yesterday.
He’s such a creative soul.
— Az Samad | Guitarist – Composer – Educator (@azsamad) March 28, 2022

Crying just reading this. Feels unreal. ?
— Saqina Latif | Wishlist Kabaret pls? (@Larxy) March 28, 2022

I hope it isn’t true… Such a talented developer and a sweet human being. Rest in peace my friend ??
— Daniel Robson (@NoMoreDaniels) March 28, 2022

Keluarga besar Coral Island game turut berduka cita atas meninggalnya fellow gamedev, fellow gamer, a friend, Fahmi. Semoga Almarhum diberikan tempat terbaik disisi-Nya. Selamat jalan, mas Fahmi.
— Coral Island (@coralislandgame) March 28, 2022

Shock, bingung, gak percaya….Ini yang kami rasain denger kabar pagi ini…
Bang fahmi adalah orang yang sangat berpengaruh ke perkembangan awal AADG Podcast.
Turut berduka cita untuk keluarga dan kerabat yang ditinggalkan
Terima kasih bang Fahmi untuk semuanya! https://t.co/AfjfRoobV9 pic.twitter.com/XYmVNft0Oo
— Ada Apa Dengan Gaming (@AADGPodcast) March 28, 2022

“Fahmi was the first person who approached me for a gamedev interview when we just started Mojiken. Somehow, he believed in my art more than I believed in myself and he kept finding the right words to compile the absurdity of it all.
I’ve drawn some artwork for him and it surprised me that I still want to draw more of his crazy stories while chatting on how his days are going like we used to. I bet he will find some cool game devs, writers and illustrators up there and fanboying hard while keeps on writing. Fahmi would always find me hiding during events, and we would talk a lot about everything. We promised to eat out once the pandemic settled.” -Brigitta Rerna (via IGN)

You did good mas Fahmi, rest well ya @fahmitsu
— Brigitta Rena | CF A-02 | A Space For The Unbound (@crystalnyam) March 28, 2022

Today we lost a dear friend. Our thoughts and prayers are with him & his family. Everlong @fahmitsu https://t.co/OG2eVUegX5
— Mojiken Studio (@MojikenStudio) March 28, 2022

The news of @fahmitsu’s passing is not only devastating for the Southeast Asian dev scene, but the indie ecosystem at large.
I never got to share this story with him ~ Fahmi gave me one of the most meaningful experiences as a content creator & for that I’m deeply thankful. (1/7)
— Arief Johan (@AriefJohan) March 28, 2022

Kakuchopurei would like to express its condolences to Fahmi’s family and loved ones. May he rest in peace.


Rockstar Hasn’t Been Paying UK Corporation Tax For The Last 10 Years

Grand Theft Auto V isn’t just one of the most popular and best-selling video games out there. It is in fact the most profitable entertainment product of all time. By April 2018, the game achieved 90 million sales worldwide and generated US$6 billion in revenue (via gamesindustry.biz). The biggest film phenomenon in recent times, Avengers: Endgame only made around US$2.7 billion which isn’t half the amount GTA V made.
With that amount of success you’d never think that the game’s developer would have any problems paying their taxes but the world is a strange place. According to a report from TaxWatch UK, GTA developer Rockstar North actually hasn’t been paying a single cent of UK corporation tax in the last 10 years.

$5bn in estimated profit for GTA V, Â£0 in corporation tax paid by the developer Rockstar North in the past 10 years. #gamingthetaxsystemhttps://t.co/EOcNTgcltA pic.twitter.com/jR1eJkrSB5
â€” taxwatch (@taxwatch) July 28, 2019

In fact, the same report even showed that Rockstar North received Â£42 million (US$51 million) in tax credits from the UK government video games tax relief scheme which was set up to support the Â£5 billion video games industry in the UK (via The Guardian). The companies who apply for the tax relief scheme are mostly small and medium-sized developers and Rockstar North is far from either being small or medium.
What this means is that UK taxpayers have paid millions to subsidise games like GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2. If the report is accurate then Rockstar North has basically been making a crazy amount of money and still claimed for more money through taxes while paying back zero taxes.

â€œIt is outrageous that the UK taxpayer is being asked to shell out tens of millions of pounds in subsidy to the developers of Grand Theft Auto, when at the time that the gameâ€™s developers put in their tax credit application Grand Theft Auto V had already generated several billion dollars in sales and profits. This is a drive-by assault on the British taxpayer and corporate welfare scrounging at its very worst.â€

– Director of TaxWatch, George Tuurner
TaxWatch concluded that the UK government should be focusing on how the tax relief for games is allocated. It also stated that Rockstar and parent company Take-Two have technically done nothing illegal. So far Rockstar has not made any responses.


Check Out More Super Robot Wars 30 Gameplay From Bandai Namco

Bandai Namco has released a new Super Robot Wars 30 Primer gameplay video. This one is the second part, featuring a ton of mecha battles and JP battle cries.
If you’re expecting anything else beyond turn-based isometric RPG gameplay and elaborate anime mecha action moves and cutscenes, you’re clearly looking at the wrong place. Super Robot Wars 30 is all about controlling a party of mechas from various anime franchises and nothing but; like Marvel Avengers but for Japan and giant robots. And a ton of customization options.

This is just 14 minutes of gameplay; we’re guessing the rest of the game is nothing but this. Not that it’s a bad thing if your Super Robot Wars market is pretty sizeable. Super Robot Wars 30 will be out in English for PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC worldwide on 28th October.


Dragon Quest XI Is the Best JRPG of the Current Games Generation: Here’s Why

2018 marks the 30th anniversary of the long-running Dragon Quest franchise. That’s why series creator Yuji Horii and the folks at Square Enix decided to develop Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive AgeÂ in order to celebrate the milestone.
After playing the game for almost 107 hours and ultimately obtaining the Platinum trophy, I believe that the gameÂ is not only the best Dragon Quest game but also one of the finest JRPGs of all time.
It’s my absolute pleasure to tell you why.
Very Big In Japan
In Japan, the Dragon Quest franchise’s popularity is on par with Final Fantasy. However, that’s not the case internationally. There are a few reasons for that, namely the lack of English localizations and it’s stubborn clinging to classic JRPG tropes. Most of the core gameplay from the original Dragon Quest back in 1988 has been retained, albeit refined almost to perfection.
It still features classic JRPG elements like the silent protagonist, turn-based combat, and more. Is that a good thing? Yes, it is.
This game has girls in bunny suits!
An Oldie But A Goodie
The iconic Slimes return!
The turn-based combat in Dragon Quest XI might start out simple, but it becomes more complex as I unlocked more skill points and delved further into each character’s skill tree. With each character only being able to equip certain weapons and the limited amount of skill points available, the ability to redistribute skill points by spending coins was definitely a welcome improvement. It allowed me to change my playstyles whenever I wanted to, as long as I had the money to spare.
Besides the turn-based gameplay, the game also has several mini-games, some of which are really fun to play. I enjoyed the horse races more than I had initially anticipated, but I didn’t like the gambling games in the casino.
I might be a bit salty because I wasted hours trying to hit the jackpot (don’t judge me). The game also features a crafting mechanic that functions as a mini-game by itself. It’s called the Fun-Sized Forge and my, is it fun and addicting to use.
I spent a lot of time perfecting my weapons and equipment on this thing.
Lo and Behold, A Looker It Is
If you’re one of those gamers who care about graphics first and foremost, then this game is certainly a sign to behold. It’s like a cross between Persona 5 and Final Fantasy XV. Dragon Quest XI runs on Unreal Engine 4, so that means realistic environmental and lighting effects. However, those aren’t the highlight of the game’s visuals.
That honour goes to the phenomenal character and monster designs by the legendary Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama. The unique fusion between the two distinct art styles makes for a beautiful game which would take your breath away. Oh, and the game also has a static first-person mode that functions as a somewhat simplistic photo mode of sorts.
If you’re a fan of Dragon Ball, a lot of the character and monster designs would look familiar. The protagonist even looks like Trunks. I appreciated the developers adding a bunch of appearance-altering costumes for every character in the game, and a nice little detail in which almost every cutscene in the game will show your characters in the outfit you gave them instead of suddenly (and awkwardly) switching to their default skins like in other JRPGs.
JUST LOOK AT THESE CUTE COSTUMES!
Nostalgic Sound Effects and Powerful Music
The music in Dragon Quest XI has received pretty divisive opinions amongst gamers. Personally, I loved the orchestrated soundtrack by legendary composer Koichi Sugiyama. He has composed the music for every Dragon Quest game for the past 30 years. If you grew up playing JRPGs, you’ll love the classic sound effects which accompany text scrolling, levelling up and more.

Without the nostalgic value, I understand how some would find the music and sound effects a bit too grating or annoying when it’s repeated for up to 100 hours.

The game’s score did resonate, especially during some of the more emotional gut punches in the game. Trust me, there’s a lot of those to go around in Dragon Quest XI. Prepare some tissues, and look out for one particular heartbreaking side quest involving the romance between a mermaid and a human. Ever seen Del Toro’s Oscar-winning The Shape of Water? Yeah, this is something like that.
… Bikini costumes. Nuff said.
A Masterpiece of Narrative and Foreshadowing
You might have noticed by now how I haven’t elaborated much on the story and plot in Dragon Quest XI. The story is a masterpiece of storytelling and foreshadowing, fraught with twists and turns.

The overall narrative begins predictably enough, but I guarantee that several revelations will shock you. There will be several things throughout your journey that provide little hints of things to come. When those moments came, I was slack-jawed with awe.

That’s not to say that the game isn’t funny as heck. It’s filled with a quirky sense of humour that Dragon Ball fans would find close to home. The Dragon Quest franchise has always been popular for its brand of off-beat comedy, so to speak. For instance, the recurring “Puff-Puff” gag is a bit lewd but never failed to bring a naughty grin to my face.

[wpvideo hCfGg5S5]
The game also has multiple endings, with a normal ending and true ending. To reach the true ending, there’s “post-game” content. Don’t be surprised to learn that the post-game content is almost equal in size and length with the main game. I recommend everyone to continue playing after the first ending, to fully experience the game as intended by Horii and the developers.
I won’t reveal too much about what happens in the game, but the true ending is fanservice of the highest order. I mean that as a compliment, and veterans of the Dragon Quest franchise will find it endearing and a testament to three decades of Dragon Quest games.

Decked with easter eggs galore, the final “true” twist will leave you speechless and extremely satisfied. I know it did for me. It might even lead you to embark on a quest of your own and seek out past Dragon Quest titles.

That dragon seems awfully familiar.
Not a Game For Everyone
Despite everything I’ve stated above, keep in mind that Dragon Quest XI is not a game for everyone. It is staunchly traditional in keeping with classic JRPG tropes that it may only appeal to the most hardcore fans of the genre. I don’t believe that to be the case because Horii and the developers have done everything in their power to make this not only the best Dragon Quest game but also the most accessible one yet.
There’s a certain charm to the game that makes it unique amongst all other modern JRPGs. The fact that the game holds so closely to traditional JRPG tropes may push some gamers away, but that’s also the reason why this game is the king of JRPGs.Â This game sets a precedent for other future JRPGs by proving that there’s nothing wrong with sticking with the classics.

If I might be so bold, Dragon Quest XI might even have perfected the genre, despite its lack of any real innovation. It’s not simply a baseless exaggeration when I say that this is the best JRPG of the current games generation.

As a conclusion, let me just say that whether you’re new to JRPGs, or veterans with literal decades of experience, do yourself a favour and play Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age. It may turn out to be a 100-hour journey, but it’s a journey worth taking.
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll laugh again, just like masterpieces are meant to do.
My team and Iafter 107 hours, about to face the true final boss of the game.


Japan Is Getting An Exclusive Disney-Themed Nintendo Switch

Nintendo has just announced that a new bundle of Nintendo Switch will be exclusively released in Japan later this year. The Disney Tsum Tsum Festival Set is a bundle that includes a Nintendo Switch console covered in a skin based on the Disney Tsum Tsum toy line. The skin is also applied to the Joy-Cons and the dock.

According to Japanese Nintendo, a digital copy of the Disney Tsum Tsum Festival video game will also be included plus a code for redeeming special in-game outfits.
If you’re not familiar with the Disney Tsum Tsum toy line, I don’t blame you. It’s only sold in Japan. The words “Tsum Tsum” are derived from the Japanese word “tsumu” which means “to stack”. The toys are built in sort of a rectangle-like shape where you can stack them on top of each other.
Clearly, this is a game made only for serious adults who want the kind of mature content you can only get on a Nintendo Switch.
The Disney Tsum Tsum Festival Set bundle will be on sale for Â¥36,080 (around RM1,400) starting from 10 October 2019.


Pokemon Scarlet And Violet Sold 10 Million Copies In First Three Days, Defying Expectations

The Pokemon Company and Gamefreak can get away with murder if recent sales numbers for its latest mothership RPG are of any indication.
Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet sold 10 million units (digital and physical) in its first three days of release according to the game’s publisher Nintendo. Despite all of the flak the game received for its buggy launch and glitches, the game’s RPG and monster collecting factor aren’t enough to put this proverbial beast to pasture. For the record, this is the highest global sales level for any software on any Nintendo platform within the three-day timeframe.
This is a terrible precedent for video games in general, because this means Gamefreak and Pokemon Company don’t really need to make any huge effort to pull in big sales numbers; the bare minimum in other words. While other games struggle to get half these sales numbers, all these two companies need is just a base RPG, some minimal changes, new monsters to collect, and voila: instant cash grab. It’s a wonder why the majority of people aren’t lumping these two charlatans together with EA and Activision Blizzard, considering that these two are infamous for releasing annual game titles that amount to nothing but roster changes, or the equivalent to that bare effort.


Wild Rift Masters Of The Hunt Event Arrives With Special Missions & Rewards

Last month, Riot Games revealedÂ the full patch notes forÂ League Of Legends Wild Rift Patch 2.2b. Now, Rengar and Khaâ€™Zix have joined Wild Rift, along with the Masters of the Hunt event.
Wild Rift Masters Of The Hunt Dates

StartÂ – 6 May 2021 at 9am GMT+8
EndÂ – 19 May 2021 at 7.59am GMT+8
Wrap-Up – 26 May 2021 at 7.59am GMT+8

While most events simply end, this vicious duel merits adding a few extra days for the last hunter standing to bask in the glory of victory. Just remember to pick up your team rewards before the event wraps up on 25 May 2021, or your prize will escape into the darkness.
Born a runt in a clan of vastayan hunters, Rengarovercame his diminutive stature through incredible hardship to become chieftain, only to discard the title in pursuit of the hunt. Once a fragile denizen of the Void,Â Kha’Zixconsumed all in its path, assimilating the power of its quarry to evolve into a ruthless killing machine.
Now the two are facing off in an epic rivalry like no other, and only you can decide who’s top of the food chain!
At the start of the event, you’ll be prompted to pick a hunter to back; Rengar or Kha’Zix. Many of the rewards you stand to win will be dependent upon your affiliation, so be sure to consult the table below before locking in. You’ll also flex your affiliation at the start of each match with a special tag, enabling you to hunt with pride!
But your potential bounty doesn’t stop at a few custom rewards and a spawn tag. The performance of players from both teams will be monitored throughout the event, and to the ultimate hunters go the ultimate spoils: an exclusive icon upgrade.
Nemesis Duel
These two ferocious champions are bringing their vendetta to Wild Rift with a new high-stakes mechanic:Â Nemesis Duel.Â This feature is a permanent part of the game that will continue even once the event ends, soÂ go here to see what happens when Rengar and Kha’Zix are pitted against one another.
Missions
As noted above, certain rewards are tied to your affiliated champion. In these cases,Â Rengar‘s rewards will be denoted withÂ blueÂ text, whileÂ Kha’Zix‘s rewards will be indicated inÂ red.
Just like this event’s iconic duo, these missions come in pairs. You’ll have to complete both missions from a given day to unlock the next day’s missions. And don’t worry if you fall behind: each day’s missions will be waiting for you in a hidden queue, so you can catch up to your target as fast as you’re able.

DAY
MISSION
OBJECTIVE
REWARD

1

Trophy Hunting
Get 50 takedowns
The Pridestalker icon
OR
The Voidreaver icon

Open Season
Play 7 games
OR
Get MVP/SVP 1 time

2

Ambush!
Cast ultimate 15 times
50 Poro Coins

Three in the Bag
Win 3 games

3

Apex Predator
Get 10 kills
Trophy Collection bauble
OR
Void Wing bauble

Void Safari
Capture or kill the Rift Herald 3 times

4

Bounty Hunter
Earn 70,000 gold
Adorable Assailant emote

Stick Around
Play 7 games
OR
Achieve a total of 10 medals (EoG awards)

5

Adaptation
As a team, obtain the Red/Blue buff 10 times (includes buff transfer)
500 Blue Motes

Run Them Down
As a team, kill 300 monsters

6

Stonehunter
As a team, destroy 16 towers
Masters Of The Hunt Self-Select Champion Chest
(Choose between Rengar and Kha’Zix)

Exceed Your Quota
Play 7 games
OR
Get a 5+ kill streak

7

Remain Unseen
Place or destroy 20 wards
50 Poro Coins

If It Bleeds…
Deal 20,000 physical damage to enemy champions
Deal 20,000 magic damage to enemy champions

8

Spirit of the Hunt
As a team, kill 5 dragons
Masters of the Hunt Self-Select Champion Pose Chest
(Choose between Rengar and Kha’Zix)

Big Game
Play 7 games
OR
Get an S rating

9

Relentless
As a team, kill 2 Barons
50 Poro Coins

The Deadliest Game
As a team, kill 1,000 minions

10

No Sport / Delusions of Mortality
Play 7 games
OR
Win a game where Rengar / Kha’Zix (rival champion) was on the opposing team
The Hunt Begins icon border

Legacy of the Kiilash /
The Void Evolves
Play 7 games
OR
Win a game playing as or with Rengar / Kha’Zix (backed champion)

Team Competition
While the above missions reflect the relentless quest for self-improvement epitomized by both hunters, it wouldn’t be much of a rivalry without a little competition. That’s why we’ll be keeping track of a few key stats for both teams during the event.
Week 1 is all about showing up for the hunt. We’ll be tracking the average number of games played for supporters of each hunter and updating the results daily.
Week 2 cranks up the intensity by adding the average number of takedowns scored by each team’s members. If you want the grand prize, you’re gonna have to earn it.
Also note that these scores are kept on a per-region basis, so expect different winners across the globe!
TEAM RENGAR’S PRIZE
Should Rengar’s team claw their way to the top, they’ll receive an additional upgraded event icon!
KING OF THE RIFT ICON

TEAM KHA’ZIX’S PRIZE
If Kha’Zix’s team evolves into their final form, they’ll receive an additional upgraded event icon!
APEX PREDATOR ICON

Consolation Prize
The second-place team will receive a Boost Bundle containing one of each kind of boost for their effort.
Spawn Tag Victory Lap
If your team is victorious, you’ll continue to flaunt your champion’s spawn tag for one week after the event has ended.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Call Of Duty Battlepass Season 4: Mercenaries Of Misfortune Drops Next Week

It’s that time again folks, Season 4 of this year’s Call Of Duty Battlepass is on the horizon and expected to drop on 22 June 2022.
This major update will be live in both Vanguard and Warzone on 22 June 2022. Players should expect an update to Vanguard at midnight (GMT+8) on 22 June 2022, and a Warzone update at midnight (GMT+8) on 23 June 2022.

So what can we expect with this new season? Well on the Warzone side:

New Map: Fortune’s Keep. Go all-in on a brand-new Warzone Resurgence Battle Royale map developed by High Moon Studios, featuring stunning vistas and undiscovered riches.
Caldera Updates Across the Island. From the return of Storage Town to riverbeds drying up, Raven Software is changing up Caldera.
Armoured SUV, New Contract, and More. New tools, objectives, and feature updates to Warzone will add new strategies to consider for your squad’s meta.
Three Warzone Maps to Drop Into Fortune’s Keep, Rebirth Island, and Caldera coexist, all for free via regular weekly playlist rotation.

Fortune’s Keep is a completely original Resurgence map created by High Moon Studios. It is roughly the same size as Rebirth Island and features four distinct points of interest: Town, Smuggler’s Cove, Keep and Winery.
The new map also possesses new in-game features such as Black Market Supply Run Contract and Cash Extraction Event.
Black Market Run Contract

With Black Market Run Contracts, you’ll be able to get your hands on off-market goods by challenging you to reach the Black Market Buy Station before the timer expires.
Spend Cash on items not available at normal Buy Stations or as ground loot such as the Sequencer Grenade, the Nebula V Minigun, Foresight, a Specialist Bonus, or one of several classified weapons.
Cash Extraction

During Resurgence Battle Royale matches, straggling mercenaries will attempt to airlift their Cash off Fortune’s Keep.
You and your squad can ambush the extraction – just follow the flare signal and take out the agents to get at their bag of goods, but be on the lookout for enemy Operators also looking to steal these mercenary’s riches.
Caldera – Storage Town
Caldera is also receiving a new point of interest in its own version of Verdansk’s Storage Town and will be added in between the Mines, Airfield, Village, and Dig Site.
It will roughly be as veterans remember it, a sprawling complex of lockers filled with Contracts and item spawns, as well as a few warehouses that allow for great views over the area.
However, as part of Caldera, Storage Town will be near cliffs in the middle of the island. This additional verticality will add a twist to this fan-favourite point of interest, making it a more viable rotation point when travelling between the map’s western section.

Other changes to Caldera will affect the environment as a severe drought hit Caldera, causing rivers to dry up as mercenary forces add camps around the island. There are also new items and a vehicle coming to Caldera first, which should shake up modes like Plunder.
Once this update launches, expect cleared sightlines across numerous areas on the island, partially due to small camps cropping up from outside the Resort to the Runway.
Additional pathways, including scaffolding across multiple Capital Buildings and steps near the Gondola Station, will be opened up to allow for more movement options around the island.
For more information, feel free to check out the official Call of Duty blog where they go much more in-depth on the changes to both Vanguard and Warzone.


Circus Electrique Will Be Zen Studio’s First Non-Pinball Game In Decades

Hungarian developers, Zen Studioâ€”famous for pinball gamesâ€”have decided to venture into the tactical RPG genre with the announcement of Circus Electrique expected to drop later this year.
After years of solely developing pinball games, Zen Studio has decided to team up with publishers, Saber Interactive to create a steampunk-esque game set in Victorian London that has been compared to the likes of Darkest Dungeon.

Besides the RPG element, thereâ€™s a bit of management thrown in, story-driven parts and bearded ladies. One hopes. But hereâ€™s the real exciting component: the people of London are mysteriously turning into vicious killers, and only the circus can save the city.
Weâ€™ve already seen that circus management is a lot better than expectations of song rehearsals with Mr Huge Action. Circus Electrique is a bit similar to the debuff element called the Devotion morale system. Itâ€™ll affect battles and throughout the circus shows as well, just like Darkest Dungeon. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Here’s what Circus Electrique offers on the back of the box.
Key features

Electrifying RPG Combat:Â Test the skills of Strongmen, Fire Blowers, Escape Artists, Clowns, and other classic circus performers â€“ there are 14 playable archetypes total, each with deep tactical options in battle. Assemble the most ideal combination of acrobatic artists to fight against over-the-top enemies.
Manage the Greatest Show in Steampunk London:Â Despite the chaos, the show must go on! Rebuild the circus to its former greatness and beyond, recruiting and training the most talented performers from all over the world. Performersâ€™ skill, chemistry with one another, and overall Devotion combine to determine the success of a single show â€“ and youâ€™ll need every single spare Shilling you can get to keep everyone paid and happy.
A Circus Like No Other:Â Immerse yourself in a striking world based on vintage circus posters, Victorian-era archetypes and classic steampunk charm.

The game will launch in sometime this year in 2022 and will feature on Steam, Epic Games Store, the latest generation of PlayStation and Xbox and the Switch. Go click this Steam link if you want to add it to your wishlist.


House Of The Dragon Official Key Art Unveiled By HBO

HBO Asia has unveiled the official key art for House Of The Dragon.
The ten-episode HBO Original series House Of The Dragon debuts same time as the U.S. on Monday, 22 August 2022 on HBO GO.

Based on George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood,” the series, set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, tells the story of House Targaryen. House of the Dragon stars Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Fabien Frankel, Sonoya Mizuno, and Rhys Ifans.
Additional cast members include Milly Alcock, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Emily Carey, Harry Collett, Ryan Corr, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Graham McTavish, Ewan Mitchell, Theo Nate, Matthew Needham, Bill Paterson, Phia Saban, Gavin Spokes, Savannah Steyn.
Stream or download House of the Dragon from August 22 on HBO GO. Revisit all eight seasons of Game of Thrones on HBO GO. Subscribe to HBO GO online at https://www.hbogoasia.my/ or the mobile app via the App Store or Play Store for RM23.30 per month. You can also access HBO GO via Astro. HBO GO is also available on Android TV, Apple TV, LG TV and Samsung Smart TV – and comes with AirPlay and Google Cast functionality.


Check Out This Kickass Version Of Cowboy Bebop’s Epic ED Theme

Anime can give back to the community.
Funimation recently shared this star-studded arrangement of the gorgeous Cowboy Bebop ED theme “The Real Folk Blues” featuring Yoko Kanno and The Seatbelts. Guest artists include:

Shihori (J-pop singer)
Uyanga Bold
Raj Ramayya
Robbie Benson from Super Soul Bros.
Masahiro Aoki (Capcom composer who did music for Mega Man, SFV, Astral Chain, and more)
Ed Goldfarb (composer for PokÃ©mon: The Animated Series)
Zac Zinger (Composer and woodwind player for Street Fighter V, Jump Force, Mobile Suit Gundam: Side stories, and more)

And a whole ton more. See if you can recognize the musicians. Yes, Steve Blum who voiced the English VO for Spike Spiegel also chimes in.

All I can say is that you can make magic during the COVID-19 pandemic if you put your mind to it, especially when you can get awesome rappers to do the last bits.
Oh, and you can buy the vinyl here; all proceeds will go to charities like the CDC Foundation and Doctors without Borders.


New Battletoads Will Be Out This August For Xbox & PC

Miss the old-school challenge of Battletoads back in the day? Well, you can try out the 2020 Battletoads exclusive for Xbox One and PC.
Players can check out this multiplayer beat-em-up later when it’s officially out 20th August. The latest trailer emphasizes the game’s mix of brawling, platforming, and top-down shooting. And yes, it’s available on Xbox Game Pass upon release.


Kakuchopurei’s Top 10 Hideo Kojima Gaming Moments

With Kojima Productions’ Death Stranding out now, we thought it would be appropriate to talk about the company’s founder Hideo Kojima.
The man who created the Metal Gear series and placed Konami on the map time and again for 30 years is considered a genius and a video game auteur. Or a batshit-insane producer and director who seriously needs an editor who can decipher his gibberish. It really depends on who you ask.

Kojima has his huge slew of fanboys, critics, and detractors, and it’s easy to see why: his work is polarizing and mesmerizing at the same time.

A pivotal moment in a game featuring commentary on language and society’s breakdown in mass communication.
Sure, his work and his methods can be divisive and pandering among critics and supporters, but you cannot deny the results and their entertainment value. If you want to look for meta-commentary on society through the medium of games, you’re better off playing indie games like Papers, Please. But in terms of these messages being entertaining and baffling at the same time while being delivered with a triple-A Hollywood-style presentation, look no further than the man’s legacy and past works.
Which is also an endorsing reminder that he tried time and again to enter the movie industry but failed. So he might as well make it big as a game director with movie sensibilities and some knowhow.
At the very least, his stories and games are anything but boring. Here are our favourite and not-so-favourite things about Kojima’s work.
1) He invented the stealth genre.
“Limitation breeds innovation.” If that isn’t a Kojima quote, it pretty much should be.
Were it not for the limited scrolling capabilities of the MSX2 console back in 1987, Hideo Kojima and his team wouldn’t have used these constraints to create the first-ever stealth action game in an environment filled with run-and-gun shoot-em-ups.
And if it wasn’t for the PlayStation 1’s “3D polygons only” mandate tech-wise, we wouldn’t be getting that glorious machinima look in the gangbuster-selling killer app Metal Gear Solid in late 1998. Games like the Syphon Filter and Splinter Cell series wouldn’t have existed were it not for the first few Metal Gear games and their  creation under production pressure and environment.
On the other side of the spectrum,  if you give Hideo Kojima and his team free reign, you get Death Stranding. Whether that’s a positive or a negative is entirely in your hands.
2) He ripped off Blade Runner & made it anime.

…and somehow that ended up a  lot more entertaining than it should be. Maybe it’s the gore that shocked us back in 1994. Maybe it’s the in-depth English voice acting.  Maybe it’s how perverted our main character Gillian is, or how blatant the game’s marketing is with its mature content involving an orange-haired stripper.
Regardless, the game proved that Kojima’s writing and designing bore idea-laden fruits beyond Metal Gear, as well as still have a  hard-on for Hollywood-style storytelling. Thankfully his eccentricities produced a rather nice William Gibson tribute along with a glorious follow-up.
3) That one time we thought we’d be playing as Solid Snake in Metal Gear Solid 2.

Perhaps the most elaborate troll move from a video game director since forever, Hideo Kojima purposely edited a particular Metal Gear Solid 2  trailer before launch to give a false impression that  Solid  Snake will be playable.
Little did we know that we’ll be in the shoes of one Raiden for the entirety of MGS2. I’m sure there are people still bitter about it to this day, but to us, at least Raiden evolved from a greenhorn to a badass cyborg ninja.
4) Kojima’s naming conventions for characters.

You thought Solid Snake and Liquid Ocelot were bad? Try to remember all of Metal  Gear’s character names since the  MSX days.
We’ll remind you: Shotmaker, Machinegun Kid, Dirty Duck, Fire  Trooper, Jungle  Evil, Black Ninja, Running Man, Night Fright, Psycho Mantis, Decoy Octopus, Fatman, Solidus Snake, Hot Coldman, Laughing Octopus.
If you told us these were rejected Mega Man robot master names, we would have believed you.
5) He greenlit a fight that can be won by waiting for the opponent to die of old age.

We refer to, of course, the infamous The End sniper battle in Metal Gear Solid 3. And you can adjust your PS2 clock to speed up time so he croaks quick.
We’ll have to admit: that is pretty damn clever. Alongside the Psycho Mantis memory card-reading shenanigans and the clever use of a lighter and an aerosol can in Metal Gear 2’s climax, Kojima sure can make seemingly-innocuous boss fights all the more entertaining.
While we’re on boss battles, how can you not be impressed with how epic MGS3‘s final fight was?

6) In that same sequel, he made sure the game’s acapella version theme song plays while you’re climbing a ladder for two minutes.

Sung by the lovely Donna Burke. And holy crap it was awesome.
7) He trusted PlatinumGames to deliver us the best final boss fight in video game history.

Not only did Hideo Kojima entrusted PlatinumGames and producer Atsushi Inaba to create Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, the best Metal Gear spin-off since forever, but also the final battle between superninja Raiden, Metal Gear EXCELSUS, and an American senator.
Throughout this day, we have yet to find a climactic equivalent that rivals this moment; Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Bayonetta’s final fight comes close. It is that good, and we should give credit to Kojima for allowing this to happen.
8) His Take On Silent Hill. Sorta…

Short-lived as it was, the P.T. demo was a godsend that blindsided many gamers. It’s unnerving, it’s creepy, it’s atmospheric, and it’s a great tease to what could have been.
Never mind the fact that the original Silent Hill team has disbanded eons ago and he had to take up the mantle, but it’s sad that we will never see a full-fledged Silent Hill game with a different creator.
9) He made up The Quiet’s backstory, which is…urm…

Quiet, the game’s sniper buddy you recruit in Metal Gear Solid V, dresses skimpily because she breathes through her skin. So if she wore more clothes it would literally suffocate her.  This is because the parasites (the game’s “nanomachines”) made her that way, and also render her speechless.
Sure, whatever you say to justify you having her take showers in a male gazing fashion, guys.
10) His shameless &  forceful pop-culture referencing still lives on, for better or for worst.

From the Metal Gear cover portraying Snake as Michael Biehn to putting in Japanese  gravure models into Metal Gear Solid 3, Kojima is no stranger in placing his stamp and sensibilities in his works and attempts to justify it. A number of the game’s codec calls revolve around Kojima’s thoughts on particular fads in the game’s era or just political views told through in-game dialogue.
We’re not sure if it’s his way of saying “hey fans, please get some culture outside of video games with these nods to things I like”, or some elaborate way to advertise things to us in-game, or it’s just Kojima misusing his platform.
I mean, imagine if he uses his auteur status to make us believe that  Monster energy drinks will help in a main character’s mission to reconnect society.
Oh wait…


George R.R. Martin Confirms Consulting On A Game From Japan

Earlier in March 2019, rumors were circulating that Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin was working with Sekiro Shadows Die Twice developer From Software on a new game. Now it looks like the rumors could very well be true, as a recent blog post by the writer essentially confirms them.
In the blog post that was published soon after the release of the Game of Thrones finale, Martin reminisced on everything he’s already done. One sentence caught everyone’s attention when he stated these exact words:

“Iâ€™ve consulted on a video game out of Japan.”

While Martin doesn’t specifically or explicitly mention From Software, it’s definitely on point with the rumor of the writer working with the Japanese developer. In fact, a source close to Gematsu has revealed several details about the game in question:

It’s been in development for the past three years
It’s an open-world title with horse-riding
It’s a collaboration between George R.R. Martin and From Software president (and Souls series creator) Hidetaka Miyazaki
It will be published by Bandai Namco
It will be announced at Microsoft’s E3 2019 showcase

Please be advised that all of this remains speculation as of now, with no official confirmation from either George R.R. Martin or the folks at From Software. All we have to go on right now are Martin’s words on his blog post and they aren’t much.


Attack On Titan The Final Season Part 3 First Half Airs As One-Hour Special This March

NHK has announced that the first half of Attack On Titan The Final Season Part 3 will air as a one-hour special on 3 March 2023, with the second half airing sometime later in 2023.
The Attack On Titan The Final Season Part 1 anime premiered in December 2020 and aired for 16 episodes. Attack On Titan The Final Season Part 2 premiered in January 2022 for 12 episodes.


Final Fantasy VII Remake Demo Is Out Now

Fans have been waiting for the Final Fantasy VII Remake demo for a long time, and now it’s finally available for free to all PS4 users. You can find it on the PlayStation Store here, and it’s only 7.51GB in size.
That’s pretty large for a demo, but still comparatively small compared to the eventual size of the final game, which is rumoured to be more than a 100GB. According to the description of the Final Fantasy VII Remake demo page, players can enjoy the first chapter of Final Fantasy VII Remake; the iconic Mako Reactor 1 bombing mission.
However, progress in the demo cannot be carried over into the full retail version of the game. Another incentive for you to download the Final Fantasy VII Remake demo is that you can get an exclusive theme, which will be available to download from 4 April 2020 if you download the demo before 11 May 2020.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is slated to release for the PS4 on 10 April 2020. Stay tuned for a preview of the game later this week.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbgbNdz0saY&w=560&h=315]


Steelrising Is Spiders’ Attempt At A Dark Souls Clone, But Does It Stand Out?

Platform(s): PC (version played), Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS5, PS4
Genre: Action RPG Soulslike but steampunk, robots, and French Revolution
When you think action RPG in a dark fantasy-esque setting taking after existing time periods of yore, one would think Victorian era since we have Bloodborne. Maybe even the French Revolution where neo-classicism drips in every single corner, though ravaged and worn-and-torn.
Leave it to the ambitious RPG makers at Spiders, the French developers known for Technomancer and Greedfall. They are ambitious titles that have their fans and share of technical bugs and Eurojank, but still interesting and eye-catching all the same. Their latest game this year, Steelrising, is the company’s first attempt at blending said time in history -18th century Paris- but heavily revised, adds in robots and steampunk, and see what it’s like to dish out a Soulslike action RPG experience for people interested and masochistic enough.
For the most part, Steelrising’s action RPG offerings are solid enough. But the one key feature that Spiders added to the tried-and-true hardcore formula is bound to raise some eyebrows and even get more fans on board: an on-the-fly adjustable easy mode.
Toning It Down

Your main character, a guard robot named Aegis who has a clouded manufacturing past, is tasked to find your creator, as tasked by historic figure Marie Antoinette, and find out why his other robot creations are going berserk and involved in a robot uprising against the French empire. As such, you’ll be exploring a number of rich aristocrat manors that are abandoned, a city under fire, a number of gardens and mazes, and factory areas, all populated by evil and berserk robots. As far as music and sights go, the game is beautiful. Based on the graphic settings and the fact that everything feels a tad unoptimized since the game’s eating up a lot of memory to run, I’m not shocked as to how some of Steelrising’s vistas and key revolutionary scenes are easy on the eyes.
My 8+ hours with Steelrising in its default setting are as you would expect from a Soulslike game: tough, fair, lots of enemies with slight invincibility advantages and no-stun behaviour when getting hit, and some camping in the background to ambush you at times. And also a few epic boss fights that grant you special traversal abilities when defeated; said abilities will let you open up shortcuts and pathways to previously inaccessible areas. Speaking of abilities, Aegis herself can equip different weapons like swords, giant bludgeoning tools, and even guns with “limited” ammo, modules that affect her stats be it health buffs or a higher chance to stun or freeze foes, and all sorts of armour type that’s both fashionable and functional.
Once you turn on Assist Mode, however, you can basically control the parameters to make the once-challenging Soulslike a breeze for yourself whenever you feel like it. Having fun with the main game but the giant mecha boss’ fight pattern and “berserk” mode wearing you down for hours, acting as your perennial roadblock? Just reduce the damage from enemies and stamina usage on your end, and just deal with it your own way. Of course, most of the game’s achievements will be disabled when you turn this mode on, but that’s fair given that Steelrising is built with its default difficulty and tough combat in mind. Despite future naysaying and Twitter arguments stemming from this feature, Assist Mode does not dilute the game’s overall challenge at all since it’s completely optional and tailored for just your experience alone. Not all of us are tryhards who need to play a Soulslike game a particular way.
Having said that, you can still cheese the game when push comes to shove. The Overheat mechanic can lead to some exploitable gimmicks (use up your Stamina more than usual, and you can time your cooldown prompts faster), and your “ammo” for ranged and special weapons can be hoarded and bought on the cheap, meaning you can save them for tougher encounters where melee isn’t a safe option.
Rise, Roar, Revolt

As far as combat flow and challenges go, Steelrising is decent and is a good first attempt from Spiders in mixing it up in the genre they’re synonymous with. Despite the game’s settings and hardware arguably being a bit demanding and possibly unoptimized (which hopefully gets rectified in a future update), you can confidently add Spiders’ efforts to your list of Soulslike RPGs that you can play after you’re done with Elden Ring; this title can go alongside other Soulslike entry Thymesia as complementary games with one another. At the very least, you have the option to take a break with Steelrising if you choose to turn on assistance; that is at least a feature I wish most game developers can crib from for their Soulslike games in the future.
Final Score: 70/100


TGS 2019: AESF Announces The E-Masters Esports Circuit In 2020

At TGS 2019 in Japan,Â Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF) President Kenneth Fok officially announced the AESF e-Masters esports circuit during his speech at one of the world’s biggest gaming conventions.
The AESF e-Masters esports event will kick off with an inaugural tournament taking place in Shenzhen, China sometime in 2020. It will then be hosted in various other Asian cities later on in the long run. Three titles have been confirmed so far, with more to follow in the future. These include:

eFootball PES 2020
Arena Of Valor
Warcraft 3

In an attempt to promote esports beyond its limits, two demonstration games featuring virtual reality (VR) and robots will also be showcased at the AESF e-Masters. Organising partners include the likes of Sun Media Group, as well as major game publishers such as Konami, Tencent, and Blizzard.
Fok said:

“What started as a dream is now coming closer to reality in the form of theÂ AESF e-Masters. More than just a passion project, it is a long-term, cohesiveÂ undertaking which we aim to develop to be on par with other global-scaleÂ tournaments weâ€™ve seen in the past.
And just like said tournaments, we do not want to confine the e-Masters to just one location as in the long run, we sought to make it accessible to everyone in Asia by hosting it in various cities within this great region.Â

Following Mr Fok’s speech, representative of the Japanese Electronic Sports Association, JeSU has confirmed of their participation in the inaugural tournament. Further details relating to this will be shared at a later date.


You Can Now Play Football Manager 2018 Beta

Rejoice Football Manager addicts.
The day we’ve been waiting for is finally here. Those who pre-ordered the game are now able to download the Beta version of the game. Like previous iterations, the saves from the Football Manager 2018 Beta can be carried over to the final game once it officially launches November 10 2017.
We haven’t gotten into the nitty gritty of the Beta but from the offset, it allows you to scan your own face as option to your manager’s avatar. Pretty nifty feature we must add. You can read the Build Notes of the Beta here and expect more stuff on FM2018 as we sink our teeth into it.

Missed out on the pre-order? Fret not. According to the official Football Manager 2018 Twitter account, pre-ordering it right now allows you access to the Beta. So all’s good.

Which team will you be managing first? Share us your favorite FM moments as well in the comments section below.


All The Games At Tokyo Game Show 2020

This feature will be updated this whole weekend, since TGS 2020 is still ongoing. Check out the TGS 2020 schedule to see what’s going on.
This year’s Tokyo Game Show may be online, but it isn’t stopping developers and publishers from showcasing their awesome and upcoming games. Be it the latest Monster Hunter or Resident Evil sequel, or even mid-tier and indie titles, we’ve got them here on this giant-as-heck feature.
Scarlet Nexus

https://www.kakuchopurei.com/2020/09/27/new-scarlet-nexus-trailer-introduces-another-protagonist/

Dynasty Warriors (Mobile), Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2

Genshin Impact

Sakura Kakumei (Sakura Wars Spin-Off)
https://www.kakuchopurei.com/2020/09/27/sakura-wars-spin-off-gets-october-release-date-in-japan/

Tekken 7
https://www.kakuchopurei.com/2020/09/27/a-familiar-fighter-returns-in-tekken-7-season-4/

Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition
https://www.kakuchopurei.com/2020/09/27/you-can-now-listen-to-vergils-new-theme-from-devil-may-cry-5-special-edition/

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Square Enix Music

Kingdom Hearts Melody
https://www.kakuchopurei.com/2020/09/25/kingdom-hearts-melody-of-memory-demo-drops-in-october/

NieR Replicant, NieR Reincarnation
https://www.kakuchopurei.com/2020/09/24/nier-replicant-remaster-gets-release-date/
https://www.kakuchopurei.com/2020/09/24/nier-reincarnation-international-english-version-confirmed/

Monster Hunter Rise

Atelier Ryza 2

https://www.kakuchopurei.com/2020/09/26/atelier-ryza-2-is-coming-to-the-ps5/

Resident Evil 8 Village, Resident Evil Franchise

https://www.kakuchopurei.com/2020/09/25/resident-evil-village-might-be-coming-to-ps4-xbox-one/
https://www.kakuchopurei.com/2020/09/27/resident-evil-infinite-darkness-premieres-on-netflix-in-2021/

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

https://www.kakuchopurei.com/2020/09/26/new-hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity-gameplay-trailer-showcases-the-four-champions/

Disgaea 6: Defiance Of Destiny

Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds

https://www.kakuchopurei.com/2020/09/26/level-5-showcases-detailed-look-at-ni-no-kuni-cross-worlds-gameplay/

Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis

https://www.kakuchopurei.com/2020/09/25/heres-what-we-know-about-phantasy-star-online-2-new-genesis-so-far/

NieR Replicant
https://www.kakuchopurei.com/2020/09/24/nier-replicant-remaster-gets-release-date/

Megaton Musashi

https://www.kakuchopurei.com/2020/09/26/level-5s-megaton-musashi-mecha-game-is-getting-an-anime/

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers

Panty Party


Action-Adventure Stray Blade Launches This April

505 Games and Point Blank Games have announced that Stray Blade will launch for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store on 20 April 2023. You can sign up for the closed beta here.
Stray Blade‘s well-balanced mix of alluring narrative and challenging combat rewards adaptable, curious adventurers. Point Blank Games focuses primarily on the action thanks to the hyper-responsive combat system that allows quick reactions and precise attacks to fully control the flow of battle. Death is inevitable but not a hindrance, with an accessible approach providing explicit in-game indicators for crucial combat elements, and an overall structure that minimizes frustration.
Accompanied by the Xhinnon wolf Boji, traverse the ancient land of Acrea and discover the cause of its demise centuries ago. Build upon that companionship and rely on each other’s talent and skills to survive. Call upon an arsenal of weapons, or craft them out of surrounding resources to ensure the next battle ends in triumph. Take a moment to bask in the serene fantasy environments hinting at a life that once was in this mysterious yet adrenaline-filled adventure.
Check out the trailer below:


Tetris Effect, Last Year’s Trippy PS4 Puzzle Game, Is Getting A PC Release

And about time too. The PS4 puzzle virtual trip Tetris Effect is getting a PC release in a few days. 23 July, to be precise.
The catch, if you can call it that? It’s coming out on the Epic Games Store. Like its PS4 brethren, the PC version has optional VR support via the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets. The PC version is considered the “ultimate version” of the game, as it comes with uncapped framerates, 4K resolution, ultrawide monitor support, and other expanded game and graphical options.
We gave Tetris Effect our coveted Best Puzzle Game award for our Kakuchopurei Awards 2018 extravaganza last year because it had the folks behind Rez and Child of Eden making it all jazzy, cityscapy, transition-ey, and celebratory.
The PC version will cost you US$40, but will be available for 20 percent off during the pre-order period. Anyone who buys the game early will get a seven-track soundtrack sampler and a 4K Tetris Effect wallpaper as a complimentary bonus.


Overwatch Lead Writer Breaks Down Each Hero in Special Wired Video

The lead writer and senior designer for lore and story in Overwatch, Michael Chu broke down the background stories of each Overwatch hero for Wired.com.Â  In the video, he detailed how each hero came to be, and some, nuggets previously unknown to the masses. Did you know Doomfist was only a name til everyone started asking for his inclusion into the final game, or that Genji and Hanzo were originally meant to be the same character? Well those are just few of the many featured in the 21-minute long video. Have a looksie:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPXKBFXS3wk&w=560&h=315]
Built from the ashes of a failed project in called Project Titan, Overwatch is now one of the world’s most played FPS and esports titles in the world and following their successful second Overwatch World Cup, is set to kick off its biggest pro-stage yet, the Overwatch League come January 11th 2018.


For Honor’s Halloween Event Is Now Live, Monsters Included

We definitely remember 2017’s For Honor, a multiplayer medieval sword-laden fighting game that’s still garnering a noticeable fan base. We definitely enjoyed the hell out of it, so maybe these updates may pull us back into the melee fray.
Ubisoft just released its annual For Honor Halloween event called Fangs of the Underworld. Basically, you get to don rubbery monster masks from costume stores for the current festivities. You can also earn new battle outfits, effects, and weapons from the timed mode called Spooky Slashers.
What is Spooky Slashers? It’s a modified Dominion Mode where players have to capture zones to pick up special buffs that allow them to take on demons hiding in the map. Dying basically drops all your buffs, so it’s best you don’t do much of that lest someone else steals it from you.

If that trailer piqued your interest, you should know that it’ll run from now until 4th November. You’ll be able to buy unique Halloween item packs for each hero in the in-game shop, because this is Ubisoft we’re still talking about.Â


Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Gets Major Volcanic Region Update

Hope you’re done with Monster Hunter World: Iceborne’s main campaign, because there’s a ton more to do once 10th October hits.
Players will be getting not just a new monster called Rajang but also a new Volcanic Region in the endgame area the Guiding Lands. Defeating Rajang will net you a special Rajang Claws pendant while conquering the new area will get you new materials to customize your weapons and armour.

The update also allows you to invite other players into your room for a Monster Hunter armor-clad slumber party, complete with the option to change music and show off your favourite equipment via a new equipment display option.
For a guide on what to do until then, check out our endgame guide.


Star Wars Vader Immortal Drops On PS VR This Summer

Developer ILMxLAB has announced that the VR-only title Star Wars Vader Immortal is finally coming to the PS4 on PlayStation VR sometime in summer 2020 after initially launching for Oculus Rift last year.
According to ILMxLAB Executive Creative Producer Mark S. Miller via PlayStation Blog, all three episodes of the game and Lightsaber Dojos (open-ended training experience to practice lightsaber skills) will be available to purchase in a complete package for the first time ever.

In Star Wars Vader Immortal, players assume the role of a smuggler operating near Mustafar, where Darth Vader’s castle is located. When they are unexpectedly pulled out of hyperspace, players will find themselves as part of Vaderâ€™s quest to resurrect his deceased wife, Padme Amidala.
With the help of their droid companion ZO-E3, players will navigate the dangers of the fortress, hone their lightsaber skills, and meet new characters along the way in a story that is CANON to the franchise.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLG5Bgwe6J8&w=560&h=315]