Total Tank Generals Deploys On PC This March

Total Tank Generals, developed by Noobz From Poland and published by 505 Games, will launch on Steam on 30 March 2022, allowing fans of tactical turn-based combat to fully experience the high level of detail the game has to offer.
Total Tank Generals is a historically rich game offering deep game mechanics – such as unit models, troop promotions, movement, combat, and terrain. Players will learn to use all of these to their advantage, strategizing their way through historical battles by carefully planning attacks, deploying troops and when to call in support.

Outwitting the enemy and achieving victory will require players to manage resources, leverage on the environment and take full advantage of each unit – taking on the commanding general role in the historical campaigns of Patton, Zhukov, and Rommel.
Easy to pick up with its inbuilt game guide for newcomers to the strategy genre, the game can offer a great challenge for the most seasoned veteran of the genre. It is not just for strategy gamers – fans of tactical miniature and board games will appreciate the mechanics and the mindset required to win battles, while history experts will enjoy the vast historical content and accuracy paid to details on context, units and key commanders.

Total Tank Generals can be wish-listed on its official page on Steam.
Check out the trailer below:


TGS 2019: Nioh 2 Brings Back A Familiar Enemy; Launches Early 2020

We’re all still recovering from the pain and misery that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has been inflicting on our poor souls. Fortunately, we’ll be able to lick our wounds clean just in time for the release of another “be better or die trying” demon-slaying samurai game: Nioh 2.
A leaked trailer (which has now been re-uploaded properly on the PlayStation YouTube channel) was put up on YouTube just about a day before the start of Tokyo Game Show 2019.
It doesn’t show a lot of gameplay but now we know a bit of context as to when Nioh 2 will take place. Thankfully, PlayStation has provided English captions for the fully Japanese trailer so make sure to turn them on.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFDnUkiZQZ0&w=560&h=315]
I’m 99% sure that the man at the end of the trailer is none other than Oda Nobunaga himself, infamous Japanese daimyo and also the big bad of the first game. The missing goatee-of-evil, shiny black hair, and neat eyebrows clearly indicates that we’re looking at a younger but no less ambitious version of Nobunaga.
Unfortunately, I’m still really clueless what’s really going on in the trailer but I assume it has something to do with our player character either trying to stop Nobunaga or perhaps even joining his ranks. Indeed it’ll be exciting to see more younger versions of characters we met in the first Nioh.
On the gameplay side of things, we get to see some of that Oni transformation feature that’s being promoted as one of the sequel’s biggest changes. Also shown were the plethora bosses and enemies that will punish for every single little mistake you made. Ah, can’t wait to be bodied by more demons.
Oda Nobunaga from the first Nioh.
Seeing as how a demo of the game will be playable at TGS 2019, it’s highly likely that the game is nearing completion and judging by that early 2020 release announcement, I’m hoping that it comes out in January 2020.
Do note that the trailer only explicitly shows that this is for the PS4 and no other platforms so we’ll have to wait and see if the game will be a PS4 exclusive or also released for PC and other consoles.


The Twisted Metal Series Gets Fun Teaser Trailer

The Twisted Metal series will premiere on Peacock on 27  July 2023 with 10 episodes in its first season.
The synopsis reads:
Twisted Metal, a half-hour live-action TV series based on the classic PlayStation game series, is a high-octane action comedy, based on an original take by Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick and written by Michael Jonathan Smith, about a motor-mouthed outsider offered a chance at a better life, but only if he can successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland. With the help of a badass axe-wielding car thief, he’ll face savage marauders driving vehicles of destruction and other dangers of the open road, including a deranged clown who drives an all too familiar ice cream truck.
Check out the trailer below:


No Time To Die Is Daniel Craig’s Emotional & Epic Spy Thriller Swansong

After over 20 films, the James Bond franchise is still going strong but never before has it been as serialized as it is during Daniel Craig’s era. No Time To Die is Daniel Craig’s fifth and final movie as the iconic 007. Is it a meaningful and great sendoff to the actor, who has been in the role for 15 years, since 2006’s Casino Royale.
Shaken, Not Stirred

The movie starts off with a thrilling action sequence and it pretty much doesn’t let up. Despite being a whopping two hours and 43 minutes long, the movie doesn’t feel draggy at all with its consistent pacing and thrilling action scenes. The movie keeps your attention with its simplistic but engaging plot. However, you really shouldn’t expect much in terms of surprises. The plot is predictable and while there are a few twists, this movie follows the same Bond template and archetypes of the last four films with Daniel Craig.
Having said that, no one really watches a Bond film for its amazing plot. Surprisingly though, what sets No Time To Die Apart is how emotional Daniel Craig’s James Bond is. He exudes more emotional range in this movie than in previous films, and it makes for some emotionally-charged scenes. This is thanks to the relationship between Bond and LÃ©a Seydouxâ€™s Madeleine Swann, which goes to unexpected places.

The premise and plot in No Time To Die is formulated in such a way that even if you’ve never watched any of the previous four films, you can understand what’s happening. However, in order to fully appreciate how much Daniel Craig’s Bond has grown and developed to reach this point, you need to watch them because this is the culmination of his journey. You can pretty much just skip Quantum Of Solace though; that movie was horrible.
It’s a credit to director Cary Joji Fukunaga that the movie features beautiful shots of each location, from a classic Italian town and frozen Norway to the streets of Cuba. His action sequences and set pieces are the highlights of the movie, with clear and exciting choreography that’s easy to follow. All in all, the first half of No Time To Die is superior to its much more predictable second half, but at least the third act has an especially high emotional stake for James Bond; one that I believe he has never faced before.
Die Another Day

The best thing about No Time To Die isn’t just Daniel Craig’s James Bond but also the phenomenal cast of supporting characters. Everyone from Naomie Harrisâ€™ Miss Moneypenny and Ben Whishawâ€™s Q to Ralph Fiennes’ M and Jeffrey Wright’s Felix Leiter brightens up the movie with their presence. The new 007 (whose name is Nomi and played by Captain Marvel‘s Lashana Lynch) often makes snippy banter with Bond and it’s amusing to see the new mess around with the old (Bond) in a way that’s not annoying or disrespectful.
The MVP of the movie has to go to Ana De Armas’ Paloma. She has the least amount of screen time compared to the other supporting characters, as she basically only appears in the Cuban segment. It didn’t surprise me that the breakout rising star of Blade Runner 2048 and Knives Out has managed to make such a big impression in a small role. Her character explodes with such energy and charm that she’s the most memorable part of the entire film.

Unfortunately, Rami Malek’s antagonist, Safin, is the most disappointing of the bunch. He’s a cardboard cartoonish villain who doesn’t receive as much development as he should have. It’s like ticking a villainous checklist. Weird accent, check. Disfigured face, check. Some kind of evil plan involving a weapon of mass destruction, check. It’s not interesting at all, which is why I’m thankful that the rest of the supporting cast picks up the slack.
We’ve been listening to Billie Eilish’s No Time To Die for more than a year now, but what’s a Bond movie without an epic opening sequence with trippy visuals and the theme song playing. Hans Zimmer’s score also elevates the movie’s action sequences and emotional scenes, making them even more powerful and effective in execution.
The Bond Legacy

If I were to rank No Time To Die, it would probably still be lower than Skyfall and Casino Royale. However, it’s very much the most emotional movie of all five films and the payoff is there for those who have followed Daniel Craig’s 007 since the very beginning.
Thank you, Daniel Craig. You were a great Bond, but most importantly, for a lot of us, you were our Bond and the one we grew up with.
Final Score: 80/100
We attended an early screener of No Time To Die courtesy of UIP Malaysia. No Time To Die is slated to premiere on 25th November 2021.
[videopress i8j1SVK8]


Best Films & TV Shows Of 2020

2020 went by in a flash. The entertainment industry was heavily affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Lots of content were cancelled or delayed, but not all of them.
We still had some great gems from what was a testing year for many of us. Letâ€™s check out our favourite movies and TV shows from the year of 2020:
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist Season 1

This show was one of the most pleasant surprises of 2020. In a year filled with uncertainty and despair, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist made us feel more optimistic.
Don’t get the wrong idea, this is a musical comedy but one with more heart and emotion that we’ve seen. It’s raw and real without being cheesy or corny, and many episodes will make you cry and laugh (often at the same time).
It deals with real-life problems and emotions that most other shows would probably just skimp over or not cover at all.
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist is a refreshing show that will make you feel better without being overly preachy. Plus, Season 2 just started in January 2021, so it’s a great time to pick up this underrated gem.
Oh, and it helps that the musical covers are generally great as well.
The Boys Season 2

There’s nothing else like The Boys right now and with the Marvel Cinematic Universe oversaturating the market, it’s the perfect time for a show like this. It’s also unafraid to mock the bigger corporate Marvel and DC superheroes, which feels fresh and welcome.
Season 2 was another great season for the series, especially with its character-driven approach and shining the spotlight on supporting characters like Karen Fukuharaâ€™s Kimiko (you can check out my full review here).
If you’re looking forward to The Boys Season 3, here are our predictions for the upcoming series and what we should expect moving forward.
The Trial Of The Chicago 7

Most major movies in 2020 were delayed or postponed, but if there’s one single movie from the entire year that deserves to win awards, it’s Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial Of The Chicago 7 on Netflix.
While it’s based on true events, it’s still crazy how much of what happened back in the 60s parallels current events. The Trial Of The Chicago 7 is nothing but timely, and it’s no boring courtroom drama either.
The ensemble cast consisting of Sacha Baron Cohen, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Eddie Redmayne and more delivered incredible Oscar-worthy performances. This is a masterpiece of a film.
Tenet

Tenet is one of the few movies in 2020 to receive a theatrical release in cinemas, and it was definitely worth the hassle. Is it Christopher Nolan’s best movie? Probably not, but Tenet is certainly one of his most ambitious.
With Tenet, it really seems like Nolan is trying to both boggle the mind and bombard the senses at the same time. Tenet features some of his most impressive epic set-pieces ever witnessed in a Nolan movie, and his most complex twisty narrative yet.
You can check our full review of the movie here. If you’ve already watched the movie but still need some questions answered, we have the solution to that as well with a detailed explanation.
Hamilton

This may feel like cheating but it’s totally not. Hamilton is a live stage recording of the 2015 Broadway musical, but it premiered on Disney Plus in 2020. Plus, this was the only way most of us outside of the U.S. could even catch the acclaimed musical.
Oh, and what a musical it is. The cast, performances and the music make for a stellar two hours and 40 minutes of sheer delight and an awe-inspiring show.
If there’s one thing that proves how good Hamilton was, we listened to the songs so much for the rest of the year that it was our most listened album on Spotify for 2020. It’s just that good. Hamilton is something that needs to be experienced, even if its just a recorded performance.
The Mandalorian Season 2

The Mandalorian Season 2 managed to outdo its already amazing first season and that’s an impressive feat. It’s bolstered by guest stars aplenty, including Temuera Morrison as Boba Fett (who will be getting his own TV series later this year) and not one but two of the most iconic Jedis in the franchise.
This second season has proven that The Mandalorian could delve deep into the franchise’s lore, including that of the Star Wars The Clone Wars and Rebels animated series, and still come out enjoyable for both hardcore and casual fans.
The success of The Mandalorian Season 2 gives us more reason to believe that the eleven (yes, eleven) other planned Star Wars TV series will be just as good, or even better. The future of the franchise has never looked better, and this season gives us new hope.
Pixar’s Soul

Pixar’s Onward earlier in 2020 was pretty decent, but Soul was definitely closer to the studio’s more classic offerings. The latest animated movie by Pete Docter, the director of Up and Inside Out, doesn’t disappoint.
Soul explores its subject matter (the meaning of life, etc.) in a thoughtful matter that will likely go over the heads of younger viewers, but one that older ones will definitely resonate with.
It’s probably the best and most unique original effort from the studio in years. In a year like 2020, we all needed a movie like this reminding us of what it means to just… live.
You can check out our full review of Pixar’s Soul here.
Harley Quinn Season 2

When the Harley Quinn animated series was first announced, I was sceptical about how it was going to turn out, due to how tame the live-action portrayals of the character has been in both 2016â€™s Suicide Squad and 2020â€™s Birds Of Prey.
Imagine my pleasant surprise when it turned out to be one of the best shows of the year. Season 2 of the show came out in April 2020, only two months after the end of the first season, and I was blown away by the batshit crazy antics featured in the show.
It makes full use of its R-rating, with gratuitous swearing and violence that complements all the amazing jokes and gags. There have also been plenty of scenes from the show that has gone viral on social media, such as Robin asking Batman about sex and an entire musical sequence that parodies the â€œUnder The Seaâ€ song from Disneyâ€™s The Little Mermaid.
Despite all that, the relationship between Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy is a definite highlight, giving emotional weight to the series as well. This is perfect for DC Comics fans and fans of Harley Quinn alike. This version of the character is pure Harley Quinn in all her glory as Paul Dini and Bruce Timm intended; not just trying to imitate Deadpool like in the comics or movies.
The Invisible Man

The Invisible Man is the start of Universalâ€™s new effort and plans to remake and reimagine their classic movie monsters like Frankenstein and The Wolfman with standalone stories.
This classic has been updated to modern tastes; with the movie showcasing the real terror of trying to escape your abuser. This exploration of abuse in a horror lens is disturbing and distressing, but it makes for a great horror movie thatâ€™s more than a collection of cheap jump scares.
Combine that with Elisabeth Mossâ€™ incredible but harrowing performance of abuse victim Cecilia Kass, and we have one of the standout horror sci-fi movies of recent times. Director and writer Leigh Whannell is no stranger to the horror genre too, considering that he wrote the first three Saw movies and the entire Insidious franchise.
You can check out our full review here.
The Vast of Night

If you want a genre movie that pays homage to all of the greats from the 60s to 80s, this Amazon Prime treat is worth watching.
It’s set in the 1950s in a rural town where a radio disc jockey (Jake Horowitz) and young switchboard operator (Sierra McCormick) tries to crack a mysterious audio frequency. This film is a prime example of the journey being way more important than the destination. You have to see the shots, the takes, and the framing, as well as invest yourself with the banter between Horowitz and McCormick’s characters (along with the supporting cast) to totally appreciate this love letter to high concept sci-fi.
Avenue 5 Season 1

This is probably one of the yearâ€™s most underrated comedies. Sci-fi comedies are rare, and itâ€™s easy to see why; theyâ€™re difficult to pull off. Youâ€™ve got classics like Mystery Science Theater 3000 and Red Dwarf but in recent times, there have been little offerings, with the exception of perhaps the Rick And Morty animated series and similarly criminally-underrated The Orville by Seth McFarlane.
HBO debuted Avenue 5 earlier this year, starring comedy giants like Hugh Laurie of medical comedy House fame, Star Trek Voyager alum Ethan Philips, Josh Gad, and more. Admittedly, the first few episodes are rocky and all over the place, but the second half of its first season is where it sticks the landing.
Expect witty and sometimes even dark humour from Avenue 5; itâ€™s a bumpy but fun cruise in space. You can now stream Avenue 5 via HBO Go.
She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power Season 5

It is a testament to the brilliant work by showrunner Noelle Stevenson and the folks at Dreamworks Animation that they have managed to pack so much action, adventure, and complicated character dynamics into a total of 52 episodes in the span of only two years.
The best thing about She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power throughout its five seasons have always been the way that it manages to convey the emotional complexity of its characters. The best comparisons I can mention are to that of the redemption arcs of Darth Vader in Star Wars and Zuko in Avatar: The Last Airbender.
At least, you wonâ€™t feel horribly-cheated like many of us did with the conclusion of Netflixâ€™s other popular original animated series, Voltron: Legendary Defender. You can check out our full review here.
Bad Education

If you want further proof as to why Hugh “Wolverine” Jackman is the best in the acting business, Bad Education is one damn fine example. A drama based on the biggest embezzlement scandal in American public school history involving one Frank Tassone (Jackman), this film showcases a man who tries to hide a lavished lifestyle in a series of lies while also playing a role model of sorts for his students. It also tells a great crime story involving one that happens in plain sight.
Noteworthy actors in this tour de force include Tassone’s assistant supervisor Pam Gluckin (Allison Janney), journalist-aspiring student Rachel Bhargava (Geraldine Viswanathan), and Big Bob Spicer (Ray Romano). Shoutouts also for the film’s slickest use of Moby’s “In This World” in a pivotal climax.
Feels Good Man

Who knew a documentary about the Pepe The Frog meme could be this enthralling and colourful? This film chronicles how Pepe came to be from a comic, to its eventual popularity in websites like 4chan, and also how it became a symbol of hate.
In addition to the animated transitions, we also get to witness its creator Matt Furie trying his best to reclaim Pepe from the internet, to little avail. It’s a great cautionary note on how the art can somehow evolve beyond the artist and its creator, especially to ill effect.
Wolfwalkers

Pixar isn’t the only animation company who can impress audiences with graphics and storytelling. The folks from Cartoon Saloon and Melusine Production capped off their Irish Folklore Trilogy with Wolfwalkers, a story about the friendship between hunter wannabe/scullery maid Robyn and Wolfwalker child Mebh.
It’s just a treat to watch 2D animation at its very gorgeous, from the contrast between the Irish town of Kilkenny and the great forest that surrounds it, to the key scene where Robyn messes around with her accidental powers it in a lovely musical number. The story also meshes well with the visuals and charming traditional soundtrack, as it’s about how Robyn and his dad tries to survive in the society they’re thrust in, only to realize that breaking free from it is the only solution.
It’s way more uplifting than their previous film Breadwinner.
Palm Springs

How does one remake a film like Groundhog Day? Simple; just change the script around, make the loop about someone’s wedding day, and focus it on two people who are in on the time loop trap. In Palm Springs’ case, it’s Andy Sandberg’s Nyles and Cristin “HIMYM” Millioti’s Sarah who play off each other very, very well.
The situations and predicament itself is funny, but it also comes with a lot of heart and questions on whether routine life is worth living through over and over. Highlight moments include the introduction of J.K. Simmons’ Roy Schlieffen and the “we’re in a timeloop; let’s just eff stuff up” montage.
Bill & Ted Face The Music

Bill & Ted Face The Music is a sequel made with love and still delivers the laughs. Itâ€™s earnest, optimistic, charming, and shows hope that you donâ€™t need too much slapstick to get your audiencesâ€™ attention.
Good comedic timing, buddy duo chemistry, and elaborate yet easy-to-follow plotlines segmented with ease and great pacing is all you need to cap off your long-standing series. As long as youâ€™re not expecting way more than that, youâ€™re fine rocking on to this excellent follow-up.


This Optimus Prime Toy Can Transform On Its Own

Feast your eyes on one of the most expensive and advanced Transformers toys ever made. It’s currently up for pre-order on Hasbro Pulse for a whopping US$699. It was revealed as part of Hasbroâ€™s collector-centric Pulse Fanfest event.
The Robosenâ€™s Optimus Prime is more than just a toy; it’s more like a programmable robot. It can walk and drive, as well as responds to commands issued by voice or via a mobile app. Advanced users will even be able to program advanced actions via code. It also comes equipped with more than 80 sound effects, including clips from voice actor Peter Cullen, and the classic transforming sound from the cartoon.
Impressively, it’s assembled from over 5,000 components, including 60 microchips and 27 servo motors.
[videopress kiuLbFas]
In a statement, Robosen USA director Sean Tang said:
â€œWe are thrilled to collaborate with Hasbro and look forward to ushering in a new standard of robotics with the most advanced Transformers robots for consumers ever created. T
he team is working hard to deliver an amazing user experience for fans of this esteemed franchise and produce Transformers that will be a premium addition to their collection with its superior functionality.â€
In other related news, a new Transformer animated series is in the works.


Ex-Sonic Boss Is Shocked Because Wata-Certified Game Was Sold At Absurd Price

Yuji Naka, the former boss of the Sonic The Hedgehog series and Sonic Team of Sega, was surprised that the original form of one of his games was sold for US$430,000.
That game was the first Sonic The Hedgehog and the cartridge that was sold was certified as a vintage copy by quality-assessment service Wata. Apparently, Yuji was pretty irate about this.
See, Wata co-founder Mark Haspel was accused of selling graded stock of vintage games for a profit, therefore breaking his own rule. It’s basically a huge conflict of interest since a company that grades titles through certification should not be selling their own cartridges via exploiting their own system and code of conduct.
Turns out that Yuji has some free time in keeping up to date with the retro reselling news, since he isn’t really doing much since Balan Wonderworld.Â

?What's this https://t.co/U6BkQaWgHz
— Yuji Naka / ???? (@nakayuji) September 21, 2021

This copy of Sonic The Hedgehog for Sega Genesis was given a 9.4 quality rating by Wata. Anything higher than 9.0 is “investment grade”, thus may increase in value among collectors and resellers. However, there’s been many reports that these prices are artificially driven up by parties who want to mark up their own value of their own collections for profit-gaining reasons.


Xbox Head Honcho Quells Call Of Duty Worry

Earlier this week, the games industry was shocked when Microsoft announced that they would be acquiring Activision Blizzard in one of the largest deals ever in the history of gaming. This has many PlayStation users worried if game franchises under Activision Blizzard would eventually become Xbox exclusives.
Now we know at least one franchise will remain playable on PlayStation; Call Of Duty.
In a tweet earlier today, Xbox head Phil Spencer said:
â€œHad good calls this week with leaders at Sony. I confirmed our intent to honor all existing agreements upon acquisition of Activision Blizzard and our desire to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation. Sony is an important part of our industry, and we value our relationship.â€

Had good calls this week with leaders at Sony. I confirmed our intent to honor all existing agreements upon acquisition of Activision Blizzard and our desire to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation. Sony is an important part of our industry, and we value our relationship.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) January 20, 2022

From this statement, it seems like Microsoft wants to keep Call Of Duty as a multiplatform release. There has been precedent for this in the past. Microsoft owns Minecraft developer Mojang, but the game remains available on other platforms like PlayStation (even spinoffs like Minecraft Dungeons).
This tweet isn’t exactly a written and binding contract though, so it’s still possible that the Call Of Duty franchise might eventually become an Xbox exclusive in the future. For now, PlayStation players can heave a sigh of relief.


The Batman Movie Logo Revealed Ahead Of DC FanDome

The first DC FanDome event is happening this weekend, and we’re expecting to get a closer look at Matt Reeves’ upcoming The Batman. In anticipation of the movie’s panel this weekend, Reeves has given us our first look at The Batman‘s official movie logo.
Reeves tweeted out an image of the logo, which features The Batman in a blood-red text font set against a black background and an image of the Bat emblem from Robert Pattinson’s Batman suit.

Reeves also posted a new piece of The Batman art from DC Chief Creative Officer and artist Jim Lee:

The art gives us an even more detailed yet heavily-stylized look at Robert Pattinson’s Batman suit in The Batman. It looks functional yet heavily-armoured, with a cuffed collar of sorts to boot.
DC’s The Batman panel is scheduled to run at 8.30am GMT+8 on 23 August 2020 during the DC FanDome event.


Resident Evil Village Sales Surpass Five Million Worldwide

Capcom has announced that the total shipments and digital sales for Resident Evil Village have surpassed a whopping five million units worldwide.
Resident Evil Village is the sequel to Resident Evil 7 biohazard (which has gone on to ship over 10 million units cumulatively) and once more places players into the role of protagonist Ethan Winters as they venture into a mysterious, snowy village to rescue his daughter. In addition to providing a sense of scale that outdoes its predecessor, as well as storytelling that rises above the genre of horror games, this title was lauded for featuring a higher degree of action and even more expansive, highly engaging gameplay.
Utilizing the company’s proprietary RE Engine, which made a simultaneous release on both the new and current generation of consoles possible, the game captivated players with a spectacular play experience featuring stunning, photorealistic visuals and cutting-edge 3D audio.
Resident Evil Village originally launched for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 7 May 2021. Sales initially exceeded four million back in July 2021.
For moreÂ Resident Evil Village,Â check out our reviewÂ andÂ guides.


Nier Automata Anime’s Fourth Episode Delayed Due To COVID-19

In a twist not anticipated by Nier director Yoko Taro, the Nier Automata anime is going to be delayed.
Right now, all three episodes of the show are available on Amazon Prime (Japanese dub, English subs). As for the fourth episode, it was originally scheduled for this coming Saturday night on 28 January. However, A-1 Pictures said the anime will be delayed due to disruption caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Broadcast postponement due to COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/dGz01S1ywQ
— NieR:Automata – Animation Project (@NieRA_anime_EN) January 21, 2023

The fourth episode and onward will be aired when the team is ready to make an announcement; “soon” according to the team. Right now, Japan is feeling repercussions from the eighth wave of the COVID disease. If you’re feeling bummed out, why not check out our comparison videos of all three episodes below?


Malaysia’s Asian Games 2022 Esports Representatives Will Be Confirmed Come May

During the PUBG Mobile 4th Anniversary event held at Sunway Pyramid earlier today, the Olympic Council Of Malaysia (OCM) announced that they will be organizing a national selection event in May 2022 as part of the Road To Asian Games (RDAG) Huangzhou 2022 programme. It will aim to select the best players to represent Malaysia in the upcoming Asian Games 2022, which will take place in Huangzhou, China, from 10 to 25 September 2022.
In his speech at the event, Olympic Council Of Malaysia (OCM) Secretary-General Dato’ Mohd Nazifuddin said:
“Thank you Tencent Games and Xiaomi for inviting us to be a part of the PUBG Mobile 4th Anniversary Celebration. To commemorate this special occasion, we would like to make a special announcement in regards to the Road To Asian Games (RDAG) Huangzhou 2022 programme, an esports programme jointly created by the Olympic Council Of Asia (OCA) and the Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF).
The Olympic Council Of Malaysia (OCM) will be organizing a national selection event in May 2022 as part of the RDAG programme to select the best players to represent Malaysia in the upcoming Asian Games. We hope to encourage more local esports talent to participate in the programme, especially since we have many highly-skilled talents among our Malaysian youths who are on par with the world’s best players.
Additionally, OCM is collaborating with Tencent Games to further develop and nurture the skills of the PUBG Mobile community for the upcoming PUBG Mobile City Tournament. We are excited to discover even more young talents who will be representing Malaysia to compete on the global stage in the near future.”

Back in November 2021, PUBG Mobile, co-developed by Lightspeed and Quantum Studios of Tencent Games and KRAFTON, was selected as one of the eight games that will be included in the official esports program for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. This is the first time that PUBG Mobile will be included as an event in the Asian Games.
The Asian Games first paved the way for esports representation with its inclusion as a demonstration sport in 2018. In 2020, and now 2022, esports is part of the official program and a medal event.
In this 19th Asian Games, PUBG MOBILE will join seven other games in the program: Arena Of Valor Asian Games Version, DOTA 2, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, EA SPORTS FIFA branded soccer games, Hearthstone, League Of Legends, and Street Fighter V.
Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for more future updates!


Assassin’s Creed Valhalla 1.61 Update To Add New Tombs & Rune Forge Building

The Assassin’s Creed Valhalla 1.61 update will launch on 27 September 2022 on all platforms.
In the meantime, check out our full review of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla here, or head on over here for our guide on how to be the best Viking in the game.
Patch Sizes:
Xbox Series X/S: 11.9 GB
Xbox One: 10.6 GB
PS5: 1.6 GB
PS4: 8.6 GB
PC: 9.12 GB
Check out the patch notes below for the most notable Title Update 1.6.1 changes.
NEW FREE CONTENT
ADDED A NEW SETTLEMENT BUILDING: RUNE FORGE.
AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 27
Ravensthorpe has once again expanded! Construct the Rune Forge building and push the boundaries of gear customization.
The Rune Forge can be built once Ravensthorpe has been upgraded to Level 4. With the Forge, you can turn the perks of your currently owned gear into new runes in exchange for silver. Explore the world of Valhalla to find more gear and turn their perks into valuable runes!
Please note that the Rune Forge does not support items from the game’s expansions. Runes can also be sold for silver at the Forge.
TOMBS OF THE FALLEN PACK 2
AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 27
The journey of Tombs of the Fallen comes to an epic conclusion in this all-new addition. Find your way through three mysterious tombs rigged with ancient traps and complex puzzles. Only the most dedicated adventurers will discover buried secrets from a fallen civilization.
Observe and explore deep waters, molten lava, and Isu teachings to solve ancient puzzles and acquire lost treasures.
Scattered throughout England, these tombs of discovery are available from the moment you unlock Ravensthorpe. You will be able to explore the new forgotten tombs for free starting September 27.
AC15 REWARDS – UBISOFT CONNECT
AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 27
Celebrate 15 years of Assassin’s Creed in Assassin’s Creed® Valhalla with free exclusive in-game rewards. Take your settlement to the next level with the AC15 settlement pack and ink your skin with a dedicated AC15 tattoo set. Available through Ubisoft Connect.
OSKOREIA FESTIVAL
AVAILABLE OCTOBER 20 – NOVEMBER 10
The veil of Oskoreia covers Ravensthorpe one more time. This October, take on the Wild Hunt of the Oskoreia Festival by defending your settlement from the threat of harmful spirits and prove the strength of the Raven Clan. In this free, limited-time event, you’ll find new activities, quests, and a wealth of new exclusive rewards. The Oskoreia Festival will be available from October 20 to November 10.
BUG FIXES & IMPROVEMENTS
THE FORGOTTEN SAGA
Addressed:

Equipping the Death Jarl helmet will remove Eivor’s beard customization.
Sometimes Odin can get stuck in a pillar when assassinating enemies.
After the battle with Systir and his tamer in Nidheim, the barrier will not go away.
Everold’s store re-stocks with already purchased items.

THE SIEGE OF PARIS
Addressed:

Unique Siege of Paris runes purchased through Pierre’s shop can be sold, but cannot be bought back.

WRATH OF THE DRUIDS
Addressed:

Finishing Balor with a stun-attack can cause the encounter to get stuck.

ASSASSIN’S CREED VALHALLA
MAIN QUESTS, WORLD EVENTS, AND SIDE ACTIVITIES
Addressed:

Order Medallions missing after defeating members of the order.
The quest Going Deeper cannot be received if the plants have already been collected.
Crashes while loading a save file during Finding Fritjof quest.
Player stats are not tracking as intended for the Core Challenge Eivor’s Saga.

WORLD
Addressed:

When climbing the tree near the Druid cottage in Glowecestrescire, Eivor can get stuck under the platform.
Unable to interact with Rollo within the brothel.
Unable to enter a house in Picheringa because of a blocked window and barred door.

OSKOREIA FESTIVAL
Addressed:

Various fixes for the returning Oskoreia festival event.

ARMORY & INVENTORY
Addressed:

Weapons being duplicated through unintended means.
Duplicated Dwarven customization options in inventory.
Two-Handed Axes can appear on both sides of the Armory mannequin if the player changes hands while using the weapon.
Flails appear upside down in the Armory when equipped with a loadout.
Isu tattoo duplicates in inventory after purchase and replaces other tattoos that can no longer be selected.

MISCELLANEOUS
Addressed:

Some weapons appear in Vagn’s shop when they’ve already been acquired.
The VFX for the charge attack persists on the weapon after it has been used.
Twilight pack previews do not load when trying to view them in the in-game store.
Unintended echo effect on Reda’s speech audio.
Cargo hold during River Raids caps at 200 even if capacity is upgraded.
Eivor spawns drunk when loading into the game.

UI / HUD
Addressed:

Jord Scarecrow settlement cosmetic tile in Norvid’s store doesn’t show the item.


Avengers: Endgame Is An Emotional & Epic End To Ten Years Of World Building

Avengers: Endgame is exactly what its name indicates; the end of the Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s Infinity Saga which has spanned over 21 movies and more than a decade. After spending all that time invested in the characters and stories in the MCU, this is the sweeping grand emotional payoff that we’ve been waiting for, the sheer epicness of which is unrivaled by any comic book movie preceding it.
Culmination Of Everything That Came Before

How much you’ll enjoy Avengers: Endgame depends on how much you care about the MCU and the characters who inhabit it. The Russo brothers didn’t lie when they said that almost every minute of the movie’s 3-hour runtime shouldn’t be missed. Without spoiling anything, I can say that if you’ve watched every MCU movie since 2008 and some of the related TV show spinoffs, you’ll find a lot to appreciate here.
Every single scene in Avengers: Endgame offers some type of easter egg, a reference to past events, inside joke, or simply to reminisce about the earlier days of the MCU. The beauty of this is that unlike some of the more obscure easter eggs in past movies (which usually requires a semblance of comic book knowledge), Avengers: Endgame is a movie for fans of the MCU first and foremost.
That’s a sign of how far the MCU has come in the past decade. It’s grown into this living and breathing independent entity separate from the source material it spawned from. Avengers: Endgame marks that departure, and even as an avid comic book reader, I literally have no idea where the MCU will go from here.
Bring Tissues, Lots of Them

Just like Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame is the darkest MCU movie yet, but it still retains the franchise’s trademark humor. That said, it’s definitely the most emotionally-devastating movie. I shed a lot of tears during this movie.
Those are a result of many heartbreaking and heartwarming scenes throughout the duration of the movie. You wouldn’t expect an MCU movie to make anyone cry this much, but there was nary a dry eye in the theater. The emotional scenes come one after another, bombarding me with all the feels.
The movie is still rife with humor and jokes, but this movie skewers more towards conveying the emotional states of its many characters more than any previous MCU movie. Everyone throws in phenomenal performances, conveying the guilt, anger, grief, and frustrations of those who survived Thanos’ snap.
Tight Pacing Makes It Feel Like A One-Hour Movie

A lot of fans have been making too big of a fuss over the fact that Avengers: Endgame would be running for three hours. Rest assured, viewers can put their worries of bloat, or the movie overstaying its welcome, to rest. Avengers: Endgame felt more like a one-hour movie to me, as the movie is so densely-packed and tightly-paced that you won’t even feel the 3-hour runtime.
Unfortunately, 3 hours is still nothing to scoff at, and while you might not find the movie to be overly-long, your bladder is another matter entirely. As I mentioned above, every scene is unmissable, so you better empty that tank before the movie to ensure that you don’t miss anything. Trust me, you wouldn’t want to miss a second of Avengers: Endgame.
Focus On The Founding Members

As evident from all the pre-release marketing and promotional material for Avengers: Endgame, the movie focuses mainly on the six founding members of the original team from 2012’s The Avengers, with several additional stragglers (newer members) joining the ride as well.
Viewers may be surprised that Avengers: Endgame features less of some heroes than they expected and more of the heroes they least expected instead. It goes about that more naturally than last year’s Avengers: Infinity War did, which suffered a bit from Hawkeye’s absence and the diminished roles of some prominent members of the team.
Sheer Spectacle Extravanganza

Remember the epic battle set in Wakanda at the end of Avengers: Infinity War? If you think that setpiece was impressive, wait until you see what Avengers: Endgame has in store. For those who read comics, expect something like one of those massive battles at the end of crossover events like Marvel’s Secret Invasion or Fear Itself coming to life on the big screen.
As evident from fight scenes in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Infinity War, the Russo brothers are adept at directing smaller skirmishes as well, and there’s quite a few of those in Avengers: Endgame too. Just know that with all the emotion and jokes flying around, you’re in for some great action too.
We’re In The Endgame Now

Before you go and watch Avengers: Endgame, do yourselves a favor. Forget everything you think you know about how the film will pan out, as well as every rumor you may have heard or leaks you may have seen. This movie deserves to be experienced firsthand. It will make you laugh, cheer, and cry (not necessarily in that order).
Avengers: Endgame marks the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. Even with already astronomical expectations, it managed to exceed them, giving me a climax of epic proportions. While I did say last year that “Avengers: Infinity War could be the Crisis on Infinite Earths of comic book movies”, ultimately Avengers: Endgame is more deserving of that title than any other.
As for post-credit scenes, there aren’t any for Avengers: Endgame, though I would still recommend that you stay behind until the end of the credits. You’ll probably still be frozen in your seat staring at the screen in utter disbelief or in a state of emotional turmoil anyway, so you might as well watch the entire credits (there’s something special in there).
FINAL SCORE: 100/100
Avengers: Endgame is now showing in Malaysian cinemas.


We May Face A PS5 Shortage At Launch

Brace yourselves, folks, for the great PS5 shortage may be upon us.
Sources from Bloomberg have reported that Sony might be planning to limit the production output of PS5 consoles. What this means is that far fewer units will be available for purchase when the PS5 eventually launches sometime in 2020’s holiday season.
Sony is planning more limited units for the PS5 because the company expects that the next-gen console’s incredible specs will lead to a higher price at launch. The same sources also claim that the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has only affected Sonyâ€™s upcoming promotional plans for the PS5, but not its production capacity.
According to those involved in the supply chain, the company has informed assembly partners that they would be producing around five to six million units of the PS5 in the fiscal year ending in March 2021. In comparison, the PS4 sold a whopping 7.5 million units in its first two quarters alone.
It seems that game developers are anticipating the PS5’s price to be approximately US$499 to US$549, which fits other recent speculations as well. Sony’s strategy in the near future will apparently be to rely on existing PS4 models as a bridge to attract new users into PlayStation network services like PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now, while the PS5 remains in limited supply (at the beginning, at least).
That’s not even mentioning the possibility that the PS5 production output could still be negatively affected by COVID-19, whose effects may still linger until the end of the year. Since Sony employees have been working from home, the company’s board has been unable to meet in order to approve any business plans for the current fiscal year, including those for PlayStation.
That meeting was originally slated to take place sometime in March 2020. It’s now the middle of April. As of now, it’s entirely possible for a PS5 shortage to happen when it finally launches, though the sources say that it will almost definitely still release on time, as scheduled.
In the meantime, stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for all the latest news on the PS5, and check outÂ all the latest updates and developments on all things PS5 to date here.


Star Wars Visions Is A Visionary Delight To Behold

It’s been a long time coming, but Star Wars has finally gone anime. It took more than four decades but considering that the roots of Star Wars owe themselves essentially a lot of Japanese and other Asian elements. These include Darth Vader’s samurai-like design and George Lucas being inspired by Akira Kurosawa’s The Hidden Fortress (1958), as well as deriving the idea of Jedi and the Force from Buddhist and Shaolin monks.
This time a total of seven different has been given the reins to bring their unique talent and perspective to the first season of Star Wars Visions, an anthology animated series. These includeÂ Kamikaze Douga, Geno Studio (Twin Engine), Studio Colorido (Twin Engine), TRIGGER, Kinema Citrus, Science Saru, and Production I.G. Each studio will use their signature animation and storytelling styles to realize their own visions of the galaxy far, far away.
A Long, Long Time Ago…
The Elder (voiced by Kenichi Ogata in Japanese and James Hong in the English Dub) in a scene from “STAR WARS: VISIONSâ€ short, â€œTHE ELDERâ€, exclusively on Disney+. Â© 2021 Lucasfilm Ltd. & â„¢. All Rights Reserved.
These studios have managed to bring their unique and stylish anime flair to the franchise in a way that’s never been seen before in four decades of Star Wars content. There are more Japanese elements in this series than in anything Star Wars before, so
The episodes are pretty short. On average, most are between 10 to 15 minutes, and that means a brisk pace that’s perfect for an anthology series like this. It’s not as long as the episodes in say, Disney+’s own Marvel’s What If…? series. The only exceptions are two out of nine episodes in the first season which are as long as about 20 minutes but the rest are around the aforementioned average duration.
Kara (voiced by Chinatsu Akasaki in Japanese and Kimiko Glenn in the English dub) in a scene from “STAR WARS: VISIONSâ€ short, â€œTHE NINTH JEDIâ€, exclusively on Disney+. Â© 2021 Lucasfilm Ltd. & â„¢. All Rights Reserved.
Some episodes are balls-to-the-walls action from beginning to end, while others are slower in their pacing. However slow the episodes are, you can rest assured that every episode has at least one or two climactic action scenes to look forward to. While that may lend certain predictability to the episodes or seem formulaic, it works. Still, each episode is visually different. For example, one episode even invokes the style of Akira Kurosawa with a black and white animation style.
The episodes in Star Wars Visions also pay homages not only to legendary anime like Astro Boy and Akira Kurosawa movies (Seven Samurai, etc.) but also to the Star Wars movies themselves as well. One scene in a particular episode was clearly a direct recreation of a visually iconic scene from Star Wars Episode VIII The Last Jedi (you’ll know it when you see it).

In A Galaxy Far, Far Away
I watched the series in both English and Japanese dubs, so I can tell you that both are incredible so there’s no reason for so-called dub wars between fans of dubbed or subbed (anime fans will surely know what I’m referring to). Still, it’s clear that the character’s speech and mouth movements are more natural and in sync with the Japanese dubs (since they’re made by Japanese studios, after all), but you certainly won’t notice any awkward out-of-sync for the English dubs either.
In addition, there are at least one or two big stars in each and every episode (check them all in my feature article here). Just to give you a taste, they include Lucy Liu, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Neil Patrick Harris, Alison Brie, Simu Liu, and many more whom you’ll recognise when the credits for each episode rolls.

As an avid Star Wars fan, I’ve always maintained that an essential part of what makes Star Wars, well, Star Wars, is the authentic and iconic music. The music and sound effects in Star Wars Visions are unmistakably Star Wars. The magic of the music and sound effects make it so that the franchise can work in any medium and that includes anime. Of course, the music is also unique for each episode. For instance, one particular episode boasts the same epic composer as Maid In Abyss.
Obviously, the appeal of Star Wars Visions is getting to witness the signature animation style of each Japanese studio in each episode. This series proves even further that anime is as varied as any medium out there. Not that anime fans have to be told this, of course, but the fact that this is Star Wars alone will probably attract many casual viewers to the endless creativity of anime.
Star Wars Will Never Be The Same
Ronin (voiced by Masaki Terasoma in Japanese and Brian Tee in the English Dub) in a scene from “STAR WARS: VISIONSâ€ short, â€œTHE DUELâ€, exclusively on Disney+. Â© 2021 Lucasfilm Ltd. & â„¢. All Rights Reserved.
Without spoiling anything, the best episodes and highlights include The Twins and The Elder by Studio Trigger, The Ninth Jedi by Production IG, T0-B1 by Science Saru, and Lop & Ocho by Geno Studio. Star Wars Visions will probably be a gateway for casual viewers to the world of anime and that’s great. Most, if any, of all this is canon, but that’s the fun of an anthology series like this. The endless possibilities make it endlessly watchable.

The only caveat would be that most of the episodes aren’t really canon to the franchise lore. Ultimately, adding to canon is not the point of the series, but I’m sure that veteran fans will be able to overlook its non-canon status considering that they’re used to a lot of content being non-canon (like the entirety of Star Wars Legends, which includes most of the old comics, novels and even Star Wars KOTOR).
There’s something here for every Star Wars or anime fan. A black and white Akira Kurosawa episode? Check. A ‘furry’ episode? Check. An episode where a Jedi uses a big-ass lightsaber to cut through a Star Destroyer? Check. Do you want more? Wait until the series premiere soon to check it out, and you won’t be disappointed.
FINAL SCORE: 80/100
We received an early access screener of Star Wars Visions courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia.
All nine episodes of the first season are slated to premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on 22 September 2021.


I Don’t Want My Journey In Haven To End…

I’m only a couple more hours in before I can get lovebirds-on-a-lam Kay and Yu out of the jam they’re stuck in before the eventual end. But you see, everything alien about developer The Game Bakers’ latest survival adventure sci-fi indie, Haven, makes me just want to, I don’t know, just mellow out.
Yes, this IS from the same devs who made Furi, a game that features nothing but boss rushes and anxiety. The total opposite of “mellow out” experiences.
Honestly, I’m fine aimlessly flying about its gorgeous landscape for hours on end. Maybe it’s the controls. See, both Kay and Yu can use their hover boots to dash across the field and surface. Since they walk in a molasses-like pace, dashing and drifting are the only ways to get around Haven. It takes a while to get used to, but pretty soon you’ll be U-turning and drifting corners like a pro just running through energy threads scattered across the map and grinding upwards to get to previously-unreachable ledges.

In the first few hours, your objectives are clear: don’t die, survive, collect food to cook, heal up if injured, and clear out the red rust plaguing the planet. Your boots can clear these ever-growing pools of corruption, and collecting crystallized pieces of rusts eliminates them entirely. There’s an eco-friendly message tucked within its cleanup gameplay here and there, but nothing that seems too preachy at the moment.
Also, there’s a budding narrative between our heroes. Both of them were going to be set up with their respective arranged marriages in the society they’ve run away from. They found each other, fell in love, and escaped. Your time in Haven basically fleshes out the dynamic and relationship between the two. And so far, it works! I love that both of them complement each other in the relationship, be it Kay’s smarts and Yu’s strength and resolve depending on the situation.
I’d love to reveal more and also explain how Haven’s story and gameplay are in-sync, but I’m still not done yet. I really don’t want to finish this game so soon because just clearing rust, petting the alien animals, pacifying the fierce ones, and just chillaxing while flying around is pretty…theurapheutic. Video below, so you can get the idea of what you’re in for in the first hour.

Haven is out now on PC, Xbox Series X | S, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS5. Stay tuned for our review later this week.


What You Need To Know About Dota 2’s Patch 7.32e

After the intense Lima Major 2023, Valve dropped the new hero Muerta and Patch 7.32e to balance the game before the next Tour 2 of the Dota 2 Pro Circuit 2023.

Check out the article I did on Gaimin Gladiators’ win!
Fans had been begging for this update for months since some of the heroes like Lina, Nature’s Prophet, and Riki were too overpowered. But Valve listened and nerfed them while also giving some much-needed love to heroes like Anti Mage and Windranger.
Now, the most significant update in this patch is the addition of the new carry hero Muerta. She’s a versatile ranged hero who can play multiple roles like carry, mid, offlane, or even support. And let me tell you, her abilities are insane.

Muerta

Muerta is already one of the most formidable heroes in the game, and players can’t wait to try her out and put her skills to the test. You can find the full patch notes on Valve’s official page for the Dead Reckoning 7.32e Update. It will be exciting to see how Muerta fares in the world of Dota 2 and how players respond to her unique abilities.
Q – Dead Shot

First off, there’s Dead Shot, where she can fire a ghostly trickshot at an enemy unit or tree, damaging and slowing them before ricocheting in the targeted direction, damaging all units it passes through and fearing heroes hit by the ricochet away from the impact.
W – The Calling

Then, there’s The Calling, where she summons a group of 4 revenants that slow and silence enemies within the area while dealing damage as they pass through them.
E – Gunslinger

And it doesn’t stop there. Muerta’s third ability is Gunslinger, which gives her attacks a chance to fire a second shot at another target, prioritizing Heroes. This ability will help her farm quickly and engage with multiple heroes in a teamfight.
R – Pierce the Veil

Finally, her ultimate ability is Pierce the Veil, where she transforms, becoming immune to physical damage and dealing magical damage with her attacks.

Dead Reckoning Event

They’ve also included a mini-event called “Dead Reckoning” that involves helping Muerta ensure that the correct warm bodies are placed in the right fresh graves.
Here’s how the event works: Before each Dota game, players will receive an assigned target. During the game, players must score points for kills and assists to earn rewards. But be careful, your opponents are also out for your blood. At the end of the game, the player who scores the most points will get twice the reward. This adds an element of competitiveness to the event, making it even more exciting.
So if you’re a Dota 2 player, don’t miss out on the chance to try out the new hero Muerta and participate in the mini-event “Dead Reckoning”. It’s a great opportunity to earn some rewards and have some fun in the game.

Lina Nerf

In the previous Dota 2 patch, Lina was ruling the roost as the most dominant hero in the game. She was so strong that she was either banned or picked first in high-tier games. The hero could farm like nobody’s business and often amassed a huge net worth lead, making her a one-woman army capable of taking on entire enemy teams. But players didn’t like this power trip and demanded Valve nerf Lina. And, it seems their prayers have been answered.
Lina’s abilities have undergone significant changes, except for her ultimate, Laguna Blade. First of all, the cooldown of her Dragon Slave ability has been increased from 9 seconds to 12/11/10/9 seconds. Secondly, the mana cost of her Light Strike Array ability has been hiked up from 100/105/110/115 to 115.
However, the most significant nerf to Lina is related to her passive ability, Fiery Soul. Her attack speed bonus per stack has been reduced from 10/20/30/40 to 8/16/24/32, and her move speed bonus per stack has been decreased from 1.5/2/2.5/3% to 1/1.5/2/2.5%. This will make her less dominant in the early game.
Moreover, her talent tree has also been modified to reduce her strength. For example, her Level 15 Talent Health has been reduced from +350 to +250, while her Level 20 Talent Fiery Soul Speed per stack has been reduced from +15/1% to +10/1%. All in all, these changes will likely reduce Lina’s dominance in the game.

So when can we expect Patch 7.33?
Valve’s recent update not only included changes to the game, but they also teased the release of version 7.33, which is anticipated to be available in late April. According to Valve’s announcement, this upcoming patch has been in the works for a while and is expected to bring substantial changes to the gameplay. While players were hoping that version 7.33 would be included in the latest update, Valve wasn’t able to complete it in time.
It’s kind of funny that the most exciting part of the update is something that isn’t even included in it. Nonetheless, version 7.32e is a decent temporary fix until Valve can spice things up with version 7.33 and shake up the current stale meta.


PUBG Mobile World Invitational 2022 – Teams, Schedule & Results

This year’s PUBG Mobile World Invitational is finally back on LAN with it just around the corner.
I’m going to give you all a rundown of the teams, schedule and of course, the results once the tournament gets going.

RESULTS
To be updated…

TEAMS

Falcons Esports (Hosts) – Saudi Arabia
Regans Gaming – China
DAMWON Gaming – South Korea
Donuts USG – Japan
Team SouL – India
Morph GGG – Indonesia
Vampire Esports – Thailand
4Rivals – Malaysia
Box Gaming – Vietnam
Stalwart Esports – Mongolia
52 Esports – Mongolia
Nigma Galaxy – Mongolia
Virtual Gaming Squad – Mongolia
Back2Back (formerly XSET) – United States
Aton Esports – Mexico
Keyd Stars – Brazil
?stanbul Wildcats – Turkey
TJB Esports – China

DATE, VENUE & SCHEDULE

Date: 1–7 August
Venue: The Boulevard Riyadh, Riyadh 13513, Saudi Arabia
Prize Pool: US$2,000,000
SCHEDULE
To be updated…

STANDINGS
DAY 1 – 11 AUGUST
To be updated…
DAY 2 – 12 AUGUST
To be updated…
DAY 3 – 13 AUGUST
To be updated…

WHERE TO WATCH?
Stream: YouTube / Facebook


Respawn CEO Will Take Over Leadership At DICE LA

2019 was a great year for Respawn Entertainment. In February, the dished out Apex Legends and then just 9 months later they released Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. The studio’s CEO is ready to move on to something new.
Vince Zampella (left) and Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon.
According to an interview with Los Angeles Times, Respawn Entertainment CEO Vince Zampella will be leading Electronic Arts’ (EA) DICE LA starting this year. Apparently, he will be there to oversee the development of an original game that’s unrelated to DICE’s past releases.
Zampella says the studio will probably rebranded to shed away its identity as a mere support studio for DICE Stockholm. EA chief studios officer Laura Miele expects the new studio to dish out a new game under Zampella’s leadership.

“I think we’re going to have a really strong studio out of our Los Angeles location. They can go from a support team to a full stand-alone studio to create a new game offering.”
– Laura Miele, EA chief studios officer.
VR-only title Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond is Respawn’s next game, scheduled to be released later this year.
This marks a very interesting turn in Zampella’s career. Before he started Respawn, he co-founded Infinity Ward with his long-time partner Jason West. Basically, he created the Call of Duty franchise and now he’s going to work more closely with the makers of the franchise’s strongest rival: Battlefield.
Respawn is currently developing the latest installment of another popular first person shooter franchise, Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond. The last major Medal of Honor game released was Warfighter back in 2012. With Above and Beyond being a VR-exclusive game, it’s hard to predict a successful launch.
With titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (the original one), the Titanfall games, and Apex Legends under his belt, there’s no doubt that Zampella has the skill and experience to elevate DICE LA to a whole other level.


Fall in Net Profit Cause of NetEase Layoffs

We are receiving yet another story of layoffs as Chinese tech giant NetEase has confirmed reports that they are carrying out widespread layoffs due to a fall in net profit last year.
NetEase has been conducting organizational adjustments since the Chinese New Year holiday. This adjustment came in the form of downsizing some departments, cutting almost half their numbers, the Hangzhou-based firm told Â China Entrepreneur, a tech news outlet under state-backed Economic Daily.

Dismissals are focused on their e-commerce unit Yanxuan and their farm produce-related brand Weiyang. Units that are also affected are their educational segment and other businesses such as public relations. NetEase separated Yanxuan from its email division while education has been split from NetEase’s Hangzhou Institute. The PR team has been separated from marketing.
So What Happened?
According to one of the employees, this is an abrupt adjustment adding to the fact that the company has not given any specific reason behind the layoffs. Some employees who were recently promoted before the holidays were dismayed to know that they were to be laid off when they returned to work.
Yanxuan began its layoffs before Chinese New Â Year, cutting 30 to 40 percent of its workforce, while Weiyang also started before the holiday with close to 50 percent of the team already gone. The educational product division targets to slash the number of workers by one-third to less than 200 employees whereas the PR team sees a 40 percent reduction in staff, said another employee.
The company’s stock price is under constant pressure since last year especially in regards to the growth of its online and mobile games segment. Their market capitalisation plummeted as much as one-third in 2018.
The company has held back its main business as well as non-core segments. Their freemium music streaming service, NetEase Cloud Music, will reduce spending and buy fewer copyrights from Tencent Music, Beijing-based magazine Caijing reported with a company insider as a source.


Valve Bans Over 40k Dota 2 Accounts

The official Dota 2 account on Twitter has announced that developer Valve has banned over a whopping 40,000 players for “abusing matchmaking”. However, it remains unclear what actions would constitute “abusing matchmaking”.
It looks like Valve has finally flipped its lid and went crazy. Most Dota 2 players are in the same boat from playing the same inane game over and over again.

We have banned over 40,000 accounts for players who were found abusing matchmaking. These bans will now appear as game bans in Steam as well as being matchmaking bans in Dota 2.
â€” DOTA 2 (@DOTA2) February 11, 2020
Dota 2 is an online game, which means that it is vulnerable and especially susceptible to threats in the form of exploitations of its ranked matchmaking systems. Two popular ways that this can happen is smurfing and boosting. The former is when new accounts opened by active players are matched with inexperienced players to score easy wins, while the latter refers to the practice using a third party to raise their rank, such as hiring another player to play for them.
In an update on Steam, Valve said:

We are making our smurf detection system more sensitive in this update.
This change will much more proactively target potential smurf accounts, but may on rare occasion give a normal player extra MMR.


These Are The Most-Searched Video Game Characters Of 2021 On Pornhub

It’s almost the end of 2021, so you know what that means: a big list of the most-searched video game character on the world’s most-viewed site when using a VPN.
That’s right: Pornhub has released its 2021 insights page featuring a lot of information on 2021’s most-searched (and most viewed) cultured content of the year. True enough, the most-searched erotic content of 2021, in general, is hentai! You know, the anime that’s only meant for 18-year olds and involves storylines that usually lead to consensual whoopie-making in full detail.

Okay, cool. What about the most-used console for porn?
Glad you asked! PlayStation wins hands-down, followed by Xbox, PS Vita(?), and Nintendo consoles.

Play has no limits, even in the bedroom.
Let’s Get To The Most-Searched Video Game Characters Of 2021…
But first, let’s look at the games that trend on Pornhub. Why it’s Fortnite, thanks to its plethora of character skins and models. This is followed by Minecraft, Overwatch, and Pokemon. I get the latter two, but Minecraft? Yikes.
I’m more surprised Genshin Impact is pretty low on the list, given how attractive 90% of the cast are.

Can We Get To The Most Jerked-Off Video Game Character Of 2021?
Keep your pants on. From the lowest to the highest are:

#20. Argonian from Skyrim

#19. Tiny Tina from Borderlands. Jesus…

#18. Abby from The Last of Us Part 2

#17. Bowser from Super Mario Bros. (?)

#16. Misty from Pokemon

#15. Ashley Graham from Mass Effect

#14. Brigitte from Overwatch

#13. Gardevoir from Pokemon

#12. Claire Redfield from Resident Evil

#11. Pikachu from Pokemon (?)

And now, the top 10!
#10. Chun Li from Street Fighter

#9. Link from The Legend of Zelda

#8. Ada Wong from Resident Evil

#7. Bowsette from Nintendo fans

#6. Tifa Lockhart from Final Fantasy

#5. Princess Peach from Super Mario Bros.

#4. Jill Valentine from Resident Evil

#3. Mario from Super Mario Bros.

#2. D.Va from Overwatch

#1. Lara Croft from Tomb Raider

Congrats, Lara Croft and all the podium finishers of this cultured list!


Everything You Need To Know About Apex Legends Season 17

It’s that time and we all want to know.. WHAT’S RESPAWN UP TO? Season 17 is just around the corner and we’ve got you covered! So what exactly are we all diving into this upcoming season. Well, we got the chance to attend a special media event which included a Q&A session with the developers themselves.
SEASON 17: ARSENAL

Season 16: Revelry saw Respawn Entertainment celebrate their four-year anniversary since the release of Apex Legends.  They did a huge overhaul on the legend class system, did their best to rework the meta, and added the mixtape content that we’ve been asking for. Mixtape features a healthy rotation of Team Deathmatch, Gun Run, and Control. It was a great time for veterans and new players to join. Now how has that impacted the developers into making Season 17? According to them, Season 17 was all about making new content but most importantly tending to the garden. This season will introduce a lot of exciting content such as a new progression system as well as the long and awaited rank changes. They’ve spent a fair time of tuning rank play, and I’m excited to share the news with you.
So let’s talk about the ultimate competitor of the original Thunderdome Games, our new legend that has come out of retirement to teach the youngins some respect.

BALLISTIC: THE DILF LEGEND

First a bit of background about our newest gunslinger legend.
AUGUST BRINKMAN is a suave aged 63 year old man. In the 20s, he was a combat king in the arenas and the first celebrity of the Thunderdome Games. This man basically had rockstar level of fame. He was a part of a trio of fighters, with siblings, one of which he married. They were unstoppable until a tragic event where his selfish and showboat act led to his brother-in-law, Kit Young’s death. This made him become a recluse in his mansion, afraid to show his traumas of his past. That all changed with fatherhood. His son, Nate, wanted to be just like his dad, complete with the whole combat super stardom. Nate qualified for the Apex Legends and was about to be our newest legend. However August did not want his son to go in so he made a deal with the devil, Octane’s daddy. With August Brinkman’s larger than life persona, where would he fit in team? Well, the developers wanted to go for an aggressive and flashy style showcasing his demeanor but bringing in a bunch of utility to his team.

ABILITIES
PASSIVE : A SLING, which allows him to carry a 3rd weapon. The 3rd weapon cannot be kitted which means it will not take any attachments.

TACTICAL : THE WHISTLER which shoots a projectile that heats up an enemies gun as they shoot. Overheating causes damage. Hold the tactical to LOCK-ON. (Smart bullet) – it tracks the target once locked on. If it misses the target, it stays in the area, and if walked into, it still applies the debuff. (TITANFALL SMART PISTOL ENERGY)

ULTIMATE : THE TEMPEST, while activated,  nearby teammates get faster reloads, faster armed movement speed, and infinite ammo. The sling weapon will also be upgraded to gold.

Now we know how incredibly stylish Ballistic looks, but here are some fun facts about his design.
His backpack, not only is it just a stylish accessory, but the developers wanted to make it easier for people to know that he is in his ultimate. His bag will open up and this shows that he is in his ult form.
Now the trenchcoat. Who doesn’t like a guy in a trenchcoat, eh? Well, this one is just for style points, but it did the artists a long time to get this one going. It was hard to get the flowiness in the trenchcoat, but they did it!

WORLD’S EDGE HEALING

Yes, that’s right. Our beautiful World’s Edge is finally healing, which means goodbye lava. Our eyes are now saved from the horrible orange tint all over the map. The map is cooling down, making it less versatile. There’s snow in Skyhook! That’s not all that’s new in Skyhook, a vault has been added in Skyhook as well. Trials was also revisioned a tad bit. All lava across the map is now traversable. So yes, there are no more deep flowy lava chasms. The map has been tweaked, tuned as well as balanced. What really got to me is the sky box and lighting, that’s been worked on to also fit the theme of the healing world.

NEW POI: STACKS
FEAR NOT WRAITH MAINS! I know we’re all worried about our favourite streamer building gone, but our favourite building has simply been relocated. Lava City has now been upgraded with the streamer building joining it. It will be now known as Stacks. And this is actually a new playground for ttv wraith mains to hang out at. The POI is a highly vertical space with interconnected rooftops. Lots of ziplines so… I know there will be some cool clips happening here.

NEW POI: MONUMENT
Fragment, our favourite drop spot has been replaced and is now Monument. Monument is here to shake up the map. It features a huge museum that celebrates Apex Legends past, present and future. It is a great POI which also shows the progress of Apex for the developers.

From a design standpoint, it’s a deep bunker. So this is also a quick access sniper nest. it’s great for long range positional control with a lot of ziplines. The best part about the museum? It has a glass ceiling so you can see everything.
Small modifications have also been made to harvester, which will include a new honeypot for the mid center. There will be crossings and ziplines to get to it.
Mirage a trois is gone from Storm Point and Broken Moon and can only be found in Worlds Edge now.

FIRING RANGE
Movement gamers, this season brings a huge new play toy for you. If you’re one of those players who can sit in the firing range for hours practicing your movement skills, you will have to thank Respawn for this update.

The dummy behaviour is now more combat focused. Additional options have been added, including one to shoot back. With this, you can pick an easy, medium or hard difficulty.
There are also separate areas to train different things.
A TOWN IN THE BACK – to simulate real life situations.

A DUELLING PIT – to duel friends.

A MOVEMENT AREA – to practice movement techs.
The best quality of life change they added with this season, is a join in progress so you don’t need to back out from the lobby to join your friends in the firing range anymore.

A NEW PROGRESSION SYSTEM : WEAPON MASTERY

Now we’ve all been waiting for some form of progression system in Apex Legends. With this season comes the new weapon mastery progression. This is a long term progression system that all old and new players can enjoy.
At the launch of Season 17, all players will be level 1 for all weapons. To level up your weapons, you need to have them in hand, do some damage with them and kills will also grant you some XP. The best part is that your mastery can be levelled up with any game mode.
At every 20 levels, you will have to face weapon specific trials. These trials will reward you with different things.

At mastery level 100 (which is the max level), you can get trackers, badges and a legendary master weapon frame for the specific weapon you are mastering. You will also be guaranteed a legendary weapon skin.

NEW SURVIVAL ITEM
Welcome the EVAC TOWER. You can now drop a redeploy balloon anywhere. This allows you and your teammates to skydive and get you our of sticky situations.
This was added in to diversify the legend pick rate. However there are counterplays to it. The tower has a deploy time, so it’ll take some time to actually get it down. It also has a health bar and life span. Which means it won’t be up forever and enemy teams can also take them.

QOL PING CHANGES
Apex Legends have been known to have a good ping system. This season its been touched on for more quality of life changes!
For General Pings, they’ve added : Avoid this area, Enemy Audio here, Regroup
For Downed Pings, they’ve added : When to revive, Enemy Healing, Enemy Reviving
For Skydive Pings, they’ve added : Looting here
Any icons on the map, can now be pinged.
Stay tuned for more updates on the upcoming season. Rank changes will be coming soon!


Ant-Man And The Wasp Quantumania Is Reportedly The Longest Ant-Man Movie Yet

The first Marvel Cinematic Universe movie for 2023 will be Ant-Man And The Wasp Quantumania, and it looks like it’s going to start the year with a bang. In what way? Well, according to Fandango, the movie will be 2 hours and 5 minutes long, which makes it the longest Ant-Man movie to date.
If that’s true, Ant-Man And The Wasp Quantumania will still be shorter than last year’s Black Panther Wakanda Forever but will be approximately about as long as Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness. We should probably expect an epic movie since it’s the third movie for Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang, and the third movie of a trilogy is usually the most emotional.
A new trailer is also rumoured to be released later tonight, so stay tuned for our coverage on that soon (if it’s true).
Ant-Man And The Wasp Quantumania will premiere on 17 February 2023.


Next Call Of Duty Modern Warfare Update Will Bump Install Size To Nearly 200GB

Move over, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Final Fantasy VII Remake. There’s a new game in town with a huge install size, and it’s going to be Call of Duty Modern Warfare (2019 edition).
Infinity Ward announced a new 15GB patch that will go live tomorrow for PS4, and Xbox One. This brings the total install size from 175.3GB to 190GB. This update is mandatory; there isn’t any substantial additions and changes that come with it. New info will probably surface when it goes live.
If you own a base PS4 with 500GB, that’s two-fifths of your entire storage. That’s pretty insane for just one game.


Embracer Group Goes On Shopping Spree, Buying The Lord Of The Rings IP & More

Embracer Group is best known for being the parent company of THQ Nordic, Dark Horse Media, Gearbox Entertainment and more, but now they have grown even ludicrously bigger with a huge swath of new purchases.
According to the press releases, they have acquired Bitwave Games, Gioteck, Limited Run Games, Middle-earth Enterprises, Singtrix, Tatsujin, Tripwire Interactive, and Tuxedo Labs, as well as established a new operative group called Embracer Freemode.
Check out the details below:
Middle-earth Enterprises
Embracer Group, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Freemode, has entered into an agreement to acquire Middle-earth Enterprises, a division of The Saul Zaentz Company, which owns a vast intellectual property catalogue and worldwide rights to motion pictures, video games, board games, merchandising, theme parks, and stage productions relating to the iconic fantasy literary works The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, as well as matching rights in other Middle-earth-related literary works authorized by the Tolkien Estate and HarperCollins, which have yet to be explored.
Key upcoming works set in Middle-earth, in which Middle-earth Enterprises has financial interests, include the much-heralded Amazon series The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, which will premiere on September 2, 2022, set thousands of years before The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings; the animated movie The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (Warner Bros), set for release in 2024, and the mobile game The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth (Electronic Arts).
Other opportunities include exploring additional movies based on iconic characters such as Gandalf, Aragorn, Gollum, Galadriel, Eowyn, and other characters from the literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien, and continue to provide new opportunities for fans to explore this fictive world through merchandising and other experiences.
The acquisition of the rights is in line with Embracer’s IP-driven transmedia strategy. The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are among the world’s largest, most enduring iconic entertainment franchises and birthed the fantasy genre.
Middle-earth Enterprises will be a part of the newly founded operative group Embracer Freemode. The company will continue to operate independently under the existing Middle-earth Enterprises leadership team, working closely with Embracer Freemode management and other Embracer operative groups to foster opportunities, growth and synergies within the Group to continue to build and expand the great franchise.
Limited Run Games
Embracer Group, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Freemode, has entered into an agreement to acquire Limited Run Games from its founders Josh Fairhurst and Douglas Bogart. Limited Run is a global leading collector-focused publisher of physical video games with a strong brand, established direct-to-consumer channels, and owns the development technology Carbon Engine that ports retro games to modern platforms.
Limited Run will operate as an independent subsidiary with Josh Fairhurst (CEO) and Douglas Bogart (COO) continuing to lead the company under the newly formed operative group Embracer Freemode. The Carbon Engine and Limited Run’s business model aligns with the focus area heritage within Freemode cherishing retro games and the opportunity to shepherd classic games into the future and preserve the legacy.
The transaction includes the wholly-owned subsidiary Limited Run Retail LLC, a retail store in Cary, North Carolina, that opened earlier this year, and Limited Run’s 40 percent ownership in the joint-venture Super Deluxe Games in Japan that will source more games to Limited Run on the western market and provide a channel to sell Limited Run’s catalogue in one of the strongest markets in the world for physical games.
Embracer Freemode
The newly formed operative group focuses on six broad and diverse business market segments including retro/classic/heritage gaming and entertainment, game development and production, devices, gear, and collectables, community and eCommerce, new idea and technology incubation, and production services.
Bitwave Games
With the backing of Freemode, Bitwave can expand the internal development team and build a publishing team. Bitwave will bring the highly regarded shoot ’em up games from Toaplan to PC and publish the Nintendo Entertainment System / Famicom classic platformer Gimmick! on console and modern consoles in the west.
Gioteck
Gioteck is one of Europe’s leading gaming accessory brands. Gioteck has a rich heritage spanning two decades.
Singtrix
Embracer Group AB, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Freemode, has entered into an agreement to acquire Singtrix from its founders.
Through the acquisition, Freemode welcomes a highly innovative team of five and its extensive network that will strengthen Freemode’s game development and present new opportunities for music and audio gaming products. Management expects that Singtrix will expand its vocal technology platform into a broad range of new music games, streaming, and mobile franchises. In addition, Singtrix’s presence in Los Angeles further builds on Freemode’s footprint in the US and provides a new major hub of entertainment creator talent on the West Coast.
Tatsujin
Tatsujin will be Embracer’s first studio located in Japan. Tatsujin is led by Masahiro Yuge, one of the founders of the iconic arcade games studio Toaplan known for games such as Truxton, Snow Bros, and Flying Shark. Acquiring the rights to the Toaplan catalogue separately in another deal means Tatsujin with several employees that once created the Toaplan games can now curate these classics and shepherd them into the future.
Tuxedo Labs
Embracer Group, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Saber Interactive, has acquired 100 percent of the shares of Swedish developer Tuxedo Labs. Tuxedo Labs is best known for creating the hit voxel-based destruction PC game Teardown. Embracer adds Dennis Gustafsson, Tuxedo Labs’ founder and CTO, who is a highly technical visionary with a speciality in physics, and his team of five.
The acquisition adds a uniquely talented team focused on physics-based game technology and design. Within the Embracer Group, Tuxedo Labs will operate as a subsidiary under the Saber operating group. The acquisition further strengthens Saber’s presence within Sweden.
Tripwire Interactive
Embracer Group, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Saber Interactive, has entered into an agreement to acquire 100 percent of the shares of award-winning US developer and publisher Tripwire Interactive from its four current owners. Tripwire Interactive is well-known for the Killing Floor and Rising Storm series and their recent best-seller Maneater, as well as their publishing division Tripwire Presents.
Co-founder and CEO Alan Wilson will stay on in his role and continue to run Tripwire along with Bill Munk, Co-founder and Lead Combat Designer, and David Hensley, Design Director. Co-Founder John Gibson will be pursuing opportunities outside of Tripwire.
The acquisition adds an extremely experienced development group with its collection of four strong franchises: Maneater, Killing Floor, Rising Storm, and Red Orchestra. The group has an exciting AAA title in production, as well as a rapidly-growing publishing division. Within the Embracer Group, Tripwire Interactive will operate as a subsidiary under the Saber Interactive operative group. Post-transaction business will remain as usual with the team focused on developing future projects.


SEGA Having Major Sale For Fan Favourite Games Like Persona 5 (PlayStation Only)

SEGA is offering incredible as part of the PlayStation Store’s Mid-Year Deals promotion, which runs from 22 June to 6 July. There will also be a variety of DLCs for your favourite games on sale! DLCs for Atlus titles, such as Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal, will be 50% off.
And don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with a list of all the games that SEGA’s put on offer.
Alien: Isolation – 75% Off

Alien: Isolation is a single-player action-adventure game with an emphasis on stealth and survival horror. The player controls Amanda Ripley from a first-person perspective, and must explore a space station and complete objectives while avoiding, outsmarting, and defeating enemies.
Valkyria Chronicles 4 – 50% OFF

Valkyria Chronicles 4 is a tactical/strategy role-playing game that is a coming-of-age story that takes place in a time of war. We follow Commander Claude Wallace and his childhood friends Kai Shulen and Raz join the Federation Army in order to fight the Empire in the Second Europan War, both to protect their home country of Gallia and avenge an Imperial attack on their hometown of Hafen.
Persona 5 – 55% Off

A cult classic, you finally have a chance to experience what is, considered by many, the game with one of the best soundtracks ever. Persona 5 is a role-playing video game where the player takes on the role of a male high school student, codenamed Joker, who lives out a single year while attending school in modern-day Tokyo.
Persona 5 Royal – 50% off

Created as an enhanced version, Persona 5 Royal addresses the original’s problems with new characters and gameplay tweaks. It is a natural progression, an elegant and noticeably improved version of an already great game, that also serves as a reminder of the simpler time during which it was created.
Persona 5 Strikers – 50% off

Persona 5 Strikers is a gameplay crossover between Koei Tecmo’s hack and slash Dynasty Warriors series, and Atlus’ role-playing game Persona series. It features elements from both franchises, such as the real-time action combat of the former with the turn-based Persona-battling aspect of the latter.

Rated a solid 9/10 on Steam, this is a must cop if you’re in dire need of a Dynasty Warriors-esque game or if you’re just a massive Persona simp.

Catherine: Full Body – 50% off

Iconic in the Japanese gaming community, Catherine: Full Body is a visual novel/puzzle game sees you scale towers of blocks within the dreams of a man named Vincent, who’s struggling with guilt and anxiety about his love life. Stuck in an unhappy relationship with long-time girlfriend Katherine, Vincent has an affair with a demonic blonde bombshell named Catherine.
Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster – 40% off

Another cult classic in the JRPG community, Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is a remaster of its PlayStation 2 exclusive counterpart. Nocturne follows a high school student in modern-day Tokyo, who is transformed into the demonic Demi-fiend after the world undergoes Conception, an apocalyptic event triggered by a sinister cult to enable the world’s rebirth in a new form.


It’s December 2020; Should You Get A PlayStation 5 Or Xbox Series Right Now?

Time to address the next-gen console-sized elephant in the room. Should you get the Xbox Series X | S or the PlayStation 5? Which ones have the better game selection? Which ones will not make you feel buyer’s remorse? We answer these questions on our new video.

Timestamps
0:00 – Intro
1:00 – Price tag
3:06 – Features
3:41 – The games
4:52 – Next-gen rant
7:24 – Should you buy Xbox Series/PS5? Our final answer!


Ghostwire Tokyo Could Be Getting A Release Date Soon

The last we heard of Ghostwire Tokyo was that the game has been delayed to 2022. Now, we’re already in 2022, and Ghostwire TokyoÂ has just received anÂ official rating in South Korea. Usually, a game getting officially rated means that it’s close to getting an official release date, and that might happen sooner than expected.
It was originally supposed to release in October 2021 for the PS5 and PC. The game was initially announced at E3 2019 during the Bethesda presentation, where we were introduced to the quirky and now-famous Ikumi Nakamura.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Persona Theory Games’ Kabaret Launches In March 2023

Malaysian developer Persona Theory Games has announced during Level Up KL 2022 that Kabaret is slated to release on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in March 2023. The dark fantasy folklore narrative game will also be launching for the PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch at a later unannounced date.
Kabaret is a dark fantasy folklore narrative game (visual novel, basically) based on Southeast Asian culture and myths. The protagonist, Jebat, is cursed and uprooted from his small town to a mystical and unforgiving monster realm. Kabaret’s mystery unfolds as Jebat interacts with other Southeast Asian monsters in Kabaret while uncovering the truth about himself.
The game features characters from Southeast Asian myths and legends, and an exploration of minigames based on traditional games like Congkak and Guli. The game’s soundtrack features Indonesian band, Sambasunda, and Malaysian composer, Tay Cher Siang, with sound design by Hello Universe. Kabaret is funded by Wings and is a part of ID@Xbox.
You can wishlist Kabaret and play the demo of the game on Steam right now. It’s currently slated to launch sometime in the third quarter of 2022.
In the meantime, check out my review of Persona Theory Game’s Fires At Midnight, their previous visual novel title from 2022. Persona Theory Games has also announced that First At Midnight will be released on PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S sometime in Q1 2023.


Guess Who The Top 5 Most-Used Characters In Street Fighter 5 Are?

Capcom recently released a character usage stats page for August 2021, which shows the most-used character as of late. The results may not shock you.
While Ryu is number one, Akira Kazama from Rival Schools/Project JusticeÂ is the second most-used character. And she was released on 16th August, so it took less than a month for her to climb up in the top 5 along with Oro.
I mean, it’s as if people who play fighting games and love fun Capcom titles are really clamouring for a game featuring characters similar to Akira and from the 90s games she was in. You know, the one about schools, justice, and rivals. It would be reassuring if Capcom can take a hint from here on out.
Here are the top 10 characters being used in Street Fighter 5 in August 2021 onward:

Ryu
Akira
Ken
Akuma
Oro
Guile
Kage
Cammy
Zangief
M.Bison

Street Fighter 5 is out right now, with its latest DLC update featuring Akira and Oro. The next and final addition to the roster, Luke, will be out this November.


Evil Genius 2 PC Specs Are Anything But Evil

Looking forward to the sequel to hit simulation bad guy title Evil Genius? You should be; developer Rebellion is onto something promising.
However, will you have a computer suitable enough for world domination? Yes, you probably have, as a matter of fact. Check out the game’s system requirements below:
Minimum

OS:Â Windows 10
CPU:Â Intel Core i3-8100
RAM:Â 8GB
Dedicated GPU:Â GeForce GT 1030 2GB, Radeon RX 550 2GB

Recommended

OS:Â Windows 10
CPU:Â Intel Core i7-4770K, AMD Ryzen 5 1600
RAM:Â 8 GB
GPU:Â GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GB, Radeon RX 5700 8GB

Seems like as long as you bought a decent mid-ranged PC last year, you’re good to go Dr. Evil on the good guys. Evil Genius 2: World Domination will be out on 30th March for PC (Steam).


We Asked Malaysia’s Kaigan Games How It Scored The Doctor Who License

Malaysia-based games developerÂ Kaigan Games is best known for horror mobile games Sara Is Missing, 2017â€™sÂ SimulacraÂ and 2019â€™sÂ Simulacra 2. They originally announced Doctor Who The Lonely AssassinsÂ for Android, iOS, PC and the Nintendo Switch back inÂ 2020.
Doctor Who The Lonely AssassinsÂ will see players uncover and decipher the mystery of a â€˜found phoneâ€™, unravelling a sinister series of events taking place at Wester Drumlins, the iconic â€˜uninhabitedâ€™ home featured in the legendaryÂ Doctor WhoÂ episodeÂ Blink. Someone is missing, and a menacing new nemesis has emerged. Players will work withÂ Doctor WhoÂ character Petronella OsgoodÂ and other classic characters as they get steadily closer to the truth.

In light of their upcoming game, we grabbed the opportunity to interview Kaigan Games all about Doctor Who The Lonely Assassins, what it was like to develop a game based on a massive long-running IP like Doctor Who, and more.
Speaking with Kaigan Games’ Jeremy Ooi, he revealed that it was UK-based developer Maze Theory who approached them to work on the Doctor Who IP in the first place. Maze Theory is best known for developing VR games like 2019’s Doctor Who The Edge Of Time and the upcoming Peaky Blinders – The Kingâ€™s Ransom.
While Kaigan Games is trying to focus on their own original IP, Ooi added that working on a major IP like Doctor Who was “too good to pass”. He added that it was very daunting to work on such a big IP, but the team at Kaigan Games “did plenty of research and consulted with fans of the show” in order to ensure they did certain things right, as well as getting support by Maze Theory and feedback from fans of the series.
Doctor Who fans will be happy to learn that Doctor Who The Lonely Assassins takes place concurrently with the current ongoing BBC series and that it follows up on the events of Doctor Who Series 3 Episode 10 ‘Blink’.
Ooi continued:

“This game takes place current time but follows the event of the famous episode “Blink” with a returning main cast. This game also exist alongside Maze Theory’s other Doctor Who game, The Edge of Time.”

While fans will be delighted to hear that the main cast will return to voice their characters and appear in Doctor Who The Lonely Assassins,Â the team at Kaigan Games didn’t manage to work directly with the likes of Ingrid Oliver, Finlay Robertson, and Jodie Whittaker. The shooting of the scenes was done by Maze Theory, and the team at Kaigan Games only received the voice work to add into their game.
Ooi jokingly said that “we only get to hear their beautiful voices.”
There are also actual Whovians working on the game at Kaigan Games, including their artist, Rex. What’s intriguing is that a lot of the UI elements in Doctor Who The Lonely Assassins drew inspiration from the Doctor Who TV series.Â That will certainly make the game stand out and distinguish itself more from Kaigan Game’s previous titles.
On that note, here’s what Ooi had to say about how similar or different Doctor Who The Lonely Assassins will be compared to their previous games like Simulacra and Sara Is Missing.
Ooi said:

“The core mechanic will be the same, texting, looking for clues, etc. However, there will be unique gameplay sequences that better fits a Doctor Who game.
For example; how the Weeping Angels interact with you and what the fantastical technologies of the Doctor Who universe brings to phones.”

Last but not least, we asked Ooi if there are other licensed IPs that Kaigan Games would consider to be their dream projects. He said that he would personally love to work with Charlier Brooker on Black Mirror but that it’s just a “pipe dream” for now.

“Plenty of wonderful IP out there. Personally, I would love to work with Charlie Brooker on Black Mirror but thats like a pipe dream! I guess we would know when we see it!”

We actually think that a Black Mirror game would be perfect for Kaigan Games to work on, especially since the popular sci-fi series’ dark and horror-adjacent tone is already in line with everything the Malaysian studio has done.
Doctor Who The Lonely AssassinsÂ is slated to launch onÂ 19 March 2021. However, the Nintendo Switch version has yet to receive a release date. You can pre-register the game on the Google Play Store, pre-order on theÂ Apple App Store, or wishlist the game onÂ SteamÂ to earn special milestone rewards, including bonus story content, digital wallpapers and printable posters.
It’s a great time to be a Whovian, and we’re proud that a Malaysian developer is working on such a famous IP. Here’s to even greater success for Kaigan Games and the Malaysian games industry as a whole.
In the meantime, check out the Doctor Who The Lonely Assassins trailer below:


Todd McFarlane Seems Hell-Bent On Making A New Spawn Game

The last true Spawn video game starring Al Simmons and his symbiote from hell was 2003’s Spawn Armageddon for the PS2, Xbox and Nintendo Gamecube. While it wasn’t a great game, it did feature third-person action combat Ã  la the Devil May Cry and God Of War franchises.
Ever since then, Spawn fans have been clamouring for a new game featuring the iconic comic book character. We have pretty good news on that front. Speaking with ComicBook.com, Spawn creator Todd McFarlane voiced out his desires to make a new Spawn game on several conditions.

“Spawn comes out, comic book starts going, I can get that movie off the ground whatever.
Just then people just start coming out of the woodwork and all these things just start happening through osmosis.
Someone’s gonna come and say, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve got to do a Spawn video game.’
Then you get a dedicated one and the question is, ‘How do we make that game seem interesting and different than some of the stuff that’s out on the marketplace?’
How do we get those creative conversations started.
The answer to me will be that somebody will knock on my door and give me the opportunity.”

McFarlane is literally saying that he’s just waiting for someone, a video game developer or publisher, to approach him and start discussing ideas for a new Spawn game that’s both interesting and different.
It’s a good time to be a Spawn fan, as the comic book series is about to publish its record-breaking 300th issue next month and a movie starring Jamie Foxx as the Hellspawn currently in the works.
In the realm of video games, he is set to be a playable fighter in Mortal Kombat 11Â (as seen in the featured image of this article) next year as part of the game’s Kombat Pack DLC. All that proves that Spawn isn’t just an outdated comic book character stuck in the 90s.

Evil beware. Spawn is here to drag you back to hell on March 24. #MK11 pic.twitter.com/jI8rKK4Cl2
â€” Mortal Kombat 11 (@MortalKombat) August 26, 2019


RWBY: Arrowfell Guide & Walkthrough – How To Kick Butt Western Anime Style

If you love the Western anime production series RWBY, you may find the latest game adaptation quite decent. RWBY: Arrowfell mixes 2D action with search action-like elements, where you can switch between the main huntresses -Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang- and use their special Semblances to defeat foes, solve puzzles, and overcome obstacles.
If you’re somehow having problems with the game and are stuck, here are a bunch of video walkthroughs courtesy of us to help you out. These videos will also detail the ending, so here’s your spoiler warning.

RWBY: Arrowfell Chapter Walkthrough
Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

RWBY: Arrowfell Boss Fight Guide