Kingdom Hearts 4 Announced

Square Enix has announced the next Kingdom Hearts game for (presumably) major consoles and platforms: Kingdom Hearts 4.
During the tail end of the Kingdom Hearts 20th anniversary event in Tokyo, Japan, Square Enix published a trailer featuring Sora meeting with Kingdom Hearts Union X character Strelitzia, with the latter telling him he’s been asleep for 7 days since he arrived in Quadratum. This city is considered the “Afterlife” for both Sora and Strelitzia.
Then, he leaps out to fight a giant Heartless terrorizing the city of Quadratum. This part showcases the in-game engine and gameplay at work, with Sora using his Keyblade moves to fight the Heartless. In true KH fashion, cloaked figures are observing the fight.

The trailer ends with Donald and Goofy looking for someone in the dark. We presume they’re looking for Hades from Disney’s Hercules, or some Final Fantasy character who lives in the underworld.

Check out the gameplay & our 2 cents below. Kingdom Hearts 4 has no announced platform/console and no release date as of now.

On a related note, there’s also an announcement for Kingdom Hearts Union X: Dark Road for mobile phones and Kingdom Hearts Missing Link for, surprise, mobile phones. The latter is an upcoming action RPG with a closed beta test coming in 2022.


Street Fighter 6: Ken Move List & Guide

Street Fighter 6 is coming out on 2nd June, which is just less than a month away. As such, the game’s roster for its launch is set with 18 characters, each with their various playstyles.
In this entry, we’ll be focusing on Ken, a former US National Fighting Champ, and ex-VP of the Masters Foundation. The yang to Ryu’s yin.
Note: This guide is still in development.
All inputs are in numpad notations. For example, Hadouken from player 1’s starting side is 236P.
Attack buttons are as follows: LP, MP, HP are light punch, medium punch, and heavy punch respectively. LK, MK, and HK are light kick, medium kick, and heavy kick respectively. None of this Fierce or Roundhouse bulls*** in Asia.
Credits: Fighting Game Anniversaries, WoolieVS, FlawlessDeku, Capcom, Reversal

STREET FIGHTER 6 KEN OVERVIEW

Ken is one of the main characters in the Street Fighter series and is known for his fiery Shoryuken uppercut and powerful Hadoken fireball techniques. He is often portrayed as Ryu’s best friend and rival, and the two characters share many similar moves but with slight variations.
For instance, he has a dedicated “run button” (KK) that changes the properties of his special moves like his Shoryuken. He has his “Crazy Kicks” that has a ton of mixups (low, overhead, etc.), and has more options for cancelling his moves. If you want a Shoto but with more variables in their attacks, Ken is the one to main.
Play If: You love rushdown in your all-rounder character, love combos and running to danger.
Avoid If: You prefer playing defensively, you don’t like playing mind games.

STREET FIGHTER 6 KEN MOVE LIST

SPECIAL MOVES
Hadoken: 236LP 236MP 236HP 236PP. Fire a ki blast directly forward. Slightly worse than Ryu’s fireball due to recovery rates but still useful. The OD version doesn’t knock down but can lead to corner juggles when used after 5MP/HP Target combo.
Shoryuken: 623LP 623MP 623HP 623PP. Leap into the sky with a devastating uppercut, this is a great anti-air special.LP Shoryuken gets its full damage on a single hit, while MP and HP can lose damage on high connects.
Dragonslash Kick: 623LK 623MK 623HK 623KK. A leaping roundhouse kick that pulls your opponent toward you. An extremely versatile move that can be used to launch surprise attacks from mid-range. Used as a way to continue your offensive pressure or in combos.
Jinrai Kick: 236LK 236MK 236HK 236KK. Jinrai is a forward-moving spinning roundhouse kick that can be followed up by one of four different kicks; Kazekama Shin Kick, Gorai Axe kick, Senka Snap kick and KasaiThrust kick.
Kazekama Shin Kick: 236K~6LK. A low kick performed from the Jinrai Kick that cannot be blocked while standing. Good against opponents who try to move after your Jinrai.
Gorai Axe Kick: 236K~6MK. An axe kick performed also from the Jinrai Kick but this one cannot be blocked while crouching. Useful against opponents who try to stiffen their guard against your Jinrai Kick.
Senka Snap Kick: 236K~6HK. A roundhouse that can be used to combo from your Jinrai Kick. Effective when used to make a combo after landing a Jinrai Kick. This is one of the best enders for standing opponents.
Kasai Thrust Kick: 236KK~6LK~6K. A known down ender that can only be performed following any type of OD Jinrai Kick. Helpful for slipping through your opponents guard for additional damage.
Tatsumaki Senpu-Kyaku: 214LK 214MK 214HK 214KK. Tatsu’’s are mainly used for corner carry while maintaining oki. 214LK is great for close range confirms. 214K has greater corner carry only if the first hit connects on a crouching opponent. 214MK is the most consistent ender, with excellent knockdown advantage. 214KK also has surprising far range and high juggle potential.
Aerial Tatsumaki Senpu-kyaku: 214K 214KK. Aerial Tatsu is good for changing Ken’s jump timing and making it harder for an opponent to hit you. This can only be done from a forward jump.
SUPER ARTS
Dragonlash Flame: 214214K. Launch your opponent into the sky and then perform a series of kicks while airborne. This move is invincible at the beginning and you and your opponent will switch positions upon completion.
Shippu Jinrai-kyaku: 236236K. A flurry of 5 kicks followed with a rising Tatsumaki Senpu-kyaku.
Shinryu Reppa: 236236P. A one-two Shoryuken combination followed by one final mighty Shoryuken with an added spin to it. If the first hit misses, a single additional Shoryuken will come out afterward.
UNIQUE ATTACKS
Quick Dash: KK. Swiftly sprint a set distance forward. Can perform special moves while running; they have different properties. Example: Shoryuken has more hits and has forward momentum when performed during Quick Dash.
Emergency Stop: KK~LK. Performed during Quick Dash, this maneuver will make you stop dead in your tracks.
Thunder Kick: KK~MK. An overhead attack performed from Quick Dash that cannot be blocked while crouching.
Forward Step Kick: KK~HK. A forward kick with longer reach that is performed from Quick Dash.
Triple Flash Kicks:  5MK~4MK. Ken’s forward moving triple kicks all with longer reach.


Black Ops Cold War Crossplay Beta Gets Double XP This Weekend

The Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War beta is still underway:
(Cross-Play Beta)
15 to 16 October 2020 â€“ Xbox and PC Early Access, PS4 Open Beta.17 to 19 October 2020 â€“ Open Beta On All Platforms.
Starting today on 16 October 2020, Treyarch has announced that players can look forward to Double XP & Double Weapon XP in the Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War beta.

Also coming this weekend: • 2XP + 2X Weapon XP starts Oct. 16th!• Control (6v6)• Combined Arms Moshpit (12v12)• More weapons, Perks, Scorestreaks, equipment + more https://t.co/VHJswz2sZd— Treyarch Studios (@Treyarch) October 15, 2020

In addition, everyone who reaches Level 10 in the Beta will unlock theÂ â€œMutual Animosityâ€ SMG Weapon BlueprintÂ at launch, which comes equipped with multiple attachments ready to go on day one.
There will also be several new stuff in the crossplay beta, including:
FIRETEAM: DIRTY BOMB
Players can dropÂ across two massive maps inÂ Fireteam: Dirty Bomb, involving ten squads and 40 players.
You and your squad will fight off nine other Fireteams to collect uranium, locate Dirty Bombs, deposit your uranium, and detonate the bombs to spread radiation across the map and take the win before anyone else.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=yt3pYbKBnmM

NEW MAPS: RUKA AND ALPINE
NEW WEAPONS
With the level cap increase to 31 at the start of the Crossplay Open Beta, players will be able to rank up to unlock new weapons, Perks, equipment, and more to deploy on the battlefield. These include:
WEAPONS: LW3 – Tundra sniper rifle, QBZ-83 assault rifle + morePERKS: Cold Blooded, Flak JacketSCORESTREAK: Napalm StrikeWILDCARD: GunfighterEQUIPMENT: MolotovCUSTOM CLASS: Slot #10
On 17 October 2020, the level cap will be raised again to 40 for even more content to unlock:
WEAPONS: RPD light machine gun, RPG-7 launcher, Magnum pistol + morePERKS: Quartermaster, NinjaSCORESTREAKS: Air Patrol, Chopper GunnerWILDCARD: Perk GreedEQUIPMENT: Decoy, SemtexFIELD UPGRADE: Jammer
MORE MODES: HARDPOINT AND CONTROL
Hardpoint and Control will also be in the Crossplay Open Beta. Long-time players have knownÂ HardpointÂ since its introduction inÂ Black Ops 2:Â two teams fight to control a the Hardpoint (or â€œhillâ€) as it rotates throughout the map. Stay inside the Hardpoint and keep the other team from contesting to earn points.
InÂ Black Ops Cold War, youâ€™ll see a visual indicator showing where the next Hardpoint will appear 10 seconds before the next push begins. Coordinate with your team to reach the score limit, or earn more points than the other team before time runs out to win.
On 17 October 2020,Â ControlÂ joins our selection of 6v6 modes in the Crossplay Open Beta. Opposing teams fight to capture or defend two objectives on the map or wipe out the other team before running out of lives.
Each team of up to six players has 30 lives distributed among the team, injecting a new layer of strategy for both attacking and defending teams.
Call of Duty Black Ops Cold WarÂ is slated to release for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC viaÂ Battle.netÂ on 13 November 2020, and for PS5 and Xbox Series X sometime this holiday.


LEGO Announces LEGO Optimus Prime; Rolling Out This June

Update: Check it out in its full transforming glory below (via Gizmodo).

Original story
One shall stand, and one shall fall. Hopefully not this next LEGO set.
LEGO announced that its version of Transformers Autobot leader Optimus Prime will roll out this June 2022.

Begin the epic build. #LEGO #Transformers #OptimusPrime pic.twitter.com/rjdQbdej43
— LEGO (@LEGO_Group) May 11, 2022

The upcoming LEGO Transformer set will have 1,508 pieces and will be based on the G1 version of Optimus Prime (via Brickfan). One of its cool features is the ability to transform Optimus Prime from robot mode to truck mode (and vice versa) without removing any pieces. Basically it’s like a build-your-own LEGO Transformer. The LEGO set will cost US$179.99 and will include a slew of accessories like the leader’s Ion Blaster, Energon Axe, the Allspark, and a jetpack.
There are no official pictures just yet; only the alleged one below. But we’re sure the Dutch company will make this Transformers set as authentic and as accurate as possible.


Philippines Reign Supreme, Claiming Gold in Mobile Legends SEA Games Esports 2022

Team Philippines aka SIBOL prevail in defending their crown as they defeat Indonesia in the 31st SEA Games: Mobile Legends Grand Finals.
FOR COVERAGE ON THE OTHER ESPORTS TITLES, BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR OTHER ARTICLE!
Just hours ago, Team Philippines took down Team Indonesia in an impressive 4 game series winning the finals 3–1. Overall the finals were highly entertaining to watch but I think the big talking point would be Game 4, the game that sealed the deal for the Philippines.
After losing the previous game, which was a gruelling 24-minute game, Team Philippines destroyed Indonesia in just 10 minutes and 52 seconds. Making the final game of the tournament the second fastest for the entire event, second to Malaysia vs. Laos where Malaysia beat Laos in 10 minutes and 13 seconds.

What’s impressive is that two members of the winning roster are amateur players who have never competed in any professional leagues or tournaments in Kyle “Dominic” Soto and Howard “Owl” Gonzales. Still, a lot can be attributed to the experience that remained on the rest of the roster.
The winning roster consisted of:

Johnmar “OhMyV33NUS” Villaluna
Danerie “Wise” Del Rosario,
Salic “Hadji” Imam
Kyle “Dominic” Soto
Howard “Owl” Gonzales
Russel “Eyon” Usi (Sub)
Dexter “Dex Star” Alaba (Sub/Coach)
Kristoffer “BON CHAN” Ricaplaza (Coach)
Aniel “Master the Basics” Jiandani (Coach)

According to Esports Charts, overall the event hit a peak concurrent of 2.2 million with an average of 610,000 viewers which is quite the feat for any esport.
For fans of the other games, do not fret, as we are covering them so be sure to check out our other article if you want to find out the results and where to watch!


Is The Avengers: Endgame Re-Release Event Worth Rewatching?

Marvel Studios hastily announced the Avengers Endgame Re-release Bring Back event about a week ago, in what clearly seems to be a final last bid at trying to overtake James Cameron’s Avatar for the all-time box office number one spot.
However, are several minutes worth of additional footage enough to warrant a re-watch of Avengers Endgame, especially when fans have probably already seen the movie at least twice since its initial release?
Let’s break down what exactly viewer have to look forward.
Director’s Introduction By Anthony Russo
Anthony Russo (left) and Joe Russo (right)
Avengers Endgame begins with a very short introduction by co-director Anthony Russo, if you can even call it that. It’s basically him appearing for a few seconds to say thanks to everyone re-watching the movie and reminding them to stay behind after the credits.
That’s it. There are no additional insights or opinions from the director about the movie or anything in particular. It’s pretty much unnecessary, with a whole lot of nothing to show for.
Avengers Endgame Original Cut

If you’re expecting to watch a different version or special extended cut of Avengers Endgame, be prepared to be disappointed. The movie is exactly the same one that initially premiered earlier in April 2019.

If you already love Avengers Endgame and is itching for another re-watch, then you’ll be fine. This is my third viewing and I was still engrossed for most of its 3-hour runtime, with the ending still hitting me right in the feels (I cried… again).

If you never liked Avengers Endgame, you’ll probably be bored out of your mind, waiting for something that will only come after the movie is over. That’s right, the bonus content promised by Marvel Studios are pretty much tacked onto the very end of the post-credits.
Touching Stan Lee Tribute

Right after the credits finish rolling, viewers will be treated to an extremely emotionally-stirring tribute video to the late Stan Lee. It compiles around five minutes of candid behind-the-scenes footage of Stan Lee while filming his cameos in the many MCU movies, as well as clips of him interacting with actors like Chris Hemsworth and others.
What I thought would simply be an exploitative and unremarkable tribute turned out to be a sentimental and touching one, which will probably make fans of the late legend shed more than a few saccharine tears.
The tribute ends with the phrase:

“Stan Lee We Love You 3000.”

I basically bawled like a baby, but in all seriousness, the Stan Lee tribute was well-made and almost made the Avengers Endgame Re-release worth it.
Almost.
Deleted Scene Featuring Hulk

After that Stan Lee tribute, a deleted scene starts playing on the screen, featuring the Professor Hulk saving some people from a burning building. It’s a fun little scene that doesn’t mean much or moves the plot forward, which was probably why it was cut out in the first place.
However, this deleted Hulk scene contains raw and unfinished digital effects, which may be a bit awkward to see in motion. It’s a nice little scene but unimportant in the grand scheme of things, adding to the overall disappointment that is the Avengers Endgame Re-release Bring Back event.
Spider-Man Far From Home Exclusive Clip

Finally, viewers will then be treated to an exclusive clip from Spider-Man Far From Home. The scene begins with Nick Fury and Maria Hill arriving at a town in Mexico that looks like it was ravaged by a storm (and like it’s part of the same scene as the one in the trailers from which the screenshot above was taken).
Maria questions whether they should be investigating strange weather when Quentin Beck AKA Mysterio appears and says: “You want no part of this!” before an Elemental shows up off-screen and it fades to black.
The Spider-Man Far From HomeÂ exclusive clip is the most frustrating of all the bonus content because it doesn’t reveal anything new or interesting about the upcoming movie. Also, what’s the point of this when the movie is slated to release in less than a week’s time?

So, is it worth catching the Avengers Endgame Re-release Bring Back event? My answer is:

NO.

I’m tempted to recommend watching the Avengers Endgame Re-release Bring Back event for the sole reason of the amazing Stan Lee tribute video but realistically that’s not enough to entice more casual fans to re-watch what is essentially the same movie.
Unless you’re the most dedicated MCU fan with nothing else to do this weekend and an itch to rewatch Avengers Endgame for the umpteenth time that won’t go away, you don’t need to spend your precious time and money for the sake of what is ultimately just a shameless cash-in grab by Marvel Studios.


Malaysia’s Lemon Sky Worked On Arkane’s Redfall Over The Past 4 Years

Malaysia’s Lemon Sky Studios (Lemon Sky), commemorated the release of Redfall to mark the amazing 4-year creative partnership with Arkane Austin.
This would be the first time both studios have worked together and the results are some of the phenomenal art presented in Redfall which made its debut to gamers around the world today.  Lemon Sky was previously involved in several projects with major game developers/publishers in the past. These include Hi-Fi Rush, Bluepoint Games’ Demon’s Souls, Square Enix’s Marvel’s Avengers, Naughty Dog’s The Last Of Us Part II, Capcom’s Resident Evil 3 Remake, Square Enix’s Final Fantasy VII Remake and Insomniac Games’ Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart.
The project that started before the pandemic hit, came with its own set of challenges both from an artistic point of view as well as a logistics point of view. Lemon Sky was tasked with creating a number of character interactive props, assets and environment art for the game. Seeing as this would be the first time the 2 studios are working together, a strong pipeline and clear line of communication needed to be established in order to see through the project that had been impeded by the pandemic.
Eng Tzy Ling, Studio Manager at Lemon Sky North, said:
“As this would be the first time we were working with Arkane Austin, we were very keen on ensuring that the transition into remote working mode was carried out as smoothly as possible. Arkane Austin were great partners, supporting us in every way possible throughout the process,”
The art style that Arkane Austin wanted for their assets was also a unique one that excited the team.
Ken Foong, Chief Creative Officer & Chief Operations Officer at Lemon Sky Studios, said:
“Balancing the realistic feel with stylised aesthetics was an intriguing venture for us. It opened up a learning opportunity for us especially for our artists working on texturing to achieve the iconic Redfall look. We were definitely inspired by Arkane’s vision and we are extremely proud of the final outcome. We look forward to working with them again in the future,”
Cheng-Fei Wong, Chief Executive Officer of Lemon Sky Studios, said:
“We want to congratulate Arkane Austin on the release of Redfall. Having worked with them over the past 4 years, we understand the intricate details they looked into to ensure gamers have an amazing gaming experience with Redfall. We also thank them for trusting us to execute their vision for Redfall while working with us on establishing an effective workflow throughout,”
Redfall was released on 2 May 2023 on PC and the Xbox Series X/S.


Opinion: A Discussion On the Absence of Female Players in the Overwatch League

Update: Geguri is now part of the Shanghai Dragons and has been their starting tank since her inclusion to the team. She’s doing very, very well despite her team’s current winless record but rest assured, is one of the better flex tank players in the Overwatch League.
Shanghai Dragons’ move to not only acquire Geguri, but also adding new Korean-speakers to the team definitely made it more conducive for her to participate as well as improving the team’s overall talent pool.

A few weeks back, a piece written by Nathan Grayson of Kotaku made its rounds discussing the ‘absence of female players’ in the Overwatch League (OWL). In the article entitled “No Overwatch League Team Signed The Game’s Most Notable Female Pro To Their Roster“, Grayson stated “…asÂ OverwatchÂ makes its debut on its biggest stage ever, the pro sceneâ€™s most accomplished woman player is nowhere to be found. Instead, thereâ€™s only chatter that uncritically echoes the allegedly meritocratic points of view weâ€™ve heard from other esports scenes for years.”
For the uninitiated, KimÂ “Geguri”Â Se-yeon became a household name in the competitive Overwatch scene when she proved herself to be one of, if not the best Zarya player in the world. So apparent was her skill that she was even accused of cheating – an allegation which she successfully put to bed, and also resulted in her accusers quitting the Overwatch scene entirely.
She became the first female Overwatch player signed to a team competing in a top-tier league last August, when she joined ROX Orcas in the OGN APEX Season 4 tournament. Sadly though, her team didn’t do well there, losing all of their matches and dropping out of the tourney at Group Stage 1. The winner of the season, GC Busan went on to sign with London Spitfire in the OWL.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZEkYHkEWeg&w=560&h=315]
Whilst I would love to see more female participation in esports, I think anyone in the pro scene should – and deserve – to be there based purely on merit and suitability, rather than to simply appease certain quarters, albeit reducing them as token participants. Unlike physical sports where direct competition between the sexes just would not work due to obvious physical advantage the male species possess, there should not be a separation between genders in esports and any calls for a ‘Female Only’ circuit goes against everything in promoting equality between the sexes.
Many proponent of Geguri to be competing in the current OWL season base their arguments solely on her abilities with Zarya. Even the title of the Kotaku piece read “No Overwatch League Team Signed The Game’s Most Notable Female Pro To Their Roster” – but why, exactly? Is that label alone enough to merit her a place in an OWL team roster? People seem to forget that Overwatch is a team game and one player does not make a team.
Save for a few, such as Boston Uprising and LA Gladiators, most teams in the Overwatch League were constructed of presets from pre-existing teams. Seoul Dynasty is essentially an improved version of the most successful OGN APEX team, Lunatic-Hai. London Spitfire, which consist of the second and third most successful teams from the APEX circuit – KongDoo Panthera and GC Busan – are still getting used to one another and is still a way off from finding that perfect team composition. Dallas Fuel is a re-skinned Team EnVyUs while LA Valiant has the former Immortals team as its core. Securing a spot in the Overwatch League costs team owners as much as US$20 million dollars each, so it is not surprising that most parent companies choose the safe route of investing in squads that already have team chemistry between players when finalizing their roster.
Signing Geguri just to ensure female players are represented is not a wise decision at all. How will she fit into any of these teams? Amongst her ROX Orcas teammates, only Striker found his way to an OWL team – Boston Uprising. Mechanically gifted as she is, there are numerous other players who are also equally, if not more competent than she is waiting for the opportunity to compete. Players such as Kephrii, AKM, Harbleu, Nico, aktm …. the list goes on. She is one of many pro-level players who were sidelined from competing in the inaugural season.Â Fact is, skill alone will not get you drafted into a team.
What about other factors holding her back such as language barrier? We understand that she doesn’t speak much English, so that fact alone rules 9 teams out of the picture. The remaining teams – Seoul, New York and London have built teams around a solid core and it is hard to see Geguri unseat any of the players from their spot from the starting lineup. Then comes the meta. Zarya is simply not en vogue nowadays, only played 4.51% of the total play time during Week 1 of Stage 1 in OWL. Of course she can flex but that would belie the argument of including her into a team in the first place, right? All these factors combined points to one answer – she is simply not ready yet.
Now don’t get us wrong. We want to see Geguri compete in the OWL and fully believe that at the right time and setting, she will definitely kick ass in the pro scene. She IS that good, after all. But in her current state, she has a lot more to learn and improve and as Houston Outlaws’ DPS, JAKE puts when commenting on female players’ participation in the OWL, â€œPeople would always be doubting, always be judging. So it has to be the right person, the right player, and those things have to come together at the right momentâ€”which makes it especially hard for women in the scene right now.â€ Bluntly put – plonking her into the scene ‘just because’ she’s an awesome Zarya will backfire for a multitude of reasons listed above.
But who knows? In a season or two, Geguri will be better equipped, and thus allowing her a greater chance of being recruited. It will be far more significant to see her playing in the OWL based purely on abilities as opposed to gender. At the same time, female participation in the league will be much more meaningful if skill and ability are emphasized as selection criteria in order to compete on the world stage. We applaud any establishment who is willing to spearhead the involvement of women in pro esports scene – not just Overwatch, but everywhere else. The scene is in dire need of diversity, but again has to be based on merit rather than tokenism.


This One Piece Odyssey Live-Action Commercial Is A Tearjerker

Bandai Namco just published a new One Piece Odyssey JRPG commercial in Japan.
The live-action ad features a young salaryman walking with his PS5 version of the game, playing through the key cutscene moments. In the background, you can hear the first OP1 song of the game playing (We Are! by Kohei Tanaka), with the player tearing up from all the nostalgia and feels.

One Piece Odyssey will be out for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and PC on 12 January.


Code Vein Beginner Guide: Tips To Surviving The Anime Revenant Hellhole

Code Vein from Bandai Namco is out, and it’s a worthy jaunt to satiate your action-adventure Dark Souls-esque cravings in case The Surge 2Â drab sci-fi aesthetics isn’t working out for you.
Here are some tips & tricks on how to get the most out of your dark edgelord anime experience.
1. Get a magic spell or two

No matter what weapon or Blood Code you use and no matter what stats you invest into, always have at least one decent projectile, spell-type Gift.
Magic is invaluable here. You can use it to pick off weak enemies, interrupt attacks, lure baddies away to avoid getting flanked and/or cornered, or just make use of your idle Ichor.
If you come across a tougher enemy, you can open the engagement with a spell to soften them up. And if your build focuses on Willpower or Mind, magic will straight-up one-hit a lot of enemies and take chunks out of bosses. Experiment with elements – blood, ice, fire – and find the spell that hits the enemies in your current dungeon the hardest.
Alternatively, you can use the bayonet’s Heavy attack; it takes up an Ichor (2 if it’s charged).
2. You can combo into modified drain attacks
Code Vein’s attacks are different than other Soulsborne-like titles, but you can improve your combos using weapon art-type Gifts and truncated drain attacks.
Normally, you have to parry, backstab, or charge up to land a drain attack. However, you can perform a faster (but weaker) version mid-combo by pressing R1 / Right Trigger + X / A after doing a light attack. This move is very easy to overlook, but it’s incredibly handy and stylish.
3. Revisit old maps after every major boss, and complete NPC quests ASAP
Code Vein borrows several systems from Dark Souls, including the way it handles NPC quests. As you defeat more bosses and unlock new areas, new and familiar NPCs will appear in old areas bearing new dialogue and quests.
These quests have nice rewards, so it’s worth doing them. To keep up with these, exhaust the dialogue options of everyone you meet, and revisit all the areas you’ve unlocked each time you defeat a major boss. If there are any new NPC options, they’ll be marked on the map, and talking to those NPCs will clue you in.
Note that sometimes you need to choose the “Talk” menu option beyond just pressing X/A in front of them, especially for the old world merchant in the city ruins. Once you accept an NPC’s request, complete it immediately to unlock the next step in their quest line.
4. Clear your Depths maps immediately for loot and vestiges
Many NPC quests reward you with maps of the Depths which can be turned in to Davis in the hub to unlock new optional dungeons. You’ll also find these maps scattered throughout levels.
Whenever you get a new map of the Depths, be sure to clear the corresponding dungeon immediately. Depths dungeons are full of upgrade materials, Vestiges, unique weapons and Blood Veils, and other loot that will aid you in the main game.

5. Keep your partner alive
You can bring one partner with you when you go out adventuring, and they are a godsend. They’ll revive you if you die (to a certain extent), they’ll interrupt and kill enemies, and they’ll call out loot and secrets as you explore. You can also use powerful Communal Gifts with partners, and these are great for boss fights.
Choose your partner carefully, and be sure to keep them alive using the neutral Gift that shares your health with your them. This Gift can also resurrect your partner if they go down, so always keep it on your bar.
6. If your partner tells you not to fight something, fight it immediately
Partners like Louis, Yakumo, and Mia are full of good information, but one of their most useful lines is a bit of a misdirect. They will sometimes say something like “we can get around without fighting that one.”
This is your cue to immediately fight whatever enemy they’re referring to. Odds are good it’s guarding a treasure chest, or it’ll drop special loot like a Regeneration boost.
7. Look up, down, and behind you
Code Vein is obsessed with ambushes. There’s an enemy around virtually every corner, and there are often enemies on the ceilings just waiting to drop down on your head. Or if you’re jumping down to a bottom platform, there’s an enemy waiting for you just as you’re about to gather your senses.
As you explore, watch out for ambushes coming from every which way. It pays to be vigilant. Likewise, you’ll find plenty of secret paths hidden below you.
Many alternate pathways (which often lead to shortcuts) are accessed by dropping down to them, so always inspect the undersides of cliffs and dead-ends. If it looks like you can survive a fall, you probably can.
8. Break everything in sight
Speaking of secret paths: in addition to hidden platforms, alternate paths are also frequently concealed by destructible boxes and debris. These are easy to spot and break, and they often contain bonus loot. So smash away!

9. Pick one weapon and upgrade it to the max. Maybe two…
You can equip and swap between two weapons in Code Vein,Â but generally, you’ll want to stick to just one. Weapons drain Ichor pretty equally, and there aren’t any enemies that are weaker to specific weapons. Weapon art Gifts are also tied to different weapons, so it pays to specialize in one and fully kit it out.
Plus, it’s always better to dump all your materials into making one really strong weapon rather than splitting your limited ore between two. By all means, experiment with different weapons to find the ones you like, just don’t spread your final loadout too thin. Pick something and go all-in – you’ll be stronger in the end.
10. Collect and restore Vestiges before fighting each Successor
Successors are key boss fights that come in later in the story. The important thing to note is that the dungeons home to Successors contain multiple Vestiges related to that Successor’s past.
If you find and restore all of these Vestiges before defeating the Successor, you’ll get a unique prompt in the post-fight cutscene and “cool things” will happen afterwards.
It’s the best part of the whole story. You can check how many Vestiges you’ve restored by talking to Io at the hub, or by checking in with the guardian in front of each Successor’s arena.


Genshin Impact Endgame: 6 Tips to Help Save You Lots Of Time

Genshin Impact is a massive open world, offering players a countless number of things to do as they journey through the beautiful land of Teyvat. But whether youâ€™re taking things at a leisurely pace or scouring the landscape high and low for collectables, youâ€™ll have to invest a lot of limited time and resources to get stronger for the adventures ahead.
Despite its strong singleplayer campaign and a world rich in lore and breathtaking locales, Genshin Impact is still a live service game at the end of the day. Once youâ€™re past the honeymoon phase of its Prologue, youâ€™ll start to notice how the lack of certain characters, materials, and weapons will hinder your progress in the game.
With the limited resources you can spend, advancing efficiently in the game will require careful consideration of your available options. Of course, thereâ€™s always opening your wallet for an easier time, but that isnâ€™t what this guide is for. This guide will talk about getting most out of Genshin Impact without spending a dime late in the game.

#1. Be Smart When Using Your Wishes

First things first, letâ€™s discuss everyoneâ€™s favorite topic when it comes to gacha games â€“ the gacha itself. You may have already figured out that the Wish menu is the go-to place for obtaining new characters. For those unfamiliar with the gacha term, weâ€™re basically talking about lootboxes.
To obtain these lootboxes, you spend currency that you collect in-game to gain a randomized set of characters and weapons. If you arenâ€™t planning on paying real money for this, youâ€™ll have to run a tight ship with this currency to obtain the right characters.
The currency you use to summon these characters is divided between Intertwined Fate and Acquaint Fate. Intertwined Fate is used for limited-time banners, whereas Acquaint Fate is used for a permanent standard banner. This distinction is important because of how Genshin Impactâ€™s pity system works.
A simple explanation for Genshin Impactâ€™s pity system is this: for a guaranteed 5-star, reach a total of 90 Wishes on a specific banner. On guarantee, your chances of the 5-star item being the featured character is 50%. This means that Intertwined Fate is more precious as youâ€™ll want to save up on enough to land your 5-star guarantee during a bannerâ€™s limited duration.

On the flipside, you can spend Acquaint Fate freely without worry. Since the banner itâ€™s used on is permanent, you will have all the time in the world to reach that guaranteed 5-star. Spending any Acquaint Fate you get is a good way to receive a stream of lootbox-related stuff while you save on the more valuable Intertwined Fate. Just keep in mind that this also comes with the drawback that you canâ€™t aim for specific favourites.
You can learn more about how to make the best of Genshin Impact’s gacha here.
#2. Get More Wishes; Here’s How

So how do you find this currency? Both Intertwined and Acquaint Fates are given through quests and events, and are actually pretty rare. More commonly, youâ€™ll get Primogems, which among its many uses can also be converted into Fate. Youâ€™ll naturally get Primogems by exploring the world, opening chests, discovering landmarks, and completing achievements.
These rewards (apart from opening chests) are one-time only, but can be a good source of income in the short run; Teyvat is a huge world after all. For a more reliable rate of income, youâ€™ll want to start doing Adventurerâ€™s Guild Commissions ASAP. These unlock at Adventurer Rank 12 and consist of four daily missions.
Complete these quests and then claim your rewards at the guild for 60 Primogems a day. Additionally, Commissions are also one of the best sources for Adventurer Rank EXP, so try not to miss out on them.

Eventually, youâ€™ll want to get strong enough to start tackling the Spiral Abyss. This is a special singleplayer-only dungeon that offers Primogems on a monthly basis. But to be eligible for these rewards, youâ€™ll have to clear at least Floor 8 out of the 12 existing floors. Needless to say, youâ€™ll need to spend a lot of time with this game before you can reach this point (weâ€™re talking character levels around 80 or higher), but it is something to keep in mind if you want more chances at Wishes eventually.
#3. Figure Out The Best Way to Use Your Resin
Primogems make the world go round, but theyâ€™re not always the end-all goal for everything in Teyvat. In Genshin Impact, upgrading characters and weapons are also tasks in themselves, as youâ€™ll need all kinds of different materials before you can push your party to the next level.
Youâ€™ll need to learn to spend Resin (stamina that regenerates over time) on EXP cards, Mora, Ascension materials, Weapon materials, Talent materials, Artifacts of each kind, Trounce Domains, and more. With so many things to do and such limited Resin on hand, no doubt many players will feel indecisive on what to do next.

So how can you avoid being wasteful with Resin, and where’s a good starting point? Simply put, make sure to focus investment on your four favorite characters at first. Once youâ€™ve figured out your ideal team, go about leveling them up with your items. You will reach a level limit, after which you will need certain materials to remove this limitation. The game tells you where and when you can find these materials, so make sure to read through them.

Eventually, youâ€™ll have a proper checklist of items you need to grab. Make sure to keep track of the materials that are only obtainable on certain days (example). These will easily become your bottleneck if you happen to miss the days theyâ€™re available. Whenever you have free time, spend your Resin on either Bosses for materials, Leylines for experience and money, or Artifact Domains to collect EXP fodder for your 4-star Artifacts.
[videopress MgQkFVqe]
Soon, youâ€™ll have a little extra to strengthen other characters in your roster, thus increasing the flexibility and diversity of your party.
#4. Stick To Mostly 3-Star Weapons & Artifacts
Thereâ€™s a limit to how much you can level up in Genshin Impact, so it wonâ€™t take long before equipment becomes the main focus for power progression. In terms of weapons, start working on getting weapon prototypes to forge 4-star weapons. These can be obtained through Souvenir shops in their respective cities or as drops from weekly bosses.

Doing this might take a while, so use 3-star weapons in the meantime. As you explore the world, you will also no doubt receive multiple copies of the same 3-star weapon. Combine these together through the Refine feature to strengthen their innate passives. Though 4-star weapons will be harder to refine, they are still preferred due to their higher raw power.

Next is to start levelling your Artifacts. Prioritize equipping 4-star Artifacts, and then level them up by consuming other Artifacts as experience. 4-star Artifacts can be levelled up to 16, and doing so will upgrade their stats significantly, as well as add and boost random attributes. Just donâ€™t forget to equip these Artifacts in sets that favour your characterâ€™s playstyle. You can get 4-star Artifacts as drops through Domains and by defeating bosses.
#5. Don’t Forget Your Weekly Bosses
At Adventurer Rank 21, youâ€™ll gain access to a side quest called The Meaning of Lupical. Undertaking this questline will lead you to Lupus Boreas, Dominator of Wolvesâ€™ fight.

This is a Cryo-based weekly boss that drops powerful loot. These rewards include 4-star Artifacts (accessories), character ascension materials, and weapon prototypes that you can use to forge 4-star weapons. This boss can be taken down with co-op, so bring friends.
Assuming youâ€™ve completed the main campaign in the Monstadt region, Rank 25 will unlock access to the Stormterror fight, which confers about the same rewards as Lupus Boreas. Unlike the wolf boss, you can only attempt Stormterror in singleplayer. So bring a strong team and plenty of food.

Both fights cost 60 Resin to redeem their treasure, so try not to carelessly attempt these tough battles while youâ€™re low on Resin. Though beating them wonâ€™t give you any Primogems, youâ€™ll want to work these two fights into your weekly routine to receive a steady stream of useful upgrade materials and equipment. Keep in mind that the rewards from fights also improve as you raise your Adventurer Rank and World Level.
#6. Reap The Secret Benefits Of Exploration
Lastly, and this might seem like a no-brainer, is exploration. Scour the world for chests, quests, and hidden treasures and you’ll notice curious items called Anemo and Geo Sigils. These aren’t just for show, since you can use them to redeem rare items from the Souvenir shops in Monstadt and Liyue. The most important items to get in these shops are 4-star weapon prototypes, as well as exclusive items that upgrade your Travelerâ€™s Constellations.

Also, do take note of important plants and minerals lying about in the world. Plenty of these are crucial components for ascending your characters, but the game makes no effort in remembering their locations. Luckily, the game lets you set up to 99 custom map pins to mark important locations, so you should use them to benefit in the long run.
If itâ€™s too much of a hassle for you, the community has created a handy interactive map containing the locations of most, if not all of the collectable materials throughout Teyvat that you can use here.
Chests, plants, and minerals will continue to respawn over time, so try to periodically revisit old locations to pick them up as they respawn. Chests are great for gaining Adventurer Rank EXP and also contains useful levelling materials for your characters, weapons, and Artifacts. Meanwhile, plants and minerals are used for crafting, cooking, as well as ascending your characters.

Hope this endgame guide help sort some of the game’s mechanics and grinding process, as well as save your wallet for a tad. Curious about which are the best characters to take on your journey in Genshin Impact? Check out our starter guide for the easiest time working your way to endgame.


Diablo Immortal Legendary Crests Are Being Redesigned, But For The Better?

Diablo Immortal is a free-to-play game, and as such has seen its fair share of controversy for its supposed pay-to-win elements. It’s still being played by millions for players though, and Blizzard is doing its best to do some housekeeping in-game.
One method is to change up the similar look between Legendary Crests and Eternal Legendary Crests, which are items that boost player chances of receiving quality loot when going through a randomly-generated Elder Rifts level. The Eternal Legendary Crests are more expensive versions of the Legendary Crests and are exclusive to the in-game store, just so you know.
Due to all the feedback the game and its developers have received, there will be a new orange redesign for the standard Legendary Crest. Diablo Immortal lead game designer Wyatt Cheng confirmed this in a Reddit post response.
 New crest side-by-side comparison based on JT’s new video from      DiabloImmortal

“This is artwork that we’re working on to help differentiate the Legendary Crest (which will become to Orange one) [sic] from the Eternal Legendary Crest (which will remain the purple one in the middle). We want to make sure players know exactly what they’re getting when they make a purchase, view them in inventory, and use them at the Elder Rift entrance. [P]layers should be able to distinguish the two quickly not only by colour but also by shape.”
The market icon for the Eternal Legendary Crests item description will also be changed up to reinforce the difference, as well as have its Elder Rift Entrance UI altered so players can choose which Crest they want to use.
Sounds good and all, so at least Blizzard is trying to keep Diablo Immortal relevant. Now if they can change the standard Legendary Crests rate so that they’re more generous….


PS Plus April 2023 Adds Sackboy A Big Adventure & More

Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced the lineup for PS Plus April 2023. These include Meet Your Maker, Sackboy A Big Adventure and Tails Of Iron, which will be available to PlayStation Plus members from 4 April until 1 May 2023.
Check them out below:

Meet Your Maker | PS4, PS5
Meet Your Maker is a post-apocalyptic first-person building-and-raiding game where every level is designed by players. Switch between roles as you mastermind devious Outposts filled with traps and guards, then gear up for methodical fast-paced combat raiding other players’ creations, gaining an edge by choosing the right loadout (melee, ranged, defensive), perks, and consumables to match your challenge or playstyle. Combine your creativity and build with a friend or join forces to raid Outposts as a team of two.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure | PS4, PS5
Iconic PlayStation hero Sackboy bursts back into breathtaking action with a huge, fun and frantic 3D multiplayer platforming adventure. Go solo in an epic race against time stuffed with danger and peril or enjoy local or online party play, creating teams of two to four adventurers as you work together to overcome nefarious tasks however you can imagine, including unmissable co-op only levels.

Tails of Iron | PS4, PS5
Set in a grim land plagued by war, Tails of Iron is a hand-drawn RPG Adventure with punishingly brutal combat. As Redgi, heir to the Rat Throne, you must restore your broken Kingdom by banishing the merciless Frog Clan and their ferocious leader, Greenwart. As you explore the deceivingly charming world, you’ll encounter a cast of unique companions, ready to aid you in your adventure. And you’ll need all the help you can get, whether that’s new meal recipes, blueprints to forge deadly weapons and armour, or even a land-chugging, armour-plated mole mobile!


Gungrave G.O.R.E Should Remain Six Feet Under

Platform(s): PS5 (version played), PS4 Xbox Series, Xbox One, PC
Genre: 2000s 3D action game brought back to life for reasons
I’m not sure who wanted a follow-up to Yasuhiro Nightow’s Gungrave series, seeing as that action anime/video game series is more a product of its time: a violence-filled and visually-tailored experience that’s heavy with arcade action, easy controls, and short playtime. It was harmless fun, but it doesn’t really have a place in this current gaming generation unless its sequel brings in much-needed changes and modern touches.
Gungrave G.O.R.E. is basically the best of intentions gone wrong, since it’s attempting to capture the days of action gaming yore of the 2000s. Studio Iggymob’s effort somehow made questionable decisions that sour the whole deal, making it worst than it should be.
S.N.O.R.E

Gungrave GORE doesn’t give you a good impression in the first stage where you’re just going from point A to B gunning down random goons, monsters, and robots, though there are shines of a brainless-but-fun arcade action shooter game inside. Your main character Beyond The Grave has a pair of guns and a coffin for his melee attack; he doesn’t need to aim everytime to kill off foes and he can take it like a champ with his shield and high hit points. In the first 10 to 20 minutes, this doesn’t seem too bad, as Grave can get upgrades to his skillset as you progress further. Heck, you even get to visit futuristic versions of Vietnam and Malaysia, though the latter is just a bunch of silver corridors, a lab, and a red light district-lit casino.
There’s even a cool mechanic where some of your moves are unlocked temporarily if your hit count (called Beats) goes beyond 50. You can even recharge your shield with Death Chain moves (grab enemies from afar and then use them as meat shields) and your health with Demolition super moves. Some of them like the default giant rocket you kick to the missile salvos aren’t too shabby from a visual style standpoint.
After a lot more hours of linear corridor shooting with auto-aiming and banal combat, not much has changed save for infuriating objectives we’ll get to in a bit. The shooting itself doesn’t seem fun and invigorating, the main hero Beyond The Grave himself controls pretty sluggish and moves very slowly, and the levels are banal and rely on cheap parlour tricks like huge enemy waves and offense by attrition. You also have terribly timed missions like getting to the end of a train’s segment before you get cut off by the tunnel, only to have waves of enemies with bullet sponge-level health bars even for grunts to weigh you down.
This action game heavily favours its opposition, as it makes controlling a badass hitman less appealing than it should be. Compare this to other action titles like Bayonetta 2 and Devil May Cry 5 where the action slowly ramps up the difficulty and gives you squishy minions to play with before unloading the big guns in a structured manner. Those games also give you better defense options than a dodge that only works half the time when it feels like it and a Death Hurricane that ricochets rockets back at foes.
Your melee is supposed to keep close-ranged enemies away from you, but it feels ineffective at doing so most of the time. You’ll die a ton on the game’s default difficulty because the enemies overwhelm you and have better attacks that knock you down and stun you; you really have no surefire defense if you’re cornered by 20+ goons. I do not mind the game being cheap in the last few stages, but this is just the second stage and beyond; give your players a sense of empowerment instead of tearing down their expectations saddled with crappy controls and action game feels.
And when you’re in control of the situation? The game gets dull thanks to dumb enemy A.I. and bosses you can defeat by just strafing and firing them in their blind spots without any variation.
Backfire

Gungrave G.O.R.E should be experienced just as a textbook case of how not to make an action game with a mid-sized budget.
It’s banal, wears out its welcome length-wise, awkward to play and control, gets downright cheap to pad out its difficulty, and just doesn’t feel fun for an M-rated anime game featuring a badass hitman with guns and a giant coffin. I was told that there’s a Day 1 patch that will fix some of the A.I and boss fights, but it’s just not that exciting overall. In fact, the devs and publisher would be better off remastering the previous two Gungrave games for the PS2.
It’s amazing how this 2022 follow-up ended up being a huge downgrade that didn’t learn & improve jack from a pair of its prequels made 20 years ago; that really takes talent. Yasuhiro Nightow’s cool-as-heck series deserves better than this mess.
Pros

Opening cutscene is kinda cool.
First stage seems fun for a while.
Some cool Demolition super moves.

Cons

Overall controls and action feel stiff and unimpactful.
Drab-level design and infuriating timed objectives.
Wholly unbalanced enemies, A,I, and overall difficulty.
Overstays its welcome.

Final Score: 40/100
Review copy provided by Plaion.


Stardew Valley Achieves 10 Million Copies Sold Four Years After Release

Video games are fun. In the end, that’s all that matters. Stardew Valley is a game about managing your own farm and making more money to make a better farm. It’s a simple and fun game that pretty much everyone loves.
One strong evidence of this universal love towards Stardew Valley can be seen in its most recent milestone. Eric Barone, the game’s creator, recently revealed that the game has surpassed 10 million copies sold four years after its release.

Stardew Valley has sold over 10 million copies. It's strange & amazing to think back to when I was making this game in my bedroom w/ no clue if anyone would like it. Only 4 years ago! To everyone who has played this game, supported it, and made all of this possible: Thank you!!
— ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) January 23, 2020

The game is sold on Steam for just RM31. Currently, Steam is having its Lunar New Year 2020 sale and the game has been discounted to just RM20.77. If you haven’t jumped onto the farming bandwagon, you should.
Be warned, it’s super addictive.
Aside from being on PC, the game is also available on pretty much all platforms. You can play it on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PS Vita, and even iOS and Android.


Birds Of Prey Nosedives To Lowest Box Office Weekend For The DCEU

Despite receiving positive reviews from critics (but not from me here at KKP), Birds Of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn) has managed to gross only a paltry US$33.2M in the US and only a total of US$81.2M at the worldwide box office over the weekend.
That gives Birds Of Prey the proud title of currently being the DCEU movie with the lowest box office opening weekend (via Deadline). On the other hand, 2019’s Shazam (which previously held the record for lowest opening weekend) still managed to garner at least US$158.6 million in its first weekend, almost twice as much as Birds Of Prey‘s weak opening.
As much as the critics like to overly-praise Birds Of Prey, misleading marketing is likely the reason why it is currently performing so terribly. As I pointed out in my review, the actual Birds Of Prey play second fiddle to Harley Quinn in their own movie, disrespecting the source material in the process.

Some critics blame the R-rating for this box office opening weekend blunder. However, that is a preposterous and ridiculous notion. This is especially so when considering that both 2016’s Deadpool and 2019’s Joker were rated R, but they ultimately managed to gross US$700+ million and more than a billion at the worldwide box office, respectively.
Albeit having a lower budget than most superhero flicks at just US$97 million, there’s no denying that Birds Of Prey will probably turn out to be a box office disappointment for Warner Bros. It looks like the studio will have to look towards Wonder Woman 1984 later this year to make up for this dismal performance.


Sony Delays Uncharted, Ghostbusters Afterlife & More

It looks like the drama isn’t over for Sony Pictures’ long-gestated Uncharted movie. It has been delayed yet again; this time from its previous release date of 16 July 2021 to almost a year later on 11 February 2022.
That’s not all, as Sony Pictures is apparently on a delaying spree (via Variety). They have also delayed several other upcoming movies, including the following:

Ghostbusters Afterlife (From 11 June 2021 to 11 November 2021).
Cinderella (From 5 February 2021 to 16 July 2021).
Peter Rabbit 2 The Runaway (From 2 April 2021 to 11 June 2021).

It’s clear that cinemas won’t be opening enmassed anytime soon, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The reason for these delays can probably also be attributed to the fact that Sony Pictures doesn’t have a streaming service to fall back on, unlike Warner Bros with HBO Max and Disney with Disney Plus.
Still, perhaps a trailer or something would convince us that the Uncharted movie is real. All we’ve gotten so far are these on-set photos. Well, better late than never. Greatness from delayed beginnings? We hope so.


Souldier On With This Awesome 2D Search Action Indie

Platform(s): PC (version played), Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS5, PS4
Genre: 2D search action title with Dark Souls-like difficulty
Even though 2022’s gaming circuit is dominated by From Software’s hardcore RPG Elden Ring, there are no short supply of games that emulate that feel and formula. While not apparent at first glance, developer Retro Forge’s new 2D search action RPG title Souldiers has that DNA inside. And looking all pretty doing it, what with its bright 16-bit style pixel artwork and animation.
Dark Soul(dier)s

The premise of Souldier sounds familiar: you play as a nameless soldier (mage, scout, or archer) who is given tasks by his army to find out what’s causing a disturbance in the fantasy world that’s caught between the living and the fallen. See, you start off (kinda) dead and had to be egged on by valkyries to get out of the hellhole you’re in. As you venture deeper, you find out that other races seem to converge in the hub you come across, and there’s a black energy of evil that’s possessing people left and right. It’s a lot of tropes meshed together, but you’re mostly here for the battles and quest rather than the narrative, as decent as it is. The world of Souldiers is a mish-mash of visuals: you have the green bits and mountains, the pyramids and deserts, the underground lab with water, and a high-tech airship to name a few. Yet somehow it comes together just fine and unique; you’ll appreciate the massive pixel work done here.
The gist of Souldier is exploring the heck out of the 2D world you’re in, collecting items and relics that let you access higher areas, get special abilities like air dashes and elemental sword slashes, solving puzzles with said elemental powers, and killing everything hostile in your way. That latter part gets really difficult especially with the bosses, and the fact that most enemies in the area you’re currently in hit you like heavy trucks. And just like any 90s 2D platformer, there will be platforming segments that will drive you up the wall over how precise and quick you have to complete them, lest they one-hit kill you.

Fortunately, you’re bestowed with smooth and responsive controls: you have your light and heavy slashes, your jumps/double jumps, evades, block and parries, and aforementioned relics and elemental powers. What sets this apart from other search action titles are a lot of Souldiers’ tweaks to the 2D action formula. For one, your dodge has a cooldown and your parry (as a Scout) has a short window. When you get the air dash, that also shares cooldown with the dodge. That means if you dodge an attack and there’s a follow-up incoming, you can’t dodge it again; instead you have to either block it or parry it. Whether you’re a Scout or a Caster who can leave a mirror image when dodging that can explode at your will, you cannot spam these moves to get away.
The developers are cunning and sadistic enough to give enemies the ability to bait dodges, as well as hunt you down if you’re trying to camp either at the top or the bottom of the arena. Some enemy attacks have hitboxes that linger on, meaning if you dodge too early, you’ll eat the full attack. Later stage enemies and bosses (especially the Dark Soldiers) can kill you in four hits if you didn’t dodget the first attack properly. The fights can get pretty unfair at times, but at least there are checkpoints so you can attempt them again and again. And with all Soulslike games, practice makes perfect.
Full Metal Jacket

There are a few gripes with this well-intentioned hard-as-heck search action game. Your counterattack to the parry is not that useful. While great when dealing with earlier enemies, the later bosses and enemies have follow-up attacks that can knock your soldier out of his counterattack. You’re better off just jumping out of trouble and dodging rather than rely your blocking and parries.
But apart from this and a few sound bugs, Souldiers is worthy of your time if you’re looking for a challenge of the indie and 2D action variant. I’m not sure who said 2022 is lacking in new games, because with this and Anno: Mutationem, as well as a few upcoming 2D indie titles, the space is ripe for a plethora of 2D action games this year. If you want the kind of game that makes you suffer and enjoy it, all the while making you a better player over time from constant deaths in a 2D world, consider enlisting Souldiers and its fantasy trappings.
Final Score: 90/100


Umuragi Generation’s Photogenic Nature Is A Breath Of Fresh Air In 2020

Platform: PC
Genre: Adventure game with photography ala Pokemon Snap
Ever wonder what it’s like to be a photojournalist, taking pictures of seemingly-innocuous events and then thrust into a unique situation? Being an important bystander to chronicle life events for a generation? That’s Umuragi Generation’s main gameplay in a nutshell: taking awesome photos and watching sci-fi events unfurl.
You basically play a photographer thrust in a cyberpunk-esque “shitty” future. You gain money by taking photos with good content, colour, or composition, or all of the above. To complete a phot-shoot, you need to take pics of specific objects and landscapes in different angles & range. As you gain more money, you gain access to more lenses to take better and wider photos with, as well as filters to customize whatever you’ve taken. It’s simple, really, to the point where you can exploit the photography system later in a few levels for a better score.

However, the points and cash system isn’t the main focus. That honour goes to the cityscape and urban areas Umuragi Generation is set in. The multiple locations you’re shooting at all take place chronologically. What starts out as a typical rooftop pad photoshoot of an anti-army group slowly reveals its chaos and disruptive scenarios layer by layer. And you’re doing it as an observer whose goal is to just point, shoot, and get great photos. All the while, you’re seeing a story of a degrading cyberpunk society and an outside force affecting all of it. Umurangi Generation is laying out its story blocks and narrative highlights for you to discover and unravel.
Its only sin is being incredibly brief. You can finish this game in a single afternoon, so if you’re looking for an in-depth photography adventure game, this may not be for you. But its unfolding story, unnerving setting and atmosphere, hip soundtrack, and simple breezy gameplay are enough to make this an adventure that stands out amidst its indie peers.
Final Score: 80/100


FIFA Mobile’s World Cup Update Is Live

With the 2022 FIFA World Cup upon us, EA SPORTS has a massive World Cup update coming to FIFA Mobile.
Starting on 9 November, players will be able to feel the thrill of competing with their favourite country in the single-play FIFA World Cup 2022 mode. In this game mode, players can control 32 national teams from qualifying countries as they fight for the throne, achieve glory and watch them lift the FIFA World Cup 2022 trophy.

Moreover, starting on 18 November, players can also take part in the FIFA World Cup 2022 live event in the FIFA Mobile game and have the opportunity to get prizes and special players to strengthen their Ultimate Team during the tournament.
Turn the victory of your favourite national team to reach the highest caste glory in world-class soccer competition through the single-play FIFA World Cup 2022 mode.

Besides the excitement of the World Cup, a new Season has also arrived in FIFA Mobile. Season 23 will include updates to players, kits, clubs, leagues and national teams to reflect the real 22/23 football season in the real world.
And in case you didn’t know, there’s an official FIFA Mobile Malaysia Discord channel where you will have access to exclusive regional events.

Right now they have an event going on dubbed Snap ‘N Win where you can submit your winning goals in-game or in real life to stand a chance to enter a giveaway. Or you can enter FIFA Mobile’s monthly Mendonia Cup returns for a very special FIFA World Cup edition with new prizes up for grabs.


EA and ESL To Remove Russian Teams From Competitions & Games

Due to the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, EA and ESL have updated their policies to remove Russian affiliated entities in future competitions and some of their games.
Both companies took to Twitter to announce the changes as it relates to working with Russian-owned or esports organizations based there, with EA completely removing all Russian leagues and the Russian National Team as playable teams from FIFA 22 products, which includes both mobile and base versions of the game, with the same being the case for NHL 22 as well.
ESL, a Germany-based tournament organizer known for its Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Pro League has allowed Russian teams the opportunity to compete but with a catch. Russian based teams such as Virtus.pro and Gambit are still welcome to compete as long as itâ€™s under a neutral name, without representing their country, organization, or their teamsâ€™ sponsors on their clothing or otherwise.
This news comes off the actions from other tournament organizers like Blast Premier, which has similarly banned all Russia-based teams from participating in the organizer’s events and has also cancelled its CIS qualifier for CS: GO, with Elisa Esports of Finland also following suits for their CS: GO events for the foreseeable future.
It seems practically every business is pulling out from Russia, which could potentially pressure the country into pulling out from the pointless invasion. In similar news, did you know The Batman film is also being pulled from screening in Russia?


Here’s Why The God of War Axe Recall Feels Good

It’ll be a while until we can shut up about God of War, but goddamn if that Leviathan Axe recall doesn’t feel good every single time. You chuck your axe at some poor fool, then press Triangle to recall it.
So what’s the magic behind this simple-yet-satisfying move?
Simple: hard work, obsession, and dedication. The combat designers and devs put a LOT of thought into what seemed to be a simple task. According to Santa Monica Studio lead systems designer Vince Nappali, he stated on his blog that it was one of the earliest game mechanics to prototype.

Vince also shared a ton more:

The team was still putting the finishing touches on the axe recallÂ monthsÂ ago.
It was originally supposed to be Kratos being stationary and raising his hand high up in the air in a grand fashion. Like below:Â
The first thing the team did to make the “axe catch” work was to make it feel more casual and less stressful by simply lowering Kratos’ arm. The second thing they did was rotate KratosÂ towardsÂ the camera, in order to play into the camera a bit more so players can see more of his chest /upper body and not just his back.
On top of that, the team alsoÂ emphasized both theÂ initial recall moment and the catch momentÂ with a few specifically placed frames and 0 tween time.
They originally wanted the axe to travel back in a straight line. The problem was twofold: (i)The further away you were from the Axe, the longer it would take to get back to you, which equals player frustration, and (ii) travelling in a straight line often meant you didn’t see it.
For the speed issue, the team eventually came up with the idea to use a hard time-out in addition to a base speed/acceleration. With a lot of tweaks,Â the devs can easily control the max possible time that the player would be spent waiting for the Axe.
For the axe’s sound,Â the team attached a sound emitter to the Axe itself so that players can actually hear it come closer. The sound itself is also actually tied in with the rotation speed of the Axe. There are actually 3 separate rumbles used on the recall — one for the initial triggering, one for the flight, and one for the catch. Talk about detail!

You can get the full details of the Leviathan Axe’s story here. And if you still need a God of War fix, we have a strategy guide as well as a look at the most memorable bit in the game.Â


Star Trek: Resurgence Drops This May

Dramatic Labs just announced that they’ll be launching their new interactive narrative game, Star Trek: Resurgence, on 23 May.
This game is set after the timeline of Star Trek: The Next Generation and involves a worker uprising that could disrupt the peace between two alien civilizations. Starfleet is called in to handle the situation, and players get to experience the action from two different perspectives.

One perspective is from the First Officer Jara Rydek, who’s part of a diplomatic envoy led by Ambassador Spock to find a resolution to the conflict and uncover its source. The other perspective is from Engineering Crewperson Carter Diaz, who’s caught up in the events in his own unique way.
Throughout the game, players can interact with the Star Trek universe in ways that they’ve never been able to before. They get to make critical decisions that will shape the story and enjoy moments of authentic action. It’s going to be one heck of an adventure, so be sure to mark 23 May on your calendar!


Patapon 2 Gets Remastered For The PS4

The portable console market is currently dominated by the Nintendo Switch with the PSP or PS Vita nowhere to be seen. Back then, we’d get awesome games like the rhythmic god game Patapon and its two sequels. Well, it looks like we’re getting another encore.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w186xFg91_A&w=560&h=315]
Completely out of nowhere, Patapon 2 Remastered has been announced for the PS4. It will be released on 30 January 2020 exclusively on the PlayStation Store. The announcement was made by Sony Interactive Entertainment producer Nick Accordino on the PlayStation Blog.
The game is a complete 4K remaster containing all of the original game’s missions and features. If you’ve never heard of Patapon, worry not. A remaster of the first Patapon was released in 2018 and can also be bought on the PlayStation Store.

Patapon 2‘s gameplay remains largely unchanged compared to the first game. You use rhythmic commands such “Pata” and “Pon” to order your army of Patapons (yep, that’s what they’re called) to fight your enemies.
Now all that’s left is to remaster Patapon 3 which was originally released in 2011. Following the current trend, I suppose we can expect to see Patapon 3 Remastered coming out in 2022. Fingers crossed.

Patapon 2 Remastered will be sold on the PlayStation Store for US$14.99 (~RM60) starting from 30 January 2020.


Marvel Is Suing Iron Man and Spider-Man Co-Creators; Here’s Why

Marvel, a company that is kinda still making comic books when it isn’t doing comic book movies and is owned by the Walt Disney Company, is on a lawsuit bender. The targets? The heirs of Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, Gene Colan, and many others who made iconic Marvel characters like Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Doctor Strange.
Marvel is filing lawsuits against them to avoid losing copyright control over the characters, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The company is seeking a ruling that the characters were created as “work-for-hire”, thus not eligible for copyright termination.
The dispute started back in August when Ditko’s estate filed a notice of termination on Spider-Man (he co-created the hero with Stan Lee). According to US copyright laws, authors or heirs can reclaim the rights to their creations after a specific period of time; in this case the expiration date for usage is June 2023. Iron-Man co-creator Larry Lieber and Black Widow/Hawkeye co-creator Don Heck have also filed termination notices of their own. Marvel’s counter move? It claims that the creators were employees of the company and their works and contributions “were at marvel’s instance and expense”, thus do not hold any ownership in the characters they made.
Said filings are being handled and represented by Marc Toberoff, who was famous for representing Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster in an unsuccessful termination attempt against DC.
With the Marvel Cinematic Universe being very successful, odds are Marvel will fight hard so that it won’t have to share its IP ownership with others. At the very least, the company should at least settle these and give the creators what they’re owed ala the Kirby estate copyright claims case back in 2009. That case was handled by Toberoff as well; it ended up being a win since it was settled out of court in Kirby’s favour.


Malaysia’s MDEC Teams Up With YANA To Host 12-Hour Gaming Marathon [Update]

Update (2nd May): The stream is up now. Here’s the Malaysian version.
https://www.facebook.com/lvlupkualalumpur/videos/311825226449805/?__cft__[0]=AZU6EKPN9xTb0tQmLRpTqfgmhaUST2ZG_nfgVKOYUwGs6DbTy06dS9bQgdIpMFLDA3_zcvRjdhSCtAeYfaKF_nb4WDOAhYRAmMR16irCrrgAriAMy2Ge5cMn8Arnd2K_hX2kwsKIb0SFsyvC8GN5Umw4NAQj6rzWF7I6TnDzjeBBXMCPIv8NprP0_O8XwtKpxMI&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R
And here is the Singapore stream, brought to you by Singapore Games Guild.
Watch live video from sggassociation on www.twitch.tv
The UK-based â€˜You Are Not Alone (YANA)â€™ Movement is hosting a global game day 12-hour stream marathon, which aims to bring people together through video games on 2 May 2020. They have revealed the first wave of events and talent for the official broadcasts of Facebook Gaming and Twitch.
What’s interesting is that YANA will be collaborating with the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) to extend selected broadcast streams to Malaysia and its neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia. YANA will offer a truly global event with the broadcast spanning North America, Europe and Southeast Asia.
The 12-hour official broadcast on Facebook Gaming and Twitch will see a series of world
renowned esports teams and athletes participate across a diverse range of major video game titles and will offer something for everyone from casual gamers to sports and core competitive titles.
YANA has revealed the first batch of events and talent can now be revealed with the final schedule and line-up being released early next week:

Minecraft Minigames in support of the Childrenâ€™s Society: Gamers and parents are encouraged to play Minecraft together as a family on any device. YANA has built a custom server of games for the event for Minecraft: Java Edition that people can register for on yana.gg.
These game modes include the famous â€œSpleggâ€ minigame- fire eggs at each other to knock players off the floating platform, and WaterWars – a unique minigame where you have to dodge the water and be the last gamer standing.
FIFA 20 YANA Cup Supported by Barclays: Football clubs and esports teams including AS Roma, BrÃ¸ndby IF, Fnatic, LAFC, LDN UTD, Malmo FF, Ninjas in Pyjamas, NoFuchsGiven, North and Real Betis will go head to head in FIFA 20 on PS4.
The YANA Showdown featuring Fortnite: Hosted by tournament platform GamerzArena.com, amateur players will be given the spotlight with a chance to compete on the live YANA broadcast.
Rainbow Six Siege Pro Player Community Stream: Two top pro players Leon Giddens from Team Secret and Luke Kendrew from Natus Vincere will each select four of their community to team up with for a best-of-one match. The winning team will choose a forfeit for their opponent.
Zwift Race: The online training and racing platform for cycling and running will see some of the best menâ€™s and womenâ€™s professional and community teams compete in a virtual race around London. Watch in-real-life outdoor riding pro teams Canyon SRAM, Arkea-Samsic and Vitus Pro Cycling take on the best Zwift specialist riders from Indoor Specialist, Canyon ZCC and EVOQ.BIKE.
Football Manager 20 YANA Challenge: Presenter James Allcott will be leading the charge on this FM 20 segment of YANA with 60 minutes of live content on the day and a fantastic competition that will see one lucky winner make their way into a future version of Football Manager as a footballer.
In the build-up to this, in-game advertising platform Bidstack will drive further awareness of the YANA initiative and their event on 2 May 2020 by placing pitchside advertisements in Football Manager 2020 leveraging their native in-game advertising technology.
#WarshipsAreNotAlone: Wargaming will host a one-hour live stream for World of Warships incorporating a series of influencers and sharing naval workouts and recipes people can try at home. In addition, Wargaming will be giving away bonus codes for World of Warships premium items throughout the day.
Post a picture of yourself playing World of Warships with #WarshipsAreNotAlone and tag a friend to do the same and tag you back both participants will get a code. The challenge will be promoted across Wargaming social channels as well as the stream.
YANA Live Lounge: Ending the night, the YANA Live Lounge will offer live cover performances from famous artists who will perform their favourite iconic songs linked to video games over the years such as Tony Hawkâ€™s 2, Gears of War, FIFA, Red Dead Redemption and more.
Just Dance Social Competition: Share a photograph on Twitter and/or Instagram of you dancing with the hashtag â€˜JustDanceWithYANAâ€™ for a chance to win a copy of Just Dance 2020.
Green Man Gaming & Chillblast Fastest PC: Worth a whopping US$10,000 Green Man Gaming, the leading digital games retailer, and Chillblast, the UK’s most awarded custom PC builder, have teamed up to create arguably the world’s fastest gaming PC and are giving this epic prize away to one lucky viewer.

MDEC Digital Creative Content Vice President Hasnul Hadi Samsudin has this to say about the whole initiative:

“Due to the Movement Control Order, Malaysia’s response to reducing COVID-19 infections, Malaysians have been in isolation for weeks now.
In wanting to show its support of the YANA Movement, MDEC wants to go above and beyond.
It’s not about what we can do locally.
Instead, we want to include Malaysia’s neighbours from all over Southeast Asia as well.
In doing so, we can help our fellow countrymen and folks from around the region feel less isolated by sending out the awesome message that YANA represents – indeed, ‘You Are Not Alone’.
Join us as we showcase and play games of all kinds, made by fellow Malaysians and other creatives from across the region.
Let’s play apart, together!”

You can tune into the game stream tomorrow noon at http://www.levelup.my/YANA/


505 Gamesâ€™ 15th Anniversary Sale Kicks Off Today

505 Games is pleased to announce a huge Publisher Sale alongside giveaways, interviews, and other activities to celebrate the companyâ€™s 15th Anniversary. Discover deep discounts on almost every game in 505â€™s catalogue on Steam, the Epic Games Store, the PlayStation Store, the Microsoft Store, and the Nintendo eShop running today until 25 September 2021.
In the companyâ€™s early years, 505 Games was known mostly as a distributor of console games. Fifteen years in, 505 has grown into a prominent, widely-admired publisher of console, PC, and mobile titles with an impressive recent slate of games.
Highlights include Game of the Year 2019 Control, last yearsâ€™ award-nominated cyberpunk action game Ghostrunner (with a sequel already in production), multi-million-selling blockbuster Terraria, and an anticipated slate of high-profile free to play games.
As such, 505 Games hopes to celebrate its 15th Anniversary alongside the gamers who helped bring the publisher to prominence, starting with this widespread sale offering sales up to 80 percent off. Select examples below:

PlayStation & Xbox

60% off Control: Ultimate Edition
60% off Journey to the Savage Planet
80% off Assetto Corsa Ultimate Edition
50% off Ghostrunner

Up to 65% off Items in Gems of War [Xbox]

Epic

60% off Death Stranding
60% off Journey to the Savage Planet
50% off Ghostrunner
60% off Control [base game]

Nintendo

50% off Terraria
50% off Control [base game]
50% off Ghostrunner
50% off Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Steam

60% off Death Stranding
60% off Control: Ultimate Edition
60% off Assetto Corsa Competizione
30% off Red Solstice 2

Up to 65% off Items in Gems of War

Players can also check out the popular free-to-play puzzle RPG Gems of War, made by the original creators of Puzzle Quest. The game will feature a special in-game pet, a celebratory gift to players and other added perks.Â
You can visit 505 Gamesâ€™ website for a full month of anniversary events including interviews, giveaways, and other fun features like an interactive timeline documenting the key moments and highlights from the companyâ€™s history.
In addition, you can enjoy a special thank you compilation video with the legendary Hideo Kojima, Koji â€œIGAâ€ Igarashi (Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night), Remedyâ€™s Sam Lake, Courtney Hope (the voice of Controlâ€™s Jesse Faden), and many more.


Step Into The Shoes Of Miles Morales With These Adidas Kicks

Insomniac, PlayStation, and Marvel Games have collaborated with Adidas worked in close collaboration with Adidas to create new sneakers for Miles to wear in-game.
However, did you know that you can actually buy those shoes in real life?
That’s right, the Adidas Malaysia site already has it listed to launch on 15 November 2020. Just like Miles’ Spider-Man suit, the Marvelâ€™s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Adidas Superstar shoe sport black and read.
In the meantime,Â head on over hereÂ for our review ofÂ Marvelâ€™s Spider-Man Miles Morales.
It costs RM420. Check it out below:


Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse Is Superior To The Spectacular First Movie

Back in 2018 (over half a decade ago), Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse changed everything. It’s now widely regarded to be one of the best Spider-Man movie adaptations ever made and has even influenced the American animation industry to start adopting more stylized 2.5D animation (seen in recent movies like Puss In Boots The Last Wish and upcoming movies like Disney’s Wish). It also delved into the Multiverse before the MCU and properly introduced what was previously a niche concept to mass audiences. Now, its sequel, Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse is finally here; is it a worthy sequel?
Thwip, Thwip

The first movie had heavy lifting to do, being burdened with introducing Miles Morales’ origins and setting him up, as well as the concept of a Multiverse, to the public. Spider-Man Across The Spider-Man doesn’t have to do any of that, and as a result, it’s ultimately a much better movie that’s able to focus on more character development. Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse is as much a movie about Hailee Steinfeld’s Gwen Stacy AKA Spider-Woman as it is about Shameik Moore’s Miles Morales. It’s not just about Miles this time around; it’s about both of them almost equally, and that makes the movie much richer in emotional depth.
Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse finally gets into the nitty gritty of what makes Spider-Man stories so good; responsibility and sacrifice, do they go hand in hand? The best Spider-Man stories often feature Spidey struggling to balance his responsibilities; between his responsibility as a superhero as well as to his family and friends. The case is often that Spider-Man has to suffer or sacrifice something in the process. Into The Spider-Verse taught us that anybody can be Spider-Man, which is an uplifting and inspiring message, but Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse is a lot darker by asking the question; does every Spider-Man or Spider-Person have to suffer and make sacrifices?

Thematically, Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse is darker and more emotional (and that’s saying a lot considering the first movie featured multiple deaths), exploring more mature subject matter. It matches the growth of the characters, especially Miles, who is no longer the inexperienced school student he was in the first movie. This movie isn’t afraid to get dark and grim when it has to; some moments genuinely surprised me even as an adult, and it wouldn’t be surprising if this movie ends up winning another Best Animated Picture award at the next Oscars.
With a runtime of 2 hours and 20 minutes, most of that screen time is actually devoted to the family portions of Miles and Gwen. Their parents have extended and vital roles in this one compared to the last movie. Thankfully, they all deliver amazing performances, including Brian Tyree Henry’s Jefferson Davis (Miles’ father), Luna Lauren Vélez’s Rio Morales (Miles’ mother) and Shea Whigham’s George Stacy (Gwen’s father). The relationship between them and their offsprings provide the main emotional crux and heart of the movie, even with all the Spider-Verse shenanigans.
Kudos as well to Oscar Isaac’s Miguel O’Hara AKA Spider-Man 2099 and Jason Schwartzman’s Jonathan Ohnn AKA The Spot; it’s always great when actors give it their all in their voice performances. It’s impressive how the studio managed to turn The Spot, a C-list villain in the comics at best, into a worthy villain who could hold his own against multiple Spider-People. It’s also commendable how both of them aren’t just villains for the sake of simply being evil, but have relatable motivations and justifications for their actions (perhaps less so for the Spot but still somewhat true).

Like its predecessor, Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse fully embraces its comic book roots, including the stylistic and aesthetic choices. Once again, the movie looks and feels like a living comic book. There’s nothing much I can say about that without being too obvious, but the animators at Sony Pictures Animation have definitely outdone themselves. The visuals and graphics in this movie blows everything out of the water, even when compared to Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse. This certainly sets a new of spectacle standard for animated movies, just like its predecessor did five years ago. Most studios are still trying to beat Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse, let alone this one.
In addition, one of the best aspects of Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse was its ability to surprise even the biggest comic book fans, including yours truly. While comic book readers prior to watching the movie pretty much saw the Uncle Aaron being Prowler twist coming a mile away, there were still unexpected surprises such as the movie not being afraid to feature multiple deaths and the twist of Doctor Olivia being a Doctor Octopus variant. Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse has the benefit of not really following or adapting any set storylines from the comics, so I was on the edge of my seat for the entire movie. There are many moments here that even the most ardent Spider-Man fans won’t see coming, and that’s not even mentioning the cameos and easter eggs galore.

Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-People

The only flaw of Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse is that despite being two hours and 20 minutes long, the movie’s story and narrative remain unfinished on its own by the time the credits roll. The movie ends on a cliffhanger that hits almost as hard as the one in Avengers Infinity War. The answer to this is easy; it’s because a third movie (Spider-Man Beyond The Spider-Verse) is already planned to be released in March 2024, which is less than a year from now. Still, it’s really not much of a flaw. Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse is more like Star Wars Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and The Lord Of The Rings The Two Towers. Both of those movies were the second in a trilogy, but they’re still regarded as iconic. Trust me when I say that Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse has its own moments that can rival those movies. If everything we’ve seen so far is an indication of quality, we can probably rest assured that the payoff will be worth it.
Last but not least, as amazing as Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse is, perhaps it’s better to temper your expectations in some aspects. While the promotional material teases all sorts of Spider-People variants and Spider-Verse stuff, that’s not the majority of the movie’s runtime. As I previously mentioned above, most of the runtime is focused on Miles and Gwen’s family interactions, and fleshing those out. The Spider-Verse stuff you see in the trailers only really happens in the second half of the movie, and though there’s enough of it to satisfy Spider-Man fans (in my opinion), some viewers might still be disappointed if they go into cinemas and expect the whole movie to be like that.

With Great Power, There Must Also Come Great Responsibility

“With great power comes great responsibility” is only one of the many lessons Spider-Man teaches us, but responsibility often requires sacrifice. Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse has perhaps achieved the impossible, by topping Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse, a movie that many fans already consider to be the best Spider-Man movie and one of the best comic book movies. If so, what does that make Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse? A masterpiece. Next year, it has the potential to go even beyond.

FINAL SCORE: 90/100
We attended an early screener of Spider-Man Across The Spider-Man courtesy of Sony Pictures Malaysia. Spider-Man Across The Spider-Man is slated to premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 1 June 2023.


Baldur’s Gate 3 To Feature Dark Urge Origin Story, Respec Options, & Bear Sex

Ahead of its new pushed-forward release date of 3rd August, Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian Studios just livestreamed a new Panel From Hell session.
Titled “Panel from Hell: Release Showcase”, the final live update shows off a ton of features. These include:

A customizable serial killer protagonist.
The ability to respec your characters easily to encourage experimentation. Any playable character in the game can be respecced.
New races to choose from like the Dragonborn.
Dates and romance options, including possible sex with someone in a bear-shapeshifted form.

Check out the release date trailer and full panel below, along with the press release notes that came with it:
The Dark Urge (origin character)
Over the past three weeks, Larian has left a breadcrumb trail of clues leading to the reveal of their final playable Origin character in the community-driven murder mystery Blood in Baldur’s Gate. While the community was ultimately murdered themselves, their last waking moments revealed their brutal killer and his mysterious companion: their murderer is the final playable Origin hero Dark Urge, by default an imposing dragonborn with alabaster skin with eyes that glare with the piercing gaze of a predator.
Unlike Baldur’s Gate III‘s other playable protagonists (Origins), the Dark Urge is a fully customizable character. Their class, appearance, species and gender are completely up to you—after all, evil can reside within anyone, irrespective of how they appear.
Stepping into the role of the Dark Urge, you’ll begin Baldur’s Gate III with your memory lost after an unfortunate encounter between a parasitic tadpole and your brain. Now all that’s left is an insatiable urge—an urge that makes itself known in your subconscious, through your deepest thoughts and in your dialogue options.
Followers of Blood in Baldur’s Gate will already be familiar with the Dark Urge’s simple but effective modus operandi: to murder brutally and indiscriminately. Driven to commit some of the most lurid acts of violence that you’ll encounter in the game, to play as the Dark Urge means to either indulge your most depraved impulses or attempt to resist them.
The Dark Urge is guided by Sceleritas Fel, voiced by Brian Bowles (narrator in Divinity: Original Sin II). Fel is a vile and loyal servant who lives only to see Dark Urge return to your rightful, bloodstained path. His words of encouragement are like a poison in your mind, fueling your impulses—but it’s a poison that tastes like honey, if you’re so inclined.
Despite your impulses as The Dark Urge, you are still a member of an adventuring party facing an arduous journey to Baldur’s Gate. Your party, in spite of your urges, will do its best to be there for you. For those party members you grow closest to, you can still form relationships and romances—but how they manifest compared to the others, however, is a tale only you can tell.
Orin the Red (Antagonist)
Following earlier reveals of Lord Enver Gortash (Jason Isaacs) and General Ketheric Thorm (J.K. Simmons) as two of Baldur’s Gate III‘s central antagonists, today’s stream sees the reveal of the third and final: Orin the Red (Maggie Robertson), a shapeshifting murderess with the goal of painting the city of Baldur’s Gate in blood.
Character Creation
Character identity is at the center of Baldur’s Gate III, and its character creator allows customization of everything from your protagonist’s appearance to their stats and background—whether your protagonist be hero, villain, or Ed Sharran, a simple bard travelling the roads of Faerun with his trusty lute and a barely-concealed inner darkness that gnaws and festers, demanding release—the character creator provides a lot of room for expression.
At launch, players will get to experiment with even more ways to create diverse, personalized characters:

New skin options like freckles, vitiligo, scars
New tattoo designs
Heterochromia
Lip makeup customization
Accessories like earrings and piercings
Horn color customization for Tieflings

Adventurers need not be slim or youthful—the addition of an age slider will allow you to create an older protagonist, and strong body types allow for larger body sizes across all genders.
Romance
“Have you ever considered the joys and pleasures of sexual congress with a wildshaped Druid?” says Adam Smith, lead writer, “Because at Larian, we have, and ultimately landed on the side of giving the people what they want: tender, consensual romance with a man temporarily transformed into a grizzly bear.”
Baldur’s Gate III offers ample opportunities for romance with the characters you’ll grow closest with, and no two relationships follow the same formula. Emotional intimacy with one party member may slowly bud into mutual physical desire with one party member, while a relationship that begins with a night of post-Goblin-slaughtering passion could also blossom into something vulnerable and sweet, given proper care.
Today’s Panel From Hell introduces players to a few romantic potentialities, but there’s no shortage of relationships to explore and allies to smooch when Baldur’s Gate III releases.


Japan’s Top Gun/How To Train Your Dragon Hybrid Anime Will Be Out April 12

Trust the anime industry to take the concept of “girl meets dragonÂ in modern era setting” and pushing it to the nth level. Warner Bros.’ Japanese YouTube page recently published its latest trailer for the upcoming anime Hisone to Masotan, which might just be labelled “Dragon Pilot – Hisone and Masotan” in English.
The comedy-drama adventure hybrid anime is a story about dragons being tamed by Japan’s Air Self-Defence Force (SDF) and their rookie pilots. The story’s main narrative will be focused through the eyes of innocent-yet-blunt rookie Hisone Amakasu.
Check out the trailer in all of its high-flying glory, courtesy of Bones Studio and Warner Bros. The anime will be out on April 12; there’s no word on a Southeast Asian release yet.

The anime’s director is Hiroshi Kobayashi (Kiznaiver) and its supervisor will be Gainax co-founder Shinji Higuchi. The anime’s writer is Mari Okada (The Anthem of the Heart). We’re looking forward to it; it’s got a great visual style and the dragon/aircraft hybrid concept looks exhilarating in motion.


Still On The Fence About Street Fighter V? Play It For Free Starting 25 June On PC

Rise up, fighting game fans who haven’t paid money for Street Fighter V. Capcom just announced a worldwide free trial for the fighting game via Twitter.

Get ready – there’s a worldwide FREE TRIAL for #StreetFighter V on Steam coming June 25th! ?? pic.twitter.com/gcf9wclvPY
— Street Fighter (@StreetFighter) June 21, 2019

The catch? It’s only on PC at the moment via Steam. The free trial will last from 25th June until 7th July (US Pacific time). If you’re still not convinced on getting the game for RM45, perhaps this promotion might change your mind.
There’s no word on whether every character is available for this version of the game or not; you may be stuck with the default 16 characters. We’ll update this piece of news as more info surfaces.


Pokémon Go Dev Niantic Lays Off 230 Employees, Cancels Their Marvel Game

It looks like things aren’t going great for Niantic, the AR-focused developer best known for launching the global hit Pokémon Go in 2016. In a new post, they announced that they’re laying off a whopping 230 employees and closing down their LA studio. They are also stopping support for NBA All-World and cancelling their upcoming game, Marvel World Of Heroes.
However, Niantic will continue to support Pokémon Go, Pikmin Bloom, Monster Hunter Now, and its recently released Peridot.
Marvel World Of Heroes was originally announced during the Disney & Marvel Games Showcase at D23 in September 2022. Unfortunately, that announcement came only months after it was reported that Niantic was forced to lay off its employees and cancel projects in June 2022.
Niantic was founded 2010 and was originally best known for its location-based community game Ingress. However, they went big when Pokémon Go launched in 2016, which has since garnered a whopping US$6 billion in lifetime revenue. Their other games post-Pokémon Go, like Harry Potter Wizards Unite and Pikmin Bloom have pretty much flopped.
In the meantime, check out the previously-released trailer for Marvel World Of Heroes below:


The Original Shantae Game Boy Color Game Is Getting A Re-Release

If you want to play the original Shantae game on Game Boy Color, you may need to fork out US$4,000 for a boxed copy. Assuming you still have a working Game Boy Color, of course. Short of using emulators, there isn’t much else you can do if you want a physical copy of the first-ever WayForward genie Metroidvania series.
That is until now, thanks to Limited Run’s latest announcement. The physical retro game-making company will be re-releasing the original Shantae in reproduced cartridge form. The game will also be out on Switch in physical and digital form; this news now completes the Shantae series circle on Nintendo’s latest console.

You asked for it, you got it! The original GBC Shantae will be returning as a reproduction cart from @LimitedRunGames, available to preorder this September! Additionally, the game will be coming to Switch both physically and digitally! pic.twitter.com/AlMc3nga9R
— WayForward (@WayForward) July 8, 2020

On a related note, we’ve done a few videos on Shantae and its really awesome music. Check them out below: