What You Need To Know About Apex Legends’ Newest Map Broken Moon

After a year and a half of development, Respawn Entertainment has revealed Apex Legends’ fifth battle royale map, Broken Moon, featuring a new zip rail system and some larger points of interest (POIs).
Broken Moon will join existing battle royale maps Kings Canyon, World’s Edge, Olympus and Storm Point when Apex Legends Season 15 launches on 1 November.

Season 15: Eclipse will also introduce Apex Legend’s latest hero, a trans woman called Catalyst, and a new gifting feature.
VGC reported that the map is set on Boreas’ moon, Cleo, and is designed around a heaven and hell theme.
“If you have an idea of what a moon should feel like, it’s very barren and cold and even if it’s a little alien, it’s still going to be kind of oppressive, and that’s the dark side of the moon. We wanted to flip that with the light side, the heavenly side. We always contrasted them, heaven versus hell. We know that other maps have had things like fire and ice as a theme, or a very strong tropical theme, so with heaven and hell we have the beautiful side which was inspired by Monet paintings, and we were always looking at that kind of pastel soft look with pink skies and lily pads – you’ll find a lot of that in our bionomics section near the atmosphere factories.””
– Ed Agostini, World Director for Apex Legends
Boreas also has a dominant African culture, so connections to that will be present in some areas of Broken Moon such as its Eternal Gardens POI.
“So, there’s quite a bit of that lovely side that contrasts with that hellish, barren, darker side,” Agostini added. “I think it’s a unique look that none of the other maps have.”

One of Respawn’s goals with Broken Moon was to change the overall flow of how matches play. They found that players land on the outer edges of POIs before moving towards the centre and the ring.
“We introduced this new zip rail system which allows you and your squad to rotate really large distances quickly and even hit up multiple edge POIs early in the game, so this system’s interconnectedness really helps change your squad’s trajectory from the starting POI so it doesn’t always feel the same match-to-match.”
– Jeff Shaw, Lead Level Designer for Apex Legends
Shaw said Broken Moon is “slightly larger” than World’s Edge and will launch with 16 POIs, including some that are twice the size that players are accustomed to.
“Our objective with including a couple of larger POIs was really to reduce or soften up the hot drop dogpiles that we see at the early game. So, you’ll have a POI and lots of squads will land in exactly the same spot, fight over it and a bunch of people will get eliminated right-away.
We really wanted to give squads a chance to go to that POI and get a little bit more comfortable. So, having a larger POI results in squads having more landing options, there’s a little bit more space to share, and more material or loot to gather.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that we don’t have any smaller, sweaty POIs – there’s a really good balance and variety for different play styles on the map.”
– Jeff Shaw, Lead Level Designer for Apex Legends
Returning to the subject of zip rails, which are exclusive to Broken Moon.
“You use them to get around the map really quickly – think of them like a transit network with predetermined routes and stops. They function really similarly to zip lines, only you get increased speed, momentum and inertia, so they’re a lot of fun to play with.
They also have this ability to bank and curve around corners, so they’re kind of like a rollercoaster and it’s a really high-risk-reward rotational tool. And with that, we’ve found that zip rails have added this new vector of depth and strategy to the experience.
So commonly you might use them to just go from one point to another, or rotate from POI to POI quickly, but you can also use them in a bunch of other ways. You can use them to escape from danger, or you can use them to aid you in making a really quick decisive push when you have a shield break or you have an advantage.
You can decide to play strong defence on them and just wait at the endpoints and just ambush people that are coming on the rails unsuspecting. I’ve experienced a lot of fun moments on these like head-to-head jousting, even seeing teams chasing other teams on the zip rails, so they’re super fun and they generate planet of these memorable moments.”
– Jeff Shaw, Lead Level Designer for Apex Legends


PS Plus Monthly Games & Game Catalog September 2022 Revealed

PlayStation Asia has announced what’s in store for the month of September 2022 with both the Monthly Games lineup for all members and the Game Catalog for Essential, Extra and Deluxe members on PlayStation Plus.
The Monthly Games are available from 6 September 2022, and the Game Catalog and Classics from 20 September 2022.
PlayStation Plus Essential | Monthly Games | Available September 6 (until October 3)

Need for Speed Heat | PS4
Hustle by day and risk it all at night in Need for Speed Heat, a white-knuckle street racer, where the lines of the law fade as the sun starts to set. By day, Palm City hosts the Speedhunter Showdown, a sanctioned competition where you earn Bank to customize and upgrade your high-performance cars. At night, ramp up the intensity in illicit street races that build your reputation, getting you access to bigger races and better parts.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus | PS4
Legendary fighting game studio Arc System Works brings the Granblue Fantasy universe to PlayStation in an action-packed, head-to-head fighter. Granblue Fantasy: Versus features a colourful cast, each with a unique fighting style. Also includes an RPG mode that features an all-new, original story. Play solo or team up with a friend to fight waves of enemies in thrilling action-RPG combat.

Toem | PS5
Set off on a delightful expedition and use your photographic eye to uncover mysteries n this hand-drawn adventure game. Chat with quirky characters, solve their problems by snapping neat photos, and make your way through a relaxing landscape.

PlayStation Plus Extra and Deluxe | Game Catalog | Available September 20

Deathloop | PS5
Dishonored developer Arkane Lyon returns with a first-person shooter tale of two rival assassins trapped in a mysterious time loop on the island of Blackreef, doomed to repeat the same day for eternity. As Colt, the only chance for escape is to end the cycle by assassinating eight key targets before the day resets. Learn from each cycle – try new paths, gather intel, and find new weapons and abilities. Alternatively, play as Julianne to protect the loop by invading other players’ games and stopping Colt in his tracks.

Assassin’s Creed Origins | PS4
Explore the gigantic and unpredictable lands of ancient Egypt in this open-world action RPG. Unveil dark secrets and forgotten myths as you go back to the one founding moment: The origins of the Assassin’s Brotherhood. Engage in multiple quests and gripping stories as you cross paths with strong and memorable characters. Loot and use dozens of weapons with different characteristics and rarities. Explore deep progression mechanics and challenge your skills against unique and powerful bosses.

Watch Dogs 2 | PS4
Play as Marcus Holloway, a brilliant young hacker living in the birthplace of the tech revolution, the San Francisco Bay Area. Explore this dynamic open world as you attempt to take down an invasive operating system, hacking into every connected device and develop different playstyles as you upgrade your hacker tools. Take those skills online with a brand new co-op and adversarial multiplayer Watch Dogs experience.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 | PS4
Relive – and battle in – historic moments in the Dragon Ball saga in this mashup between brawler and action RPG. Build your own character with an in-depth creation system, explore the city hub then time travel back to iconic moments from the series and use your might to battle against – and alongside – some recognizable faces.

Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition | PS4
This management game about dying has you playing as Stella, ferry master to the deceased. Build a boat to explore the world, then befriend and care for spirits before finally releasing them into the afterlife. Farm, mine, fish, harvest, cook, and craft your way across mystical seas. Join the adventure as Daffodil the cat, in two-player cooperative play. Spend relaxing quality time with your spirit passengers, create lasting memories, and, ultimately, learn how to say goodbye to your cherished friends.

Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame 5 | PS4, PS5
Race to become champion, race against friends and even build the perfect track in this indoor supercross sim. Take on career mode, moving from 250SX up to challenging the heroes of the 450X class, all the while keeping your rider racing fit, to achieve ultimate success. Tinker with the Track Editor mode or take on friends online or on split-screen in multiplayer.

Rabbids Invasion: The Interactive TV Show | PS4
Play Through 20 Rabbids Invasion episodes, interacting with the cuddly critters while the show runs, competing with friends and family to chase high scores and unlock new content.

Rayman Legends | PS4
Rayman and friends return in this fantastic 2D platformer, packed with all-new levels packed with inventive challenges that’ll test your reflexes (and your friends with 4-player co-op online and local), as well as unlockable mini-games and even stages from the original Rayman Origins.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition | PS4
Rediscover the beloved 2D arcade-style beat ’em up inspired by the iconic comic book series and movie, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Play as your favorite characters, level up and learn new awesome abilities, unlock secret items and modes, summon powerful allies, and more! Team up with friends and combine your skills to battle your way through waves of tough enemies, or compete with them in awesome mini-games like Dodgeball, all on your way to defeat the League of Ramona’s Evil Exes!

The Wonderful 101: Remastered | PS4
Control 100 heroes at once, with the flowing controls and dynamic action that are the PlatinumGames hallmark. This band of 100 Wonderful Ones works together using their fantastic abilities to create a variety of forms. Whether it be a giant fist or a sharp blade, they’ll use their wits and power to overcome the enemy’s pitfalls and perils! It’s all brought together by a pulse-pounding tale of heroic bravery and friendship standing tall against evil.
PlayStation Plus Premium | Classics | Available September 20
Syphon Filter 2 | PS1
Agency operatives Gabe Logan and Lian Xing discover that a plot to sell off the deadly Syphon Filter virus stems from within their own organization. As they attempt to expose the conspirators and prevent the sale, the Agency responds by alerting military and police forces that Logan and Xing must be eliminated. Originally released in 2000, Syphon Filter 2 is enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters.
Toy Story 3 | PSP
Help Buzz, Woody and the rest of the toys ensure no toy gets left behind and enjoy mini-games in this adventure originally released on the PSP, now enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters.
Kingdom of Paradise | PSP
Embark on an epic action RPG as an outcast swordsman, one of the last of his clan, must unlock secrets once thought lost and restore harmony to the land. Originally released on PSP, the game is now enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters.


Studio Ghibli Teases Mystery Project With Star Wars Company Lucasfilm

It seems like Studio Ghibli is working with Lucasfilm (the company responsible for making Star Wars and Indiana Jones. amongst others) on a mystery project.
There are currently no details yet, but the official Studio Ghibli Twitter account posted a brief video with their logo and Lucasfilm’s. At this point, it could be Star Wars, it could be Indiana Jones, it could be anything.

pic.twitter.com/RZ74q04w7J
— ??????? STUDIO GHIBLI (@JP_GHIBLI) November 10, 2022

Studio Ghibli is a legendary Japanese animation studio best known for movies like Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and Grave Of The Firefllies.
Stay tuned for the updates on Kakuchopurei.
In the meantime, check out my review of Studio Ghibli’s latest animated movie, Earwig And The Witch, by heading over here.


Shin Megami Tensei Online Live 2021: Reason of Music Tracks Now On Spotify

The Shin Megami Tensei music concert that took place this March is now available in music form on Spotify.
The concert in March focused on live music performed by the group LaiD Back Devil, with some quick words from series music composer Shoji Meguro and Ryota Kozuka. The music covers are mostly from Shin Megami Tensei III, with some tracks from SMT IV, SMT IV Apocalypse, and SMT 2 thrown in for good measure.
Check out the music below. Our top track picks are “Regular Battle -Labyrinth of Amala-” from SMT III, “Tokyo” from SMT IV, and “Large Map” from SMT IV Apocalypse.


The Nevers Is Coming To HBO GO Asia Next Month

Created and executive produced by Joss Whedon (before he ultimately left the project), HBOâ€™s new drama series The Nevers will premiere at the same time as the U.S. on Monday, 12 April 2021 at 9am GMT+8 exclusively on HBO GO and HBO (Astro Channel 411 HD), with a same-day encore at 10pm GMT+8 on HBO.
The Nevers takes place in a fictional Victorian London, where women start to suddenly manifest magical abilities. It sounds like Marvelâ€™s mutants in a science fiction fantasy superhero setting, and it frankly sounds like a good time. Itâ€™s worth pointing out that Whedon has since left the project, with Philippa Goslett replacing him as showrunner.
The first season is in two parts with the first six episodes of Part One airing every Monday at the same time while Part Two’s six episodes will follow at a later date.
The synopsis reads:
August, 1896.
Victorian London is rocked to its foundations by a supernatural event which gives certain people – mostly women – abnormal abilities, from the wondrous to the disturbing.
But no matter their particular â€œturns,â€ all who belong to this new underclass are in grave danger.
It falls to mysterious, quick-fisted widow Amalia True (Laura Donnelly) and brilliant young inventor Penance Adair (Ann Skelly) to protect and shelter these gifted â€œorphans.â€
To do so, they will have to face the brutal forces determined to annihilate their kind.
Rounding out this genre-bending dramaâ€™s acclaimed cast are:

Olivia WilliamsÂ (â€œThe Ghost Writerâ€) as Lavinia Bidlow, the wealthy benefactress funding the orphanage for Amaliaâ€™s outcasts, who are also known as the Touched.
James NortonÂ (â€œLittle Womenâ€) as Hugo Swann, the rich and irreverent proprietor of a den of iniquity.
Tom RileyÂ (â€œDa Vinciâ€™s Demonsâ€) as Augustus â€œAugieâ€ Bidlow, Laviniaâ€™s sweet, awkward, younger brother with a secret of his own.
Pip TorrensÂ (â€œThe Crownâ€) as Lord Gilbert Massen, a high-ranking government official leading the crusade against our heroines.
Ben ChaplinÂ (â€œThe Thin Red Lineâ€) as Inspector Frank Mundi, whoâ€™s torn between his police duties and moral compass.
EmmyÂ®-nomineeÂ Denis Oâ€™HareÂ (â€œAmerican Horror Storyâ€) as Edmund Hague, a deranged doctor searching for the source of the powers.
Amy MansonÂ (â€œOnce Upon a Timeâ€) as the tortured, murderous Maladie, who derives power from pain.
Rochelle NeilÂ (â€œTerminator: Dark Fateâ€) as the fire-wielding Annie â€œBonfireâ€ Carby, one of Maladieâ€™s motley gang.
Zackary MomohÂ (â€œSeven Secondsâ€) as orphanage doctor Horatio Cousens, whose turn equips him with healing powers.
Eleanor TomlinsonÂ (â€œThe Illusionistâ€) as Mary Brighton, a broken and resilient performer pursuing her dream of singing on stage.
Elizabeth BerringtonÂ (â€œIn Brugesâ€) as Lucy Best, adaptive and streetwise, her quick-wit and high spirits mask the pain of a tragic past.
Anna Devlin (â€œAll the Money in the Worldâ€) as Primrose Chattoway who, at ten feet tall and a dreamy demeanour, wishes to be an ordinary girl not taking up too much space.
Kiran Sonia SawarÂ (â€œHBO Maxâ€™s Pureâ€) as Harriet Kaur, a young Scottish Sikh and aspiring lawyer, determined to live her life as she planned.
Viola PrettejohnÂ (â€œThe Witcherâ€) as Myrtle Haplisch, a middle-class girl rescued from a family who cannot understand her – literally, as she can no longer speak any form of language they understand.
Ella SmithÂ (â€œRay & Lizâ€) as DÃ©sireÃ© Blodgett, a prostitute with a power that gets her in trouble and a six-year old son who never speaks.
Vinnie HeavenÂ as Nimble Jack, a rakish and charming young thief and an expert at breaking and entering.
Nick FrostÂ (â€œShaun of the Deadâ€) as feared criminal overlord Declan â€œBeggar Kingâ€ Orrun.

In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


PUBG Final Circles Pattern Revealed By PUBG Analyst

One of the most popular arguments against battle royale games having their own esports is how RNG plays a large role in determining who wins and who losses. Alexander ‘Dyrem’ Sevirinov, PUBG analyst and former Team Russia coach, has shared findings that indicate there could be a way for teams to make use of the game’s randomness.
Dyrem has been spending time analysing the frequency of final circles forming at similar locations in two maps: Erangel and Miramar. He observed thousands of competitive matches played on both maps with SUPER Settings.

Time to share some of my works as analyst in PUBG.
Heatmaps are based on ~4k Erangel and ~3.6k Miramar competitive matches with Super Settings.
As you see here many Miramar mountains are counted as water what makes some circles pretty predictable.
🙂 pic.twitter.com/4ky6FhLqCQ
â€” Dyrem (@dyrempubg) September 1, 2019
SUPER stands for Standard and Universal PUBG Esports Ruleset. It’s basically a set of competitive rules created by PUBG Corporation which serves as a global ruleset for all PUBG esports professional competitions.
Looking closely at Dyrem’s Miramar analysis, we can see that final circles in the map most frequently will form at locations such as Power Grid, a bit south of Impala, and either north-west or south-east of Chumacera.
In Erangel, it seems that the results are less clear with findings indicating that final circles usually form in places like Pochinki, near the Georgopol Hills, and a few areas around the Sosnovka Military Base.
Answering questions to his findings, Dyrem explained that the orange to red zones indicate more than 5 final circles formed at the area while green indicates three to four final circles. He has also clarified that he carried out these observations while running patch #28 but noted that his results aren’t affected by the changes made in patch #30.
A few PUBG professional players including Team Liquid’s Jim ‘jeemzz’ Eliassen and Team Envy’s Nick ‘Interrogate’ Raposo have replied to Dyrem’s tweet. Interrogate even tagged the the official Twitter accounts for PUBG and PUBG Esports, demanding that changes be made to the land ratios.

Remove land ratio from Miramar. Adjust land ratio on all maps. @PUBGEsports @PUBG
â€” Envy Interrogate (@Interrogreat) September 1, 2019

Despite all this information and evidence, it’s still too early to predict whether or not PUBG esports teams will make use of this information to prefer different landing spots or change their overall playstyles. At the very least, it’s something to consider in their next match.


Rockstar Is Rewarding Players For Record-Breaking Season In GTA Online & RDO

Rockstar Games have announced that Grand Theft Auto Online and Red Dead Online recently experienced another record-breaking holiday season.Â December 2019 was the largest month ever in terms of player numbers for GTA Online, while GTA V had its biggest year ever for views on YouTube, hitting a new record for engagement via likes and comments.
Meanwhile, Red Dead Online managed to reach a new peak in player numbers in December 2019 following the release of the massive Moonshiners update and topping those numbers yet again in January 2020.
TO celebrate these milestones, Rockstar will be offering huge bonuses in both games. GTA Online will feature bonus cash of up to GTA$2,000,000 in its biggest cash giveaway yet. Starting on 30 January 2020, players can earn GTA$1,000,000 just by playing before 5 February 2020 and they will also be able to earn another GTA$1,000,000 by playing between 6 February and 12 February 2020.
Meanwhile, Red Dead Online players will receive a bunch of gifts as well, including:

The Gunslingerâ€™s Cache: Those who play RDO between 28 January and 3 February 2020 will obtain a Free Schofield Revolver, a Free Varmint Rifle and the Devastating Ammo Bundle, which includes 100x Split Point Revolver Ammo, 100x High-Velocity Pistol Ammo, 100x Express Repeater Ammo, 100x Slug Shotgun Ammo, and 20x Explosive Rifle Ammo.
The Bounty Hunterâ€™s Kit: Playing between 4 February and 10 February 2020 will net players a Free Bounty Hunter license, 25x Bolas, and 25x Tracking Arrows.

In addition, Rockstar is teasing what’s to come in 2020. GTA Online will be adding an open-wheel racing series featuring all-new vehicle types with tense and high-speed track-based racing, while Red Dead Online will also continue to grow with the expansion of Frontier Pursuits concept, adding more roles and new missions.


Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition For PC Drops This August

Earlier this year, Sony Interactive Entertainment announced that PS4 exclusive Horizon Zero Dawn from Guerilla Games would officially be getting a PC version. Now they have confirmed that Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition on both Steam and Epic Games Store will be launching next month on 7 August 2020.
Priced at only RM80 on Steam and US$21.49 on Epic Games Store, the new Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition trailer highlights the PC versionâ€™s new features not available on the PS4. These include:

Ultra-wide support.
Unlocked frame rates.
Dynamic foliage.
Graphical customization.
Improved reflections.
Controller options.
Benchmarking tool.

Horizon Zero Dawn originally launched for the PS4 in 2017. We’re also getting a sequel exclusively for the PS5 in the form of Horizon Forbidden West sometime in 2021, though there’s no word yet on when or even if that will be released for PC.
In the meantime, check out the awesome trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4St-fv53Q0&w=560&h=315]


Malaysia’s Keluang Man Is Getting His Own Live-Action Film

Malaysia’s very own local superhero, Keluang Man, is getting a live-action movie adaptation of his own. Astro Shaw is working together with Iconic Animation Studio to bring the character to life on the big screen for the first time (via Awani).
For those who aren’t familiar with the role, Keluang Man was originally introduced in an animated series, which ran for seven seasons and 142 episodes from 1998 to 2005. His name is based on a local fruit bat (Keluang) and he’s actually sort of a parody of DC Comics’ Batman. The character is an actual mental health patient, but unlike Moon Knight, this was played more for comedic purposes.
Speaking with Awani, Astro Shaw head and vice president of Malay Nusantara business Raja Jastina Raja Arshad said:
“We believe the Keluang Man brand is popular in the local animation and arts industries, and that it has its own fans who grew up with this animated series. We hope that that this news will bring excitement to fans and prove that the local animation industry can be elevated to even greater heights.”
The Keluang Man movie is expected to begin production soon, but more details and information will probably be announced at a later date.
In the meantime, relive your nostalgic memories with the iconic Keluang Man intro below:


TMNT Comics Introduces A New Fifth Female Turtle

IDW has revealed a new fifth female ninja turtle into official canon, in a move which will upend the status quo of our favorite pizza-eating subway-dwelling heroes.
The comic book publisher has revealed our first look at the design for the fifth female ninja turtle on its official Twitter account.

Congratulations to the creative team of #TMNT! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #95 is now sold out at the distributor level and going to 2nd print! Until then, head over to your local comic shop and pick-up your copyâ€¦rumor has it thereâ€™s a huge cliff hanger! ðŸ‘€ðŸ¢ pic.twitter.com/PjYdajBoIA
â€” IDW Publishing (@IDWPublishing) July 8, 2019
This is to celebrate the second printing of the 95th issue of its ongoing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series.
She sports some deadly Shredder-like claws and a yellow headband. It seems like Raphael has some new competition in the edgy and brooding department.

Her name is Jennika, a former Foot Clan ninja who was mortally wounded in a clash between two rival factions of the ancient organization.
She was originally a human but later mutated into a turtle when she received a blood transfusion from Leonardo in an effort to save her.
According to TMNT artist Sophie Campbell (via Gizmodo), the creative team has been planning this for a while and that Jennika will likely stick around for a while.

Cat’s out of the bag now, so here’s some concept art I did two years ago (can’t believe it’s been that long) for mutated Jennika, the new Turtle!! @TomWaltz @thedisastrix @IDWPublishing pic.twitter.com/FtrJsK9Deb
â€” Sophie Campbell (@mooncalfe1) July 9, 2019
Jennika isn’t even the first new female ninja turtle to be introduced, as there was another female ninja turtle named Venus De Milo (who has since been erased from existence after the cancellation of the Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation TV series).
Venus is the one with the visible turtle boobs.
There was also a time when April O’Neil temporarily became an honorary fifth ninja turtle.


Taiwanese Horror Game Devotion Is On Sale Again… Sort Of

Taiwanese developer Red Candle Games has been through a lot with its first-person horror game, Devotion, which was removed by Valve from Steam in early 2019 due to assets that supposedly mocked Chinese President Xi Jinping. It’s been that way for more than a year, until now.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbQlBGniUQQ&w=560&h=315]
Devotion is finally available to purchase again, but weirdly enough, only for a week and it will also be limited to those living in Taiwan. From today until 15 June 2020, the developer is offering two different physical editions of DevotionÂ via its online store.
The first physical edition for Devotion (priced at NT$980 or roughly RM140+) includes the game, a childrenâ€™s book, a small book rack, stickers, and a flower-shaped bookmark resembling the origami tulips seen in the game. Meanwhile, the other physical edition (priced at NT$1200 or roughly RM170+) includes everything in the cheaper editions and an additional original soundtrack of the game.
In order to actually buy the game, youâ€™ll need to sign up for a Red Candle Games account, which requires a valid Taiwanese address. The maximum number of copies that can be bought by one account is 10. This means that it might be possible for Taiwanese gamers who buy the game to sell them to people in other countries.
In a statement on Facebook, Red Candle said they have received inquiries from players all over the world and “will continue to try various possibilities”.
https://www.facebook.com/redcandlegames/photos/a.1489343571367599/2350380985263849/?type=3&theater
We (at Kakuchopurei) even listed Devotion as one of our best games of 2019, which just goes to show how much of a shame it is that it’s not available for more gamers around the world.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvY_2VBZXUo&w=560&h=315]


Star Ocean 6: The Divine Force Will Be Out This October

Square Enix and Tri-Ace announced that its sci-fi action JRPG epic Star Ocean 6: The Divine Force will be out this year.
The next installment in the revered-but-still-flawed series will be out on 27 October 2022 for Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC (Steam). The game features the same-yet-fun action RPG combat and exploration as past series, featuring anime protagonists doing their version of Star Trek with the exploration and meeting new aliens/lifeform, alongside anime plot twists aplenty. This time, you can pick between ship captain Raymond and princess Laetitia, with each of them featuring different storylines that eventually converge.
True to Tri-Ace games, the action bit looks solid and freeform, with a lot of tag-team attacks and new party members to switch between, There’s also an AP (action points) mechanic where you have a set amount of AP to spend during a fight, which you use for powerful attacks. Doing certain combat actions will increase your max AP. The game seems to transition between open-world exploration and combat seamlessly, so that’s something to look forward to. While you can play the game in real-time, you can play in Stop mode where the action pauses and you can assign commands and your teammates’ while the fighting is paused.
Star Ocean 6 will have both a standard and digital deluxe edition. The latter (about US$118) will feature costumes and armour themed after Tri-Ace games like Valkyrie Profile and previous Star Ocean games (notably part 2), as well as a soundtrack. The premiere edition (about US$180) which is only available on Square Enix’s e-store features the OST, the artbook, all the pre-order and premiere DLC, and the game. This version is only available for PS4 and PS5.

Also, players who pre-order the game will get an accessory set of four pawns that can be used in the in-game mini-game “Soar”. The pawns are themed after Lenneth and Lezard Valeth from Valkyrie Profile, and Jack Russell and Ridley Silverlake from Radiata Stories. That’s neat callback for Tri-Ace fans!
Check out the overview video below and the bullet points for the upcoming RPG:

Fly Around Areas Freely: In Star Ocean: The Divine Force, characters can freely move in 360° degrees and roam the skies.
Move and Explore Freely in Three Dimensions: Everything You See Can Be Explored! You can move in three dimensions whilst flying around the largest environment ever. Whether you’re flying around and exploring rockfaces and roofs of buildings in the city, or leaping off cliffs to seamlessly enter battles, you’ll have more freedom in terms of both adventuring and battling.
The Fastest and Strongest Action of Any in the Series: While the game will give you space to play as you please, the scope of its battles has also evolved. Characters can subdue a large number of enemies with super high-speed movement attacks, special abilities where you can vanish for a brief moment from right in front of your enemies’ eyes, and a skill which could kill in one hit! This game will feature a challenging yet thrilling battle experience to enjoy while freely soaring in the skies.


Hawked Is A Player Versus Player Versus Environment Treasure-Stealing Title

Publisher and developer wombo combo Upwake.me has announced a new fun multiplayer title involving whips, jumping, ruins, and treasure-stealing.
It’s called Hawked and it’s a player-versus-player-versus-environment extraction shooter for PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

“HAWKED is an online shooter in which teams or solo players race to collect and extract treasure from a remote island. Players must explore this mysterious island, compete with each other, and battle greedy saurian so-called Disciples in an all-out heist for treasure and mystical artifacts. But it’s not just the monsters they’ll have to worry about, other players are gunning for their treasure too. Players will also have to contend with puzzles and traps, hazardous environments, and a variety of other challenges along the way.”

If that sounds like your cup of multiplayer tea, try out the closed alpha test that’s running from 24 November to 28th November via PC (Steam).
The game has no release date as of yet. Check out the trailer below (via Gematsu):


Mark Hamill Is Interested In Playing This Character In The Witcher

The first season of Netflix’s The Witcher has been available to stream since last Friday. I found it to be good fantasy TV despite its flaws (check out my full review here). Season 2 is already confirmed and in the works, so it might be time to start expanding the existing cast of characters.
Legendary actor Mark Hamill (of Star Wars and Joker’s voice fame) has previously expressed his interest in portraying Vesemir, who is the mentor of The Witcher protagonist Geralt of Rivia and a veteran Witcher by trade.
Vesemir in CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
However, this happened a year ago in a Twitter thread describing the traits of different characters in the show started by The Witcher showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich, where Hamill replied to a fan who suggested the role of Vesemir should be given to him.
This tweet resurfaced after Reddit user Grayjaw posted it on r/TheWitcher.

While this doesn’t exactly confirm that he’s getting the role, Mark Hamill as Vesemir would add even more star power to a series that’s already massively popular, to begin with. According to the description of Vesemir by Hissrich, Mark Hamill certainly fits the bill.
Not many might know this, but Hamill already practically played a grizzled Vesemir-type character named Talus in Season 2 of History Channel’s Knightfall, a series about Knights of Templar and their downfall.
Mark Hamill as Talus in Knightfall.
Watch him in action on Knightfall below, and tell me that doesn’t already look like Vesemir training a bunch of would-be Witchers in Kaer Morhen.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHYG0ywWJg0&w=560&h=315]


Why Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 May Be the New King of the Hill Of Football Sims:

Ah hello football season. We missed you much. Weekends now have a meaning again. If thereâ€™s a topic more heatedly discussed on around this period, much more than whether Arsene Wenger should stay at or leave Arsenal FC, it would be which football game one should consider purchasing come the â€˜newâ€™ cycle of football simulator games – FIFA or Pro Evolution Soccer/ PES (or as some markets in Asia would refer it as Winning Eleven/ WE). Hold that pre-order. Listen up. You might want to seriously consider PES2018. Hereâ€™s why .
For all intents and purposes, we are excluding Sports Interactiveâ€™s Football Manager considering it is THE de facto football-managing sim franchise out there. Letâ€™s just agree that no other football managing sim come close to that. Today we are talking about the mainstream ones. The titles that even most parents could instinctively call out when looking to purchase a game for their kid.
Since their inception, itâ€™s been a see-saw battle between the two franchises from Electronic Arts and Konami. While EAâ€™s FIFA series have the upper hand thanks to larger licensing agreements compared to Konami in the past, PES/ WE have been making up ground in terms of much more enjoyable gameplay and by securing major licensing and image right deals in the recent years. And this year, Konamiâ€™s PES2018 is in a very strong position to give EAâ€™s FIFA 2018 a run for their money more than ever thanks to some strategic approach on the marketing and image front.
Today we are going to list 3 reasons why youâ€™d be wise to give PES 2018 a serious loo
1. The Gameplay of PES 2018 is much more sleeker than last year – which was already much better than FIFA
If you are all about gameplay, then PES 2018 is your pick. The controls are much more intuitive and realistic when it comes to ball controls. Players realistically jostle for long passes and frantically scurry for loose balls; no two passes are identical and each player reacts to each pass differently leading to unexpected bounces and spills that can turn the tide of the game in an instant. Realism and fun are the main ingredients in simulation games and no game has ever come close to achieving that balance like PES games since 2016.
While this article is in no business of dissing one franchise over the other, FIFAâ€™s unrealistic perfection made it feel imperfect at many areas – if you know what I mean. Fun yet realistic gameplay has always tilted to PESâ€™ favor since 2016 and theyâ€™ve maintained the edge in this yearâ€™s iteration.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0FCfnmlEwI&w=560&h=315]
2. The expanded licensing adds more realism to the overall feel
Gone are the days when PES fans had to contend with â€˜Merseyside Redâ€™ or â€˜Westfalenâ€™ in the PES games. The increased appeal of the franchise landed publishers Konami some heavyweights in world football such as Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund. The realistic crowd chants along with the iconic stadium atmosphere are brilliantly recreated in-game and as a football fan, is the closest thing we can get to actually being in these historic venues. Added with the official inclusion of real-life legends such as Maradona and Ronaldo (the OG, fat one aye?!), the highly enjoyable Master League is suddenly much more fun. EAâ€™s FIFA always had the edge (well to be honest, they still do this year) solely due to the licensing agreements – they are called FIFA to begin with, but the gap now is getting much, much smaller this year.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26fXGJXREnI&w=560&h=315]
3. You score much more satisfying goals
Itâ€™s always been about the goals. Since playing both franchises from the late 90s, I always, eventually find a sure-fire way to game the system to score easy goals in FIFA. The same cannot be said for PES. Which leads to the third point about satisfying goals. Ask any football fan and lovers of the sport – scoring goals isnâ€™t merely poking the ball into the net; it involves careful buildup from the back, slow or lightning quick via a series of interconnected movements across the field capped with the keeper picking the ball from the net. You can score tons of goals in FIFA but I guarantee you that none will come even close to scoring one on PES – even the â€˜simpleâ€™ tap-ins.
PES 2018 is now out on the PS3, PS4, Xbox360 and Xbox One. You can try it yourself as the demo is now available for free on the respective console stores.
*This article originally appeared on Spout360


[Rumour] Sony To Launch New PS5 With Detachable Disc Drive

According to a new report from Insider Gaming, Sony is allegedly planning to release a new PS5 console model in 2024 with a detachable disc drive, which will reportedly arrive around September 2024.
In terms of specs, it seems like this new PS5 model will probably feature the same power as current models, but it will feature a new detachable disc drive. It will supposedly be a digital-only PS5 console which will come in a bundle with the detachable disc drive. The disc drive itself is also expected to be sold separately, so those with existing PS5 Digital Edition consoles should also be able to use it as well.
In terms of how it looks, it will probably look similar to the current ones. It’s also reported that this will replace the physical PS5 as Sony moves towards a more digital future. However, we should take all of this with a grain of salt for now, considering that Sony has yet to announce anything official.


Mobile Monster Hunter Coming This September

Niantic and Capcom are teaming up to bring Monster Hunter to our mobile devices! The new game, called Monster Hunter Now, is set to launch worldwide in September and will be available for both iOS and Android.
This game is going to be something special. It’s designed to get players out and about in the real world, exploring their neighborhoods and encountering all kinds of incredible monsters. With Niantic’s amazing AR technology, the experience will feel completely immersive, like you’re really in the game. And if you’re worried about not having anyone to play with, don’t be – Monster Hunter Now is all about teamwork. You can team up with your friends to take down the toughest monsters together.

According to Monster Hunter series producer Ryozo Tsujimoto, this new game will offer a more casual, laid-back experience than previous Monster Hunter titles, while still delivering all the excitement and hunting action that fans love. And Niantic CEO John Hanke agrees, saying that Monster Hunter Now is going to be the ultimate experience for anyone who has ever dreamed of battling epic monsters with their friends.

So, what can we expect from this new game? Well, for starters, it’s going to have amazing graphics that look incredible on our mobile devices. Plus, it’s designed to be accessible for everyone, whether you’re a seasoned Monster Hunter veteran or a complete newcomer to the series. And even if you’re not actively playing the game, your companion can mark any monsters you encounter with a special item called the Paintball, so you can come back and hunt them later.
If you’re as excited about this game as we are, be sure to sign up for the upcoming closed beta tests on the official website. It’s your chance to get a sneak peek at Monster Hunter Now before it launches worldwide in September.


Moon Knight Episode 6 Finale Breakdown & Easter Eggs

The sixth and final episode of Moon Knight is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. ll be discussing heavy spoilers so if you haven’t seen it or want to avoid spoilers, now’s your chance to stop reading.
Moon Knight follows Steven Grant, a mild-mannered gift-shop employee, who becomes plagued with blackouts and memories of another life. Steven discovers he has dissociative identity disorder and shares a body with mercenary Marc Spector. As Steven/Marc’s enemies converge upon them, they must navigate their complex identities while thrust into a deadly mystery among the powerful gods of Egypt.
Check out my breakdown of Moon Knight Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4 and Episode 5 here.
You can check out my previous breakdowns of Hawkeye Episodes 1 and 2 here, Episode 3 here, Episode 4 here and Episode 5. and Episode 6 here.
In addition, you can check out my previous breakdowns of Marvel’s What If? Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8 and Episode 9 here.
If you haven’t, you can check out my previous breakdowns and easter egg articles for WandaVision Episode 1 and 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8 and Episode 9.
For The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, you can check out my previous breakdowns for Episode 1, Episode 2 and Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5 and Episode 6.
For previous breakdowns of Loki episodes, check out Episode 1 here, Episode 2 here, Episode 3 here, Episode 4 here, Episode 5 here and Episode 6 here.

Ammit Is Released

With Moon Knight currently dead, Harrow successfully kills all the Avatars of the other Egyptian gods and releases Ammit from her Ushabti.
Layla Releases Khonshu

Layla releases Khonshu from his Ushabti, but refuses to be his Avatar.
Marc Helps Revive Steven

Marc sacrifices his place in the Field Of Reeds to go back and save Steven. They come back to life and becomes Khonshu’s Avatar once again.

Meanwhile, Layla Becomes The Avatar Of Taweret

Layla agrees to become the (temporary) Avatar of Taweret and she gets a cool new costume to boot. It even comes with awesome metal wings.

Marc Gets Another Blackout, Probably Taken Over By Jake Lockley

While fighting Harrow, it seemed like Marc was losing and he suddenly gets another blackout. He awakes to find Harrow defeated. This is probably Jake Lockley taking over again, which he already previously did so in Episode 3. In the comics, Jake Lockley is another prominent personality/alter in the same body. It’s easy to distinguish Jake Lockley from Marc or Steven in the comics because of his moustache and facial hair.
It was previously theorized that he was the other one trapped in the sarcophagus seen at the end of Episode 4.
They Trap Ammit In Harrow’s Body

Marc and Layla traps Ammit inside Harrow’s body. However, Marc/Steven refuses to kill Harrow/Ammit and demands that Khonshu free them from being his Avatar.
It Ends Here?

Bizarrely enough, after that, Marc and Steven wakes up in Steven’s home. The episode weirdly just ends there without any explanation of what ultimately happened to Harrow, Khonshu, and Layla.
But wait…
There’s A Moon Knight Finale Post-Credits Scene, Jake Lockley Revealed!

It turns out that Khonshu didn’t exactly free Marc and Steven because all along he already had Jake Lockley in his throes. That’s right, folks. The third alter/personality is revealed to be Jake Lockley and he speaks Spanish! The post-credits scene ends with Jake killing Harrow.

This also means that, even with Marc and Steven not knowing, they’re still Moon Knight. It will be interesting to see how the MCU handles Marc and Steven grappling with the truth that Khonshu manipulated them and that they have another alter/personality who’s more violent and dangerous than Marc.
At the time of writing, Moon Knight Season 2 has yet to be confirmed, but with this post-credits stinger, we’re likely getting one. It was great breaking down all the episodes with you folks. Until the next one (Ms. Marvel, which debuts on 8 June 2022), excelsior!


The Epic Games Store Starts 2020 With 3 Free Games

Say what you want about the Epic Games Store but you can’t deny that it’s one heck of a generous platform. It looks like the EGS is maintaining its “free games every week” promise in 2020. In the first week of January, we’re already getting three games.

The first two Darksiders game are the highlights of this week’s free offerings. Both Darksiders: Warmastered Edition and Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition can be redeemed for free.
The original Darksiders was released back in 2010 so the graphics do look a bit dated. However, gameplay is why people love the Darksiders game and this first entry is still a lot of fun.

After you’ve beaten the first game, you can straight away start filling the shoes of Death in the second game. It adds more RPG-mechanics on top of the hack-n-slash gameplay established in the first game.
Unfortunately, the third free game isn’t Darksiders III. It’s actually something entirely different. It’s Ubisoft’s snowy extreme sports game Steep which didn’t really receive good reviews when it came out. The sentiment probably hasn’t changed.

Steep isn’t just a skiing game. There’s also snowboarding, paragliding, and even wingsuit flying. The game was known to have some major bugs when it was first released so getting it for free now is probably the most risk-free option of owning the game.
I think it’s also worth mentioning that the Epic Games Store is extending their 2019 Holiday Sale. So for those of you missed out on great deals such as that US$14.06 (~RM60) Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order offer, you have another week to shop.
All three games are free until 10 January 2020. For our recommendations of what to get in the Epic Games Store Holiday Sale 2019, check out our article here.


Open-World Racing LEGO 2K Drive Unveils Official Gameplay Trailer

The official trailer for LEGO 2K Drive, the upcoming open-world racing game from 2K Games, has been released. The trailer follows the official teaser announcement made on 21 March by the official LEGO Twitter account.
Alongside the gameplay trailer, the Epic Games Store Youtube channel wrote the game’s release date, which launches this 19 May 2023. The “awesome reveal trailer” showcases the wacky and creative karts players could build and experience in the home of “Bricklandia”. A glimpse of the garage allows players to create a range of crazy and awesome rides. The vehicles can transform based on their surrounding, which gives players a lot of flexibility and prevents any loss of momentum in the open world.

Some of the humour may be a little cheesy like chickens crossing the road, but most of it is charming and will be delightful if the gameplay retains its youthful playfulness. LEGO video games always aim to deliver freedom in creativity and they showed in the gameplay trailer. Racing can take place anywhere and with anyone, and players fight it out for the coveted Sky Trophy against wild racing rivals! Interestingly, the game offers a Story mode, jumping into a single race or joining the Cup series tourney. Mini-games for those who wish to let loose and just have that pure fun racing adventure.
Moreover, players get to choose three gameplay editions; the standard, the awesome, and the awesome rivals edition. These can be purchased individually, so hopefully, players can pick and choose the same way with other special content.
LEGO 2K Drive is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store on 19 May 2023.


Gran Turismo 7 Is Out Next March; Pre-Order Items Detailed

Fans of fancy cars and fast driving simulation type games; this one’s for you.
Gran Turismo 7, the latest and upcoming driving simulator from racing game designer expert Kazunori Yamauchi, is going to be out on 4th March, 2022. Pre-orders for the game are now open: here’s what you’ll get as an early bonus:

Toyota Castrol TOMâ€™S Supra
Mazda RX-VISION GT3 Concept (Stealth)
Porsche 917K Living Legend
100,000 in-game Credit (CR)

There’s also a 25th Anniversary Edition PS5 and PS4 version of the game up for grabs in retail form. The fancy-ass edition features the following:

Includes PS5 Game Disc and Voucher for PS4 Game**
In-Game Credits â€“ 1,100,000 CR
Toyota GR Yaris with country-specific Livery
30 Manufacturer / Partner Avatars
The Music of Gran Turismo Official Soundtrack
Toyota Castrol TOMâ€™S Supra
Mazda RX-VISION GT3 Concept (Stealth)
Porsche 917K Living Legend

Supplies are limited, so pre-order them now if you’ve got a huge car boner for the Gran Turismo series.

Players who buy the Digital Deluxe Edition through the PS Store before 4th March 2022 will get the following:

Dual PS4 + PS5 Entitlement
In-Game Credits â€“ 1,600,000 CR
Toyota GR Yaris with country-specific Livery
30 Manufacturer / Partner Avatars
The Music of Gran Turismo Official Soundtrack
Toyota Castrol TOMâ€™S Supra
Mazda RX-VISION GT3 Concept (Stealth)
Porsche 917K Living Legend

Also, if you want to upgrade your PS4 Standard Edition version of Gran Turismo 7 to the PS5 version, you can do so for the low, low price of US$10. What a deal! I’ll bet no other game publisher would do this for free, right?


This Week In Overwatch Esports News: 10 November

With the end of Blizzcon & Overwatch World Cup, and the off-season for Overwatch League currently, you might think you’ve seen the last of Overwatch esports scene this year. Oh, there’s where you’re wrong!
There’s plenty going on in the esports scene, and I’m here to do a recap of Overwatch in a weekly summary in this weekly Overwatch column.
Dafran Jebaited?
In somewhat a fit of frustration, Dafran tweeted that he’s quitting Overwatch & that his contract with Atlanta Reign has ended. There was no comment made by Atlanta Reign regarding this issue despite many parties out there reaching out to them.

The end. I hate the game. Thought I could love it again and have passion but its impossible, I always end up soft throwing. Contract ended, Overwatch uninstalled, Mcdonalds here I come. For real though thanks for everything u have given me OW Community
— Farmer Dafran (@dafran) November 7, 2018

But 2 days later, he tweeted that he’s not leaving Atlanta nor the Overwatch League. He claimed that he was not jebaiting, but does he?

Still in ATL Reign, didnt quit like I said. I messed up, dont know what to say except sorry to the community, my fans and ATL. It wasnt jebait, sometimes I have these days and make dumb mistakes. Going forward im going to stream less and focus on making myself and my team better
— Farmer Dafran (@dafran) November 9, 2018

Dafran is an exceptional DPS but was clouded with controversy due to game throwing, streaming anime porn & griefing. He was also in a running to win Denmark’s World Cup Community Lead but lost to a lesser-known streamer, Xperiana, most likely because he was not in a good standing with his battle.net account as enforced in the rulebook (via Invenglobal).
Dafran making it to the Overwatch League was one of the biggest surprise & much-anticipated appearance in OWL2019. There are rumours that he has some issue that he needed attention, but I’m pretty sure representatives of Atlanta Reign has made a solid case to the Blizzard to have him included in the team.
I hope that Dafran gets all the support he needs & able to perform well professionally because we all know this Dannish boy has a lot to show to us.
Remembering INTERNETHULK
7-November-2018 marked one year since Dennis “INTERNETHULK” Hawelka has passed away. Known as one of the positive & huge influencer in the Overwatch pro scene, the passing of INTERNETHULK shocked the community tremendously. He passed away at the age of 30.

Our @INTERNETHULK megathread is live! Join us by sharing your fondest memories of a great man, leader and visionary: https://t.co/xx8nxsLlMZ pic.twitter.com/UznDutoAPx
— r/CompetitiveOverwatch (@CompetitiveOW) November 8, 2018

Many people from the community paid tribute to INTERNETHULK on this day. /r/CompetitiveOverwatch paid tribute to him by creating a megathread to share the community’s best memories of this impactful man.
On 15-November-2017, Overwatch League announced the Dennis Hawelka award, an award to be given to the league’s players who have given the most positive impact to the community. The award was given at the end of the season, and the first recipient is none other than Pongphop “Mickie” Rattanasangchod, the player that INTERNETHULK himself helped to make a break for.

We're super happy for @MickiePP for winning the Dennis Hawelka award. Mickie is constantly a positive force for all of the team and staff.
We miss @INTERNETHULK every day and wish he could have seen all that OWL has become and will be in the future. pic.twitter.com/WQuq7bijNr
— Dallas Fuel (@DallasFuel) August 26, 2018

You are still missed, INTERNETHULK.
Fusions signed to Boston Uprising
During the last Overwatch World Cup 2018, one name has made a mark in the competitive scene, Fusions. The outstanding Reinhardt main in the World Cup who had a reputation of giving out “monstrous Earthshatters” has officially been signed to the Boston Uprising team.

We’re proud to officially announce @Fusions as a part of #BostonUp!
Fusions will be joining us on a two-way contract with @TOesports.
?: https://t.co/VN0FItNzPb pic.twitter.com/NoqRxI6y8r
— Boston Uprising (@BostonUprising) November 5, 2018

This news was reported by ESPN sports during the world cup, indicating that Boston has actually signed him prior to his stellar performance in the world cup.
Boston now has 4 tanks in their rosters; Gamsu, NotE, Axxiom and now Fusions. That is a lot of tanks in a lineup. Congratulations to Fusions and we can’t wait to see your debut in OWL2019!
Nenne signed to NYXL
Nenne is one of the talented DPS that is just waiting to get signed up to the league. Started as a DPS in LW Red, and then Lunatic Hai, he was then signed up as main DPS in the NYXL’s academy team, XL2 Academy.

You already know who it is
Please join us in welcoming @Nenne_chu to the NYXL squad#EverUpward pic.twitter.com/olqqxXaMO7
— NY Excelsior (@NYExcelsior) November 8, 2018

He performed exceptionally well, and it is no wonder that he will now play alongside other NYXL’s DPS such as Saebyeolbe, Libero & the newly signed Flower.
NYXL now has a full 12-players roster and they are now a complete team.
Paris is now Paris Eternal
One of the expansion teams in OWL2019 has just announced their team name, logo & colours. Although their team name is quite uninspiring (Eternal.. ok?) & the red symbol on blue background colours are questionable, their logo is pretty awesome. (update: it seems the Paris Eternal team has revamped the logo to have a yellow background, which is not showing on the team’s skin at all).

More than a skin, these colors will unite us during the #OWL2019 ? pic.twitter.com/nwoa0iOpxT
— Paris Eternal (@ParisEternal) November 8, 2018

Taking the French’s unofficial symbol of the Gallic Roster, the symbol is cleverly designed to fuse in the roster & the infinity symbol, indicating “Eternal” in their team’s name. There could somewhat be a hidden “P” for “Paris” in the logo.
Paris Eternal has announced their rosters & coaching staffs back in October. I can’t wait to see what does the Paris can offer, now that have taken Soon from Valiant.

STAND WITH US ?? Here come our players for the #OWL2019 :
?? @SoOn99 ?? @SDBurnOW ?? @NiCOgdh?? @danye_ow ? @HyP_ow ? @KruiseOW ?? @BenBest_Ow ?? @FinnsiOW ?? @LhCloudy ? @baemoN ? @Its_MDW
EU is getting stronger ? #HelloParis ?? pic.twitter.com/zJ6M2zCoGw
— Paris Eternal (@ParisEternal) October 23, 2018

Guangzhou is Guangzhou Charge
There are 3 new Chinese expansion teams in OWL2019. Guangzhou is the first Chinese team to announce their team name, logo & colours. Spotting the blue and green colours, the team’s marketing & creative director mentioned that these colours are meant to represent the region’s natural scenery & region (via The Esports Observer).

Feel The Charge! pic.twitter.com/12T5HGoPYk
— Guangzhou Charge (@GZCharge) November 9, 2018

Guangzhou also released a video in which they have blurred out (though not done properly) their player’s alternate name. But whatever it is, we can safely assume that Guangzhou Charge will have Korean rosters as well.
There are 3 more teams yet to unveil their branding; Hangzhou, Washington, & Vancouver. Players for most of the expansion teams are yet to be announced.
Enter the Chengdu Hunters
Our late entry of the week is of team Chengdu who is now known as Chengdu Hunters! However, while writing this piece of information, it seems that Chengdu has deleted the tweet, their profile picture & cover photo on Twitter. Perhaps the announcement made was too early than intended.
https://twitter.com/ChengduHunters/status/1061206900564316160

Donning the black & yellow team colour with a very serious ready-to-battle panda as their logo, Chengdu is set to conquer the Overwatch League Season 2!
Chengdu is home to the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base and everyone loves panda. Hence the choice of logo.
No players have been announced yet for Chengdu Hunters, but will Runaway be part of this team? I mean, a combination of the lovable Runaway team & cutest panda will be a deadly cutie combo, don’t you think so?
Well, that’s it for Overwatch esports scene this week. Stay tuned with us next week for a quick recap of what’s going on with this spectacular game!


Our Neighbours Down South Are Hosting A Brawl Stars Community Rumble

Famous mobile game company Supercell and esports organization ESL will be teaming up to launch the Brawl Stars Singapore Community Rumble. In this country-specific tournament,Â  the top Brawl Star players will be competing for a total prize pool of S$14,000 over a period of 6 months.
Here’s the lowdown: after 3 weekly cups per month where 8 top teams are determined, a monthly finals between the 8 teams will be held. The top team will win up to S$1,000 from the prize pool.
Details are below:
Date: 27th August – February 2021
Venue: Online
Registration: https://play.eslgaming.com/brawlstars/challenger/community-rumble-2020-singapore
Stream: https://www.twitch.tv/esl_asia
We sure as heck enjoyed Brawl Stars, but we’ve been out of the loop for a while. We don’t even recognize the heroes on the feature image; guess it’s time for us to update our existing guides, eh?


PlayStation Plus Hits Homerun With June Free Games Selection

After several months of mediocre at best free games selections for PS Plus users, Sony Interactive Entertainment is set to redeem itself with an awesome selection for its June catalogue thanks to the inclusion of Firaxis Games’ XCOM 2 into the mix.

Welcome back, Commander. @XCOM 2 leads our selection of free games for PS Plus members in June, alongside platform racing game, Trials Fusion. Available from 7th June 2018! pic.twitter.com/JSJ58xVsX9
â€” PlayStation Asia (@PlayStationAsia) May 31, 2018
As confirmed by PlayStation Asia’s official account (see above), the turn-based action strategy game featuring perma-death is easily the highlight of the games available for free for all PS Plus users throughout June.
If you have no idea what we just said in the last line; picture a highly stylized and detailed chessboard featuring up to six unique, fully customizable XCOM soldiers combating alien forces who have taken over planet Earth. Each turn, cover and decision matter as you battle against enemies with psychic abilities, mutons, chryssalids and Advent forces.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlF4_o3qALo&w=560&h=315]
Needless to say, it is one of our favorite games ever and we highly recommend you folks to try it out once the game is free to download starting June 7th 2018.


The Dark Pictures Anthology The Devil In Me Drops This Fall

Coming this November from Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc., The Dark Pictures Anthology The Devil In Me opens its doors to a whole new cast and terrifying story. This trailer gives a short but disturbing tour of what’s to come for its unsuspecting cast.
The Lonnit Entertainment TV crew receive a pressing and mysterious phone call from a man called Granthem Du’Met, with a promise of a tour around a faithful recreation of the H. H. Holmes murder castle, an idea that Lonnit Entertainment founder Charlie Lonnit believes might just save his show.
Oscar nominee Jessie Buckley stars as a member of this ill-fated crew that visits this strange hotel location, a place that quickly turns into a deadly trap made by their disturbed host Granthem Du’Met. Observed, isolated, and manipulated like rats in a maze, it soon becomes clear that the crew’s checkout is compromised, and they will have to make some impossible choices that they might live to regret or just not live at all!
The Dark Pictures Anthology is a series of stand-alone branching cinematic horror games designed to present a new terrifying experience on a regular basis. Each game is unconnected and will feature a brand-new story, setting, and new cast of characters.
The Dark Pictures Anthology The Devil In Me will launch for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC via Steam in fall 2022.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Rogue Spirit December Update Adds New Character, Boss, Biome & More

Rogue Spirit, the anime-inspired 3D rogue-lite action game from developer Kids With Sticks and publisher 505 Games, adds the deadly Reaver character, a new Forest biome, a fiery boss, and much more in todayâ€™s December update.
Players can possess the body of a Reaver to wield the lethal Kusarigama, which can be used to hook enemies with this sickle and chain hybrid, causing constant damage while fending off other attackers. While perfecting those skills, they can explore the new Forest biome. This former place of worship once drew pilgrims from all over the Kingdom of Midra. Now it hides horrors like the Aspect of Decay boss, a lantern-wielding firestarter.

In addition, players can learn the ways of flame with two new skills: the slow-but-destructive Fire Tornado and the teleporting Blink ability. Overcome the new Dash Kick encounter, where the only way to win is to defeat all enemies solely with the dash move. Cheat death with Amara, a familiar with resurrection powers, providing an extra life.

For a full list of changes, you can check out the patch notes for the December update, and refer to the Rogue Spirit roadmap to see what the developer has planned for February 2022.
Rogue Spirit is currently available on Steam Early Access for RM50 and is slated to launch fully in 2022.


Here’s Why Mobile Esports Is Thriving In Asia

Mobile esports is thriving in Asia, more than in any other region in the world. According to statistics provided by Niko Partners, there are a few factors that have made this possible. These include:
A Huge & Growing Mobile Population
The breakneck speed of mobile penetration has been a powerful catalyst for the growth of mobile esports. Markets like China, India, and Southeast Asia are already making a dramatic impact on mobile gaming.
There are over 850 million mobile gamers in China and Southeast Asia in 2019, generating over US$28 billion in annual mobile gaming revenue. Southeast Asia has 50 percent more mobile gamers than PC. Even in China, mobile gamers outnumber PC gamers two to one.
World-Class Mobile Technology & Infrastructure
New developments are bringing mobile games up to speed, including better smartphone hardware, cloud gaming, and 5G networks. In addition, greater bandwidth and faster download speeds also contribute, as more and more countries in Southeast Asia plan to roll out 5G in 2020.
Dedicated gaming mobile phones with enhanced features, such as ultra-fast displays, high-speed processors, and console-inspired designs, give mobile gamers a competitive edge.
Widespread Cyber Cafes, Events & Sponsorships
Existing cybercafes have been used to host mobile esports in key markets, and their popularity has inspired new development and intensified market competition.
Growing Prize Pools For Mobile Esports Competitions
Driven by mobile esports competitions, the prize pool value for esports competitions in Southeast Asia grew 244 percent between 2018 and 2019. 68 percent of global mobile esports game revenue in 2019 was driven by Asia alone with US$13 billion.


[Rumour] Mortal Kombat 1’s Season 1 DLC Characters Revealed; Features A Bunch Of Violent “Superheroes”

Following the game’s announcement earlier this week, Mortal Kombat 1 is expected to get post-launch DLC. Unfortunately the list of kharacters have prematurely leaked.
Due to a recent Amazon Italy store listing, Mortal Kombat 1’s Kombat Pack post-launch kharacters have been revealed. They are:

Quan Chi (Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero onward)
Omni Man (from Invincible)
Ermac (telepathic ninja)
Takeda (Kenshi’s son who wields whip harpoon blades, made his debut in MKX)
Peacemaker (of The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker fame)
Homelander (of The Boys)

Here’s a quick reminder of who these kharacters are:
Quan Chi

Omni Man

Ermac

Takeda

Peacemaker

Homelander

Yes, Netherrealm Studios is continuing the tradition of guest characters in its Mortal Kombat games, and having these additions from R-rated shows is a step in the right direction. Mortal Kombat 1 will be out on 19 September for PC, Xbox Series, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. Head here for more information about the game.


Netflix Lets You Turn Off Autoplay Previews Now, Here’s How

As a Netflix user myself, I understand how annoying it is that the streaming service automatically plays video previews when you hover over a movie/series or simply browsing through the home screen looking for something interesting to watch.

Some people find this feature helpful. Others not so much.
Weâ€™ve heard the feedback loud and clear â€” members can now control whether or not they see autoplay previews on Netflix. Here’s how: https://t.co/6V2TjEW6HD https://t.co/zbz4E8fVab
â€” Netflix US (@netflix) February 6, 2020
Thankfully, they have heard our complaints and finally added an option to turn it off. It’s important to note that you can only change the autoplay preview setting by signing into Netflix on a web browser. However, at the time of writing, there is no way to do it from the Netflix app on mobile devices or smart TVs.
Here’s how you can turn off those annoying autoplay previews:

First, sign in to Netflix from any web browser.

Select ‘Manage Profiles’ on the Who’s Watching screen (or click on your avatar icon located on the top-right of the home screen and select ‘Manage Profiles’).

Choose the profile that you would like to change the settings for.

Check or uncheck the option for ‘Autoplay previews while browsing on all devices’.

In case you didn’t know, you could also turn off the â€œAutoplay next episode in a series on all devicesâ€ setting to prevent Netflix from automatically launching the next episode as soon as the episode that you’re watching ends. This option has been available for the past few years, but some users might have missed it.
Any changes that you make will apply across all the devices youâ€™re using Netflix on. Once autoplay previews are disabled, youâ€™ll be able to carry on with your endless scrolling through Netflix without being forced to watch teasers or videos.


Rainbow Six Siege Rengoku Event Adds Epic New Mode & More

Ubisoft has announced Rengoku, a new limited-time event for Rainbow Six Siege, available today, 26 April, until 17 May 2022. Rengoku introduces a new control area game mode with unique Kiba loadouts and fast respawn, creating a fast-paced and action-packed event.

Set in Japan, Rengoku unveils a temple in the sky and a fight for eternity, where Operators are Samurai warriors possessed by spirits fighting for the honor of the gods in a revisited Skyscraper map. In the 5v5 control mode, players must stay near altars for five seconds unopposed to score control points or steal control points from the opposing team – the first team to reach 300 points wins the match. Every two minutes, the control points will change location.

Operators will wield a one-hit kill explosive Kiba on top of shotguns and pistols. Fuze, Osa, Rook, and Thunderbird can choose between a Fire or Poison Kiba, while Twitch, Capitão, Zofia, Kapkan, Bandit, and Maestro can choose between the Flashback or Knockback Kiba to unleash the ultimate chaos.

This event brings with it the Rengoku Collection, which contains uniforms, headgear, weapon skins and Operator Card Portraits for the Rengoku competitors. Rengoku also introduces the Battlefield Spirit Bundle which includes a signature weapon skin, a universal attachment skin, charm and background. The Rengoku Collection packs can be obtained by completing the special Event Challenges, or by purchasing them for 300 R6 Credits, or 12500 Renown each. The individual Bundles may also be bought directly for 1680 R6 Credits each.


Pentiment’s OST Is Out Now With Vinyl Coming Next Year

Obsidian Entertainment has announced the release of Pentiment’s official soundtrack on various streaming platforms, with a vinyl double album version slated to be released in 2023.

To ensure that the soundtrack for the game Pentiment aligned with the game’s art style, which was inspired by 16th-century Europe, the development team collaborated with the early music ensemble Alkemie. Using various period instruments such as shawms and hurdy-gurdies, Alkemie composed original music and adapted historical pieces from the 14th to 16th centuries to be used at key moments throughout the game.

In addition to working with Alkemie, musician Lingua Ignota (Kristin Hayter) composed and performed the song “Ein Traum” for the game’s epilogue. Hayter drew on 19th-century German Lieder traditions for the piano accompaniment and adapted a poem by Heinrich Heine for the lyrics. The resulting song is a hauntingly beautiful way to conclude the game’s story.

The soundtrack for the game includes album cover art by painter Benjamin Vierling that was created using a renaissance-inspired technique called Mischtechnik, which involves alternating layers of oil paint and egg tempera. The artwork, a portrait of Andreas Maler, includes numerous symbolic elements from the game and took over 20 months to complete using traditional techniques. To further enhance the theme of the game, Vierling even included a Pentiment or an underlying painting that is visible through a subsequent layer of paint, of the Mithraic tauroctony under the winged bull of St. Luke.

You can find the soundtrack on multiple streaming platforms, including Spotify and iTunes. Players can also purchase a digital copy of the soundtrack by visiting the game’s Steam page. In addition, a vinyl double album version of the soundtrack is scheduled to be released in 2023 and will feature Benjamin’s artwork on the cover, liner notes in a gatefold, and a painting by Pentimento’s art director, Hannah Kennedy, on the back.
Pentiment fans can visit the game’s website to download a fan kit that includes wallpapers for use on digital devices.


The New Deus Ex Games Are Available For Cheap On GOG

I’m sure Adam Jensen didn’t ask for this, but we’re fine taking in criminally cheap offers of two Deus Ex modern-styled games in its gold-laden open-world action glory.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided have gone DRM free on Good Old Games, or GOG for short. Both games cost US$4.49 and US$2.99 respectively due to a Square Enix sale happening right now.
Just keep in mind that this version of Human Revolution is the Director’s Cut, which improves the original boss fights -which were critically panned in the original Human Revolution for being out of place. Unfortunately, they took away the gold filter, but you can always use mods to fix that.
I’ve finished both games, and while Mankind Divided is the weaker among the two, they’re both still great titles that uphold the Deus Ex legacy set by Ion Storm’s original entry. Plus they’re now super-cheap on the GOG platform; it’ll be 40+ hours well-spent.


The King of Fighters XV Omega Rugal Boss Guide: How To Beat This SNK Boss Syndrome

The King of Fighters XV has added a new playable character into the fray: Omega Rugal.
Veterans of KOF will remember Rugal Bernstein and his Omega counterpart as the de facto fighting game bosses of KOF ’94, KOF ’95, KOF ’98, and other dream match entries. He has it all: a fast projectile, a way to reflect projectile, a badass horizontal attack, good footsies and reach, and his ever-popular reversal: the Genocide Cutter.
And then there’s his boss form in KOF XV’s Boss Challenge entry: he has all those moves and has his Genocide Cutter priorities upgraded so you cannot surprise Climax DM him. We’ll say this: he’s tougher than Otoma Raga.

However, if you beat him, you get to unlock his new stage, his stage music track, and his alternate outfit with the sick pauldrons from KOF 2002. If you’re stuck, fret not: here are some tricks to defeat Omega Rugal in Boss Challenge mode.
Don’t Challenge Genocide Cutter; Bait It Instead
First rule when dealing with an SNK boss: do not jump in, even if you think it looks safe to do so. When Omega Rugal launches a fireball and you think you can jump in, he will Genocide Cutter you: no questions asked. This version has faster recovery from his projectile attacks (Reppuken & eye blast).
If you press any input when you think it’s safe, chances are Omega Rugal can Genocide Cutter you for big damage because the AI here is reading your inputs like in the old SNK boss days. Instead, fish that reversal out. It has a long recovery, so when he’s about to land, just use your best-hitting combo to deal a good chunk of damage. Use up your meter for a DM cancel if you have to.
He Uses Dark Barrier A Lot
The boss version of Omega Rugal has a Dark Barrier that lasts for a good amount of time. When it hits, it deals a big amount of damage and knocks you back. It’s just as dangerous as his Genocide Cutter. Fortunately, you can position yourself until it’s over; hit him hard when he’s recovering. If your character has a great super jump, just jump over him and punish him from behind.
He Has A Unique DM Where He’s Temporarily Invincible
Boss Omega Rugal has a DM where he slowly walks to you Terminator style. If you’re close, he will grab you and do a badass DM that deals a heckaton of damage; it’s a superior version of his KOF ’98 Dead End Screamer. Worst, while he’s in this state he’s covered in a red aura that reflects projectiles. He cannot be interrupted while in his DM state.
However, he can only be in this state for 4 in-game seconds. As long as you’re in the mid-screen and Omega Rugal is backed to a corner, you can safely avoid this move by just walking back slowly. He moves pretty slow in this state, so just slowly walk back too. Just don’t back yourself into a corner.
He Has Openings; Just Punish Him When They’re Available
You can punish him with big damage moves or simple combos when he recovers from his longer-than-usual Dark Barrier, Genocide Cutter, and his God Press DM. Also, if you’re sure that he’s going to do a run or stick out a normal move, just do an EX reversal. 80% of the time the CPU will do something a second after an attack.
Projectile Reflection & Armor Moves Help
Omega Rugal can fall prey to his own projectiles if you have someone in your team who can throw them back at him like Athena. Keep in mind that the AI is fast enough to pull off Dark Barrier again. Moves with Armor like King of Dinosaurs and Clark’s command grabs can help negate some of Omega Rugal’s one-hit moves.
Don’t Pull Off Fancy Combos
Unless they 100% connect like ET and Xiao Hai in a major tournament, don’t pull off combos you might drop. Omega Rugal can capitalize from your dropped combo and basically take off a huge chunk of your health with his unfair links to his damaging DMs.


God Of War Ragnarok Reportedly Delayed To 2023 [Update: Maybe Not]

Update (10/6/22): A Bloomberg report has stated that God of War: Ragnarok may be coming out this November instead, most likely to fill up the blank slate of triple-A releases for the end of 2022. Furthermore, developer Santa Monica Studio said that it has no plans to extend the story into a trilogy due to the length it takes to produce games of this scale.
Original story published on 9 June
It looks like God Of War Ragnarok might have been delayed to 2023. According to various European sources (via GameReactor Spain), the highly-anticipated game for the PS4 and PS5 has been delayed to next year.
However, let’s take all this with a grain of salt for now.
For months now, there have been rumours that Sony is planning to do a big PlayStation live stream presentation sometime in June 2022. That grows increasingly probable as the days go by. The last we saw of God Of War Ragnarok was back in September 2021, which is more than six months ago now (see trailer below).
Recently, God Of War Ragnarok was officially rated by Korea’s Game Rating and Administration Committee. That usually indicates, signifies or at least suggests that a release date announcement is going to happen soon.
Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei!


Hoonigan Founder & Dirt Game Star Ken Block Killed In Accident At 55

Sad news for racing fans and video game racing fans: famous rally driver and car culture icon Ken Block, who also starred in the Dirt series of racing games, has been killed in a snowmobile accident in Utah. He was 55.
The news was published on the Hoonigan website, which is his brand of cars that have been featured in racing games like Forza Motorsport 7.
“It’s with our deepest regrets that we can confirm that Ken Block passed away in a snowmobile accident today. Ken was a visionary, a pioneer, and an icon. And most importantly, a father and a husband. He will be incredibly missed.”
Block was famous for his car builds and Gymkhana stunt videos. These cars and stunts have been prominent in the Dirt series -Colin Mcrae: Dirt 2, Dirt 3, and Dirt: Showdown.

He also appeared in the 2015 Need For Speed entry as the style icon. His Hoonigan cars have appeared in Forza Horizon 3, Forza Motorsport 7, Forza Horizon 4, and Forza Horizon 5. I’d go far as to say that the Hoonigan cars in Forza Horizon 4 and Forza Horizon 5 are the best I’ve used in-game.

Rest in peace, Ken Block, and thank you for your immense contribution to both real-life and video game motorsports culture.


Disney Speedstorm Will Start Racing In Early Access Form This April

Kart racing game Disney Speedstorm will be out in Early Access for PC and consoles (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch) on 18 April according to developer Gameloft. The game will be out in free-to-play form when Early Access finishes (date to be announced later).
If you’re interested in getting the Mario-Kart-But-Disney-Characters-And-Locations in its Early Access form, you can pre-order the following versions complete with their bonuses and perks:
Standard Founder’s Pack (US$29.99)

Early access to Disney Speedstorm
Racer unlock: Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck
Additional racer unlock of your choice
4,000 tokens (in-game currency)?
2 Golden Pass credits
Exclusive founding member racing suit for Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and the chosen racer
Exclusive founding member kart livery for Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and the chosen racer
Exclusive founder’s motto and avatar

Deluxe Founder’s Pack (US$49.99)

Early access to Disney Speedstorm
Racer unlock: Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Mulan
Additional racer unlock of your choice
7,000 Tokens (in-game currency)?
2 Golden Pass credits
Exclusive founding member racing suit for Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Mulan, and the chosen racer
Exclusive founding member kart livery for Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Mulan, and the chosen racer
Exclusive founder’s motto and avatar

Ultimate Founder’s Pack (US$69.99)

Early access to Disney Speedstorm
Racer unlock: Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Mulan, Captain Jack Sparrow, and Hercules
Additional racer unlock of your choice
12,000 Tokens** (in-game currency)?
Three Golden Pass credits
Exclusive founding member racing suit for Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Mulan, Captain Jack Sparrow, Hercules, and the chosen racer
Exclusive founding member kart livery for Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Mulan, Captain Jack Sparrow, Hercules, and the chosen racer
Exclusive founder’s motto and avatar
Kart wheels and wings for Donald Duck kart

Pre-Order Bonuses

Toontech Early Bird – Donald Duck kart livery
Early Bird – Donald Duck racing suit

Check out the Early Access launch date trailer below.


New DC Movie Trailer Teases New Aquaman 2, Black Adam, & Flash Footage

DC just dropped a new DC Superhero Movie trailer teaser thing. And there’s a few new things inside for this year.
The company highlighted four big superhero movies this year: The Batman, Black Adam, The Flash, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom/Aquaman 2. We already know more about The Batman, so let’s focus on the other three.
The new Black Adam footage showcases Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Pierce Brosnan as Kent Nelson/Dr. Fate, Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, and Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, alongside Dwayne Johnson as the title character.

The new Flash footage features Michael Keaton’s voice as the Batman of the Tim Burton universe, Ezra Miller as The Flash, and Sasha Calle as Supergirl. There’s also Barry’s mom and what could be Dr. Manhattan from The Watchmen. Or maybe not; who knows?

The Aquaman 2 footage is just Jason Momoa on a throne in his new suits. Cool. Trailer’s below.


Why Itâ€™s Possible to Like Both Marvel And DC

Comics have been my passion ever since I was a little kid, growing up on Saturday morning cartoons like Spider-Man: The Animated Series and Batman: The Animated Series. I remember watching Sam Raimiâ€™s Spider-Man in cinemas a whopping 15 years ago in 2002, at the tender impressionable age of 8. It was mind-blowingly life-changing for my 8-year-old self and managed to cement the foundation of my love for all things comics.
When I began to delve deeper into comics and started reading it, I was almost exclusively a Marvel guy. I hated DC Comics with a passion. As a teenager, I was utterly adamant that one was better than the other. I justified choosing Marvel over DC by believing that the House of Ideas (Marvelâ€™s moniker) had more relatable and complex characters with flaws compared to the Distinguished Competition (the name Marvel uses to refer to DC in the past). I chastised DC characters, believing them to be too God-like and perfect, hence un-relatable and boring as heck with no room for character development whatsoever. I went on believing all this until I finally decided to give DC a chance by reading their comics sometime in my late teens.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9-DM9uBtVI&w=560&h=315]
It was another mind-blowingly life-changing moment for me, as I immersed myself in the DC Universe, beginning with classic iconic crossover events like Crisis on Infinite Earths and continuing on to other major Crisis storylines. I was captivated by how â€˜humanâ€™ DCâ€™s heroes are. Although they were like gods in terms of power and appearance, theyâ€™re selfless and seek to inspire hope in everyone, to be better and to do better. Iâ€™m not just talking about Superman but I canâ€™t deny that heâ€™s the hero that best encapsulates the overall themes and concepts inherent in DCâ€™s heroes. If you donâ€™t feel the same, I recommend reading All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely or Whatâ€™s So Funny About Truth, Justice and the American Way? by Joe Kelly, Doug Mahnke and Lee Bermejo.
Spider-Man has money and relationship problems as well as experienced multiple tragedies but he still strives to help people and prefers to look at the bright side no matter bleak the situation may be, hence why he makes witty remarks and wisecracks while fighting crime. He chooses not to let all that darkness consume him and chooses to be better and more positive instead. This inspired me to be a better person and more importantly, not to let my problems and sorrows affect me and strive to overcome them instead.
Superman never knew his parents and is the last of his kind. Heâ€™s raised by the Kents but heâ€™s never really had anyone to relate to. He could have chosen to rule over humanity but he chooses to try his best to be one of them, even with the temptations to use his powers for his own gain and needing to hold back every minute. Instead, he joins humanity as Clark Kent and holds a normal job and even a family, although he doesnâ€™t really have to do all that. He wants to do all that. Why? Because of his faith in the goodness of humanity, that human beings can choose to good amidst their physical weakness and problems, which in turn inspires Superman to fight for humanity by being the best example for humanity, which in turn also inspiring hope in people to be the best they can be.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZfuNTqbHE8&w=560&h=315]
How does Superman differ from Spider-Man? Theyâ€™re more similar than you think. Both of them chose to do good with their powers when they had a chance to use them for their own personal gain. Both of them have problems of their own but chose to fulfill their responsibilities instead dwelling on those problems. Theyâ€™re not perfect but they try to be, for the sake of inspiring hope in people to emulate their example. Â Theyâ€™re both as â€˜humanâ€™ as any human being although oneâ€™s an alien.
Still not convinced? Let me ask you this. If you had Supermanâ€™s powers, would you do all the things he does? Or would you use them to enact revenge on those who wronged you or to impress your friends with demonstrations and seek popularity or even use X-ray vision to peek inappropriately? Could you resist the temptation and be better, like Superman?
A cross-examination of Marvel and DCâ€™s characters reveal that theyâ€™re not so different from each other, sharing the same values and traits that we loves in our heroes. Thus, why do fans need to choose Marvel over DC or vice versa? Thereâ€™s so much more to comicsâ€™ Big Two (Marvel and DC) than I can possibly explain in one article. This has been merely a scratch on the surface of the topic at hand since I havenâ€™t even touched on the feud between the MCU and DCEU, but Iâ€™ll save that for next time. I hope more people realize that you can like both Marvel and DC Comics at the same time.


Malaysian Esports Docu-Series Jalur 14 Premieres Next Week

In collaboration with the Ministry Of Youth And Sports (KBS) Malaysia, Astro EGG Network is launching a new esports-focused docus-series; Jalur 14. It will feature insights into the Malaysian esports and games development industries.
Jalur 14 will feature guest appearances from famous esports athletes and local figures like Metronomik co-founder Wan Hazmer, streamer/esports commentator ChuChu Gaming, and more.
Earlier today, we attended a virtual press conference with Astro Head Of Sports Lee Choong Khay, Esports Integrated CEO Ahmed Faris Amir and Minister Of Youth And Sports YB Dato’ Sri Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

During the press conference, we were given a sneak peek of Jalur 14‘s first episode. It featured snippets of interviews with Wan Hazmer, ChuChu Gaming, and several esports athletes as well, including the manager of the Malaysian SEA Games 2019 esports team Firdaus ‘Masterramen’ Hashim, Dota 2 pro player Chai “Mushi” Yee Fung, and pro PUBG Mobile player Ahmad “Fredo” Fuad.

The sneak peek was only enough to give us a little taste of what each person had to say, but we were intrigued by what they had to say. There was a bit of drama infused too, but right now the biggest issue is how focused the series will be.
From the sneak peek, it looks like Jalur 14 will be covering too much on too little runtime. There will only be five episodes of the docu-series, which might not be enough to thoroughly cover the important bits. As such, it will probably only be more of an insightful look into the industries from those inside them.
The first episode of Jalur 14 will premiere on EGG Network (Astro channel 800) at 9pm on 26 November 2020.
It will also air on Astro Awani (Astro channel 501) at 10pm on 29 November 2020, and on AEC (Astro channel 346 and 306) at 7pm on 5 December 2020.


The PlayStation 2019 Wrap-Up Sums Up Your Year In Gaming

Sony has launched a PlayStation 2019 Wrap-up report for all PlayStation gamers. Users can log into the companyâ€™s website with their PlayStation account or just head to the link in the tweet below to see a page that reveals their personal gaming stats for the year.

Reflect on a year of gaming achievements and milestones.
What did you get?https://t.co/qnb7m7EUfZ pic.twitter.com/Wpzc5PWLXO
â€” PlayStation Asia (@PlayStationAsia) January 14, 2020

The first thing the PlayStation 2019 Wrap-up does is go over the total number of games you played in 2019 and your top three most played titles. For the fun of it, here’s mine:

The report then goes on to mention the following statistics:

Your top genre
Your total hours of gameplay, including how many days of the year you played games on and when your prime time to play is
Your total number of trophies obtained
Your amount of digital savings through PS Plus
Your most-played game online
Last but not least, a 2019 title. You can check out mine below:

You can supposedly redeem prizes like a dynamic theme and several exclusive avatars, but at the time of writing, it doesn’t actually work like it should. Still, you should totally check out your year in gaming review and stats. Share it on social media to increase your gamer cred.


Why GDC 2019 Is A Tad More Important For Gaming This Year

This year’s Game Developer Conference will be happening this week from 19 to 23 of this month (GMT+8). Sure, we will be covering the most relevant news of the week; if PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo are talking about something groundbreaking and new, you’ll hear it from us.
But this year might be special. Here are a few reasons why:
Google Has Stuff To Show Us

If you want to talk startup-levels of disruption (a buzzword in the field), look no further than what Google is going to present next week. So far, it’s been working on Project Stream where people sign up for copies of AC: Odyssey they can stream on their PCs and play, regardless of hardware specs. Sure, OnLive did it first a decade ago, but Google has the tech to make it feasible and almost lag-free.
What will they do this year during GDC? The future of gaming, specifically on 20 March 1am GMT+8. It’ll need to put up a presentation and prove developers and publishers that streaming games and machines that streams games is the future. Or something along those lines.
Microsoft’s xCloud
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzV_xrisMko
Xbox and Microsoft has been talking a big game about game streaming and its Xbox Game Pass. What’s next? Their Project xCloud game streaming solution. They’ve already ported Xbox Live to iOS and Android, so the fact that they’ll be talking about community growth during GDC 2019 means they’re not backing down on their Game Passes and streaming tech.
Since it’s a game developer’s expo, they’ll be less talk about the games. You can tune in to this year’s E3 for that.
A Valve And Epic Showdown

Epic as in company, not adjective. Two PC online digital distribution hubs, Valve’s Steam and Epic’s Game Store, will be vying for every game developer’s attention. With Epic’s “State of Unreal” and “Epic Games Store: An Update and Q&A” panels going toe-to-toe against Valve’s “Steam Business Update”, we’ll be interested to find out what the future holds for both platforms.
Any Issues Outside Of The US & Europe?
While the following trends and possible topics about streaming is good and all, they may not yet be applicable in Southeast Asia. Unless you’re in Singapore, internet is pretty borked in most third-world countries.
This means streaming games in the future require users to buy pretty expensive data plans. Which also means telcos are going to be putting their foot in the gaming door; lord knows they’re doing it already under the pretence of helping out esports.
We could be thinking outside the box here, but it’s how the games business works: if you have more customers loving your streaming tech, you’ll have more money thrown at you. What you do with it, be it improve the tech further or just find a way to nickel and dime people with said tech, is really the social responsibility of these companies.
Top image credit: GDC


Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Cast Table Read To Premiere Next Week Monday

Hello, pseudo hippies who like video games, music, and references involving the two. And also comic readers and fans of Bryan Lee O’Malley. Do you want to hear a cast table read of the movie adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World featuring all the cast members? And would you watch it and contribute to a good cause?
Then you’re in luck! There will be a Scott Pilgrim vs. The World online cast table read featuring the original cast like Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans, and more, as well as director Edgar Wright. This is to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the film; the show is on 20th July 10am PT (10pm GMT+8) and will be on Entertainment Weekly’s website.

Actually, it’s nearly the whole cast:

Michael Cera
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Chris Evans
Aubrey Plaza
Ellen Wong
Kieran Culkin
Mark Webber
Johnny Simmons
Alison Pill
Satya Bhabha
Mae Whitman
Brandon Routh
Jason Schwartzman

Brie Larson is missing, in case you’re keeping track. She played Envy Adams.
This table read is to support Water For People, an initiative that aims to bring cleaner and safer water to areas in need worldwide. So if you had great memories with this film adaptation of a quirky comic book series and want to see the cast do their hipster geek bits, go check it out next week.


Anime Rogue-Lite Rogue Spirit Possesses Steam Early Access Today

Rogue Spirit, an anime-inspired 3D rogue-lite action game published by 505 Games and developed by Kids With Sticks, a small team of game dev veterans with experience on The Witcher 2, Dying Light, and Hellraid: The Escape, debuts on Steam Early Access today.
After thousands of years of relative peace in the Kingdom of Midra, the armies of Chaos crumbled the barrier between reality and the spirit world. The Demon King adds more to his ranks each day, possessing everyone crossing his path. In a last-ditch effort, monks of the Forgotten Monastery summon the spirit of the Hero who sealed away the Demon King last time, Midraâ€™s Prince from generations ago.
Dethrone the Demon King with clever use of the Princeâ€™s newfound spirit abilities. Sneak up on enemies in his stealthy ghost form, then possess them to take control of their bodies in battle. Master the weapons, abilities, and playstyles of ten distinct enemies (twenty at full launch) to adapt to an ever-changing world. Strategically switch bodies on the fly to regain health and stay in the fight, all in the name of ending the evil presence corrupting the land.
Early Access debuts the first six procedurally generated levels within five different biomes, all rendered in gorgeous 3D art inspired by Studio Ghibli films like Princess Mononoke and NausicaÃ¤. Explore forests, marshes, villages, and more. Discover secrets and challenge bosses designed to test the Princeâ€™s body-swapping skills. Unlock permanent upgrades between runs and upgrade dozens of skills and essences that make each run a whole different experience.
Kids With Sticks studio head Andrzej Koloska said:
“Thank you so much to all of our players that tried the demo.
Your feedback has already helped shape the experience in Rogue Spirit and we hope to continue to grow and improve with the help of our community throughout Early Access.â€

Rogue Spirit is available now on Steam Early Access for RM50 with an additional 10 percent off discount for a limited timeÂ and will launch fully in 2022.
For more information and regular updates onÂ Rogue Spirit, please visit the gamesâ€™ official site and follow on @RogueSpiritGame on Twitter.Â