The First Red Dead Redemption Still Matters; Here’s Why

Spaghetti Westerns are named as such because they’re films made by Italian auteurs who romanticized the Wild West. The crux of last year’s Quentin Tarantino epic wasn’t completely made-up: Western films were made in Italy, and they’re really damn good at making them. Director Sergio Leone said it best when it comes to crafting films of this nature: “It is a great shame if America is always to be left to Americans”. That quote is meant to accentuate the fact that making a memorable Wild West film and about America in general form aÂ  half-in half-out perspective.
Essentially that’s what you can say about Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption, a 2010-released Wild West action-adventure game written by Englishman Dan Houser alongside Michael Unsworth and Christian Cantamessa. Sure, the game was developed by Rockstar’s San Diego team, but the influence, tone, and narrative are completely by Rockstar Games’ hands and vision. And also influenced by tons of Westerns from its pastels and period (1969’s The Wild Bunch) to its music (anything from Ennio Morricone & his signature “twang” note).
The result? A (mostly) serious gaming tale about a man writing his past wrongs by hunting his old gang down while adapting to the dying Wild West in 1911. In contrast, GTA 4 is a tale of an immigrant trying to make it big via crime, centered in a satirically-laced facsimile of New York. GTA V is about a trio with their own dreams and aspirations from different perspectives, set in a parody of Los Angeles.

For a brief moment, Rockstar proved that once in a while, they can grow up. I applaud them for it.

Large And In Charge

The death of the West wasn’t really explored much in video games: you have way too many Wild West period games like the Call of Juarez and Desperado series doing that. Red Dead Redemption tackles this period because it’s an interesting case study on how someone who is accustomed to a particular era gradually gets used to the sign of the times.
And you can tell from the game’s world and its harrowed NPCs that they’re stuck in a changing climate. Deserts, horizons, and expanses are ripe for exploring and fighting rogue bandits & rabid wildlife in. But when you reach civilization, especially in the third large district of the game, you see bits of technology creeping in like the automobile and the train at the start of the game.

And that’s where RDR completely captures to a tee: scope. It’s all about how packed and breadth-filled the world is when it comes to meaty & meaningful sandbox titles.

You either have a big open world with checklists to do ala an Ubisoft title post-FarCry 3. Or you have an organically-created and developed world with a lot of landmarks you recognize, characters and oddball NPCs you can interact with (or kill), or a lot of random scripting happening behind the scenes that can lead to moments like getting jacked by random bandits, or coming across an unintentional horror show like the Donkey Lady.
Red Dead Redemption completely charms players with its many, MANY locales and key moments like the McFarlane farm to even Mexico when you cross the river and ride off. You remember that awesome song that plays at the latter? The power of music goes hand-in-hand with scope: as the song croons on, you just ride off in your mission to find remaining gang members while the game’s draw distance tech immerses you enough to make you a part of its Western illyiad.
Holding Back

Rockstar’s 2010 opus also showcased a side of the company that is rarely seen: restraint. You don’t see much of this in GTA V and even Red Dead’s sequel in 2018, both from a gameplay, production, and story standpoint. Thanks to the technology back then and how its producers and developers worked around the usual game development limitations, Red Dead Redemption was paced perfectly, balancing both the sandbox gameplay and its single-player narrative well.

As John Marston, you can still faff about and perform random acts of violence and victim hogtieing on railroad tracks, but there’s a ton of dignity and seriousness to its presentation.

Marston himself is not a saint, but amidst his fatalistic point of view you still root for the guy to get his government assignment done and get back to living an idyllic life with his family. Stubborn, polite, tough, and patient, he knows his lot in life and makes the best of it amidst a waning age.

And that makes his final moments profound.
The End Is Always Everything
Just when you thought it’s over after you axe Dutch Van der Lind, the game still soldiers on. Marston does what he’s coerced to do, goes back to his ranch, and goes through a bunch of usual Rockstar “go here and story stuff happens” bits that pushes the story forward. Herding, hunting; the usual character-building bits between him and his family (wife Abigail and son Jack).
And then, his past comes back to finish him off. In a standoff that would make Sam Peckinpah proud, Marston had to slay waves of horsed invaders and also make a last stand ala Butch and Sundance. Only here, there’s no freeze-frame; a follow-up to Marston’s death at the hands of the government.

Of course, he did get his revenge in the form of legacy. His son Jack takes up the mantle of outlaw, delivering retribution in a satisfying-yet-depressing final act.

A pity that the cycle begins anew -violence begets violence. But being in John’s shoes for the majority of the game spells out the fact that men like him do not live long, no matter how noble they become. At the very least, they lived the life they wanted and took in the consequences; no regrets.


New Pixar’s Elemental Trailer Teases A Cute Love Story & Introduces More Characters

Disney and Pixar released a new trailer for Elemental, an original feature film that transports moviegoers to an extraordinary place called Element City, where a host of elements live and work. The trailer showcases each element—air, earth, water, and fire—and what sets them apart according to Ember, a quick-witted and fiery woman who’s always stayed close to home in Firetown.
In Elemental, she finally ventures out of her comfort zone to explore this spectacular world born from the imaginations of Pixar’s filmmakers and specifically crafted for the big-screen experience. Element City is inspired by big cities around the globe and embraces theorized contributions from each elemental community—from giant pine-tree-like buildings and waterfall skyscrapers to a tornado-shaped arena called Cyclone Stadium.

Joining the previously announced voice cast including Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie as Ember and Wade, respectively, are Ronnie del Carmen as Ember’s soon-to-be retired dad, Bernie; Shila Ommi as Ember’s love-seeking mom, Cinder; Wendi McLendon-Covey as Wade’s stormy and Air-Ball-loving boss, Gale; Catherine O’Hara as Wade’s welcoming mom, Brook; Mason Wertheimer as Ember’s admiring earth neighbor, Clod; and Joe Pera as an overgrown city bureaucrat, Fern.
Directed by Peter Sohn, produced by Denise Ream, and executive produced by Pete Docter, Elemental features a screenplay by John Hoberg & Kat Likkel and Brenda Hsueh with story by Sohn, Hoberg & Likkel and Hsueh. The film’s original score was composed and conducted by Thomas Newman.
With Elemental, Pixar Animation Studios will resume the magical moviegoing tradition of pairing their feature film with an animated short. The new short, Carl’s Date, catches up with Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner) and his lovable talking dog, Dug (voiced by Bob Peterson), who were introduced in Pixar’s Up. Written and directed by Emmy Award winner Peterson and produced by Kim Collins, Carl’s Date finds Carl reluctantly agreeing to go on a date with a lady friend—but admittedly with no idea how dating works these days. Ever the helpful friend, Dug steps in to calm Carl’s pre-date jitters and offer some tried-and-true tips for making friends—if you’re a dog.

Courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar, we were also lucky enough to interview Elemental director Peter Sohn several months ago. Check out our full interview by heading over here.
Pixar’s Elemental will premiere on 15 June 2023.
Check out the new Elemental trailer below:


First Apex Legends Global Series Online Tournament Opens For Registration

The very first Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) Online Tournament will take place starting from 25 January 2020, and registration is now officially open. Registration will close on 12pm PT on Thursday, 23 January 2020, or 4am GMT+8 on Friday, 24 January 2020 for Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia.
All players (on all teams) in the Online Tournament must register with an EA account on which theyâ€™ve obtained the rank of Gold IV or better in Ranked Leagues Series 2 on the PC platform by 2pm PT on Thursday, 23 January 2020, orÂ 6am GMT+8 on Friday, 24 January 2020.
The team captain has to register the team on Battlefy, but each player must check in to the tournament to confirm their participation. Check-in will be available starting one (1) hour prior to the scheduled start time of the tournament.
Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) Online Tournament will utilize the new Tournament Mode, which is available to select on the far right of the featured game modes. Before each match, the participants must obtain their Join Match code from the Compete tab on the Battlefy Tournament page, and enter it to join the match.
However, the Finals for North American and European regions will be held on Monday, 27 January 2020, and will be broadcast live at playapex.com/algs. Winners of the Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) Online Tournament will earn a spot in the upcoming ALGS Major, which will take place sometime in March 2020.


Wreck-It Ralph 2 Made The Disney Princesses Even More Badass

You’ve seen the Disney Princesses in the trailers of Ralph Breaks The Internet/Wreck-It Ralph 2. Aurora, Mulan, Tiana, Ariel, Belle, and everyone else. Hell, even Merida from Brave makes an appearance, Scottish gibberish and all.
So, how did they do in their cameo of the film? Pretty well, actually. In fact, the Disney Princess group shined and glimmered during the short time they had to be on-screen.
Since I’m delving into the mid and last part of the film featuring these ladies, this bit is spoiler-heavy. So don’t scroll down unless you’ve finished watching Wreck-It Ralph 2, out now in theatres.

The Disney Princesses made their appearance when Vanellope accidentally barged into their backstage room after being chased by Storm Troopers. You’ve seen the bit on the trailers where the princesses armed themselves and asked about her princess status. But it’s the following bit that moved the plot forward.
Vanellope ponders on what she really wants instead of going back to the same routine with the Sugar Rush game and chilling with Ralph. So the princesses instead teach her the power of song. Yes, they went there: the Disney princesses have the power to take a keyword from their motivation and story, and then turn it to song. Oh, and they took fashion advice from the Sugar Rush racer too.
A few scenes later, Vanellope did manage to share her feelings on-screen in a musical number where she wants a new life in the Slaughter Race online game, complete with the water transition and the show’s leitmotif faintly leading to her tune.
That’s fun and all and does cement Vanellope as an official Disney Princess. But the breakout scene involving the princesses happened at the climax of Wreck-It Ralph 2. When Ralph is about to fall to his doom after fighting viral clones of himself forming into one big creepy-looking Ralph, the Disney Princess troupe appeared at the last minute and declared that there’s a man that needs saving.

Here, we get to see the princesses display their skills of human-saving, with each of them getting a spotlight. Ariel with the power of water and having her hair flip back in a graceful and beautiful manner. Mulan cutting the poison apples tossed by Snow White in style. Aurora stitching together Rapunzel’s ever-growing hair to form suspension ropes to save a falling Ralph. And Pocahontas using her Colours Of The Wind powers to slow down Ralph’s falling trajectory.
Oh, and the critters associated with each princess also makes a short appearance from the Cinderella mice to the racoon in Pocahontas. Remember Prince Naveen in frog form?He’s there too to pucker up.
This is all topped with leitmotifs from each princess’ movie from Ariel’s “Part Of Your World” to Mulan’s “Suite from Mulan”. Also, keep in mind that the majority of the princesses are voiced by their original actresses, which makes the cameo all the more meaningful.
It’s unreal, ludicrous, attention-seeking, and quite possibly an awesome way to end the last action setpiece of the show. In fact, I really want to see a movie or series focused on these versions of the princesses done by Phil Johnston and Rich Moore. This tiny glimpse of Disney Princesses kicking ass & being themselves and self-aware shows a lot of movie-making potential, like how LEGO Batman is to the LEGO Movie.


shopDisney Has Some Great Deals & Discounts This Month

Later this week, starting from 15 June 2023 at 8 am GMT+8, shopDisney will have one of its biggest sales of the year, featuring up to 40 percent off select apparel, plush, home & more. You should also keep an eye out for limited-time flash deal specials.
The sale will end on 26 June 2023 at 8 am GMT+8.
Check out some of our picks below:
Wicket Ewok Holiday Plush, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (RM75.90)

Star Wars X-Wing T-Shirt for Adults (RM155.90)


Gigabash Unveils New Ultraman-Inspired Character

During Tokyo Games Show 2020, Passion Republic Games has announced a new playable character for their upcoming party arena brawler Gigabash. It’s a new Ultraman-inspired hero aptly named Gigaman.
In the lore of the game, he is described as a lapsed ‘symbol of hope’ who has returned after 8 years of retirement and as a result, now looks more like fat Thor from Avengers Endgame.
Even his super move (see screenshot below) looks like Ultraman’s signature final attack. It’s a nice homage to the iconic Japanese tokusatsu hero.

GigaBashÃ‚Â features four players as giant monsters inspired by classic kaiju battling it out in cities and exotic places around the world. If youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve ever played 2003Ã¢â‚¬â„¢sÃ‚Â War Of The MonstersÃ‚Â or any of the myriad Godzilla games during the PS2 era, youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ll be familiar with its gameplay mechanics.
Gigabash is slated to release for the PS4 and PC sometime in 2021. In 2019, we named it the highlight of Level Up KL.
For more details about the game, visit theirÃ‚Â official websiteÃ‚Â andÃ‚Â TwitterÃ‚Â account.


New York Excelsior Releases Eye-Opening Video About Its DPS Superstar

One of the Overwatch League front runners, New York Excelsior yesterday released what we believe is a first-of-many,Â  special player-focused video about their players starting with their DPS superstar,Â Jong-yeolÂ “Saebyeolbe”Â Park.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKlmzOLD2B0&w=560&h=315]
Get to know the Saebyeolbe who made a name for himself in the pro-Overwatch scene as well as the Park Jong-yeol; the shy, expert bowler and barista who shared about his life outside of the esports scene. If you were never huge fans of Saebyeolbe, you might be one come end of the video.
Following the pre-season matches which saw NYXL beat Boston Uprising before losing to season favorites Seoul Dynasty, big things are expected of the NYXL team which consist mostly of former LW Blue players. They kick off their Overwatch League season with a rematch vs Boston Uprising at 10AM on January 12th 2018.


Overwatch World Cup: South Korea Reveals Roster

Defending champions South Korea finally revealed their Overwatch World Cup squad today with two huge names missing from it; last year’s breakout starÂ Yeon-oh “Fl0w3R“ Hwang of XL2 and two-time World Champion, the Ana God himself,Â Je-hong “ryujehong” Ryu of Seoul Dynasty.
But that does not mean that this year’s squad is any weaker. Actually, we think this is the strongest assembled South Korean team to date with the inclusion of an all-Overwatch League lineup. Have a look:

As opposed to previous tourney rosters which were built around the boys of Lunatic-Hai/ Seoul Dynasty, New York Excelsior makes up the backbone of this year’s 12-man team with the likes of Saebyeolbe, Libero, Meko, Anamo, Ark and Jjonak being selected. LA Valiant’s Kariv and Fate is joined by Seoul Dynasty’s sole representative Fleta, London Spitfire’s Fury, Carpe from Philly Fusion and Fissure of LA Gladiators to form a super team of Tier-1 players.
So how will they line up? Your guess is as good as ours but if we are to pick a starting six, they would be: Saebyeolbe, Fleta, Fissure, Fury, Ark and Jjonak.
South Korea kicks off their title defence in Seoul come August as five other teams – Russia, Finland, Chinese Taipei, Japan and Hong Kong – fly in to compete in a round-robin format tournament. The top two teams will then qualify for the knock-out stages which is set to be played during BlizzCon in November.
For more stuff on the Overwatch World Cup, keep it locked on to Kakuchopurei.com.


Magic: The Gathering Creator Laid Off From Valve’s Artifact Team

It looks like Valve‘s digital card game, Artifact, is in a rougher patch than we thought. It’s been confirmed that legendary Magic: The Gathering creator Richard Garfield was one of the contractors laid off in last week’s round of layoffs at the gaming giant.
In an email to Artifact fan site Artibuff, Garfield not only confirmed his departure from the Artifact team and Valve but also explained why he was laid off from the game which he actually designed in the first place. He revealed that the layoff was expected, due to the game’s worsening performance.
“We weren’t surprised by the layoff considering how rocky the launch was, the team was enthusiastic about the game and were confident that they had a good product but it became clear it wasn’t going to be easy to get the game to where we wanted it. The layoff makes sense for a number of reasons.
To name a couple; now that the game is out there time is more critical, so more voices within the team that you have to navigate may not be as good as making less considered decisions faster. Another – the expertise that 3 donkeys brought is less critical after listening to us for 4+ years.”
Though Artifact received generally positive reviews by critics, it now sits at ‘Mostly Negative’ on Steam. While the game started out in November 2018 with thousands of concurrent players, it has dipped to averaging around a measly 600 concurrent players in the past week, according to statistics provided by Steam Charts.
Despite having to leave the development team, Garfield said that he will still be supporting Artifact however he can because he wants the game to “do as well as we think it can”. That’s great news for the few fans who remain faithful to the Dota 2 spinoff game.
“Both Skaff and I remain optimistic about the quality of the game and have offered our feedback and advice in an ongoing gratis capacity simply because we would like to see the game do as well as we think it can. We enjoyed working with Valve and I was impressed with their relentless focus on the quality of the game and experience being offered to the player.”
We’ll have to wait and see how this will impact the game’s future, and if it can survive an uncertain road without its creator. It all depends on Valve’s decisions from now on.


Dune Part Two Has Found Its Emperor

Just like Star Wars, the Dune universe has an Emperor, and according to the source from Deadline, the legendary Christopher Walken will play the role of Emperor Shaddam Corino IV in the upcoming Dune 2 (officially titled as Dune Part Two).
This is not unexpected, considering that Florence Pugh was cast in the role of Princess Irulan Corrino, the daughter of the Emperor, just a few months ago. They would join returning cast members that include Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya and Josh Brolin, as well as director, producer and co-screenwriter Denis Villeneuve.
Walken is a legendary actor who doesn’t need an introduction, but he has recently been busy with new movies and TV shows as well. These include roles in Amazon Prime Video’s The Outlaws and Apple TV+’s Severance.
Production on Dune Part Two is expected to start in the fall of 2022. It is set to premiere on 20 October 2023. In the meantime, check out my review of Dune Part One by heading over here. Dune is currently available to watch on the streaming platform HBO GO. There was also a recent early access launch of a pretty fun Dune game.


Evil Dead The Game Game Of The Year Edition Launches Next Month

Saber Interactive and Boss Team Games have announced that Evil Dead The Game Game Of The Year Edition will launch for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store on 26 April 2023. This will also be the first time that the game will be available on Steam.
This new edition of the blockbuster co-op player-versus-player / player-versus-environment multiplayer action experience bundles the full base game with a hoard of content from six DLC packs and more, including the upcoming downloadable content “Who’s Your Daddy.”
The “Who’s Your Daddy” DLC features new surprises for the Survivors and Demons inspired by the STARZ series Ash vs Evil Dead, including:

New Survivor – Brock Williams: Ash’s old man himself, Brock is immune to knockbacks and has several auras he can unleash to help his squadmates. These auras change dynamically based on how many Williams family members are on the team.
New Demon – Schemer: Based on the notorious demon boss Baal, the Schemer is a trap specialist who confuses Survivors with illusions. His Meat Puppets inflict increased damage with a variety of attacks based on the fear levels of the Survivors.
New outfits for Ash, Amanda, and Pablo.
Additional downloadable content included in Evil Dead: The Game – Game of the Year Edition feature a range of bonus playable Survivors and Demons with unique powers and abilities, as well as tons of cosmetics to customize your experience.

It’s pretty good timing, considering that the upcoming Evil Dead Rise movie will also premiere around the same time in April 2023. Check out more on that here.


Genshin Impact Makers Opens First Southeast Asia Headquarters In Razer’s Building

HoyoVerse, the makers of the hit JRPG Genshin Impact, will set its foot in Southeast Asia soon.
The company announced its first Southeast Asia HQ in the Razer building at One North on the 6th level. This marks the first time the company is spreading in the Southeast Asian region on an official capacity. The local office will adopt a flexible working model that encourages employees to work when they’re the most creative and productive; it plans to create hundreds of jobs by the end of 2022. Here are some words from HoyoVerse CEO & co-founder Forrest Liu.
“Our team in Singapore will play a crucial role in broadening our global development and service network. We’re eager for more creative minds from diverse backgrounds to join us in building the future.”
If you’re interested in working in Singapore and be part of the HoyoVerse team, as well as work closely with one of this generation’s most lucrative JRPG IPs, you can apply here on the official site’s job postings.
Genshin Impact is now on its 2.8 update; you can check out our guides here.


Dying Light 2 Brings Back The Fun In Open-World Zombie Apocalypse Titles

Platform(s): Xbox Series (version reviewed), Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC
Genre: First-Person Action-Adventure Parkour Combat Title Set In Zombie Apocalypse
You have to hand it to a company like Techland, the Polish game developer known for sticking around the industry for a good amount of time since 1999. The company got their calling with large-scale games like Call of Juarez and Dead Island; first-person titles in different settings that are sort of grounded to reality; each game’s hook is having you in the forefront of the action, head-bobbing immersion and all.
The first Dying Light is exactly that, but takes the post-apocalyptic zombie premise and turn it into a game focused on movement and awesome parkour skills. The sequel? It definitely adds a lot more in terms of content, jump-time, and playtime, to the point where Techland’s PR was bragging about it at one point. But is it worth your investment and attention?
Well, we are in a different time where open-world action games in zombie-filled settings are less in quantity than usual. That means part 2 has this going for it.
Good Night And Good Luck

Dying Light 2 pits you as a Pilgrim named Aiden, whose lifetime revolves around doing dangerous missions involving loads of travelling, on-foot racing and climbing, and zombie-killing with acrobatics and melee weapons. He’s also on a personal quest to find out more about his past and to search for his sister Mia. Turns out, the place that’s in your general direction is The City which is rife with its own politics between the Survivors and the Peacekeepers.
The former are just regular folks trying to get by in Old Villedor by any means necessary, while the latter are the City’s self-imposed police who are maintaining order and trying to protect everyone from outside threats. Narrative-wise, your choices in the game’s story missions do affect the state of The City when you complete the game, which should take you about 30 hours or so depending on how many things distract you.
And there’s a ton to do and explore! Dying Light 2’s city is not incredibly huge, but it’s packed and has a very distinct identity from most open-world titles. You can tell which section of The City you’re at with just a quick glance: the run-down yet rustic villas of Old Villedor, with its gardens intact, is laid out and built completely different than the incredibly tall skyscrapers and multi-layered concrete jungle of the Central Loop. Within the post-apocalyptic setting and colour choices, there lies a world that used to exist before the zombie epidemic got worst. Coupled with many side quests, audio log collectables, and story bits that flesh out The City’s history and its power struggle, you have a pretty fleshed-out albeit bleak place you can get invested in.

Traversal within and in-between the areas require different approaches, and Dying Light 2 gives you ample tools to do so especially if you’re looking for loot to power Aiden up. At the start, you’ll level up to get more skills that increase your stamina for climbing and parkour purposes, ranging from higher jumps to the ability to scale ledges faster than usual. Midway through, you’ll get a paraglider that lets you descend to higher areas from above. You even get a grappling hook later in the game to help you climb up large interiors.Â  And depending on which faction you help more (via power plant electricity distribution), you also get more options to populate the city with equipment and traps to deter the undead as well as bolster your parkour lifestyle.
For example, distributing more power to The Survivors will have more hard-to-reach places equipped with rappels that launch you upward and landing bags that cushion your fall from high-rise spots.
Giving more power to the Peacekeepers let you use car traps for crowd control purposes and UV traps to stop hordes of Runners coming at you. These choices don’t affect the story much, but they do help complement your playstyle as how you see fit, as well as make your zombie-laden journey a bit bearable.
You’ll need a number of these additions, as most of the fighting and running in Dying Light 2 can get really tough on regular difficulty. Aiden can’t really take a punch or swipe that well, even with his health bolstered, so you need to rely on his guile to get through. You can make Aiden jump, climb, wall-run, monkey bar swing, and slide out of trouble, as well as perform a few melee light and power moves, block, parry, and even stealth kill enemies slow or quick (with the obligatory knife takedown on another target nearby).
Marathon Man

This is provided you unlock the right skills on his Combat and Parkour skill tree. It’s not that complicated to understand: you collect Inhibitors that help bolster either your Health and Stamina. The more of either you get, the more options are unlocked for one or the other to distribute skill points onto. If you want Aiden to have more combat skills, level up his Health so he can do parry blocks (that stun attackers), have more heft & impact in his drop kick, and shoot better with a bow. If you want Aiden to parkour better, level up his Stamina instead. Personally, I distributed more points to Parkour than to Health, though I made sure he gets more Combat points in his dropkick potential. Your playstyle may very, but I had a more enjoyable time being a “flight than fight” kinda player. True, there will be many boss fights and enemy wave sections, but my bob-and-weaving and hit-and-run tech works well to my favour.
Controls-wise, movement takes some time to get used to, especially if it’s your first time playing a full first-person action game where parkour takes up 70% of the time. The other 30% revolves around you swinging your melee and figuring out the depth perception ratio so that your swings don’t miss. Don’t worry too much about that; when you get better gear and some cash via exploration and scavenging, you can craft and mod most of your weapons so that they magically have longer hitboxes and even have Poison/Fire/Freeze effects.
Yeah, there’s a crafting system in Dying Light 2 but it’s simple as “attach a buttload of weapon buffs and status effects onto your melee weapon” or “craft healing items and explosions” using materials scattered all over the city. You’ll need to do a lot of this and buy mod recipes from the game’s craftsmaster so that you’re well-equipped. Like I said, the enemies and the undead hit really hard, with the latter “faction” featuring an enemy type that’s super-fast and can two-hit kill you if you’re not careful. There’s even a Howler undead that calls upon Runner zombies to chase you if not dealt with, and these suckers also hit hard and can hit-stun Aiden.
Jump Around

And really, that’s the fun of Dying Light 2: exploring while avoiding and dealing with the many dangers in The City.Â Truth be told, I will never get sick of doing dropkicks onto unsuspecting bandits and packs of zombies -small and really big- just to see how far they’ll fly off a building ledge. Or even outrunning a horde of runners and see how long I can last in a maxed-out chase before IÂ  get overwhelmed. Or just take a break from doing the story to just explore a Dark Zone at night for purple-tiered loot and treasures to deck out Aiden. When Dying Light 2 lets you faff about to explore both Old Villedor and the Central Loop whether it’s nighttime or day, you’ll get immersed for a long while.
The main story quests aren’t filled with duds either. Short of a terrible stealth segment in the last third of the game, most of the quests and action beats are solid and well-paced. The experience is exponentially enhanced by Olivier Deriviere’s score where he channels a lot of late 70s and 80s zombie film synth scores but adds his own flair into it.
You will also be presented with a bunch of story choices that affect how the city will end up. Without spoiling much, there’s a power struggle between two factions and it escalates from there, as well as gets complicated to the point where there are no real black or white choices here. It’s pretty engrossing, though it takes a while for the whole setup to take fruition; 4 hours or more give or take. Having said that, there are a few plot threads that aren’t resolved completely right at the tail end, though the main plot is wrapped up just fine.
Fair warning though: there is no option to jump to different chapters of the game to see different outcomes all the way to the end. If you want to unlock how the game and story bits unfold in a different manner, you will need to spend another 20+ hours going through the rigamarole; there’s also no New Game+ type option. And this being a Techland game that happens to be an open-world title, there are a number of bugs both minor and major during my pre-release playthrough of this title. Hopefully, the game’s Day 1 patch (and subsequent ones) can iron out some issues, but just be prepared to see a lot of unintentional clipping with NPCs, some audio issues that require a restart, and the occasional “story prompt that doesn’t work” unless you reload the last checkpoint.
Despite these technical issues, my time in The City as a Pilgrim is just really fun and in-depth.Â You’ll have an engrossing time staying human and sorting out whether you love the Survivors or rather let the law win. 2022 is looking bright if ambitious games like Dying Light 2, a title that goes back to the tried-but-tired zombie world trope, can reignite your love for narrative-packed and action-laced open-world games all over again.
Pros

Rich story with different paths and moral choices.
Lovely progression and levelling up system.
Moody art direction & score.
Challenging, especially during Night cycle segments.
Controls are mostly good…

Cons

…until the Techland jank starts messing it up.
Slow start to the good parts.
No New Game+ options.

Final Score: 80/100
Review copy provided by Techland.


Nintendo DS Classic The World Ends With You Is Getting An Anime

Square Enix just launched a websitefor the anime adaptation of The World Ends With You, a Nintendo DS RPG with character artwork from Tetsuya Nomura.
The original 2007 title is about a kid named Neku who has to team up with a bunch of kids to participate in a death game that will determine their fates within 7 days. The game itself features really unique combat that uses two of the DS’ screen simultaneously. Neku and his allies have different fighting mechanics that made regular and boss battles all the more entertaining and challenging.
The soundtrack is also bangin’, with tracks like these to keep in line with the contemporary setting.

We’re guessing the anime will be a 24-episode show that deals with the RPG’s main plotline. We’ll find out more on 4th July 9am GMT+8; here’s the teaser poster from Square Enix, all set for this year’s Anime Expo online showcase.


Netflix Reveals Live-Action Avatar The Last Airbender Cast

It’s been three years since the Avatar The Last Airbender live-action series was announced by Netflix in 2018, but they have finally announced the cast and showrunner for the upcoming series.
According to Variety, the showrunner for Avatar The Last Airbender is Albert Kim (Sleepy Hollow, Nikita). The show’s executive producers include Dan Lin (The Lego Movie), Lindsey Liberatore (CWâ€™s Walker), and Michael Goi (Swamp Thing).
Goi, Jabbar Raisani (Lost In Space), and Roseanne Liang (Shadow In The Cloud) will direct the series, with Liang also serving as a co-executive producer. It’s important to note that the original creators of Avatar The Last Airbender animated series, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, had already left the project since last year.
The Netflix Avatar The Last Airbender live-action series cast includes the following:

Gordon Cormier (The Stand, Lost In Space) as Aang: A fearless and fun-loving twelve-year-old who just happens to be the Avatar, master of all four elements, and the keeper of balance and peace in the world. An air bending prodigy, Aang is a reluctant hero, struggling to deal with the burden of his duties while still holding on to his adventurous and playful nature.
Kiawentiio (Anne With An E) as Katara: A determined and hopeful water bender, the last in her small village. Though only fourteen, sheâ€™s already endured great personal tragedy, which has held her back from rising to her true potential, though itâ€™s never dimmed her warm and caring spirit.
Ian Ousley (Physical, 13 Reasons Why) as Sokka: Kataraâ€™s sardonic and resourceful 16-year-old brother. Outwardly confident, even brash, he takes his responsibility as the leader of his tribe seriously, despite his inner doubts over his warrior skillsâ€¦ doubts that he masks with his wit and deadpan sense of humour.
Dallas Liu (Shang-Chi And The Legend of the Ten Rings) as Zuko: A skilled fire bender and the intense and guarded Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. Currently roaming the world in exile, heâ€™s on an obsessive quest to capture the Avatar because he believes that is the only way to reclaim his life and live up to the demands of his cruel and controlling father, the Fire Lord.

Yip yip! Jumpalah pelakon2 untuk siri Avatar: The Last Airbender baru! pic.twitter.com/unOd0lNkRx
— Netflix Malaysia (@NetflixMY) August 12, 2021

There is still no release date or release window for the Avatar The Last Airbender series.


Persona 5 Strikers Is Coming Out In English Next February

Finally, Atlus fans and Persona aficionados can shut the hell up after months and months of trolling Atlus’ Twitter page. The most-anticipated Persona title is coming out in English soon.
Atlus accidentally let slip that Persona 5 Strikers, the action game sequel to Persona 5, will be out 23rd February 2021 for PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch. The trailer is set to private minutes after the leak, but wary Internet gaming news folks like Wario64 managed to check it out.

Persona 5 Strikers is releasing in the West on Feb 23rd for Switch/PS4/Steam https://t.co/cDmoq7zxG9 pic.twitter.com/u6YtnOYnYs
— Wario64 (@Wario64) December 4, 2020

Persona 5 Strikers is an upcoming action RPG where you beat up shadows and follow the continuing story of the Phantom Thieves from Persona 5, featuring your main character Joker, Anne, Futaba, and gatekeeper anthropomorphic cat Morgana. The game is out now but in Japanese dub and Chinese subtitles. This is the first time in months since an official English dub/subtitle version was announced, so hooray!


Gotham Reveals Joker’s Final Form Ahead Of Last Two Episodes

Fox has finally revealed one of the most highly-anticipated moments that Gotham fans have been waiting for since the TV series originally debuted in 2014, the first official appearance of the Batman’s arch-nemesis, the Joker. Weirdly enough, they chose to do this on April Fools, but I guess that’s the intended (killing) joke.
Cameron Monaghan, the actor who plays Gotham‘s Joker, has actually been on the show since its very first season. That’s right, the birth of the Joker on Gotham has gone through multiple fakeouts, until now, that is.
Monaghan first appeared as the unstable Jerome Valeska, and later returned as his twin brother, Jeremiah Valeska, the one who will soon become the Clown Prince of Crime. The last two episodes, serving as Gotham‘s series finale, will feature a 10-year time jump into the future, where Bruce is already well-established as the Dark Knight.
That is probably why Monaghan’s Joker looks so old and terrifying, with almost no hair left on top of his hair. From the looks of it, his take on the iconic villain might even turn out to be one of the best in history, maybe even comparable to that of the late Heath Ledger’s legendary turn in 2008’s The Dark Knight.

I’ve always thought that Monaghan’s performance has been phenomenal throughout the series, and I think he’s going to kill it in the role. If anything, I’m sure it will definitely be better than Jared Leto’s weak sauce Joker in 2016’s Suicide Squad.
The Joker is set to appear in the final two episodes of Gotham, which will air on 18 and 25 April 2019, respectively. In the meantime, check out the promo trailer for our first look at the Clown Prince of Crime below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F7_CVC_Icg&w=560&h=315]


Final Stranger Of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Trailer Showcases Anime Story Cheese Aplenty

Square Enix & developer Koei Tecmo just released the final trailer for its action RPG spinoff Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, and it’s pretty, well, rad.
If you consider anime drama and a retelling of the “finding crystals and offing their corresponding bosses, and probably going back in time” rad, then by all means you’ll love all the melodrama presented here. We now know that the four elemental fiends -Kraken and Lich- are looking like actual terrifying monsters, Jack and Princess Sara are married and some crazy black magic stuff wrecked their day, and Jack and co. have to fix it and band up as the Warriors of Light. There’s even that Frank Sinatra ditty “My Way” playing halfway which clearly spells out the hero Jack’s motives in this game. If there’s one thing we can rely JRPGs on being, it’s being as subtle as sledgehammers.
They even did the classic Final Fantasy stillshot here, like from the NES RPG classic that aged just as well as bacon out in the open after 3 days!

I do not expect Shakespeare quality of narratives here, but now my interest in this Dark Souls-like Final Fantasy game is piqued at maximum levels. Both my curiosity and attention are sated. After watching this, how could it not?
Also, there’s some new info about the game that cropped up.
Upgrading Equipment System
Equipment can be obtained by defeating enemies or opening treasure chests along your path. The same piece of equipment can have different job affinities or special effects. It could be well worth your time to take on a mission multiple times in the search for rarer equipment.

At the smithy, materials can be used to add to or upgrade your equipmentâ€™s special effects. Customize your equipment to suit your job and fighting style! One way to obtain materials is via the completion rewards from missions.
You can dismantle equipment to obtain materials. Dismantle equipment you donâ€™t need any more and use it to upgrade your favourite gear.

Job System: Advanced Jobs
Red Mage – Red Mages are versatile magic users who wield both black and white magic, making them equally able to attack and provide support. Use the Red Mageâ€™s unique action, chainspell, to deal massive damage to your enemies whilst simultaneously reducing their elemental resistance.
Berserker – A job that specializes in direct attacks, using axes and greatswords, the Berserker has access to the berserk ability. While this ability is active, your attack power is greatly increasedâ€”but it could be a risky choice, since you lose the ability to use potions.
Samurai – Samurai is a job that excels at MP recovery. Whilst under the effects of the Samuraiâ€™s unique action, meikyo-shisui, normal attacks will replenish a greater amount of MP and parrying will also restore MP. Let loose with your replenished MP and unleash a flurry of blows with combo abilities.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin will be out on 18th March for PC, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS4, and PlayStation 5. I for one cannot wait to see how this cheesy story unfolds, especially in the English dub.


Actress Annie Wersching, The Voice Of Tess In The Last Of Us, Dies At 45

Actress Annie Wersching has passed away due to cancer early this morning at the age of 45.
According to the late actress’ publicist (via Deadline), Wersching continued working and filming despite having been diagnosed with cancer in 2020. She was best known for voicing the character Tess in the original The Last Of Us game, as well as roles in TV series such as 24, The Vampire Diaries and Marvel’s Runaways.
Her final role was as the Borg Queen in Star Trek Picard.

A statement from Wersching’s husband, actor Stephen Full, reads:
“There is a cavernous hole in the soul of this family today. But she left us the tools to fill it. She found wonder in the simplest moment. She didn’t require music to dance. She taught us not to wait for adventure to find you. ‘Go find it. It’s everywhere.’ And find it we shall. As I drove our boys, the true loves of her life, down the winding driveway and street, she would yell BYE! until we were out of earshot and into the world. I can still hear it ringing. Bye my Buddie. ‘I love you little family…’ “
You can support her family (including her two sons) by contributing to a newly-launched GoFundMe page.


Far Cry 6 Gets A Surprising Crossover With A Popular Card Game

Mattel and Ubisoft have announced that The Call Of Yara, the latest DLC for the popular UNO video game is now available globally. Inspired by the tropical paradise island of Yara, The Call of Yara DLC will add a thrilling twist to the classic UNO game experience with new features and a new game mode.
The Call of Yara is now available to purchase individually on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

In The Call of Yara, players can experience the UNO game in an immersive environment with a vibrant Yara-inspired board and menu, exclusive themed cards, and an immersive audio soundtrack. After drawing seven cards and 300 Pesos at the beginning of each game, players collect 100 Pesos at the beginning of every turn they can spend to hire the services of Libertad legends. Each character affects the gameplay differently, so players must spend their Pesos strategically to unlock the below services:

Dani Rojas:

For 500 Pesos: Pick one player to draw one to six cards.
For 800 Pesos: All other players draw one to six cards.

Philly Barzaga:

For 600 Pesos: Combine four colours to create a Wild card to play instantly.
For 1000 Pesos: Combine four colours to create a Wild +4 card to play instantly.

Juan Cortez:

For 600 Pesos: Discard one to three cards.
For 1300 Pesos: Discard four to six cards.

Lucky Mama:

For 200 Pesos: Prevent one player from calling for a service next turn
For 400 Pesos: Prevent all other players from calling for a service next turn

In addition, The Call of Yara introduces a brand-new card to UNO: The Guerrilla Recorder card. When this risky card is played, each playerâ€™s wallet is randomly affected â€“ they may gain hundreds of Pesos to hire the services of Guerrilla legends or lose them all.


Total War Saga Troy’s Free Giveaway Was An Epic Success

A Total War Saga: Troy was free for its first 24 hours on the Epic Games StoreÂ last week, and Creative Assembly has announced that a whopping 7.5 million people claimed the game during the 24 hours that it was available for free.
Creative Assembly chief product officer Rob Bartholomew said (via PC Gamer):
“We were optimistic but we couldn’t have predicted this level of excitement. It’s been incredible to work with Epic on giving this brand new release away for free. Now we get to welcome so many strategy players â€“ new and old â€“ to experience this incredible Saga. We’re very happy.”
It will be interesting to see how many of these 7.5 million will stay fans of the franchise. The real-time strategy Total War franchise published by Sega is popular but has remained pretty niche over the years. This move will likely expand the franchise’s fanbase even more.
A Total War Saga: Troy is now available to purchase onÂ the Epic Games StoreÂ for US$31.49 or roughly RM132 for Malaysians users.


TSM Wins First Place At Apex Legends EXP Invitational

Over the recent weekend, the biggest Apex Legends offline tournament (so far) was held at X Games Minneapolis. The EXP Invitational saw 20 squads battling across 12 matches to become the champions of Respawn’s popular battle royale game.
Team SoloMid (TSM) emerged as champion and brought home the grand prize of US$30,000. Though they didn’t rack up the most kills, TSM consistently secured high placements throughout their matches.

On day one, TSM was already leading with 62 points and they maintained their top spot and won with 125 points on day two. Just 5 points above second placer Team Reciprocity (TR).

Coming in at third and fourth places were Sentinels and Fnatic who won US$21,000 and US$18,000 respectively.
The next major Apex Legends tournament will be the Apex Legends Preseason Invitational which will be the first ever international Apex Legends tournament organised by EA and Respawn Entertainment.
The Preseason Invitational will have a US$500,000 prize pool, the biggest in any Apex Legends esports event.
The Preseason Invitational will be held in Krakow, Poland from 13 September to 15 September 2019. The two top winners of the EXP Invitational have been invited to compete in the tournament.
For more info on the Preseason Invitational, refer here.


Even With Borderlands 3’s Massive Sales, Developers Aren’t Getting Bonuses

Just when you thought Gearbox Software shenanigans have stopped in 2020, along comes this piece of news.
Sources told Kotaku that the makers of Borderlands 3 are not delivering on their promises of giving five/six-figure bonuses for the game’s massive sales. This news came as a shock for its developers because the game is described by its publisher as“a billion-dollar global brand” with huge sales success.
Employees at the studio will get small bonus checks, but nothing close to the tens or hundreds of thousands they were expecting according to six people close to Gearbox, all speaking anonymously. This news basically put a damper in many of its employees’ financial plans for the future.
So what happened? The game made a lot of money back but it was expensive to make, according to sources. One major factor was the game engine swap mid-development from Unreal Engine 3 to Unreal Engine 4. In addition, before Gearbox could receive any royalties from 2K Games, they have to recoup the game’s entire budget (US$95 million) and also the DLC’s budget (US$140 million or so) via a contract both companies signed.
This is rather scummy, especially when you factor in that Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford took a US$12 million bonus from the company when Borderlands 3 started development in 2016. I won’t be surprised at the least if its employees leave en masse after this development.
The company’s official statement regarding this is below:

Borderlands 3 represents an incredible value to gamers and an incredible achievement by the team at Gearbox Software. Our studio is talent-led and we believe strongly in everyone sharing in profitability. The talent at Gearbox enjoys participation in the upside of our games â€“ to our knowledge, the most generous royalty bonus system in AAA. Since this program began, Gearbox talent has earned over $100M in royalty bonuses above and beyond traditional compensation.
In the most recent pay period Gearbox talent enjoyed news that Borderlands 3, having earned revenue exceeding the largest investment ever made by the company into a single video game, had officially become a profitable video game and the talent at Gearbox that participates in the royalty bonus system has now earned their first royalty bonus on that profit.
Additionally, a forecast update was given to the talent at Gearbox that participates in the royalty bonus to set expectations for the coming quarters. Gearbox is a private company that does not issue forward looking statements to the public, but we do practice transparency within our own family.


Indonesian Superhero Movie Gundala Strikes Malaysian Cinemas Next Month

The success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has saturated cinemas with superhero movies all year round throughout the past decade. This trend won’t be stopping anytime soon as even Indonesia is about to begin establishing their very own series of superhero movies.

Launching its first official trailer back in July, Gundala will finally be launching in Malaysian cinemas on 26 December 2019. The movie has already premiered in its home country in August and judging from what I’ve read online, it’s been getting good reviews from the Indonesian audience.
Gundala tells the story of Sancaka, a man who gets the shock of his life after being struck by lightning. The incident gives him superpowers and he must choose whether to continue his lifestyle of only looking out for himself or use his newfound gifts to fight the injustice that rages on throughout the country.
Gundala from the comics. Remind you of a certain Captain?
Directed by Joko Anwar, the movie is set as the beginning point of the BumiLangit Cinematic Universe. Gundala himself is a comic book character who originated from an Indonesian comic of the same title published by BumiLangit.
Check out the movie trailer:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rauD1vxMCw&w=560&h=315]


New Rurouni Kenshin Anime Reveals First Teaser

A new Rurouni Kenshin anime is officially in the works. It’s been over two decades since the original Rurouni Kenshin anime adaptation ended its run. A lot has happened since then, including the arrest of manga creator Nobuhiko Watsuki for alleged child pornography charges.
However, the franchise’s live-action movies have recently been a success (there are five of them and they’re available to watch on Netflix). The new Rurouni Kenshin anime was announcedÂ during Jump Festa 2022, which will be produced by LIDEN FILMS (the studio behind Tokyo Revengers)
Unfortunately, there are no other details about the project, or even whether it’s anime series or a bunch of anime movies. Meanwhile, you can watch the original Rurouni Kenshin anime on Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu, and HBO Max. It stars protagonist Kenshin Himura, who is a former samurai.
In the meantime, check out the teaser below:


Here’s Why People Are Mad At Genshin Impact’s Anniversary Events

It’s already been a year since Genshin Impact is out. Its creator Mihoyo plans to celebrate its milestone with the following anniversary events, which people are angry about for some reason.
Here they are:
An Overview of One Year Anniversary Community Events:
“An Unforgettable Journey” Web Event
Event Duration: September 28 â€“ October 12
Event Rewards: Primogems, Mora, Mystic Enhancement Ore, Hero’s Wit
â˜… During the event, Travelers can watch their own anniversary theater and relive their experiences of their journey. After watching, Travelers will not only obtain a reward for viewing, but can also exchange rewards with their friends, such as Primogems and Mora.
How to Participate: Through the links posted by each official community on September 28
“A Message in Time” Web Event
Event Duration: September 29 â€“ October 7
Event Rewards: Blessing of the Welkin Moon Ã—1
Chance to Win: 10%
Mora Ã—100,000
Chance to Win: 90%
â˜… During the event, Travelers can take part in a raffle by creating their own anniversary cards. After the event ends, we will randomly select 10% of the participants to receive the Blessing of the Welkin Moon Ã—1. The remaining participants who are not selected will be rewarded with Mora Ã—100,000.
How to Participate: Through the links posted by each official community on September 29
Anniversary Congratulatory Art Repost Prize Giveaway
Event Duration: September 25 â€“ September 29
Event Rewards: iPhone 13 Pro Max Ã—3, share daily to participate in the raffle for cash prizes
Platforms: Twitter and Facebook
How to Access Event: Through the official Genshin Impact accounts on Facebook and Twitter
Genshin Impact Anniversary Event “Recording Your Anniversary Memories”
Event Duration: September 28 â€“ October 7
Event Rewards: Primogems Ã—100 (1,000 winners)
Platforms: Twitter, Facebook, and HoYoLAB
How to Access Event: Through the official Genshin Impact accounts on Facebook and Twitter
Genshin Impact Anniversary Event “Let’s Solve Word Puzzles”
Event Duration: October 7 â€“ October 13
Event Rewards: Primogems Ã—100 (1,000 winners)
Platforms: Twitter, Facebook, and HoYoLAB
How to Access Event: Through the official Genshin Impact accounts on Facebook and Twitter
“The Promise of a Worldly Encounter” Cosplay Submission Contest
Event Duration: September 22 â€“ October 20
Event Rewards: Primogems, Apple AirPods, Razor DeathAdder V2, Fateful Gift Series Merchandise Set (Random Character)
Platform: HoYoLAB
How to Access Event: HoYoLAB
This is including the other ongoing anniversary events with similar prizes to the cosplay competition above. That’s a lot to take in, but generally the rewards seem lame to a majority of players.
One of them, the Blessing of the Welkin Moon reward, is basically a gacha reward where you may not even win it at all should you even get a chance at it. Why the company couldn’t just give the prize outright is beyond us.
As expected, Twitter posters are up in arms about this “celebration”, accusing the company of being stingy with its rewards.

 pic.twitter.com/iRpEkp3CVY
— Jujef x Xiion (@JujefS) September 20, 2021

why the hell is so hard for you guys give us a free 5 stars from standard banner? will you bankrupt by any chance?
i don't think so pic.twitter.com/qDjLFE3GZR
— Okarin (@_Okariin) September 20, 2021

our artists and cosplayers deserve better .
— make up a genshin player .? ? (@makeupagiplayer) September 22, 2021

It will be really funny if there's no actual artist submit their art instead all player draw a stick man hold a primogem and submit it to the contest…and let them know This is how much 100 primo art cost pic.twitter.com/plB1b1k8L8
— LieLikeVortigern (@Nemesis_again03) September 22, 2021

They're basically tricking artists to do work for free which would cost thousands for the company to commision official artwork. And they can choose best one out of it for free and u get a chance at few primos which doesn't buy u bread.
— Animtar (@animtar) September 20, 2021

https://twitter.com/crstnled/status/1439895595515187201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1439895595515187201%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pcgamer.com%2Fgenshin-impacts-anniversary-event-is-really-stingy-and-players-are-pissed%2F
The top-tier prizes are those who are willing to put in the effort for cosplay and art, which to be frank is worth it since Genshin Impact’s art and characters are the main draw, thus making sense from a promotion standpoint.
Of course, there are other factors to the outrage, including but not limited to:

Raiden Shogun being not able to proc chain lightning from Beidou’s elemental burst. This is from the game’s beta that was changed in the final product, so the jury’s out on this one.
The hunt against leakers.
The underwhelming kit of some of the recently-released characters.
Adding Corrosion gameplay mechanic in Spiral Abyss right whenÂ Kokomi’sÂ banner is about to release.
Not changing the battle pass weapons for almost a year.
No quality end-game content.

This may be a case of Mihoyo facing bad PR at the moment, which will probably blow over once the company releases a bunch of new characters with great powerups. That’s just how the gacha F2P train works; unless Mihoyo is earning less than the billions they’re getting right now in the next six months, nothing is going to change.


Forspoken Gets Epic New Cinematic Trailer Ahead Of Launch Later This Month

Square Enix and Luminous Productions have released a new cinematic trailer for Forspoken. It’s only one minute long but it showcases great visuals.
In the open-world action RPG Forspoken, players will assume the role of Frey, who is portrayed by actress Ella Balinska. Her unique abilities allow her to fluidly traverse the open world with parkour-like ease. She will also have magical abilities and will be able to unleash Devil May Cry-like combos with them.
Forspoken is slated to launch on 24 January 2023 for PS5 and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Microsoft Store.
Check out the trailer below:


Ted Lasso Season 3 Kicks Off Next Month

Apple TV+ has announced that Ted Lasso Season 3 will premiere on 15 March 2023 on the streaming service.
In this third season of Ted Lasso, the newly-promoted AFC Richmond faces ridicule as media predictions widely peg them as last in the Premier League and Nate (Nick Mohammed), now hailed as the “wonder kid,” has gone to work for Rupert (Anthony Head) at West Ham United. In the wake of Nate’s contentious departure from Richmond, Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) steps up as assistant coach, alongside Beard (Brendan Hunt).
Meanwhile, while Ted (Jason Sudeikis) deals with pressures at work, he continues to wrestle with his own personal issues back home, Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) is focused on defeating Rupert and Keeley (Juno Temple) navigates being the boss of her own PR agency. Things seem to be falling apart both on and off the pitch, but Team Lasso is set to give it their best shot anyway.
Check out the trailer below:


Fall Guys Season 2 Drops Next Week

Publisher Devolver Digital and developer Mediatonic have announced that Season 2 of the extremely popular gameÂ Fall Guys: Ultimate KnockoutÂ will launch on 8 October 2020.
AsÂ previously revealed during the Gamescom Opening Night Live in August 2020, the Middle Ages-themed Season 2 â€œwill bring the dragon fire with feudal fortresses, knockout knights, and pugilistic paladins,â€ plus new costumes, emotes, and more.
According to the developer, players will receive double the fame points from now until Season 2 launches on 8 October 2020.

BEAN SPILLING POSTAnnouncing dates always feels like you're cursing things, but it's Halloween month, so let's get cursed!? Season 2 launches on Thursday 8th October ?Season 1 will now end as Season 2 begins and we're going to DOUBLE fame points during this time! ? pic.twitter.com/J9TFIZ1BDd— Fall Guys… FREE FOR ALL! ? (@FallGuysGame) October 2, 2020

Fall Guys Ultimate KnockoutÂ is available now for PS4 and PC viaÂ Steam.


Project S Is A New Puzzle Game From Dead By Daylight Publisher

Dead By Daylight publisher Behaviour Interactive and developer Lunarch Studios have announced a new open-world multiplayer puzzle game for PC via Steam.
Project S currently doesn’t have a release date, but it’s coming sometime in 2023. Lunarch Studios is best known for smaller-scale puzzle games like Jelly is Sticky and Prismata.
In Project S, players can play either solo or in multiplayer game modes. a mysterious realm of islands suspended in the sky. Each area in this vast open world boasts awe-inspiring vistas, distinct ecosystems, and ancient architecture, creating a backdrop of peaceful beauty for every puzzle you encounter. Complete quests, find secrets, and discover new islands as your travels unfold.
Seek out and solve a huge variety of puzzle types organically embedded throughout the landscape. From enigmas of perspective, to 3D mazes, grid-based logic, environmental challenges, and more, handcrafted creations by some of the most innovative minds in puzzle design fill the world around you.
Check out the trailer below:


Squid Game Season 2 Final Cast Announced

Netflix has just announced the remaining cast members that are joining the second season of the global hit Squid Game, as anticipation continues to soar after the first cast members were revealed at Tudum earlier this month.
This week, cast members and showrunners gathered for their first table read (pictured above) as the world waits eagerly for the production of Squid Game Season 2 to begin later this year. From rising stars to veteran actors, the ensemble cast boasts a diverse range of talent and experiences. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, who won an Emmy for the first season, will return to direct and executive produce the entire second season.

Park Gyu-young: Well known for her role in the Netflix series Sweet Home Seasons 1 and 2, she will also be starring in the upcoming Netflix series Celebrity.
Jo Yu-ri: Singer and actress and a former member of the South Korean-Japanese girl group Iz*One.
Kang Ae-sim: A highly respected theatre and musical actress in Korea. Her performance in the TV series Be Melodramatic and Netflix’s series Move to Heaven left a deep impression on the audience.
Lee David: Best known for his supporting roles in director Hwang’s film The Fortress. Fun fact: He met Lee Jung-jae through the film, Svaha: The Sixth Finger.
Lee Jin-uk:  Starred in Netflix’s series Sweet Home Seasons 1 and 2. He is also recognised for his roles in various Korean dramas and films, including one of director Hwang’s biggest films, Miss Granny.
Choi Seung-hyun: The singer and actor have starred in various Korean films and TV series such as Tazza: The Hidden Card and Commitment.
Roh Jae-won: Made his acting debut in 2021 and is fast gaining recognition through films like Missing Yoon and Ditto.
Won Ji-an: Made an impressive debut on the first season of the Netflix series D.P.
Lee Jung-Jae, Lee Byung-Hun, Yim Si-Wan, Kang Ha-Neul, Park Gyu-Young, Park Sung-Hoon, Jo Yu-Ri, Wi Ha-Jun, Yang Dong-Geun, Kang Ae-Sim, Lee David, Lee Jin-Uk,  Choi Seung-Hyun, Roh Jae-Won, Won Ji-An  With Gong Yoo

Squid Game is a 9-episode series starring Lee Jung-Jae (New World, Assassination) and Park Hae-Soo (Time to Hunt, Prison Playbook). You can watch Season 1 on Netflix right now.
A mysterious invitation to join the game is sent to people at risk who are in dire need of money. 456 participants from all walks of life are locked into a secret location where they play games in order to win 45.6 billion won. Every game is a Korean traditional children’s game such as Red Light, Green Light, but the consequence of losing is death. Who will be the winner, and what is the purpose behind this game?


The Matrix Resurrections Breakdown & Ending Explained

The Matrix franchise is one of the most iconic and influential science fiction franchises to come out of the early 2000s. It made such an impact that The Matrix films were probably the ones that launched the idea of fake or virtual realities into the mainstream, thereby inspiring countless other sci-fi properties to follow suit and also becoming catalysts for conspiracy theorists out there (the “are we living in a simulation? folks).
How is The Matrix Resurrections? Well, the movie is pretty confusing, even if you’ve watched the original Matrix trilogy; good luck understanding anything if you haven’t. One clearly needs to have watched the first three Matrix movies before The Matrix Resurrections. Iâ€™ll try to answer the most important and burning questions from the movie. Take note that Iâ€™ll be discussing major spoilers from the movie, so here’s your last warning.

How Neo And Trinity Came Back To Life

Arguably the biggest question among fans is how exactly can Neo (Keanu Reeves) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) be returning when they already died at the end of 2003’s The Matrix Revolutions? Well, you need to understand who the new antagonist is (more on that below).
Basically, Neil Patrick Harris’ The Analyst was there when Neo sacrificed himself to save humanity by stopping the Machine War between machines and humanity. He then took the bodies of both Neo and Trinity to revive them and use them as power sources. It turns out that the bond or connection between them can generate an incredible amount of energy that is required by machines to sustain themselves.
What Is DSI & Why Couldn’t They Find Neo Until After 60 Years Has Passed?

The reason why it took humanity so long to find Neo again is that in the new version of the Matrix, the machines could alter a person or program’s DSI (digital self-image) through a system called Semblance. In layman’s terms, especially if you’re a gamer, you’d understand that most simply as skin or the aesthetic look of anything. Think of it like digital plastic surgery.
For example, Bugs (Jessica Henwick) took so long to find Neo, because he now looks like an old man (see above).
The Machines Can Activate Bots Now, So Anyone Can Be A Threat

Previously, Agents need to take over a person in order to manifest and hunt a threat, so humans could usually spot them from miles away. In the new version of the Matrix, the machines can take over anyone they want without having to alter their appearance, so they’re much more dangerous.
The Main Villain Is…

Neil Patrick Harris’ therapist character.
Remember The Architect and The Oracle from the original Matrix trilogy? They were the ones who created the Matrix simulation in the first place, but now they’re gone. A great purge took place amongst the machines, and many sentient programs have been erased or exiled.
The name of Neil Patrick Harris’ character is The Analyst and he’s the one currently in charge of the current version of the Matrix. He can even slow down time that not even Neo can hit him. Basically, he has “Bullet Time” powers. His actual words, not mine.
This Is The Seventh Version Of The Matrix

In The Matrix Reloaded, The Architect told Neo that he wasn’t the first “The One”, and that they were currently in the sixth version of the Matrix. This is because “The One” is an intentional part of the design of the Matrix, whose purpose is to stop the Matrix’s fatal system crash by sacrificing himself/herself and choosing a selection of humans who would then repopulate. Neo’s actions ultimately caused the Machine War to end, but that didn’t stop the Matrix from rebooting and starting over with a brand new seventh version, which is what’s in The Matrix Resurrections.
The Matrix Resurrections reveals that Neil Patrick Harris’ The Analyst is the one responsible for creating this new version of the Matrix. However, he has a different approach compared to the Architect.
The Analyst’s Matrix Is More Stable Because Its Humans Are Happier

The Analyst criticizes the previous version of the Matrix created by the Architect to be too focused on “fussy facts and equations”. His version of the Matrix is the most stable one yet because he gives people what they think they want, even if it’s fiction, which is what keeps them happy, content and occupied enough not to realise that they’re living in a simulation.
For example, he made Neo a game designer who made a successful The Matrix trilogy of games without realising that they’re based on his own memories. Meanwhile, he gave Trinity a family.
Here’s what The Analyst said in the movie when describing his version of the Matrix:
“It’s all about fiction. The only world that matters is the one in here. And you people believe the craziest shit. Why?
What validates and makes your fiction real?
Feelings.
Here’s the thing about feelings.
They’re so much to control than facts.
Turns out, in my Matrix, the worse we treat you, the more we manipulated you, the more energy you produce.
I’ve been setting productivity records every year since I took over. And the best part, zero resistance.
People stay in their pods, happier than pigs in shit.
The key to it all?
You, and her. Quietly yearning for what you don’t have, while dreading losing what you do.
For 99.9 percent of your race, that’s the definition of reality.
Desire and fear, baby. Just give the people what they want, right?”
The Machine War Is Over But The Machines Are Now In A Civil War

I previously mentioned that The Architect and The Oracle were both gone after being a casualty of the purge. That purge is part of the Matrix reboot (from the sixth to the seventh version), and now the machines are fighting each other in a civil war. The machines who separated from the other prefer to call themselves Sentients instead of just machines, and they’ve learnt to co-exist with humanity, even building a brand new city in which they now live together.
Humanity Built A New City Named Io With The Help Of The Sentients

The Matrix Resurrections takes place 60 years after the events of The Matrix Revolutions. Now, the city of Zion is no more, and most of the free humans have built a new and more advanced city named Io. Io was only able to be built thanks to the help of the aforementioned Sentients, who now peacefully co-exist with humans. There are a bunch of these Sentients featured in The Matrix Resurrections, and they all remind me of the droids in Star Wars.
Sentients can even manifest themselves in the real world. In the picture above, the Sentient named Quillion is using a physical nano-matter called an Exomorphic-Particle Codex to form a body in the real world.
The Real Morpheus Is Dead, Who Is The New Morpheus?

Oh, yeah, and the new Morpheus (played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is just a Sentient. He was created by Neo himself (while he was a game programmer in the Matrix) to be “an algorithmic reflection of two forces” that were instrumental in forming who Neo is. That includes both the real Morpheus and Agent Smith, so the new Morpheus is a combination of the memories of both.
The real Morpheus (previously played by Laurence Fishburne) already died within the span of the 60 years between The Matrix Revolutions and The Matrix Resurrections. According to Niobe (who’s still alive), Morpheus became the High Chair of the Council. This probably explains why the role of Morpheus is less important in The Matrix Resurrections (he has less screentime than expected).
Statue to commemorate the real Morpheus.
Smith Has A New Face And Wants To Be Free

The return of Agent Smith was equally as disappointing as Morpheus, as both of them has smaller roles in this movie. Smith (this time played by Jonathan Groff) was again made part of the Matrix by the Analyst, and he’s technically only there be part of Neo’s simulated fiction. The big twist is that he helps fight against the Analyst at the end of the movie.
This Smith is less hateful against Neo, and just wants to be free, I guess. It makes for a less compelling relationship. Proof of this more mellow Smith is not just the fact that he helped Neo against The Analyst, but also that he now calls Neo by “Tom” and not the iconic “Mr Anderson”. To be fair, he only calls Neo this once in the entire movie, probably for callback reasons.
Is Trinity The New “The One”?

This one remains more of a theory. It turns out near the end of The Matrix Resurrections that Trinity has gained the power of flight and is super strong, just like Neo in the original trilogy. It is established that there is a “The One” for every version of the Matrix. Neo was “The One” of the sixth version of the Matrix. What if, now that we’re in the seventh version of the Matrix, that Trinity is now the new “The One”?
However, it is never explicitly mentioned in The Matrix Resurrections that Trinity is “The One”. It is only confirmed that the bond and connection between them generates a tremendous amount of power, but why is it only now in The Matrix Resurrections that she exhibits powers similar to Neo’s?
Maybe it’s just a plot hole, or maybe Trinity is now “The One” of the seventh version of the Matrix.
There’s one line that Neo says in the movie that might explain Trinity’s new “The One” powers. It’s when he said:
“You’re wondering if I’m wrong? I never believed I was “The One”… but she did. She believed in me. It’s my turn to believe in her.”
Perhaps they both were “The One” all along and all Trinity needed to activate her powers is simply for Neo to believe in her as she always has all this time.
The Matrix Resurrections Ending Explained

The movie ends with Neo and Trinity confronting The Analyst. Trinity beats him up (and even slashes his throat in a scene censored on the Malaysian version) before they fly away together towards the screen. That bit is a tribute to a similar ending in the original 1999’s The Matrix (where Neo flies towards the screen in a similar manner).
However, there’s nothing that teases a potential sequel, so The Matrix Resurrections can technically be a sort of finale for the franchise. Then again, if this movie makes enough money, it’ll probably get a sequel or sequels, even if the Wachowskis choose not to return.
The Matrix Resurrections Post-Credits Scene

There’s a post-credits scene at the very end of the credits in The Matrix Resurrections. Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean anything. It’s just a gag scene; a continuation of the Deus Machina (the fake video game developer that Neo worked at in the Matrix) brainstorming scene, featuring more meta jokes. This time, it’s about introducing the “Catrix”.
Yes, that’s literally it, so it’s up to you if you want to wait until the end of the credits for this additional scene. Just don’t expect any Marvel Cinematic Universe-level post-credits scenes teasing a potential sequel, because there’s none of that. At least there’s a pretty cool cover of Rage Against The Machine’s “Wake Up” played by a band whose lead singer literally took a piss on someone on-stage a month or so ago.
I hope my answers have cleared up some of the lingering questions from the movie. Most of it is based on my understanding of the movie, and there are potentially a limitless number of different interpretations out there. Thatâ€™s the beauty of movies likeÂ The Matrix Resurrections. The only right answers can only possibly come from director Lana Wachowski herself.
Will There Be Another Matrix Movie?

Maybe. Probably. But not from any of the two Wachowski sisters (Lana and Lilly).
In an interview with GamesRadar, when asked if The Matrix Resurrections would be the start of another trilogy, Lana said:
“No. I didn’t ever want to make another Matrix movie. I told everyone for 18 years I didn’t want to make another Matrix movie. [Sister and co-director] Lilly told everyone she didn’t want to make another Matrix movie. Then I had a tragedy in my life, my parents passed away, and I needed something to help me with the grief.
Inventing a story where two people come back to life was healing and comforting and I was non-judgmental, I just wrote it, and I didn’t know what I was gonna do with it, and then I read part of the story [to a colleague] and she said, ‘Oh, my God, you have to tell this story.'”
The Matrix Resurrections is now showing in Malaysian cinemas and HBO Max.
[videopress Zg2wpmFc]


DNF Duel Guide: How To Excel In This Fighting Game Spin-Off

DNF Duel is out now and if you love 2D fighting games with tons of combo options and offensive play, along with lovely animation and flashy results, you’ll love this title. It’s basically the 2D fighting game spinoff of Korean MMORPG Dungeon Fighter Online and it definitely stays true to the source material while bringing something fresh and exciting to the plate.
Here are some fighting game tips for DNF Duel. Disclaimer: the game just came out so we’re discovering new tech and vids along the way. This guide will be updated periodically.
Use The Game’s Tutorials & Basic Combo Trials
DNF Duel is very combo-centric, meaning that even if you’re good at spacing out and playing neutral with opponents, you still need to follow up your hits with additional attacks. The game’s Tutorial will go in depth with every Class in the game, while the Combo Trials in the same menu (use the trigger buttons to navigate) will teach you the basic combos to maximize your damage after you land your first hit. After all, there are OTG moves and juggle-friendly properties popping up when enemies are knocked out of the air/up into the air.
For example, the Vanguard loves dealing chip damage and guard meter damage, ensuing that they’ll guard break anyone who is blocking 90% of the time. The Striker can just chain her attacks over and over with little need for Conversions. Speaking of which…
Use Your Conversions Properly
As you can tell from the detailed DNF Duel tutorial, the Conversion mechanic is great in keeping your Mana bar in a full state. It also lets you cancel any move you do to either go to neutral or follow-up with a more powerful move or combo. Think Roman Cancel, but it uses the grey life on your life bar; the bits that you want to heal up if you’re on the defensive.
With the game’s limited defensive options, Conversion is a surefire way to pressure opponents, or even bait them to attack when you have a frame trap ready. This also means you lose a significant amount of probable life, as the bigger the grey life, the more Mana you get back. Keep that in mind before you mount your offense.
How To Unlock Lost Warrior

The Lost Warrior is a playable character with fancy teleport and sword moves and acts as the final boss in the game’s Story Mode. To unlock him, all you need to do is complete Story Mode once with any of the characters. It only takes an hour or less to do so.

DNF Duel Story Mode Walkthrough
Story Mode pits you in a visual novel-style story mode with fights peppered in, capped off with a final boss fight. Here are a couple of videos on how they play out, plus some methods on defeating the last boss.


Cyberpunk 2077 Devs Are Defending Their Decisions To Remove Features

Remember last year when people thought you could wallrun in the first-person action RPG Cyberpunk 2077? In a 2018 reveal trailer that states whatever it displayed is not indicative of the final product?
Apparently, those cool features are removed, surprise surprise, and people are up in arms about it alongside other features being removed.Â There have recently been Reddit conversations surrounding Cyberpunk 2077 where the game’s features from past trailers are cut in the final product. The company’s response? According to senior level designer Miles Tost, he said that fans’ heightened awareness about features that did not make it in the final game can be put down to the company’s transparency about its design process.

“Cutting features and scope is a very normal part of development. You can witness it so openly with our game, because we happily gave in to community wishes and showed you that 2018 demo. Think about it. The gameâ€”two years from release.
Of course we iterate and change stuff and of course we also will have ideas that sound great on paper but then doesn’t end up working out well in the game with all the other features. I understand, this is disappointing for everyone when it happens and also difficult to understand without all the context of development environment, but in this case I just kindly ask you for your trust.”

I’m just going to say this: that watermark at the top of the 2018 gameplay video below isn’t just for show: it’s CD Projekt’s way of saying that things will change in the final product. It sucks that some features are cut, but at the very least CRPG fans are getting their ultimate hardcore R-rated role-playing experience later this 19th November for PC, Xbox One, and PS4, as well as on next-gen consoles.
In fact, the company is riding on this game’s release to the point where they’re getting “hired help” in the form of certain content creators and influencers for possibly chump change. More on that later this week.


The Boys Is Getting A Spinoff Series

Amazonâ€™s superhero deconstruction seriesÂ The Boys is getting a spinoff set in superhero college. According to Deadline, the project is written byÂ The BoysÂ executive producerÂ Craig Rosenberg and have already been in the works for a while now.
The Boys spinoff series is being fast-tracked thanks to the success of The Boys Season 2, which has broken the record for the most-watched global launch of an Amazon Original series ever. In its first two weeks, Season 2 has nearly doubled the Season 1 worldwide audience (more than 89 percent).
The setting for the new The Boys spinoff series will be at Americaâ€™s only college exclusively for young adult superheroes, run by Vought International.
It is described as an:
“…irreverent R-rated series that explores the lives of hormonal, competitive Supes as they put their physical, sexual, and moral boundaries to the test, competing for the best contracts in the best cities. Part college show, part Hunger Games â€” with all the heart, satire and raunch of The Boys.”
Rosenberg himself is writing the pilot and will serve as executive producer/showrunner. Other executive producers includeÂ The BoysÂ developer/executive producer Eric Kripke and fellowÂ The BoysÂ executive producers Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and James Weaver; as well as Original Filmâ€™s Neal H. Moritz and Pavun Shetty.

THAT'S RIGHT, MOTHERFUCKERS. (Seriously, I'm so grateful to you all for making #TheBoys such a huge success. I'm having the time of my life, so I can't thank you enough. Much, MUCH more to come!)#TheBoysTV @TheBoysTV @PrimeVideo #SPNFamily https://t.co/mJymsIxbx9— Eric Kripke (@therealKripke) September 24, 2020

The Vaught Cinematic Universe is expanding. https://t.co/NfLTaRkIlQ— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) September 24, 2020

The Boys Season 2 is now available on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service, with subsequent episodes premiering every Friday. In the meantime, you can check out my spoiler-free review of the first three episodes of The Boys Season 2 here.


[Report] Ninja Gets A Million Bucks To Promote Apex Legends

It’s no surprise that EA is using streamers to promote Respawn’s battle royale, Apex Legends.Â In fact, it is part of a respectable marketing campaign that somehow worked wonderfully. Now, EA is taking it to the next level by paying Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins an amount of US$1 million (RM 4 million). This would be one of the reasons why Apex Legends caught on so much traction during its release.
A source from Reuters claimed that Ninja received the amount to play Apex LegendsÂ on 5 February, even if it’s not for long. An EA spokesperson spoke to Kotaku that any streamed content of the game after midday on 5 February is totally ‘organic’, that is to say, people kept playing without getting any kind of money.

A million bucks is a really huge amount of money, even for Ninja., He once told the CNN that he earns US$ 500,000 (RM 2 million) on an average month, even more on better months, but keep in mind that the half a million dollars came from multiple sources; Twitch, YouTube, and sponsorships. This deal was twice as large, and he didn’t even have to stream more than a few hours.
As long as Respawn doesn’t fit dance moves into the game, hey, I’m all for promoting Respawn’s magnificent game. Let’s keep the King’s Canyon dance-free and all killing spree.


VG Documentary Site NoClip Aims To Preserve 10 Years Of Lost Video Game Footage

Noclip, most known for their video game documentaries on YouTube, just dropped a boatload of lost media. Brace yourselves for a treasure trove of forgotten gems that will blow your mind!
Now, if you’re a bit of a gaming enthusiast, chances are you’re familiar with Noclip. Led by the seasoned industry reporter Danny O’Dwyer, this remarkable crowdfunded project aims to bridge the gap between developers and gamers.
After producing awe-inspiring documentaries like their in-depth interview on the Fall and Rise of Final Fantasy XIV and the Resurrection of Doom in 2016, Danny and his team have set their sights on a brand-new venture.
Recently, they stumbled upon a goldmine of raw tapes containing long-lost gaming coverage from the early days. Imagine, some of these press releases and recordings are over two decades old! Unfortunately, some were tragically lost to the ravages of time, while others suffered from low-resolution visuals and abysmal audio quality.
Among these treasures lie iconic clips that were previously unrecognizable, like Nintendo’s infamous Space World 2000 Gamecube Tech Demo. Yes, that’s right, the one that was virtually unheard of until now. And as if that wasn’t enough, there are even forgotten press clips of unreleased games or titles that underwent drastic transformations during development.

But hold on, there’s more! Certain video material has been scrubbed from the internet, such as a rare interview with Hideo Kojima discussing the US Reveal Trailer of Metal Gear Solid 4 from the mid-2000s. And there are hidden gems too, like the closed-doors E3 demo of Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic.

This discovery is a game-changer for many reasons. Many of the websites that once hosted this content are either defunct or have migrated to modern formats, deleting those old compressed video files from yesteryears.
For those of us who consider ourselves self-proclaimed video game historians, this is an absolute goldmine. While you might stumble upon a few dated articles online, nothing compares to watching something like the Microsoft 2009 Press Conference in crystal-clear 1080p with pristine audio.

Kudos to the Noclip team for not only making everything they’ve unearthed available on their dedicated YouTube channel but also promising to upload it all to the Internet Archive, just in case YouTube decides to hit the delete button.
The work done by Danny and the Noclip crew since the inception of this project is simply priceless. If you haven’t had the pleasure of watching any of their documentaries yet, we wholeheartedly recommend you do so.
And if you share a genuine love for the world of gaming, we implore you to support this project in any way you can. Whether it’s spreading the word to others or checking out Noclip’s Patreon page, every bit counts. Who knows what hidden treasures lie within that vast collection of old videotapes; it could hold something truly irreplaceable, lost to the annals of history.


Here’s How Apex Legends Season 2 Daily & Weekly Challenges Work

Respawn Entertainment unveiled the Apex Legends Season 2 trailer last week, showcasing aÂ post-disaster Kings Canyon, along with new skins, emotes, and L-Star LMG action. It is slated to premiere tomorrow on 2 July 2019.
According to lead product manager Lee Horn (via GameSpot), the Apex Legends Season 2 Battle Pass challenge system “should allow for significantly greater Battle Pass progress with less grind over less time for players who return on a regular basis and maximize their challenge resets”.
Here’s how the daily and weekly challenges work in Apex Legends Season 2:
Completing both the daily and weekly challenges will contribute towards leveling up the Battle Pass. Over half of the challenges will grant a Battle Pass level while the rest will grant the player Stars (which when combined with match EXP) will work towards fulfilling a repeatable weekly challenge, the completion of which will give players a full Battle Pass level.
Apex Legends Season 2 Daily Challenges are:

Comprises of three tasks chosen randomly from a pool of 200.
Examples include “deal 200 Damage in Bunker” and play one game as Lifeline.”
Award 3000 Stars each
Designed for short sessions

Apex Legends Season 2 Weekly Challenges are:

Seven tasks each week
Designed to be completed over several sessions
Examples include “get 20 Kills as Gibraltar, Bangalore, or Mirage” to “loot 100 Epic items.”
Four of these tasks will award 6000 Stars eachÂ while three of them will grant an entire Battle Pass level

Besides the daily and weekly challenges, there will be three additional challenges that reset every week whether they are completed or not. Check out an example of them below:

Complete five Daily Challenges: Rewards one Battle Pass level
Complete 10 Daily Challenges: Rewards one Battle Pass level Earn 9,000 Stars and/or match XP: Rewards one Battle Pass level

This quest may be repeated an unlimited number of times each week.
Each completion increases the Stars and/or match XP required for the next by 9,000, up to a maximum of 54,000. You need 9,000 for the first level, 18,000 for the second level, etc. This challenge resets to 9,000 each week.

Apex Legends Season 2 will also mark the debut of a new character named Wattson, the daughter of the man who built the Kings Canyon arena. In the meantime, check out the Apex Legends Season 2 trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThSKocfe5QE&w=560&h=315]


German Navy Joins World Of Warships Legends In New Major Update

The latest major update has arrived for World Of Warships Legends for the PS4 and Xbox One. It comes with the highly-anticipated German Navy joining the game’s roster, a new epic campaign, and various improvements.
The German Navy Cometh
Players can now take control of the Germans’ famous Cruisers like the NÃ¼rnberg and the Hipper (both of which rely on a balance of great gunnery and high hull strength), as well as powerful Destroyers like the Leberecht Maass.
While the Battleship Scharnhorst will be available as a premium purchase, the German fleet will continue to grow in the coming months, with early access to Destroyers this month and becoming fully accessible to players in August 2019.
The update also adds seven new German Commanders, including Franz von Hipper, Reinhard Scheer, and legendary Graf Maximilian von Spee. These Commanders can enhance ships in multiple ways:

Improve the shipâ€™s attack and defense capabilities.
Boost shell and torpedo performance.
Enhance maneuvering and survivability.
Make consumables more effective.

New Search And Destroy! Campaign
The new World Of Warships Legends update introduces the new Search & Destroy! Campaign to replace the old Atlanta Campaign. It offers new challenges and rewards, such as:

New and additional consumables
Introduction of Deutschmarks, a special currency used for purchases in the storeâ€™s Admiralty section
Additional Commander items and new national Commander crates
Showcase the iconic German port of Hamburg as new harbor
Celebrate the 4th of July with the Liberty Pack

Meanwhile, the U.S. 4th of July celebrations brings with it the all-new Liberty Pack, which contains boosters, camouflage, and Premium Account time.
Service Record, Commendations, and Greater Map Spawn Control
Here are some of the new features and improvements added in the new World Of Warships Legends update:

Service Record: Allow players to check their detailed game stats and adjust their playstyle
Commendations: Improve Commandersâ€™ arsenals with new skills, upgrading existing ones, and advancing your crew to legendary ranks
Modified map spawn configurations: Designed to offer players more tactical choices when battles begin, as well as various visual improvements.

Check out the glorious new German ships below.


Another Dallas Fuel Tank Lands in Hot Soup.

Just when you thought the worst is over, the Dallas Fuel tank drama continues today as their newest tank whose transfer was confirmed last week and is yet to play a game,Â Min-seok “OGE” Son, is embroiled in an account-boosting accusation. The news was first brought to light by Rod ‘Slasher’ Breslau via the tweet:

According to an unconfirmed claim on Inven (Korean Reddit), new Dlallas Fuel tank OGE is accused of boosting, part of a boosting company called ‘Friendsi Company’https://t.co/vPzG7M7mJs
â€” Rod Breslau (@Slasher) March 13, 2018
According to an unconfirmed claim on Inven.co.kr, OGE, was part of an account boosting company and have been paid to ‘surrogate’ for paying customers.

So far we are unaware of any actions taken by the Dallas Fuel regarding this accusation but if the story turns out to be true, it would surely severely affect their preparation going forward following one of their main tanks, Felix ‘xQc’ Lengyel’s departure.
Several Overwatch League players have been fined and suspended for similar infractions in the past, with the most recent one beingÂ  Los Angeles’ Ted ‘ Silkthread’ Wang who was fined $1000 for account sharing. Philadelphia Fusion’sÂ Sumin â€œSadoâ€ Kim was handed a 30-match suspension for account boosting between Overwatch’s Competitive seasons 4 and 5 – way before he was signed to the league.


New Persona 4 Golden Patch Fixes Stuttering Anime Cutscenes

Since releasing in June 2020, Persona 4 Golden has become a massive hit on Steam, selling more than 500,000 units as of July 2020. While many praised the PC port of the 2012 PlayStation Vita game to be almost perfect, there were still several bugs and problems.
Many Persona 4 Golden players have experienced stuttering anime cutscenes while playing the game, despite having a more than powerful enough rig. With the latest Persona 4 Golden 1.1 update, that issue has been resolved by the developer, according to the patch notes.
The latest patch is around 4.1GB in size. Check out all the fixes that come with the Persona 4 Golden 1.1 patch below:
Fixes to video quizzesFixes to cutscene playback, including a lower playback mode for smoother play on older machines.Soft locks occurring around Personamations.Random crashes reported.Crashes related to removing Xbox One controllers.A hang issue that occurs during Midnight Trivia Quiz.Blank items in inventory causing crashes and freezes.Please note that if you are experiencing this issue, your old saves will retain the blank item, so it is suggested that you generate new saves and avoid old saves with blank items.An audio issue related to the audio setting during Yosuke’s Cavalry Attack.A progression issue that occurs when entering Yukiko’s castle.â€¢ Addresses a known issue where Quest 3 could not be completed by some players.Optimized cutscene movies for better playback that was causing stuttering.When using high-resolution monitors, resolved an issue where the Windows 10 resolution scaling was being applied.Fixed a freeze issue when equipping a blank item in â€œEquip > Clothesâ€.If you have a blank item in the Clothes menu, please be sure to remove it as these blank items can be still in your currently saved game data. Equipping blank items can trigger various freeze issues in other locations.Resolved a soft lock that could occur after an All-Out-Attack.


The Mandalorian Season 3 Trailer Teases More Mandalorians, Mandalore & Babu Frik

At D23, Lucasfilm has unveiled the trailer and release date for The Mandalorian Season 3. It will premiere on Disney+ Hotstar sometime in 2023.
The trailer teases that Din Djarin and Grogu will be travelling to the planet Mandalore, home planet of the Mandalorians. In addition, Babu Frik from Star Wars Episode IX The Rise Of Skywalker makes a return.
Check out the trailer below:


This Week In PC Gaming: August 20

Skating + guns, Kojima Productions + PC Game Pass, Genshin Impact + forests, and a whole lot more in this week’s PC gaming recap. Plus, a review of the new action RPG Thymesia.