The Best Films & Movies Of 2021

2021 has been an interesting year for films, to say the least. You can’t really go out to theatres at least during the first half of the year (thanks COVID-19), but cinemas persevered and now they’re showcasing their films in full force. Well, at least they’re not curb-stomped by the advantage taken by streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, with each of them having its own catalogue of films. And it’s not bargain-basement D-list films too; we have stellar international releases and big-budget Hollywood fares populating them.
We have our share of favourite films of the year, be it the blockbuster film, crafty documentaries, and animated fares of either the Western or Eastern variety. Here they are:
Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon A Time

After two sorta recap/reboot Evangelion films with new stuff, and a third film that is arguably more depressing and dark than The End of Evangelion (which is a helluva achievement), director Hideaki Anno takes it home with Evangelion 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon A Time. This anime film bookends the series on a surprisingly positive and uplifting note.
It’s the film that reflects the director’s more happy mental state, as the film is the complete opposite of his “screw all otakus for dissing my work” edict he established back in 1997. Rather, he wraps up everybody’s arc in the best way possible that’s fit for a show featuring mechas, the end times, and a good amount of mindf***ery courtesy of the show’s climactic battle. In short, it’s the ending all Evangelion fans deserve after so long.
Free Guy

Video game tropes: the movie. Somehow or other, we enjoyed every minute of it. Short of having the most unrealistically comical villain, Free Guy is a fun ride thanks to its stars Ryan Reynolds and Jodie Comer, as well the digital world it’s set in. If you ever wonder if a comedy revolving around open-world GTA-like games can pan out, Free Guy is a lesson in how to handle that while having some semblance of a heart inside.
The Green Knight

The Green Knight’s depiction of a possible Arthurian legend (starring Dev Patel as Sir Gawain) rides high thanks to the show’s arresting visuals and art direction. Its story may be pretty basic, but it’s the journey that counts, not the destination. You won’t find better compositions and vistas in most of 2021’s films.
Dune

Speaking of arresting visuals, Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of the first half of the first Dune book is all sorts of beautiful and mesmerizing. Except it comes with a ton of plot and character development, all of it works though it can come off as incredibly detailed to the casual cinema-goer.
No Time To Die

A great send-off to the Daniel Craig 007 series of films. It places just below Casino Royale and Skyfall, but that’s a pretty high bar to aim for.
Another Round

A lovely Danish film about a bunch of teachers who plan to spice up their lives and mundane routine by maintaining their blood alcohol content. How? By regularly drinking and keeping it to 0.05%, making them a lot more creative and relaxed. Another Round examines people’s mid-life crises in the best and most relatable of ways, led by Mad “Death Stranding” Mikkelsen’s portrayal of a teacher struggling with his personal and professional life.
The film is a brilliant cocktail blend of chaotic energy and filming precision from director Thomas Vinterberg. It’s funny, poetic, and dramatic at the right moments, while also being insightful with the subject of alcoholism and man’s attempt at controlling it.
Titane

A very troubled young girl has sex with a car. What follows is a helluva trip from the director behind the coming-of-age and equally-messed-up horror film Raw.
The fact that this is lead Agathe Rousselle’s debut film shows that the production crew has an eye for future talent in the French-Belgium scene. Titane is disturbing and provocative, but meaningfully so. Definitely for those who miss the good old days of David Cronenberg and Takeshi Miike genre films.
Malignant

This horror(?) may not be everyone’s cup of tea thanks to its marketing and whatever the hell the second half of the film is supposed to be. But goshdarnit if it didn’t leave a huge impact on us after the initial viewing. And we have to give prop to James Wan for sticking to his guns in making this film without any compromise whatsoever. The fact that his last film made Warner Bros. enough money to buy a couple of islands helped too.
Malignant starts out as a horror film that pays tribute to Italian giallo films, but then it starts unravelling itself into what could be described as the fun stuff from The Matrix but in a horror setting. One could say that it will turn heads.
Listening To Kenny G

While Kenny G isn’t exactly our favourite jazz musician, this multi-faceted documentary about the legend and his fans/detractors/legacy is a masterful look at love and hate being two sides of the same coin. The film is framed in the most positive and uplifting of ways while not being shy about the man’s criticisms despite his accomplishments. And he takes it in stride, showing that the human behind the talent is just as precious. Props to director Penny Lane for contributing more gems to the HBO music documentary film series.
The Mitchells vs. The Machines

Part commentary on humanity’s reliance on technology, part father-daughter reconnection piece, part fantastical comedy set in a tech apocalypse; all-around fun animated experience from the directors who gave us the LEGO Movies, the Spiderverse film, and Clone High. What’s not to love about 2021’s most energetic all-ages animated film on Netflix?
Tick, Tick… Boom!

There were a bunch of musical films that came out this year, but Tick, Tick… Boom! was arguably the most emotional and unique of them all. It’s the feature film directorial debut of Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, and it features perhaps Andrew Garfield’s best performance this year. The fact that the movie is based on the life of the real Jonathan Larson makes the movie’s emotional and dramatic moments hit even harder.
We definitely won’t be surprised if Andrew Garfield gets nominated for an Oscar for his role in this movie (he’s already nominated for a Golden Globe award as we speak). Yes, he sings in this movie, so if you ever wanted to see a former Spider-Man sing his heart out, Tick, Tick… Boom! is readily available on Netflix at any time.
West Side Story

Is Spielbergâ€™s version better than the 1961 film? Thatâ€™s up to preference, but personally, the 2021 movie still canâ€™t beat the charm and vibe of the 1961 film. Will Spielbergâ€™s version be as much of an iconic classic? Only time will tell. Steven Spielbergâ€™sÂ West Side Story is a must-watch for movie buffs, especially so if youâ€™ve never watched the 1961 film. Itâ€™s a cinematic musical extravaganza that must be experienced at least once in your lifetime, even if youâ€™re not a musical fan.
Spider-Man: No Way Home

We saved the best shows for last, starting with the House of M’s web-headed wizard offering. True, our review may be a knock at content creation around the genre, but we can’t help but be overwhelmed and happy with Sony and Disney’s joint-venture for the webbed wallcrawler’s third MCU headliner outing. It’s fun, it’s emotional at times, and it’s a treat for fans of all things Spider-Man on-screen; that’s all we can say without spoiling all of it. Not even the plothole-filled story and terrible marketing posters can throw our excitement off at how much feel-good and genuine fanservice is laid out here.
The Suicide Squad

2021 also proves that we can have two great comic book films from both Marvel and DC. The latter is represented in hard R-rated fashion with James Gunn’s bloody, hilarious, and surprisingly heartfelt take on Task Force X. You know you’re going to witness something great when the first 15-minutes of the film involves a Nathan Fillion cameo where he detaches his arms to deal with bad guys. Props go to John Cena for his hilarious portrayal of Peacemaker, David Dastmalchian for making us give a s*** about a D-lister villain, and Daniela Melchior for being the actual heart of a literally killer group.


Glass Onion’s Murder Mystery Takes A Number Of Spectacular Turns & Twists

Rian Johnson’s sequel to murder mystery comedy showcase Knives Out may not be subtle with some its messages, but it does deliver on laughs and mystery whodunnit work.
Billed as the current-gen version of an Agatha Christie novel adaptation, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is set in the same universe with one pivotal character tying it all up: Southern-accented ace detective and puzzle solver Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig). This is a role Craig enjoys a lot given his tiredness playing a 007 agent for years on end: full of warmth, genuine inflection, quick-wittedness and deduction, and all-around charm. While he’s actual shite in puzzle games and Among Us (as displayed comedically in his early intro to the film), his keen observation and problem-solving are peerless. This is the movie that cements his recurring appearances in any Rian Johnson-directed mystery; you would pay for multiple viewings just to see Craig effortlessly make the detective schtick work with aplomb.
Mystery Machine

Of course, such a caper wouldn’t work without its other players on-stage, and they’re quite a bunch. We have rich billionaire “disruptor” Miles Bron (Edward Norton) with his massive personality front hiding a bigger secret that we are intrigued in finding out. We also have ditzy ex-model Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson) and her incredibly patient and savvy assistant Peg (Jessica Henwick), muscled streamer manchild Duke Cody (Dave Bautista) and his trophy girlfriend Whiskey (Madelyn Cline), campaigning senator Claire (Kathryn Han), big-time scientist Lionel (Leslie Odom Jr.),  and the group’s ex-friend Andi Brand (Janelle Monae). Somehow or other, Benoit gets mixed up in the group’s holiday getaway in a Greek island featuring Miles’ private domicile and “Glass Onion” sculpture, with the host proposing a mystery game of their own that escalates beyond that.
Is the underlying story and mystery enough to stick around, having its proverbial layers peeled without getting you annoyingly teary-eyed out of anguish? You certainly won’t be bored, as Rian Johnson’s direction and script is airtight, speedily paced without being off-course and awkward, and just all-out fun to follow. Every piece of the puzzle and its cast works well in tandem with no weak end, while the setting and central theme that ties everything together just clicks after the first viewing, with the second one being done when you feel like you want to catch the telltale signs leading to the climax.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a delectable thrill ride with equally eccentric characters, a number of logical plot twists, and clever writing. Yes, it suffers from the usual case of sequelitis: bigger, fancier, and a little hollow compared to the original, like as if the first half is elaborate window-dressing and indulgence. Still, it’s still a fun murder mystery that’ll keep you intrigued in its 2+ hour runtime. You’ll definitely be talking about its unravelling and resolutions, as well as key moments involving Benoit Blanc & its kooky cast of eccentrics for months on end.
Final Score: 80/100


Overwatch League: NYXL Remain Top

The New York Excelsior avoided a huge upset and the label ofÂ perennial chokers as they reverse-swept the brilliant Philadelphia Fusion to win the Overwatch League Stage 2 title match today. The Fusion who earlier today surprised everyone by defeating the heavily favored, Stage 1 champions London Spitfire in five sets were Stage 2’s surprise package as their late surge left the likes of Los Angeles Gladiators and Seoul Dynasty missing out the playoffs.
Clearly the team who enjoys the meta shift the most, the core of ShaDowburn, Neptuno, Fragi and Carpe were brilliantly supported by the prodigiousÂ  Eqo and Snillo since the start of Stage 2.Â  A very likeable team, they only played effectively, but managed to be one of the most entertaining teams to watch in the league as well thanks to their aggressive playstyle.
In the first match of the day, the Fusion went against London Spitfire who defeated them 4-0 the last two times they met. Eager to exact revenge and break the Korean-team duopoly in the title matches, the Fusion fell in Gibraltar before racing to a 2-1 lead thanks to really impressive displays on Nepal and Hanamura. The Spitfire hit back via timebank win on King’s Row but the Fusion were not to be denied of a finals spot as they shocked the world with a resounding win on Route 66 for a date with NYXL in the final.
Carrying on their momentum from the semis win on Route 66, the Fusion again flipped the form books as they won the opening map which was played on the same route. The NYXL had no reply to the Fusion’s aggressive approach as they also surrendered Lijiang Tower to trail 0-2 heading into the break.
But you can’t keep a good champion down as the NYXL, probably still haunted by Stage 1’s final loss (to London) rallied back to win the next two maps; Volskaya and Hollywood to force the fifth map – on Gibraltar. Having successfully stopping the Fusion payload at the last bend before Point C while on defense, the NYXL were rampant as they marched towards goal with the payload and walked home with a cool US$100,000 prize money.

Following today’s matches, the Overwatch League goes into a short break ahead of Stage 3 which kicks off April 5th 2018. But the action doesn’t stop as teams will be scrambling to sign new players and finalize trades as the window for such activities will shut before Stage 3 begin. For all news related to that, keep it locked on to Kakuchopurei.com


Destiny 2 Is Going Free-To-Play, Heading To Steam, & Getting Cross-Saves

We mentioned the new Destiny 2 Shadowkeep expansion during our Google Stadia coverage, but that’s just the tip of the loot-and-shoot iceberg. Turns out Bungie has more updates in store for us.
Ever since their breakup with Activision, Bungie is going to town in making its fanbase happy and giving them what they want. Here’s what they talked about during their recent stream:

Shadowkeep will bring players back to the Moon to explore an alien citadel. This stage will be twice as large as the Destiny 1 version. It’ll be out Fall 2019.
Destiny 2 will now be on Steam (instead of Battle.net) and introduce a free-to-play model where the base game will be free. You’ll only be paying for the game’s expansions; the Year One content is free of charge as well.
When will the Steam jump happen? When Shadowkeep is out.
How much will you be paying for Shadowkeep? US$35. You can also get everything from the base game, the Year One updates, the annual pass, and the extra expansion Forsaken for US$40 instead, Shadowkeep included. If you prefer buying it ala carte, you can do that too. Your choice, really.
The PC version of Destiny 2 will also have cross-saves for Xbox, Google Stadia, and PS4. Guess the latter publisher are finally game with sharing.
The new Raid will be set in the Black Garden, which fans remember as the last few stages of the first Destiny. You know, the one full of the Vex.
Armour 2.0 is going to double-down on the stats.Â It appears as though players’ gear will now incorporate more mod slots and you’ll be able to slot in multiple types to create much more bespoke build. Bungie talked about how in the past it had shied away from the MMORPG label, but was now doubling down on depth and detail.
There’s now a better emphasis on PvP.
There will be no more console exclusive content for Destiny 2. Everything from weapons to maps will be available across all platforms.

Check out the video documentary below for more information. Suffice to say, the old Bungie is back and better than ever!


Superman Legacy Finds Its Man Of Steel & Lois Lane

DC Studios boss James Gunn has confirmed that the upcoming Superman Legacy cast has finally found its lead actors. David Corenswet will play Clark Kent AKA Kal-El AKA Superman and Rachel Brosnahan will play Lois Lane. Corenswet is best known for his breakout role in Netflix’s The Politician, while Brosnahan is famous for her role in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Accurate! (They are not only both incredible actors, but also wonderful people). https://t.co/1FtwYIDeYj
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) June 27, 2023

Superman Legacy will be directed by James Gunn, but none of the rest of the cast members has been revealed yet. It is slated to premiere on 11 July 2025.
According to Warner Bros’ official logline, Superman Legacy tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.
Superman Legacy will be the first movie in the newly rebooted DCU or DC Universe. You can read more about that in detail by heading over here for my previous coverage.


Certain Affinity Teases “New And Exciting Things” For Halo Infinite

Certain Affinity has actually been working with 343 Industries on Halo Infinite for a while now. Now, Certain Affinity has finally announced that they will be “deepening” their relationship with 343 Industries in a new blog post. However, they didn’t reveal any details about what exactly they would be working on.
The statement reads:
We’ve been part of the Halo franchise for more than 15 years and we’re honored to say we are deepening our relationship with 343 and have been entrusted with further evolving Halo Infinite in some new and exciting ways. Join us on our journey.
Hiring now for all disciplines across Austin, Toronto, and Remote – See our Careers page for full information.
They’re also hiring, which means that they’re probably ramping up development on something. There are rumours that this could be a Halo Infinite battle royale mode or a new multiplayer mode that is more “newcomer-friendly” experience that isn’t as demanding competitively than existing multiplayer modes, Big Team Battle and Arena (via Windows Central).
Halo Infinite Season 2 Lone Wolves launches on 3 May 2022.


World Of Warcraft: Battle For Azeroth Is Getting An Awesome-Sounding Horde/Alliance Raid

Blizzard has announced that a new epic Raid, Battle of Dazarâ€™alor, has arrived in World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth. It’s a nine-boss raid that features faction-specific encounters against iconic Horde or Alliance leaders, such as High Tinker Mekkatorque and King Rastakhan.
What makes this brand new Raid especially historic is that for the first time ever in the MMORPG’s 15-year history, players will be able to experience this conflict from the perspectives of both factions.

Besides that, today also marks the start of Mythic Keystone Dungeon Season 2, with the addition of a new supernatural seasonal affix: Reaping. Throughout the dungeon, players will be tormented by the resurrected souls of their enemies, thanks to Bwonsamdi, the Loa of Death, who will be summoned by high-level Keystones.
World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth PvP Season 2 starts today as well, including new rewards like a new mount and the seasonal Sinister Gladiator armor set. Players who earn 500 Conquest points through PvP activities including Arenas, Battlegrounds, and Assaults in War Mode will still be able to choose a piece of gear from each weekâ€™s selection, in addition to earning Quartermasterâ€™s Coins, which can be used to upgrade pieces from this seasonâ€™s Sinister Gladiator PvP set.
Last but not least, Azerite armor items earned from Season 2 PvP, the Battle of Dazarâ€™alor raid, World Quest Emissaries, and the Mythic Keystone vendor Thaumaturge Vashreen in Zuldazar and Boralus, will feature a fifth ring of potent new Azerite armor traits. Players should also be glad to learn that rewards from activities like Normal and Heroic dungeons and the recently-added Battle for Darkshore Warfront have been upgraded.


Apex Legends’ Sun Squad Event Brings In Swimsuits

Earlier this week, the official Apex Legends Twitter account teased their fans on adding a swimsuit skin to the game.

Well, it’s finally time to hit the beach in Apex Legends, it seems! Respawn Entertainment is finally quenching the thirst of their fans with the long awaited swimsuit skins. The battle royale’s next collection event is a summer-themed Sun Squad event which kicks off next week on Tuesday, March 28.

NEW LIMITED-TIME MODE: HEATWAVE
HEATWAVE is a new limited-time mode that turns up the heat on the Apex Games. The game mode will have the usual Trio rules, with a little twist. Heatwaves will periodically happen throughout the match forcing players to take cover indoors or under objects so they don’t take heat damage. If however you are caught out in the open, sliding is the only way to cool you down. Heatshields have been increased in size for this particular event and will protect you from a large area from the sun for moments when you are also caught out. However, they will be destroyed very quickly if used outside of the ring.
Care Packages are said to have an item that helps mitigate the effects of the sun while looking cool doing it.
SUN SQUAD COLLECTION EVENT ITEMS

Fans will have 24 limited-time event cosmetics available for purchase, a free reward tracker that come with various prizes, and an Heirloom for those who buy out the complete event store, and this event collection is for Ash. As usual, all of the event cosmetics will be available to purchase through Apex coins, crafting materials or Sun Squad event packs that you can get from the store. For the first time in a long time, this event features cosmetics that are all new, plus it’s a new aesthetic that’s been highly requested for years in game.

Unlocking them all gets you Ash’s “Strongest Link” Heirloom!
REWARD TRACKER

Players can earn up to 1,600 points per day and challenges also refresh daily. These challenges stack with the Battle Pass so players can finish multiple challenges all at once.
THE STORE

The store will feature limited-time offers including the Sub-Mirage or the Shoreline Savior Bundles available from March 28th to April 11th. There will be weekly offers like Bangalore’s Bring The Pain Bundle available from March 31st to April 4th only and Lifeline’s Breach And Clear Bundle which will only be available from April 4th to April 11th.
PATCH NOTES
WEAPON CRAFTING

EVA-8 enters the replicator
30-30 Repeater enters the replicator
Longbow DMR returns to the floor
Volt SMG returns to the floor

LEGENDS UPDATE
Ash – Arc Snare

Cooldown decreased from 25s to 20s
Travel speed increased from 700 to 1200
Tether activation delay and snare grow time decreased by about 50% (The Arc Snare will more reliably hit intended targets)

QUALITY OF LIFE

Hide in-world item UI’s when aiming down the sight
Hide in-world crafting UI’s in the center of the screen when aiming down the sight

BUG FIXES

[Perks] Extended Supply Bins will more reliably give survival items in some cases when they are needed.
[Perks] Weapon Supply Bins will more reliably give attachments to teammates in specific edge cases.
[Perks]  Both Weapon and Extended Supply Bins no longer spawn in close proximity to Bins of the same type.
Fixed a bug where re-rolling Daily Challenges would not produce the intended result of providing a non-mode dependent challenge.
Fixed issue with players experiencing a loud start-up noise when starting a Team Deathmatch game with reactive weapon skin equipped.
[Seer] Fixed bug where Seer could always see enemies with his passive since the UI updates to the minimap.
[Octane] Fixed the bug where players could not cycle their weapons when using the Stim tactical while on a zipline.
[Pathfinder ] fix for cases when landing onto a Jump Pad after using any length grappling hook will cause it to go extended cooldown.
Fix for cases where players could not reload their gun when standing close to Wattson’s Pylon and aiming at it.
[Xbox Series X Only] Fixed a bug with chat messages where the first message would not be received by the other party member who is on Xbox.
Reduced the smoke VFX for Peacekeeper’s “Frostbite” reactive skin for better visibility in low-light areas.
[DX12] Fixed bug where the player’s crosshairs would be disabled when Anti-Aliasing is set to ‘None’ and Aspect Ratio is not native.
[DX12] Game no longer letterboxes when the aspect ratio is greater than 16:0 (in DX12, windowed)
Fix for cases where the minimap would show a completely different location for Crypto when using the drone.


Call Of Duty League Will Stream Exclusively On Twitch

With the Call of Duty League’s opening weekend only hours away, it’s finally been confirmed that the league will no longer be streamed on YouTube and will now exclusively stream on Twitch.
Check out the piece we did for beginners getting into CoD esports
The Call of Duty League (CDL) sees 12 of the best teams in Call of Duty set to battle it out in the Major 1 qualifiers ahead of the LAN launch event in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Since the league’s inauguration, matches had been exclusively streamed on YouTube. It was assumed that the partnership would continue into this season but we couldn’t be more wrong as it was announced on Twitter today that the CDL has now moved over to Twitch.

The season starts tomorrow, here's where to watch ? pic.twitter.com/kvtBtq7LAo
— Call of Duty League (@CODLeague) December 2, 2022

So 2023 CDL matches will now be available to watch on Twitch and the official Call of Duty League website. The lack of mention of YouTube indicates that the platform will no longer be a streaming location for the CDL season.
Rumours around the scene knew that YouTube’s deal with the CDL was coming to a close in January 2023 but no one really knew if the league was going to stay with YouTube or move over to Twitch. So this announcement seemingly comes out of nowhere. The CDL also released an official blog post with all the additional details of when and where to watch.
However, the CDL or Twitch are yet to comment further on the move and what type of deal has been made between the two organizations moving forward.


Blizzard Shows Off New Overwatch Hero At BlizzCon – Moira

Blizzard revealed the newest hero at BlizzCon last night, the David Bowie-cosplaying geneticist Moira. A support healer, she’s a Talon agent who seems to be an amalgamation of Mercy and Sombra thanks to herÂ  close-ranged healing coupled with stealth and ability to nullify damage done onto her teammates. Check out the reveal trailer below:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9pa8FVBU68&w=560&h=315]
Details are still sketchy on when she will officially join the roster of playable heroes, but folks at BlizzCon will be able to go hands on with her on the show floor so expect details to trickle in. In addition to the new character reveal, the Overwatch team showed off Blizzard World, the new Overwatch map that draws inspiration of Blizzard’s different games. A hybrid map that’s half-Assault, half-Payload, it will go live early 2018 and arrive on the PTR very soon.


After 2 Years, Tokido Has Finally Beaten Daigo Umehara In A First-To-7 SFV Bout

The two most prolific Japanese pro fighting game players recently duked it out in Street Fighter V to sort out a two-year long rivalry in first-to-10 battledom. The duo in question? Daigo Umehara and Tokido.
These two fighting game legends are Japan’s “god of fighting games”: both Daigo Umehara and Tokido has been in the Street Fighter scene for a very long time. The former is known for making insane comebacks and solidifying his defence, while the latter is renowned for his use of Akuma since Street Fighter IV.
The pair faced off in the final set of the Topanga Championship 2020 where their fights are almost familiar to the Kemonomichi 2 first-to-10 bout where Daigo’s Guile wall took down Tokido’s Akuma barrage. That fight ended up 10-5 in Daigo’s favour.

This time, however, the landslide win goes to Tokido, who took 7-0 against the Beast.

MURDER REVENGE! @tokidoki77 #TOPANGACHAMPIONSHIP pic.twitter.com/LysQZWBIL5
— HiFight(??????) (@HiFightTH) March 15, 2020

Right after that last set (via HiFightTH), Tokido broke down in tears of joy before standing up and bowing to his worthy adversary. For context, Daigo Umehara has always been the de facto king of long sets because he usually can “download” a player’s habits and tactics before destroying them. Tokido has beaten Daigo in standard best two out of three matches or so, but not in these kinds of endurance contests.
After The Fight…
Post-match, it seems that Tokido looked like he was in control for all of the 7 fights. Either the battle was finished with Akuma confirming into Critical Arts, or having Guile pushed back to the corner and trying to fight back without resources. Daigo was doing his best, but was unable to win a single game against his opponent.
Tokido had this to say during his victory speech (via HiFightTH):

“I’ve never been so glad that I play fighting game[s] as much as today. I’m super happy right now. I’ve been practising every single day, and in the end, I think that hard work doesn’t pay off that often.”

Check out the highlight reel below to see a new entry in fighting game history cemented in 2020.


The Next Fable Game Will Use The Forza Engine

Xbox’s next big in-house role-playing game will be using the same engine that’s powering its key racing games, according to a new job listing.
The latest Microsoft job listing is concerning a software engineer position at Turn 10 Studios (the makers of the Forza games), who will be responsible for implementing new features in the ForzaTech engine, with one of them being ray tracing.
“In addition to adding new features like raytracing to support the next console generation, we are also enriching the toolset to support an open world action RPG â€“ Fable. [The successful applicant will have] a major impact on 3 AAA titles in development.”
ForzaTech has been used mostly for the Forza Horizon and Forza Motorsports games. We’re guessing the open worlds in the former series will be used to power up the upcoming Fable sequel, though it will take a lot of work. The listing also confirms that it’ll be a while until we see more news or even gameplay footage of the next Fable.


Borderlands 3 Maurice Black Market Vending Machine Location: 20th August

This week, we not only have a Borderlands 3 Loot The Universe event, we also have a new Maurice Black Market vending machine location. For the record, this week’s planet is focused on Promethea; all sources of Legendary world drops in Promethea (Killavolt, Ravager, Katagawa Ball, and so forth) will double & triple during this week’s Loot The Universe event.
Also, the Guardian Takedown gets a temporary nerf so that it’ll be slightly easier to complete with a group of pals. But let’s focus on this week’s vending machine location.
Where Is This Week’s Black Market Vending Machine?
It’s in Promethea, appropriately enough. The machine is located at Meridian Metroplex; from the spawn point, take a vehicle of your choice to drive straight, then turn left. Immediately head right after that, but take the right-most small lane to the top. You’ll find the Black Market vending machine there.

Here are the Legendary Weapons and Gear you can score:

Bearcat Rifle
DNA SMG
Fastball Grenade

Just buy a ton of DNA SMGs; it’s a pretty decent alternative to the Cutsman and Kyb’s Worth SMGs. Ignore the other two weapons.


Netflix Series Inside Job Season 2 Has Been Cancelled

Netflix has officially pulled the plug on Inside Job. The adult animated series will not return to the streaming platform after all.
Following rumours of the Inside Job’s premature cancellation, series creator and writer Shion Takeuchi confirmed the news via Twitter.

I’m sorry guys, it’s true.?#insidejob pic.twitter.com/MQZJ3S7gRD
— Shion Takeuchi (@shhhhhionn) January 9, 2023

According to PopCulture.com, word of Inside Job cancellation first surfaced in a pair of now-deleted tweets by one of the show’s writers, Chase Mitchell, on Saturday, January 7. “I hate posts like this but our show got cancelled on Friday,” Mitchell tweeted. “I dunno if I was allowed to say this but honestly that streamer does not care about animation anymore so who gives a shit.” leaving fans of the series feeling frustrated by the sudden news.
Upon its first premiere, Inside Job was received favourably by fans and critics alike. The series currently holds a 79% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes with praise for its witty comedy and mature themes. Its Season 1, Part 1 premiered on Netflix on October 2021 and consists of 10 episodes. The show returned with Season 1, Part 2 on November 2022. Part 2 includes 8 episodes, making the grand total of the whole Season 1 to 18 episodes. In June 2022, it was announced the show was renewed for a second season. However, the decision now has been reversed.

Do you think the show deserves to be axed? We sure don’t. You can catch season one of Inside Job now on Netflix.


SteamWorld Build Announced For 2023; Demo Out Now

Image & Form Games and Thunderful have announced a new SteamWorld game, and it’s about building an underground factory & overworld city.
The simulation is called SteamWorld Build, and it’s coming out for PC and consoles later in 2023. In SteamWorld Build, you create industrial factories and underground mines, building a solid town that is thriving while dealing with underground critters as you mine for resources and build a fort to keep enemies out. All the while the game is keeping its trademark steampunk and robots.
Story-wise, SteamWorld Build takes place after the ending of SteamWorld Dig 2; the game focuses on a father and daughter trying to make it in a new colony.

If you rather just play it for yourself, SteamWorld Build’s demo is out right now for you to check out. Personally, I love that the SteamWorld series is growing bigger since SteamWorld Dig and Dig 2; I’m more than curious to see how this overworld and underworld gameplay unfolds.


One Of 2021’s Best Zelda Clones Has A Huge-As-Heck Artbook!

2021 was blessed with the indie-made action-adventure title Chicory: A Colorful Tale, which is parts The Legend of Zelda, part colour-your-own artbook, and part narrative about imposter syndrome and how to deal with it. We gave it 100/100 for being an honest game that’s really fun and creative.
Years later, we finally get to buy the game’s lovely official artbook. The Chicory artbook features 189 pages of concept artwork and finished pieces, along with development and concept notes, from the game’s layout artist Hayley Ng. The book features concept drawings, sketches, articles, interviews, and never-seen-before characters who were cut from the final game. Here are a few samples:

It’s now on sale digitally for US$5, so go buy it here if you want to see more Chicory! If you still haven’t played the game, you should: the Steam link’s here and it’s also available on Xbox Game Pass.


Brown Dust II Is A Neowiz RPG With Waifus For Gacha; In Early Access Next Week

Publisher Neowiz and developer Gamefs N are throwing their proverbial hats in the mobile RPG gacha ring with their new title Brown Dust II.
It’s another mobile game in the long line of other gacha titles: that anime look cribbing off Granblue Fantasy and other older JRPGs with that Yusuke Mogi style (but chibi), waifus aplenty, and a fantasy setting. The gameplay has you moving your JRPG characters within a 3×3 tileset, doing attacks and special spells. Check out the trailer below.

If that all sounds like your cup of tea, Brown Dust II’s Early Access test will be available from 10 January to 17 January for Android devices. You can sign up here on the game’s official website.


Batgirl Won’t Fly In Theaters & HBO Max, Despite Being Nearly Finished & Costing US$90 Million

Sorry, Batgirl fans waiting for a standalone movie for the upcoming sidekick heroine.
Warner Bros Discovery will not be releasing its upcoming Batgirl movie in theaters and on streaming service HBO Max. The film stars In The Heights actress Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon and costs up to US$90 million to produce due to reshoots, shutdowns, and COVID-19 issues.
But why though? Leads of the studio making the film decided ultimately, and so late in the project too, that despite the increased budget and reshoots, that the movie simply did not work (via New York Post). The studio is committed to making DC titles big event films, and Batgirl isn’t that, though the film’s directors (Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah) and star will be doing a different project since the higher-ups loved them.
This isn’t the only Warner Bros production that is shelved and with such a huge amount of money: animated feature Scoob! Holiday Haunt is also not coming out and that project costs US$40 million or so. In any case, comic book fans who want a more diverse take on the superheroine will be disappointed.


We Talk To Gattai Games’ Justin Ng About Stifled & Horror Gaming

What makes an effective horror game? Sometimes it may be the thrills and the jump scares, but other times it’s the atmosphere and sense of dread that makes your heart pound faster than usual.
We went to an expert in horror games, Justin Ng of Gattai Games, since he made a standalone demo and a full-fledged game based on that called Stifled. It’s pretty good if you’re into echolocation scares and horror. On this special Talk Cock Sing Song episode, Justin talks about horror games, his own creations, and what’s in store for Gattai Games’ future. You don’t want to miss this, indie gaming fans!
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/2194349044144997/?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBfDQkjuoeq-nzQiC0O68m5tDefm7EqYP7KG1gEXR1huUg9q3yPm6y0_JRbXhnq3ThACcm39hGQrBRtIYkAnY7ULODnUkHuNMm-0o249KAfsnDO3yPeCssusnkb_nuYeEuktwTT6dd5ez_37qg_r4Y3eQaoij0si5vV5aEjh0O88-WTBYc0wQ&__tn__=-R


Is China’s Convallaria The Next Big Looter Shooter?

The age of looter shooters and battle royale games are far from over. In the former’s case, a new Asian contender is about to enter the match.
Convallaria is an upcoming multiplayer third-person shooter being developed by Chinese studio Loong Force. A new gameplay trailer debuted at ChinaJoy 2019. Check it out here:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29VJjp13ywY&w=560&h=315]
Judging from what I’m seeing in the trailer, it might be a looter shooter seeing as how it borrows a few similar elements from games like Destiny and Borderlands. Enemies seem to drop different-coloured loot and players have a floating mini-robot not unlike the Ghosts in Destiny.

The trailer also showed some players deploying shields and activating what seems to be an EMP blast. It seems similar to class-based skill systems in other games of the genre.

Personally, I think the game is an obvious mish-mash of popular games available today. The look of the characters remind me of Fortnite. The jetpack traversal has an Anthem feel to it. Now that I think about it, it just seems like Dauntless with guns…
However, I did observe that there can be up to 5 players playing together which is one player higher compared to the squads-of-four we usually see in looter shooters. So there’s that.
There’s no official release date yet but like most games being shown at ChinaJoy 2019, there is a playable demo at the event which suggests that the game is somewhere near completion.
Convallaria will be a PS4 exclusive and there’s no confirmation of an English version yet.


Dragon Quest Tact Is Launching Worldwide Later This Month

Square Enix and developer Aiming have announced that Tactical RPG mobile game Dragon Quest TactÂ will launch for iOS via theÂ App StoreÂ and Android viaÂ Google PlayÂ on 27 January 2021.
Pre-registration is available now. A limited time â€œKing Slimeâ€ early access bonus will be available to all players at launch.
InÂ Dragon Quest Tact, players can befriend, train, and lead a team of monsters to victory with the following features:

Build the Ultimate Monster TeamÂ â€“ Assemble a roster of monsters both cuddly and terrifying! Train, equip, and customize them to make them your very own.

Outwit Your Enemies in BattleÂ â€“ Orchestrate your monstersâ€™ movements in a pocket-sized tactical experience. Pick-up-and-play controls and deep tactical elements give experts and newcomers something to enjoy. Study the battlefield and outwit your foes on-the-go.

Every Monster Has a PlaceÂ â€“ Monsters of all rarity levels and strengths have a role to play! Resourceful players will be rewarded on the Battle Road, where monsters of all power levels will be required.

A Rich and Vibrant Adventure AwaitsÂ â€“ Long ago, when an evil force brought the world of Orchesterra to the brink of destruction, a legendary hero led a loyal band of monsters in defiance. Thanks to their courage and wit, the dark lord was sealed away, bringing peace to the world. Ages have passed, and once again the threat of evil looms over Orchesterra; will you rise to the task?

In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Xbox Series Gets 2TB & 512 GB Storage Expansion Cards Later This Year

Good news, Xbox console owners! You’ll be getting new Seagate-branded storage expansion cards for your Xbox Series X and S later this year.
The problem? It’s not going to come cheap. Seagate will be rolling out its proprietary storage expansion cards in two flavours: a 512GB card and a 2TB card. These two cards work just like the current 1TB storage expansion card; plug it into the port on the rear of the console to use it. They run just as efficient and as fast as an SSD drive; similar to the PS5’s M2 SSDs.
The 512GB will sell for US$140 and the 2TB will sell for US$400. It’s 2021, and it seems like NVMe storage options will not be going down in price anytime soon. The 512GB card will be available in mid-November, while the 2TB card will be out “early December”.
At this point in time, you can only play native Xbox Series X|S games on either the console’s internal storage or on these proprietary expansion cards due to the need for the game’s higher speeds. You can still move games to an external drive via USB but only backwards compatible games can be played from those.


[Report] Wu-Tang Clan Fantasy RPG In The Works

It’s been a while since we had a game featuring prominent rappers like the Wu-Tang Clan, with the last game being Wu-Tang Clan: Shaolin Style for the PS1. A few decades later, we may be getting another one.
According to the Xbox Two podcast, journalist Jez Corden allegedly heard that a Wu-Tang Clan RPG is in the works back in July. It’s codenamed Shaolin, it uses Wu-Tang Clan lore, and it’s a third-person fantasy action-RPG revolving around melee combat. It also has four-player co-op, a beefy campaign featuring seasonal content and end-game content, and it may be tailored after the mechanics and gameplay stylings of Minecraft Dungeons rather than the Diablo series. This rumour is backed up by GamesBeat writer Jeff Grub on his own show.
The game will be made by Microsoft and Brass Lion Entertainment; the latter company is led by Bioware veteran Manveer Heir, Def Jam Vendetta executive producer Bryna Dabby Smith, and Living Dark creative director Rashad Redic. Draw your own conclusions on whether the rumour is real or not, but 2022 onward deserves a Wu-Tang Clan RPG for consoles and PCs, no?


Gungrave Makes A G.O.R.E-y Return This 2022

Remember Yasuhiro Nightow’s Gungrave series & game back in the early 2000s? No? Well, you’re getting a comeback regardless.
Studio IGGYMOB and Prime Matter just unveiled a teaser trailer for the upcoming action game Gungrave G.O.R.E which is a possible sequel to the Gungrave series from the guy who made Trigun. Gungrave is about a guy who has two guns and a coffin for a melee weapon/shield. He was betrayed by his former partner and was brought back to life, hence the name Beyond The Grave. The game and anime series came out at a time when hyper action game Devil May Cry just started out, so it’s definitely a product of its time, albeit a kinda entertaining one.
Will we get a third-person shooter-slash-hack-and-slash hybrid with this upcoming game? I don’t know; the video below is CGI. Hopefully, the devs will show off more gameplay later down the line.
Check out the teaser trailer & accompanying screenshots below; Gungrave G.O.R.E will be out for Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS4, and PS5 in 2022.


Triangle Strategy Nails Tactical Role-Playing But Holds Itself Back

Platform: Nintendo Switch
Genre: Turn-based strategy game throwback to Tactics Ogre
Since the release of Octopath Traveler in 2018, Square Enix has expressed a newfound interest in its era of retro games, as well as the visual aesthetic known as HD-2D. Easily spotted by a depiction of pixelated 2D sprites in a lavish 3D world, we’re now seeing a trend in which new and old games alike are getting the HD-2D treatment.
Triangle Strategy represents the latest game to hop on the HD-2D train. In the same vein that Octopath was a spiritual successor to the classic Final Fantasy RPGs of the SNES era, this game is a love letter to Square Enix’s lineup of beloved strategy RPGs such as Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics. Is it any good though? Or is it just nostalgia fan service that rings hollow?
A Three-Way Conflict

The premise of Triangle Strategy is simple. You play as Serenoa, lord to House Wolffort of Glenbrook, one of three nations in the land of Norzelia. Yours is a country of bountiful green, contrasted against Aesfrost’s icy mountains and Hyzante’s scorching deserts. The three major nations have agreed to lay down arms and foster an era of peace, but political schemes in the shadows ensure that this peace is a short-lived one. As the flames of conflict flicker again, it’s up to you to navigate Serenoa and his army through battles and discover the truth behind the war.
The depth of politics and war in the story may not come as a surprise to fans of the SRPG genre. From the get-go, the game goes through great lengths to explain the state of the three nations, their economies and power, as well as how people are driven by scarce commodities like salt, or the furor of passionate nobles.
The world feels real – perhaps all too real when Aesfrost accuses Glenbrook of breaking its treaties, before leveraging this as a means to justify a military invasion on Glenbrook. With the monarchy taken over and turned into Aesfrost’s puppet, it makes for a gripping story as House Wolffort works to fight the war from the inside out, all while Hyzante also seeks to sink its opportunistic fangs wherever it can.
The storytelling of Triangle Strategy is filled with such expositions. Though the game throws you into a battle against some ruffians early on so you can get a taste for combat, the next hour or two is spent introducing key players and setting the stage for the story’s pivotal twist.
There’s an ever-ongoing debate about whether such lengthy stories are worthwhile in games, but I never found myself bored by the plot. When experiencing RPGs, I enjoy understanding the stakes at play as this lends to the emotional satisfaction of playing through specific battles. Triangle Strategy provides this in spades, weaving political intrigue and then striking characters with pain and doubt that give you the incentive to want to help them.
This is perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea and Triangle Strategy is certainly dense with text. Luckily, it also includes useful visual novel staples such as fast-forwarding and a text log, the latter of which is accessible even while exploring the world or making dialogue choices.
Burdens Shouldered Together
And speaking of dialogue choices, how you reply is crucial to Triangle Strategy’s progression. Whenever Serenoa is to speak his opinion, you are given three dialogue choices that govern each of three attributes: Morality, Utility, and Liberty. How you respond affects your alignment to these attributes, otherwise known as Convictions. This allows Serenoa to recruit new party members or sway the opinion of his comrades during crucial voting segments known as the Scales of Conviction.
The idea behind the Scales of Conviction is quite interesting, as you’ll have seven key allies who will each vote on how you will proceed with the story. Though their minds are either made up or undecided, you are given the chance to sway their opinion. This is usually done by exploring maps, gathering information by speaking to NPCs, and then choosing the right dialogue choices in an honest discussion. However, your Conviction stats are ultimately the determinant here, and your allies may still stick to their beliefs if your stats aren’t up to snuff.
I was thoroughly engaged with the voting system and its depiction of different moral roads in a bloody and unjust war. Characters express their views for and against certain choices, and while their hearts are often in the right place, the drawbacks of such choices in times of war are also plain to see.
That being said, voting system’s reliance on Conviction stats does come with flaws. While allies not budging from their views is a reasonable consequence of low Conviction, Conviction stats are also unfortunately hidden – or at least they are on a fresh New Game run. Without any way of observing your Conviction progress, it sometimes feels like a shot in the dark to try and improve your standing with certain characters – many of whom also have vague alignments of their own.
Certain actions in battle also affect your Convictions – the game constantly notifies you that Serenoa’s Convictions are being affected, but fails to reveal how they are being affected. Not knowing what to do in both these voting sessions and in battle cheapens the strategic incentive, and you’re left waddling through a 30-40 hour playthrough before you get to practically see any of this information on a New Game Plus run.
The game plays on the expectation that players should experience the fruits or consequences of their own choices. This may appeal to some, but it was hard for me to see the value in getting locked out of the best ending of a very long playthrough when I considered that it happened partly due to trivial reasons such as that time I didn’t say someone’s hair looked beautiful.
Flaws aside, the downtime and focus on story in Triangle Strategy is a welcome addition to the SRPG formula. You’re given the opportunity to wander and speak to NPCs to learn more about character motives and the lore. In exploring, you obtain useful items and can even study maps casually before they become hostile battlefronts. Though this can drag for those who just want in on the next action, Triangle Strategy’s downtime phases aren’t too strict and are usually much easier to speed through than, say, adhering to Fire Emblem Three Houses’ calendar system.
Tactical Triumph

When it comes to battles, Triangle Strategy takes inspiration from Square Enix’s own Tactics games, delivering 3D isometric environments with elevation. The maps in Triangle Strategy are clever, providing various useful paths that are sometimes only accessible by different characters.
Hughette, for example, rides an Eagle and can scale rooftops easily, where she can snipe enemies from above. Roland is a cavalry soldier, and though he moves swiftly across the map, he can’t climb ladders. Frederica can burn down barricades with her fire magic, opening a shortcut for your army. And the list goes on.
It also helps that these maps can get pretty dynamic when it comes to interactions. You can melt icy terrain with fire and strike at the puddles with lightning to inflict extra damage. Useful objects such as cables for transportation, oil traps, and more are also abundant, giving plenty of strategic choices aside from just abilities and stats.
The battle system itself is also robust yet easy to get into. Though some strategy games use a player and enemy phase for combat, Triangle Strategy instead utilizes a regular turn-based format, meaning that units will act one after another based on their speed rather than as a group.
Special abilities such as magic, inflicting poison, or shooting blinding arrows, cost TP. Though TP isn’t unlimited, it also slowly replenishes per turn, allowing players to have fun with skills and employ smart decision-making without needing to fuss about saving on resources.
Attacking enemies from behind guarantees a critical hit, while performing a pincer attack will have your ally on the other end perform a follow-up attack. The fact that enemies can also use these tactics and sometimes outnumber you can also change up position dynamics in an exciting way.
In Triangle Strategy, your units aren’t quite customizable and instead stick to a single role. Healers are healers and swordsmen are swordsmen. You can promote these units to more powerful versions of their class, thus gaining access to more max TP and better abilities, but this is a mostly linear process. This approach is no doubt easier to grasp but leaves a lot to be desired when you have certain characters you prefer more than others.
Likewise, strengthening characters’ weapons at the Smithy isn’t at all impressive. Raising Anna’s accuracy, for instance, will cost materials that are obtainable as drops from enemies. They’re marginal upgrades that are gated behind grinding, with the payoff sometimes being entirely unnoticeable for the amount of effort put in.
It’s clear here that although Triangle Strategy is a spiritual successor to the Tactics games, it is also striving to be a less convoluted one. Progression systems have been drastically simplified compared to other games within the genre and units are deemed useful or less than useful solely by their utility. The choice paralysis of how to customize your giant roster of units is pretty much removed but at expense of being able to adapt your favorite characters to the game’s strategy dynamics. I can see the reasoning behind these design decisions, but the lack of player expression strikes as a bit of a disappointment for an RPG veteran such as myself.
A Worthy Successor?

Like Octopath Traveler before it, Triangle Strategy is a HD-2D title that carefully weighs itself between capturing the spirit of older games while also shouldering its own identity. It lands this for the most part as the story is intriguing, albeit dense, with story branches and endings that encourage replayability. Combat is fulfilling and expertly designed atop an old formula, providing satisfying tactical avenues for players. The music is incredible, with moods that encapsulate the heat of battle and transitions that capture the excitement of impending victory. I can firmly see this as a great introductory tactical RPG, seeing as it captures the essence of the genre without piling too much information on the player.
From a veteran perspective, while Triangle Strategy certainly scratches that itch, it can be somewhat limiting with its progression mechanics. Materials earned for upgrades sometimes boil down to luck, and levels eventually become the end-all-be-all for success in a map. This at times leads to frustration that you are being forced to grind to win rather than being allowed to cleverly use your wits.
Both nostalgic and modern, Triangle Strategy is a well-designed strategy RPG that wields beautiful visuals as it does an engaging story. While it never lives up to the complexity of its predecessors, its willingness to so avidly place its players within the scope of its wartorn lands sets it apart as an excellent title for genre fans and newcomers in its own right.
Pros

Great turn-based strategy gameplay.
Amazing visuals and art styyle.

Cons

Scales of Convictions is vague and arbitrary.
Can be too basic for some strategy player veterans.

Final Score: 70/100

Review copy provided by Square Enix on release date.


Korea’s LoL Team For Asian Games Comprises Of Mostly T1 Players

T1, the dominant force in the LCK league, will be heavily represented in South Korea’s national League of Legends team for the upcoming 2022 Asian Games, as revealed by the Korean e-Sports Association (KeSPA) in their announcement on 24 May. This six-man squad will proudly represent the country in Hanghzou, China, during the 19th Asian Games.
T1 takes the lead with three players securing their spots: Choi “Zeus” Woo-je, Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, and Ryu “Keria” Min-seok. JD Gaming, the winners of MSI 2023, followed closely behind, with Seo “Kanavi” Jin-hyeok and Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk making the team. The final player on the roster is Gen.G’s Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon, who will be competing with Faker for playing time, adding an extra layer of anticipation to the team dynamics.
KeSPA’s selection process involved a comprehensive evaluation of players’ performances over the past two years, both in domestic and international competitions, including the recently concluded MSI 2023, as well as considering individual accolades. Eligibility was limited to players who were at least 16 years old as of February 2023 and who competed in one of the four major regions (LCK, LPL, LEC, and LCS).
Leading the national team as coach will be Kim “kkOma” Jeong-gyun, renowned for guiding SK Telecom T1 to consecutive Worlds titles in 2015 and 2016. This marks a significant milestone for esports, as the Asian Games will include official medal events for esports for the first time.
Apart from League of Legends, South Korea will also be fielding national teams in PUBG Mobile, FIFA Online 4, and Street Fighter 5, further showcasing their dedication and prowess across multiple gaming disciplines.
Scheduled to take place from 23 September to 8 October, the 19th Asian Games will be hosted in Hangzhou, China. Originally slated for September 2022, the event had to be postponed due to the global health crisis, making the anticipation for these highly competitive and exhilarating games even greater.
Top Laner: Choi “Zeus” Woo-je (T1)
Jungler: Seo “Kanavi” Jin-hyeok (JD Gaming)
Mid Laners: Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok (T1), Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon (Gen.G)
AD Carry: Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk (JD Gaming)
Support: Ryu “Keria” Min-seok (T1)


The Razer Basilisk V3 Is Now Available In Malaysia

Razerâ„¢, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers (Hong Kong Stock Code: 1337), today announced the new Razer Basilisk V3 wired gaming mouse packed with only the best features for advanced customizability. With 10+1 programmable buttons, an intelligent scroll wheel to swap between modes, and a heavy dose of Razer Chromaâ„¢ RGB, it’s time to light up the competition.
Designed for anyone and everyone

Since its initial launch in 2017, the Basilisk family has seen continuous improvements, resulting in a line of gaming mice that gamers can make into their own. The Razer Basilisk has become a beacon for gamers in need of a feature-rich mouse, perfect for customizability and performance.
â€œThe Basilisk V3 further improves upon its predecessors, checking all the boxes on features a gamer would want in a customizable, adjustable mouse,â€ says Alvin Cheung, Senior Vice President of Razerâ€™s Peripherals Business Unit. â€œAttention to detail is key when addressing gamersâ€™ needs, and with the new innovative scroll wheel on the Basilisk V3, our designers have taken usability and customizability to the next level.â€
The best in smart scrolling

Gamers can enjoy full control with a variety of customization options presented in the Basilisk V3 through both hardware and software implementations. The Basilisk V3 sports the newly engineered, smart Razer HyperScroll Tilt Wheel for a seamless and unparalleled scrolling experience. Users can enable it to automatically shift between modes, or toggle between three additional unique modes â€“ Tactile Scrolling, Smart-Reel, and Free-Spin Scrolling.

Tactile Scrolling Mode: For high-precision and distinct notched scrolling, ideal for cycling through weapons or skills.
Smart-Reel Mode: Enabled via Razer Synapse, the scroll wheel automatically shifts from tactile to free-spin mode when you scroll faster.
Free-Spin Scrolling Mode: For smooth, high-speed scrolling, perfect for covering content quickly or emulating repeated game commands.

The Basilisk V3 scroll wheel also features Virtual Acceleration, which increases the mouseâ€™s scroll speed the faster itâ€™s spun, allowing navigation through lengthy documents and articles at an even quicker rate. Virtual Acceleration can be toggled through Razer Synapse, giving the user another way to further make the Basilisk V3 their own.
Play it your way, like never before

With 10 easy-access buttons and 1 customizable profile-switch button underneath the mouse, quick essential actions like push-to-talk, ping, macros and secondary functions can be re-programmed to each mouse button. Profiles can also be saved and switched seamlessly between programs and with up to five onboard memory profiles, you can properly game anywhere, anytime.
The Basilisk V3 is upgraded with 11 Razer Chroma lighting zones all over the mouse and an underglow that sweeps around the form to bask the mouse in a glorious Chroma RGB glow with over 16.8 million colours and countless lighting effects. With currently over 150 Chroma-integrated games, its lighting will intelligently sync and interact with in-game events.
Great features galore

The Razer Basilisk V3 is also equipped with the Razer Focus+ 26K DPI Optical Sensor. The most advanced and precise sensor in the world features intelligent functions like Asymmetric Cut-Off, giving users the ability to customize their lift-off and landing distance depending on their needs. Experience crisp, purposeful clicks thanks to the Razer Optical Mouse Switches Gen-2 with an actuation speed of 0.2ms that also eliminates any risk of unintended double clicks.
Through a combination of both new and world-renowned Razer mouse features, the Basilisk V3 comes together as the ultimate gaming mouse for customization â€“ no matter the game or task.
For more information on the Focus+ 26K DPI Optical Sensor, seeÂ here.
For more information on the Razer Basilisk V3, please seeÂ here.
ABOUT THE RAZER BASILISK V3

10+1 independently programmable buttons
4-way Razerâ„¢ HyperScroll tilt wheel with electronically actuated notched and free-spinning modes
11 Razer Chromaâ„¢ lighting zones with true 16.8 million customizable color options
True 26,000 DPI Focus+ optical sensor with 99.6% resolution accuracy
Up to 650 inches per second (IPS) / 50 G acceleration
Advanced Lift-off/Landing distance customizationÂ
Razerâ„¢ Optical Mouse Switches Gen-2 rated for 70M clicks
On-The-Fly Sensitivity Adjustment (Default stages: 400/800/1600/3200/6400)
Ergonomic right-handed design with injection molded rubber grips
Hybrid On-board and Cloud Storage (4+1 profiles)
Razer Synapse 3 enabledÂ Â Â
1.8 m / 6 ft Speedflex cable
Approximate size: 129 mm / 5.1 in (Length) x 62 mm / 2.44 in (Grip Width) x 43 mm / 1.70 in (Height)
Approximate weight: 101g (Excluding cable)

PRICE & AVAILABILITY
The Razer Basilisk V3 is now available at selected retail and online outlets at RM329.00.


Battlefield V Hits New Theatres Of War For Free This Weekend

The next Battlefield V expansion, Chapter 5: War In The Pacific, is slated to launch in update 5.0 on 31 October 2019, bringing with it content like new factions, weapons, vehicles, elites and rewards.
What’s interesting is that everyone can experience Battlefield V Chapter 5: War In The Pacific by taking part in the free trial this weekend, from 1 November to 4 November 2019.
Battlefield V Chapter 5: War In The Pacific will add the following:

New factions

U.S. Armed Forces
Imperial Japanese Army

New maps

Iwo Jima
Pacific Storm
Wake Island (Coming In December)

New weapons

Type 99 Arisaka bolt-action rifle (Recon class)
Type 100 Japanese SMG (Medic class)
M1919A6 medium machine gun (Support class)

New battle pickups

Katana
M2 Flamethrower

New vehicles

M4 Sherman
Type 97
LVT and Ka-Mi Light Amphibious Tanks
Dinghy
MB Jeep
Type 95 car
F4U Corsair
Japanese Zero Fighter

New elites

Jack Culver
Keisuke Nakamura

How To Take Part In The Battlefield V Free Weekend

Players across all platforms can already pre-download the upcoming Battlefield V free weekend by heading to the following links:

Origin (PC)
PlayStation Store (PS4)
Xbox One

Progression will be saved and carried over if free weekend trial players purchase the full version of Battlefield V on any platform afterwards. In the meantime, check out the explosive new trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZa6gEalKFs&w=560&h=315]


Little Kitty, Big City Announced; Trailer Features A Lot Of Cute

2022 might be the year where we get not one cat game, but two! First with the sci-fi game Stray, and now with this new indie title called Little Kitty, Big City.
Little Kitty, Big City is an upcoming game for PC where you play a kitten who needs to get back home. As the title implies, the kitten is lost in the big city and will be coming across a ton of things to do like playing with boxes to leading a pack of ducks to safety.
Sounds like a simple adventure game with some of that little kitten charm going on. Also, you get to dress the kitten up with hats. Lots and lots of hats.

Little Kitty, Big City is coming out on 2022 and is from indie studio Double Dagger Studio. Check out the cuteness in action below:


Doom Patrol Season 3 Is Still The Strangest & Most Fun Superhero Series Out There

Out of all the DC shows, Doom Patrol has been one of the consistently good ones. It somewhat remains a miracle that it hasn’t been cancelled, considering all the bizarre and out-of-this-world things that have happened on the show so far. Doom Patrol Season 3 is the first season of the series to be on HBO Max after moving from the now-defunct DC Universe streaming app.
The Strangest Heroes Of All

Doom Patrol Season 3 picks up directly after the ending of Season 2, but even if you’ve forgotten what’s happened since, don’t worry, because the new season moves forward and doesn’t dwell much on what transpired in the previous season. The team is still reeling from the death of one of their own from last season, and so everyone isÂ recovering from the traumatic twists and turns of Season 2.
The crux of Doom Patrol since the first season has always been the exploration of the character’s deepest regrets and internal emotional issues. It’s perhaps the best live-action DC Comics series out there in terms of embracing the weirdness and zaniness of the comics and source material.
The series is best when even with all the strangeness of interdimensional beings and literal living streets, there’s still room for a lot of authentic and moving human drama. None of it feels forced or cringe-worthy, unlike other DC Comics TV series like the ones on CW (Arrow, The Flash, etc.) or even compared to HBO’s own Titans.
The MVP of the series remains Brendan Fraser’s Cliff Steele AKA Robotman. Despite being restricted to an unexpressive robotic body and face, Fraser has managed to convey levels of complex emotions via his voice and mannerisms alone, which is an impressive feat. The Brendan Fraser renaissance/revelation continues and it’s all thanks to Doom Patrol that the actor is able to showcase his amazing acting chops after years of being stuck in smaller roles.
It’s bizarre but apt that two of the best characters are voiced and physically acted by different people. Most viewers won’t even realise it unless they look it up. Cliff Steele AKA Robotman is voiced by Brendan Fraser and physically acted by Riley Shanahan, while Larry Trainor AKA Negative Man is voiced by Matt Bomer and physically acted by Matthew Zuk.

Dastardly Villains
The Brain.
What does it say about the series’ tone when the introduction of new character Lara De Mille AKA Madame Rouge (played by Michelle Gomez of Doctor Who‘s Missy fame) is by drilling out of the ground with her time machine and immediately relieving herself by peeing right there in the middle of the street. Her performance here is probably a bit more subdued version of her Missy in Doctor Who, and that’s what Michelle Gomez excels at.
If you’ve seen the trailer for Doom Patrol Season 3 (which I’ve included at the end of this review), you’ll also know that this season introduces the iconic villains known as The Brotherhood Of Evil. In the comics, the Brotherhood Of Evil was founded by the Brain and his partner, the talking French gorilla with a machine gun named Monsieur Mallah. They consisted of many other villains as well, including Madame Rouge. This is their historic live-action debut, but theyâ€™ve previously appeared in animation before; most notably in the 2003 Teen Titans animated series on Cartoon Network.
Monsieur Mallah.
This version of The Brotherhood Of Evil is unexpected, to say the least. They’re funnier and prone to jokes, which is in line with the tone of the series. The Brain is supposed to be a criminal mastermind but this version is more akin to a mob boss or something, while the CGI for Monsieur Mallah is great… for what little screentime they have. Unfortunately, they barely appear in the first five episodes of this season. That’s almost five hours with only one scene featuring the duo, which is a shame.
If (like me) you’re going into Doom Patrol Season 3 hoping to see The Brain and Monsieur Mallah in all their glory, it’s better to temper your expectations from the get-go. I’ve only seen the first five episodes and the remaining five episodes might feature a lot more of them, but yeah, there won’t be much of them earlier on. As a consolation, you do get a taste of Michelle Gomez’s Madame Rouge, so at least there’s that.
There’s also not much actual action in Doom Patrol Season 3’s first five episodes, just like in previous seasons, but well, it was never a conventional superhero series in the first place. Each character is still struggling with their inner demons, and the series continues to probe into that, as viewers go on this personal and intimate journey with the characters. With the introduction of The Brotherhood Of Evil (who is one of the main arch-nemesis of Doom Patrol and the Teen Titans), perhaps weâ€™ll see a crossover between Doom Patrol and Titans in the near future? Only time will tell.
Of Butts And Zombies
A Were-Butt.
Once again, the series accomplishes what other series like Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy can only hope to achieve. There’s probably no other superhero show as eager to embrace its kooky side as Doom Patrol is (DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow is an honourable mention, I guess), and that’s the legacy of this show.
Plus, where else can we witness Were-Butts (yes, you read that right, like Were-Wolves, but with butts), the main characters turning into actual zombies or Brendan Fraser spontaneously speaking and swearing in Japanese? Me? I’m in it just for more of Brendan Fraser’s glorious swearing.
FINAL SCORE: 80/100
We received an early access screener of the first five episodes of Doom Patrol Season 3 courtesy of WarnerMedia.
It is slated to premiere on the same day as the U.S on 23 September 2021 on HBO GO. A new episode premieres every subsequent Thursday. Meanwhile, the entirety of Seasons 1 and 2 are currently streaming on HBO GO.


Asus ROG Phone 7 Reaffirms Its Spot Atop The Gaming Phone Mountain

Asus and its annual line of top-tier gaming phones confuse us. But in a good way; bear with us.
Since the introduction of the first-ever ROG Phone into the mobile gaming-sphere in 2018, Asus has, consistently year after year, released what have come to be the standard bearer of all gaming-centric smartphones in the market. So much so that some rival brands and tech reviewers alike have begrudgingly coined the term, ‘ROG Phone killer‘. Are they closer than ever to supplanting Asus’ ROG Phone line? From what we are seeing with the ROG Phone 7, they will have to wait a little longer.

Gonna ROG Your Gaming World
The sixth generation in the ROG Phone line (Asus skipped the ‘4’ and went straight to 5 due to … reasons), the ROG Phone 7 again comfortably rose to the tippy top when it comes to the most powerful smartphone list. Sticking to what worked in the ROG Phone 6; massive batteries, improved cooling performance and the gaming-centric experience not found on other smartphones; the ROG Phone 7 feels more like an iterative improvement rather than a massive leap.
The staple ROG Phone bells and whistles are all here of course. Air triggers, the crazy high refresh rate which goes all the way up to 165 Hz, a second USB port for more ergonomic charging while gaming and of course, the customisable blinking LEDs on the back panel. All of these combine to make the ROG Phone 7 among, if not, the most stacked mobile device out there, rivalled only by the iPhone 14 Pro Max and Samsung’s S23 Ultra.
But how do all of these translate practically?

The Best Felt Familiar, But Better

For a start, the ROG Phone 7 feels too identical to the model it is replacing. The dimensions and weight are exactly the same, down to a tee. Sadly though, the hard plastic cases which came included with the box are not compatible between versions. This is due to the slightly different rear paneling and camera modules. The cutouts also do not match the rear panel stylings.
The ROG Phone 7 is a flagship-tier device so it comes as no surprise that like the Samsung S23 Ultra, is powered by the Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. Pair that with 12GB of RAM and you have in your hand, the most capable mobile game machine in the market right now. All of these are encased in a combination of Gorilla Glass Victus for its front and rear panels, supported by an aluminum frame.
Asus didn’t skimp on the experience using the ROG Phone 7 as well. At the start, you are given the choice of a stock-android, minimalist look or the full gamer Chad feel. You can further customize your user experience via the baked-in Armor Crate app which allows you to switch between several modes depending on your playstyle. We tend to stick to Dynamic for a balanced feel while those who want more can always opt for X Mode which cranks up the phone’s capabilities at the sacrifice of battery life. Specific profiles or rules can be applied to specific mobile games titles, allowing the phone to immediately switch performance levels to suit the games you just launched. For example, Dynamic mode would do just fine for playing Marvel Snap but once we launch COD Mobile, perhaps switching to X Mode might improve my chances of being the fragger rather than the fragee.
Instead of the conventional way of having a single battery, the ROG Phone 7 sticks to its tried and tested but improved dual-battery layout. By doing so, the phone feels much more balanced – not top heavy unlike most smartphones. This provides a much more comfortable grip when handling the phone in landscape mode, especially gaming. We stand corrected here, but we feel that the ROG Phone 7 may be the lone, flagship-tier smartphone which still comes equipped with a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Speaking of which, the speakers on the ROG Phone 7 are brilliant. They are loud and they are crisp clear – way better than any other flagship-tier phones we’ve tested to date. This is a definite plus if you are the sort who enjoys blasting your movies and shows with the speaker on. It is that clear, that you won’t have a need for a Bluetooth speaker once you own a ROG Phone 7.
The total of 6000 mAh is a blessing for heavy users and based on our experience, would easily last over two day’s worth of normal use. On standby, you will easily have the phone up for close to a week. And when it is time to top up the power, the super-fast 65W charging gets you up to speed in no time. They also included a 10W reverse charging allowing you to power up other ‘lesser’-powered devices if need be. The only downside is, that there’s no wireless charging on the ROG Phone 7. This, however, is balanced out by the fact that right out of the box, Asus included a charging adapter alongside the charging cable.
A vigorous battery test by The Tech Chap saw the ROG 7 emerge as the clear winner which further reaffirms our belief that the ROG Phone 7 is the perfect ‘travel phone’ now that the borders have reopened. Gone are the days when we have to lug around huge power banks or manage our phone usage for fear of it going out of juice by the time we reach the destination. This phone will last for the duration of your flight, and then some.

As confirmed by famed (or notorious depending on who ) teardown TechTuber, Zach of JerryRigEverything,the ROG Phone 7 is more durable than its predecessors, surviving the bend test which has become the bane of all ROG gaming phones of the past. Of course none of us are going to end up subjecting our devices to such torture but it is definitely reassuring to know that your ROG Phone 7 won’t immediately go kaput when you accidentally sit on it.

As a daily-use phone, we have a hard time finding faults in the ROG Phone 7 save for its relatively lackluster camera. We said relatively, because that is the case when compared to photos taken on the S23 Ultra or iPhone 14 Pro Max. HOWEVER, once compared to the rest of the field, pictures taken on the ROG Phone 7 are actually pretty good. Images are crips as expected and the does not suffer a significant shutter lag. The night or low-light photos on the ROG Phone 7 are passable although far from spectacular. But let’s be real – no one would (or should) be spending their hard-earned money on Asus ROG gaming phones for the camera performance. You’re here for the hefty gaming beefcake of a phone.

ROG-Solid Proposition?
Which leads to our conundrum at the start. What confuses us the most about the ROG Phone 7. It is a stacked device; ins on paper and in hand, no doubt about that. But who is Asus selling this phone for? What use is a powerful phone without a target market who wants or can afford it?
The previous model, the ROG Phone 6 had several variations post its initial launch, with each variant sporting slightly meatier specs than the base model. The 7 carries on with that trend of iterative growth. This is why we totally understand if those who bought the ROG Phone 6 feel betrayed by the release of the ROG Phone 7. Give us more. We think we speak for all Asus ROG Phone owners that we would very much prefer to wait slightly longer but in return, see the release of a significantly improved device.
Otherwise, if you are coming off from a two to three-year-old phone and are looking for the alpha in the room (with the cash to spend, of course), then you cannot go wrong with the Asus ROG Phone 7.
Pros:

A solid all-rounder workhorse.
The best gaming phone you could buy right now.
Brilliant speakers.
Fantastic battery performance.
It has an earphone jack.

Cons:

Very iterative from its predecessor; not much major change.

Final Score: 80/10

VITAL STATISTICS
Platform: Android 3
Body: 173 x 77 x 10.3 mm (6.81 x 3.03 x 0.41 in), ~239g
Frame: Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame with IP54 dust/water resistance
Chipset: Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)
CPU: Octa-core (1×3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3×2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)
GPU: Adreno 740
Display: AMOLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits, 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm
Memory (Internal): 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, UFS 4.0
Main Camera: 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120? (ultrawide), 5 MP, f/2.0, (macro)
Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps;HDT10+
Sound: Stereo speakers, with 3.5mm earphone jack
Battery: Li-Ion 6000 mAh, non-removable
Price: Starts from RM 4,999
A review unit of the Asus ROG Phone 7 was supplied by Asus Malaysia.


Guilty Gear: Strive Is Out On Xbox Now

Guilty Gear: Strive, the newest addition to the epic Guilty Gear fighting game franchise, is now available on Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, and PC via Microsoft Store.
The game features stunning graphics and animations that will take your gaming experience to the next level. You can get the game for $39.99 or go for the bundle that includes the game and Season Pass 1 for $59.99. For the ultimate gaming experience, you can get the “Ultimate Edition” for $79.99, which includes the game, Season Pass 1, Season Pass 2, and special character colours.
And if you’re an Xbox Game Pass subscriber, you’re in luck because Guilty Gear: Strive is also available via the service. This means you can enjoy the game without having to spend any extra money. Guilty Gear: Strive was first launched on PS5, PS4, and PC via Steam on 11 June 2021.
What makes Guilty Gear: Strive stand out is its groundbreaking hybrid 2D / 3D cel-shaded graphics and intense, rewarding gameplay. There’s also a fully-voiced story mode that delves deep into the Guilty Gear universe, and new characters have been added to the roster alongside fan favourites. With robust rollback net code, you’ll enjoy a seamless online gaming experience. So, what are you waiting for? Get Guilty Gear: Strive and let the games begin!

Key Features

Amazing Graphics and Animations – The cutting-edge 2D / 3D hybrid graphics pioneered in the Guilty Gear series have been raised to the next level in Guilty Gear: Strive. The new artistic direction and improve character animations will go beyond anything you’ve seen before in a fighting game!
New Revolution in Fighting Games – Guilty Gear: Strive brings a number of new and innovative gameplay mechanics designed to allow players new to the series to quickly learn the fundamentals while maintaining the deep, creative gameplay Guilty Gear is praised for. New additions to the series such as a wall-breaking mechanic will allow for new and exciting approaches to battle.
The Fate of the Universe Will Be Determined… – The story of Guilty Gear, spanning over 20 years, will finally come to a conclusion in Guilty Gear: Strive. The trials and tribulations of the series’ heroes and villains will finally be resolved. Discover the astonishing truth awaiting at the end of all things.


Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 – Blackout Review

Just a heads up: in this review, we will be treating Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s Blackout as a standalone game and compare it against other games of its genre such as PUBG and Fortnite.
Having said that, isÂ this brand newÂ battle royale entry any good? Where does it stand compared to the two behemoths monopolizing the current market? Will it disrupt the duopoly of PUBG and Fortnite?
Weapons checked, AO is hot, wingsuits at the ready. It’s time to jump into the only Blackout review you need to read.

From a distance, I could hear the sound of a revving quad bike. Whoever was on it, they were about a few hundred meters away, north of the Train Station.
Things were looking grim. My health was low. Bullets spent from winningÂ surviving the most recent firefight. I was at the edge of the smaller circle and my guesstimation was that this enemy is gonna dash straight through the nearby tunnel to get to the other side of the hill.
A typical response would be to lay low in the grass, hoping that they’d miss me or I can go on the offensive. No time to think. Go big or go home.Â
I equipped the Mesh Mine to the entrance of the tunnel. As the rumble of the engine drew closer, I hid and waited.
He tripped it. He got blown to smithereens.
The Chicken Sh** Strat strikes again.
The DraftÂ
Any game that can convert a non-fan of a particular genre into a believer deserves special recognition. That was exactly what Blackout mode in Activision’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 4Â has done for me.
Back in early 2017 when almost everyone was firmly on the battle royale hype train due to PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), followed by Fortnite a few months later, I steered away from these games. This was because I wasn’t fully sold on the idea of running about on a huge map, eliminating oppositions in the sneakiest way possible.
Also, I wasn’t gonna spend actual money to play an alpha-stage game masked as an “Early Access” game on Steam. Simply put, PUBG was a mess. It was severely broken, unpolished, and a hack of a game in my book.
Out of curiosity, I eventually dabbled with Fortnite‘s Battle Royale, but a few things turned me off. The building mechanics just didn’t gel well with me and not being a huge fan of the art style did not help either.
You’d be forgiven to assume that the dancing and emotes were the deal breakers for me, but no. It was the shotgun-heavy meta in Fortnite which saw almost every game being concluded with two players bunny-hopping peppering shotgun pallets made me swear off Fortnite.
PUBG eventually went mobile and I finally plonked considerable hours into it there. Surprisingly, it was a much better experience than its PC counterpart, and I personally felt it was the best representative of PUBG and the battle royale genre as a whole. PUBG Mobile is a less buggy and more polished and barring some awkward controls due to its mobile game nature, a near-perfect battle royale experience.
Then Treyarch announced they are delving into the battle royale mode with Black Ops 4. The same skepticism I had towards PUBG on PC crept in again.

Is this the direction Activision really want to take Call of Duty to?

Bootcamp
Surprise, surprise! I enjoyed a ton of Blackout during its beta test period: read all about itÂ here. The beta experience was smooth apart from the expected hiccups of the game crashing. Rightfully so, the release version of Blackout did not deviate much from how it was presented during beta except for minor tweaks and weapons balancing.
In Blackout, you jump off an airplane and utilizing your wingsuit, get to various points on the map where you aim to outsmart, outplay and outlive 87 other players.
Yes, eighty-seven. As opposed to a hundred players dropping in as seen on PUBG and Fortnite, developers Treyarch stuck with the magic number 88 in their own take of the battle royale genre.

This design choice shaves several minutes off your average Blackout round, and to my delight, it didn’t take long to start new rounds as well, most of which are usually filled to the brim.

[wpvideo pQMPm50M ]
My initial skepticism towards Blackout hinged a lot on how Treyarch aims to make Blackout unique. While I was confident that they’d hit a home run when it comes to gunplay and customization, I was left uncertain as of how they’d cobble everything together to deliver an engaging game which is different from the competitors.
Thankfully in Blackout, the distinguishing factors come in droves.
Suit, Strap & Nut the F**k Up. Or Not…
In Blackout, you will get to commandeer four types of vehicles – a truck, a quad bike, a helicopter and a raft to get around the map faster. These vehicles are totally destructible and players are able to get their hands on several direct and creative ways to counter those who zip around in these noisy machineries such as using an RPG or even mesh mines.
Another feature which sets Blackout apart is the equipment and perks system which grant players temporary advantages throughout. Once, I caught an opposing player on a quadbike with the mesh net and another time, cooked one schmuck who was trapped in the toilet using the Barricade.
A recent popular strategy sees players attaching the Sentry Dart to the Remote Control car and using it as an enemy locator. A variation of that strategy involves players attaching the Sensor Dart to a vehicle, usually the truck to detect nearby threats.
[wpvideo Rxq9DsCb ]
Perks such as Awareness improve your alertness to nearby enemies, Skulker allows you to move faster when crouched or prone while Paranoia alerts you when targeted by an enemy. You can mix and match these perks to suit your style of play and gain the edge over other players.
Looting isn’t the only method of acquiring gear as random drops occur as the round progresses. You can find some really rare and powerful gear in these drops such as Level 3 armour, sniper scopes, and my favourite, the 9-bang Grenades.
Like other battle royale games, the element of luck plays a part in determining how your round turn out to be but the drop algorithm has been relatively kind with mitigating factors which balances each drop. You may find yourself without a powerful gun, yet surrounded by tons of equipment and vehicles which will aid in your survival and vice versa.

As you can tell from the first paragraph, I counter my lack of mechanical skills with sneaky plays which I call “The Chicken Sh** Strategy“.
You can do it too! All it takes are the high sense of self-preservation, meticulous planning, the will to opt for risk-averse strategy during rounds, and the ability to use all the perks and gear available to you at its fullest.

This Is My Rifle…
As mentioned in our preview piece, the gunplay in Blackout makes it stand out from its competitors. Neither Fortnite nor PUBG comes close to the tight and solid ballistics of Blackout. Bullets drop over distance forcing players to lead their shots while folks who prefer close quarter battles would enjoy a multitude of traps and perks which allow an almost infinite approach to whichever section of the map you find yourself in.
A myriad of pistols, shotguns, SMGs, rifles and grenades make up an impressive list of arsenal available in Blackout, each with their own pros and cons. The low recoil of SMGs make them the perfect choice for close quarters gunfights while the high damage from shotguns are gamechangers when you want to take things up close and personal. In medium range, the rifles are your go-to weapons and the sniper rifles such as the Koshka and Paladin get things done if you’re taking aim at someone at a distance.
You are limited to carrying a maximum of two primary weapons with up to six attachments each. If you are lucky, you’d stumble across fully-kitted weapons in the wild which can be immediately used, or stripped off its items. Even on the PlayStation 4, equipping and removing weapon mods can be done on the fly which is super helpful especially for those who prefer to be constantly moving.
There is a limit to how much stuff you can carry but that’s part of the fun of battle royale games – strategising and coming up with that perfect setup.

Almost everything can be looted, including damaged armour pieces. But don’t dwell too long looting off downed enemies as you are totally defenceless while you are at it.

Going Down In A Blaze Of Glory
The locations on the Blackout map are as diverse as you’d expect from a game by Treyarch. From the open spaces surrounding the Turbine area to the confined and claustrophobic corners in the Construction Site, there are no sure-fire strategy or weapons combo that would ensure you win every encounter.

Ingenuity is allowed to flourish in the game which rewards mechanical skill, strategy and sneaky plays equally.

There are several spots throughout the map which spawn zombies and reward players who clear them out with powerful weapons such as the Monkey Bomb, Zweihander, and the Ray Gun. But be warned though, these spots are also popular landing locations for players as they hunt for epic loot.
Not sure where to land the next time you start a new round? We’ve rated several popular landing spots on the map here which should improve your survivability rate.
Mission Report …Â December 16 1991
Dare I say, that if marketed right and wasn’t part of the full-priced Black Ops 4 package which it was bundled with, Blackout could be an instant PUBG and Fortnite killer. Sadly though, it was marketed as a fully-priced game.
While hardcore CoD players would still buy it, and play other modes – Multiplayer and Zombies equally, those who were only looking forward to the battle royale mode would be dissuaded from picking it up. I don’t blame them.
However, I feel that it’s only fair to share that I’ve clocked over 40 hours into the game at the time of writing. That number alone pretty much sums up how enjoyable Blackout has been, and at the rate I am going, breaking the 50-hour mark is definitely doable.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4‘s Blackout is by far the most complete battle royale game in the market right now.

Pros:Â

Tight gunplay
Huge and diverse map with unique locations
High customization options

Cons:

Isn’t sold as a standalone game

Score: 90/100

Call of Duty Black Ops 4’s Blackout modeÂ was reviewed on the PlayStation 4 via a review copy courtesy of Activision Asia Pacific.


Marvel Snap Battle Mode With Friends Will Be Out Today

Marvel Snap, the hit digital card game from Second Dinner, is a lot of fun and allows you to fight online players but in random matchmaking form. Pretty soon, you’ll get to challenge your friends and possibly host tournaments with the game’s new Battle Mode.
Marvel Snap’s Battle Mode will be out later on 31st January (PST), most likely after 4pm GMT+8. And this update is for all regions running the game Here’s the outline of the update:
“Players that create a match will get a code to share with their friends — or streamers or “random people”.
In Battle Mode, each player starts with 10 health, and the winning player deals damage to their opponent equal to the stakes of the game. If you doubled down and SNAPPED, you’ll do 4 damage to your opponent instead of 2 – or retreat early and only lose 1 health! Players will play a series of games against each other with their same deck until one player has no health left.”

It's coming…
Get ready for Battle Mode where you can challenge your friends and see who's really the best! pic.twitter.com/XPxkPXtRN8
— MARVEL SNAP (@MARVELSNAP) January 30, 2023

Marvel Snap is out right now and is in Early Access via PC (Steam). It’s one of our top-rated games of 2023.


Final Fantasy VII OST Revival Disc Releases on Blu-ray Soon

With the recent Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy Kuala Lumpur performance past, Square Enix is releasing the eighth entry in the ‘Revival Disc’ series that brings back soundtracks from the classic era of Final Fantasy together with a video presentation to go with it as part of Blu-ray Disc Music. The latest to get the treatment is Final Fantasy VII.

The Final Fantasy VII Original Soundtrack Revival Disc features 85 tracks composed by the legendary composer, Nobuo Uematsu. The music will be in Blu-ray Disc format and features a hi-res 24bit/96kHz quality that plays alongside cinematic recordings for the event. Three bonus MP3 tracks and a 16-page colored booklet is also available inside the package.
If you’re interested in securing a disc, it’s available to pre-order now on the Square Enix e-Store, Amazon Japan, and Sony Music Shop for 5,000 yen (RM184) plus tax. It goes available in Japan on 24 July.
This might be a great way to feel nostalgic, or fuel the hype for the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake that’s coming soon.


Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare Gets 3v3 Gunfight & 2020 League Changes

The start of 2020 is looking bangin’ for the latest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare title.
First up, Infinity Ward will be rolling out a 3v3 version of Gunfight in the future according to their latest blog post. The company will also add more loadout slots for multiplayer in the coming weeks, so it will be more than five. For those not in the know, Gunfight is a new multiplayer mode where teams of two fight it out with randomized weapons and no respawns on a map. Tense stuff; it’ll be cool to see how 3v3 will pan out.
Secondly, there will be some changes in the Call of Duty League 2020 format. According to a recent video from Dallas Fuel CEO and former CoD pro Mike Rufail, the league will feature mini-tournaments across 12 home events. Each team will be guaranteed two matches at every event; a double eliminations format of sorts. This is to make sure fights between CoD teams are a bit more meaty, so to speak.

Want to know more about the new @CODLeague format?@hastr0 gives you an inside look on all the changes. pic.twitter.com/V3T1fOsnSe
— Dallas Empire (@DallasEmpire) January 11, 2020

The Call of Duty League 2020 will start from 24th January and end on 26th July, PST time.


Borderlands 3 Producer Believes Other Looter Shooters Should Take More Ideas From Borderlands

In a recent interview with PCGamesN, Borderlands 3 producer Chris Brock spoke a bit about the comparisons between Borderlands 3 and other looter shooters that have been released since the last main Borderlands game. Not counting Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, the last game was released 7 years ago.
During that time, games like Destiny and The Division have been filling up the looter shooter market and even had enough time to dish out sequels and expansions. Brock stated that the developers at Gearbox did indeed study those games plus other successful shooters such as Apex Legends and Titanfall.

â€œThere are things weâ€™ve learned from those games. We needed to understand what theyâ€™re doing, and what works and what doesnâ€™t work.”
– Chris Brock, Borderlands 3 producer.
The producer acknowledged that games like Titanfall and Destiny had “wonderful shooting mechanics” and that they aimed for Borderlands 3 to at least be as good as those two games.

Changing up the tone, Brock stated that he was surprised to find that those games didn’t take more ideas from the Borderlands series. He said that “There are times that I wondered why some of those shooter games haven’t cribbed a bit more from us.”

â€œTo me itâ€™s actually really important that I shot, I killed that enemy, it dropped loot, itâ€™s over there, I can look at that loot, and see what it is and pick it up and use it. It feels like if youâ€™re a loot-based game, thatâ€™s very important.â€
– Chris Brock.
Brock also noted that one of the Borderlands series’ strengths is that the games often have more imaginative quests and the positive response from players confirm that it’s something worth working hard on.
Borderlands 3 will be released on 13 September 2019 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. We had the opportunity to interview Paul Sage, the game’s creative director and you can read about it here.


Atelier Ryza Anime Set To Drop This Summer

Koei Tecmo, Gust, and Aniplex have announced that an anime adaptation of 2019’s Atelier Ryza Ever Darkness & The Secret Hideout game will release sometime in summer 2023.
According to the official website, the anime staff includes:

Original Work: Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout by Koei Tecmo
Character Drafts Toridamono
Director: Ema Yuzuriha
Series Organization: Yashichiro Takahashi
Character Design: Tomoyuki Shitaya
Music: Kazuki Yanagawa
Production: LIDENFILMS

Voice Cast

Reisalin “Ryza” Stout (voiced by Yuri Noguchi)
Klaudia Valentz (voiced by Hitomi Oowada)
Lent Marslink (voiced by Takuma Terashima)
Tao Mongarten (voiced by Yui Kondou)
Empel Vollmer (voiced by Hirofumi Nojima)
Lila Decyrus (Voiced by Haruka Terui)

More details and information about the anime will be announced during the “Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key Launch and Anime Adapation! AJ Special Stage” at Anime Japan 2023 Green Stage on 26 March 2023 from 11 am to 11.35 am JST. A second stage event, “Atelier Ryza: The Four Voice Actors and the Anime Adaptation,” will be held at the Aniplex booth on the same date from 1 pm to 1.30 pm JST.
Check out the trailer below: