Tribes of Midgard Guide: How To Be The Best Viking Of The Block

This guide will be updated periodically. Tribes of Midgard is a pretty new game with tons of yet-to-be-discovered tips & tricks.
Tribes of Midgard is yet another action RPG survival game with Norse and viking elements, but done in an isometric viewpoint. If you need some tips for this game either for PC or your PlayStation console, we’ve got you covered.
Whether you’re playing the game solo or with 9 other friends, you should know that this survival-savvy action RPG is no slouch. The worlds are randomized and you have to survive as long as you can until the tree you’re protecting in the middle of your village gets destroyed. At the very least, these tips should help get you far with the randomized biomes you’re given.
You Need Souls To Get Ahead
When you start exploring the world, collect everything you can that’s not nailed down from stone to leather. Every action you take provides you with souls from chopping wood/crafting to taking down giants. You’ll earn a good amount of souls from doing stuff in Tribes of Midgard.
You need to spend souls on just about everything you need, be it increasing your tree’s health to upgrading village NPCs (so they can fight well and not die in one hit), to even buffing up your structures, defenses, and weapons. However, you need to spend wisely and not splurge all of it. Keep at least a couple of hundred souls for emergencies.
Level Up Your NPCs To A Decent Level
Your NPCs can grow in power too. To do this, feed them with the souls you collect.
Here’s the question: who should you level up first though? Start with the tinker first. Once she’s at level 3 she can craft items like stone blocks, iron ingots, and wood planks you can use to build gates and archery towers to help protect your village.
The next NPCs you should focus on is your blacksmith and armourer to gain access to better gear. The alchemist is also useful since they can craft powerful potions and even heat and frost protection potions for later areas.
Find Shrines For Fast Travel Convenience
You can use a rune to teleport back to your village, but that’s only one way back to your home and there’s a lengthy cooldown. For regular fast travel, you’ll need to discover shrines in the randomized world you’re in.
Keep an eye on your minimap when you’re exploring; you’ll eventually spot a grey-coloured eight-pointed star that symbolizes a shrine. Activate it by pressing F. Then on the map, you just need to click on another active shrine to be teleported to it. The best part? There’s no cooldown when using shrines to go back and forth to your home.
Water Is Deadly
In Tribes of Midgard, you can’t swim. Then again, your enemies cannot as well. You can’t walk and run straight into the water since there’s an invisible foolproof barrier protecting players. However, you can accidentally roll or dodge into it. So be careful. However, since enemies have to walk around bodies of water to get to you, use this to your advantage.
You Can Chop Down Trees With Alternate Attacks

If you’re out gathering wood by chopping down trees and your axe breaks, you should get back to your village to repair it or craft a new one. But there are other ways to chop down trees in a pinch.
Swinging a sword with a normal attack won’t damage trees, but your alternate attacks will (by right-clicking). And some enemies do damage to the environment while they’re attacking or chasing you, particularly the bigger ones like ogres. You can kite enemies around and have them knock down trees while they’re chasing you.
Keep Your Gear In Tip Top Shape
The repair bench is located on the east side of your village, up some wooden stairs and close to the big storage chest on the raised landing. To find it, look for Steinar the blacksmith when you’re in the village. He’s marked on the minimap with an anvil icon. The blacksmith is standing near the steps you need, just move directly south of him and run up the steps toward the right side of the screen.
You don’t need iron or wood or any other physical resources to repair your weapons, you only need souls, which we detailed earlier. When you’re at the repair bench, clicking on a piece of gear will show you how many souls you need to repair it.
Drop Your Resources Into The War Chest
When you’re killed out in the world, you’ll drop your resources where your body falls and you’ll have to travel back to collect them. Except for your weapon and gear, thankfully; you keep that. You do not want to be holding onto resources when you’re out and about.
So whenever you visit your village, you should always dump your haul in the war chest. It’s located on the east side of the village, near the repair bench.
Anything in the war chest can be used by village NPCs for craftingâ€”you don’t need to have the resources in your personal inventory for them to be used. In co-op, it’s a good way to share resources with your fellow Vikings, too. And putting items in the chest means you won’t lose them when you die.
Check The Quest Boards For Rewards
On the Quest Board in your village, you’ll find quests you can undertake in the world. In fact, you’ll need to complete a few if you want to succeed. Quests provide quest fragments, a reward needed to unlock the lair of the final boss, so check the board for quests every so often and get them done while you’re out exploring.
The quest board is located in the north of the village, just to the right of where the village healer is standing.
Watch Out For The Blood Moon
Every few nights you’ll receive a warning that the blood moon is rising. You can probably tell from the name that it’s not a good thing. A blood moon means the approaching night is going to be tough, because the Helthings attacking your village during a blood moon will be especially powerful.
When you see the blood moon warning, make sure you get back to town immediately, and get geared up and healed for a long night of combat in your village.


Dev Confirms Midnight Suns Originally Had More Content

It looks like Marvel’s Midnight Suns could have had more content than it already has. Speaking with RockPaperShotgun, creative director Jake Solomon said that the game, which takes many hours to complete (at least 30 hours or so), was originally longer.
“It’s crazy, if you go online, you can see all the Midnight Suns cutscenes and they’re three hours long. That’s as long as a movie, we cut 30 conversations from the game, like 30 scenes. We cut a ton, because we realised this is just simply too much.”
He added the reason for the cut content:
“Number one, it’s too much for the team. They already had so much that they were working on. And two, for the player. There a lot of these things that were not necessary conversations, and so we ended up cutting [them] in the last year [of development].”
Not to worry though, even with the cut content, players have DLC like Deadpool, Venom, Morbius and Storm to look forward to. If you can rise to the challenge and successfully complete all DLC story missions for Deadpool, Venom, Morbius, and Storm, a final showdown against an age-old monster of myth awaits you. All four DLC instalments (The Good, the Bad, and the Undead; Redemption; The Hunger; and Blood Storm) will be available on launch day to PS4 and Xbox One players who purchase the Legendary Edition of the game or the Marvel’s Midnight Season Pass.
In the meantime, check out our review by heading over here.


HBO Max’s Velma Adult Animated Series Gets First Trailer

At New York Comic-Con 2022, HBO Max unveiled the first trailer for their upcoming Velma adult animated series. Co-created by Mindy Kaling and Charlie Grandy, Kaling also voices the iconic Scooby-Doo character Velma Dinkley in a sort of origin story. It was first announced back in February 2021.
They also announced the rest of the ensemble cast, including Constance Wu as Daphne, Glenn Howerton as Fred, and Sam Richardson as Norville AKA Shaggy. They’re joined by recurring stars Stephen Root, Nicole Byers, Weird Al Yankovic, Sarayu Blue, Melissa Fumero, Ken Leung, Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, Ming-Na Wen, Shay Mitchell, and Fortune Feimster.
In the trailer, we get a Scream reference or easter egg of sorts as a serial killer calls Velma from inside her house. Check it out below:
Velma is slated to premiere on HBO Max sometime in 2023.


Knights Of Ren & Luke To Return In Star Wars The Rise Of Skywalker

Just like it was for 2015’s Star Wars The Force Awakens and 2017’s Star Wars The Last Jedi, this year’s Star Wars The Rise Of Skywalker is shrouded in mystery, not much having been revealed since its first trailer was released last month.
However, thanks to new information published by Vanity Fair, we now know more about the upcoming blockbuster movie, which is set to mark the end of the sequel trilogy and the Skywalker family saga.
The Knights of Ren Confirmed
Described as “elite fearsome enforcers of Kylo Renâ€™s dark will.”
The Knights of Ren have so far only been mentioned in passing and appeared briefly in a flashback sequence in Star Wars The Force Awakens. Ever since then, fans have been waiting to know more about this mysterious band of force-users who followed Kylo Ren after the destruction of Luke Skywalker’s new Jedi Temple.
Fans speculate that the reason why they weren’t in Star Wars The Last Jedi (other than Rian Johnson’s farce of a plot) is that they could be somewhere out there in the Outer Rim or event beyond the known reaches of the galaxy.
Whatever or whoever the Knights of Ren are will be answered in Star Wars The Rise Of Skywalker, as they are set to appear in the upcoming movie. Let’s hope that they’re not wasted like Captain Phasma or Supreme Leader Snoke were.
Luke Skywalker Is Alive?

One of the images shared by Vanity Fair shows Luke Skywalker standing beside R2-D2 surrounded by fire and smoke. Several questions arise from this picture alone. How is Luke alive after his death in Star Wars The Last Jedi? He doesn’t look like a Force Ghost in the image.
Luke looks corporeal enough to be alive. Then again, it could be from a flashback from when the Jedi Temple was destroyed. However, we’ve already seen snippets of that specific event in Star Wars The Last Jedi. Why would J.J. Abram retread the same ground?
This image opens up a lot of questions, which hopefully will be answered in Star Wars The Rise Of Skywalker.
The Rise Of Skywalker Takes Place One Year After The Last Jedi
A Kylo-Rey rematch.
Star Wars The Rise Of Skywalker will take place one year after the devastating events of The Last Jedi. Besides that, we have no idea what to expect from the upcoming movie. Or do we?

According to sources close to the movie, Star Wars The Rise Of Skywalker “will at long last bring to a climax the millennia-long conflict between the Jedi Order and its dark shadow, the Sith.”

What does that mean? Will the long-rumored grey Jedi finally appear and bring true balance to the Force? If so, will it be a Skywalker? Technically, Kylo Ren AKA Ben Skywalker is currently the last surviving member of the Skywalker family.
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker is slated to release on 20 December 2019. In the meantime, check out these other images from the set of the movie as published by Vanity Fair below:

				Keri Russell as masked scoundrel Zorri Bliss.

				First Order leaders General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) and Allegiant General Pryde (Richard E. Grant).

				Finn and new ally Jannah (Naomi Ackie).

				Aki-Aki, natives of the new planet Pasaana.


MPL Malaysia Refreshes Tournament Model For Season 11

Get ready for a new season of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League Malaysia (MPL MY) as this year, the theme is #REVOLUXI, and the competition is set to bring a fresh wave of changes – new teams, tournament format, and venue.
The league starts on 10 March, and teams will compete for the prize pool of US$100,000. The winners will also get a chance to qualify for the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asia Cup 2023.

Fikri Rizal Mahruddin, the Marketing and Business Development Lead of MPL Malaysia, expressed his enthusiasm for the changes, stating, “This season is going to revolutionize the competition with shrewd recruitment and tougher matchups. It will raise the bar for performance and bring the best out of every team. Fans can expect an even more thrilling season of professional MLBB like never before!”
Even the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) is thrilled with the announcement of MPL Malaysia Season 11. Fadzli Rahim, Vice President of Operations & Growth of Esports Integrated (ESI), said that these changes would bring refreshed excitement to the local esports community and increase expectations for the participating teams to perform at their best. The KBS can’t wait to see who will be crowned champions and represent Malaysia in the next stage.

Tournament Format
Regular Season

Dates

10 March – 12 March Regular Season Week 1
17 March – 19 March Regular Season Week 2
24 March – 26 March Regular Season Week 3
31 March – 2 April Regular Season Week 4
7 April – 9 April Regular Season Week 5
14 April – 16 April Regular Season Week 6

All 10 teams will be placed into a single group at the start of the season.
Each team will play a BO3 with every other team in the league.

Playoffs

Dates

27 April – 30 April
Teams placed 1st through 4th will automatically seed in the Playoffs.

1st and 2nd in the Upper Bracket Semi-Finals.
3rd and 4th in the Upper Bracket Quarter Finals.

Teams placed 5th through 8th will play a Play-In to contend for the final two spots in Upper Bracket Quarter Finals.

Team HAQ vs. TODAK
Get ready for an exciting showdown as Team HAQ defends their title as the reigning champions of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League Malaysia (MPL MY). The all-star team took everyone by surprise last season with their Cinderella run, and many are looking to dethrone them this year.
Aiman Haq, the owner of Team HAQ, stated, “We welcome the added competition from new teams and foreign talents. We look forward to the new season and have gone through heavy preparations. This growth will help contribute to the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang esports ecosystem in the nation.”
But their biggest rivals, TODAK, are not giving up so easily. Despite their disappointment at the M4 World Championship, they are looking to mount another challenge for the MPL MY throne. They’ve added Malik, a former Bren Esports player, to their roster to bolster their ranks and assume the top spot in the national league.
Lan Todak, the owner of TODAK, said, “We won’t let past setbacks stop us from pushing on for more glory. I want to assure our fans that we will not stop pursuing greater achievements, and we appreciate their constant support through the good and bad times.”
The MPL MY grand finals last season saw a peak-concurrent viewership increase of 232,500 and over 3,000 offline audiences watching live. With other teams, such as Homebois and Team Lunatix, bringing in overseas coaches and talents, fans can expect new rivalries and even more exciting matches for the upcoming season.

Teams & Changes

The teams in the upcoming Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League Malaysia season have undergone some significant changes, especially in their rosters. Let’s take a closer look at some notable changes.
Team SMG has decided to retain the majority of its players while bolstering its lineup with Valenz, a gold laner from the now-disbanded Orange Esports.
RIPPO is back in Malaysia, this time playing for RSG Slate MY, and he brings experience from playing in Indonesia. His new team has also acquired two new players and an analyst from Indonesia, Chr1sphobia, and EgM, respectively.
HomeBois has welcomed Dale as their new coach from Myanmar, where he played an essential role in Falcon Esports‘ performance in the Myanmar Qualifier and the M4 World Championship’s respectable 5th-6th placing. Soloz, who had retired, is now back to join the team in their pursuit of glory.
Team Lunatix has a new head coach for the season, Paolo Villanueva, formerly from Nexplay EVOS. Jowm and Edwin Fenryr, a former member of ONIC Prodigy, will be joining him.
Red Giants Esports welcomes back SEA Games bronze medalist Kaizer, who took a break in the previous season.
Team Secret, the celebrated esports team, will be joining the MPL Malaysia competition. They will be participating through a slot transfer via Orange Esports, and more information on their roster will be revealed soon.
The confirmed list of participating teams in Season 11 are:

Team HAQ
TODAK
Team SMG
RSG Slate MY
Red Esports
Team Lunatix
Homebois
Red Giants Esports
Madness Gaming
Team Secret

In the Regular Season, each of the 10 teams will face off against every other team in the league in a BO3 match. The teams will earn points throughout this phase, with the final rankings based on these points. The Top 8 teams will continue on to the next season of MPL Malaysia, securing their spot in the league.

Ticket Sales

Excited fans can now purchase their tickets for their favourite MPL Malaysia teams for only RM10 through Ticket2U. The Regular Season of this exciting tournament will be taking place at the brand-new Stadium Juara, with AirAsia Super App coming on board as an official partner to offer discounted rides.
Starting from Friday, one week before each scheduled match week, ticket sales will be up for grabs. Stay tuned for further updates, including the ticket release date for the Playoffs!


Mass Effect Legendary Edition Release Date Leaked

Mass Effect Legendary Edition was initially announced in November 2020, but it only received a vague 2021 release window back then. Now it looks like the game might be coming out sooner than expected if leaks are to be believed.
According to listings on Singapore retailerÂ ShopitreeÂ and Indonesian outletÂ GSShop, Mass Effect Legendary Edition is launching on 12 March 2021, which is only two months from now.
However, this release date has yet to be confirmed or verified by either EA or BioWare, so take this with a grain of salt for now.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition will include the entire Mass Effect trilogy with updated “textures, shaders, models, effects and technical features” as well as all single-player DLC and promotional packs, remastered for 4K Ultra HD. We still haven’t seen any gameplay footage of the remastered game as of yet.


Fate/EXTRA Record Trailer Showcases Remake’s Improved Visuals

Type-Moon Studio BB has released a new trailer for Fate/Extra Record, a remake of 2010’s Fate/Extra. This is the first new update for the game since it was first announced in 2020 at the 10th-anniversary event celebrating the original game.
The 2022 Fate/Extra Record trailer features narration from the character Twice H. Pieceman, as well as from Saber, Rin, Julius, and Rider. It showcases several well-known characters from the Fate series including Nero Claudius, Rin Tohsaka, Rani VIII, Shinji Matou, Rin Tohsaka, Leonardo B. Harwey, Cú Chulainn, Francis Drake, and Robin Hood.
The improved graphics of the environments and gameplay is shown. The trailer ends with footage of Rider Francis Drake’s Noble Phantasm, and Saber Nero summoning her Nobel Phantasm, Aestus Domus Aurea.
Fate/Extra originally debuted in 2010 on the PSP. A spin-off of Fate/Stay Night, featuring the Moon Holy Grail War, a conflict between Masters and their Servants in a virtual environment managed by Moon Cell, a supercomputer powerful enough to alter reality. It received a Japan-exclusive sequel, Fate/Extra CCC, and was later adapted into third-person action musou games Fate/Extella and Fate/Extella Link.
There is currently no release date/window or confirmed platforms for Fate/Extra Record as of yet. Hopefully, we’ll receive a localized English version as well.


Here Are The Malaysian Prices For Xbox Series X & S

Microsoft is one step ahead of Sony, as they have announced the official prices for both the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S. Previously, the Singaporean prices for the next-gen consoles were revealed, but now we know the official prices for them in Malaysia as well, courtesy of local game store chain Impulse Gaming.
According to the official Impulse Gaming Facebook page, the Malaysian prices for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series are as follows:
Xbox Series S:Â RM1499
Xbox Series X:Â RM2199

https://www.facebook.com/impulsejb/photos/a.456974343699/10158636344028700/

However, the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are not open for pre-orders in Malaysia yet. Pre-orders for both consoles in the US and Singapore open from 22 September 2020, so perhaps the pre-order window in Malaysian won’t be that far off either.
You can also head over here to the official Impulse Gaming website page for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, click on the ‘Notify Me’ button, and provide your details for them to inform you when the pre-orders for the consoles go live in Malaysia.

Here are the official technical specifications and comparisons between the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S (via Xbox):
Xbox Series XXbox Series SCPU8-core AMD Zen 2 CPU @ 3.8GHz3.6GHz w/ SMT Enabled8-core AMD Zen 2 CPU @ 3.6GHz3.4GHz w/ SMT EnbledGPUAMD RDNA 2 GPU52 CUs @ 1.825GHzAMD RDNA 2 GPU20 CUs @ 1.565GHzGPU Power12.5 TFLOPS4 TFLOPSSystem on a Chip (SoC)Custom 7nm Enhanced SoCCustom 7nm Enhanced SoCRAM16GB GDDR6 RAM10GB @ 560 GB/s6GB @ 336 GB/s10GB GDDR6 RAM8GB @ 224GB/s2GB @ 56GB/sPerformance Target4K @ 60 FPS, Up to 120 FPS1440p @ 60 FPS, Up to 120 FPSStorage1TB PCIe Gen 4 NVME SSD2.4GB/sec uncompressed4.8GB/sec compressed512GB PCIe Gen 4 NVME SSD2.4GB/sec uncompressed4.8GB/sec compressedExpandable Storage1TB Expansion Card(matches internal storage exactly)1TB Expansion Card(matches internal storage exactly)Backward CompatibilityThousands of Xbox One and backward-compatible Xbox 360 and original Xbox Games available atl aunch. Xbox One gaming accessories are backward-compatible as well.Thousands of Xbox One and backward-compatible Xbox 360 and original Xbox Games available atl aunch. Xbox One gaming accessories are backward-compatible as well.Disc Drive4K UHD Blu-rayDigital OnlyDisplay OutHDMI 2.1HDMI 2.1MSRP$499 USD$299 USD


Should You Really Pay US$59.99 For Earth Defense Force 5?

The Earth Defense Force games are meant to cater to a certain budget and type of gamer. The kind who wants to experience cheap B-grade shooting thrills without the nuance and polish expected from a high-profile studio. There’s a reason why they’re in D3’s “Simple Series” back in 2003 during the PS2 era: they’re supposed to be cheaply-made games meant to kill your time.
Apparently the Earth Defense Force (ChikyÃ» BÅeigun in Japan) series pit you as a lone soldier who has to mow down a ton of bugs and aliens, either on foot or a mecha. There’s no weight in handling your playable character: they jump, attack, and fight like your standard 90s video game protagonist.
That’s part of the charm of the EDF games: they justify their simple design and budget presentation with a campy delivery and an ode to action games and B-movies back in the day.Â Fast forward to today, and now we have an English version of the campy B-grade action game, now on its fifth mothership (heh) release.
Arrival

Is Earth Defense Force 5 the same campy shoot-em-up fest we knew and love that’s also tweaked for today’s generation of gamers? Yes; there’s a heckaton of joy in just blasting giant ants, spiders, giant anthropomorphic frogs with rocket launchers, and spaceships without worrying about taking cover and ammunition count, arcade shooter style. EDF 5 fills in that much-needed arcade void that’s sorely missing in this day and age, and at the very least handles that competently.
The online co-op mode is pretty stable provided you can find like-minded shooter fanatics who like to keep their gaming diet simple and basic. The game throws everything at you; it’s up to you and your pals to sort out the mess with your class and available weapons.
Does it still look like an up-rezzed PS3 game? Yes, but that’s part of the game’s goofy aliens vs humans charm. Seeing mutant ants and spiders break apart amidst the debris of wrecked ships using the most standard of game physics in an action game has a certain nostalgic-yet-goofy feeling to it.
Does it cost as much as a new PS4 game? Yes, and herein lies the problem. The current price as it stands is anything but cheap especially given the series’ budget and old-school lineage. I’m guessing due to the game’s cult status it’s getting away with such a price tag.
But really, that may be enough to make people think twice about getting on board the madness that is the EDF series. And really, I want nothing more than more people experience its goofiness and absurdity.

Starship Trooper: Unabashed Japanese Remake
On the flipside though, EDF 5 adds a lot of improvements from the past games. The controls are alright, with good targeting, weapon-switching, and decent evasion techniques. The four classes here are fun to play around with.
If you’re straight-up old-school shooter style, just pick either the Ranger with his rifles & rocket launcher or the Wing Diver with her jetpack and rapid-fire close-range guns. If you want to support or be the suppressing fire guy, go for the Air Raider and Fencer. Each of these classes plays how you expect them to play; they’re not groundbreaking characters to play as, but they get the job done in this bug hunt. If you need a challenge, you can bump it up to the hardest once you’re done with certain missions and ramp up the damage scaling.
My advice? Wait for the price for this bad boy to go down if you’re new to the EDF series and want to give this crazy franchise a go. Otherwise, dig in and see how a Hell Comes To Frogtown sequel with kaiju frogs would be like.
Pros
-Blissful arcade shooter fun
-Improved controls & plethora of weapons.
-Online co-op is a blast.
-Campy aesthetics & goofy script.
Cons
-Price tag is absurd.
-A bit too simple; an acquired taste for many.
FINAL RATING: 60/100


Celebrating The Most Spectacular Resurrections In Video Game History

Article originally published on 30th May 2018. Since it’s Easter now, we’re pushing this forward.
It kinda sucks that the dead can’t come back to life, but then again we might be in a world crisis ala Torchwood. Still, we’re content with just our game franchises coming back from a long hiatus or rest; the kind that’s longer than 3 days. At the same time, there are revivals we don’t need, like the ones pulled off by enemies that resets all the hard work you’ve done.
This feature is our way of exploring the double-edged sword of resurrections. Whether it’s the top 5 moves that bring people back from the dead or the top 5 franchise revivals after laying dormant for years, here are our picks.
Moves
Gill’s Super Art (Street Fighter III)

The bane of every player, be it casual or hardcore. On the hardest difficulty setting where you have to be on-point with your parries and footsies, Gill can wreck any person’s day with his Level 3 Resurrection. When he’s not doing a screen-clearing attack, he’ll just let you take a few shots at him, then saves his meter for that second wind.
Arch-Vile’s Skill (Doom 2, Doom Eternal)

This special albino demon is the bane of most Doom 2 players. Not only can he perform an unavoidable-when-in-plain-sight burning attack, he can also resurrect nearby enemies back to full health. In a game where you need to kill as many of these blighters as possible before getting overrun, he just undoes all your hard work.
His 2020 iteration isn’t any better. In fact, it’s arguably worse.

Eff this guy.
Anubis Priest Guy’s Ritual (Assassin’s Creed: Origins)

You get to fight new kinds of enemies in AC:O’s DLC episode called Curse of the Pharaoh: The Anubis afterlife Guards. They come in standard medium and heavily-shielded flavours, but they also have a priest with them. These buggers usually resurrect any dead guard they see.
Fortunately, their revival animation is rather long, which gives you ample time to shiv them. In a cluster muck situation, they can do more harm if left unchecked.
The First 2 Minutes (Altered Beast)

Okay, so this isn’t a move you can pull off. But still: that voice back in the 80s brought chills down every retro gamer’s spine.
Mercy’s Resurrection (Overwatch)

Once this move used to be an Ultimate that brings players back to life in an Overwatch game. Now it’s a single-target skill with cooldown. Even with these nerfs, Mercy’s revival skill is arguably the biggest reason she is a top pick in competitive Overwatch teams.
Are we done here? Now let’s go to…
Franchises
DMC: Devil May Cry

More like a spectacular resurrection that spectacularly failed. Dante gets black hair, and gets talented devs Ninja Theory working on it. And when it’s played at 60fps it is fun and exhilarating. Weapon switching mechanic works well in the fighting; a bit cerebral in nature.
A pity its fanbase did not care for it. The game was an awesome step in the right direction. Though part of its dialogue could use a bit more work…

Mega Man 9

The blue bomber made his return in 2009 on the Wii after a very long hiatus. He needed it since his past games have been average at best. Not the spin-off series though; those were actually decent. We’re talking about the original Blue Bomber; that classic 8-bit action and level design using late 2000 sensibilities.
And it was well-received! The game was challenging but fair, the music is catchy, and the Robot Masters were all cool. Even if they made the only female Robot Master weaksauce. Why no love for water-based Robot Masters, yo?
Marvel vs Capcom 3

The hypest comeback in the history of ever; yes, even better than Street Fighter IV. Imagine if your favourite fighting game was on hiatus since 2000. Before that awesome teaser in 2010, we had to wait for 10 friggin’ years. 10. Friggin’. Years.
And when the reveals dropped, we were filled with so much joy. Deadpool and Dante. Tron Bonne. She-Hulk. Amaterasu from Okami. Viewtiful friggin’ Joe teaming up with Amaterasu. Truly this was the crossover we wanted as comic book fans and video game aficionados.

And what do we get as a follow-up six years later? This.

Go home, Capcom. You’re clearly drunk. That silliness aside, what miraculous acts of coming back from the dead have we missed out? Let us know!
Top image credit: Freakingnews.com


We’re Finally Getting A One Punch Man Game For Consoles & PC

Bandai Namco has announced One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows, an action 3v3 fighting game for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Fans are finally getting a video game based on the extremely popular anime and manga franchise, starring protagonist Saitama who is so strong that he (as his name suggests) defeats his enemies with just one punch (or hit).
Players can look forward to not only playing as Saitama, but also Genos, Hellish Blizzard, Speed-o’-Sound Sonic, Mumen Rider, and others (some of whom are featured in the announcement trailer for the game).
The problem with adapting One-Punch Man for a video game is similar to the dilemma faced with characters like Superman. How do developers balance what is meant to be such an OP (overpowered) character? If they nerf him too much, it would go against the spirit of the character.
We will likely see more of the game in the near future (which will explain how Saitama can work in a game), but no release date or window has been announced as of yet. In the meantime, check out the One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RxHm3rDhQ8&w=560&h=315]


LEGO Announces New LEGO DREAMZzz Content & Products

The LEGO Group has revealed LEGO DREAMZzz, an all-new theme that brings to life the creativity of children’s dreams through an epic new content series and product range. This is the first theme to be truly inspired by the way children dream, after global research finds two in three children globally say dreaming helps them be more creative.
The passion for creativity has been brought to life in LEGO DREAMZzz, with The LEGO Group road-testing the content and toys with thousands of children from across the globe ahead of the new TV show launching 15 May. The launch will be followed by an accompanying product range in August, creating an incredible entertainment and play experience that puts children in the imagination-powered driving seat.
The theme’s launch will also see The LEGO Group announcing a world-first opportunity to appoint a group of children as its first ever Chief Dream Creators, who will use the creativity and imagination of their dreams to inspire the company. The LEGO DREAMZzz series follows the adventures of school friends, Mateo, Izzie, Cooper, Logan and Zoey, as they join a secret agency and learn to use the power of imagination to journey into the Dream World – and learn to defeat the tyrannical Nightmare King!
Cerim Manovi, Creative Director for LEGO DREAMZzz, said:
“LEGO DREAMZzz is our very first concept that celebrates the wondrous world of dreaming and explores what happens when dreams become real, ordinary kids become extraordinary and creativity is a superpower! We want children to feel empowered to bring their wildest dreams to life and revel in the true force of their creative imaginations while dreaming – and this is just the beginning!”
LEGO DREAMZzz will launch with 10 episodes on 15 May and be accompanied by a brand-new product range and further episodes from August 2023. LEGO DREAMZzz was developed by The LEGO Group alongside in-depth global research of children aged 6-12 years old from 29 different countries. The survey looked at children’s imaginations, the psychology of dreams and their importance in processing emotions, problem-solving and the importance of play for creative experimentation.
The global research of over 23,000 children has found almost seven in ten (69%) are experiencing complex emotions, such as stress or loneliness, in their day-to-day lives, with one in four (24%) citing events in the world or on social media as causes. However, psychologist and behavioural sleep expert Dr Shelby Harris who is working with The LEGO Group on the research shared that dreams can play a key role in helping children process complex emotions and engage their imaginations. Children surveyed agree, with two-thirds reporting that dreams are important and help them be more creative during the day (68%).
Dr Shelby Harris said;
“Kids are natural dreamers and experimenters but as they get older, societal pressures begin to confine them and limit their imaginations. Dreaming is a universal phenomenon generally welcomed by children across the globe. With more stress and demands in their daily lives, encouraging free play and creativity is important in today’s world.
The research has clearly shown that kids that have access to free play time increases their frequency of dreams and as a result makes them feel happier and more imaginative. It’s great to see content like LEGO DREAMZzz, which shows kids how the stuff of our dreams can be used in the real world to help them reach their full creative potential.”
Specifically in Malaysia and out of 1,000 children surveyed, the research also revealed that three in five (58%) children believe dreaming is important. In addition, three in four (73%) say dreaming helps them explore their creative imagination, and the same proportion say when they have happy dreams it helps them to be more creative (74%), and 66% say it gives them ideas for things in their life whilst awake. Two thirds (68%) believe it helps them think differently. Additional statistics specific to Malaysia can be found in the Annex.
To celebrate the launch of LEGO DREAMZzz, The LEGO Group will launch a world-first opportunity for children to become a Chief Dream Creator. The chosen participants will be flown to Denmark, home of The LEGO Group, to take part in several LEGO DREAMZzz workshops that have been created to champion the creativity of dreams and inspire the company.
As a Chief Dream Creator, the children’s role will be to champion the creativity of dreams within the company and spread the positive creative aspects dreaming can have for young people around the world. Children aged between 6-12 years old will be encouraged to submit their own dream creation – a picture of either a LEGO build they’ve made themselves or a drawing – showing a creature or vehicle they have dreamt of that incorporates brick building. Their dream creation should be accompanied by a short description relaying what their creation is called, what it can do, and why it excited them in their dream.
Entry officially opens on 20 May to 20 June, and more information can be found at the official website here. The LEGO Group will be celebrating the launch of LEGO DREAMZzz with a range of activities designed to champion the creativity of dreaming.
LEGOLAND Parks and LEGOLAND Discovery Centers invites guests to enter the world of their wildest dreams with the launch of their new and exclusive LEGO DREAMZzz 4D movie and events. Take part in the fun activities at LEGOLAND including everything from build activities, give-aways, photo opportunities, 4D movie and much more.
On 15 May, we’ll launch six new LEGO DREAMZzz Non-Player Characters (NPCs) in the LEGO Life app. The NPCs will share activities that upskill and challenge children. Plus, with the support of our Community Engagement teams, the NPCs will also post comments to hundreds of children’s uploads every day to inspire them whilst exploring the new LEGO DREAMZzz world. LEGO DREAMZzz series is available to watch on the LEGO YouTube channel from May 15th, 2023, 5pm, and will be uploaded to the playlist. Viewers can also save the YouTube playlist and stay tuned to future episodes.


Jurassic World Evolution 2 & More Coming Xbox Game Pass

May’s Xbox Game Pass offerings are jam-packed with new titles.
Jurassic World Evolution 2, Sniper Elite 5 and more will be on Xbox’s new game subscription service, Xbox Game Pass. For this month of May we’re to expect a bunch of familiar titles join the roster of games that are available on the Xbox Game Pass.

But what exactly does Xbox have in store for us? Here’s the list:

Her Story (PC via ID@Xbox) – 17 May
Jurassic World Evolution 2 (Cloud/Console/PC) – 17 May
Little Witch in the Woods (Console/PC via ID@Xbox) – 17 May
Skate (Cloud via EA Play) – 17 May
Umurangi Generation Special Edition (Cloud/Console/PC via ID@Xbox) – 17 May
Farming Simulator 22 (Cloud/Console/PC) – 19 May
Vampire Survivors (PC via ID@Xbox) – 19 May
Floppy Knights (Cloud/Console/PC via ID@Xbox) – 24 May
Hardspace: Shipbreaker (PC via ID@Xbox) – 24 May
Sniper Elite 5 (Console and PC via ID@Xbox) – 26 May
Cricket 22 (PC via ID@Xbox) – 27 May
Pac-Man Museum+ (Cloud/Console/PC) – 27 May

We dig Umurangi Generation and Vampire Survivors; one is an indie picture-taking game while the other is a 2D survival title using 2D sprites that’s probably a copy of something you’ve seen in a Konami title.
Still, great stuff. Full description of highlighted titles below:
Out Now
Her Story (PC) ID@Xbox – The game that relaunched an entire genre, Her Story is the award-winning mystery game from Sam Barlow, writer / designer of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories and creator of Telling Lies. In this nonlinear crime fiction classic, a woman is interviewed seven times by the police. Search the video database and explore hundreds of authentic clips to discover her story.
Jurassic World Evolution 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Jurassic World Evolution 2 is the much-anticipated sequel to Frontier’s highly successful Jurassic World Evolution, building upon the ground-breaking and immersive 2018 management simulation. It introduces a compelling new campaign and Chaos Theory Modes, range of new features, customization options and awe-inspiring new dinosaurs that include flying and marine reptiles.
Little Witch in the Woods (Game Preview) (Console and PC) ID@Xbox – Available on day one with Game Pass: Little Witch in the Woods tells the story of Ellie, an apprentice witch. Explore the mystical forest, help the charming residents, and experience the daily life as a little witch.
Skate (Cloud) EA Play – Head back to where it all began in Skate, available today with cloud gaming via EA Play! Get chased by security guards, impress citizens, ride with pros, discover skate shops, and make spots your own in this fully reactive city!
Umurangi Generation Special Edition (Cloud, Console, and PC) ID@Xbox – Available on day one with Game Pass: Umurangi Generation is a first-person photography sandbox set in the retro future city of Tauranga, Aotearoa during an impending crisis. As a courier for the Tauranga Express, you get to travel around Tauranga taking pictures and documenting the world and its reality through the lenses of your camera.
19 May
Farming Simulator 22 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Farming Simulator 22 brings a multitude of new gameplay features and offers more content and player freedom than ever before, including new ground working features like mulching or stone picking, an improved build-mode adding greenhouses and beehives, as well as a new character creator to bring your own, individual farmer to life.
Vampire Survivors (PC) ID@Xbox – Jump straight into the action, mow down thousands of night creatures, and survive until dawn! The gothic-horror world of Vampire Survivors will throw relentless hordes of monsters at you: make the right choices, or rely on your skills and favorite weapons to turn the tide and quickly snowball against your enemies.
24 May
Floppy Knights (Cloud, Console, and PC) ID@Xbox – Available on day one with Game Pass: Floppy Knights is a fresh take on two familiar genres: tactics fused with card-game strategy. Join Phoebe and Carlton, a brilliant young inventor & her robot-arm bestie, as they square off in turn-based battles. Build the perfect deck, execute seamless card combos, and lead your Floppy Knights to victory!
Hardspace: Shipbreaker (PC) ID@Xbox – Available on day one with PC Game Pass: Equipped with cutting-edge salvaging tech, carve and slice a variety of derelict spaceships at will in zero-g to recover valuable materials. Be careful with your tools: you don’t want to trigger an explosive chain reaction that could be deadly, or worse—costly! Upgrade your gear to take on more lucrative contracts to pay your debt to LYNX Corporation through a compelling campaign, relax in freeplay, or compete in timed challenges.
26 May
Sniper Elite 5 (Console and PC) ID@Xbox – Available on day one with Game Pass: The award-winning series returns with unparalleled sniping, tactical third-person combat and an enhanced kill cam. Fight your way across the most immersive maps yet, with many real-world locations captured in stunning detail, and an improved traversal system that lets you explore more of them than ever before.
27 May
Cricket 22 (PC) ID@Xbox – Step on to the field for the most comprehensive cricket game ever with PC Game Pass! With more licenses, a narrative-driven career mode, and 4K visuals, Cricket 22 is a true next-generation sporting experience. All-new control options make the game more accessible to players of all skill levels, while Big Ant Studios’ authentic recreation of every aspect of the sport provides hundreds of hours of hyper-realistic cricket action for fans. Lead your team to glory, your way!
Pac-Man Museum+ (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Available on day one with Game Pass: Pac-Man Museum+ features 14 of the series’ legendary games! Players can enjoy the iconic original arcade classic alongside a variety of other play styles from over 40 years of Pac-Man history! Also includes online leaderboards and the ability to customize your very own virtual arcade room! Plus, Ultimate members can play with cloud gaming and touch controls on day one, no controller needed!


Zack Snyder’s Justice League Receives Mixed To Positive Reviews From Critics

The critics’ reviews for Zack Snyder’s Justice League are rolling in and they’re mostly a mixed bag. Running four hours and two minutes, this movie restores director Zack Snyder’s original vision to completion, since he left the original project back in 2017 due to the tragic death of his daughter, Autumn. Thanks to fan campaigns on social media with #ReleaseTheSnyderCut, the movie will finally release on 18 March 2021 worldwide.
The reviews are more mixed and lower on Metacritic with a 53 percent Metascore based on just 29 reviews (at the time of writing). Meanwhile, the ones on Rotten Tomatoes (with 104 reviews at the time of writing) are more positive in nature, resulting in a 75 percent aggregate for a ‘Fresh’ rating.
No matter how the critics feel about Snyderâ€™s film, they all seem to agree on one point: it is superior to the 2017 theatrical version of Justice League by Joss Whedon. You can check out my own review of Zack Snyder’s Justice League here, or if you don’t have the four hours to spare and watch the movie later this week, head on over here for my breakdown of Zack Snyder’s Justice League (along with the biggest changes).
Hereâ€™s what critics worldwide have to say:
HardwareZone.SG – Tim AugustinÂ  – 4/10
“Iâ€™m genuinely happy for Snyder, whoâ€™s finally able to deliver on his vision for movie fans have anticipated for so long. Who knows? If you were a massive fan of Man of Steel and Batman v Superman, this might be right up your alley. Personally, however, Iâ€™m tired of his take on these superheroes and ready for the DC universe to head in a completely different direction. From dull, pasty visuals and slo-mo action to sluggish storytelling and uninspired character design, thereâ€™s very little worth salvaging here.
Itâ€™s time for the Justice League to move on.”
JustSaying.Asia – Ryan Mennen – 7.2/10
“So, to be clear, letâ€™s not pretend that the 2017 Justice League and the Snyder Cut are actually different movies. The Snyder Cut is visually more beautiful, and is longerâ€¦ a lot longer, but is essentially the same movie (hence Snyder being credited as the sole director). After all, the majority of the footage from that version was still his.”
Goggler MY – Iain McNally
“Not many filmmakers get a second chance like this, and Zack Snyder hasnâ€™t squandered his in finally bringing his vision to the small screen. For comic book fans, this is a far, far better realization of DCâ€™s heroes than the first time around, but I doubt your significant other, or your Gran, will sit through it if they have no love for the source material. For the comic book faithful, however, itâ€™s pretty great.
Jared Letoâ€™s Joker still sucks though.”
GamesRadar+Â â€“ Jordan Farley â€“ 3/5
“Taken on its merits as a four-hour film, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is unwieldy, indulgent, and frequently impenetrable, with all-new cameos and subplots upon subplots that will mean little to all but the most DC-savvy viewers. While the broad structure of the story â€“ which still involves DCâ€™s assembled metahumans racing to stop a space bull from assembling three MacGuffin boxes before they scorch the earth â€“ remains dispiritingly unchanged, rarely registering as anything more than an excuse to move superfolk around the chessboard.”
IGNÂ â€“Â Tom Jorgensen â€“Â 8/10
“Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a surprise vindication for the director andÂ the fans that believed in his vision. With a mature approach to its superhero drama, better-realized antagonists, and improved action, Snyder’s version of Justice League saves the movie from the dustbin of history, something that likely only could’ve happened on a streaming platform like HBO Max. Though not every addition feels totally necessary, and some new visual effects stick out as unpolished, it’s hard to overstate how much more enjoyable this version of Justice League is.”
The IndependentÂ â€“Â Clarisse Loughrey â€“ 2/5
“At its core, itâ€™s an exhausting four-hour behemoth that doesn’t particularly serve anyone outside of the minority that demanded its existence. For those without a pre-built emotional investment,Â Zack Snyder’s Justice LeagueÂ has all the joys of watching meat being pulverised. Itâ€™s an ungainly mass of blood, frowns, and grunts. True, this undiluted Snyder is better than what was released in cinemas, which had the feel of a film directed by committee, puerile jokes and narrative inconsistencies included. But his voice has been allowed to lapse into a kind of creative megalomania.”
VarietyÂ â€“Â Owen Gleiberman
“The new movie â€“ and make no mistake, it reallyÂ is a new movie â€“ is more than a vindication of Snyder’s original vision. It’s a grand, nimble, and immersive entertainment, a team-of-heroes origin story that, at heart, is classically conventional, yet it’s now told with such an intoxicating childlike sincerity and ominous fairy-tale wonder that it takes you back to what comic books, at their best, have always sought to do: make you feel like youâ€™re seeing gods at play on Earth.”
The GuardianÂ â€“Â Peter Bradshaw â€“Â 4/5
“Its sheer colossal size, its sepulchral feeling of doom and its trance-like sense of its own mythic grandeur make it weirdly entertaining, although the familiar superhero-movie MacGuffins are there, and the film needs to absorb the slightly uncharismatic performance of Henry Cavill. Did Snyder really intend the original film to last four hours? Well, this one does: an epic so splurgingly huge that you can see how it might have been purposed as four streaming episodes. Yet its dramatic and theological craziness only really come across when you consume it all at once.”
Entertainment WeeklyÂ â€“Â Câ€“ â€“Â Darren Franich
“Lovers may love the result: Where you at, SteppenWolfpack? And the HBO Max presentation could be ideal for such an unwieldy doomchunk of content. I keep calling this a movie, but I guess it’s more of a streaming miniseries, complete with chapters. Yet even compared to the glacial Marvel-Netflix Dramas,Â Zack Snyder’s Justice LeagueÂ is a chore. At the end of the rainbow, viewers are left with the promise that the actual cool things will happen next time. This cut is no worse than the theatrical edition, but it sure is longer. “So begins the end,” Steppenwolf declares. When he says that, there is one hour left.”
ColliderÂ â€“Â D+ â€“Â Matt Goldberg
“For everyone else, itâ€™s hard to even justifyÂ Zack Snyder’s Justice LeagueÂ as a bizarre curiosity. It is a longer version of 2017’sÂ Justice League, but it is rarely better. There are some good additions here and there, but nothing to justify the vastly extended runtime. There’s nothing here that transforms the 2017 cut ofÂ Justice LeagueÂ into a better movie even if it’s now more in line with Snyder’s artistic sensibilities. The story is still shaped by its root issues of not giving us a Superman worth caring about, denying us full origin stories for lead characters, having a one-dimensional villain with a dull plan, and then trying to argue that the viewer would be satisfied if only the larger scope of the story had been allowed to unfold. At some point we need to acknowledge that Snyder’s deconstructionist approach, which was fitting forÂ Watchmen, was not the right one for DC’s big superheroes.”
Comic BookÂ â€“Â 4.5/5 â€“ Jenna Anderson
“For some, it might seem like an impossible task to throw aside the theatrical “Whedon Cut” of the film, and the subsequent years of punchlines and online discourse, but the film creates a cinematic experience that makes it relatively easy to do so. While it isnâ€™t without its flaws,Â Zack Snyder’s Justice LeagueÂ is complex, bold, and incredibly rewarding, in a way that uniquely captures the joy of the DC universe.”
The Hollywood ReporterÂ â€“Â John DeFore
“But the movie’s soul, such as it is, remains unimproved, and at 242 minutes, very few of them offering much pleasure, it’s nearly unendurable as a single-sitting experience. If it were watched in parts â€”Â title cards identify six chapters and an epilogue, and some rumors suggested it would be released as a series â€”Â those segments would fail to deliver the shapely balance of energies and pacing that one expects these days from even a merely competent TV show.
This expanded version may be exactly the product desired by the legion of Snyder fans who cried to the heavens for its release. But nonmembers of that cult will find it just as unenjoyable as the original.”


Will Insomniac’s Spider-Man Feature Multiplayer? These PC Files Seem To Suggest That Idea

Marvel’s Spider-Man is out now for PC and is a single-player experience, with the follow-up starring Miles Morales probably coming soon. But there’s a good chance the game may be a multiplayer experience.
According to the PC version’s executable file in its folder, a Twitter user who goes by DniweTamp pointed out specific lines of text in the code mentioning “Superior Spider-Man”. This line probably applies to either Peter Parker or Miles Morales. The other line highlighted makes reference to red and blue teams along with the phrase. There’s even a line that states “If set and in co-op, Character 2 will see this text”.
This alludes to some form of competitive multiplayer mode being worked on by Insomniac, with the winner of the contest dubbed the “Superior Spider-Man”. Or even a co-operative mode for the game in the works where players team up to battle thugs across New York City.

whatwhat is this pic.twitter.com/NUZ32OO0ul
— DniweTamp (@dniwetamp) August 13, 2022

Will There Be Multiplayer For Marvel’s Spider-Man?
For Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, maybe, since that upcoming sequel will have both Spider-Men Peter Parker and Miles Morales teaming up against Venom and other foes. There’s a good chance the aforementioned files can be a test-bed for multiplayer in the sequel; why not have that mode tested out in the original game while it’s on PC and while Insomniac has some people in its team to work on it? The possibilities are endless.
Regardless, the PC version of the PlayStation title is worth playing again if you want the definitive version that runs past 60fps.


Spider-Man No Way Home Swings Into PUBG Mobile’s New Update

Starting off the New Year with a bang, PUBG MOBILE has a full line-up of exciting updates including two new maps as part of its 1.8.0 version update; Aftermath: Livik and Santorini, in addition to the Spiderman IP Collaboration, and MK of K-Clique voice pack.
New Maps Aftermath: Livik & 8v8 Santorini

From today onwards, players can venture upon the new zone in the Aftermath: Livik map. Aftermath: Livik is a remastered version of Livik after a 10-year time skip from a nuclear bomb attack on the previous map. Destroyed by the detonation, the beautiful terrains of the mysterious Livik now lie in ruins as the Aftermath of the war. Abandoned, the ghost town merely hints at its former glory and beauty.
Expected to be made available sometime in February, Santorini was modelled after the actual Greek Island, teleporting PUBG MOBILE players into the virtual version of the archipelago. Overlooking the blue waters of the Southern Aegean Sea, PUBG MOBILE players can battle it out in an 8v8 Team Deathmatch (TDM) among the cascading whitewashed buildings of the island. This would be the first time for a total of 16 players in an 8v8 TDM in the game.
In response to fansâ€™ request for a recall function, PUBG MOBILE is including this feature where players can respawn after their defeat. Players will have the chance to return to battle when their teammates locate them and send a signal from the Recall Tower. Other key features include a zip line station where players can quickly zipline to different locations, as well as a unique supply shop that dispenses weapons, ammo and other tactical gear.
Meet Your Friendly Neighbourhood Hero

PUBG MOBILEâ€™s 1.8.0 version update also introduces its collaboration with the Spider-Man No Way Home movie. Players will be able to meet the friendly neighbourhood hero through a special montage, just before jumping off the plane to start the game. Other gameplay features as part of the collaboration include a Web Shooter which grants players the ability to run at high speeds and swing to the top of buildings, and Spiderweb Ball that releases webs, entangling enemies to slow them down.
PUBG MOBILE players can also team up with the popular superhero to take down a mechanical boss and obtain rare items which will be extremely advantageous during battles. Additionally, players can customise their characters with in-game cosmetics inspired by Spider-Man Now Way Home as part of the update.
Be The One with MK K-Clique

Following the release of PUBG MOBILEâ€™s anthem â€˜Sapu Rataâ€™, MK of K-Cliqueâ€™s voice pack is now available in-game. Hyping up players engaged in battle to be the one, Malaysian style, the local PUBG MOBILE brand ambassadorâ€™s voice pack contains a total of 46 in-game lines. Players can now obtain the voice pack from now until 19 January.
Adil Hisham, Marketing Manager (Malaysia), Tencent Games, said:

â€œWith 2021 being a challenging year for the world and Malaysians, we want to reward our fans and players who have continued supporting PUBG MOBILE. We are always listening to the feedback of our players and will continue enhancing our game for the best gameplay.
These updates are just the beginning of what we have in store for 2022. PUBG MOBILE fans and players can look forward to even more exciting updates coming soon.”

PUBG MOBILE fans are encouraged to download the 1.8.0 Version Update today via the Google Play Store or App Store to experience these awesome upgrades for the best gameplay.


PokÃ©mon Go Devs’ Harry Potter Wizards Unite Launching This Friday

PokÃ©mon Go developer Niantic has announced the release date for their highly-anticipated Harry Potter Wizards Unite AR mobile game. It will be releasing in the US and UK on 21 June 2019, with other regions to follow suit in the future.
Harry Potter Wizards Unite will be deriving content from both the original Harry Potter series and the Fantastic Beasts films. In the game’s story, the Wizarding World is suffering from The Calamity which causes artifacts, creatures, people, and even memories to mysteriously appear in the Muggle world.
Players will assume the role of a new recruit for the Statute of Secrecy Task Force, established by the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards for the purpose of investigating and containing The Calamity.
Just like PokÃ© Balls in PokÃ©mon Go, players consume Spell Energy to cast spells and will need to replenish them at Inns throughout the real world. Ingredients can also be found at Greenhouses to brew Potions, as well as Portmanteaus locations which will bring players to iconic Wizarding World locations by way of Portkeys.
It remains to be seen when or if Harry Potter Wizards Unite will be releasing in regions outside of the US and UK. Hopefully, it won’t be too long of a wait. In the meantime, check out the launch trailer for the game below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyZpNZbuEF8&w=560&h=315]


Some Samurai Shodown Strats For Your Sword-Slinging Slashing Spree

Samurai Shodown is getting some plays and some online tournament love since its release. So will this game wow fans at EVO 2019 and beyond? Hopefully; the game’s basic gameplay and neutral game-oriented fighting mechanics are just as good as the series’ best (that’s Samurai Shodown II and Samurai Shodown V Special, btw).
In the meantime, let’s dish out some quick “How To SamSho” tidbits and a character guide so that you’re up to speed with this new SNK fighting game. And don’t worry; we won’t bombard you with haikus this time around.
One more thing: inputs will be using the following terms – Back, Forward, QCF, etc. A, B, C, and D are Light Attack, Medium Attack, Heavy Attack, and Kick respectively.
Don’t Button Mash
I know that this is a standard rule for all fighting games, but Samurai Shodown is a different beast. Counter-hits hit people harder than in any other fighting game. Any mistimed or excessive input from your end means you’re viable for a counter-hit that will wreck your day.
This doesn’t apply if you’re pulling off Tam Tam’s Paguna Paguna or Earthquake’s Fat Chainsaw after an attack; however, you only need three taps before it happens.
Parrying & Dodging Is Hard, But Get The Hang Of It

Samurai Shodown 2019 allows you to play defensively. You can parry attacks -QCF + AB- and dodge -AB- to deflect or avoid attacks and counterattack. Just remember that opponents can bait you into recovering while doing these, so use them wisely.
For instance, if you know your opponent’s going to poke you at the start of the match with Tam Tam, you can just do a quick parry to catch him or her off-guard.
Make Space Via Stance Break
You know all those perfect blocks and just defense moves you pull off? Make the most of it by pressing AB immediately so you can push your opponent away. Great for zoning and spacing-savvy characters, or if you just want to take a breather and put yourself back into neutral.
Throws Have Long-Ass Recoveries

While the tactic of run-and-throw is viable and can catch people off-guard, keep in mind that its recovery is pretty darn long. When you whiff a throw, expect a huge punish coming your way, so don’t abuse it too much unless you’re better than Justin Wong. To get your opponent to whiff it, either backdash or neutral jump.
Start Off With Haohmaru, Charlotte, Jubei, and Darli Dagger first…
These four fighters will teach you the basics and ins-and-outs of the fighting game. Haohmaru has the most basic and easiest moves to get used to, while Charlotte and Jubei have enough footsie and spacing tools to poke everyone in the game with, while also recovering pretty quick.
Darli Dagger is an offensive-heavy swordwielder from start to finish. If you just want to go nuts with a beginner-friendly character, her Jumping C, her standing B, and her Drill command grab (QCB D).
…Then Experiment With The Rest Of The Cast
Everyone else is basically intermediate-level characters and beyond. From the dash-happy eagle-sic-em Nakoruru to the big-body Earthquake, there’s fighting styles for all sorts of players who are either into rushdown folks or grappler-types.

If you want to go high-level, use the traps-focused and counter-savvy Wu-Ruixiang or the aerial-focused Yashamaru. Or play Yoshitora, hit all your six special moves and try to pull off the special Fluttering Butterfly Blossom. If you want someone like Street Fighter V‘s Dhalsim, Tam Tam’s pokes, long-ranged attacks, and Mula Mula top/bottom projectile mixups will sort you out.
If you want to recreate Street Fighter V‘s offense-heavy game here, Hanzo and Shiki can cater to that playstyle. Just keep in mind that these fighters will die faster than the rest of the cast.
Point is, you need to try out the rest of the cast to find your best SamSho character.
NEXT: Characters Overview


Gamescom Asia Returns In 2022 With Physical Entertainment Zone For The Public

Gamescom asia 2022 is back from 20 to 23 October 2022 after its prelude debut in 2021, continuing the successful hybrid model with a larger-scaled physical Trade Zone, Conference, and a physical Entertainment Zone for the first time. Online segments will still be made available to serve a worldwide audience.
Mathias Kuepper, Managing Director of Koelnmesse Singapore, the organisers of gamescom asia, said:
“It is the year for gaming events as gamescom and gamescom asia restart their physical formats, once again welcoming visitors to the show floor. We are very excited to bring back a festival atmosphere, of course within safe and calculated measures as we are not yet out of the pandemic, but overall, the enthusiasm has been evident amongst the community and industry.”
Gamescom asia is the only satellite event of the world’s largest computer and video games festival, gamescom, serving as a platform for, and stepping stone into, the Asia-Pacific market and reaching a culturally diverse Southeast Asian audience. The event expects to attract 15,000 total visitors and over 100 exhibitors from Asia Pacific and beyond.
Gamescom Asia Entertainment Zone
Gamers, fans, and the public will finally get to experience the consumer exhibition and demo games in-person this October at gamescom asia’s Entertainment Zone. The scale of activities such as live shows, meet & greets with creators as well as cosplay contests are in the works, depending on the prevailing local COVID-19 event guidelines.
Mainstay highlight shows PRIMETIME and STUDIO will return in the form of free online live shows broadcast on several channels to keep the global audience entertained. In particular, PRIMETIME will be held on 19 October 2022 as a pre-event online teaser ahead of the main event days from 20 to 23 October 2022.
Companies interested in valuable and direct engagement with the Asian market can choose to roll forward their announcements, previews, holiday releases or game updates at gamescom asia and book their participation by heading over here.
Gamescom Asia Trade Zone and Conference
Gamescom asia’s Trade Zone will accept a bigger international turnout as travel restrictions to Singapore have eased significantly. Trade visitors and conference delegates can expect to see a mix of country pavilions – from AAA to indies – representation from all levels of the industry, attend exhibitor talks and talent drives, arrange face-to-face business meetings, and try out the Entertainment Zone ahead of the opening to public visitors.
On the conference end, this year’s agenda covers a diverse set of topics ranging from game development across platforms, to marketing, production management, emerging technologies, and more. There will also be a face-to-face speed dating pitch activity between developers, publishers, and investors.
Gamescom asia will continue to provide a virtual platform for all trade delegates to stay closely connected and maintain a broadened, borderless network. Delegates will be able to set up their meetings leading up to the event and watch content on-demand post-gamescom asia.
The relaxation of COVID-19 safe management measures last month also means Singapore has reopened its borders quarantine-free from 1 April 2022 to all fully vaccinated travellers, no longer requiring designated travel lanes with selected countries.


Here’s An Awesome Futurama Retrospective From The Last King Podcast

To celebrate the upcoming Matt GroeningÂ Netflix-exclusive animated comedy series Disenchantment, we’re going to the world. The World of Tomorrow! And we’re going to need some experts in pop culture for this crazy venture.
We’re going to our pals from The Last King podcast (which our own esteemed Mr Toffee is a part of) to take over this bit because they have a really awesome retrospective on the series in glorious audio form. Podcasts; truly the classic way of voicing out your love and/or hatred of a medium or topic.
Hear them talk and discuss their favourite episodes and why they adore the series so much. The episode is just below this paragraph; enjoy!
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/331323355" params="color=#ff5500&auto_play=true&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]
Check out the rest of their riveting commentary on pop culture on their SoundCloud page.


HBO Celebrates 50th Anniversary With Fifty Years Of Firsts Campaign

In honour of HBO’s 50th anniversary on November 8, the brand launched its Fifty Years of Firsts campaign yesterday, 21 September. For 50 years, HBO has been the first to break new ground, changing and elevating the landscape of TV in film, documentary, drama, comedy, news, and sports. Through its award-winning storytelling, HBO has introduced the world to characters and storylines that have captured the zeitgeist and remain resonant to this day. Fifty Years of Firsts celebrates the first premium network’s culture-defining legacy and teases the best that’s yet to come.
Casey Bloys, Chief Content Officer, HBO and HBO Max, said:

“HBO’s legacy is one of telling ground-breaking stories. Fifty Years of Firsts celebrates the works of those who elevated the entertainment experience and gives a look ahead from those who will continue to do so in HBO’s future. We are excited to relive these moments with fans and honour our brilliant storytellers.”

For 50 days leading up to the anniversary, HBO will share sneak peeks, including first-look trailers, cast and behind-the-scenes photos, unreleased footage, script excerpts, and more—from upcoming HBO Originals. The campaign kicks off with an exclusive clip from the sixth episode of House of the Dragon, ahead of its September 26 debut. It will also feature exclusives from HBO’s new original series The Last of Us, the second season of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, the third season of We’re Here, the second season of The White Lotus, the third season of The Righteous Gemstones, the fourth season of Succession, and many more.
HBO social channels will use #HBO50 to revisit some of the brand’s memorable shows, scenes, and characters. Social efforts will culminate on November 8 with the HBOwards, a social-first award show that will highlight the best of HBO’s first 50 years. Stream new and classic series like True Blood, Sex and the City, The Wire, The Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Gilded Age, House of the Dragon, Succession, Barry, and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty on HBO GO.
You can subscribe to HBO GO online at https://www.hbogoasia.my/ or the mobile app via the App Store or Play Store for RM23.30/month. Or access HBO GO via Astro. HBO GO  is also available on Android TV, Apple TV, LG TV and Samsung Smart TV – and comes with AirPlay and Google Cast functionality.


Five Nights At Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 Coming To PS VR2 Late 2023

The popular VR game, Five Nights At Freddy’s: Help Wanted, is getting a sequel, and it was just announced at the 2023 PlayStation Showcase.
So, let’s talk about this mind-bending teaser trailer. Picture yourself in a sketchy elevator that’s going down way too fast for comfort. Suddenly, a voiceover crackles through the intercom, talking about the struggles of finding a place where you truly fit in and a job that treats you decently. But here’s the kicker: you apparently did a good enough job the first time around, and guess what? You’re being invited back. Yep, seems like there weren’t any other applicants vying for this gig. Lucky you!

As the elevator’s lights flicker, you catch a glimpse of some familiar faces on the posters plastered on the walls. Circus Baby and Bonnie, two iconic characters from the franchise, make an appearance. But then, before you know it, the elevator crashes! Don’t worry, though, the protagonist survives. Phew! Finally, the trailer reveals the game’s title screen, leaving us hanging for more.
Back in 2019, the original Help Wanted game took us on an immersive VR journey as we stepped into the shoes of a Fazbear Entertainment employee. Our mission? Complete various challenging minigames while dodging attacks from haunted animatronics. Well, it looks like the sequel will continue this spine-tingling adventure with a similar setup.
According to a recent PlayStation blog post, Help Wanted 2 will bring a sense of familiarity for those who played the first game, but with a fresh twist. Expect brand-new games, locations, storylines, and animatronics to keep you on the edge of your seat. Oh, and a word of advice: do your best to finish your tasks quickly and diligently, but tread carefully. One wrong move in this job can lead to some seriously unexpected consequences. Brace yourselves for the most immersive and adrenaline-pumping Five Nights at Freddy’s experience yet, made possible by the enhanced power and realism of PSVR 2!
While we’re itching to know more about the gameplay, specific details are still under wraps, and there’s no official release date just yet. However, we can tell you that Five Nights At Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 is coming exclusively to the awesome PSVR 2 platform. So, make sure to keep an eye out for more updates, fellow fans of Freddy’s spooky world!


Here’s How To Watch The New State of Play Livestream

PlayStation’s latest State of Play livestream will return for a new episode on 6 am, Friday, 10 May local time.

The 10-minute show will feature an extended look at MediEvil, as well as a first look at a new title. All updates and announcements will only feature games on the PS4, and there will be no announcements relating to the next-generation games and console.
You can catch the livestream on Twitch, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.
There are a few notable games that are coming up on the PlayStation 4’s last phase, such as The Last of Us 2, Borderlands 3, and Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order.Â I’m praying so hard that at least some of these games get some screentime on the livestream and would disclose some details on the games itself.


Kao The Kangaroo Returns In 2022

The classic Sega Dreamcast platformer featuring a kangaroo who can box real good will be back in a sequel this year.
After many years, the cult classic 3D platformer Kao the Kangaroo which a few retro gamers have fond memories of will star in a new adventure in Summer 2022. The game features 3D platforming, punching, and a crab sidekick who teams up with the title character. The kangaroo itself will be fighting more enemy crabs and monkeys on the island he’s trying to inhabit.

Kao the Kangaroo will be out for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch.


Singapore’s Finest Players Claim Top 4 Spots In Recent Capcom Cup Qualifiers

Capcom Pro Tour Southeast Asia 2 is done and gone, and with it emerges the champion and the next person to qualify for 2020’s Capcom Cup.
The winner is Singapore’s pro player & Razer representative Xian Kun Ho, arguably the little red dot’s esports hope at least in fighting games of the Street Fighter variety. Except that it isn’t so; in fact, the tournament’s top four spots are occupied by Singaporean players such as RSG|Bravery, Oswald, and SIN|Brandon. Good job to our neighbours from the south!
Xian will be joining his countryman SKZ in the Capcom Cup later this year. You can check out the final match below (after the 3:07:06 mark).

Malaysia’s own H-Tail and Fit3Amir did alright too, placing within the top 16 of this high-level tournament filled to the brim with SFV killers.Â Here are the top 16 players.
1. RZR|Xian (Seth, Ibuki)
2. RSG|Bravery (Cammy)
3. Oswald (Laura, Poison)
4. SIN|Brandon (Akuma)
5. TGU|MindRPG (M. Bison, Necalli)
5. Dixon (M. Bison)
7. uP|POTAto09^^ (R. Mika)
7. AronManurung (Nash, Vega)
9. Albania|Bearp0p (Cody)
9. uP|KiteOrca (E. Honda)
9. BK9999 (Balrog)
9. YOODO FV|H-Tail (Karin, Juri)
13. NezukoSG (Blanka)
13. Jinkouyuki (Urien)
13. Fit3Amir (Seth, G)
13. AngryEggTart (G)


Control Is Coming To Steam & Consoles With Both Its Expansions & A Cheaper Price [Update]

Update: Apparently this “Ultimate Edition” of Control will not allow Xbox One owners to upgrade their version of Control to the Xbox Series X version free-of-charge. We’ve updated this story to reflect this.Â Â
It’s been a year since action-adventure darling Control came out for PC. But not for Steam. That’s going to change later this month.
PC gaming fans who want to play this Remedy-made title on Steam will get their chance with Control: Ultimate Edition coming 27th August. This version of Control will also be available for PS4, Xbox One, PS5, and Xbox Series X. Unfortunately, there’s no option for Xbox One gamers to upgrade their existing version of Control to the Xbox Series X version for free.

This version of Control will include the base game, the updates that include Expeditions and photo mode, and both the Foundation and AWE expansions. The latter may feature Alan Wake and a possible Remedy Universe crossover, which is all kinds of rad.
If you want to see a lot of the upcoming expansion, the game’s creative director Sam Lake will stream it tomorrow at 0:00 here.Â


Disney Percy Jackson And The Olympians Ends Filming For Season 1

The production on Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 1 has officially ended. The series began filming on 23 June in Vancouver, Canada and takes up exactly 8 months to wrap up the first season. It is now entering its last phase, the post-production process, which may take up the whole year of 2023.
The live adaptation of Rick Riordan’s best-selling novels has concluded its end of Season 1 production on 3 February, commemorating with a celebratory video featuring the leading actor, Walker Scobell, famously known starring in the movie called The Adam Project, showing a message of gratitude while submerging in a life-sized water tank.

That's a wrap demigods ?
Season 1 of #PercyJackson and the Olympians has officially finished production! (And @walkerscobell3 is totally fine with it) pic.twitter.com/xEY7IYXbMg
— Percy Jackson (@PercySeries) February 3, 2023

20th Television and Walt Disney Studios are the studios behind the series. Whereas the screenplay writers are Rick Riordan and Jonathan E. Steinberg, based on Riordan’s novel series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.” Steinberg and Dan Shotz serve as the executive producers alongside Bert Salke, Rick Riordan, James Bobin, Jim Rowe, Rebecca Riordan, Monica Owusu-Breen, and Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, D.J. Goldberg.
The young generation of casts is led by Walker Scobell as Percy, Aryan Simhadri as Grover, and Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth. While the casts of the Greek gods are Lance Reddick as Zeus, Toby Stephens as Poseidon, Jay Duplass as Hades, Lin-Manuel Miranda as Hermes, Timothy Omundson as Hephaestus, and Adam Copeland as Ares.

The live adaptation will focus on a 12-year-old Percy Jackson, who discovers that he is the son of the Greek god Poseidon and begins training to become a hero at Camp-Half Blood, a training camp catering the demigods. Percy will face challenges with his newfound friends to prevent a devastating war among the gods and save his mother, Sally from the depths of Hell itself.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians will release in early 2024 on Disney+.


A Quick Slice Of Metal Gear Survive, In Case You’re Interested

Need to know what’s up with the new Metal Gear game? You know, the one which Konami announced a few years back? The one not involving series creator Hideo Kojima?
Well, the game does look kind of solid despite its now-not-so-well-received legacy. Here’s a quick Kakuchopurei video about what the game’s about. Leave a comment either here or on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/1342874495816962/


Free-To-Play Shooter ARC Raiders Delayed To 2023

Embark Studios has announced that their free-to-play cooperative action shooter ARC Raiders has been delayed from its previously planned 2022 release window to sometime in 2023. It is slated to release for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam.
The developer announced the news via Twitter:

“We’ve made the decision to delay ARC Raiders to 2023.
ARC Raiders is an ambitious game, and we will be using this extra time to expand the experience, and allow it to reach its fullest potential.
We will be diving into more details as soon as we start to test the game more extensively with players.
The excitement around ARC Raiders since its reveal has been so encouraging for us, and we truly appreciate your support.”

ARC Raiders was originally fully unveiled during The Game Awards 2021.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Bringing Troublemaker’s Budi To Life: An Interview With Abel Valentino

Troublemaker is one of the hottest games coming out of Indonesia right now, following new kid Budi, and his fight to the top of the high school food chain. The game has a distinct spirit of nostalgia, and has a fun setting and characters. You can find our review of the game here.
We had the opportunity to do a quick interview with Budi’s Indonesian voice actor, Abel Valentino, on what it took to bring Budi to life and what it’s like being a voice actor in Indonesia right now. Let’s get to it!

Congratulations on the release of Troublemaker! Can you tell us how you landed the role of Budi?
Right place, right timing.
Someone reposted a casting call for Troublemaker on my feed and I decided to just try it out, why not right? And now I’m here.
What was your favourite part about voicing Budi?
Budi’s character is often angry and he screams quite a lot due to his predicament. At first, I thought it was funny, but screaming the way he does end up being my favourite way of jumping back in character, and my favourite thing overall.
Were there any lines that really left an impact on you?
A moment that I always liked in films is when the main character declares war, whether it be in a serious or angry tone – “KALO GITU, MULAI DETIK INI, GUA NYATAIN PERANG KE LO BANGSAT!”
Tell us about your voice-acting journey.

Voicing Budi is actually my debut as a voice talent. My friends always said they liked my voice and I should try working as an actor or in radio, so I decided to take the leap of faith with Troublemaker.
What’s the voice-acting scene in Indonesia like?
One word: sexy. Disclaimer first, since this is my opinion.
As everything goes digital in the world, including Indonesia, the demand for localization in gaming, animation, OTT, e-learning, and audiobooks is on the rise. Especially both the gaming and animation industries where skilled voice actors are needed to bring characters to life.
This brings us to the rise of the virtual YouTubers or VTuber community in Indonesia. Trust me, very very talented people there with golden voices. Overall, the scene is set to keep growing with new tech and talented people emerging all the time.
Any final words?
I’ve definitely had fun breathing life into Budi from Troublemaker, and I am more eager than ever to tackle more roles in the future. Many thanks to Sophie and Kakuchopurei for the interview; very lovely people to work with.
Don’t forget to Raise your gang and play Troublemaker, available on Steam now!
Like he said, Troublemaker is available now on Steam.


Thor: Ragnarok Review

Thor: Ragnarok plays like a live-action special of Saturday cartoon. It is fun and (very) enjoyable in many parts, interspersed with tiny conflicts and squabbles between the cast but nothing severe and you somehow know things will be resolved later down the line. But it also fits very well into the Marvel Cinematic Universe grander scheme of things; the movie felt genuinely part of the big puzzle yet distinctive enough to stand on its own.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue80QwXMRHg&w=560&h=315]
This has always been Marvel’s formula in its live-action movies since Iron Man; it rewards those who joined the journey since day one without ostracising the more casual audience. In Thor: Ragnarok, directorÂ Taika Waititi embraced this formula in such convincing manner that viewers are instantly sucked into Marvel’s latest offering without missing a beat.
Thor: Ragnarok follows up on two of our strongest Avengers who sat out of Captain America: Civil War – Thor (duh) and Hulk – along with our favorite Marvel misfit, Loki whom we last saw in The Dark World. Without spoiling it for you dear readers, fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – casual and hardcore alike – will find no trouble connecting the dots and are instantly brought up to speed of the who’s and what’s of the MCU grand scheme of things thanks to the solid storytelling flow of the movie.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7MGUNV8MxU&w=560&h=315]
There imminent threat of Hela notwithstanding, the movie plays with the theme of family, blood-related and otherwise as Thor comes to terms withÂ actual fates of Loki’s post-The Dark World, Odin’s whereabouts and of course, as seen in the trailers, what happened to The Hulk. Even side characters; Valkyrie and Skurge also have their own backstories – something that we surely will get to delve deeper later on. The introduction of Korg is a breath of fresh air too as he delivered some of the best lines in the movie while Jeff Goldblum’s Grandmaster is …. well, essentially Jeff Goldblum playing himself. Lest we forget, Benedict Cumberbatch’s cameo as Doctor Strange. Slotting in right after Doctor Strange’s standalone film, Cumberbatch’s brief screentime was executed almost flawlessly showing how good The Sorcerer Supreme is even when pitted against Asgardian Gods.
And how can we leave out the main antagonist of the movie, Goddess of Death, Hela played by the brilliant Cate Blanchett. Easily the highlight of the show with her ominous presence stealing every scene she was on, Hela is unlike any MCU baddie we’ve seen before. She’s cunning, calculative and easily the most badass MCU villain to date. Never before in MCU history we were genuinely worried of our heroes as they go toe-to-toe with the villain. Without slowing down the pace of the entire movie, the story of Hela was told in such crisp manner, allowing viewers to instantly understand her motive and drive and sources of her power.
If we are correct, we’ve seen Thor kick butt in four movies so far but we assure you; you have never seen him really kick ass like he does in Thor: Ragnarok. The choreographyÂ  was excellent in spite of the rawness in Thor’s fighting style. The rematch between him and The Hulk which was teased to death in the promos did not disappoint and we think we finally a clear winner between the two.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX9sIukOsCw&w=560&h=315]
Several scenes in the final cut shows different background scenes as seen in the trailers (have fun comparing them after the movie!) – so it is safe to say while there were bunch of stuff alluded in the trailer really did transpire, they do not whatsoever spoiled the movie for its viewers. Several earlier reviews mentioned that Thor: Ragnarok is one of the funniest movies in the MCU and we have to agree with that. While there were complaints that the serious tone of the movie is affected by it, we have to disagree as most of the humor comes from interaction between the cast instead of them making light of the apparent threat.
Oh and the ‘Ragnarok’ bit? Yes that was the looming threat and premise of the whole entire movie but more than anything, serves as a mcguffin throughout; the key element which brought our heroes together. Last but not least, there are two post-credit scenes at the end of the movie so make sure you stay glued to your seats!
TL; DR
PositivesÂ
– Seamless story integration into MCU’s overall storyline
– Action scenes felt fresh yet familiar
– Cate Blanchett’s Hela being one of the better MCU villains to date.
– A better look at the Thor – Loki – Odin dynamic
Negatives
– The back story of Sakaar could use some extra focus
– Not enough Heimdall-time
Thor: Ragnarok is easily the best Thor movie to date. An overall enjoyable spectacle which perfectly straddles for fans and casuals alike, the movie is a perfect connector to the ongoings in the MCU, and is a perfect bridge and lead-up to Infinity War. It is also a breath of fresh air for viewers as we are taken on a wild ride across the cosmos, far away from petty mortal issues in Queens and Washington as seen in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
SCOREÂ : 85Â /100

Thor: Ragnarok opens in Malaysian cinemas 26th October 2017. We caught the movie on iMAX via press screening courtesy ofÂ The Walt Disney Company (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd


Steam Will No Longer Have Lunar New Year Sales, Only Four Seasons

Valve has announced the dates for the next several Steam sales.
Check them out below:

Autumn Sale: 22 November to 29 November 2022
Winter Sale: 22 December 2022 to 5 January 2023
Spring Sale: 16 March 2023 to 23 March 2023

The Spring Sale will replace the previous Lunar New Year Sale.
The reason why the Steam Lunar New Year sale will no longer take place is as follows:
We first ran a Lunar New Year Sale on Steam back in 2016 to celebrate the influx of game developers and customers from territories like Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and South Korea. Publishers and players worldwide were excited about the additional opportunity for a big Steam sale. However, over the years we’ve received feedback that Lunar New Year was often much too close to the December holiday sale period. We think many publishers will still opt to discount games around the Lunar New Year holiday, using the custom discount tools. But we suspect customers will be better served by a little bit more time between the big Steam-wide seasonal sales.


A Primer To Valorant: Riot Games’ New Multiplayer Shooter

Back in October 2019, Riot Games offered a sneak preview of its shooter project Project A as part of its 10th Anniversary Edition. Now, after the registration of an official Twitter account called Valorant and leaked information about the game (many of which were shared by esports expert Rod Breslau on Twitter), Riot has properly unveiled the new online multiplayer shooter that they’ve been cooking up.
Here’s everything we know about Valorant, the upcoming 5v5 shooter that looks like part Overwatch and part CS:GO.
Valorant: How Does It Play?

Valorant is basically CS:GO meets Overwatch/Paladins.
While the ADS feature is more ubiquitous here than in Counter-Strike, the bomb-defusing mode and weapon-buying menu (yes, they even have a weapon-buying menu) shown in the video above make direct comparisons to that competitive shooter inevitable.
Matches are a 5v5, best-of-24-rounds affair, with players split into attackers and defenders. Guns are lethal – headshots will kill opponents instantly, and “most rifles kill in 3-4 bullets”. Recoil is “punishing”.
Meanwhile, the cast of characters and their unique abilities instantly bring the words “hero shooter” to mind.Â The original announcement video previewed a few abilities, ranging from movement-restricting powers to green energy that does… something.
Notable in that video were the revive ability and one that allows players to summon floating knives that can be propelled towards enemies. The knife-summoning character is also shown to be able to lift themselves into the air with what is probably a separate power. In the new gameplay video, one of the players deploys a drone, so we might see more technology-based abilities as well.

Interesting, the start of the video shows a player replenishing their Curveball ability by purchasing it. It looks like abilities don’t come free in Valorant.
I had assumed that combining powers like that will be a notable part of the game, and it seems like that’s indeed the intention. The official website is keen to emphasize that creativity is as important as your shooting skills:
“Imagine this: tactical shooter meets hypernatural powers. Everyoneâ€™s got guns and a unique set of abilities, so how do you beat someone with the speed of wind? Use your own moves to outplay them and beat them to the shot. Valorant is a game for bold strategists who dare to make the unexpected play because if it wins, it works.”
After watching the gameplay video, however, Valorant seems more like Counter-Strike with a dash of Overwatch/Paladins than a true hero-shooter.Â In their hands-on preview of the game, PC Gamer wrote that “hero abilities allow for clever strategies and exciting upsets. Look past them, and Riot Games has fundamentally spent the last five years building Counter-Strike“.

They also noted how Riot “emphasized, again and again over two days of playing Valorant and talking to its creators, that the shooting is the main course and the abilities are the side dish”.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8amyzDHOKw&w=560&h=315]
Valorant: Who Are The Characters?

According to Breslau, Valorant will launch with a roster of eight characters. Aside from each having their own unique abilities, each hails from a real-world country, so it seems that the game doesn’t take place in a fictional setting.
Having characters of different real-world nationalities also invites comparisons to Rainbow Six: Siege, although it doesn’t matter as much as the Counter-Strike/hero shooter similarities.
The characters are:

Sage (China)
Cypher (Morocco)
Brimstone (USA)
Jett (Korea)
Phoenix (UK)
Viper (USA)
Sova (Russia)
Omen (?)

Sage is shown in the accompanying screenshot in Breslau’s tweet. She has four abilities: Barrier Orb, Slow Orb, Healing Orb, and Resurrection. Resurrection is likely to be the revive ability from the announcement video.
Sage’s other abilities solidify her support role. Barrier Orb places a solid wall, Slow Orb slows enemies, and Healing Orb heals. Very self-explanatory, but undeniably useful.
Breslau also says that one of these characters will be locked. Perhaps it’s Omen?
Valorant: The Weapons

While most of the character abilities would feel right at home in a fantasy game, Valorant’s main arsenal consists of modern-looking guns. Aside from the shotgun, submachine gun, and sniper rifle seen in the announcement video, the main reveal video shows pistols and assault rifles, including one that looks like an AK.
The gameplay video does show a blue-energy-tinged bow, but given how it’s quickly put away after launching the arrow, it’s likely to be tied to a character ability. Given that Valorant seems to be channelling Counter-Strike’s spirit, the focus on a normal modern-day arsenal makes sense, although it still feels uninspiring.
Valorant: The Maps
Riot has designed each map to “support a wide variety of strategies and team compositions”, While the map in the video gives off a bit of Counter-Strike vibes, PC Gamer noted that the maps in Valorant have some notable differences.
According to the website, Valorant’s maps have variances like having “three bomb sites” or “a pair of one-way teleporters”.
Valorant: How Does It Look?
Valorant’s look reminds me a little of Dirty Bomb, which also combined a cartoony look with grounded environments and modern weaponry. Valorant looks more cartoony, however, which makes it a bit more similar to Team Fortress 2 in that regard.
The visual style is probably related to Riot’s desire to make the game as accessible as possible to everyone. On the game’s website, Riot states that they want the game to run at “at least 30 frames per second on most min-spec computers (even dating back a decade)” and “60 to 144 FPS on modern gaming rigs”.
Valorant: How Competitive Is It?

Riot is taking Valorant seriously as a competitive shooter experience, and they’re showing this by focusing on not just the gameplay, but infrastructure.
In their press release, Riot said that the game will have “an unprecedented, best-in-class technical back-end to support the game, including dedicated 128-tick servers for all global players, for free; a custom-built netcode in pursuit of precise hit registration; server authoritative game architecture and proprietary anti-cheat prevention and detection from day one”.
“Valorant is highly consequential, so players should know for certain that their win or loss is the sole outcome of their own skill and strategy,” they added.
Valorant: Release Date And Price

Valorant is slated to release sometime in Summer 2020. The game will be free-to-play and a global launch is confirmed.
Valorant: Where Can I Get Official Updates?

An official Twitter page for Valorant usually posts updates about the game. Even more recently, an official website for the game went up and offers more up-to-date basic information.
You’d probably want to keep an eye on both.