Bilibili Arrives in Singapore and Malaysia With Exclusive Summer Anime

Southeast Asia’s leading animation video platform, Bilibili, is launching in Singapore and Malaysia with over 35 anticipated summer anime releases including Overlord IV and The Devil is a Part-Timer! Season 2. Bilibili also announces exclusive titles including Tokyo Mew Mew New~?, and Engage Kiss.
Let’s break down each show in case you’re not sure what they’re about:
Overlord IV
It is the year 2138 when virtual reality gaming is thriving with DMMORPG (Dive Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games). The story starts when an office worker in a dystopian city logs into the game for the last time before the server goes down. However, when the supposed server shut-down approaches, our protagonist and his guild quickly realise that they are stuck in a different reality indefinitely. Follow their menacing adventures as it continues with the fourth season!

The Devil is a Part-Timer!! Season 2.
Based on the light novel series by Satoshi Wagahara, the Demon Lord Satan and his evil army were defeated by Hero Emilia Justina in another dimension. Forced to flee, Satan and his Demon General Alsiel escaped through a portal and unwittingly landed in modern-day Japan. As they are losing their magical powers, Satan and his general have no choice but to live their new lives as normal human beings. Hold and behold, Hero Emilia followed them but suffers the same fate of weakening powers of her own. Though Emilia remains resentful towards Satan and his evil acts in the previous world, they end up becoming the unlikely of allies, helping each other to survive in the unfamiliar world.

 Tokyo Mew Mew New~?
The Tokyo Mew Mew series is celebrating its 65th anniversary of the first Nakayoshi issue. Like their 2008 adaption, Tokyo Mew Mew New (stylized as Tokyo Mew Mew New~?) is about five girls each infused with D.N.A of an endangered animal to become super-powered heroines. With their newfound abilities, the girls are tasked to help defend their world against terrorizing aliens. Enjoy the super-heroines in classic magical girl action with a remake adaptation.

Engage Kiss
Engage Kiss takes place in Bayron — a mega-floating metropolis created from the discovery of a new energy source, Orgonium. The mining of the energy source has led to the outbreak of “D Hazards” by demons. Efforts to neutralise the outbreak are run by PMCs (Private Military Companies). The story follows our protagonist, Shuu, who runs a small PMC but struggles with unhealthy spending habits that left him broke. Shuu, however, is being cared for by Kisara, a beautiful high school girl who turns out to be a demon girl. Kisara vows to help Shuu with his troubles and defeat the demons by a contract. Thus, begins the slap-stick harem comedy of Shuu, Kisara, and others who find themselves oddly attached to our protagonist in duty against the demons of Bayron City.

Well, it’s time to binge-watch your favourite and upcoming summer animes on the one-stop anime streaming platform. Head on over to the Bilibili website or you can download the app on Google Play and Apple Store.


Resident Evil 3’s Nemesis Will Violate Your Safe Space/Room

Update: It seems that Resident Evil 3’s safe rooms will remain safe after all. As reported by GamesRadar, while Official Xbox Magazine wrote about Nemesis breaking into a room with a save point, that room was not actually a safe room. The article added that not all save points will be located in safe rooms.
Original story: Video game safe rooms are usually, well, safe. They’re a place for you to catch a breather, to prep yourself for the next part of the game, without fear of being attacked.
In Resident Evil 3, those safe rooms might not be so safe.
In an interview with Official Xbox Magazine (via US Gamer), Resident Evil 3 producer Peter Fabiano revealed that Nemesis is capable of pursuing the player into a safe room.

“It sounds like if you’re being pursued by Nemesis, you’ll have to break his line of sight before ducking out into a safe room. If you just head into a safe room while the Tyrant’s pursuing you, he’ll burst through the door to confront you.”

Reading this reminded me of PC Gamer’s article about safe rooms, which happened to touch on Resident Evil 2. In that article, RE2 director Kazunori Kadoi was quoted as saying that “I donâ€™t think we should ever break the rules as far as letting the player be attacked and hurt in the safe room.
Weâ€™re supposed to establish rules by which you play and complete the game, and it would be unfair to break them like that just for the sake of a twist.”
It looks like with Resident Evil 3, those rules have been partially broken.


PS Plus Is Rewarding Two Huge FPS Titles In June 2020

Asian gamers will have two new games to look forward to in theÂ PlayStation Plus Asia June 2020 lineup.Â FromÂ 2 June to 6 July 2020, PS Plus Asia subscribers will be able to redeem Call Of Duty WW2 and Star Wars Battlefront 2.
Call Of Duty WW2

This game was actually announced earlier this week, and can already be claimed on PS Plus since the past few days. Sledgehammer Games’ Call Of Duty WW2 returns to the franchise’s World War 2 roots after years of Modern Warfare and Black Ops entries.
Star Wars Battlefront 2

Forget all the controversy this game made back when it launched in 2017. EA DICE has released update after update, and Star Wars Battlefront 2 is now much better for it. The community is still healthy and thriving due to recent Star Wars Episode IX The Rise Of Skywalker and Rogue One content updates, so it’s great to jump into even now.
This yearâ€™s offerings have been pretty great so far. Sony Interactive Entertainment is certainly putting more effort and resources into PlayStation Plus. In March, we received Shadow Of The ColossusÂ andÂ Sonic Forces, while in April, we received Uncharted 4 and Dirt Rally 2.0.


Is Gears Tactics A Great XCOM Replacement For 2020?

Platform: PC (via Steam)
Genre: Turn-Based Strategy Game With Chainsaw Guns & Terrifying Mole Men
When you think Gears of War, you think “chest-high walls”, “brick s***house armor”, “guns with chainsaw attachments”, “emergence holes”, and explosions. Oh, and real-time cover-based shooting with some semblance of tactics. And a gun-toting squad to work with.
The last thing that pops to mind is “RPG elements” and “turn-based combat”. In fact, the furthest thing from my mind is a turn-based strategic Gears game that somehow does things better than 2012’s de facto strategy title XCOM: Enemy Unknown.
Wouldn’t you know it, these two elements are what an Xbox-exclusive series like Gears needed to jump-start the franchise in a logical direction. After all, it’s entrenched in military and sci-fi tropes and knowhow; strategic combat and squad management is part and parcel of the experience.
Gears Tactics not only is a fresh new squad-based tactics spin, but it takes a lot from past high-level combat-savvy strategy titles and introduces a number of novel concepts that improve the genre. All while wearing its gib-tastic coat of paint loud and proud.
Fenix Point

Narrative-wise, you play as Gabe Diaz who is tasked with leading a convoy squad of Gears to combat a Locust mad scientist named Ukkon. There are a few tidbits and nods for fans of Gears 4 and Gears 5, but generally it’s what you would expect from a mass market action title.

First thing first: you can’t quick save and quick load your way out of trouble. Gears Tactics offers a checkpoint system halfway in lengthy story & side missions. But generally, the gameplay flow is structured so that you think and commit to your decisions on the field.

Luckily, you have a lot of information on display to help you make informed decisions and weighting the risks/rewards in doing them. Turning on the TAC-COM lets you see what kind of buffs & skills your foes have, as well as remind you what your team is capable of.
Coupled with an intuitive control scheme and a non-grid system that uses Action Points (with all the movement and calculation done off-screen), you can focus on the action & your movement. The movement system is pretty generous and flexible; it minimizes Action Point usage provided you’re getting to cover. With all the enemies being adept at firing at you, you’ll need to scan the area and find the best spots to park your units while also counter-attacking.

At that point is where Gears Tactics’ gameplay features come into play: executions, its version of overwatch, and weapon-reloading. While pulling off executions in past Gears shooters gives you bragging rights, it’s an essential gamechanger in Gears Tactics.

If you execute a downed Locust unit, you give every other squad member an extra Action Point. This means that if you play your cards right, you can have your other pals pull off extra moves consecutively. It’s possible to even eradicate a squad of Locusts in a single turn if you plan accordingly and create setups. Plus, it’s fun to just watch one of your guys smash a bad guy’s head with a butt of their rifle.
Overwatching enables units to drag out a cone representing the zone overwatch will trigger in. The wider the cone, the less accurate your shots will be. If any enemy runs into that zone, your unit will fire automatically. Overwatch shots are determined by how many Action Points you have left and how many bullets your gun contains.

Yes, you also need to keep check on your gun magazine for each unit. If you run out of ammo, you need to spend one Action Point to reload. Without bullets, you cannot use Overwatch or certain skills that require more than a single shot.

Again, if you plan your turn right, you can wipe out an enemy squad by just camping, baiting, and securing perimiters-slash-corners. That industrial “click” sound whenever some fool triggers overwatch will never get old; trust me on this.

Coupled with the fact that most units start out with three Action Points from the get-go, and you’ll have to get really creative in strategizing. And I haven’t even talked about the Locusts’ methods of attacking.
Enemy Not Quite Unknown
You’ll be fighting all manner of Locust uglies, now in turn-based form, while sorting out different objectives. These include the usual “kill them all” to protecting defense zones until you accumulate enough cargo for the mission.
The Locusts will use tricks from previous titles: they can break out from Emergence Holes that will spawn more enemy units unless you blow it up with a grenade. Wretches can hit you when you get too close. The new-to-the-series Disciples and Zealots emit toxic gas when they die, weakening the attacks of whoever was close by. And you’ll fight bosses like the Brumak and Corpser, each with their own patterns of attacks and their propensity to summon Locusts enemies during intervals.

Fortunately, they still retain their trademark weaknesses: Wretches can die quick, Grenadiers lose focus when they’re in berserk status (making them prone to Bayonet and Lancer one-hit kill attacks), and Theron Guards have terrible defence when against up-close and personal threats.

The aforementioned bosses are also easier to hit because they are, well, huge. Each of them present a challenging threat from the early training wheel stages to the side missions that throws E-Hole levels of curveballs at you.

Speaking of missions, different objectives means different team setups and customization. Which brings us to Gears Tactics “role-playing” squad management bit. You have 5 types of classes to put in your squad: Vanguards, Supports, Scouts, Heavies, and Snipers.
All of them have their own set of guns and are combat-ready; it’s up to you to figure out which class combination fits your turn-based play style. Each of them have their individual skill trees with skills that are relevant to their roles. For instance, my side Support soldier Coleen can either take the Combat Medic route to prolong the lives of the team, or the Paragon route and give your units additional Action Points and a damage buff from afar.
My Asian Scout “Specter” can either go the Slayer route where she can turn invisible if she kills or downs an enemy, or the Commando path which focuses on planting mines and lowering Grenade cooldowns so you can use them frequently.

The choices are plentiful; you’ll have a ton of active and passive skills to set in stone for your squad, be it giving suppressing fire AND explosive shots for your Heavy, or making a Vanguard’s Bayonet kill sprinkled with loads of party benefits once they’re pulled off.

And with 20+ slots of squad members you can recruit (including the Heroes) and equip with different weapon mods and armour (with a lot of colour options), your personal COG army is whatever hell you want it to be. Parade your army of death in pink and garish yellow; I know I did.

Alas, there is no base-building. But with the aforementioned skill tree and mods system, it’s really not required.
After a story mission or two, you have to clear side missions to progress. Each of the offer different modifiers, from “no grenades” and “no specific class”, to overwatch and accuracy buffs that can make even lowly Hammer Drones a force to be reckoned with. You can also score even more rare weapon mods and armour if you complete a mission’s optional objective, which comes in tough flavours like “no grenades in a match” or “kill eight or more enemies in a single turn”.
I had a hell of a time with side-missions that limit your Action Points and magazine count; prepping for these took quite a lot of weapon mod-switching and pre-planning. Add to the fact that you cannot use the same heroes and squad members from one side mission in another, and you’ll have to figure out which ones are suited for certain missions. Personally, the defense missions are suited for Heavies who get a lot of buffs if they are on overwatch duties. Conversely, the Nemacyst bombing run missions (collect crates, run away from ever-piling hotzones) require Vanguards and mobile units.

However you see it, Gears Tactics wants you to switch up your routine and playstyle so that you can adapt to whatever challenges it shoves at your human face. And no matter the odds, there is always a solution to get your squad out of a tight jam. The rewards are plentiful from epic level mods to the major satisfaction of beating the devs at their crafty gore-filled own game.

Terror From The Deep
That’s where the game gets fun; figuring out different tactics while thinking to yourself on how to get out from a mission’s predicament. At the same time, the aforementioned “no quick save/load” rules mean that you have to really treat your moves and actions with a lot of weight. One wrong move, especially in the harder difficulty settings, can force a mission restart especially if the game’s auto checkpoint puts you in a compromising position.
An undo or rewind button would be nice, but the controls are almost foolproof that you only have yourself to blame if you “accidentally” expose your squad out of cover. Most of my defeats and restarts are usually from underestimating how hard a berserk Grenadier hits, or how painful a Sniper Drone’s pinning shot is.

You’ll definitely learn from your mistakes and take its strategy gameplay seriously within its 30-or-so hour campaign mode filled with its slew of challenges and “brain teasers”. Like figuring out if you’re willing to take one for the team by executing a Disciple; you’ll be weakened, but your pals will appreciate the extra Action Point.

In fact, it’s hard to find any major faults in this Gears turn-based game. True, there are some technical glitches here and there.Â Sometimes, a tree or a wall will clip and block your cinematic view of your execution. These are minor issues at worst, though it’s odd to see this in a triple-A priced title.
Gears Tactics’ endgame content is a series of “Veteran” side missions that offer a ton of loot and “randomized” maps based on level structures and tilesets from the campaign. This particular mode is fun to just focus on the strategy and gameplay here, the mode can get old after a couple more hours. They’re decent diversions at best.
Challenge-wise, it will test you and make you tense and think hard, but it’s comparatively breezy when you put it side-by-side with the 2012 XCOM series. Still, there are some things Gears Tactics does better, like ditching the tile-based system as well as the fact that you can fire and then move.
Delta Squad? More Like Alpha
To answer the obviously-trolling headline, it’s a resounding “yes”. Gears Tactics is a fun and cerebral-challenging addition to the turn-based strategy line of games that go beyond what is expected. While it’s not wholly original, it presents a lot of time-tested mechanics in a streamlined and intuitive way while also not being afraid of challenging its audience.
Honestly, I’d be more than happy to place this blood trophy alongside the 2012 XCOM reboot, Into The Breach, and Final Fantasy Tactics series as turn-based custom-savvy strategy games that double as black hole level timesinks. If Malaysia’s MCO is going to be extended consecutively after every two weeks, you might as well kill off the remaining days commanding a bunch of brick s***house soldiers with oversized guns-slash-chainsaws-slash-bayonets.
Pros

Streamlined controls and UI.
Combat and missions are really fun.
Overwatching and executions add new layers of strategy.
Offers the right amount of challenge.
Captures the Gears flavour accurately.

Cons

Some weird technical and input-related bugs.
Pre-generated Veteran maps get old after the 25-hour mark.
Might be breezy for hardcore strategy fans.

FINAL SCORE: 80/100
Review code courtesy of Microsoft Xbox.


Leto’s Joker Won’t Be Appearing In Birds Of Prey

It looks like it’s goodbye to Jared Leto’s short-lived Joker, who first debuted in the awful 2016’s Suicide Squad. Birds Of Prey star and producer Margot Robbie has confirmed in an interview with Variety that Leto won’t be appearing in the upcoming movie, and that includes cameos or flashbacks of any kind.
Birds Of Prey will depict an independent Harley Quinn who just broke up with Joker, but the movie won’t actually show Leto’s Joker in any way. However, his presence will still likely loom throughout the movie, as the trailers have shown scenes of Harley throwing knives at a drawing of Joker and her blowing up ACE Chemicals.
In the same interview, Robbie also revealed what she thought of Joaquin Phoenix’s phenomenal turn as the Joker last year. However, she said that it would be unlikely for that Joker to appear in Birds Of Prey as well.
She said:

â€œ[Joaquin Phoenix] did a phenomenal job.
I feel like the Joker film was much more grounded.
Ours is different. Itâ€™s heightened.â€

Birds Of Prey is slated to premiere on 7 February 2020. In the meantime, check out the latest trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGM4uYZzfu0&w=560&h=315]


All The Games From NetEase Connect 2022

China-based game developer and publisher NetEase Games recently held their NetEase Connect 2022 on 21 May 2022. The live-streamed event was hosted by IGN Japan’s Daniel Robson and Esra Crabbe. 15 titles were featured during the event, including six new game reveals.
Dead By Daylight Mobile

Dead By Daylight Mobile is a multiplayer (4v1) horror and action game in which one ruthless killer hunts down four survivors trying to evade a gruesome death. The closed beta test will be announced soon for western countries.

LifeAfter

LifeAfter is a open-world doomsday survival game for PC and mobile devices. It is set to receive a new expansion that will feature a massive ocean that players can explore.

Infinite Lagrange

Infinite Lagrange is a sci-fi grand space simulation mobile game and its universe is shaped by millions of players that inhabit it. With the current update “Identity Agreement”, the game enabled players to choose diversified identities and use different skills embedded with those identities to better explore the universe. This summer, Infinite Lagrange will introduce the concept of “Legacy”, which will allow players to search for legacy items and use them to develop their own forces.

Badlanders

Badlanders is a new next-gen competitive survival looter shooter game that is available now on PC and mobile. In Badlanders, 25 players compete to be the very best, and must kill and steal the loot of other players to secure victory. The game features a selection of realistic real-world weapons and an open in-game economy that encourages players to invest in to level up their arsenal and start the next battle with an advantage.

Mission Zero

Mission Zero is a 2v4 competitive stealth game that casts players as either the invader or the chaser. Through infiltration, hacking, and high-risk escapes, the best team will emerge victorious. Four invaders are tasked with blending into an environment with disguises and must work together to recover confidential information. Two chasers have to find and apprehend these invaders before they complete their mission.

Identity V

Identity V is a unique asymmetric game that features rich character stories with compelling gameplay. The game will feature a crossover event with Japanese steam-punk style artist Mitsuji Kamata.

Naraka Bladepoint

NARAKA: BLADEPOINT is a 60-player PvP mythical action battle royale game that sold over six million copies in just 90 days. It is set to arrive on mobile devices soon and NetEase Connect 2022 was able to debut not only exclusive new gameplay footage, but also a brand new hero in Takeda, a samurai who has a demon living inside of him and who comes equipped with a katana and armor.

ZOZ Final Hour

ZOZ: Final Hour is a third-person shooting game with an exciting twist. You and 14 other mercenaries infiltrate the zombie-infested city of San Yager to stop the undead threat and collect valuable Blood Crystals. However, zombies aren’t the only threat as your fellow team can choose to betray you at any moment. Additionally, players who die during the match will come back as zombies, complete with new skills and infinite respawns.

The Lord Of The Rings Rise To War

The Lord of the Rings: Rise to War brings the world of legendary author J.R.R. Tolkien to life on mobile via a geo-strategic seasonal wargame.

Once Be Human

Once Be Human is a new weird survival game where players need to collect resources and try to fight against the unknown danger. Once Be Human takes place 40 years after civilization has fallen. In this world, a mysterious silver door opened and brought with Stardust that polluted the land and created hordes of terrifying monsters. The last hope for humanity are those with special powers called Beyonders, whose hearts and thoughts are still the continuation and destination of human civilization.

Tank Company

After first releasing in China, Tank Company will be rolling out globally in the near future and will introduce even more players to this online multiplayer game that puts 15 players against 15 more in a selection of real historical tanks from World War II and the Cold War on a variety of maps. Players will also be able to level up their tanks and customize them, in addition to joining a clan and exploring scorching deserts, snow-covered towns, and much more.

Ace Racer

Ace Racer is ready to launch out of early access and present players with the full version of this over-the-top high-speed racing game that has cars flashing through walls, transforming while driving, and even dashing into the sky.

Vikingard

Vikingard is a simulation RPG for mobile devices that puts you in charge of a Viking tribe fighting for glory allows players to travel through Scandinavia and Europe in search of battles, all while growing your tribe, creating alliances, and conquering new lands. You can even forge romances and raise pets. In June, Vikingard will also receive the Midsummer expansion.

Lost Light

Lost Light is a survival shooter for PC and mobile that is currently in open beta. In Lost Light, players take on the role of a member of the Firefly squad, who are at war with the Marauders in a post-apocalyptic future. Players are encouraged to choose their own ways to survive the so-called ‘Exclusion Zone’ – which allows you to either look for resources stealthily, or fight with others to loot their scarce items. Lost Light provides a PvPvE experience that also boasts cross-platform play across PC and mobile.
Lost Light will start its first iOS test in Q3 2022.

Harry Potter Magic Awakened

Harry Potter: Magic Awakened is an upcoming immersive collectible card role-playing game that is set in the magical world of Harry Potter and will arrive on PC and mobile in 2022. Players will become a young witch or wizard who was just accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and the journey will begin by customizing your character, purchasing school supplies at Diagon Alley, getting sorted into a house by the Sorting Hat, and competing in the Dueling Club.


Guilty Gear Strive’s Happy Chaos May Not Be The Zoner We Thought He Was

All inputs listed in this article are in numpad notations.
Guilty Gear Strive’s new DLC character, Happy Chaos, is a unique beast. The Strive storyline’s main antagonist in the game’s story mode fights with a handgun, a bunch of dopplegangers as cover, and a relaxed meta attitude.
He doesn’t play like any other fighting game character I know, and that’s A-OK by me. While his gun mechanic is similar to Guilty Gear Xrd’s Elphelt Van Titties Valentine and her sniper mode, Happy Chaos’ plays and feels completely different. See, Happy Chaos can fire his gun at any time with a press of the HS button; it’ll hit his opponent when the reticule is on them and when it’s small.

The gunfire is not a special cancel or anything; when you’re doing a Gatling combo, pressing the HS will have Happy Chaos firing his gun alongside the combo you’re doing, adding more hits and damage. For example, his simple S, S Gatling can be mixed in with simultaneous presses of the HS button. Shots fired indeed!
His Steady Aim deals a ton of damage for a zoning attack that hits anywhere as long as the reticule is small and on the opponent. To aggravate foes further, he can summon walls called Scapegoats (which uses his health) and throws a curse ball that afflicts his opponent with an aura that makes the gun reticle close in faster.

Of course, there are limits. The gun Happy Chaos uses has ammunition, which you need to reload with a special move called, well, Reload. He also has a Concentration meter to factor in: if he runs out of that meter, he can’t fire his gun. Pressing HS or pulling off At The Ready and Steady Aim will have him fumbling his gun instead, leaving you open for attacks. Speaking of which, he cannot block when he has his gun out, so if you’re jumping in with a gun ablazing, you better make damn sure you commit.
Thankfully, he can sheathe his gun by pressing 2+HS. He can also recharge his Concentration with the special move Focus, which leaves him vulnerable but refills his Concentration fully. His two Overdrive moves, Deus Ex Machina and Super Focus, can help solve his low ammunition and concentration problems. The former is a Super move that hits opponents anywhere on screen while refilling his bullets, but requires some Concentration meter. The latter just fills up his Concentration instantaneously while also making it drain slower than usual.
Long story short: he’s a unique character that breaks some rules in Guilty Gear Strive. While he’s meant for galaxy brain players who feel that the game may be too easy for them, his damage output and “hit anything anywhere” gameplay is pretty unique, with his many regular moves like his 6S clothesline being great punishing tools for his gun kit. Juggling all the ammunition, Concentration, and reticule info can be incredibly taxing for newbie players though, so he’s clearly not meant for beginners like Jack-O and Zato-1.

Want to see Happy Chaos’ reaction to Faust’s Overdrive and other fun stuff? Check out the other videos we have below.


[Updated] Dota 2: Bali Major – Teams, Schedule, & Results

Attention, Dota 2 fans! The Bali Major 2023, the thrilling culmination of the 2023 Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) season, is happening right now in the mesmerizing location of Bali, Indonesia.
Are you ready for five days of heart-pounding Dota 2 action? The group stage schedule for the Bali Major 2023 is finally here, and it’s delivering non-stop excitement. With four different streams to choose from, you’ll have your hands full trying to catch all the intense matches. It’s not just about bragging rights either—teams are battling it out for a chance to secure their spot in The International 12 (TI12) by claiming the majority share of the 3,500 DPC points available, along with the impressive US$500,000 prize pool.
Don’t miss a beat because the Bali Major 2023 kicked off on 29 June and will keep us on the edge of our seats until 9 July. The Group Stage features a single round-robin format, with thrilling best-of-two (BO2) games. Keep in mind that the bottom three teams from each group face elimination and won’t advance to the Playoffs. It’s a fierce battle where only the best will survive to fight another day.
As always, this piece will cover everything you need to know about the tournament.
NOTE: All Times & Dates will be in (UTC+8)

Details

Date: 29 June – 9 July (UTC+8)
Venues: Ayana Estate, Jimbaran, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia

Format

Participants

Eighteen teams

Four teams each from Western Europe and China
Three teams each from Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe
Two teams each from North America and South America

Group Stage – 29 June – 3 July

Two groups of nine teams each
Single round-robin
All matches are Best of 2
Top four teams from each group advance to the upper bracket of the playoffs
5th and 6th place teams from each group advance to the lower bracket of the playoffs
Remaining teams are eliminated

Playoffs – 5–9 July

Double-elimination bracket
All matches except Grand Final are Best of 3
Grand Final is Best of 5

Final Results

Place
$ USD
DPC Points
Participant

1
$200,000
600
Gaimin Gladiators

2
$100,000
550
Team Liquid

3
$75,000
500
Tundra Esports

4
$50,000
450
Quest Esports

5-6

$25,000

400

PSG.LGD

9Pandas

7-8

$12,500

300

Azure Ray

beastcoast

9-12

–

–

Team Spirit

BetBoom Team

Shopify Rebellion

Team Aster

13-14

–

–

Blacklist International

Bleed eSports

15-16

–

–

Execration

nouns

17-18

–

–

Invictus Gaming

Evil Geniuses

Teams

Tundra Esports – Western Europe
Gaimin Gladiators – Western Europe
Quest Esports – Western Europe
Team Liquid – Western Europe
Team Spirit – Eastern Europe
BetBoom Team – Eastern Europe
9Pandas – Eastern Europe
PSG.LGD – China
Invictus Gaming – China
Team Aster – China
Azure Ray – China
Bleed eSports – Southeast Asia
Blacklist International – Southeast Asia
Execration – Southeast Asia
Shopify Rebellion – North America
nouns – North America
Evil Geniuses – South America
beastcoast – South America

GROUP STAGE RESULTS

Group A

1
Team Liquid
4-4-0
12-4

2
beastcoast
2-6-0
10-6

3
Tundra Esports
2-6-0
10-6

4
Team Aster
4-2-2
10-6

5
Team Spirit
2-5-1
9-7

6
Shopify Rebellion
3-4-1
6-10

7
Blacklist International
1-4-3
6-10

8
Execration
0-5-3
5-11

9
Invictus Gaming
1-2-5
4-12

Group B

1
Quest Esports
5-2-1
12-4

2
BetBoom Team
4-2-2
10-6

3
Gaimin Gladiators
3-4-1
10-6

4
PSG.LGD
3-4-1
10-6

5
9Pandas
3-2-3
8-8

6
Azure Ray
2-3-3
7-9

7
Bleed Esports
2-3-3
7-9

8
nouns
1-3-4
5-11

9
Evil Geniuses
0-3-5
3-13

Matches
Group Stage
29 June

10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Shopify Rebellion [1] vs [1] Team Liquid (Group A)
10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Tundra Esports [1] vs [1] beastcoast (Group A)
10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Team Spirit [1] vs [1] Team Aster (Group A)
10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Invictus Gaming [2] vs [0] Execration (Group A)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – Bleed eSports [0] vs [2] Quest Esports (Group B)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – PSG.LGD [1] vs [1] nouns (Group B)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – Evil Geniuses [0] vs [2] Azure Ray (Group B)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – Gaimin Gladiators [2] vs [0] 9Pandas (Group B)
3:00 PM (UTC+8) – Tundra Esports [1] vs [1] Team Spirit (Group A)
3:00 PM (UTC+8) – Shopify Rebellion [1] vs [1] beastcoast (Group A)
3:00 PM (UTC+8) – Invictus Gaming [0] vs [2] Team Aster (Group A)
3:00 PM (UTC+8) – Blacklist International [0] vs [2] Team Liquid (Group A)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – PSG.LGD [2] vs [0] Bleed eSports (Group B)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – Evil Geniuses [0] vs [2] nouns (Group B)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – Gaimin Gladiators [1] vs [1] Quest Esports (Group B)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – BetBoom Team [1] vs [1] Azure Ray (Group B)
30 June

10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Blacklist International [1] vs [1] beastcoast (Group A)
10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Tundra Esports [2] vs [0] Shopify Rebellion (Group A)
10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Invictus Gaming [0] vs [2] Team Spirit (Group A)
10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Execration [0] vs [2] Team Liquid (Group A)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – BetBoom Team [2] vs [0] nouns (Group B)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – PSG.LGD [1] vs [1] Evil Geniuses (Group B)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – Gaimin Gladiators [1] vs [1] Bleed eSports (Group B)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – 9Pandas [2] vs [0] Azure Ray (Group B)
3:00 PM (UTC+8) – Team Liquid [2] vs [0] Team Aster (Group A)
3:00 PM (UTC+8) – Tundra Esports [1] vs [1] Invictus Gaming (Group A)
3:00 PM (UTC+8) – Blacklist International [1] vs [1] Shopify Rebellion (Group A)
3:00 PM (UTC+8) – Execration [1] vs [1] beastcoast (Group A)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – PSG.LGD [0] vs [2] Gaimin Gladiators (Group B)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – BetBoom Team [2] vs [0] Evil Geniuses (Group B)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – 9Pandas [1] vs [1] nouns (Group B)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – Azure Ray [0] vs [2] Quest Esports (Group B)
1 July

10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Team Aster [0] vs [2] beastcoast (Group A)
10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Tundra Esports [2] vs [0] Blacklist International (Group A)
10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Execration [1] vs [1] Shopify Rebellion (Group A)
10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Team Liquid [2] vs [0] Team Spirit (Group A)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – 9Pandas [2] vs [0] Evil Geniuses (Group B)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – PSG.LGD [1] vs [1] BetBoom Team (Group B)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – Azure Ray [0] vs [2] Bleed eSports (Group B)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – Quest Esports [2] vs [0] nouns (Group B)
3:00 PM (UTC+8) – Execration [1] vs [1] Blacklist International (Group A)
3:00 PM (UTC+8) – Team Liquid [1] vs [1] Invictus Gaming (Group A)
3:00 PM (UTC+8) – Team Aster [2] vs [0] Shopify Rebellion (Group A)
3:00 PM (UTC+8) – beastcoast [1] vs [1] Team Spirit (Group A)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – 9Pandas [0] vs [2] BetBoom Team (Group B)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – Azure Ray [1] vs [1] Gaimin Gladiators (Group B)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – Quest Esports [2] vs [0] Evil Geniuses (Group B)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – nouns [1] vs [1] Bleed eSports (Group B)
2 July

10:00 AM (UTC+8) – beastcoast [2] vs [0] Invictus Gaming (Group A)
10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Tundra Esports [1] vs [1] Execration (Group A)
10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Team Aster [2] vs [0] Blacklist International (Group A)
10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Team Spirit [2] vs [0] Shopify Rebellion (Group A)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – Quest Esports [2] vs [0] BetBoom Team (Group B)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – PSG.LGD [2] vs [0] 9Pandas (Group B)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – nouns [0] vs [2] Gaimin Gladiators (Group B)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – Bleed eSports [1] vs [1] Evil Geniuses (Group B)
3:00 PM (UTC+8) – Shopify Rebellion [2] vs [0] Invictus Gaming (Group A)
3:00 PM (UTC+8) – Tundra Esports [1] vs [1] Team Liquid (Group A)
3:00 PM (UTC+8) – Team Aster [2] vs [0] Execration (Group A)
3:00 PM (UTC+8) – Team Spirit [1] vs [1] Blacklist International (Group A)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – PSG.LGD [1] vs [1] Azure Ray (Group B)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – Quest Esports [1] vs [1] 9Pandas (Group B)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – Bleed eSports [2] vs [0] BetBoom Team (Group B)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – Evil Geniuses [1] vs [1] Gaimin Gladiators (Group B)
3 July

10:00 AM (UTC+8) – beastcoast [1] vs [1] Team Liquid (Group A)
10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Tundra Esports [1] vs [1] Team Aster (Group A)
10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Team Spirit [1] vs [1] Execration (Group A)
10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Invictus Gaming [0] vs [2] Blacklist International (Group A)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – Bleed eSports [0] vs [2] 9Pandas  (Group B)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – PSG.LGD [2] vs [0] Quest Esports(Group B)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – nouns [0] vs [2] Azure Ray (Group B)
12:30 PM (UTC+8) – Gaimin Gladiators [0] vs [2] BetBoom Team (Group B)
3:35 PM (UTC+8) – Blacklist International [1] vs [2] Shopify Rebellion (Group A Tiebreaker)
7:20 PM (UTC+8) – Azure Ray [2] vs [1] Bleed eSports (Group B Tiebreaker)
Playoffs

Rolling schedule except for final day

5 July

10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Team Liquid [2] vs [1] PSG.LGD (Upper Bracket Quarterfinal)
1:45 PM (UTC+8) – BetBoom Team [L] vs [W] Tundra Esports (Upper Bracket Quarterfinal) – BetBoom Team forfeit due to rule violation
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – beastcoast [1] vs [2] Gaimin Gladiators (Upper Bracket Quarterfinal)
9:15 PM (UTC+8) – Quest Esports [2] vs [1] Team Aster (Upper Bracket Quarterfinal)
6 July

10:00 AM (UTC+8) – PSG.LGD [2] vs [1] Team Spirit (Lower Bracket Round 1)
1:45 PM (UTC+8) – BetBoom Team [1] vs [2] Azure Ray (Lower Bracket Round 1)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – beastcoast  [2] vs [1] Shopify Rebellion (Lower Bracket Round 1)
9:15 PM (UTC+8) – Team Aster [1] vs [2] 9Pandas (Lower Bracket Round 1)
7 July

10:00 AM (UTC+8) – PSG.LGD [2] vs [1] Azure Ray (Lower Bracket Round 2)
1:45 PM (UTC+8) – beastcoast [1] vs [2] 9Pandas (Lower Bracket Round 2)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – Team Liquid [0] vs [2] Tundra Esports (Upper Bracket Semifinal)
9:15 PM (UTC+8) – Gaimin Gladiators [2] vs [1] Quest Esports (Upper Bracket Semifinal)
8 July

10:00 AM (UTC+8) – Quest Esports [2] vs [0] PSG.LGD (Lower Bracket Quarterfinal)
1:45 PM (UTC+8) – Team Liquid [2] vs [1] 9Pandas (Lower Bracket Quarterfinal)
5:30 PM (UTC+8) – Tundra Esports [0] vs [2] Gaimin Gladiators (Upper Bracket Final)
9:15 PM (UTC+8) – Quest Esports [1] vs [2] Team Liquid (Lower Bracket Semifinal)
9 July

12:00 PM (UTC+8) – Tundra Esports [0] vs [2] Team Liquid (Lower Bracket Final)
6:00 PM (UTC+8) – Gaimin Gladiators [3] vs [1] Team Liquid (Grand Final)

Where to Watch?
Twitch / YouTube / Facebook


Street Fighter 6 Adds Japanese Actress As Real-Time Commentator

During Capcom Spotlight March 2023, Capcom announced that Japanese actress Hikaru Takahashi will join Street Fighter 6 as part of the game’s Real-Time Commentary Feature.
The Real-Time Commentary Feature makes it feel like players are playing in a real tournament by adding “live commentary” into the game, sort of like what wrestling games have been doing for years.
She is best known for starring in movies like 2022’s Mr. Osomatsu and TV series such as Naotora The Lady Warlord.
Street Fighter 6 is slated to release for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 2 June 2023.
Check out the trailer below:


Add This Rocket League Hot Wheels Car to Your Collection This Month

Remember Hot Wheels? Some of us might have stopped collecting those little toy cars when we grew up but maybe it’s time to renew our childhood hobby. Why? The first-ever Rocket League Hot Wheels car is releasing this month, and I’m talking about a real die-cast toy car here (not DLC or virtual).
The 1:64 scale ‘Octane’ Rocket League Hot Wheels car will go on sale for a retail price of just $1.09, or roughly RM4.60. It will probably cost more than that when it becomes available here but that’s still pretty cheap for a piece of official game merchandise.

According to Shack News, it will be sold in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Here’s a list of participating retailers for each region:

United States: Walmart, Target, Kmart
Canada: Walmart, Canadian Tire
Asia: Walmart, Target, Toys R Us, Kmart
South America and Mexico: Bodega Aurrera, Walmart, Lasa, Reval, and Barao
Europe: Amazon, Smyths, Argos, Tesco, Muller

The ‘Octane’ Rocket League Hot Wheels car will only be available in its blue variant initially, with an orange variant slated to release sometime in 2019. More Rocket League Hot Wheels cars might be on its way, but no details or information have been revealed at this time.


Windjammers 2 Finally Has A Release Date

Good news, fans of fighting games disguised as a frisbee-tossing sports title. Windjammers 2 will be out pretty soon.
Publisher & developer Dotemu is launching Windjammers 2 on 20th January 2022, one month from now, for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. The game will also be available on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
Dotemu also listed down the full cast of characters for the upcoming sequel:

Sophie De LysÂ â€“ â€œSoyez prets!â€ Itâ€™s time to meet the French fashionable fast and furious Sophie De Lys and her super moves. One simple advice: choose the right way to go.
Max HurricaneÂ â€“ With his impressive silhouette, the Canadian champion isnâ€™t here to joke around. Heâ€™s ready to blow anything out of his way with only one throw. Klaus Wessel, youâ€™ve been warned.
Jao RaposaÂ â€“ Absolute fan of Steve Miller, Jao spent his childhood in Brazil watching the originalÂ Windjammersâ€˜ own his opponents on the jamminâ€™ court, and itâ€™s now his time to shine. His best weapons? His speed and head-spinning throws.
Sammy HoÂ â€“ Sammy is a very well balanced athlete. The Chinese player is powerful but fast enough to catch every frisbee that comes to him. Beware of his tricky shots! Heâ€™ll take the title away from you if youâ€™re not careful enough!
Hiromi MitaÂ â€“ 10 years later, you would have thought Japan gave up on the jam? Hiromi Mita is still around with her fast and tricky curve shots shots that will make you regret facing her.
Klaus WesselÂ â€“ After a decade of hard training, Klaus Wessel, also known as the Colossus from Germany due to his powerful shots, is back and ready to show Max Hurricane whoâ€™s the strongest jammer alive.
Loris BiaggiÂ â€“ Swift, strong, versatileâ€¦ the Italian Loris Biaggi is still the great champion he was back in the days.
Steve MillerÂ â€“ Heâ€™s agile and a natural at pulling off reversals along with tricky curved shots. Heâ€™s back to prove that he is still in the game.
Gary ScottÂ â€“ The extremely muscular American competitor is once again here to show to his opponents how powerful he is. Get ready to see one of the most impressive shots of the game!
Jordi CostaÂ â€“ The all-round athlete Jordi comes back in the game after 10 years of training. His clinical shots and his speed are the assets that can lead him to win the championship!

Let’s hope the game has decent netcode for online play. If anything, offline play is gonna be hella sweet for something like a new Windjammers.


We Are Getting A New Nintendo Direct Mini Tonight

After months of silence from Nintendo while both Sony and Microsoft have been hyping up their respective games, we are finally getting a new Nintendo Direct Mini tonight. The last Nintendo Direct Mini was in March 2020 earlier this year.
The surprise announcement came from the official Nintendo Twitter account earlier today, which revealed that the Nintendo Direct Mini Partner Showcase will take place at 10am ET on 20 July 2020, or 10pm GMT+8 on 20 July 2020 for Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia.

On 7/20 we’ll debut the first #NintendoDirect Mini: Partner Showcase, a series focused on titles from our development & publishing partners. We’ll share a few updates on a small group of previously-announced #NintendoSwitch games. Check out the full video release at 7am PT. pic.twitter.com/GbEbxVL6fD
â€” Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) July 20, 2020

According to the post, the presentation will focus on titles from “development and publishing partners”, as well as share â€œa few updates on a small group of previously announced gamesâ€ for the Nintendo Switch.
The previous Nintendo Direct Mini revealed more details for Bravely Default II, as well as the release date for Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition and more. Perhaps we’ll finally get more information about Atlus’ Shin Megami Tensei V in tonight’s stream.


Good Smile Company Is Working On Sexy Nikke: Goddess Of Victory Waifus

Good Smile Company has announced a slew of nendoroids and action figures during the WonHobbyG 2023 Spring expo. But probably the most eye-popping news is that the company is making toys for Nikke: Goddess Of Victory characters.
For those who don’t know, Nikke is known for being an action shooter title on mobile that’s part RPG, part gacha, and all anime jiggle physics. Good Smile Company will be making three figures for the series; two of them are the same character. There will be scale figures of Guren and Modernia, with the latter receiving a Hyper Body Line figure as well (more articulation + model kit elements).
The figures have no release window as of yet; there aren’t even any uncoloured prototypes of the figures during WonHobbyG. All you’re getting are these pictures and official announcements.

#WonHobbyG 2023 Spring Figure Update!
Good Smile Arts ShanghaiGODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKEScale Figure Guren
Web Gallery: https://t.co/FNdfWTqnoF#NIKKE #goodsmile pic.twitter.com/nN3p1FmhTH
— GoodSmile_US (@GoodSmile_US) May 27, 2023

#WonHobbyG 2023 Spring Figure Update!
Good Smile Arts ShanghaiGODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKEHyper Body Modernia
Web Gallery:  https://t.co/RXcd6Tsvt6#NIKKE #goodsmile pic.twitter.com/vs4ynYRtJm
— GoodSmile_US (@GoodSmile_US) May 27, 2023

Goddess Of Victory: Nikke/Nikke: Goddess Of Victory is out right now for mobile devices and PC.


One Piece Odyssey Is A Massive Worthwhile Filler Arc

Platform(s): PC (version reviewed), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X | S
Genre: Anime Action Adventure RPG
One Piece is a beloved manga and anime series that has been entertaining fans worldwide for 25 years. It is the best-selling manga and the longest-running shonen anime of all time. One Piece Odyssey attempts to retell four major story arcs from the series in a Japanese-style RPG format, which is a challenging task. However, it does an outstanding job representing the classic anime series by providing an expressive and dedicated portrayal of the characters, allowing each one to shine.
One Piece Odyssey is a fantastic blend of One Piece and JRPG elements, which is an improvement over the decent One Piece Unlimited World Red. In my review of the PC version, I will examine the port, the game itself, and whether it is worth your time. Overall, One Piece Odyssey is one of the best anime games available and a strong JRPG in its own right.
As the player, you control the Straw Hat Pirates who are shipwrecked on the island of Waford. The crew includes several members of the Straw Hats such as Luffy, Nami, Zoro, Robin, Sanji, Chopper, Usopp, Brook and Franky, but Jinbei, the most recent addition to the crew, is not present. The crew’s ship, the Thousand Sunny, is heavily damaged and there is no way to leave the island, so the crew begins to explore the island which is filled with nature.
Soon after arriving on Waford, the Straw Hat Pirates lose their powers, and the only way to regain them is by reliving their past adventures. The game includes a variety of classic One Piece story arcs including Alabasta, Water Seven, Marineford, and Dressrosa, which are some of the most pivotal moments in the series. This means that fans of the series can enjoy reliving their favourite scenes.

When Does It Take Place?

One Piece Odyssey is set around 750 episodes into the anime series and it assumes that the players are familiar with the characters, their abilities, and their backgrounds. The game mainly focuses on retelling the events of four major story arcs, which are interspersed with a new story written specifically for the game.
Although the manga author Eiichiro Oda had little involvement in the game’s story, he did contribute some concepts and creature designs, including some comically cute monsters. In the game, Luffy and his crew are stranded on Waford, an abandoned island inhabited by two new characters: the big-haired explorer Adio and the mysterious local girl Lim. Lim takes away the crew’s powers but soon realizes that they are the good kind of pirates. Although no one has amnesia, the Straw Hat crew has forgotten how to fight, so they set off on an adventure to recover memory cubes that contain their lost battle abilities and to relive four of their most important adventures to regain their fighting skills.
One Piece Odyssey is effectively a large filler arc, similar to the side adventures that the anime inserts to keep the TV show running weekly. While the new story and characters in Odyssey are decent for One Piece, the game shines in its retelling of past events.

Even though these adventures in Memoria are based on past story arcs (Alabasta, Water Seven, Marineford, and Dressrosa), the Straw Hat Pirates know that this is just a rough approximation of their real adventures, and their actions won’t change what actually happened in the past. Despite this, they all resolve to do things better and make a happier ending, even if it’s just a dream. This creates an unexpectedly bittersweet and personal edge, with the heroes getting a chance to see lost and fallen friends one more time.
This results in a rich well of character development compared to the average One Piece filler anime, with each member of the crew getting time in the spotlight to reflect on their feelings and come to terms with their losses.
The manga frequently has characters crying over lost friends or sad farewells, while Odyssey focuses more on coming to terms with the past. Sadly, the character Brook only joins the party late in the game, but the rest of the crew are given room to develop. At least when they’re not getting sidetracked.
One Piece Odyssey is filled with excessive padding, even within the filler content. The main story often loses its focus, and side quests, grinding and scouring maps for treasure take precedence. For example, a chase across the desert to save a friend gets delayed by various obstacles such as bandits stealing the crew’s food, a monkey stealing Nami’s wallet, a river of quicksand, a failed spelunking adventure to bypass the quicksand, and then a big cartoon crab turns up to take everyone to their destination anyway.
Despite this, it was hard for me to stay annoyed at Odyssey. The distractions often lean into One Piece’s silly side, and even these strange story digressions lead to some spectacular boss fights and fun new monsters. There are also great encounters in the optional side content, such as chasing the bounties on rival pirates who have their own comical gimmicks, like a crew that likes to leap dramatically off cliff-tops, but haven’t figured out the “landing safely” part yet. However, almost every part of Odyssey could use some trimming. Quests could be shortened, the grind reduced, and backtracking excised to leave a leaner and faster game.
The main activity in One Piece Odyssey is participating in turn-based JRPG battles. Despite the filler content, the battles are more clever than I had anticipated. The developers put a lot of effort into replicating the sprawling and chaotic cartoon brawls of the source

Gum-gum Gameplay

In One Piece Odyssey, the battles are similar to other RPG games, where players control four characters to fight against a group of enemies. However, the scale of the battles is unique, as each party member can engage with a separate group of up to four enemies in their own part of the battlefield. Some attacks are limited to targeting nearby foes, while others can hit distant enemies or knock one enemy into its nearby companions. The attacks that launch enemies towards a distant crewmate can lead to entertaining banter during the battle. The characters have different preferences, some appreciate fresh targets, while others would prefer fewer opponents.
The game includes surprise bonus objectives called Dramatic Scenes, which can be triggered during battle. These objectives require players to finish an enemy with a specific character or rescue a crewmate before they get hit by a big charge-up attack. Completing these objectives can give a large XP boost, and sometimes the system is used to add more character to the battles. For example, if Sanji and Zoro are standing together, their rivalry might result in banter and their Technique Points (this game’s MP equivalent) being fully recharged.
Despite these features, One Piece Odyssey lacks difficulty settings or scaling, making the first 5-10 hours of the game extremely easy. Even without paying attention to stats and largely ignoring synergies between characters, it wasn’t until 15 hours into the game that players may encounter the first character knocked out, and a quick healing item saw them revived seconds later. The difficulty does even out a bit after that point, but players may have to wait a long time for any kind of challenge.
Despite the easy difficulty level, the battles in One Piece Odyssey are still enjoyable to watch. The game beautifully replicates the visual tone of the anime and captures the manga’s style by rendering shadows as increasingly dense shading lines, mimicking the art of Eiichiro Oda. This detail is deeply charming and helps the exaggerated cartoon monster designs to work in 3D and fit in naturally with the more subdued geography.
While the game is largely linear, the dungeons and towns in One Piece Odyssey are fun to explore. In the overworld, each character has their own unique abilities that allow them to interact with the environment. For example, Luffy can cross gaps with his stretchy rubber arms, Zoro can slice through metal bars, Franky can build bridges over specific gaps, and Sanji can smell fresh ingredients from a distance. It is also worth taking the time to talk to the NPCs, as they have many little gags to offer, such as guards who forgot their weapons at home, bandits questioning their career choices, shopkeepers haggled into the ground by Nami, and sassy talking animals translated by Chopper.

Verdict?

In One Piece Odyssey, the battles are familiar but unique in scale, with each party member engaging with a separate enemy group in their own part of the battlefield. There are also surprise bonus objectives called Dramatic Scenes, and the game captures the visual tone of the anime, replicating the series’ art style through the use of shading lines. The NPCs are charming, but their animation can be stiff, while the combat animations are a treat, with fast, clear and nostalgic animations that can be doubled for faster combat.
The game does not have ultrawide monitor support, but has a decent range of graphics and control settings and plays well on both the controller and mouse/keyboard. It supports high refresh rates, but some cutscenes only run at 30 fps and only have Japanese audio with subtitles. Overall, while the game is a little flabby and could use some trimming, it is a fine new adventure that captures the bittersweet tone of the series and offers a leisurely experience for fans.
For fans of the One Piece manga and anime, One Piece Odyssey may be worth investing in. However, it may not be the best game for those who are not familiar with the source material or are looking for a more challenging turn-based RPG. The game is relatively easy and assumes that players have a certain level of knowledge about One Piece. Despite this, it offers a nostalgic and visually pleasing experience for those who are fans of the series and are looking for an easygoing adventure.
PROS

Very true to the anime and manga.
Enthralling story (even if it’s a filler arc)
Amazing graphics, the 3D adaptation doesn’t feel awkward.
Smooth gameplay.
Soundtrack feels like One Piece.
A lot of nostalgia.

CONS

Too much FILLER gameplay.

Game could be shorter and more thrilling

No difficulty setting or scaling.
Turn-based battles may feel slow to non-JRPG fans.
Better experience if you’re a fan of the series.

Final Score: 70/100


The Overwatch League’s March Matches Have Been Postponed

A week ago, the Overwatch League said that they would be cancelling some events but continue with their March matches. That’s no longer the case.
In a brief statement, the Overwatch League announced that those matches would be postponed.

“For the overall safety and well-being of our players, teams and staffs, and in alignment with Californiaâ€™s statewide â€˜stay at homeâ€™ order, we are cancelling this weekendâ€™s scheduled Overwatch League competition,” they said. “We will share more details on match rescheduling and look forward to returning to action soon.”

Those matches were originally meant to be broadcast without a live audience, but with the “stay at home” order, fans will be unable to enjoy even that for now. Still, safety first.
In the meantime, entertain yourself with some past Overwatch League highlights from a month ago.


Dragon Ball FighterZ World Tour To Make Stop Down South

Bandai Namco just announced more details about the upcoming Dragon Ball FighterZ World Tour as well as added in a Southeast Asian country in the mix: Singapore.
For you Malaysian, Thailand, and SEA players willing to throw down, the DBFZ World Tour will make a stop at the Little Red Dot this October at GameStart Asia’s Southeast Asian monopoly major fighting game tourney South East Asia Major 2018 alongside the Capcom Pro Tour SEA tournament.
You can take a look at the full schedule below.

So I bet you’re wondering: what the heck is a “Saga”? You might also want to stay awhile if you’re interested in participating.
How Does This Tournament Work?
For context, this tournament is similar to the Tekken World Tour, where players compete in DBFZ matches all across the world leading up to the big major tournament that will happen in the far future. The total circuit prize pool is US$60,000.
And that’s not all: according to the official website, players will not only be playing for prize money — to which each major event will be given a US$5,000 pot bonus and a US$25,000 pot bonus for the finals — but competitors will also be able to earn Dragon Balls by winning one of the World Tour “Saga” events.
“Featuring an innovative tour structure, players will compete for the 7 Dragon Balls at designated Saga Events worldwide. The more Dragon Balls a player possess, the higher seed they will be granted at the Finals of the tour.”

If a player manages to win every Saga event on the tour and earn all seven Dragon Balls, that player is immediately in the World Tour’s finals as a “Final Boss” of sorts. The runner-up of the tournament will fight against the “Final Boss” in a first-to-10 event.Â Said competitor with all the balls is guaranteed a second place win at the World Tour finals.
Along with receiving a Dragon Ball for winning a Saga event, the winner of each tournament will be given a spot at the finals. If a player who is already qualified wins another Saga event, they will receive a Dragon Ball, but the next eligible non-qualified player will be given a ticket to the last-chance qualifier event taking place the day of the finals.
Though it is not currently reflected in the schedule, the World Tour website makes mention of ” over a dozen offline and online events across the world.” There will be even more tournaments that are a part of the circuit that is separate from the major Saga events.
If you want to see the first-ever DBFZ World Tour tournament, you should watch the livestream of the CEO fighting game tournament from 29 June until 1 JulyÂ PST.


PS5 Exclusive Returnal Delayed To April 2021

Publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment and developer Housemarque have delayed third-person roguelike shooterÂ ReturnalÂ from itsÂ previously planned release date of 19 March 2021.
Returnal is now slated to exclusively launch for the PS5 on 30 April 2021.
According to PlayStation (via Twitter), the reason for the delay was to polish the game further:
â€œSony Interactive Entertainment and Housemarque have made the decision to move the release date in order to give the team extra time to continue to polish the game to the level of quality players expect from Housemarque.”

Update: Returnal has a new release date of April 30, 2021. SIE and Housemarque have made the decision to move the release date in order to give the team extra time to continue to polish the game to the level of quality players expect from Housemarque.  See you in April! pic.twitter.com/xb6IBWJ5TQ
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) January 28, 2021

Returnal combines action with roguelike gameplay into a third-person shooter where players fight to survive a hostile planet that changes with every death. Players can switch instinctively between firing modes by using a single adaptive trigger and can get right back into the action after dying. Players assume the role of Astra space scout Selene as she is stuck in a constant loop of resurrection.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Overwatch 2, World Of Warcraft & Hearthstone To Shut Down In China Next Week

Activision Blizzard has claimed that NetEase has declined their offer to extend their partnership and publishing deal in China. They have had a 14-year partnership with NetEase up until now.
According to Reuters, Blizzard is now looking for a new partner for its China operations. What this means is that seven Blizzard titles, including Overwatch 2, World Of Warcraft and Hearthstone, will go offline in China starting from 23 January 2023.
In the new statement posted on Weibo, Blizzard said:
“It is a pity that NetEase is not willing to extend services of our game for another six months on the basis of existing terms as we look for a new partner.”
NetEase is one of China’s biggest game companies and publishers. Why does Blizzard need NetEase or a Chinese publisher, for that matter? That is because foreign companies require a Chinese partner in order to do business in the country and this includes the games industry, of course.
Stay tuned for more updates on this matter in the future. For now, Blizzard games will become unplayable in China starting from next week.


Star Wars The Clone Wars’ 501st Legion AT-RT Gets Its Own Hot Toys

Hot Toys has unveiled the Star Wars The Clone Wars 1/6th scale 501st Legion AT-RT Collectible.
Designed primarily as a reconnaissance vehicle, the All Terrain Reconnaissance Transports (AT-RT) walker transformed a single clone trooper into a formidable anti-infantry unit as this two-legged open-cockpit walker is swift and heavily armed, letting a clone trooper cut through battle droids easily.

The stunningly crafted 1/6th scale 501st Legion AT-RT transport stands at approximately 64cm tall with the battalion’s signature blue paint application and 501 marking with weathering effects, as well as an astonishing range of articulations allowing different display options.
In Star Wars lore, the AT-RT is essentially the in-universe precursor which would eventually become the iconic Imperial AT-ST seen in the Original Trilogy.


OG Wins The International 2019; First Two-Time Consecutive Champion In DOTA 2 History

The International 2019 is over, folks.Â OG is your TI9 champion!

Beating TI7’s champion, Team Liquid, at the Grand Finals, OG is also the first-ever two-time consecutive TI champion in competitiveÂ DOTA 2 history. Winning with a 3-1 score, the members of OG and their crew will be sharing the grand prize of US$15,609,362.
Consequently, all five OG players are currently the highest-earning esports player in history. Team captain Johan ‘N0tail’ Sundstein sits at the top of the list with a total of US$6,886,181.99. You can check the list here at Esports Earnings.
Liquid’s captain Kuro ‘KuroKy’ Takhasomi didn’t get the chance to claim the Aegis this year but he’s become the first person to play more than 200 games across all The International tournaments.
It was either going to be him or former teammate and current Team Secret captain Clement ‘Puppey’ Ivanov. Puppey lost the chance to play more matches after losing to KuroKy’s team at the quarter-finals. The two of them are the only two players who have played in every single TI tournament till this year.
Liquid started off with a good momentum winning the first game but perhaps that was just OG warming up, as they proceeded to stomp Liquid for three straight matches. When OG’s Anathan ‘ana’ Pham chose our friendly neighbourhood wisp IO as his hero for the fourth game, we all knew it’d be the final game.

TI9 second place winner, Team Liquid.
China Joy?
Not forgetting other winners, PSG.LGD fans had their hearts broken when their team lost to Liquid at the semi-finals and ended up at third place. PSG.LGD was dropped to the lower bracket after losing to OG and it’s pretty sad we didn’t get to see a repeat of the TI8 Grand Finals.

Looks like having four Chinese players didn’t really give PSG.LGD a strong home turf buff after all. Their fifth man is Malaysian Yap ‘xNova’ Jian Wei, who should definitely talk about esports with our local ministers after he comes home.
Coming in at fourth place, we have Team Secret who crushed every competitor in the Lower Bracket after their initial Upper Bracket loss against Evil Geniuses. Secret’s dream of bringing home the Aegis were dashed away when they lost 0-2 to Team Liquid at the quarter-finals.
TI9 third-place winner, PSG.LGD.
What’s Next?
And so now we wait for The International 2020, which will be held in Stockholm, Sweden. This year’s prize pool totalled up to more than US$34,000,000 and broke the record for the biggest prize pool in esports history.
They broke the record last year and broke it again this year. So it’s only appropriate for them (us actually, since we’re contributing via Battle Passes) to get it up to at least US$35,000,000 next year.
By the way, OG’s total winnings from DOTA 2 tournaments have reached more than US$33,000,000. Crazy, isn’t it? But hey, that’s what you get for being the best DOTA 2 team in the world.


[Rumour] Ubisoft Has Greenlit A New Splinter Cell

Oh happy day, stealth game fans.
A number of development sources choosing to stay anonymous claim that Ubisoft has greenlit its first mainline Splinter Cell game in over 10 years. The new entry is part of the means to win back Ubisoft fans frustrated by recent efforts to revive the franchise via mobile and VR gaming.
The upcoming Splinter Cell game will be worked on a studio outside of its Montreal base, and is currently in an early phase of production. The game may be announced next year in 2022.
The last Splinter Cell game was 2013’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist.Â


Apex Legends Halloween Event Officially Announced, Spooky Skins Galore

We were all 99% sure a Halloween event was coming to Apex Legends this month and now Respawn has given us that last 1%. Get your scary on because The Fight or Fright Collection Event is about to start.
The event will start on 15 October and end on 5 November 2019. There will be a limited time game mode, exclusive cosmetics, event exclusive challenges, and more. Here’s a checklist of what’s coming:

Limited Time Mode – Shadowfall
Exclusive event challenges
Free earnable cosmetics including two Legendary weapon skins
24 event limited premium cosmetics that can also be unlocked with Event Apex Packs.
Lifelife Heirloom set preview
Double XP for Top 5 & Wins weekend

Shadowfall

With the debut of Season 3, we had to say goodbye to Kings Canyon and play in World’s Edge instead, which has been a pretty fun map. It looks like Respawn was busy preparing Kings Canyon for something big because it’s making a comeback. A dark and terrifying comeback.
The Shadowfall limited time game mode will put 35 players into a nighttime version of Kings Canyon. Players who die will join the “Shadow Squad” and respawn as undead versions of their Legends. Undead players won’t be able to use weapons or even their skills but will be able to run faster, jump higher, scale walls, and have a stronger melee attack.

To make it worse for survivors, the undead also get unlimited respawns via skydive.

The objective is to be part of the last 10 Legends left who must then team up to get to an evac ship and escape while also fending off the Shadow Squad. It’s basically a zombie mode with an Apex Legends twist but it definitely sounds really exciting.
Free Stuff

For players who aren’t keen on spending real money on the game, fear not! There’s a bunch of cosmetics that you can earn just by completing event challenges. Have a look:

Not-so-free Stuff
There will be 24 event-exclusive items that can be bought via direct purchase, direct crafting, and Event Apex Packs. This time, there won’t be any form of event currency so it’s been replaced with additional loot. It gets even better because there also won’t be any duplicates in the Event Apex Packs.

Direct Purchase

LegendariesÂ – 1,800 Apex Coins
EpicsÂ – 1,000 Apex Coins

Crafting

LegendariesÂ – 2,400 Crafting Metals
EpicsÂ – 800 Crafting Metals

Event Apex Packs

700 Apex Coins

Double XP For Top 5 & Wins Weekend
From 25 October to 28 October 2019, players who get into the Top 5 and win matches will get double XP during the entire weekend. This bonus affects both Account Level and Battle Pass progression.
The Apex Legends Fight or Fright Collection Event will run 15 October to November 2019. For more details, check out Respawn’s official announcement.


Baldur’s Gate 3 Early Access Launch Delayed To “Later”

Bad news, CRPG fans waiting for the second coming in the Baldur’s Gate series. Baldur’s Gate 3 is not launching as an Early Access title in August.
Larian CEO Swen Vincke said in June that the studio can’t release the early version of the game at that time because of COVID-19 slowing down development.
“We’ve been hit like everybody else in the world. Nonetheless, we managed to make a lot of progress, so we think we’re going to make it.”
However, the game will be out “just around the corner” of 2020. The actual date will be revealed on 19th August 1am GMT+8 in the “Panel from Hell” featuring Vincke and his team, as well as Summer Games Festival and Game Awards talking head Geoff Keighley.

Good news and bad news. BG3 won’t hit August, but it’s just around the corner. We’ll be announcing the release date, as well as big news on the Panel From Hell alongside @geoffkeighley, @LarAtLarian and the Larian crew. Tune in Aug 18th. https://t.co/S1RlVpJ8yw pic.twitter.com/NCkrnHHpH0
— Larian Studios is making sweet music (@larianstudios) August 4, 2020

You can tune in later this month on Larian’s Twitch channel and the Summer Games Fest channel on YouTube. In the meantime, just watch our vids of Baldur’s Gate 3 below to pass the time.


Bayonetta 3 Drops This October

Nintendo and PlatinumGames just announced the release date of the year’s most-anticipated sequel for action games.
That’s right: Bayonetta 3 will be out on 28 October for Nintendo Switch according to the game’s new trailer. It features a ton of action, some returning characters like Rodan, Enzo, and Luka, as well as Bayonetta’s new powers where she transform into a super witch with claws to tear stuff up. There’s a huge emphasis on controlling Bayonetta’s Wicked Weaves and creatures this time around; something that was showcased a bit in Bayonetta 2 with the “Punch-Out!” bit between her and the Masked Lumen Sage duels; for instance, Bayonetta rides a spider in one platforming segment while she summons a kaiju-sized demon in another.
We also now know the name of the swordsperson in the first Bayonetta 3 trailer: she’s Viola and she has a quest of her own to deal with the game’s new enemies the Homunculi. She fights with a revolver and katana, and may remind some of a certain Sparda warrior from a Capcom hyper action series. The game’s director is Yusuke Miyata with Yuji Nakao being producer. PlatinumGames’ Hideki Kamiya is the game’s executive director.

The game will also have a limited edition called the Trinity Masquerade Edition. The bundle will feature the game, a 200-page artbook, and three special game sleeves which combine to form one panoramic artwork.

That’s not all: Bayonetta 3 will also feature a Naive Angel Mode that censors some of the saucy bits of Bayonetta’s Wicked Weave transformations so that you won’t be embarrassed playing the game while in public or in the living room with your loved ones.

Relax, the witch is back and sexier than ever?
We've added the revolutionary "Naive Angel Mode" to Bayonetta 3 so more people can fully enjoy it?
By turning it on, you can play right in the living room without having to worry about what's on screen… we think?#Bayonetta3 pic.twitter.com/SEs3vqrdYc
— PlatinumGames Inc. (@platinumgames) July 13, 2022

Check out the action-packed trailer below. In any case, we at Kakuchopurei are very hyped for this third Bayonetta game; we hope it exceeds all expectations. And on a related note, a physical Nintendo Switch version of Bayonetta will be out later this year.


Money Heist Korea Is A Thrilling Heist Series With An Intriguing Setting

Netflix sure works fast. Only six months or so after the end of the original Money Heist, the remake slash spinoff series, Money Heist Korea Joint Economic Area, is already coming out soon. At first glance, it may look like just a lazy remake, but if (like me) you’ve never watched the original Money Heist, Money Heist Korea Joint Economic Area is definitely worth checking out even if you’re not into the usual Korean movies and shows.
United States Of Korea
Money Heist Korea: JEA (L to R) Jun Jong-seo as Tokyo, Lee Hyun-woo as Rio, Jang Yoon-ju as Nairobi, Park Hae-soo as Berlin, Lee Won-jong as Moscow and Kim Ji-hun as Denver in episode # 1 of Money Heist Korea: JEA. Cr. Jung Jaegu/Netflix © 2021
First things things, I can confirm that you don’t need to have watched the original Money Heist to understand and appreciate Money Heist Korea Joint Economic Area. In the first six episodes, there aren’t any overt references or easter eggs, despite Money Heist Korea Joint Economic Area supposedly taking place in the same fictional world as the original Money Heist.
All you need to know going into Money Heist Korea Joint Economic Area is that it features a heist. However, beyond the usual heist elements we’re all familiar with from other movies and series, the setting in Money Heist Korea Joint Economic Area is a breath of fresh air. It’s set in the unique setting of a newly unified Korea. Realistically, a unified Korea comes with its own problems, including but not limited to unchecked capitalism, a widening gap between the rich and the poor, mass immigration, limited resources and more.
This is a newly unified Korea, so most of its citizens still either identify with South Korea or North Korea, as well as all the unresolved baggage that comes with all that. I love how the series shows that there are still some tension between South Koreans and North Koreans. The conflict between them makes for a unique perspective and extra dimension that, for instance, the original Money Heist wouldn’t have had.
Money Heist Korea: JEA (L to R) Kim Yunjin as Seon Woojin and Kim Seung-o as Cha Moohyuk in episode # 1 of Money Heist Korea: JEA. Cr. Jung Jaegu/Netflix © 2021
Both sides have different approaches to solving their problems. For instance, South Korea wants to negotiate, while North Korea wants to use force. The politics behind it all make events more interesting, but the series doesn’t go overboard with that. Instead, it also focuses more on the personal problems of each character, which gives us some character development.
Flashbacks flesh out the backstories of each character, but considering how notoriously excessive the flashbacks were in the original Money Heist (by reputation), there aren’t too many flashbacks, so it doesn’t feel too soap opera-ish. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still plenty of melodrama here too, if that’s your cup of tea. You can expect the usual twists and turns from a drama like this, though none of them in the first six episodes are particularly shocking.
A Heist Worth Its Weight In Gochujang

The episodes feel well-paced and don’t feel like a slog, but each episode still clocks at more than one hour long. Netflix is the only streaming service still pushing the binge model, so it’s strange that the episodes of each series are getting longer and less binge-able. For example, the recently released Season 4 of Stranger Things also suffered from the same problem, with each episode being longer than an hour as well.
After only six episodes, there’s a lot more potential to be mined from Money Heist Korea Joint Economic Area‘s unique setting beyond simply the usual conventional heist elements. It’s well worth the binge, if you’re looking for a thrilling series with intense heists. Maybe Money Heist Korea Joint Economic Area can even turn out to be the next Squid Game-like craze.
FINAL SCORE: 80/100
We received an early screener of the first six episodes of Money Heist Korea Joint Economic Area courtesy of Netflix Malaysia. Money Heist Korea Joint Economic Area is slated to premiere on 24 June 2022 on Netflix Malaysia.


Dead Island 2 Guide & Tips: Becoming A Zombie Slayer

Dead Island 2 is coming out for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 21 April after almost a decade in development hell. The game brings back the gameplay from the original Dead Island with some tweaks and everything. You can check out our full review of Dead Island 2 by heading over here.
Here are some tips and tricks for you to become a zombie slayer in Dead Island 2:
Always Scrap Or Sell Low Rarity Weapons, Not Worth Keeping

The weapons in Dead Island 2 have several rarity levels. From Improvised, Common, Uncommon, Rare, Superior, and Legendary.
You’ll unlock higher rarities as you progress through the game. However, once you unlock a higher tier of weapons, it’s always best to scrap or sell all of your lower-tier weapons. They get obsolete pretty fast and are not worth keeping.
It’s Not Always Worth It To Upgrade Existing Weapons To Your Current Level Because It’s Usually Too Expensive

It’s very expensive to upgrade your weapons to your current level, and for the majority of the weapon, it’s not worth doing so, especially considering how valuable cash is. The only times you should consider doing so is when you finally unlock Superior or Legendary tier weapons because they’re the best weapons in the game.
The game constantly gives you better weapons, so it’s best not to waste money on upgrades because…
You’ll Need The Extra Money To Repair Weapons And Buy Blueprints From Traders

Your weapons will break a lot, especially your favourites, so you’ll be spending a lot of money repairing them. However, the arguably best use for money is that you’ll also need them to buy blueprints from traders. Purchasing more blueprints means more variety of mods for you to choose from and for you to upgrade your weapons with.
Don’t Worry About Choosing A Character Who Blocks or Dodges. Once You Reach A Certain Level, Your Character Unlocks Both And You Can Switch Between Them

At the start of the game, you can choose between several different characters. It seems like some characters only block and others only dodge.
If you’re worried about locking a playstyle, don’t. You will unlock the option to perform the other ability once you progress into the game. You can switch between them later on, so feel free to choose whichever character you like the most.
There Is Fast Travel In The Game But It Only Unlocks Once You Reach Venice Beach For The First Time

Many players might complain that they’re forced to backtrack in the first few hours of the game, but don’t worry, because Dead Island 2 does feature a fast travel mechanic.
However, it only unlocks when you reach Venice Beach for the first time. It took me more than 8 hours of playtime before I did that, so it will probably take most players around the same time.
Always Check The Fast Travel Menu To See If Any Areas Still Have Available Side Quests

It’s not always easy to find side quests and other stuff in the open areas in Dead Island 2. However, once you unlock the fast travel mechanic, you can open up the fast travel menu and see available side quests. You can also check exactly how many side quests and other quests are still left in each area.
You Need To Buy The Blueprints For Ammo From Traders Before You Can Craft More Ammo Types

I don’t think the game tells you this but you have to buy ammo blueprints from several traders before you can craft ammo. So, yeah, you can actually craft all the ammo types in Dead Island 2, including the rare Heavy Ammo.


EA Releases Battlefront II Story Trailer

As we head closer to its release date, EA today unveiled the latest trailer for Star Wars: Battlefront II, this time focusing on its single player mode starring Janina Gavankar as Commander Iden Versio.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNUTWw17rkM&w=560&h=315]
Chronicling the cannon Star Wars universe right after the destruction of the second Death Star, the story in Battlefront II fills the gap on how things are viewed from the side of the Galactic Empire. Part of the elite Inferno Squadron, Commander Versio is set on a special mission by the Emperor to retaliate against the rebels in what should provide us with additional information on the upcoming The Last Jedi movie and the Star Wars universe as a whole. We also see Maz Kanata in the trailer so perhaps we will finally get to solve the riddle on how she got hold of Luke’s original lightsaber.
Star Wars Battlefront II will be available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on November 17, 2017


This Leaked Harry Potter Open World Game Footage Looks Convincing

Do you yearn for an open world game set in the Harry Potter universe and in Hogwarts Academy? Well, you might be getting it in the far future according to a recent Reddit leak.
There’s a video (via Kotaku) going around online that shows a big-budget Harry Potter game. The footage is via a focus group and done in secret -hence the quality. But it does look great all things considered. You have wizards in training casting spells & practising with alchemy, owls and magical beasts roaming around, and a sneak peek of Hogsmeade.
The game looks like a third-person open-world action game where you create your own fifth-year student wizard in this version of Hogwarts.

Who Is Making It?
The video is taken down by Warner Bros. but there’s a mirror site here if you want to check it out. Speaking of publishers, if they’re the ones with the latest gaming IP, who do you think is developing it? While we suspect that it could be Rocksteady, the guys behind the Batman Arkham series, the honour could be bestowed upon Avalanche Software, the former Disney game studio that’s usually confused with Just Cause devs Avalanche Studios.
At least, the company profile seems to match this job posting last year from Warner Bros.Â with the following requirement: “We are looking for a talented storyteller with a deep understanding of British culture and grammatical presentation.”
In any case, we can speculate that Harry Potter video games on current-gen consoles might be making a comeback. Lord knows if anyone wants another Harry Potter game tailored like a cover-based third-person shooter, but a third-person open world RPG makes way more sense.


Here’s CS: GO Running In Source 2 Engine, But…

Gameplay footage of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) running in Valve’s Source 2 engine is already a reality for fans who want to see a major game engine update. The problem? It’s not officially released by its creator Valve.
Rather, the new version of CS: GO is being made by a team of game-makers and modders represented by Valve content creator channel Gabefollower. They have rebuilt CS:GO in Source 2 from the ground up using the community creation platform S&box (essentially Garry’s Mod part 2). The team said they remade the classic PvP title without using a single line of code from the original game, creating all the systems from scratch.
You can see it running in Source 2 glory below. Just keep in mind that the gameplay footage below is a “vertical slice” which will be updated in the future.

Gabefollower and his modding team will release its own version of CS:GO Source 2 as an open-source project.
“We did not use a single line of code from CS:GO and eventually we’ll publish the full C# codebase on github.”
CS: GO is still the most-played game of all time on Steam, with players putting in 441,579,584+ hours into the multiplayer title.


The Hypnospace Universe Is Getting Two New Games

Hypnospace Outlaw, one of this generation’s best adventure games set in the internet of the 90s landscape-type thing, is getting two games set in its universe.
The first one is Dreamsettler, the ’00s internet simulator that’s a spiritual sequel to Hypnospace Outlaw. Here’s a synopsis of the game:
“Sleepnet. It’s where dreams are literally made. But sometimes dreams need a little help, and that’s where you come in. They say a private eye never sleeps, but to crack these cases you’ll need to be out cold.”
Check out the reveal trailer below. And if you’re interested in the beta, you can sign up here right now.

The next game announcement in the Hypnospace universe is a “boomer” shooter title called Slayers X, which is made by in-game Hypnospace character Zane Lofton. The shooter will be out for consoles and PC, and features 2D graphics-filled BUILD engine-style first-person shooting gameplay and levels.

It also comes with a product description that’s written from a 37-year old “resident cool dude”.
So…. got what it takes to be a X Slayer?!?… 7 weapons, blood and gore, twisted music by Seepage & Psyko Syndikate, and maps where you can blow up everything. its awesome. started making it in 1998 in high school with my friend and now im 37, so i have life experience now.
Weapons and Areas
Weather by:

S-Blade
Double Pistols
Glass Blaster
Explosive Sludge Launcher
X100 Rapid Mutilator
Triple Helix Missile Launcher
Hackblood Power

These Psykos Will Pay…
we will hunt them down and get them wherever they hide…. they can hide anywhere like…

my room
the sewer
the playground
the dollar$haver store
the laundrymat
professor pizza
inside a computer
at the south boise july 4th fair
and more…

Comedy gold from Big Z Studios and No More Robots right there.


Rusted Moss Will Have You Hooked On Swinging, But Not Without Work

Platforms: PC via Steam
Genre: Metroidvania, Search Action, Grappling Hook, Action Platfomer
Sometimes indie games have that one mechanic that distinguishes them from the rest. For Rusted Moss, besides featuring a side-scrolling Metroidvania search action twin-stick shooter experience with retro pixel graphics, its grappling hook is the mechanic that makes it different. Slinging around the map like a 2D Spider-Man; that’s Rusted Moss at its best, assuming you gel with it.
Swinging Vines

Rusted Moss is an action-packed Metroidvania inspired by folktales and desolate landscapes. The protagonist named Fern is a changeling who set out on a mysterious mission while Fae invades the human realm. In Rusted Moss, players will utilize their grappling hook and weapons with a full 360° aiming system.
I won’t lie. The grappling hook is actually difficult to control because it relies more on a unique elastic physics that uses momentum and other factors to propel you forward or in any direction. You can’t simply jump and press a button to perfectly swing across a gap or something. How it works is that you can latch onto any moss-covered structure and swing, though environmental factors like the shape of the surface or the strength of the wind will affect how you swing or propel yourself. Thankfully, Rusted Moss allows you to rebind your controls so that you can choose whatever combination of buttons you’re most comfortable with.

Despite all that, I never really got used to the heavy physics of the grappling hook mechanic. It feels too finicky to control, especially when you’re already wrestling with the game’s twin-stick shooter combat at the same time. The elasticity gives it an unpredictability that can be frustrating. To traverse the environment, you have to take factors like momentum, placement, and velocity into account. It’s not as simple as simply swinging like Spider-Man. The shooting feels great, but it’s hard to juggle the grappling and the shooting simultaneously since they both use the same reticle on the screen.
However, what makes up for the frustrating grappling hook mechanics is that you can technically ignore all that. The game gives you a choice with a “flexible” difficulty that you can tweak several different options to make the game easier. Heck, you can even turn on invincibility and infinite mana, as well as even the ability to freaking fly.
Yes, you can fly and completely ignore the grappling hook mechanic. The flying mechanic sort of reminds me of the same feeling from Ubisoft’s Child Of Light; if you’re familiar with that. Assuming you’re willing to take the time to master the grappling hook mechanic, that’s up to you. If you want to avoid a hard time and simply have fun, then the developers have provided “flexible” options for you.
Run And Gun

Ultimately, Rusted Moss is a decent and fun Metrodvania with a unique swinging mechanic. If you’re looking for a game to sink a few hours into and don’t mind hard platforming challenges, Rusted Moss should be a great game for you.
PROS

Unique grappling hook mechanic.
Rebindable controls.
Not too punishing for a Metroidvania/Search Action, especially with the optional “flexible” difficulty.

CONS

The grappling hook mechanic can be annoyingly frustrating to use and control.

FINAL SCORE: 70/100
Rusted Moss was reviewed on PC based on a review copy provided by the publisher. It is now available on PC via Steam.


Let’s Talk About That Dune Game No One Brings Up

Article originally published in October 2020. Brought forward to 2021 since the film Dune is out now in theatres.
To celebrate the reveal of the latest film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring that one kid in Call Me By Your Name, as well as the film’s release, I’d like to bring up Dune’s video game adaptations.
The plot to Dune is as epic as they come: a young Paul Atreides and the family House he’s from are the latest in line to rule the planet Arrakis to mine the rare commodity named melange (dubbed “spice). Not only do they have to deal with the takeover attempts of House Harkonnen and Machiavellian plots from the Emperor, but our hero Paul will need to accept his destiny in leading Arrakis’ inhabitants, the Fremen, as their saviour. Oh, and he eventually gains superpowers and fights real good, so he’s kind of the first shonen hero of sorts.
And with that ever-expanding sci-fi plot, making video games out of it is a no-brainer. After Virgin acquired the license from the 1984 Dune film’s production house (via the latter’s desperate attempt to sell off its licenses to stave off bankruptcy), they set about making Dune games.Â The 1992 Dune II: Battle for Arrakis title from Virgin and Westwood laid the foundations of real-time strategy games; without it, you wouldn’t be enjoying your Warcrafts, your Command & Conquers, and your Supreme Commanders. When the subject of Dune and video games crop up, it’s either Dune II or Dune 2000.

Or Emperor: Battle of Dune and its goofy live-action cutscenes which is what happens when a David Lynch production was on a tight budget.

Rarely, however, does anyone ever bring up the 1992 Dune adventure game made by French developer Cryo that came out the same year as Dune II. The answer was simple: it was clearly overshadowed by Westwood’s efforts. The history behind it was such: Cryo was working on the game 1989, but was shelved in 1990 because its publisher Virgin Interactive decided halfway to cancel the game because they believed its mix of adventure and strategy wouldn’t succeed. They handed the license to Westwood; you already know how that went.
But what Virgin didn’t know then was that Cryo was still developing the game in secret. When Sega bought over Virgin’s European division, around that time the American division of Virgin found out about Cryo. Talks were made between Cryo’s devs and Virgin founder Martin Alper, and somehow or other they decided to just finish up Cryo’s Dune and ship it in 1992.
Sands of Time
Many would assume that Dune II was remembered more fondly than Cryo’s Dune because it was the better game. But was Cryo’s Dune terrible? Far from it; it was a decent adventure-slash-strategy hybrid sci-fi title that is quite unique at the time. One reason why some niche circles adore it was because it was faithful to the first book from Frank Herbert. Cryo obviously took the aesthetics from the film from Kyle Mclachlan’s face to Sting’s portrait, but generally, every portrait and graphic here is brand-new and inspired by the novel.

The game starts off as an adventure title, with Paul Atreides getting familiar with the Atreides household and fly between locations in the ornithopter while earning the trust of the Fremen in their cave-like homes called sietches. Later on, you will be leading them to either recruit more Fremen, farm for more Spice, train to become soldiers, and become ecologists to make the planet a tad more inhabitable and inaccessible to invading Harkonnen troops (sietches with growth = not good for spice-harvesting).
That’s where the strategy bits come in; as Paul Atreides and as the prophesized leader “Mua’dib”, you need to plan on how to farm enough spice to pay off the Emperor because of some intergalactic tariff, but also save some for yourself to build better equipment to grow these settlements. Pretty soon, the Emperor demands more, and since spice is limited, you’ll need to also find new Fremen and expand onto new settlements.

Luckily, you can travel between them using either the ornithopter or riding the sandworm. yes, Paul will eventually gain the ability to ride these awesome but scary creatures thanks to his psychic powers. Said powers also get strengthen so he can communicate with all his Fremen bros and workers telepathically. You’ll also need to deal with the pesky Harkonnen army, so you’ll have to train the Fremen in combat, as well as win over the rest of the Fremen by drinking the fatal Water of Life (oxymoron, I know). Oh, and also get better gear for them to fight with the limited spice you acquire. If you take things too fast and rush headlong into danger, you’ll see the bottom screen a lot.

While this all sounds fun and deep, it can be monotonous in practice. While the adventure portions are lovely and feature some good lore and characterization, the combat strategy bits can be boiled down to “send all your best Fremen troops with the best tech to attack a Harkonnen fortress, and hope for the best”. Luck does play a factor here, to the point where even the best troops lose to a measly-defended fortress. Conversely, a large Harkonnen battalion can lose to an adequately defended sietch, so it’s basically flipping a coin and seeing the outcome, then scum-save-and-load at this point.
All this is played in real-time; there’s no button where you skip turns and go straight to the results. Which means you have to also travel around while combat is going on, and you also need to menially go back to the Atreides palace to pay the Emperor. The 90s weren’t kind to adventure games with this sort of back-and-forth nonsense.
Sure, its gameplay is too luck-dependant, but its production values, story bits, and aesthetics were great. Adventure games do live and die by how they present themselves and how they tell their tale, and Cryo’s Dune is fantastic-looking as a result. In 1992 when sprites were the norm, the lush portraits and cool sci-fi designs were a treat to experience. And while it’s weird that the character exposition is a tad clunky (like Duke Leto introducing himself as your father as if it’s Paul’s first time meeting him), everything else is just oozing with charm and style that you just want to put up with the game’s sim aspect to see the adventure unfold.
It also helped that the game’s soundtrack composer Stephane Picq created an awesome and atmospheric OST for this title, and makes a strong case for someone to release vinyls and digital downloads for AdLib synthesized scores from 90s PC games.

The Spice Must Flow
I never did touch Dune II in its heyday, but I had some good memories with Cryo’s Dune because it felt new and fresh. It wasn’t a 2D platformer where Paul Atreides had to jump through literal hoops and use sandworms as platforms to get to Feyd-Rautha who has a devious attack pattern. It was a true adventure game where you follow the beats and motions of the first book, but also features some aesthetics from the film. It was immersive and engrossing to the point that after playing this, I ended up reading the books later on.
It may not be as revolutionary and as in-depth as Dune II at the time, but it was different from the games I’m used to playing in the 90s. And it made me pick up a book once in a while to see how the vestiges of sci-fi came to be. That’s the power of games sometimes: it can open up your mind to other forms and mediums. Cryo’s Dune is a sterling example of this, even if it botched the gameplay by a tad.
If you wish to play it, you may need to scour places like Ebay because there aren’t any digital game stores selling this. Alternatively, you can check out a homage Flash game title called Behind The Dune. It’s made by a game developer named David Goujard who released it in 2016. It’s similar to Cryo’s Dune as it combines the adventure and strategy elements to form a hybrid title.
Except for…well…I’ll let these screenshots speak for themselves.

I forgot to mention that this is a parody Flash game for adults. More on this at another time.