5 Game Engines For Your Next Indie Game Project

Games are ultimately an art medium, and art can be made in many different ways. There are games that are just text, there are games that rely on sound, and there are games that make you question – was this even really a game? Lots of stuff out there!
To make a game nowadays, there are a variety of options out there, ranging from the well-known and often taught Unreal Engine or the Unity engine. But did you know there’s a whole world beyond that of other engines you can try out?
We list down five options for you to check out while on your way to making the next great indie megahit.

Twine (PC, Mac, Linux)

Twine is an open-source tool for creating interactive fiction – choose your own adventure games or similar. You can make a totally linear adventure where the player just has to click to get to the next part, or you can make something with branching paths. Twine is customizable and has a large user base, and the games made are small enough to even be hosted online on your own website.
There’s even a ton of plugins you can implement, like a health system, maps, and more. It uses HTML and CSS to script, which is relatively easy to pick up for newcomers. Alongside that, you’ll get really used to writing things in [different] {types} of brackets and |more| (check the documentation, you’ll see what I mean).
Another hidden feature about the Twine engine is you can use it as a prototype or map for a larger project – it can be a pretty useful way to see how a game story’s flow can possibly go, and you can view everything from a bird’s eye perspective to see how deep the rabbit hole could go on one specific thing.
Then it’s a matter of polishing and publishing after that because it really is that easy. The engine can run in-browser or be downloaded to your Mac, PC, or Linux computer.

Some notable games made in Twine include The Uncle Who Works at Nintendo, My Father’s Long, Long Legs, and Horse Master: The Game of Horse Mastery. Twine also played a part in the development of Black Mirror’s Bandersnatch interactive game, which feels nuts.

Ren’py (PC, Mac, Linux)

When you talk about dedicated Visual Novel engines, there are a few out there in the world – but Ren’py is still the most well-known and flexible to most. An open-source engine that allows for exporting to Windows, Mac and Linux, and more – Ren’py allows users to create visual novels of varying types, and at varying skill levels.
The community is still robust and there are lots of free assets and documentation to comb through. In addition, Ren’py was one of the first engines to implement Live2D functionality (meaning, you can implement your rigged Live2D sprites and images into your Ren’py games). So go forth, Vtuber fans!

It’s highly recommended to try out the engine and eventually participate in NaNoReNo, a month-long Ren’py game jam, to get a good feel of what you can make with it. Some notable (and free!) examples of Ren’py-made games are Juniper’s Knot, Re:Alistair++, The Knife of the Traitor, Digital: A Love Story, and SC2VN (StarCraft 2 Visual Novel: the eSports Visual Novel).

RPGMaker (PC)

Picking an RPGMaker engine is very similar to picking a favourite Persona game – everyone has different opinions on which one is the best, but more often than not, the best one will be the one you started with. The RPGMaker series of game engines have all had the same intentions, loosely – it’s a way to create your own 2D RPG games using or creating sprites and other game assets. RPGs created in the engines are the same in the sense they’re turn-based, but that hasn’t stopped some people from trying to do more with it.
The most recent RPGMaker engine to release is RPGMaker MZ, which boasts improved functionalities over previous versions like easier UI for touch-enabled devices (if you export your game to mobile, let’s say), an in-game event system/scripter, ease of organizational structure. That being said, some developers will still vouch for previous RPGMaker versions like RPGMaker XP and RPGMaker 2003 instead, citing their ease of use versus the newer ones.
However, it comes down to what you plan to make and finding the engine that best suits that need. Don’t be afraid to explore all of the engines and really think about it, especially since this is something you’ll have to purchase!

Notable RPGMaker games include (but are not limited to), a lot of horror games. These include Yume Nikki, Your Turn to Die -Death Game By Majority-, Ib, Omori, Off, and OneShot. To contrast, a really good non-horror example is To the Moon.

GameMaker

GameMaker was the game development gold standard in Malaysia for the longest time, specifically within the context of teaching game development to children in hopes of improving their STEM skills. Chances are, if you go to a place that teaches game development for kids, they’ll either be teaching Scratch or GameMaker.
It’s an incredibly flexible games engine that has a reputation for being more like a toy than an actual engine, because a lot of people have an opinion that you can’t make anything good and substantial with it. But that certainly isn’t true, because a good example of the engine is UNDERTALE and Deltarune.

There’s a lot of custom work on top of it, but the bones are from GameMaker and that can’t be denied. You can make good stuff with the engine; a good artist doesn’t blame their tools, and all that.

Other good examples of games made with GameMaker include (but are not limited to) Katana Zero, Shovel Knight, Hyper Light Drifter, and Hotline Miami.

GODOT Engine
https://godotengine.org/

The GODOT engine is free, open-source, and can pretty much do anything. But the learning curve is relatively steep, and not necessarily for newcomers. On one hand, if it does become your first engine, you’ll be able to do a lot of great things. On the other, if you’re used to another engine, then it might be difficult to make the jump. A lot of the feedback I’ve heard about the GODOT engine is like when people talk about Linux – it’s really good and can do basically everything, but nobody seems to directly know anyone who’s using it. That being said, it’s time to change that, yes?
It’s full of potential and promise. There’s a dedicated 2D engine that’s crisp, and a dedicated 3D engine that’s powerful. Plenty of documentation and a growing community to integrate into. It’s got it all, truly.
Some notable examples made with the GODOT engine include roguelite Beat Invaders, simulation City Game Studio, the cyberpunk Resolutiion, and RPG in a Box, which is not a game but an entire toolkit to make RPGs within the engine!


All You Need To Know About The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT

AMD recently revealed its new lineup of next-gen GPUs during the recently-held Computex 2019 expo in Taiwan and during E3 2019. The AMD Radeon RX 5700-series powered by its brand-new Navi architecture.
There will be two new GPUs in this new series, with the RX 5700 XT rivalling that of NVIDIA’s RTX 2070 and the RX 5700 comparable to that of the RTX 2060, along with a slightly more powerful 50th-anniversary edition of the RX 5700 XT.
According to benchmark tests, the new AMD GPUs are ten per cent faster and more powerful in churning out better frame rates while gaming.
AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT Specs

The new AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT will be the first to arrive with the RDNA, or Radeon DNA, Navi architecture. Here ate the spec sheet for the three different variants of the new GPU (courtesy of PCGamesN):

AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT Price
AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary Edition
Here are the prices for each variant of the new AMD GPU:

AMD Radeon RX 5700 – $379 (roughly around RM1584)
AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT – $449 (roughly around RM1877)
AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary Edition – $499 (roughly around RM2086)

AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary Edition costs more because:

It sports a gold trim and AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Suâ€™s initials on it
The fastest version of the RX 5700 XT, offering factory overclock option

In comparison with NVIDIA GPUs, the RX 5700 XT is $50 cheaper than the RTX2070 but the RX 5700 is actually more expensive than the RTX2060.
AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT Gaming Performance

AMD is targeting a gaming performance of Ultra High quality at 60 FPS and 1440p. On average, the RX 5700 is ten percent faster than the RTX 2060, while the RX 5700 XT has recorded 15 to 22 percent higher frame rates than the RTX 2070.
AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT Release Date

The new AMD Radeon RX 5700 and the RX 5700 XT will go on sale on 7 July 2019, the date of which was announcedÂ at the end of the Next Horizon Gaming event at E3 2019. However, no release date has been revealed for the 50th-anniversary edition of the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT.


This Week In News: Do Video Game Companies Care About Your Political Activism?

First up, here’s the gaming news recap for the week of 31st May to 5th June.

Apart from the weekly news recap, we’ve also added our 2 cents on companies suddenly caring about people’s political agenda right after the past weekend’s protests and riots. Head to 4:43 for our op-ed.
Long story short: It’s great that companies are speaking up and doing certain actions while reading the room. But remember: after the dust settles, they are still companies. They value brand loyalty and bottom dollars above everything else.
As WWE’s Stephanie McMahon accidentally said online (paraphrased, FYI), philanthropy is the future of business. It’s fine to don the charitable hat at times. But remember, the internet never, ever forgets.
Here are some examples of companies doing some questionable things that highlights their previous political standings less than year prior to the current s***show.

Go ahead and tweet about their messages. Support them and donate to their suggested charities. Laud about what they’re doing with the initiatives they’re pulling off for charity. But just keep in mind; as opportunistic plans go, it’s a marketing and PR win.
Other Cool Articles & Videos You Should Read
Bringing balance to stealth AI in Splinter Cell: Blacklist

An interesting watch on how developers handle enemy AI in stealth games. Sounds just as tough as handling pathfinding in a real-time strategy game.
Earthworm Jim 3D – What Happened?

Whatever happened to the once-popular 90s weird-ass game hero Earthworm Jim? Did the 3D game really end his career? Or was it the fault of Shiny’s Dave Perry? Find out on this Matt McMuscles video.
Actual research on stopping police violence
Something related to recent events over at the US of A. This Twitter thread is a good place to start on how to possibly fix the system; it comes equipped not with news posts but actual research documents.
Top image credit: Al Jazeera


Apex Legends Might Be Available On The Nintendo Switch One Day

One of the best battle royales on the market right now, Apex Legends,Â has been played by more than 50 million players. So that’s 50 million players playing on PC, Xbox One, and the PS4 combined. Now, let’s take a step back and see who’s missing. Yes, the Nintendo Switch has been left out of the party.
So far there’s no indication whether the intense battle royale will land on the Switch, but Drew McCoy, Project Lead on Apex Legends, may have given some leads to a Switch port. This came in recently during a Twitter Q&A for Wired.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a5uoeSs_W8]
If you’d kindly skip to the 7:15 mark, or you can just click here, you’ll see McCoy responding to a question about the game coming to the Switch.
If you’re lazy to watch the video, like me, or just saving up on your data, here’s what McCoy said;

“If Switch was coming, we would tell you and we would blast it across the world. We are hearing all the Switch players who say they want the game. I can’t make any promises right now. We have a lot of things that we’re working on, so stay tuned for anything in the future. But currently we don’t have anything to announce.”

The line “I can’t make any promises right now” sounds promising, ironically. It makes it sound like something is going on in the background, but it’s still a blur.
The Switch will be the perfect console to play this game on, as it’s a fast-paced game. Load times are short, while a whole game wouldn’t take longer than 25 minutes. That version of the game might take a while to come out since Respawn already has their hands full with that Star Wars game.


Taiwanese Horror Game Devotion Is Now Preserved By Harvard

Horror game Devotion was removed from Steam last year, after a controversy involving art assets that mocked Chinese president Xi Jin Ping. While the game still remains unavailable for purchase, there is some good news at least, as Harvard University has made the move to preserve the game.
Taiwanese developer Red Candle Games announced on Facebook (via PC Gamer) that Devotion and their previous horror game Detention will be added to the Harvard-Yenching Library. The library’s website describes it as being the “largest university library for East Asian research outside of Asia”.

“It is an incredible honour which belongs to not only Red Candle but also our supporters/players worldwide”, Red Candle Games wrote.

They added that the studio “will keep going and hopefully, in the future, we could share more works with you all”.
While it’s a shame that Devotion can no longer be bought and acquired through legal means, it’s good to see it receive Harvard’s attention and preservation. We declared the game to be one of the best video game titles of 2019.


Narrative Adventure Game Star Trek Resurgence Delayed To April 2023

Star Trek Resurgence, the new narrative adventure from developer Dramatic Labs, has been delayed to April 2023.
The news was announced via Twitter, where the reason given for the delay is to “give the game a final coat of polish, and create a truly immersive Star Trek experience”.
The statement also reads:
“Our love and admiration for Star Trek is instrumental to this decision. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished so far, and this continues to be a passion project for everyone here. We are incredibly grateful – and excited – to be able to work within a universe that means so much to so many. We can’t wait for you to see it all and look forward to taking you on an adventure unlike any Star Trek game that’s come before.”
Star Trek Resurgence is an interactive narrative video game that tells an original story set in the era shortly after the events of Star Trek The Next Generation. Stationed aboard the U.S.S. RESOLUTE, players will assume the role of two principal characters, First Officer Jara Rydek and Engineering Crewperson Carter Diaz, as they unravel a sinister mystery involving two alien civilizations on the brink of war. Throughout the game, players will immerse themselves in the Star Trek universe, interacting with new and returning characters through a variety of dialogue and action gameplay to determine the course of the story.
Star Trek Resurgence was originally announced during The Game Awards 2021. It’s coming to PlayStation, Xbox and PC.


E3 2019: Bethesda Tai Chis Fallout 76 Backlash With New Games & Ikumi Nakamura

Another E3, another year where Bethesda announces a bunch of new games and new IPs for us to salivate over. And also the release date for the much-awaited FPS Doom Eternal. However, Bethesda is under much scrutiny given the context of Fallout 76’s launch last year.
Yeah, remember that? Despite the fact that the company s*** the bed with its launch and how it handled most of its crisis in the worse way possible, I have to give credit to the company for breezing over the issue. How? With even more promises of updates.
Atom Bomb Baby

A round of applause to the Bethesda PR team who somehow coached guys like Todd Howard to not just apologize and being all tongue-in-cheek after “robbing” people of their Fallout 76 money, but also go straight to the meat of their E3 presentation. This includes new content for Fallout 76 among others. A new battle royale and NPCs for the game which should have at least included the latter for launch. You can play the game for free from 10-17th June.
The great experiment of seeing players socializing and working together has pretty much failed; Fallout 76 will eventually go back to the “single player RPG experience” it should have been in the first place instead of being an MMO-lite like Destiny 2 or other live services games.

At the very least, the new games announced were noteworthy: Deathloop looks like an interesting action game where assassins are reliving Groundhog Day only with more killing and badass stunts. Doom Eternal is looking stunning and it’s due this November, alongside an in-house multiplayer mode that keeps in line with its Slayer vs Demons tone.
The Commander Keen mobile game…I can do without, but it’s something for newbies to play around with if they’re fans of games like Incredible Machine.
Ghost In The Shell
And then there’s the Ghostwire Tokyo presentation, where the internet and the world get to see Shinji Mikami’s protege in action: Ikumi Nakamura. She was the artist for Okami and Bayonetta back in the Clover/Platinum Games days, and she was the lead artist for The Evil Within. Her debut a few hours ago, where she talked passionately about her new game as its creative director, was less of a presentation and more like a fireside chat full of enthusiasm.

Ikumi Nakamura, everybody's new crush, is Shinji Mikami's disciple. She's worked as artist for Okami, Bayonetta and as lead artist on TEW. Now she's directing Ghostwire.
We've just watched a torch get passed down live on #E3 with Shinji introducing her and it warms my heart. pic.twitter.com/OsdU6sEqwm
— Dan Ximenes ? (@the_ximenes) June 10, 2019

I love Ikumi Nakamura!?!!Literally squealing.Also even more squealing for female creative directors!!#E32019 pic.twitter.com/lPgkd2FjDB
— Jennifer Scheurle (@Gaohmee) June 10, 2019

The whole thing was probably scripted (but to be fair, looks convincingly adlibbed). However, you cannot deny how genuine it feels just seeing a protege of one of the world’s well-known game directors handling the passed torch and waving it proud for future generations to see and cherish.
Point is, Bethesda is aware that they’re under heavy scrutiny. This latest PR and presentation act is commendable, to say the least, what with their upcoming new IPs and the cap-off that is Doom Eternal making sure they can only go upwards from here on out. Taking a chance on having Shinji Mikami’s hand-picked presenter for his company’s latest game also helps add more heart to an otherwise standard E3 presentation. We won’t forget, Bethesda, but we may eventually forgive, for how long it will take remains to be seen.


Mother’s Day: The Five Best Moms In Comics

It’s that time of the year again, where we celebrate our mothers, who carried us for nine months, gave birth and raised us to be the men and women we are today. We owe it all to their love, they are our superheroes.
In comics, mothers are often overlooked by the simple fact that the overwhelming majority of superheroes or comic book character are males. There are plenty of father figures, but mother figures usually aren’t given the same attention.
In celebration of Mother’s Day 2019, here are several of the best mothers (or mother figures) in comics.
5. Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)

The most recent mother on this list, Jessica only became a mother in 2015’s Spider-Woman Volume 6 #1, the cover of which featured her not only pregnant but with a cool new costume as well. She has since given birth to her son, Gerald ‘Gerry’ Drew.
To this day, we still don’t know who the father is, but that’s not important. Jessica’s development as a mother has helped made her a more powerful and relatable character, as she raises her son with the help of former villain Roger Gocking AKA Porcupine.
It’s a testament to how well-developed they turned out to be that when Roger renounced his villainous ways, seemingly dying in the process when Hobgoblin tried to kill him (he survived), Jessica went on a warpath to save him and I realized that I was actually emotionally invested in a Spider-Woman comic.
If you told me just a few years before that comic published that I would shed tears reading a Spider-Woman comic, I would’ve called you crazy, but it did happen, and all because Marvel made Jessica a mother.

4. Susan Storm (Invisible Woman)

Susan Storm AKA Invisible Woman is one of the most powerful mothers not because of her powers, but because without her, Marvel’s First Family AKA the Fantastic Four would have crumbled a long time ago. Even before she met and fell in love with Reed Richards AKA Mr. Fantastic, she was raising her brother, Johnny Storm AKA the Human Torch by herself.
After she married, she basically had to act like the responsible parent most of the times, due to Johnny’s immaturity, Ben Grimm AKA The Thing’s hotheadedness and even her husband’s stubborn obsession with science. When she had two kids later on in the form of Franklin Richards and Valeria Richards (whose godfather is Dr. Doom of all people, things only got more complicated, not to mention all the young members of the Future Foundation.
Susan has had to go against her own husband during events like 2006’s Civil War and 2015’s Time Runs Out, but she has never abandoned her family. She has stayed strong throughout the years, and she has proven her strength time and time again.

3. Alana (Hazel’s Mother in Saga)

The only character on this list not from the Big Two (Marvel and DC Comics), Alana is one of the main protagonists in Image Comics’ Saga, an award-winning epic sci-fi/space opera/fantasy comic book by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples.
The plot of Saga is narrated from the perspective of Hazel, Alana’s daughter. In fact, the very first issue of Saga features a graphic scene of Alana giving birth to Hazel while cursing at her husband, Marko, and being pursued by both their respective people who are at war with each other. I swear you’ll never find any other comic book like Saga.
What happens next is basically Alana and Marko on the run throughout the galaxy while raising and keeping their daughter out of harm’s way. Alana is a soldier, so she’s quite capable of defending herself and her family from anyone and everyone in their way.

2. May Parker (Spider-Man’s Aunt)

I know what you’re thinking, May Parker isn’t technically a mother, but she raised Peter Parker practically on her own after the death of Uncle Ben. Uncle Ben may have taught Peter of the responsibility that comes with having powers, but Aunt May was the one who kept him going.
I hate to bring up one of the worst Spider-Man storylines, but One More Day was a testament to how much Aunt May means to Peter. He made a deal with Mephisto to save his aunt’s life, at the cost of his marriage to (and a future family with) Mary Jane.
More recently in Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #5, Peter discovered that Aunt May was diagnosed with cancer, and this almost broke him, to see the strongest person he knows to be in that state.

1. Martha Kent (Superman’s Mother)

I know how much of a joke the name Martha has been since 2016’s Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, but it’s undeniable how much of an influence Martha Kent is to Clark Kent AKA Kal-El AKA Superman. Anyone who has read Grant Morrison’s classic comic book All-Star Superman will understand what I mean.
That famous one page consisting of four panels with four simple captions, all of which perfectly encapsulates Superman’s origins and essential parts of what makes him the Man of Steel. One of those is “Kindly Couple”, referring to Superman’s human parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent.
Comics like All-Star Superman pushes the notion of how important upbringing is in making Superman the humble, kind, righteous and self-sacrificing hero we all know and love. On the other hand, comics like Mark Millarâ€™s Superman: Red Son shows how different Superman would turn out to be if he was raised by, for instance, communists in the Soviet Union.

Those are just five of my choice for best mothers in comics. What do you think? Did I miss anyone? Feel free to comment below.


Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator Partners With Michelin Guide

Publisher NACON and developer Cyanide are pleased to announce an exclusive partnership with the MICHELIN Guide on one of the most realistic simulation games, Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator.
In the game, players take on the role of a restaurant owner and succeed in their quest to win MICHELIN Guide culinary awards by mastering the kitchen and choosing the best ingredients. Before players get to achieve the prestigious award, they will have to reach certain criteria which will be evaluated by an anonymous inspector.
Besides that, players will have to level up at a certain stage in the game and ensure quality cuisines are prepared for every customers. These steps will path the way to just be selected by the in-game MICHELIN guide.

Once the dust settles, two restaurant options are provided to best suit the players’ journey; a bistronomic restaurant or a gastronomic establishment. Cooking and managing your way up to achieve the next official award, the Bib Gourmand. The award is given to players that create a restaurant presented with affordable prices and maintain clientele, also ensuring high-quality dishes will definitely make the award within your grasp.

The final stage will surely be obtaining the iconic MICHELIN star. It is determined that the player’s cuisine has excellence according to a series of evaluation criteria based on the same evaluation pillars used by the anonymous inspectors of the Guide: the selection of products, the mastery of culinary techniques, the harmony of flavors, the expression of the chef’s personality on the plate, and the consistency of the quality of the experience.
Chef Life rewards its players as realistically as possible by offering an official outfit and distinguished plaque for every award won. These will definitely motivate you to become the best chef there ever is, virtually.
Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator will be released on Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on 23 February 2023. Pre-orders are now available for each platform.
Check out the official trailer down below.


Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse: Introducing The Spider-People

Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar-winning Spider-Verse saga, Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse. After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.
In this article, we’ll be focusing on the major Spider-People in the movie; those important enough to have received their own individual promotional posters.
Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse premieres in Malaysian cinemas on 1 June 2023.
Miles Morales

Voiced by: Shameik Moore
Miles Morales is once again the protagonist and main Spider-Man of the movie. Miles will find himself clashing with Spider-Man 2099 and the other Spider-People for some reason, which we will learn in the movie. In the comics, Miles Morales was bitten by a genetically-altered spider created by the Alchemax Corporation. They made a whole movie about it. Miles has most of the original Spider-Man’s powers, including super speed, strength, and reflexes. He can also turn invisible and create a powerful “venom blast” that’s unique to him.
Spider-Gwen

Voiced by: Hailee Steinfeld
Spider-Gwen (also known as Ghost Spider) originates from a timeline in which Gwen Stacy was bitten by that radioactive spider rather than Peter Parker, and she became a superhero after failing to save her friend Peter. After being bitten by a radioactive spider, dancer and musician Gwen Stacy began a life of crime-fighting that sent her BFF, Peter Parker, into a spiral of jealousy and resentment. Parker toyed with his own DNA and eventually turned himself into the Lizard. Gwen accidentally killed Peter during his takedown. In the comics, Gwen is from Earth-65 and finds solace in music, often using the drums as an escape from her overbearing father.
Peter Benjamin Parker And His Daughter, Mayday Parker (The Future Spider-Girl)

Voiced by: Jake Johnson
Peter Benjamin Parker served as Miles Morales’ mentor in Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse. Since the first movie, he’s gotten back with Mary Jane, and they have a daughter, Mayday. In the comics, Mayday becomes the superhero Spider-Girl. In the comics, May Parker is the first-born daughter of Peter and Mary Jane. May develops her father’s spider abilities and takes up his mantle after his retirement. She was eventually known as Spider-Girl or Mayday Parker, but in the film, she is still only an infant, so it’s unclear how much of her history will be explored.
Miguel O’ Hara AKA Spider-Man 2099

Voiced by: Oscar Isaac
His debut was initially teased in the post-credits scene of Into The Spider-Verse, setting up one major Spider-Man variant as an antagonist of the movie. He seems to have gathered a group of Spider-People, known as the Spider-Society, from across the multiverse.
Spider-Man 2099 was created in 1992, as part of Marvel’s futuristic reimagining of some classic characters. Miguel was a geneticist heading up Alchemax’s research division when he injected himself with an experimental serum that replaced 50% of his DNA with that of a spider. Rather than horrific cancers or extra eyes, O’Hara ended up with enhanced physical abilities like Parker’s, plus retractable talons, fangs, a venomous bite, organic web spinners, and extremely enhanced sight and hearing. Being a creation of the 1990s, he’s what the kids would call “extreme to the max” in toy commercials.
Marvel’s “2099” setting kicked off with a series of comic titles in the early ’90s, an imprint that aimed to present the real and true future of a high-tech, cyberpunk Marvel Comics universe — a Batman Beyond sort of idea. In comics, Miguel is a scientist whose corporate masters and research partners betrayed him, and, long story short, he wound up with 50% spider DNA and became his era’s Spider-Man, adventuring with the help of his assistant, an AI program called Lyla, also featured in the credits scene. In Spider-Verse, he seemed to already have discovered the multiverse and is about to use a universe-hopping watch of Lyla’s invention to travel it purposefully.
Ben Reilly AKA Scarlet Spider

Voiced by: Andy Samberg
Ben Reilly was the central character of the hugely successful and widely reviled Spider-Man arc known as The Clone Saga. To boil all Clone Saga drama down to its essence, Ben was introduced in the 1970s as a clone of Peter Parker, right down to having many of the same memories, before he was killed while fighting a bad guy. It was later revealed that Ben was still alive and that he wasn’t a clone at all, but he was the real Peter Parker. In a horrifying mixup, Peter Parker who had been adventuring as Spider-Man all this time was revealed to be the actual clone. And then, Marvel did a final retcon, as it turns out that Ben really is the clone after all.
Ben lives on in Marvel Comics as an even angstier, more existential Spider-Man than Peter Parker, and he appears to have a role to play in Across The Spider-Verse. Ben Reilly is one of the most famous Spider-Man characters when he took the mantle of Scarlet Spider. In the comics, he’s currently on a villainous streak, taking on the name of Chasm.
Pavitr Prabhakar AKA Spider-Man India

Voiced by: Karan Soni
Spider-Man India received his first solo comic series in 2005’s Spider-Man India. Pavitr is an Indian Peter Parker. The same basic origin story, except that his powers came from a mystical yogi, and his uncle, Bhim, was killed trying to stop a robbery that Pavitr ignored. Since then, he’s found his place as a hero in Mumbai and fights for truth, justice, and the Indian way.

Jessica Drew AKA Spider-Woman

Voiced by: Issa Rae
In Marvel Comics, Jessica Drew may share half of Spider-Man’s name and some of his powers, but that’s about it. She wasn’t bitten by a radioactive spider, she’s not related to Peter Parker, and she doesn’t even swing on a web. She can fly. Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse introduces a new version of Jessica Drew’s Spider-Woman from Earth-404 unique from the comic version.
If this Jessica Drew is anything like her comic book counterpart, she was accidentally given powers by her father in an attempt to cure her cancer. Side note: it would be great if real cancer cures gave us superpowers rather than making us sick and all our hair fall out. At any rate, Jessica ended up joining forces with HYDRA for a while before rejecting their ways and becoming a hero. She was replaced by a Skrull, banged Hawkeye, had a kid, and did it all. She’s strong, fast, and has her bio-electric shock ability.
Hailing from Earth-404, this version of Spider-Man is five months pregnant during the events of the film. That also happened to the comics version a few years back.
Hobart ‘Hobie’ Brown AKA Spider-Punk

Voiced by: Daniel Kaluuya
Created for the first Spider-Verse event in Marvel Comics, Hobie Brown is Spider-Man by way of classic British punk culture. In the comics, Hobie is an unhoused teenager from Earth-138 who becomes his world’s Spider-Man after being bitten by a spider that had become radioactive due to the illegal dumping of toxic waste. Hobie rallied the Spider Army to free his world from the reign of President Osborne. He also worked his love of music into his crime-fighting, using it to inspire rebellion and disable Osborne’s technology.
Spider-Cat

It’s just a cat version of Spider-Man. We have no idea why he’s important enough to justify or warrant himself getting a promotional poster of his own.


Free Fire All Stars Will Assemble Top Content Creators Next Month

Garena today announced that the Free Fire All Stars (FFAS) will return this July. Free Fireâ€™s annual international celebrity event will showcase popular influencers and players from three regions â€“ Asia; Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA); and the Americas â€“ as they come together virtually to compete with each other.
Fans can look forward to their favourite #StarsOnFire interacting with one another online, many for the first time. The FFAS 2021 represents Garenaâ€™s latest effort to celebrate its global community of content creators by providing them with a platform to get together and build bonds with one another.
One of the representatives for the Malaysia, Cambodia, Philippines (MCP) region will be Filipino influencer, Makisig Gaming. Look forward to seeing him interact with personalities from all across Asia.
The FFAS 2021 follows Garenaâ€™s recent implementation of the Streamer Launch & Partner Program within the Philippinesâ€™ influencer community, which provided suitable platforms for the countryâ€™s content creators to work directly and more closely with Garena. More than 70 influencers have joined the program in the first month alone, with SIX of them featured in Juneâ€™s PH Independence Day #TaraFreeFire Exhibition Game for the community.
Event Format
The FFAS 2021 will comprise three separate tournaments that will be held in three regions â€“ Asia, EMEA, and the Americas.

Region

Asia

EMEA

Americas

Dates

23 July – 25 July 2021

30 July – 1 August 2021

6 August – 8 August 2021

Participating Regions

Bangladesh

India

Indonesia

Malaysia, Cambodia, Philippines (MCP)

Pakistan

Taiwan

Vietnam

Thailand

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

Europe

Middle East

Brazil

LATAM

North America

Each regional tournament of the FFAS will be held across three days, with each day featuring a different theme:

Day 1: Bomb Squad

Day 2: Clash Squad

Day 3: Battle Royale

In each regional tournament of the FFAS, the winning team for each day will take home US$10,000. The FFAS 2021 will be broadcast live on a host of streaming platforms and accompanied by commentary.
You can download Free Fire for free on the Apple iOS App or Google Play store. You can follow them on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest Free Fire news.


The Sims 4 Partners With Stefan Cooke For Cool New Menswear

Electronic Arts and Maxis have revealed The Sims 4 Modern Menswear Kit, the newest fashion kit for players to expand their Simsâ€™ style and flex their creativity, available on 2 December 2021 on PC and Mac via Origin and Steam, PS4 and PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One.
To further empower players to find new and expressive paths to self-discovery, and to deliver on the promise of providing more contemporary menswear options, The Sims partnered with the British Fashion Council and London-based designer Stefan Cooke and partner Jake Burt to create a collection of in-game looks that, just like their award-winning label â€“ named after Cooke â€“ stretch beyond traditional style boundaries and redefine menswear.
Fashion-forward Simmers can redefine the classics with The Sims 4 Modern Menswear Kit, which includes 23 new pieces of Simified recreations of real-world Stefan Cooke collections, featuring trendy wardrobe staples that will elevate their Simsâ€™ closets with reimagined shapes, textiles and patterns that take everyday outfits from ordinary to extraordinary.
Thereâ€™s jackets, trousers, suits, and shoes, as well as some of the designersâ€™ favourite pieces, including the Stefan Cooke Wool Varsity Coat with Skirt, a design that perfectly encapsulates the evolution of modern menswear.
The Sims franchise has a long history of giving players a creative destination to express themselves through fashion, most recently with the launch of Fashion Street Kit and Incheon Arrivals Kit, which introduced modern, global styles inspired by the cutting edge fashions in Mumbai and Seoul.
The Sims 4 also previously partnered with Gucci for their â€œOff the Gridâ€ fashion campaign and collaborated with Moschino to produce a capsule collection of ready-to-wear fashion items inspired by the game.


BloodRayne Betrayal Remaster Launches This September

BloodRayne: a video game name that screams early 2000s action and female empowerment in fetish gear. Developer WayForward had a stab at the franchise with its 2D action game BloodRayne Betrayal and it was pretty fun back in 2011.
Now, the company and publisher Ziggurat Interactive is revisiting the franchise again with a remaster of the title. Called BloodRayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites, the remaster will be baring its fangs on PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam and GOG) on 9th September. The game’s key features include:

All-New Voice Acting Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Originally released without any spoken dialogue, the newÃ‚Â BloodRayne BetrayalÃ‚Â will feature AAA-quality voice acting by Laura Bailey and Troy Baker reprising their roles as Rayne and Kagan. Patrick Seitz and Todd Haberkorn are also featured as voice actors in the game, bringing more of its characters to life.
Enhanced EditionÃ‚Â Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Higher resolution character sprites and support for HD displays (up to 4K) are just a few new details added to the game that help Rayne strut her stuff on modern PCs and consoles.
Advanced Controller SupportÃ‚Â Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚Â Fresh BitesÃ‚Â brings improved support for haptic features on modern console controllers.


You Can Now Play All The Yakuza Games On PS4

The Yakuza Remastered Collection is now available on PS4 in both physical and digital formats.
For the first time ever, Yakuza 0-6 are now all available and playable on the PS4 (Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami, Yakuza Kiwami 2, Yakuza 3 Remastered, Yakuza 4 Remastered, Yakuza 5 Remastered, and Yakuza 6: The Song of Life).
All of them will set you back for a grand total of a whopping RM1,034 but you’ll be getting six (6) games that will likely last you for a long, long time, as well as being a worthy addition to your backlog.
In commemoration, Sega has also released a new dynamic PS4 Theme featuring series protagonist Kazuma Kiryuâ€™s iconic dragon tattoo, which will be available for free to all owners of The Yakuza Remastered Collection.
In addition, Yakuza 5 director Masayoshi Yokoyama, Takaya Kuroda (voice actor for Kiryu), and Hidenari Ugaki (voice actor for Majima) have a special message for all Yakuza fans.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wTmJglM7qo&w=560&h=315]
Check out the physical version of The Yakuza Remastered Collection below.


Ghostrunner Does Cyberpunk & Fast Ninja Combat Justice

Platform(s): PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One
Genre: First-Person Action Game ala Mirror’s Edge
Missing the days when games were just time trials and speedruns in disguise? The past Sonic the Hedgehog titles on the Megadrive emphasized linear design and speed so that the hardcore can challenge themselves with better scores, better times, and better pathways to success.
Developers One More Level, 3D Realms, and Slipgate Ironworks are attempting to recapture that gameplay loop with their latest called Ghostrunner. It’s identical in scope with your 90s score-based titles but with a sleek sci-fi coating and a first-person perspective ala Mirror’s Edge. And also said “screw it” to ascending difficulty curves and unhinge the safety brakes. If you don’t mind a challenge, Ghostrunner will oblige.
Neon City

Ghostrunner’s story of taking back a futuristic city from a sci-fi dictator is just window-dressing for the true meat of the game: to run to the finish line and experiencing the aural and visual candy doing so. The obstacles & challenges in your way? Loads of platforms and wall-running, enemies with guns and other sorts of weaponry, and the fact that you die in one hit. Fortunately, you have the power to slow time down and do sick dodges, one-hit-kill enemies with your katana, and a few key skills like hacking, blink dash attacks, and a force push to even the odds. You also can grapple onto hook points to ascend higher or just get to an area really quick.
Within your 6 to 7 hours of playthrough, you’ll die attempting to get through Ghostrunner. A lot. But the reloads are super-quick and the game reinforces the tough love approach; get through it or die a million times finding the correct way to tackle each segment. Ghostrunner’s tools and controls are spot-on and perfect for you to do this with slick perfection. They also teach you not to muck around and keep running. Hell, in some cases, you aren’t required to kill every enemy in a section, thus emphasizing the “run” in the game title. If you can make a dash for it, you should.
When you’re stationary, you probably will die in a second. My finest moments include parrying enemy attacks and projectiles, wall-running and jumping from wall to wall using your “time-slowing” dodge ability called Sensory Boost, and learning how to chuck shurikens to activate switches while on the move, because stopping even for a second will close the barrier I’m trying to get past. There’s also a pretty harrowing “boss fight” involving a tower and lasers; you just need to dodge & grapple to avoid them and reach the cables to slash them. It’s harder than it sounds, trust us on this.
Remember that force push power-up I mentioned? You get a few more tools like a horizontal projectile slash attack that can hit multiple enemies at one go, and a blink dash-and-slash move that goes through enemy projectiles. You can also turn an enemy to your side with the Overlord ability, but you get that pretty late in the game and the other power-ups are a tad more useful. While you can get through the entire game with just your sword, your speed, and your wit, these power-ups do help in case you need a “smart bomb” tool; you can only use them once your energy meter is filled up via passive recharging or combo-killing foes. You can also add in passive buffs to your abilities via an upgrade screen that makes you play “fit the blocks” to use up the space given.
Your upgrades are essentially Tetris pieces; you just fit them into slots to either widen your Blink radius, or let you do a “two for one” special with your Tempest force push. The pieces are pretty large and complex so that you don’t abuse the optional upgrades; the devs know too well you need to complete their levels with actual skill.
Still, the game throws you a bone and adds in some simple puzzle bits after these frenetic bouts of combat and sprinting. These range from turning pipes to charge up a power source to finding orbs to open a door while the platforms you’re on are rotating. They don’t outstay their welcome and they look pretty good showcasing the bright cyberspace insides of the game’s world.

Once you get the hang of each stage and finish the game comes the fun part: doing a better run than before. With all your powerups available, you can aim for a better time or less deaths while also finding shortcuts, though there aren’t much more incentives than that for replayability’s sake. In other words, Ghostrunner is perfect for speedrun aficionados and perfectionists willing to show off their skills on stream.

A Cut Above

However, Ghostrunner’s demand for precision is also detrimental to its controls and for folks looking for a lighter sci-fi fare. You need to aim perfectly for a grapple, lest you fall to your death for the billionth time. You can overshoot your dashes, meaning you’ll be a tad disoriented and then realize you didn’t kill the enemy you were supposed to dash to, and then get a cheap death out of it. Jumping behind shielded enemies is also super-tricky; even when you just land above their heads, you somehow still get hit by the shield that pushes you back, putting you in neutral with your opponent. And they turn really fast.
I’d go far as to say that the shielded goons are the toughest enemies in the game, especially in small enclosed spaces. You’ll find these segments late in the game that are beyond aggravating and may probably make you break a controller or 10.

In addition, I also find it strange that the game conveniently makes some hitboxes skewed off. This means when you want to jump atop a flying security drone and ride on it, you REALLY need to be precise with your jumps. Also, I seem to be receiving more headshots from enemies with guns because our titular hero may be taller than advertised.

It’s bad enough that depth perception is really tough to sort out and perfect in a first-person perspective action game. Ghostrunner isn’t doing anyone any favours by making its platforming harder than usual. If you’re turned off at the prospect of moving fast in this viewpoint and tend to get nauseous with first-person shooters, Ghostrunner isn’t going to change your mind.

Still, these missteps do not destroy the core cyberpunk ninja FPS experience. If you want a surprise entry in the action genre, look no further than the fast and frenetic Ghostrunner. Granted, its difficulty curve will frustrate you not unlike a Souls-like game, but once you get to the rhythm and groove of it, you’ll ace it and aim for a better run.
It’s what a true Sonic The Hedgehog game should be like. Except this one’s R-rated and has you slicing people with katanas instead of robots with your spiked back. A hearty recommendation for those looking for the Dark Souls of linear first-person action games.
Pros

Beautiful sci-fi aesthetics.
Fun & challenging first-person run-and-slash gameplay.
Taxing-yet-fair cyberspace puzzles that break the monotony.

Cons

Controls are a bit too precise, leading to unnecessary difficulty.
Endgame features a ton of cheap deaths & segments.
Light on plot.

Final Score: 80/100


We’re Not Getting A New Assassin’s Creed In 2019, Praise The Lord

Remember that Ubisoft Singapore interview I did with managing director Hugues Ricour? I asked him about whether the Assassin’s Creed games were going to be an annual thing lately, so he responded with a series of PR answers to deflect it.
Well, now he can officially say that 2019 is the year Assassin’s Creed takes a break. According to a GameSpot report,Â  Ubisoft head honcho Yves Guillemot said during Gamescom 2018 that there will be no full-fledged AC game next year since they already have Assassin’s Creed Odyssey coming out.
Plus, there’s going to be additional content & expansions for AC Odyssey, like maybe a rumoured Atlantis-themed expansion down the line.

“It’s just because the team was working separately,” said Guillemot, ” so we have two games now, one year after the other. But next year you’re not going to have a fully-fledged one.”
“What you’ll have is lots of content coming on [Odyssey]. The team really want to give, on a regular basis, some new possibilities for play, so when you get [Odyssey] this year, you’re going to get in for a couple of years, actually.”

Of course, when 2020 hits, Ubisoft may release a fresh new Assassin’s Creed game on new console hardware. But that’s a few years off; for now, we should be thankful that we will not be bogged down with too many AC sequels.


ONI: Road To Be The Mightiest Oni Coming To Switch In March 2023

Publisher Clouded Leopard Entertainment and developer Kenei Design have announced that ONI: Road to be the Mightiest Oni will launch for Switch alongside its previously announced PS5, PS4, and PC via Steam on March 9, 2023
Story

The story takes place on Kisejima, a small island in the middle of the ocean. Here, it is said that the power that lies dormant within the local demon spirits can be drawn out by challenging them to trials, where ancient demons who were once defeated by Momotaro are summoned to battle. However, few have ever returned from Kisejima alive.
Kuuta, a demon warrior, the protagonist, is the only survivor of the Demon King’s army that faced Momotaro in battle. He and his spirit partner, Kazemaru, a mysterious spirit that lives on Kisejima, team up to take on challenges of all shapes and sizes.
The protagonist, Kuuta, attacks the enemy’s physical body using his club, but this won’t defeat it. Kazemaru has the ability to suck the enemy’s spirit out of its body, and by destroying that spirit, Kuuta can then claim victory. By playing both Kuuta and Kazemaru at the same time, you’ll be able to tackle a variety of enemies, from small fries to big bosses.
Kisejima, where the game takes place, is divided into three areas with a variety of challenges ranging from fighting enemies to escort missions. The player can also level up by running away from pursuing monsters, like a game of tag, and collecting mushrooms that grow in clusters to purchase upgraded clubs.
Art

Kisejima may not be large, but the colorful artwork by Kenei Design, with its dazzling green meadows, looming forests, and plains of floating megaliths, offers a unique emotional impact unlike any other action game. Its solo creator has invented a mini-world in which each and every location is marked by its own memorable appeal. ONI is an invitation for players to enjoy a small-world experience, for a change.


China’s VTuber Pop Group A-Soul To Make An Online MMO World A Reality

Remember that movie Ready Player One where people tune into a virtual world called the Oasis which has various people interacting in a life-like virtual world featuring many, many avatars from different IPs? Remember recently when Facebook’s soulless lead Mark Zuckerberg talks about the Metaverse, which is basically concepts like PlayStation Home and Second Life but with more IPs?
Well, it seems that everyone is on board the idea; even China. But China’s Yue Hua Entertainment is doing things a little different: using Vtuber idol groups to combine virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI) together in one possible utopia through the power of pop music and virtual concerts.
Their one shot at establishing the metaverse opportunity that comes once in a lifetime? Using their already-up-and-coming pop group A-SOUL.

In Asia, a new batch of virtual idols are emerging and have been well-received like Hatsune Miku, Riot Games’ K/DA, and influencers Ai-Ailynn from Thailand and Rae in Singapore. China’s A-SOUL is essentially that and has already established some big musical hits so far. A-SOUL was created about a year ago, with the group consisting of five girls with different personalities banding together to sing their hearts out in a virtual idol band.

On-stage performances, daily livestreaming, short dancing and singing videos: you name it, they’ve done it and garnered tens of thousands of fans. More importantly, the members of A-SOUL share their lives and chat away with their fans in the livestreaming channels, sometimes playing games together. This close interaction makes A-SOUL stand out from other virtual idols, turning it into China’s most popular virtual idol with over 10 million followers across social media platforms.

When A-SOUL appeared in an offline convention and live concert only six months after their debut, the group received an outpouring of fan support, with an ocean of glow sticks and banners, waves of cheers and applause. On YouTube-like video sharing platform BiliBili, one video of A-SOUL’s hit song has passed four million views, while the video Neko Chuudoku, covered by group member Diana, hit 10 million views.

A-SOUL members have also routinely taken over the top virtual streamer spot on BiliBili. In July and November, members Bella and Carol respectively topped the daily revenue chart in their birthday livestreaming, with both of them breaking the daily livestream revenue record on BiliBili.

A-SOUL doesn’t just live on the screen. They have already stepped out of online platforms and brought the fantasy world to real life. For example, A-SOUL recently performed alongside Chinese folk singer Zhu Jingxi on an AR-enabled stage, which offered a glimpse of the infinite possibilities of A-SOUL. Compared with real-life performers, virtual idols are free from physical and spatial restraints. Therefore they can create shows that are more fantastic and glitzy.

Whether it’s the spacewalk or dancing on the moon, A-SOUL can fulfil all of these visions and then some. Honestly speaking, we don’t know how long it will take for the virtual world described in Ready Player One to come to life. However, A-SOUL fans are immersed in the unique world A-SOUL has built for them at the first glance, breaking boundaries and going beyond pop stardom that’s limited to the confines of the real world.


Suzerain Launches 4th December for Windows and Mac

News originally from Frags of War.Â
Suzerain first caught my attention during the Steam Game Festival, with an intriguing promise of gameplay, and a fascinating demo. This is not your typical strategy game, but a more personal tale of a leader who has been elected to become President.
As President Anton Rayane, you lead Sordland, a fictional country thatâ€™s sort of like an Eastern European nation (I guess your name gives it away), through a tumultuous time. A civil war, the end of a dictatorship, itâ€™s not the rosiest of prospectâ€¦ but you might be the turning point.
Read more.


River City Girls 2 New Trailer Debuts Villains & New Release Window [Update]

Update: River City Girls 2’s release date is added.
WayForward has dished out more info about its upcoming 2D beat-em-up River City Girls 2.
First up, there’s a bit more gameplay of the main characters Misako, Kyoko, Kunio, Riki, Marian (Double Dragon ex-damsel-now-badass), and Provie. You also get to know the villains of this entry: the crime lord Sabu, his disgraced daughter Sabuko from the first River City Girls game (she’s the “last” boss), and adopted son Ken.

Best of all, the game will have 4-player co-op play so you and three friends can team up to take on the yakuza family and their many, many cronies.

Check out the trailer & game features below. River City Girls 2 will be out in 1st December for PC, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.
Story Synopsis
In River City Girls 2, crime lord Sabu breaks out of prison to avenge his daughter Sabuko’s humiliating defeat at the hands of Misako and Kyoko in the first River City Girls. He immediately seizes control of River City and makes life miserable for the heroines, kicking them out of school and turning the town into a lawless battlezone.
Sabu’s efforts to restore his family name are aided by his snarky adopted son Ken (previously seen in River City Girls Zero) and an army of underworld hoodlums led by tech expert Tsuiko, strength-enhancing chef Primo, and magic-wielding witch Blaire.
Sabu’s dominance is all but assured — will Misako, Kyoko, and their allies be able to fight back? More importantly, will they be able to travel across town to buy the latest hit video game??
Fortunately, players will have numerous ways to even the odds, not the least of which is the game’s newly revealed four-player co-op mode. With up to four players taking control of Misako, Kyoko, Kunio, Riki, Provie, and Marian for maximum combo-filled carnage, the action has never been wilder or more intense! Other ways for players to turn the tide in their favor include new weapons (such as a saxophone, molotov cocktails, and even a sofa) and new elemental attacks that inflict extra hurt on foes. Many new accessories and food items can be obtained from more than 40 shops to power-up characters as well.

Key Features

Six playable characters, each with their own fighting styles and upgradable move sets!
Enhanced combat: guard crushes, lift-off combos, and more!
River City is bigger than ever! New locations with multiple routes and secret areas!
Play solo or team up with a friend, locally or online
New hired henchmen aid players in battle! Hold two recruits at once!
Loads of NPCs to meet, interact with, and punch in the face — including surprise cameos!
Awesome anime intro, comic book cutscenes, English and Japanese voiceovers, and a spectacular soundtrack featuring RCG1 composer Megan McDuffee!


A New Trigun Anime Is Coming Next Year

TOHO and CG studio Orange (BEASTARS, Land of the Lustrous) have announced that they are producing a new anime based on Yasuhiro Nightow’s Trigun manga titled Trigun Stampede that will premiere in 2023. Crunchyroll also revealed that they will simulcast the anime upon release “in more than 200 countries and territories around the world”.
Trigun follows the misadventures of Vash the Stampede, a gunman on the lam with a “60 billion double dollar” bounty on his head. Vash earned his “Stampede” nickname thanks to the destruction that zealous bounty hunters wreak on any town he visits.
The original Trigun anime by Madhouse studio initially aired for 26 episodes in Japan back in 1998, and the Trigun Badlands Rumble anime film debuted in April 2010.


eArena of Thailand Claims Victory at Free Fire SEA Invitational 2023

Following a month brimming with fierce competition, eArena from Thailand has emerged victorious as the champions of the Free Fire SEA Invitational 2023, securing their fourth consecutive triumph in this prestigious international esports tournament.

With an impressive tally of 128 eliminations, 3 Booyahs, and an overall score of 232 points, eArena’s performance stands as a testament to Thailand’s unrivaled dominance in the region.
Throughout the competition, eArena showcased their exceptional skills by maintaining an unyielding grip on the top position during the initial two days, consistently outscoring their opponents by more than 30 points. Even as the final day brought heightened tension, eArena proved themselves unstoppable. EA.LIMIT of eArena took the center stage, illuminating it with his extraordinary abilities and earning the well-deserved title of Finals Most Valuable Player (FMVP) of FFSI.
As the curtains draw close on FFSI, fans and players alike can eagerly anticipate the return of the Free Fire World Series 2023 in November, promising another thrilling chapter in the world of competitive gaming.
THE GRAND FINALS HIGHLIGHTS
The Grand Finals were held across three days. 12 teams participated from several regions to face off in a total of 18 battles. Team eArena secured its top spot across the first two days by scoring over 30 points ahead of all the other teams on each day. Teams persevered and put up a strong fight against them in the final lap. eArena was consistent and exceptional in their performance, accumulating 3 Booyahs, 184 placement points, and 128 eliminations to win the tournament with 232 points in total.
Thailand’s Magic Esport claimed a very well deserved second place with 226 points. Indonesia’s Morph Team also showed exceptional prowess with 106 eliminations and 2 Booyahs, finishing in third place with 218 points.

eArena’s very own EA.LIMIT showcased his exceptional skills by being named the Finals Most Valuable Player (FMVP) of FFSI. He ended with a performance of 44 eliminations and 38 assists.
EA.Protetae, eArena’s very own captain, shared the secret to their big success, which is  effective communication and countless practice sessions together.
“We were also inspired by the two Thai teams that have gotten 3 world championships in total. I think our teams from Thailand have the best close combat skills.”
– EA.Limit
In November, fans and players can look forward to the Free Fire World Series 2023, which is set to feature the best Free Fire teams from major competitive regions, including Brazil and Latin America.


E3 2018: Bethesda Press Conference Is Close To A Home Run

Pete Hines. Todd Howard. And open world games? This could only be a Bethesda E3 press conference. Let’s do the lowdown from beginning to end.
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/1447254092045668/?hc_ref=ARTkoSWEL6b_zyFup0lA4FZgndCBR4c8tJGOVisq3RBXbunf7eSkqqH9Oz-oIrIl7-Q
Rock & Rage
Andrew WK opens the show with a theme fitting for Rage 2. Followed by the gameplay snippet of the same game. The crowd was dead but he tried his best. Guess that’s a sign of NOT to bring rock stars to any E3 presser in the future.
Rage 2 is essentially Doom x Mad Max x BioShock. We dig it. The DNA of these two developers are well fleshed out in the slick yet violent gameplay video.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElUxRbCdlRE&w=560&h=315]
In The Cards
After a high-octane opening in Rage 2, Bethesda mellowed down a bit by bringing up the card game we struggle to find those who still play, Elder Scrolls Legends.
Elder Scrolls Legends is hitting PS4, Xbox, and Switch later this year. You can carry forward your progress on mobile to these platforms as long as you pair them with your Bethesda account. Nice.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_cNIP3naDc&w=560&h=315]
From Hell
The next Doom was up and will be called Doom Eternal. “Taking hell to Earth”so to speak but apart from that, nothing was shown. We have a feeling that this will be the tone of this E3. If there isn’t a gameplay of the game shown, best bet that it is being saved for next-gen.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oVwrpfo_QA&w=560&h=315]
Tied For The Lead
Quake Champions will be free for all for a limited time. Judging by the online reception as well as the crowd in the room, it is safe to say that Bethesda isn’t hitting the mark when it comes to competitive gaming. Esports? Wooooo. But #BE3 is probably not the best place to generate hype for a competitive game title
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Paw5oUipc6c&w=560&h=315]
The Next Skyrim
We then get a fun, self-aware moment from Bethesda as Todd Howard pokes fun at where Skyrim is gonna be on next, featuring Keegan-Michael Peele:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnEW6dX_BmU&w=560&h=315]
To be honest, we won’t mind having it on Alexa or any personal assistant device. Google, FUSRODAHHHHHH!
War Never Changes
Which leads to the meat of the Bethesda presentation, the much-hyped Fallout 76. So here’s what we know about it:

It’s going to be fully online.
The game is set in West Virginia and will be about four times the size of Fallout 4, and sixteen times more detailed.
Six distinct regions available in-game at launch.
You can play in a limited party size – possibly 4 per team.
If we heard it correctly, there will be 12 players on each server and how you interact with everyone else is up to you.
The building mode and construction bits from Fallout 4 makes a return.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9FGaan35s0&w=560&h=315]
They also unveiled the Collectors Edition comes with a fully wearable Power Suit helmet. Sweet.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwOYEsnm1i4&w=560&h=315]
A Mobile Favourite Returns
Not much of an announcement due to the leak a few days back but here it is officially: Fallout Shelter is now available on the PS4 and Nintendo Switch for free. So get downloading folks!
Sadly, we don’t think we are allowed to port any of our progress on mobile phones to these new platforms. Bummer.
Anyone Missed Arena?
Speaking of mobile, a pure Elder Scrolls game – FPS RPG with console quality graphics is set to hit mobile devices; Elder Scross Blade. It will feature hand-made as well as procedurally designed maps and will come with portrait mode.
Cross-play with other platforms; PC, Xbox One and PS4 available but the game will be on mobile first, coming this fall. Pre-order now open on iTunes & Android. Head over to playblades.com to sign for early access.
Our only worries:

How will it play on older devices?
What’s the file size?

Into The Future

Bethesda closed their presser with two, huge announcements relate to next-gen console gaming, as Starfield and Elder Scrolls VI were teased.

No gameplay, just cinematics. We feel Starfield is going to be their Elder Scrolls in space or even take on Mass Effect while Elder Scrolls VI is gonna be…well, guess it’s all up for speculation.

Final Verdict?Ã‚Â
8/10. Great
Easily the best presser of E3 2018 to date (well, there were only two prior), Bethesda hit the right notes with good reveals, engaging content with little or insignificant downtime throughout.
For quick rundowns of earlier E32018 pressers, check out our thoughts on EA’s and Microsoft’s as well.


LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales Trailer Reveals Return To Mustafar

Disney+ has released the first trailer for LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales, the upcoming animated special from Lucasfilm and LEGO.
The synopsis reads:
After the events of The Rise of Skywalker, Poe and BB-8 must make an emergency landing on the volcanic planet Mustafar where they meet the greedy and conniving Graballa the Hutt who has purchased Darth Vaderâ€™s castle and is renovating it into the galaxyâ€™s first all-inclusive Sith-inspired luxury hotel.
While waiting for his X-wing to be repaired, Poe, BB-8, Graballa, and Dean (a plucky and courageous young boy who works as Graballaâ€™s mechanic) venture deep into the mysterious castle with Vaderâ€™s loyal servant, VaneÃ©.
Along the way, VaneÃ© shares three creepy stories linked to ancient artifacts and iconic villains from across all eras of Star Wars.
As VaneÃ© spins his tales and lures our heroes deeper into the shadowy underbelly of the castle, a sinister plan emerges.
With the help of Dean, Poe and BB-8 will have to face their fears, stop an ancient evil from rising, and escape to make it back to their friends.
LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales is directed by Ken Cunningham, who also helmed The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special in 2020. The project features the voices of Jake Green as Poe Dameron, Trevor Devall as Emperor Palpatine, Matt Sloan as Darth Vader, Raphael Alejandro as Dean, Dana Snyder as Graballa the Hutt, Tony Hale as VaneÃ©, Christian Slater as Ren and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as NI-L8.
It is slated to premiere on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia on 1 October 2021.


Amazon’s Overwatch-Like Hero Shooter Crucible Launches Later This Month

Publisher Amazon Game Studios and developer Relentless Studios have announced a release date for their upcoming free-to-play team-based PvP online multiplayer shooter; simply titled Crucible. This will be Amazon Game Studios’ first big-budget original IP.
In Crucible, players can choose from ten different hunters comes with their own unique set of abilities, similar to the heroes in Overwatch or legends in Apex Legends. Before each match, players will also be able to select which upgrades to unlock as they level up, which can be achieved by collecting a source of energy called Essence (obtainable from killing enemies and the creatures strewn around the map).

There will be three distinct game modes at launch, each of which will be the game’s version of popular modes. The first is Heart of the Hives, a 4v4 mode pitting two teams against each other and large enemy boss hives that pop up throughout the map. Each hive contains a heart, and the first team to snag three hives/hearts wins.
The second, Alpha Hunters, will pit eight teams of two players each against one another in a battle royale-style contest like Apex Legends, with the last team standing declared the winner.

Meanwhile, the last mode, Harvester Command, is probably inspired by MOBA titles like Dota 2 and League of Legends. It pits two teams of eight players against each another in a contest to be the fastest team to earn 100 points by collecting Essence.
Crucible is slated to release for PC via Steam on 20 May 2020. It will likely face fierce competition from Riot Games’ multiplayer shooter Valorant, which is slated to launch sometime in summer 2020 (albeit already being in closed beta right now).

In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is9eb4XQHZw&w=560&h=315]


LEGO Teases Plans To Release Donkey Kong Sets

Exciting news from the world of Super Mario and LEGO. LEGO has given us a little tease about their plans to launch a series of Donkey Kong sets. Last month, LEGO announced that they were bringing Donkey Kong to their Super Mario universe. They had also confirmed that a Donkey Kong figure would be coming out this summer, but it wasn’t clear whether there would be a jungle set or something similar to go along with it.

We can’t wait to show you the new additions to the world of LEGO Super Mario™! ? pic.twitter.com/sa5XF0LdCo
— LEGO (@LEGO_Group) April 26, 2023

Now, LEGO has tweeted a teaser video with the message, “We can’t wait to show you the new additions to the world of LEGO Super Mario!” The video shows various Kong characters, including Diddy, Cranky, and Funky, with the tagline, “There’s a Kong in every kid.” It also says that each set is sold separately.
Speaking of the Kong family, they played a big role in the recently released Super Mario Bros. Movie, which has been a huge success. It’s currently on track to generate over $1 billion globally! The creator of Mario, Shigeru Miyamoto, spoke to the Japanese press ahead of the movie’s debut in Nintendo’s home country this week. He discussed the movie’s reception, which he admitted had been mixed among critics. However, he also acknowledged that it had exceeded his expectations in terms of success.
Miyamoto stated, “You need some luck to achieve this level of success for a film. While many foreign critics have given the movie relatively low ratings, I think that also contributed to the movie’s notoriety and buzz.”


Humanity’s Unique Soundtrack Is Available Right Now On Digital

Puzzle game Humanity, which is about you controlling a dog who is leading a stream of human beings to a door using the power of turning, floating, jumping, and weaponry, has a very unique soundtrack. Composed by Jemapur, the OST features a lot of instrumental, experimental, and ambient electronica tunes rolled into one. And you can check it out right now!
Developer Enhance has announced that the Humanity soundtrack is available to purchase digitally and to stream on various music platforms. Here’s the list:
Digital Purchase

Bandcamp
Steam

Stream Service:

Spotify (Official album by JEMPAPUR)
Spotify (Featured on PlayStation’s playlist)
Apple Music
YouTube Music

Experience the ambience ingenuity below. Humanity is available right now for PC, PS4, and PS5. Check out our glowing review of the puzzle game here.


Action RPG Nobody Saves The World Drops Later This Month

The developer (DrinkBox Studios) that gave us Gaucamelee! and Guacamelee 2! has returned with a brand new action RPG. Nobody Saves the World is slated to launch for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam on 18 January 2022.
Plus, the game will also be available Day One on Xbox Game Pass. The gameâ€™s original soundtrack by composer Jim Guthrie (Below, Sword And Sworcery) will also be available for purchase on Steam and other streaming platforms when the game releases.
Nobody Saves The World puts a twist on action RPGs, as you play many different character Forms, each with its own unique gameplay mechanics. You’ll be able to mix and match abilities in unique and interesting ways to find and complete even more difficult Quests and unlock more powerful Forms. Another unique mechanic is that players can’t grind. Defeating monsters will not give you EXP, but completing quests and tasks will.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Hideo Kojima Is Making A New Game With Xbox Game Studios

During the Xbox and Bethesda games showcase for 2022, Kojima Productions CEO Hideo Kojima makes an appearance to announce that he and his team are making a new game under Xbox Game Studios.
Kojima’s game will be using Xbox’s cloud technology and will be a “never-seen-before” gaming experience. Nothing else is know about the game apart from this brief announcement during the Xbox livestream.

The last time Hideo Kojima teamed up with a first-party developer, it was with PlayStation back to make Death Stranding which came out in 2019. That turned out well, I guess.


Demon Turf Platforming Guide: How To Conquer The Underworld

Demon Turf is out right now, and it’s the de facto indie-made platformer of choice for 3D and retro connoisseurs. It’s also a pretty tough game that ramps up its challenges later on past the first Apocadesert world.
Don’t fear: we’re here to help you out. Here are some quick tips on how to platform like a champ in Demon Turf!
Get Used To Beebz’s Set Moves
We’ll break down Beebz’s move sets and techniques below:
-Beebz can jump, double jump, and do that three consecutive jump technique that makes her jump slightly higher in her last third jump (ala Mario in New Super Mario Bros. onward). She can also wall grab and jump wall-to-wall.
-Beebz can jump, hover spin, then do a super horizontal far-reaching jump. She can also jump, double jump, and hover spin. She cannot immediately do a super jump after this technique though; she has used up her “jump actions” from the aforementioned sequences; she has to land onto a surface to reset her jump actions.
-A word about Hook Shots: Beebz cannot use Hook Shots if she’s already double-jumped. She can only use it if she isn’t in her double jump demon form.
-When Beebz uses Rollover in the air, she will immediately drop down onto the surface before speeding off.
-While in Rollover mode, you can revert back to Beebz’s form, then quickly transform into Rollover mode to slow down & speed up consecutively. Use this technique to take tight turns better while on courses.
Sort Out The Manual Checkpoint System

Demon Turf’s innovative feature is letting you decide the checkpoints of the game. If you see a platforming puzzle ahead that looks tough, just set a checkpoint flag.
You’re initially given three to work with, but if you have enough cake, you can buy a Mod in Forktown that lets you place more checkpoints. The game’s first world has Midgi suggesting spots to put flags at, but he doesn’t appear in later worlds, so you need to do it on your own. And yes, you will forget about it while you’re in the zone finishing a level, so our suggestion is take a breather when you’re done with a platforming segment for more than 5 minutes. Odds are you’re pretty far from the starting point, so plant that flag!
Don’t Worry About The Timer
After each stage, the game will take note of the time spent while in the level. You won’t be getting the best time if it’s your first time playing through a stage, so don’t worry. Just experiment with the level, and take leaps of fate and trial-and-error solution. Most of Demon Turf’s stages are pretty large, so take your time to explore and don’t fret. Once you learn enough about a stage, then you can attempt the time trial prize.
While you’re exploring, do check nook and crannies while pressing the left analog stick to find out where the level’s cake is. There are three per normal level and they are the currency used to get extra mods.
Play The Remix Stages AFTER Getting All The Demon Powerups
There are four bosses in Demon Turf that you have to defeat. After you conquer one of them, their world will then feature remixed levels with new traps, new platforming puzzles, and new challenges. Don’t do them straight away: just play through the normal versions of the stages.
Why? Because each boss will give you one new powerup that can be useful for the remixed stages. There are four to collect: the Hook Shot, the Rollover (ouroboros), the Glide Form, and the Time Out Bullet. They’re all required to get through the later challenges, so might as well power through the four worlds before replaying their remixed forms, right?
Don’t Forget About Mods

Once you’ve collected just enough cake past the 20 mark, you can spend them at the Mods shop. They can help make the game easier to play by a tad, with powerups like a second wing flutter for your double jump demon form, the ability to fall slower, and new punch mods to make your current punches less sucky. Most importantly, you can get the Flag Hoarder mod which grants you an additional checkpoint flag for those tougher levels with longer jumping sequences.

Mod List
Each mod takes up a specific amount of slots. Beebz has 6 slots available by default, so you can equip at least 3 mods to sort your platforming out. If you’re not sure how they work, you can test them out at the Mod shop.
Movement Mods
Winged Demon (Recommended)
Cost: 6 cake
Slots: 3
Ability: You can flutter your wings one more time in your double jump demon form.
Light As A Feather
Cost: 6 cake
Slots: 2
Ability: You fall slower.
No Time To Waste
Cost: 6 cake
Slots: 2
Ability: You run faster.
Spin Mods
Updraft
Cost: 10 cake
Slots: 2
Ability: You rise up a little when you use your spin demon form and so do enemies nearby.
Safety Bubble
Cost: 6 cake
Slots: 3
Ability: Your spin now reflects projectiles.
Whirlpool
Cost: 6 cake
Slots: 1
Ability: Your spin causes enemies to spin around you like a hurricane. Mash the button to keep spinning until you’re dizzy.
Punch Mods
Stoic Justice
Cost: 10 cake
Slots: 3
Ability: You can charge your punch longer and it’s more powerful. However, movement is slower during charge.
Ringer
Cost: 7 cake
Slots: 2
Ability: You dash toward your target before releasing your punch, increasing range and power.
Revving Punches (Recommended)
Cost: 6 cake
Slots: 3
Ability: Your jabs are weaker, but each one builds charge towards a final charged punch.
Back Off
Cost: 4 cake
Slots: 3
Ability: Spin while charging a punch to release the energy, knocking back enemies around you.
Turf Mods
Sidewinder (Hook Shot)
Cost: 8 cake
Slots: 3
Ability: You can yank enemies sideways making them spin in that direction.
Serpentine Handling (Rollover)
Cost: 4 cake
Slots: 1
Ability: Hold movement forward or back to increase or decrease speed. Also increases side to side movement speed.
Ninja Bird (Glide Form)
Cost: 6 cake
Slots: 2
Ability: You’re invincible for a short moment when entering your glide demon form.
Time Out Tantrum (Time Out Bullet)
Cost: 6 cake
Slots: 2
Ability: Hitting an enemy directly with the Time Out Bullet will instead trigger a super slowdown effect on just that target.
Other Mods
Hide And Seek
Cost: 4 cake
Slots: 1
Ability: Enemies are less likely to detect you and lose sight of you quickly.
Made You Look
Cost: 4 cake
Slots: 1
Ability: Your camera is now equipped with a strong flash that can temporarily stun any enemies in the viewfinder.
Flag Hoarder (Recommended)
Cost: 6 cake
Slots: 4
Ability: You have a fourth checkpoint flag available to place in a level. This can only be changed in hubs.
Protective Wisp
Cost: 8 cake
Slots: 5
Ability: A wisp circles around you, causing knockback on enemies it touches and repelling bullets.

Boss Walkthrough
Here’s a video on how to deal with each of the world’s bosses. Spoilers, obviously.


The Biggest Shadowverse World Tournament Is Now Open To Southeast Asians

In case you haven’t heard, publisher Cygames announced a huge worldwide tournament for its flagship digital card-flopping game Shadowverse -a.k.a the weaboo anime version of Hearthstone. The contest is called the Shadowverse World Grand Prix, and it’s now made eligible for Southeast Asian card sharks.
That’s right: Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, The Philippines, and other SEA/Oceanic territories can participate and stand a chance to win that incredibly huge US$1 million first prize reward. This inclusion was made possible by GameStart Asia organizers Eliphant; the organizer’s esports division Beast Of The East will be organizing this SEA division.

The following schedule is a list of Shadowverse tournaments leading up to the Southeast Asia and Oceanic Contenders Cup (via Geek Culture).

The Open Online tournaments have a US$1,000 prize pool (each one of them). Ditto for the Wildcard Qualifier, which is online. The World Circuit Offline tournament will feature a US$10,000 prize pool; there’s no date yet for this event.
The winners of these tournaments will be fighting each other in the Contenders Cup, which will take place at GameStart Asia on the 13th and 14th of October. Whoever wins that tournament will fly off to Japan (travel expenses paid) for the World Grand Prix tournament.
Interested? Want to beat the crap out of your foes with your pixies, roaches, dragons, and bishie vampires in a hardcore tournament setting? Sign up here:Â https://battlefy.com/shadowverse-open.Â


Persona 3 Reload Trailer Showcases The New English Voice Cast

At Anime Expo 2023, Atlus released a new trailer for the upcoming Persona 3 Reload. The trailer features the new English voice cast of the remake for the first time.
The new voice cast members are as follows:

Protagonist: Aleks Le
Junpei Iori: Zeno Robinson
Yukari Takeba: Heather Gonzalez
Fuuka Yamagishi: Suzie Yeung
Mitsuru Kirijo: Allegra Clark
Akihiko Sanada: Alejandro Saab

Persona 3 Reload is slated to release for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store sometime in early 2024 worldwide. It will also be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch.
Check out the trailer below:


World Of Warcraft Burning Crusade Is Now Live

The Dark Portal has opened once again, and beyond it lies a timeless era of adventure. Beginning today, World Of Warcraft players will rediscover the wondrous landscapes and mythic challenges awaiting them in the shattered realm of Outland as Burning Crusade Classic, Blizzard Entertainmentâ€™s authentic recreation of the legendary first World Of WarcraftÂ expansion, launches around the globe.
In Burning Crusade Classic, the heroes of the Horde and the Alliance set out on an excursion to the fel-scarred, alien world of Draenor, where the demonic Burning Legion is staging a war against all life on Azeroth. Together with their new draenei and blood elf allies, Azerothâ€™s champions must find a way to stop the invasion at its source; seek out new allies amid the fungal forests and nether-wracked skies of a strange new world; and ultimately prepare to face the infernal forces of Illidan the Betrayer, the traitorous night elf demon hunter who has claimed the shattered domain of Outland as his own.
Blizzard Entertainment president J. Allen Brack said:
â€œTodayâ€™s launch of Burning Crusade Classic represents the first chance in over a decade for the WoW community to feel the collective thrill of stepping through the Dark Portal, of charging into an Arena together, and of taking down the final boss of Karazhan as a guild for the first time.
These shared experiences are at the heart of World Of Warcraft, and we look forward to seeing all of the new adventures players have with friends old and new as they return to Outland.â€
As with World Of WarcraftÂ Classic, Burning Crusade Classic is included with playersâ€™ World Of WarcraftÂ subscriptions, granting access to the content and features of the 2007 original, including:

The Shattered Realm of Outland: Traverse the treacherous crags and spires of Bladeâ€™s Edge Mountains, where even dragons fear to roam; hunt alongside the uncorrupted Magâ€™har orcs among the floating islands of Nagrand; battle demonic agents of the Legion in the shadow of the Black Temple; and much more.
Two New Playable Races: Fight for the Horde as the blood elves, seeking a new source of the arcane power that once sustained them, or join the Alliance as the draenei, exiles from Outland in search of a new home.
Gather at the Arena Gates: Assemble your most trusted allies and prove your PvP prowess in 2v2, 3v3, or 5v5 combat in Arenas such as the Ring of Trials and the Circle of Blood (available starting 15 June 2021).
Take Wing on Flying Mounts: Take flight in the chaotic skies of Netherstorm and soar over fel-touched Shadowmoon Valley with the introduction of flying mounts in Outland.
Master Challenging Raids and Dungeons: Conquer 5-player dungeons set in the crystalline fortress of Tempest Keep and the Caverns of Time, where heroes bear witness to Azerothâ€™s past, and take on epic 10- and 25-player raids.
New Options for Heroes: Carve gems of power to socket into playersâ€™ gear with the Jewelcrafting profession; choose between the Aldor or Scryer factions in Shattrath and earn their unique rewards; create a paladin on the Horde or a shaman on the Alliance; and more.

With todayâ€™s launch, players can now advance characters on Burning Crusade Classic realms to level 70 as they explore all of the new zones of Outland beyond the Dark Portal, and rally their allies to take on the raid challenges of 10-player Karazhan, 25-player Magtheridonâ€™s Lair, and 25-player Gruulâ€™s Lair. Starting June 15, players will be able to prove their PvP prowess with the start of Arena Season 1. Additional Burning Crusade Classic content will roll out in future content updates.
Following the start of Arena Season 1 in-game, top PvP teams will have the chance to go back to the roots of WoW esports in the Burning Crusade Classic Arena Tournament, taking place July 23â€“25. Full tournament details, including information on how to participate, will be announced in the weeks ahead.
Players looking to jump straight into the adventure in Outland with their friends now have the option to purchase the Dark Portal Pass (US$39.99), allowing them to boost one character of their choosing on a Burning Crusade Classic realm to level 58 (limit one per World of Warcraft account; not usable on blood elf or draenei characters). The Dark Portal Pass is also included in the optional Burning Crusade Classic Deluxe Edition (US$69.99), which additionally comes with the Reawakened Phase-Hunter mount, Dark Portal Hearthstone, and Path of Illidan toy for use in Burning Crusade Classic; the Viridian Phase-Hunter mount for use in modern WoW; and 30 days of game time, which grants access to WoW Classic, Burning Crusade Classic, and the modern game.
Current WoW Classic players can choose whether to progress each of their characters to Burning Crusade Classic, or continue playing the original WoW Classic content on Classic Era realms, which launched on 18 May 2021. Players who wish to play the same character in both eras can use the optional character cloning service (US$15 per character), which will allow them to continue playing a copy of an existing character on a Classic Era realm while also advancing into Burning Crusade Classic.


EA Might Be Making An Open-World Single-Player Black Panther Game

Electronic Arts, the company that made fun of single-player games earlier this month, might be creating a single-player open-world game in the Marvel universe.
The company is reportedly making a Black Panther game according to journalist Jeff Grub on a Giant Bomb podcast. The game is “very likely” being made by a new EA studio helmed by ex-Monolith Productions boss Kevin Stephens. Monolith’s last works include the Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor games.
The alleged Black Panther game is in early development, a single-player game, and starts with Black Panther being dead. This means players will take on challenges to become the next Black Panther. The game’s codename is “Project Rainier”, which is a name taken from Seattle’s Mount Rainier where the new EA studio is.
In any case, it’s high time we get a new single-player open-world superhero game that isn’t like Marvel’s Avengers. Because lord knows this new generation of gaming needs another inFamous or Prototype follow-up. Just think of all the cool vibranium-based tech the new Black Panther get to play with in a giant-as-heck Wakanda (or other Marvel locations) sandbox!


PlayStation Starts Off Very Strong With Its Showcase; Should Xbox Be Worried?

Two weeks ago, Xbox Game Studios CEO Phil Spencer said on a Kinda Funny Xcast special was blunt in reframing Xbox’s narrative in the games industry, stating that it’s “not in the business of out-consoling Sony or out-consoling Nintendo”. He also said the following:
“It’s just not true that, if we go off and build great games, all of a sudden you’re going to see console share shift in some dramatic way.”
I don’t know where this “defeatist” mentality is coming from, but this is most likely the last thing you should be saying in a field where Xbox previously used to be the cream of the crop in the 2000s and “HD era” of gaming. And especially if your recent exclusive isn’t quite well-received by the public.
With PlayStation’s recent PlayStation Showcase 2023, there is an inkling of said “console share shift” in the works. And hopefully a wake-up call for Xbox.
Just Play

Not counting all the multiplatform announcements on the PlayStation Showcase, for which there’s a good number from the Metal Gear Solid 3 remake to Dragon’s Dogma 2 (which I’m personally excited for), here are the exclusives on tap:

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, is slated for Fall 2023. The last two Insomniac-made PlayStation-exclusive Spider-Man games (also on PC) were well-received, so I’d be shocked if this game turned out average. Definitely one chief reason you would buy a PS5.
Foamstars, a 4v4 shooter where you defeat each other with foam projectiles; basically Square Enix’s take on a colourful non-lethal shooter ala Splatoon but for PlayStation.
Fairgame$, a heist-themed multiplayer game from Haven Studios, a company formed by ex-Assassins Creed producer Jade Raymond. Also for PlayStation 5 and PC.
Project Q, a handheld streaming device for PlayStation 5 games. Yes, it only streams games, not run them like a handheld gaming device; you download your PS5 game first, then stream it to Project Q via Wi-Fi. Also, new PS5 Bluetooth headsets. Both will be out in 2023.
Final Fantasy 16, because Square Enix and PlayStation need to remind everyone that one of the chief reasons you should buy a PS5 is coming soon; 22nd June.
A bunch of PSVR 2 games to justify the peripheral’s existence.

The presentation itself might seem standard, but it does show that PlayStation is drawing first blood with its salvo of games early to entice more people to come aboard its side. While Foamstars and Fairgame$ are still “proof of concept” announcements, Spider-Man 2 and Final Fantasy 16 are still enough reasons for people to get PS5s, in addition to the other existing exclusive titles the console has: Returnal, the recent Ratchet & Clank, and God of War: Ragnarok off the top of my head.
I’m having trouble figuring out what Xbox has this year (and last) that’s worth playing, is a major triple-A title, and is a company exclusive, be it a standalone purchase on its Xbox Series console or on Game Pass.

Falling Behind?
Again, the Game Pass is always going to be a good deal to have, but at the end of the day, great games still sell consoles. And great games that are just exclusive for one platform (even ones with PC ports) will still get people to buy that one platform, just for those games alone that they will play for weeks or months to come.
It’s a tale as old as time that still rings true even to this day. People bought Xbox consoles for Halo: Combat Evolved. People bought the Xbox 360 for Gears of War, Grand Theft Auto 4, and Halo 3, even with the red ring of death error going on. Where is this drive and competitiveness during the Xbox One and Xbox Series period? Yes, I love Hi-Fi Rush a lot and that’s an exclusive for the Xbox. The Xbox Game Pass indies are also worth playing, with SEA titles like Coffee Talk Episode 2 and Kabaret in the forefront.
And the line-up below that could be an Xbox Game Pass Day One entry? That would be great:

What a good looking group ? pic.twitter.com/eDZo8vTXtB
— Xbox (@Xbox) May 24, 2023

But for the mass market who determines your console’s justified existence? It’s unfortunately not enough.
You’re only as good as the games you have on tap. And the brand hasn’t made a strong case for people to buy the console AND the Game Pass as of late, at least from a “killer app”  and exclusive games perspective. It really sucks, because having one console company running the triple-A gaming show (PlayStation) and another one just being in its own world (Nintendo) isn’t as cracked up compared to having three of them one-upping each other.
It’s still weeks before 12 June’s Xbox Bethesda Showcase, so the tides could turn in Microsoft’s favour. But unless they have more noteworthy games apart from Starfield, or some groundbreaking exclusives that will help with their standing, the Xbox brand will have to be content with third place. In a race with just three competitors.


Assassin’s Creed Codename Jade Closed Beta Is Now Open For Registration

During Ubisoft Forward 2023, Ubisoft announced that players can now register for the Assassin’s Creed Codename Jade Closed Beta by signing up on the official website. However, we still don’t know when the closed beta will take place.
Assassin’s Creed Codename Jade, the first open-world Assassin’s Creed built for iOS and Android, is set in third-century BCE China, following the Warring States period and the unification of China under the Qin dynasty.
Published by Level Infinite, Codename Jade is chronologically set between Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Assassin’s Creed Origins, and takes place in the first multiethnic feudal state in China. “This is a very exciting part of China’s history,” said Andrei Chan, executive producer at Level Infinite. “This is the establishment of essentially the first empire of China. It was also a time when the connection between China and the rest of the world was stronger than ever.”
“Our goal is to provide an authentic Assassin’s Creed experience on mobile, and we are very proud of what we have already,” says Chan. “Fans can expect all the iconic features – assassinations, air assassinations, stealth, parkour, combat mechanics – and we’re keeping it narrative-driven.”
In a series first, Codename Jade will let players customize their assassin’s appearance, and the team is prioritizing touchscreen controls to make sure that Codename Jade’s gameplay feels natural to all players.