Here’s What You Didn’t Know About Legendary FPS Developer Tim Willits

If you’re a big FPS fan and you have a special place in your heart for fast and brutal shooters like Doom and Quake, then the name Tim Willits should mean something to you. After 24 years of working with id Software, Willits has announced that he will be leaving the company so let’s take a look at some of the significant moments in his career so far.
I actually just recently bought Doom (2016) to wash away the horrible aftertaste of Wolfenstein: Youngblood. It only took me about 10 minutes to get hooked into the game. It was fast, brutal, and fun. What’s interesting to note is that it was probably the first truly beloved game from id Software in at least a decade.
Sure we had Doom 3 in 2004 but a lot of fans didn’t really consider it a true Doom game. It was well received and sold like hot cakes but it was more horror-focused and was considerably slower compared to its predecessors. The game leaned on its atmosphere rather than gunplay.
Doom 3.
Then in 2011, we got Rage. The open world design made it clear that id Software was trying to explore new ideas. However, the game didn’t take off as spectacularly as it was expected to and was almost immediately forgettable. The open world component and mission structure were mediocre at best.
So where does Willits fit in all this? Well, the man was lead designer for Doom 3 and by the time Rage rolled out, he was playing the role of studio director. id Software was in a tough spot after Rage and Willits needed to find a way to revive confidence in the company.
Rage.
FYI, id Software founders Adrian Carmack and John Romero already left the company in 2005 and 1996 respectively. Two years after Rage was released, John Carmack left to work on Oculus. Yes, the VR headset. Basically, a lot of big names had already jumped ship at that point.
At that point in time, a Doom 4 project was already being developed and it was originally designed to a spectacle shooter influenced by Call of Duty. I can’t blame them for that because CoD had pretty much revitalised the FPS genre with Modern Warfare and was getting continuous success with the Modern Warfare sequels.
However, Willits wasn’t satisfied with what Doom 4 was shaping up to be and so a decision was made to cancel the game’s development. To him, the game simply didn’t have the soul of an id game.

â€œEvery game has a soul. Every game has a spirit. And it did not have the spirit, it did not have the soul, it didnâ€™t have a personality. It didnâ€™t have the passion of what an id game is. Everyone knows the feeling of Doom, but itâ€™s very hard to articulate.â€

– Tim Willits in an interview with IGN.
And so id Software took more time to lay low and focus on a game they truly could be proud of. It was a tough period for the company as many were holding on to the sentiment that it was another case of an industry giant no longer having fresh ideas.
When Doom 2016 was finally revealed at QuakeCon 2014, it pretty much blew away everyone’s mind. The game was met with high praise from both mainstream critics and long time fans upon release. Willits had made a tough decision that paid off. id Software was back in the demon-slaying business.
Doom 2016
One of the biggest (and also very controversial) contributions that Willits made was coming up with multiplayer maps. According to VG24/7, there was a time during Quake’s development where Willits suggested using map fragments for purely multiplayer deathmatches.

â€œMultiplayer maps, that was my idea.â€

– Tim Willits in an interview with Jeremy Peel from VG24/7.
Apparently, Romero and John Carmack thought it was a pretty dumb idea despite Willits showing enthusiasm and confidence in the concept.

â€œThey both said that was the stupidest idea theyâ€™d ever heard…”
“Why would you make a map you only play multiplayer? So I said, â€˜No, no, no, let me see what I can do.â€™ True story.â€

– Tim Willits recalled in an interview with PCGamesN.
Here’s where the controversy part of this story comes in. Shacknews reported that id Software veterans including Romero, Carmack, Tom Hall, and American McGee all disputed Willits’ story. They all pretty much said that the map fragments never really existed and the conversation never happened.
Willits responded by uploading a video of one of those map fragments to prove once and for all the he wasn’t just making things up. He stated that he didn’t want to waste his time on the issue anymore and wanted to continue focusing on the next Quake.
All in all, Willits deserves the love and respect fans and fellow developers have shown him. He played a pivotal role in resuscitating a legendary studio that was possibly on the brink of irrelevancy. Though he might not be working on new demon-slaying projects anymore in the future, we all owe him for some of the best FPS action we’ve experienced. Godspeed, Mr. Willits.

Photos of Mr. Willits used in this article were taken from his personal Twitter account.


Metroidvania & Soulslike Combo Game Blasphemous 2 Slated For Summer

The Penitent One is back for another dark and gothic blood-soaked adventure.
Blasphemous 2 was recently teased during a Nintendo Indie Direct April 2023 showcase, featuring developer The Game Kitchen. The title will be published by Team17 and will be out on Summer 2023 for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.
Check out the short-but-sweet gameplay below, featuring a lot of swordplay, new weapons, new skills, and the good ol’ 2D hectic action you know and love from the first game. But more.
Key Features:

Explore a Fuller Non-Linear world: Having awoken in a strange new land, your journey starts anew in a series of enchantingly grotesque landscapes, oozing Gothic charm and littered with unforgiving traps. How you tackle the labyrinthian world remains at your discretion, there is no wrong turn to be made, only scores to settle
Savage Combat: The Penitent One shows no mercy, and with a series of new weapons offering new moves, brutal executions, and expanded combos, destruction will rain on any that stand in his way
Customize Your Playthrough Your Way: Blasphemous II offers up new ways to play, with the ability to customize and improve your base skillset, alongside several new unique weapons to unleash devastating attacks on enemies
Grand Intense Boss Battles: Hordes of monstrous foes stand between you and your goal; twisted bosses with unique attack patters and sundering abilities will put your skills to the test as you fight to stand triumphant when the dust settles
Explore a Deep New World: A whole new world awaits, bustling with mysterious new NPCs to interact with, some will offer aid, some will ask for it, and others will send you on death-defying missions to obtain long forgotten items. With so much to see and do, the stories and myths you encounter will help you unpick the games myriad of secrets, granting you a deeper understanding of this strange new world.


She-Hulk Episode 1 Breakdown & Easter Eggs

The first episode of She-Hulk Attorney At Law is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. I’ll be discussing heavy spoilers so if you haven’t seen it or want to avoid spoilers, now’s your chance to stop reading.
Check out my spoiler-free review of She-Hulk here.
The synopsis reads:
In Marvel Studios’ “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,” Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany)—an attorney specializing in superhuman-oriented legal cases must navigate the complicated life of a single, 30-something who also happens to be a green 6-foot-7-inch superpowered hulk. The nine-episode comedy series welcomes a host of MCU vets, including Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk, Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky/Abomination, and Benedict Wong as Wong, as well as Jameela Jamil, Josh Segarra, Ginger Gonzaga, Jon Bass and Renée Elise Goldsberry.
The series is directed by Kat Coiro (Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9) and Anu Valia (Episodes 5, 6, 7) with Jessica Gao as head writer. Executive producers are Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum, Coiro and Gao.
Courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar, we were given the opportunity to interview She-Hulk head writer, executive producer and showrunner, Jessica Gao. She is also best known for winning an Emmy Award for writing the famous Pickle Rick episode on the Rick And Morty animated series.

In the meantime, Jessica Gao also recently revealed that She-Hulk scrapped plans to include meta comic book text boxes in our coverage of the recent press conference.
Check out my breakdown of Ms. Marvel Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5 and Episode 6 here.
Also, check out my breakdowns of Moon Knight Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5 and Episode 6 here.
You can check out my previous breakdowns of Hawkeye Episodes 1 and 2 here, Episode 3 here, Episode 4 here and Episode 5. and Episode 6 here.
In addition, you can check out my previous breakdowns of Marvel’s What If? Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8 and Episode 9 here.
If you haven’t, you can check out my previous breakdowns and easter egg articles for WandaVision Episode 1 and 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8 and Episode 9.
For The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, you can check out my previous breakdowns for Episode 1, Episode 2 and Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5 and Episode 6.
For previous breakdowns of Loki episodes, check out Episode 1 here, Episode 2 here, Episode 3 here, Episode 4 here, Episode 5 here and Episode 6 here.

Breaking The Fourth Wall Is Part Of She-Hulk’s Character In The Comics

Before you go accusing She-Hulk of ripping off Deadpool, let me clarify that She-Hulk did it first. John Byrne made She-Hulk break the fourth wall in his comics all the way back in 1989 while Deadpool only made his debut in 1991.
So, yeah, She-Hulk did it first.
Bruce Built A Wearable Device That Keeps Him In Human Form

It’s only the first few minutes of She-Hulk and Bruce Banner is already explaining that he built a wearable device that keeps him in his human form, instead of being Professor Hulk all the time.
Mysterious Alien Ship Made Them Crash

Later on in the episode, we learn from Bruce that it’s a Sakaaran ship, the race of aliens from the planet Sakaar that was featured and controlled by the Grandmaster in 2017’s Thor Ragnarok.
Jennifer Walters / She-Hulk Origin

In the comics, Jennifer Walters became She-Hulk because she was shot and in need of a blood transfusion. Bruce’s blood turned her into the She-Hulk. However, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it seems that Bruce’s blood simply dripping into Jennifer Walters’ gaping wound is enough to change her into She-Hulk.
In the comics, this is what happened:

The Late Iron Man’s Broken Helmet

Jennifer Walters wakes up to find herself somewhere, and she finds the late Tony Stark AKA Iron Man’s broken helmet from 2019’s Avengers Endgame, with the Avengers theme playing in the background. Bruce is probably keeping it to remember his fallen friend.
Bruce Calls Himself Smart Hulk, Not Professor Hulk

So that’s what we’re officially calling him after this.
Also, Bruce reveals that the beach house lab is in Mexico, and it’s where he spent time during the Blip (five years) to “integrate the Hulk-Banner identities) and turn himself into the Smart Hulk.
Planet Hulk Teased

After revealing where the mysterious ship is from (Sakaar), Bruce says that they’re maybe trying to deliver him a message and that he should get to the bottom of it fast.
Thor Ragnarok loosely adapted the Planet Hulk storyline from the comics, but we never received a proper adaptation. Maybe this teases that a proper Planet Hulk or even World War Hulk adaptations are coming to the MCU in the future. Fingers crossed.

Bruce Healed His Arm Using Jennifer’s Blood

Bruce is able to finally heal his arm by using Jennifer’s blood because of the unique way it synthesises Gamma radiation. Just go with it.
Jennifer Walters Doesn’t Have An Alter Ego, She’s Still Herself When She Turns

In the comics, Jennifer Walters has always been different from her cousin, Bruce, in that she could control her Hulk form. She can even change from She-Hulk and back to human at will.
References To Avengers Age Of Ultron And Thor Ragnarok

Bruce says that Natasha managed to turn her back into Bruce by singing a lullaby (that happened in Avengers Age Of Ultron) and he was stuck as the Hulk for two years in Thor Ragnarok.
Hulk Does The Thunderclap

It’s awesome to see the Hulk doing his iconic thunderclap move.
Which She-Hulk also does later in the scene.

Titania Makes Her Debut In The MCU

Mary MacPherran AKA Titania is a famous Marvel supervillain and a longtime rival of She-Hulk. She’s basically super strong, but what’s interesting is that in the comics, she got her powers from Doctor Doom. Will the MCU change Titania’s origins or is Doctor Doom’s appearance just down the line soon?
Post-Credits Scene

Yes, there’s a post-credits scene and it’s just the continuation of that “Is Captain America a virgin joke?”
Bruce finally relents and tells her that Steve was not a virgin. Jennifer then replies with one of the few F-bombs in the MCU (or is it the first time?).
That was a Sensational (get it?) episode, and until next week, excelsior!


No Straight Roads Will Be Jammin’ This August; Demo & Mini-OST Out Now

It seems like Metronomik & Sold Out have finally decided on a date to release its upcoming action game music fiesta title No Straight Roads after a recent delay.
NSR will be released this 25th August for PC (Epic Games Store), PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Best of all, you can have a go at a demo of the game at the Epic Games Store right now. And if you’re already diggin’ the game’s soundtrack, you can stream the mini-OST that’s available on Spotify (see below) and other music-streaming platforms.

Also, if you’re curious as to hear the game in Japanese, you can check out the BitSummit trailer below. Mayday is voiced by Ayane Sakura (Uraraka in My Hero Academia) while Zuke is voiced by Jun Fukuyama (Joker from Persona 5). Those are big names in the seiyuu industry, in case you couldn’t tell.

If you want an in-depth look at the game & some gameplay previews, check out our preview of the latest build of NSR. Or just check out the first 19 minutes of the game below.


Honkai Star Rail – How To Reroll In This JRPG

Honkai Star Rail is coming out for the public in a couple of days (26 April). If you love JRPGs but don’t want to pay for them, Honkai’s free-to-play payment system should be enough to entice you.
As with any JRPGs, party setup does matter. There are a lot of characters in Honkai Star Rail who would be great in your party, and the game gives you a free one to start off with after you’re done with the tutorial. If you’re not a fan of the one you gacha’ed for free, here’s how you can re-do it.
How To Reroll In Honkai Star Rail
After you finish the game’s pretty lengthy tutorial/prologue, you’ll receive enough premium currency to get your first pull at the gacha menu. If your starter character isn’t to your liking, here’s what you do:

Log out of your current account.
Create a new Honkai Star Rail account with a fresh email address.
Repeat the tutorial/prologue to receive your new pulls.

Yes, it can get tedious. But if you want the best character in your reroll, you’ll have to put in the work and endure the tedium that follows.
The Best Character To Reroll In Honkai Star Rail
Bronya

She’s part support and part damage-dealer, able to buff your team to deal better damage to enemies.
Welt

Like to push back enemy turns in a turn-based game? Welt’s your guy.
Yangqing

One of the better damage dealers in the game, he loves giving himself high crit rate buffs. Plus, he surfs on his magic swords for his Ultimate attack; why wouldn’t you want to reroll for him?
Gepard

Gepard is all about defense and has the best Ultimate to help make your team survive. His Unyielding Will also makes him gain second wind during battle, recovering part of his HP when he’s dealt a fatal blow. Comradery also helps add shields to all allies in future battles.
Bailu

Bailu is the best healer and support character in the game. If you need a great support character for your future DPS party, reroll for her.
Himeko

Apart from her awesome attack tech and Ultimate, Himeko’s best trait is her follow-up attacks after every technique she pulls off. It’s basically extra damage against enemies, meaning she’s worth rerolling if you’re looking for a reliable damage-dealer for the current build of the game.

Clara

A reliable tank character, she attracts enemies to her side while also receiving less damage from enemy sources.

Seele

Arguably the most desirable character in the gacha pool due to her offensive kit. She deals single target damage with gusto and can buff herself up to murder them further. She even has a Talent that allows her to receive extra actions if she defeats enemies consecutively.


The Far Cry Series: From a Tech Demo to a Tech Marvel

It has been 15 years since the release of the first FarCry game and today we have seen and experienced FarCry: New Dawn. The gamesâ€™ beautiful graphics highlighting their ravishing locales is just a tip of the open-world iceberg, a FarCry signature even.
The FarCry games are one of the greatest and defining open-world games, if not one of the best in the genre. My first experience with FarCry came with FarCry 2, and it set quite the impression.
The series offered solid gunplay and stunning graphics, itâ€™s one heck of an adventure. It even spawned a movie based on the game, which, we all rather try to forget it even existed.
Letâ€™s see how the series grew in more than a decade.
FarCry (2004)

This is Genesis. This is the great-grandfather of FarCry games that would metamorphose into the game we know and love today.
Developed by Crytek, the German developers who are known for the CryEngine software and Crysis games. Initially began as a tech demo, it went toe to toe with established games such as Halo, Doom and Call of Duty. Surprisingly, it came out strong against the juggernauts of first-person shooters thanks to its beautiful graphics accentuated by a great choice of locale, a paradise island. There werenâ€™t many games that took advantage of an idyllic locale and this one took the shot.

This was one of the early games which they allow players to approach as you will. Itâ€™s a semi-open world rather than sticking a player to a linear path to progress. The players are only limited by their imagination.
However, no game is without fault. Enemy types get rather repetitive and annoying, and the game had a rather janky storyline. But keep in mind that this was a tech demo at first, and yet it manages to impress the masses in a number of ways
But, the main point here is that this game inspired many more video games in the coming decade, and still stands proud as a testament to the technological and gameplay ambitions of Crytek.
FarCry: Instincts

The first spinoff of the series. Being a console title, it lacked the open-world element and was more linear, probably due to the processing power of the console, or lack thereof, which prevented the full rendering of the Microsoft Windows versionâ€™s vast islands and landscape. However, the spin-off added new multiplayer modes, weapons, and feral abilities, the latter reflected in its slightly modified storyline. Many of the design features of this game were to be reused and polished in later titles, so it isnâ€™t just a spinoff. Crytekâ€™s work was amazing and passionate, a fact Ubisoftâ€™s development studios honoured in spades.
FarCry 2 (2008)

At this point of the gameâ€™s life, Ubisoft owns the IP and plans to bring the title to a new direction, one inspired by the original game in gameplay and featuring a setting that was unique for FPS titles at the time. This is in part how Far Cry 2 came to be.
Set in Africa, it was unseen in any video game at the time. My friends and I affectionately dub the game Malaria Simulator 2008.

One of the ambitious titles of FarCry, it featuresÂ 50km on African land to explore. Meaning players had to rely on vehicles to explore the wilderness. Speaking of maps, the map is now a physical item, which the playerâ€™s character holds rather than being a full-screen map. This increased the sense of immersion the player had.
Africa has never looked majestic and authentic in a game, and Ubisoft nailed every inch of the atmosphere.
It was a technological advancement in its time. Featuring gameplay mechanics such as worn weapons that were prone to jamming, fire propagation algorithm which caused epic wildfires, and even a buddy system (which we would see much in the later titles). The title became a cult hit for many gamers and set the stage for what was to come.
FarCry 3 (2012)

Oh, here comes the memories of quotes and memes thanks to the iconic main villain of the title, Vaas Montenegro.

Ubisoft did a great job at the E3 conference which had the world trembling in anticipation for FarCry 3. They learnt a great deal from their previous games and wasted no time polishing this iteration. In many ways, this title set up the formula for future Ubisoft open-world titles, and it also included Assassinâ€™s Creedâ€™s tower climbing mechanic to unlock portions of the maps.

Set in a tropical island, I spent countless hours scouring Rook Island, which was set in somewhere in Southeast Asia as the locals would speak in the Malay or Indonesian language. FarCry 3 is similar toÂ FarCry 2 but with all the systems and mechanics receiving all the attention and care. From the way vehicles handle to the new and improved levelling and hunting mechanics, the improvements were endless. The biggest change of all was how this iteration handled the story. No longer just an excuse to blow stuff up, it offered real and acceptably deep and well thought out characters, each and every one of whom had a motivation, insane or destructive as they may have been.
While certain impressive and interesting mechanics were removed, such as weapon jams and Malaria, many simplifications were made in places such as not having real physical game world objects, such as maps or GPS devices, or the godforsaken weapon jams at unlikely of firefights. Still, even with the omission of those sweet ideas, Far Cry 3 is an amazing experience for all fans of the genre.
It stood up to the hype it generated and would last the test of time as it was ported to the PS4.
Did I mention, you get high off of burning a marijuana field in one of the missions.

That’s one way to get legally high.
FarCry 3: Blood Dragon (2013)

This standalone deserves to receive its own article.
A parody of 1980s action films and video games, this iteration was weird. But a good kind of weird. I reckon the developers took some of the good stuff in FarCry 3 and went nuts on the development of this spinoff. The game takes place in a retro-futuristic setting while playing a character fit for an 80s action film, Sergeant Rex â€œPowerâ€ Colt. Yes, that really is your name in the game.

A more linear piece compared to FarCry 3, but completely standalone, it stands as the oddest title in the franchise, but also one of the best. Initially seen as an April Foolâ€™s joke, as its teaser trailer April 1st 2013 release date might suggest, it became a hugely pleasant surprise for all fans of the open-world FPS genre.
One-liners, pun, wacky jokes, all pepper the game. Itâ€™s a humorous iteration after a very deep and story-driven adventure of FarCry 3.

Oh, I almost forgot: neon dinosaurs. ’nuff said.
FarCry 4 (2014)

FarCry 4 had a rough start, maybe because it had to raise the bar set up by the previous instalment.
Set in a small Himalayan town besieged by civil war, the series once again managed to put itself in a league of its own. Capturing the essence of the Himalayans and perfectly depicted in the game. The world it offered was vast. Bigger than what FarCry 3 had to offer. With new weapons, Â quests, side quests, caves, vehicles, animals and areas to explore. The game was accepted with praise.
With Pagan Min as the charismatic villain, he set a different tone than the insane Vaas, but he was good at being bad. Pagan Min loved being evil and morbidly entertaining, and it shows because every scene with him is pure joy. The gameâ€™s cast saw a huge revision effort presenting moral conflicts within the plot.

Many loved FarCry 4 as it is in many ways superior to FarCry 3, the sheer freedom to goof off and have your own fun is unbound, but in my opinion, it missed the mark where FarCry 3 hit. It was fun, but it wasnâ€™t as fun as FarCry 3.
FarCry Primal (2016)

When I heard FarCry Primal was being developed, I was stumped. I asked myself, â€œwho the heck would play this gameâ€. I mean, itâ€™s not everyday you hear someone say â€œRight, we need a game set in the Mesolithic Age, playing as a caveman, hunting mammoths and sabretoothsâ€. Itâ€™s a unique spinoff diverging from its roots.
Itâ€™s a spinoff, akin to Blood Dragon, but itâ€™s clear that the developers were committed to create an unprecedented experience. They did not cut corners in the development of Primal. They even went to make up a language based on our modern understanding of Proto-Indo-European for the many tribes inhabiting the land. Talk about commitment.

As usual, some of the mechanics are recycled from previous instalments but they also introduced better simulation AI and a new pet and tame mechanic for animals. Some were critical of certain repetitions in its design, mechanics, and its progression system, though others actually love those very same parts. Itâ€™s a proven formula after all. Well-written and interesting, it is worth your time if you are a fan of the series.
FarCry 5 (2018)

Set in the land of the free, America. This installment takes place in none other than the wild state of Montana. Inspired by doomsday cults and religous fanatics sprouting all over America, Ubisoft managed to pull off another interesting villlain.
With a colossal and lush landscape, itâ€™s great fun to travel in-game and shoot some baddies up, especially in co-op. So now two of you can speak the language of democracy: guns and explosions!

It received great fanfare and acclaim, marking another great milestone in the FarCry series.
Learning from the mistakes and triumphs of past titles, the veteran teams at Ubisoft have designed another polished and fun experience for all fans of the series. However, it did not reinvent the wheel, rather, improved on what is already a solid foundation, and added great bits here and there. It is definitely a polished iteration of FarCry.
This is what 14 years of improvement looks like, until we see the next one…
FarCry: New Dawn

The spinoff to FarCry 5 introduced to us what seemed to be a vaporwave-themed world with the overabundant use of the pink and blue palette for an exciting post-apocalyptic world!

Set 17 years after the event of FarCry 5, the game reimagines the FarCry 5 world after a nuclear fallout. It doesnâ€™t sound as bleak though, as the world is pretty with vibrant colours and lush, untouched nature waiting to be ravaged in the mindless chaos that is signature to the FarCry series.

FarCry: New Dawn offers immense fun through exploration of its undoubtedly beautiful world, but the story is starting to become a bit stale, with the introduction of the villains who appear to be ruthless twin sisters, Mickey and Lou. At this point, Ubisoft has got to find a way to refresh the villain role.
It’s all praises until we talk about the mechanics. Ugh. The gameplay mechanics is where I see potential fault. As the game left the beaten path set by all its predecessors, it introduced to us an RPG-style shooter, not unlike Tom Clancyâ€™s The Division 2. With weapon rarity and damage modifiers set, its a far cry in a FarCry game. So, as you can imagine, there will be some grinding, there will be some loot-chasing, there will be the arduous level-raising, but it doesnâ€™t smother the fact that New Dawn is a goddamn beautiful world to be in. Pardon my French.
But hey, see what the KKP team has to say about FarCry: New Dawn.

At the end of the day, FarCry never ceases to amaze me. Ubisoft has consistently nailed the fun open-world formula in FarCry. Thereâ€™s always potential to bring out more and more improvements to the series. But as it continues to walk the beaten path, it might end up just another FarCry, something that I pray would never come.


Torchlight 3 Gets A New Class For Free

Torchlight 3 is a pretty standard action RPG, though it’s not without its bright points. Developer Echtra is still adding more content in the game for free, with the latest being a new class called Cursed Captain.
The new ghost pirate type character will be joining the game’s eclectic classes which include a train summoner and an actual steampunk robot. The Cursed Captain is a summoner, minion-master, and necromancer all in one; a pet class featuring ghosts and zombies. It uses the cannon as its class weapon and summons the undead while it fights at long range. The Cursed Captain can also use curse magic and explosives as well. They can power their abilities by collecting doubloons from chests and monsters.
In addition to a new class, the free spring Torchlight 3 update also adds in 40+ new pets, UI revamps, and new decorations for your castle. You can also reset your game instance.
There’s no set date for the update, but it’ll be out in 2021. These new upgrades will bring new life to the third in the eclectic RPG series, which honestly peaked at Torchlight 2. But hey, if these upgrades keep a-coming, we may have a completely different and revamped game in a year’s time.


Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid Returns This July

The most popular anime featuring dragon women who are under the care of one Ms. Kobayashi is back for a second season.
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid S will premiere in July 2021 in Japan. The trailer below introduces a new dragon girl character named Ilulu (voiced by Tomomi Mineuchi), who will mingle with the returning cast, fight them dragon maids and precocious girls, and assimilate herself into the real world. Fun!

The returning cast includes:

Mutsumi Tamura as Kobayashi
YÅ«ki Kuwahara as Tohru
Maria Naganawa as Kanna
YÅ«ki Takada as Elma
Minami Takahashi as Lucoa
Daisuke Ono as Fafnir
YÅ«ichi Nakamura as Makoto Takiya
Emiri KatÅ as Riko Saikawa
Yuko Goto as Georgie
Kaori Ishihara as ShÅta Magatsuchi

Kyoto Animation is returning to produce the anime. Tatsuya Ishihara of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya fame will be directing the anime’s second season. Other notable production members include Yuka Yamada who will sort out the series’ script, Miku Kadowaki will design the characters, and Nobuaki Maruki will handle the animation direction.
The “S” stands for hope Super Supreme Second life Starts, in case you’re curious. If you want to check out the first season of Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, you can catch it on Netflix right now. It’s good fun!


Crime Boss: Rockay City Unveils ‘Game Modes’ Trailer

Crime Boss: Rockay City has just been announced that it’s going to be released on 28 March for PC via Epic Games Store, and in June for PS5 and Xbox Series X | S.
The game is developed by INGAME STUDIOS and published by 505 Games. They just dropped a new trailer that’s pretty sweet, and it introduces the different game modes. The trailer is about seven minutes long and it’s narrated by Damion Poitier, the voice actor for Nasara.
It shows off some cool stuff like the “Baker’s Battle” boss campaign, the “Crime Time” quick play, and the “Urban Legends” cooperative stories modes. I can’t wait to try it out!


[Rumour] 2K Games To Publish Marvel Comics Strategy Game & Borderlands Tiny Tina Spin-Off

The E3 2021 rumours and leaks are starting to spring up now, with this first salvo looking pretty convincing.
According to a recent Reddit thread, 2K Games may be announcing the following games during E3 2021 week (11th June):

A Borderlands spin-off title code-named Wonderlands: Codename Daffodil, which starts Tiny Tina. The game’s real name might be Tiny Tina’s Wonderland (which Gearbox already trademarked). The game will be a first-person shooter with looting and RPGing, as well as multiclass heroes to play as.
A new Firaxis turn-based strategy game that uses Marvel Comics and MCU characters and properties. It’s basically XCOM meets Marvel Heroes.
A new action game dubbed Codename Volt. Sources say that the game is “Saints Row meets Cthulu”. This game may be worked on by Hangar 13, the folks behind the recent Mafia games.
Another NBA basketball title called NBA 2K22. Dirk Nowitzki will be this entry’s cover athlete.

What makes this slew of leaks a tad more credible than countless others? Well, Bloomberg games journalist Jason Schreier made a comment on Twitter about whether “people would notice this leak”.

Yeah I was wondering if people would notice this leak
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) June 3, 2021

Update: turns out that while the leaks are allegedly real, they may all not be announced at E3 2021. Take these with a grain of salt until the show. Still, the Borderlands spin-off and Marvel Superheroes XCOM game sound pretty awesome!


The Last King Podcast’s Favourite Games & Shows Of 2019

The Last King folks Shafique, Eccentric Tom, and Mr Toffee (yes, the same one who co-runs this site) talk about their favourite video games, TV shows, and films of 2019. It’s an epic podcast ride, so tune in and enjoy the show!
https://soundcloud.com/thelastkingpodcast/episode-154-our-favourite-videogames-of-2019
https://soundcloud.com/thelastkingpodcast/episode-153-our-favourite-tv-of-2019
https://soundcloud.com/thelastkingpodcast/episode-155-our-favourite-films-of-2019


Use These Four Best Overwatch Heroes to Counter Wrecking Ball

It’s been just over 24 hours since Overwatch’s 28th hero, Wrecking Ball a.k.a Hammond hit the live server and we are seeing complaints about him (it?) being OP. Having tested him on the PTR (on PC) and played about twenty maps as, alongside and against him on the PlayStation 4, we’ve come to a conclusion – No, Wrecking Ball is NOT overpowered. You just haven’t figured out how to counter him.
For a start, while the tank hero carries a whopping 600HP, his big-as-a-house hitbox makes him one of the easiest heroes to hit in the game. You cannot miss him in firefights and his additional survival kit, the Adaptive Shield, is only temporary. He doesn’t have any negating defenses like D.va so you are free to pepper bullets his way. The absence of health recovery also makes him one of the easier tanks to kill (in our books) but that does not make him underpowered as well.
In the right hand, Wrecking Ball can wreak havoc against the most organized of teams thanks to his Grappling Claw and Piledriver move. But today we aren’t talking about how to use Wrecking Ball – we are going to share some tips we’ve gathered so far on how to successfully take care of this pesky rodent.
We shall start with direct hero counters for him. Our picks to best counter Wrecking Ball would be:
PharahÂ
Like every other tank heroes in the game, Wrecking Ball is a joy to shoot at as Pharah. You don’t even need to get a direct rocket hit; the splash damage is enough to throw your enemy rodent off their game.
Rain rockets as you please as Wrecking Ball possess no real threat as long as you stay hovered. Go for the odd kills when you are able to but as Pharah, focus on throwing their game off by disorienting them with your rockets and Concussive Blasts.

MeiÂ
If you prefer to fight on ground level, then pick Mei. She’s perfect in halting the enemy Wrecking Ball, especially if they’re tethered and is attempting to pull off a perimeter sweep move. You don’t even need to aim much; just spray in the general area and you’ll get a frozen rodent in no time.Â Use the Ice Wall to block off any escape attempts or section off the enemy wrecking ball from his supports.

SombraÂ
If timed right, Sombra could instantly render the enemy Wrecking Ball useless on the battlefield. Hacking Wrecking Ball disables his escape kit allowing for an easy pick. The huge hitbox allows Sombra players to hack from a variety of angles.
By the time the enemy Wrecking Ball realize what’s happening, you’d be chipping their health bar down to half already. Also, don’t be afraid to duel your way out of trouble. You actually stand a chance.

AnaÂ
Yes, Ana. First, let’s consider how most players handle Wrecking Ball – they tend to be aggressive and in most cases, are diving into the backline, trying to find picks using their swing-piledriver combo move.
This works well into Ana’s kit as thanks to the large hitbox, doesn’t require Ana players to pull off a quick scope to hit her shots. Empty your clip as you please and remember to use the Biotic Grenade when required. You’d find a hard time missing Wrecking Ball with the sleep dart as well due to Wrecking Ball’s more predictable movement pattern.
[wpvideo GUPUV9HS]

We have several other heroes in our list but we feel these four mentioned above are the best ones to negate the enemy Wrecking Ball. If you aren’t familiar with any of them, then we’d recommend you to learn at least one hero if you plan to fashion your playstyle to counter Overwatch’s latest hero.
Unlike Brigette and Moira who saw their pick rates plummet not long after they hit the live server, we have a feeling that Wrecking Ball would be a popular pick among players in the long run due to his fun playstyle and overall kit.


The Top 7 Gun Classes In Call of Duty: Warzone

The Gunsmith, which is featured in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare multiplayer mode andÂ  its free-to-play battle royale mode Warzone, is a godsend for tinkerers. This is thanks to the infinite combinations one can come up with to adjust and customise the weapons to suit their needs.
With the new season of Call of Duty: Warzone being just around the corner, we would love to share our favourite weapon classes to bring into the battlefield. Before we proceed, our philosophy when coming up with these loadouts are as follows:

Versatility in almost all discernible scenarios. This is taking into account engagement range and duration.
Ease of use regardless of skill level.
Effectiveness in the thick of battle.

You will notice a theme going forward where several attachments will be featured frequently. So to avoid repeating ourselves over and over, here are our recommended attachments and why you should use them in all your gameplans.
Monolithic Suppressor
You do not want to give away your position on Warzone freely. Unsuppressed weapons appear as a red dot on the minimap when fired so kitting your weapon with a sound suppressor is highly recommended.
While there are other variants of it, few rival the Monolithic Suppressor due to its ability to also increase damage range.
Merc Foregrip
While a solid argument can be made for the Commando, Tactical, Ranger and Operator foregrips, none of them were included in a recent Gentleman’s Agreement for the CoD League.
The Merc’s ability to reduce recoil and improve hip fire accuracy is deemed OP even by the pros so why not take advantage of it. Hip fire accuracy is super important especially when in close quarters while reducing recoil helps a ton when zeroing in on your target.
So without further ado, let’s start it with the ever-popular…
M4A1: The All-Rounder

You cannot make a weapons recommendation list without the ever reliable M4. Since launch, the M4A1 have been a mainstay in all modes due to its all-round performance and high adaptability.
For Warzone, we recommend the following:

Monolithic Suppressor
M16 Grenadier Barrel: Increases range effectiveness while reducing recoil.
Merc Foregrip
Tac Laser: Faster ADS especially in close quarters and to counter penalty from barrel & suppressor use.
Choice of Optics / Magazine size:Â The iron sights for the M4A1 is clear enough for mid-ranged engagements, but we usually go for the Integral Hybrid due to preference. If you prefer a snappier build, other reflex sights are also viable options.

The M4A1 reloads relatively quickly and with the abundance of assault weapon ammo around, we don’t see the need to include a larger magazine, nor equipping the Fully Loaded perk.

Use this setup if: You’re a boring person who eats bland cereal and have their steak well-done.
NEXT: SMGs


Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse Gets A Brand New Poster

Sony Pictures has unveiled a new poster for Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse at CinemaCon 2023.

The synopsis reads:
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 neighborhood 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.
Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse premieres in cinemas on 1 June 2023.
Check out the latest trailer below:


Sony To Publish AAA Multiplayer Game By Firewalk Studios

Sony Interactive Entertainment announced that they are now the exclusive publishing partner for an original â€œAAA multiplayer gameâ€ developed by ProbablyMonsters developer Firewalk Studios.
Founded in 2018, Firewalk Studios is led by Tony Hsu (studio head, previously general manager and senior vice president of DestinyÂ at Activision), Ryan Ellis (game director, previously creative director at Bungie) and Elena Siegman (executive producer, previously at Harmonix, Irrational Games, and Bungie).
The team includes a deep roster of highly talented developers who have helped deliver top-selling, culturally impactful titles, including theÂ DestinyÂ franchise, where all three leads worked successfully together on both development and publishing, as well asÂ Call of Duty,Â Apex Legends,Â Mass Effect, andÂ Halo.
This collected expertise allows this team to focus on delivering a rich multiplayer game experience rooted in great core gameplay and inspired art. Firewalk continues to recruit top talent for its team, which is built on collaboration, inclusion, and respect.
In aÂ PlayStation Blog post, Firewalk Studios studio head Tony Hsu said:
“Weâ€™re already hard at work on the development and have been having a ton of fun playing our game as a team.
In fact, while we continued to grow our team during this challenging last year, it was our daily online playtests that provided the most consistent point of joy and connection for our crew.
The fun and laughter of playing together brought us closer, even if we were physically apart.
Our goal is to be able to deliver that same joy to gamers and we canâ€™t wait to share what weâ€™ve been working on when the time is right.â€


New Hearthstone Expansion Descent of Dragon Features, Well, Dragons

Blizzard just announced its new Hearthstone expansion called Descent of Dragons during this year’s BlizzCon game expo. It will conclude the Rise of Shadows and Saviors of Uldum expansion story arcs.

The expansion will not only bring in more dragons for players to build decks around, but will introduce new mechanics.
One of them is Invoke. Basically, this makes a particular legendary unit stronger if the Invoke mechanic is used, whether the unit is in play or in your deck. For example, this card….

…, a dragon that can replace any class (with its own Battlecry and all), gets more powerful if its name is Invoked. Cards like these…

…will give “Invoke charges” to that unit. Which means you get to upgrade Galakrond into this badass if you play the long game.

New cards are also introduced, including this good guy dragon and this unit.

Descent of Dragons will be out 10th December. Pre-purchase begins today.


Solo Leveling Is Finally Getting Its Own Anime Adaptation

Korean manhwa fans rejoice: the popular Solo Leveling manhwa is getting an anime adaptation slated for 2023.

The show will be made by A-1 Pictures, the same folks behind the Kaguya-sama: Love Is War and The Seven Deadly Sins anime adaptations. The show’s director is Shunsuke Nakashige, and its head writer is Noboru Kimura. Hiroyuki Sawano is the show’s composer while Tomoko Sudo is character designer.
Here’s the synopsis of the show:
“It’s been over a decade since the sudden appearance of the “gates”—the paths that connect our world with a different dimension. Since then, certain humans have awakened to supernatural powers. We call these individuals “hunters.” Hunters make their living by using their powers to conquer dungeons inside the gates. In this world of tough customers, the low-ranked hunter Jinwoo Sung is known as “the weakest hunter of all mankind.”
One day, Jinwoo gets fatally injured when he runs into high-rank double dungeons hidden within a low-rank dungeon. Just then, a mysterious quest window appears in front of him. On the verge of death, Jinwoo decides to accept the quest and starts leveling up… while the others aren’t.”
The web manhwa is praised for its striking artwork and interesting isekai concept: imagine if you’re the only person who levels up in an MMORPG and has been persecuted for so long. It’ll be great to see how this translate to anime form, given A-1’s pedigree of work.


How To Buy A Neo Geo Mini In Southeast Asia/Asia

Want to buy a Neo Geo Mini and get your retro-gaming groove on, but don’t know how? Well, we’re here to help you out.
But first: the bad news. If you want to buy it old-school via brick and mortar stores, you can only do it in Hong Kong at these addresses:

Perfect Denki:Â Shop M19 ,Sino Centre, Nathan Rd, Mong Kok, Hong Kong
DreamStore: G04,188 Wan Chai Rd, Wan Chai , Hong Kong

The online method is your best bet at getting these bad boys for RM480/SG$159. We’ll break it down into regions. Keep in mind that the system will take a day to deliver and comes with a 15-day return policy, in case the shipping wrecks your precious console:
Malaysia (RM480)
You can click on this LAZADA link here:Â https://www.lazada.com.my/shop/snk-gaming/?spm=a2o4k.pdp/revamp.seller.1.e3ed405cw6wiYi
Singapore (SG$159)
You can go to this link right here:Â https://www.lazada.sg/shop/neogeo-mini/?spm=a2o42.pdp/revamp.seller.1.21aefd4dDMdWZQ
Thailand (THB4,199)
You can get it from SHOPEE. For the record, they are way too many ads of SHOPEE plaguing our YouTube pages:Â https://shopee.co.th/sicom_officailstore/1348204747
Taiwan (NT$5140 & below)
Yeah, we know Taiwan isn’t part of Southeast Asia, but it’s just a few hours plane ride from Malaysia. Link:Â https://buy.gamer.com.tw/search.php?kw=SNK+NEOGEO+mini
Hong Kong (HK$880)
Last but not least. Hong Kong seems to have all the great electronics prices, huh?Â https://www.hktvmall.com/s/H6190001
Here’s a chart for your convenience:

Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
Taiwan
Hong Kong

RM480
SG$159
THB4,199
NT$5140
HK$880

If you want more thoughts and opinions about the Neo Geo Mini, we have that sorted for you.Â Do check out our SNK features too if you can’t get enough Neo Geo goodness.


Infinix Malaysia Announces New All-Round FastCharge Technology

Infinix has announced that they will reveal the new All-Round FastCharge technology. This includes the 260W All-Round FastCharge technology and 110W Wireless All-Round FastCharge, as well as the “All-Round FastCharge” solution.
The 260W All-Round FastCharge technology and 110W Wireless All-Round FastCharge are dual fast charging combinations that will bring allegedly set a new benchmark for fast charging. Meanwhile, the Intelligent “All-Round FastCharge” solution is said to not only offer rapid charging, but also a safe, flexible, and smart experience.

All-Round FastCharge testifies to Infinix’s commitment to the user charging experience, meeting diverse use cases such as wired/wireless fast charging, wired/wireless reverse charging, bypass charging, smart charging, secure charging, and multi-protocol charging. This solution will be debuted on upcoming Infinix phones, providing users with safe, flexible, and smart fast charging experiences.
The charging architecture features a 4-pump parallel design, while the charger employs the AHB innovative circuit architecture, with high power density, small size, more intelligent and safe charging control, and a wider range of chargeable products.
However, more details and information regarding these will be revealed on 9 March 2023, so stay tuned.


90s Arcade Game Snow Bros. Gets A Revival On Nintendo Switch

Publisher Daewon Media Game Lab and developer CRT Games will be bringing the 90s arcade duo Snow Bros. back to life.
The two game makers have announced Snow Bros. Special, a revival of the Toaplan-made arcade platformer back in 1990. The game will be out on Nintendo Switch in 2022.
Snow Bros. put you in the shoes of either Nick or Tom as they go through numerous stages encasing enemies in snowballs with their snow powers and then blowing other enemies away with said snowballs. It’s structured like Bubble Bobble, only in Snow Bros. you also have to deal with bosses who need snowballing. Here’s a quote from CRT Games founder Sung-Gil Yim:
“As a retro game fan, Iâ€™m honored to be able to let old and new players rejoice. Snow Bros.Â retro games are filled with childhood memories, and withÂ Snow Bros. Special, fans of the original game can rekindle their love. The original gameâ€™s simple and intuitive controllers are reflected inÂ Snow Bros. Special, which makes it easy for new players to appreciate the game as they get to know Nick and Tom.”
I do hope they include the extra stages in the Megadrive ports; specifically the new levels where Nick & Tom gets captured and you play the damsels you were supposed to rescue. You can check out the game screenshots below.


‘Season of the Drifter’ Begins In Destiny 2

Lo and behold, the second season of Destiny 2‘s annual pass has arrived on time as according to the convenient roadmap. The season will run from March till May and will include a ton of content updates.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNwmc5vMkLM]
From the ViDoc, we can see there’s a new exotic quest (I’m looking at you, Thorn), deep lore surrounding the Nine, a mysterious group, and the Drifter, and eventually a raid. But the highlight of this season is ‘Gambit Prime’. Gambit is a PVP and PVE hybrid introduced in the Forsaken expansion. Bungie said that this is a more intense, high-octane version of Gambit, with roles being the emphasis of this mode. New sets of special Gambit Prime armours are also available. Not forgetting two new Gambit maps which take place on Titan and Mars.
The ViDoc also snippets of The Reckoning, which is a playable area inside the Drifter’s ball he’s been lugging around behind his ship. We can finally unravel the mystery behind the Drifter and his ship, The Derelict.
Here’s more of what you can expect over the next coming weeks:

The annual pass started off with the ‘Season of the Forge’ in December and ended in February, continuing with ‘Season of the Drifter’, which would run up until May. Then comes ‘Season of Opulence, which will arrive in June and would continue till August.

There are still no clues whether Bungie will continue with Destiny 2 after ‘Season of Opulence’ or commit with Destiny 3.Â As always, we’ll wait for E3 for more information.
In the meantime, why don’t we check out what the Drifter has in store for us.


NFL Franchise Purchases Esports Organization

Seems like everyone’s jumping on the esports hype train. As reported by the Dallas Cowboys organization, owner Jerry Jones and investor John Goff have announced the acquisition of Complexity Gaming to mark their first foray into esports territory.
Founded in 2003, Complexity is one of Americaâ€™s oldest, most storied and original esports organizations. Owned and operated by industry veterans Jason Lake and Jason Bass, the brand has been a mainstay of the esports space since its formation having won over 130 championships in 26 different competitive titles.

â€œThe growth in professional gaming is incredibly significant,â€ said Jerry Jones. â€œWe are proud to be stepping into this space with John Goff and an industry icon in Jason Lake. The synergies here are endless and Iâ€™m confident our resources will continue the growth of Complexity for years to come.â€
Under the new umbrella, Complexity will be centralized at The Star, home of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters in Frisco, Texas. This move will be followed by immediate construction of a state-of-the-art operations center and global headquarters including offices, production studios, and industry leading training facilities. With The Star as home turf, Complexity players will have access to the premier training, athletic development, and sports medicine services of any esports athletes in the world.
One of the most successful teams in the NFL with five Superbowl wins, the Cowboys are also on top of Forbes’ 2017 list of the most valuable sports teams in the world beating the likes of the New York Yankees, Barcelona and Manchester United. If that does not prove doubters that the future in esports is bright, then nothing will.
This acquisition adds another storied esports franchise to the state of Dallas, following EnVyUs who will be competing in the upcoming Overwatch League under the Dallas Fuel banner. No word yet on the next participation of the Complexity team in any tourneys but we would not bet against seeing them in the second season of the Overwatch League. Stay tuned!


Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Unpacked Event Slated For Early February

Mark your calendars, because Samsung has a big reveal event for you tech fans and smart phone aficionados.
Samsung will be hosting its Galaxy S23 Unpacked event on 2nd February 2023, 2am GMT+8. The event will be streamed live on the company’s YouTube channel and official website. Here’s what the company said on its official post:
“A new era of Galaxy innovation is coming. Our innovations are designed to enable incredible possibilities for people today and beyond. The new Galaxy S series will be the epitome of how we define the ultimate premium experience. We’re raising the bar and setting new standards for what’s epic.”
Sounds like a flagship tech item reveal event to us! As far as we know, the Galaxy S23 series may consist of three smartphones: the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23 Ultra. The latter model is rumoured to feature a 200MP camera.
There’s no word on whether the Unpacked event will talk about the company’s rumoured new laptops, but we may get teasers to the company’s new hardware. Guess we’ll have to wait until 2nd February for the official news and reveal.


This Year’s Gamescom Is Going Digital; No Gamescom Asia Then?

Earlier this year, the Koelnmesse organizers mentioned that Gamescom 2021 was supposed to be a hybrid event, both a digital and a physical event. That’s being changed, as Gamescom 2021 is now an all-digital event.Â
According to Koelnmesse and the German Games Industry Association, the decision was made after extensive discussions with partners and exhibitors; too many companies from all around the world are unable to participate in physical events due to the current environment. COVID-19 is still a problem, in case you weren’t aware.
This also means that there might not be a Gamescom Asia 2021 since Koelnmesse will most likely consolidate all Gamescom-related announcements into this one digital event. We’ve reached out to Gamescom Asia for clarification; we have a feeling the date on the banner below may need some editing this week.

Gamescom 2021 will start on 25th August with the Opening Night Live event hosted by Geoff Keighley. This will be followed by two main days of the event on 26 and 27 August. A Gamescom Now hub and Gamescom Epix community campaign event are also planned for the same week. Full comments from the organizers and partners below:
Oliver Frese, Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse
â€œTogether with game â€“ The German Games Industry Association, we have put all our energy into making Gamescom 2021 in a hybrid format possible for fans and industry alike. However, even though the hybrid concept was very well received by the partners, we had to recognize that Gamescom still comes too early for many companies in the industry due to the required planning reliability.
One thing is absolutely clear: All those involved now need planning reliability. Thatâ€™s why weâ€™re going for a purely digital Gamescom again this year and, with sufficient lead time, will be able to offer the gaming community an even stronger online event at the end of August 2021. Gamescom 2020 and other trade fairs such as DMEXCO @home 2020 and h+h cologne @home 2021 are proof that we can do this. All partners can book their participation starting immediately.”
Felix Falk, Managing Director of game – The German Games Industry Association
“We, as the game industry, also want to use Gamescom to show that innovations and bold developments are the best way to deal with such crises. With this in mind, the Gamescom team has been hard at work for months on Gamescom 2021, especially on the digital elements. Next year will be the first time that we will be able to implement many of the new concepts for the hybrid format of Gamescom.
For digital Gamescom 2021, our focus is to provide even more games and reach as well as a heightened community atmosphere. We are therefore introducing a completely new concept called Gamescom Epix, which sends the community on a joint quest journey in social media even before Gamescom begins.
What we want to do with this is transfer even more of the unique Gamescom atmosphere to the digital world. Together with our numerous partners, we want to make Gamescom the worldâ€™s biggest gaming event again in 2021.”


The Falcon And The Winter Soldier Episode 2 Breakdown & Easter Eggs Explained

In The Falcon And The Winter SoldierÂ Episode 2, we finally saw what happened following that shocking ending from Episode 1.
Iâ€™ll be discussing heavy spoilers from The Falcon And The Winter SoldierÂ Episode 2 so if you havenâ€™t seen it or want to avoid spoilers, nowâ€™s your chance to stop reading.
Also, if you havenâ€™t, you can check out my previous breakdown and easter egg articles forÂ WandaVisionÂ Episode 1 and 2,Â Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5,Â Episode 6,Â Episode 7,Â Episode 8Â andÂ Episode 9.
If you want a non-spoiler guide toÂ The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, you canÂ head on over here.

Brief Introduction To John F. Walker; The New ‘Captain America’

This episode starts with a brief introduction to John F. Walker AKA the new Captain America AKA US Agent. Basically, he’s an extremely decorated soldier, but he’s not a super-soldier.
A Reference To White Wolf

Created by writer Christopher Priest and artist Max Texeira, the man who would become the White Wolf debuted in Black Panther #4 as the sole survivor of a plane crash near the Wakandan border. King T’Chaka AKA T’Challa’s father took in the caucasian child, named Hunter, and raised him like he was his own son. However, he became jealous after T’Challa was born, as he would no longer be able to become king of Wakanda. He eventually became the head of the Hatut Zeraze, Wakanda’s secret police force, and earned the title; the White Wolf.
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the White Wolf is the alias given to Bucky Barnes when he was recovering in Wakanda. However, we still don’t know how or why he earned that title.
Redwing Dies

RIP Redwing, Falcon’s trusty drone sidekick.
A drone can always be replaced. A real bird like in the comics would probably be harder to do the same.

The New ‘Captain America’ Comes To The Rescue

With Sam Wilson and Bucky have a hard time against the Flag-Smashers, John F. Walker and his partner, Lemar Hoskins, comes to their rescue., but they don’t actually do too well either (read: they get their butts kicked too).
For those unfamiliar, in the comics, Lemar Hoskins is the superhero known as Battlestar who is given superhuman strength by Dr. Karl Malus on behalf of the Power Broker. Hoskins would later form the Bold Urban Commandos (also known as the “Buckies”), and are employed by John Walker (who was going by Super-Patriot at the time).

The Flag-Smashers Are Super-Soldiers, According To Bucky

It turns out that the eight members of the Flag-Smashers might turn out to be Super-Soldiers, according to Bucky. He noticed that they were all abnormally strong, just like the late Steve Rogers was. How can this be? No one is supposed to have been able to replicate the Super-Soldier Serum since Steve’s original transformation. That will likely be the ongoing mystery in The Falcon And The Winter Soldier.
Meet Isaiah Bradley, The Black Captain America

In The Falcon And The Winter Soldier Episode 2, Bucky brings Sam to meet Isaiah Bradley, another former ‘unofficial’ Captain America in the comics. He is also known as the Black Captain America.
In the comics, Project: Rebirth (which turned Steve Rogers into Captain America) began as a collaboration between US, British and German eugenicists led by Dr. “Josef Reinstein” (real name Dr. Wilfred Nagel), and Dr. Koch. When World War II begins, Koch takes over the German program and Josef Reinstein takes over the American program. Both of them make separate attempts to recreate the Super-Soldier Serum which had previously turned Steve Rogers into Captain America a year before.
Reinstein’s early attempts to refine the formula are tested on African-Americans. Three hundred of these soldiers are taken from Camp Cathcart and subjected to potentially fatal experiments at an undisclosed location, as seen in the limited comic series Truth: Red, White & Black. Only five subjects survive the original trials, and Bradley emerges the sole survivor of his test group after taking part in the war.
He steals a spare costume and a shield intended for Captain America before he engages in a suicide mission to destroy the Super-Soldier efforts of the Nazis at the Schwarzebitte concentration camp. There, he is able to assassinate Koch, but the mission ends when the Germans capture Bradley. Bradley is later rescued by German insurgents, only to be court-martialed and imprisoned at Leavenworth around 1943. In 1960, Bradley is pardoned by President Eisenhower and released.
Considered to be the “Black Captain America”, Isaiah Bradley is depicted as an underground legend among much of the African-American community in the Marvel Universe. Most notably, he is also the grandfather of Elijah Bradley AKA Patriot of the Young Avengers.

Conclusion

This is a big episode with major ramifications for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole. John Walker has been established as the new Captain America and now Isaiah Bradley is officially in the MCU, which means a whole new can of worms will be opening soon in the near future.
Are there more Super-Soldier Serums out there? Maybe we’ll find our answers in the next episode when Sam and Bucky go and meet Zemo (Daniel Bruhl). Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei next week.


Games Done Quick Founder Steps Down After More Than A Decade & Raising US$41 Million For Charity

Mike Uyama founded Games Done Quick (GDQ) back in 2010. 13 years later, he has announced that he will be leaving the role of managing director after the upcoming 2023 Awesome Games Done Quick Online event. The current GDQ operations director, Matt Merkle, will take over the role.

It's with a heavy heart that we announce Mike Uyama, GDQ founder, will be stepping down after AGDQ 2023.
Without Mike, GDQ wouldn't be what it is today and we thank him for everything he's done to move our community forward.
For more information head to: https://t.co/fLQMvAPKs7
— Games Done Quick (@GamesDoneQuick) January 5, 2023

It’s impressive how far Games Done Quick has come since the very first stream from the basement of Uyama’s mother’s house. Over that period of time, they have raised over US$41 million for charity with their streams showcasing speedrunning games and more.
Uyama said:
“Since I started Games Done Quick, I’ve seen it grow from a small volunteer effort to the thriving organization that it is today,” said Uyama. “I would not have been able to do it without the help of Matt Merkle and the growth of GDQ would not have been possible without the help of the speedrunning community, which has grown both in size and diversity over the years. I’m not sure where I’ll go next, but one thing I am sure about is that I will take a break and a vacation before diving headfirst into my next adventure.”
Awesome Games Done Quick Online 2023 is slated to stream from 9 to 16 January 2023 (GMT+8) on their official Twitch channel. If you’re interested in seeing amazing speedrunning tech, here’s the full schedule.


Everything Announced At Warhammer Skulls 2022

The Warhammer Skulls event has brought us new titles under the Warhammer name such as Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr and much more.
For the second year in a row, Warhammer Skulls took place earlier this morning for us Southeast Asians in an E3-style blowout showcase.
13 main announcements were made from brand new games to updates on Total War: Warhammer 3 and Vermintide 2, as well as fresh details on Warhammer 40K: Darktide and Space Marine 2.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun

Fans of the Doom and Quake games are in for a treat as Warhammer’s 40K universe seems to be the newest instalment to the genre of boomer shooters and Warhammer 40K: Boltgun pays homage to the aforementioned titles.
Aptly named Boltgun, will be coming to PC and consoles next year, where you’ll be able to slaughter legions of sprite-based Chaos enemies using – you guessed it – a Space Marine’s boltgun. Don’t fret as other weapons will be available along with the iconic chainsword.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader

That’s right folks, an RPG is finally coming to the 40K universe. Pathfinder developers, Owlcat Games are at the helm of this project, aiming Rogue Trader to be a classic-style RPG featuring your usual isometric camera, recruitable companions, turn-based combat, and a variety of enemies to kill and locations to visit.
No release date has been announced, but you can already buy a Founder’s Pack that guarantees access to the alpha and beta versions. As for the story, little is known as well. What we do know is that your protagonist is set to be joined by a Space Marine, a Sister of Battle and an Aeldari Ranger.
Warhammer 40,000: Warpforge

Developed by the creators of Horus Heresy: Legions, Everguild, Warpforge is a new Warhammer-themed digital card game set to release on both PC and mobile in 2023.
 The game will feature all the major factions of the 40K universe such as Imperium, Chaos, Aeldari, Necrons, Orks, and Tyranids. Each faction is explored via single-player campaigns and can be pitted against your friends in constructed competitive modes.
Expect deckbuilding, regular and time-limited competitions, and fast-paced battles reminiscent of Hearthstones and other games in the genre.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 – BEHIND THE SCENES

As we eagerly await the release of 40K’s Space Marine 2, although not gameplay (unfortunately), we were provided a behind the scenes look into the development of the game so far offering some mo-cap footage and some hype from developer Saber, the video, unfortunately, didn’t provide anything new about the upcoming sequel.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide

Set to release on 13 September according to developers Fatshark, Darktide is only a few months away so there’s not long until we can join up with co-op buddies and blast our way through the underhive.
The showcase brought us nothing new in terms of gameplay or information but what they did give us is a stunning new cinematic trailer showing off Nurgle’s grossest creatures and even a little psyker action.
Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood & Teef

We were also gifted a gameplay trailer showing off 40K’s Ork-focused 2D shooter which will be available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. 20 October is the expected release but for those who can’t wait, a newly updated demo is available now on Steam and unlocks the Weirdboy class.
Total War: Warhammer 3 – Immortal Empires

Immortal Empires is a new massive campaign set to enter open beta in Q3 of 2022. A new trailer showed off the mode in cinematic action, with most of the factions from across the trilogy present and raining all sorts of magic, arrows, missiles, and hellfire at each other.
Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate Daemonhunters – New Skulls Weapon

in honour of Warhammer Skulls; the Ward Osseus, Complex Games announced a new weapon to add to your arsenal a new Nemesis warding stave for your Grey Knights to wield.
Blood Bowl 3 – New Beta and Two New Teams

The beta for Blood Bowl 3 has finally been announced and will be held starting today until 12 June on Steam. Six playable factions will be available in the beta: Black Orcs, Imperial Nobility, Elven Union, Dwarfs, Chaos Renegades, and Old World Alliance.
Chaos Renegades and Old World Alliance are two new factions, never before seen in a Blood Bowl video game. These new teams are also unusual, in that they are made up of characters from other teams.
The Old World Alliance, for instance, is a collective of humans, dwarfs, halflings, and even a tree man. The idea is to offer flexibility, while also creating a little friction between the individual players i.e. dwarfs may not play nicely with humans.
The same idea applies to the Chaos Renegades, which features a lineup comprising greenskins, skaven, dark elves, and Chaos.
Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector – New Sisters of Battle Faction and Daemonic Incursion Mode

Slitherine Software announced a new Faction Pack DLC adding the Sisters of Battle to the game alongside the new endless horde mode called Daemonic Incursion.
Warhammer: Vermintide 2 – Be’lakor Chaos Wastes Expansion

14 June marks this free update to the rogue-lite style Chaos Wastes mode.


Apex Legends Mobile Will Be Out Worldwide This Month; Here Are The Minimum Specs To Run It On Your Phone

Respawn Entertainment has announced that the mobile version of its hit battle royale shooter game Apex Legends will be out this month.
Apex Legends Mobile is set to release worldwide this May for Android and iOS. The game is being developed by a dedicated mobile team at Respawn alongside Tencent’s Lightspeed & Quantum Studios, the same team behind PUBG Mobile.
Mobile design director Jordan Patz said the following regarding its progress and development:
“We’re wrapping up soft launch and we’ve learned a lot about the game in a short period. For those who aren’t familiar, Apex Legends Mobile is a standalone Apex game that brings the experience and the world of the PC and console game to a new audience.
We’ve built this game from the ground up with mobile-first optimisations and mobile exclusive content to make sure that the game feels like Apex while also fresh and new at the same time. To do that, we’re starting with 10 Legends out of the gate, with favourites like Wraith, Octane, Bloodhound and Pathfinder.
We’re taking players back to classic World’s Edge and Kings Canyon, and of course we’re adding some twists to excite old school fans as well. We do have mobile exclusive game modes, we do have new ways to play with your friends, and new ways to invest in and explore the world of Apex Legends.”
Here are the game’s minimum requirements:
Android

Soc: Snapdragon 435/ Hisilicon Kirin 650/ Mediatek Helio P20/ Exynos 7420
Android 6.0
Open GL 3.1 or higher
4 GB free space
At least 2 GB RAM

iOS

iPhone 6S or later
OS version: 11.0 or later
CPU: A9
4 GB free space
At least 2 GB RAM


Adidas Ultraboost X Game of Thrones ‘House of Stark’ Review

Here at Kakuchopurei.com, we don’t normally review footwear. But once in a while, an awesome pair (or range) drops and we just can’t afford to miss out on it. With the final season of HBO’s Game of Thrones just around the corner, what better way to commemorate and celebrate eight seasons of brilliant television by collaborating with one of the biggest footwear brands in the world, right?
We got hold of a pair of the Adidas Ultraboost x Game of Thrones exclusives – specifically, the House of Stark colorway and we are excited to share with you our thoughts of it in this review.
Disclaimer: we are neither hypebeasts nor sneaker freaks but we do know our toe boxes from heel counters so if we got some of the terms mixed up, we’d really appreciate you pointing them out.
Without further ado, let’s jump right into the shoe review.
Cuts Deeper Than Swords?
As reported earlier, Adidas, inspired by the hit TV show has released six designs and colorways for their Ultraboost trainers line. Known to be one of, if not the comfiest pairs of trainers you can slip into these days, Ultraboosts are well known for their versatility, being super lightweight and robustness.
Runners love them, while those who opt to wear Ultraboosts on a daily basis swear by this range’s comfort and feel to the feet.Â

				Adidas Ultraboost X Game of Thrones â€œHouse Targaryenâ€

				Adidas Ultraboost X Game of Thrones â€œWhite Walkersâ€

				Adidas Ultraboost X Game of Thrones â€œNightâ€™s Watchâ€

				Adidas Ultraboost X Game of Thrones â€œHouse Starkâ€

				Adidas Ultraboost X Game of Thrones â€œTargaryen Dragonsâ€

				Adidas Ultraboost X Game of Thrones â€œHouse Lannisterâ€

Released last Friday, we were lucky to cop the House of Stark colorway. Of the six, we felt that this design represents its name the best, and is most versatile for wear. You just can’t go wrong with grey and black.
Some may disagree, calling it dull and uninspired but if you appreciate the finer details, you’d soon realise that this is the one to get of the six. Allow us to explain why.

Sporting the silhouette of the original Ultraboost, the House of Stark design comes with an all grey midsole and black ATR Continental rubber outsole which adds to its rugged looks, befitting of the geography and climate of Winterfell. You’d also realize that this model shares the same outsole design as the latest iteration in the Ultraboost line, the Ultraboost19.
Of the six designs in the collaboration, only the Stark and the Night’s Watch come with these unique square-ish treads. This makes them stand out from the rest since the other designs sport the round treads similar to standard Ultraboosts.
If you owned a pair of Ultraboost shoes or is more familiar with the iterations from the original to the most current one, then we’d summarize the Stark design for you; it’s an Ultraboost 4.0 with outsoles of the ATR or Ultraboost 19.
Kicks To Kill For?
Another unique standout for the Stark design is the use of suede on the toe box as well as on the heel counter. Other designs don’t have these on their toe box area and instead have either a fuse overlay or none at all in place. Same goes to the heel counters. Of the six, the Stark version is the only one sporting a suede finish while it’s textured, 3D-printed plastic for the rest.

The cage is made of leather and its insides come with a fleece-like lining for that extra comfort. House Stark’s family motto ‘Winter is Coming’ is printed on a label and can be found on the backfoot portion of each side, while their house sigil, the direwolf, is stitched on the inside portion of the shoe tongue. ‘House’ and ‘Stark’ are printed on the lace aglets, and the Game of Thrones font, like on all colorways, is printed on the insoles.
Overall, the shoe is super comfortable to wear (as all Ultraboost shoes are) and fits true to size. If you have wide feet, you’d probably want to consider going half a size up. But we highly recommend you to test them out in-store before committing to purchasing a pair; even more so if you intend on buying them online.
The House That Matters
Of the six designs, ‘House of Stark’ – like in the show – may be the most underrated of the lot. But look closely and you’ll find intricate details and features that make them stand out from the rest. Some may call it “dull”; we call it “contained classiness”.
The Adidas Ultraboost X Game of Thrones shoes are now available in Adidas outlets in Malaysia. I was told that outlets have them in limited quantities and stocks are selling fast. Priced at MYR850 (around US$208), the Adidas Ultraboost X Game of Thrones shoes cost the same as Ultraboost 19s so if you’re a huge Game of Thrones fan and happen to be on the lookout for a new pair of trainers, these are perfect pickups.

Another Disclaimer: Adidas Ultraboost X Game of Thrones ‘House Stark’ pair featured was purchased by Team Kakuchopurei with our own cash, out of our interest in the range (and also being huge fanboys of the show). So relax; this isn’t a sponsored post.


Mihoyo Releases Honkai Star Rail Opening Cutscene To Celebrate Second Closed Beta Test

Mihoyo/HoYoverse has released the opening cutscene of its upcoming turn-based strategy RPG title Honkai: Star Rail.
The opening cutscene cuts between an alien invasion on a colony spaceship and a woman (probably a commander) listening to Pachebel’s “Canon in D Major” while doing air violin as she’s going up on the elevator. Classy.
English

Japanese

Here’s a synopsis of the upcoming RPG, which is slated for PC, iOS, and Android. Its second beta test starts today.
Honkai: Star Rail features a game world awaiting discovery with elements of myths and legends blended into the space sci-fi story. In this universe, there are the “Aeons,” incarnations of universal principles that are able to freely travel between infinite worlds using some kind of primitive force. The galaxy is packed with worlds that have unique landscapes and stories; the “Aeons” roaming the universe uphold their own beliefs, among whom there is the “Destruction,” who regards the universe as a fallacy and civilization as cancer, casting seeds of ruin called “Stellarons” across the galaxy.
The protagonist, who was implanted with a “Stellaron,” embarks on a trip aboard the Astral Express with a group of passengers who claim to have inherited the spirit of “the Trailblaze,’ pursuing the trails of “Aeons” to explore the realms of the universe. The expedition progresses as the protagonist and the crew seek the ultimate answers to the journey’s purpose and unearth secrets buried in legends.
Honkai: Star Rail invites players to board the Astral Express and travel across unique worlds, each filled with different adventures and surprises. During the whirlwind trip of a star-chasing ride, players will meet new companions as well as faces familiar to series fans, resolving “Stellaron”-related conflicts, and eventually unraveling the mysteries concealed within. This role-playing game features a newcomer-friendly strategic turn-based combat system and large maps and mazes involving puzzle-solving and exploration, providing players with epic combat and a journey of discovery full of surprises and rewards.


Magyar The Ghost Armor Joins Brawlhalla

Ubisoft has announced that Magyar, a haunted suit of armour and last of the Strazci, a legion of elite knights rose from death, arrives to haunt the halls of Valhalla in Brawlhalla as its 52nd Legend. The spirits within Magyar use their armour to swing their Greatsword and Hammer and possess other Legends in Magyarâ€™s signature attacks.Â

Magyar slashes enemies away powerfully with the following signature attacks for each weapon:Â
Greatsword Signature Attacks

Neutral Signature â€“ The spirits shoot out of Magyar to possess an aerial enemy, put the armour on the enemy to hold them in place, then run them through the chest with the Greatsword.
Side Signature â€“ After Magyar slashes once, the spirits leave the armour to grab the Greatsword and finish off the enemy.
Down Signature â€“ After a quick jump back, the spirits in the armour take the Greatsword and slash down.

Hammer Signature Attacks

Neutral Signature â€“ The spirits shoot out to grab an aerial enemy, then power up the Hammer for an extra hard hit.
Side Signature â€“ Magyar quickly crawls towards the enemy, then slams the Hammer down on them.
Down Signature â€“ Magyar floats into the sky until the spirits empower the Hammer to slam it down and crush their enemies.

Magyar, available for 7200 Gold, launches with three Skins (each available for 140 Mammoth Coins):

Golden Gladiator
Phantom of the Armor
Pharaoh King

Developed by Blue Mammoth, Brawlhalla is an epic free-to-play platform fighting game that brings players to the fight for glory in the halls of Valhalla. Choosing from more than 50 unique characters, players can jump into single-player and co-op modes as well as online and local competitions. Brawlhalla also supports cross-platform play between the Nintendo Switch, PS4 and PS5, PC, iOS, Android devices, and the Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


ILLEGEAR Is Launching Its First Concept Showroom In Malaysia Tomorrow

Customized gaming and high-performance laptop brand ILLEGEAR is opening its first concept showroom in Malaysia tomorrow on 19 October 2019 from 1pm to 7pm at G3 and G3A Oval Damansara in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.
Not only will visitors be able to check out ILLEGEAR products and everything the brand has to offer, but they can also look forward to giveaways galore. The first 100 visitors will receive a free mousepad (worth RM69), while those with the first 30 walk-in purchases will receive a free duel backpack (worth RM139).

You can register your attendance for the ILLEGEAR concept showroom grand opening event on its official Facebook event page here.

ILLEGEAR is best known for their powerful custom gaming laptops like the PRODIGY and ROGUE, as well as the ONYX and SELENITE. Check out their latest SELENITE laptop in the video below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4xCOnXFdwY&w=560&h=315]


Katy Perry Is Now In A Final Fantasy Game

Nope, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you. Katy Perry is the next pop star to be in a Final Fantasy game as a guest character. For the mobile gacha-heavy RPG title Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius.
This was announced during the FFBE fan event during the weekend. Strange, I know.
https://www.facebook.com/7126051465/posts/10155793879086466/
https://youtu.be/WpMCpjB34Ug
What can this version of Katy Perry do? She can summon strange entities with television heads from another world to fight for her. Oh and she can cast blue spheres of doom. She’ll be available as a free 7-star character on 12 December along with her made-for-FFBE song “Immortal Flame”. We’ll update this post with her attributes & stats once they’re made public.

Previously, Ariana Grande was the first pop star to be in Final Fantasy Brave Exvius to promote her then-new song “Touch It”. She’s a support/magic attacker class, so it may be safe to assume Katy Perry will be using the same role.
This may be a World of Ruin situation for some. But if it means this promo can bankroll more money for more Square Enix RPGs for consoles, then keep at it, I say. I do wonder if Lady Gaga and the reformed Spice Girls might jump into this mobile bandwagon?


Spoiler Talk – Avengers: Endgame Discussion – What’s Next For The MCU?

Spanning just over a decade with 22 movies to boot, the first three phases of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe came to a close with Avengers: Endgame and boy what a ride it has been. Throughout that period, we cheered for, laughed at and cried alongside our favourite superheroes thanks to Marvel’s dedication in fleshing out characters previously constrained to print – and several rancid life-action adaptations – until Robert Downey Jr, as Tony Stark suited up in his Mark 1 armour in 2008’s Iron Man.
While some may refer Avengers: Endgame as the conclusion of Infinity War, I see it more of a conclusion to all 21 prior movies put together. However, a solid case can be made that Avengers: Infinity War was the appetizer, and that Endgame was the wholesome and filling main course with a good dose of desserts for good measure.
But we ain’t here to talk about the Endgame. You can head over to our official review of it here if you’re looking that sort of thing. This piece is to discuss what’s next for the MCU and where we see the franchise in years to come. But before we head any further, allow us to lay out the customary spoiler warning and buffer in case you missed out on the title of this piece in the first place.
SPOILER TERRITORY UP AHEAD.Â

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. THERE’S NO TURNING BACK…

We cool? Awesome. Let’s go!
Spinning the Web
The ending of Avengers: Endgame not only provided closure to many of our favourite superheroes, but it also started the weave of an intricate web of what’s next for the MCU. Understandably, those who perished during the decimation didn’t feel any loss in time so theoretically are able to resume life right where they left off.
However, how people cope with the established five-year gap is something that will be explored in the most immediate MCU movie after Endgame which also happens to be the final movie Phase 3,Â Spider-Man: Far From Home.Â

Far From Home,Â as the title suggests, sees Peter Parker embark on a school trip to Italy. Anyone here realize all these major events always coincide with Peter’s school trip? The Vulture’s attack at the Washington Monument, followed by Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian’s arrival in New York?
Anyway, expect Far From Home to be more than just a Spider-Man movie, but as a bridge to the next phase of MCU – one that would include a fresh, youthful look to the Avengers.
Captain Falcon
Mirroring what took place in the comics, old-man Steve Rogers passes the Captain America torchÂ  shield to Sam Wilson a.k.a Falcon – a move which technically puts him as the next leader of the Avengers.
Many viewers were left scratching their noggin at the end of the show – where did he go? Well before he took off to the past to return the Infinity Stones to their rightful location in time, we heard Banner/ Hulk saying something along the lines of ‘For us, five seconds. For him, as long as he wants’.
Our guess was that Steve completed the said mission by returning to 1970 where him and Tony stole the Tesseract earlier, and decided to remain there to live a long wholesome life with Peggy Carter in secrecy. The main giveaway was the ring on Steve’s finger which was seen briefly when he gave away the shield to Sam.
Steve only returned to the present day presumably following Peggy’s death or to coincide with that particular timeline’s Steve Rogers waking up from the ice, possibly to avoid any time travel paradox.
With Hawkeye resuming his retirement,Â Hulk being pretty much out of the front-lines, and Thor gallivanting across the cosmos with the Guardians, the first few movies in Phase 4 should see Sam’s resolve and leadership of the New Avengers being put through the meat grinder – a task made harder by the plucky new team under his wing.

The All-New Avengers
With MCU’s bold decision in essentially wiping the slate clean at the end of Endgame, it’s pretty much a no brainer to see Peter Parker being joined by a new breed of eager superheroes keen to emulate and surpass the original Avengers.
Expect to see the silver screen rendition of Miss Marvel in Kamala Khan, Amadeus Cho, and even Nova, operating under Sam’s supervision.
Obviously the MCU lineup is gonna be a tad different – But you get the picture
A curious addition to Endgame which may have eluded many would be Ty Simpkins’ character, Harley Keener who was last seen in Iron Man 3. To jog your memory, he’s the kid who helped Tony repair his MKXLII armor in the garage. His inclusion in the final scenes of Endgame (during Tony’s memorial service) may allude to him taking up the mantle of Iron Man sometime in the future.
Other notable additions to this new breed of Avengers would be Clint Barton’s daughter who will take up the Hawkeye name and fan favourite, Shuri.
The Focus on New Acquisitions
With Disney’s recent acquisition of Fox comes a slew of IPs that not just can, but should be integrated into the MCU. How these new characters are to be slotted in is anyone’s guess but our top pick would be for Feige & Co to cast their crosshairs onto the Fantastic Four. If Marvel wants to temporarily take the focus away from the Avengers, citing the fear of Avenger fatigue, diverting the attention to the Marvel First Family would be the perfect move.

Thereon, the Fantastic Four can head many directions – to either team up with the Avengers, head to space to partner up with the Guardians against Galactus or even kick-off a Doctor Doom arc. The possibilities are endless.
Back to Familiar Grounds
While we’d assume everything’s dandy following the successful return of the stones to the past, one thing may have slipped past most of our radars. The 2012 past shown in Endgame sees the Tesseract remain in Loki’s possession, instead of S.H.I.E.L.D’s. Remember, the Tesseract which Steve returned was to 1970 – not 2012. In that ‘new’ 2012 reality, who knows how different things have changed.

Could this be the loophole to allow the reemergence (or even recast) of our favorite Avengers in an alternate timeline? One which sees Loki running havoc with the Tesseract – possibly being an even bigger threat than he was in the ‘canon’ MCU timeline?
Black Widow Conundrum
Lastly, we need to talk about Black Widow. It has been confirmed that a standalone Black Widow movie is in the works. But which timeline will it be set in? We know it won’t be part of Phase 3 – this phase closes with Far From Home. Black Widow’s standalone will be the movie to kick-off Phase 4 which leads to our crazy theory below.

We believe that if it’s set under this ‘canon’ MCU timeline which culminated with her tragic death in Vormir, it’d be quite the mood dampener. It would undervalue Natasha’s sacrifice for the Soul Stone although a storyline which revolve around her first encounter with the Winter Soldier as shared in Captain America: Winter Soldier would be interesting.
Other possible directions could either be her mission to track down Loki in the earlier mentioned alternate timeline, or a buildup for her character just prior to Infinity War and/or End Game.

What do you think is going to happen next? Or even better – where do you want Marvel to take our favourite heroes to? Sound off in the comments section below, or if you have any cool theories coming out of Endgame, fire away. This is a spoiler post anyway.


The Sims 5 Potentially Free-To-Play?

Maxis, the developer behind the highly anticipated game known as Project Rene, is actively seeking a Head of Marketplace & Monetisation. The game, which was initially unveiled last October under the codename Project Rene, is generating a lot of buzz.
The job description for this role suggests that the chosen candidate will have the responsibility of managing the pricing of all the content within the game, which is expected to be free to enter. Although the job description was spotted by Sims Community, it appears to have been removed shortly after. The latest information reveals that the candidate will also ‘own’ Project Rene’s in-game marketplace where players can access both free and paid content. The in-game marketplace will provide a data-driven approach to enhance the player experience, focusing on maximising value, optimising spending patterns, and reducing player churn.
Last year, a sneak peek of Project Rene showcased some of the amazing creation tools that players can look forward to when the game becomes available. Maxis has mentioned that the game is still in the early stages of development. The upcoming game will offer both solo and collaborative play options, ensuring that users can enjoy the same fantastic experience across various devices, including mobile.

Lyndsay Pearson, the VP of franchise creative for The Sims, expressed their vision for the future of The Sims. They aim to reimagine the beloved Sims franchise by introducing new ways to play, while staying true to the charm of Sims, providing powerful tools, and delivering meaningful stories.
“We are building the next-generation Sims game and creative platform. Reimagining The Sims you know and love with new ways to play. This is the future of The Sims, built on a foundation of charming Sims, powerful tools, and meaningful stories.” – Lyndsay Pearson, VP of franchise creative for The Sims.
The announcement of Project Rene coincided with the news that The Sims 4 became free-to-play, eight years after its initial release. Since then, the game has attracted a staggering 16 million new players and boasts a player base of over 70 million worldwide. The popularity of The Sims 4 has been soaring, with a 53 percent increase in average weekly users.
Originally launched for PC in 2014, The Sims 4 expanded to Mac in 2015, and later to PS4 and Xbox One in 2017. The game’s success has been remarkable, generating over $1 billion in revenue as of February 2019, according to EA. The Sims franchise continues to captivate and engage players around the globe.


1000 Games Removed From Steam Due To Misuse Of Steamworks Tools

It’s not uncommon to hear about the removal of games from the Steam digital storefront. Usually it’s because the games contain inappropriate content (Steam has a very high tolerance for that, mind you) but today, A LOT of games were removed for a very different reason.
A small portion of the list of recently banned games.
PC Gamer reported Valve has deleted roughly 1000 games from its Steam library today. If you go over to madjoki’s Steam Tools, you’ll find that at least 982 games were removed within the last 12 hours (as of writing this article). A Valve rep explained that the removals were made due to the misuse of Steamworks tools.

“We recently discovered a handful of partners that were abusing some Steamwork tools. We emailed all the affected partners.”
– Valve rep speaking to PC Gamer.
After PC Gamer posted their article, game developer Alexandra Frock revealed that a “good chunk” of the deleted games were linked to a single Russian publisher named Dagestan Technology. The Valve rep indirectly confirmed that Dagestan was not the only publisher involved.

A good chunk of them are linked to a single publisher in Russia (I think “Dagestan Technology” is the first name they use) going under a very large number of different names. Here’s a tool that points out dev/pub relationships by support contact info: https://t.co/EqJQN9F2n1
â€” Alexandra Frock (@ntigravities) November 26, 2019

It’s safe that none of the removed games are popular enough to be considered mainstream but some of them still have a noteworthy presence. One of the games removed, Electric Highways, had more than 1300 very positive user reviews. Another game, Glasswinged Ascension, had been on Steam for about two years.
Steamworks is an API that’s used to assist in the development and publishing of a game or mod. It’s also often used for functions like multiplayer matchmaking and cheat detection. It’s possible that the publishers of the removed games used some of the tools in the API in a manner deemed “harmful” by Valve.


Warframe’s Next Big Expansion Will Be Out End Of April

The long-running online PvE shooter Warframe is getting a brand new expansion called Angels of the Zariman this month.
Warframe: Angels of the Zariman will be out on 27 April for PC and consoles that run the game. The expansion is focused on the colony ship called the Zariman, which is part of Warframe’s long-running lore. The expansion features a new story quest and MMO-style “player housing” in the form of the ship’s Dormizone.
The expansion will also introduce a new Warframe called the Gyre. This new Warframe character looks and plays like a dancer, focusing on critical hits and electrical damage abilities. In addition, three new endless modes will be available: Void Flood, Void Cascade, and Void Armageddon. This is going to be a tough act to follow for developer Digital Extreme, which released the critically-acclaimed The New War expansion last December. Gameplay trailer below:


Here’s The Final Street Fighter 5 Tier List According To The Game’s Best Players

Street Fighter 5 has received its final update a couple of months ago, and after weeks of playing, we finally know who the best characters are in this iteration of the game.
Truth be told, this is the most balanced the 2D fighting game has been; it’s a huge step up from its 2016 version that’s for sure. But who are the top picks in tournaments? And who are the most consistent characters who placed mid to high in the entire part 5 timeline?
Disclaimer: we’re going by Dictator, Boxer, and Claw when referring to 3 of the 4 kings. M.Bison/Vega is Dictator, Balrog/M.Bison is Boxer, and Vega/Balrog is Claw.
First up, we have fighting game pro Fuudo dishing out his tier list online. He’s currently maining Poison and Birdie.
S Tier
Luke, Cody, Poison, Dhalsim, Dictator, Chun-Li, Guile, Rashid
Despite the nerfs a lot of the S-Tier characters have received, they’re still better than everyone else in the cast due to their damage output, footsie work, and their current toolkit. Cody has seen the biggest jump since he’s usually in the B and C tier.
A Tier
Kolin, G, Urien, Necalli, Falke, Cammy, Karin, Boxer, Abigail
While these characters are still viable, they have seen a few nerfs than buffs. Having said that, Falke herself has seen the biggest jump, at least in Fuudo’s eyes.
B Tier
Kage, Menat, Seth, Zeku, Lucia, Akira, Juri, Akuma, Ken, Laura, Claw, Sagat, Rose, Nash, Ed, R.Mika, Ibuki, Ryu, Blanka, Alex
C Tier
Oro, Birdie, Sakura, Gill
D Tier
Zangief, Dan, F.A.N.G., E.Honda

Next up, we have Punk, one of North America’s best fighting game players out there. Once again, Luke is leading the pack because of his late inclusion and “future of Street Fighter” status, giving him the best kit.
S Tier
Luke, Poison, Dhalsim, Ken, Juri, Dictator, Chun-Li, Zeku
Luke again takes the top spot, with Poison, Dhalsim, Dictator, and Chun-Li still hanging around the upper echelons. Juri and Ken has seen the biggest jump in improvements and toolkit-tweaks according to the esports player.
A Tier
Guile, Karin, Cody, Rashid, Cammy, Alex, Urien, Necalli, Falke, Boxer, Laura
B Tier
Seth, Ibuki, R.Mika, Akira, G, Menat, Akuma, Kolin, Kage, Rose, Sagat, Oro, Sakura, Ryu, F.A.N.G. Dan, Vega
C Tier
Lucia, Abigail, Ed, Birdie, E.Honda, Gill
D Tier
Zangief, Nash, Blanka

Our Takeaway

Despite some tweaks and nerfs, the developers are adamant in keeping Luke at the top of the food chain. His shoto-like prowess and damage/range with his normals and footsies are pretty spot-on and will put him in the general top of the roost for a long while.
Cody has seen the highest rise thanks to his recent buffs in the past few updates of SF5.
The most consistent characters who show up at the S and A tiers since the early versions of the game are Cammy, Guile, Rashid, Chun-Li, and Dhalsim.
The most consistent low-tier characters since 2016 are Zangief and Nash.
Tier lists are subjective and are meant for equal-level players, but they are still viable in gauging a character’s worth and viability in the long run. This is the most balanced Street Fighter 5 has been since, well, ever. Every character in their game has their own good and bad matchups.