Asterix Comics Co-Creator Albert Uderzo Dies At 92

Almost everyone knows Marvel’s Spider-Man or DC’s Superman from the US, but Europe has their own iconic comics and graphic novels too, including the likes of Denmark’s The Adventures Of Tin Tin and of course, the French comic Asterix. It has since spawned its own video games and animated adaptations over the years.
Albert Uderzo, the French comic book artist and co-creator of Asterix, has died at the age of 92. The news was announced by his family from French news agency AFP (via The Hollywood Reporter).
According to the late Uderzo’s son-in-law:

“He died in his sleep at his home in Neuilly from a heart attack unrelated to the coronavirus.
He had been very tired for several weeks.”

Asterix originally debuted in October 1959 in the French magazine Pilote, created by RenÃ© Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. Since then, the series then went on to surpass more than 380 million copies sold worldwide and translated into more than 100 international languages. The duo worked on Asterix until the death of Goscinny in 1977, before Uderzo took over the writing duties until as recent as 2009.
There’s even a French theme park based on the property called Parc AstÃ©rix locate in Plailly, France, which is the second biggest theme park in the country after Disneyland Paris. It has brought in 50 million visitors since officially opening in 1989.
This was the first-ever Asterix comic book I ever read as a kid.
The Asterix comic book series features the titular Asterix as its protagonist, a small but brave warrior in one of the only small towns in 50 B.C. era Gaul free from Roman occupation. They’re able to repel the invaders with the help of a magic potion that gives him super strength. However, the effects are temporary, so the threat still looms whenever the Romans attack.
Along with his chubby best friend Obelix and loyal dog Dogmatix, they go on adventures and try to put a stop to the Roman Empire. I grew up reading some of the comics, but they were pretty expensive.
I also played several video game adaptations, including 2001’s Asterix: Mega Madness on the PS1…
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usZQvgsgHa4&w=560&h=315]
…and 2004’s Asterix & Obelix XXL for the PS2.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jydHoHbNBA&w=560&h=315]
If you grew up with Asterix like me, there’s even a new video game out there in the form of Asterix & Obelix XXL 3: The Crystal Menhir for the PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, developed by Microids.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOS3F29rIm8&w=560&h=315]


Cyberpunk 2077’s DLC Will Be At Least As Many As The Witcher 3’s

The Witcher 3 wasn’t simply limited to a massive base game; CD Projekt Red also gave players two sizeable expansions and 16 free DLC. For the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, it seems that players can expect a similar amount of DLC.
In a Polish investor Q&A translated by Video Games Chronicle, CD Projekt president Adam KiciÅ„ski revealed that the cyberpunk game will have â€œno less DLC than The Witcher 3 had”. In addition, he said that the timing of the announcements will be similar to The Witcher 3‘s, which announced its DLCs three months before release and the expansions several weeks before release.
The Witcher 3‘s expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, provided around 30-40 hours of gameplay in total, with Blood and Wine also introducing a new location called Toussaint. Cyberpunk 2077‘s expansions will probably have that many hours of combined playtime too, though I’m not sure what new locations they can provide.
Even without the DLC, Cyberpunk 2077 looks set to be a chunky game on its own. A few months ago, a Reddit user who took part in a CD Projekt Q&A revealed that Cyberpunk 2077′s main story will be “a little shorter” than The Witcher 3‘s, but will have a lot more replayability. In addition, that playtime estimate didn’t take into account the game’s encounters and smaller quests.
While size isn’t everything, the generous DLC plan definitely gives us one more reason to be excited for Cyberpunk 2077. As for the base game, CD Projekt Red previously confirmed that it’s still on track for its September release. A next-gen version, however, won’t be coming so soon.


No Time To Die, Scream & More Get Updated Malaysian Release Dates

United International Pictures (UIP) Malaysia has announced its new schedule for the remainder of 2021 and 2022.
Check out the full UIP Malaysia schedule below:
2021

No Time To DieÂ Â â€“ 25 November 2021

[videopress nsooSux4]

Clifford The Big Red DogÂ â€“ 2 December 2021

[videopress XMqTFkwA]

The Addams Family 2Â â€“ 9 December 2021

[videopress o3FIqqB8]

Sing 2Â â€“ 23 December 2021

[videopress mIgB2pFc]
2022

Licorice PizzaÂ â€“ 13 January 2022

Paw Patrol â€“ 13 January 2022

[videopress w4vaN56R]

ScreamÂ â€“ 20 January 2022

[videopress 5IvXWTQ4]

The Black PhoneÂ â€“ 27 January 2022

[videopress e8AYUJnL]

House of Gucci â€“ 3 February 2022

[videopress F8qBKMyb]

Marry MeÂ â€“ 10 February 2022

AmbulanceÂ â€“ 17 February 2022

CyranoÂ â€“ 24 February 2022

The Bad GuysÂ â€“ 10 March 2022

RumbleÂ â€“ 17 March 2022

Distant â€“ 17 March 2022

The Lost City of DÂ â€“ 24 March 2022

The NorthmanÂ â€“ 7 April 2022

Thirteen LivesÂ â€“ 21 April 2022

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 â€“ 28 April 2022

Easter SundayÂ â€“ 28 April 2022

Legally Blonde 3Â â€“ 19 May 2022

Top Gun MaverickÂ â€“ 26 May 2022

Jurassic World: DominionÂ â€“ 9 June 2022

Transformers: Rise of the BeastsÂ â€“ 23 June 2022

Minions: The Rise of GruÂ â€“ 30 June 2022

NopeÂ â€“ 21 July 2022

BeastÂ â€“ 11 August 2022

BrosÂ â€“ 11 August 2022

Under the BroadwalkÂ â€“ 18 August 2022

Puss in Boots: The Last WishÂ â€“ 18 August 2022

Secret HeadquartersÂ â€“ 25 August 2022

SamaritanÂ â€“ 1 September 2022

Dark HarvestÂ â€“ 22 September 2022

Mission Impossible 7Â â€“ 29 September 2022

Ticket to ParadiseÂ â€“ 29 September 2022

Halloween EndsÂ â€“ 13 October 2022

Untitled Bee Gees â€“ 1 December 2022

Super Mario Bros.: The MovieÂ â€“ 22 December 2022


Halo Combat Evolved Is Finally Back On PC (Again)

In a surprising move by developer 343 Industries, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is now available on PC (again). Originally ported to the PC in 2003, this latest version of the classic game is a remaster, allowing players to switch between the original graphics or the enhanced updated visuals.
This is the second game inÂ Halo The Master Chief Collection to launch on PC following Halo: Reach back in December 2019. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary for PC also features:

New Spartan customization 3D model viewer.
Ability to toggle between Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and Halo: Combat Evolved Classic audio for multiplayer.
Mouse + Keyboard input support.
Customizable key bindings.
Variable Frame Rate (VFR) support (experimental feature).
Adjustable FOV (experimental feature).
Ultrawide and alternate resolution support.
Text chat.
Updated crouch/movement mechanic for mouse + keyboard user.
Push-to-talk voice chat.
Push-to-talk key binding.
Separated key-bindings on a per-title basis.
Datacenter ping values are now visible.
Message of the Day added.
Updated zoom controls.

You can purchase Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary for only RM23.50 on Steam or grab the entire Halo TheMaster Chief Collection for RM65. It’s also available on the Microsoft Store, and the Xbox Game Pass.
The next title slated for release as part of the Halo The Master Chief Collection is Halo 2: Anniversary, though the developer has yet to announce a release date or window. In the meantime, check out the trailer below, or head on over here for our review of Halo Reach on PC.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAsX01K75ys&w=560&h=315]


Netflix Teases Umbrella Academy Season 2 With New Posters

It’s been almost a year since Netflix officially renewed The Umbrella Academy for a second season, but the streaming giant has been quiet on the front since then. Until now, that is. They have revealed new posters via Twitter, teasing The Umbrella Academy Season 2.

This time travel thing? It gets messy. The cast of Umbrella Academy is back for Season 2! pic.twitter.com/qTnlTjeteB
â€” NX (@NXOnNetflix) February 19, 2020

Each of these new posters highlights the returning cast and characters for The Umbrella Academy Season 2. Check them out below:
Tom Hopper â€“ Luther/Number One
David CastaÃ±eda â€“ Diego/Number Two
Emmy Raver-Lampman â€“ Allison/Number Three
Robert Sheehan â€“ Klaus/Number Four
Aidan Gallagher â€“ Number Five
Justin Min â€“ Ben/Number Six
Ellen Page â€“ Vanya/Number Seven
The Umbrella Academy Season 1 showrunner Steve Blackman is back for the second season, as well as series creators (and co-executive producers) Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba. The Umbrella Academy Season 2 will feature 10 episodes just like the first season.
The Umbrella Academy was a success due to its meta nature and exploration of dysfunctional family themes, as well as offering a unique take on the superhero genre.
While we still havenâ€™t received a release date for The Umbrella Academy Season 2, hereâ€™s what you can probably expect fromÂ The Umbrella Academy next season.
If you liked The Umbrella Academy, check out some of former My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Wayâ€™s other works in comicsÂ here.


Open-World JRPG Tower Of Fantasy Pre-Registration Is Now Open

Level Infinite and Hotta Studio have announced that the upcoming open-world action RPG, Tower Of Fantasy – set for global release in Q3 of 2022 for PC and Mobile platforms and supporting eight languages (English, Japanese, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, Indonesian) – is now open for pre-registration.
Fans can pre-register for the global launch of Tower Of Fantasy, and potentially secure some limited time items. Additionally, interested players can add the title to their Steam or Epic store wishlists on June 27.
To pre-register for the global launch of Tower of Fantasy, please visit: https://www.toweroffantasy-global.com/.
To celebrate the release, Tower Of Fantasy will be unlocking different levels of rewards based on the number of pre-registered users. The more people pre-register for the game, the more luxurious the items issued at launch will be. You can invite your friends to participate in this pre-registration together.
Check out the pre-registration rewards here:

500,000 players: Astra Frame x1, Black Nucleus X2, Wholegrain Bread X10, Gold x2888.
1 million players: Limited Title x1, Black Nucleus X3, Fried Chicken X10, Weapon Battery III X4.
1.5 million players: Gold Nucleus X3, Avatar:Zeke x1,Sizzling Meat X10, Gold x3888
2 million players: Jetpack Paint: Orion x1, Gold Nucleus X3, Crispy Grilled Fish x10, Weapon battery III X4
2.5 million players: Outfit: Star Sand X1,Gold Nucleus X4, Nut Tea X10, Gold X6888.

Tower Of Fantasy is a shared open-world RPG from developer Hotta Studio and publisher Level Infinite with a vibrant, anime-inspired art style and exhilarating sci-fi setting. Set hundreds of years in the future on the distant planet of Aida and in Q3 of 2022 players from across the globe will get to join in on the thrilling action.
Key Features:

Tower Of Fantasy’s in-depth character creation system allows players to customize their main character to look like themselves, or someone completely different.
Tower Of Fantasy lets you explore the vast world of Aida, fight through Ruins, and conquer world bosses, all with your group of friends or solo. Players can create or join parties through the world channel.
Multiplayer Boss Battles – Players can tackle difficult world bosses by linking up with fellow wanderers to fight together.
Explore a vast, sci-fi themed open-world as you discover character’s unique backstories and uncover different weapons and playstyles.
Fight in battles on an epic scale through diverse and exciting combats as you explore and interact with a vibrant world as embark on your journey.

To learn more about Tower Of Fantasy and claim in-game rewards, please visit https://www.toweroffantasy-global.com/en/home.html or check out their other official channels:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tower.of.Fantasy.Official
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toweroffantasy_official/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ToF_EN_Official
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1NbDLZjc41RQk-pV94mu_A/about
Discord: https://discord.gg/eDgkQJ4aYe


A New Overwatch Free-For-All Deathmatch Map Is Now Live

Overwatchâ€™s newest free-for-all deathmatch map, Malevento, is now live on PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.
Explore this Talon base located in Italy â€“ discover the best corners for your Junkrat tyres and the best rooftop views for your Widowmaker snipe shots. Team up and take down your enemies in winding stairwells, quiet cobblestone streets, or the Talonâ€™s secret den.
The Overwatch Malevento map was originally set to debut weeks ago, but it was delayed following the recent lawsuits and problems. Several big wigs have also left the company since, including former Blizzard president J. Allen Brack and former lead level designer Jesse McCree.


How The New Hero Reworks Affect the Overwatch Meta

Huge changes dropped for Overwatch yesterday, most notably Symmetra’s full kit overhaul as well as several other heroes’ Ultimate rework. For those who missed out on what was discussed, you can get yourself up to speed with these meta-shifting changes here.Â
Speaking of the meta, here’s a quick overview on how we think these reworks are going to affect the current strategies at play, as well as the potential direction of the Overwatch meta.
1. Orisa Getting A Huge Bump in Pick Rates
The improved ult-charging time for our favorite traffic controller omnic means that she’s now more robust overall as she is able to use her ult more frequently. This enables teams on both sides (offense and defense) to play more aggressively ensuring a faster-paced game compared to battles of attrition in the past. Orisa players will be less-likely to hold on to their Ult for long now, so expect tons of fireworks especially at chokepoints in the early game and expect to see more frequent team fights featuring dual Orisa superchargers activated towards the closing phases.

2. Rise of Orisa Picks: The Longevity of the Swedish Meatball and Barrier Comps
Firstly, what’s the ‘Swedish Meatball Comp’? Well, it’s the composition involving heroes with huge pools of health with shield capabilities, supported by Brigette and either Moira or Lucio. Tasty. Think any four tanks and two very effective AOE healers.

Orisa, being the most versatile of the shield heroes due to her ability to cast her shield at a distance makes her a viable pick in the evolution of this strategy. The downside of this strat is the relatively low burst damage potential to finish off team fights due to the absence of DPS heroes. Dropping a Supercharger will certainly negate this and attacking teams will be able to clean off fights more effectively going forward.
3. Doomfist Is Now More Robust; But Don’t Expect Too Much of A Change
Doomfist gets a buff with his shield gain increased from 30 to 35 for normal abilities. The increase of 5 shield points may not seem much at first but if used correctly by expert players, the combo potential will make him much harder to kill. How many times have you tried to punish a diving Doomfist only to see him dash out of harm’s way thanks to his timely dodges?

The increased movement speed for his ultimate (150% to 200%) grants him improved mobility regardless of him trying to hunt down enemies, or simply ult-ing to get out trouble. The reason we think these changes won’t affect Doomfist much was due to the fact that very few players are well-accustomed to his playstyle, and being a hard hero to master, is more of a niche improvement than an over-compassing adjustment.
4. Symmetra Gets A New Lease in Life – But Barely
The most misunderstood hero gets even more confusing for many. By allowing her to project her turrets from a distance, Symmetra players get to expand their sneakinessÂ Â creativity to a whole new level and we can’t wait to see what the community comes up with, especially in smaller maps.

The new ultimate, Photon Barrier, might not seem much at first can be a very effective ult which forces the enemy’s hand. Defending teams can now funnel the attacking team’s options to close-quarters battle instead of cherry picking how they approach the objective. For example, on Hanamura B. Defending teams can now fall back to small corner on the point and deploy the barrier at an angle. The high ground is pointless if your shots can’t hit. This barrier negates the likes of McCree, Soldier and even D.Va’s potential fight-winning ultimates; thus forcing the attacking team to fight on the defender’s terms.
Symmetra’s teleporter rework will definitely contribute to the small rise of her pick rate especially on 2CP matches but we still consider her being a niche pick in the grander scheme of things. She doesn’t have any movement abilities which makes her the most vulnerable of the 200HP heroes and the turrets are more of annoyances than straight up damage dealers. As for the rework on her gun, we have little worry for most Symmetra mains’ aim.


Heavenly Delusion Episode 3 Shows What Horrifying Visuals The Series Has In Stall

The latest episode of Heavenly Delusion, “Kiruko and Haruki,” dives deep into Kiruko’s backstory and sheds light on why she’s travelling across Japan. But what’s most impressive is how the show handles body horror, whether it’s through Kiruko’s dark past or gruesome deaths.

Check out our review of Episode 2
Speaking of Kiruko’s past, last week’s episode left us on the edge of our seats when Kiruko revealed to Maru that they were actually a man. It’s not a simple case of being transgender, though. Turns out, Kiruko used to be Haruki until a scary encounter with a man-eating creature and a mysterious doctor’s intervention led to Haruki’s brain being transferred to Kiruko’s body.

Haruki

When it comes to man-eating creatures in fiction, not all of them are considered body horror because it’s a specific sub-genre that involves a certain level of emphasis on the mutilation or alteration of the body. Heavenly Delusion is a great example of this sub-genre, using the visuals, narrative, and action scenes to create a terrifyingly organic atmosphere between the threat of the man-eating creatures and the characters.
The speed of the kills is also significant. Episode 2’s most shocking moment is the inn proprietor’s sudden and unexpected death. Her head is cut in half, which is more unsettling than if she were simply beheaded. The audience sees her being chopped up into pieces and absorbed by the creature slowly. This slow process reinforces the organic nature of the monsters and makes them all the more frightening.

In Episode 3, when Haruki faces the monster, the absorption is even slower, with the monster’s pale white flesh seeming to creep out and absorb Haruki’s limbs. It’s terrifying because there are no visible teeth or biting, just the slow absorption of matter. When Kiriko intervenes and frees Haruki, the visual direction is intentional. The flesh is ripped up close, but there’s a haunting sense that Haruki hasn’t necessarily been pulled out, but merely torn off.
Heavenly Delusion can be explicit, but it also understands the power of imagination. This episode was directed by Kazuya Nomura, who has a long history with Production I.G. and did a fantastic job creating a body-horror sub-genre that is truly terrifying.

The beauty of body horror

In the latest episode of Heavenly Delusion, the horror doesn’t end with just one terrifying moment of body horror. The latter half of the episode takes place in a hospital, which, although a place of healing, can make for an effective setting for horror. The creative team does an excellent job of showing the realization of invasive bodily change, and the use of mirrors adds a chilling effect to the scene.
The transformation of Haruki into Kiruko is nothing short of a horrific miracle. Despite the odds, Haruki survives an attack from a man-eater, but at the cost of their life, they end up in the body of Kiruko, a loved one. The acute and specific horror of the situation has several layers to it, and the episode’s payoff is all the more impressive given the build-up.
As the episode draws to a close, it becomes clear that Heavenly Delusion is laying a solid foundation for the series, setting up all the right questions before starting to solve them. Kiruko and Maru now have a better understanding of each other, and with their goals established, the real adventure can begin. The series promises to be an engaging and thrilling ride, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats in anticipation of what’s to come.


Here’s What You’re Getting With the Dragon Ball FighterZ Open Beta This Weekend

The Dragon Ball FighterZ beta drops this weekend and Bandai Namco finally revealed what’s in store.
Players can expect to try out a bulk of the available roster including Super Saiyan SonGoku and Vegeta, normal adult Gohan, Perfect Cell, Nappa and Android 18.Â The stages included in the beta are also listed, along with three available modes for the beta which runs from Jan 14thÂ 4PM for Malaysia/ Singapore/ Hong KongÂ for those who digitally pre-ordered the game (X1/PS4) and a day later (Jan 15th) for those who hasn’t. The beta runs til Jan 16th.
We aren’t sure how it goes for folks who intend to play the game on PC tho.

#DragonBall fans! #DBFighterzBETA for Southeast Asia happens 14th Jan 16:00 ï½ž16th Jan 16:00 (GMT+8)! If you POed digital copy of the game, you will get early access 13th Jan 16:00 ï½ž 14th Jan 15:59 (GMT+8)! 11 Characters, 7 Stages, 3 Game Modes, hidden Dramatic Scenes & more! pic.twitter.com/4JFvoge9Zq
â€” BANDAI NAMCO S.E.A. (@BandaiNamcoSEA) January 9, 2018
Dragon Ball FighterZ is developed by Arc System Works and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. We recently got info on the minimum and recommended specifications to play the game on PC. Check it out here.
They also revealed that Goku Black will be joining the roster and you can check out its reveal teaser trailer below:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOSJ9MGhZNQ&w=560&h=315]


Trine 4 Is Swinging Back To 2.5D Late 2019

2019 heralds the return of the Trine trio – Zoya the thief, Pontius the knight, andÂ  Amadeuswizard on another quest involving timed puzzles and getting all three of them from point A to point B. That’s right: Trine 4 – The Nightmare Prince is a reality and it’s coming out for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
After the misstep that is Trine 3(D), the game is going back to its 2.5D roots, with 2D gameplay and platforming coupled with lovely and bright 3D graphics. Seriously, we’ve never seen Trine look this damn good. Hats off to developer Frozenbyte for a job well done.

To recap, the Trine series is about solving puzzles & physics challenges using the abilities of the aforementioned trio. Zoya can use a grappling hook and attack with arrows. Pontius can bash enemies and obstacles, as well as brandish a shield. Amadeus can summon blocks that can either be used for puzzle-based applications and on enemies.
The game will be out for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in Autumn 2019 for US$29.99. If you want to collect all four games, you can do that too with the Trine Ultimate Collection, also slated for Autumn 2019 and for all four platforms; it’ll cost you US$49.99.
Check out these fresh 2.5D screenshots below to see it in its fantasy and Wind In The Willows-esque glory.


Xbox PC Game Pass Is Coming To Malaysia & Other Southeast Asian Countries

Microsoft has announced that the Xbox PC Game Pass is coming to Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam for the first time. Beginning today, players can register for the PC Game Pass preview (by downloading the Xbox Insider Hub here), giving them access to a library of over 100 games including new Xbox Game Studios releases on day one, Bethesda games, and an EA Play membership for one low monthly price.
Players can trial PC Game Pass for RM1.00 for the duration of the preview as Microsoft continues to setup and test the local payment systems. PC Game Pass includes Minecraft, Forza Horizon 5, Age of Empires IV, Sea of Thieves and Microsoft Flight Simulator, among others. This includes new Xbox Game Studios titles on day one like Halo Infinite, as well as franchises like Fallout and The Elder Scrolls from Bethesda Softworks, independent games and blockbusters. EA Play is also included with the service, featuring franchises like FIFA, Battlefield, The Sims and Mass Effect.
If you’ve joined the PC Game Pass Preview and still can’t find it in your Xbox App, go to your Xbox App and look for Minecraft For Windows + Launcher with the Game Pass label on it. Click on the green Play With Game Pass button, and the PC Game Pass tab should appear above the My Library tab, prompting you to pay RM0.50 for the first month.
Jeremy Hinton, Xbox Asia Business Lead, said:
“At Xbox, our mission is simple, to bring the joy and community of gaming to everyone on the planet. Bringing PC Game Pass to new countries in Southeast Asia is an important part of how we will achieve this as we strive to reach billions of players.”
Xbox PC Game Pass is slated to fully launch in Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam sometime later this year. If you’re getting it right now, here’s a list of awesome games you should play on the subscription service.


New The Last of Us PC Patch Optimises CPU & GPU, Fixes Crashes & More

Naughty Dog has just released the seventh patch for The Last of Us Part 1 on PC since it came out in March, and it’s got some sweet new features.
Patch 1.0.4.0 promises to fix a bunch of issues that players have been complaining about, including performance problems and bugs. They’ve also made some much-needed improvements to texture fidelity and resolution on low and medium settings. So, if you’ve been struggling to get the game running smoothly, this might be the update you’ve been waiting for.
But that’s not all! The patch notes also mention fixes for specific hardware, like AMD, Steam, and Steam Deck. And if you’re curious about what else has been changed, you can check out the full patch notes below.
The folks at Naughty Dog want you to know that they’re paying attention to player feedback and are committed to making the game even better. They’re working hard on future updates to improve game stability and fix any remaining issues.
So, what are you waiting for? Get that patch downloaded and start playing! And if you run into any problems, make sure to check out the list of known issues that the team is investigating.
Below you can find the entire patch notes:

Patch Notes

Optimized CPU and GPU use throughout the game
Improved texture fidelity and resolution on in-game Low and Medium settings
Improved graphical fidelity on the in-game Low graphics preset, particularly water surfaces no longer appear black
Fixed a crash that may occur during shader building
Fixed a crash that may occur when quitting to the Main Menu
Fixed a crash that may occur when dying after combat
Fixed an issue where, on first boot, players may experience longer wait times to load into the game
Added an option for players to lock and unlock performance stats simultaneously in the HUD menu (Options > HUD)
Added descriptions in the Graphics menus to better explain when certain settings may affect another (Options > Display)
Added a Texture Streaming Rate setting (Graphics > Texture Settings)
Fixed an issue where skipping cutscenes during a critical load may cause the game to hang
Fixed an issue where the shader load warning did not appear while relaunching the game
Updated the VRAM bar to more accurately display the OS+Apps usage
Fixed an issue where the Screen Reader read values for locked settings which may imply those same locked setting were active
Fixed an issue where aiming downward while using keyboard and mouse (KBM) may increase camera sensitivity
Refined the handling of certain commands that are assigned the same KBM keybinding
Corrected Brazilian Portuguese, Croatian, Dutch, Finnish, French, Greek, Hungarian, LATAM Spanish, Spanish, Thai, and Traditional Chinese
translations for multiple menu options
[Ultrawide Displays] Corrected the Rangefinder reticle position for the bow

AMD

Fixed a crash that may occur on AMD CPUs with affinity limited to X3D cores
Fixed an issue where textures may render incorrectly on AMD GPUs

Steam


We’re Getting Two-Post Credit Scenes for ‘Captain Marvel’

Captain Marvel has been confirmed to have two post-credit scenes, one pre-credits and another one post-credits. The news was confirmed after the film’s press screening earlier this week.

Post-credits are synonymous with Marvel movies since Iron Man in 2008. These short moments usually tease the next part of the whole movie universe or inject some humour. What makes this interesting is that the post-credits in Captain MarvelÂ might be teasing Avengers: Endgame,Â which would premiere 7 weeks after Captain Marvel releases.
EndgameÂ marks the fourth Avengers film and is the closure to the current MCU generation. Based on Chris Evans’ recent tweet, it is almost for sure the end of the line for his character, although there is no news whether the rest of the AvengersÂ cast would reprise their roles after Endgame.

Officially wrapped on Avengers 4. It was an emotional day to say the least. Playing this role over the last 8 years has been an honor. To everyone in front of the camera, behind the camera, and in the audience, thank you for the memories! Eternally grateful.
â€” Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) October 4, 2018

SOFT SPOILERS INCOMING
It was revealed after the press screening that Captain Marvel opens with a tribute to our hero, the late Stan Lee.Â Before his passing in November last year, he had already done filming for his cameosÂ for bothÂ Captain MarvelÂ andÂ Avengers: Endgame. Whether the tribute includes his cameoÂ or is in addition to it remains to be seen.
Captain Marvel premieres 6 March. Get your tickets before its all gone!


PUBG Mobile Releases Official Collab Video With Malaysia’s BoBoiBoy

PUBG MOBILE has released the official trailer of its exciting collaboration with local animated series BoBoiBoy, produced by MONSTA.
The 1.55-minute video shows both PUBG MOBILE and BoBoiBoy characters battling to collect the seven core elements from the BoBoiBoy universe. The exclusive collaboration items include a BoBoiBoy-themed parachute, helmet, backpack, ornament and graffiti spray. Additionally, the PUBG MOBILE revealed two characters inspired by BoBoiBoy and Fang that reimagines the two popular heroes in a unique style and upgraded uniform. The characters will arrive in PUBG MOBILE in Early 2023.
The PUBG MOBILE x BoBoiBoy collaboration will expand beyond Malaysia including countries Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Taiwan & Hong Kong. This is the first Malaysian collaboration to be released in multiple countries in Southeast Asia.
The partnership between PUBG MOBILE and MONSTA is one of many local collaborations set to launch this year. Stay tuned for the full details of the collaboration soon.
For more information, visit PUBG MOBILE’s official social media pages:

Facebook: PUBG MOBILE Malaysia
Facebook: PUBG MOBILE Esports Malaysia
YouTube: PUBG MOBILE Malaysia
Instagram: @pubgmobilemyofficial


Age Of Empires 4 Won’t Have Microtransactions, Says Creative Director

Relic Entertainment recently unveiled the first-ever glimpse at the gameplay in Age Of Empires 4 last week during the X019 London Inside Xbox live stream. Creative director Adam Isgreen was there during the weekend to reveal more details about the upcoming game.
According to PCGamesN, Isgreen confirmed that Age Of Empires 4 will be following a brand new business model, where there won’t be any microtransactions or in-app purchases of any kind.
He said:

â€œThe idea of microtransactions in a real-time strategy game isnâ€™t a thing.
DLC, expansions â€“ all of that is things that weâ€™re going to be exploring for Age 4.â€

Instead of microtransactions, Microsoft’s new studio World’s Edge is looking towards releasing expansions and DLC content for not only Age Of Empires 4, but all previous games in the franchise, including the recently-released Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition.
However, the expansion content will vary according to the game. For instance, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition won’t be getting any more civilizations since it already has a whopping 35. In fact, Isgreen said:

â€œOur pro players are even like, please donâ€™t add more civilisations, please do other things.
â€œBut we want to have those conversations with the community, to figure out what we can add.
What are the things they want to see in the game?
Things like game modes.â€

The post-launch content for Age Of Empires 4 will ultimately be driven by the community and the players as well.

â€œWhile we definitely already have ideas in terms of where we want to go past Age 4, in terms of expansions and stuff, a lot of that is going to be driven by the community and the players, where they want to see the game going.â€

Age Of Empires 4 is slated to release for the PC, though no release date or window has been announced. In the meantime, feast your eyes on the epic gameplay from Age Of Empires 4 below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAbI0fewc7w&w=560&h=315]


Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Prequel Comic Resolves Gender Canon Conundrum

Just like 2018’s Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Ubisoft’s upcoming Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will give players two choices; between a male or female protagonist, both of whom are named Eivor.
Unlike Odyssey (in which female protagonist Kassandra was canon), the developer previously mentioned that this time both genders will somehow be considered canon (due to an upgraded Animus machine which has allowed present-day protagonist Layla Hassan to choose whichever gender she wants).
However, the official Dark Horse graphic novel series Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Song of Glory, which acts as a prequel to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, has chosen to portray Eivor as a woman.
It details the female Eivor’s life and backstory prior to the events of the upcoming game. There may be spoilers ahead for those who wish to play Assassin’s Creed Valhalla as fresh as possible, so I’ll insert some warnings below:

The description for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Song of Glory reads (via official website):

Tensions escalate when a village caught between two rival kingdoms is brutally raided.
Eivor, warrior and daughter of wise King Styrbjorn, dispatches the raiders, rescues the villagers, and claims the settlement for her father.
She also seizes a prisonerâ€“a woman, Gull, left behind by the rivalsâ€“who declares she possesses the secrets of Asgard itself.
But there is more to Gull than meets the eye, and her capture will bring death and destruction to Eivorâ€™s family.
In disgrace and lured by the promise of treasures and glory, Eivor undergoes a dangerous quest to regain her honor, but what terror awaits in the forgotten temple of a powerful god?
All the time, her brother Sigurd forges his own legend while searching for fortune in the lands of the East.
Far from home, he finds new weapons and fresh plunder, making a discovery that will change his destiny forever . . .

There you go, Assassin’s Creed fans. It looks like Eivor has royal blood, and that she (or he) has a brother named Sigurd (who might be an Assassin or Templar).
Also, don’t worry much about which gender is canon, folks. In Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, it’s already been confirmed that players can change genders at any time (due to that aforementioned Animus upgrade).
Assassinâ€™s Creed ValhallaÂ is slated to release for the PS4 and Xbox One, as well as PC via the Epic Games Store, Uplay, and Stadia on 17 November 2020.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slF6NyI6ki8&w=560&h=315]


Respawn Entertainment’s New Job Listings Hint At Fallen Order Sequel

Despite all of its flaws, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is still one of the best Star Wars games to come out in recent years. The game’s commercial and critical success tell us it deserves a sequel and it’s quite possible that such a game has already been greenlit.

Developer Respawn Entertainment has just put up three new job listings on the EA careers webpage. There are vacancies for a Senior Character Artist, Level Designer, and Senior Software Engineer. All of the roles are meant for the studio’s Star Wars team.
The opening description of the Senior Software Engineer post reveals that these vacancies are being filled for a third person action-adventure game set in the Star Wars universe. That’s exactly what Fallen Order is so it’s not hard to connect the dots.
Seeing as how we’re only a year away from the launching of the PlayStation 5 and the new Xbox (yeah, it’s just called Xbox), this next Star Wars game by Respawn is likely to be made for those consoles.
Thanks,Games Radar.


Warner Bros. Discovery Slows Down Development Of Upcoming DC Movies

After just cancelling the Batgirl movie last week, Warner Bros. Discovery seems to be assessing all the other DC film projects as well. Ongoing DC film projects have been slowed down, including Supergirl, Static Shock, Green Lantern Corps and the new Black Superman movie written by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
That’s according to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, whose insiders told them that many inside DC were “pissed” at Warner Bros. Discovery’s new approach. In fact, DC Films president Walter Hamada himself almost quit after the Batgirl movie was cancelled, but he’s only staying on until the Black Adam movie releases this October. According to the same sources, Hamada planned to make a Crisis On Infinite Earths event for DC movies, as well as a Secret Six movie, featuring another iconic supervillain team from the DC universe ala the Suicide Squad.
The only confirmed safe projects include those under James Gunn (including Peacemaker Season 2), Blue Beetle starring Cobra Kai star Xolo Mariduena and Joker 2 or Joker Folie A Deux. The Flash movie also seems like it’s moving forward, but anything can happen now that Warner Bros. has new leadership in the form of new CEO David Zaslav.
As DC Comics fans, we hope all of these projects still see the light of day and don’t get unceremoniously cancelled like Batgirl. A single movie or TV series can take the hard work of hundreds of people, not to mention money, time and other resources. It’s unfortunate to let all that go to waste, no matter how bad the end product apparently is (Batgirl was considered to be not good enough for release by new Warner Bros. Discovery bosses).


Is Razer Still Going To Release Its Phones And Laptops In Malaysia? We Ask Min-Liang Tan On Twitter

It’s nice to live in an age where social media presence matter. Kind of. Razer’s Min-Liang Tan was quick in helping out the Malaysian esports scene by investing RM10 million into it. Bravo!
https://twitter.com/minliangtan/status/1058350427211653120
A few days later, our very own Kenn Leandre asked a question about Razer products. A simple question really: is Malaysia still getting Razer phones and Razer Blades on an official non-grey marketing basis?
https://twitter.com/minliangtan/status/1058988890248355846
https://twitter.com/minliangtan/status/1058990757023891456
Based on these public responses, Min-Liang Tan seems to be skirting the obvious question: when will Malaysia officially get its Razer Phone and Razer Blades?
To be fair, if a company plans to release certain things on a regional basis due to market responses, sure. And if they’re ready to make an announcement while just focusing on esports first, that’s their PR prerogative.
Also, the question was asked during a Sunday; people gotta rest & relax, right? If he managed to respond like this during the weekend, however, it would be nice to have a bit of transparency whether Razer bothers distributing its most-requested products to the country he’s helping out esports-wise. It wouldn’t hurt them to make a clear stance here and now.
A side note: ever since Min-Liang made his esports announcement, he received a slew of abusive messages about it, presumably from butthurt Singaporeans. Here is his official counter:
https://www.facebook.com/minliangtan/posts/2021544757903296?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBUd58ZsVubrnZw1XS2CFSHTxMFWdyEwDrL0TvUQv_CpZzWtU8rRb35fLhVefvb-WO_JJ0_iyoINNO90jOUvcWRBQ-KWeQShuCsq2SlrcV-JCMO-7QKp5CaE6YTJL8QiL2PtPlDO_qg97viIAgUtfNd_TE4Dj_gCQ1TBUX2ihe5vTOliFErd5pN39k6eb_BTcu3rH634IHBSMrDor6otLc&__tn__=-R
We’ll update this story as time goes by.


Here’s How You Can Fight The Coronavirus While Gaming On Your PC

We may mostly be indoors playing games now due to the current state of the world, but that doesn’t mean you can’t contribute a lick.
If you have a gaming rig powered with the best graphics card, you can actually lend a hand in the fight against the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. That’s what Nvidia is doing right now: they’re asking everyone with gaming-ready PCs to download the current Folding@home application and start using their spare clock cycles towards advancing the world’s scientific knowledge of the virus.

PC Gamers, let’s put those GPUs to work.
Join us and our friends at @OfficialPCMR in supporting folding@home and donating unused GPU computing power to fight against COVID-19!
Learn more ? https://t.co/EQE4u7xTZT pic.twitter.com/uO0ZCq8PEv
— NVIDIA GeForce (@NVIDIAGeForce) March 13, 2020

Here’s how it works: Folding@home links to computers into an international network that uses processing power to complete massive computing tasks. If your computer can run games like The Division 2 and Borderlands 3 at mid-range specs, your GPU should be up to the task to help.
Be sure to select the following projects if you want to lend a hand against the current virus:

11741: Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 causing virus) receptor binding domain in complex with human receptor ACE2.
11746: Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 causing virus) receptor binding domain in complex with human receptor ACE2 (alternative structure to 11741).
11742: Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 causing virus) protease in complex with an inhibitor.
11743: Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 causing virus) protease â€“ potential drug target.
11744: Coronavirus SARS-CoV (SARS causing virus) receptor binding domain trapped by a SARS-CoV S230 antibody.
11745: Coronavirus SARS-CoV (SARS causing virus) receptor binding domain mutated to the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 causing virus) trapped by a SARS-CoV S230 antibody.

Folding@home has been around for a while back in the PS3 days, but its goal is still the same: get users to distribute power to all kinds of beneficial research for better human life. It’s good to know that most of us can spare some GPU power to understanding and combating the coronavirus while binging on Final Fantasy XIV.Â


Spider-Man No Way Home The More Fun Stuff Version Comes To Malaysia This September

Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios have announced that the premiere dates of Spider-Man No Way Home The More Fun Stuff Version around the world. It will premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 8 September 2022.
What is the Spider-Man No Way Home The More Fun Stuff Version? No one but Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios know the answer to that. We still don’t know what will be added to the theatrical version of the movie, but perhaps this will be some sort of director’s cut with additional footage.
However, the theatrical version is already almost three hours long (two hours and a half), so what else can they add to an overstuffed movie? More Spider-Men?
If you’re looking for a non-spoiler review of Spider-Man No Way Home, you can head on over here. If you’ve watched the movie or don’t mind spoilers, check out my Spider-Man No Way Home breakdown and post-credits explanation article here.

Swinging soon to a theater near you! Check out the global releases for #SpiderManNoWayHome – The More Fun Stuff Version and save the date! ? ? pic.twitter.com/30WtpmMQ0H
— Sony Pictures (@SonyPictures) July 19, 2022


Honkai Star Rail Seele Build Guide

In Honkai Star Rail, the next big JRPG from HoYoverse, you’ll get a plethora of characters to gacha from. One of the game’s highlighted launch characters is Seele, who is known for her damage-dealing kit.
In this quick guide, we’ll be focusing on how to make your Seele the best damage-dealer in the party.
Honkai Star Rail Seele Guide

To improve Seele, give her equipment that improves and buffs up her damage output. She has a few options, depending on what luck of the draw is available for you. Her DPS abilities are important, so make sure you send gear her way that complements that. This is so that Seele can jump in and hit a powerful target with a ton of damage, then rely on her other party members to finish the job.
Here are her skills, Eidolons, and Traces.

Seele Skills
Basic Attack: Thwack
Single Target. Deals Quantum DMG equal to 50% of Seele’s ATK to a single enemy.
Skill: Sheathed Blade
Single Target. Deals Quantum DMG equal to 110% of Seele’s ATK to a single enemy. Seele gains 25% SPD for 2 turn(s).
Ultimate: Butterfly Flurry
Single Target. Seele enters the buffed state and deals Quantum DMG equal to 240% of Seele’s ATK to a single enemy.
Talent: Resurgence
Enhance. Seele enters the buffed state upon defeating an enemy and receives an extra action. While in the buffed state, Seele increases her DMG by 40% for 1 turn(s). Enemies defeated in the extra action will not trigger another.
Technique: Phantom Illusion
Enhance After using her Technique, Seele gains Stealth for 20 second(s). While Stealth is active, Seele cannot be detected by enemies. When she attacks enemies to trigger combat, Seele will immediately enter the buffed state.

Seele Eidolon
Eidolon 1: Butterfly Dance
The SPD Boost effect of Seele’s Skill can stack up to 2 time(s).
Eidolon 2: Cut Off
When dealing DMG to an enemy whose HP is at 50% of their Max HP or lower, Seele’s CRIT Rate increases by 15%.
Eidolon 3: Dazzled
Skill Lv. +2, up to a maximuum of Lv. 15. Talent ATK Lv. +2, up to a maximuum of Lv. 15.
Eidolon 4: A Glimpse
Seele regenerates 15 Energy when she defeats an enemy.
Eidolon 5: Keen and Sharp
Ultimate Lv. +2, up to a maximuum of Lv. 15. Basic ATK Lv. +1, up to a maximuum of Lv. 10.
Eidolon 6: Separation
After using Seele’s Ultimate, inflict the target enemy with Butterfly Flurry for 1 turn(s). Enemies suffering from Butterfly Flurry take additional Quantum DMG equal to 18% of Seele’s Ultimate DMG every time they are attacked. If the enemy is defeated by the Butterfly Flurry DMG triggered by other allies’ attacks, Seele’s Talent will not be triggered. When Seele is knocked down, the Butterfly Flurry inflicted on the enemies will be removed.

Seele Traces

Total Stats: Atk +28%, Crit Damage +22.5%, Def +12.5%
Ascension 2: Nightshade
When Seele’s HP is at 50% of Max HP or lower, reduces the chance of Seele being attacked by enemies.
Ascension 4: Rippling Waves
After using a Basic ATK, Seele’s next action will be Advanced Forward by 20%.
Ascension 6: Lacerate
While in the buffed state, Seele’s Quantum RES PEN increases by 20%.

Honkai Star Rail Best Seele Gear
Here are the list of best equipment to use on Seele.
Relics: use Genius of Brilliant Stars set and Celestial Differentiator sets. If you use two Genius of Brilliant Stars items, you add 10% to any Quantum damage inflicted. If you use two Celestial Differentiator items, you add 8% to Crit Rate and 20% enhancement to Basic ATK and Skill DMG when the Crit Rate reaches 80% or higher.
Light Cone: If possible, get In The Night as it increases her Basic ATK, Skill DMG, and Ultimate DMG. If not, you should go with Arrows as it increases Crit Rate.

Honkai Star Rail is available this week on 26 April. For more on how to gacha and reroll for characters like Seele, head here.


Hi-Fi Rush Guide: How To Rock Out With Your Robot Arm Out

Bethesda and Tango Gameworks’ latest game Hi-Fi Rush is a nice hybrid of character action and rhythm game mechanics. You fight mechas as Chai, who has a robot arm and fights with a metal guitar, and your hits deal more damage when they’re in sync with the background music. It’s similar to 2020’s No Straight Roads.
Hi-Fi Rush is fun, but it can get tough if your rhythm gaming know-how isn’t up to snuff. Luckily we’re here to help. Here are a few tips on how to get ahead. All inputs are following the Xbox controller.
Calibrate The Latency To Your Needs

Button timings too fast or two slow? Go calibrate the latency before the game starts!
Hi-Fi Rush relies on you to get with the game’s rhythm so that your attacks hit for more damage. As such, timing and inputs do matter. Before you start the game, you can head to the latency calibration option in the main menu and determine how precise or imprecise the latency is.
When You Start Out, The Y, X,X Combo Is The Best
Chai’s Y,X,X combo (followed by a final Beat Hit with any button input when you see the circle closing in) makes him perform a mid-ranged “projectile” attack that reaches a good distance and hits anything in its path. This combo is accessible at the start of the game and has saved us a couple of times in combat.
Until you earn enough bolts to buy new and better moves, this combo can carry you for most of the game. Besides, your teammate assists are more useful in the long-run as they can penetrate special defenses and can inflict stun onto enemies.
You Can Cancel To Dodges And Parries From Your Attacks

Chai’s defensive options can be cancelled from attacks. This means you can wail on enemies, and then dodge/parry at the last second if you’re using a regular X attack that’s fast and chainable. Plus, the music and beats from the bass and rhythm can cue you in on when an enemy’s loud attack is coming.
When Equipping Chips,Use The Ones That Lower Partner Cooldown

As you progress through the game, you can summon a teammate as support attacks. Peppermint fires plasma shots that takes down blue shields while Macaron can do a close-range ground pound that destroys Z-Shields.
After summoning them, you have to wait for their ability to cool down before using them again. Equip chips that reduce their cooldown so that you can summon them frequently. These support attacks are very useful in combat as they can make your life easier.
You Can Dodge Or Jump To Avoid An Elite Enemy’s Sequence Attack

When you reduce an elite enemy’s health to 1/4th, they go into a frenzy (indicated by the sharp orange aura they emanate) and can hit you with a special attack that requires you to parry their oncoming onslaught. If you successfully parry most of their attacks, you can deal a one-hit kill to end their lives.
However, you can avoid the initial shockwave attack that leads up to the sequence attacks by, you guessed it, jumping out of the way. You can see it coming a mile away as soon as they’re in said frenzy.
You Can Only Replay Stages AFTER Finishing The Game
Unlike other character hyper-action games like Devil May Cry and No Straight Roads, you cannot replay stages in Hi-Fi Rush early on. Once you beat the game (which takes about 8+ hours), you have the option to replay any of the  12 stages in any difficulty. Plus, after you beat the game once, you can unlock Rhythm Game difficulty, where you automatically lose if your Beat grade drops to a D.

Boss Fight Walkthrough


[Rumour] Nvidia-Powered Super Laptops Are Coming; Get Ready

Next-generation laptops armed with Intel 10th gen processors and Nvidia Super GPUs could be coming just next month.
New laptop announcements by manufacturers might happen on April 2 (via Wccftech), with the sales embargo lifting on April 15. The website previously wrote that the Super GPUs would be announced on March 31, while the processors would be launched sometime in late March.
According to reliable sources, the GPU lineup includes new variants for the Geforce GTX 1650, Geforce GTX 1650 Ti. Geforce RTX 2060, Geforce RTX 2070, and Geforce RTX 2080. The Geforce RTX 2070 will also have a second replacement variant called the GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER. For the processors, there are the Core i5 10300H, Core i7 10750H, and Core i7 10875H.
Wccftech also wrote that the new GTX 1650, which will feature GDDR6 instead of GDDR5, will replace GTX 1050 3GB GDDR5 cards in entry-level gaming laptops, which I’m happy to hear.
Interestingly, the new cards are said to be priced similarly to the ones they’re replacing, so gamers will be getting more bang for their buck soon. That’s a great thing, although those who already bought gaming laptops recently might be wishing they’d abstained for a bit longer.


New PS App Launches Today, Adds PS5 Features

Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced that the new PlayStation App for iOS and Android will launch later today. However, If you already have the PlayStation App installed on your mobile device, it will be available as an update to the existing app.
Hereâ€™s a list of the updated appâ€™s key features:
Updated User InterfaceÂ â€“ The redesigned PlayStation App now features a redesigned UI. The new home screen lets you quickly see what your friends are playing and access details about your recently played games, including your Trophy List.

Messages IntegrationÂ â€“ For a unified experience, the PlayStation Messages app feature will now be integrated into the updated PlayStation App so you can seamlessly message your friends all in one place. As part of this integration, PlayStation Messages will no longer be available as a standalone app. Your existing messages and threads in PlayStation Messages will be carried over to the updated PlayStation App.

Voice Chat and Party GroupsÂ â€“ You can now create party groups from PlayStation App, and voice chat with up to 15 other friends though your mobile phone.

Natively Integrated PlayStation Store and Remote DownloadsÂ â€“ The new native PlayStation Store experience enables fast and smooth shopping and browsing, with the ability to remotely download games and add-ons directly to your PS4 and PS5.

New Features for PS5Â â€“ When the PS5 arrives, youâ€™ll be able to remotely launch games, manage storage on your console if you run out of space while downloading a game, and quickly sign in to PS5 straight from the PlayStation App.

All the Latest PlayStation NewsÂ â€“ The Explore tab surfaces Official News from game developers and PlayStation Blog content to help you stay up to date with the world of PlayStation.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


VCT 2022 APAC Last Chance Qualifier: BOOM Esports Are Going To Valorant Champions

Indonesian esports organisation, BOOM Esports book themselves a ticket to ?stanbul, Turkey where they will be the third Asia-Pacific representative at Valorant Champions 2022 in September. They are also the first all-Indonesian Valorant team to ever make it to an international tournament.
The roster that will be attending the tournament will be captain Saibani “fl1pzjder” Rahmad, Gary “blaZek1ng” Dastin, Rizkie “BerserX” Adla Kusuma, David “Tehbotol” Monangin and coach Dong-jun “meow” Ji along with Fikri “famouz” Zaki on loan from Persija Esports.

Look. Look what it means to them. Look what it means to us.
Thank you for making our dreams come true.
We are proud of you. Indonesia is proud of you. ????@fikrizaki @blaZek1ngg @fl1pzjder @BerserX_ @tehbotolvlr @meowvlrt pic.twitter.com/haRusjvsyk
— BOOM Esports (@boomesportsid) August 7, 2022

To qualify, BOOM Esports had to face fellow Indonesian team, ONIC Esports in the Grand Finals where they had to play a Best-of-5 series to win. Both BOOM and ONIC have gone head-to-head many times before, so much so that local fans have dubbed the matchup ‘El Classico VCT Indonesia’.
The two teams had previously met in the upper bracket semifinals where BOOM came out on top, winning the series 2–0 but the scoreline doesn’t do the series justice as both maps were extremely close with BOOM taking the first map, Breeze, 13–10 and the second map, Fracture, went to overtime but eventually ended 19–17 to BOOM.
ONIC had an amazing run to the Grand Finals, taking down the likes of Made in Thailand, Filipino representatives, Team Secret and fan-favourites to win, Bleed eSports. After upsetting all the aforementioned teams, ONIC would need to take down their fellow countrymen if they wanted a chance to represent both APAC and Indonesia.
BOOM also had an impressive run themselves only dropping three out of the eight maps they had played leading up to the Grand Finals. Just like their previous meeting, this series was close and each map could have gone either way.
Map 1, Bind went in favour of BOOM as they won 13–10. Map 2 saw another overtime with BOOM coming out on top 14–12. BOOM and ONIC faced off on Fracture for the second time this tournament in Map 3, but this time ONIC came out on top 13–11.
Icebox would be the final map to be played and began extremely one-sided towards ONIC as they finished the first half of the map 8–4. Unfortunately, the momentum reset after both teams switched sides with ONIC only managing a mere three rounds before eventually losing the map 11–13.
However, BOOM Esports aren’t the first Indonesians to play internationally as the recent VCT Masters 2 runner-up was Paper Rex who hosted Aaron “mindfreak“ Leonhart and Jason “f0rsakeN“ Susanto, two of the best Indonesian players the country has ever produced.
In the coming weeks, we will see who from the other regions will qualify for Valorant Champions which will take place on 9 September live in ?stanbul. Be sure to stay tuned for that.


Overwatch Light On Updates Because Of  Sequel, According To Director

If you’re wondering why the past few Overwatch updates are severely lacking in meat the past few years or so,Â  wonder no more. It’s because of Overwatch 2,Â as many folks have suspected since the leaks.
Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan said during a Kotaku interview that it hasn’t been easy for the development team to split its focus onÂ  OverwatchÂ live content and aspects while keeping mum about Overwatch 2.

“Overwatch 2Â was 100 percent the reason [for the sluggish updates]. And that was the reason that we were so excited to announceÂ Overwatch 2. We now feel like we can have that open dialogue with the community of, â€˜This is what weâ€™re doing, this is why weâ€™re doing these things’.”

Kaplan stressed that Overwatch’s current state isn’t a slow death, but more a temporary stasis.Â  Parts 1 and 2 will be updated with new maps and heroes at the same time. When partÂ  2 goes live, partÂ  1 will receive all of its graphical improvements.

“There will be a point where the clients merge. We think this is important, especially as a competitive experience. The whole idea is to avoid fragmenting the player base and giving anybody a competitive advantage. If weâ€™re playing in the same competitive pool, youâ€™d better not have a better framerate just because youâ€™re on a different version of the engine.”

Kaplan also talked about the new non-arcade mode Push being central in expanding multiplayer mode session.

“People think Iâ€™m crazy when I say this, but we are always working on new modes. They just rarely work out to be fun and balanced. They have this high propensity to be fun for, like, a day or two, and then you realize that itâ€™s impossible to balance, or it doesnâ€™t have a long tail to it. What tends to happen is, the ones that are relatively successful, but we donâ€™t feel like theyâ€™re strong enough for competitive or theÂ OverwatchÂ League, they make their way to the arcade. So many modes, we just kill outright. But we love making new modes.”

Though he did stress that Overwatch and its players will not be abandoned, he is still keen on makingÂ  Overwatch 2 work.

“I thinkÂ Overwatch 2Â is kinda gonna be the greatest moment inÂ OverwatchÂ history. The fact that we can pick up again with that live service cadence, where weâ€™re 100 percent focused, is really exciting to me.”

For more on the upcoming sequel/DLC, check out what we wrote about it.


Battlefield 4 Servers Will Be Doubled To Deal With 2042 Hype

A lot of people seem to love the Battlefield 2042 gameplay trailer revealed during the Xbox and Bethesda showcase. Thanks to a huge spike in player numbers for Battlefield 4, publisher EA will be boosting server capacity for Battlefield 4.Â
“We were absolutely blown away by your excitement and reactions to the recent Battlefield 2042 reveal. Since then, many of you have jumped back into Battlefield 4 to already get a taste of the return to all-out-warfare. Weâ€™ve been monitoring your experience and noticed queue times in the US West region were far longer than in other regions. Good news, weâ€™ve increased server capacity for this region â€“ you can expect less waiting, and more playing.”
No word on whether the boost will be done for Battlefield 1 and Battlefield V; the latter seems to be a game the publisher wants to forget doing. Battlefield 2042 will be out on 22nd October.


Netflix October 2021: Our Picks & Highlights

Since everyone is (still mostly) staying home because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Iâ€™m sure you wonâ€™t want to waste time sifting through Netflixâ€™s extensive catalogue of shows and movies just to decide on what to watch. The streaming giant updates its site every day, week, and month with new content, so Iâ€™m here to save your precious time.
Here are my personal recommendations and highlights for Netflix Malaysiaâ€™s October 2021 lineup and how to fill up your free time with worthwhile content at home:
The Guilty (1 October 2021)
THE GUILTY: JAKE GYLLENHAAL as JOE BAYLER. CR: NETFLIX Â© 2021.
The Guilty takes place over the course of a single morning in a 911 dispatch call centre. Call operator Joe Bayler (Gyllenhaal) tries to save a caller in grave dangerâ€”but he soon discovers that nothing is as it seems, and facing the truth is the only way out.
A remake of the 2018 Danish film of the same name, the film stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Ethan Hawke, Riley Keough, Christina Vidal, Eli Goree, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Paul Dano, and Peter Sarsgaard.

The Way Of The Househusband Season 1 Part 2 (7 October 2021)

This world-class househusband was once a feared legendary member of the yakuza! â€œThe Way of the Househusbandâ€ is a cosy gangster comedy about â€œThe Immortal Dragon,â€ a former yakuza member whose incredible feats are still talked about in the underworld, and who spends his daily life as a househusband!

PokÃ©mon The Movie Secrets Of The Jungle (8 October 2021)

Netflix has announced that the next PokÃ©mon animated movie (the 23rd in the franchise),Â PokÃ©mon The Movie Secrets Of The Jungle, will premiere exclusively on the streaming platform onÂ 8 October 2021Â worldwide.
The synopsis reads:
Deep in the jungle, far from any human settlement, youâ€™ll find the Forest of Okoyaâ€”a PokÃ©mon paradise forbidden to outsiders. In this jungle lives Koko, a human boy who has been raised as a PokÃ©mon by the Mythical PokÃ©mon Zarude. Koko has grown up never doubting that he is a PokÃ©mon. But one day, a chance meeting with Ash and Pikachu leaves Koko with his first human friend. Is he truly a PokÃ©mon? Or is he, in fact, a human?

Bright Samurai Soul (12 October 2021)

Set in Japan between the end of the shogunate and Meiji era, this spin-off tells the story of Izou, a Ronin, and Raiden, an orc, who work to bring a young elf girl and the wand she carries to the land of the elves in the northâ€¦
It is an upcoming anime film spin-off of the Netflix live-action movie Bright directed by KyÅhei Ishiguro from a script by Michiko Yokote.

You Season 3 (15 October 2021)
YOU (L to R) PENN BADGLEY as JOE GOLDBERG in episode 301 of YOU Cr. JOHN P. FLEENOR/NETFLIX Â© 2021
Now married with a young baby, Love and Joe try to forge a normal life in the affluent suburb of Madre Linda. But old habits die hard.
It will feature the continuation of Joe Goldberg’s fraught relationship with Love, who is pregnant with his child in a new suburban home. You series creators Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble return as co-executive producers, and Gamble returns as showrunner.
Penn Badgley, Victoria Pedretti and Saffron Burrows, who was upgraded to a series regular, will reprise their roles. New cast members include Shalita Grant, Travis Van Winkle, Dylan Arnold, and Tati Gabrielle. Michaela McManus will portray Joe’s new neighbour, shown at end of the second season.

Night Teeth (20 October 2021)
NIGHT TEETH (2021)Jorge Lengeborg Jr. as Benny and Lucy Fry as Zoe.Cr: Kat Marcinowski/NETFLIX
Bennyâ€™s entire world is turned upside down after picking up two mysterious girls who expose him to a secret world he never knew existed. He is suddenly hurled into their cryptic underworld on a mission to save his city from dripping in blood.
Night Teeth is an upcoming American horror-thriller film, directed by Adam Randall from a screenplay by Brent Dillon. It stars Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Debby Ryan, Megan Fox, Lucy Fry, Alfie Allen, RaÃºl Castillo, and Alexander Ludwig.

Locke & Key Season 2 (22 October 2021)
LOCKE & KEY (L to R) HALLEA JONES as EDEN HAWKINS and GRIFFIN GLUCK as GABE in episode 207 of LOCKE & KEY Cr. AMANDA MATLOVICH/NETFLIX Â© 2021
Locke & Key follows 3 siblings who, after the murder of their father, move to their ancestral home only to find the house has magical keys that give them a vast array of powers and abilities.
Locke And KeyÂ is based on the horror drama graphic novels/comics of the same name by Joe Hill and Gabriel RodrÃguez. For those who donâ€™t know, Joe Hill is actually the son of horror maestro Stephen King himself.
In the meantime,Â check out our full review ofÂ Locke And KeyÂ Season 1 here, orÂ head on over hereÂ for our exclusive interview with the showrunners Cuse and Averill to learn more about how the show came to be.

Army Of Thieves (29 October 2021)
ARMY OF THIEVES (L to R) Stuart Martin as BRAD CAGE, Ruby O. Fee as Korina, Matthias SchweighÃ¶fer as LUDWIG DIETER, Nathalie Emmanuel as GWENDOLINE in ARMY OF THIEVES. Photo Credit: Stanislav Honzik/Netflix Â© 2021
Remember the nervous but animated German safecracker from Zack Snyderâ€™sÂ Army Of The Dead? Dieter is coming back to your screens, this time with fewer zombies and more safes to crack!
Before his stint as a master locksmith in the zombie heist film, Ludwig Dieter (Matthias SchweighÃ¶fer) was simply a bank teller in a small town living an ordinary life. In the upcoming prequelÂ Army Of Thieves,Â Dieterâ€™s life is about to turn upside down when he is recruited by a mysterious woman to pull off a heist alongside her crew of thieving misfits.
The synopsis reads:
In this prequel to Zack Snyderâ€™s Army of the Dead, small-town bank teller Dieter gets drawn into the adventure of a lifetime when a mysterious woman recruits him to join a crew of Interpolâ€™s most wanted criminals, attempting to heist a sequence of legendary, impossible-to-crack safes across Europe.
Directed by Matthias SchweighÃ¶fer himself, the movie will also star:

Nathalie Emmanuel
Ruby O. Fee
Stuart Martin
Guz Khan
Jonathan Cohen

You can check out my review ofÂ Army Of The DeadÂ hereÂ and my juicy interview with Zack Snyder himself byÂ heading over here.

Those are just several selected highlights from next monthâ€™s offerings of new TV series and movies on Netflix. Now you can plan your Netflix binge-fest for October 2021.


VCT 2022: Stage 2 Masters Copenhagen – Paper Rex Take Down Fnatic While Handicapped

The past couple of days haven’t been the best for the roster of Paper Rex, but regardless of the unfortunate circumstances, they managed to prevail and secure themselves in the Top 4 yet again.
be sure to check out our STAGE 2 MASTERS SCHEDULE

PAPER REX JUST CAN’T CATCH A BREAK
Last night we found out that the majority of the Paper Rex roster tested positive for COVID. We were already aware that Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto had contracted the virus, but we found out that over the next few days, more and more members of Singaporean-based organisation would be picked off by COVID. Starting with Paper Rex’s resident Malaysian, Khalish “d4v41“ Rusyaidee who tested positive a day after f0rsakeN. The following day their manager Joshua “JdFaker” Fok also tested positive followed by Paper Rex’s coach Alexandre “alecks“ Sallé two days after.

The PRX COVID-19 Daily Report ?
f0rsakeN @jasonsusantoo  13/7d4v41 @prxd4v41  14/7Team Manager @JdFaker 15/7Coach @aleckzon 17/7
We've been testing twice daily, isolation, masks on at all times. Can't catch a break…?
Who's next? ? #WGAMING
Stay safe everyone! ??
— Paper Rex ?? (@pprxteam) July 17, 2022

To further rub salt in the wound, an hour after their initial announcement, it was announced that Wang “Jinggg” Jing Jie also tested positive, leaving only Aaron “mindfreak“ Leonhart and Benedict “Benkai“ Tan to play alone on stage.

PRX COVID UPDATE:
 @Jingggxd has tested positive ?
All players are feeling fine with mild symptoms.
Currently, only @eggs_benkai and @aaronleonhart4 will be making their walkouts on stage. #VALORANTMasters pic.twitter.com/Ps8QyMiWo9
— Paper Rex ?? (@pprxteam) July 17, 2022

OVercoming obstacles
Ever since the acquisition of Emir “Alfajer” Ali Beder, Fnatic was yet to lose a game, until they met the Southeast Asian powerhouse that is Paper Rex. And regardless of the circumstance, the boys over at Paper Rex fought tooth and nail to take Fnatic’s Map 1 pick of Ascent in a nail-biting 13–11.
Fnatic was able to tie the game at 6–6 by the end of the first half. But Paper Rex was able to maintain momentum going into the second half, bringing the score to 12–9. Although they were able to bring the score close, mindfreak’s Astra put on a phenomenal performance to shut down the European side. He finished the first map with a 2.0 KD.
Map 2 would be Paper Rex’s pick of Bind. The PRX boys managed to secure a one-round advantage going into the half thanks to f0rsakeN’s 3k and were able to use that momentum to propel themselves into a position where they only needed two more rounds to win with the scoreline at 11–6. Fnatic would go on to win four rounds in a row but Paper Rex was able to reset and take the last two rounds they needed to close out the map.

YORU DIFF! @jasonsusantoo | #VALORANTMasters pic.twitter.com/Uwq2Kl4Ib0
— VALORANT Champions Tour ?? (@ValorantEsports) July 17, 2022

The biggest takeaway from this match is how reliant Fnatic is on their Finnish phenom, Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev. Right now, the rest of the team just isn’t able to pick up in matches like this. But this isn’t the end. Fnatic still has a great shot at making a loser’s bracket run if Derke can perform as he did against FunPlus Phoenix. Fnatic will go on to face the Chilean squad in Leviatán later today, 18 July at 11:00 PM (GMT+8).
Paper Rex on the other hand have secured yet another Top 4 placement at Masters this year, whether or not they can achieve a higher placings is up for debate as their next opponent is none other than the previous Masters Champions, OpTic Gaming. The GreenWall looks in good form as they are repeating their run from the last Masters. This match will determine who secures a spot in the Grand Final and will be played on 22 July at 11:00 PM (GMT+8).
For more VCT 2022 action, head over to our full schedule and live stream feature page.


She-Hulk Episode 3 Breakdown & Easter Eggs

The third 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 She-Hulk Episode 1 and Episode 2 here.
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.

Wong Shows Up

Jennifer wants to meet Wong because she wants to know why he broke Emil Blonsky out of prison.
It turns out that the only reason he broke Emil Blonsky out of prison is because it was part of his training to become Sorcerer Supreme.
What’s interesting is that does this take place before or after the events of Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness? My money is on before.
Spider-Man No Way Home Reference

Wong tells Jennifer that he won’t erase everyone’s memories because it’s messy. That sounds like a reference to the events of Spider-Man No Way Home, which is when Doctor Strange performed the spell to make everyone forget that Peter Parker is Spider-Man.
Rune Is A Light Elf

This is a rare occurrence that we can see a light elf from the realm of Alfheim. For comparison, Malekith and the dark elves in Thor The Dark World came from the realm of Svartalfheim. Light elves have the power to shapeshift.
The Wrecking Crew Makes Their Debut In The MCU

The Wrecking Crew makes their debut but the MCU version is a joke. Seriously, I laughed out loud when I saw this. In the comics, they’re much stronger, and they also use Asgardian-powered weapons, but sometimes they can go toe-to-toe with even Thor.
In the image above, from left to right, it’s Bulldozer (who has an enchanted helmet), Wrecker (the leader wielding an enchanted crowbar), Piledriver (he wields enchanted fists/gauntlets), and Thunderball (he wields an enchanted demolition ball with a chain)

Who Is The Wrecking Crew’s Boss?

The Wrecking Crew later mentions a boss, which means that there’s still a main antagonist who has yet to be revealed. My prediction is that it will be the Leader.
In case you forgot, the Leader AKA Samuel Sterns already exists in the MCU. He was played by Tim Blake Nelson in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.
However, this still remains a speculation and a theory at this point.

Post Credits Scene

The post-credits scene for this episode is just She-Hulk and Megan Thee Stallion twerking.
Until next episode, excelsior!


Doctor Who Reveals Episode Titles For 60th Anniversary Specials Coming This November

Doctor Who has launched an explosive new trailer which gave viewers an exciting glimpse of what to expect later this year when the TARDIS lands in time to celebrate its 60th anniversary, and it exclusively revealed the titles of the three special episodes.
The titles for the three special episodes are:

Special One: The Star Beast
Special Two: Wild Blue Yonder
Special Three: The Giggle

The exclusive trailer also gave an enthralling look at what’s to come with David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor, alongside Catherine Tate who has reprised her role as Donna Noble, with further teasers of other epic moments which include leading stars Neil Patrick Harris and Yasmin Finney who step into the world of Doctor Who for the 60th-anniversary special episodes.
Russell T Davies, Showrunner says:
“The titles are just the beginning of the Doctor’s biggest adventure yet. Autumn is coming, with three hours of danger, Donna and disaster about to be unleashed!”
Doctor Who returns sometime in November 2023 with three special episodes with David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor to coincide with the 60th anniversary. Ncuti Gatwa’s first episode as the Fifteenth Doctor will then air over the festive period, probably sometime in December 2023.
Doctor Who will premiere exclusively on the BBC for the UK and Ireland. Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar will be the exclusive home for new seasons of Doctor Who outside of the UK and Ireland.
As a Whovian, I’m happy for all my fellow Whovians out there.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Spider-Man No Way Home Swings Into PUBG Mobile

PUBG MOBILE has announced a promotional partnership with Sony Pictures and the hotly anticipated Spider-Man No Way Home, as the gameâ€™s first collaboration with Sony Pictures. Starting from today, players around the world will have the opportunity to get exclusive items such as collaboration graffiti by completing in-game missions. More details on gameplay and items will be revealed with the launch of PUBG MOBILE Version 1.8 update in mid-January.
Vincent Wang, Head of PUBG MOBILE Publishing, Tencent Games said:
â€œSpider-Man is one of the most beloved characters both in the Super Hero world, and more widely in popular culture.
The opportunity to team up with Spider-Man: No Way Home means that we can bring the excitement and anticipation of the film and character to PUBG MOBILE, something weâ€™re certain our players, and Spider-Man fans, are going to love.â€
Jeffrey Godsick, Executive Vice President of Global Partnerships and Brand Management and Head of Location Based Entertainment at Sony Pictures Entertainment, said:
â€œThis exciting collaboration will allow fans around the world to expand their engagement with their friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man through PUGB MOBILEâ€™s state-of-the-art gaming experience â€“ all while on the go with their mobile phone.”

In Spider-Man No Way Home, for the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighbourhood hero’s identity is revealed, bringing his Super Hero responsibilities into conflict with his normal life and putting those he cares about most at risk. When he enlists Doctor Strangeâ€™s help to restore his secret, the spell tears a hole in their world, releasing the most powerful villains whoâ€™ve ever fought a Spider-Man in any universe.
Now, Peter will have to overcome his greatest challenge yet, which will not only forever alter his own future but the future of the Multiverse. Spider-Man No Way Home will be swinging into local Malaysian cinemas from 16 December 2021.
Stayed tuned for more details on the PUBG MOBILE x Spider-Man: No Way Home promotional partnership, to be revealed with the launch of the PUBG MOBILE Version 1.8 update in mid-January.
PUBG MOBILE is available to download for free on the App Store and Google Play Store.
In the meantime, check out our spoiler-free Spider-Man No Way Home review by heading over here.


Dead or Alive 6 Is A Dumb Blonde Of A Fighting Game With A US$93 Season Pass

Platform(s): PS4, PC, Xbox One
Genre: 3D Fighting Game With Unlockable Fan Service & “Natural Motion”
Trust Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja to pull a bait-and-switch on the Western media. Just when they’re about to change their ways with a dressed-up Kasumi with dirt on her face, they basically went back to their old ways with the game’s improved “natural motion” and DLC costumes that leave little to the polygonal imagination. Hope it was worth it, especially since their recent stunt may not earn them a main stage presence in this year’s EVO (and future ones too).
This wouldn’t be so much of an issue if the game was leaps and bounds from part 5, which had a solid tweak in its fighting and guest characters like Mai from King of Fighters and Sarah from Virtua Fighter. DOA 6 kinda has some noteworthy changes in its super-fast counter-heavy 3D fighting gameplay, specifically its 4-way hold system which opens up lots of ways to counter specific moves. However, the core game still retains what made it popular in the first place, and that means little changes to an already-established framework.
Kudos to Team Ninja for making this one of the friendlier fighting game titles to pick up for this year. The game is accessible thanks to its 5-button system (Punch, Kick, Throw, Hold/Parry, and Special; that’s it). It’s also aesthetically flashy with its physics, sweat and dirt detail, and the rest of its glossy aesthetics. At the same time, the destructible environments and extra stage transitions (leading to big damage inflicted to the poor opponent) are still prevalent and makes the spectacle all the more pleasing to the eyes.
However, it isn’t as all-out as how Dead or Alive 2, 3, and 4 were in terms of upping the scale and showcasing awesome skin/body/ragdoll tech. The sex appeal and jiggle is there for long-time fans, but it’s hidden under a wave of grinding needed for costume-unlocking. When you play this from the get-go, you have mainstays like Kasumi and Leifang in their pretty decent and practical-for-fighting clothes.

Talk about making a great first impression; it’s like bringing a seemingly nice neighbourhood girl to your parents before they find out a few years later that she’s a renowned gravure idol veteran.

Lightning Crashes

DOA 6’s new character additions are led by a standout: the blue-haired NiCO. She’s an evil scientist hammed up to perfection and she’d damn well twirl a moustache if she had one. She has sparks coming out of her hands to shock opponents, has graceful Pencak Silat moves that are tricky to counter when up-close, and has that great mix of arrogance and cold-heartedness that doesn’t reflect her loli blue-haired Hatsune Miku-esque look. In short, she’s going to be a mainstay in the series and its volleyball-focused spin-off, I guaran-damn-tee it.

Nobody cares aboutÂ  newcomer Mexican-American Diego. Or Raidou; I didn’t know the latter was the last boss in the first game until DOA6 brought it up. I’m sure they’ll see tournament play, but they’re MvC Infinite functions instead ofÂ  actual characters players can hang onto.

In fact, there are DoA 5 leftovers like Marie Kondo Rose and Honoka who are just shoved into the absurd DoA plot in a lazy fashion. To their credit, they play pretty well. Marie Rose doesn’t have range but she hits hard for a short girl. I’ll also give Honoka some props: she steals different trademark moves from the roster from Hitomi’s karate punch combos to La Mariposa’s capoeira low-hitting kicks. She’s like the DOA equivalent of SFIV’s Seth in a guise of a miniskirt high school fetish.
And Nyotengu, the outsider bird tengu princess who contribute to the funny “what-the-hell” bits in the game’s story,Â  is a DLC character; for shame. Speaking of which, I do like the initiative Team Ninja is doing in fleshing out these anime Penthouse pin-up models with their segments in Story Mode.
You have the aforementioned Marie Rose teaming up with Honoka who ends up being integral to the story, and the DOA tournament bringing other side characters like cardboard-personality Diego and equally-interesting Mila together in short-but-sweet segments that do not wear out their welcome.

I had fun watching these non sequitur side bits; for the first time since forever, these characters have something resembling a personality. It’s not going top Mortal Kombat 9 by a long shot, but props to Team Ninja for trying.

And then there’s the US$93 Season Pass filled with garbs of clothes and outfits to sucker people into buying them. That’s a demerit since it’s Koei Tecmo and fighting game companies as a whole waving their lure at fighting game fans to spend money just for possible outfits and fewer characters who should have been in the main roster. It’s like your Tekken 7 and SoulCalibur 6 passes but multiplied four friggin’ times.
Let’s Get It On
The only reason I’m still sticking around DOA 6 apart from the game being mildly fun for couch sessions with buddies is because of the oodles of things you can unlock. You can do this with DOA Quest. Part grinding and part tutorial, DOA Quest lets you play through different characters to complete different objectives like finishing a survival mode round while getting in throws or a combo that deals X amount of damage.
If you finish part of it, you don’t get extra rewards. If you can’t figure out how to complete bits of a mission, there’s a handy tutorial you can access with the Triangle button. In fact, you can just go straight to the in-depth tutorial that should be the norm for all 3D fighting games.

In a way, DOA Quest taught me the ins and outs of the game from Offensive Holds to Expert Holds to juggling after using certain counterattacks. Oh, and figuring out when’s the best time to pull off mid and low holds/parries.
And all it needed was entice me with a bunch of rewards just for learning: extra garbs and clothing for the cast to mix and match with.

Of course, if you get the clothes points from 3-starring your missions, they’re distributed randomly to a character. This can be a huge pain if you only like certain characters like Hitomi or Leifang; you can’t direct all your clothing points to one person; it’s all arbitrary. So if you really want that blue Kasumi robe, you’ll have to pray to the random generator gods for your spoils. Compared to the past DOA games where unlocking specific gear is just a matter of playing your favourite character well in trials and other modes, this is a huge, huge disappointment.

As for online mode, there’s only Ranked Play for now. It works fine and dandy if you’re feeling competitive. But why no lobby-making options, Koei Tecmo? Some of us want to play with a bunch of friends in a character selection-savvy environment for s***s and giggles.
Also, what the hell happened to tag team mode? What was in past DOA games is strangely absent here. Don’t tell us this is going to be part of the next US$100 season pass; that would be utter horses*** if that happens.
Bad Touch?
DOA6 is a fun game, but it’s not really a huge leap from part 5, and it still needs more functions & fan-favourite modes to stand out from other fighting games even from last year. As much fun as it is to kick ass as either Hitomi or that schoolgirl with the multiple moves, the absurd Story Mode isn’t enough to pique my interest for more than a few weeks. Heck, the new DOA Quest mode can be a bit much for fans who want everything unlocked from the get-go or at least from a few hours of play.
At the very least, it’s an easy fighting game for people to pick up and thanks to the characters wearing sensible garbs from the get-go (until you start unlocking the risque ones), you don’t have to feel ashamed playing this with people around.
Okay, maybe you should turn off the “natural motion” for the female characters first. But other than that, it’s good clean PG-fighting fun.
Pros
-Accessible fast-paced fighting with some tweaks.
-NiCO is the best kind of evil scientist.
-Entertaining-if-nonsensical plotlines.
-Great & detailed 3D fighting game tutorial
-Retains core values of a Dead or Alive game, for better or worst.
Cons
-No extras and groundbreaking new features to elevate it.
-DOA Quest is a huge time-wasting grind.
-Not-so-inspiring new characters (except NiCO).
-Basic online features.
-That expensive Season Pass.
FINAL SCORE: 60/100


The Witches’ Saving Grace Is A Campy Anne Hathaway

Roald Dahl’s The Witches is an iconic piece of pop culture, but did it really need another movie adaptation? Sure, director Robert Zemeckis is a legend, with movies like the Back To The Future franchise, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Forrest Gump under his belt. Still, can his version be more than just another unnecessary adaptation of the source material, considering how iconic the 1990 cult classic by Nicolas Roeg still is to this very day?
A Familiar Retelling

I’ve read the original book by Roald Dahl and watched the 1990 movie. The biggest departure in the adaptation by Zemeckis and co-writers Kenya Barris and Guillermo Del Toro is the setting and the cultural subtext that comes with it. Instead of the picturesque European nations of Norway and England, this version is set in sweet Alabama, the United States in the 60s.
The movie doesn’t do much with the unique racial-cultural subtext; this is still targeted for children after all. However, there are still traces of subtle racism that doesn’t seem too overt. That’s one of the biggest things distinguishing this version from the book and 1990 movie adaptation, though it doesn’t exactly justify calling this a “reimagining”.
That’s because the main plot is pretty much identical to both the book and the 1990 movie. The 2020 adaptation begins with a lively narration by an adult Charlie (voiced by Chris Rock, who will continue to do so throughout the duration of the movie), during which he blurts out exposition about how witches are real and start to tell the story of his own experience with them when he was a kid.

The young Charlie (Jahzir Bruno) is orphaned by a car accident and sent to live with his grandma Agatha (Octavia Spencer). They then end up at a hotel where a congregation of witches gather for a meeting with the Grand High Witch. If you’re familiar with the source material or have watched the 1990 movie, you’ll know what happens next. The movie doesn’t do much to subvert expectations, but it does manage to be more faithful in several ways.
For instance, in the book, Dahl described the witches as having square feet with no toes and claws-like hands. In the 1990 movie, most of the witches looked more like old hags, and they presumably had enough budget to only make the Grand High Witch looking the most monstrous. However, we never saw details like square feet or purple blood. In Zemeckis’ movie, we do, in vivid detail, but of course, they were accomplished with CGI rather than practical effects.
Where’s The Charm?

Part of the timeless charm of the 1990 movie was its incredible practical effects and puppetry by legendary Jim Henson Company. Zemeckis’ adaptation doesn’t have any of that and relies fully on CGI instead (this is still the same man behind 2004’s The Polar Express and 2007’s Beowulf). Some of that CGI looks dodgy, and they just don’t compare to good old practical effects.
The comedy does feel a bit forced at times and gets a bit too campy at times. It’s not all bad though, as Hathaway’s performance as the Grand High Witch is campy and over the top but in a delightfully hammy and scenery-chewing way. Anjelica Huston’s Grand High Witch was also the highlight of the 1990 movie, and the same applies to Anne Hathaway’s turn in the same role. I’d say that Huston’s version is still superior and more iconic but Hathaway holds her own pretty well. That is; when she remembers to sound Norwegian rather than Russian.
Her human disguise looks like she got fashion advice from 101 Dalmation’s Cruella De Vil and makeup tips from Mortal Kombat’s Mileena with her exaggerated scar-like smile. Younger viewers will probably find her Mileena impression scary, but older viewers will likely just scoff at the questionable CGI. Meanwhile, Stanley Tucci delivers a fine performance as the hotel manager named Mr Stringer, but he’s not half as memorable as Rowan Atkinson was in the same role in the 1990 movie.
Will This Be A Classic?

Robert Zemeckis’ The Witches ultimately feels pointless and just another forgettable modern adaptation of a beloved source material. It’s a decent movie, but I expected more from the likes of Zemeckis and the rest of the cast. If someone were to ask me to choose between the 1990 and 2020 adaptations, it’s very clear which of the two I would choose to show my future children (in case it wasn’t clear, it’s definitely the former).
One thing that this movie has going for it over the 1990 adaptation is an ending that’s closer to the source material, but that’s really not much.
FINAL SCORE: 60/100
The Witches is now streaming on HBO GO and HBO Max.


Dungeon Encounters Announced; About As Retro An RPG As You Can Get

If you really want to go old-school to the point where your RPG tabletop navigation is down to squares and numbers, then Square Enix has something just for you.
The company just announced a nifty small-time classic RPG called Dungeon Encounters, made by Final Fantasy battle planner legend Hiroyuki Ito. The premise is simple: build your party, move along the incredibly basic-looking grid maze (with numbers) all the way to the end to chart the depths, then do battle against hordes of enemies and try not to trigger traps.
You also have a huge range of characters to build a party with from swordsmen to tiny robots on wheels. Heck, I think you can even recruit otakus, poodles, and giant cats to fight for you. The game is touted as a thinking man’s dungeon crawler.

If this sounds fun, you can get Dungeon Encounters on 14th October for PC, Nintendo Switch, and PS4.


Apex Legends Season 14 Will Breathe New Life Into Kings Canyon

Along with a new legend and the level cap increase, Season 14 will update Kings Canyon, refreshing Apex Legends players’ interest in the iconic map.
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE PIECE WE DID ON THE LEVEL CAP INCREASE
The update will bring in a new point of interest (POI) dubbed Relic. A Large landmass located in what was formerly known as Skull Town prior to its destruction in Season 5, plus a visual upgrade for the map.
RELIC

During a recent Apex Legends developer panel, lead level designer Jeff Shaw said Respawn Entertainment was taking a new approach to the map updates making it so that the gameplay would be more holistic.
“We’re looking at all the facets of the map and focusing on the health of the map, really identifying problems in the map, and coming up with good solutions to them,
We’re trying to touch more areas of the map than just a single corner or something like that. So, it’s something we’re really excited about and it’s definitely a new philosophy that we’re going to be leaning into for future map updates.”
– Jeff Shaw, Lead Level Designer at Respawn Entertainment
Shaw has stated that the key element that Respawn looked at was to help improve the pacing of the map “to ensure that players get this steady power curve over the course of a match”.
The map update also intends to bring more balance when it comes to landing locations so that the action is spread out across different POIs.
The headline addition is Relic, a mid-sized POI which encourages close-quarters town-based combat under a giant skull.

“One of the biggest changes we’ve made is we really increased the landmass to improve the map’s flow and pacing, so that’s where Relic comes into play.
We felt this area was lacking rotational options so bringing back all this land with Relic was really our solution to that problem.”
– Jeff Shaw, Lead Level Designer at Respawn Entertainment
Shaw also elaborates that he hopes that these changes will bring back “some of that classic Kings Canyon gameplay that people love and miss”.
With the destruction of Skull Town and Thunderdome back in Season 5, resulted in a big section of the map being removed, resulting in a sort of single lane which forces players into an encounter if a good squad is defending the area.
OTHER AREAS

Cage also saw some major changes.
“We felt that the Cage was really dominating the area that it sits in, and teams could really bunker in there, so we’ve removed the floor from the Cage, lowered it down a bit, and opened it up a little bit more so fights can resolve a little bit quicker in that area.”
– Jeff Shaw, Lead Level Designer at Respawn Entertainment
Hillsides was another area the team looked at. “We felt that squads could really dig in here and it was just becoming this point of contest across the map, so we remixed it a little bit. We really wanted fights here to just sort of clean up a little faster, so we removed the interior spaces but still sort of kept the POI that you love.”
Respawn felt Broken Relay “was falling short as a POI” too, so it added some extra buildings in a bid to give it new life and has renamed it Basin.
“Another major change we made across the map was looking at the macro rotations,” Shaw said. “So, we changed up some of the central paths in order to focus on more proactive rotation strategies rather than more reactive third-party type of rotation strategies.
Apart from that, we looked at so many other aspects of Kings Canyon, including the map-wide loot balance, explosive holds, zip balloons, charge towers and end rings, so a lot of changes are coming to the map.”
– Jeff Shaw, Lead Level Designer at Respawn Entertainment
Finally, Shaw said the map has received a visual upgrade. “We have created a new skybox for Kings Canyon and our lighting team has gone through and relit the entire map, so it has really made Kings Canyon more vibrant and just breathed new life into the map itself.”
Apex Legends Season 14 will also deliver a long requested level cap increase that lets players earn an additional 345 Apex Packs through account progression along with a new legend called Vantage.

Respawn Entertainment Leaked Their New Apex Legend
Apex Legends Season 14 Will Increase Level Cap
Meet Vantage, Apex Legends’ Newest Scout