Valentine’s Day 2023: Games To Play If You’re Single, Taken, Or With Friends

With Valentine’s Day 2023 just around the corner, planning ‘the’ special romantic day can be a nerve-wracking process for any couple. While for some, it can be a day to spend quality time with their friends or just pamper themselves. So, what better way to spend the day without breaking the bank and still have a great time? How about some great games?
Take a break from all the traditional ways of celebrating Valentine’s Day such as going out for a fancy dinner, flowers, and chocolates. Instead, level up with your partner, friends or solo an open-world adventure with a day of gaming. The following are some of the best video games you can play with your friends, significant other, or just by yourself:

GAMES TO PLAY WITH FRIENDS
OVERCOOKED 2 (PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, XBOX SERIES X/S, NINTENDO SWITCH, PC)

People sometimes refer to Overcooked or Overcooked 2 as a game that ends or breaks relationships. However, it’s actually one of the best games to play and bond with friends. It’s almost impossible to win the challenges in this game without great cooperation and teamwork. Plus, it’s tons of fun, especially with friends or even family members like cousins.

DEAD BY DAYLIGHT (PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, XBOX SERIES X/S, NINTENDO SWITCH, PC, ANDROID, IOS)

If you want to turn up the party, nothing goes wrong with Dead by Daylight! This survival online horror game will definitely challenge your teammates on stealth and teamwork abilities and make it difficult for everyone to turn their eyes away from the gaming screen. More than 20 Killers to choose from and over 15 maps to explore, your Valentine’s Day will never be the same again.

TERRARIA (PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, NINTENDO SWITCH, PC, ANDROID, IOS)

If you and your friends want a similar kick to Minecraft but with dungeons to explore and monsters to kill, Terraria is the answer. This indie sandbox game lets you explore uncharted terrains and discover unexpected, rare prizes. Forging items together and creating magical weapons such as magical boomerangs, laser pistols, spell books that shoot fireballs, light sabres, and ninja stars are just a handful of the crazier weapons you can both build. So, get on creating your own server and invite your pals for an adventure of a lifetime.

GOOSE GOOSE DUCK (PC, ANDROID, & IOS)

If you’re tired of Among Us, then why not try Goose Goose Duck this Valentine’s Day with friends? The game is easy to learn and can be played by any number of players, making it a perfect option for a group of friends. A game of social deduction where you and your fellow geese must work together to complete your mission. Keep an eye out for those malicious Mallards and other birds, who have infiltrated your team and will do anything to stop you. The laughter and friendly competition of the game create a lively and enjoyable atmosphere, perfect for a Valentine’s Day celebration with friends. Additionally, the game is short and can be played multiple times in a row, ensuring that everyone will have a good time and will not get bored.

PHASMOPHOBIA (PC, VR)

For starters, Phasmophobia actually means the fear of ghosts, but as a game, it’s the best way to put your paranormal investigative skills to test, especially with friends! Create a party of four players and jump into different sets of locations to investigate a variety of ghosts. You and your paranormal team will have to hunt for clues around the location using a wide assortment of tools. So much to explore and ghosts to hunt, your night is just getting started.

GAMES TO PLAY WITH A PARTNER
VALORANT (PC)

Anyone who is familiar with Valorant culture will know about “e-dating”. Essentially what usually happens is that one person, in most cases, the guy, is ranked pretty high like Immortal and helps his “girlfriend” climb up the ladder and rank up. This is all thanks to the boom in the popularity of Valorant among younger people, especially girls as Valorant sees one of the highest female player bases in any competitive FPS. So now it’s quite common for actual couples nowadays to play together. So why not join in the fun?

MOVING OUT (PC, PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, XBOX SERIES X/S)

Just like Overcooked, Moving Out is great for co-op, but it’s especially fun for partners. Why? You can simulate what it would be like to move in and move out together (which is eventually one of the levels in a romantic couple’s life, right?). This is a fun physics-based moving simulator. Sure, moving furniture is a chore in real life, but it’s totally a fun way to spend with your significant other to see how well you’d work together in a real “moving” in/out situation.

A WAY OUT (PC, PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, XBOX SERIES X/S)

Josef Fares and his Hazelight Studios are the masters of co-op gaming right now, and one of their first efforts was A Way Out. It’s a co-op adventure where you play the role of one of two prisoners making their daring escape from prison. The game is pretty short in length, but that’s why it’s a great choice as a way to spend your Valentine’s Day night together. Plus, it’s very cinematic so it’ll be like watching a movie at the same time.

IT TAKES TWO (PC, PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, XBOX SERIES X/S)

It Takes Two is Hazelight Studios at its peak and prime. It’s their best game yet and it won so many GOTY awards when it came out in 2021. It sets the industry standard on what a story-based linear couch co-op game should be like. In addition, it stars a married couple who are on the rocks, Cody and May, who are forced to work together after they’re turned into literal dolls.

ANIMAL CROSSING NEW HORIZONS (NINTENDO SWITCH)

Animal Crossing was one of the most hyped games during the Pandemic but with good reasons: You can create magical moments and go on a virtual date with your partner. People who met on Tinder went on their first date in Animal Crossing and even one married couple go as far as to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Slash that fancy overprice vacation and instead, create your very own Island into a romantic paradise for that special someone.

GAMES TO PLAY SOLO
THE WITCHER 3 WILD HUNT (PC, PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, XBOX SERIES X/S)

The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt has some of the best waifus in all of gaming and it’s one of the best single-player RPGs ever. So, you can’t really go wrong with spending your free time on Valentine’s Day exploring the Continent and racking up Geralt’s ‘body count’. Also, there are dragons and basilisks to kill if that’s more to your liking.

HIGH ON LIFE (PC, XBOX ONE, XBOX SERIES X/S)

High On Life is a perfect game to play if you are spending Valentine’s Day alone. The game is an uplifting and joyful experience that provides a much-needed escape from reality. The game takes you on an exciting adventure that immerses you as deeply as many TV shows such as Rick and Morty do. With its goofy antics, if you are feeling lonely or down, this game will make you feel better by giving you a reason to smile and feel hopeful. So, if you want to spend Valentine’s Day in a positive and uplifting way, High On Life is the game for you.

PERSONA 4 GOLDEN (PC, PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, XBOX SERIES X/S, NINTENDO SWITCH)

Another game with even more romance options, Persona 4 Golden is arguably more dating sim than it is a JRPG since you’ll spend more time building relationships and racking your girlfriends rather than grinding in dungeons (especially so in the new versions of P4 Golden when you can literally cheat via the options). Your potential waifu waits in this game, even if you’re alone in real life.

MASS EFFECT LEGENDARY EDITION (PC, PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, XBOX SERIES X/S)

Even if you don’t have a significant other to spend with on Valentine’s Day, Mass Effect Legendary Edition is a journey so epic and filled with virtual relationships that you’ll probably forget that you’re spending Valentine’s Day alone. The romance mechanics and writing in Mass Effect remain one of the best in gaming history, so it’s always a good time to delve into this trilogy. Also, Tali’Zorah is the best waifu and Garrus is the best husbando. Don’t @ us.

CHAINED ECHOES (PC, PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, XBOX SERIES X/S)

This 16-bit RPG adventure indie darling is not to be missed! The game offers fluid and strategic combat, an interesting cast of unique characters, and eye-candy aesthetics alongside a compelling tale of warring kingdoms and tragic heroes. Its open world gets even bigger than the last with lots of loot to offer, making it addictive even for first-time players. Our writer, Kaemon Ong spent 20+ hours playing it and based on his whole experience, it was magical, to say the least. Although there is little romance in the game, that doesn’t stop you to be the hero in shining armour in Chained Echoes this Valentine’s Day.
Have you decided which game will you be playing on Valentine’s Day? Let us know in the comment section below. Till then, Happy Valentine’s Day to all our readers <3


Here Are Your The Game Awards 2020 Nominees

The Game Awards 2020 is taking place on 10 December 2020, but Geoff Keighley has announced the nominated games three weeks earlier. Despite being plagued with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year has seen some pretty good games.
You can vote now on the official website here. Check out the full The Game Awards 2020 nomination list below:
Game of the Year
Recognizing a game that delivers the absolute best experience across all creative and technical fields.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Nintendo)DOOM Eternal (id Software / Bethesda Softworks)Final Fantasy VII Remake (Square Enix)Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch / Sony Interactive Entertainment)Hades (Supergiant Games)The Last of Us Part 2 (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Best Game Direction
Awarded for outstanding creative vision and innovation in game direction and design.
Final Fantasy VII Remake (Square Enix)Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch / Sony Interactive Entertainment)Hades (Supergiant Games)Half-Life: Alyx (Valve)The Last of Us Part 2 (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Best Narrative
For outstanding storytelling and narrative development in a game.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (written by George Kamitani)Final Fantasy VII Remake (written by Kazushige Nojima, Motomu Toriyama, Hiroaki Iwaki, and Sachie Hirano)Ghost of Tsushima (written by Ian Ryan, Liz Albl, Patrick Downs, and Jordan Lemos)Hades (written by Greg Kasavin)The Last of Us Part 2 (written by Neil Druckmann and Haley Gross)
Best Art Direction
For outstanding creative and/or technical achievement in artistic design and animation.
Final Fantasy VII Remake (Square Enix)Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch / Sony Interactive Entertainment)Hades (Supergiant Games)Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Moon Studios / Xbox Game Studios)The Last of Us Part 2 (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Best Score and Music
For outstanding music, inclusive of score, original song and/or licensed soundtrack.
DOOM Eternal (composed by Mick Gordon)Final Fantasy VII Remake (composed by Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamazu, and Mitsuto Suzuki)Hades (composed by Darren Korb)Ori and the Will of the Wisps (composed by Garreth Coker)The Last of Us Part 2 (composed by Gustavo Santaolala with additional music by Mac Quayle)
(This one’s a very packed bunch of entries. While I would replace a couple of them with No Straight Roads and Streets of Rage 4, these picks are still darn good. -Mr Toffee, resident SoundScape guy)
Best Audio Design
Recognizing the best in-game audio and sound design.
DOOM Eternal (id Software / Bethesda Softworks)Half-Life: Alyx (Valve)Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch / Sony Interactive Entertainment)Resident Evil 3 (Capcom)The Last of Us Part 2 (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Best Performance
Awarded to an individual for voice-over acting, motion and/or performance capture.
Ashley Johnson as Ellie inÂ The Last of Us Part 2Laura Bailey as Abby inÂ The Last of Us Part 2Daisuke Tsuji as Jin Sakai inÂ Ghost of TsushimaLogan Cunningham as Hades inÂ HadesNadji Jeter as Miles Morales inÂ Marvelâ€™s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
(Why is The Last of Us Part 2 nominated twice in the same category? Be fair and pick one; give the remaining slot to another game/VO that deserves it – Mr Toffee)
Games for Impact
For a thought-provoking game with a pro-social meaning or message.
If Foundâ€¦ (Dreamfeel)Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition (Cardboard Computer)Spiritfarer (Thunder Lotus Games)Tell Me Why (Dontnod Entertainment / Xbox Game Studios)Through the Darkest of Times (Paintbucket Games)
Best Ongoing
Awarded to a game for outstanding development of ongoing content that evolves the player experience over time.
Apex Legends (Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts)Destiny 2 (Bungie)Call of Duty: Warzone (Infinity Ward / Activision)Fortnite (Epic Games)No Manâ€™s Sky (Hello Games)
Best Indie
For outstanding creative and technical achievement in a game made outside the traditional publisher system.
Carrion (Phobia Game Studio / Devolver Digital)Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout (Mediatonic / Devolver Digital)Hades (Supergiant Games)Spelunky 2 (Mossmouth)Spiritfarer (Thunder Lotus Games)
Best Mobile Game
For the best game playable on a mobile device.
Among UsÂ (Innersloth)Call of Duty MobileÂ (Timi Studios / Activision)Genshin ImpactÂ (miHoYo)Legends of RuneterraÂ (Riot Games)Pokemon Cafe MixÂ (Genius Sonority / Nintendo)
(Why is a game made in 2018, Among Us, in a game awards nomination category with other 2020 games? – Mr Toffee)
Best Community Support
Recognizing a game for outstanding community support, transparency and responsiveness, inclusive of social media activity and game updates/patches.
Apex Legends (Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts)Destiny 2 (Bungie)Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout (Mediatonic / Devolver Digital)Fortnite (Epic Games)No Manâ€™s Sky (Hello Games)Valorant (Riot Games)
Best VR / AR
For the best game experience playable in virtual or augmented reality, irrespective of platform.
Dreams (Media Molecule / Sony Interactive Entertainment)Half-Life: Alyx (Valve)Marvelâ€™s Iron Man VR (Camouflaj / Sony Interactive Entertainment)Star Wars: Squadrons (Motive Studios / Electronic Arts)The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners (Skydance Interactive)
Innovation in Accessibility
Recognizing software and/or hardware that is pushing the medium forward by adding features, technology and content to help games be played and enjoyed by an even wider audience.
Assassinâ€™s Creed Valhalla (Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft)Grounded (Obsidian Entertainment / Xbox Game Studios)Hyperdot (Tribe Games)The Last of Us Part 2 (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)Watch Dogs: Legion (Ubisoft Toronto / Ubisoft)
Best Action
For the best game in the action genre focused primarily on combat.
DOOM Eternal (id Software / Bethesda Softworks)Hades (Supergiant Games)Half-Life: Alyx (Valve)Nioh 2 (Team Ninja / Sony Interactive Entertainment)Streets of Rage 4 (Dotemu)
Best Action / Adventure
For the best action/adventure game, combining combat with traversal and puzzle solving.
Assassinâ€™s Creed Valhalla (Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft)Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch / Sony Interactive Entertainment)Marvelâ€™s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Moon Studios / Xbox Game Studios)Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts)The Last of Us Part 2 (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Best Role-Playing
For the best game designed with rich player character customization and progression, including massively multiplayer experiences.
Final Fantasy VII Remake (Square Enix)Genshin Impact (miHoYo)Persona 5 Royal (Atlus / P Studio / Sega)Wasteland 3 (inXile Entertainment / Deep Silver)Yakuza: Like a Dragon (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio / Sega)
Best Fighting
For the best game designed primarily around head-to-head combat.
Granblue Fantasy: Versus (Arc System Works / Cygames / XSEED Games)Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate (NetherRealm Studios / Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment)Street Fighter V Champion Edition (Dimps / Capcom)One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows (Spike Chunsoft / Bandai Namco) (Lol whut – Mr Toffee)Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r] (French-Bread / Arc System Works / Aksys Games)
Best Family
For the best game appropriate for family play, irrespective of genre or platform.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Nintendo)Crash Bandicoot 4: Itâ€™s About Time (Toys for Bob / Activision)Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout (Mediatonic / Devolver Digital)Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit (Velan Studios / Nintendo)Minecraft Dungeons (Mojang / Double Eleven / Xbox Game Studios)Paper Mario: The Origami King (Intelligent Systems / Nintendo)
Best Sim / Strategy
Best game focused on real time or turn-based simulation or strategy gameplay, irrespective of platform.
Crusader Kings III (Paradox Development Studios / Paradox Interactive)Desperados III (Mimimi Games / THQ Nordic)Gears Tactics (Splash Damage / The Coalition / Xbox Game Studios)Microsoft Flight Simulator (Asobo Studio / Xbox Game Studios)XCOM: Chimera Squad (Firaxis / 2K Games)
Best Sports / Racing
For the best traditional and non-traditional sports and racing game.
DIRT 5 (Codemasters Cheshire / Codemasters)F1 2020 (Codemasters Birmingham / Codemasters)FIFA 21 (EA Vancouver / EA Sports)NBA 2K21 (Visual Concepts / 2K Games)Tony Hawkâ€™s Pro Skater 1+2 (Vicarious Visions / Activision)
Best Multiplayer
For outstanding online multiplayer gameplay and design, including co-op and massively multiplayer experiences, irrespective of game genre or platform.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Nintendo)Among Us (InnerslotH)Call of Duty: Warzone (Infinity Ward / Activision)Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout (Mediatonic / Devolver Digital)Valorant (Riot Games)
Content Creator of the Year
For a streamer or content creator who has made an important and positive impact on the community in 2020.
Alanah PearceJay Ann LopezNickmercstimthetatmanValkyrae
Best Debut Game
For the best debut game created by a new independent studio.
Carrion (Phobia Game Studio / Devolver Digital)Mortal Shell (Cold Symmetry / Playstack)Raji: An Ancient Epic (Nodding Heads Games / Super.com)Roki (Polygon Treehouse / United Label)Phasmophobia (Kinetic Games)
Best Esports Athlete
The esports athlete judged to be the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2020, irrespective of game.
Ian â€œCrimsixâ€ Porter (Call of Duty)Heo â€œShowmakerâ€ Su (League of Legends)Kim â€œCanyonâ€ Geon-bu (League of Legends)Anthony â€œShotzzyâ€ Cuevas-Castro (Call of Duty)Matthieu â€œZywOoâ€ Herbaut (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive)
Best Esports Coach
The esports coach judged to be the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2020.
Danny â€œZonicâ€ Sorensen (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive)Dae-Hee â€œCrustyâ€ Park (Overwatch)Fabian â€œGrabbzâ€ Lohmann (League of Legends)Lee â€œZefaâ€ Jae-Min (League of Legends)Raymond â€œRamboâ€ Lussier (Call of Duty)
Best Esports Event
Recognizing an event (across single or multiple days) that delivered a best-of-class experience for participants and the broadcast audience.
BLAST Premier: Spring 2020 European Finals (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive)Call of Duty League Championship 2020 (Call of Duty)IEM Katowice 2020 (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive)League of Legends World Championship 2020 (League of Legends)Overwatch League Grand Finals 2020 (Overwatch)
Best Esports Game
For the game that has delivered the best overall esports experience to players (inclusive of tournaments, community support and content updates), irrespective of genre or platform.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (Infinity Ward / Raven Software / Activision)Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Valve)Fortnite (Epic Games)League of Legends (Riot Games)Valorant (Riot Games)
Best Esports Host
The best host or commentator of esports events (both in-venue and/or broadcast) in 2020, irrespective of game or language.
Alex â€œGoldenboyâ€ MendezAlex â€œMachineâ€ RichardsonEffje â€œSjokzâ€ DepoortereJames â€œDashâ€ PattersonJorien â€œSheeverâ€ Van Der Heijden
Best Esports Team
Recognizing a specific esports team (not the full organization) judged the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2020.
Dawon Gaming (League of Legends)Dallas Empire (Call of Duty)G2 eSports (League of Legends)San Francisco Shock (Overwatch)Team Secret (DOTA 2)


PokÃ©mon Sword & Shield Announced; Out This Year (Update)

As if a new PokÃ©mon movie isn’t enough, Nintendo decided to host a new Nintendo Direct video talking about its next-gen digital monster cock-fighting RPG title. It’s officially called PokÃ©mon Sword & PokÃ©mon Shield.
In its 7-minute presentation, we learn that:

Our starters will be a flippity fire rabbit Scorbunny, a shy water lizard named Sobble that can turn invisible, and a curious grass monkey named Grookey. Twitter, Tumblr, and the entire internet will be drawing out their favourite starters soon and share it with the world.
It’ll be out for the Nintendo Switch. That’s a given since it’s a portable and home console all in one.
You’ll be hunting and rearing Pokemon in the Galar region. It features vast plains, craggy snow mountains, and an industrial sector.
It looks like a 3D version of the same game you’ve been playing since the late 90s on your Game Boy. PokÃ©mon Let’s Go was a sneak peek at the game’s new engine; this game will be the real deal.

PokÃ©mon Sword & PokÃ©mon Shield will be out in late 2019. In the meantime, here’s what the internet has to say about the three starter PokÃ©mon of the game. #tribalwars

cant wait for scorbunny to evolve into pic.twitter.com/KdpZE5qbYZ
— Ruff U???U (@Ruff_Sketches) February 27, 2019

SCORBUNNY CLEARLY EVOLVING INTO LOLA BUNNY YOU CAN’T CHANGE MY MIND pic.twitter.com/KbcuA6W1mw
— Omni ?? (@InfernoOmni) February 27, 2019

Introducing Scorbunny! (and two pieces of literal trash) pic.twitter.com/ZHrnzH3Gct
— Russ Frushtick (@RussFrushtick) February 27, 2019

stop being mean to them they are friembs!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/uFGwMmYWXH
— ? * hands u an egg * (@finnmertens) February 27, 2019

https://twitter.com/Yelix/status/1100769356923981830

I have. adopted a son. Here he is #pokemon #fanart #scorbunny pic.twitter.com/NQ7GYGsNFu
— starosis? ????? (@starosis) February 27, 2019

Scorbunny is my favorite pokemon starter from gen 8 ! pic.twitter.com/pyjOHzqqfX
— PKBunny! mexico time (@PSIBunny) February 27, 2019

Grookey gang rise up #GROOKEYGANG pic.twitter.com/QdzfsrTSGr
— ScruffyTurtles (KLONOA IS OUT NOW!!!!!!!) (@ScruffyTurtles) February 27, 2019

https://twitter.com/TAHK0/status/1100768639358136321

Sobble….. pic.twitter.com/wa0jU4TSEA
— Jade ?? ??? (@Foureyedalien) February 27, 2019

https://thejewelboss.tumblr.com/post/183094171921/hi-i-would-like-to-introduce-to-you-my-son

https://chefpyro.tumblr.com/post/183094474480
http://yahtomingan.tumblr.com/post/183094256169/grookey-is-where-its-at-yall
https://tredlocity.tumblr.com/post/183094530745


Yes, Death Stranding Has 9 Nominations In The Game Awards 2019

Update: the article’s original headline said that Death Stranding had 10 awards; it has 9. Kakuchopurei regrets the error.
The Game Awards 2019 is happening soon in the next few weeks, so it’s apparent that the nominations are primed and ready.Â
Turns out that it’s chock-filled with Death Stranding. No, really: the Hideo Kojima-directed game has nine nominations, with the Remedy shooter Control netting eight.
Here’s the full nomination list:
Game of the Year

Control (Remedy/505 Games)
Death Stranding(Kojima Productions/SIE)
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate(Bandai-Namco/Sora/Nintendo)
Resident Evil 2(Capcom/Capcom)
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice(From Software/Activision)
The Outer Worlds(Obsidian/Private Division)

Best Game Direction

Control(Remedy/505 Games)
Death Stranding (Kojima Productions/SIE)
Resident Evil 2 (Capcom/Capcom)
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice(From Software/Activision)
Outer Wilds(Mobius Digital/Annapurna)

Best Narrative

A Plague Tale: Innocence(Asobo/Focus Home)
Control (Remedy/505)
Death Stranding(Kojima Productions/SIE)
Disco Elysium(ZA/UM)
The Outer Worlds(Obsidian/Private Division)

Best Art Direction

Control (Remedy/505)
Death Stranding(Kojima Productions/SIE)
Gris (Nomada Studio/Devolver)
Sayonara Wild Hearts(Simogo/Annapurna)
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice(From Software/Activision)
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening(Grezzo/Nintendo)

Best Score/Music

Cadence of Hyrule (Brace Yourself Games/Nintendo)
Death Stranding(Kojima Productions/SIE)
Devil May Cry 5(Capcom)
Kingdom Hearts III(Square Enix)
Sayonara Wild Hearts(Simogo/Annapurna)

Best Audio Design

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (Infinity Ward/Activision)
Control (Remedy/505)
Death Stranding(Kojima Productions/SIE)
Gears 5(The Coalition/Xbox Game Studios)
Resident Evil 2(Capcom)
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice(From Software/Activision)

Best Performance

Ashly Burch as Parvati Holcomb, The Outer Worlds
Courtney Hope as Jesse Faden, Control
Laura Bailey as Kait Diaz, Gears 5
Mads Mikkelsen as Cliff, Death Stranding
Matthew Porretta as Dr. Casper Darling, Control
Norman Reedus as Sam Porter Bridges, Death Stranding

Best Action Game

Apex Legends(Respawn/EA)
Astral Chain(Platinum Games/Nintendo)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare(Infinity Ward/Activision)
Devil May Cry 5(Capcom/Capcom)
Gears 5(The Coalition/Xbox Game Studios)
Metro Exodus(4A Games/Deep Silver)

Best Action/Adventure Game

Borderlands 3(Gearbox/2K)
Control (Remedy/505 Games)
Death Stranding(Kojima Productions/SIE)
Resident Evil 2(Capcom)
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening(Grezzo/Nintendo)
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice(From Software/Activision)

Best RPG

Disco Elysium(ZA/UM)
Final Fantasy XIV(Square Enix)
Kingdom Hearts III(Square Enix)
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne(Capcom)
The Outer Worlds(Obsidian/Private Division)

Best Fighting Game

Dead or Alive 6(Team Ninja/Koei Tecmo)
Jump Force(Spike Chunsoft/Bandai Namco)
Mortal Kombat 11(NetherRealm/WBIE)
Samurai Showdown(SNK/Athlon)
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate(Bandai Namco/Sora/Nintendo)

Best Family Game

Luigi’s Mansion 3(Next Level Games/Nintendo)
Ring Fit Adventure(Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)
Super Mario Maker 2(Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate(Bandai Namco/Sora/Nintendo)
Yoshi’s Crafted World (Good-Feel/Nintendo)

Best Strategy Game

Age of Wonders: Planetfall(Triumph Studios/Paradox)
Anno 1800(Blue Byte/Ubisoft)
Fire Emblem: Three Houses(Intelligent Systems/Koei Tecmo/Nintendo)
Total War: Three Kingdoms(Creative Assembly/Sega)
Tropico 6(Limbic Entertainment/Kalypso Media)
Wargroove (Chucklefish)

Best Sports/Racing Game

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled(Beenox/Activision)
DiRT Rally 2.0(Codemasters)
eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer 2020(PES Productions/Konami)
F1 2019(Codemasters)
FIFA 20(EA Sports)

Best Multiplayer Game

Apex Legends(Respawn/EA)
Borderlands 3(Gearbox/2K)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare(Infinity Ward/Activision)
Tetris 99(Arika/Nintendo)
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2(Massive Entertainment/Ubisoft)

Fresh Indie Game Studio

ZA/UM for Disco Elysium
Nomada Studio for Gris
DeadToast Entertainment for My Friend Pedro
Mobius Digital for Outer Wilds
Mega Crit for Slay the Spire
House House for Untitled Goose Game

Games for Impact

Concrete Genie (Pixelopus/SIE)
Gris(Nomada Studio/Devolver)
Kind Words(Popcannibal)
Life is Strange 2(Dontnod/Square Enix)
Sea of Solitude(Jo-Mei Games/EA)

Best Ongoing Game

Apex Legends (Respawn)
Destiny 2 (Bungie)
Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix)
Fortnite (Epic Games)
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)

Best Independent Game

Baba Is You(Hempuli)
Disco Elysium(ZA/UM)
Katana ZERO(Askiisoft/Devolver)
Outer Wilds(Mobius Digital/Annapurna)
Untitled Goose Game(House House/Panic)

BestÂ  Mobile Game

Call of Duty: Mobile(TiMi Studios/Activision)
GRINDSTONE(Capybara Games)
Sayonara Wild Hearts(Simogo/Annapurna)
Sky: Children of Light(Thatgamecompany)
What the Golf?(Tribland)

Best Community Support

Apex Legends (Respawn/EA)
Destiny 2(Bungie)
Final Fantasy XIV(Square Enix)
Fortnite(Epic Games)
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege(Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)

Best VR/AR Game

Asgard’s Wrath(Sanzaru Games/Oculus Studios)
Blood & Truth(SIE London Studio/SIE)
Beat Saber(Beat Games)
No Man’s Sky(Hello Games)
Trover Saves the Universe(Squanch Games)

Some takeaways:

Why the hell isn’t Code Vein nominated for Best Score/Music? On that note, why is DMC5 on this category?
If I were to make a drinking game revolving around Death Stranding’s nomination and wins, I’d be dead from alcohol poisoning in the first 10 minutes of the show.
Good to see Outer Wilds getting the nominations it needs, though it should at least get a GOTY nomination.
Arslan Ash should at least get a nomination in the esports player category. His victory and story must be noticed in something as big as the Game Awards.

Anyway, you can start voting now.


New Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Gameplay Trailer Showcases Gameplay & Release Date

Nintendo and The Pokémon Company just dropped its new trailer for its upcoming monster-filled RPG Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, and it features a ton of gameplay.
Does it look any different from Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield? That’s debatable, but it’s still cartoony as ever and the new starter Pokemon -Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly- are adorable and potent to deal with. The battles are still turn-based and you probably still have to fight a ton of Gym Leaders and their Pokémon team to advance the “plot”. This entry is now open world and vast, with ton of environments to explore from grassy places to snowy fields.

This Pokemon entry also features four-player multiplayer, and features the usual staples such as trading and battling Pokemon, as well as explore the region together with other players.

Plus, the game has two different Professors depending on the version you choose to play. Professor Sada (the lady) is in Scarlet while Professor Turo (the male) is in Violet.

You also have a friend/rival named Nemona, a powerful Pokemon trainer who serves a reliable guide for you in your adventures.

We also get our first look at Scarlet and Violet’s legendary Pokémon: Koraidon and Miraidon. Yes, the Violet Legendary Pokémon Miraidon has jet thrusters for legs.

Check out the gameplay below. Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet will be out on 18 November, 2022 for Nintendo Switch. This new Pokemon pair of titles will be joining Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Splatoon 3 as 2022’s pack of gaming heavy hitters courtesy of Nintendo.

Version Breakdown & Exclusives
Pokemon Scarlet

Professor Sada
Koraidon
Scarlet-coloured starter outfit for your trainer
Scarlet tower insignia which features an orange fruit

Pokemon Violet

Professor Turo
Miraidon
Violet-coloured starter outfit for your trainer
Violet tower insignia which is a bunch of grapes


The Next-Gen Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Lands Next Year

During Xbox Games Showcase, Asobo Studio announced that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 will launch for the Xbox Series X/S and PC sometime in 2024.
In addition, in partnership with Legendary and Warner Bros. Entertainment, Microsoft Flight Simulator has created an authentically detailed House Atreides Ornithopter. Master the complex controls of one of the most dynamic aircraft ever conceived as you pilot your ornithopter through awe-inspiring locations across the mysterious desert planet of Arrakis.
It’s coming to Microsoft Flight Simulator on 3 November 2023.

Check out the trailer below:


You Can Choose Your Titan In The Call Of Duty Warzone & Vanguard Classified Arms Battle Pass

The Call Of Duty Vanguard and Warzone Classified Arms Battle Pass launches on 27 April 2022. It brings out the big guns to handle the monstrous fight ahead, offering dozens of free items, Legendary content, and more across all 100 Tiers. Although Classified Arms begins on 27 April 2022, its in-season limited-time event Operation Monarch is set to bring Kong and Godzilla into the fight on 11 May 2022.

For Operation Monarch, Operators can become more than elite: with the help of limited-time Bundles based on Godzilla, Mechagodzilla, and Kong, they can become a (human-sized version of) the ultimate superspecies.
Tracer Pack: Kong Limited Time Bundle

The Tracer Pack: Kong Limited Time Bundle celebrates a Titan with nearly 90 years of history with nine items, including a Legendary “Kong” Operator Skin for Wade inspired by the ruler of Skull Island.
Wield the power with three Legendary Weapon Blueprints: the “Temple of Kong” Sniper Rifle and “Skull Island Shaker” SMG which shoot jungle green tracers, as well as “Kong’s Scepter,” a variant of the Axe “Skål Crusher” melee weapon that turns it into the weapon Kong’s ancestors supposedly crafted.
The rest of the Bundle includes items based off Kong: a powerful “Gravity Inversion” Finishing Move, a “Primal Power” Spray, a “Jia’s Doll” Weapon Charm, a “Kong Roar” Animated Emblem, and a Vanguard-exclusive “Watch Your Back” Highlight Intro.
Tracer Pack: Godzilla Reactive Mastercraft Limited Time Bundle

Prepare to intimidate your opponents with the Tracer Pack: Godzilla Reactive Mastercraft Limited Time Bundle, a nine-item pack based on the beloved reptile.
In addition to the Legendary “Godzilla Ghillie” Operator Skin for Shigenori, fans of Godzilla can be like their favorite Titan with the Ultra “Breath of Godzilla” Mastercraft Weapon Blueprint. This Assault Rifle is stylized to look like a miniature version of the beast and shoots icy-blue heat ray tracers similar to that of Godzilla’s signature heat ray attack.
This Bundle also contains a Legendary “Awakened Alpha” LMG, a devastating “Gojira Stomp” Finishing Move, a “Protector of Earth” Calling Card, two Sprays, a “Godzilla Heat Ray” Animated Emblem, and a Vanguard-exclusive “Big Mistake” MVP Highlight.
Tracer Pack: Mechagodzilla Limited Time Bundle

But the Titans are not alone. In a time of monsters, humanity built its own… designed to make us the ultimate dominant species. A precision engineered Apex Predator: Mechagodzilla.
Don its armor and become the apex hunter you were born to be with the Tracer Pack: Mechagodzilla Limited Time Bundle. With this Bundle, you get the Legendary “Mechagodzilla” Operator Skin for Constanze, and nine other items, with two — the “Machine Learning” MVP Highlight and the “Rival Protocol” Highlight Intro — being Vanguard exclusive.
The rest of the items are the finest that Apex Cybernetics could forge: the Legendary “Cybernetic Destroyer” Assault Rifle, the Legendary “Neural Uplink” SMG, the deadly “Nanometal Tail Blade” melee weapon, a “Network Uptime” Watch, “Mechagodzilla Head” Charm, and its very own logo featured as the “Evolving Together” Emblem.
All three Bundles will be available during Operation Monarch — stay tuned for offiial updates on their exact release dates.
Bonus Limited-Time Bundle Incentive: Get Additional Rewards by Collecting Operation Monarch Bundles

During Operation Monarch, it might take more than one Titan to dominate Caldera. Those who want to become the ultimate superspecies collector and purchase multiple Operation Monarch Bundles — the Kong, Godzilla, and Mechagodzilla packs — before 16 June 2022 will receive additional rewards.
Purchase any two Bundles to receive the exclusive “Godzilla vs. Kong” Weapon Sticker and the “Superspecies” Player Title. Grab all three, and you’ll receive a Legendary “Apex Phase Rifle” SMG, one that could make a colossal statement in close-quarters engagements. These bonus rewards will be granted when Classified Arms is Reloaded later this season.
Plus for a limited time, all members of Team Kong, Team Godzilla, and Team Monarch can head over to Monsterverse.com for an exclusive set of Godzilla vs. Kong Calling Cards to show off your Titan team spirit or flex your Monarch security clearance level in battle.
For more details and information on what the new Battle Pass contains, head on over here.


The Best Gaming Deals From The Steam Autumn Sale 2020

With Black Friday coming up, the Steam Autumn Sale is now here. It will take place from 25 November 2020 to 1 December 2020. That’s less than a week, so you’ll have to be quick and grab the best deals before the sale ends.
Hades (RM35.20)

Sure, it’s only going for 20 percent off, but even at full price, Supergiant Games’ latest game is a steal. It’s been dubbed a GOTY 2020 candidate for good reason, even capturing the hearts of gamers who don’t usually play roguelikes (including KKP’s own Alleef Ashaari).
In the meantime, check out our full review of the game here.
Doom Eternal (RM 78.20)

Ripping and tearing through demons never gets old. Doom Eternal launched earlier this year and it’s already received a whopping 67 percent discount at RM78.20.
Check out our full review of the game here.
Ori And The Will Of The Wisps (RM25.50)

One of the best Metroidvania platforming games of 2020 is already on sale at RM25.50 after a 50 percent discount. Don’t miss out on this beautiful game!
If you need more convincing, check out our full review of the game here.
Control Ultimate Edition (RM79.50)

Control Ultimate Edition contains the main game and all previously released Expansions (“The Foundation” and “AWE”). For that price (after a 50 percent discount), you can’t miss what was one of the best games of 2019.
It’s a mind-bending Metroidvania sci-fi extravaganza that you have to experience for yourself, and of, protagonist Jesse Faden has telekinetic Jedi-like powers too.
Check out our review of Control here to find out why the game is so well-praised.
Death Stranding (RM119.50)

As divisive as Hideo Kojima’s game was, you can’t deny that Death Stranding offers a different & unique gaming experience. At 50 percent off, now is a good time as any to try out the game that everyone loves to hate.
Check out our full review of the game here.
Star Wars Squadrons (RM95.40)

Despite the gameâ€™s flaws, Star Wars Squadrons is currently the only modern Star Wars game that truly fulfils the fantasies of many fans; allowing them to experience the epic space combat that theyâ€™ve seen in the franchise for more than forty years.
The game has only been out for a month and it’s already getting a 40 percent discount.
In the meantime, check out our review of Star Wars Squadrons here, or head on over here for a full in-depth guide on how to be the best pilot in the galaxy.
Halo The Master Chief Collection (RM42.25)

At that price (after a 35 percent discount), you’re getting almost all the Halo games.
That’s an incredible bang for your buck right there, especially now that the collection is complete on PC, from the original Halo Combat Evolved all the way to Halo 4.
Persona 4 Golden (RM63.20)

Persona 4 Golden is one of the most celebrated JRPGs ever made, and for good reason. It’s even better than Persona 5 in several ways, and even though the visuals look a bit dated by now, the art style and sheer charm of the game more than makes up for it.
Total War Three Kingdoms (RM106.53)

If you have a decent PC or gaming laptop, you should definitely check out any of the Total War games by Creative Assembly for their epic real-time battles.
Total War Three Kingdoms is the latest historical title and it’s great fun even if you don’t know your Cao Caos from your Lu Bus.
Resident Evil 2 (RM35.60)

2019â€™s Resident Evil 2 Remake was not only one of the best Resident Evil games ever, but also a testament to how video game remakes should be done. If thereâ€™s one Resident Evil game you should play, itâ€™s either Resident Evil 4 or this remarkable remake.
You can check out our full review of the game here.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Game Of The Year Edition (RM38.70)

The Witcher franchise has never been as popular as it is now, with a Netflix live-action series starring Henry Cavill in the titular role currently available (which was actually good).
The game is still a masterpiece of narrative in gaming five years on (it released in 2015), and itâ€™s an epic game everyone should experience for themselves.
Itâ€™ll also be a good primer on what to expect from the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, especially if you’re not sure if your PC or laptop is powerful enough for that game yet.
XCOM 2 Collection (RM69.81)

XCOM 2 is another must-have game on PC, especially for those who love all things science fiction and anything from the tactical turn-based strategy genre. Think Final Fantasy Tactics with Soulsborne levels of difficulty.
The XCOM 2 Collection costs a whopping RM385 at full price, so this is a steal since it contains even the game-changing War Of The Chosen expansion pack.
Our advice: start the game with the expansion pack installed. Check out our review of the game here to find out why.
Monster Train (RM30.80)

Need a new digital collectible card game fix that’s part Slay The Spire and part Magic: The Gathering? Try out Monster Train, the roguelike deck building game where you fight on a train to hell, fighting on different vertical battlegrounds.
Slime Rancher (RM11.40)

What’s not to love about a first-person adventure game that lets you take care of loveable slime monsters?
Sunset Overdrive (RM9.75)

When Sunset Overdrive initially launched for the Xbox One in 2014, many slept on the game because well, it was an Xbox exclusive.
Many years later, the underrated gem by Insomniac Games (yes, the same developer behind Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales) is now available at less than RM10.
If you’re a fan of their recent games, do yourselves a favour and grab this great deal now.
The Surge 2 (RM29.70)

A sci-fi Dark Souls clone where you fight cyborgs and machines, then take their limbs off to use their parts against their kin. There’s a lot of heft and weight in the game’s combat and fighting, so do give it a chance while it’s at a cheap price.
While you’re at it, why not check out these other Dark Souls clones on this video below? They should be cheap thanks to this Steam sale. Cheaper than getting a PS5, anyway, and readily available.

Ion Fury (RM22)

One of the best shooter throwbacks in recent years. If you like your shooters in 2D/3D and your explosions old-school, go get it for RM22.


Level-5 Announces New Fantasy Life Entry

Level 5 and developer Level5comcept (yes, the one with Keiji Inafune) have announced a new “social slow-life RPG” called Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time.
The new Fantasy Life entry will be out on Nintendo Switch in 2023 worldwide.
Key features of the RPG and its trailer are below:

A completely new entry in the Fantasy Life series.
Build your own city and go on adventures on a new island.
Explore the island with whatever Life (occupation) suits you.
Travel between the past and present to unravel the mysteries of this ruined island.
Popular characters from the series make a return.


Minecraft Dungeons Will Crawl To You This May

Minecraft Dungeons is set to arrive on all available platforms this Spring. The game will be releasing on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Game Pass on 26 May 2020.

Gather your friends and gear up for adventure: Minecraft Dungeons is coming out May 26th on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One and Xbox Game Pass! Pre-order your copy now:
? https://t.co/A2UnaxJtzy ? pic.twitter.com/q9VTPXs2Ps
— Minecraft Dungeons (@dungeonsgame) March 31, 2020

It’s a dungeon crawler set in the Minecraft universe, with four-player co-op and lots of combat. “Use melee swings, hang back with ranged attacks, or tank your way through shielded by heavy armour!” reads the description. “Personalize your character and unlock unique items and weapon enchantments for devastating special attacks.”
It was originally meant to release sometime in April 2020, but a month’s delay isn’t too much of a wait. The Xbox and PC versions list a price of US$19.99 (RM86.58) for the base version, so it’d be cheaper than a AAA release too.


Ranking The Original Mega Man Games From The Mega Highs To Mega Lows

What else is there to say about Mega Man (or Rock Man if you’re from Japan)? He is Capcom’s original mascot with the run-and-gun fun and also innovates with the boss weapon-stealing powerup. While the X and Zero games superceded and improved upon the weapon-stealing formula, you can’t forget your 8-bit roots.
But which Mega Man game is the best? Which Blue Bomber battle royale is the one with the best stage ideas? The best weapons catalogue? The best aesthetics?
We have to answer this basic question: what makes a standout Mega Man game? Simple:

It has to be a run-and-gun action platforming marvel despite its graphics and hardware limitations,
It needs to have Robot Master weapons that are useful and designed beyond mere fodder
It needs to build atop its original foundation of the Robot Master weapon-stealing system
It needs to have beautiful, BEAUTIFUL music you can bop your head to.

We are ranking the OG Blue Bomber here, the one featuring his sibling Roll, his dad Dr. Light, and a whole slew of Astro Boy-influenced futurist ideas and concepts. Yes, we are aware that Mega Man 11 is out this week, so think of this as a companion piece before our review comes out later.
Aside: If you want the Mega Man X ranking feature, head here. With that said, let’s get equipped and see where your favourite Mega Man game is at!
Honourable Mentions:
Mega Man V (Game Boy)

The last Game Boy monochrome Mega Man title is perhaps his most refreshing. Rather than rehashing stages like in the previous four Mega Man Game Boy titles, Capcom just made new Robot Masters named after the planets of the solar system and made brand new worlds and stages in an exclusive MM experience.
It’s limited by the constraints of the Game Boy, but you get to fight in places in low gravity and have a blast of a time navigating through challenging stages and fighting different kinds of bosses.
Dubious Mentions: Mega Man, Mega Man 3 (PC)

Capcom has made some horrible Mega Man games, but nothing compared to these two abominations. With crappy hit collision and detection, ear-bleeding music, and not-so-ideal controls and design, it’s no wonder PC gamers back then are grumpy elitists now: they did not get the Mega Man game they deserve.
Mega Man 3 for PC at least adhered to the weapon and weakness chain formula and had 6 bosses compared to the previous PC game’s sole 3. But still, these are best left buried in the same desert hole alongside that ET game.
Now, on to the real deal.
12. Mega Man 7 (SNES)

Funny story: Mega Man X was so godlike and was the definitive “Super” Mega Man experience that many devs at Capcom weren’t sure if they should continue on with the original Blue Bomber escapades on 16 bits. Turns out they did and they only had a few months to craft something and ship it. The result? A plodding and archaic but well-meaning Mega Man game with a few Easter Eggs and lovely animation to stand out.
Don’t feel bad for the internal team who developed this mediocre attempt: they went on to create their own company Inti Creates. Last we checked, they did a bunch of rockin’ Mega Man Zero games and sequels.
11. Mega Man 5 (NES)

Arguably the nadir of the mothership series, Mega Man 5 just rolled with whatever ideas were established and just became another assembly line Mega Man. While it has its moments, like the Dark Man stages, Gravity Man’s upside-down stage, and a Wave Man scrolling waterbike stage, there’s really nothing going for this game save for its by-the-numbers and not-completely-terrible design.
Plus, who the hell wanted a choo choo train as a Robot Master? With a weapon that actually harms you more than the enemy?
10. Mega Man 4 (NES)

While its weapons were a rehash of past MM titles, you have to give props to Capcom for adding in a new Mega Buster charged shot concept and creative bosses like Skull Man and Pharaoh Man with unique themed stages. What also stood out about this game was its new villain, Dr. Cossack.
This was way before the internet came in and no one knew whether Dr. Cossack was going to be a mainstay in the Mega Man rogue’s gallery. Alas, Capcom faked us out and revealed that Dr. Wily was still pulling the strings. It was still a fun revelation while it lasted, eh?
9. Mega Man & Bass/Rock Man & Forte (SNES, Game Boy Advance)

The SNES version appeared in Japan as a pretty late Super Famicom release, but damn if it didn’t push the system to its limits. With slick Mega Man 8-styled animation and pretty challenging gameplay, as well as some creative rehashing on their side and two different playstyles, this Mega Man game would be a bit higher on the list if it wasn’t for its insanely tough last few levels that even rival Mega Man 2’s gauntlet and Mega Man 8’s Dr. Wily encounter.
We suggest you play the Super Famicom version instead of the Game Boy Advance port which basically reduces pixel resolution and screen size, making things a lot more difficult than it should be.
8 Mega Man 6 (NES)

Thanks to Mega Man fatigue in the 90s with Mega Man 4, 5, and the Game Boy sequels, Capcom were trying their best to squeeze out good ideas and bring something new to the table. Mega Man 6 had that with the Rush Armor idea and the multiple stage routes that led to fake bosses.
Most of the weapons from the Robot Masters are pretty useful compared to the previous Mega Man titles on the list. It’s a shame that the past games too made people assume part 6 is going to be another assembly line Mega Man title. They’re clearly wrong, so do give this last NES-made Mega Man a chance when you can.
7. Mega Man 10 (PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii)

The second game in the neo-retro Mega Man series – the first which we will get to later down this feature- is just an extension of the past games. Now you can play as Proto Man and even Bass in 8-bit neo-retro glory. And there’s that challenge and time trial mode where you can clash against the Game Boy Mega Man Killers.
Beyond that, the stages here are middling, with some standouts like Sheep Man’s dream electronic city hub and Blade Man’s fortress. Part of MM10’s strength and weakness is its adherence to classic Mega Man conventions; while not exactly innovative it at least offers a good amount of challenges. If you want the best balance of nostalgia and brilliant level design while using the 8-bit trappings of the series’ forebearers, keep reading this feature to find out.
6. Mega Man (NES)

You can’t create a Mega Man feature without making any mention of the very first game and placing it high on the list. This first entry got a lot right with its mechanics, its Robot Master weapon-stealing concept, and its level design and tight controls.
Still, there were a few chinks in the Mega armour: the scoring system was unnecessary and it’s really easy to miss the Magnet Beam which is essential in completing the game. But you cannot condemn the very first game that set a template that will last Capcom for 3 decades.
While later games improved upon the foundation, the actual base was established back in the late 80s when platformers had to evolve or die in obscurity. The first Mega Man did just that.
5. Mega Man 8 (PlayStation One, Sega Saturn)

This game is more like a testing ground for the awesome Mega Man X4, but there’s still a ton of merit here. After many years, what used to be shoehorned as a product of its time ended up being a technical high water mark for the franchise.
With a lovely art style, animation, and a ton of great stage ideas ranging from clown-themed deathtraps to an out-of-this-world space race, it would be a disservice to put this anywhere else but within the top 5 of this feature.
Our only gripes with the game include the endgame auto-scrolling sequences with visual/VO indicators that came in a split second before the obstacle, the removal of Energy Tanks, and a mandatory use of an explosive soccer ball which makes the last parts of the game an infuriating endurance contest. Still, the rest of the game is ace.
4. Mega Man Powered Up (PSP)

Leave it to the remaster of the original to pick up the top few spots of this feature. Arguably the best version of Mega Man you need, this one has it all: a complete revamp of Mega Man 1’s stages complete with two new Robot Masters like the almost-racist Oil Man and Time Man, the original versions of the stages from the NES original (but in polygons), and 100 challenge stages to complete and master. Oh, and you have the choice of sparing Robot Masters and recruit them as playable characters.
On top of that, you have a level editor so you can create your own Mega Man levels and masterpieces. That’s right, this was way before Super Mario Maker came out.
It’s really hard to find copies of this game since it’s only on the PSP at this point in time, but it’s a shame because this is one of the truly better Mega Man titles out there that succeeds the original source material and adds in a ton more content for fans and casual Mega Man lovers alike. Just be prepared for the chibi-style graphics. They can be rather adorable, like Ice Man here.

3 & 2: Mega Man 2 and Mega Man 3 (NES)

The Mega Man fandom will always be at an eternal war, bickering over which of the two prestigious Mega Man games deserve a spot on the list.
Mega Man 2 is a distilled experience that more or less perfected the first Mega Man. It’s bigger, better, and tougher. It has the best boss stages and best level design, save for that one Dr. Wily stage boss that required you to conserve a limited weapon in your repertoire. You also have multiple solutions to certain stages. Can’t get past Quick Man’s quick laser barrier? Just use Flash Man’s Flash Stop. Of course, the Metal Blades from Metal Man is enough to deal with most bosses and enemies, but that slight design flaw doesn’t tarnish the overall challenge and platforming goodness.
Meanwhile, Mega Man 3 expands upon that and makes the game a lot more epic. Suddenly you’re dealing with a mysterious guy named Break Man, going through weird-ass stages like Gemini Man’s mines, and the fact that you have to use MM3 Robot Master weapons against resurrected Mega Man 2 villains.
And then you have Rush, perhaps one of video games’ greatest robot canines ever who helps Mega Man traverse the air easily and acts as a temporary springboard to reach unreachable spots.

It’s a really tough call to pick between the two, so we figured it’s best that they take up third and second place; the order is really up to you. At the end of the day, these are the Mega Man games you want in your collection if you want the pure original Blue Bomber experience.
Which begs the question: which Mega Man is number one in this current generation?
1. Mega Man 9 (Nintendo Wii, PS3, Xbox 360)

If you want a neo-Retro Mega Man game done right that also succeeds in improving upon its foundation set by Mega Man 1, look no further than part 9. Not only did it have graphics in the NES mold, it also went back to a time when Mega Man only had jumping and shooting skills to work with. No charge shots, no sliding.
The best part? Mega Man 9 walks that fine line between being a nostalgia-baiting game and a true successor to the series. From the fact that all your weapons from the Robot Masters are useful outside of killing bosses to levels that subvert your expectations of a Mega Man game -case in point Tornado Man’s platforms and Galaxy Man’s cranes that lift you up and drag you to spikes if you’re not careful, this entry is genius.
It may troll you with some of its deliberate one-hit kill tactics, but it gives you ample chances to see telltale signs before throwing you into the deep end. It forces veterans to rethink their assumptions of a Mega Man level trope & section, and then make them stay on their toes.
On top of that, the basic details are done right. The music is great, the bosses are unique, and the final Wily fortress is a no-holds-barred combo of platforming and combat that really tests your Mega skills. The game is clearly for experts, but it’s also the best kind of love letter for fans of the series.
What do you think of our list? If you disagree with the top three spots, feel free to dispute on the comments box below or on Facebook.


Total Tank Simulator Brings Tank Placement Action To PC On 20th May

World of Tanks isn’t the only game in town to satiate your tank simulation fix, at least in 2020.
Noobz from Poland’s upcoming Total Tank Simulator, published by 505 Games, seems to be a worthy addition to any World War 1 and World War II tank fan, letting you place a bunch of realistic tanks (and infantries, planes, artillery, and so forth) on your side of the top-down map to fight the opposition in automatic simulation glory. And you don’t have to wait too long to get it: the game will be out on PC via Steam on 20th May.
It also costs RM49/SG$19.99, so it won’t break your wallet. In fact, players can save 10 percent off by buying the game during its launch week. That discount value may bump itself up to 25 percent if its 505 Games’ wish list campaign is unlocked; you can chip in and control its price on its official Steam page.
We checked out the game during a timed preview session a couple of days ago. It reminds me of a more realistic-yet-still-red-and-blue-stylized version of Totally Accurate Battle Simulator, except with a focus on tanks and World War-era military battalions. With these kinds of games, it’s the realistic physics-based engine and AI simulation that either makes them hit or miss. So far, Total Tank Simulator is a hit.
With more than 50 maps to choose from, hundreds of historical and classified weapons and units to play around with, and a bunch of awesome modes (Sandbox, Shadow, Campaign) featuring six historical nations to play as, you’re going to have your hands full with this simulation later in May. Check out the game’s sweet screenshots below.


Sons Of The Forest Will Add In Hang Gliders (And Fix A Ton Of Bugs)

Endnight Games will be adding more content for its hit survival game Sons of the Forest with a new big patch, available right now.
The patch is called Patch 01 and will add in hang gliders, binoculars, and a couple more new items to help players out. The game is also getting a new mini-boss fight for that extra challenge.
Sons of the Forest is still hot stuff in its Early Access form: the game is in the top 20 list of highest all-time peak players on the indie game section. Check out the full patch notes below.

Sons Of The Forest Patch 01 Features

Added Binoculars
Added Hang Glider
Added Defensive Wall gate
Added mid game boss fight into food bunker
Added Settings Reset in the Options screen
Added missing Virginia leather suit pickup to world
You can now lock doors with a stick placed on the interior of the door
Built small structures (furniture) can now be grabbed, while grabbed it can either be placed again somewhere or thrown to collapse it and get back its resources
Some additional story elements added
New headshot death animation variations added for cannibals
Angry regular cannibals can attack now by jumping out of trees
Small birds will now land and eat/gain fullness
Added option to hide player name tags
Added option to hide projectile reticle and trajectory
Fish trap should now work and catch fish (every 5-10 minutes) as long as it’s placed in water and the current season is not winter
Added lookout towers to some cannibal villages
Story Paper pickups will now show UI to “Zoom” in
Added new structure type: One Sided Apex. Fills the space between a leaning beam and its supporting beam. Aligns automatically based on the leaning beam orientation. Fits quarter log variations to the right length automatically.

Sons Of The Forest Patch 01 Balance Changes

Added sleep cooldown
Set rest drain from hunger and dehydration to 0
Muddy Cannibals will now get less angry (from player proximity and in late game)
Added possibility of Player Sleep Interruption events from nearby enemies that can reach player
Tweaked fire drain rate to make using firewood more important
Tweaked berries to give slightly more fullness
Tweaked energy drink to give half as much hydration and less energy buff
Tweaked amount of fullness and hydration all herbs and mushrooms give
Hard enemy health setting reduced to 1.25x health
Increased cannibal armor health by 1.5x on hard
Kelvin catch fish order will end after a time
Fixed opening a cave in late game having too many enemies
Adjusted some player melee events and ranges for better A.I. responsiveness
Halved shotgun damage
Boosted seat rest amount from 0.3 to 0.7
Added regular Puffies to dining hall
Increased health on creepies depending on amount of multiplayer players active

Sons Of The Forest Patch 01 Improvements & Fixes

Improved red cannibal animation and blends
Fixed sleeping animation for female cannibal
Set up player effigy struggle/idle for multiplayer
Fixed ‘bouncy’ logs when deep in water
Performance speed up for world locators
Added Logic to allow hatches and doors to be forced open when player is spawned inside
Fix for some LOD’s sometimes not switching correctly
Fixed error caused when quitting while in death wakeup
Unique/Story items are now force equipped when they are collected
Door orientation is now determined by the position of the player when placing it, the face in front of player is the interior face
Adjusted Deer and Moose locomotion for better pathing
Prevented placing bench so close to objects that player could be stuck when standing up after sitting on it
Added more small prop setup for melee impacts and collision
Added LODs/optimization for the wall torch
Destroying screw storage now spawns stored items as dynamic pickups
Beach greebles regenerated with coral rock sizes reduced
Bunker food fixed some small lighting issues
Added radio to bunker food
Turned the table cards for Mr. and Mrs. Puffton into story pickups
Should no longer be able to get through locked doors with a stick (Sorry speed runners!)
Fixed Kelvin cutting down trees with player structures attached
Fixed keycard guest not opening the two doors in bunker entertainment and not being needed to get into bunker residential

Fixed ghost blueprints not rendering underwater (for example fish trap)
Fixed some stream underwater rendering glitches
Fixed some potential issues on multiplayer disconnect
Fixed multiple issues with input bindings
Fixed player stuck after dying while climbing rope
Fixed being able to place paper target on tarp collision
Fixed place defensive wall option available on non grounded pillars, often resulting in invalid placement that gets rejected
Fixed placing a defensive wall log against a pillar made of log quarter variation causing an invalid placement that gets rejected
Fixed destroying the small animal deadfall trap getting its resources yielded back twice
Fixed some issues occurring when a fire is destroyed while interacting with it
Fixed lifting tarp with stick sometimes not detecting stick being equipped properly when auto equipped resulting in a unnecessary delay before performing the action
Fixed adding log planks to ghost blueprint structures by splitting logs automatically not consuming the log properly

Fixed case where some elements from some unbuilt outlines could be removed
Volume fix for cave visuals disabling when navigating into some corners of caves
Fixes for various open rock / cliff edges in terrain
Fixed case where Virginia grab bag interaction could trigger at same time as pickup, leading to bad player state
Fixed case of player stuck attacking with spear after revive
Fixed enemy armor setting not working
Fixed animal count setting not working correctly
Fixed player able to trigger actions while doing ground attacks, fixes some possible temporary stuck states.
Fixed some cases of small birds not being scared of player
Fixed some incorrect keyboard icons for keypad inputs
Fixed music not playing in title screen after leaving a multiplayer game
Autumn ground leaves shouldn’t pop on visually as much now
Player will no longer get into a broken state when trying to equip an item that they are already holding and have maxed out in inventory
Fixed a transition to move with Tactical Axe which was preventing attack/block/parry from activating during it

Fixed case where removing a beam supporting a pillar wouldn’t re-link the pillar properly with its new support, resulting in wrong pillar position calculated after the cascading repositioning process
Fixed wood stack loading from saves as an apex (non retro-active)
Added player saving system for cutscenes
Fixed the cave shark eating severed limbs looking broken
Fixed some cave entrance bat scare spawn locations
Fixed some eagle perch landing / takeoff issues. Add a perch spot to tall dead stump
Fixed issue where walking over entertainment bunker could cause trees and other world objects to disappear.
Cannibals should no longer snap long distances to climb into windows
Fix for clients no longer loading into the correct season when rejoining a saved game
Players held items at time of knockout are now remembered upon being revived

Tutorials will no longer be force closed when opening the pause menu and are instead just visually toggled. This should fix some tutorials such as the pick up construction element tutorial from completing before the player has actually done it
Player will no longer slide down slopes when either utility book is held or when the player is in their inventory
Can no longer attach both the laser sight and flashlight weapon mods to the crossbow at the same time
Fixed some cases of multiplayer client able to duplicate logs
Fixed repairing wood stacks not putting its elements back in correct position
Fixed floating log when chopping down a tree with tree shelter attached to it
Fixed Screw Structures being broken apart have no audio
Tagged auto jumps off on portable light
Fixed Kelvin dropping radios destroying the radio
Fixed weapons given to Virginia not being returned with correct amount of ammo and weapon upgrades
Modified fade distance on icons slightly to make them more visible
Fixed for player able to be pushed through terrain if another players stand on their head

Fixed opening hatches removing weapon upgrades from currently held weapon
Made sure player correctly aligns to death marker when dying at high height
Removed floating life vest
Fixed displacement digging visuals breaking on some quality settings
Improved audio CPU overhead
Improved some cannibal audio/vocals
Reduced audio stuttering issues
Reduced intensity of high wind audio to reduce performance impact
Reduced max instances of footstep audio to reduce CPU cost and improve performance
Changed the audio ringing effect on explosions and grenades to lessen as you are further from the explosion to avoid it cutting out with distance
Spittle audio added to first spittle nest in entertainment bunker
Added fadeouts to physics sounds
Tuned player rock footstep when running, waterfall and surf levels
Added gun fight audio before door opening to “Get down son” cutscene
Updated triggered and reset audio events on flyswatter, bone maker and small animal traps
Prevented repair tool from spamming SFX causing performance and audio issues
Fixed audio loop not ending when climbing down ropes


PLAY Interactive Sets Up Malaysian Game Development Funding Program

Longtime Asian game distributor and publisher PLAY Interactive are doing something beneficial for Malaysia’s video game-making industry with all the hard-earned money it acquired.
The company has recently opened up the PLAY Game Development Co-Investment Fund, which will help fledging Malaysian video game developers realize their dream of making their games. The funding program will support local developers in commercializing their hard work, helping them out with funding and budget. How much? RM100,000 per project, with the total funding in the program being RM1,000,000.
The catch? PLAY Interactive will acquire the worldwide publishing rights to the project. In addition, only digital games are accepted (PC, console, mobile), and the project must be completed within 2 years. PLAY Interactive will accept all sorts of games based on the criteria listed on the site.
Speaking of which, here they are:

The applicant is aÂ companyÂ incorporated inÂ Malaysia.
More thanÂ Fifty One Per Cent (51%)Â of the legal and beneficial ownership of the applicant is vested in Malaysian(s).
The applicant is not the subject of a winding up order and has no going concern and if the applicant has going concern issue (as reported in the latest audited account), the applicant has to obtain undertaking letter and/written statement by the companyâ€™s shareholder and/or director to financially undertake and liability to the company.
Where the applicant has received grant / funds from any other agencies of parties for the same project applied here for PLAY Game Fund:
(a) All such grants / funds have been fully utilised; and
(b) All projects thereunder have been completed i.e. all milestones have been delivered to the satisfaction of the provider of such funding as duly acknowledged and certified by the provider of such grants / funds
(c) The applicant must not have any form of publishing deal tied up with the provider of such grants / funds
Where the applicant has received grant from any other agencies or parties for past project(s), the applicant shall provide success story and/or proven revenue generated from the project which was funded

To sum it up, your game studio needs to be made in Malaysia and majority-owned by Malaysians; legally born here, with the passport showing your citizenship, and so forth.Â The website also provides checklist, templates, and guides for essentials in video game pitching such as a pitching deck, an eligibility checklist, and a letter of undertaking. Talk about being prepared!
This does sound like a good deal if you’re not too fussy about who is distributing your game(s) worldwide. You just have to worry about your pitch, your game idea, and getting it done within 2 years or less. And also making a budget of RM100,000 work within that time frame.
Do keep in mind that PLAY Interactive handles SEA distribution work with game publishers like Sony Interactive Entertainment/PlayStation, Square Enix, Activision, Bandai Namco, Falcom, Nacon, Hori, Scrysoft, and a few others. If you somehow manage to participate in this and make it work, chances are one of these big guys might notice.


Gran Turismo And Just Dance Will Be Part Of The 2023 Olympic Esports Series

The International Olympics Committee will be starting the Olympic Esports Series 2023 qualifications today. And it’s going to feature a bit of sports car racing and dancing.
The Olympic Esports Series 2023 is a global and virtual simulated sports competition and will feature the following nine esports games.

Archery: Tic Tac Bow (World Archery Federation) – begins spring 2023
Baseball: WBSC eBaseball: Power Pros (World Baseball Softball Confederation) – begins 27 March
Chess: Chess.com (International Chess Federation) – begins 1 April
Cycling: Zwift (UCI) – begins TBC
Dance: Just Dance 2023 (World DanceSport Federation) – begins TBC
Motor sport: Gran Turismo 7 (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) – begins 13 April
Sailing: Virtual Regatta (World Sailing) – begins 17 March
Taekwondo: Virtual Taekwondo (World Taekwondo) – begins TBC
Tennis: Tennis Clash (International Tennis Federation) – begins TBC

All professional and amateur players around the world are invited to take part in the qualifiers starting today. The final will take place live at the Singapore Suntec City Centre from 22 to 25 June. The finals will be streamed live on Olympics.com and Olympics social channels.


PlayStation Bigwig Announces Departure

As we get ourselves excited over the upcoming PlayStation 5, more news of PlayStation employees leaving are coming out. The latest person to announce their departure is one of PlayStation’s well-know faces, Gio Corsi.

In a Twitter thread he put up earlier today, Gio Corsi announced that last week was his final week working at PlayStation. It seems that he won’t be retiring from the video games industry just yet as he says that he will “be back in games soon enough”.

It’s been a hell of a ride but last week was my final one at PlayStation. I’m taking some time off but I will be back in games soon enough. I’m extremely proud of all the amazing things we accomplished. Big love to everyone past & present who made my time there truly special 1/4 pic.twitter.com/sAV34jEcQF
— GIO ? (@giocorsi) November 4, 2019

Corsi joined PlayStation as senior director of third-party production and developer relations during the run-up to the launching of the PlayStation 4. According to gamesindustry.biz, he transitioned to second-party last year.
Earlier this year, other prominent PlayStation figures have also been moving on. In September, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) Worldwide Studios Shawn Layden stepped down from his position. SIE Japan director Atsushi Morita also departed his role around the same time.
We don’t know what exciting plans Corsi has for his future but everyone at Kakuchopurei would like to wish him luck and also to thank him for all he has done for PlayStation.


S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Set To Run On The Same Engine Powering The FF7 Remake

The last S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game released was Call of Pripyat and that was almost 10 years ago. Developer GSC Game World has been talking about S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 for just as long but we’ve yet to see anything. At least we know the game is definitely in development.

The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. official Twitter account recently announced that the long-awaited sequel will be powered by Unreal Engine (UE). One of the reasons why they’ve went with UE is because it meshes well with their plans to make the game mod-friendly.
In the same announcement, it’s stated that they’ll talk about the game’s platforms or digital stores later in the future. I would suggest not holding your breath because for these guys, “later” could very well mean “end of 2020”.
Of course, they didn’t just leave fans with that. There’s no better way to show that you’re hard at work making a game than giving them a tease of what’s to come. In GSC Game World’s case, they decided to show a loaf of last year’s bread. Beautiful.


Streets Of Rage Composer Yuzo Koshiro Will Work On New Megadrive Game

It’s the year 2022, but somehow or other people still want to make games for a classic 16-bit console that’s hard to find these days. The latest? Yuzo Koshiro.
The composer, who is known for making awesome music for Revenge of Shinobi and the Streets of Rage/Bare Knuckle series back in the 90s for the 16-bit era of gaming, is making a new Megadrive/Genesis title. He and his studio Ancient will be making a new shoot-em-up in his family-owned studio on native Megadrive hardware, complete with music using the YM2608 driver.
“It looks like an old shoot ’em up but is a new game we’re developing, harkening back to famous franchises in the 80s. We will release it for Mega Drive / Genesis. I’m making the soundtrack and have also been back as a game designer since Beyond Oasis [aka The Story of Thor].
Looking at these pictures, you probably don’t think this game will be a bullet-hell. We respect games of the days we love and will make this a fun game to shoot with a new system, fascinating graphics, characters, and a soundtrack.”

It looks like an old shoot 'em up but is a new game we're developing, harkening back to famous franchises in the 80s. We will release it for MD/Genesis. I'm making the soundtrack and have been back also as a game designer since Beyond Oasis. pic.twitter.com/nFPEDoYj1B
— Yuzo Koshiro (@yuzokoshiro) November 30, 2022

No word on how he’ll distribute the game, but the studio is considering various ideas to release it via physical carts.
“The release format, region, price, release date etc. are all under consideration. We cannot accelerate our work, but we will keep developing. As the game is completely original to our company, we will keep you informed.”


The Menu Is Now Streaming On Disney+ Hotstar In Malaysia

One of 2022’s best movies was The Menu, which was directed by Mark Mylod and starred an ensemble cast that includes Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, Hong Chau, Janet McTeer, Reed Birney, Judith Light, and John Leguizamo. It is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar in Malaysia.
The film focuses on a group of diners at an exclusive restaurant who find themselves in an unexpected situation. To say more would spoil what’s best about the movie. You can check out our full review of The Menu by heading over here.
The Menu is also streaming on HBO Max outside of Malaysia and in the US. The movie is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar probably because it’s distributed by Searchlight Pictures, which is under 20th Century Studios (which is, in turn, part of Walt Disney now).
Check out the trailer below:


The Last Of Us Part 2 & Ghost Of Tsushima Will Be Out This Summer

After being delayed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 madness, PlayStation fans aren’t sure if they’ll be getting their emotional rollercoaster and samurai action fix in the form of The Last of Us Part 2 and Ghost of Tsushima respectively this year. Well, wonder no more.
PlayStation just announced the new release dates for those games: The Last of Us Part 2 will be out on 19th June while Ghost of Tsushima will be out on 17th July. Huzzah!
The Last Of Us Part 2 is the sequel to the Naughty Dog-developed hit PS3 action-adventure survival horror game featuring Joel and Ellie. The sequel seems to be focused on Ellie and the aftermath of the first game. Also, you get to shoot crazed dogs.
Ghost of Tsushima is an action-adventure open-world game set in feudal Japan where you are the last samurai on Tsushima Island during the first Mongol invasion of Japan in the 1270s. It’s developed by Sucker Punch, the same folks who created the Sly Cooper and InFamous series on PlayStation consoles.


HBO’s The Last Of Us Season 1 Finale Breakdown & Easter Eggs

HBO’s The Last Of Us Episode 9 is now streaming on HBO and HBO GO (HBO Max in the US). Check out our breakdown of Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7 and Episode 8 here.
The Last Of Us, based on the critically acclaimed video game of the same name developed by Naughty Dog exclusively for the PlayStation platforms, is written and executive produced by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. The series is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television and is executive produced by Carolyn Strauss, Evan Wells, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, and Rose Lam. Production companies include PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog.
The Last Of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heart-breaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
The cast includes Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie, Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Anna Torv as Tess, Nico Parker as Sarah, Murray Bartlett as Frank, Nick Offerman as Bill, Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen, Storm Reid as Riley, Merle Dandridge as Marlene, Jeffrey Pierce as Perry, Lamar Johnson as Henry, Keivonn Woodard as Sam, Graham Greene as Marlon, and Elaine Miles as Florence. Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker also star.
Courtesy of HBO Asia, we were lucky enough to be the only Malaysian media to participate in interviews with Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, Merle Dandridge and Gabriel Luna. You can also check out our spoiler-free review of the entire season by heading over here.
Spoilers ahead:

That’s Ashley Johnson, The Original Voice Actress For Ellie From The Games

It’s extremely poetic that Ellie’s original voice actress, Ashley Johnson, would play Anna, the mother who gives birth to Ellie in the HBO series. I’m crying.
This entire sequence is fully original and not from the games. It’s a treat for long-time fans of the game. I won’t lie, I definitely teared up a bit watching this whole sequence.
The Iconic Giraffe Scene

They stayed true to the game and they kept the iconic giraffe scene from the game. This scene is still breathtaking.

That Ending And That Doctor Will Play Into The Last Of Us Season 2

That ending still hits hard, despite having completed the game multiple times.
It’s important to note that the doctor/surgeon that Joel kills in the operating room is the father of Abby, one of the main protagonists of The Last Of Us Part 2. The role of Abby has yet to be officially cast at the time of writing.
You can compare the ending with the ones below:

The VO Of The Last Of Us Part 2’s AbbyÂ  Makes A Cameo

Laura Bailey, who voiced everyone’s favourite character in The Last of Us Part 2, makes a guest appearance as one of the nurses in the hospital scene.

That’s all, folks. It was a good run! The Last Of Us is already renewed for a second season, so hopefully, we won’t have to wait long for that.
No other details have been revealed thus far, but a second season will likely be adapting the divisive video game sequel, 2020â€™s The Last Of Us Part 2. The Last Of Us Part 2 is available for the PS4 and PS5. In the meantime,Â check out my full spoiler-free review of the game here, orÂ check out my 4000-word spoilerific articleÂ on why I believe the hate for the game isnâ€™t justified.


We May Be Getting New Hitman Game In  The Future…

Despite previous reports about IO Interactive busy withÂ  WarnerÂ  Bros. on a newÂ  IP, the further adventures of Agent 47 are far from over.
According to a new November Hitman roadmap, IO Interactive is officially moving its HitmanÂ  2 team over to a new Hitman game, which is “well underway”.

“In real terms, we’re moving more and more of the Hitman 2 team to join the next Hitman game, which is well underway.”

Right now, Hitman 2 has a wealth of FeaturedÂ  Contracts andÂ  Community-curated Contracts, alongside some seasonal content like theÂ  Escalation and Elusive contract coming this December. So don’t expect that many updates for Hitman 2 this year and the next.


Next Apex Legends Event Focuses On Wraith’s Backstory

Despite being one of the most popular characters in Apex Legends, there’s not a lot that we know about Wraith aside from the fact that she can hear voices and open rifts. Starting next week, we’ll have a chance to find out more about her mysterious past.
The Voidwalker Themed Event will be introducing a host of new features to the game including a new Town Takeover centered around Wraith and a limited-time game mode called Armed and Dangerous.

Similar to the Octane Town Takeover, this new one will be changing a part of the King Canyon’s map once the event begins. The new area will have details and information on Wraith’s backstory and will also have a functional prototype portal for players to use.
In Armed and Dangerous, weapons around the map will mostly be changed to snipers and shotguns, while overall loot is much harder to come by.
Aside from these two features, the rest are the usual collection of new aesthetic items and new event challenges for you to complete and unlock special loot. The cosmetics will all be purchasable through the Direct Purchase Shop.

The Voidwalker Themed Event will start on 3 September 2019 and end on 17 September 2019. For more information, check out the official announcement.


The Spirit Of The Samurai Is A Feudal Stop-Motion Animated Monster-Filled Metroidvania

Here’s another type of game style you haven’t heard of: stop-motion animated feudal setting samurai 2D search action game.
That’s right: publisher Kwalee has announced the Digital Mind-developed Metroidvania game The Spirit of the Samurai. The game will be out for PC, Xbox Series, and PlayStation 5.
No release date has been announced yet. Check out the trailer & features list below:
Features

Unique stop-motion-style animation, character design, and cinematics.
2D Action Adventure gameplay with Metroidvania elements.
Detailed, atmospheric levels full of secrets to discover.
Fast, smooth and varied controls ranging from a combo-based combat system to linked magical powers.
Dynamic enemy AI makes every encounter challenging and unique.
Customizable combat through an in-game combo editor.


Metal Gear Solid 4 Gun Of The Patriots Is Finally Coming To Other Platforms

Big news for Metal Gear Solid fans, it seems like Konami has accidentally revealed that Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns Of The Patriots is being freed from being stuck on the PS3 and is finally releasing on other current platforms.
It was Twitter user Nitroid who originally spotted that inspecting the Metal Gear Solid timeline page on the official Metal Gear Solid website would reveal placeholder buttons for Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns Of The Patriots, Metal Gear Solid 5 Ground Zeroes, Metal Gear Solid 5 Phantom Pain, and Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker. It looks like these will be part of the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2.

While this is hardly conclusive of anything, here's some additional context for why it's suspicious: pic.twitter.com/2zPbbKTL79
— Nitroid ? (@Nitroid) June 22, 2023

However, at the time of writing, Konami has yet to officially confirm or announce Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2 and its contents.
Metal Gear Solid 4 originally came out for the PS3 in 2008.
Metal Gear Solid Collection Vol. 1 launches on 24 October 2023 for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. It will include Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons Of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater, Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2 Solid Snake, and Snake’s Revenge.


Blasphemous Gets One Last Expansion This December; Sequel In The Works

Dark fantasy Metroidvania title Blasphemous impressed many with its gruesome art style and combat, so it’s great that its developer Game Kitchen is going out with a bang with the title.
Blasphemous: Wounds of Eventide, the final expansion for the game, will be out this December. This expansion will feature the “true ending” for Blasphemous and a few new levels and boss fights for you to go through.

Best of all, the devs are working on a sequel to the game, due in 2023. Here’s an official quote.
“Weâ€™re so excited to finally announce that weâ€™ve started on a Blasphemous sequel, the community have shown so much love for the first game and we canâ€™t wait to share more when we can!”


The Need For Speed Unbound Cars List So Far

Last week, EA and Criterion Games announced that Need For Speed Unbound will launch for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on 2 December 2022.
In Need For Speed Unbound, you will race against time, outsmart the cops and take on weekly qualifiers to reach The Grand, Lakeshore’s ultimate street racing challenge. You can also pack your garage with precision-tuned, custom rides and light up the streets with your style, exclusive fits, and a vibrant global soundtrack that bumps into every corner of the world.
The game will run at 4K 60FPS using the Frostbite engine featuring a brand-new high-framerate physics system. Need For Speed Unbound will also feature offline single-player racing with a campaign, multiplayer with cross-play support and free post-launch content updates.
Check out the official list of cars so far below, courtesy of EA:

Acura NSX 2017
Acura RSX-S 2004
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio 2016
Aston Martin DB5 1964
Aston Martin DB11 Volante 2018
Aston Martin DB11 2017
Aston Martin Vulcan 2016
BMW M3 2006
BMW M3 Evolution II 1988
BMW X6 M 2016
BMW M3 2010
BMW M5 2018
BMW Z4 M40i 2019
BMW M4 Coupe 2018
BMW M2 Competition 2019
BMW M1 1981
BMW i8 Coupe 2018
BMW M4 GTS 2016
BMW M3 Convertible 2010
BMW M4 Convertible 2017
BMW i8 Roadster 2018
Bugatti Chiron Sport 2017
Buick Grand National GNX 1987
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2020
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible 2020
Chevrolet C10 Stepside Pickup 1965
Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport 2017
Chevrolet Camaro Z28 2014
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 2013
Chevrolet Camaro SS 1967
Chevrolet Bel Air 1955
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 2019
Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 2017
Dodge Challenger SRT8 2014
Dodge Charger R/T 1969
Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat 2019
Ferrari LaFerrari 2016
Ferrari Testarossa Coupé 1984
Ferrari 488 GTB 2016
Ferrari F40 1988
Ferrari 458 Italia 2009
Ferrari 488 Pista 2019
Ferrari FXX-K Evo 2018
Ferrari 458 Spider 2011
Ford F-150 Raptor 2017
Ford Mustang GT 2015
Ford GT 2017
Ford Mustang BOSS 302 1969
Ford Mustang 1965
Ford Mustang Foxbody 1990
Ford Crown Victoria 2008
Ford Focus RS 2016
Ford Mustang GT Convertible 2019
Honda Civic Type-R 2000
Honda Civic Type-R 2015
Honda NSX Type-R 1992
Honda S2000 Ultimate Edition 2009
Infiniti Q60S 2017
Jaguar F-Type R Coupe 2016
Jaguar F-Type R Convertible 2019
Koenigsegg Regera 2016
Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 2021
Lamborghini Huracán LP580-2 2018
Lamborghini Aventador S 2018
Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary 1989
Lamborghini Murciélago SV 2010
Lamborghini Urus 2018
Lamborghini Huracán Performante 2018
Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Coupe 2019
Lamborghini Diablo SV 1995
Lamborghini Huracán LP580-2 Spyder 2018
Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster 2018
Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster 2019
Lamborghini Aventador LP750-4 SV Roadster 2018
Lamborghini Huracán Performante Spyder 2018
Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR 2015
Land Rover Defender 110 Double Cab Pickup 2015
Lotus Exige S 2006
Lotus Emira 2021
Mazda RX-7 Spirit R 2002
Mazda MX5 1996
Mazda RX-8 Spirit R (R3) 2011
Mazda MX5 2015
McLaren P1 2014
McLaren F1 1993
McLaren 570S 2015
McLaren 570S Spider 2018
McLaren 600LT 2018
McLaren P1 GTR 2015
Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 1988
Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupe 2018
Mercedes-AMG G 63 2017
Mercedes-AMG GT S 2019
Mercedes-AMG A 45 2016
Mercedes-AMG GT R 2017
Mercedes-AMG GT S Roadster 2019
Mercedes-AMG C 63 Cabriolet 2018
Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series 2021
Mercury Cougar 1967
MINI John Cooper Works Countryman 2017
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX 2007
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X 2008
Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX 1999
NISSAN GT-R Premium 2017
NISSAN Skyline GT-R V·Spec 1999
NISSAN 370Z Heritage Edition 2019
NISSAN Silvia K’s 1998
NISSAN Z Prototype 2022
NISSAN Silvia Spec-R Aero 2002
NISSAN Skyline GT-R V·Spec 1993
NISSAN 350Z 2008
NISSAN Skyline 2000 GT-R 1971
NISSAN Fairlady 240ZG 1971
NISSAN 180SX Type X 1996
NISSAN 370Z Nismo 2015
NISSAN GT-R Nismo 2017
Pagani Huayra BC 2017
Plymouth Cuda 1970
Polestar Polestar 1 2020
Pontiac Firebird 1977
Porsche 911 GT3 RS 2019
Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 2.8 1973
Porsche 918 Spyder 2015
Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 2018
Porsche 911 Carrera S 1997
Porsche 911 GT2 RS 2018
Porsche Panamera Turbo 2017
Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series 2018
Porsche Boxster 718 Spyder 2020
Porsche 911 Carrera GTS 2018
Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet Exclusive 2018
Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS 2018
Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Convertible 2018
Porsche Cayman GT4 2015
SRT Viper GTS 2014
SUBARU Impreza WRX STI 2006
SUBARU BRZ Premium 2014
SUBARU Impreza WRX STI 2010
Volkswagen Beetle 1963
Volkswagen Golf GTI 1976
Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport 2016
Volvo 242DL 1975
Volvo Amazon P130 1970

That’s a whole lot of cars to choose from. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Kingdom Hearts 4 Trailer Moment Hints At A Star Wars World

The Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer was a pleasant surprise when it was released yesterday, but eagle-eyed fans have spotted what might be hinting at a possible Star Wars world in the upcoming game. Star Wars has never been featured in the Kingdom Hearts franchise, but there’s nothing stopping that from happening now that Star Wars is a Disney IP.

From the 00:30 to 00:34 mark in the trailer, there’s a glimpse of an environment that looks sort of like the Forest Moon of Endor from Star Wars Episode VI Return Of The Jedi. Then, there’s a shot from the 0:34 to 0:35 mark that appears to include the back of an AT-ST foot.

And, for reference, here’s what the back of an AT-ST looks like:

As of now, it’s too early to say anything concrete about this yet, since there are hardly any details about Kingdom Hearts 4 as of yet. We’ll have to wait and see, but it’s nice to dream.
For now, here’s a compilation of some online reactions to the trailer from yesterday. Some are making fun about how uncanny and weirdly realistic the graphics look:

Wow, #kingdomhearts 4 looks cool!! pic.twitter.com/5QNHUwnC5c
— strawderryst (@StrawderryST) April 10, 2022

Very excited for kingdom hearts 4 pic.twitter.com/daLTxwTsG9
— Matticus Ratticus (@Sweetratboy) April 10, 2022

Some are talking about how Sora doesn’t have his cartoonishly large clown shoes anymore:

new kingdom hearts 4 sora drip ditched the goofy shoes and square enix NEEDS to let me purchase the new ones pic.twitter.com/P2rZLezI45
— TAHK0 ?? (@TAHK0) April 10, 2022

Meanwhile, some fans are happy that we’re finally getting a long-awaited sequel:

KINGDOM HEARTS 4 IS REAL!!!!
YES, I CRIED!!! ?????? pic.twitter.com/LrwK0fbE2p
— Arief Johan (@AriefJohan) April 10, 2022

there will be times you have to fight. keep your light burning strong.#khiv #kingdomhearts pic.twitter.com/PrHLDJZ2jA
— DaPanda @Destiny-Islanders (@DaPandaBanda) April 10, 2022


Get Sporty With This Final Fantasy VII Remake Tifa Lockhart Figurine

Remember that bit in Final Fantasy VII Remake where if you pick the right dialogue option, you’ll see pugilist protagonist Tifa Lockhart in one of three outfits during the Don Corneo pimp section? You can now have a figurine of her in one of the ensembles courtesy of Square Enix.
Square Enix is selling its Static Arts Figurine of Final Fantasy VII Remake’s Tifa in her Sporty Dress. The Static Arts version will have her sitting down on a red chair in her dress, which is an elegant dark purple cheongsam.

It’ll cost you US$130.60 and is available for pre-order right now. The figurine’s release date will be out on March 2023; you can chalk this as another win for Square Enix in using one of its more robust characters to profit off the resin statue market.


Resident Evil Infinite Darkness Gets New Clip With RE4 Reference

Netflixâ€™sÂ Resident Evil Infinite Darkness is finally dropping tomorrow on 8 July 2021. Ahead of the series premiere, the streaming giant has unveiled a brand new clip focusing on protagonist Leon S. Kennedy which takes place at the White House.
When there is a sudden power outage and mysterious zombies start roaming around, rookie federal agent Patrick finds himself face-to-face with a life-or-death crisis. In the darkness, Leon saves the young agent at the last possible second. After that, when Leon apologises to President Graham for being late to meet with him, the President shows enormous trust in Leon.
This is a reference to the events from the game Resident Evil 4 when Leon saved Ashley, the daughter of President Graham, from the clutches of Salazar and the Las Plagas in Spain.
The upcoming seriesÂ takes place in 2006, two years after the events ofÂ Resident Evil 4. There will be three protagonists, including the fan-favouritesÂ Leon S. KennedyÂ andÂ Claire Redfield, as well as the newly-introduced mysterious U.S. federal agentÂ Shen May.
In addition, the new clip also presents the feats of Jason and Shen May, who are also federal agents like Leon. You can get more details and information on each of the protagonists in the series by heading over here.
The full synopsis for the series reads:
Six years ago (2000), the helicopter belonging to the U.S. special forces who were intervening in the Penamstan civil war fell from the sky. The U.S. Army Mad Dogs, who were in the same battleground, refused orders from the command center to stand their ground and instead went to save survivors of the crash. However, the special forces were already annihilated. The Mad Dogs, led by their captain Jason, was also forced to escape in order to survive.
However, in that place, Jason and his unit saw the supposedly dead special forces moving in strange ways…
In the present (2006), a hacking incident occurs on a top-secret White House file. Four agents, including Leon S. Kennedy and Jason, the â€œHero of Penamstan,â€ are invited to the White House to investigate this incident. However, when the lights suddenly go out, they are forced to take down a horde of mysterious zombies alongside the SWAT team. Afterwards, the top-secret file is found to be related to a biology laboratory in Shanghai, which Leon and the other three agents decide to investigate for clues. As they head to Shanghai in a cutting-edge submarine, a swarm of rat-like Bio Organic Weapons (B.O.W.) suddenly attacks, pushing them into a life-or-death situation.
Meanwhile, while staying in Penamstan to provide support for refugees, Terra Save staff member Claire Redfield encounters a strange image drawn by a nonverbal boy. Haunted by this drawing, which appears to depict a victim of a viral infection, Claire starts her own investigation. She eventually finds a terrifying experiment that was conducted during the Penamstan civil war. Leon and Claire draw closer to an unimaginable truth that all began in Penamstan. They also discover that a terror that can shatter peace is slowly approachingâ€¦
Check out the clip below:


Capcom Teams Up With Tencent For New Monster Hunter Game

Capcom will be bringing Monster Hunter to mobile, which could mean the end of productivity as we know it.
Capcom will be teaming up with Tencent’s Timi studio to create a new game in the monster-killing franchise for mobile devices. The in-development title will reproduce the hunting action that defined the series while offering players a new game experience unique to the platform(s).
I have no doubt in my mind that Capcom can make a fun and compact Monster Hunter experience on Android and iOS devices with touchscreen controls. JRPGs and action RPGs have proven to work on mobile for the past 5+ years, so gameplay’s not going to be an issue. What could be an issue is how microtransactions will work, and whether there will be any pay-to-win shenanigans involved.
With developer Timi on board, whose experience involve MOBA games Honor of Kings/Arena of Valor and Pokemon Unite which are popular in their own circles (and getting US$10 billion out of them to boot), this may be Capcom’s meal ticket for the next few years whether we like it or not.


Sackboy A Big Adventure Is Coming To PC This October

A new PlayStation Latin America trailer has revealed that Sackboy A Big Adventure will launch on PC via Steam and the Epic Game Store on 27 October 2022.
According to the trailer, it will feature PC upgrades and improvements such as 4K 120FPS, Ultrawide 21:9, Nvidia DLSS and VRR support.
Sackboy A Big Adventure is a platform game. Unlike previous LittleBigPlanet entries with 2.5D platforming, players control Sackboy in 3D world maps which give access to a multitude of platforming levels and bonus content. It can even be played in co-op.
Sackboy A Big Adventure originally launched for the PS4 and PS5 in November 2020.