What We Know About Baldur’s Gate 3: Gameplay, Early Access & More

Disclaimer: this feature will be updated periodically as new info gets revealed…
It’s been two decades since the release of Bioware’s Baldur’s Gate 2. Here we are, 20 years later on the cusp of Larian Studio‘s follow-up, Baldur’s Gate 3. Does it look like it retains the mature old-school isometric spirit of the original CRPGs back in the early 2000s?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNY7AEQ59-8&w=560&h=315]
Cool intro aside, we answer some of these questions regarding part 3.
How is Baldur’s Gate 3’s gameplay & combat?

The original two Baldur’s Gate titles by Bioware were iconic for featuring real-time combat with the ability to pause to give commands. However, the combat in Baldur’s Gate 3 will be entirely turn-based, which is more in the vein of Larian Studios’ previous major title, Divinity Original Sin 2.
The combat is more strategic now, emphasizing positioning and other variables. The turns alternate between groups instead of individuals, which means that players will have to wait for an entire party of enemies to make their move before they can react (or vice versa).
At the beginning of each battle, the player’s party and the enemyâ€™s party will both roll an initiative (sort of like a dice, which is where the Dungeons & Dragons influence can be seen). The party with the higher number will get to move first.
There are also several bonus actions available, which are located on the bottom of the screen. These include Shove, which lets players push enemies off ledges or into pits, and Jump, which lets players leap into the air to reach places with higher altitude.

In addition, players can also Dip their weapon into nearby materials, like a candle to set arrows on fire or a pool of supernatural energy to enhance them. Players can Help allies who have been knocked unconscious by reviving them.

Outside of combat, players can also use a special turn-based mode to sneak around, position their party members, and manipulate the environment in creative ways that will feel familiar to those who have previously played Divinity Original Sin 2.
Oh, and players can split the party so that several members can be in combat somewhere in the wilderness while the others can be in a nearby town buying supplies. In fact, Larian Studios claims that the entire game can purportedly be played turn-based from the very beginning to end. This would probably lead to some interesting livestreams.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, players will also have to roll a 20-sided dice whenever they attempt to perform a skill check (or luck-based actions/decisions), which comes with an awesome animated sequence to show the dice spinning.
How’s the conversation system like?

We won’t mince words: faces are impressively detailed during dialogues and conversations.
While conversations in Divinity Original Sin 2 unfolded mostly through traditional text with an invisible narrator, Baldurâ€™s Gate 3 is clearly taking advantage of its bigger budget and resources.
Taking a cue from games like modern Bioware games or The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the camera will now zoom in onto the talking character for a more cinematic and realistic perspective.
However, they’re still slightly limited, in that players wonâ€™t actually see or hear their character when interacting with NPCs. The player’s protagonist will remain silent and reaction-free during these conversations.
It doesn’t matter if players have created their own hero from scratch or chosen one of the Origin characters. The latter will have pre-set personalities and stats with their own branching stories, such as Astarion a High Elf vampire spawn whom Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke chooses in the gameplay demo during the PAX East reveal.
Conversations in Baldur’s Gate 3 works like this; the other person will talk. When they finish speaking, the camera will then cut to the player for a dialogue option before cutting back to the other person without showing the player’s character speaking.
This is a smart move on Larian’s part. Not having to animate the player’s character and hire even more voice actors for conversations and dialogue means that the extra time and money could be spent and funnelled into other more meaningful content.
Who are the main bad guys in Baldur’s Gate 3?

In Baldurâ€™s Gate 3, the focus will be on Mind Flayers, squid-like creatures who control peopleâ€™s brains using their psionic abilities. They’re the ones featured in the cinematic trailers for the game, who look like Cthulhu spawns.
At the beginning of the game, a Mind Flayer sticks a tiny creature (called a ‘tadpole’ in-game) inside of the eye of the player’s character. The player then learns that they only have seven days to find a healer before the ‘tadpole’ parasite turns them into a Mind Flayer. This is where the story begins.
Where does Baldur’s Gate 3 take place in the timeline?

Baldur’s Gate 3 takes place 100 years after the era of the first two games, according to writer Adam Smith (via Kotaku).
In a three-hour preview demo at PAX East, it’s worth noting that there were no references to the first two games, although it has been confirmed that a large part of the game will take place in the city of Baldurâ€™s Gate.
Smith also clarified that a hundred years may be a long time for humans, but that’s not the case for other species. He revealed that there are “factions and places that were deeply affected” from the events of the first two games in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Is Baldur’s Gate 3 going Early Access?

Yes, just like most Larian Studios games.
Baldurâ€™s Gate 3 is slated to release in Early Access on PC sometime later this year. At launch, players will have access to six classes and five companions, with more companions to be added at a later date.
The classes and archetypes include:

Fighter – Battle Master, Eldritch Knight
Wizard – Evocation, Abjuration
Rogue – Arcane Trickster, Thief
Ranger – Hunter, Beast Master
Cleric – Life, Light, Trickery
Warlock – Fiend, Great One

The companions include:

Wyll – Human Warlock
Shadowheart – Half-Elf Cleric
Lae’zel – Githyanki Fighter
Gale – Human Wizard
Astarion – High Elf vampire spawn, Rogue

According to writer Adam Smith (via VG247), all of the companions in Baldur’s Gate 3 will be open to romance with both each other and the player. Relationships will be more complex in nature rather than simply giving them gifts or engaging in several conversations and expecting sex in return.
Powered by the Divinity 4.0 Engine, Baldurâ€™s Gate 3 features full performance motion-capture and cinematics, four-player online multiplayer and local co-op split-screen multiplayer for two players.
Players can expect over 100 hours of gameplay in the upcoming full version of the game, with over 15 races (and subraces) and eight classes in total.
Can we see the game in motion?
Yes, you can! Do check out our supercut of Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay footage to catch all the good bits. You can watch the unabridged presentation below as well.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PctqZ12kz4&w=560&h=315]


Diablo 4 Closed & Open Beta Guide: Here’s How You Can Get In

Good news, action RPG clicker fans who crave loot, gore, classes with hard-hitting AoEs, and more legendary loot! Diablo 4 will be in early access next month. Here are the dates & info.
Diablo 4’s early access to the beta mode will be available from 17 to 19 March for gamers who pre-ordered the game. The game’s open beta will be available for everyone on the following weekend: 24 to 26 March.
Diablo 4 Beta Gameplay Info

In previous tests, the team focused on all aspects of Diablo 4’s endgame. For the Open Beta weekends, players will be able to experience a deep look into the early game including the Prologue and the entirety of Act 1 with a level cap of 25.
For the Early Access mode (17-19 March), you can access and play the following three classes: Barbarian, Rogue, Sorceress.
For the Open Beta mode (24-26 March), you can access all five classes: Barbarian, Rogue, Sorceress, Druid, Necromancer.
The beta will give you access to the prologue and the entire Act 1 in the Fractured Peaks zone.
Ashava, our World Boss for the Early Access and Open Beta, emerges in Fractured Peaks to spread plague and rend flesh. Grab some friends to challenge her on March 18 and March 25 at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 10 p.m., and midnight PDT.
Diablo 4 Open Beta And Early Access Weekends Duration

Early Access to the Open Beta begins March 17 at 9 a.m. PST and concludes March 20 at 12 p.m. PST.
The Open Beta begins March 24 at 9 a.m. PST and concludes March 27 at 12 p.m. PST.

How To Access Diablo 4 Open Beta

Go to diablo.com/beta and log in or create your Battle.net account.
Enter your code and select your gaming platform and region(if applicable) from the drop-down menu.
Be sure to check your selections before clicking the Redeem
A success page will confirm that your code was valid and claimed to the account.
Watch your Battle.net account email for a platform-specific code. This will be emailed to you with new instructions shortly before Early Access to the Open Beta begins.

Oh, and we also get a glimpse of the upcoming game’s opening cutscene, which features your playable character.

Diablo 4 Early Download Times

Early Download for the Early Access begins March 15 at 9 a.m. PDT/ March 16 at 12 a.m. SGT (GMT +8). Early download for the Open Beta will begin March 22 at 9 a.m. PDT/ March 23 at 12 a.m. SGT (GMT +8).

Diablo 4 PC Requirements

Diablo 4 Open Beta Minimum PC Specs
Settings to run the Diablo IV Open Beta at 1080p native resolution / 720p render resolution, low graphics settings, 30 fps.

Operating System: 64-bit Windows 10
Processor: Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD FX-8100
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 or AMD Radeon R9 280
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: SSD with 45 GB available space
Internet: Broadband Connection

Diablo 4 Open Beta Recommended PC Specs

Operating System: 64-bit Windows 10
Processor: Intel Core i5-4670K or AMD R3-1300X
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon RX 470
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: SSD with 45 GB available space
Internet: Broadband Connection

Diablo 4 Beta Rewards
If you complete the beta and hit the requirements, you’ll get the following rewards.

‘Initial Casualty’ title: Reach Kyovashad.
‘Early Voyager’ title: Hit level 20.
‘Beta Wolf Pack’ cosmetic reward: Get one character up to level 20.

Diablo 4 will be out on 6 June for PC and consoles. For more on what’s up with Diablo 3, check out our Season 28 guide.


First Snake Eyes G.I. Joe Origins Trailer Is Full Of Action

The first Snake Eyes G.I. Joe Origins trailer was unveiled during the MTV Movie & TV Awards 2021 earlier today.
Malaysian superstar ofÂ Crazy Rich AsiansÂ Henry GoldingÂ will be starring as the titular protagonist Snake Eyes, alongside the following cast:

Andrew Koji as Storm Shadow
Iko Uwais as Hard Master
Ãšrsula CorberÃ³ as Baroness
Samara Weaving as Scarlett
Andrew Koji
Haruka Abe as Akiko
Takehiro Hira

ItÂ will be directed by Robert Schwentke, best known for directing movies like 2009â€™sÂ The Time Travelerâ€™s WifeÂ and 2013â€™sÂ R.I.P.D.
Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe OriginsÂ is slated to premiere on 23 July 2021.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Dragon Quest Treasures Drops On Nintendo Switch This December

Square Enix has announced that Dragon Quest Treasures is coming to the Nintendo Switch on 9 December 2022.
Not much is known, besides the fact that players will collect monsters and fight alongside them in battle while collecting loot to bring back to base.
This news was revealed via the Nintendo Direct Mini Partner Showcase June 2022, which you can check out in full below:


Stranger Things 3 Breaks Netflix Records

Less than a week after premiering on 4 July 2019, Stranger Things 3 have already broken Netflix records for the most watched original Netflix series or movie in its first four days of streaming. That’s mighty impressive for a show some are saying just capitalizes on overused sci-fi tropes and 80s nostalgia.
According to the official Netflix US Twitter account, a whopping 40.7 million households accounts have watched Stranger Things 3Â in its first four days alone, with almost half of that number (18.2 million) having already completed the entire season.

.@Stranger_Things 3 is breaking Netflix records!
40.7 million household accounts have been watching the show since its July 4 global launch â€” more than any other film or series in its first four days. And 18.2 million have already finished the entire season.
â€” Netflix US (@netflix) July 8, 2019
The previous record holder was the recently-released Murder Mystery movie starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, which was watched by over 30 million accounts in its first three days.
Netflix is notoriously known for being pretty secretive and cagey about revealing its viewership numbers. The streaming giant rarely shares the statistics, and only do so when they’re positive news like these.
More often than not, many shows are just canceled without any official reason given. Hopefully, this will mean that Stranger Things 4 is essentially confirmed. Let’s just hope it won’t be another long two-year wait like it was for Stranger Things 3.
Stranger Things 3 is now streaming on Netflix. In the meantime, check out my non-spoiler review of the entire season here, or head on over here where I discuss the ending/post-credits scenes for Stranger Things 3 and theories for Stranger Things 4.


John Wick 5 & A ‘AAA’ John Wick Game Are In The Works

John Wick 4 was the highest-grossing one in the franchise yet and the the franchise is still growing. Beyond the upcoming Ballerina spinoff movie and the ‘The Continental’ TV series in development, John Wick 5 and a AAA John Wick game are also in the works.
According to the latest Lionsgate earnings call (via Comicbook), Lionsgate Motion Picture Group President Joe Drake said:
“We’re now moving across that franchise, not just in the AAA video game space, but looking at what the regular cadence of spin-offs, television really growing that universe so that there is a steady cadence of a franchise that there’s clear appetite by the audience.
What is official is that, as you know, Ballerina is the first spinoff that comes out next year. We’re in development on three others, including [John Wick 5] and including television series, The Continental, will be airing soon.
And so, we’re building out the world and when that five movie comes, will be organic — will be organically grown out of how we’re starting to tell those stories. But you can rely on a regular cadence of John Wick.”
However, he did not mention any specific video game publishers or developers that are involved in the development of the game.
Previously, John Wick has dabbled into the games industry with the VR shooter John Wick Chronicles and the action RTS John Wick Hex, but they were both not quite at the level of AAA-budget games. A true AAA John Wick game would be a potentially massive hit if done properly. Perhaps a third-person shooter with martial arts like Sleeping Dogs.
In the meantime, check out our review of John Wick 4 by heading over here.


Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Trailer Showcases Graveborn & Spore Warden Classes In Action

Gearbox just unleashed a new Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands trailer upon us unsuspecting looter shooter fans. The trailer showcases two new classes in action: the Graveborn and Spore Warden.
Here’s a breakdown of both classes:
Graveborn

A class that has high risk and high rewards buffs and spells. Has the Reaper of Bones spell that gives them bonus lifesteal and magic damage for a duration as their health continuously drains. Also has the Dire Sacrifice skill where he/she sacrifices 20% of current health to deal Dark Magic damage to all nearby enemies. They also have Demi Liche pets that hang around and possibly give them buffs.
Spore Wardens

Classic nature-lovers with nature spells. Has the skill Barrage of Arrows where they fire 7 arrows at once. Also has Blizzard, a spell where the Spore Wardens cast 3 Frost Cyclones that seek out enemies. Also has a tiny Spore mutant as a pet.
The two of them will be joining the Brr-Zerker, Clawbringer, Spellshot, and Stabbomancer, making it a total of six classes you can choose between. If you multi-class certain professions, you can also gain two pets. How this works in-game will be revealed at a later date. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands will be out on 25th March for PC, and Xbox and PlayStation consoles.


4 Chicken Dinners And A Ton Of Kills Later, VIP Squad Is PMNC 2019 Champion!

The PUBG Mobile Malaysia National Championship (PMNC) 2019 concluded with VIP Squad (Victorious In Play) triumphantly securing 1st place. The team brings home the grand prize of RM40,000 and also a free one-year mobile plan from Yoodo.
Last year, VIP Squad only managed to put themselves at 4th place at PMNC 2018. Their training definitely paid off as they were the only team to get 2 chicken dinners on the first day of the tournament.
Believe it or not, they got another 2 chicken dinners on the second day. Great stuff!
The top four winners of PMNC 2019.
Other Vital Stats
AROV Esports, Junior Talent, and Team Secret won 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place respectively. Together with Yoodo Gank, the top four winners will be playing at the PUBG Mobile Club Open (PMCO) 2019 SEA Fall Split which is expected to be held in Bangkok later this year.

VIP Squad
AROV Esports
Junior Talent
Team Secret

Yoodo did a great job organising the event as it went very smoothly aside from one or two technical hiccups. Yoodo’s CEO Chow Tuck Mun has more plans for the local mobile gaming and esports industry, check out the details here.


Need for Speed Heat Adds New Cars And Lots Of Fixes

Need for Speed Heat is getting a March update which will see new cars, customization, and fixes added to the game.
The new cars – an Aston Martin DB11 Volante (2018) and McLaren F1 (1993) – are coming courtesy of the Black Market Delivery, which is debuting with this update.
Here’s the description of how the deliveries work:

“During Black Market Deliveries, players will meet Raziel â€“ an underground car dealer who imports two types of cars: variants of already existing cars, available for free and spanking new ones available for real money purchases.
To get behind the wheel of the imports, simply head down to Port Murphy and pick them up from a shipping container.
This opens a small narrative tied to the car where Raziel will ask the player for a few favours in order to receive a reward.
“Complete the challenges to get visual customisation parts for a new ride, character outfits, and effects fitting the carâ€™s theme.
Throughout the journey, players will also discover new events that can be replayed once the Black Market challenge is complete.”

The Aston Martin is the free addition, while the McLaren will cost $4.99 (RM21). Both cars will have narrative settings, six Challenge sets that consist of both recycled and new content, character outfits, customization items, and vanity items to go along with them.
In addition, the March update will deliver quality of life improvements and over 100 bug fixes. You can check out the full list of fixes on Reddit.


T1 League Of Legends COO John Kim Passes Away

T1 League Of Legends Chief Operating Officer John Kim has passed away. According to the official tweet announcing his death, he passed away today on 16 July 2021 due to unspecified health issues.

“A message from T1
It is with profound sadness that we inform you of the passing of our COO, John Kim. After being hospitalized on July 7 due to health issues, John passed away on July 16, 2021.
John has been instrumental in building T1, working tirelessly for our players and staff and he will be missed dearly. While we mourn the loss of our dear friend and colleague, we will also continue to celebrate his life and the time we had with him.
Please keep John’s family in your thoughts as they go through this difficult time.”

pic.twitter.com/wWhdLa834x
— T1 LoL (@T1LoL) July 16, 2021

The late Kim became the COO of T1 League Of Legends in 2019. Before that, he started his career as the founder of TSB Communications in Vancouver, Canada, before venturing into esports. Kim was an essential part of the new joint venture for T1 under SK Telecom and Comcast back in 2019.
It is now one of the most successful esports organizations in the world. T1’s League Of Legends team has won the 2013, 2015, and 2016 editions of the League of Legends World Championship. They also have teams for other games like Apex Legends, League of Legends, Fortnite, Hearthstone, PUBG, Super Smash Bros, Dota 2, PokÃ©mon, Valorant, and Overwatch.


Here Is The Mortal Kombat 11 Closed Beta Schedule For PS4 & Xbox One

Mortal Kombat 11 is coming out next week, so it’s only fitting NetherRealm Studios host a closed beta session to work out the network coding before launch. Of course, you’ll have to pre-order the game to get an invite.
The official Twitter page just announced the dates and time. So if you’re living in Malaysia, Singapore, or any GMT+8 area, Kombat time starts 27 March 11pm and ends 1st April 2:59pm.

On 28th March, you’re next when the #MK11 Closed Beta begins!Gain access to the Closed Beta by pre-ordering MK11 and check below to see when it runs in your region.https://t.co/pmtQbuCsej pic.twitter.com/ghWM3JdF4Y
— Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate (@MortalKombat) March 18, 2019

If you’re interested in part 11’s roster, here’s a full list. If you haven’t pre-ordered MK11 but still want to check out the closed beta, you may want to pay attention to Kakuchopurei’s Facebook page in the next few days.


So Okami May Be Making A Comeback..

Guess we finally know the real reason why Ikumi Nakamura left Tango Gameworks & Ghostwire Tokyo; she’s going back to an old flame.
In this case, it’s a flame generated by wolf sun goddess Amaterasu. Just recently on Twitter, she and PlatinumGames director Hideki Kamiya teased a true Okami sequel.

Okami is going to be back! We want to make Okami sequel and fans are looking forward to it too. You guys want to see Kamiya’s Okami again, right, everyone? I want to work on it too! ?????????????????@CapcomUSA_ @OKAMI_CAP pic.twitter.com/bLwuGnTew1
— Ikumi Nakamura ?@unseentokyo (@nakamura193) October 18, 2019

The two of them, who worked on one of the PlayStation 2’s best games ever, now teaming up again. The tweet might be a litmus test on whether people are clamouring for an Okami sequel, tagging Capcom and throwing the ball in their court. If they refuse, they look like the bad guys; not a wise move considering their winning steak with the Resident Evil 2 Remake, Devil May Cry 5, and Monster Hunter World: Iceborne.
The last sequel Okami got was Okamiden for the DS. It was, for lack of a better term, cute. Look, it’s been 13 years since the very first Okami, so pardon us if something like this is whipping us into a frenzy.


Devil May Cry 5 Sold A 100,000+ Copies Within Three Days In Japan

What happens when you create a great game that upholds the legacy of your most-cherished game-changing franchise in your native country? You have a lot of sales, as evident in Devil May Cry 5’s opening numbers in Japan.
According to the Media Creates sales chart (via Gematsu), Capcom’s action game is at first place with 116,202 copies sold; PlayStation 4 version. This is followed by Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s 23,407 copies and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe’s 20,101 copies for the week of 4 March. That’s a lot of demon-killing action in the first three days since its release.
Time will tell if the game will be dominating the Japan charts for the whole of the month, but this is a pretty good indicator that Capcom’s on a roll. On a related note, check out our review and our guide.
Full game sales chart below:

[PS4] Devil May Cry 5 (Capcom, 03/08/19) â€“ 116,202 (New)
[NSW] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo, 12/07/18) â€“ 23,407 (2,932,439)
[NSW] New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (Nintendo, 01/11/19) â€“ 20,101 (499,543)
[NSW] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo, 04/28/17) â€“ 12,301 (2,166,999)
[NSW] Pokemon: Letâ€™s Go, Pikachu! / Letâ€™s Go, Eevee! (Bundle Editions Included) (Nintendo, 11/16/18) â€“ 11,394 (1,526,105)
[3DS] Kirbyâ€™s Extra Epic Yarn (Nintendo, 03/07/19) â€“ 10,607 (New)
[NSW] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Limited Edition Included) (Nintendo, 03/03/17) â€“ 9,838 (1,317,346)
[NSW] Super Mario Party (Bundle Version Included) (Nintendo, 10/05/18) â€“ 9,230 (1,046,789)
[NSW] Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition (Bundle Version Included) (Microsoft, 06/21/18) â€“ 8,350 (632,871)
[NSW] Splatoon 2 (Bundle Version Included) (Nintendo, 07/21/17) â€“ 7,739 (2,955,316)
[PS4] Dead or Alive 6 (Koei Tecmo, 03/01/19) â€“ 5,223 (31,665)
[PS4] Anthem (Limited Edition Included) (Electronic Arts, 02/22/19) â€“ 5,204 (103,510)
[PS4] Kingdom Hearts III (Limited Edition Included) (Square Enix, 01/25/19) â€“ 4,518 (785,569)
[PS4] Jump Force (Bandai Namco, 02/14/19) â€“ 4,492 (107,512)
[PS4] Left Alive (Square Enix, 02/28/19) â€“ 3,530 (21,152)
[PS4] Resident Evil 2 (Z Version and Limited Edition Included) (Capcom, 01/25/19) â€“ 3,415 (352,193)
[PS4] NieR: Automata Game of the YoRHa Edition (Square Enix, 02/21/19) â€“ 3,363 (31,313)
[PS4] Far Cry: New Dawn (Ubisoft, 02/15/19) â€“ 2,859 (47,527)
[NSW] Kirby: Star Allies (Nintendo, 03/16/18) â€“ 2,788 (740,899)
[NSW] Super Mario Odyssey (Nintendo, 10/27/17) â€“ 2,693 (1,960,058)


The DualSense Edge Gives You An Edge, But It Will Cost You

Platforms: PS5
Genre: Controller
High-end pro or elite video game controllers have always felt like an unnecessary luxury to me, and I’m sure that sentiment echoes with many other gamers out there. This is especially true for those (like me) who prefer to spend their time with single-player games and don’t really play competitive online games that much. However, the new Sony PlayStation DualSense Edge is unique in that it is the company’s first-ever first-party pro or elite controller.
Courtesy of PlayStation Asia, I got my hands on a PS5 DualSense Edge controller and was able to try it out for myself. Is it worth the whopping RM999 price tag? Why would I buy a DualSense Edge when I could get three standard DualSense controllers (with an additional RM50) for the same price? Read on for my perspective on PlayStation’s latest product.
Giving You An Edge In Gameplay

The first thing I noticed, or rather, felt after picking up the DualSense Edge for the first time after unboxing it (it comes with a premium carrying case containing all its accessories) is that it’s a tad heavier than the normal DualSense, though not by much. It comes with all the same features as the standard DualSense but with the addition of several new bells and whistles. For the new design, Sony added textured rubberized grips on the inside/interior of the controller stems, which adds a sort of different sensation when wielding the DualSense Edge, as well as new textures on the end of the L2 and R2 triggers that make them less slippery. These parts, along with the touchpad, are now covered in patterns featuring Sony’s iconic face button symbols. Previously, only the white parts of the standard DualSense’s main body featured these subtle patterns.
Even though it was my first time with a pro/elite controller like this, it wasn’t difficult to set up the DualSense Edge. The most significant physical change between the DualSense Edge and the standard DualSense is the addition of two Function buttons, with one below each analogue stick. These Function buttons allow you to easily and instantly swap between custom profiles, as well as even adjust audio settings (like your microphone volume, etc.) without going into a separate menu. Unfortunately, this only works with wired 3.5mm headphones for now, so it won’t work with wireless headphones.

The L2 and R2 trigger buttons on the DualSense Edge feature sliders with three presets, which allows you to reduce their travel distance. What this means is that you can make it so that you only need to push the trigger halfway or even just a quarter of the way to instantly activate the trigger buttons. An example of this working in a game is that you don’t have to press the triggers all the way anymore to shoot in first-person or third-person shooters, thus effectively making your response time faster.
One of my favourite parts of the DualSense Edge is the new back buttons. You get two choices for the optional back buttons, which you can easily attach or remove as they click into place magnetically. The two choices are between two level-style back buttons or half-dome back buttons. Both feel great to press, but I prefer the half-dome ones because I would accidentally and unintentionally press the back buttons when using the longer lever-style ones. You can assign whatever buttons to these two back buttons, with the sole exceptions of the PlayStation button and the Share button.

For instance, when I was playing God Of War Ragnarok, I could assign the square button to one of the back buttons, so that it was easier for me to simultaneously attack with Kratos and Atreus shooting his arrows at the same time. Sometimes I even assign the touchpad button to one of the back buttons because it’s less of a hassle to simply press one of the back buttons instead of having to reach the middle of the controller to press the touchpad. However, it’s important to note that assigning L2 or R2 trigger buttons to the back buttons will result in the Adaptive Triggers functionality being automatically disabled on the actual L2 or R2 trigger buttons.
Arguably, the biggest feature of the DualSense Edge that distinguishes it from even other pro/elite controllers is being able to completely remove the analogue stick module and replace them. What is this for, you ask? Well, hopefully, I won’t ever need to use this feature but realistically, I will likely be required to sometime in the future. This is Sony’s way of an easy workaround for the dreaded joystick drift. You can just remove the whole thing and replace the analogue stick module with brand new ones (which are sold separately from the DualSense Edge for US$19.99, or roughly RM80+). This way, you won’t ever need to send the DualSense Edge for repairs or buy a new one because you can just do all that. Theoretically, that is, since it’s way too early for me to experience joystick drifting or other analogue stick issues.

Speaking of analogue sticks, the DualSense Edge package comes with three sets of interchangeable analogue sticks. It was fun for me to experiment with. One, because it was extremely easy to remove the analogue sticks on the DualSense Edge and replace them with another one. The three sets include the standard concave DualSense / DualShock 4 analogue sticks, one set of tall convex analogue sticks and one set of short convex analogue sticks. This is as much of a nostalgic trip for long-time PlayStation players, as the two sets of convex analogue sticks feel like they’re from the PS1/PS2/PS3 era AKA the first three generations of the DualShock controllers. It’s up to your preferences which of these analogue sticks you want to use, but I ended up using the short convex analogue sticks a lot. I can also confirm that the DualSense Edge works with the official first-party Sony DualSense charging station, so that’s nice.
I’ve written a lot about what I like about the DualSense Edge, but there are also several negatives and cons to the expensive controller. While I appreciate being able to assign almost any button mapping to the back buttons and interchangeable analogue sticks, I didn’t really find much use for all the custom profiles, specifically being able to tweak the sensitivity and deadzones of the analogue sticks and trigger buttons. Case in point, if you read that and don’t even know how it will improve how you will play your games, then that means a lot of what the DualSense Edge brings to the table is lost on you as well. This only really applies to a niche target market, specifically those who play competitively or those who take their online game sessions so seriously that they’ll take any slight advantage just to win.

Another major con is the battery life of the DualSense Edge. Despite only playing mostly single-player and the like without engaging in the microphone or other online features, I received a low battery notification after less than five hours of gameplay (about four and a half, give or take). My DualSense Edge lost all power about a little bit more than seven hours of gameplay, so I’d expect an average of seven to eight hours for the DualSense Edge. If you’re a heavy online or competitive game, I’d expect the DualSense Edge to last even less time than that, which I would imagine is an even more major drawback for you than it was for me. You wouldn’t want to lose power in a heated online session or, god forbid, in an esports tournament.
Its Value Is Relative

Ultimately, the value and worth of the DualSense Edge controller depend on you, and on how many of its features you can fully utilize. As someone who’s not much of an online gamer and/or a competitive one, it makes more practical sense for me to spend RM999 on several standard DualSense controllers instead of the one. RM999 is almost half the cost of a PS5 console, and that’s a ton of money for a lot of people to spend.
However, the DualSense Edge is not a practical or standard product. It’s a premium product that has the potential to last as long as the PS5’s lifespan. Potentially, one DualSense Edge is all you’ll need for a long time, due to its replaceable analogue stick module. So, just like any other luxury or premium product, it’s you who sets the value and not the other way around.
PROS

The two back buttons, which you can assign almost any button mapping to (except for the PS and Share buttons).
Interchangeable analogue sticks, with three sets of different types.
Replaceable analogue stick module effectively mitigates future joystick drifting issues.

CONS

Shorter battery life than the standard DualSense.
A lot of the new bells and whistles (analogue stick and trigger sensitivity and deadzone tweaking) are niche, and they are features that most casual players would probably ignore or not utilize much.
Costs almost half as much as a PS5 console.

FINAL SCORE: 70/100
The DualSense Edge was provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment and PlayStation Asia. It is now available at the price of RM999.


The Last of Us Part 2 Is Getting Review-Bombed On Metacritic

While a number of us enjoyed our time with Naughty Dog’s action-adventure game sequel The Last of Us Part 2, a huge number of folks who haven’t even touched or finished the game are peeved at it.
The game was made available at 12am yesterday on 19th June, which means the floodgates was opened for anyone to write about the newly-released game on review score aggregate website Metacritic. Due to the backlash it’s still getting via the game’s story leak, and people not too happy with the plot details, the game’s user score is at 3.4 out of 10.

The user reviews range mostly from complaints about the narrative’s “SJW agenda” to the “poor contrived writing”. Well, we knew the game’s story was going to be divisive as all hell, but to the extent where you would vent on Friday early morning even though you haven’t played the game? That’s just sad.
Just do what rational people would do: if you don’t like a title, just don’t buy it & vote with your wallet. Stuff like review bombs will give it more exposure than needed. Watch playthroughs from folks like RadBrad, or trust reviews from critics and game writers who actually know what they’re talking about. Don’t be an online baby about it; that’s how you let so-called hack writers and storytellers in gaming win.
In the meantime, do check out this video about game dogs to lighten the mood. Oh, and our review of the game.Â


Match Your Valentine’s Day Mood To These Movies & Shows On Disney+ Hotstar

Valentine’s Day 2023 is just around the corner and whether you’re single or taken, you can experience love, tragedy and solidarity this Valentine’s Day with Disney+ Hotstar.
Check out some of the shows and movies where you can celebrate this special day with your loved ones on Disney+ Hotstar:
CALL IT LOVE

Sent into a downward spiral after discovering her father’s infidelity, Woojoo’s situation goes from bad to worse when her father unexpectedly dies and his mistress kicks her out of the house. While she plans her revenge, Woojoo has no clue that she will fall in love with Dongjin, the son of the woman who ruined her life. Catch Call It Love on Disney+ Hotstar from 22 February 2023.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

In honour of the 30th anniversary of the animated classic, this animated and live-action blended special showcases the fan-favourite movie, along with new musical performances by Josh Groban as the Beast and H.E.R. as Belle, sets and costumes inspired by the classic story.
SPECIAL FORCE: ANARCHY

An exceptional police officer in every sense, Iman is recruited to join an elite anti-corruption special forces team led by her father, Commander Qabil. Specially created to solve only the most dangerous criminal cases, Iman’s entry into the team sees her uncover a planned heist on Bank Tenggara by a violent criminal gang known as Azazel, seemingly led by a man called Umar. As Iman closes in on the gang, her team is caught in a standoff, leading to shocking revelations that will leave her faced with an impossible choice. Get ready to feel inspired by Iman and her partner Sara, as they navigate a world that is often unfair to women.
EJEN ALI SEASON 3 PART 2

Part Two of Season 3 picks up in the aftermath of Rizwan’s surprise appearance during the chaos at the Cyberjaya Science Centre. As the Arena competition continues to evolve, Ali struggles to adapt yet again while the remaining competitors eye the top four spots in the final challenge. Meanwhile, the shadowy figure, Cero quietly sets his play into motion and unleashes the Numoros’ explosive attack on M.A.T.A. Celebrate platonic love as you watch how Ali and his friends grow and motivate each other to be their best selves.
MENDUA

Mendua, the Indonesian adaptation of “Doctor Foster”, starring Adinia Wirasti, Chicco Jerikho and Tatjana Saphira, tells the story of a happily married woman of 15 years who suddenly begins to suspect that her husband may be having an affair. But what starts off as a fleeting thought becomes an obsession.
REVENGE OF OTHERS

Following the suspicious death of her twin brother, Ok Chanmi, a shooting athlete, takes the extraordinary step of transferring to her brother’s school in an attempt to uncover the truth and find out why the police and school authorities seem to have covered up his death. Driven by her love for her brother and a need to understand what happened, Chanmi will partner with another student, Ji Suheon, to exact revenge by proxy on those who bully others. Catch them both on Disney+ Hotstar to see what triggers their feelings to develop.


“They’re Not Loot Boxes, They’re Surprise Mechanics” – EA In Latest Foot-In-Mouth Spiel

Remember that all fiasco with Star Wars Battlefront II and its loot boxes? Yeah, so did EA. Now that their loot box and pay-to-win shenanigans are kinda left outside for people to scrutinize, the next step is to sort that out with FIFA’s ever-popular FIFA Ultimate Team card pack-opening and randomized loot mechanics.
To say that it’s getting lots of government bodies and conservative groups interested is quite an understatement. So much so that EA’s VP of legal and government affairs Kerry Hopkins is clarifying the fact that randomised purchases aren’t loot boxes. Oh no; they’re actually “surprise mechanics” in what could be the latest (and possibly stupidest) buzzword in the company’s PR spin.
In an oral evidence session with the UK Parliamentâ€™s Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport Committee, Hopkins compares the mechanics to surprise toys, which have been around “for years, whether itâ€™s Kinder Eggs or Hatchimals”.
In response to questions from Scottish National Party MP, Brendan Oâ€™Hara, Hopkins says “We do think the way that we have implemented these kinds of mechanics â€“ and FIFA of course is our big one, our FIFA Ultimate Team and our packs â€“ is actually quite ethical and quite fun, quite enjoyable to people.”

“We do agree with the UK gambling commission, the Australian gambling commission, and many other gambling commissions that they arenâ€™t gambling, and we also disagree that thereâ€™s evidence that shows it leads to gambling. Instead, we think itâ€™s like many other products that people enjoy in a healthy way, and like the element of surprise.”

Keep in mind: despite this just happening within the UK, this sets a precedent that any legislative restriction for game companies with regards to exploitative mechanics that pry people’s money from their wallets through enforced behavioural patterns will find its way worldwide.
Long story short: play nice with F2P mechanics, lest the government does something drastic and possibly game-changing about it. And don’t get too greedy.


Tales Of Crestoria To Shut Down Next February

Another gacha game bites the dust.
Bandai Namco’s mobile Tales game, Tales of Crestoria, will end its service on 7th February 12pm GMT+8. The mobile turn-based RPG features fancy graphics, all the top heroes and heroines of the Tales of series, and some nifty turn-based combat and story. Unfortunately, the mobile gaming market is saturated and competitive; not every game can be a Genshin Impact or a Final Fantasy Brave Exvius. Even if you’re a pretty big shot JRPG series like the Tales of games.
The full closure notice is below:
We regret to announce the closure of Tales of Crestoria.
Thank you all for your support and we hope you enjoyed playing.
We will be keeping the servers open until February 7, 2022 at 14:00 JST, so please continue to enjoy Tales of Crestoria until the very end.
All items can be used until the last day, so if you have any items or Gleamstones in your account, please use them before February 7, 2022.
Also, from today, we are disabling the purchase of Gleamstones.
For more information, please check in-game announcements.
*The exact time service will no longer be available may vary depending on your region.


Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis Will Launch This June

The road to New Genesis will be paved fully later this year.
Sega’s online sci-fi RPG Phantasy Star Online 2 will get its major New Genesis revamp/update on June 2021 for both Japan and global audiences. To prep PC gamers for this major expansion, Sega will be releasing a PSO 2 New Genesis Character Creation & Benchmark tool on May so that you can gauge whether your PC is up to snuff to run the game.

Keep in mind that due to different license agreements, Japan and global’s content and DLC may be different from one another.
In addition, Sega also announced new NPC characters who will be exclusive to this update. These include Aina, a tanned female ARKS warrior in training who wields a gun, Mannon the meteorn with memories of the past, Garoa the manly veteran ARKS and Aina’s dad, and Dozer the skilled and passionate ARKS instructor.

Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis is slated for PC and Xbox Series this June.


Need For Speed Unbound Is The Next Game In The Franchise

EA and Criterion Games will reveal a new Need For Speed game, Need For Speed Unbound, on Thursday, 6 October 2022 at 11 pm GMT+8. They haven’t officially revealed the title, but the key art was leaked and taken from EA’s own website.

The most recent game in the franchise was 2019’s Need For Speed Heat by Ghost Games. Meanwhile, the last Need For Speed title that Criterion Games worked on was almost a decade ago; 2013’s Need For Speed Rivals.
For your convenience, check out the link to the reveal trailer:


Horror Game Subway Midnight Comes To Consoles In 2022

PLAYISM and Bubby Darkstar have announced that they will release Subway Midnight for unspecified consoles in 2022. Subway Midnight originally launched for PC via Steam on 28 October 2021.
Subway Midnight is a haunted-house style horror game set on a ghost-infested train. It features a unique and constantly changing visual style, around train cars to explore and a variety of bizarre puzzles, as well as three different endings across multiple playthroughs.
Best of all, it has lots and lots of spooky ghosts. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Kingdom Ashin Of The North Trailer Teases Zombie Tiger

Netflix has released the main poster for Kingdom: Ashin of the North, a special episode of the Kingdom series. The special episode reveals the origins of the resurrection plant that triggered a tragic blood bath across Joseon and the woman abandoned by all â€” Ashin.
Young Ashin (Kim Si-a) discovers the powers of a strange plant that can bring a dead person back to life. Concerned about Ashin, her father warns against searching for it; however, the young girl was dissuaded given her motherâ€™s serious illness. Ashin returns to the forest in search of a resurrection plant when she hears the echoes of screams.
Ashin wishes for â€œthem to shed tears of bloodâ€, foreshadowing an exciting tale of vengeance.

Kim Sia plays the young Ashin, and Gianna Jun plays the older character in unfolding the backstory of the woman who appeared at the end ofÂ KingdomÂ Season 2 shrouded in mystery and subject to much conjecture. Park Byung-eun reprises his role as Min Chi-rok, a young man who encounters Ashin in the freezing cold northern regions.
His character later becomes the Head of the Royal Commandery DivisionÂ who helps the Crown Prince Lee Chang fight against the conspiracy to seize the throne and the infected from overtaking the royal palace.Â Director Kim Seong-hun and writer Kim Eun-hee, the duo leading theÂ KingdomÂ series, team up again for this special episode for fans around the world eagerly waiting for the tale of Ashin.
The epic story ofÂ Kingdom: Ashin of the NorthÂ delves into the very origins of the resurrection plant and the infected that have turned Joseon into a bloodbath.
Kingdom: Ashin of the North unveils the mystery of Ashin and the epic origins of the resurrection plant on 23 July 2021, only on Netflix.


SMITE Is Adding Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Skins Next Month

Free-to-play multiplayer online battle arena gameÂ SMITEÂ will add character skins fromÂ Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesÂ as part of the Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesÂ Battle Pass, which is slated to launch sometime in November 2020.
Publisher Hi-Rez Studios and developer Titan Forge Games have announced that the Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesÂ Battle Pass will add the following skins:
Leonardo, Radical Leonardo (Osiris)Donatello, Radical Donatello (Sun Wukong)Raphael, Radical Raphael (Loki)Michelangelo, Radical Michelangelo (Mercury)
This isn’t the first time that SMITE has added skins from established franchises. Previously, the game added Avatar The Legend Of Aang and The Legend Of Korra skins back in July 2020.
SMITEÂ is available now for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, as well as PC viaÂ SteamÂ and theÂ Epic Games Store.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Video Games Market To Surpass US$200 Billion By 2024

The global games market is growing so fast that the video games industry is expanding at such an incredible rate. According to the 2021 Global Games Market ReportÂ fromÂ Newzoo (via VentureBeat), it will grow from US$175.8 billion in 2021 to more than a whopping US$200 billion in 2024.
With an army of more than three billion gamers around the world, the global games market is expected to generate US$175.8 billion in 2021. That is actually a 1.1 percent decrease from 2020, but that is probably due to the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the shortage of next-gen consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
However, Newzoo also predicts that the mobile gaming market will generate US$90.7 billion in consumer spending in 2021, which is a growth of 4.4 percent from 2020. Like we previously covered, mobile games now account for more than half of the global games market.

What’s interesting is that the Asia-Pacific region accounts for the most players worldwide (55 percent of all gamers). This is because Asia-Pacific includes China and growing regions like Southeast Asia and India as well.
However, for player spending, Europe and North America account for over 40 percent of games revenues despite accounting for less than a quarter of 2021â€™s gamers worldwide (14 percent in Europe and 7 percent in North America).
The Middle East and Africa and Latin America are the worldâ€™s fastest-growing in terms of the number of players. This is attributed to the growth in their online population; improving internet infrastructure, and smartphone and mobile internet data plans becoming more affordable.
2.8 billion of the worldâ€™s three billion gamers this year will play on a mobile device. This is compared to 1.4 billion on PC and 900 million on consoles.


Are The New Genting SkyWorlds Rides Worth The Drive?

We at Kakuchopurei usually cover games, movies, tech and pop culture stuff. Once in a while though, we take the opportunity to delve into something more recreational and out of the norm. You know, some fun stuff for everyone. Recently, we were given early access to visit the new Genting SkyWorlds theme park, where we spent an entire day.
In addition to its own original IPs, Genting SkyWorlds incorporates 20th Century Fox movie-themed brands across its rides and attractions. The theme park is expected to be able to hold up to 20,000 people at one time, and it cost over a whopping US$800 million to build.
The theme park has since opened to the public starting from today on 8 February 2022. Here’s what we found to be the highlights of our trip, if you plan on taking a break:
Rides For The Thrill Seekers
Terraform Tower Challenge.
If you’re worried about the rides being only kiddie stuff, don’t. There are plenty of thrilling rides at Genting SkyWorlds to keep your blood and adrenaline pumping. In fact, we screamed our hearts out getting on the Terraform Tower Challenge. Remember Solero Shots from the old Genting Highlands theme park? This one is even more fearsome than that.
Imagine getting pulled up and down at ludicrous speeds (catch that Space Balls reference?) with the force of gravity bearing down on you? You’ll be shaking and jittering for a while after getting off this ride, we promise you that. Check it out in action below:
[videopress 8JzVRDkz]
Some of these rides may even look tame but don’t judge a book by its cover. Rides like the Alpha Fighter Pilots and ESD Global Defender will have you spinning and going upside down. These are definitely not for kids, but the minimum height requirements are surprisingly lenient though (122cm and below).
Alpha Fighter Pilots.
[videopress lDr6poJx]
Rides For The Movie Buffs
Night At The Museum Midnight Mayhem.
[videopress RaDsZZmU]
[videopress d1vkJ7Td]
[videopress XdYWprOV]
[videopress s3frbxv5]
[videopress icgwmF4L]
[videopress Z6om6FC7]
[videopress WmEUI88B]
Despite not being a full-fledged 20th Century Fox theme park like we were originally promised due to unforeseen circumstances, movie buffs can still look forward to several rides and attractions based on IP from the studio. These include Ice Age, Rio, Epic, Planet Of The Apes, Independence Day and Night Of The Museum.
Independence Day Defiance.
[videopress fGm3545P]
[videopress dYICWDfs]
Unfortunately, at the time of writing and probably for the near future, the Invasion of the Planet of the Apes attraction remains unopened and inoperational. In fact, there are actually quite a few rides that are listed as “coming soon”, so it’s probably better to wait a while before visiting the theme park to get the full experience.
Still not open.
Strangely enough, there is some merchandise sold in the Studio Emporium souvenir gift shop that’s based on 20th Century Fox IP that is not actually featured in any of the themed rides or attractions. These include Alien, Predator, Alien Vs. Predator, and even freaking Sons Of Anarchy (yes, the FX Network TV series of the same name)!
You can actually buy some awesome-looking merchandise based on Alien and Predator, even though there aren’t any featured rides or attractions based on these IPs. Check out some of them below (including Planet Of The Apes merch):
Planet Of The Apes merch.
More Planet Of The Apes merch.
Even more Planet Of The Apes merch.
More and more Planet Of The Apes merch.
Cute Alien merch.
Xenomorph in a suit.
Cool Alien Vs Predator merch.
Foodies Goodies
Harry Ramsden’s World Famous Fish & Chips.
As expected, the food and beverage options in Genting SkyWorlds theme park are on par with premium theme parks (read: expensive and marked-up). At least they’re pretty darn good. We had our lunch at the Harry Ramsden World Famous Fish & Chips, and it was delicious. We recommend ordering some additional onion rings on the side; you won’t regret it.
Our Fish and Chips.
Spot the Onion Rings.
There are also lots of kiosks situated throughout the theme park and most of them are themed after some kind of IP or aesthetic. Check out the San Francisco hot dog place below:
Yummy hotdogs.
Impressive App & VQ Reservations

Before heading to Genting SkyWorlds or if you’re planning to go, make sure to download the Genting SkyWorlds app beforehand. All you need is this app while in the park because you’ll need it for a bunch of neat stuff. We were actually impressed with what this app can do.
The Genting SkyWorlds app supports face recognition technology and what this means is that you can submit a selfie of yourself or your friends/family members into the app. Once that’s done, any pictures taken inside the theme park will automatically appear in the app. These include pictures taken while on rides or any picture taken by the many photographers working inside the theme park.
You can then download these pictures for free, or have them printed out physically for a fee. This is an example of that:

In addition, you can book the rides and attractions that you want to go to, and theoretically skip the queue. However, we say “theoretically” because we’re not sure how smoothly this will work when there are thousands more people inside the theme park when it opens to the public. We tried it out and it works, making it so that we could plan our rides at specific times to avoid lining up.

Worth The Ride?
As we previously mentioned, some of the rides and attractions have yet to be opened (including major ones like the Planet Of The Apes). Plus, you’ll need at least two days to truly enjoy all the offerings and attractions in the theme park.
As fun as it was, it’s ultimately better to wait a while for more rides to open, so that you’ll be able to fulfil its full potential.
Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park was recently soft-opened for the public starting from 8 February 2022. You can buy tickets by heading to the official website here or by downloading the official Genting SkyWorlds app on the Google Play Store.
Check out some more pictures and videos from Genting SkyWorlds below:
[videopress t778qq31]
[videopress RrMHu6kj]
[videopress aOVrGzmW]
[videopress U2KNcGZF]
[videopress 1MXtCMzL]
Inside of Independence Day Defiance.
Inside of Independence Day Defiance.
Independence Day Defiance gift shop.
Inside of Night at the Museum: Midnight Mayhem.
Night At The Museum Midnight Mayhem
Night At The Museum Midnight Mayhem
Night At The Museum Midnight Mayhem


Call Of Duty Franchise Surpasses $3 Billion In Record-Breaking Year

According to Activision, the Call Of Duty franchise has just experienced a record-breaking year in 2020, especially thanks to Call Of Duty Warzone and Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War, as well as a new shared ecosystem business model.
After the launch of Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War, the franchise has officially surpassed over US$3 billion in net bookings over the last 12 months.
The US$3 billion comes from the net amount of products and services sold digitally or sold-in physically in the period and includes license fees, merchandise, and publisher incentives, among others.
Here are some of the vital statistics, according to the press release:
More than 200 million people played Call Of Duty games in 2020.Bookings up 80 percent year-on-year.Units sold up 40 percent year-on-year.Call Of Duty Warzone now has over 85 million players.Highest number of players in recorded history in 2020.Biggest November ever for monthly players and hours played.
The publisher also confirmed that additional free post-release content for all Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War players is on the way, with Season One set to debut this month.
Activision Call Of Duty Executive Vice President and General Manager Byron Beede said:
â€œThe momentum over the last year across the Call of Duty ecosystem from free-to-play Warzone as well as post-launch support of Modern Warfare, and now to Black Ops Cold War has been incredible. This is the next great chapter in Black Ops with an amazing campaign, an all-new zombies experience and of course, high-octane multiplayer. Launch is only the beginning. We are focused on building a continuous pipeline featuring a tremendous amount of free, post-launch content and events across the franchise.â€
Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War is available now worldwide on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.
You can check out our review of the game here, or head on over here for an in-depth guide to Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War.


[Report] Watch Dogs 3 Will Let You Play As NPCs

Ubisoft seems to be drip feeding all these leaks ahead of E3, maybe to feed all hype and attract more potential players to the brand.
The last leak was confirmed and we’ll be visiting and hacking London this time around. Plus, the game has a working title now. According to Jason Schreier of Kotaku, the game is titledÂ Watch Dogs Legion.
He also mentioned a new feature that was leaked. Watch Dogs LegionÂ gets a feature that allows players the ability to play as any NPC in the world. Anyone.
Here’s the product description:

Play as anyone, Every individual you meet in the open world, has a full set of animations, voice-over, character traits and visuals that are generated & guided by gameplay systems

Schreier backs up this leak, saying that there will be branching opportunities depending on who you play. The system is also deemed to be complicated that it’s giving the developers a migraine and might have caused a delay or so.

Anyways, E3 is just around the corner. Let’s see what Ubisoft has to say about the game.


New Mandalorian Trailer Reveals First Look At Ming-Na Wen’s Character

Disney has unveiled a new 30-second-long trailer for The Mandalorian ahead of its slated 12 November 2019 release date. The brief teaser gives us our first look at the assassin Fennec Shand, who is portrayed by none other than Marvel’s Agents Of SHIELD and voice of the protagonist in the Disney classic animated Mulan; Ming-Na Wen.
Ming-Na Wen’s Fennec Shand will meet Pedro Pascal’s titular Mandalorian halfway through the first season. Speaking with Vanity Fair, Wen said:

â€œWe got our inspiration really from the name.
The idea of aÂ fennec foxÂ came to mind.
Sheâ€™s tricky, and yet sheâ€™s able to manoeuvre and survive, and be stealthy – so very graceful and agile.
I just love that whole image with the name.â€

She also compared her to Han Solo, but with a much more sinister side to her than the dashing Rebellion hero/former smuggler. Wen continued:

â€œShe is definitely someone whoâ€™s loyal to herself.
It will evolve, it will change.
I mean, I think thatâ€™s whatâ€™s so wonderful about creating a new character.
I think she has a good sense of humour about it all as well, which is also fun.
You canâ€™t really pinpoint which direction sheâ€™s going to go.â€

Fennec Shan is also notable for being the first-ever major female Asian live-action Star Wars villain (or anti-hero). Wen then went on to speak about what Star Wars personally means to her:

â€œThere was all this incredible imagery, but yet there were very few Asians in the films.
Any sort of representation is important and necessary.
And Iâ€™m just happy that I got chosen. It was meant to be.
Itâ€™s definitely a film that has had such an impact in so many peopleâ€™s lives, including my own.
As an Asian kid in Pittsburgh, and especially in Mount Lebanon, sometimes you feel very alone and very isolated.
And I think for me, withÂ Star Wars,Â I connected so much with Luke having these dreams and wanting something bigger and better than being a little farmer in Tatooine.
Just that image of him looking at the binary suns and wishing for more, it always stays with me.â€

In the meantime, check out the latest teaser trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imEUHuM8MRY&w=560&h=315]


[Report] Spyro Reignited Trilogy Coming To PC

Developed by Toys For Bob and published by Activision, Sypro Reignited Trilogy initially launched for the PS4 and Xbox One in November 2018. Now just like the Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy before it, it might be releasing for the PC very soon.
According to Gematsu, the Taiwan Digital Game Rating Committee has rated Sypro Reignited Trilogy for the PC on its official website. However, it looks like the rating has been taken down at the time of writing.
The leaked box art for the PC version of the game reveals that Iron Galaxy will be responsible for the porting it to the platform. The developer previously ported and released the PC version of Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy in June 2018, around one year after its initial release on the PS4.

The Sypro Reignited Trilogy contains remastered versions of the beloved first three games in the franchise, including Spyro the Dragon, Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage! and Spyro: Year of the Dragon.
We’ll have to wait for an official announcement, which could likely happen as soon as E3 2019 next month.


The Best Godzilla Films You Should Watch After You’re Done With Godzilla: King Of The Monsters

If you want the best rubber-suited throwdown done right, you can’t go wrong with the Godzilla films from Japan.Â Whether it’s the Showa, Heisei, or Millennium series, one thing is for certain when it comes to Mr. Atomic Breath here; destruction and giant monster fights usually follow. Along with a lot of lovely-if-campy practical effects.

The problem is that there are 29 of these films, and each of them has intersecting timelines. And that’s even taking into account the title changes from Japan to English markets.bSo which one should you go with to get your monster mash fix?
We’re here to help you get acquainted with these essential picks, especially if you’re done with the fantastic Godzilla: King of the Monsters which is out right now in Malaysian and Southeast Asian cinemas.
Godzilla (1954)

This is a place to start as any to get to know the original King of the Monsters. You have to see the origin story of how he is the antagonist who perpetuated the “man created the monster” allusion via nuclear weapons story bit. Basically, humans are paying the price for their callous way of treating the earth.
Many filmmakers have tried remaking this original, but they can’t come close to matching its nihilistic tone. Plus, the other remakes have way too much talking. We’re looking at you Shin Godzilla.
NEXT


Pixar’s Onward Looks Like Weekend At Bernie’s With A Fullmetal Alchemist Twist

Disney Pixar has released a new trailer for Onward, and weird is definitely an understatement for the basic premise and concept of this upcoming animated movie
From the looks of the trailer, it seems like the two even Lightfoot brothers, Ian (Tom Holland) and Barley (Chris Pratt), will be going on a quest to find out how to bring back the rest of their father, after a revival spell went wrong and summoned only the bottom-half (without the torso, head, and limbs).

That sounds like a Weekend At Bernie’s situation, but replace a dead boss with the bottom half of a formerly-dead half-revived father, on a quest for a magical solution that sounds it’s an essentially an excuse for two brothers to go on a road trip.
I can’t help but be reminded of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, as the way the Onward brothers is trying to use magic to revive a dearly-departed and failing badly at it, seems reminiscent of how the Elric brothers tried to use forbidden alchemy to revive their mother and failing (albeit resulting in a significantly more tragic outcome).
Itâ€™s great to see that Pixar is still working hard to produce that animated movie magic we love and not just unnecessary sequels no one actually asked for in the first place (*cough* Toy Story 4 *cough*).
OnwardÂ is slated to release worldwide on 6 March 2020. In the meantime, check out the new trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn5QmllRCn4&w=560&h=315]


Vandalism-Themed Open World Game Coming To Epic Games Store And Switch

The idea of an open-world game sans combat is an interesting one, but the upcoming Sludge Life is a bit more than just interesting. It’s a “tiny open-world” experience where you mark your presence with graffiti, play games on your in-game laptop, and fart with a dedicated fart button. I’m not making that last one up.

There’s also a cat with “two buttholes”, because why not.
Sludge Life is being published by Devolver Digital, who describes the game as “an open-world vandalism-centric stroll through a polluted island full of cranky idiots and a vibe so thick you can taste it”. You’re Ghost, a “breezy bandit set on staking their claim amongst the graffiti elite”.
“Will you become king of the island and tag every open inch, infiltrate sludge-pumping corporation GLUG, or just take it all down in flames with you?” reads the game’s description.
After watching the trailer, I’m really not sure what to make of it. All I can say is that it looks bizarre and unique as heck.
Sludge Life is coming to Epic Games Store and Switch in Spring, with the former displaying a release date of April 8 on its store page.


Netflix & Wonderstorm Give Update On The Dragon Prince Season 4

It’s been almost three years since the premiere of The Dragon Prince Season 3, but now Netflix, Wonderstorm and animation studio Bardel has finally given us an update on The Dragon Prince Season 4.
According to the post from the official The Dragon Prince Twitter account, here’s what’s already finished for the fourth season:

All the scripts have been written.
All dialogue have been recorded.
All storyboards and animatics are done.
Six out of nine episodes are now animation-complete.
Four out of nine episodes are currently in lighting, rendering and compositing.
Two out of nine episodes are in post-production for music and sound.

However, they’re not quite ready to announce a release date yet, though they’re targeting to wrap up production by “later this year”. Maybe the earliest we’ll be getting The Dragon Prince Season 4 is near the end of 2022.
The Dragon Prince is a fantasy computer-animated streaming television series created for Netflix by Aaron Ehasz and Justin Richmond, the former of whom was also one of the head writers on Avatar The Last Airbender. The animated series is shaping up to be a great fantasy saga on its own, with deep and growing lore that’s ripe for further exploration in future seasons.


Bob’s Burgers Lead Animator Dave Creek Dies At 42

Dave Creek has died at the age of 42 due to a skydiving accident. The late Creek was best known for being the lead animator on the Fox animated series Bob’s Burgers.
The official Twitter account for Bob’s Burgers also tweeted the following:
“We are heartbroken at the tragic passing of Dave Creek, an extraordinary artist who had been with Bobâ€™s Burgers from day one.
He was not just an incredible talent but a beautiful person as well, and our hearts go out to his family, friends, and all his colleagues at the show who loved him and are grieving today.”

In loving memory of Dave Creek. pic.twitter.com/8HDShtU17I
— Bob's Burgers (@BobsBurgersFOX) January 8, 2021

Creek’s credits on Bob’s Burgers date back to its very first episode on 9 January 2011 titled “Human Flesh” up until Season 9’s “Better Off Sled”, for a total of 79 episodes. He had also worked on other animated movies and series such as Happiness Is A Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown, Central Park and Brickleberry.
His colleagues also gave tributes to him on Twitter:
Bob’s Burgers director Simon Chong said:
“Today we tragically lost our Lead Character designer and friend, Dave Creek.
A wonderfully brilliant and talented man who I can guarantee designed your favourite character on Bobâ€™s at some point.
Iâ€™ll miss you, buddy.”

Today we tragically lost our Lead Character designer and friend, Dave Creek. A wonderfully brilliant and talented man who I can guarantee designed your favourite character on Bob’s at some point. I’ll miss you, buddy x https://t.co/NOxEq1VOGw
— Simon Chong (@chongster62) January 8, 2021

Bob’s Burgers writer Wendy Molyneux wrote:
“If you love Bobâ€™s Burgers, you loved Dave Creek.
He was an adventurous funny outgoing amazing artist and one of the most incredible, interesting people I ever met.
I often thought that Dave really knew how to live, and I wish he got to live some more.
Rest In Peace, buddy.”
https://twitter.com/WendyMolyneux/status/1347392825025912838
Kakuchopurei wishes to send its condolences to Creekâ€™s family and friends.


Mobile Legends Twitter Account Hijacked; Spouted “Truth Bombs”

Okay, I know I said before that we promised not to cover mobile games too much, but this is way too good to pass up. Remember that really popular MOBA mobile game Mobile Legends, which is totally an Arena of Valor and League of Legends clone made by China developer Moonton? Of course, you f***ing do; there were a number of huge tournaments for this damn game happening all over in Kuala Lumpur.
Turns out that there is a disgruntled employee in Moonton (we think) who got ahold of the official Mobile Legends Twitter account and is posting some “insightful” thoughts concerning the company’s bottom line and real feelings about the community.
Below are the questionable tweets (thanks to popular Philippines streamer Riku):

Not surprisingly, these tweets were deleted moments later. Moonton issued an apology on Twitter. Good on them.
https://twitter.com/MobileLegendsOL/status/971040879413727233?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
But suppose it was from a disgruntled employee: that’s basically just accentuating what a conglomerate’s real feelings most probably are. We are, in the end, still supporting the bottom line for a game, which is still a product that makes money for its publishers. Those tweets are just crass versions of what they would think.
Again, this is just my humble opinion as a games-writing veteran, but make what you will about this hack. Maybe next time Moonton will be a bit more vigilant with its Twitter account.


Need A Hades Roguelike Clone With A Magical Flair? Give Dandy Ace A Shot

Platform: PC
Genre: Isometric roguelike dungeon crawler with magicians
You have to hand it to last year’s GOTY material Hades, a monumental feat of indie achievement that not only entertains and delight, but also will inspire many, MANY indie devs to create their own breakout isometric action game with roguelike mechanics.
This isn’t an issue; in fact, I find these kinds of roguelike games really fun as long as they deliver on the action and stand out in some way. Dandy Ace is thankfully one of them. By and large, it’s good arcade twitch-ey fun that sets itself apart courtesy of developer Mad Mimic and publisher Neowiz.
Lord of Illusion

In this clearly anime-stylized title, You play as the title character Dandy Ace, a cocksure pretty boy who is good with magic and card tricks. Since this sort of person can piss off other notable magicians, you just happen to catch the ire of one short rotund green magician named Lele who makes a Faustian bargain with a magical entity to trap Dandy Ace in a magical maze of wonder and danger.
Said maze is basically your roguelike action-adventure setup: you go from start to finish escaping the labyrinth while fending off foes with your magic attacks which are mapped on individual keys. You can’t save your progress mid-game, and if you die, you start all over from the beginning.
So how does Dandy Ace protects himself? Simple: he uses magic cards & tricks to defeat his foes. You get up to four magic skills to use, with each of them ranging from standard projectile attacks like the spread shot Five of A Kind spell to evasive maneuvers like the Blink spell.
The best part with these card tricks, some of them being literal, is that you can buff them up with cards you find along the way. You can also swap them around if you feel like your previous card spell isn’t jiving with your playstyle. For instance, I always make sure to buff up my Five of A Kind spread shot with either a Bubble spell that makes it summon multi-hitting bubbles upon hit. Or equip my Blink move with a Push AoE effect that knocks back anything standing around my Blink end spot. If you equip your Blink spell with another Blink card, you have a way powerful teleport spell with bigger dimension burst damage & radius.
This experimentation with toolsets & skills is where Dandy Ace differs from its contemporaries like Hades.
The game requires you to play as a caster who lays out buffs and traps while dealing with enemies at a safe distance. Sure, there are melee attack cards, but when you’re starting out, it’s best to stick to long-ranged and mid-ranged attack cards & yellow support spells that complement that keep-away playstyle. Dandy Ace isn’t exactly a constitutional powerhouse and can die pretty quick if you’re careless.

Luckily, you can acquire permanent power-ups and bonuses to even the odds. Your hot anime assistants Jolly Jolly and Jenny Jenny will be at each stage’s checkpoint to give you power-ups and items to help you on your next dungeon crawl. Jolly Jolly can give you permanent upgrades like tea potion satchels and new cards in exchange for shards you get in-game, while Jenny Jenny can pass you up to three trinkets you can equip for passive buffs.
Branching paths in the game will also make your one-way trip all the more interesting and varied, with teleporters making backtracking instantaneous in case you want to explore another beaten path, or collect that cupcake health upgrade you couldn’t acquire because your health was full at the time. All these additions are very handy and welcome, making each dungeon run more fun and challenging than the last.
Dandy Ace requires you to experience its tougher challenge modes & difficulties once you’re done with the initial game, which should take you less than an hour once you go through the initial 5 to 6 hours figuring out its mechanics and layout.
That’s where the game gets really fun; suddenly your dungeon run gives you less health and more aggressive enemies. Boss arenas too come with a multitude of traps and additional goons in higher difficulties, to the point where upgrading your magic tiers and creating that winning card combination is paramount to success.
The Prestige

The animations and art style are pretty colourful and fluid. The devs went for simple movement and graphics in favour of spot-on controls and twitch combat gameplay. However, the backdrops and stages do get repetitive over time. This is apparent when you keep playing more and more loops; there’s only so many starry backgrounds and purple/pink tilesets you can take before you get a bit nauseous seeing it for the 30th time.
I’m also glad you can turn off the frequency of the VOs because the narrator is pretty annoying. I guess he’s purposely cast that way since he’s clearly the bad guy whom you want to punch in the face repeatedly at the end of your dungeon run. And there’s really nothing much to say about the game’s music and sound effects; they aren’t doing it for me.
Dandy Ace is thankfully more than just parlour tricks. Underneath its smokes and mirrors is a pretty action-packed dungeon romp full of delights. Perhaps it’s my being spoiled by Hades’ production values and enriching roguelike qualities that raised my bar for such facsimiles and clones that make me critical of the title on an aesthetic level. But on its own merit, this magic act is a blast that is worth multiple repeat performances.
Pros

Action-packed twitch-savvy gameplay that favours ranged over melee.
Four-card system and useful power-ups for you to experiment with.
Various difficulty levels let you tweak the challenge to your liking.
Tight controls.

Cons

Subpar & mediocre sound effects & feedback.
Narrator is annoying.
Art and graphics for later stages feel repetitive after a while.

Final Score: 80/100


Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Alpha: The Great, Good, and Ugly

Another year, another Call of Duty title. And another multiplayer PvP shooting spree to look forward to later this year.
I spent a bulk of last weekend on Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Alpha which ran from September 18th – 20th. Needless to say, Treyarch’s offering – despite being only an Alpha test – was a breath of fresh air after almost ten months of Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare. And I really enjoyed last year’s Modern Warfare.
Now, if you’re expecting a piece glorifying Cold War (CW) while continuously dumping on Modern Warfare (MW), you won’t find it here. Instead, we are going to focus on my experience on the former as I dissect the quirks and potential improvements it could use come its beta phase scheduled for mid-October.

The Great
Casuals & Average Players Get A Fighting Chance
CW carries a distinct yet familiar feel. It’s like going to a KFC or McDonald’s when you’re vacationing overseas. It feels the same, but with enough change which warrants your visit. Returning Black Ops veterans would instantly feel at home thanks to the increased time to kill (TTK) compared to what was dished on MW.
This isn’t to say that getting hosed down instantly is a thing of the past. However, anyone being caught blindsided by opponents now have a fighting chance to return fire, survive and even win which was previously an unwinnable gunfight in MW.
Score Streaks May Be The Way Forward
I’ll confess: I’m not the best objective-driven team player out there. In MW multiplayer modes, my pursuit of kill chains to obtain kill streaks at times prove detrimental to my team’s chance of winning.
Of course if things pan out, it benefits the team – A VTOL pinning the enemy while we secure the points is always a good thing. However, the opposite could also happen. Which leads to Treyarch’s decision to greatly incentivize player who stick to the objectives. Scores snowball instead of being reset at each death allowing a more guns out, less-campy styles of play.
Gunsmith Feature Retained & Improved
One of the highlights of 2019’s MW multiplayer mode was the weapons customization system via The Gunsmith. As if customizing one’s weapon with five attachments wasn’t enough, CW allows you to bump it up to eight attachments when using the right Wild Card. The Gun Smith interface is now cleaner, easier to decipher and gives more flexibility when it comes to building your perfect weapon.
Again, it’s only the Alpha and I am sure that data crunchers and CoD Youtubers are going to find that perfect meta setup to dominate lobbies. I’m just happy that instead of overhauling the build-a-class system, Treyarch ported the good from Infinity Ward’s game, and improved it with their own brand. If it ain’t broke, why fix it, right?
The Good
Audio = Eargasm
CW features better sound. You are reading this so I’m assuming that:

You play CoD regularly,
Whilst not to the obsessive, pro levels of fastidiousness, try to eke every drip of advantage over your enemies in multiplayer,
Have a decent headset. So boy, do I have some good news for you.

The sound in CW in general, is better than on MW. Footsteps are clearer allowing better directional awareness. Instead of a general “someone’s coming from the right”, you’d be able to determine their exact angle for example, the second door from the right upper floor.
This being an Alpha however, there were several inconsistencies which I am sure would be sorted once the full version of the game is released. Personally, I am not a fan of the weapon sounds. They felt a little too muted for my liking; hopefully they’ll be rectified soon in the final build.
Some Really Fun Maps
I personally enjoyed Satellite and Armada as both allow players of different playstyles flourish in their own specific ways. The ability to rush through the caverns to flank the opposing teams, use sand dunes as defilade whilst picking out enemies from a distance with sniper rifles or just using the satellite wreckage and smoke as ambush points makes Satellite my highlight for this Alpha weekend.
Meanwhile, Armada harkens back to the Call of Duty: World War 2 map “USS Texas” but with a twist – instead of gunfights on a single warship, how about several?
[videopress 6dxgj6B5]
The Ugly
Miami Is Horrible
I’ll say it straight up.: I do not like the Miami map.
I initially had hopes for it as Treyarch featured it a ton during their reveal. Giving a similar tone and feel as the Piccadilly map in MW, well-lit, night battles are welcomed inclusions to any multiplayer map pool. But in truth, Miami is terrible. Imbalanced spawns, poor sightlines and poorly-lit corners makes it an aggressive player’s nightmare whilst also a bane for campers.
Most CoD multiplayer maps are balanced; some cater to specific playstyles. Miami caters to none. It felt as if they tried to build the ultimate after-dark map by mashing up a hodgepodge of features to create this monstrosity.
[videopress e5tfST3r]
Ground War is Gone
Instead of bringing back the massive 32v32 mode we come to love in 2019’s MW, Combined Arms: Domination is put in place and in my opinion, is another downer from Treyarch during CW’s early days. Essentially a Domination mode on a slightly larger map with the inclusion of tanks (seriously. tanks!), Combined Arms failed to capture the vistas and grand scale presented on Ground War.
“But it’s only the alpha!” one might chime in.
Yes, a valid point. But public alphas should serve as grounds to test weapons balancing, sound mixing as well as how a map is to be played and received by the masses. I am a hundred percent sure that weapons and sound mixing will be improved throughout the game’s life cycle but as for maps? That’s definitely going to be in the pool, my friends. And dare I bet, that thanks to the map voting feature after each round, Miami will be the least popular one once we have enough data.
Skill-Based Matchmaking Rears Its Head
To the uninitiated, Skill-based Matchmaking (SBMM) has always been the bane of CoD players throughout the years. Gone are the days where you get to stomp lobbies. In MW, SBMM would group you with similarly-skilled players ensuring a more even playing field where everyone pretty much cancels out one another. There are some arguments on both sides for this. For casuals, there’s lesser chance of being dropped in a sweaty lobby filled with tryhards chasing kills (*cough!*). However for high-tiered gamers and content creators; creating a kill highlight won’t be as easy when going against other like-minded players.
In MW,Â it took content creators weeks to suspect SBMM was being in play and months before, thanks to a concerted effort to identify that SBMM was indeed involved when it comes to matchmaking. As for CW? It took them a weekend. One. Weekend. Even for me, it took me about six rounds to feel a remarkable change in the quality of enemies I face.
Honestly, I’m on the fence when it comes to SBMM but I think if Treyarch are adamant to impose SBMM this blatantly from the offset, they might as well create a special ranked mode where they can crank the SBMM to their heart’s content.
Long story short, the Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War alpha showcases a very promising multiplayer shooter. Technical issues notwithstanding, Treyarch seems to have a solid offering come this November and we should get a better glimpse of what’s to come via the beta sometime in mid-October.


No Man’s Sky Might Be Getting Pirate Content

The six-year old open world sci-fi game No Man’s Sky went from zero to hero over time since its troubled launch. And even now it’s still getting more and more content.
Developer Hello Games’ CEO Sean Murray said in February confirmed that No Man’s Sky is continuing to grow, with his most recent post being this:

????
— Sean Murray (@NoMansSky) April 11, 2022

Yes, that is a pirate flag, meaning that Sean and Hello Games have been listening. A number of the game’s fans have been asking for the ability to control pirates in the game. No Man’s Sky already has pirates who start fights with you, so this is a natural evolution for a long-running open-world space game. The game’s last expansion, Frontiers, added planetary settlements, pets, and a big overhaul to base building.


Watch Tekken 8 Lars Alexandersson Beat Up A Giant Robot In This New Trailer

The new Tekken 8 trailers and showcases keep on dropping; this time the short 3D fighting game spotlight is on Heihachi’s bastard son Lars Alexandersson.
Lars made his red-caped debut in Tekken 6, and has been a mainstay since. Apart from his funky hairdo, his Tekken Forces Martial Arts fighting style seems to accommodate novice-level players thanks to its dash commands and crazy follow-ups.
Check out the gameplay below, featuring his classic moves, new charge dash shenanigans, and his new Heat combos/Rage Arts.

Tekken 8 will be out for PC, Xbox Series, and PS5. No release date has been announced yet.


[Report] Cassandra and Amy Will Be Coming To Soulcalibur 6

So much for new guest characters in the Soulcalibur 6 Season Pass. Turns out that some scrupulous data miners dug up some insightful news in the game’s Version 1.10 patch which heralded the coming of NieR Automata‘s 2B.
They found the names “Cassandra” and “Amy” with “DLC2” and “DLC3” labels next to them. For those not familiar with Soulcalibur 6 lore (seriously, it’s all in the game’s single-player modes) Cassandra is Sophitia’s younger sister who fights just like her but with a few assjustments, I mean adjustments of her own.

Amy is a little kid who usually tags along with Raphael in the game’s story. In Soulcalibur III onwards, she fights just like Raphael but with some distinct differences. She’s a favourite among tournament users back in the day.

Take this news with a grain of salt since it’s just speculation, but just remember: this same kind of leak and datamining happened to Dragon Ball FighterZ and all those predictions came true. Perhaps Bandai Namco need to start changing their data-naming conventions if they don’t want prying eyes from being too curious with their code.
But hey, I’m happy to be playing as either one of them if they’re anything like their Soulcalibur IV counterparts. What say you, dear readers?
If you can’t get enough Soulcalibur 6, check our guide in a few days’ time. We’ll be updating it with some more info because lord knows it needs some spring-cleaning.
Top image credit: Shoryuken


Look Out, Baby Yoda, Here Comes Baby Sonic

Since The Mandalorian debuted in November 2019, the sheer cuteness of the adorable Baby Yoda has taken the Internet and the world by storm. Now, a challenger to the throne has arrived; in the form of none other than Baby Sonic from the upcoming Sonic The Hedgehog movie.

An exclusive Japanese trailer for the movie has revealed that the Sonic The Hedgehog movie will explore the origins of the iconic SEGA mascot. Apparently, that includes actually depicting him as a child, and thus, Baby Sonic is born.

If there’s Baby Sonic, then there’s probably a Papa and Mama Sonic as well. Let’s hope they manage to turn all this into something decent in the actual movie, and not as cringy as it sounds on paper. No one is asking to see Sonic’s entire family tree here.
They’re also promoting a Baby Sonic keychain going on sale in Japan. However, there’s no telling if it’ll be available in other countries as well. If demand for Baby Yoda merchandise is any indication, SEGA and Paramount Pictures would profit well from selling it worldwide.

Sonic The Hedgehog is slated to premiere on 14 February 2020. See the kawaii-ness of Baby Sonic in the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9DA3DEYeHM&w=560&h=315]


PlayStation 5 Consoles No Longer Selling At A Loss

Sony just released its financial results for the first quarter of the current fiscal year. Not only did the PS5 shipments increase, but the console is no longer selling at a loss.
Sony shipped 2.5 million PS5s during the 1st April and 30th June period (via official announcement). The company also sold 10.1 million PS5 units worldwide.
Sony chief financial officer Hiroki Totoki stated that the console, especially the Digital Edition, will not be selling at a loss due to the additional hardware sales including the PS4 and peripherals. The company has also secured enough chips to meet its sales target for PS5, after months of semiconductor shortages.
Here are more numbers from the linked PDF above concerning its fiscal year:

PS4 console shipments reached 500,000, which is down 1.4 million compared to 1.9 million shipped last year.
Sony’s combined sales of PS4s and PS5s hit US$934.3 million.
PlayStation Plus subscribers reached 46.3 million as of 30th June 2021.
Sales of PS4 and PS5 games reached a combined total of 63.6 million units sold.

Imagine how many more PS5s the company would have sold if most customers can find one. Or if scalpers and their bots didn’t get in the way.


Mortal Kombat Movie Unveils First Look At Sub-Zero & More

New details and first-look images have been released for the upcomingÂ Mortal Kombat movie reboot, which is slated to launch in cinemas and HBO Max on 16 April 2021.
Entertainment Weekly has unveiled new screenshots from the upcomingÂ R-rated movie, including our first look at its huge cast. These include:

Mehcad Brooks as Jackson “Jax” Briggs.
Chin Han as Shang Tsung.
Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion.
Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero.
Tadanobu Asano as Raiden.
Ludi Lin as Liu Kang.
Sisi Stringer as Mileena.
Josh Lawson as Kano.
Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade.
Max Huang as Kung Lao.
Lewis Tan as an all-new character.

In the Mortal Kombat movie, Lewis Tan’s Cole Young is described as a “washed-up MMA fighter” who bears a birthmark in the shape of the Mortal Kombat symbol on his chest. This mysterious marking propels him onto a journey with Sonya Blade, who leads him to the temple of a thunderous Elder God known as Lord Raiden, where he comes into contact with a group of highly-skilled fighters.
In an interview with EW, Tan said:

“When we first meet Cole, he’s in a really bad spot.
He’s down on his luck.
He’s kind of a washed-up MMA fighter who used to be a champion, who used to believe in himself, who used to have a lot of hope in his career.
And it’s all gone down the drain.
It’s a very interesting place for a hero to start, and I think that, along the journey of Mortal Kombat and Cole discovering where he comes from, you’re introduced to all these other iconic characters and elements that everybody loves so dearly.”

Director Simon McQuoid also re-iterates that his Mortal Kombat movie will feature “gore, blood and fatalities”.
Tan confirms what McQuoid said by saying:

“There are some crazy fatalities.
We’ve picked a couple of iconic ones.
There’s a lot of really cool signature moves that you’ll see, a lot of Easter eggs that we snuck into the film, but there are some really badass fatalities that I can’t wait to see on the big screen.
They’re brutal, man. They, they don’t hold back.”

We’re still waiting for a Mortal Kombat movie reboot trailer, but in the meantime, check out the screenshots below, courtesy of EW:
Ludi Lin as Liu Kang (left), Max Huang as Kung Lao (right).
Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero (left), Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion (right).
Lewis Tan as Cole Young.
Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero.
Mehcad Brooks as Jackson “Jax” Briggs.
Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade.
Josh Lawson as Kano.


Action Adventure Game Strayed Light Drops This April

Embers has announced that Strayed Lights will launch for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC (via Steam) on 25 April 2023.
Strayed Lights is an atmospheric action adventure with fluid combat and an intricate world imbued with mystery. You are a tiny, growing light seeking transcendence. Explore a land of otherworldly ruins and glowing trees, where entities of flickering lights and luminescent shadows reside.
Players will explore a dark and oneiric world that is as vivid as it is mysterious. The highlight of the game is that its soundtrack is created by Austin Wintory, the composer behind Journey, ABZU, and The Banner Saga series.
Check out the trailer below: