EMERGE Esports & Mediacorp Partners To Nurture Singaporean Esports Content Creators

Esports talent management agency EMERGE Esports and Singaporeâ€™s national media network, Mediacorp, have announced a partnership to develop budding esports content creators under Mediacorpâ€™s Bloomr.SG network. The strategic partnership aims to develop the knowledge and skills of up-and-coming esports content creators, provide them vital industry exposure and opportunities, and deliver more high quality, value-added esports content to consumers.Â
Riding on the rising popularity of video gaming content around the world, the partnership between EMERGE Esports and Mediacorpâ€™s Bloomr.SG underlines the shared commitment to continue engaging audiences with quality content while developing Singaporeâ€™s content creator community.Â Â
Specifically, the partnership paves the way for EMERGE Esports talents to receive sponsorship and cross-promotion opportunities, as well as work with local and regional celebrities to produce content. They will also be able to tap on Mediacorpâ€™s resources and facilities to support their production work, benefit from training sessions and workshops, and gain access to monetisation opportunities through premium advertising and rights management support.Â
Diogo Martins, Team Lead of Bloomr.SG, said:
 â€œNurturing content creators has always been our focus atÂ  Bloomr.SG.
With this collaboration, we can dedicate resources to those with an interest in the excitingÂ  arena of esports, supported with the deep expertise and capabilities of EMERGE Esports.
Together, weÂ  look forward to working closely to realise our shared ambition of identifying, fostering and growing theÂ  next generation of content creators in Singapore.â€
CEO and Founder of EMERGE Esports, Roy Kek, shared:
 â€œEsports has evolved beyond a hobby or a niche interest to become a recognised industry on a global scale.
We are glad a pioneer like MediacorpÂ  acknowledges this and is looking to promote esports content.
Together with Bloomr.SG, we look forward to amplifying the growth of esports and to cultivate the next generation of creative content creators in Singapore and in the region.”
Other than supporting Bloomr.SG with industry expertise and connections, EMERGE Esports will also help identify and connect new talents to further boost the collaboration, and bring forward more engaging and exciting stories from the esports arena to the mainstream audience.


LEAP 2023 Season 1 Starts This June: Here Is The Schedule

It’s time to bring back amateur esports & grassroots competition & make it great again!
Enter LEAP -Liga Esports Antara Parlimen- a brand-new esports initiative that caters towards the little guys and underdogs. The current esports scene in Southeast Asia is catered towards mid-level and experts, and that’s fine and good.
But for these to further grow, you still need new blood. That’s where LEAP comes in.

Hold Up; What Is LEAP?
Liga Esports Antara Parlimen (LEAP) is an original Kakuchopurei initiative & amateur esports league to raise a new generation of esports athletes in Malaysia. In a nutshell, we will have Malaysians from different constituencies competing with each other in friendly versus gaming during the weekend, leading up to the finals. We’ll be using a variety of titles ranging from MOBAs to sports games.
LEAP is the brainchild of Kakuchopurei’s solution of making esports accessible to everyone at the grassroots level. In the long run, we aim to see grassroots esports circuits bloom regardless of their respective locations, supported by local communities.

Our dream is to build a fully-realized esports circuit consisting of all 222 Parliamentary constituencies that also serve as an international tourist draw. With that said, here are the details of this coming first season. We’re just as excited as you are!

LEAP 2023 Season 1: Setiawangsa Preliminaries

Date: Saturday, 10th June 2023
Time: 10:00AM – 6:00PM
Venue: TGV AEON AU2, G77, AEON AU2 Shopping Centre, 6, Jalan Taman Setiawangsa, 37/56, AU2, Taman Keramat, 54200 Kuala Lumpur
Registration: HERE
Entry Fee: RM20 (to be used as prize pool)

LEAP 2023 Season 1: Bangi Preliminaries

Date: Saturday, 17th June 2023
Time: 10:00AM – 6:00PM
Venue: EVO Mall, Kompleks EVO, Jalan Medan 2D, Seksyen 9, 43650 Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor
Registration: HERE
Entry Fee: RM20 (to be used as prize pool)

LEAP 2023 Season 1: Finals (Setiawangsa VS Bangi)

Date: Saturday, 24th June 2023
Time: 10:00AM – 6:00PM
Venue: ATO Gaming Cafe & Event Hall TTDI, Jalan Sungai Penchala, Kampung Sungai Penchala, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

LEAP 2023 Season 1 Games

Street Fighter 6
Gigabash
FIFA 23
Mobile Legends Bang Bang

*note: in case of any technical difficulties, notable launch game bugs, & on-ground event issues, Kakuchopurei reserves the right to change the titles for the tournament.

Partners:

Aksiz

TGV

BFM 89.9


Escape From Tarkov Breaks 200k Concurrent Players; Bans A Lot Of Cheaters

The hardcore-tailored battle royale title Escape from Tarkov had a pretty big closed beta week numbers-wise. Here are its stats so far:

The game’s concurrent player record has been broken, reaching over 200,000 people online.
The game has gone through its first progression reset, banning 3,000 cheaters in the process.

Just now, BattlEye has banned over 3,000 cheaters in #EscapefromTarkov. We decided that we will now let you know about large BE ban waves
— Battlestate Games (@bstategames) May 29, 2020

The game wipe -common for games getting out of closed beta- paves way for a new patch and a start of a new season. Seeing as the game was in alpha since 2016 and seems to be getting a resurgence in viewers as of late, Escape from Tarkov could be the battle royale experience everyone’s looking for once they’re done with Fortnite, PUBG Mobile, Apex Legends, and even Call of Duty Warzone.


All The Games At The Square Enix Presents Spring 2021 Online Presentation

Square Enix just announced a ton of games in its portfolio for 2021 and beyond. Let’s take a look at what they’ve announced, shall we?
Outriders

We get some new Outriders tidbits, like new locations and maps such as a giant forest with monsters and an ice area with loads of monsters. How will you travel to these places? You use a convoy, a giant vehicle you can customize.Â The showcase also talks about the game’s loot, shooting, and classes.
Just a reminder that the game is coming out 1st April and is free via Xbox Game Pass for Xbox users.
Tomb Raider 25th Anniversary / Tomb Raider Definitive Survivor Trilogy
We knew about this collection a week or so ago, but it’s nice to know that it’s made official now.
Just Cause Mobile

Scorpio’s gone portable! The Just Cause series is now going mobile for iOS and Android. Not much is known except you team up with pals to take down corporations in jungles and open-air spaces.
Hitman Sniper
The assassination game is going portable. Hitman Sniper is the iOS/Android version of the Hitman Sniper challenge DLC games you’ve seen on PS4 and other consoles.
Space Invaders AR Game
It’s Space Invaders, but using AR tech to have the action go on live backgrounds.
Touhou Spell Bubble
Puzzle Bobble/Bust A Move, but with shrine maidens and waifus.
Darius Cozmic Revelation
The famous Taito fish-based 2D shmup is now in a neat collection.
Bubble Bobble 4 Friends
Yeah, this still exists. 3D graphics Bubble Bobble but with the same 2D gameplay.
Marvel’s Avengers
So what new things can help justify the added grind to this middling action RPG title that’s clearly apeing Bungie’s Destiny? How about a new mission involving evil Hulk/Maestro and two new Hawkeyes, as well as the same villains and mobs from the base game? No? Ah well.

There’s a shred of hope: developer Crystal Dynamics tease Black Panther, the next new character and Klaw, the next new villain. And also Wakanda in a new War for Wakanda DLC.
Balan Wonderworld
Square Enix showed off some new gameplay from the upcoming whimsical platformer. Out 26th March for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, and PC.
Life Is Strange: True Colors

The big one that was teased a week or so ago. The next sequel in the esoteric adventure game features a bisexual Asian woman named Alex Chen who can read and control emotions. She comes back to her hometown to visit her brother Gabe, who is murdered for unknown reasons.
The whole game is about finding out who murdered Gabe and why, and you’ll use your powers to do just that. The game will have callbacks to past Life is Strange prequels, and will provide you with two romance options. Based on the trailer so far, it’s looking very animation-savvy and pretty.
The full game will be out in September 2021.
Bonus: Life is Strange and Life is Strange: Before The Storm will be re-released as a remaster this Fall 2021. It’ll be called Life is Strange: Remastered Collection.
Forspoken (a.k.a. Project Athia)

Made by Luminous Productions in Square Enix, this open-world action RPG stars a woman named Frey Holland. It’s set in a ravaged contemporary world where fantasy monsters are roaming in it, terrorizing people and stuff.
Thanks to what I presume is plot magic stuff, Frey can use elemental & nature powers, and can jump around & run like a superhuman. Looks pretty fun! This RPG will be out in 2022 for PC and PS5.
Check out the full broadcast below:


The Warhammer 40K Universe Smashes Into World Of Tanks Modern Armor In Latest Season

A conflict of cosmic scale begins when the action of Warhammer 40,000 collides with World of Tanks Modern Armor as a special part of the current epic season, Gladiators. During this Imperium-sized event, players can get five new Premium tanks inspired by the Warhammer 40,000 universe, two new 3D Hero Commanders (Volusad Thassius of the Ultramarines and Patricia Laserian of the Sisters of Battle), and six new 2D Standard Commanders.
The Warhammer 40,000 event roars into action on 2 May and runs until 6 June 2023.
Triumphantly making its debut in World of Tanks Modern Armor is the Leman Russ heavy tank, a monstrous slab of mechanized armour built exclusively for console. Named for the Primarch of the Space Wolves Legion, the Leman Russ heavy tank for the console was conceived and implemented in full cooperation with Games Workshop.

In addition to the Leman Russ heavy tank, the might of Warhammer 40,000 also comes to World of Tanks Modern Armor with new faction-affiliated tanks: the Nemesis tank destroyer, the Teefbreaka light tank, the Reaper’s Scythe medium tank, and the Ignis Purgatio medium tank.
Directing the voice-overs for the new 3D Hero Commanders is noted director Jason Baughan (Hitman 2, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, Fable: The Journey). Under his expertise, 330 lines of dialogue for the Commanders Volusad Thassius of the Ultramarines and Patricia Laserian of the Sisters of Battle are brought strikingly to life, grounding the player and establishing the tone of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
All of this sets the stage for a month-long, two-stage challenge against both the forces of Chaos and the Orks. In this massive two-stage community event, tankers will align themselves with either the Space Marines or the Sisters of Battle, with the option to change to the other side for the second stage. From there they can join forces with other players around the globe to fight the Orks and the forces of Chaos. Destroying the Orks will make the Ork content available to all users (for purchase or as rewards); the same mechanic will apply to the Chaos forces and their in-game content.
Check out the trailer below:


Resident Evil 3’s Single-Player Campaign Is A Pale Shadow Of Last Year’s REmarkable REmake

Platform:Â PS4, Xbox One, PC
Genre:Â Survival Horror, Action, Third-Person Shooter
Capcom continued its renaissance last year with the Resident Evil 2 Remake, which instantly became a stellar exemplar of what a game remake should strive to be. However, all of that goodwill might as well have been for naught with the release of the Resident Evil 3 Remake just one year later.

Don’t get me wrong, the Resident Evil 3 Remake is a brilliant enough game in its own right, but it’s disappointingly inferior to the Resident Evil 2 Remake in almost every way that it can’t help but turn out to be a much lesser shadow of its predecessor.
Simply put, the Resident Evil 3 Remake doesn’t much wrong, but it’s not the best in anything it tries to do, as it follows the established blueprint of its predecessor almost to the letter.

Is This Resident Evil 2 Remake DLC?

Instead of a full-blown sequel, the Resident Evil 3 Remake feels (at best) like an expansion or additional DLC to the Resident Evil 2 Remake. Everything feels overly familiar like you’re playing more of the same game. That might sound harsh, but let’s look at what the Resident Evil 3 Remake has to offer. shall we?
The Resident Evil 3 Remake begins by dropping the player as Jill Valentine smack dab in the middle of Raccoon City right as a pandemic crisis plunges it into chaos. Fires are burning and people are still trying to flee at the beginning of the game, and the game starts with an action-packed sequence as Jill barely survives after getting chased by a massive monster (Nemesis).
This ain’t Jill’s first rodeo -nor is it the player’s- as the game begins cruising at a breakneck pace and never lets up. What distinguishes the Resident Evil 3 Remake from its predecessor is its much faster pace, with more emphasis on progressing from one area to the next as fast as you can.

This is because the game is very linear in nature compared to the twisty and oft-times confusing settings of Resident Evil 2 Remake, which also means that there’s not as much room for actual exploration or taking the time to figure out where to go next in the straightforward structure of the Resident Evil 3 Remake.

The aforementioned sense of familiarity also kicks in when you have to spend time in some of the same locales from the Resident Evil 2 Remake. Remember how many hallways and locked doors the iconic police station had? I’m sure you got lost trying to find your way in there while also worrying about the next zombie that’s going to ambush you. In the sequel, you get to revisit the same place, but it’s now so streamlined and stripped down that it cheapens the experience.

Yes, a sense of general cheapness permeated the duration of my playthrough in Resident Evil 3 Remake. I can’t help but feel how every single gameplay mechanic played better in the Resident Evil 2 Remake.
For instance, the Resident Evil 3 Remake also has a sewer section (a mainstay in almost every horror-tinged Capcom game, which I hate), but it felt like a much less substantial experience. Removing the entire level wouldn’t have lessened the game in any significant way.

Another glaring omission that contributes to the sense of cheapness is the fact that the original Resident Evil 3: Nemesis in 1999 featured multiple branching paths in the story, which resulted in different endings. None of that is present in Resident Evil 3 Remake, which is a shame considering that it can’t even boast of having the Resident Evil 2 Remake‘s two possible playthroughs with its two protagonists (Leon and Claire).
Sure, players get to switch between the stoic Jill Valentine and witty mercenary Carlos Oliveira, each of whom wields different weapons (besides their handguns). However, the experience is diminished, as they don’t really feel significantly-different to play as. Jill has a shotgun, a grenade launcher and a magnum, while Carlos only gets an assault rifle. Compare that with the arsenal packed by Leon and Claire in the Resident Evil 2 Remake (both of whom have a whopping 13 weapons between them), and you’ll see why the variety is severely lacking in this one.

Unfortunately, what all of those shortcomings ultimately leads to is a paltry five to six-hour-long story mode.
It took me only five and a half hours to complete the game, which I accomplished in a single sitting in one night.
I don’t feel particularly compelled to replay the game, because there’s not much incentive to do so.

It’s so much clearer now why Capcom opted to release the Resident Evil 3 Remake with a separate multiplayer experience companion at launch; Resident Evil Resistance. No other Resident Evil title has ever needed online multiplayer, much less a PvP title in the vein of Turtle Rock Studios’ (failure) Evolve or Friday The 13th: The Game. The suspicions were true; now we know that it’s to shamelessly make up for the embarrassing lack of content in the Resident Evil 3 Remake.
Nemesis Is A Poor Man’s Mr. X

Mr.X, or Tyrant, was one of the most memorable and best aspects in the Resident Evil 2 Remake. His mere presence and act of stalking the player (menacingly) was what elevated the game even more. That is why, when the Resident Evil 3 Remake was initially announced, we had high hopes for the new version of Nemesis.

We imagined the new Nemesis to be an unstoppable and unpredictable force of nature, an unseen stalking enemy that would make the game so scary that you’ll be a paranoid wreck.
What we got in Resident Evil 3 Remake instead is a heavily-scripted bot that you can see coming from a mile away with all the gracefulness of a lumbering ox.

The first encounter with Nemesis is the only one that draws any kind of excitement before you eventually notice the not-so-subtle signs of his impending appearances. This breaks the immersion that Nemesis is supposed to be an intelligent killing machine.
You see, I could easily predict where and when Nemesis would show up. I’ll just be merrily making my way when I notice that the next area looks suspiciously wider, open, or emptier than usual. I’m right most of the time because that’s when Nemesis is usually scripted to attack.

I try to act surprised but it feels like another cheap attempt at eliciting jump scares, which ironically doesn’t work due to how blatantly obvious the signs are for when Nemesis would appear.
Gone are the unpredictability and spontaneous appearances of a hulking enemy like Mr. X. Instead, you have the Nemesis, who only drives fear into the hearts of players everywhere because of how he can conveniently use his super-speed to dash right in front of you and attack with his overpowered tentacles.

By the end of the game, I only felt disdain and utter disappointment that the great and iconic Nemesis is relegated to scripted events and action setpieces, cutscenes, and generic boss battles. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

But Wait, It’s Not All Bad

I realise that I’ve been mostly focusing on the many ways that the Resident Evil 3 Remake is inferior to the Resident Evil 2 Remake, but now I want to clarify that this game still hits a lot of the same notes that its predecessor did just a year ago, and we can thank the excellent piece of software tech that is the RE Engine for that.
The atmosphere in the Resident Evil 3 Remake isn’t as creepy and tense, but that’s more attributed to the open city setting of the game, rather than a fault of the game as a whole. The game still features some of the best almost-photorealistic visuals, fluid animations, and brilliant lighting. While some may find Jill Valentine’s new design to be a bit off, she looks arguably the best she’s ever been, with more distinct and unique facial features.

It’s worth pointing out that one particular creepy hospital setting later in the game stood out amongst the rest of the “been there, done that” locales, but as that place felt genuinely scary and brought back the much-needed chilling atmosphere. Nothing beats the feeling of dread before opening a door or going into the next room, clenching your buttcheeks as you prepare for whatever’s waiting for you.
I’m not too fond of the new evading mechanic (by pressing X) introduced in the Resident Evil 3 Remake, but I guess it was a necessary evil to balance the game with Nemesis’ impossible level of speed and tenacity (when he shows up, that is). It does make the game easier and more action-focused but loses some of its survival horror roots in the process.
Crushed Under Gargantuan Expectations

The Resident Evil 3 Remake couldn’t possibly live up to the lofty ideals of last year’s Resident Evil 2 Remake. In an alternate reality where Capcom launched this game first, it would’ve been just as celebrated.
Alas, that’s not the case, and the game suffers for it. It seems like Capcom gave the Resident Evil 3 Remake the short end of the stick.

If only it received just as much time, care and attention as its predecessor… Oh, well, let’s just hope that the next Remake or new instalment of whatever franchise by Capcom follows the example of the former (Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil 2 Remake) and not the latter (Resident Evil 3 Remake).
Pros:

More action-packed and focused.
Can still be tense and atmospheric at times.
Looks amazing thanks to the RE Engine.

Cons:

Brief runtime; lacks any replay value.
Loses some of its survival horror roots.
Nemesis feels too scripted; a downgrade from Mr. X or the Tyrant.

Final Score: 60/100
Note: We will review Resident Evil – Resistance, the multiplayer 4v1 mode that’s bundled with Resident Evil 3, in the near future. It’s hard to gauge an online mode without the public to play with.
Resident Evil 3 was reviewed on a PS4 Pro via a review copy courtesy of Capcom.


Street Fighter 6: Marisa Move List & Guide

Street Fighter 6 is coming out on 2nd June, which is just less than a month away. As such, the game’s roster for its launch is set with 18 characters, each with their various playstyles.
In this entry, we’ll be focusing on Marisa, the Italian powerhouse who has her own colosseum and LARPing Roman gladiator group.
Note: This guide is still in development.
All inputs are in numpad notations. For example, Hadouken from player 1’s starting side is 236P.
Attack buttons are as follows: LP, MP, HP are light punch, medium punch, and heavy punch respectively. LK, MK, and HK are light kick, medium kick, and heavy kick respectively. None of this Fierce or Roundhouse bulls*** in Asia.
Info & video credits: Fighting Game Anniversaries, WoolieVS, FlawlessDeku, Capcom, Reversal

Street Fighter 6 Marisa Overview

Marisa is a powerful character and is built like a brick s***house. As such, she has armour moves that can withstand a hit or two, while her offence & hard-hitting pokes just blow opponents away. Think Street Fighter’s Boxer but with Zangief armour (or Killer Instinct 2013’s Tusk); perfect for dealing with random Drive Impacts from opponents and bullying them for making wrong choices.
Marisa’s best skill for counterattacking opponents is Scutum. She covers her head with both arms like a guard move and tanks hits while countering them automatically. This leaves her in a +3 frame advantage.
You can follow Scutum up with either a high attack, a low kick, or a command grab. Note that you have to keep the K button held to keep the Scutum stance.
Her Super Arts also come with armour properties; use her Level 1 Super to tank through slow recovery neutrals & attacks from opponents. Her Level 3 brings opponents straight to any corner, leaving her at an advantage especially if you can spring up Scutum mind games.
Play If: You like getting dirty with counterattacks, you want to power through random Drive Impacts.
Avoid If: You prefer pure rush down characters, don’t like taking hits, or prefer zoning.

Street Fighter 6 Marisa Move List

Special Moves
Gladius: 236P. Straight punch. Hold P for powered-up 2-hit version.
Dimachaerus: 214P > 6P.
Phalanx: 623P. Superman punch. Allows you to move first even if it’s blocked.
Quadriga: 236K.
Scutum: 214K. Stance move. Hold to maintain stance. Counterattacks automatically if you’re hit with high attacks in this stance. Can follow up with:

P>P for follow-up attack.
K for low attack with far reach.
LP+LP (Throw input) for surprise command throw.

Super Arts
Javelin of Marisa: 236236P. Hold button to change effect. Has armour and can power through most moves.
Meteorite: 214214P. Good anti-air attack.
Goddess of the Hunt: 236236K. Carries opponents to wall automatically. Counters projectiles too.
Unique Attacks
Marisa Style: Hold HP or HK, then release.
Light Two Hitter: LP>LP. Target combo.
Medium Two Hitter: MP>MP. Target combo, can cancel into special moves.
Volare Combo: During Jump, MP>MP. Similar to M.Bison’s 2-hit jump attack, but last hit knocks down opponent to ground.
Caelum Arc: Neutral Jump, 2HP.
Magna Bunker: 4HP.
Novacula Thrust: 6MP>HK
Malleus Breaker: 3HP>3HP
Falx Crusher: 6HK>6HK


Indonesian Superhero Movie Satria Dewa Gatotkaca Comes To Malaysian Cinemas Next Month

Part of the Satria Dewa Cinematic Universe, Satria Dewa GatotKaca will premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 18 August 2022. It features a superhero equipped with awesome magical armour. It will be distributed by Horizon Film Entertainment.
The synopsis reads:
Realizing that he’s the lineal descendant of Gatotkaca from Pandawa family, Satrio must fight his way to unlock the power lies inside him and face Aswatama, the remaining Kurawa warrior who lives on to destroy the world by changing the history of Bharatayudha.
Recently, our friends from BuzzPopTV (Nik Nadzru Iskandar) watched the movie at its gala premiere in June 2022 and here are their thoughts:
“Satria Dewa Gatotkaca is an entertaining film that will attract many fans who love Marvel films. It also has an easy-to-understand plot filled with vibrant action and comedy.”
Back in 2019, Gundala (which is part of the Bumilangit Cinematic Universe) showed in Malaysian cinemas, and as a comic book fan, I found it to be a great but flawed superhero movie with its own merits (check out my review here). The superhero genre is definitely booming with potential in Indonesia. I just hope that Malaysia follows suit one day with our own superhero movies we can actually be proud of (maybe that Keluang Man movie will finally change things for the better).
Check out the trailer below:


Take A Troll Or Night Elf Selfie With The World Of Warcraft Classic AR Lenses

Blizzard finally launched World Of Warcraft Classic to much fanfare and anticipation several days ago. To celebrate the beloved MMORPG franchise’s 15th anniversary, they are partnering with Snapchat to introduce WoW-themed AR lenses in the popular mobile app (via Mobile AR Reality News).
Now available in the Snapchat carousel for Android and iOS users in the US, the limited-time promotional AR lenses allow users to take selfies as either a disgusting troll or a mischievous night elf.
You can unlock the World Of Warcraft Classic Snapchat AR lenses by scanning the Snapcode embedded below.

In the meantime, look at some of the hilarious results of using the World Of Warcraft Classic Snapchat AR lenses in the following tweets.

Always knew Iâ€™d be a good looking night elf ðŸ˜‚ #ToastToWarcraft pic.twitter.com/dxpisJn6i3
â€” Alexandria (@Amariesw) August 28, 2019

Logged into Snapchat just to do this ðŸ˜Š #WoWClassic pic.twitter.com/cA052YmfnT
â€” Gracie ðŸ‰ Marek (@gracieLOLiver) August 29, 2019

ðŸ¤ I didnâ€™t know there was a WoW Classic Snapchat filter. pic.twitter.com/fSDbrblM3d
â€” Kat ðŸŽƒ =^.^= ðŸƒðŸ‚ (@DazzlingGeek) August 29, 2019

New @Snapchat filter for #WoWClassic Riase your eyebrows – #ToastToWarcraft I love this!! ðŸ’™ðŸ’› @warcraft pic.twitter.com/XHekdOd7w2
â€” Alexandria Pelt (@PeltAlexandria) August 29, 2019


Remembering The Best & Worst PlatinumGames Moments In Action Gaming History

When you think over-the-top action in the past and current console generation, you think PlatinumGames.
Rising from the ashes of Studio Clover since it dissolved back in 2006, the producers and designers who made up the company -from Atsushi Inaba to Twitter grand ban-master Hideki Kamiya- are renowned for making the best action games that don’t sell well. At least initially; Bayonetta & Vanquish PC sales, Bayonetta 2, and Nier Automata are renowned for putting the company back in the black.
Still a Nintendo exclusive. Sorry!
To celebrate the upcoming release of the company’s next gameÂ Astral Chain, in which you play a rookie super cop who controls an ass-kicking machine thingy called a Legion, we’re going to talk about these moments. These crazy bits of action make the company stand out among other action game makers in this day and age, and I’d be damned if I didn’t create a feature to detail each and every one of them.
Also, spoilers for older games abound. Tread with caution.

That One Time A Sin City-Inspired Game Ended Up On The Wii (MadWorld)

At the time when the Wii was deemed an “all-ages” console with kid-level shovelware, along comes PlatinumGames and their debut title MadWorld: a violent black-and-white action game with waggle controls. It’s set in a dystopian game show circuit where ex-Navy Jack Cayman has to fight through a gauntlet of gangs, beasties, and weirdos to uncover a conspiracy.
It also sports a dope soundtrack featuring earwigs like “Survival” and “Look Pimpin‘”. While comparisons between this and Manhunt 2 were made, MadWorld stood out because of its aesthetics and over-the-top violence.
I do wish the controls were a tad more precise, but this game proved that PlatinumGames loved to take chances with odd ideas while delivering their brand of action gaming.
That One Time They Made A Sci-Fi RPG No One Cared About (Infinite Space)

Have you heard of Infinite Space for the DS? Of course you haven’t, because this space-case JRPG came out during the time when people were on Mass Effect 2, StarCraft II, and God of War III. Yes, the last game isn’t space-themed, but there were way too many titles that overshadowed a tiny DS RPG.
A shame too, because if it made its way onto PC as well, it would be quite a hit with the indie gaming crowd. Its space warfare and real-time combat mechanics were not completely original, but they were fun to look at. Plus, its story was pretty epic as it dealt with humanity trying to survive in a vast galaxy. Sure, it sounds like Japanese Mass Effect, but to cram all that into a DS game is pretty impressive.
That One Time Bayonetta Remixed A Bart Howard Classic In Its Intro (Bayonetta)
What else is there to say about Bayonetta, the game to surpass the Devil May Cry series as the best hyper level hack-and-slash action game and manages to be even more over-the-top and ludicrous than Capcom’s moneymaker? Oh yeah, that remix of “Fly Me To The Moon” sung by Helena Noguerra that plays when you’re killing a bunch of trigger-happy angels. Before you put on your “hair getup”.

It’s an acquired taste, for sure, but it set the playful and camp tone of the entire game.
The Time You Experienced Macross Missiles In A First Stage Boss Battle (Vanquish)

In the first 30 minutes, 2010’s Vanquish just unloads its load on you and never lets up. The fact that you’re fighting a 40-feet Argus robot in the first stage is the game’s way of telling you that (i) it’s what happens when Shinji Mikami isn’t given much limit when designing a third-person shooter and (ii) it will make you its bitch if you don’t play by its rules.
The best part? You can relive that in glorious 4K on the PC version. Seriously, get it if you haven’t. It’s dirt cheap on Steam.
That Time You Came Across A Bunch Of Breakdancing Robots During A Siege (Vanquish)

When Shinji Mikami isn’t inserting himself in his games, he puts in easter eggs like this to break the tension.
That Time The Company Messed Up A Potentially Good Multiplayer Game (Anarchy Reigns)

Anarchy Reigns was supposed to be a throwback to multiplayer beat-em-ups and a nod to Capcom’s Power Stone series. It failed.
The presentation and aesthetics aren’t the best and the game ran at 30fps or even less depending on what’s on-screen. Ditto for the character selection where it felt like everyone was either the same stock average-sized fighter with similar movesets, a pint-sized fighter with similar movesets, or a large-sized fighter with similar movesets.
Amazing soundtrack though. I can never get tired of “Sound The Alarm”,Â  “Fast Lane“, and “Ruthless“. And this ultimate bitch song.
That Time You Fought Metal Gear Ray As A Starting Boss (Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance)
Talk about starting a Metal Gear game in a grand non-stealth fashion.

Also, one can never forget the song that plays when Raiden lifts the Metal Gear, chucks it in the air, and slices most of it in two. “Rules of Nature” then ended up on a lot of people’s custom ringtones ever since, mine including.
That Other Time You Fought A Superpowered Senator Who Bombarded You With His Fists & His Speeches (Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance)
Legend speaks that this particular climactic moment in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is the bane of every Legend of Zelda fan because it unseated that Ocarina of Time Ganondorf final fight as the best final boss moment of all time.
To be fair, they have every right to be pissed. It IS that damn good.

This moment in Metal Gear history is perhaps the best way to end a game: first with a Metal Gear battle, then with a bats*** insane exposition dump punctuated with small fights, leading up to an ultimate battle that would make Fist of the North Star/Hokuto no Ken fans proud.
You’ve seen the best side of PlatinumGames; let’s check out the worst…


Bovine-Filled Search Action Game Moo Lander Launches On 27 May

Need more cows and bovines in your search action games? The first-ever Mootroidvania title will be out in full later this week.
Moo Lander, the search action title from indie studio The Sixth Hammer, will be out on 27 March. As you can tell from the trailer below, you play a spaceship who is stuck in a bright-but-hostile alien planet filled with alien cows and bulls. And they’re all going to get you unless you have all the skills required to blast them to oblivion.

Moo Lander will be out for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.


Android Is Now Available On Nintendo Switch, But…

It was only a matter of time before console modders were able to mod the Nintendo Switch and make it do things it weren’t supposed to do, like run Android. That’s exactly what developers at XDA have managed to do. The first unofficial but publicly available Android OS for Nintendo’s popular handheld-and-home console has been released.
Before you get excited and decide to mess around with your Switch’s software, it’d be wise to note that there’s still a lot of bugs and issues which shouldn’t be too big of a surprise. According to Engadget, some of those issues pertain to battery life, auto-rotation, and sensitive touchscreen input.

However, the core Android experience is definitely there. The system is based on the Android 8.1-based LineageOS which was also used to revive the Nvidia Shield Tablet. FYI, Nvidia ended software support for the Nvidia Shield a long time ago (via XDA). Back to the topic, running the LineageOS on your Switch will allow you to play Tegra-exclusive titles like Borderlands and Half-Life 2.
If you’re interested in trying it out and don’t mind the possibility of bricking your Switch, knock yourself out. If you’re one of those Switch owners who wants to make sure that you don’t have to worry about your Switch suddenly blacking out while you’re playing Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, I’d recommend sitting this one out for now.
You can download the OS and read the installation guide here.


[Report] Xbox Project Scarlett VR Might Be In Development

The games industry is gearing up for its next gaming generation, and details are starting to leak all the time. The latest is that VR for the next-gen Xbox Project Scarlett might be in the works.
As spotted by Twitter user @WalkingCat (via GamesRadar), Microsoft filed two US patents for a set of VR accessories, which includes a boundary mat, stylus, and pair of motion controllers. These are dated March 2018 but have now only been made available for public viewing at the FreePatentsOnline website.
The patent describes both a “six-degrees-of-freedom input device” and “virtual reality floor mat activity region”. The images in the patent documents look like what seems to be not only a boundary mat, stylus, and set of motion controllers for VR, but also a VR headset and Xbox Kinect camera too.

While all this doesn’t necessarily mean that VR is in any way confirmed for Xbox Project Scarlett, it’s still potentially possible, despite VR not having caught on all that well in the current games generation. These tech gimmicks usually fizzle out and don’t last more than a generation, so it’s understandable if none of these VR patents even developed past R&D.
Xbox Project Scarlett is already slated for a holiday 2020 release, so we’ll likely learn a lot more about the console next year.


Marvel’s Midnight Suns Is XCOM Turn-Based Combat Mixed With Card Elements

If you’re curious about Marvel’s latest turn-based combat title developed by Firaxis, we have some juicy reveals for you.
Marvel and Firaxis just released gameplay footage (via IGN) for its upcoming strategy RPG title Marvel’s Midnight Suns. As predicted earlier on, the game’s turn-based combat is similar to XCOM; your enemies consist of Hydra agents and demons. However, each character’s commands and attacks are card-based ala Hearthstone; you pick a card and play it to unleash its ability, be it a simple claw swipe from Wolverine to powerful AoE attacks that cost resources.
Apart from that, your Marvel party members (from Doctor Strange to Blade and Ghost Rider) can also chill out in this hub called the Abbey, which has its own secrets. You can talk and build relationships with these superheroes to power up their combat abilities, as well as give them powerful card abilities for them to use.

The main character you play, who ties this all together, is called the Hunter, whom you can customize to your whim. Here’s the superhero roster so far:

Wolverine
Iron Man
Captain Marvel
Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes)
Nico Minoru (from Runaways)
Doctor Strange
Blade
Captain America
Magik
A hellhound you get to tame

Check out the gameplay below, and also a screencap of a chuckle-worthy line from Magik. Marvel’s Midnight Suns will be out on March 2022 for PC, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS4, and PS5.


Call The Witcher, A Monster Is Stalking Sunway Pyramid Mall

I was simply looking for a cup of ice blended at Coffee Bean Sunway Pyramid when suddenly I was jumped by a hideous monster. Thankfully, I used my Witcher abilities to fend it off.
[videopress 96Rr5Hzx]
From 10 December 2021 to 2 January 2022, anyone who visits Sunway Pyramid mall will be able to get up close and personal with one of the most terrifying monsters, the Myriapod, from Netflix’s The Witcher at the Green Vase Fountain, Ground Floor of Sunway Pyramid.
Enter the world of The Witcher with an immersive journey through the dark, ominous forest of The Continent, brought to Malaysia, before catching the life-sized Myriapod in all its horrifying glory. If that’s not terrifying enough, you can take the interactive experience up a notch by summoning it on your phone with this AR filter (which is how I made the video above).

While youâ€™re there, keep your eyes peeled for Kaer Morhenâ€™s Medallion Tree, from which its branches hang a variety of Witcher medallions, honouring Wolf School Witchers that have fallen over the years. Prospective Witchers can complete their journey by collecting all five designs of the medallion (Geralt, Lambert, Eskel, Cohen, and Vesemir) and unlocking exclusive deals around the mall.
So, what’s stopping you from grabbing your favourite bard or mage to confront the beast anytime between now and 2 January 2022 at Sunway Pyramidâ€™s Green Vase Fountain on the Ground Floor (right behind the main entrance of the mall, below the sphinx). While youâ€™re at it, capture your best Witcher moment, share it on Instagram, and tag @NetflixMY with the hashtag #MusimMonster for a chance to win Witcher medallions.
The Witcher Season 2 premieres on Netflix on 17 December 2021.
Check out photos from the special The Witcher exhibit below:


Disney’s Next Animated Movie, Strange World, Is Inspired By Pulp Sci-Fi

Walt Disney Animation Studios has unveiled the first trailer for their next animated movie, Strange World. It’s by classic pulp science-fiction, so it’s something new and unique from the House Of Mouse.
It’s been a long time since we’ve received a proper sci-fi animated movie from Disney. Besides perhaps Wreck-It Ralph (if we even count that), the last good and underrated ones were 2002’s Treasure Planet and 2001’s Atlantis The Lost Empire.
Jake Gyllenhaal lends his voice to Searcher Clade, the son of a steadfast explorer. The original action-adventure journeys deep into an uncharted and treacherous land where fantastical creatures await the legendary Clades, a family of explorers whose differences threaten to topple their latest, and by far, most crucial mission.

Helmed by Don Hall (Big Hero 6, Raya And The Last Dragon) and co-director/writer Qui Nguyen (Raya And The Last Dragon), and produced by Roy Conli (Big Hero 6, Tangled), Strange World releases on 23 November 2022.


Days Gone Will Be 4K 60FPS On PS5

The 2019 open-world post-apocalyptic zombie game Days Gone by Sony Bend Studio will be playable at 4K 60FPS on the PS5. Players will also be able to transfer their PS4 save data of the game to the PS5.

If you're taking a ride on the Broken Road for the first time, or finishing up NG+, here's what you can expect when you boot up #DaysGone on the #PS5:? Up to 60FPS w/ Dynamic 4K? Save Transfers from PS4 to PS5 pic.twitter.com/qP2ugQO4hc— Bend Studio is Hiring! (@BendStudio) November 3, 2020

This news comes after a massive 25GB patch arrived for the PS4 version of Days Gone just last week. In the meantime, check out our review of the game here.


Payday 3 Adds New Mechanics To Its Heist Gameplay To Spice Things Up; Here’s How

The Payday series relies on players teaming up to pull off the best money heist ever, robbing banks and getting away with it mostly unscathed. If you end up firing guns mid-mission, well, you’ll have a harder time going through the police, but that’s the fun of the series.
The newly-announced third game of the series plans to add more mechanics to a game that wasn’t really broken and lacking to begin with. A significant improvement in Payday 3 is the refined stealth mechanics. Stealth has always been a key aspect of the Payday series, and the third installment takes it to new heights. Somehow or other, these new additions seem to work and gel with our writer and resident co-op shooter fan Xandria Morden, since there’s a new stealth system, negotiation bit for hostages, and art heists.
This system allows players to make choices that can influence the outcome of the situation. Negotiations require careful consideration, as the choices made can have consequences. Players must assess the risk versus reward of their decisions. The negotiation system adds a layer of tension and strategic thinking to the heists; you can get equipment by trading hostages. Or you can use them as human shields; your choice really.
The stealth system is also a lot deeper, with smarter AI and guards who are relentless and are a far cry from Payday and Payday 2. You can even blend in as a civilian, you have a lesser risk of getting caught though your infilitration options are limited. Though it’s best if you just watch it all in motion; here’s her hands-on impression of the game, customization and all.

Payday 3 will be out for PC and consoles this 21st September.


ASUS ROG Phone 3 Is Now Available In Malaysia At These Prices

The ASUS ROG Phone 3 was officially announced in July 2020, but now the company has announced the official prices for the gaming phone in Malaysia.
It featuresÂ a 6.59-inch OLED HDR colour-calibrated screen with a fast 144Hz refresh rateÂ and 1ms response time. Itâ€™s powered byÂ the Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset with 5G support, and it can be configured with up toÂ 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 512GB of UFS 3.1 ROM storage.
It also hasÂ a side-mounted USB-C port, so gamers can still play in landscape mode comfortably even while charging. In addition,Â the ASUS ROG Phone 3 will also be compatible with Google Stadia when it launches. Those who purchase the device will also receive three months worth free trial of Google Stadia.
Besides that, the ASUS ROG Phone 3 will feature a 24MP front camera and 64MP back camera. Lastly,Â the ROG Phone 3 features a massive 6,000mAh battery, similar to last yearâ€™s ASUS ROG Phone 2.
The ASUS ROG Phone 3 is now available in Malaysian in the variants below:
ROG Phone 3 STRIX Edition (SD865 / 8GB Ram / 256GB Storage / 5G) – RM2999ROG Phone 3 (SD865+ / 12GB Ram / 512GB Storage / 5G) – RM3799ROG Phone 3 (SD865+ / 16GB Ram / 512GB Storage / 5G) – RM4499

Meanwhile, the accessories for the phone includes:
ROG Ranger BC1001 Waist Pack â€“ RM99 (N/A warranty)ROG Clip â€“ RM149 (3 months warranty)ROG PHONE 3 Lighting ArmorÂ case &Â Glass Screen ProtectorÂ â€“ RM279Â (3 months warranty)ROG Kunai 3 Gamepad â€“ RM499 (3 months warranty)Mobile Desktop Dock â€“ RM599 (12 months warranty)TwinView Dock 3 â€“ RM899 (12 months warranty)
If you already own an ASUS ROG Phone 2, you can check which of your older accessories will be compatible with the ASUS ROG Phone 3 below.


Fans Are Making An HD Remaster Of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII For PC

It shouldn’t be a surprise that JRPG Final Fantasy VII is a big deal back in 1997, even up until now. And yeah, its 10th anniversary spawned a bunch of side games and a “hit” CG movie.
One of the side games is a prequel for the PSP called Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. It was the best of the bunch because it fleshed out Zack Fair and arguably set the gameplay & action RPG combat template for future Final Fantasy games from Final Fantasy Type-0 to Final Fantasy XV. A pity Square Enix didn’t bother going back to it, so fans took it upon themselves to give it the HD remastering it truly deserves.
The FF7 Crisis Core Upscale Project is basically a Crisis Core mod that runs on PC and looks darn good with more than 5,000 overhauled textures. Upscaling a game back in the PSP gaming era isn’t that easy since the mod had to factor in RGBA images that come with alpha channels used for transparency, and there’s a lot of that in Crisis Core that needs to be converted properly for a PC display. In other words, a lot of the upscaling work for this project had to be done by hand; all 6,000 of them.
Here’s what Evan Qualls, one of the modders working hard on the game in his spare time, had to say about this homebrew effort (via PC Gamer):

“I saw it as a chance to teach myself a new skill and entertain myself during the coronavirus shutdowns. It was nice to have something to actually look forward to doing at home to take my mind off of questions like ‘I wonder if I was exposed to the virus today?
As I was playing through it I got stuck at some part and looked up a YouTube video and noticed the text looked better and the creator mentioned he was using a text mod. So I looked it up and saw how the mod worked with the PPSSPP emulator. Then I remembered the AI-upscaledÂ FF7 Remako modÂ and theÂ FF9 Moguri modÂ and thought ‘why hasn’t someone just dumped all the textures in a PSP game and used AI to automate upscaling them?’
Next thing I know I was teaching myself Python and the project just went from there.”

Check out the full interview and feature here. You can download the mod here on Github.


Horror Game Scorn Finally Gets A Release Month

After much delays and pushback, developer Ebb Software has finally set a date for its upcoming H.R. Giger-inspired horror title Scorn.Â
Scorn will be out in October 2022 for Xbox Series and PC according to its recent developer update. Here’s a press release blurb from Ebb Software CEO Ljubomir Peklar:
“Weâ€™re really pleased to be able to share more news on the game and its release date. ScornÂ has been a real work of passion for the entire studio. The atmosphere, the journey, and the experience, we want every moment inÂ Scorn to elicit an emotional response and feel. It is our hope thatÂ Scorn stays with players long after they reach its ending. Weâ€™re looking forward to sharing more news and updates with our community as we move closer to launch.”
Good to know that this long-awaited first-person horror game has been worked on since its long silence. Here’s a release date trailer for your enjoyment.


Hawkeye Cast & Kevin Feige On Their Characters & What To Expect From The Disney+ Series

Courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia, we were recently lucky enough to attend an online press conference for the upcomingÂ HawkeyeÂ series. It featured Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, Kevin Feige, Vera Farmiga, Tony Dalton, and director/executive producer Rhys Thomas.
Check out what the Hawkeye cast and crew had to say:
The last time we saw Clint Barton in the MCU, he was mourning the loss of one of his best friends, spending a little time with Wanda talking about it, and then retreating with his family. Now he’s in New York caught up in a Christmas extravaganza. In your words, where do we find Clint at the start of the Hawkeye series?
Jeremy Renner: Yeah, what else you want me to say, you know? Yeah, ’cause there’s an emotional sort of through-line that ties in from obviously Avengers Endgame stuff, and it’s a lot of healing and these kinds of things. But, I mean, we start off with a very, very happy step forward into family vacation into New York at Christmas, and taking the kids to go see a musical. And then everything kinda goes sideways from there.
Tell us about Kate Bishop and where her confidence comes from.
Hailee Steinfeld: I really do feel like playing this character, it sort of forced me to find confidence and a determination and discipline that’s always been inside of me, but I really had to bring it out of myself for this and do this character justice. I feel so lucky to be playing a character that is so loved by so many and that people have been waiting for some time to see brought to life.
This is the sixth of six OG Avengers getting a title to be the lead here. What are you hoping we get to see from Hawkeye? What did you wanna take advantage of in giving him his own story that we didn’t get to see before?
Kevin Feige: Well, primarily, it’s Jeremy Renner. We wanna see more Jeremy Renner. You wanna see more of Jeremy Renner and more of Jeremy, uh, Renner. And that goes back to the earliest days, yes, we’re both grandfathers now of the MCU and the trust that Jeremy had to jump into the MCU before moderators said things like, welcome to the MCU. It was, hey, you wanna do this thing with us, and it’d be pretty cool, and I think it could be neat. And he said yes, and then he won an Academy Award, and he still said yes.
And I thought that was pretty cool, but they were relatively small obviously. In Avengers Age Of Ultron, we saw a little more, and then he just started stealing all the scenes, but it was always the intention to explore much more. The character’s history is vast. And also the Matt Fraction comics, which I’m sure people have been spending a lot of time talking about over these last few press days, was a big tonal inspiration for us. And seeing that and this new dynamic. And there are moments within all of Jeremy’s appearances where you see this mentor under the surface.
This reluctant hero. This reluctant mentor under the surface. One of my favourite scenes in all of our films is the scene with Clint and Wanda in Sokovia when he basically says, you go out that door, you’re an Avenger and motivates her to join the fight. And that was the kernel of how we could connect our MCU incarnation of Clint Barton into the Matt Fraction storyline and the relationship with Kate Bishop.
Tony, welcome to the MCU. You come in as Jacques Duquesne, a popular character from comics. What can you say about, Jacques’ relationship to the Bishop family, and what we might see-how we might see that develop?
Tony Dalton: He’s sort of a family friend and then he becomes in love with Eleanor Bishop, and they have a sort of a little bit of a relationship. And you don’t know where he’s coming from. I don’t know. What the hell else am I supposed to say? (laughs) You don’t wanna give away too much, you know?
What convinced you to take on the role of Eleanor Bishop?
Vera Farmiga: There’s a couple of things. Well, number one, I love archery, just hands down. I am an archer. You guys don’t know this about me. In my first job, I played an archer with Heath Ledger in a series called Roar, where I had my bow and arrow and I had a 40- pound pull-weight arrow, andÂ I’m good at it, to be honest with you, so if I wasn’t gonna be wielding that bow and arrow, I just wanted to be next to someone with true grit.
Yeah, and to be honest with you, I have marvelled at this young lady since that first movie, and I also loved this sort of, this very delicate and complex maternal relationship with daughters. It is a tricky sport raising a successful daughter, you know, especially when the daughter and the mom have different ideas of what that success means. But, yeah, just happy to be by Hailee’s side for this.
Rogers The Musical. How did that come to be, and will we get to see more of it throughout the show?
Kevin Feige: The Rogers Musical. Rhys, was that your idea? There was an idea early on about why he comes to New York.
Rhys Thomas: Yeah, it was an innocent suggestion in one of our calls that I quickly tried to backtrack on.
Kevin Feige: So, when Rhys said that it gave us context for the opening episode, the context for why Clint is in New York, the context for Clint seeing himself in the way the world sees Hawkeye. And gave us an opportunity to have an amazing song by Mark Shaiman.
Did you do anything special to build your bond behind the scenes, and did Jeremy offer any good archery tips?
Hailee Steinfeld: That I was never gonna shoot an actual arrow. That was the first thing he told me, and it didn’t occur to me that that would actually be the case. But that’s that. But as far as bonding, No, but that’s-by the way, we really jumped right into this thing, right straight into the deep end together. So, we were kind of like taking it as it was coming, but I felt so grateful to have Jeremy’s support and his mentorship in real life as I do as Kate.
Why do you think this series format works better than as a feature film?
Rhys Thomas: I mean, you know, it’s time. Beginning to spend time with these characters and let them grow, and again, we’re introducing this character and, you know, it’s about these guys coming together and learning from one another, and it’s a world that you get to live in for a little longer. To me, it’s just more time, and I think you fall in love with these characters when you make these things, and you fall in love with all the possibilities of the ways you can annoy Clint and smash them together and so, yeah, getting to really have the runway to do that isÂ you’re always gonna take it.
Can you talk a little bit about Clint’s survival-survivor guilt from Avengers Endgame and how it affects his character in the Hawkeye series?
Jeremy Renner: I supposeÂ it was survivor guilt outside just dealing with the loss. There’s a lot of things that are lost. Do you know what I mean? That’s addressed in the show, which I think is beautifully intimate. It brings our characters closer together, as well as the audience. There’s a lot of weight that’s carried, you know. There might be a seeming veneer of grumpiness in this resting face in the show.
But it ultimately comes from just the weight and the horrors, and the tragedies and loss that come with the game. Its managing losses is the superhero game and the lightness and brightness that Hailee’s character brings in. It kinda counteracts that and comes in and kinda get it to level out some. So, it’s pretty cathartic, and I think quite beautiful.
Kate brings out a more playful side of Clint. I was hoping you can talk about that dynamic. How’d you guys set up this relationship?
Jeremy Renner: How do we set it up? There areÂ scripts, right? And it’s character development. Anf you set up, you know, characters that could be polar opposites in a lot of ways, but then they have a lot of congruent values and belief systems and skillsets, and things like that. And it’s a wonderfully complicated relationship or friendship or partnership, all these types of things. You can put all sorts of labels on it.
But it’s already kinda set up that way, and I think you can put these two characters in-in various different scenarios, and it’s gonna be a winning scenario. It really is great. It has a buddy cop. It has a mentor thing. It has beautiful intimate shared experiences that they have. It’s really touching and funny and I think it’s a really dynamic relationship, and I’m excited to see it all.
Hailee Steinfeld: It was very fun, sort of, figuring out as we were going. Sort of, the evolution of thisÂ dynamic in this relationship, and I think, ultimately, there’s a really true friendship there and an understanding. Kate sees Clint as someone, despite his past, as someone who wants to do good and wants to help people, and that’s all she wants to do in life, and she’s inspired by him and motivated by him and wants to be at his level and is very over-eager, and he puts up with a lot. But she really delivers at the end of the day.
What was the inspiration for setting the show during the holidays and giving it a Die Hard meets the MCU kind of feel?
Kevin Feige: This is fun because it is a Christmas story that is taking place during the holidays, and it also is based on early discussions about a limited time period. About setting a series in, you know, not quite real-time, but essentially in a six-day period. Six episodes, six days. Will Clint make it home for Christmas? Which was fun and a breath of fresh air after world-ending stakes and Celestials bursting out of planets and multiverse shenanigans that this is like Hawkeye himself. A grounded, family-based show.
Hawkeye represents the end of year one for Marvel Studios on Disney Plus. Can you reflect on how year one went and what you’ve learned as you head into year two?
Kevin Feige: Yeah. Well, it’s the end of year one of the projects finally coming out and people are able to see them. But it’s about year three or four for us as we’ve been developing them. And I think we learn on everything that the reception to each of them is what has been most gratifying. Because we wanted them to be different here. We’re sitting talking about a fun grounded action Christmas series. Loki is this very otherworldly thing. Falcon and Winter Soldier, geopolitical. And WandaVision, an ode to sitcoms and grief.
And it feels like the audience has responded the way we wanted to. That it doesn’t seem like an overabundance of this. I have always said, nobody will get bored before we at Marvel Studios will of these projects. And going, 20 plus years, I’m not anywhere near bored yet. Because we’re allowed to do within the sub-genre so many different types of types of things.
With amazing casts like this. And I really can’t stress. Some people have seen the first two episodes. But I’m very excited for them to see the rest. And the question will go to Tony (Dalton), you know, “Who’s Jacques Duquesne?” We’ll suddenly go to, “When will we see him again?” I hope. Unless you’re dead, in which case, maybe not.
And Vera (Farmiga). I mean, it’s great. And the amount of trust, I often say this that goes into these projects, they’re comics. There’s a track record. But Vera put it really well. It’s, “What’s it like to be in the universe?” Well, I don’t know what you mean universe. I know this one project that we’re signing on with these people to work every day as hard as we can. Um, and it means a lot when people sign up, and it means a lot when it turns out really well like this show has.
What are your thoughts on balancing huge cosmic ideas like what we just saw in Eternals to a much more grounded story like Hawkeye, and they both come out in the same month? Does that pose any unique challenges to you?
Kevin Feige: That poses an enormous opportunity for us. The comics have always, done both. And it was a dream of ours to always be able to do both. And Disney Plus has allowed us to take that even further than we had dreamed. They’re so different from one another. The MCU is sort of this all-encompassing genre, a palette to be able to play in.
I think in some ways, I think it sets it up well. That’s what I was saying before, that this epic in one way, Eternals, to this epic in a very different way, Hawkeye series.
What can we expect from Alaqua Cox (Maya Lopez/Echo) in this series?
Rhys Thomas: She never performed before but seemed completely unfazed when we come back and we really sort of put her through the wringer. But she never once botched and has kind of walked into this universe like she should’ve always been there.
Kevin Feige: She’s amazing. I can’t wait for people who’ve seen the first two episodes who have seen a very brief moment. But it will be fun to see the audience discover Maya over the course of this series, and then in her own series later.
How do you guys approach such opportunities for ties or make sure this is focused on the Hawkeye story and not veering off into other characters and cameos and things like that?
Kevin Feige: Well, it’s, I mean, Marvel’s the world outside your window, and in the Marvel comics, yes, Spidey could swing by at any moment, or the Fantastic Four could come flying down. But, even in the comics, it’s, “What is the story you’re telling?” And that’s really what has to always be the primary focus, which in this case, very much is Clint and Kate. An getting to know more about Clint, and getting to meet and know about Kate and everything in this series is focused toward that.
Can you talk about what made you want to return to Christmas again in the MCU?
Kevin Feige: I’ve always loved films or shows or specials that take place over the holiday season. I think there’s a heightened amount of emotion and a heightened amount of conflict and tension that can occur in this glorious season. And have always, honestly, been looking for opportunities. We’ve already announced, the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, which has literally been in the works for four years. This show has come up and now come out in that time.
I thought the Guardians one would be our first. they’re very different. But I just love this time of year for the storytelling possibilities.
HawkeyeÂ will premiere its first two episodes onÂ 24 November 2021 on Disney+ Hotstar.
The synopsis reads:
HawkeyeÂ is an original new series set in post-blip New York City where former Avenger Clint Barton aka Hawkeye has a seemingly simple mission: get back to his family for Christmas. But when a threat from his past shows up, Hawkeye reluctantly teams up with Kate Bishop, a 22-year-old skilled archer, and his biggest fan, to unravel a criminal conspiracy.
Stay tuned for our review ofÂ HawkeyeÂ soon. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


How Sony Printed 40,000 Tiny PlayStation Symbols On A PS5 Controller

One thing a lot of folks pointed out when reviewing the PlayStation 5 was the DualSense controller. It not only was a breakthrough feature that sold the system to many, but it needed to be touched to be believed.

But that’s not the only amazing thing about it. The controller harboured a nifty easter egg: 40,000 tiny PlayStation symbols on the gamepad’s grip. You’ll need an industrial microscope or something similar to see it, but it’s all there in its tiny glory. How did the folks at Sony do this?
According to a Verge interview with the PS5 and DualSense’s respective chief designers Yujin Morisawa and Takeshi Igarashi, the design for the symbols are sketched out by hand. Hence the organic and non-evenly-spaced look of the symbols.

Morisawa added that there was more than one sketch of these designs to mold onto different DualSense controllers. The team had to test each prototype over and over until they got the balance they wanted: good-looking, textured enough to be comfortable and non-slip, but not so sandpaper-rough that itâ€™d hurt your hands over a lengthy gaming session.

The team could have done this digitally, but the key to a successful controller ergonomic test was to physically compare and feel each different prototype and design. To say it took the team a while and a lot of hard work to figure out the proper height of the symbol and designing it to be organic was an understatement.

“While it takes a considerable amount of time to create a prototype, the â€˜go/no-goâ€™ judgment of a product is determined the moment you see it and touch it”.

As for the mold itself? Big shocker: they’re not applied at all. Each one of the 40,000 symbols is part of the controller’s shell and are created when molten ABS plastic beads are squeezed into tiny laser-cut crevices during the injection-molding controller-creation process. To create precise shapes across a three-dimensional curved surface, the team used a high-end multi-axis laser engraving machine. Since it’s part of the mold, the texture you’ll feel on the controller is the same exact one on others.
Read more about the process in detail here. Amazing stuff!
Top image credit: Verge


EA Acquires Titanfall Developer Respawn

Publishers Electronic Arts today has announced that they have acquired the studio behind Titanfall and Titanfall 2, Respawn Entertainment. While Respawn has always exclusively developed games for EA in the past, they were independent of the publishing giants until now. With the acquisition, EA now owns the Titanfall IP and any subsequent projects henceforth.
Through a press release, EA CEO Andrew Wilson said “We’ve seen firsthand the world-class caliber of Respawn as a development studio with incredible vision, deep talent and an inspiring creative mindset,”.
“Our longtime partnership is grounded in a shared desire to push the boundaries and deliver extraordinary and innovative new experiences for players around the world. Together, we’ve brought this to life in the Titanfall franchise, and now with the Respawn team joining EA, we have exciting plans to accomplish even more amazing things in the future.” he added.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00wFXKzVYfE&w=560&h=315]
CEO of Respawn, Vince Zampella via statement on the company’s website assured that he remains in charge of the studio and that no layoffs will happen.Â “While it wasn’t necessary, going with EA made a lot of sense,” he said. “With Titanfall and Star Wars, EA has been a great development partner that supports us and doesn’t interfere with our process for making games or studio culture. EA will provide us with more resources, access to new technologies, and expertise that we can tap into to that will help us make better games, and Respawn will retain the same creative freedom and culture we’ve always had. We’ve been talking closely with the leadership at EA and we share their values and vision for the future of being a developer-focused company that puts the players first.” he quipped.
The deal sees EA cough out $151 million in cash for Respawn, as well as up to $164 million in equity. Performance milestones could see the cash figure rise as high as an additional $140 million.
Respawn Entertainment was started by industry veteran and former CEO of Call of Duty developers, Infinity Ward after they were controversially dismissed by Activision in 2010. EA published the studio’s first game, Titanfall and its sequel, Titanfall 2 last year. While some may question the move by EA and Respawn in regards to the acquisition, we feel it is a positive step for the studio, and hopefully result in a much more solid backing from EA for the studio’s games going forward. Titanfall 2 was released to overwhelmingly positive reviews but it wasn’t fairly reflected sales-wise mostly due to its release window which was in between Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare and EA’s own Battlefield 1.


New Secret Invasion Trailer Teases Marvel’s Darkest TV Series Yet

Marvel Studios and Disney+ have unveiled a new short trailer for the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) series, Secret Invasion.
Samuel L. Jackson will reprise his role as Nick Fury, Ben Mendelsohn will return as the Skrull warrior Talos, Don Cheadle is back as James “Rhodey” Rhodes, Cobie Smulders returns as Maria Hill, plus Emilia Clarke, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Olivia Colman also star. Kyle Bradstreet serves as executive producer and writer.
The trailer also features Don Cheadle’s James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes, Martin Freeman’s Everett Ross, and Cobie Smulders’ Maria Hill.
In the series, Fury returns to Earth and teams up with Talos to prevent a Skrull invasion. Emilia Clarke plays a character named G’iah, who is the daughter of Talos (a younger version of the character actually appeared in 2019’s Captain Marvel). Meanwhile, Kingsley Ben-Adir plays the main antagonist, whose name is Gravik. In the trailer, it looks like he has some kind of super ability (by extending his hand into tentacles).
The synopsis reads:
“In Marvel Studios’ new series ‘Secret Invasion,’ set in the present day MCU, Nick Fury learns of a clandestine invasion of Earth by a faction of shapeshifting Skrulls. Fury joins his allies, including Everett Ross, Maria Hill and the Skrull Talos, who has made a life for himself on Earth. Together they race against time to thwart an imminent Skrull invasion and save humanity.”
Marvel’s Secret Invasion premieres on Disney+ Hotstar on 21 June 2023.
Check out the trailer below:


Kakuchopurei’s Burhan Talks About Death Stranding With Gamer Matters

Now that our Death Stranding review is out and everybody knows that we, or rather, Burhan didn’t like it all that much, it’s only normal for people to reach out to us and ask “Why?” because the game is supposed to be Hideo Kojima’s masterpiece.
Recently, our friends over at Gamer Matters approached us and asked me to be a guest on their podcast and talk about my experience playing and reviewing Death Stranding. You can skip to 8:29 for the part where we begin discussing Death Stranding.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwAp7Pu-s5c&w=560&h=315]
Do note that I only had enough time to talk about some of the opinions I had so if you want to really find out why I gave Death Stranding a 40/100, read the full written review here.
And yes, that lovely cover picture was made by the talented folks at Gamer Matters.


Disney Launches Regional Online Store ShopDisney Delivering To Malaysia

The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia has announced the launch of its flagship Asia Pacific e-commerce destination shopDisney delivering in Malaysia. With over 1,000 products available online, shopDisney is the official home of Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel merchandise, bringing shoppers the best from around the world.
The first collections on shopDisney will go live at 8am GMT+8 today via shopdisney.asia/my. The drop will feature a curated selection of quality products inspired by The Walt Disney Company’s diverse and unique portfolio of brands. The range spans collectibles, adult fashion and accessories, home, stationery, gifts, toys and baby, and more.
“shopDisney’s roll-out in Southeast Asia showcases our continued commitment to the region, expanding our retail offerings to meet consumers where they are – online,” said Dan Dossa, The Walt Disney Company’s Vice President & General Manager of Consumer Products Southeast Asia, India and MENA.
“An extension of Disney’s storytelling, shopDisney introduces new ways for fans in the region to connect with their favourite characters, bringing the magic closer to home.”
Long-time fans and indulgers will gain easy and convenient access to products such as the popular Mickey Mouse: The Main Attraction limited edition series, Disney x COACH collection, as well as a contemporary and stylish homeware catalogue inspired by favourites such as Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse.


Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 September Release Window Spilled By Venom Voice Actor

This is a weird and unofficial way for a game’s release window to be revealed but legendary actor Tony Todd has seemingly revealed (via Twitter) that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will launch sometime in September 2023, with a massive ad campaign happening throughout August 2023.
Tony Todd is a famous veteran actor (in movies like Candyman and more), and he voices Venom in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
In case his tweet gets deleted, or if Insomniac Games asks him to take it down, here’s the proof:
“Looks like September! Massive publicity coming in august. Commercials start dropping in august so I’m told. Hold on to your … and hold breath! Gonna be necessary”

Looks like September! Massive publicity coming in august. Commercials start dropping in august so I’m told. Hold on to your … and hold breath! Gonna be necessary
— Tony Todd (@TonyTodd54) March 21, 2023

Let’s wait and see how Insomniac Games, as well as PlayStation, reacts to this unexpected reveal. Previously, it was only officially confirmed that the game would be launching for the PS5 sometime in fall 2023.


PlayStation Now Hits One Million Subs Milestone

The cloud streaming games subscription-based service PlayStation has reached a new milestone by successfully surpassing one million subscribers.
While that may sound impressive on paper, it does look less so considering that Sony initially launched PS Now over five years ago in 2014 and the total number of PS4 sold worldwide is now a whopping 102.8 million units.
However, one million subscribers is still an incredible achievement and one that could only have been reached after Sony recently slashed the price to just US$9.99 per month and added major titles like 2018’s God Of War and Grand Theft Auto V.
According to GamesIndustry.biz, Sony stated in its quarterly earnings report:

“This is a great step toward the target we mentioned at the [Investor Relations] Day of growing subscribers by an average of more than 50% per year.
Through this renewal, we are aiming to assess the potential of cloud gaming services.”

It’s admirable that Sony had decided to keep the previously-fledgeling PlayStation Now service alive after all these years and still has faith in the future of cloud gaming services. It’s a good futureproof move on the company’s behalf, especially with other rival companies like Google (Stadia) and Microsoft (Project XCloud) already pushing their own services.
Say what you will about cloud streaming games to play them, but PlayStation Now is currently the only place to legally play many PS2 and PS3 games, so there is an added archival value to the service as well. Unfortunately, PS Now is only available in the US and several selected countries as of now.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6cYrBTH92U&w=560&h=315]


Justice Society World War II Movie Gets First Epic Trailer

Warner Bros. Animation, DC, and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment have released the first trailer for the upcomingÂ Justice Society World War IIÂ animated movie.
The movie is officially described as a “time-skipping World War II thriller” that sees Barry Allen’s travel back in time thanks to his first encounter with the Speed Force. This will be the first animated movie to feature the golden age team of superheroes, which predates and precedes even the Justice League.
The official synopsis:
“Justice Society: World War II finds modern-day Barry Allen â€“ prior to the formation of the Justice League â€“ discovering he can run even faster than he imagined, and that milestone results in his first encounter with the Speed Force.
The Flash is promptly launched into the midst of a raging battle â€“ primarily between Nazis and a team of Golden Age DC Super Heroes known as The Justice Society of America.
Led by Wonder Woman, the group includes Hourman, Black Canary, Hawkman, Steve Trevor and the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick.
The Flash quickly volunteers to assist his fellow heroes in tipping the scales of war in their favor, while the team tries to figure out how to send him home.
But it wonâ€™t be easy as complications and emotions run deep in this time-skipping World War II thriller.”
The cast is led byÂ CastleÂ star Stana Katic as Wonder WomanÂ andÂ Doom Patrol star Matt Bomer as The Flash/Barry Allen.
The cast forÂ Justice Society World War IIÂ also includes:

Elysia Rotaru as Black Canary.
Chris Diamantopoulos as Steve Trevor.
Omid Abtahi as Hawkman.
Matthew Mercer as Hourman.
Armen Taylor as Jay Garrick.
Liam McIntyre as Aquaman.
Ashleigh LaThrop as Iris West.
Geoffrey Arend as Charles Halstead/Advisor.
Keith Ferguson as Dr. Fate.
Darin De Paul as Roosevelt.

Directed by Jeff Wamester (Guardians Of The Galaxy TV series) from a screenplay by Supernatural‘s Meghan Fitzmartin and Jeremy Adams, it will also come alongside the new animated short Kamandi The Last Boy On Earth.
Justice Society World War II is slated to premiere sometime in 2021. In the meantime, check out the trailer below (courtesy of IGN):


I Have Some Issues With The US 20 PlayStation Classic Games Lineup…[Update]

Update: Japan’s version of the PlayStation Classic has its own unique list, and it’s way better.
So PlayStation is getting into the mini retro console game with the PlayStation Classic. So far, PlayStation revealed 5 games for its PS1 Mini: Tekken 3, Ridge Racer Type 4, Final Fantasy VII, Jumping Flash!, and Wild Arms.
Now we get the full 20 game list, and here they are:

Battle Arena Toshinden
Cool Boarders 2
Destruction Derby
Final Fantasy VII
Grand Theft Auto
Intelligent Qube
Jumping Flash!
Metal Gear Solid
Mr. Driller
Oddworld: Abeâ€™s Oddysee
Rayman
Resident Evil Directorâ€™s Cut
Revelations: Persona
Ridge Racer Type 4
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
Syphon Filter
Tekken 3
Tom Clancyâ€™s Rainbow Six
Twisted Metal
Wild Arms

Do you taste that? It’s vanilla, and not the French kind. Truth be told, this list seems safe and has less of a wow and pizzaz factor. As an old-school gamer myself, I naturally have grievances:

Where is Tomba 1 and Tomba 2?
Where is the original Klonoa?
Why Twisted Metal and not Twisted Metal 2, the far superior sequel with the better selection of vehicles & characters?
Where is Grand Theft Auto 2, the underrated sequel?
Why pick Revelations: Persona when the two-part sequel Persona 2: Innocent Sin and Persona 2: Eternal Punishment is superior? For that matter, the PSP version of Revelations: Persona makes the PS1 completely redundant.
If you have Final Fantasy VII, you should not count out Xenogears, another tide-turner of an RPG. That needs to be in given its magnitude and legacy.
While personally not my cup of tea, The Legend of Dragoon is a favourite among PlayStation gamers. Why not add that game in?
Do we seriously need more Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo?

Despite this, kudos to PlayStation for the Metal Gear Solid, Rayman, Syphon Filter, Battle Arena Toshinden, and Mr Driller additions.
Let’s see what’s on the Japanese side of things:

Arc the Lad
Arc the Lad 2
Armored Core
Gradius Gaiden
XI [sai]
SaGa Frontier
G Darius
Parasite Eve

These games will replace Cool Boarders 2, Destruction Derby,Grand Theft Auto, Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee, Rayman, Syphon Filter,Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six, and Twisted Metal in the Japanese version.Â Still no Xenogears, but at least there’s the Arc the Lad games.
The device will be out 3rd December, making it a nice Christmas present to anyone who likes their retro collection a little less daring.
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/239704306696744/


Thor: Love And Thunder Will Not Be Releasing In Malaysia

Sad news for Marvel Cinematic Universe fans in Malaysia.
Thor: Love And Thunder will be the first MCU movie that will officially not be shown in Malaysian theaters. GSC Cinemas made a Twitter post stating that the film will not be releasing in Malaysia.

Thor: Love and Takde. Officially. ??? pic.twitter.com/4iMZbOcs7j
— GSC (@GSCinemas) July 28, 2022

Why, you may ask? There’s no official reason though there are a few theories after we bust out the spoiler warnings. It’s a shame really: it’s a pretty good MCU film. It’s no Thor: Ragnarok, but it’s entertaining and heartfelt nonetheless.
Head here to see what other movies are banned in Malaysia.

Why Thor: Love and Thunder Is Not Showing In Malaysia
We have a few guesses:
#1: There’s a bit in the show that portrays Thor’s rock friend Korg being gay and having a rock partner named Dwayne (heh), making babies when they hold hands and are near a chosen spot of lava. This is portrayed at the end; Korg mentioned his same-sex relationship during his bits with Valkyrie on the ship halfway in the film.
#2: There’s a lot of god-killing and denouncements of gods in the show. After all, the main antagonist is called Gorr the God-Butcher. There’s also the portrayals of gods and god-like beings, especially in the god planet Omnipotence city with mentions of orgies and gods being arrogant. If anything, the message about gods being irresponsible and aloof being the main bit of Thor: Love and Thunder’s story is enough to draw ire within Malaysia’s film approval body and other related government parties who do not find the movie’s tone and message appropriate.
Guess we won’t know the official reason, unless someone in Malaysia is willing to mention something off-the-record and risk his/her position.


Watch Us Unbox The Xbox Series X & S [Update: And Compare It With Other Objects]

Want to see the inside of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S boxes? You’re in luck; here’s a video of us unboxing it.

Also, we’ve published a few size comparison videos between the devices and other objects like bottles, food products, figurines, and a Nintendo Switch. You know, the essentials.

NOT your usual size comparison video.
The #XboxSeriesS landed on our laps last week. So we decided to compare how big (or small) it is with daily 'stuff'
+ special cameo at the end pic.twitter.com/Cqe1fMvMBN
— Kakuchopurei (@Kakuchopurei) November 2, 2020

Disclaimer: Note: Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S videos are done as part of our reporting for Singapore gaming market. The console will only be available in Singapore from 10th November (though you can parallel import it at some shops). Series X is SGD$699 while Series S is SGD$459.


Singapore Esports National Selections For Hearthstone Shuffles Its Way To Indoor Stadium

Singapore’s SEA Games esports team is still being assembled; its Hearthstone representatives will be determined later this week.
SCOGA’s Campus Game Fest will be hosting the Singapore Esports National Selections for Hearthstone. 8 slots will be opened for the selection, with 4 of them given to seeded players. Here are the details:
Date: 4th August
Time: 11am to 9pm
Venue: Singapore Indoor Stadium
Apart from that grand tournament, the Campus Game Fest will also play host to qualifier tournaments for the Asia Pacific Predator League Grand Finals Singapore and the South Korea GIRLGAMER Esports festival. The Campus Legends tournament will also pit Singaporean tertiary student gamers against each other for S$10,000 worth of scholarship and prizes. If you happen to be a digital card gaming nut who wants to test his/her skills in the little red dot, this weekend’s as good as any.


Unannounced Sony Shooter Gameplay Footage Allegedly Leaked

It looks like gameplay footage from an unannounced PlayStation or Sony shooter has emerged online, showcasing an unknown character walking near an edge with a giant monster in the distance.
The leak via Supernovas claims that the game is a third-person RPG sci-fi shooter that’s being built using Unreal Engine 5 and being developed by Sony’s European studio XDev in collaboration with an unknown external studio.

Eis o leak de um early game first party da Sony. Trata-se de um RPG Sci-fi, provavelmente feito na UE5. Estúdio seria o XDev e mais leaks irão surgir este ano. As pessoas estão apelidando o jogo de "Gears of Effect". pic.twitter.com/EPCc8tuHma
— SUPERNOVAS (@supernovastv) January 8, 2023

On ResetEra, a leaker named Dusk Golem said that the leaked clip is from much earlier in the game’s development and that the game is currently more finished than what is featured in the leaked footage. However, it’s best to take all this with a grain of salt for now. We should always wait for official announcements before believing any leaks or third-party sources.


Diablo Immortal Lets You Change Classes Once A Week & Adds 36 New Class Legendary Weapons

Starting tomorrow, Diablo Immortal players can start switching classes if they’re sick of their current ones at the moment according to a Blizzard update.
Rather than make one from scratch, players can change the class of its current high-level character into another on the character select screen. There are a few rules surrounding this though:

Class Change becomes available for a character beginning at level 35.
You may change your class once every seven days and at no cost—there is also a one-time option to immediately revert to your previous class, skipping the seven-day waiting period. There are no current plans to allow players to purchase the ability to change classes more frequently.
When you change to each class for the first time, you can set the appearance of your character and receive a full reset of your Paragon Trees.
Upon changing to each class for the first time, you will be granted placeholder gear. The placeholder gear will have an equivalent rank to the previously equipped gear of your last class.
All Clan, Warband and other social group affiliations will carry over.
Some class-specific cosmetics and gear will not carry over when you change classes. All gear equipped to your previous class will be available in your inventory. Any cosmetics owned for a class will be retained on that class and will be available upon changing back to it.

You can start doing this today if you’re a Demon Hunter and want to try out the melee-focused Barbarian, for instance.
Apart from that, the latest 20th July update features the Hero’s Journey, a new end-game experience that features 4 chapters with quests that scale in difficulty as you rise in Paragon Level. There’s also the Adventurer’s Path event where players complete tasks to earn additional gold, enchanted dust, and scrap materials. Players will get a special portrait frame for completing 16 tasks and a legendary crest for completing 20 tasks.

The update also introduces a new Helliquary boss: Gorgothra the Claimer who has certification rays, venom attacks, and serpentine strikes that are more powerful than Lassal and Vitaath.

A face only a mother could love, eh? Here are a list of the game’s new updates, including 36 new Class Legendary Items!
Feature Updates
Warband Raid

Completing a weekly Warband Raid will now allow you to purchase an Eternal Legendary Crest for 1600 Platinum from the Crest Merchant in Westmarch, Jondo Mouren.

Fading Ember

The Fading Ember cap has been increased from 200 to 280.
You may now trade 22 Fa Runes for an Eternal Legendary Crest.

New Monster Affixes

Shell: Summons a defensive shield, preventing Life loss until it is destroyed.
Siphon: Channels a draining beam at one target that Slows and leeches Life to heal for five seconds.

Zwenson’s Haunting

Changed the ability description to read: When you defeat an enemy, a dark beast attacks nearby enemies, dealing X% base damage. Cannot occur more than once every X seconds.

Blood-Soaked Jade

Changed the ability description to read: Increases all damage you deal by up to X% while at full Life, with a minimum bonus of Y% while at low Life. Increases your Movement Speed by Z%.

New Class Legendary Items

Barbarian

Compromise is Loss: Ground Stomp now rips open the ground, dealing damage to enemies in front of you. Maximum X charges.
Doom of the Cowed: Activating Wrath of the Berserker now immediately reduces the Movement Speed of all nearby enemies by X%.
Five Fresh Claws: Whirlwind now shreds armor, increasing all damage enemies take by X%, stacking up to five times.
Lunatic Twin: When Frenzy is fully stacked, each attack unleashes X damage to all enemies in front of you. Cannot occur more often than once every Y seconds.
Paste and Powder: Hammer of the Ancients now randomly drops hammers in the targeted area multiple times.
The Trembling: Undying Rage also increases your Movement Speed by X%.

Crusader

Forgotten Savior: Falling Sword now calls flames from the heavens that Burn enemies.
Torrential Refrain: Condemn now immediately detonates all of its damage on the enemies it hits.
Daybreak: Consecration now protects you and nearby party members, decreasing damage taken by X%.
Equal Portions: Sacred Chain no longer constrains enemies, instead forming a chain of flames between enemies which Burns other enemies that touch it.
Stare of Wroth: Shield Glare now Burns enemies for X damage over Y seconds.
Heaven Squints: Judgment now conjures a continuous beam of light from the heavens which moves under your control.

Demon Hunter

Hunter-Gatherer: Escape now launches X homing rockets at nearby enemies when activated, each dealing Y damage.
Murdermost: Vengeance now increases your critical strike chance by X% but causes you to lose Y% of your Life every second.
Pinpoint Overflow: Multishot now fires all arrows in a targeted direction and can strike the same enemy multiple times.
Puncta Obscura: Impale now also causes enemies to Bleed for X damage over Y seconds.
Scrapdacks: Knife Trap now scatters multiple mines that will explode when stepped on, but it can no longer have multiple charges.
Suit Mordant: Smoke Screen now hurls an acid bomb that damages enemies continuously.

Monk

Endless Trial: Imprisoned Fist now continuously launches punches in a direction you can change while channeling. Using Imprisoned Fist will slowly consume its energy, which will recover while Imprisoned Fist is not in use.
Numb Realization: Exploding Palm Bleed effect now has a X% chance to be detonated by other attacks.
Pugilist’s Presence: Seven-Sided Strike now attacks repeatedly in the same direction, knocking back the enemy each time.
Rattling Arm: Wave Strike turns into a pneumatic ball that pulls in and continuously damages enemies.
Starving Mosquito: Flying Dragon damage increased by X% for each enemy hit, up to a maximum increase of Y%.
Typhlot Robe: Cyclone Strike now creates a sandstorm that reduces enemy vision and deals damage.

Necromancer

Arc of Misery: Bone Spirits now bounces whenever it hits a wall.
Cloak of Quills: Bone Armor now causes your summons to continuously damage nearby enemies, but no longer protects them.
Hissing Skin: Grim Scythe now increases all damage you deal by X% for each enemy hit, up to Y%, for Z seconds.
Shared Service: Bone Armor now reduces all continuous damage you take by X%.
Studied Menace: Corpse Lance now causes enemies to decay, dealing X damage for Y seconds.
Vesperguard: Skeletal Mage now shoots continuous rays at enemies.

Wizard

The Aimless One: Arcane Torrent now launches missiles at random enemies around you.
The Enervators: Ray of Frost now creates an ice shield each time it damages an enemy, absorbing X damage and stacking up to 10 times.
Fireflurry: Scorch now hurls a ball of magma that bursts when it strikes an enemy, creating a pool of magma that Burns and Stuns enemies.
Ninety-Nine Wild Arcana: Arcane Torrent damage increased by X%.
Waking Invocation: Ray of Frost now creates an illusion that channels a beam of frost in the targeted direction.
Weathering Eye: Arcane Wind now also applies a X% reduction to Movement Speed for Y seconds.

For more Diablo Immortal, check out our Legendary Gems guide and tier list.


Apex Legends Spellbound Collection Event Update Brings Back Control

Respawn Entertainment have announced the Spellbound Collection Event for Season 15. This major update will include the addition of Seer’s Heirloom, private matches, new skins, and the return of the fan-favourite Control mode. This event will continue the tradition of Collection Events in Apex Legends, which are known for adding new content and keeping the game interesting for players.
The event will begin on 10 January at 10:00 AM (PT) / 1:00 PM (ET) / 6:00 PM (GMT)—that’s 11 January at 1:00 AM (UTC+8) for most of us Southeast Asians—and will end on 24 January. During this time, players will have the opportunity to collect exclusive cosmetics and participate in the action-packed Control mode. This event will provide plenty of time for players to enjoy all of the new content and features being introduced.
Control LTM

Season 15 will include the return of the fan-favourite Control mode, which will be available to play on Storm Point’s Barometer, World’s Edge’s Lava Siphon, and Olympus’ Hammond Labs. Fans of Apex Legends have been requesting the return of this 9v9 mode and will be able to play it starting on 10 January.
Seer Heirloom

A new season also means a new Mythic-tier cosmetic, in this case, the Showstoppers Heirloom for Seer, also known as the Ambush Master. This heirloom can be crafted using Heirloom shards or obtained by collecting all 24 items in the Collection Event. This event is known for introducing new cosmetics and this time will be no different.
Private Matches

After the update goes live, players will have the ability to host their own tournaments using private matches. This feature will allow players to team up with friends in lobbies for competitive games or play on any of the maps for fun. If you have ever wanted to create your own tournament, this will be a great opportunity to do so.
Spellbound Collection Event reward track

The Spellbound Collection Event will offer players a variety of new cosmetics to obtain, including a new reward track. To progress through the track and earn exclusive rewards, players will need to complete daily and weekly challenges. The event will also introduce the Showstoppers Heirloom for the character Seer, which can be obtained by buying packs with Apex Coins and collecting all 24 unique cosmetics.
Patch Notes
Crafting Rotation

G7 Scout enters the crafter
C.A.R. SMG enters the crafter
Spitfire returns to the floor
Peacekeeper returns to the floor

Anvil Receiver Hop-Up

Limb damage multiplier reduced to 0.75 (was 0.9)
Flatline damage reduced to 39 (was 43)
R301 damage reduced to 32 (was 35)

G7 Scout

Damage reduced to 32 (was 34)

Prowler Burst PDW

Damage increased to 15 (was 14)

Sentinel

Now requires 1 shield cell to Energize (was 2)

Bug fixes

Fixed mirage decoys not showing shield regen fx when near a Wattson Pylon or in Control or Gun Game modes.
10 new Welcome Challenges added to help new players learn Apex.
New “Apex 101” badge reward for completing all 10 Welcome Challenges.
Changing characters in the Firing Range now has a smoother third-person transition.
Fixed rare issue with Mobile Respawn Beacon sometimes spawning the Dropship out of bounds.
Fixed issue with ability previews when entering Phase Portals.
Doors now always appear as damaged when they’re one melee attack away from being destroyed.
Caustic Town Takeover loot canisters now behave more reliably in Control Mode.
Reduced the VFX of Caustic’s gas flash.
Fixed rare client crash with IMC Armories.
Fixed the raven in Bloodhound’s Niflheim Hundr skin to appear as white more reliably.
DirectX 12 beta: added support for the Brightness slider in all Display Modes.
DirectX 12 beta: Fixed crash with setting.mat_backbuffer_count “0” in videoconfig.txt settings. Note that Apex Legends running in DirectX 11 (DX11) requires the operating system to use an additional buffer for compositing, which was not counted in mat_backbuffer_count. DX12 includes that required buffer in mat_backbuffer_count, so DX12 in full-screen mode with “1” will be just as low latency as DX11 with “0”.
Fixed issue where Crypto could inspect while using their drone removing the HUD.
Fixed issue where the lobby tabs would enter an unresponsive state after changing resolution on PC.
Adjusted hold and tap logic for controller players viewing weapons in Loadouts to be more responsive.

So, there you have it, that’s everything you need to know about the Spellbound Collection event arriving on 10 January. Check out the trailer for the Spellbound Collection Event found below.


Captain Marvel 2 Movie Slated For 2022

You can’t keep a super-powered heroine down.
Carol Danvers a.k.a Captain Marvel will make a return in another solo film presumably in 2022. This is despite mediocre reviews of the film from the public and from sane reviewers who don’t have a “SJW”-esque agenda and instead critique films on their merit and storytelling. It probably has a lot to do with the US$1.1 billion box office haul.
Director and writer duo Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck will not be doing the sequel (via Hollywood Reporter). Instead, Disney Plus show WandaVision’s staff writer Megan McDonnell will be penning the script to Captain Marvel 2, or whatever the heck the sequel will call itself.
The film will be set in the present day and may centre on Carol Danvers adventuring off-world. Brie Larson will reprise her role of the superpowered asskicker. Hopefully, she doesn’t get a case of the foot in mouth when she goes on public interviews and talks.


HBO’s The Last Of Us Casts Ghost Rider Actor As Tommy

HBO’s The Last Of Us has cast Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Joel’s brother, in the upcoming TV series. According to Variety, the character is described as a former soldier who hasnâ€™t lost his sense of idealism and hope for a better world.
Luna joins previously announced series leads Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, who will play Joel and Ellie, respectively. Gabriel Luna is best known for starring as Robbie Reyes AKA Ghost Rider in Marvel’s Agents Of SHIELD TV series and as the antagonist Rev-9 in Terminator Dark Fate.
HBOâ€™sÂ The Last Of UsÂ will be written and executive produced byÂ Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin and the original game director Neil Druckmann. It will be co-produced by Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, and Naughty Dog. No release date or window has been announced as of yet.
Druckmann has previously said that there will be changes and deviations from how it originally happened in the game. You can find the full details of his quote by heading over here.
The Last Of Us Part 2Â is out now for the PS4. In the meantime,Â check out my full spoiler-free review of the game here, orÂ head on over here for a guide and tips for the game. If youâ€™ve already played the game, then I suggestÂ checking out my 4000-word spoilerific articleÂ on why the hate for the game isnâ€™t justified.