Did You Catch These Important Details From The Fortnite Season X Trailer?

Fortnite Season X just dropped and if you’ve watched the story trailer (embedded below), then you’ll know that this time there’s a mix of an old and new things coming to the game. Let’s check them out.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rUt9qxohRM&w=560&h=315]
The Visitor’s Rocket

After Jonesy gets blasted by the floating sphere that forms atop The Vault, one of the first few things he sees is a rocket flying past him. It’s the same rocket that The Visitor used to create the rifts we saw in Season 5.
Kevin the Cube

Right after Jonesy floats past the guy wearing the skeleton costume eating popcorn, we see the all too familiar sight of Kevin the Cube. One of those white butterflies from the white dimension that we entered after Kevin exploded also makes an appearance.
Peely Remembers

Near the end of Jonesy’s journey of floating through the strange dimension, we get to see our old friend Peely the giant banana once more. In case you forgot, he was turned into a drink after taking shelter under a bunker with Jonesy. So it should be easy to understand why he’s keeping an eye on Jonesy this time.
The Meteor Comes With Gifts

At the end of the trailer, Jonesy finds himself right in front of the Dusty Depot, just before the meteor in Season 3. Observe that the meteor is actually surrounded by items and random pieces of the environment. One of the things is the newly introduce B.R.U.T.E. two-player mech.
Conclusion
After the Volcano Eruption event, it seems that Jonesy has become one of the few individuals who have traveled both directions in time. He came to the future after hiding out in a bunker and now he’s transported back in time through an explosion.
It seems we’ll be returning to a pre-Season 3 meteor strike world but with all the new items that have been introduced since then. Gotta admit, it’s a smart way to do a reset.
Noticed anything else interesting from the trailer? Comment below and let us know!


Here’s Apex Legends Updated Weapon Damage Stats Post v1.1.1 Update

Apex Legends received its v1.1.1 update about a month ago that addresses balancing changes and weapon tweaks. While the update was released last month, the updated damage stats were only revealed recently when Reddit user ‘OhFamous’ presented the data in a pretty table.

The purple number in parenthesis indicates a Legendary magazine upgrade, while numbers in parenthesis under the damage section indicates fully-connected burst damage.
What’s Changed?
For starters, the Wingman has its magazine dropped to 4, but I guess that’s easily noticed.
One of the weapons heavily affected by this patch is the Longbow DMR, which received a bump in its rate of fire and magazine size. The handy chart above indicates that the sniper rifle now deals 110 DPS,Â dealing 55 damage for shots on the body, and 110 for headshots.
Its sniper rifle brethren, the G7 Scout and the Triple Take, also received buffs in the patch;

Leg shot damage increased by 15%
Reduced base weapon sway by about 33%
Reduced base sway speed by about 25%

This sums the G7 Scout to deal 35 DPS, with 30 to the body and 60 to the head, while the Triple Take deals 138, 69, and 138 respectively.
The infamous Spitfire LMG was also touched in the updated. Unlike the sniper rifles, the LMG was nerfed instead, having its base damage docked off by two points and its magazine size decreased for all extender attachments.
The Spitfire now dealsÂ 162 DPS, 18 body-shot damage, and 36 headshot damage. The gun’s max magazine size now only goes up to 55 with the Epic mag extender attachment.
What Else?
Keep in mind that the data might have some inaccuracies as they were collected and measured by a player and Respawn hasn’t confirmed nor commented on the data.
We’ll be keeping an eye out and your resident Apex Legends player will be testing out the weapons and we’ll update our massive guide here.


Grand Theft Auto Online Has Its Own Subscription Service For PS5 & Xbox Series Users

It’s finally happened: Grand Theft Auto Online is so popular it now has its own subscription service for the future.
Rockstar Games has announced GTA+, a new subscription service exclusively for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series versions of Grand Theft Auto Online. For just US$5.99, you’ll get the following:

GTA$500,000 in-game money every month in your Maze Bank account.
The Principe Deveste Eight — along with a complimentary Hao’s Special Works upgrade for it before it is made available to purchase by the general public—plus the HSW Orange Trip and HSW CMYK Glitch Liveries.
The Auto Shop located in La Mesa, introduces an assortment of gameplay updates from Los Santos Tuners. Current Auto Shop owners can relocate to La Mesa at no additional cost.
Waived LS Car Meet Membership fees. Current LS Car Meet members with GTA+ will be reimbursed GTA$50,000 during this event period.
Yacht owners can upgrade to the Aquarius Super Yacht at no additional cost.
The Gussét Frog Tee and Broker Prolaps Basketball Top and Shorts automatically added to your wardrobe.
The Conveyor Livery for the Mammoth Avenger, HVY APC, and TM-02 Khanjali.
A selection of free paints and emblems for the Auto Shop.
3X GTA$ and RP on Hao’s Special Works Race Series.
2X Car Meet Rep on the Street Race Series.
GTA+ Shark Cards that provide bonus cash from the PS Store/Microsoft Store.

Players can sign up for this subscription service starting 29 March on either the PS Store or Microsoft Store, depending on your console of choice.


Atomic Heart Delayed To Early 2023

Sci-fi action RPG Atomic Heart will be delayed for a short bit.
The game’s developer Mundfish announced that its upcoming RPG will be published by Focus Entertainment and will be out “this winter”. That’s between December 2022 and March 2023.
Here are some PR words from Mundfish CEO Robert Bagratuni:
“Five years ago, when we founded the studio, we set ourselves the goal of creating a world-class product that could be appreciated by millions of people all over the world. And now, when the stakes are as high as ever, we are finally ready to release the momentum we have been accumulating over these years. We couldn’t be happier to head to the release with such an experienced publisher, and we have no doubt that Focus Entertainment will make the upcoming game launch truly outstanding.”
Check out the game’s Gamescom 2022 trailer and key features below. Atomic Heart will be out for PC, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS4, and PS5:

A utopian world, both mad and sublime.
Visceral, spectacular and unforgiving combat.
Blast giant machines and mutants using your multiple skills and advanced weapons.
Upgrade your arsenal and equipment.


Is Doctor Sleep A Worthy Sequel To The Shining?

[This review was originally published on 1st November, 2019]
It’s not easy to one-up the horror work of an auteur like Stanley Kubrick. But it’s easy to change direction just a mite and make a sequel that neither imitate nor duplicates.
That’s what directorÂ  Mike Flanagan did with the 2019Â  sequel to The Shining.Â Doctor SleepÂ (out 7th November in Malaysia) combines a simple tale of redemption, trauma, and torch-passing with his touch of horror and atmosphere-building. This is coming from the guy who did the well-made Haunting of Hill House Netflix series, so expectations are high.
While a few key moments feel a bit manufactured for the sake of homages,Â  everything else about this film mixes drama and chill-inducing moments.
Hello Nurse

While Doctor Sleep starts off in the 80s with stand-ins forÂ  Shelley Duvall andÂ  Danny LloydÂ  (same time as The Shining’s plot, FYI), it quickly flash forward to a number of years when young Danny Torrance is all grown up – played by Ewan McGregor. He succumbs to alcoholism and vagrancy throughout his years, but sobers up after being visited by the show’s spiritual Magical Negro trope (already established from the first film). Oh, and he still has his telepathy “Shining” tricks from the first film.
As he adjusts to his new life and his new job as a hospice in a new town, where heÂ  provides comfort to dying patients pointed out by the cat Azzie, he ends up talking telepathically to a young girl named Abra who has great Shining powers. And then there’s also a group called the True Knot led by cult leader Rose the Hat (RebeccaÂ  Ferguson)Â  Â who kidnap and kill children with The Shining for nefarious reasons.
These plot threads tie together into quite an adventure that explores Danny’s fears and reawakened ghosts. Though most of them are trapped in his “mind boxes” courtesy of aÂ  technique from the aforementioned Negro, he still is unsure of himself and wants to maintain his tranquil lifestyle.

Props to the always-talented Ewan McGregor for portraying this version of Danny as the reluctant hero with a fulfilled character arc we can all relate to. He also excels in the third act where it all comes full circle to the series’ point of origin.

Kyliegh Curran as Abra Stone also does a bang-up job in playing the telepathic kid who may come off as too smart for her own good. Is this an almost unrealistic portrayal of a kid her age? Sure,Â  but most children with these kinds of powers in these films aren’t known for living as the norm, right? If anything, this “flaw” makes her a tad more captivating as she gets most of her problems sorted through teamwork with Danny and her use of her powers.

But the spotlight goes to Rebecca Ferguson as the eccentric-and-downright-chilling Rose the Hat. The character herself is charismatic, insane, devoted, and devious: everything a cult leader in these films should be and then some thanks to Ferguson’s portrayal.

Every time she’s on the screen, you just want to hang onto her every word and just see her manipulate people to her cause, watch her plans go into motion in outwitting the heroes of this story, as well as witness her eventual downfall as most charismatic villains experience.

Coupled with lovingly-recreated visual tributes, some tense momentsÂ  (re: on how the True Knot get fed), and great acting from both the main and supporting cast, and you pretty much have a well-put-together horror film that’s leaning more on atmosphere, for good or ill.
Still, I wished Flanagan didn’t have to make the third act of the film very on-the-nose with its homages. I’m all for references that make sense to the story, but part of me didn’t buy the last act.

While the third act has its surprise moments coupled with strong performances from the trio, some of it feels like unwarranted fan service minus the original moments andÂ  talent that made them chilling and attention-grabbing in the first place.

Sure, the film could speed up its pacing by a tad and adheres to the whole “build up thenÂ  topple it”Â  style of storytelling, but that can be solved if they trimmed the third act to a tad.
Take Two Pills & Call Me In The Morning…

Doctor Sleep is going to be divisive among purists and horror fans. But at the same time, it’s a worthy adaptation that stuck true to the tone and narrative of the 80s prequel that treads the fine line of homage and new interpretation well. I really don’t see any other director pulling this creepy sequel off like Mike Flanagan would that gives justice to the original book of the same name.
He made damn sure Doctor Sleep kept to the creepiness and surreal moments from Kubrick’s vision but also remember that the film is supposed to progress through Danny’s life and times alongside his new predicament. The fact that it doesn’t come off as goofy as most Stephen King adaptations do means that this is a rare case where you’re laughing along with the film, not at it.

For what it’s worth, he succeeded.Â  It’s not the crowning achievement of horror this year (that one goes to Midsommar), but it damn well stuck the landing.

FINAL SCORE: 80/100


6 Games You Should Check Out That Are Getting AMD Support

With the Steam Summer Sale currently underway, AMD has announced its new AMD Radeon RX 6000 Series graphics cards and AMD Software to help improve your gaming experience.
With games getting more and more intensive on our GPU, older graphics cards may struggle with keeping up after years of ware and tear. That’s where AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution 1.0 & 2.0 come in to help boost framerate and improve visual fidelity.
So what games would be perfect for using these AMD-related graphical benefits? And are they affordable to begin with since I blew all that cash on graphics cards? Luckily, these games are on sale.
Deathloop

DEATHLOOP is Arkane’s take on an assassination multiplayer experience, seamlessly blending single player gameplay with multiplayer drama. Players will experience the main story as Colt, hunting down targets across the island of Blackreef to break the loop and earn his freedom.
Check out our review here.
God of War

This 2018 classic got ported over to PC back in January this year. Follow an older and more seasoned Kratos and his new son Atreus in the years since God of War III.
Hitman 3

HITMAN 3 is the dramatic conclusion to the World of Assassination trilogy and takes players around the world on a globetrotting adventure to sprawling sandbox locations. Agent 47 returns as a ruthless professional for the most important contracts of his entire career.
Resident Evil Village

Resident Evil Village is a 2021 survival horror game developed and published by Capcom. It is the sequel to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017). Players control Ethan Winters, who searches for his kidnapped daughter in a village filled with mutant creatures.
Check out our review here.
Necromunda

Necromunda is a skirmish tabletop war game produced by Games Workshop since 1995. It has been relaunched as Necromunda: Underhive in 2017. In Necromunda, players control rival gangs battling each other in the Underhive, a place of anarchy and violence in the depths below the Hive City.

Horizon Zero Dawn

Horizon Zero Dawn is a 2017 action role-playing game developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The plot follows Aloy, a young huntress in a world overrun by machines, who sets out to uncover her past.


The Matrix Resurrections Trailer Teases An Older & More Powerful Neo

Warner Bros. has released the first trailer for the upcoming The Matrix Resurrections.
It seems as though both Neo and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) have forgotten the events of the trilogy as the trailer opens with Reeves going by his original name of Thomas Anderson.
He tells his therapist (Neil Patrick Harris) that he’s having “dreams that weren’t just dreams”. Thomas is taking prescription blue pills (uh-oh) and he runs into Trinity at a coffee shop, but they don’t remember each other.
Luckily enough, Neo soon meets Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s character, who looks like a young Morpheus, and he gives Neo a red pill. “Time to fly,” he tells Neo and it seems he goes through similar events to the first movie, such as fighting Morpheus (possibly) in a dojo.
This is a new, upgraded Neo though as the final moments of the thrilling trailer show that he can not only stop bullets but redirect full-blown missiles to stop them from hitting him. Woah.
It is the fourth instalment in The Matrix film series. Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Jada Pinkett Smith reprise their roles from previous films in the series.
The film also stars:

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (the â€œAquamanâ€ franchise)
Jessica Henwick (TVâ€™s â€œIron Fist,â€ â€œStar Wars: Episode VII â€“ The Force Awakensâ€)
Jonathan Groff (â€œHamilton,â€ TVâ€™s â€œMindhunterâ€)
Neil Patrick Harris (â€œGone Girlâ€)
Priyanka Chopra Jonas (TVâ€™s â€œQuantico,â€)
Christina Ricci (TVâ€™s â€œEscaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story,â€ â€œThe Lizzie Borden Chroniclesâ€)
Telma Hopkins (TVâ€™s â€œDead to Me,â€)
ErÃ©ndira Ibarra (series â€œSense8,â€ â€œIngobernableâ€)
Toby Onwumere (TVâ€™s â€œEmpireâ€)
Max Riemelt (series â€œSense8â€)
Brian J. Smith (series â€œSense8,â€ â€œTreadstoneâ€)

The Matrix Resurrections is slated to premiere on 22 December 2021. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Brawlhalla Gets Avatar: The Last Airbender Heroes As Playable Characters

The crossovers just keep on coming in Ubisoft’s money-making free-to-play Smash Bros. fighting game clone Brawlhalla.
Ubisoft announced that it’s teaming up with Nickelodeon to add in characters from Avatar: The Last Airbender. The heroes are Aang the Airbender, Toph the Earthbender, and Zuko the son of Fire Lord Ozai and master Firebender.
The launch also kicks off the latest Crossover Event, featuring Western Air Temple-inspired maps for free-for-all and 1v1 matches, Momo emote, Cabbage Merchant KO effect, Appa sidekick, and new themed emojis and avatars. Players who log in during the event will also earn ”The Tale of Iroh” profile avatar for free. All items will still be purchasable and playable, and the maps will still be playable, after the event ends.
This means that the trio will be joining Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello as the only Nickelodeon characters to join Brawlhalla’s roster as guest characters so far. Check out the crossover trailer below.


Comics To Check Out If You Like Invincible, The Boys, Jupiter’s Legacy, & Evil Supermen

Whatâ€™s the big deal about The Boys, Invincible, and Jupiter’s Legacy? They’re just more superhero stuff, right?
Not exactly. Why are all the live-action and animated adaptations of these comics becoming so popular these days? Well, it all actually started withÂ Alan Moore and Dave Gibbonsâ€™s Watchmen.
All of them cleverly subverts comic book tropes, especially those that concern superheroes. They’re a deconstruction of comics books, just like what Puella Magi Madoka Magica did for the magical girl anime genre or what Neon Genesis Evangelion did for the mecha anime genre.
Thanks to the comic book boom instigated by the rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and other comic book adaptations over the years, the general audience is now ripe and ready to consume the more subversive and unconventional materials. This is proven by the massive popularity of shows like The Boys and Invincible. We’re finally at that point.
Now, the question is; what comics should you check out if you like The Boys, Invincible, Jupiter’s Legacy and Watchmen? The ComicsLord is here to help you. While I’ve also included those aforementioned comics in the list below, I’ve also included several that has yet to receive adaptations in other mediums. If you check them out now, you can probably brag about that when the adaptation does eventually arrive.
Just a disclaimer: this list is not a ranking by any means, but more of a general list instead. You can ignore the numbers; for instance, Invincible is not better than Watchmen or vice versa.
This list is also not meant to be comprehensive, but more towards recommendations. If there are other deserving comics that you think should be on this list, please leave a comment below.
10. Watchmen (Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, DC Comics)

If you want to know where it all started, the origin of darker takes on superheroes can be traced back to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ classic Watchmen graphic novel published by DC Comics. There’s a 2009 movie by Zack Snyder which was ahead of its time (I recommend watching the longer and better Watchmen Ultimate Cut) and a brilliant 2019 HBO’s Watchmen mini-series that acts as a sequel to the comics.
Watchmen started the trend of having mainstream superhero comics that donâ€™t shy away from exploring complex and difficult questions regarding morality, politics, sex and other heavy subject matter. The world isnâ€™t black and white; itâ€™s grey with a shade of both, including the characters and narrative.
This was extremely refreshing and rejuvenating for superhero comics from an adult and more mature perspective, and it all began in 1986 with Watchmen.
9. InvincibleÂ (Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, Ryan Ottley, Image Comics)

Invincible may have inspired the popular “Think, Mark, Think!” meme and the hit animated series on Amazon Prime Video, but it originally started its run all the way back in 2003 and only recently ended its 14-year run in 2018. Invincible distinguished itself from other subversive and deconstructions of the genre by still being generally light and hopeful, with love and passion oozing for the genre (rather than the more cynical and grim tone of Watchmen or The Boys).
What stands out the most in Invincible (and you’d know this if you watched the animated series on Amazon Prime Video) is its level of bloody and gory violence thatâ€™s very rarely seen in a superhero series. Limbs constantly get decapitated, heads often get crushed, and guts spilling out are a normal sight. Buckets of blood splatter the pages of the comics in violent fights. Itâ€™s like Mortal Kombat without someone shouting fatality in the background.
What made Invincible different from other long-running superhero comics is that every action has consequences in the Invincible universe. If youâ€™re burned out from relaunches and having to return to the status quo every few years in conventional superhero comics (*cough* Marvel and DC Comics *cough*), Invincible is the perfect comic for you; to rekindle and reignite your passion and bring you out of superhero fatigue.
8. The Boys (Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson, Dynamite Entertainment)

Thanks to two seasons (so far) of The Boys on Amazon Prime Video, almost everyone on the Internet knows who Homelander is. He’s not even the first evil Superman analogy (DC Comics has its own with Ultraman, who debuted in 1964, and even Marvel has their own with Hyperion, who debuted in 1969), but Homelander is now likely the most well-known (alongside Omni-Man). In comparison, The Boys comics only started in 2006.
Compared to the likes of Watchmen and even Invincible, The Boys goes all-out in its depiction of graphic violence and sexual depravity. It’s definitely only for adults (there’s even a story arc that focuses on a superhero orgy, which might be featured in Season 3). The shock factor here is high, and the swearing is a-plenty. Let me just tell you this; whatever you’ve seen in the two seasons of The Boys, what happens in the comics is even more shocking and batshit crazy.
7. Jupiter’s Legacy (Mark Millar, Frank Quitely, Image Comics)

Jupiter’s Legacy is relatively new, even when we’re referring to the comics. The Netflix series debuted earlier this month, while the comics only started in 2013 (and is still ongoing). That said, the source material is definitely superior to the live-action series in terms of narrative and pacing. Jupiter’s Legacy focuses more on generational conflict and political ideologies, so it’s similar to something like DC Comics’ Kingdom Come.
If you like Jupiter’s Legacy, Millar has also created other great subversive and unconventional takes on superheroes in the past. Some of these have even been adapted into their own movies, like Kick-Ass. Others have yet to receive a similar treatment, but you should check out Nemesis and Super Crooks (this one is actually getting an anime soon by the studio behind My Hero Academia). Millar was also responsible for writing the original Civil War crossover storyline for Marvel, so you can thank him for that.
6. Kingdom Come (Mark Waid, Alex Ross, DC Comics)

Kingdom Come came out 10 years after Watchmen and it explored similar themes albeit in a more traditional superhero setting actually featuring iconic DC Comics characters like Superman and Batman. It remains one of the best Elseworlds stories set in the DC Multiverse (it’s more of an Omniverse now). It’s also a lot like Jupiter’s Legacy, in that newer vigilantes and superheroes are embroiled in a generational conflict.
You’ve probably seen Kingdom Come‘s version of Superman somewhere before, and he has even received a live-action appearance in the CW’s Crisis On Infinite Earths crossover in 2019, portrayed by the very underrated Brandon Routh. If you’re a fan of DC Comics and its pantheon of heroes, Kingdom Come is certainly a must-read. If you normally don’t like Superman or Batman, this is still a deconstructionist story that’s well worth it.
5. Planetary (Warren Ellis, John Cassaday, WildStorm/DC Comics)

Starting from this entry, you’ll be seeing a single name pop up a lot and that’s Warren Ellis. He has written a whole ton of comics, including both mainstream (the Iron Man Extremis Arc for Marvel) and indie comics. He likes to incorporate transhumanist ideas (the idea that technology should be used for the betterment of humanity in every aspect) into his comics, and a lot of his comics are often deconstruction of superheroes.
One of his earliest takes on deconstructing the superhero genre was Planetary, which ran from 1999 to 2009. One of the main features of the series is the portrayal of alternate versions of many figures from popular cultures, such as Godzilla, Tarzan, Sherlock Holmes, and even popular Marvel/DC Comics characters. While Planetary came out a bit earlier, it’s not one of his most popular or arguably best work.
That honour goes to the next entry on this list.
4. The Authority (Warren Ellis, Bryan Hitch, WildStorm/DC Comics)

Both Planetary and The Authority are part of the same universe; the WildStorm universe. These days, the characters from the WildStorm universe, including many from The Authority comics, have been integrated into the main DC universe, which has irked some fans. At the time of writing, DC is even planning to have The Authority return in the near future in a new ongoing comic co-starring Superman, but I digress.
The Authority is pretty much the WildStorm universe’s very own team of superheroes assembled together, much like Marvel’s Avengers or DC’s Justice League. They’ve even got their own version of Superman and Batman, albeit much more morally conspicuous and grey; namely Apollo and Midnighter, respectively. What’s even more interesting is that these two are actually a gay couple, and that’s still canon to this very day in the DC universe.
3. Supergod (Warren Ellis, Garrie Gastonny, Avatar Press)

There are only five issues of Supergod but it’s damned good. Both Marvel and DC have dabbled in countries making their own superheroes and superhumans to fight for them, but none of them has gone all the way in depicting what would actually happen in real life. That’s what Supergod is; the story of what an actual superhuman arms race might be like. Instead of nuclear weapons, each country is racing to make their own superhuman and that ultimately doesn’t end well for humanity as a whole.
While other comics on this list are also cynical and grim in tone, Supergod is probably bleaker than any of them. It has a depressing ending, but it’s one that has left a mark on me for years after it was first published in 2009/2010. It also features a lot of religious symbolism and undertones too, so be prepared to be offended.
2. Irredeemable (Mark Waid, Peter Krause, Diego Barreto, Boom! Studios)

It’s another Mark Waid comic on this list, and if you like evil Supermen like Homelander and Omni-Man, you’ll love Irredeemable. The series follows the fall of the world’s greatest superhero, the Plutonian, as he begins slaughtering the population of Earth. His former allies, the superhero group The Paradigm, attempt to find a way to stop his rampage while dealing with their own problems of betrayal and hopelessness.
Yes, it’s kind of what if Homelander or Omni-Man really did go all-out against the world, and that’s what you get in this comic. There’s no company contracts/blackmail (Homelander) or family/love/obligation (Omni-Man) to stop the Plutonian, and that’s what makes it unique. There’s no holding back here, and it’s glorious.
1. Unity (Matt Kindt, Doug Braithwaite, Various Creative Teams, Valiant Entertainment)

Okay, I admit that this entry is less deconstructionist and more just another team of superheroes from another publisher. However, I still included Valiant Entertainment’s Unity on this list because while they’re generally just a team of superheroes like the Avengers or Justice League, they’re pretty unique.
The Valiant universe is almost as big as Marvel or DC Comics, but they’re a lot less known. The company rebooted and relaunched their entire comic book line back in 2012, and that’s a good place to start.
2020’s live-action movie Bloodshot starring Vin Diesel was not very good, but Bloodshot is a character from the Valiant universe and one of the members of Unity.Â  There’s also Ninjak (who is essentially a cross between a badass ninja and James Bond), X-O Manowar (like Captain America or Thor meets Iron Man; a man of time in an awesome alien armour), and many more. If done well, the Valiant universe would probably be as popular as Marvel’s or DC’s.


HBO GO June 2022: Our Picks & Highlights

I’m sure you won’t want to waste time sifting through HBO GO’s extensive catalogue of shows and movies just to decide on what to watch. The streaming site updates its site every day, week, and month with new content, so I’m here to save your precious time.
Here are my personal recommendations and highlights for HBO GO June 2022 lineup and how to fill up your free time with worthwhile content at home:
My Son (4 June 2022)

Life spins out of control for a divorced couple in this dramatic unfolding of their child’s kidnapping. When estranged father Edmond receives a call from his ex-wife Joan, frantic with news that their 7-year-old son has gone missing, his quest to find his son leads to some unsettling discoveries. Stars James McAvoy and Claire Foy.
It premieres on Saturday, June 4 on HBO GO.

Irma Vep (7 June 2022)

Mira, an American movie star disillusioned by her career and a recent breakup, moves to France to star as lead character Irma Vep in a remake of the French silent film classic, ‘Les Vampires’. Set against the backdrop of a lurid crime thriller, Mira struggles as the distinctions between herself and the character she plays begin to blur. Loosely based on the 1996 feature film of the same name, this HBO Original limited series treads the fine line between fiction and reality, artifice and authenticity, art and life. Stars Academy Award® winner Alicia Vikander.
It premieres on Tuesday, June 7 at 9am on HBO GO and at 10pm on HBO (Astro Channel 411).

Roadrunner A Film About Anthony Bourdain (9 June 2022)

Delve into the uncommon life of the late storyteller, explorer, and chef Anthony Bourdain who took viewers across the globe on his culinary adventures. Directed and produced by Academy Award-winning director Morgan Neville (20 Feet from Stardom).
It premieres on Thursday, June 9 on HBO GO.

Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard (11 June 2022)

Bodyguard Michael Bryce and hitman Darius Kincaid are reunited in another life-threatening mission. Still unlicensed and under scrutiny, Bryce is forced into action by Darius’s even more volatile wife, the infamous international con artist Sonia Kincaid. As Bryce is driven over the edge by his two most dangerous protectees, the trio get in over their heads in a global plot and soon find that they are all that stand between Europe and total chaos. Stars Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas.
It premieres Saturday, June 11 on HBO GO and at 10pm on HBO (Astro Channel 411).

Superman Day (12 June 2022)

Catch Man of Steel and binge-watch five episodes of Superman & Lois S2 in anticipation of new episodes premiering every Wednesday at 9pm, with the finale episode on Wednesday, June 22.
It takes place on Sunday, June 12 from 4pm on Warner TV (Astro Channel 712 / UnifiTV Channel 451).
Westworld Season 4 (27 June 2022)

The Emmy-winning HBO Original drama series returns to the dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the birth of a new form of life on Earth. Across its first three seasons, the series has received 54 Emmy nominations, winning 9 Primetime Emmy Awards – including Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Thandiwe Newton. Also stars Ed Harris, Evan Rachel Wood and Jeffrey Wright in an ensemble cast.
It premieres on Monday, June 27 on HBO GO and at 9am on HBO (Astro Channel 411).

Those are just several selected highlights from next monthâ€™s offerings of new TV series and movies on HBO GO next month. Now you can plan your HBO GO watchlist for June 2022.


Heads Up; The Division 2 Beta Is Live Now

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 Open Beta is now available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC until 4 March. The Open Beta will be a first look into the post-pandemic streets of Washington D.C and test your mettle against the violent factions terrorizing the city’s civilians.
Check out below to see when it starts and ends:

And check out the Open Beta trailer:

In months after launch, Ubisoft plans to update players with new content such as new missions, challenges, specializations, rewards, and more. While the content will be free to all players, players who want to secure access to it can get the Year 1 Pass, available as a standalone purchase or as part of the Gold and Digital Ultimate Editions of the game.

The free content begins with Tidal Basin, a challenging faction stronghold where the Black Tusks have dug in, and it will be up to you and up to three other players to dig them out. Your team then will have to expand to face the franchise’s first-ever eight-player raid, titled Operation Dark Hours.

This summer, free major content updates called Episodes will give you and your fellow Agents fresh ways to test your skills and flex your loadouts.
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 will be available on 15 March.


Tencent Owns Minority Stake In Dontnod, The Folks Behind Life Is Strange

Developer Dontnod just got the extra funding they needed to create their future dream adventure projects. Or at least, a new IP from their paymasters.
Turns out Tencent has purchased a minority stake in the Life is Strange/Tell Me Why/Remember Me developer, all to create a new IP. How much does this cost Tencent? About US$36 million, which may be chump change for the giant Chinese conglomerate. The money will be used to fund the new IP for PC, consoles, and mobile devices. The funding will also be used to allow Dontnod to self-publish the IP.
Here’s the official press statement from Tencent:

“The funds raised will mainly be used to finance the ramp-up of Dontnod’s strategy to develop new self-published intellectual properties worldwide on PC, consoles, and mobile platforms, and thereby take full advantage of positive trends within the industry for creators of internationally renowned and originals games, such as Dontnod.”

In addition, the studio will be doing a “concurrent signing of a business cooperation agreement with Tencent”. We’re guessing the new IP will be a third-person adventure game with weird fantastical stuff going on in a contemporary setting, filled with quirky characters who may or may not be queer. Oh, and lots of puzzles and branching dialogue.
In any case, Dontnod is pleased with this minority stake ownership from a giant conglomerate, at least according to Dontnod CEO Oskar Guilbert.

“This is a real expression of trust from a key online game leader, which is behind a number of success stories and has invested in several leading companies in the video game industry. Through this partnership, Dontnod is perfectly positioned to take advantage of the various growth drivers in the video game industry, in particular in China and on mobile platforms, in cooperation with an industry leader. The capital increase announced today will enable us to step up and boost the roll-out of our development plan, which aims to capture more value from our original creators by self-publishing more games.”


Alienware Finally Launches In The Philippines

Itâ€™s been a brand much coveted by the Philippine market for years, and now itâ€™s finally here. Alienware, the gaming-focused brand of Dell, will now be more accessible to Filipino gamers as they officially launch in the Philippines.
At their launch event at the Green Sun Hotel in Makati City, Dell and Alienware brought in new, sleek, gaming laptops that gamers, both casual and serious, would salivate for.
Dell’s New Offers

First revealed were the new G 15 series laptops to match differing budgets for the gamers that need more flexibility. The G3 promises power and performance at a competitive price point with a kit that could overclock at the push of a button.

The G5 features superior visuals for its 15.6-inch screen and a battery that can help you game on the go. And finally, the G7, a laptop that wields powerful specs in its highly portable 19.mm thin and 2.62kg frame.

The laptops will all carry the 9th gen Intel Core mobile CPUs, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 20-series and 16-series GPU options.
G-Series Who?

But what really stole the show was the new Alienware m15 laptop. Its motto was â€œlean just got legendary.â€ Itâ€™s gotten a solid makeover since its predecessor. And while it looks a little closer to conventional laptops, it still has a pretty distinct design.
For the discerning and serious gamer, this new m15 is now Alienwareâ€™s thinnest 15â€ gaming laptop to date and it boasts some pretty beefy features.

It touts an all-magnesium chassis, smooth-edge, narrow-bezel design, a re-engineered keyboard (thatâ€™s been highlighted so many times in this event), and a precision-point glass touchpad.

And much like the Dell G series, the m15 laptops will hold Intel processors and Nvidia GeForce GPUs. But, Alienware claims that this m15 has the design and capability to allow gamers to truly push and sustain high-quality gaming experiences while on the go.
It features the latest Cryo-Tech 3.0 that increases the airflow by 20% over the previous generation of the m15, and it has a hyper-efficient voltage regulation or VRM feature that can sustain high-performance settings for longer periods of time.
Alienware Accessibility

Now while perhaps the more determined fans of Alienware have managed to procure their own Alienware laptops by purchasing theirs abroad and managing to go through customs hoops, itâ€™s the fact that Alienware now has an official presence here that can push the market to truly acquaint themselves with and maybe even embrace the Alienware brand.
At the event, one key point that was discussed was not just the availability but also the level of support and service to be provided for those choosing to get an Alienware laptop. Thankfully, Dell has Alienware buyers covered. The Dell team promised that Alienware consumers will be given the same quality and level of support as they always do with those who purchase Dell devices in the local market.
“We recognize that the local gaming community has become more diverse,” said Jay Ranola, Consumer Head of Dell Technologies, Philippines, “from the professionals that seek responsive and seamless performance for intense gameplay, to casual gamers that look for a competitively priced gaming machine.

“Now every gamer in the Philippines can truly enjoy the new realm of gaming with our complete gaming portfolio, both Dell G Series and Alienware.”

Is the Philippine market ready to welcome their new Alienware overlords? Whatever the case, it looks like weâ€™re in for an interesting holiday season.


These Minecraft Sculptures Are Frickin’ Beautiful

22-year old Uchio Tokura is making us look at Minecraft from a whole new perspective. Whenever he posts his work on Reddit, it’s usually upvoted to the top and it’s easy to see why…
[wpvideo aeYr8vKu]
This piece is called Aquasomnia. It’s basically a sea witch sculpture with a ton of ocean life detailing and deco. This is something geeks and art fans would want to be recreated in real life and placed on a table for all to see and inspire, myself included.
He has more pieces that delve in his phantasmagorical and abstract imaginations, like “Flower; Corpse” and “The Perfect Marionette” below. These two sculptures are both beautiful and haunting at the same time, like a metal album piece with added soft colours and mists to make it more avant-garde.

The artist spoke with PC Gamer on his inspirations and thoughts when creating these sculptures:

“[These art pieces distanced themselves]Â from what people would think of Minecraft as a game where you build houses, and instead dove straight into the world of fantasy and abstract sculpting.
In the building community, countless castles, palaces, kingdoms and other structure-related creations had been done before, but no one yet had really focused on sculptures, or what we call it in community, ‘organics.’ From there I created phantasmagorical creatures, abstract sculptures and dreamscapes.”

Currently, he is working in Japan creating new textures and skins in Minecraft via the company Cyclone Designs. Essentially he’s a full-time modder making a living out of in-game customizable goods. He’s been playing the game for 8 years now and has been diligent in turning his passion into a stable job. Most games wished they can support such an economy while still keeping the lights on.
So what’s his secret & techniques? “I like to keep a library of ideas and techniques which I can use later on without having having to reinvent a new process for each project,” said Tokura.

“When building in Minecraft, I treat it more as an editor tool than a survival game. I use tools such as Worldedit and Voxel Sniper which give me a helping hand in placing large masses of blocks at a time as well as copying and pasting specific regions.
The great thing about creating things in Minecraft is that you are in a first person editor and it allows the player to move around in unique ways that allow for hyper-detail in the smallest of places.
I use this to my advantage so I am always flying out and in to make sure everything is in proportion. This not only helps me build quicker and plan more efficiently but most importantly it keeps my mind on the bigger picture so I don’t lose track of my goals.”

Read the full interview here.Â In the meantime, do visit his Reddit posts and his original image links to help upvote them to cultural relevance.


Google Stadia Adds 10 More Games To Its Lacklustre Launch Lineup

With only one day to go with Google Stadia launches on 19 November 2019, the company has announced an additional 10 titles to the previously-confirmed 12 games which will be available at launch.
This means that the cloud game streaming service will have a grand total of only 22 games at launch, which is still lacklustre, considering that most of these games are available on other platforms as well. More exclusives would have bolstered Google Stadia’s launch lineup and added a must-have value to the product as a whole.
The 10 additional titles for Google Stadia’s launch lineup are as follows:

Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle (Koei Tecmo)
Farming Simulator 19 (Focus Home Interactive)
Final Fantasy XV (Square Enix)
Football Manager 2020 (Sega)
GRID (Codemasters)
Metro Exodus (Deep Silver)
NBA 2K20 (2K Games)
Rage 2 (Bethesda Softworks)
Trials Rising (Ubisoft)
Wolfenstein: Youngblood (Bethesda Softworks)

Meanwhile, these are the previously-announced 12 titles:

Assassinâ€™s Creed Odyssey (Ubisoft)
Destiny 2: The Collection (Bungie)
GYLT (TequilaWorks)
Just Dance 2020 (Ubisoft)
Kine (Gwen Frey)
Mortal Kombat 11 (Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment)
Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration (Square Enix)
Samurai Shodown (SNK)
Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (Square Enix)
Thumper (Drool)
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (Square Enix)

In addition, four more titles are expected sometime near the end of 2019:

Borderlands 3 (2K Games)
Darksiders Genesis (THQ Nordic)
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 (Bandai Namco)
Ghost Recon: Breakpoint (Ubisoft)

Tonight Google Stadia announced that its launch lineup for Tuesday has increased to 22 games from the 12 announced last week. pic.twitter.com/1SIfhPBkuC
â€” Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) November 18, 2019
What do you think? Is the Google Stadia launch lineup enticing enough for a day one purchase?


The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 8 Finale Breakdown & Easter Eggs

The eighth and final episode of The Mandalorian Season 3 is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. I’ll be discussing heavy spoilers so if you haven’t seen it or want to avoid spoilers, now’s your chance to stop reading.
Meanwhile, check out my breakdown of The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6 and Episode 7 here.
The journeys of the Mandalorian through the Star Wars galaxy continue. Once a lone bounty hunter, Din Djarin has reunited with Grogu. Meanwhile, the New Republic struggles to lead the galaxy away from its dark history. The Mandalorian will cross paths with old allies and make new enemies as he and Grogu continue their journey together.
The series stars Pedro Pascal, Katee Sackhoff, Carl Weathers, Amy Sedaris, Emily Swallow and Giancarlo Esposito. The directors of the eight-episode Season 3 include Rick Famuyiwa, Rachel Morrison, Lee Isaac Chung, Carl Weathers, Peter Ramsey and Bryce Dallas Howard.
Check out my breakdown of the first three episodes of Andor, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 11 and Episode 12 here.
Check out my breakdown of Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode 1 and 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5 and Episode 6 here.
You can check out my previous breakdowns of The Book Of Boba Fett Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6 and Episode 7 here.
Last year, we were given the opportunity to interview none other than the former Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and current Dark Lord Of The Sith Darth Vader; Hayden Christensen himself.

Moff Gideon Has Clones Of Himself

Moff Gideon has been keeping clones of himself at his facility on Mandalore. However, Din Djarin ultimately destroys all of the clones.
And Those Clones Are Somehow Capable Of Wielding The Force

Moff Gideon claims that somehow he bred his clones to be capable of wielding the Force. How? By injecting midi-chlorians? I guess we’ll never know.
Moff Gideon Crushes The Darksaber

Moff Gideon crushes the Darksaber, effectively destroying it. Maybe forever? What this means is that no one can claim to be the rightful ruler of Mandalore simply by possessing the Darksaber. Democracy for the Mandalorians?
Moff Gideon Finally Dies

In a blaze of fire, no less.
Din Djarin Officially Adopts Grogu, Grogu’s Full Name Is Now Din Grogu

We’re not crying, you are.
Grogu is no longer a Foundling but is now a full Mandalorian apprentice.
Another Look At The Mythosaur

The Mandalorian signet or symbol is based on the skull of the Mythosaur. The living Mythosaur means that the Mandalorians have now reclaimed Mandalore.
Mirroring The First Episode Of The Mandalorian

This shot gives tribute to one of the most iconic shots from the very first episode of the Mandalorian when we first met Din Djarin appearing at the door. In contrast, it was dark back then, but now it’s full of light.

That’s Dave Filoni In A Cameo

Yes, that guy in the cowboy hat is none other than Dave Filoni himself, Star Wars Executive Producer & Executive Creative Director, creator of The Clone Wars and Rebels animated series, and the second coming of George Lucas.
Din Djarin And Din Grogu Are Now Independent Contractors Helping The New Republic Hunt Down Imperial Remnants In The Outer Rim

Meeting New Republic pilot Carson Teva again, Din Djarin proposes that he and Din Grogu be hired as independent contractors to help the New Republic hunt down Imperial Remnants in the outer rim of the galaxy.
IG-11

Din Djarin restored and repaired IG-11, who is now the new Marshal of Nevarro.
The Mandalorian Season 3 Ends On A Peaceful Note, No Post-Credits Scenes

The last scene sees in Din Djarin and Din Grogu relaxing at their cabin on Nevarro, enjoying some well-deserved rest. We still don’t know when we’ll see them next, but the next Star Wars series on Disney+ Hotstar will be Star Wars Visions Volume 2 on 4 May 2023 and Ahsoka, which will premiere sometime in August 2023.
Until then, may the Force be with you!


The Note 30 Series Symphony: Infinix Strikes Again!

Honestly, I’m not sure how Infinix does it, but they are certainly on a roll. Infinix has a way of making smartphones not just some tech gadget but also your trusty sidekick. Whenever I think of Infinix, I think “damn” they know how to make good quality affordable phones. And when I say good quality, I don’t mean iPhone quality or Samsung ones, but a budget-like good quality.
That’s also what you get with the New 30 Series. The Note 30 PRO is the highest-end device in the series and it packs a punch. The device comes with a MediaTek Helio G99 chipset and a 6.67-inch 1080p AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate (It’s kinda crazy that phones now come with a 120Hz refresh rate). Big fancy words? Yeah I know, in short, the phone works zoomies. The Note 30, on the other hand, also has the exact same Helio G99 chipset and a 6.78-inch 1080p LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
Now, I got to try out the Note 30 PRO and Note 30, and once again Infinix continues to surprise me.

STYLISH & TRENDY

OK, so we need to talk about their sense of style. So, as usual. Infinix also gives a casing for their phones with an adapter and charging cable (APPLE PLEASE TAKE NOTE). I always feel like it’s such a waste to put a casing on since the Infinix phones always look so stylish. I feel like using the casing takes away from the reflective style both the Note 30 and Note 30 PRO gives off.
The Note 30 PRO comes in 2 colours, Magic Black and Variable Gold. The Note 30 comes in 3 colours, Obsidian Black, Interstellar Blue and Sunset Gold. I really could go on and on about how much I love the look of both of these phones. The only thing that disappoints me in terms of aesthetics is the lack of purple once again. The Holographic colours which kind of change in different lighting really is eye-grabbing. Here’s an interesting bit of information that made the Note 30 series attractive to me. It is the first time Infinix has adopted a glimmer textured glass back.
My only complaint is the same as the Hot 30. It feels lengthy to hold so it can seem a tad bit clunky. Honestly, if they would just make it a teensy bit smaller, it’d be perfect. The display is definitely one of the main selling points of the phone.

IT LIVES FOREVER

Well, maybe not forever. Close enough though. Infinix introduced their All-Round Fast Charge a while back to their phones. The Note 30 series also come with this special feature. You must be thinking “What in the world is this All-Round Fast Charge?”. Well, Infinix gives you multiple options of charging your phone, from wired, to wireless and also reverse charging. Yes, you heard me. Reverse charging. They’ve also added Bypass Charging and AI Smart Charge. This is just for a safe charging experience.

So the new Note 30 Pro has a dual-channel fast charging technology with two 2:1 charge parallel pumps capable of delivering a 68W charge. Yes, that was a lot of big words, but to put it plainly, it is fast enough to charge a 5,000mAh battery from 1-80% in 30 minutes. For the Note 30, it only comes up to 45W charge, therefore will only get a 5,000mAh battery from 1-75% in 30 minutes.
Remember I mentioned AI Smart Charging? Well, most of us charge our phones overnight when we sleep, right? But that also means extended exposure to high voltages will reduce your battery life significantly over the long term. This feature got me really excited honestly. The Note Pro will basically learn your usage patterns and predict when you sleep and wake up. With that knowledge, it will then charge your battery to 80% overnight, then pause its charging, and then continue it just before you wake up so your phone is fully charged and ready for you. HOW COOL IS THAT? And yes, it really does work.

What about my bad habit of leaving ten thousand apps open on my phone? Well, don’t worry. The phone still works well. Perhaps a little laggy, but it works. If you’re using it for everyday tasks like social media or just to chat then you won’t have any issues. The phone only gets slightly sluggish when multitasking. As certified by TÜV Rheinland as a low blue light display with no flicker, I’ve found that it really does help with lowering visual fatigue. Another thing I’ve noticed is the auto brightness feature for both screens. The Note 30 still feels a little too dim in low-light areas. The fingerprint sensor is big and works fast. You can also change the tiers of the refresh rates from 60Hz, 90Hz and 120Hz! My issue here is that the keypad clicks on the screen seem a tad bit small than what I’d like (AND I HAVE SMALL FINGERS).

Content Creation and Entertainment Friendly

The Infinix NOTE 30 also features Sound by JBL! YES JBL, the one that does those really wicked wireless headsets for sports and stuff. I was surprised that JBL worked with them on this series. The quality is great again for what you are paying for. It’s just loud enough but I wish there was a teensy bit more ‘oomf”.
For cameras, I’ve always found this is where Infinix lacks. Although they’ve got big words saying we have this triple camera system (108MP primary + 2MP + 2MP) and a 32MP selfie camera for the Note 30 Pro and a 16MP selfie camera for the Note 30. The cameras still lack something especially when it comes to recording videos. Just because it supports 4K doesn’t mean it will actually look as good. Here are some sample images I took with both phones.

The Infinix Note 30 Pro

The Infinix Note 30

On the gaming side, I ran PUBG and Honkai Star Rail on both phones. They were surprisingly cool for a long time. I guess it’s because of the Vapor Chamber Liquid Cooling technology the series has. A really cool feature they’ve added is an out-of-game timer which will tell you when you will respawn in-game. This is so you multi-taskers can focus on other things til it’s time to get back into the game. This feature is only in a few games, which are MLBB, ROV, FreeFire, and PUBGM. I played on both for a good few hours and my battery surprisingly lasted well.
Again I’d say making content on this phone is great. They provide some really good features made just for that. Content on the go becomes way easier.

Infinix-y and Beyond

I love how Infinix pushes their boundaries beyond limits. The Note 30 Pro is fixed at RM899, and the Note 30 is at RM699. For what you pay, you kinda get a pretty damn good deal. The Note 30 series has left a positive first impression on me. It strikes an amazing balance between its features, affordability and performance. I’d say if you’re looking for a new mid-range phone, the Infinix Note 30 Series is a great place to start.
I’m going to give the Note 30 PRO and Note 30 a solid 90/100!
A review unit of the Infinix Note 30 PRO and Note 30 was provided to us by Infinix.

COMPARISON OF SPECS


The New Sonic Movie Is A Fun Sequel That Improves Over The Original

It’s not hard to improve upon the original Sonic The Hedgehog movie a few years back; you just have to add more from the video games that it was adapting from and then some. Just one look at the Sonic The Hedgehog 2 poster -the one where it’s emulating the 1992 game’s US box art- and you know it’s a film tailor-made for the 30 to 40 year olds who played the Sega Megadrive games, now all grown up and with their own children and nephews to show the wonders of the blue hedgehog to.
And at the end of the day? Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is a fine sequel that plays just fine.
Fastest Thing Alive?

Sonic 2 takes place after the hubbub of the first film. Our title character (voiced by Ben Schwartz) enjoys a time of peace while trying to fight crime, but Dr Robotnik (Jim Carrey) returns from his “portobello purgatory” with a new ally: Knuckles the Echidna. Luckily, Sonic has a new friend in the form of Tails the flying fox with two tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey). And from there, a number of plot details from the first film like the owls and Echidna tribe to the video game bits like the Chaos Emerald make in into the literal amazing race in different parts of the world.
Yes, there are some humans in the fray like Tom Wachowski (James Marsden), Maddie (Tika Sumpter), Rachel (Natasha Rothwell), and Agent Stone the barista (Lee Majdoub). And one of them outstayed their welcome in an unnecessary scene involving a ruined wedding and Hawaii. And the obvious jokes and writing, as well as the Olive Garden and Four Seasons product placement dialogue, are still present in annoying older viewers. Despite that, Sonic 2 is still a huge improvement over its predecessor because its director Jeff Fowler and the writing/production crew just focused on the correct parts of the film.
Chili Dog Carnage

Most of that is attributed to the action bits and the dynamic between Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Dr. Robotnik as heroes and villains from a video game, doing battle with each other while working together. Even with the many corny quips, Ben Schwartz’s Sonic still exudes attitude and genuine heart while the OG voice of Tails still knocks it out of the ballpark with her portrayal as meek but helpful sidekick and budding friend. And after this film, it’s really hard not to hear Knuckles without Idris Elba. He really plays off the incredibly thick-headed warrior archetype to humorous and awesome effect. Think Guardians of the Galaxy’s Drax but with that Idris Elba British touch.
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 isn’t planning on breaking the innovation sound barrier film-wise. It however entertains and succeeds over its predecessor for just being bigger and better in delivering the action, the cute CGI creatures doing their video game-like thing and Jim Carrey hamming it up further in his possibly last role. Bring the little ones to this fun ride of a film; as someone who has seen how video game movies end up worse with each passing sequel, we should be thankful that the trend is dying out with films like these.
Final Score: 70/100
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 will be out in Malaysian cinemas on 21st April. The film is distributed by United International Pictures.


5 Tech & Option-Tweaking Tips To Make Your Outriders Experience Smooth

Outriders is out now and is probably going to take up your next few weekends. Here are some tips that will help affect how smooth your loot-and-shoot RPG experience will be.
If You’re Stuck On The Title Screen, Wait A While…
Outriders just came out, so there’s going to be network and online issues. If you have been stuck on an infinite loading screen, just stay in line. You’ll get in eventually. Apparently, Reddit users said they waited approximately 5 minutes to get in the game.
Change Your Auto-Loot Rarity Management
There’s an option to sort our your loot so that you can collect whatever you missed out on in a stage or mission. You can change those options to either have it collect just rare equipment, or all of them from common to orange.
Here’s the colour system for loot in Outriders:Â

White (common)
Green (unusual)
Blue (rare)
Purple (epic)
Orange (legendary)

Turn Off Your “Auto Set Max World Tier” Option
Ever wonder why Outriders is getting tougher the deeper you get into it? That’s because the game’s World Tier level settings are on automatic. This means that whenever you level up a World Tier (by levelling up and playing the game), you head to the next difficulty setting.
If you want to just cruise through the game’s story missions solo without much hassle, just turn the auto option off and set it to whichever tier you’re comfortable with. Otherwise, if you play mostly with groups who know their way around looter-shooters, leave it. Sometimes you want to have manual control over whether bullets hurt you more or whether you want shinier weapons.
Turn Off Crossplay For Now
Outriders lets you play with PC, Xbox, and PlayStation users via crossplay in co-op fashion. However, developer People Can Fly are currently fixing that at the moment since the game just launched.
The game’s crossplay is pretty awesome, but there’s a good chance you may have frequent disconnects playing with other players on different consoles than with those on the same platform you’re on. If you feel like your games are facing a lot of server and disconnects in these next few days, consider turning off crossplay temporarily until things end up rosey again.
Increase Cinematic Camera Smoothing
Outriders’ cutscenes sometimes have too much of a shakey effect, like as if there’s a GoPro strapped onto someone’s drunk-ass head. To tone the shakey effects down during cutscenes, go to your options menu and increase the cinematic camera smoothing to stabilize the camera.
[UPDATE] You Can Pause Outriders In Single-Player Mode If You Have An Nvidia GPU
Now we’re up to six! If you own an Nvidia GPU, you probably have used the GeForce Experience software that comes with it; that’s how you usually update to the latest drivers. You can use the photo mode called Ansel by pressing Alt-F2, which pauses the game and puts you in photo mode. This is very helpful since the only place where you can AFK is at the campsite.


Bungie Returns To The Marathon Franchise For Their Latest Game

During PlayStation Showcase 2023, Bungie announced their first completely new project in more than a decade: Marathon. It’s a sci-fi PvP extraction shooter, where players engage one another as cybernetic mercenaries known as Runners, exploring a lost colony on the planet of Tau Ceti IV in search of riches, fame, and infamy.
Marathon is designed from the start as a PvP-focused game and won’t have a single-player campaign. Instead, with the PvP experience as our foundation, we’re creating opportunities for player-driven stories to unfold, stories that are integrated with the overarching game narrative. We’re building a world full of persistent, evolving zones, where players create their own journey with every run they take. That might mean an unforgettable firefight against another crew vying for the same loot, or a last-second extraction while beset on all sides.
The Marathon franchise is an established one and was previously developed by Bungie before Halo and Destiny. There were three games in the series, including Marathon (1994), Marathon 2 Durandal (1995), and Marathon Infinity (1996).
Marathon is being developed for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC but there is currently no release date or release window yet.
Check out the trailer below:


Halo Infinite Creative Joseph Staten Will Leave Microsoft

Halo’s top brass position isn’t looking so good with this recent newspiece.
Halo Infinite head of creative Joseph Staten, who also wrote and directed the cinematics for Halo, Halo 2, and Halo 3, will be leaving Microsoft according to a recent tweet (via IGN).
“Hey folks, I am indeed leaving Microsoft. I’ll have more info to share soon, but for now, I’d just like to thank all my Xbox colleagues for all their understanding and support as I embark on a new adventure.”

Hey folks, I am indeed leaving Microsoft. I'll have more info to share soon, but for now, I'd just like to thank all my @Xbox colleagues for all their understanding and support as I embark on a new adventure. https://t.co/oMR0LXOzZb
— Joseph Staten (@joestaten) April 8, 2023

A Microsoft spokesperson said in a recent statement:
“We’re grateful for Joseph’s contributions to the Halo franchise and Xbox as a whole. We wish him all the best in his new adventure.”


Dead Cells: Return To Castlevania – How To Unlock Richter Mode

No Dead Cells Castlevania tribute would be complete without the ability to play as a Belmont in Motion Twin’s roguelike search action hit game.
In Dead Cells: Return To Castlevania, you can activate Richter mode by going through a particular section in Dracula’s Castle. Here’s a guide on how to do just that.
Dead Cells: Return To Castlevania DLC How To Activate Richter Mode
Richter Mode can be activated in a Lore room within Dracula’s Castle, albeit in the second run.
After defeating Death and beginning a new run, make your way to Dracula’s Castle via the Clock Room. Find this room in the game with the golden pillars:

Free Richter from his cage. Then complete the run.
In subsequent runs to Dracula’s Castle biome (second version), you can activate Richter Mode by going to the same Lore room.

Richter mode starts out with the Belmont vampire hunter with limited weapons; he gains new power-ups as he progresses through the biome. His controls are different than the Beheaded: Richter can dash and does a backflip when he double jumps. He also has his super jump from the old games.


Kill la Kill Ladies Get Hello! Good Smile Figures

Get smiling with these new Kill la Kill figurines from Good Smile’s Hello! Good Smile latest lineup.
The heroes who are getting the happy shiny people chibi treatment are main character Ryuko Matoi, antagonist Satsuki Kiryuin, and best buddy Mako Makanshoku. The line of toys are given official Studio Trigger creative direction by the show’s art director Shigeto Koyama, with each figure having a poseable neck.

They cost 1,500 yen (about US$11.49) each and are available for order right now on the official Good Smile online shop.If you love your chibi figures smiling with an open mouth and with more cuteness in their faces, you should buy these.


E1 Championship Returns With 22 Drivers From 15 Countries

The E1 Championship is back with the competition fiercer than ever featuring 11 teams with 22 drivers from 15 different countries, all competing for a prize pool the US$20,000. This season, Southeast Asia’s premier sim racing championship has gained international attention and attracted teams such as Mumbai Falcons from India, JMX Phantom from Indonesia, TX3 from France and most notably the esports team of historic F1 team Williams Racing.
Defending Team Champions, Team Flash, has an all-new driver line-up of Jyn Mazvilton and Muhammad Thasbeeh, both from Singapore, while their championship driver, Muhammad Ibrahim, will race for Mumbai Falcons alongside teammate Moritz Lohner from Germany. The defending champion has a lot to gain with the Indian motorsports team who won the 2022 Formula Regional Asia Championship with Arthur Leclerc.

All contending teams will also face added pressure by Williams Esports and its drivers Jack Keithley and Martin Stefanko. Season Zero Champion, Naquib Azlan, will race alongside his brother Nabil Azlan under SEM9, an esports team based in Southeast Asia. Both Malaysians finished 4th in the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual earlier this year, and will be watched closely by 2017 F4 SEA champion Presley Martono and his teammate Daffa Ardiansa, who are racing with Indonesian motorsports team JMX Phantom.
Alex Yoong, E1 Championship Race Director and founder of Axle Sports, said:
“This season of E1 Championship has a stellar line-up of teams, including three real-life race teams – Black Arts Racing, Mumbai Falcons and Williams. It’s a testament as to how much sim racing has grown in Southeast Asia, and we are very excited for what the season holds in store for both drivers and viewers across the region.”

Other new teams this season include TX3 from France with drivers Mihai Neg and Christopher Hogfeldt from Romania and Sweden respectively. Among the teams returning are APEX E-Racing with a new driver line up of Lance Lau from Brunei and Ben Seek from New Zealand. APEX expands with a second team this season with APEX Racing Academy driven by the Malaysian and German pairing of Mohammad Dzikri and Julian Kunze. Josh Purwien and team Black Arts Racing continue their pursuit of E1 glory together with new teammate and fan-favourite, Kalen Chin.
Philippines sim racer Inigo Anton joins Team Safehouse to drive alongside Mikko Nassi from Finland, while team eGG Network re-joins the mix after sitting out the past two seasons with 10-year old Filipino Axel Nocom and Bernard Chan from Malaysia. E1 Championship 2022, operated by Axle Sports in partnership with eGG Network, returns to the RaceRoom platform. The competition is sanctioned by the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM), an affiliate of the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile).
Follow E1 Championship on Facebook for the latest updates and catch seven rounds of intense racing from 7 September, every Wednesday, 9pm (+8 GMT) on Astro Arena (Malaysia), TVRI (Indonesia) True Visions (Thailand), VTVCab (Vietnam), Singtel TV (Singapore) and E1 Championship’s Facebook and YouTube channel.


Did From Software’s VR Just Teased A Bloodborne Sequel?

The world could use more Victorian horror-esque action RPG goodness. That’s what we got with 2014’s Bloodborne courtesy of From Software; fans have been clamouring for a sequel since. Turns out that wish may come true if site Fextralife’s discovery is of any indication.
Recently, From Software released a PlayStation VR title DÃ©racinÃ© which features a boarding school, orphans, and a solvable overarching mystery: basically what you expect from a new Dark Souls entry. In all seriousness, the adventure game is fine and all, but this latest tidbit might tie this universe with Bloodborne’s.
In the game, players can interact with a doll that has the “Make Contact” gesture. The doll has the following description:

It says: “A doll of the stone girl Fiona who appears in the unfinished tale. When a person has a bad dream, Fiona appears and helps them flee.”
The fact that (a) the gesture is similar to the one in Bloodborne (below) and (b) the unfinished tale in question could mean that this VR game could be related to the Bloodborne universe. Honestly, From Software aren’t that subtle if that’s what they’re going for.

Guess we’ll find out after Sekiro comes out next year.


Pulling Sony Down Doesn’t Lead To Success, Says Xbox’s Phil Spencer

It looks like the console wars may be winding down faster than fans think, or maybe it was never that concerning for those in the games industry itself. Gamers like to think of these massive corporations at each other’s throats, always working to raze the other to the ground.
However, according to Xbox head Phil Spencer, that’s not the case at all, especially at Microsoft and Xbox. In an interview with Fortune Magazine, he said that the truth is that success depends on relying on each other, and not pulling anyone down, even if they’re your direct rivals.

â€œI would say the most competitive side of it- no.
Iâ€™m always listening to the community, but the people who want to see others fail in order for the green team to succeed- thatâ€™s not me.
There were people when the Sony deal was announced, I could see it online, â€˜what are you doing helping them out?â€™
And itâ€™s like, weâ€™ve had years and years of a relationship with Sony.
Sony shipped PCs and they had Windows on it, they use our development tools to bring games.
This idea that the only way for any of us to succeed is by pulling down someone else just isnâ€™t the way that the industry works today. It just isnâ€™t.â€

There you have it, folks, straight from the head honcho himself. In addition, Spencer also said that Microsoft is one of PlayStation’s biggest publishers, with games like Mahjong’s Minecraft and more.
Why would these companies pull each other down when they’re earning so much more business opportunities and profits by working together? It seems like the only ones fanning the flames of console wars are solely the fans and not the brands that they claim to represent.
Check out the full 41-minute video interview below. The part when he speaks about the above comes at about the 18-minute mark.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7O_mVgzlmw&w=560&h=315]


Mobile Legend’s Moonton Files Infringement Lawsuit Against Tencent

In a move that’s probably going to turn heads, Mobile Legends creator Moonton (via ByteDance) is suing Tencent (via South China Morning Post).
Over what, exactly? Turns out that Moonton claims that Tencent is infringing its Mobile Legends: Bang Bang IP; a copyright infringement case if you will. The alleged violations include rights to authorship, reproduction, and communications related to the title.
Previously, Tencent alleged that Mobile Legends violated its League of Legends and Honor of Kings IP. In fact, Riot Games (owned by Tencent) accuses Moonton of infringing copyright from its mobile title League of Legends: Wild Rift in US court, but that case was unsuccessful. Both Tencent and ByteDance/Moonton have deep pockets, so this copyright infringement case may take a while before it’s resolved. To put things into perspective:

Moonton is worth US$4 billion following a purchase from ByteDance, who owns TikTok.
Tencent’s Honour of Kings/Arena of Valor has made US$1.99 billion in 2022 alone.

Rest assured, these copyright infringement lawsuits from both companies, who themselves have made games that are clearly inspired by Dota and League of Legends (except on mobile), aren’t going to go away anytime soon. The court case will start on 29 November via Shanghai Intellectual Property Court.


(Report) PlayStation 5 Dev Kit Exists; Now In Third-Party Developer Hands

The PlayStation 4 has been around for quite a while, so one wonders if there’s going to be a new console on the horizon. Well, number 5 is indeed alive.
PlayStation 5, at least in not so sexy developer kit form. According to the Twitter feed of game journalist Marcus Sellars (via Game Rant), received a tip-off that numerous third- party developers have received PS5 dev kits at the start of 2018.
And that’s it. No alleged pics, no other information, nada. However, Sony recently claimed a patent for a new kind of “timing-disrupting” backwards compatibility technology. Sounds like a PS5 feature for the future!

Keep in mind; this is the same journalist that leaked the Metroid Prime 4 news, where Bandai Namco Singapore and Nintendo will be working on the sequel.
Still, this is all speculation and rumours, so take this with a pinch of salt.


The First Borderlands 3 Paid DLC May  Take Place On A Familiar Map

After two months of free content, 2K Games and Gearbox will start making plans for their upcoming first-ever Borderlands 3 DLC, because that plan worked so well in Borderlands and Borderlands 2. Why fix it, right?
The team has revealed the first teaser trailer for the DLC, with its full reveal happeningÂ  on the Borderlands Show on 20th November on Twitch.tv.Â

"Ready to bring down the house, sugar?" Tune in for the reveal of #Borderlands3's first campaign DLC Wednesday, November 20 at 8am PT on https://t.co/qfFciTSVll!
Learn more: https://t.co/Zu8nwBJgYy pic.twitter.com/WDXEl5Thtj
— Borderlands (@Borderlands) November 14, 2019

The brief teaser shows off a familiar landmark in Borderlands 2: the city of Opportunity. You know, the one Handsome Jack created for non-bandits to stay in and experience his tyrannical rule? The one filled with tons of constructor and Hyperion commando spawns? That voice-over fromÂ  Moxxi is a dead giveaway that we may be retreading the path set in parts 2 and the Pre-Sequel.
I honestly don’t think the team is over Handsome Jack, given that his voice by Dameon Clarke/Murky Waters is not just in one of the more heart-breaking sidequests in Borderlands 3, but also on a Legendary SMG. Still, it’ll be interesting to see how the series’ most iconic villain will play a role in this DLC, given that he’s dead already.


Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Is A Great Sequel To A Classic; Here’s Why

Good video game sequels are hard to come by, at least in the past few generations. In films, you have a Godfather 2 to balance out the numerous Friday The 13th sequel churns that span more than a trilogy. In games, it’s arguably rare to find a sequel that completely trumps over its predecessor.
Back in the late 80s and 90s of 8-bit and 16-bit gaming though? That era was a goldmine for video game sequels that pushed the boundaries of quality and fun.
Granted, game developers didn’t really have much of a choice but to push forward with the new game IPs they started in the heyday. But compared to now? There wasn’t much restriction whatsoever to adhere to brand standards since they were being established and perfected anyway. The sky’s the limit, really. You don’t need me to tell you that Super Mario Bros. 2 (the Doki Doki Panic one) and Super Mario Bros. 3 made the first NES Super Mario entry arguably obsolete.
And then there was Sonic The Hedgehog 2, the magnified and “bigger, better, and more badass” sequel to the 1991 hit game for the Sega Megadrive/Genesis.
The Fastest Thing Alive

What was supposed to be a “hey f*** you” move from Sega to Nintendo to show how “sluggish” and “out of touch” Mario and his games were was beyond just theatrics, crafty marketing, and showmanship ala Saul Goodman. There was actually a great and well-made 2D platformer that combines craft level design and speed to the mix, and was only exclusive to one gaming platform only.
The first Sonic The Hedgehog game gives you a blue Sega mascot that had a unique survival mechanic at the time: you can’t die from enemy hits as long as you’re holding one ring, he also controlled different. Getting momentum and speeding forward while controlling where he’s going on a course that’s new to you is part of the fun and challenge of the best 2D Sonic games; something that got lost in translation post-Dreamcast Sonic Adventures era. Sonic The Hedgehog 2 just amped it up further, throwing in new and awesome levels, a rocking soundtrack and aesthetic that’s both old and new, and a sorely-needed new move to let players gain a boost of speed anywhere on the ground.
Sonic’s new Spin Dash move is not only a great way to speed up anywhere as long as you’re on terra firma, but it’s essential to get through the tougher parts of the game where you need to get out of moving obstacles and scrolling stages as soon as possible. It’s the most important tool that’s included in every Sonic game since. Yes, Sonic The Hedgehog 2 had Tails in the game as the main protag’s sidekick, but he was more an accessory than an actual character. He was more fleshed-out gameplay-wise in future titles, but in Sonic 2, it’s all about the main protag.
There’s just so much to love about Sonic 2 that everyone has already talked to death about it. There’s the way the first stage starts off, Emerald Hill zone, that’s similar to part 1’s Green Hill but bigger and expansive, and slightly tricky. There’s the second stage, the Chemical Plant Zone with the catchiest stage theme -among the many in Masato “Dream Come True” Nakamura’s magnificent Yamaha-synth compositions and soundtrack- and the game’s challenging layout. It’s also the stage that tells newbie players that mammals in the Sonic universe cannot breathe underwater for too long.

From the funky Casino Night Zone where you can gamble with your rings for 1-ups and such while dealing with pinball bumpers as stage hazards to the excruciating Metropolis Zone with its factory layout and deathtraps, the Sega Technical Institute alongside wunderkind programmer Yuji Naka (way, way before the Balan Wonderworld kerfuffle) and leads Masaharu Yoshii and Shinobu Toyoda went all-out with the laid-out foundations like as if it was their last days on Earth. Simply put, all the levels and design work in Sonic 2 are the best anyone has seen and are pretty much up there with the greats like the Super Mario Bros. 1-1 stage and whatever bit you liked in Half-Life 2 and Portal.
Are You Up 2 It?

So it isn’t surprising that Sonic The Hedgehog 2 was getting all the acclaim and limelight in 1992, given the fact that Sega spent about US$10 million in marketing and made the game’s pre-launch and eventual launch a celebration rather than a game release. It was unheard of at the time, but this sort of big launches are now part and parcel of the games industry these days. You can thank Sonic 2 for being textbook examples on how to launch a game on a massive and global scale.
I mean, the recently-out-in-US-and-Europe Sonic The Hedgehog 2 movie has a poster that’s tailored after the Sonic 2 USA box art, now with a Jim Carrey with a giant mustache and aviator goggles that’s channeling the Sonic Adventures Eggman.

Long story short, Sega’s Blue Blur pulls off a Godfather 2: being the best at what he’s good at in a sequel that blows the original out of the water from a gameplay standpoint. One can argue that Sonic The Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles is the better 2D sequel. But those games had a troubled development cycle of sorts and used to be one big game during production. Sonic The Hedgehog 2 was the complete package from the get-go. Sega got it right from just one sequel that more or less set the standard for 2D platformers that emphasized on speed and expansive scrolling levels with many, many layouts and stage gimmicks to keep the mind afresh.
Seriously, if you haven’t touched Sonic The Hedgehog 2, just do yourself a favour and play it right now or this weekend. It’s pretty much available everywhere, legally. You can start with the Sega Collection version on Steam if you need a heads up. It’s one of the few masterclass examples in making a sequel to a promising game, and would usually be on the top 3 of any Best Sonic Games Ranked listicle that everyone’s jumping on this month.


Street Fighter 6 Playable At This Year’s EGX Festival In The UK

Japan’s Tokyo Game Show 2022 isn’t the only place where Street Fighter 6 will be playable.
This year’s gaming expo in UK, EGX 2022, will feature a Capcom booth where Street Fighter 6 will be playable for the public. The booth will have 32 demo stations and will feature the following playable characters:

Ryu
Chun-Li
Jamie
Luke
Guile
Juri
Kimberly

If this is enough to justify you flying down to the UK and getting an expo ticket, you can buy yours here. The show will be on from 22nd September to 25th September BST. A Super Pass Ticket for 4 days will cost you RM388.


Gears Of War Is Getting A Movie & Animated Series Adaptations From Netflix

Netflix, in partnership with Gears Of War developer The Coalition, has announced plans to adapt the Gears Of War franchise into a live-action feature film, followed by an adult animated series, as well as more potential adaptations.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, no filmmakers or producers are currently attached to the multi-adaptations. No other details have been revealed. Gears Of War originally launched for Xbox 360 in 2006. The most recent instalment was 2019’s Gears 5 for the Xbox One and PC, as well as 2020’s Gears Tactics, which was a turn-based strategy spinoff game.

Gears of War was released 16 years ago today and to mark the occasion, Netflix has partnered with The Coalition to adapt the @GearsofWar video game saga into a live action feature film, followed by an adult animated series — with the potential for more stories to follow! pic.twitter.com/3zInFSnUu4
— Netflix (@netflix) November 7, 2022


[Rumour] New Post-Korra Avatar Series In The Works, Featuring An Earthbender Avatar

A new report from Avatar News has claimed that the next animated series in the Avatar universe featuring an Earthbender Avatar who succeeds Aang and Korra as the Avatar, is currently in the works at Avatar Studios and Paramount. It is said to be slated to premiere sometime in 2025.
The same report also claims that the series will take place around 100 years after Korra’s era and that it will be the Avatar world’s equivalent of present-day in the real world. If all this is true, it will release in the same year as the first animated Avatar feature film, which focuses on grown-up versions of Aang and his friends.
However, all of this should be taken with a grain of salt for now, since there are no official sources from either Nickelodeon or Paramount at the time of writing. The only confirmed Avatar series right now is the live-action adaptation in development at Netflix.
Avatar The Last Airbender originally aired for three seasons on Nickelodeon from February 2005 to July 2008. The sequel series Legend Of Korra aired for four seasons from April 2012 to December 2014. The upcoming Avatar Netflix series is completely independent of the new Avatar Studios deal and that the live-action series is still moving forward on the streaming platform. However, original creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko are no longer working on Netflix’s live-action adaptation.


Synced Is A Multiplayer Rogue-Looter Shooter Slated For This Summer

Publisher Level Infinite and developer Next Studios have set a date for its upcoming free-to-play multiplayer looter shooter title Synced.
In Synced, players will get to work together and fight off enemies in third-person shooter glory while also being able to summon “Nano Companions” that act as either your protector, buffer, or aggressor. The game will be out for PC (Steam) this summer, with PlayStation and Xbox console versions coming soon on a later date.
Key features & new launch date trailer are below. We had a go with Synced a few months ago; it didn’t leave much of an impression on us, though the Nano Companions do look cool. Maybe the full version of the game might change our minds.
Features

Weaponize Your Enemies – Bring something new to the fight with Nano companions. Synchronize the Nanos you defeat to control companion classes with different abilities and customizable modifiers to outsmart and outlast the competition.
Defeat Your Rivals – Team up in squads of three for fast-paced action across multiple game modes where you’ll need more than just shooting to survive. Use your environment, teammates and Nanos to deploy unique tactical combinations against roaming hoards and enemy teams.
Customize Your Combat – Discover and develop your Haven between matches. Make upgrades to weapons and gear to improve your survival skills and save other survivors to expand your skill set for your next battle.
Survive a Not-So-Distant Future – Immerse yourself in a story that grows with you. Progress through matches to meet more survivors and reveal new information. Unravel the wires that bind techno-optimism and corruption to the downfall of society as we know it.


E3 2023 Is Officially Cancelled

ReedPop and the Electronic Software Association (ESA) have announced that both the digital and physical events for E3 2023 have been officially cancelled.
The news comes after Nintendo, Ubisoft, Sega and Tencent’s Level Infinite all confirmed their absence from E3 2023.
They also issued the following statement, ReedPop Global VP of Gaming Kyle Marsden-Kish:
This was a difficult decision because of all the effort we and our partners put toward making this event happen, but we had to do what’s right for the industry and what’s right for E3. We appreciate and understand that interested companies wouldn’t have playable demos ready and that resourcing challenges made being at E3 this summer an obstacle they couldn’t overcome.
For those who did commit to E3 2023, we’re sorry we can’t put on the showcase you deserve and that you’ve come to expect from ReedPop’s event experiences.

News on #E32023 from the source. pic.twitter.com/BK7TUlb8mZ
— E3 (@E3) March 30, 2023

However, both ReedPop and the ESA have confirmed that they will continue to work together on “future E3 events”. This means that E3 2024 might still be a possibility.
E3 2023 was originally slated to take place from 13 June to 16 June 2023 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.


Vertigo’s Sandman Is Coming To Netflix

There are several comic books that many fans previously considered almost unfilmable. The list includes iconic properties like Alan Moore’s Watchmen, the full scale of many of DC Comics’ Crises and Neil Gaiman’s Sandman. It seems that no one told Netflix that, because they have officially ordered a TV series for the legendary Vertigo franchise.
Netflix describes the Sandman TV series as::

“A rich blend of modern myth and dark fantasy in which contemporary fiction, historical drama and legend are seamlessly interwoven,
The Sandman follows the people and places affected by Morpheus, the Dream King,
as he mends the cosmic–and human–mistakes he’s made during his vast existence.”

Sandman creator Neil Gaiman will act as an executive producer for the Netflix series, joined by the likes of Allan Heinberg and David S. Goyer. Not much is known about the Sandman Netflix series as of yet, but it is rumored to be the most expensive TV series in DC Comics adaptation history.
For those unfamiliar with the source material, the Sandman comics told the tale of Morpheus, AKA Dream, a powerful, near-immortal being who presided over the realm of Dreams as he attempted to correct mistakes heâ€™d made over the course of his existence. Along the way, he meets other immortal beings and interesting figures.

This is good news for fans of Sandman and the Vertigo imprint as a whole. After DC Comics announced that it will be shutting down Vertigo, many were alarmed that it would mean the death of popular Vertigo properties like Sandman.
DC Comics has since reassured that properties under the Vertigo imprint will continue to live on, despite under the new adult-oriented DC Black Label. Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for more details on the Netflix Sandman TV series in the future.
In the meantime, head on over here to check out our list of the top ten best comics from the Vertigo imprint as a way of celebrating decades-worth of brilliant mature content.


How Square Enix Can Fix That Possibly Misleading Final Fantasy VII Remake Box Art

A lot of people are on the fence on whether the latest Square Enix box art reveal for the Final Fantasy VII Remake is misleading, considering that the game will be the first part of many stories set in the game’s world of Gaia, starting with Midgar.
In other words, part of the original game’s first disc. We’re not accusing this remake of being light in content, but there’s more to FFVII than just Midgar.
We here at Kakuchopurei will present toÂ  you a quick solution:

Short of a few approvals from Square Enix’s higher-ups which will probably take 2-3 months and a font change, we think this small change is perfect in matching the plans of director Yoshinori Kitase. Which is basically him still figuring out how many parts the remake will be.
The first part of theÂ Final Fantasy VII Remake will be out 3rd March, 2020.


Grab 9 PS4 Games For Less Than 15 Dollars On Humble Bundle Now

Many gamers know of the value for your buck that Humble Bundle offers usually are. This time, PS4 owners will be happy to learn that new Humble Indie PlayStation Bundle 2019 is currently offering 9 indie games from multiple developers/publishers for just USD $15.
Paying at least USD $1 or more will net you three games: Grim Fandango Remastered, The Bard’s Tale, and InnerSpace. Paying more than USD $9.78 will add Layers of Fear, Wasteland 2: Director’s Cut Standard Edition, The Talos Principle, and Broken Age.
Meanwhile, paying at least USD $15 or more will include all that plus two additional games: Killing Floor 2 and Shadow Warrior 2. Besides that, the soundtracks for Grim Fandango Remastered, InnerSpace, Layers of Fear, and Broken Age can also be obtained by paying a just bit more (add $1 each for the former two and $9.79 for the latter two).
However, keep in mind that the Humble Indie PlayStation Bundle 2019 is only eligible for PSN accounts registered with Sony Interactive Entertainment America (SIEA). That includes the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, El Salvador, Paraguay, Honduras, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Nicaragua.
Approximately two weeks remain for PS4 owners to grab this latest Humble Bundle. Don’t forget that the best part about buying games on Humble Bundle is that you can allocate how much of the payment amount goes to the developers/publishers and charity.
So help yourself to these games while helping those in need by heading to this link for the Humble Indie PlayStation Bundle 2019.


Red Dead Online Adds New Grizzly Bear Hunter Legendary Bounty & More In New Update

The latest Red Dead Online update is here, bringing a bunch of new content for you budding cowboys and outlaws out there, especially now that the game has been available for the PC since 5 November 2019.
Legendary Bounty: “Yukon” Nikoli Borodin

The biggest addition is a new Legendary Bounty named “Yukon” Nikoli Borodin, a Russian-born trapper and hunter with several outstanding warrants from his time spent in the territory of Alaska.
He is currently being sought out for the known murders of several men, as well as the disappearance of a U.S. marshal sent to bring him in to justice. And oh, be prepared to face the wild grizzlies that Borodin holds captive. Borodin and his entourage were last seen in the area south of Strawberry, near Fort Riggs.
In addition to cash money reward, players who turn in this week’s Legendary Bounty will also receive 3 Special Snake Oil and 10 Big Game Meat within 24 hours of completion.
New Clothing & Weekly Collection

Players can look forward to the Chumley Flat Cap, Salcedo Shirt, Crutchfield Suspenders, a dapper pair of Dress Shoes and tints of the Cardenas Poncho, as well as new tints of the Bandana and Trimmed Bandana. Ladies can also purchase the Ballard Jacket, Aguirre Boots and Goodale Shirtwaist while the men can pick up the dapper Fulbright Coat.
Completing the Bowman’s Collection by returning the Flint Arrowhead, Raw Arrowhead and Agate Arrowhead to Madam Nazar (or mail it via the nearest Post Office) will earn players a pretty hefty sum as a reward.
Bonuses

There is currently a 50 percent bonus on Goods delivery using Small or Medium wagons and discounts that take 25 percent off Trading & Hunter Wagons, as well as a 50 percent discount on Trader Resupply orders. All players can also decorate their campsites with 40 percent off everything sold by Wilderness Outfitters.
PlayStation Plus members who play Red Dead Online before 25 November 2019 will receive the Page of Pentacles, Knight of Pentacles, Queen of Pentacles and King of Pentacles Tarot Cards, free of charge.
Red Dead Online players who connected their Social Club account with Twitch Prime can still claim the Bounty Hunter License for free, including an additional 10 percent off the discounts listed above.
In the meantime, check outÂ our review ofÂ Red Dead Redemption 2Â here.


Dragon Quest Monsters The Dark Prince Drops On Switch This December

During Nintendo Direct June 2023, Square Enix announced that Dragon Quest Monsters The Dark Prince will launch for the Nintendo Switch on 1 December 2023.
Dragon Quest Monsters The Dark Prince follows Psaro and his companion Rose as they travel through the demon realm of Nadiria. Players will explore and scout monsters onto their team, freely combine raised monsters to create more powerful allies and take on enemies with their powerful team.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince features Psaro, the demon prince, whose curse prevents him from harming monsters. As a result, he must become a Monster Wrangler, recruiting, and fighting alongside monsters throughout the various environments of the fantastical world of Nadiria. Over the course of this adventure, the seasons will regularly cycle through Spring, Summer, Winter, and Fall, which not only changes the landscape but also opens new areas and players will encounter different monsters specific to that season.
One of the most powerful tools in the player arsenal is the newly evolved synthesis system which allows players to create completely new monsters by combining those already on their roster. Players can experiment and eventually unlock over 500 monsters, including franchise favourites, dark lords, and completely new creatures. Once players have assembled their dream roster, they can take their teams of powerful monsters online, to battle against other Monster Wranglers around the world.
Check out the trailer below:


The Outer Worlds’ First Patch Solves Some Major Problems

As we approach the beginning of a new year, gamers all around the world including myself keep hoping that more accessibility options such as colourblind mode and text size adjustment will be added into more games. Thankfully, The Outer Worlds is improving on that front.
Imagine reading all that while sitting on a sofa 5 ft away from your TV.
Obsidian Entertainment has just released the first patch for The Outer Worlds. Patch 1.1.1.0 is available to download right now and it will fix a number of things including addressing some of the most common issues being faced by players on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
One of the biggest issues I had with The Outer Worlds was the game consistently crashing every few minutes on Tartarus. For those of you have been suffering the same crashes but only at a specific point on the planet, it seems that this patch will fix that problem. I’m hoping it solves my issue as well.
Another major complaint I had about the game was the awfully small text size that couldn’t be scaled. Thank the Architect, they finally put in the option to increase text size! The option will enlarge the font for conversation text, cinematic subtitles, bark subtitles, and terminal text. I can finally stop playing the game so close to my screen.
Here are other Patch 1.1.1.0 notes:
Audio

Players will no longer experience muffled sounds when playing on the PlayStation 4.

Design:

The Prismatic Hammer has been rebalanced and no longer incorrectly uses the level multiplier as an exponent instead of a multiplier and will no longer do 10s of thousands of points of damage at a higher level. Now deals the damage it should have been dealing all along.

Quests

Existing Botched companion quests will have their status reset to Active allowing the player to add them to a party when leaving the ship in order to un-botch the quests, unless the death occurred prior to unlocking the companion quest.
Fix for “Radio Free Monarch” where issues would happen when talking to Nyoka while having SAM in your party.

General:

Foliage on the Xbox One now has parity with the foliage on PlayStation 4.
The achievement/trophy for “It’s Not the Best Choice” will pop correctly.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to quickly jump back into the game and finally finish Tartarus because I’ve stopped playing ever since the game kept crashing on me there. To check out the patch notes on the official Obsidian blog, click here.