Daft Punk, The Geniuses Behind Tron: Legacy & Interstellar 5555’s Music, Break Up

It’s a sad day for music fans, electronica aficionados, and anime/sci-fi viewers everywhere.
Daft Punk, the most influential electronica group and one of the many noteworthy French exports next to wine, cheese, Zinedine Zidane, and Asterix, has broken up after 28 long years of making awesome music. According to the group’s publicist Kathryn Frazier, the long-time music duo consisting of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo who always have their DJ helmets has released a video titled “Epilogue” to announce their retirement.

No further information has been shared on why they broke up, nor was there any information on whether the duo will perform outside of their Daft Punk outfit. This is rather sad news, considering Daft Punk’s music that’s full of synths and catchy-as-hell funk has always been on my mind since that Leiji Matsumoto classic Interstellar 5555.

While I did enjoy the group’s album Homework, it wasn’t until Discovery (the basis of Interstellar 5555) where I was a fan for life. The fact that they also elevated Tron: Legacy with their soundtrack is proof that the group is influential to many artists and touched many pop culture fans’ hearts.

Thank you, Daft Punk. We’ll never forget your amazing contributions to music in general.


Gory FPS Robocop Rogue City Delayed To September 2023

During Nacon Connect 2023, Nacon and Teyon announced that Robocop Rogue City has been delayed from its previous June 2023 release window and will now launch for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC in September 2023.
However, the Nintendo Switch version will now launch at a later unspecified date.
Become the iconic part man, part machine, all cop hero as you attempt to bring justice to the dangerous, crime-ridden streets of Old Detroit. Armed with your trusty Auto-9, factory-built strength, years of experience on the force and a variety of tools at your disposal, you will fight forces seeking to destroy the city you call home in an all-new first-person, explosive hunt for the truth. You have the power to decide how to fulfil prime directives in your own way, but as the story unfolds proceed with caution because corruption and greed know no limits.
The triumphant return of RoboCop wouldn’t feel right without the man who brought so much life into the role, and Nacon has confirmed that Peter Weller (who played Alex Murphy AKA Robocop in the original movies) will be performing voiceover work on the game.
Check out the trailer below:


Respawn Explains The Reasoning Behind Weaksauce Finishers In Apex Legends

One of the few small but appreciable details in Apex Legends is how each Legends has their own unique Finishers that fit their personalities and playstyles. Ever since the game’s release, fans have always been suggesting and even sometimes animating their own Finishers. Some have been praised by the game’s developers but simultaneously panned down.
I animated a Caustic finisher I call: BEAKER BREAKER from r/apexlegends
Reddit user Vaarnex recently posted a Caustic Finisher that he animated himself called “BREAKER BREAKER”. It shows the noxious nihilist breaking a glass breaker on an opponent’s face and then using the broken breaker to stab them in the neck. Respawn developer under the username lowkeydbjosh said it looked “pretty cool” but also said that it would be too much for the game.

In his short comment, the developer states that the animation simply wouldn’t make it into the game because it’s “not Teen-rated”, alluding to the game’s ESRB rating.

Lowkeydbjosh’s explanation is perfectly reasonable. However, those of you who have played the game surely will have noticed that it already contains a few Finishers that definitely feel like they don’t belong in a game rated for Teens.
Just look at one of Pathfinder’s Finishers where he clearly destroys an opponent’s neck with his grapple hook. The high-five that follows definitely doesn’t make it any less brutal.
Thanks, Dexerto.


John Wick Director Is In The Works Of Rainbow Six Movie Starring Michael B. Jordan

John Wick director, Chad Stahelski is set to direct Rainbow Six, a live-action adaptation of Tom Clancy’s 1998 novel that inspired the video games of the same name, featuring Michael B. Jordan in its live adaptation.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jordan will reprise his role as Navy SEAL and CIA operative John Clark, who appears in numerous Tom Clancy novels, first in the Jack Ryan series, then in his own spinoffs such as Without Remorse and Rainbow Six.
Alongside Stahelski, includes Jason Spitz and Alex Young to overlook the whole project. No plot details have been revealed as it’s still in the early days.

In Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six novel, the Rainbow team uncovers a global terror plot, while a shooter video game — released in 1998 by developer Red Storm Entertainment — lets players control Rainbow team members on painstakingly planned, highly tactical missions. The tactical game received an 85% score on Metacritic, with many praising it as being one of the best and original game of the late 90s.
Rainbow Six adds to Stahelski’s crowded directorial slate, including a possible remake of Highlander starring Henry Cavill, Playstation’s Ghost of Tsushima, and John Wick: Chapter 4, set to premiere in theatres, in March 2023.


Hideo Kojima Was Stopped By US Customs For Death Stranding Prop

That Death Stranding BB pod, the one that’s cyber jar with a baby in it that’s a source of power in the world, is one strange-looking mother. So much so that if you were to carry it around, authority figures unfamiliar with the ramblings of Hideo Kojima have every right to bring you into questioning.
And that’s what happened to Hideo Kojima on his way to San Diego Comicon 2019 last week. According to a Gamerant report, he was stopped at the airport when flying to the US for the expo by customs, who were naturally curious about the BB pod replica in his bag. It may be plastic, but it’s a replica of a cyber jar containing a replica baby inside. Kojima had to explain what the heck it is to people doing their jobs.
Luckily, they gave him a pass. Otherwise, we won’t be seeing this tweet courtesy of Kalai:

He brought the baby from #DeathStranding and was stopped at customs wondering what he was trying to bring into America. #HideoKojima pic.twitter.com/zFM1eLPxye
— Kalai Chik (@kalai_chik) July 21, 2019

Videogames! Death Stranding will be out 8th November.


The Tokyo Olympics 2020 Opening Ceremony Is Playing Video Game Tunes [Update]

Update: added in videos of the opening ceremony with the orchestra music playing in the background.
How far have we come when it comes to video game tunes, eh?
To celebrate Japan’s culture and heritage during the Tokyo Olympics 2020 Opening Ceremony, the orchestra in charge will play classic and iconic video game tunes as the teams from all over the world come down.
Songs include classic themes from Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Chrono Trigger, and Monster Hunter, among many, many classic franchises. As someone who makes SoundScape video game music features, this brings a tear to my eye.
The tracklist is below (via Nikkan Sports):
â—† Dragon Quest – “Intro”
â—† Final Fantasy – “Victory Fanfare”
â—† Tales of Series – “Sorey’s Theme: The Sheperd”
â—† Monster Hunter – “Proof of Hero”
â—† Kingdom Hearts – “Olympus Coliseum”
â—† Chrono Trigger – “Frog Theme”
â—† Ace Combat – “First Flight”
â—† Tales of Series – “Royal Capital-Dignified”
â—† Monster Hunter – “Wind of Departure”
â—† Chrono Trigger – “Robo’s Theme”
â—† Sonic the Hedgehog – “Star Light Zone”
â—† Winning Eleven (Pro Evolution Soccer) – “eFootball walk-on theme”
â—† Final Fantasy – “MAIN THEME”
â—† Phantasy Star Universe – “Guardians”
â—† Kingdom Hearts “Hero’s Fanfare”
â—† Gradius (Nemesis) – “01 ACT 1-1”
â—† NieR – “Song of the Ancients ~ Fate ”
â—† SaGa Series – “The Minstrel’s Refrain: SaGa Series 2016 Medley”
â—† Soul Calibur -“The Brave New Stage of History”
Check it out in action below in video form.


Morbius’ Jared Leto Talks About The Living Vampire In New Vignette

Sony Pictures Malaysia has released a new Morbius vignette featuring Jared Leto talking about his character, the titular Marvel’s Living Vampire.
One of Marvel’s most compelling and conflicted characters comes to the big screen as Oscar winner Jared Leto transforms into the enigmatic antihero Michael Morbius. Dangerously ill with a rare blood disorder and determined to save others suffering his same fate, Dr. Morbius attempts a desperate gamble. While at first it seems to be a radical success, a darkness inside him is unleashed. Will good override evil – or will Morbius succumb to his mysterious new urges?
Directed by Daniel Espinosa. Screen story and screenplay by Matt Sazama & Burk Sharpless. Based on the Marvel Comics. Produced by Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach and Lucas Foster. Executive Producers are Jared Leto, Louise Rosner and Emma Ludbrook. The film stars Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Al Madrigal and Tyrese Gibson.
Morbius is slated to release in Malaysian cinemas on 31 March 2022. In the meantime, head on over here for an introduction to Morbius before you catch him on the big screen.


You’ll Never Believe Where Xbox’s Fastest Growing Market Is

No, it’s not the U.S. and it’s perhaps the last place that everyone thought it would be. Xbox’s fastest-growing market has been revealed to be none other than Japan, which is the home country of their rivals; Sony PlayStation and Nintendo.
Talking toÂ IGN Japan, Xboxâ€™s Asia head Jeremy Hinton said:
â€œJapan is our fastest-growing market worldwide.
We’ve seen phenomenal growth within this last twelve months in Japan.
And that’s new people coming into our ecosystem, that’s people signing up for Game Pass, that’s people buying accessories or games on PC.
So we’re seeing really phenomenal growth coming out of Japan to be top of that list for us.â€
What’s interesting is that a high percentage of this growth can be attributed to Japanese players who have never owned an Xbox before.
Hinton added:
â€œThere is no doubt that the demand is absolutely growing in Japan, and I see that in the data that I can see, we have a really high percentage of consoles being bought by people who have never owned Xbox consoles in the past.
And the next segment of consumers buying consoles are upgrading from Xbox 360, which was quite a successful generation for us in Japan.
So we’re seeing strong leading indicators in terms of us reaching new people.
Demand is certainly higher, we see stock sell out within minutes.â€
The most popular Xbox console in Japan is the cheaper and less powerful Xbox Series S.
Hinton continued:
â€œI think that we are seeing stronger demand for the Series S in Japan.
I’ve certainly seen a lot of people sharing their new console purchases on Twitter talking about how cute and small and appealing that is for a lot of people.
So we’re definitely seeing stronger demand for that.â€
Japanese gamers aren’t the only ones embracing the Xbox brand. There have also been increased interest from Japanese developers.
Hinton added:
â€œWe’ve got more Japanese-developed content in our ecosystem now than we’ve had at any point within our history.
I think we have more development kits with independent developers in Japan than we’ve ever had in our history before, and there’s a lot of talent and a growing independent scene in Japan.”
As a result, Xbox is making Japan one of the priority regions for Microsoftâ€™s first-party localisation.
Hinton said:
â€œMicrosoft Games Studios’ first-party commitment is full localization for an important market like Japan.
That’s our commitment moving forward, and that is a change from what we’ve done historically, where it’s been made on an individual title-by-title basis.
But we recognise for people to feel like a community and for us to grow into new places, we want to ensure a level of commitment and understanding.â€
Xbox recently had a great presentation during E3 2021 alongside Bethesda, revealing games like Forza Horizon 5, Starfield, The Outer Worlds 2, and more. Check out all the games that they announced by heading over here.


Kakuchopurei’s Best Of 2019: Astral Chain

After releasing stellar action titles like Bayonetta, Vanquish, and Nier: Automata, how else can PlatinumGames top themselves?
Simple: just add a JoJo Stand; as an additional character to mix up your attacks, put your game in a sci-fi police setting, and keep in a Nintendo Switch exclusive. Quirky and charming characters, oddities like toilet paper collectibles, a pretty rough learning curve designed to make you multitask your fights while also switching between your titular chained Legion: this is PlatinumGames at its finest.
It’s really just a thrill to do a bunch of combos, tweak up your Legion so that you can switch between Sword and Arm mid-battle, dodge oncoming fire using your Beast Legion, and going through your police arsenal; all just to get that coveted S+ ranking for profit and bragging rights.

Unlike one of our top 30 games on the list, the devs are merciful enough to put in a hand-holding Easy mode for players who just want to breeze through the game and its anime cop story. You are given the choice to just go straight to Platinum Standard mode, finish the game, and attempt a Hard run for the ultimate beatdown aimed directly at you. All in all, it is cool to give player choice for their Switch action game experience.

This year has been blessed with a ton of action games, with Astral Chain capping it off with its blend of adventuring and ass-kickery using two characters at once. It’s the best new IP from Nintendo since the Splatoon series that prioritizes gameplay and challenge over everything else.


Earth Defense Force 6 Invades Stores This 25 August In Japan

Publisher D3 Publisher and developer Sandlot announced that the sixth mothership Earth Defense Force game will be out later in 2022, but in Japan first.
EDF6 will be out this 25 August for PS4 and PS5 consoles. The digital version of the third-person shooter sci-fi cheesefest will feature the full game, Season Pass, and other bonuses. First print copies of the game will include decoys of Hololive YouTubers Ookami Mio, Shirakami Fubuki, and Nakiri Ayame.

Check out the full trailer below. It tells you all you need to know about the game: shoot bugs and monsters bigger than you, third-person action, co-op, plethora of classes with different playstyles. Easy to pick up and appreciate if you want big dumb action games, though the US$80-ish price point is suspect. No English version of the game has been announced at this point in time.


Up To Apex Legends Season 12 Being Tested, Confirms Respawn

Apex Legends is currently in Season 5: Fortune’s Favor, and it looks like developer Respawn Entertainment aren’t resting on their laurels. They have revealed that up to Season 12 of the battle royale game are already being tested, for content planned until at least 2022.
According to Respawn Entertainment developers Chad Grenier and Jason McCord (via Dexerto), several map changes and even a new arena could be coming to Apex Legends in the next few years, though they can’t reveal any details yet.
Grenier said:

â€œWe always have a ton of exciting stuff in the works.
We do internal playtests every day.
Weâ€™re testing new legends, map changes, and content all the way up to and including Season 12 right now.
Thereâ€™s a lot of really cool stuff in the works.â€

Besides that, they also revealed that the developer will be focusing on expanding the lore of the game even more in upcoming seasons, as they keep improving.
Grenier continued:

“For seasons one through three, we were writing new stories and content really close to the end [of the patch being shipped], right before they launched.
In seasons four and five, players started to see that we had a little more time to plan out something. Now weâ€™re just getting better at it.”

There you have it, folks. Apex Legends fans must be ecstatic to learn that they’ll be receiving new content for a while to come. With all the new battle royale games like Valorant and Hyper Scape flooding the scene, Apex Legends already has a head-start on planned future content.


Sonic Frontiers Big DLC Is Coming Out This Week

Sega has announced that its first major Sonic Frontiers DLC will be out later this week.
The DLC, called Sights, Sounds, and Speed Update will be spin-dashing its way to PC and consoles this 23 March.
“With newly added features and modes, it’s time to experience the Sights, Sounds, and Speed of the Starfall Islands.”
The DLC will contain a Photo mode, a Jukebox, and new Challenge modes. The latter is basically a Battle Rush mode where players face off against multiple bosses, alongside a Cyber Space Challenge time attack mode.
How About The Subsequent DLCs?
The second free DLC update will be focused on Sonic’s Birthday, along with an Open Zone Challenge mode and new Koco characters. The third free DLC will include new playable characters and new story content.
For more on Sonic Frontiers, check out our review.


Godzilla & Monster Pals To Show Up In Upcoming Magic: The Gathering Expansion

While we wait for the Godzilla vs King Kong showdown to hit theatres, there’s another crossover involving the iconic Toho monster that fans can experience soon. At least in card form.
The upcoming Magic: The Gathering expansion, Ikoria: Lair of the Monsters, is set on the world of Ikoria, where massive creatures reside. Humans either hide behind walls in fear of them, or think the beasts are misunderstood.

While I wouldn’t immediately think Godzilla when I think of giant creatures, the team at Wizards of the Coast had a spark of creativity.Â “When the team started work on this world, we set out to create our own take on the giant monster genre–what would Godzilla-sized action look like through the Magic lens?” Mark Heggen, Product Architect for Magic The Gathering, told GameSpot. “Then one day the team at Wizards of the Coast who oversees our Japanese business came to us with a pitch: let’s find a way to put the actual Godzilla in the set.”
“It sounded amazing, but at first, we just didn’t think it could be pulled off, to be totally honest,” he added. “But the Japanese team got on a plane, flew out to Tokyo to introduce themselves to the Toho Company, and before long, we’d forged this great relationship with the absolute legends of giant monster action.”
The Toho monsters will be featured as alternate art for Legendary Creatures rather than as canonical additions, however. As an example, the Snapdex, Apex of the Hunt card has another version that depicts the kaiju King Caesar.

The Ikoria: Lair of the Monsters page also teases new Planeswalker cards, Mothra, and a new mechanic called Mutate. It “allows you to combine multiple creatures into one supersized smashing machine,” Higgens said.
The Illuna, Apex of the Wishes card states that when its mutate spell is cast, it can be placed above or under a non-Human creature owned by the player. They then mutate into the creature on top “plus all abilities from under it”. Essentially it becomes one giant-as-heck ability-filled monster that will make Timmy players dance with glee.
Creatures also unleash abilities when they mutate, with Illuna causing players to exile cards from their library’s top until they get a nonland permanent, which can be placed on the battlefield or into the player’s hand. Meanwhile Snapdex/King Caesar does four damage to an enemy creature or planeswalker and provides the owner with four life when it mutates. No doubt, there will be room for creative and devastating player combos.
The expansion will be out on MTG: Arena on 16 April, while the physical version will launch in Malaysia on 15 May.


Here Are The Best Fighting Game Moments Of Final Round 2018

Last weekend was quite a doozy for fighting game fans since it was a Final Round 2018 tournament extravaganza from March 16 to 18 (US time).
Basically, it’s a big-ass fighting game tournament taking place in Atlanta, Georgia of the USA, and highlights the start of the Capcom Pro Tour for Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition. The tournament is also premiering the Tekken World Tour 2018, as well as some other fighting games like our current favourite Dragon Ball FighterZ.
It also features notable FGC competitors like last year’s EVO champ Tokido, last year’s Capcom Pro Tour champ MenaRD, best grappler Itabashi Zangief, and Final Round 2017 SFV champion Xian (from down south).
Naturally, the Southeast Asian FGC (Malaysia, our Southern neighbours, etc.) are hyped to watch this live and streaming. God bless the internet age so that we don’t have to shell out for expensive flight tickets to Atlanta. I mean, the heck is there to do there apart from legalized gambling?
For those who aren’t lucky to catch it on time due to weekend obligations, fret not: we have the highlights and scoop from last week (via Eventhubs)
Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2nd Whatever Has New Underdog Champion…
…and his name is LostSoul. The grand finals pit Kazunoko’s Raven (also a Street Fighter veteran) against LostSoul’s Elphelt. The former is a close-ranged mixup character while the other favours zoning attacks. Naturally, this may not end well for LostSoul, yet somehow he persevered by resetting the bracket and making logical trades.
He also upped his game and closed the distance with some of Elphelt’s limited-but-still-doable mid-ranged options, surprising even the veteran player. Check out the highlights below; you may learn a thing or two if you’re an Elphelt player.
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=BusyConsiderateSpiderKappaPride&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=AltruisticBraveNeanderthalDBstyle&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
Dragon Ball FighterZ Tourney Goes Well As You’d Expect…
…since the top two players were eventually going to be SonicFox and Go1. Both players have displayed insane tournament level 3v3 play since the game’s launch last January, so we weren’t that shocked. Still, Go1 secured the win and 1st place in a very close set filled with crazy assist corner pressure, unblockable Hit low attack mixups that no mere mortal could predict, and Adult Gohan power up-to-extended-combos moments.

Props to SonicFox for landing Android 16’s Self Destruct instant-kill Super in a tournament setting:
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=OddTolerantVultureTooSpicy&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
Ditto Tekken 7
The only question one asks about any major league Tekken 7 tournament is: which Korean will end up on top? Will it be Knee, JDCR, or Saint? Last year we had guys like Qudans (former Tekken champ who came out of retirement).Â  Fortunately for those who like taking safe bets, Knee ends up in first place, followed by JDCR and Saint in second and third place respectively.
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=SassyAnimatedPangolinSoonerLater&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=SweetCogentNigiriItsBoshyTime&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
Not-So-Little Nemo
Something tells me that whatever nerfs that Urien is getting in this version of SFV isn’t doing squat to Nemo’s playstyle. Then again, he’s one of the top SFV players in Japan, which is already a league of its own when compared to the rest of the world. Here are some highlights:

With a dominating performance, @GOOD_NEMO moves on in the winners bracket after a 3-0 win against @NeonVerte. Next up: @NuckleDuDang vs @fujimura333! https://t.co/oDPr5WYFLm #fr2018 #CPT2018 pic.twitter.com/7KEOIESrXr
— Capcom Fighters (@CapcomFighters) March 19, 2018

https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=LazySmoothConsoleTheRinger&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=BlindingHelpfulBisonChocolateRain&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=GenerousTransparentGaurAMPTropPunch&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
Infiltration Wins Final Round 2018 In Street Fighter V
Infiltration’s Menat was a sight to behold, with her zoning and mid-range game being the barrier for most of the top tier players in the finals. He’s rather handy with Menat’s balls.
Even last year’s EVO champion tried his best, but to no avail thanks to Infiltration’s magic balls going all over and exploding in Tokido’s face, to the point where he had to turtle it out. Even when Tokido had a counter, Infiltration’s tiny balls were still messing up his game plan.
Not for lack of trying mind you, it’s just that Infiltration’s distance-gauging of Menat’s HP attack, crouching HK, and Critical Art is on point. His ball-busting plays were too much for Tokido, which left him blue and in second place.
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=PricklyFlaccidKuduTBTacoLeft&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=HonestYawningWaterSMOrc&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed

Congratulations, Infiltration. And yeah, you look better with the Menat hoodie. We can’t wait to see the onslaught of Menat/Juri players popping up in SFV soon.

Left, right.Or both? pic.twitter.com/JiM0JMUYms
— INFILTRATION (@INFILTRATION85) March 19, 2018


Here Is Your Winner Of The Classic Tetris World Championship 2019 Singapore Qualifiers

Boom! Tetris for Paul.
After a gruelling set of semi-finals and grand final matches featuring Classic Tetris on the NES (ie not the one from Tengen), we finally have our Singapore representative for the upcoming Classic Tetris World Championship 2019: Paul Yeo.

(image via Class Tetris World Championship FB page)
He had to defeat Gerald Tan, a puzzle game aficionado in Singapore retro game community Retro DNA, in a best of 5 battle starting at level 15. While previous fights pit players at level 9, which is already blazing fast for casual Tetris fans, the grand finals gets the special distinction of upping the ante. But with falling blocks and randomized drops instead of cards.
Paul was in the lead (13:29 on the video below via retro rider), but Gerald managed to catch up to make the fight 2-2 thanks to his on-the-fly adapting of the board speed and board-clearing.

In the end, there can only be one guy who gets to fly down to Portland, Oregon, for the main CTWC 2019 tournament, and that person is Paul. Gerald couldn’t keep up as his board was at Level 21 during the 33:00 mark. The RnG Tetris gods; they be cruel. Still, congratulations to Paul; hope you get your venue plans sorted since the CTWC organizers stated that it’s only covering the round trip ticket to the US of A.
Special props should also go to finalist Mingshin for almost topping Paul’s score during the semifinals at 23:58 below in the tournament’s more intense moments.

The retro-gaming showcase wasn’t just about Tetris; hosts James Cooke University Singapore and game development professor Roberto Dillon also had a mini retro console museum on display at the university’s library. Scroll below for more pictures, including our very own Mr Toffee who ended up commentating esports Tetris for the very first time.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kakuchopurei (@kakuchopurei)


NieR Automata Ver 1.1a Anime Teaser Showcases Pascal

Square Enix and Platinum Games have unveiled a new teaser for the upcoming NieR Automata Ver 1.1a  anime adaptation of JRPG NieR Automata. Aoi Yuki will voice Pascal.

The anime will premiere in January 2023, and stars:

Yui Ishikawa as 2B
Natsuki Hanae as 9S
Hiroki Yasumoto as Pod 042
Kaoru Akiyama as Pod 153
Chiaki Kanou as Commander
Keiko Isobe as Operator 60
Meari Hatsumi as Operator 210

Ryouji Masuyama (Blend S, Hello WeGo!) is directing the anime at A-1 Pictures, and Masuyama is also in charge of series composition alongside the original game’s Yok? Tar?. Jun Nakai is designing the characters and serving as chief animation director. MONACA is composing the music.
The official synopsis reads:
NieR:Automata tells the story of androids 2B, 9S and A2 and their battle to reclaim the machine-driven dystopia overrun by powerful machines.
Humanity has been driven from the Earth by mechanical beings from another world. In a final effort to take back the planet, the human resistance sends a force of android soldiers to destroy the invaders. Now, a war between machines and androids rages on… A war that could soon unveil a long-forgotten truth of the world.
The NieR Automata game originally launched for the PS4 in Japan in February 2017, followed by North America and Europe in March 2017, as well as PC via Steam in March 2017, Xbox One in June 2018, and Nintendo Switch in October 2022. The game has sold more than six million units worldwide.


[Updated] VCT 2023: Masters Tokyo – Teams, Schedule, & Results

Get ready for the ultimate showdown in VALORANT esports as VCT Masters Tokyo kicks off! This thrilling cross-region tournament brings together twelve top teams from around the world in the heart of Japan’s electric capital. With explosive gameplay and high stakes, this event is set to leave a lasting mark in the esports scene. From calculated strategies to jaw-dropping plays, immerse yourself in the action through live streams and witness history in the making. Brace yourself for intense battles, unexpected twists, and unforgettable moments as VALORANT ‘s finest go head-to-head. Get hyped and join us on this epic journey at VCT Masters Tokyo!
NOTE: All Times & Dates will be in (UTC+8)

Details

				TIPSTAR DOME CHIBA

				Makuhari Messe

Date: 11 June – 25 June (UTC+8)
Venues:

TIPSTAR DOME CHIBA, 4 Chome-1-1 Benten, Chuo Ward, Chiba, 260-0045, Japan

Makuhari Messe, 2 Chome-1 Nakase, Mihama Ward, Chiba, 261-0023, Japan

Format

Group Stage: 11–14 June

Two double-elimination format (GSL) groups

8 Low Seed teams
Each group has 4 teams
All matches are Best of 3

Top 2 teams from each group advance to the Playoffs

Playoffs: 16–25 June

Double-Elimination bracket
8 teams, 4 High Seeds and 4 Qualified teams
All matches (excl. Lower Bracket Final and Grand Final) are Best of 3
Lower Final and Grand Final are Best of 5

Final Results

Place
$ USD
Participant

1st
$350,000
Fnatic

2nd
$200,000
Evil Geniuses

3rd
$125,000
Paper Rex

4th
$75,000
NRG

5th-6th

$50,000

Team Liquid

EDward Gaming

7th-8th

$35,000

DRX

LOUD

9th-10th

$25,000

T1

FUT Esports

11th-12th

$15,000

Natus Vincere

Attacking Soul Esports

Teams
Top-Seeded

Team Liquid
Fnatic
LOUD
Paper Rex

Group Stage Teams

FUT Esports
Natus Vincere
NRG
Evil Geniuses
DRX
T1
Attacking Soul Esports
EDward Gaming

GROUP STAGE RESULTS

Group A

1
NRG
2-0
75-59
+16

2
EDward Gaming
2-1
92-71
+21

3
T1
1-2
75-98
-23

4
Natus Vincere
0-2
55-69
-14

Group B

1
Evil Geniuses
2-0
53-31
+22

2
DRX
2-1
75-68
+7

3
FUT Esports
1-2
76-86
-10

4
Attacking Soul Esports
0-2
41-60
-19

Matches
Group Stage
11 June

11:10 AM (UTC+8) – FUT Esports [0] vs [2] Evil Geniuses (Group B)
1:55 PM (UTC+8) – DRX [2] vs [0] Attacking Soul Esports (Group B)
4:20 PM (UTC+8) – EDward Gaming [1] vs [2] T1 (Group A)
12 June

11:10 AM (UTC+8) – NRG [2] vs [1] Natus Vincere (Group A)
2:45 PM (UTC+8) – Evil Geniuses [2] vs [0] DRX (Group B)
13 June

11:05 AM (UTC+8) – T1 [1] vs [2] NRG (Group A)
2:50 PM (UTC+8) – FUT Esports [2] vs [1] Attacking Soul Esports (Group B)
6:00 PM (UTC+8) – EDward Gaming [2] vs [0] Natus Vincere (Group A)
14 June

11:10 AM (UTC+8) – DRX [2] vs [1] FUT Esports (Group B)
2:20 PM (UTC+8) – T1 [0] vs [2] EDward Gaming (Group A)
Playoffs
16 June

11:10 AM (UTC+8) – LOUD [0] vs [2] Evil Geniuses (Upper Bracket Quarterfinals)
1:35 PM (UTC+8) – Team Liquid [2] vs [1] EDward Gaming (Upper Bracket Quarterfinals)
17 June

11:10 AM (UTC+8) – Fnatic [2] vs [0] NRG (Upper Bracket Quarterfinal)
1:40 PM (UTC+8) – Paper Rex [2] vs [0] DRX (Upper Bracket Quarterfinal)
18 June

11:10 AM (UTC+8) – EDward Gaming [2] vs [0] LOUD (Lower Bracket Round 1)
1:40 PM (UTC+8) – DRX [0] vs [2] NRG (Lower Bracket Round 1)
19 June

11:10 AM (UTC+8) – Team Liquid [0] vs [2] Evil Geniuses (Upper Bracket Semifinal)
1:20 PM (UTC+8) – Paper Rex [0] vs [2] Fnatic (Upper Bracket Semifinal)
20 June

11:10 AM (UTC+8) – Team Liquid [1] vs [2] NRG (Lower Bracket Quarterfinal)
2:50 PM (UTC+8) – Paper Rex [2] vs [1] EDward Gaming (Lower Bracket Quarterfinal)
21 June

11:00 AM (UTC+8) – Fnatic [2] vs [1] Evil Geniuses (Upper Bracket Final)
2:00 PM (UTC+8) – NRG [1] vs [2] Paper Rex (Lower Bracket Semifinal)
24 June

11:00 AM (UTC+8) – Evil Geniuses [3] vs [2] Paper Rex (Lower Bracket Final)
25 June

11:00 AM (UTC+8) – Fnatic [3] vs [0] Evil Geniuses (Grand Final)

Where to Watch?
Twitch / YouTube


Dr Disrespect’s Latest Stream Spreads COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories

Influence is a double-edged sword. No matter how trashy you are as an entertainer, a peripheral maker, or a content creator, 4 million viewers who watch your every move is a very, very huge number.
Guy “Dr Disrespect” Beahm, a Twitch FPS gaming streamer with that many followers and influence, recently shared two pieces of widely-debunked COVID-19 coronavirus media and conspiracy theories with his viewers and asked them to consider “what he’d shown them”.
With a serious non-parodical tone, he did the following (via Kotaku):

Expressed solidarity with Elon Musk, who previously e-cosplayed as the wrong character from Deus Ex.
Shared an article from The Hill that talked about “stopping the panic and ending total isolation”, and “open most workplaces and small businesses with prudent large-group precautions” because the virus is only really a danger to a small number of people. The article draws results from a Stanford University study that suggested a much lower death rate than what is widely believed. Unsurprisingly, the article was debunked for failing to account false positives in testing and its questionable patient recruitment methods.
For the record, Elon Musk tweeted that part of the stream to his many followers.
Shared a viral video where a doctor named Thomas Cowan made a widely-debunked statement that 5G cellular technology causes COVID-19. While Dr Disrespect said he did not openly agree with the video, he instead said that showing this video alongside the previous The Hill article was what made him upset on the stream.

Regardless of what he showed and whether he disagreed with the news bits, he may have inadvertently instilled a lot of people in the chat to start supporting US president Donald Trump to lift the quarantine and open up the economy again even though the COVID-19 curve is far from gone. He ended the segment with the following quote:

“Allâ€™s Iâ€™m saying is that, me being about to talk about that, read that stuff, letâ€™s just not be robots and say, â€˜Yes sir, we will do everything you tell us to do, government, sir.â€™ Letâ€™s listen to the experts and… I donâ€™t know.” He also clarified that his intention for the stream was to “get the brain kinda going” and wants people to resume working because he keeps receiving donations from viewers who say they’ve lost their jobs.

He also stated that he is on board with Elon Musk’s mantra of “reopening America”.

“I don’t need Elon to convince me. But to have someone of his magnitude and his expertiseâ€”itâ€™s pretty clear that he gets it in terms of humanity and where weâ€™re trying to go… Iâ€™m on board with his type of thinking.”

While Dr Disrespect has the right intention to get his 4 million viewers to think about the facts, he does set a dangerous precedent especially when he shapes his message as is. But as to why he chose to do this in this way? It’s not surprising. He is renowned for acting with reckless irresponsibility while streaming, from using racist accents on stream or streaming from a public bathroom during E3.
His schtick of being a rude and loud toxic gamer, while “entertaining” to many for reasons unknown, is taking a dangerous turn here with a pandemic that’s still going on and is worldwide. If he keeps this up, he may start collaborating with Alex Jones and sell male virility supplements in a couple of months.


Battlefield 2042 Exodus Short Film Premieres Next Week

EA has announced that they will release a short film dedicated to Battlefield 2042 simply titled â€œExodus.â€
The film will premiere on YouTube at 11pm GMT+8 on 12 August 2021. We don’t have many details for now, but we will probably learn more about the backstory and setting of the upcoming game. In addition, EA alsoÂ recently confirmedÂ thatÂ Battlefield 2042Â will not feature a traditional single-player story campaign.
Battlefield 2042Â is slated to launch for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on 22 October 2021.
In the meantime, check out the teaser for Battlefield 2042 Exodus below:


Ori and the Will of the Wisps Tips & Tricks

This guide is still under development…
Ori and the Will of the Wisp (or Ori 2) is a marvel to look at in action. And it’s a joy to control and play according to our resident 2D Metroidvania guy Mr Toffee. However, the kid’s gloves come off after the two-hour mark once you get your Bash skill.
Fortunately, we have some tips and tricks to sort you out on your spirit-faring journey. We assume you’re playing on Normal because that’s the best way to experience the game. Can’t make the entire journey a walk in the park now, can we?
Sort Out Your Difficulty Level First

You cannot switch the game’s difficulty halfway, just so you know. But keep in mind: difficulty affects the damage you take from enemies and hazards. Normal difficulty is still the way to go if this is your first time playing the game; heck, even if you’ve played Ori and the Blind Forest, we still recommend Normal mode.
Here’s one way to gauge whether you can tone it down or crank it up: play through an hour of the game. If you die a lot before you reach Kwolok’s Hollow, maybe you should tone it down. If you feel incredibly confident and don’t mind dying a lot in the later parts, start a new game on Hard. Whichever mode you pick, you’ll have fun with the game’s traversal and platforming.
You Can Skip The Prologue Chapter
Speaking of skipping, you can shave off a good 15-minutes and get to the game if you’re not a story guy or gal. Just pause the game at the very start of the game and select “Skip Prologue”.
Explore Every Bit Of The Inkwater Marsh
This is the starting point where you get all your basic skills, from your attacks to your traversal methods like the double jump and the bash. The latter lets you reflect projectiles and also get a boost in the air via the Left Bumper.
There’s a pretty good chance you might miss some key upgrades and skills if you blaze through this section. Case in point: the life regeneration active skill that can be handy if you’re fighting tough bosses. Take your time here and in the next area just before you hit the Grove and make sure to get the bare essentials.
Get The Spirit Smash For Your First Skill Purchase
While it’s tempting to buy other moves from the fightmaster Opher at half-price the first time, you should be a tad practical here. So go get the Spirit Smash because not only does it deal mega damage and pushes enemies back, it also smashes breakable floors that open up new areas and secrets.
Spend Time Building Up The Grove

Once you reach the grove in about close to 2 hours, you can start using those Ores and Seeds you found. And when you get newer abilities like the Burrow and Grapple, make an effort to find more Ores to give to the blacksmith. He will help open up new areas and even a new shrine to buff Ori permanently.
Get The Hang Of Your “Grappling Hook” & Burrow Dash Distances

Remember: there’s a set distance for both the grapple and the burrow dash whenever you approach the respective hook point and sand/sand block. Get the feel for the distance for each as you playtest each ability in the area you got it from. This distance judgment will be useful when you are in a chase sequence.

NEXT: Gorlek Ore locations, Hand to Hand sidequest, escape & boss vids


LEGO Bricktales Is The Breathe Of Fresh Air LEGO Games Have Needed

In collaboration with the LEGO Group, Thunderful is delighted to reveal the platforms that the anticipated LEGO Bricktales will be released on. The new digital adventure from the developers behind the Bridge Constructor series will be available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in Q4 2022.
In LEGO Bricktales, journey across 5 different LEGO-themed biomes and use an intuitive new brick-by-brick building mechanic to solve puzzles and bring your solutions to life. From purely aesthetic creations, such as market stands and music boxes, up to functional physics-based puzzles like building cranes and gyrocopters, LEGO Bricktales offers a host of challenges and quests to test your imagination and building skills.

Through the deepest jungle, sun-drenched deserts, a bustling city corner, a towering medieval castle and tropical Caribbean islands, you’ll be treated to delightful environments packed full of secrets, challenges and fun characters.
In each diorama, there are LEGO Minifigures who need your help, as well as the opportunity to unlock new skills for your good deeds. While exploring these colourful environments, you will discover a variety of construction spots with their own sets of bricks – it’s up to you to figure out a unique build that will work. Whether you’re being asked to put on your designer hat and build a throne fit for a king or testing your engineering skills to build a bridge that will get a digger across a river, how you construct your builds and meet the challenges you’re being offered is up to you!
“We know that LEGO fans across the world will be incredibly excited to get their hands on LEGO Bricktales,” said Dieter Schoeller, Vice-President of Production at Thunderful. “That’s why it’s so great to be able to announce that the game is coming to such a wide range of platforms. Across PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and PC, we are ensuring that as many people as possible are able to play and enjoy this title and its intuitive brick-by-brick building mechanic.”
You can check out the LEGO Bricktales demo now on Steam.


Here Is 30 Minutes Of Dragon Quest Treasures In Action

If you want to see the latest Dragon Quest game in action RPG glory, look no further than the video below.
Japanese publication V-Jump has published 30 minutes of gameplay featuring siblings Erik and Mia, along with whatever cute companions they can recruit in the open world be it Slimes or other Akira Toriyama-drawn fantasy staples. It’s looking pretty sweet so far if you’re into a chill adventure game with monster-collecting.
Dragon Quest Treasures will be out for Nintendo Switch on 9th December.


Dell Shows Off Awesome Alienware & Inspiron Arsenal At Computex 2019

Dell has announced new lineups of Alienware and Inspiron gaming laptops at Computex 2019, which is currently taking place at Taipei, Taiwan. Check out the specs below:
Dell Inspiron 15 7000

Intel 9th Gen Processors
16GB RAM
Nvidia GeForce GTX1650 GPU
$579.99

Dell Inspiron 13 5000

Intel 8th Gen Processors
8GB RAM
GeForce MX250 GPU
$579.99

Alienware M15

15.6″ FHD
9th Generation Intel Core i9-9980HK
16GB RAM
NVIDIA RTX2080 Max-Q
$1,499

Alienware M17

17.3″ FHD
9th Generation Intel Core i9-9980HK
16GB RAM
NVIDIA RTX2080 Max-Q
$1,499

Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for more tech news coming out of Computex 2019!


Spider-Man’s Sam Raimi In Talks To Direct Doctor Strange 2

It’s hard to go home again, especially if you’re the kind of guy who is stuck in director’s jail like Sam Raimi.
An exclusive Variety report stated that the Evil Dead and Spider-ManÂ director is in talks to handle Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness for Marvel Studios. Raimi may be replacing original director Scott Derrickson who originally departed the project due to creative differences. The latter will remain an executive producer.
If it all pans out, Raimi will be scheduled to work on it starting May.Â The last movie he made for Disney was Oz The Great & Powerful; he was given US$215 million for it and ended up making Disney US$493.3 million. That movie was made back in 2013, FYI.
Despite that “prison”, he’s been doing a lot of production work for various horror franchises like Poltergeist and his own Evil Dead films. It’ll be a boon for comic book fans to see him back to doing comic book movies: the first two Spider-Man movies are hailed as the best superhero films of the 2000s. Even the third one, for all of its many flaws, is so much better than the Amazing Spider-Man films when you think about it.


Hong Kong Hearthstone Player And Casters Gets Banned For Political Statement [Update]

Update 9/10/19:
Australian game studio Immutable has offered to pay blitzchung all of the prize money he lost (a total that ranges from US$7,000 to US$10,000) plus a ticket to their upcoming Gods Unchained World Championship which has racked up a prize pool of US$500,000.
According to Kotaku, blitzchung has responded to the offer but it’s still undetermined whether or not he accepts it. Kudos to the Immutable PR team because they definitely found a great way to promote their game through this controversy.

.@Blizzard_Ent just banned @blitzchungHS and stripped his Hearthstone winnings because they care about money more than freedom. We will pay for ALL his lost winnings and a ticket to our $500k tournament: no player should be punished for their beliefs. #freegaming https://t.co/ONvtkG4x9G
â€” Gods Unchained (@GodsUnchained) October 8, 2019

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’d know that things aren’t going so well in Hong Kong. That’s a gross understatement that most Hong Kongers including Hearthstone player Chung ‘blitzchung’ Ng Wai would happily disagree with.
According to esports consultant Rod ‘Slasher‘ Breslau, Blizzard has just announced that they have suspended Chung for an entire year due to the political statement that he made during his post-game interview at the Hearthstone Grandmasters Asia Pacific tournament in Taipei. If that’s enough, all of his prize money was also rescinded.

Breaking: Effective immediately, Blizzard has removed Hong Kong Hearthstone player blitzchung from Hearthstone Grand Masters, rescinded all his prize money, and have suspended him from pro play for one year for his recent interview.
Statement below https://t.co/ByI8vrZk1a pic.twitter.com/3h6jKYezMQ
â€” Rod Breslau (@Slasher) October 8, 2019
It sucks that this is happening but honestly, I don’t know if anyone is to be blamed. As a company, Blizzard is right in wanting to establish itself as a neutral party that doesn’t want to endorse or go against any sides. As a Hong Konger, Chung is definitely invested in what’s going on in his home country and once he was given a spotlight, he took the chance to have his voice heard.

[BREAKING] Hong Kong Hearthstone player @blitzchungHS calls for liberation of his country in post-game interview:https://t.co/3AgQAaPioj
@Matthieist #Hearthstone pic.twitter.com/DnaMSEaM4g
â€” ðŸŽƒ Inven Global ðŸŽƒ (@InvenGlobal) October 6, 2019

“I have got a lot of supportive messages from my local community, so Iâ€™m glad that my statements became a kind of energy for them. There will definitely be negative consequences. For example, some netizen from China has been requesting Blizzard to punish me for my speech. But this is what I expected to happen. There are always people who disagree with your view.”
– Chung ‘blitzchung’ Ng Wai, responding to Polygon.
What truly saddens me is that the two casters who were conducting the post-game interview with Chung have been outright fired by Blizzard. As you can see in the video embedded above, the two of them had ducked behind their desks while Chung made his statement. It’s not hard to assume that neither of them expected Chung to go in that direction.
Perhaps Blizzard is angry at the fact that neither of them attempted to stop Chung or simply ended the interview before Chung could say anything. Still, I believe it’s a bit unfair for them.

Blizzard has also fired both of the Hearthstone casters working the event, both of whom literally ducked underneath the desk during the interview and neither of which to my knowledge had any idea what was going to be said
very cool, Blizzard
â€” Rod Breslau (@Slasher) October 8, 2019
For more news and information on what’s happening in global and Asian esports, stay tuned on Kakuchopurei.


Atelier Ryza 2 Gets Japanese Release Date

Publisher Koei Tecmo and developer Gust have announced that Atelier Ryza 2 Lost Legends And The Secret Fairy is slated to release for the PS4 and Nintendo Switch on 3 December 2020 in Japan, as well as a PC release on Steam in January 2021.
However, the international version of the game has yet to receive a definitive release date, besides a generic winter 2020 release date.
Meanwhile, theÂ Japanese official website for the game has been updated with additional information and screenshots for characters Tao Mongarten, Serri Glaus, and Bos Brunnen.
You can check them out below (via Gematsu):
Tao MongartenÂ (voiced by Junta Terashima)

According to his official description, Tao is Ryzaâ€™s childhood friend. He is studying abroad with Bos in the Royal capital, studying hard each day to become a scholar. He has grown quite tall over the past three years, and no longer has the appearance of a bullied child.
While he still enjoys reading in solitude, since there are so many things to see and get excited about in the Royal capital, he spends a lot more time outdoors than when he was living on the island.

Serri GlausÂ (voiced by Yukiyo Fujii)

Serri is a woman of the same Oren species as Ryzaâ€™s former companion Lila Decyrus. She is on a journey collecting various plant seeds for a specific purpose and offers to accompany Ryza and company to explore the ancient ruins.
She has a calm personality, and is fair and upright with anyone she meets, but is somewhat distant with Ryza for some reason.

Bos BrunnenÂ (voiced by Yohei Azakami)

Bos is Ryza and Taoâ€™s childhood friend. He no longer has any ill feelings towards Ryza and company and spends a lot of time with them, especially with Tao who is also studying in the Royal capital.
He is studying extra hard to become a suitable heir to the Brunnen name. He is still as foul-mouthed as ever.

Atelier Ryza 2 Lost Legends And The Secret Fairy was initially announced during the Nintendo Direct Mini in July 2020.


The 10 Best Avatar: Legend of Korra Episodes That Define The Series

Whenever someone brings up Avatar, they quickly think The Last Airbender, the best episodes, great character moments, and so forth.
When you bring up The Legend of Korra, you start seeing a divide among the fanbase. Most of them thought it wasn’t as good as The Last Airbender, while others champion it for its later seasons.
Personally? It’s better than TLA in some ways, but I wouldn’t say it supersedes the original series. Rather, it expands the universe in meaningful ways.
The show’s production and runtime back then came across some issues here and there, but it pulled through and gave us some memorable episodes and story moments that would do its daddy Airbender proud. To celebrate the release of the show on Netflix this August on the US -we have no idea when it’s out on Asian Netflix, sorry- here are our top episodes and why they matter in the grand Avatar scheme of things.
Oh yeah, this feature will feature spoilers. Lots of them. We’ll try to veer away from the obvious bits and not use spoilerific images highlighting key moments, but we have to touch on what transpired in the vaguest way possible.

#10. “Darkness Falls/Light In The Dark” – Book Two

Legend of Korra’s Book Two may not be the best season in Avatar canon, but it did house a couple of winning episodes.
For starters, this is the episode that made the fanbase divisive: it severed ties with the Avatar’s past lives in two fell swoops. On the other, it’s establishing its own identity and carving a new path that led to the show’s two best seasons as a whole.
Also, three words: spirit kaiju fight. That’s a worthy payoff to a capstone story arc as any.
#9. “When Extremes Meet” – Book One

This episode touches upon civil rights and topics related to power divides. In a world where both benders and non-benders need to co-exist, and with the former abusing their powers, it’s only natural that someone like Amon would champion non-benders and demand equality.
#8. “Old Wounds” – Book Three

Was Suyin always a responsible matriarch? Why is Lin such a hardass since the first season? How would Toph’s kids turn out, seeing as she’s been a fan favourite and a free spirit?
This side story delves into some flashbacks between two of TLA Toph’s kids (Lin and Suyin). Family is complex, and this episode highlights that in a relatable way.
#7.”Long Live The Queen”, “Ultimatum” – Book Three

Book Three’s Red Lotus villains proceed with their plan of creating chaos to liberate the biggest city of the world from its oppressive ruler. And they succeeded, which leads to the change half the world probably wanted. This, along with past episodes, did make viewers question whether the bad guys here really are just and righteous despite their extreme measures.
Apart from seeing the dominos fall into place story-wise, it’s the Tenzin vs. Red Lotus fight that punctuates these two episodes, as we see what the aged son of Aang is capable of. This showdown does not disappoint in the slightest.
#6. “Skeletons in the Closet”, “Endgame” – Book One

Family is complex, as we mentioned in a previous paragraph concerning Toph’s kids. But the flip side is the story of Amon/Naotok and his brother Tarlok. These two were kids to a bloodbending enemy Aang faced off a while back. Korra gets insight from Tarlok about how messed up his childhood was, and then a confrontation with Amon happens.
It’s a heckuva ride that’s soured by the “reset button” ending that followed due to behind-the-scenes production issues. Barring that, most of this two-parter dared to take the dark route, and we applaud the showrunners for it.
#5. “Out of the Past” – Book One

We get to see 3/4ths of the original Team Avatar in this flashback episode that links an old foe with Season 1 baddie Amon. That’s pretty much it; it’s also an exercise on how Korra has to learn to meditate while in a strenuous position. A tense but insightful episode that cements the first season’s importance in getting the ball rolling.
#4 “Enter The Void/Venom of the Red Lotus” – Book Three

If you want to see an avatar and a fully-powered airbender going at it, this episode’s for you.
The battle between Korra and Book Three main villain Zaheer is just a thing of beauty that rivals even the best Dragon Ball Z showdowns. Except without the extra staredown and power-explanation episodes in-between. Oh yeah, and that fight between Bolin/Mako and Ming-Hua/Ghazan was pretty badass too. And the fight before the “flying airbender” bit.
This episode also capped off on an incredibly bittersweet note. Not everyone here ended up as winners in this entire season, which is fair given the stakes in the season.
#3. “Korra Alone” – Book Four

Book Four is a solid chapter as a whole and escalates the series while raising the proper stakes with the question: does the modern world really need the Avatar?
In this early episode, Korra deals with the after-effects of Book Three. This episode is quite a good portrayal of PTSD as it leads to how Korra copes with it -badly- and ultimately gets help from the unlikeliest of sources.
This leads to a few entertaining episodes on how Korra gets her groove back, but props to the show for exploring a well-known problem in the best all-ages way possible.
#2. “Day of the Colossus/The Last Stand” – Book Four

This two-parter showcases how to end a follow-up to a revered show on a high note. Not only do you deliver benders vs giant mecha fight and raised stakes, but also a lot of emotional resolutions, particular with characters like Asami and even the villain herself, Kuvira.
Not only that, but it also gave way to an unorthodox relationship that’s been developing since Season 3, something that was unheard of in 2014. There’s way too many fanart going on in regards to that bit. But that’s the testament of the show. And it was also followed up with a decent Dark Horse follow-up series of comics.
#1. “Beginnings (2-Parter)” – Book Two

Probably the only reason why people remember Book Two: this two-parter that delves into the lore of the Avatar series. This episode takes us back to the past and finds out how the first Avatar started out, and how the world was like when it had spirits running around the realm.
Next: How each book ranks


Unbreakable and Split Recap: What You Need To Know Before Watching Glass

M. Night Shyamalan‘s superhero ‘Eastrail 177’ trilogy is coming to an end as Glass arrives this week. However, the first movie, Unbreakable, came out almost two decades ago in the year 2000, which means that many viewers must have forgotten the details of the who and the what.
Having recently rewatched both 2001’sÂ Unbreakable and 2016’s Split (so you don’t have to), I’m here to tell you what you need to know before watching Glass. Which means…

Unbreakable (2001)

It all began Philadelphia in 1961 when Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson) was born with â€œType I osteogenesis imperfecta,” otherwise known as ‘brittle bone’ disease. He led a sheltered life filled with suffering and pain until one day when his mother bought him some comics. That’s when this man – who later becomes a comic book art dealer – develops a theory that comics are simply the secret and hidden history of the world, and that if someone like him exists, there must be someone that represents his complete opposite: an ‘unbreakable’ man.
When a man named David Dunn (Bruce Willis) becomes a lone survivor of a tragic train crash (hence the origin of the name ‘Eastrail 177’ trilogy), Elijah seeks this man out to find out if there’s any truth to his theory. Meanwhile, David himself is a disillusioned man, with a broken marriage and a son who wants to believe in his father. It turns out that David is superhumanly strong and invincible, as well as having the ability to sense past and future crimes of people just by touching them.
After being persuaded by Elijah to try out crimefighting, David later discovers that he has a weakness to water, thanks to a traumatic event during his childhood. At the end of the movie, David shakes Elijah’s hand, learning (to his horror) that Elijah was the one who not only orchestrated the train crash but also several other ‘accidents’ and terrorist disasters.
Elijah justifies his psychopathic actions as a means of finding the ‘unbreakable’ man and proceeds to call himself Mr. Glass, believing himself to be the arch-nemesis to David’s superheroic persona. Due to his actions, Elijah is then incarcerated to a psychiatric hospital.

Split (2016)

The events in Split is set 15 years later in the same world (and city) populated by David Dunn and Elijah Price, though this wasn’t actually confirmed until the end of the movie (I’ll explain in a bit). Three young girls go missing, having been kidnapped by Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy), a man afflicted with DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) or multiple personalities (24 in total).
Throughout the duration of the movie, Casey Cooke (Anya Taylor-Joy), one of the three kidnapped girls, slowly learns that they are being prepared as a sacrificial tribute for Kevin’s mysterious 24th personality, The Beast. The Beast is an animalistic personality of Kevin’s with superhuman strength and agility, as well as the ability to scale walls Ã  la Spider-Man (or something out of the Exorcist).
By the end of the movie, The Beast eats two of the kidnapped girls while Casey manages to escape this unsavory fate thanks to the fact that The Beast finds her to be ‘pure.’ In the eyes of The Beast, those who are broken or have suffered in life are considered ‘pure’ and therefore safe from his wrath. In flashbacks (and the visible scars all over her body), Casey is later revealed to have been abused by her uncle.
The Beast’s only weakness is to call out Kevin Wendell Crumb’s full name out loud. This is because Kevin was abused by his mother during childhood, which in turn caused the 24 personalities to emerge in order to ‘protect’ Kevin. At the end of the movie, Kevin’s whereabouts are unknown, but his existence has been revealed to the public at large.
This is where it gets interesting. The final scene in Split shows several people in a diner watching a news broadcast about Kevin, whom the media has dubbed ‘The Horde,’ when a person mentions a similar criminal in a wheelchair. The man sitting next to that person answers, “Mr. Glass,” and it turns out to be none other than an older David Dunn, thus confirming that Split is actually a sequel to Unbreakable.

Glass (2019)

Now that you know all about the central characters (David Dunn, Elijah Price, and Kevin Wendell Crumb), you’re ready to catch Glass when it premieres on 17 January 2019. In the meantime, check out our review of Glass here to find out if it is indeed a worthy conclusion to the Eastrail 177 trilogy, and if it is ultimately M. Night Shyamalan’s return to glory or an unsatisfying dud.


Ubisoft’s Battle Royale Hyper Scape Is Shutting Down

Ubisoft has announced that development on Hyper Scape will end and that the game will shut down on 28 April 2022. The battle royale game was originally launched for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC on 11 August 2020 following an open beta period on PC that started a month earlier.
The official statement reads:
â€œWe have made the difficult decision to end development of Hyper Scape and shut the game down as of April 28. We set out to create a vertical, close-quarters, and fast-paced shooter experience and we are extremely grateful to our community for joining us on our journey. We will be taking key learnings from this game into future products.â€
Despite being free to play and available on major platforms, the game never really took off, which is probably due to the oversaturated battle royale market. Interestingly, the game also featured a Malaysian as a playable hero/champion, which is kind of neat as well.


Overwatch Archives 2020 Goes Live In Latest Update

Archives 2020 is now live for Overwatch players on PC, Xbox One, PS4, and the Nintendo Switch, where they can dive back into storied events in the game with a new twist to spice things up. Each of the previous three Archives Brawls have new Challenge Missions, with new Brawls unlocking each week.

Brand new rewards have been made available this year, so donâ€™t forget to log in from 13 March to 3 April 2020. However, unlike in previous years, there are no actual brand new content, likely due to the development of Overwatch 2.
Challenge Missions

This year, each mission has a unique modifier that will put you to the test!

Week 1 â€“ Two Uprising Missions Unlocked.

Molten Cores â€“ Enemies drop Lava on death.
Glass Cannon â€“ Players have 50% less health and increased damage.

Week 2 â€“ Two Retribution Missions Unlocked.

Surgical Strike â€“ Only critical hits do damage to enemies.
Close Quarters â€“ Enemies can only be damaged if a player is nearby.

Week 3 â€“ Two Storm Rising Missions Unlocked.

Blood Moon Rising â€“ No Support heroes and healing is reduced. Heal yourself by doing damage.
Storm Raging â€“ Some Enemies are enraged. Killing them spreads the rage.

WEEKLY CHALLENGES

In addition, Weekly Challenges are also back for Archives, allowing players to unlock limited-time rewards by winning nine games.

Rewards include an array of player icons, sprays, and Epic skins:

Week 1: Holi Symmetra (Epic)
Week 2: Rustclad Torbjorn (Epic)
Week 3: Bear Mei (Epic)

New Cosmetics

Players can look forward to new cosmetics as well.

5 Legendary Skins
3 Epic Skins
Player Icons, Emotes, Sprays

In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97hue70dUFk&w=560&h=315]


Call Of Duty Warzone Won’t Use Black Ops Cold War Engine

Many Call Of Duty fans are excited about what it will mean for the battle royale Call Of Duty Warzone when Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War releases for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC via Battle.net on 13 November 2020.
Well, now we know one thing for sure. Activision Art Lead ShutterMunster recently posted on a ResetEra forum, confirming that Call Of Duty Warzone will not be changing to the Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War engine.
Instead, what Warzone players will probably get are weapons and characters from Black Ops Cold War, as well as perhaps new maps. However, it remains unclear how this will be achieved when Warzone will still be running on an older engine.


FIFA 19 Ultimate Team Pack Odds For First-Ever Promotion Revealed; Looks Pretty Bleak

Because the gaming world is wary of loot boxes and gacha rates, EA has to comply and reveal the percentage and odds of a FIFA 19 Ultimate Team pack. And yeah, it’s looking pretty scary if you’re the kind of guy into the Ultimate Team bit of the game.
Basically, the FUT mode lets you build your dream squad out of card packs which can be acquired through in-game means. Or you can buy them for real money. So basically these card packs in FUT mode have randomized content inside; no different from a card pack in Magic: The Gathering or your Overwatch loot boxes.
So, what’s causing a ruckus on the internet right now? The Ones To Watch promotion for FUT. In a nutshell, 23 exclusive OTW items are now available in FUT packs for a limited time, specifically in 10 days time starting now. These items include special versions of players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Riyad Mahrez who have permanent ratings boost throughout the season whenever they perform well for their current new clubs.
In other words, if you own this version of Ronaldo, he may evolve and be better than your standard Ronaldo. Imagine a legendary PokÃ©mon but it plays football and evolves its stats if it does well.
The problem? EA stated that there’s less than one per cent chance of getting a Ones to Watch player from a pack in FIFA 19. It’s not a specific number, but that’s enough to get FUT addicts into a pack-buying frenzy just to get that special version of Ronaldo.
To recap, Gold 75+ players are at 100%, while Gold 82+ players are 41%. Gold 85+ players are at 4.3%. If you don’t mind those odds for the first three player types, go nuts!

And that’s the crazy thing: even with the odds stacked against them, that isn’t stopping players from buying FUT packs. Chalk it up once more for EA taking a thing or two from Japanese gacha games and fuelling their own pockets just to keep the tradition of annualizing their FIFA franchise. They’ll probably pull off the same stunt for future FUT promotions, but it’s just business.


New Call Of Duty Mobile Battle Pass To Add Fan-Favourite Character

On 1 March 2020, Call of Duty Mobile will officially kick-off the “Rise of Soap” with fan-favourite John “Soap” Mactavish leading the lines in the battlefield in an all-new Battle Pass update. The month of March 2020 will also see various in-game events for players to enjoy.
Clean-Up Duty With Soap

Soap makes his long-awaited debut in Call of Duty MobileÂ as an exclusive character in the new Battle Pass ‘Rise of Soap’. He is best known as one of the main characters and protagonists from the original 2007 Call of Duty Modern Warfare, as an expert in demolitions and small team tactics in Special Forces.
New Scorestreak – H.I.V.E.

Players can soon complete various in-game tasks to unlock the all-new H.I.V.E Scorestreak. Using the H.I.V.E gun to launch proximity mines, which will release a swarm of nano drones that kill nearby enemies when triggered.
New Maps – Cage Multiplayer Mode, Night of The Undead ZOMBIES Mode
Multiplayer and Ranked Modes introduce a brand new map designed for close-quarters combat and exclusively for Call Of Duty Mobile, ‘Cage’.
Additionally, the latest update for ZOMBIES Mode allows players to enter the â€˜Night of the Undeadâ€™ map on 2 March 2020, featuring more dangerous areas, new enhancements and new mechanisms.


Steam Summer Sale 2023: The Best Deals

Summer is here worldwide, and with that comes another Steam Sale to have a bunch of games in your backlog. Oh, and maybe play them once in a while.
The earlier sale was probably too early for big game discounts, but now it’s the middle of the year, so expect some of this year’s titles to get a sizeable price cut. Here are the best deals of 2023’s Steam Summer Sale.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (RM179.25, 25% off)

The action-adventure sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Outcast, this Respawn-developed game offers more Star Wars, more Jedi lightsaber action, and more customization for protagonist Cal Kestis. Read our review to find out why it’s this year’s best Star Wars game.

Warhammer 40K: Boltgun (RM43.19, 20% off)

A fun boomer shooter that hearkens back to the good old days of the 90s. But with Warhammer 40K. If you just want to be a Space Marine and blasts enemies nonstop in 2D pixel glory, this one’s your jam.

Everspace 2 (RM88, 20% off)

Yeah, we still need to review this one proper. However, we wholeheartedly recommend it if you love looter shooter games, spaceships, and think Diablo 4 is too expensive right now. You ain’t lived until you own a giant Protoss Carrier-like ship that has a Legendary gold gun that shoots solar flares.

Like A Dragon: Ishin! (RM132.20, 30% off)

The Yakuza spin-off that was exclusive to PlayStation 3 is now made available for PC. And with a lovely 30% discount to boot! If you’re done with Yakuza Zero, you may want to check out this loving remake of a samurai tale featuring Yakuza/Like A Dragon characters.

Pizza Tower (RM28.50, 25% off)

A veritable sleeper hit of 2023, this 2D platformer is a Wario Land tribute in PC form. It’s a non-stop absurd speedrunning platforming bliss featuring a bizarre art style and aesthetic.

Elden Ring (RM139.90, 30% off)

Here’s the obligatory “buy Elden Ring for a cheaper price” post that’s on every Steam Sale posts. And why not? It’s 2022’s best role-playing game outright because it’s huge, expansive, challenging, and memorable.

Vampire Survivors (RM11.24, 25% off)

One of last year’s genre-defining games featuring Castlevania-like sprites and simple WASD keys gameplay is getting a decent discount off of its RM14.99 price tag.

Persona 5 Royal (RM151.20, 40% off)

Atlus’ hit JRPG Persona 5 Royal has topped one million in worldwide shipments and digital sales for all platforms, making it one of the best Persona series in the franchise. Currently, the game has 28,778 “Overwhelmingly Positive” reviews on Steam, and it’s now 40% off!

Sons Of The Forest (RM57.60, 20% off)

Developer Endnight Games’ hit survival game, Sons Of The Forest is now on sale with 20% off from its original price, RM72.00. In its first 24 hours of launch, the game sold over 2 million copies! Players are able to experience survival horror open-world where they find themselves in a cannibal-infested hellscape on a remote island. Give it a go with your friends!

Hi-Fi Rush (RM83.92, 20% off)

The latest action-rhythm game from Bethesda and Tango Gameworks, Hi-Fi Rush is a superb game where you rock out to the rhythm beating enemies in style. Many have praised the game to be worthy of being a GOTY contender with its stylish art style and fun combat mechanics. If you love music and video games, nothing beats Hi-Fi Rush! Check out our Hi-Fi Rush review.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns (RM78, 60% off)

How this 2022 strategy game from Firaxis and 2K Games is now below RM100 is beyond our understanding, especially if it’s a critically-acclaimed title featuring cool supernatural-laced Marvel characters like Magik and Ghost Rider. Still, we aren’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth; get this lovely RPG strategy title for a killer price!

Teardown (RM71.25 ; 20% off)

Love voxels? Love physics-based puzzle games? You’ve come to the right place with Teardown!

More noteworthy games from Steam Summer Sale 2023:

Disney Dreamlight Valley (RM38.25, 25% off)
Neon White (30% off)
Trombone Champ (40% off)
Resident Evil Village (50% off)
Pentiment (33% off)
V Rising (20% off)
Slay The Spire (66% off)
Loop Hero (67% off)
The King Of Fighters XV (75% off)
Sifu (25% off)
Strange Horticulture (35% off)


Should KL Host The International 2021?

In case you haven’t heard, Valve is looking for cities to volunteer themselves and bid to be the host city of The International 2021. In the words of Valve themselves, The International is “a multi-week esports tournament for its game Dota 2” that’s held every August. After learning of this Olympic-style procedure, some of us felt that Kuala Lumpur should take a shot at being The International 2021 host city.
I was a bit more unsure about our capabilities, but I recognized that it would be significant if we got the honour of being a host city. Aside from Malaysian pride, it’d be good to have a Southeast Asian city be the host for such an important tournament given the game’s (or its predecessor, DotA All-Stars, to be precise) links to our region.
The State Of Dota 2 In Asia

With the exception of last year’s International, all of the past International venues have been in the West. As Liquipedia notes, the majority was held in Seattle. The first was held in Cologne back in 2011, while this year’s International is to be held in Stockholm.
Despite Seattle featuring heavily as the venue for The International, it seems that North America wasn’t identified as being as DotA-crazy (yes, we’re going back to the days of the Warcraft 3 mod) as Asia and Europe in the past. In this archived article from 2007, DotA is noted as “finally getting its big break in North America” via a LAN tournament organized by eMg in Chicago. Meanwhile “in Europe and mainly Asia, DotA has grown to be a more demanded e-sport and loved game”.
In the June 2005 issue of GameAxis Unwired, an article on the Warcraft 3 mod noted that “it has been big in our region with Taiwan, and the traces of its huge following here begun in Malaysia, then Singapore following suit. It is also a hit in Australia and the US”. The US part of this quote seems to clash with the “big break” quote, though perhaps it was referencing the US DotA community instead of the tournament scene.
Another interesting thing about the article is that it hints at Malaysia being an originating point for the Dota craze in Asia. Unfortunately, I’ve yet to uncover anything that might shed more light on the topic.
What’s for sure is that before that 2007 “big break” in Chicago, DotA had a presence in the 2006 World Cyber Games Asian Championships, which was held in Singapore. And before the 2005 WCG Grand Finals (also in Singapore), Malaysia held the WCG 2005 Malaysia to determine its representatives in the grand finals, where DotA was of course involved.
The MOBA is definitely a part of our esports and gaming history, and with Dota 2, continues to be an integral part of our gaming landscape. According to this website, it’s the most popular esports title in Malaysia.
Other Matters

However, our history with DotA and our current love for Dota 2 aside, there are other things to consider. Namely, are we up to the task of hosting such an event?
In the summary of their Request for Proposal, as uploaded by Polygon, Valve notes that they are “in the preliminary stages of selecting a host city” and have outlined the requirements that they seek. These include:

A modern indoor arena or stadium with a capacity between 15,000 and 80,000, which must be available for at least a 10 day period in August 2021 (As an example, The 2020 International is being held at the Ericsson Globe in Stockholm; The 2019 International was held at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai)
Additional space for ancillary events (e.g., vendor villages, fan zones, after parties)
Ample hotel space for upwards of 30,000 individuals
Fibre network connectivity from a local service provider
Proximity to an international airport
A strong local transportation system

I was ready to immediately dismiss Malaysian cities as potential candidates since our indoor stadium, Axiata Arena, only has a capacity of 13,000 listed on the Perbadanan Stadium Malaysia website. However, it seems that it can actually accommodate up to 16,000 people, bringing us slightly over the minimum amount.
So, that’s one condition down. What about the others?
Being semi-clueless about fibre services in Malaysia, I asked around and eventually got an email reply from Telekom Malaysia. “Yes, we are able to provide the required broadband fibre services at the Axiata Arena,” they told me. “In fact, we have done so in the recent Mobile Legend World Championship at Axiata Arena 15-17 Nov 2019. No issue on the location”.
International airport proximity also seems to be fine – Google Maps lists Axiata Arena as being around 42 minutes/49.5km from KLIA. Shanghai’s Mercedes-Benz Arena, which hosted the International last year, is around 40 minutes/42 km from the Shanghai Pudong Airport, according to Rome2rio.
Both hotel space and ancillary space are where I’m a little unsure. The same goes for transportation. In Arcadis’ Sustainable Cities Mobility Index 2017, Kuala Lumpur was ranked 82 out of 100 in the people sub-index (which reflects transport coverage, reliability, and such). In contrast, Shanghai and Vancouver (which hosted the International 2018) ranked 16 and 56 respectively.
While three years have passed, I wonder if we’ve improved enough.
Loose Ends
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/358380071582823/?q=kakuchopurei%20kl%20major&epa=SEARCH_BOX
Even if we do tick all the boxes above, there are still things to work on. Although the KL Major 2018 (which was held at Axiata Arena) seemed to be a success overall, Vulcan Post noted that there were issues, like a lack of vendors and lacklustre viewing experiences for the more expensive ticket tiers.
While I’m a little unsure if Kuala Lumpur is ready to be a host city for the International, video game streamer Sheryl Ye, better known as Aisaka Miharu, felt that the city would make a “great candidate”. She pointed out that some of our local organizers have had “lots of experience working with international teams” and hosting large events.
“We’ve hosted KL major and a couple of international events already,” Ye wrote in an email. “So I think we’re more than prepared for this.”
Astro’s Chief of Sports CK Lee also believes that Kuala Lumpur has what it takes. Like Ye, he pointed out our previous experience with hosting esports events.

“The Dota 2 scene and fanbase in this region is strong, and Kuala Lumpur is a worthy candidate to be the host of The International as we’ve seen success with the Kuala Lumpur Major and ESL One Genting,” Lee said in a statement provided via email.

However, he also acknowledged Valve’s high logistical requirements for the event. “eGG Network will need to work with other stakeholders in the industry to determine the feasibility of holding such an event in KL.”
Infrastructure aside, support from the local government would be vital for the success of such an event. Speaking to us in her personal capacity, Michelle Tan, the co-founder and former CEO of esports/streaming platform Fundeavour, noted in her email that “We have Axiata Arena that fits 16,000 seats, with sufficient space for a lot of the other points mentioned”.

“What it truly comes down to is clear support & backing from the local government – e.g. for immigration and visa issues, potential road closures and so on.”

I also asked Tan how confident she felt about our ability to host The International, to which she replied: “I am cautiously confident, but this depends on quite a few factors – first among them is having the right event organizer with suitable experience handling an event of this scale.
“We have local outfits that are proving increasingly capable of doing this – including ESL and IO Esports, but it’s paramount that we do not see a repeat of the Major All Stars in 2015, as a lot can go wrong during a large-scale international event with many moving parts.”
Writer Ian Chee notes in the Hardware Zone piece linked above that among the response to the Major All Stars’ issues was “the very Malaysian self-pessimism of believing anything we do is bound to be half-baked”. To be honest, it was with that sentiment that I started writing this article. Now, I think I’m upgrading them to what Tan feels: cautiously confident.


Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis Will Be Out 9th June Worldwide

Sega just announced the release date of its revved-up version of Phantasy Star Online 2 MMORPG.
Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis will be out on 9th June for Xbox Series, Xbox One, and PC (Windows 10) in English. Japanese players will get it on PS4, PC, and on Nintendo Switch (via cloud). This new version of the game will feature more action-heavy elements and instance-based online RPG action, as well as a new story mode and new class moves & skills. The entire game is also open world too, so you’re free to roam around in a less restricted space.
The game will also feature more new bosses to fight, with some of them being so big you have to hit them in the shin a couple of times before you can topple them. Check out the gameplay preview below.


Dragalia Lost Fans, You’re Getting A Monster Hunter Crossover

Dragalia Lost is still a-tickin’ in 2020 with its new Gala summoning event and a slew of new stuff. One of them is this crossover with Capcom featuring everybody’s favourite giant-killing simulator.
The game’s timed event is called Primal Crisis, and it’ll last from 28th January until 17th February PT.Â Here’s a trailer of Monster Hunter mascot Rathalos fighting Dragalia Lost’s Euden & his MH-cosplaying pals.

Not only can you recruit Monster Hunter-themed adventurers like Hunter Vanessa and Hunter Berserker, but you can shapeshift as the infamous flying dragon Rathalos by trading for it using the blazons you collect during the event.

You can even win special event-only stickers featuring actual Monster Hunters and Felynes (the indentured bipedal cats that tag along with you). With this and the Mega Man event that transpired a few months ago, we’re basically a couple of steps away from a Breath of Fire crossover.
Oh, who am I kidding? It’ll either be Street Fighter or Resident Evil next.


Google Stadia Is Trending, But Not As Intended. Here’s Why

Good news for Google: the company’s streaming game service is the talk of the town on social media since 10 hours ago this morning. And it’s only been a year since its debut anyway. The bad news? It’s because one of its closely-associated Montreal Studio creative director said some things he shouldn’t have said.
Here’s how it started: Stadia’s Alex Hutchinson said the following on Twitter.

“Streamers [are] worried about getting their content pulled because they used music they didn’t pay for should be more worried by the fact that they’re streaming games they didn’t pay for as well. It’s all gone as soon as publishers decide to enforce [licencing agreements].
The real truth is the streamers should be paying the developers and publishers of the games they stream. They should be buying a license like any real business and paying for the content they use.”

Streamers worried about getting their content pulled because they used music they didn't pay for should be more worried by the fact that they're streaming games they didn't pay for as well. It's all gone as soon as publishers decide to enforce it.
— Alex Hutchinson (@BangBangClick) October 22, 2020

We’re not sure why he would say something like this since (a) he’s an employee of Google, who also happens to own YouTube, a platform that also features livestream gamers and content creators, and (b) Google has its own Stadia games that can benefit for what amounts to free advertising and word-of-mouth marketing for their titles.
Of course, we have to keep in mind that he’s a former Ubisoft Montreal guy who previously accused journalists of having “subtle racism” in the games-making business because “Japanese devs are forgiven for doing what they do”.Â Long story short, the idea of promoters and content creators paying for the “privilege” to devs and publishers is pretty counterintuitive to getting your game out there.
Google quickly responded (via Gamasutra):

“The recent tweets by Alex Hutchinson, creative director at the Montreal Studio of Stadia Games and Entertainment, do not reflect those of Stadia, YouTube or Google.”

As a result of this “hottest” of takes, Google Stadia has been trending number two on Twitter for the past 10 hours or so. Here are some choice quotes and reactions to Alex Hutchinson’s remarks:

“Creative” director for Google Stadia ladies and gentlemen: pic.twitter.com/NSbXNl2K0G
— Sophia Narwitz (@SophNar0747) October 22, 2020

https://twitter.com/pogotoads/status/1319442702396760066
https://twitter.com/SlimeMD/status/1319444932612947968
https://twitter.com/JessicaChobot/status/1319427010775687170

The six remaining active Stadia players are probably going to be quite displeased with this tweet.
— AlphaOmegaSin (@AlphaOmegaSin) October 22, 2020

The funniest thing about today's streaming drama is that everyone thinks Alex Hutchinson runs Google Stadia (because his Twitter bio says "Creative Director @ Google Stadia"). He's actually a creative director at a Montreal game studio that was purchased by Google last December
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) October 22, 2020

https://twitter.com/oysterFAKE/status/1319403052265205761

congrats to Google Stadia on its most talked about day ever
— Rod Breslau (@Slasher) October 22, 2020

Congratulations to @BangBangClick for actually getting Google Stadia trending for the first time since it's initial unveiling! pic.twitter.com/00BfHCNAPW
— Matt McMuscles (@MattMcMuscles) October 22, 2020

I sure hope all the artists you've ever worked with on AC3, Far Cry and Journey to The Savage Planet see this tweet dude. Classy stuff. https://t.co/PjRLY8dZRl
— Matt McMuscles (@MattMcMuscles) October 22, 2020

Smooth move, ex-Lax.
We cannot stress how thankful we are that we’re in an age where content creators and game journalists can make income creating video game content, either post-production and livestream, thanks to tools like Twitch.tv and YouTube. This method also gives some smaller non-triple A publishers and game devs more love to their games. Granted, some things can be updated and changed up (like what Richard Hoeg pointed out concerning content creation EULAs) but it’s functional and encourages new gaming content for people to get enlightened with.
However, saying things that not only discourages these sorts of opportunities, while also being in the position of both a game creator and part of the content streaming & VOD ecosystem, is going to net you a different kind of fame.


Let’s Rate These New Overwatch Anniversary 2020 Skins

Another year, another anniversary for one of our beloved team-based shooters of this generation: Blizzard’s Overwatch. We’re still waiting for part 2, but in the meantime, we have some new legendary skins to fawn over in celebration of the game’s upcoming anniversary this 19th May until 9th June.
The new Legendary skins revealed so far are for Ashe (and B.O.B), Mercy, Reaper, and Zenyatta. Let’s rate them while we wait for one more day!
Ashe and B.O.B’s “Little Red Ashe”
[wpvideo yg64xkQf]
Might as well get that fetish out of the way. It’s not totally accurate since Red Riding Hood’s skirt is long and almost touches the ground, but it wouldn’t fit Ashe’s rough-and-tumble personality.
Rating: Four big sharp teeth out of five.
Mercy’s “Dragoon”
[wpvideo Q7oqyB8e]
I’m personally not a fan here. It’s alright, but compared to the skins on this post, this one is tame by comparison. And she has worn better anniversary and limited edition costumes in the past. Let’s hope those eyes glow in-game when it’s out.
Rating: Two piles of hoarded gold out of five.
Zenyatta’s “Huitzilopochtli”
[wpvideo V0CI8bRq]
The detailing and head deco for this skin is spot-on. Zenyatta looks pretty god-like here; I’d put this alongside his Cultist, Ifrit, and the Jjonak octopus special.
Rating: Five Aztec sacrifices out of five.
Reaper’s “Masquerade”
[wpvideo wTFSulFP]
Phantom of the opera, ho! And a very red and gold one to boot. This ensemble is super-stylish yet menacing all the way through.
Rating: SSS-tyle out of five.
In any case, these skins -alongside the ones I missed a few seasons back- are more than enough to entice someone like myself to start replaying Overwatch. Would you be doing the same? Let us know on our site or on our Facebook.


New Overwatch 2 Gameplay Is Coming In A Live Stream Next Week

Blizzard Entertainment has announced that they will reveal new details about Overwatch 2, new gameplay and more details about the game’s PvP component in a two-hour live stream next week on 20 May 2021.
The Overwatch 2 live stream will air on Friday, 21 May 2021 at 3am GMT+8 on Twitch and YouTube.Â
It will feature appearances from Overwatch 2 lead hero designer Geoff Goodman and associate art director Dion Rogers. Joining the Overwatch 2 dev team are Overwatch League commentators Matt â€œMr. Xâ€ Morello and Mitch â€œUberâ€ Leslie, as well as Overwatch 2 content creators Stylosa and Cuppcaake. Blizzard will also host a development-focused AMA on Reddit â€œcelebrating five great years of Overwatchâ€ on 24 May 2021.
Previously at BlizzCon 2021, Overwatch 2 revealed more information about the gameâ€™s PvE story missions, a new PvP mode called Push, character redesigns, and the sequelâ€™s first confirmed new character, Sojourn.
There is no release date for Overwatch 2 as of yet, but it will not be launching in 2021.


It’s Official: Amy’s Going To Be In SoulCalibur 6

If you miss having an alternate fencer in little girl form in your 3D fighting game, you’re in luck. Amy will be making her return in part 6 as DLC soon.
Her Soul Chronicle story and clothes/accessories in Creation mode will be part of this DLC. If you bought the game’s Season Pass, you’ll get her automatically when she’s out.
Here’s how she looks and plays in SoulCalibur 6:

Just like her past versions, she fights like Raphael but has a few tricks up her metaphoric sleeves. In addition, the next character customization pack will be out on 19 February.
This announcement also confirms that Cassandra may be the next DLC character in the game. There are also a bunch of codenames on this datamine last month; go ahead and speculate like crazy.
https://twitter.com/KoenjiUK/status/1085782060067893248


Ford V Ferrari Is A Gripping Drama That Melted This Car Normie’s Heart

First and foremost, I want to establish that I am, for all intents and purposes, a complete ignoramus when it comes to almost everything related to cars and automobiles in general. When every other guy fawns over Formula One and the latest models of Lamborghinis or what have you, I’ve always been clueless.
That’s where I am going into Ford V Ferrari. I had my crash course with racing biopic movies with 2013’s Rush, which was a movie even the likes of me could appreciate. Therefore, I went into this new movie with very much the same expectations but was then ultimately blown away by what transpired before my eyes.

Ford V Ferrari is goddamned great, and the best part is you don’t need to know anything about cars to be able to enjoy this brilliant movie.

Trailblazers

From the marketing and promotional material for Ford V Ferrari, the average joe will probably assume that this movie is meant to be Oscar-bait, featuring forced drama and offering no entertainment value whatsoever (simply put, that it is boring).

Ford V Ferrari is anything but. It is a gripping and intense drama, yes, but one that is not a typical by-the-numbers autobiographical movie by any means.
Despite being more than two hours long, the pacing is near-perfection, as you’re pulled into the lives of these two men, Matt Damon’s Carroll Shelby and Christian Bale’s Ken Miles.

The movie breezes by as you follow the story of how these two individuals defied all odds to build a racing car worthy enough to race at Le Mans, one of the world’s hardest and most prestigious racing competitions.

The racing scenes are expertly filmed, putting me in the edge of my seat as I gasped and cheered as though I’m watching an actual bonafide race unfolding before my eyes.
That’s how good the racing scenes are, which I’m sure will likely satisfy racing fans as well.

Every time something goes wrong in a driving sequence (you know, like engine problems and the like), I feel genuine dread and fear for the safety of the characters on-screen, and that’s all despite the fact that I know everything is scripted. A biopic that can still be exciting and unexpected (though I can’t say for sure for those who do know their racing history) translates into a great movie experience.
Corporate Greed

Like I mentioned before, I was totally expecting Ford V Ferrari to follow Rush‘s template of an intense rivalry between two racers but this time involving two iconic well-known car companies instead. What I got was something different altogether, but just as good, if not better, than Rush in depicting nitty-gritty true story of a famous historical race.
In fact, you would be mistaken to think that Ferrari is the antagonist or bad guys here, as they’re barely even in the movie for most of its duration. Instead, the biggest obstacles the two protagonists have to face are themselves, or rather, the corporate executives of the very company they’re working for.
I’m not sure how much of the story told in Ford V Ferrari is entirely accurate, but it’s realistic and inspiring to see Shelby and Miles having to butt heads with their own superiors and higher-ups to achieve what they were hired to do in the first place.

I love how the movie is mostly them trying their best to do help Ford build a race car to compete in Le Mans, but the company is also ironically the one hindering their objective.
They should have titled it ‘Ford V Ford‘ instead, though that would’ve been too on the nose.

Just like any sport or competitive event in real life, your worst enemies are often the ones closest to you, or simply unavoidable dirty politics. Winning is never as simple as being the best at what you do, which is what the two protagonists in Ford V Ferrari have learned firsthand.
Pole Position Performances

Ford V Ferrari is further bolstered by the fiery chemistry between the two leads. At times, the two protagonists never really get along with each other to the point of hurtling verbal and physical abuses at each other.
However, just like best friends in real life, they never fail to stand up for each other when it truly matters. You feel like it’s them against the world, with this unspeakable silent respect between them.

This is conveyed via subtle interactions between Damon’s Shelby and Bale’s Miles, both of whom complement each other’s roles without the often-irritating habit of major stars trying to outdo each other getting in the way.Â
Ford V Ferrari is an emotional movie with moments that can make you cry, and that’s a testament to the incredible performances of the two leads, who I have nothing but praise for.

The relationship between Damon and Bale is comparable to the one between Leonardo Dicaprio and Brad Pitt as seen in this year’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (though theirs is more charming and likeable, though not as layered as Damon and Bale’s).
The supporting characters also help carry Ford V Ferrari, especially the family members of Bale’s Miles. His wife, Mollie Miles (Caitriona Balfe), and his son, Peter Miles (Noah Jupe), both play a huge part in providing emotional elements to the movie.
Oh, and let’s not forget the corporate tools, Ford VP Lee Iacocca and Ford CEO Henry Ford II, memorably played by Jon Bernthal (of Netflix’s Punisher fame) and Tracy Letts, respectively. However, the clear and despicable villain is Ford executive Leo Beebe, an active deterrent in Shelby and Miles’ efforts, effectively portrayed by Josh Lucas.
Race Of The Century?

Ford V Ferrari is definitely one of the best movies in 2019, regardless of whether or not you’re a fan of cars and automobiles in general. I definitely recommend this movie to my fellow casuals and non-racing enthusiasts, as it is strong enough on its own merits to cater to everyone.
FINAL SCORE: 90/100
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3h9Z89U9ZA&w=560&h=315]
We received a preview screening courtesy of The Walt Disney Company Malaysia. Ford V Ferrari premieres in Malaysian cinemas on 14 November 2019.


Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp – Guess Who’s Not Getting it At Launch?

Nintendo earlier today revealed the mobile take on their popular IP, Animal Crossing with Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. Unlike New Leaf where you are mayor of a town, you manage a campsite in Pocket Camp. So expect the typical activities available in Animal Crossing games such as crafting, fishing and meeting random visitors to your townÂ  campsite.
But here’s the shit deal tho; the game will be available to limited countries at launch and yes, as you guessed it from the title, Malaysia isn’t in the initial list. Anyways, just to rub some salt into your wounds, here is the list of countries getting the game, set for release in November:

Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
United Kingdom
United States

Just like with Pokemon Go, Malaysian Nintendo fans misses out at the start and you can only pray to the Big-N gods for a miracle or at least a shorter wait for the game to hit us on mobile. The game will be playable on both Android and iOS and will be free for download. Microtransactions are included, as expected with such model.
For those who just have to play the game, a workaround would be to register their device in any of these countries listed above to gain access. They then can Pre-Register for the game here, which will alert them immediately once the game is available for download.
While we love our Nintendo IPs, we are pretty bummed that Malaysia is constantly overlooked as a viable market for their titles – even on the mobile space. The decision to overlook Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines – quite easily three of the most populated countries with highest usage of mobile devices in Nintendo’s initial list boggles the mind. We hope the situation changes soon.