The Games Of 2019 You Should Look Out For

It’s the new year. Birds are chirping anew. The Malaysian King just resigned. A new ruling party is in charge. Singapore’s still our neighbours, for good and ill. And we now have more games to look forward to because it’s what we love to do to escape from real life if only for a fleeting moment.
Here’s a list of all the games of 2019 you should watch out for; we also added in a “Chope or Not?” section per game and gauge if it’s worth pre-ordering or not. Whether it’s an obvious pick or an unsung indie waiting to bloom, we’ve covered it for you.
We’re not settling on a number like 20 or 35; we’re going all-in. So it’ll be 50, give or take. In any case, watch/read on!

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown

Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release Date: 18 January (PS4, Xbox One), 1 February (PC)
The Gist: The most popular arcade combat flight sim action game is back! It’s been more than a decade since the last numbered entry in the franchise, which was 2007’s Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation for the Xbox 360. Technically we did receive a spin-off game in 2011 in the form of Ace Combat: Assault Horizon but most fans would like nothing better than to forget that game ever existed.
Bandai Namco is going back to the basics with this game, and that means the same classic UI we’re used to from the previous numbered entries. Gameplay also remains virtually the same, with perhaps current-gen graphics (dynamic weather effects, etc) and more fighter jets to choose from.
Chope or Not? It’s essentially a must-buy for all you dogfighting and flight sim fans out there, who have been clamouring for a new game for the past ten years. Pre-ordering the game will also net you Ace Combat 5 and Ace Combat 6 for PS4 and Xbox One owners, respectively. While it might not attract many newcomers, it looks dead set on satisfying existing veterans of the franchise.
Code Vein

Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Release Date: 2019
The Gist: It’s Dark Souls, but anime and in a dystopian future with vampires. It’s even got the stamina bar system and methodical combat down pat. To be fair, the game has a party system; you won’t be going into the depths of this game’s world alone since you have healers and support guys helping you out.
Chope or Not? File this under “wait and see”. Anime fans might find this one too hard to play if it’s anything like Dark Souls, and hardcore fans may be put off by the aesthetics.
Resident Evil 2

Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release Date: 25 January
The Gist: Resident Evil 2 is a remake of the original game with the same title from way back in 1998. Not only does it look completely different graphics-wise, but it will also play differently too. Capcom has abandoned the outdated tank controls and fixed camera angles of yesteryear and replaced them with “over-the-shoulder” third-person shooter gameplay reminiscent of that in Resident Evil 4.
The upcoming game utilizes the RE Engine, which was also used to develop Resident Evil 7. Albeit all these improvements and changes, Capcom is still striving to retain the original game’s authentic horror and thrilling atmosphere instead of the more action-focused style of Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6.
Chope or Not? Resident Evil 7 managed to revitalize the entire franchise, and it looks like the Resident Evil 2 remake is set to continue that trend. It seems to be a remake that will appeal to both players of the original game, as well as those who haven’t.
Kingdom Hearts 3

Platform: PS4, Xbox One
Release Date: 29 January
The Gist: the Kingdom Hearts may now be ridiculed for many reasons, including but not limited to its overly-convoluted plot through all its spin-off titles or the multitude of delays plaguing Kingdom Hearts 3. However, no gamer can deny that Kingdom Hearts 3 is one of the most highly-anticipated games of all-time.
Not only does it have the gargantuan task of tying up more than two decades of complex storylines and provide a satisfyingly epic conclusion, but also the arguably more challenging task of not simply being a carbon-copy of Kingdom Hearts 2 in terms of gameplay. It’s also running the risk of pandering too much to fan-service, sacrificing everything else in the process.
Chope or Not? There’s a reason why the Kingdom Hearts franchise has managed to last so long and become so iconic; that’s due to the fact that it remains beloved by legions of dedicated fans over the years. While some may be skeptical of the game, such a massive game will still certainly sell well. The ultimate question is whether or not it will actually be worth the ridiculously long wait. Check out our hands-on preview of Kingdom Hearts 3 here.
Yoshi’s Crafted World

Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release Date: 29 March
The Gist: If you miss the platform hijinxes of Yoshi’s Island, then this cutesy-looking game on the Switch is for you. The main innovation here is the ability to switch the world in its opposite direction; this means checking out the game’s background, layer, and go right to left figuring out the level and its puzzles. Other than that, expect to shoot more eggs and stick your insanely-long tongue out to gobble enemies and empowered fruits.
Chope or Not? Yes. If the arts-and-crafts aesthetics does not impress you, your heart must be made of stone. And don’t think this game will be a cakewalk. If it’s anything like the Wii U’s Yoshi’s Wooly World, the game will show its true difficulty colours midway through.
Crackdown 3

Platform: Xbox One, PC
Release Date: 15 February
The Gist: The godfather of super-powered action-adventure open world gameplay is back, and hopefully will not be delayed further. You play a super-powered Agent who is working for, no shock here, the Agency, who assigns him/her with different missions to clean up the game’s city New Providence.
The game features a ton of different organizations, different bosses and Kingpins to take down, and a ton of destructible environments powered by the Azure engine. The classic Skills for Kills” system remains, so you can go do your orb-hunting and enemy-killing shenanigans to super-size your Agent to absurd heights.
Chope or Not?Â Without the first Crackdown, we wouldn’t be seeing the 2007 and beyond renaissance of the action-savvy open world concept as seen in the inFamous and Prototype series. Hopefully, the third game will not botch up its dominance like the second game did.
Anthem

Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release Date: 22 February
The Gist: Bioware peaked with the original Mass Effect trilogy, and they have tried (and failed) to top crowning achievement ever since. However, Anthem is not your typical Bioware fare or anything like you would expect from the developer known for their sprawling RPGs. Instead, Anthem is an online multiplayer action RPG which looks eerily in terms of design and gameplay similar to Bungie’s Destiny.
The game features an open-world hub where players can choose to play solo or multiplayer. The game’s selling point is the fully customizable exosuits called Javelins, which seem to work like class-based Iron Man suits of sorts.
Chope or Not? It remains to be seen if Anthem will be able to restore the faith that gamers once had in Bioware, or whether it will be able to shake off its ‘Destiny clone’ moniker. Unfortunately, it seems like Anthem is likely to go the way of Fallout 76, though we hope it won’t be as bad as Bethesda’s disaster of a game.
Rage 2

Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Release Date: 14 May
The Gist: What happens when you have id Software (Doom) and Avalanche Studios (Just Cause) join forces? You get a Mad Max-style first-person shooter set in an open world post-apocalypse that is more “Burning Man” than “28 Days Later“. Basically, it’s id and Avalanche taking the Borderlands concept and turning into their own open-world shooter-centric magnum opus.
Chope or Not? Sure, why not? The action from the trailers seems to hype many of us up for this upcoming shooter. It’s not like we’re going to be getting Borderlands 3 anytime soon; might as well get your dystopian madcap adventure on with this one.
Wolfenstein: Youngblood

Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Release Date: 2019
The Gist: Guess Bethesda isn’t done with Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus. This stand-alone game takes place in the same Nazi-occupied world as its prequels but it takes place in the 1980s and stars B.J. Blazkowicz’s twin daughters. Hope you like co-op action-heavy shooting!
Chope or Not? There’s no date for this yet, so we suggest holding off your pre-purchase before the reviews come in.
Dead or Alive 6

Platform: PC, Xbox One, PS4
Release Date: 1 March
The Gist: The jiggly-happy female cast-dominated 3D fighting game is back. Not only does it feature new characters, but also a major tweak in the counter-heavy fast-paced combat system, some new characters, and a bunch of new environments and stages with danger zones to deal mega-damage with. One of them even features tentacles; a natural progression for a game featuring scantily-clad women catering to different fetishes.
Chope or Not?Â Sure, if you’re into seeing a mostly female-filled fighting game with simple mash-heavy counter-attack mechanics. Whether it has staying power in the esports scene remains to be seen, given that titles like Tekken 7 and SoulCalibur 6 are backed by a financially-stable Bandai Namco. It’s an uphill battle in that regard though.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Platform: PC, Xbox One, PS4
Release Date: 22 March
The Gist: The next game from Dark Souls and Bloodborne developer From Software is said to not be a Soulsborne game. Nevertheless, it remains an extremely challenging game, with impossible difficulty levels. Instead of the more western settings of its previous games, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice takes place in Sengoku-era Japan, where players assume the role of a shinobi (read: ninja) with a katana and a prosthetic arm.
Interestingly, the game has no stamina meter. It is replaced by a posture bar that fills up as the player lands successful hits, dodges or parries. Once the posture bar is full, the enemy’s guard breaks and the player unleashes a bloody finishing move.
Chope or Not? The game will immediately appeal to the most hardcore gamers out there, especially self-proclaimed Soulsborne fans. Despite that, it is remarkably less Soulsborne-like compared to From Software’s other games, and that will attract more newcomers. Check out our hands-on preview of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice here.
Days Gone

Platform: PS4
Release Date: 26 April
The Gist: This PS4 exclusive by the Syphon Filter developer SIE Bend Studio is a third-person open-world action-adventure survival horror game set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombie-like creatures called Freakers. The gameplay, design, and aesthetics look almost ripped straight from The Last of Us, with a few exceptions.
Players can fight against literal hordes of Freakers using multiple ways, including stealth or even the environment itself. The game also features a dynamic weather system and bikes to traverse the world. These vehicles run out of fuel, so you’ll have to scrap, scavenge and reserve everything.
Chope or Not? As of now, it seems like Days Gones doesn’t do enough to differentiate itself from other similar titles. It looks like a The Last of Us clone, which isn’t enough to make it stand out (which, in turn, is probably why Sony delayed the game from its a packed February release month). Still, this is a first-party PS4 exclusive, and almost all of those have been phenomenal so far (Horizon Zero Dawn, etc), so Days Gone definitely deserves the benefit of the doubt.
Age of Wonders: Planetfall

Platform: PC
Release Date: 2019
The Gist: Miss Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri? Then this new strategy game is for you. Triumph Studio & Paradox Interactive are breaking out of its fantasy lore comfort zone and going for the sci-fi tropes and settings. Expect to 4X it up with mechanized weaponry, aliens, genetic engineering, and intergalactic colonization of the turn-based hexagonal order.
Chope or Not? Hell yeah. Who wouldn’t want a sci-fi 4X game for the PC that doesn’t look like a spreadsheet simulator ala every other Paradox game?
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe

Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release Date:Â 11 January
The Gist: 2D platforming, but with multiple characters and a different kind of feel that warrants players to coordinate and cooperate with each other. We’re talking the kind of multiplayer platformer where you can screw your friends over with mistimed jumps. This Mario game is essentially the Switch version of the Wii U 2D platformer of the same name, sans “Deluxe”.
Chope or Not? Chope, if you love 2D platformers where you want to troll people. Hell, even if you’re just playing the single-player campaign, there’s still a lot to love here since the level design in this game is top-notch.Â Stay tuned next week for our full review.
Biomutant

Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Release Date: 2019
The Gist: Talk about lofty ambitions: developer Experiment 101 (led by the guy who started the Just Cause series) is taking its time tweaking its action-adventure magnum opus featuring mutant forest animals and mecha. Said animals can also pull off martial arts combat, so there’s that.
Chope or Not? If you love furries and want a more mature and bio-mechanical version of Kung-Fu Panda, you could do worse than to plonk down your pre-order for this oddity.
In The Valley Of Gods

Platform: PC
Release Date: 2019
The Gist: Players take on the role of explorer and filmmaker Zora and her partner as they investigate ancient tombs in 1920s Egypt.
Chope or Not? Depends; if you love narrative-heavy walking simulators like Firewatch, then go for it. Otherwise, this may not change your mind.
Streets Of Rage 4

Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC(?)
Release Date: 2019
The Gist: The 90s was truly a blessed time for 2D side-scrolling beat-em-ups. So it seems fair for Sega to wait a few decades before making a comeback with a new installation of The Streets Of Rage/Bare Knuckle series. And behind the wheel is talented indie devs Guard Crush Games, Lizardcube, and Dotemu.
Chope or Not? It looks pretty and may get an awesome industrial soundtrack, but this one may strictly be for the fans. As much as some of us loved the developer’s past game Streets of Fury, it’ll cater to a specific kind of demographic.
Samurai Shodown

Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Release Date: 2019
The Gist: After its lovely-if-kinda-ignored 3v3 fighting game The King of Fighters XIV, SNK figured it should bring back another dormant fighting game for this year. What better way than to go back to the game series that made Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada inspired to forge his 3D fighting masterpiece?
Samurai Shodown, the granddaddy of weapons-based fighting game is making a comeback, and it’s looking positively more beautiful, and bloodier, than ever.
Chope or Not? Definitely a “chope”! It’s been way too long since we’ve experienced a true 2D weapons-heavy fighting game. And the less said about Samurai Shodown Sen, the better. We suggest SNK to just take the mechanics from Samurai Shodown V Special and streamline it from there.
The Outer Worlds

Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Release Date: Sometime in 2019
The Gist: The original Fallout guys, Tim Caine and Leonard Boyarsky, came down to the Game Awards this one time and announced this epic and funny sci-fi RPG called The Outer Worlds. It’s set in a future ruled by major conglomerates, not unlike Mom’s in Futurama, and just about as absurd and dark.
Chope or Not? Hell yes, chope this like mad. We want a single-player RPG with choices, bloody great storylines and side stories, endearing characters, a nifty combat system, and a lovely colourful world with dark humour aplenty. Pretty much like Fallout New Vegas, but with a better graphics engine.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Platform: Maybe PC, PS4, Xbox ONe
Release Date: Late 2019?
The Gist: Remember last year’s E3 where Respawn sheepishly and awkwardly revealed its upcoming Star Wars game within the crowd? Well, it may be out end of this year; EA loves capping off their years with bombastic shooters.
Respawn are up to the task of making great shooters like the second Titanfall game, so having them do a throwback to Jedi Knight might be beneficial for us jaded folks.
Chope or Not? Just wait for now. There’s no gameplay footage yet, so who knows how this one will turn out?
Granblue Fantasy: Versus

Platform: PS4
Release Date: 2019, maybe?
The Gist: Mum’s the word regarding this 2D fighting game title based on the Cygames mobile game hit. But if they have enough money to throw at Arc System Works, more power to all you fighting game fans then. Following the style of Guilty Gear Xrd and last year’s Dragon Ball FighterZ, Granblue Fantasy: Versus is done in an anime 2D/3D hybrid style and features the series’ popular heroes like Gran, Katalina, and Lancelot.
Chope or Not? In the middle, to be frank. We’re still wondering if the Granblue Fantasy: Relink action RPG from PlatinumGames will happen or not. Are Cygames so confident with their brand that they can have these spinoff announcements out in the wild?


June PS+ Highlight – Revisiting XCOM 2

Several days ago, Sony PlayStation announced that one of the games included in the PS Plus line-up for June 2018 would be XCOM 2. That’s the highlight of this month’s offerings of free games for PS Plus subscribers. Let me tell you why you should try playing one of my favorite games ever and I don’t say that lightly. I’ve completed both the PC and PS4 versions of XCOM 2. It’s so good that I bought it twice, on two different platforms, imagine that.
XCOM 2 is a turn-based tactical strategy game developed by Firaxis Games, the very same developer responsible for the iconic Civilization franchise. You know, the one with Gandhi threatening nuclear annihilation. XCOM 2 is available on the PS4, Xbox One and PC, as well as being the sequel to 2012’s XCOM: Enemy Unknown/Within. Do you need to play the first game to understand the second? In my opinion, that’s not required. However, if you truly want to appreciate the game’s story and lore, as well as understand the significance of several characters returning. playing the first game, I recommend playing the first game before heading into XCOM 2. Otherwise, fret not as XCOM 2 will bring you up to speed within the first few hours.
XCOM 2 Is The Dark Souls of Turn-Based Tactical Strategy Games
Since gamers like to refer to that game when speaking of hellishly difficult games, let me just say that XCOM 2 is the Dark Souls/Bloodborne of turn-based tactical strategy games. It even technically spawned its own subgenre of games, with games like Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and the upcoming Phoenix Point being referred to as XCOM-like. The XCOM franchise features some of the most frustratingly difficult gameplay, but it also provides some of the most intense and satisfying gameplay ever.
A 99% Shot Can Still Miss in XCOM 2
A disclaimer: Just because XCOM 2 is a turn-based game doesn’t mean it’s easy. It’s extremely hard even at the lowest difficulty, requiring patience and strategic thinking to get through the game. Did I mention luck? Yeah, you need truckloads of luck. Why? XCOM 2’s gameplay depends on the use of RNG (Random Number Generator), which are algorithms used when calculated outcomes need to be random. What this means when applied in gameplay is that every action you take in XCOM 2 will heavily rely on the position of your soldiers, their stats and many more variables that will affect the probability of whether those actions succeed or fail. These are usually depicted in the game as percentages.
I got you right where I want you. That 76% shot will still probably miss.
For example, you moving your soldier to a higher position or a flanking position will earn him or her a higher probability of hitting the target, thus increasing the percentage for the shot to hit. However, I’m warning you right now, XCOM 2 is infamous for having even shots or actions with 99% chance of succeeding resulting in missed shots or failed actions. Players (even me) have resorted to save scumming to win missions without heavy casualties due to dumb mistakes. Trust me, your soldiers will die and when they do, you will have experienced the full XCOM 2 experience. One wrong move and your most precious, highest-ranking, soldier (which you customized based on your best friends or family members) will die horribly.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryOfZv0JjIg&w=560&h=315]
During missions, players give commands to individual soldiers in battle, moving them through the maps with grid-like patterns. The gameplay is layered and complex, with each map featuring different terrain and environmental advantages. Players move their soldiers through the map by taking turns, sneaking behind cover and completing the objective. There are many classes of soldiers to play with, including the melee-focused Ranger class and the Psionic soldiers. Fancy killing aliens with laser swords, X-Men mind blasts, and pew pew blasters? Then XCOM 2 is the game for you.
Customizing your soldiers any way you want. with many awesome weapons and gear to choose from.
Gameplay Includes Resource Management/Base Building
Players will be on the run throughout XCOM 2’s main campaign. Players have a moving headquarters or mobile base, think of it as one of Marvel’s SHIELD helicarriers. You move the Avenger around the globe for missions in different continents and you will need to make contact with the resistance movements in different regions to advance through the game. There is a ticking clock in XCOM 2, which counts towards the alien’s endgame project. Throughout the game, what you do counters that clock and might set the project back, earning you time to strike back at the aliens. However, the aliens have tricks too and will employ them to increase the clock and bring them one step closer to completing the Advent Project, which means game over for players.
Players will then spend about 25% of XCOM 2 playing the resource management/building management part of the gameplay. That means allocating your paltry resources and make the best of your decisions. Should you take the time, money and materials to build a psionic lab or a defense matrix? The former allows you to train powerful psychic soldiers with psionic abilities while the latter allows you to defend your moving headquarters from attacking UFOs. You have to plan every move and make contingency plans so that you won’t find yourself in an impossible situation later on.
You really don’t want to be in this situation.
In order to gain access to better weapons and gear, players need to research them in the lab. However, these take time and time is what you have little of before the aliens drag you down to the ground in XCOM 2. Should you research beam weapons for better offensive options or kevlar armor for better defensive capabilities? Make your choices count and you’ll survive XCOM 2.
War Of The Chosen Expansion Turns It Into A Totally Different Game
If you do redeem XCOM 2 as a free PS Plus game, I recommend purchasing the War of The Chosen (WotC) expansion. It may be expensive as it costs as much as a standalone game but it’s completely worth it. It adds so much content that it changes the game, offering a deeper experienced compared to the base game. There’s one caveat though, the WotC expansion makes the game even harder if that’s even possible. So if you’re a newcomer to XCOM, it might be better for you to start with the base game before getting the WotC expansion.
The three new formidable alien bosses introduced in the WotC expansion.
If you ask me, you should opt for the PC version of XCOM 2 instead of the console version. The game was clearly developed and optimized for the PC, so the console version is essentially a port. Unfortunately, it’s not a good port at all. The console version of the game suffers from bad framerate drops and occasional crashes. Don’t get me wrong, the console version is playable and serviceable but the PC version is the optimal way to play XCOM 2. However, I understand that the game is free on PS Plus, so most of you reading this will probably give the PS4 version a try. Please give it a chance and bear with the game’s issues and I promise there’s a shining gem of a game behind it all.
Check out XCOM 2 when it becomes accessible as a PS Plus free game starting from June 5th, 2018.


Take-Two Files Hint At GTA 6 Coming In 2023

Publisher Take-Two Interactive (owner of GTA developer Rockstar Games) filed a Form 10-K with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission last week, which means a lot of financial stuff to financial experts. All we need to know is that the company is spending more than US$89 million just for marketing purposes in the fiscal year 2024, which ends on 31 March 2024.
That’s a huge number, but what’s so interesting about that? They’re a big company, right? Of course, they would spend big bucks. Well, it’s curious when that amount for that specific year is double what the company will spend in the fiscal year 2023 and fiscal year 2025, and nearly nine times as much as it will drop in the fiscal year 2021.
According to investment analyst Jeff Cohen (via VentureBeat), that suspicious amount might indicate that Grand Theft Auto 6 AKA GTA 6 will likely be released in 2023. Something similar happened when Red Dead Redemption 2 launched in 2018 when a huge spike in marketing spending was noted as well.
It’s worth pointing out that Take-Two recently revealed that they are planning to release a whopping total of 93 games from its various internal and external developers over the next five years. Surely one of the 93 games must be GTA 6, right?
2023 will also mark the tenth anniversary of the release of GTA 5, which would make for a great commemoration and marketing boost. However, GTA 5 remains popular even now, which is evident from when the Epic Games Store crashed following its offer of the game for free several weeks ago.
We’ll have to look closely at what Take-Two announces in the next couple of years. All of this remains pure speculation for now though.


Warframe’s Biggest Update Will Go Live This Week

Remember when I wrote about that really huge Warframe update a while back? The one called Fortuna? Well, it’s happening this week.

Fortuna, our new open-world expansion, comes to PC this week! #LiftTogether https://t.co/jkeLHwl2EI pic.twitter.com/J4RJTzz2ei
— WARFRAME (@PlayWarframe) November 5, 2018

Bad news for console space ninjas: it’s out for PC first.
Here’s a reminder of what to expect from the Fortuna update.

New cyborg faction to do missions for
New open environment featuring seascape flora, giant mushrooms, and rare creatures. It looks friggin’ huge so far.
Robot-fishing & animal-hunting.
Improved bounties.
New warframe called Garuda; this warframe lets you use enemies’ blood as a shield or as a temporary powerup. Plus it looks super-slick.
Moa companions.
Hoverboards.

If this expansion pulls through, I think it’s safe to say that there’s really no need for you to play Destiny 2 and pay a premium for it.Â If you’re a new player wondering what the hell a Warframe is, or if you took a break from the game, now’s as good as any to make a return to space ninja duties.
I’ll be sure to jump aboard the Tenno train and tell you all about Fortuna in the next few days or so.


Silent Hill: Ascension Receives 2023 Release Date, Trailer & More

Brace yourselves for some exciting news in the Silent Hill universe. A collaborative effort between Genvid, Behaviour Interactive, Bad Robot Games, and dj2 Entertainment, in partnership with Konami, has just dropped a fresh trailer for Silent Hill: Ascension.
They’ve also announced that the highly anticipated interactive streaming series is set to hit screens in 2023. The platforms on which it will be available are still a mystery, so we’ll have to stay tuned for further updates.

What can we expect from Silent Hill: Ascension?

Well, get ready to embark on a spine-chilling journey alongside multiple main characters hailing from different corners of the globe. These poor souls find themselves tormented by an array of brand-new, hair-raising monsters from the Silent Hill universe. As they’re lured into the depths of darkness, both recent murders and long-buried guilt and fears threaten to consume them, their loved ones, and even entire towns.
Now, here’s the twist: In Silent Hill: Ascension, the outcome of this bone-chilling tale lies in the hands of millions. Yes, you heard that right. By the time the final scene rolls, it’ll be up to the audience to decide which characters survive and what fate befalls them. Will they find redemption, damnation, or simply suffer in the clutches of evil? Even the creators themselves are in the dark, as they’ve relinquished control over the characters’ destinies to us, the viewers.
You won’t be experiencing this terror alone. This time, you and a global audience will wield direct and permanent influence over the characters and the story. Picture it as a power trip where you get to shape the future of Silent Hill forever. Now that’s something you don’t want to miss out on.
Chris Amaral, the art director at Bad Robot Games, couldn’t contain his excitement. In a recent press release, he mentioned the team’s dedication to crafting a nightmarish world in Silent Hill: Ascension. From the bone-chillingly detailed environments to the unnerving atmosphere, not to mention the hauntingly realistic characters and monsters, they’ve gone the extra mile to create a horror experience that stays true to the Silent Hill franchise while offering a fresh and unique twist.

Adding to this, Genvid Entertainment CEO Jacob Navok highlighted the immersive nature of Silent Hill: Ascension. With stunning visuals that will captivate audiences, the series promises to deliver community-driven moments that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. It’s a psychological horror journey that pays homage to the beloved Silent Hill series, all while offering a brand-new interactive twist. It’s an unprecedented experience that fans worldwide have been eagerly waiting for.
Motoi Okamoto, the Silent Hill series producer at Konami, expressed his excitement as well. He assured fans and horror enthusiasts alike that Silent Hill: Ascension will take them to unexplored locations within the Silent Hill universe. Alongside the introduction of new characters, it’s a fresh opportunity for fans to immerse themselves in an interactive story that will keep them guessing. And the best part? It’s up to us to determine the fate of these main characters, whose stories will unfold simultaneously across the globe.
So, horror aficionados, get ready to dive headfirst into Silent Hill: Ascension. With its gripping storyline, immersive visuals, and the power to shape the narrative, this upcoming instalment is sure to leave a lasting mark on the franchise. Stay tuned for more updates as we countdown to the spine-tingling launch of Silent Hill: Ascension in 2023.


Neon Genesis Evangelion Will Be Taking Over Tokyo Skytree This December

Just like with Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy VII, a cultural milestone in Japan pop culture will be taking over the Tokyo Skytree Tower in Japan later this year. In this case, it’s the mecha drama series Neon Genesis Evangelion.

The anime will be on display in the Tokyo Skytree Tower starting 23rd December (via Dengeki) and will end on 31st March 2021. This event will be coinciding with the release of the upcoming film Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0, which is slated for a 23rd January 2021 release in Japan.

The Skytree exhibition itself will show off the world of Evangelion (mechas, loading bays, domiciles, Angels, etc.) and photo spots for guests to take pictures at. The exhibition will also feature a limited-time merchandise listing and cafe menu.
More info will be available on the official site later this year. Let’s hope that the current worldwide pandemic is given the ol’ Third Impact because I’m sure there’s a boatload of anime fans outside of Japan who want to check this possible beauty of an exhibition out!


JoJoâ€™s Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean Opening Unveiled

During a special JoJoâ€™s Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean live stream on YouTube, Warner Bros. Japan unveiled the opening theme and sequence for the upcoming anime series.
They also revealed that that Kamikaze Douga will produce the opening sequence for JoJoâ€™s Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean. The opening song is â€œSTONE OCEANâ€ by ichigo from Kishida Kyodan and The Akeboshi Rockets. The Japanese band is famous for having songs in various anime such as Highschool Of The Dead and Gate.
Kamikaze Douga previously animated the first four JoJoâ€™s Bizarre Adventure openings, which is why this new opening also features the same 3D CG models from those Book 1 and Book 2 openings. What’s interesting is that the JoJoâ€™s Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean opening also teases the anime’s main antagonist whose abilities or ‘Stand’ powers are related to disks.

During the live stream, it was also revealed (via Anitrendz) that Tomokazu Seki will voice Enrico Pucci, joining Ai Fairouz as Jolyne Cujoh, Mutsumi Tamura as Ermes Costello, Mariya Ise as F.F., Atsumi Tanezaki as Emporio AlÃ±ino, YÅ«ichirou Umehara as Weather Forecast, Daisuke Namikawa as Narc Anastasia, and Daisuke Ono as Jotaro Kujo.
JoJoâ€™s Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean will premiere exclusively on Netflix worldwide starting from 1 December 2021 with its first 12 episodes. In the meantime, for a non-spoiler introduction to JoJoâ€™s Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean,Â head on over here.
Check out the opening below:


Free Guy Feels Like A Live-Action Lego Movie

Video game movies rarely turn out to be any good, especially if they’re about video games. An example of a recent good movie might be 2018’s Ready Player One, while a rather bad one would be something like 2015’s Pixels starring Adam Sandler. Fortunately, Free Guy is more like Ready Player One, but one that’s an action-packed comedy starring Ryan Reynolds in the leading role.
Born Free

Jodie Comer as Molotov Girl and Ryan Reynolds as Guy in 20th Century Studiosâ€™ FREE GUY. Photo by Alan Markfield. Â© 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.Free Guy follows a guy named Guy, who is an NPC in a massive online game titled Free City that’s a lot like Fortnite fused with GTA Online. There’s a reason why the headline of my review states that Free Guy feels like a live-action Lego Movie. Just like Chris Pratt’s Emmet in 2014’s The Lego Movie, Guy is perfectly satisfied with repeating the same old routine every single day. This means living his life oblivious of his role of being a passive NPC in a video game, getting the same coffee every morning, and doing the same thing at work every day (he works at a bank that gets robbed daily).
All of this changes when Guy crosses paths with Millie (Jodie Comer), a high-level player who’s actually a game developer who is playing Free City only to look for proof that the code for a game she co-developed was stolen and reused in Free City by the gameâ€™s lead developer, Antwan (Taika Waititi). Meeting Millie spurs Guy to start doing things differently, just like how The Lego Movie‘s Emmet did after he met Wyldstyle.
Ryan Reynolds is likeable and charming as the naive and overly-optimistic Guy, as he practically brings out the family-friendly Deadpool in him without the R-rating, though some jokes do have a “dirty” tinge to them (in one joke, he compares the joy of drinking fresh coffee to losing his virginity in his mouth).
Utkarsh Ambudkar as Mouser and Joe Keery as Keys in 20th Century Studiosâ€™ FREE GUY. Photo by Alan Markfield. Â© 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Free Guy also features cameos from real-life streamers like Jacksepticeye, Ninja, and Pokimane. Older viewers will probably find including them in this movie to be cringe-worthy and even immersion-breaking. However, it will likely play well to younger viewers, who make up the majority of these streamers’ fans anyway. There are also non-streamer cameos and one huge one that will definitely incite a strong reaction from viewers (I won’t reveal who it is, of course).
The rest of the main supporting cast is great, especially Taika Waititi’s Antwan and Jodie Comer’s Millie. Guy and Millie’s relationship forms the emotional crux of the movie, while Antwan is a sleazy and douchey antagonist who viewers will love to hate. He’s significantly over-the-top and evil, but he wouldn’t be out of place in Apple TV’s Mythic Quest (which also features a video game developer setting).
What makes Free Guy a good watch is how it captures certain elements of gaming, and I’m not just talking about easter eggs. Some of these elements will only be understood by gamers while flying over the head of general non-gamers who aren’t familiar with video games. Most of these happen in the background of the movie in the form of subtle gags, including players in Free City doing emote dances, tea-bagging their kills, and a lot more.
Whatta Guy!
Ryan Reynolds as Guy and Jodie Comer as Molotov Girl in 20th Century Studiosâ€™ FREE GUY. Courtesy of 20th Century Studios. Â© 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
The movie’s climax is an explosive and fan-pleasing one, but perhaps too overt and on-the-nose with its pop culture references. Still, if you like Ryan Reynolds and his brand of humour, and if you’re a gamer, you’d probably find a lot to enjoy in Free Guy. It’s a veritable popcorn movie you’ll enjoy & slightly remember.
Final Score: 70/100
We attended a press screener of Free Guy courtesy of The Walt Disney Company Malaysia.
Free Guy is slated to premiere on 14 October 2021 in Malaysian cinemas.


Arknights Spin-Off Game Announced; Slated For PC & Mobile

Hypergryph will be making a new Arknights spin-off game.
That’s right; the top RPG tower defense game featuring furries and anime women hybrids will be getting a 3D real-time RPG with strategic elements called Arknights: Endfield. The 3D RPG features all-new gameplay mechanics and allows players to control a party to explore Talos-II in all its barren glory.
Here’s the official description:
Endfield inherits the worldview of Arknights. However, it has its own stories and distinctive characters. The tale of Endfield starts over at a planet called Talos-II, a dangerous place rife with catastrophes and risks. The vast wildlands and uninhabited territories stretched far beyond the colonies of the Habitable Band have yet to be surveyed. As such, players will explore this untamed world with Endfield Industries operators to uncover the mystery hidden within the abandoned ruins.
Check out the gameplay and trailer below.


NBA Legend Reveals Reason Behind His Absence In NBA 2K

Charles Barkley is an icon and legend in the NBA, best known for being an 11-time NBA All-Star and a career with Philadelphia 76ers (1984-1992), Phoenix Suns (1992-1996), and Houston Rockets (1996-2000). He is now a prominent NBA analyst on TNT’s Inside The NBA.
Despite all that, he has never been in an NBA 2K game, including this year’s NBA 2K21. In a video published back in July 2020 (but only went viral recently when shared on the NBA subreddit), a fan asked Barkley why that is the case (around the 1:48 minute mark).

He then explains that he does not appear in the NBA 2K games because he is actually disappointed at how little the company pays the legacy and classic players who do appear in the game.
He believes that more money should be given as a source of revenue for these retired players, especially those who are not major superstars with million-dollar endorsements deals (like Michael Jordan) and jobs (like Barkley himself) after they retired.
Barkley said:
â€œGive the old retired players one million dollars and Iâ€™ll be in the video game. They piss me off every year, they call me every year and say â€˜have you changed your mind? Why in the world you think Iâ€™m gonna change my mind?Give the retired players a million dollars a year.Iâ€™m not talking about old retired players like me. Thereâ€™s this misconception that everybodyâ€™s been making a gazillion dollars our whole life. Thereâ€™s players older than me who didnâ€™t make any money.Those are the guys, theyâ€™re older and probably need the money, so thatâ€™s why Iâ€™m not in the video game.â€
In 2016, Barkley has previously spoken out against 2K Games, where he said:
“Iâ€™m not trying to be a pig or greedy. They should donate the money to the retired players. If they would give a million dollars a year to retired players union, they can use my likeness.”
However, Barkley has appeared in other non-2K games before, including 1993’s Barkley Shut Up and Jam! for the Sega Genesis and SNES.


Dragon Quest X Offline Is Delayed To Mid 2022

The offline version of MMORPG Dragon Quest X will be out a bit later.
Square Enix announces that Dragon Quest X: Rise of the Five Tribes Offline will be delayed from its 26 February 2022 release date. Instead, the title will be out in Summer 2022 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam).
The game’s planned DLC, Dragon Quest X: The Sleeping Hero and the Guiding Ally Offline will be pushed back to Fall 2022, obviously to accommodate the late release of the base game. The delay is due to “further quality improvements, to ensure the game is in perfect condition upon release” according to producer Takuma Shiraishi.


Fnatic Temporarily Leave The Dota 2 Scene

Esports powerhouse Fnatic has announced that it will be disbanding its Dota 2 team in Southeast Asia and taking a break from the game’s competitive scene.
The reason behind this move is the team’s poor performance in the Winter Tour regional league, where they ended up with a 1-6 record, leading to their demotion to Division II for the Spring Tour. In a statement, the organization stated that the decision to withdraw from Dota 2 was a challenging but essential step. “We have had to consider the future viability of Dota 2 for Fnatic, and as a result, we have taken the difficult decision to temporarily leave the Dota Pro Circuit,” the statement said.

After reflecting on the sustainability of our DOTA 2 roster, we've made the difficult decision to temporarily withdraw from the title.
Above all, we want to thank the ever-passionate SEA audience and all players and staff that have supported us with the title. Read more:
— FNATIC (@FNATIC) February 10, 2023

In a Twitlonger post, Team Director Paolo Bago disclosed that the worsening economic situation in the West was another factor behind Fnatic’s withdrawal from Dota 2. Although the Southeast Asian Dota 2 team was based in the United Kingdom, the esports organization is headquartered in the UK.
Bago stated, “It has been a week since I was informed that due to the declining economy in the western market and the impending recession putting pressure not only on Fnatic but many other companies within and outside the industry, the company would be dropping Dota 2 to focus on other ventures and reduce losses.” He also noted that esports is inherently unstable and Dota 2 is even more volatile compared to other titles.
Fnatic mentioned in its statement that it is working on finding a new home for its players and staff before formally exiting the Dota Pro Circuit (DPC). The team’s final tournament will be the Southeast Asian edition of BTS Pro Series Season 14, which concludes on February 16. The organization expressed its gratitude to its players, staff, and fans, who have been a part of this amazing journey. Djardel “DJ” Mampusti, Fnatic’s star support player and longest-serving member, also expressed his gratitude and said that his time with Fnatic “will always be an important part of my life.”
Fnatic first entered the Dota 2 scene in 2011 with a Serbian team and went on to become one of the top organizations in Europe, fielding legendary players such as N0tail and Fly. The organization took a brief hiatus in 2014 but returned to Dota 2 in 2015 when it moved to Southeast Asia and acquired Team Malaysia, with DJ joining the roster in August of that year.
Since its move to Southeast Asia, Fnatic has competed in every iteration of The International (TI), Dota 2’s annual world championship tournament, as well as in 17 Majors. The organization’s fourth-place finish at TI6 remains the highest placement for a Southeast Asian team in any TI since Orange Esports’ third-place finish at TI3.
With its departure from Dota 2, Fnatic’s remaining active esports teams include its League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, VALORANT, Halo, Rainbow Six: Siege, FIFA, and Apex Legends rosters.


Code Vein’s First DLC Adds A Hot New Boss Plus Fiery Weapons And Spells

Code Vein is still widely known as a Dark Souls clone even among its own fans but the game manages to stand out thanks to it anime aesthetics and ridiculously voluptuous female characters. Good news for fans, the first of three upcoming Code Vein DLCs have been revealed.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hsGd5ypQQU&w=560&h=315]
The major theme of Code Vein‘s first DLC seems to be “fire” as it is aptly titled Hellfire Knight. It’s safe to assume that that’s probably the name of the DLC’s featured boss. It’s scheduled to release on 29 January 2020 for PC (Steam), PS4, and Xbox One.
Going with the hot theming of the DLC, it will come with a bunch of new fire-element weapons and spells. Of course, there will also be new Blood Codes for you to unlock and master. In terms of aesthetics, new alternate costumes for your NPC companions will also be added.

The DLC is free for those of you who bought the Deluxe Edition of the base game or if you purchased the Season Pass. On Steam, the DLC is priced at RM32.99 and according to the game’s PlayStation Store page, it’ll take up less than 500MB.
As I mentioned earlier, Hellfire Knight is only the first of three upcoming Code Vein DLCs. Bandai Namco plans to reveal the next two DLCs in early 2020 but for now, they’re keeping the release dates a secret.


Demon Slayer The Hinokami Chronicles To Add Entertainment District Arc Characters This Summer

Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba The Hinokami Chronicles will add new playable characters from the anime’s Entertainment District Arc in the second season via paid “Additional Character Packs” DLC starting sometime in summer 2022, according to the latest issue of Weekly Jump.
The packs will feature the following new characters playable in Versus Mode:

Tengen Uzui
Daki
Gyutaro
Nezuko Kamado (Awakened Form)
Tanjiro Kamado (Entertainment District Arc)
Zenitsu Agatsuma (Entertainment District Arc)
Inosuke Hashibira (Entertainment District Arc)

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles is available now for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam, and is due out for Switch on June 9 in Japan and Asia, and June 10 worldwide.
You can check out my review of Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba The Hinokami Chronicles by heading over here. You could also check out gameplay footage of all the awesome Ultimate Arts (ultimate finishers and super moves) in our video below:


The Last of Us and Uncharted 2 & 3 PS3 Multiplayer Servers Ending This September

After so many years running on servers since 2009, it’s time for Naughty Dog multiplayer fans to say goodbye to the PS3 multiplayer services for Uncharted 2, Uncharted 3, and The Last of Us.
In a goodbye post from Naughty Dog, the PS3 servers will shut down for the aforementioned games on 4th September, 2019, at 8am GMT+8. To celebrate an end of an era, the company is offering free multiplayer DLC bundles for these games on the PlayStation Store. It’ll be available until the shutdown date.
Out with the old, in with the new, eh? It’s been 11 years since the sequel to Uncharted introduced cover-based agility-focused multiplayer modes, so it’s got a good run.


Demon Slayer The Hinokami Chronicles First Post-Launch Update Is Coming Soon

Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba The Hinokami Chronicles is out now for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The fighting game by CyberConnect2 and Sega features 18 characters at launch, but it will soon add six more playable characters in free post-launch updates.
The first of these updates will arrive sometime in late October or early November (via the latest issue of Weekly Jump as translated by Gematsu), which will add playable demons Akaza and Rui. This will be a welcome update, considering that none of the available 18 playable characters at launch is a demon. How could a Demon Slayer game not have playable demons?
Rui.
You can check out my review of Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba The Hinokami Chronicles by heading over here. You could also check out gameplay footage of all the awesome Ultimate Arts (ultimate finishers and super moves) in our video below:


Check Out Overwatch’s Sigma & His Gravity-Defying Kit

It was just yesterday that we received a trailer for Overwatch‘s 31st hero Sigma and now we’ve been given the full details on the new hero’s skillset and attacks. Important deets first: Sigma is a tank hero and will be able to utilize a shield barrier, just like Reinhardt and Orisa but there’s also something unique about his version of it. Read on…
Let’s start with a bit of background on Sigma. His real name is Siebren de Kuiper and if you’re uncultured like me, that’s a Dutch name which makes him the first Overwatch hero born in the Netherlands. He was formerly an astrophysicist and it was an experiment gone wrong that gave him his abilities (plus some psychological damage). After being quarantined in a government facility, he’s “rescued” by Talon and uses him as a living weapon.
Okay, now that you’re up to speed with Sigma’s backstory, it’s time to talk about the more attractive side of him: his playstyle.
As mentioned earlier, Sigma is a tank character so his main defensive skill is called Experimental Barrier. The interesting part about the Experimental Barrier is that it acts as a projectile. Hold down the ability key/button and the barrier keeps moving in the direction you’re aiming, upon release the barrier stops. When the barrier is up, pressing the ability key again will cancel the barrier.

The game-changer here is that Sigma’s barrier is really versatile in the sense that it can be angled however you like. So that problem with Pharah’s ult raining from above can be turned against her by placing a barrier right in front of her face, deflecting her own damage back to her. That’s just one of the many barrier’s functions.
Sigma’s secondary defensive skill is called Kinetic Grasp and it’s similar to Genji’s Deflect but instead of sending attacks back at enemies, you turn them into your shields. The skill converts 1/3 of damage absorbed into temporary shield capped at a maximum of 400 shield energy. The temporary shield decays at 7 shields per second so it won’t be there for long but in a tight spot, it definitely can be a lifesaver.

A tank hero still needs an offensive skill to dish out some damage and Sigma’s Accretion is one hell of an attack. You basically gather up a bunch of debris and throw it at an enemy. The attack even has a bit of splash damage but the best thing about it is that it also knocks down enemies who are directly hit. The further the projectile flies, the further it knocks an enemy down. Also, it ignores Genji’s Deflect, D.va’s Defense Matrix, and Sigma’s own Kinetic Grasp.

The “gravity-defying” part of Sigma’s character is nowhere as obvious as his ultimate. Called Gravitic Flux, Sigma’s Ult will lift enemies into the air for about 2 seconds and then slam them into the ground. It’s an AOE skill that’s targeted similar to how Doomfist’s Ult works so it can be used for multiple enemies. Another cool thing about Sigma’s Ult is that while using it, he will fly up and keep flying until the part where enemies are slammed down.
While suspended due to Sigma’s Ult, enemies cannot move except for Moira and Reaper who can escape using their skills. The slam will take away 50% of an enemies maximum HP which is a crazy amount of damage when you take into account that you and your teammates can attack them while they’re being suspended. The ult is balanced by the fact that it’s telegraphed and so opponents can quickly evade the AoE.
(Update) Apparently, Sigma’s ult can also lift people off the payload for a few seconds, resulting in potential last-second wins for the defenders (via Reddit’s 8uzz1n).
 So… apparently you can do this. I will call this "Sig9" from      Overwatch

Balls To The Walls

Sigma’s main weapon is his Hyperspheres, which are two gravity balls of some sort that implode after a short duration. The means that the balls are pretty much medium-ranged attacks but it’s also worth noting that these balls can bounce off walls. Another cool thing about this attack is that it creates a mini gravity pull towards its centre. It’ll be interesting to see how players use that.

To sum it all up, Sigma is an awesome new addition to the Overwatch roster. His unique barrier and crazy stunning capabilities will definitely be a game-changer, especially when taking into account the new Role Lock which will be implemented soon. If you’re playing on PC, you can test him out in the PTR right now. According to Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan, Sigma will be fully released very soon.


Final Fantasy XV Out On PC Soon; Took Square Enix A While

Because calling your repackaged game “Game Of The Year Edition” isn’t going to cut it anymore, Square Enix is re-releasing Final Fantasy XV: Royal Edition for the PS4 and Xbox One. But the big news here is that they’re also releasing the PC version of Final Fantasy XV, dubbing it Windows Edition.
Rejoice! Both of them will be out on March 6 and will cost US$49.99.

What’s new with the Royal Edition and Windows Edition of Final Fantasy XV? Both versions will contain the base game andÂ  ALL of the DLC and Season Pass content like those Ignis and Gladio episodes. They’ll also feature new enemies, new side quests, a new first-person camera mode, and a new dungeon called Insomnia City Ruins.

Exclusive to the Windows Edition is 4K resolutions support and NVidia Gameworks integration which includeÂ Nvidia TurfEffects – Realistic Grass Simulation, Nvidia HairWorks – Advanced Hair Simulation, and Nvidia Flow – Combustible Fluid, Fire & Smoke Simulation. Essentially, stuff will look prettier and probably run in 60fps because PC master race folks need to hear all that lingo to get a decent erection.
Low-hanging fruit jabs aside, here are the specs. They seem decent so far unless you’re thinking of pulling off the 4K display manoeuvre. Hope you have 100GB-200GB of free space on standby:

If you own Final Fantasy XV on PS4 and Xbox One, fret not: there will be a Royal Pack DLC out to get all of that new content if you have US$19.99 to spare. Check out the trailer below; there’s honestly a ton of nice additions that will give FFXV some more legs before the eventual sequel(s).


What The Internet Is Saying About The Detective Pikachu Trailer

There’s going to be a Detective Pikachu movie coming out next year. And truth be told, I’m actually looking forward to it.

Ryan Reynolds voicing the only Pikachu who can converse with a human with actual sentences and words? Brilliant. And that realistic fur and PokÃ©mon coming to life; I had to double-check if I was on my meds at one point.
Anyway, the internet reacts to the trailer in interesting ways. Let’s go take a look. First, the positive ones…

me: Hollywood video game movies suck
hollywood: ryan reynolds is pikachu
me: pic.twitter.com/HE5LXurTlo
— TAHK0 ?? (@TAHK0) November 12, 2018

Pikachu is back! And this time *record scratch* he’s a fucking cop
— giant enemy crab (@alexqarbuckle) November 12, 2018

Detective Pikachu, vaping inside a 97 Camry that is parked outside a Marriott suites, where he hopes to document an insurance executive banging his mistress. he writes and deletes three different texts to his daughter.
— Brandy Jensen (@BrandyLJensen) November 12, 2018

"The kids call it Ass Koffing. They catch poison-type Pokemon and huff the gas out of them to get high. Too bad the morgue says the comedown ain't pretty." pic.twitter.com/E1Xzig1Kpb
— Mike Drucker (@MikeDrucker) November 12, 2018

When the Sonic movie gets revealed, it’s pretty much going to be the same as Detective Pikachu but fans are going to be more pissed for some reason
— Lucbomber? (@The_Lucbomber) November 13, 2018

New Grinch and Detective Pikachu teaming up to prosecute Grimblewand (for crimes)
— chris person (@Papapishu) November 12, 2018

https://twitter.com/triplegcecil/status/1062069585128710145

detective pikachu pic.twitter.com/CCMgk14vzB
— SungWon Cho (@ProZD) November 12, 2018

Now, the ones who can’t deal with the live-action PokÃ©mon CGIs…

If you don’t            then you don’t love me                  deserve me at my                      at my pic.twitter.com/boezIVNye1
— Bree Lundberg ?? (@BreeLundberg) November 12, 2018

FYI if jigglypuff didn't have fur in Detective Pikachu it would look like this pic.twitter.com/fuX6h8AeDY
— adam moussa (@adamjmoussa) November 12, 2018

? Tell me something girl ?#DetectivePikachu #AStarIsBorn pic.twitter.com/GjlWJJmBXs
— Joey Nolfi (@joeynolfi) November 12, 2018

me looking at the pokemon designs in detective pikachu pic.twitter.com/gGnorYVd1O
— Potion (comms OPEN 5/6) (@PotionBag) November 12, 2018

To be fair, Mr. Mime does look freaky.

seth everman pic.twitter.com/0rhh26o4DK
— ??Cerise?? (@lycoriblush) November 12, 2018

who wore it better pic.twitter.com/2vc0PCVrI4
— karen han (@karenyhan) November 12, 2018

ClassicTailsYT brought up some good points…

Has this been done yet? #DetectivePikachu #jigglypuff pic.twitter.com/t5860mc0J1
— The Eyes Have It (@Toasty_Nerd) November 12, 2018

I like Mr Mime's design in #DetectivePikachu . pic.twitter.com/MvGUG5IPGx
— BGBW (@ChucklingIdiot) November 12, 2018

I dunno guys, the tone of this new Detective Pikachu movie seems kind of weird to me… pic.twitter.com/ng4GeqFOS9
— Jay Baylis (@SamuriFerret) November 12, 2018

Let’s not forget about that Squirtle “Missing” poster…
https://twitter.com/TheWesty_/status/1062038586692841472

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SON SQUIRTLE? #DetectivePikachu pic.twitter.com/ar44LaOGnO
— Jay Heart (@KalexBD) November 12, 2018

I’m gonna go with “Team Rocket shenanigans” on this one…

My biggest issue with the Detective Pikachu trailer…
WHO LOST THEIR SQUIRTLE?WHY IS THIS PANCHAM STILL MISSING?WAS IT TEAM ROCKET?!I WILL PUNCH THROUGH WHOMEVER TO MAKE SURE THESE POKEMON FIND THEIR OWNERS AGAIN#DetectivePikachu pic.twitter.com/0AivrGDOOK
— Marshall (@PokeMarsh) November 12, 2018

I look forward to the obvious cop typecast guest cameos featuring Dean Norris, Michael Chiklis, and Andre Braugher.


How Long Does It Take To Beat God Of War: Ragnarok?

PlayStation is going all in with its upcoming action-adventure title God of War: Ragnarok this November, the sequel to 2018’s God of War title for PS4. The new game will be out for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, and is definitely shaping up to be a major GOTY contender.
Having said that, one does wonder how long it takes to beat the game. According to a leak via Insider Gaming, the game will take 40 hours to complete in full. These include side quests and other activities not tied to the plot.
To break it down, the game’s main story will take around 20 hours to complete. The game’s cutscenes are worth 3.5 hours in length.
Keep in mind that the report linked above is just an estimate and not an accurate number. For comparison, God of War (2018) took 20 hours to beat according to data site How Long To Beat. It makes sense; why pad out an epic game’s story for so long when 20 hours or less on average is just right for an action-packed game with many realms to explore?
God of War: Ragnarok will be out on 11th November for PS5 and PS4.


Bloodstained Ritual Of The Night Gets Retro Game Mode

Publisher 505 Games and developer ArtPlay continue to whip up additions for Bloodstained Ritual Of The NightÂ with â€œClassic Modeâ€ and â€œKingdom Crossover.â€
The latest DLC is part of a long and steady stream of content planned for this Igavania RPG, aimed to satisfy fans with new Bloodstained Ritual Of The NightÂ experiences throughout 2021.
Classic Mode and Kingdom Crossover are available today on PS4, Xbox One, PC (Steam) and Nintendo Switch for free for anyone that owns the game.

Classic Mode: Announced during Bloodstainedâ€™s Kickstarter campaign, Classic Mode sends Miriam into an 8-bit aesthetic world armed only with a Sword-whip. Miriam must once again enter the demonic castle to confront Gebel and survive five harrowing stages and five sub-bosses that stand in her way.Upon finishing Classic Mode, players are graded on time, score and number of deaths across three difficulty modes â€“ be sure to efficiently use Miriamâ€™s special moves including slide, backstep and backflip. Users can activate Classic Mode from the EXTRA MODES option on the main menu screen.

Kingdom Crossover: Publishers Raw Fury and 505 Games partnered last year by transporting Bloodstained: Ritual of the Nightâ€™s beloved characters â€“ Miriam, Zangetsu, Gebel and Alfred â€“ to Kingdom: Two Crowns.Â  Now both publishers are teaming up again to merge the worlds of Kingdom: Two Crowns and Bloodstained.The aptly named Kingdom Crossover content includes a new area that captures the beautiful, modern pixel art aesthetic ofKingdom. Players will encounter a new boss, the Archer Familiar Shard and can find a new piece of equipment: the Crown Head Gear, which reduces damage at the cost of gold.

Artplay founder Koji Igarashi said:
â€œWe remain dedicated to giving our fans new ways to experience Bloodstained, and our collaboration with Raw Fury spanning the last two years has opened both of our worlds.
In addition to the Kingdom: Two Crowns crossover, weâ€™re also now opening Classic Mode, a new gameplay experience that will deliver a rush of nostalgia that many of our fans crave.â€
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:
[videopress yJk6gc9W]


Remember That Time Square Enix Convinced Disney To Do Kingdom Hearts?

Kingdom Hearts is now regarded by many to be one of the most ambitious and successful crossovers of all time (sorry, Avengers: Infinity War). But that was not always the case, especially earlier in the 2000s when it began as nothing more than a mere concept.
Disney is notoriously known for being strict in terms of keeping their company’s family-friendly brand and maintaining a certain high level of quality, so what exactly convinced them to work with Square Enix? How did Kingdom Hearts creator Tetsuya Nomura get away with mixing Final Fantasy characters with decades-worth of beloved Disney properties?

Here’s the summarized story (via Anime News Network’s help):
-It all started when Buena Vista Games (or the now-defunct Disney Interactive Studios) decided to stop developing/publishing games themselves (most of which were low in quality) and move to focus on licensing Disney properties to other game developers/publishers. This was when Square Enix came into the picture and grabbed the opportunity for collaboration.
-In the very first meeting between Disney and Square Enix, newly-appointed director Tetsuya Nomura did the unthinkable. He rejected all of Disney’s ideas and proposed his own idea instead. Inspired by Super Mario 64, Nomura wanted an original character who journeys through the Disney worlds.
–Nomura’s idea was approved, albeit with one caveat; Square Enix couldn’t use Disney’s iconic mascot, Mickey Mouse. Disney eventually relented, but even then, Mickey Mouse was only allowed to appear once, and only from a distance. That’s why King Mickey only appeared once and for a very brief moment in the original 2002 Kingdom Hearts game (at the end of the game when he sealed the door to Kingdom Hearts).
–Ultimately, the Kingdom Hearts IP and any original character developed for use in the franchise belonged to Disney, including Sora, Kairi, Riku, and more. There’s also a reason why Tarzan never appeared in any of the Kingdom Hearts games after the first; Tarzan is co-owned Disney and Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc.
-As the Kingdom Hearts franchise became more successful, Disney’s licensing restrictions became more relaxed, allowing Square Enix to use more Disney properties and even to feature a lot more of Mickey Mouse himself.
-The next step on Nomura’s list was to create a Kingdom Hearts world based on a live-action Disney property. He later received permission for not only the 1982 Tron movie but also its 2010 sequel Tron: Legacy and Pirates the Caribbean franchise to boot.
-The reason why Kingdom Hearts managed to retain many of the original voice actors from Disney movies is thanks to Disney Character Voices International, a global company that manages the voice dubbing for all Disney properties. Examples include Jim Cummings reprising his role as Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, Kathryn Beaumont as Alice, and much more.
-Disney and Pixar didn’t have the best of relationships when the Kingdom Hearts franchise was just beginning in 2002, with bad blood between the two company’s head honchos Michael Eisner and the late Steve Jobs. It was later in 2005 when Bob Iger took over as Disney CEO that he acquired Pixar and put John Lasseter in charge of the animation studio.
-It was only when that happened that Pixar properties could finally be added into the Kingdom Hearts franchise. The upcoming Kingdom Hearts 3 is set to be the first game in the franchise to feature a Pixar property, namely: Toy Story’s Toy Box.
-Nomura’s level of creative freedom with Disney/Pixar properties now with Kingdom Hearts 3 is such that the story involving Big Hero 6’s world in the upcoming game will actually take place after the events of the 2014 movie, with Sora, Donald, and Goofy meeting Hiro and his already-established team.

It’s amazing how far the Kingdom Hearts franchise has come since 2002. Kingdom Hearts 3 is slated to release for the PS4 and Xbox One on 29 January 2019. In the meantime, check out our ranking of all the Kingdom Hearts games from best to worst here.


Malaysia’s Esports Industry To Receive RM20 Million Via Bajet 2022 Initiative

Malaysia’s esports scene will be getting a capital boost for 2022.
According to the current Malaysian government’s finance minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Aziz (via Lowyat.net), he said that the government has agreed to provide a whopping RM20 million to the local esports industry, out of the total of RM332.1 billion as part of Bajet 2022. Part of that RM20 million will need to be used specifically for drone sports; RM5 million to be exact.
Furthermore, esports teams and athletes will get tax exemptions on tournament prizes, meaning pro players in Malaysia will get to keep their winnings instead of paying tax for them.
The full details of the RM20 million were yet to be revealed by Tengku Zafrul. But generally, this means bigger rewards for players. And possibly more MOBA and battle royale tournaments in tow for 2022 since that’s all the rage in Malaysia esports these days. As for fighting games, Overwatch, and other esports titles in Malaysia? That remains to be seen.


SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy Pulls A Rule 63 On Terry Bogard

We really have no words for this. SNK revealed one more new character in their casual-savvy tag-team fighting game SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy. And it’s a gender-swapped version of Terry Bogard, arguably SNK’s most recognizable mascot next to Iori, Marco, and Haohmaru.
The trailer below shows off his moves, ranging from his Buster Wolf to his Power Waves. The “engrish” is still there but now in a deeper female voice.

Story-wise, the guy who is capturing all of these KOF ladies (and guy) probably has magical powers to perform a sex change on our favourite cap-wearing pugilist. It’ll be interesting to see the full explanation for this turn of events.
SNK’s Short History Of Gender-Bending
Funny thing is, this isn’t the first time they’ve attempted this. In SNK Gal Fighters, players had to deal with a cross-dressing Iori as a final boss.

If you remember SNK vs Capcom SVC Chaos, Darkstalker’s Demitri also brought in his Midnight Bliss where he transforms male fighters into women before sucking them dry of their blood.

If we’ve missed out on other egregious examples, let us know.


Werewolf By Night Trailer Teases Horror & Man-Thing

At D23, Marvel announced Werewolf By Night, which will premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on 7 October 2022.
Composer Michael Giacchino will be the director. Gael Garcia Bernal (who will play the titular werewolf) and Laura Donnelly are the leads of the series.
In the comics, Jake Gomez is a boy of Hopi descent who underwent his first werewolf transformation at the age of 13 due to a curse in his family. During the night of the full moon and the two nights surrounding it he is forced to mutate into a werewolf, a large, powerful form which is a hybrid of human and wolf, and loses his human intellect. Through a series of events, he is also capable of mutating voluntarily outside of the full moon, at which time he remains in control of himself. As a werewolf, Jack gains the proportionate physical advantages of a nearly 7-foot-tall (2.1 m) wolf. In this form, he possesses superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability, agility and reflexes.
The trailer also teases Man-Thing, another magical Marvel character. He is powerful, can burn people who fear him and is the nexus of all realities.

Check out the trailer below:


Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Fighter Pass 2 Announced

Because Nintendo loves to make money with its own fighting game, the company has announced a second season pass for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. But instead of just 5 fighters, fans will be getting 6 instead.
If you pre-order the pass starting 28th January, you can get the exclusive Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Ancient Soldier costume for the Mii Swordfighter. So that’s one way to incentivize folks who still don’t know who the 6 new fighters are.
Speaking of SSBU, did you know that Byleth from Fire Emblem: Three Houses is going to be in the game later this month? Find out more about the Professor here.Â


Netflix June 2020: The Best Shows To Watch During Quarantine

Since everyone is staying home because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, Iâ€™m sure you wonâ€™t want to waste time sifting through Netflixâ€™s extensive catalogue of shows and movies just to decide on what to watch. The streaming giant updates its site every day, week, and month with new content, so Iâ€™m here to save your precious time.
Here are my personal recommendations and highlights for Netflix Malaysiaâ€™s June 2020 lineup and how to fill up your free time with worthwhile content at home:
Baki: The Great Raitai Tournament Saga (4 June 2020)
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaQDqhjyBng&w=560&h=315]
The original Grappler Baki manga was created by Keisuke Itagaki, also known as the real-life father of Paru Itagaki, the creator of the Beastars manga (the anime of which is available on Netflix). The Baki manga is still ongoing ever since it initially launched way back in 1991.
Entering a fighting tournament held once every 100 years, protagonist Baki Hanma will give his all to fight back from the brink of death in this second season of the martial arts-focused action-heavy anime.
The Last Days of American Crime (5 June 2020)

Heist movies never get old. Fans of a good old-fashioned heist would probably be interested in The Last Days Of American Crime, which is based on the Radical Publishing graphic novel of the same name created by Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini.
Directed by Olivier Megaton, the official synopsis reads:

“As a final response to terrorism and crime, the U.S. government plans to broadcast a signal making it impossible for anyone to knowingly commit unlawful acts.
Graham Bricke (Ã‰dgar RamÃrez), a career criminal who was never able to hit the big score, teams up with famous gangster progeny Kevin Cash (Michael Pitt), and black-market hacker Shelby Dupree (Anna Brewster), to commit the heist of the century and the last crime in American history before the signal goes off.”

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdWxGwiuhnU&w=560&h=315]
Kipo And The Age Of Wonderbeasts Season 2 (12 June 2020)

Remember The Legend Of Korra and Netflix’s Voltron: Legendary Defender? Well, the company behind those animated series, Studio Mir, has actually been busy with their latest effort, Kipo And The Age Of Wonderbeasts.
It follows 13-year-old Kipo Oak, who is searching for her father after being forced to flee from her underground city. To do so, she travels through an overgrown post-apocalyptic urban wasteland ruled by sentient mutant animals (“mutes”), together with her new friends Wolf, Mandu, Benson and Dave.
Fun fact: The protagonist of Kipo And The Age Of Wonderbeasts is voiced by none other than Karen Fukuhara, who you might recognise as the voice of Glimmer from Netflix’s recently-concluded She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power or as The Female from Amazon’s The Boys TV series.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Imw-elWu5w&w=560&h=315]
The Order Season 2 (18 June 2020)

If you’re looking for a decent and uncomplicated young adult fantasy series to binge on, look no further than The Order, which follows college student Jack Morton as he joins the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose, a secret society that teaches and practices magic. As he goes deeper into the organization’s history, Jack uncovers dark family secrets and conflict between werewolves and the magical dark arts.
I honestly thought it would get cancelled after the first season from the sound of its generic setting, but it turned out to be good enough for Netflix to warrant a second season, so why not?
BNA (30 June 2020)
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpBYkmRvpQc&w=560&h=315]
BNA: Brand New Animal is an original Japanese anime television series produced by Trigger, the studio by Kill La Kill and Darling in the Franxx. The 12-episode series initially starting streaming on Netflix Japan on 12 March 2020, and will soon be streaming for international viewers.
If you like Beastars, you’ll probably like this one too. The official synopsis reads:

“Set in a world where humanoid animals known as beastkin exist, the series follows Michiru Kagemori, a normal human who one day suddenly turns into a tanuki beastkin.
Running away, she seeks refuge in Anima City, a place set up for beastmen to be able to live as themselves, and meets a wolf beastkin named Shirou Ogami.
Together, they investigate why Michiru became a beastkin, becoming mixed up in even stranger events in the process.”

Those are just several selected highlights from next monthâ€™s offerings of new TV series and movies on Netflix. Now you can plan your Netflix binge-fest for June 2020.


Malaysia’s Ultraman Ribut To Make His Official Live-Action Debut

Did you know that Malaysia has its own Ultraman? Ultraman Ribut (roughly translated as Ultraman Storm) was created by Malaysian animation studio Les’ Copaque Productions and Ultraman franchise owners Tsuburaya Productions to be featured in the animated series Upin And Ipin.
However, Ultraman Ribut will soon be making his official live-action debut in the upcoming ULTRA GALAXY FIGHT: NEW GENERATION HEROES web series, which will begin airing every Sunday starting from 29 September 2019 on the official Ultraman YouTube channel.
It will be available in both English and Japanese audio, with every episode running around 5 minutes long. Ultraman Ribut’s design is similar to other classic Showa-era Ultramen. His trademark is his Ribut Blocker armament on his left arm, which can be used to form barriers.
Check out the Ultraman Ribut debut trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNMVQAUGB48&w=560&h=315]


Genshin Impact 3.7 Update Slated For 24 May; Features New Catgirl Gacha

Genshin Impact now has an additional catgirl in its gacha ranks, as if its current stable of waifus and husbands aren’t enough.
Genshin Impact 3.7 update will be available on 24 May, which is 2 weeks from now. The update will include a new Story Quest for Yoimiya, and a Hangout Event for Kaveh. On the gacha side of things, players will gain access to recruit 4-star Dendro sword user Kirara, the cat girl in question.
Kirara’s Elemental Skill creates a Shield of Safe Transport. If you hold it, she goes in a Neko state which makes her move, climb, and jump faster; perfect for exploration! She’ll be in the gacha pool starting 24 May.

Other major inclusions in 3.7 include a King of Invokations Grand Prix event with 4 TCG-themed minigames, a bunch of new King of Invokations cards, and special TCG modes. There’s also a tease of the next Teyvat nation: Fontaine.

Check out the full trailer below:

Genshin Impact 3.7 Update Livestream Preview Primogem Codes
Of course, we wouldn’t post a preview of Genshin Impact’s content without Primogem codes. You can redeem the following for 100 Primogems and 50,000 gold:

5A92W9JZBLCH
2SRKFQ2YSMVV
XT82F8JZS4TR


Overwatch Competitive Mode Season 8 Kicks-Off Today; Here’s What to Expect

Season 8 of the Overwatch Competitive mode kicks off today, bringing in much-welcomed changes to the mode’s matchmaking which will hopefully improve players’ experience throughout.
As discussed in an Overwatch forum post earlier in December,Â  Blizzard’s main aim in Season 8 was “to increase match quality,”. One of the key ingredients to make this work, was to create more fair matches, starting with howÂ teammates are matched up.
OverwatchÂ principal designer Scott Mercer wrote “The first change is limiting the maximum skill rating difference between the highest SR player on a team and the lowest SR player on the same team.”
“This will especially help players at both the lower and higher limits of SR, where there are typically fewer players available.” he added.
In short, while youÂ must still be within 1,000 SR to play together in a group from Bronze to Diamond, 500 SR for Masters, and 250 for Grandmaster, your skill ratings within your teammates will be much closer and will also beÂ matched more closely with those with a similar skill rating to yours. In addition to that, the new season will seeÂ the removal of personal performance skill rating adjustments for higher skilled players (Diamond and above). This means that while performance are taken into account in determining how much SR you gain or lose in a match, players ranked Diamond and above just need to focus on winning and playing to the objective.

We are yet to try the new and ‘improved’ matchmaking and once we do, will alert you on how we fared. We reached a high of 2400+ for Season 7 before hitting a very bad streak, closing Season 7 at 1800+. Here’s to us climbing up in Season 8.


Xbox Game Pass March 2022 Adds Marvelâ€™s Guardians Of The Galaxy & More

Microsoft has announced the lineup for Xbox Game Pass March 2022. Highlights include Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, Marvelâ€™s Guardians of the Galaxy, Young Souls, and more.
You can also check outÂ our review ofÂ Marvelâ€™s Guardians Of The GalaxyÂ orÂ head on over hereÂ for our guide on how to be the best galactic heroes.
Check out the Xbox Game Pass March 2022 lineup below:
Available Today
Far: Changing Tides (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Available on day one with Game Pass:Â Embark on a stunning new journey in this atmospheric vehicle adventure set in a beautifully realized, post-apocalyptic world. As protagonist, Toe, you must navigate the flooded landscape at the helm of a unique ship that upgrades and evolves as you progress on your journey. Solve puzzles, navigate the changing weather and dive to unknown depths in your search for a new home.

Microsoft Flight SimulatorÂ (Cloud)
Experience the joy of flying withÂ Microsoft Flight Simulator, available today with Xbox Cloud Gaming on the devices you already own, including Xbox One, phone, tablet, and PC. Test your piloting skills against the challenges of real-time atmospheric simulation and live weather in a dynamic and living world. The sky is calling!

Coming Soon
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (Console and PC) â€“ March 3
Lightning, the star of theÂ Final Fantasy XIIIÂ series, is poised to face her ultimate challenge. Experience a new game world, a new battle system, and extended customization features. The world will end in 13 days. Once again, its fate rests on the shoulders of one woman.
Kentucky Route ZeroÂ (Cloud, Console, and PC)Â ID@XboxÂ â€“ March 10
Kentucky Route ZeroÂ is a magical realist adventure game about a secret highway running through the caves beneath Kentucky, and the mysterious folks who travel it.
Lawn Mowing SimulatorÂ (Xbox One)Â ID@XboxÂ â€“ March 10
Lawn Mowing SimulatorÂ is available right now on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and with Xbox Cloud Gaming, and is coming soon to Xbox One consoles! Take a break from the real world and enjoy the challenge and serenity of mowing the Great British countryside inÂ Lawn Mowing Simulator.
Marvelâ€™s Guardians of the GalaxyÂ (Cloud, Console, and PC) â€“ March 10
Fire up Star-Lordâ€™s jet boots for a wild ride across the cosmos in this third-person action-adventure game, a fresh take on Marvelâ€™s Guardians of the Galaxy. With the unpredictable Guardians at your side, blast your way from one explosive situation to another, with original and iconic Marvel characters caught in a struggle for the fate of the universe. You got this. Probably.

Young SoulsÂ (Cloud, Console, and PC)Â ID@XboxÂ â€“ March 10
Available on day one with Game Pass:Â Gear up and begin your journey solo or coop to rescue the Professor.Â Young SoulsÂ draws you in with not only its stunning art direction, clever beat â€™em up gameplay and RPG mechanics, but also with its sharp writing and incredible universe setting between two worlds you will fall in love with. Plus, Ultimate members can play with Xbox Touch Controls from their mobile device on day one with cloud gaming!

Xbox App on PC Update
The newest Installation and Game Management features are available for the Xbox app on PC:

You now have the option to choose what folder your games get installed to
Access to files for select games youâ€™ve installed, as well as options to repair and move your games
Ability to mod more games

You wonâ€™t have to re-install your existing games, just right click on them on the left-hand side of your app and click on â€œmanage,â€ then â€œenable.â€ You can also move and repair your games from here.
To install the latest Xbox app updates and get access today, open the Microsoft Store app on Windows, then navigate to your Library and select â€˜Updateâ€™ next to the Xbox app.
Game Updates
No Manâ€™s SkyÂ Sentinel Update â€“ Available now
Fight alongside your own personal robotic companions as you battle an array of new foes in the Sentinel Update. Introducing a total overhaul of weapon systems; new lore and stories; all-new Sentinel enemies and combat behaviours; the ability to reprogram and adopt your very own friendly AI drone; and much, much more.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks
EA Sports UFC 4Â (Console): Fighter and Customization Bundle â€“ March 3
Unlock fearsome heavyweights, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. Plus, get both the Kumite Customization Pack and the Backyard Customization Pack, brought to you by EA Play!
Halo InfiniteÂ (Console, PC, and Cloud) Pass Tense Mongoose Bundle â€“ March 9
Customize your multiplayer arsenal with the exclusive â€œPass Tenseâ€ Mongoose Vehicle Coating, four 2XP Boosts and four Challenge Swaps!
Century: Age of AshesÂ (Console and PC) HjÃ¸rrani Savannah Bundle â€“ March 14
Stand out from the crowd with the magnificent HjÃ¸rrani Savannah dragon, a 14-Days XP Booster and extra Gems to spend on customizations.
Leaving March 15

Nier: AutomataÂ (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Phogs!Â (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Torchlight IIIÂ (Cloud, Console, and PC)
The Surge 2Â (Cloud, Console, and PC)


These Are Your Rainbow Six Asia Pacific League SEA Representatives

There’s going to be an epic Rainbow Six: Siege Asia Pacific League tournament series happening later this year. Which teams will be representing Southeast Asia during this fight?
Glad you asked because Ubisoft has announced the three teams: Taiwan’s Team Notorious, Thailand’s Xavier Esports, and Thailand’s Qconfirm.Â

We’ll find out more about the Asia-Pacific League later on 27th May. For now, heartiest congratulations to Taiwan and Thailand for representing Southeast Asia in something as big as an APAC Rainbow Six Siege tournament. It’s kinda sad that there are no Malaysian or Singaporean teams, but what are you going to do except “git gud”?


What You Need To Know Before Watching The Joker Movie This Week

The Joker originally debuted in in Batman #1 by Bill Finger and Bob Kane back in 1940. While the Dark Knight is celebrating his 80th anniversary this year, it will be the legendary Clown Prince Of Crime’s turn next year to reach that same milestone, which is an incredible feat for an antagonist/villain.
Almost eight decades of source material means that there is no shortage of stories involving the Joker in the comics, and that’s not even mentioning the myriad portrayals and depictions of him in countless live-action and animated adaptations.
However, these stories seldom delve into the origins of Batman’s nemesis, and for good reason.
Who Is The Joker?

The Joker has remained iconic and one of the comics industry’s most recognisable villains due to the alluring mystery that contributed to the menacing and frightening aura surrounding the character. In the book Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight by Travis Langley (2012), Jerry Robinson (who created the Joker) said:

“They’ve given many origins of the Joker, how he came to be.
That doesn’t seem to matterâ€”just how he is now.
I never intended to give a reason for his appearance.
We discussed that and Bill [Finger] and I never wanted to change it at that time.
I thoughtâ€”and he agreedâ€”that it takes away some of the essential mystery.”

The Origin That Inspired The 2019 Joker Movie

The less we know about the monsters and villains, the more likely we are to be afraid and intrigued. People fear what they don’t understand, and that applies to mysterious psychotic clowns who kill with laughing gas. Of the few canon origins given to the Joker, the most definitive is still Alan Moore’s Batman: The Killing Joke (1988) graphic novel.
In Batman: The Killing Joke, an unnamed engineer quits his job at a chemical company to pursue his dream of becoming a stand-up comedian but fails miserably, rendering him broke and without a job. In order to support his pregnant wife, he turns to a life of crime, helping some criminals to break into the chemical plant where he previously worked.
When he was too busy planning for the heist, the police informs him that his wife has died in a tragic accident at home. He’s forced by the criminals to resume plans for the heist, during which he dons a mask to become the Red Hood. An encounter with Batman during the heist causes the unnamed engineer to jump into a vat of chemical waste.

To his horror, he finds that the chemicals have turned his skin as white as chalk, his lips as red as blood and his hair as green as vomit. This disfigurement, along with the extreme grief of recently losing his wife and unborn child, drives him instantly insane, marking the birth of the Joker as we know it.
This was where Alan Moore introduced the concept of the ‘one bad day’; that the Joker became who he is just after experiencing the suffering and pain of ‘one bad day’. Therefore, the Joker wants to prove to Batman (and everyone else, like Commissioner Gordon) that they’re only ‘one bad day’ away from going insane like him.
Batman: The Killing Joke established how important the ‘one bad day’ concept is to the Joker mythos, which is often reflected and incorporated into many other future Joker stories and adaptations since then, which includes the 2019 Joker movie.
What About Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker?

Arguably the best live-action version of Joker to date is Heath Ledger’s turn in 2008’s The Dark Knight (though Mark Hamill remains the best Joker across all media according to my own personal ranking of the best five versions of the Joker). Heath Ledger’s Joker was anarchic and a perfect embodiment of chaos for a modern gritter age, while Mark Hamill’s was bursting with manic energy and great at being both scary and funny at the same time.
However, the origins of both Heath Ledger and Mark Hamill’s were not explored or expanded upon, with only the vaguest of backstories, true to the comic book version of the Joker as well. Meanwhile, Jack Nicholson’s Joker from the 1989 Batman movie tried to distinguish itself with a unique origin. Not only was he a mobster named Jack Napier, but it turned out that he was also the mugger who killed Batman’s parents.
I have watched the Todd Phillip’s 2019 Joker movie and all I can safely say without spoiling it is that it only derives two important aspects from the comics (specifically Alan Moore’s Batman: The Killing Joke). These are that the Joker’s dream of becoming a stand-up comedian prior to him going insane and the concept of the â€˜one bad dayâ€™.

The 2019 Joker movie gives him a name (Arthur Fleck) and a clear history of mental illness (which was not explicitly mentioned or evident in the comic) and other personal details from his personal life. Fleck lives with his mother, Penny Fleck (Frances Conroy), while suffering from mental illnesses (like pathological laughter, etc.) and trying to get by in life working as a clown-for-hire.
The version of Gotham City that Fleck lives in is akin to the late 70s New York City, a place plagued by widespread social injustices and a lack of empathy in the general populace. Note that this is also a pre-Batman world, where Bruce Wayne is still a child and his parents are very much alive.Â I can’t really divulge more without risking revealing spoilers, but you can check out a non-spoiler review here for my complete thoughts on the movie.
That’s pretty much all you need to know going into the movie, as the plot is fresh even from the perspective of a seasoned comic book fan like me. That simple fact also incidentally makes the 2019 Joker movie a suitable and perfect viewing for non-comic book fans as well, considering how little it actually takes from the comics.
Joker premieres in Malaysian cinemas on 3 October 2019. In the meantime, check out the final trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAGVQLHvwOY&w=560&h=315]


Riot Games Reveal More Project L 2D Fighting Gameplay

Riot Games just dropped new gameplay footage and more details about its upcoming fighting game Project L, which is based on the League of Legends universe. On a Sunday morning here in Southeast Asia (during Riot Games’ Undercity Nights public online event), so yeah.
Here’s how the game looks like with colour and all:

Looks pretty sweet, though it’s not the final version yet. Heck, director Tom Cannon (one of the founders of EVO alongside his brother Tony) stated that the game has no set release date or window as of yet as it’s still too early to reveal details beyond the gameplay preview below. The game will not be out in 2021 or 2022, so we’re looking at a 2023 and beyond timeframe.
What we do know is this: Project L is an assist-based 2D 2v2 fighting game where you can call in your tag partner to assist you and switch out. The game will utilize simply-to-learn-hard-to-master controls and gameplay, so there won’t be quarter circle motions or DPs; just simple directional inputs and button presses/follow-ups.
Here’s the confirmed roster so far:

Ahri, the fox demihuman magic user who can lay out traps ala Menat from Street Fighter 5. And maybe Magneto/Storm from the Marvel vs Capcom games.
Jinx, the infamous gunner with projectiles and gunfire aplenty from her minigun, rocket launcher, and pistols.
Darius, a heavy hitter with some footsie tools.
Ekko, a mid-ranged zoning character with Rewind and Time Grenade that makes him double back and also keep his opponent in a juggle state for great follow-ups.

The game will also use rollback netcoding for its online play, and will be bolstered in-house using Riot Direct, the same tech that’s used on League of Legends and Valorant.
So far, Project L is looking sweet and promising, as well as with a clear release window that’s still far away. It also has an audience in mind: casuals and hardcore players, both the button mashers and the serious players. No hurry on this, honestly. Especially if a game like this might end up dominating the FGC worldwide. It’ll need all the prep and tweaking it can get.


Respawn Commits To Apex Legends With Dedicated Studio

Respawn Entertainment recently celebrated its tenth anniversary and has announced the opening of a new studio in Vancouver, Canada. The developer’s second studio (after its first and previously only one in California) will focus on the continued development of its battle royale game, Apex Legends.
According to GamesIndustry.biz,Â the new Respawn Entertainment studio will be led by a team which includes head of operations Henry Lee and team director Steven Ferreira. Lee said that Vancouver was an ideal spot because of the existing EA Vancouver campus and that they are planning to expand to a size of around 80 people.
The developer currently has a long-term plan for Apex Legends to grown into a franchise similar in scale to that of EA’s FIFA or Activision’s Call Of Duty. Apex Legends recently launched its Season 5 just last week, introducing a new playable Legend and adding more content to the game.
However, does this mean that we can’t expect anything else but Apex Legends from the developer in the future? Respawn COO Dusty Welch reassures gamers that while Titanfall 3 won’t be happening anytime soon, the developer will still be working on other games as well.

“We love to dabble.
Vince [Zampella] loves to dabble in all kinds of projects. His taste for game-making is not just in shooters.
But look, you’ve got Star Wars out there — that’s a huge passion for Vince and I — and we love all kinds of different games, and we’ll continue to think about ways to expand.
But right now, for at least for our team here [in Vancouver], Apex is a huge focus and a great opportunity.”


Liam Hemsworth To Replace Henry Cavill As Geralt In The Witcher Season 4

Netflix has announced that Liam Hemsworth will replace Henry Cavill as Geralt Of Rivia in The Witcher Season 4. What this means is that The Witcher Season 3 will be the last time that we will see Henry Cavill in his now-iconic role.
In a statement via Netflix, Henry Cavill said:
“My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventures, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and my swords for Season 4. In my stead, the fantastic Mr. Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf.
As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liam’s take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men. Liam, good sir, this character has such a wonderful depth to him, enjoy diving in and seeing what you can find.”
Liam Hemsworth also gave his own statement, which read:
“As a Witcher fan I’m over the moon about the opportunity to play Geralt of Rivia. Henry Cavill has been an incredible Geralt, and I’m honoured that he’s handing me the reins and allowing me to take up the White Wolf’s blades for the next chapter of his adventure.
Henry, I’ve been a fan of yours for years and was inspired by what you brought to this beloved character. I may have some big boots to fill, but I’m truly excited to be stepping into The Witcher world.”
Based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s best-selling book series, the show follows Geralt as he travels the Continent fighting anything and everything that goes bump in the night, from ghouls to bruxas and more. Along the way, he forms an unlikely family with the powerful sorceress Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) and Cintran princess Ciri (Freya Allan) as they evade the mages, monarchs and monsters who seek to capture Ciri.
The Witcher Season 3 is slated to premiere sometime in summer 2023, while the prequel spinoff series The Witcher Blood Origin will premiere on 25 December 2022.
It’s not exactly a surprise that Henry Cavill would be leaving the role of Geralt, seeing as he recently announced that he would be returning as Superman in future Warner Bros. DC movies. It’s likely difficult for him to fully commit to two iconic roles at once, so it eventually had to be one or the other.
In the meantime, check out my review of Season 2 here. The Witcher Season 2 premiered back in December 2021.


Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition Out Early 2020

Remember the first-ever Final Fantasy co-op game on the Gamecube that required the most convoluted multiplayer setup ever? Then again, the game was tailored for a Nintendo Game Boy Advance-loving audience back in the heyday.
Well, you now get to re-experience all that in online form now with the remastered edition of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles for PS4, Nintendo Switch, and iOS. It’ll roughly be US$30 and features:

Online multiplayer for up to four people, which would be the main draw of the title,
Cross-play function and cross-save data across all platforms, also another huge draw,
New post-game dungeons and bosses, new character skins, new items to equip, newly-recorded voiceovers, and new theme songs by Yae.

We’re all for co-op multiplayer Final Fantasy. Check out the trailer featuring Donna Burke’s lovely voice.Â