Animal Crossing: New Horizons Breaks Sales Record

I don’t own a Switch, but it’s easy to see how the latest Animal Crossing game has taken over the world based on all the memes and social media posts. So it’s also no surprise to hear that the game has broken a sales record.
According to Superdata, Animal Crossing: New Horizons sold 5 million digital units within a single month (this was based on its March sales), which was more than any other console game including previous record-holder Call of Duty: Black Ops IIII. Superdata said that those New Horizons‘ sales figures were roughly equivalent to the combined first-month digital sales for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and PokÃ©mon Sword and Shield.
The data also noted other March winners. Half-Life: Alyx, while not a big hit by normal triple-A game standards, was a “blockbuster” among its virtual reality peers, with 860 thousand gamers playing it in that month. Doom Eternal sold 3 million digital units, over thrice the amount than Doom 2016 did at launch. Meanwhile, the launch of Call of Duty Warzone caused the number of monthly active users for Call of Duty: Modern WarfareÂ to increase “159% month-over-month to reach an all-time high of 62.7M”.
Gaming revenues also saw an increase as a result of COVID-19-induced lockdowns. Digital game spending hit $10 billion in March, while mobile game revenue hit $5.7 billion. “Premium console revenue” hit $1.5 billion after rising by “64% from February to March”, and “premium PC revenue rose 56%” during that time to hit $567 million.
Check out the full report here.


Bright: Samurai Soul Is An Anime Spinoff Of That Terrible Netflix Film

Netflix will be making an anime film that’s a spin-off of the buddy cop fantasy film Bright, a critically-panned film due to its terrible worldbuilding and an average plot filled with racial stereotyping disguised with fantasy tropes.
The anime spin-off is directed by Kyohei Ishiguro, the director who made lots of people cry in the anime series Your Lie In April.
It features English dub voice work from Simu Liu who voices main human character Izo, Fred Mancuso as orc Raiden, and Yuzu Harada as an elf girl who has a plot-important wand she carries around.
The Japanese dub features Yuki Nomura, Daisuke Hirakawa, and Shion Wakayama as Izo, Raiden, and the elf girl respectively. Antagonist Kouketsu is played by famous Japanese musician Miyavi, at least for the Japanese dub of the film.
The film will be out on 12th October.


NYCC 2019: All The Best News & Highlights

Another year, another New York Comic-Con passes, though not without leaving behind the best of pop culture announcements and reveals. Though NYCC 2019 was ultimately less eventful than the extravaganza that was SDCC 2019, there were still some noteworthy headlines.
Check out the best news and highlights from NYCCÂ 2019 below.
Star Trek Picard Trailer & Release Date
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvKBeOKvblI&w=560&h=315]
Star Trek went big at NYCC 2019 this year, proving that it’s the best time in years to be a Star Trek fan or Trekkie/Trekker. The new Star Trek Picard trailer shows more of the upcoming show’s basic premise, as well as featuring several new characters and familiar faces from classic Star Trek, most notably our first look at Star Trek The Next Generation‘s Will Riker and Deanna Troi.
Star Trek Picard is slated to premiere on 23 January 2020 on CBS All Access and 24 January 2020 on Amazon Prime Video.
Star Trek Discovery Season 3 Teaser Trailer

The Star Trek Discovery Season 3 trailer offers our first look at the mysterious new season, as the crew of the USS Discovery boldly go where no one has gone before in more than five decades of the franchise. They find themselves 930 years into the future, where Starfleet and the United Federation Of Planets are now seemingly “ghosts”.
For context, Star Trek The Next Generation and the upcoming Star Trek Picard (set in what was previously the farthest Star Trek canon timeline) are set in the 24th century. Star Trek Discovery Season 3 will venture into the 32nd century, an unexplored setting in eth franchise.
No release date has been announced as of yet, but Star Trek Discovery Season 3 is slated to release sometime 2020. Check out the trailer on the official website here.
Lost In Space Season 2 Trailer & Release Date
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdwBMPKUV3E&w=560&h=315]
It’s been almost two years since the debut of Lost In Space Season 1 on Netflix, back in April 2018. We’ll finally continue the adventures of the Robinsons, especially Will’s search for his mechanical alien companion, Robot. It looks like Netflix is splurging a lot on this series, from the looks of the cinematic visual effects.
Lost In Space Season 2 is slated to release on 24 December 2019 exclusively on Netflix.
She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power Season 4 Trailer & Release Date
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSRiyC3cwps&w=560&h=315]
The folks at DreamWorks Animation Television must be working really hard because we’re getting four seasons of She-Ra in the span of just one year. That’s right, She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power Season 4 is slated to premiere on 5 November 2019 exclusively on Netflix with 13 new episodes.
This comes after the third season premiered only two months ago in August 2019 with six episodes. This She-Ra reboot has managed to be consistently good, with compelling characters and writing, so things are going to get even more epic as the series is about to venture into darker and more emotional territory.
The Dragon Prince Season 3 Poster & Release Date

Netflix’s unofficial successor to fantasy animation (from the writers of Avatar: The Last Airbender) will be getting a third season very soon. The Dragon Prince Season 3 is slated to release on 22 November 2019.
The lore and worldbuilding of The Dragon Prince will be expanded even further as the main characters split up, with Ezran heading back to Katolis to assume the throne, Rayla and Callum venturing deep into Xadia, and siblings Soren and Claudia dealing with the consequences of dark magic.
Just look at that awesome poster, and don’t tell me that you’re not hyped.
The Expanse Season 4 Trailer
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jc76QrX5Vg&w=560&h=315]
The Expanse Season 4 receives yet another epic trailer, this time juxtaposed by US President JFKâ€™s famous â€œWe choose to go to the Moonâ€ speech at Rice University in 1962. Despite the change in the network (from SyFy to Amazon), the studio producing the new season will remain the same as it was for the past three seasons; Alcon Entertainment, which means that the cinematic and production qualities will not be affected.
The Expanse Season 4 is slated to release on 13 December 2019.
Marvel’s Runaways Season 3 Trailer
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ReltA7xtbM&w=560&h=315]
The new trailer for Marvel’s Runaways Season 3 provides us with our first look at Elizabeth Hurley’s portrayal of iconic magic-based villain Morgana Le Fay, as well as the crossover appearance by Cloak And Dagger (Aubrey Joseph and Olivia Holt, respectively).
Marvel’s Runaways Season 3 is slated to release on 13 December 2019.
Kamala Khan As A Playable Character In Marvel’s Avengers
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDDOg5d-UQQ&w=560&h=315]
Square Enix, Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal have confirmed that Kamala Khan will not only be an integral character in their upcoming Marvel’s Avengers game but also that she will be playable.
Find out more about her place in the game’s story in our full article here.
Hot Toys And Collectibles Galore
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B91ckt0wO3Y&w=560&h=315]
And that’s not even mentioning the wide showcase of toys and merchandise from all over pop culture fandom, including Marvel, DC Comics, Star Wars, and more. Toy manufacturers and distributors Sideshow and Hot Toys had a booth at the event, featuring some of the latest statues and sixth-scale figures.
Find out more about all the exciting toys and merchandise in our full article here.
Harley Quinn Animated Series Release Date

Executive producers Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker finally announced the official release date for the upcoming mature and R-rated Harley Quinn animated series on the exclusive DC Universe streaming service.
It is slated to premiere onÂ 29 November 2019. In the meantime, check out the trailer below. Find out more about the upcoming mature animated series in our full article here.

There you have it, folks. Of course, there were a lot of other smaller announcements throughout NYCC 2019, but we covered most of the bigger and major ones above. Let us know in the comments what your favourite NYCC 2019 news is.


The Winners Of The SEA Games 2019 Esports Tournament

Esports history has hit another milestone.
For the first time ever, esports is featured as a medal sport in an international sports event, namely the SEA Games 2019. All matches have concluded on 10 December 2019. Let’s take a look at who won those medals.

The SEA Games 2019 Esports tournament was participated by 8 countries from the Southeast Asian region. The teams and players competed in 6 video games for a total of 18 medals. The event was held at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan from 5 December to 10 December 2019.
Here are the respective winners of each game:
Dota 2

Gold: The Philippines
Silver: Thailand
Bronze: Vietnam

Arena of Valor

Gold: Thailand
Silver: Indonesia
Bronze: Vietnam

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

Gold: The Philippines
Silver: Indonesia
Bronze: Malaysia

Hearthstone

Gold: Malaysia
Silver: Thailand
Bronze: Singapore

Tekken 7

Gold: Thailand
Silver: The Philippines
Bronze: The Philippines

StarCraft II

Gold: The Philippines
Silver: Singapore
Bronze: Vietnam

Here are the total medals won.

Philippines – 3 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze
Malaysia – 1 Gold, 1 Bronze
Singapore – 1 Silver, 1 Bronze
Thailand – 2 Gold, 2 Silver
Vietnam – 3 Bronze

Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia did not bring home any medals.

How did Malaysia fare?
Malaysia is very proud to have found its first esports gold medalist in Hearthstone player Dr. Yew “wkyew90” Weng Kean. That “Dr.” in his name isn’t just for show. He has a PhD in Electrical Engineering and is currently teaching as an assistant professor at Heriot-Watt University Malaysia in Putrajaya.
There’s no shame in bringing home a bronze medal. The Malaysian MLBB team Shopee Bosskurr deserves a great amount of respect for making into the top 3 MLBB teams in Southeast Asia. The team consists of:

Ahmad Ali Huzaifi Abdullah
Abdul Wandi Abdul Kadir
Izme Haqeem Hamsjid
Muhammad Hazeem Onn
Jamil Nurolla
Mohd Faris Zakaria

Overall, it was a great event that went quite smoothly. The true importance of esports at SEA Games 2019 is that it represents one of the biggest steps in merging together esports and traditional sports. No doubt this will improve the perception of esports as an industry and a lifestyle.
For the countries that didn’t bring home any medals, it was still a great experience to be able to compete on the international stage. With esports now being counted as one of the medal sports in SEA Games, we can expect another week of awesome matches in the 2021 SEA Games.
Image credits: Razer.


Far Cry 6: Pagan Min DLC Guide – How To Take Control Of This Roguelike

The next DLC for Far Cry 6 is out now, and it features Far Cry 4’s most charismatic despot of Kyrat: Pagan Min.
In the DLC, you play as the titular tyrant who has to get out of his warped mind in roguelike shooter fashion. You can purchase permanent powerups (like more health, health syringes, and gadget slots) and get equipped with the best weapons, but if you die, you lose your currency (Respect) and your equipped weapons. Fortunately, the game only takes an hour or less to complete once you figure out the game’s map and mission structure.
In fact, Far Cry 6: Pagan Min – Control is more or less the same as Far Cry 6: Vaas – Insanity except with a different story, a new map, and a focus on golden guns.Â Here are a few tips & tricks to get ahead. Do note that half the things you learned in Far Cry 6: Vaas – Insanity should work here.
You Can Start Out With Throwing Knives
Once you unlock Pagan Min’s first gadget slot, you gain access to throwing knives. These are useful in taking down enemies from afar, provided you aim for the head.
Take Your Time
Once you get the hang of the controls and the structure of Pagan Min: Control’s Hindu-influenced mind palace setting, youâ€™ll soon realize that dying means restarting your mission of collecting the three parts of the Pagan Min mask and losing all your Respect.
Donâ€™t stress out on completing the run first; all hotspots you find on the island (safehouses, fast travel doors, Challenge locations) will all be tracked and saved even if you die multiple times. Ditto your permanent powerups you get from the mirror and the weapons you unlocked from the Challenges; theyâ€™re still with you. Though for weapons, you may need to repurchase them again.
Donâ€™t worry about the pistol; itâ€™s free.
Safe Houses Save Your Weapons & Temp Powerups
If you save and quit at a safe house, youâ€™ll save your weapon loadout and run cycle items. Your mission progress resets though.
Get The Permanent Upgrade That Lets You Keep Respect When You Die

Early on, get the permanent mirror powerup that lets you keep up to a 1,000 Respect if you die. That way, you can purchase some good starter permanent powerups in case you made a mistake during your exploration period.
The First Syringe Replenishes Over Time
While you can get more Health Syringes over the course of the run and game, only the last one is replenishable. Keep that in mind as youâ€™re fighting hordes of enemies with guns, ghosts (that appear when you collected 2 masks), and magic wolves/boars. One good tactic is to duck and cover, or run around the fight spot and dodge enemy fire until one of your syringes is replenished before you use them again.
Take Part In Statue-Cleaning Trials To Gain Extra Lives

Thereâ€™s a 1-Up powerup you can get that can grant you an extra life if you die, but youâ€™ll have to play through the Pagan Min Statue trials. Basically, you need to stay close to the Pagan Min statue until it’s clean; this takes time and enemies respawn infinitely including clones of high HP gun-toting Ajay Ghales.
The First Weapons You Should Get Are The Shotgun, SMG, And Sniper Rifle
The Shotgun deals good damage in enclosed spaces, while the SMG does good mid-ranged damage as long as you fire it in bursts. The Sniper is required for times you need to camp at a safe spot and deal with enemies atop rooftops and on floating pagoda roofs. Yes, that will happen in the game, so keep that in mind.
You Can Get The Grapplehook, Wingsuit, And Parachute Pretty Early
If you farm Respect a few times even at Mind Level 1, you should have enough to get the trifecta of the grapplehook/wingsuit/parachute pretty early. Since you can die from fall damage, having a parachute is handy when you just want to get to the ground without taking the stairs.

Here Is The Game’s Full Map…

…And The Cutscenes If You’re Curious About Pagan Min’s Backstory
It’s a doozy.


3D Platformer Demon Turf Launches 4th November

Demon Turf, a 3D platformer with 2D graphics rotated in a pretty creative way and features a colourful world set in Hell, will be out pretty soon.
The upcoming platformer from developer Fabraz and publisher Playtonic Friends will be out on 4th November for PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch. In addition, the Demon Turf Trials demo will relaunch on Steam; top-ranking players can compete for the fastest times to win a free copy of the PC Steam version at launch.
The game will run the following challenges:

October 19 to November 4 â€“ Demo Speedrun Challenge: Top five best times (with video evidence) win a Steam key.
October 21 to 28 â€“ Trial 1: Top three on the Leaderboard receive a Steam key.
October 28 to November 4 â€“ Trial 2: Top three on the Leaderboard receive a Steam key.

We had a go at the game’s demo; we really loved how the 2D and 3D aesthetics mesh for a smooth and fun platforming experience. The humour is cutesy, but that’s expected when your demon spawn character is a little girl with quite a mouth on her. Demon Turf looks better in motion; go check out the trailer below and see if it’s your jam.


Civilization VI December Update Adds City-State Picker & More

The Civilization VI December 2020 update is now live, introducing a series of changes and balance tweaks.Â The highlight of the update is the City-State Picker, a new game setup option which allows players to choose which City-States they would like to include in their next game.
City-States will be listed by type, and players can simply check/uncheck the ones you want for your list. However, this won’t confirm that every city state on the player’s list will appear in the match, but the game will draw from your list of options.
Another highlight is the “Stop Asking Me” option for AI factions. Players can add that option for AI friendship and peace requests, option to deal items requested by the AI, and for trades and agreements.
General changes include dropping combat bonuses against anti-cavalry units, and Gathering Storm specific changes to amenities, social policies, and technologies. The Pirates mode has been tweaked as well.
You can check out the full patch notes here.


Netflix July 2022: Our Picks & Highlights

I’m sure you won’t want to waste time sifting through Netflix’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 I’m here to save your precious time.
Here are my personal recommendations and highlights for Netflix Malaysia’s July 2022 lineup and how to fill up your free time with worthwhile content at home:
Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 2 (1 July 2022)
STRANGER THINGS. (L to R) Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Joseph Quinn as Eddie Munson, Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley, Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair, Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield, and Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022
The wait is nearly over. In less than two weeks, Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 2 premieres on 1 July 2022 with Episodes 8 and 9.
Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 1 ended on a major cliffhanger, but we won’t spoil it. While only two new episodes will be in Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 2, the combined duration of both episodes will be almost a whopping four hours.
Created by Matt and Ross Duffer, Stranger Things first premiered in 2016. It stars Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), Priah Ferguson (Erica Sinclair), Brett Gelman (Murray), Cara Buono (Karen Wheeler) and Matthew Modine (Dr. Brenner).
In the meantime, check out when Stranger Things came to Malaysia.

Final Fantasy VII Advent Children (1 July 2022)

In Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, two years have passed since peace was won, and the ruins of Midgar stand as a testament to the sacrifices made to win that battle. But when a mysterious illness is linked to an insidious plot to resurrect an old enemy, Cloud must choose between the life of solitude he committed to or taking up the sword once more to save the planet he so loves.

The Sea Beast (8 July 2022)
THE SEA BEAST – Zaris-Angel Hator as MAISIE BRUMBLE and Karl Urban as JACOB HOLLAND. Cr: Netflix © 2022
From Academy Award winning filmmaker Chris Williams (Moana, Big Hero Six), THE SEA BEAST takes us to where the map ends, and the true adventure begins. Starring Karl Urban, Zaris-Angel Hator, Jared Harris, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Dan Stevens and Kathy Burke.
In an era when terrifying beasts roamed the seas, monster hunters were celebrated heroes – and none were more beloved than the great Jacob Holland. But when young Maisie Brumble stows away on his fabled ship, he’s saddled with an unexpected ally. Together they embark on an epic journey into uncharted waters and make history.

Kung Fu Panda The Dragon Knight (14 July 2022)
Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight (L to R) Jack Black as Po and Rita Ora as Wandering Blade in Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight. Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2022
Jack Black officially returns to KUNG FU PANDA in the new series KUNG FU PANDA THE DRAGON KNIGHT.
The synopsis reads:
When a mysterious pair of weasels set their sights on a collection of four powerful weapons, Po must leave his home to embark on a globe-trotting quest for redemption and justice that finds him partnered up with a no-nonsense English knight named Wandering Blade voiced by Rita Ora. Together, these two mismatched warriors set out on an epic adventure to find the magical weapons first and save the world from destruction — and they may even learn a thing or two from each other along the way.
The cast includes Jack Black as Po, Rita Ora as Wandering Blade, James Hong as Mr. Ping, Chris Geere as Klaus Dumont, Della Saba as Veruca Dumont, Rahnuma Panthaky as Rukhmini, Ed Weeks as Colin and Amy Hill as Pei Pei.

Resident Evil (14 July 2022)
RESIDENT EVIL. ELLA BALINKSA as JADE, ELLA BALINSKA as JADE in RESIDENT EVIL. MARCOS CRUZ/NETFLIX © 2022
It stars Lance Reddick as Albert Wesker, one of the iconic main antagonists of the franchise. Tamara Smart and Ella Balinska portray the younger and older versions of Wesker’s daughter Jade, while Siena Agudong, Adeline Rudolph, Paola Nuñez, Ahad Raza Mir, Connor Gossatti and Turlough Convery are also in the cast in unrevealed roles.
The plot for the Resident Evil series is still a mystery, but it’s confirmed that the settings of the series will take place in two different timelines.
The first setting/timeline is set in 2022 and sees Jade moving with her father and her sister Billy to the futuristic New Raccoon City. Although her surroundings seem initially idyllic, Jade slowly becomes aware that her father and the Umbrella Corporation that run New Raccoon City are hiding dangerous secrets.
The second setting/timeline is set in 2036, follows Jade as she explores a post-apocalyptic London and fights for her survival against the bloodthirsty infected victims of a global outbreak caused by the Umbrella Corporation.
The showrunner is Andrew Dabb, who is best known for his work on CW’s Supernatural series. He writes and executive produces with Mary Leah Sutton. The series is produced by Constantin Film, with Robert Kulzer and Oliver Berben serving as executive producers for the studio.
In an interview with io9, Dabb said the games are canon to the Netflix series, and both timelines take place after the games.
He said:
“The games are the backstory. So everything that happened in the games happened in this world in the timeline that it happened. So if something happened in a game released in 1998, like Raccoon City being nuked, in this world, that happened also in 1998.
[Fans] want something that feels like it is a natural extension of the thing they already enjoy. And I would say the Marvel Universe does that very well. Most [Marvel] movies are not adapting a specific comic. They are borrowing here and there and they’re building something new. That is very much how we approach this.
The games are canon and, I’m sure we make mistakes, but we did not consciously violate any rules from the games. But at the same time, it’s not a direct adaptation of the games.”

Persuasion (15 July 2022)
MR. ELLIOT in PERSUASION. Photo Credit: Nick Wall/Netflix © 2021
Living with her snobby family on the brink of bankruptcy, Anne Elliot is an unconforming woman with modern sensibilities. When Frederick Wentworth—the dashing one she once sent away—crashes back into her life, Anne must choose between putting the past behind her or listening to her heart when it comes to second chances. Adapted from the Jane Austen novel.

The Gray Man (22 July 2022)
The Gray Man (2022) Ryan Gosling as Six. Cr. Stanislav Honzik/Netflix © 2022
Ryan Gosling is THE GRAY MAN and Chris Evans is his psychopathic adversary in the Netflix/AGBO spy thriller directed by Anthony and Joe Russo – available globally July 22 on Netflix.
Also starring Ana de Armas, with Regé-Jean Page, Billy Bob Thornton, Jessica Henwick, Dhanush, Wagner Moura and Alfre Woodard. Based on the novel The Gray Man by Mark Greaney, the screenplay is by Joe Russo, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely.
THE GRAY MAN is CIA operative Court Gentry (Ryan Gosling), aka, Sierra Six. Plucked from a federal penitentiary and recruited by his handler, Donald Fitzroy (Billy Bob Thornton), Gentry was once a highly-skilled, Agency-sanctioned merchant of death. But now the tables have turned and Six is the target, hunted across the globe by Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans), a former cohort at the CIA, who will stop at nothing to take him out. Agent Dani Miranda (Ana de Armas) has his back. He’ll need it.

Those are just several selected highlights from next month’s offerings of new TV series and movies on Netflix. Now you can plan your Netflix binge-fest for July 2022.


This KOTOR Character Is Now Canon Thanks To The Rise Of Skywalker

Whatever you think about Star Wars The Rise Of Skywalker, it is still the concluding chapter of the Skywalker Saga. Despite not actually being mentioned in the movie, the divisive ninth instalment of the long-running franchise has officially made one of the most popular and iconic Star Wars characters canon.
Who?
None other than Darth Revan, the protagonist of Bioware’s legendary Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic, or KOTOR, for short.
Darth Malak on the left and Darth Revan on the right.
How?
Star Wars The Rise OfÂ  Skywalker introduces the Sith Troopers, a new type of stormtroopers never seen before in the franchise. According to the official Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker Visual Dictionary (via ScreenRant), these Sith Troopers were divided into different legions, each of which boasts 5000 of these new stormtroopers.
What’s interesting is that each Sith Trooper legion is named after an ancient Sith Lord. One of them is named “The 3rd: Revan Legion”, essentially confirming that Darth Revan did exist in the far-flung past of Star Wars official canon.
Besides Darth Revan, the names of Sith Lords Andeddu, Tanis, Tenebrous, Phobos, and Desolous are now also canon. Darth Phobos and Desolous first appeared in the now non-canon Star Wars The Force Unleashed developed and released by LucasArts in 2008.
The classification for these Sith Trooper legions state that “”only the Sith Eternal cultists know the significance of these names.”
This is all made more fascinating considering that reports from earlier this year have claimed that a film trilogy based on Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic trilogy of films is currently in development. However, Disney and Lucasfilm have yet to officially confirm or deny the project.
It remains to be seen if anything will come out of this easter egg, but with the current level of the franchise’s expansion into live-action TV and video games, it would be a waste for Disney not to adapt what is the most iconic Star Wars IP outside of the films.
In the meantime, check out my review of Star Wars The Rise Of Skywalker, or head on over here for my 4000-word spoiler FAQ of the movie, discussing all its problems and more.


Here’s Your Overwatch League 2019 Schedule

Brace yourselves, Overwatch fans;Â Blizzard has released the complete Overwatch League 2019 regular season schedule!
You can now buy tickets or prepare for all regular season matches, which will be played at the Blizzard Arena in Los Angeles. The Overwatch League 2019 Opening Day happens on February 14, 2019; featuring a rematch between defending champion London Spitfire and Philadelphia Fusion.
The Overwatch League 2019 season will arrive with several new additions, including the introduction of Homestand Weekend events. Three teams â€“ Dallas Fuel, Atlanta Reign, and Los Angeles Valiant â€“ will host regular-season matches in their respective territories to give fans their first taste of live professional Overwatch before all teams officially move into their home venues. Tickets for Homestand Weekend events will be put on sale by the respective individual teams at a later date.
Check out the logos of all competing Overwatch League 2019 teams.
Besides that, the Overwatch League 2019 season will also feature a revamped playoff structure and end-of-season format, where the top six teams will automatically qualify for the postseason, with the Atlantic and Pacific Division winners receiving top seeds. Two final playoff spots will be decided via a play-in tournament in August, which will feature teams that finished seventh through twelfth in the overall standings, with the top two teams from this tournament advancing to the postseason. This play-in tournament will replace the Stage Finals at the end of the leagueâ€™s fourth and final stage.
The Overwatch League prize pool will also increase from $3.5 million to $5 million in 2019. Fans will have to wait until next year for specific dates, formats and other details for the All-Star Weekend, playoffs and Grand Finals.
All Overwatch League 2019 matches will be broadcast on OverwatchLeague.com, Twitch, and MLG, with select matches set to be broadcast across the ESPN / Disney XD / ABC family of networks.
In the meantime, check out the first two weeks of the Overwatch League 2019 schedule. Keep in mind that all times shown are in Pacific Standard Time (PST), especially for fans outside of the U.S.
Overwatch League 2019 Stage 1 Week 1
Overwatch League 2019 Stage 1 Week 2
For the complete Overwatch League 2019 regular season schedule, head on over to the link below.
Overwatch League 2019 Regular Season Schedule


Eastasiasoft Summer Showcase 2021: All The Games Announced So Far

Eastern publisher Eastasiasoft will be bringing a number of its Asian titles in English this summer. It’s mostly ports of games that are out for PC, but it’s still worth checking out if you’re looking for more new games for your consoles for June and July.
Here’s what we got so far from the recent livestream.
Crimson Spires

A visual novel where you play a female special agent as she uncovers the mystery of giant red-glowing pillars popping up all over a secluded town. She also finds romance along the way. There’s also a New Game+ for you to uncover extra visual novel paths with.
Out for PS4/PS5, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch later in 2021.
Omen of Sorrows

An upcoming 2D fighting game featuring horror literature characters and myths. Should be a hit for fighting game fans looking for a B-tier title for side tournaments. Out for Xbox One in 2021.
Drunken Fist

You play a hobo named Drunk Guy who fights his way through sobriety using his fists and elite drunken fist moves. Out for PS5 later in 2021.
Macrotis

An emotional 2D platformer where a mother mouse is looking for her children in a dark and unfriendly landscape. Coming soon to Nintendo Switch, but you can play the PS4 version now.
Xuan Yuan 7

A Chinese-themed 3D action game that’s part hack and slash and part Dark Souls. Out for PS4 and Xbox One later in Summer 2021, but you can get it for PC right now.Â
Paradox Error

Need a weird-ass 2D platformer that looks like an old Game Boy game, but with intentional glitches that work as puzzles to solve your left-to-right quest? Paradox Error might be the game for you. The game will be out this week, 9th June, for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Pretty Girls Klondike Solitaire

Solitaire with Klondike rules, but with anime tiddies. Out for PS4/PS5 and Nintendo Switch later on 17th June, but you can get it for PC now.
Empire of Angels IV

An upcoming turn-based strategy RPG series with visual novel elements, you control an all-girl squad as you rid the land of an evil plague that’s turning people mad. Out for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch this 23rd June.
Mina & Michi

A top-down 2D action-adventure game featuring a tag-team duo and puzzles that involve the two. Out for PS4/PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One in 30th June.
Trigger Witch
A top-down action game where you play a witch with guns. It looks like twitch-ey fun if you’re into games like Chaos Engine. There’s even a segment or two where she rides a broom and shoots things down like a 2021 version of Cotton.
Trigger Witch is coming to Xbox One/Xbox Series, PS4/PS5, and Nintendo Switch in July.


First Look At The Spiritual Successor To Your Name, Weathering With You

Makoto Shinkai directed one of the best films of 2016, Your Name.Â The anime had a strong release and it was the highest-grossing anime film of all time worldwide, with a box office of $358 million (RM1.46 billion). With a strong rating of 8.4 on IMDb and 9.1 on MyAnimeList.net, it’s surely an anime one cannot miss.
This summer, he’s back with another anime, Weathering With You, or Tenki no Ko, or â€œWeather Childâ€Â  in Japanese.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzKcrJ77wBY&]
In many ways, this looks like a sequel to the critically acclaimed Your Name, but it’s more of a spiritual successor.
Weathering With YouÂ is about the tale of a young man who lands a job at an occult magazine publication and meets a young girl with the ability to change the weather at her whim.
Weathering With You releases in Japan on 19 July. So far, we have no international release date, but that may change soon.


Razer Gears Up For Esports In Upcoming 2021 SEA Games

Razer has announced its intention to lead the charge for esports in the 31stÂ Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in 2021.Â They were previously the official esports sponsor for the 2019Â SEA Games in the Philippines,Â where esports was a medaled event for the first time in sports history.
Now, in the 2021 SEA Games, Razer has worked with industry partners and regional esports federations to once again, succeed in the official inclusion of esports in this competitive tournament.

Razer Chief Marketing Officer Zuber Mohammed said:
â€œEsports has always been a fundamental part of the Razer DNA.Â We have led the rally to elevate esports as a recognized medal event at the SEA Games in 2019 and 2021. With esports now being confirmed as an official event again for SEA Games 2021, we remain committed to working together with the regionâ€™s national esports federations to drive its continued development and to prepare all participating athletes for the upcoming competitions.â€
Ahead of SEA Games 2021, which will be held in Hanoi, Vietnam, Razer is working closely with multiple partners to prepare athletes. Together with the national esports federations in the region and supporting the SEA esports community, Razer has organized a variety of initiatives such asÂ Razer Invitational â€“ SEAÂ to provide training opportunities, support and a global platform to regional esports athletes.
This includes working with VIRESA to sponsor the Vietnam team during the International Esports Federation Championship to train and gear up for the international stage.
Vietnam Electronic Sports and Entertainment Association (VIRESA) President Xuan Cuong Nguyen said:
â€œWith the overwhelming support from Razer and federations, weâ€™re pleased to share that esports is once again part of the SEA Games. Many athletes have taken part in competitions to train for the upcoming esports event, despite not knowing if the games are confirmed. We are heartened by the dedication of the athletes and will pledge to level up esports in the region.â€
Razer Invitational first kicked off with a Southeast Asian edition with the goal of preparing the Southeast Asian athletes for SEA Games 2021, prior to the confirmation of its inclusion.
Working with industry partners and regional esports federations, Razer organized and launched an inclusive, yet highly competitive tournament that featured esports athletes from 10 countries including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

It was the largest SEA esports tournament of 2020 and saw more than 500 teams participating with 10.5 million live stream views and 67 million social impressions.
Following the success of Razer Invitational â€“ Southeast Asia, Razer then continued its bid to discover and nurture a new generation of esports athletes globally: the fully digital tournament is now ongoing in Latin America. Razer Invitational is also scheduled to begin in Europe, from December 10, 2020 through to January 30, 2021.
For more information, you can visit the official website here.


Multiplayer Horror Game The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Launches This August

Sumo Digital and Gun Interactive have announced that third-person asymmetrical horror game The Texas Chainsaw Massacre launches for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 18 August 2023.
Players will take on the role of one of the notorious Slaughter family, or their victims, in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, a third-person asymmetrical horror experience based on the groundbreaking and iconic 1974 horror film.
As a victim, you must use your wits and stealth to stay out of the Family’s reach and find the tools you need to lead to your eventual freedom. Slaughter Family players must seek out, track down, and stop their guests from escaping. Players of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre can finally find out if they have what it takes to survive.
It was originally announced back during The Game Awards 2021.
Check out the trailer below:


Malaysian Brothers Dominate In First Ever SEA Sim Racing Tournament

Two Malaysian brothers left people in the dust as they dominated the first-ever sim racing tournament at the South East Asian eSports Championships (SEA EC), winning in both the Individual and Team Competitions.
Held in IUEM eRacing by RaceRoom, the brother duo led off the line for the individual competition in Race 1. Naquib Azlan forged ahead in first place, followed closely by Inigo Anton from the Philippines in second place, with Nabil Azlan in third. Anton could not follow through though as he experienced tyre wear causing him to lose speed and get overtaken by Nabil, and then Singaporeâ€™s Dillan Tan. Naquib crossed the finishing line in first place with his brother in second to make it a Malaysian one-two with Tan in third.
From left to right, racing brothers and champions of the South East Asian eSports Championships (SEA EC), Naquib Azlan and Nabil Azlan.
The second reverse grid race was an intense, high-octane session as it was a bumper-bumper scrimmage between ten racers. Race 1 winner, Naquib, climbed up to fifth and a well-timed pit stop helped him leapfrog into the lead. As he sped off, Singaporean Ar Muhammad Aleef and Andika Rama Maulana from Indonesia wrestled for second place which led to Aleef nudging Maulana into a spin in the final lap.

He finished the race in second place behind Naquib but was consequently handed a post-race penalty which dropped him down the order and promoted Indonesiaâ€™s Fadhli Rachmat to second with the younger Nabil in third.

After all the points were tallied in the Individual competition, Naquib emerged the winner with his brother Nabil in second and Rachmat in third. The 20-year-old winner went on to say,

â€œWords can’t describe the emotions my brother and I are feeling. Coming into the race, we felt a great deal of motivation and responsibility to ensure we flew the Malaysian Flag high and that’s exactly what we achieved.â€

The team competition saw similar results as the brotherly duo blazed a trail into the winning podium, with Naquib leading and followed by Nabil. Nabil went on to say that his main objective during the race was not to let the team down and go full out in this championship.
The brothers on their personal racing rigs.
Former Formula One driver and founder of eRacing GP, Alex Yoong, said:
â€œI was over the moon to get eRacing GP into the SEA eSports Championships. The countries involved put on a great show with their drivers showing that they really are the best in the region. Iâ€™m keen to show that drivers from Southeast Asia can compete with the best in the world and that their progress will spur more growth in their respective countries.â€
Former Formula One driver and founder of eRacing GP, Alex Yoong.
14 drivers from Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia took part in IUEM eRacing GP by Raceroom. Winners received prize money from a total pool of US$10,000.


Infinix Tease Next Collaboration After Being Name Top Gainer Of 2022

Infinix has been outperforming their competitors and have been named the top gainer of 2022 by Counterpoint Research. That’s no small feat! And guess what? They’re not slowing down anytime soon.
In fact, Infinix has teased a new series in collaboration with mobile battle royale, Garena Free Fire coming out soon that’s going to blow your mind. This series promises top-notch performance, seamless gameplay, and quality features that are a major upgrade from their previous models.
Malaysians, get ready to be wowed by this new series. The processor, charging speed, and visual performance have all been improved, and the best part? It won’t break the bank.
If you’re a fan of fast charging, you’ll love this – the series comes with 33W fast charging technology, which means your phone can charge up to 55% in just 30 minutes! And don’t even get me started on the display – the 6.78-inch screen with 1080P high resolution, 90Hz high refresh rate, and 270Hz touch sampling rate is seriously impressive.
Keep an eye out for more updates on this new series, and be sure to check out Infinix Malaysia’s website, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram.


The French Dispatch Is A Tribute To Print Journalism With Wes Anderson’s Signature Humour & Style

Remember magazines? I remember growing up reading magazines, but the newer generations might have grown up completely paperless, making magazines and other printed media a relic of the past. Director Wes Anderson is known for exploring nostalgia in his movies including ones relating to childhood (2012’s Moonrise Kingdom), romanticizing the past (2014’s The Grand Budapest Hotel) and more.
His latest movie, The French Dispatch, is the same, but this time around focusing on paying tribute to printed or old-school journalism. With a star-studded cast and the director returning to live-action films for the first time since 2014’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, how does The French Dispatch fare?
Old-School Journalism
Bill Murray and Pablo Pauly in the film THE FRENCH DISPATCH. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. Â© 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved
First of all, let me just say that out of all of Wes Anderson’s films, The French Dispatch is the most difficult to explain. The title of the movie refers to the Sunday supplement of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun Newspaper. The movie takes place in the fictional French town of Ennui-sur-BlasÃ©. The movie begins with the death of the newspaper editor, Arthur Howitzer Jr. (Bill Murray). With the obituary as the catalyst, we then go on about four stories in the final issue of the French Dispatch and how the journalists who wrote them as the stories unfolded before their eyes.
The first short prologue follows Herbsaint Sazerac (Owen Wilson) as he tours the town of Ennui. The first major story of the movie’s anthology format, The Concrete Masterpiece, follows convict Moses Rosenthaler (Benicio Del Toro) and how his love for Simone (Lea Seydoux) inspires his art, which Julien Cadazio (Adrien Brody) wishes to exploit. The second, Revisions To A Manifesto, features a journalist named Lucinda Krementz (Frances McDormand) covering the rise of a political revolution instigated by radical students, including Zeffirelli B. (Timothee Chalamet) and Lyna Khoudri (Juliette).
The third and final story, The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner, is perhaps the longest and most elaborate of them all. It follows journalist Roebuck Wright (Jeffrey Wright) who primarily covers food and dining, but finds himself embroiled in a crime as it unfolds, involving various characters played by performers like Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, and many others.
Black And White

It’s best to experience them all yourself, as Wes Anderson’s unique visual aesthetics and humour can sometimes be unexplainable. Each of these stories featured the use of black and white for flashbacks, switching back and forth between that and a bit of colour now and then. Arguably the best story in The French Dispatch is The Concrete Masterpiece, but that also means that the movie starts out strong but ends rather on a lower note.
Each story is pretty much disparate from the other, with its own respective themes. The issue with most anthology movies is balance, or rather, imbalance. It’s extremely rare for every story in an anthology to be equally great, and there are usually some bad apples amongst the good ones. Fortunately, none of the story segments in The French Dispatch are bad, but some are certainly better than others.
For example, one of the highlights of the movie is a brief 2D animated sequence in The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner. It’s an exciting and whimsical part of the movie that reminded me of European-style comic boom aesthetics like The Adventures Of TinTin or Asterix And Obelix. This animated sequence is also a testament to how phenomenal Wes Anderson’s previous animated movies were, including 2009’s Fantastic Mr. Fox and 2018’s Isle Of Dogs. It makes one wish that he would return to doing more animated feature films in the future.
Wes Anderson Being, Well, Wes Anderson

The French Dispatch feels a lot like Wes Anderson trying to experiment a little bit more than usual. It’s harder to follow compared to his previous more straightforward films like The Grand Budapest Hotel or The Royal Tenenbaums. The biggest problem is the lack of an overarching thematic connection between the story segments in this anthology movie. This makes the pacing of the film suffer a bit, as it feels like you’re watching several different short films one after another. It ultimately results in a disjointed feeling, and a more cohesive narrative would have made the film even better.
If you’re a long-time Wes Anderson fan, The French Dispatch is sure to be a feast, especially a visual one. However, it seems like this movie gets lost in the abstract and perhaps prioritizes more style over substance.
Still, this is a movie worth watching for fans of the director, especially those who can appreciate his unique aesthetics and humour. I recommend watching something more beginner-friendly like The Grand Budapest Hotel or The Royal Tenenbaums to get used to his style before devouring the smorgasbord of The French Dispatch.
Final Score: 70/100
We attended an early screener of The French Dispatch courtesy of GSC International Screens. The French Dispatch is slated to premiere on 6 January 2022 in selected GSC Cinemas nationwide.
– Aurum Theatre, The Gardens Mall
– GSC Mid Valley KL
– GSC 1 Utama
– GSC Tropicana Gardens Mall
– GSC IOI City Mall Putrajaya
– GSC Gurney Plaza
– GSC Dataran Pahlawan Melaka
– GSC Ipoh Parade
– GSC Paradigm Mall Johor
– GSC The Spring Kuching
– GSC Imago Mall Kota Kinabalu
[videopress dIydPwXp]


The Best Indie RPG Of All Time Will Be On Xbox Game Pass Later

Not content with Outriders, Xbox has snagged PC hit indie RPG game Undertale for its Xbox Game Pass program. Now you can play the game on your Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S on 17th March.
For those who don’t know, Undertale is a one-man RPG project from Toby Fox, who clearly was inspired by RPG Earthbound and Moon: Remix RPG Adventure when developing & coding this treasure. You play a kid who falls into an underworld filled with monsters, and it’s up to you to either befriend them or kill them. And that’s all I can say without spoiling the game. Even up to now, the whole game is worth a few playthroughs just because of its rich characters, setting, and unique gameplay and subversions of certain mechanics.
Oh, and once you’re done with the game, do check out the 5th anniversary concert below. It’s good stuff.


Lost Ark Is Getting More European Servers To Help With Demand

Smilegate and Amazon Games’ MMORPG Lost Ark is pretty popular right now, so much so that it’s having trouble keeping up with demands.
The game will introduce a new European server region to cope with demand following its massive launch. In case you didn’t hear, Lost Ark reached 1.3 million peak players and is the second-highest concurrent player peak right now, beaten only by PUBG.
With such a popular title, players should expect long queues in the US and European servers; we’ve experienced wait times for an hour or so just to get in. Hence, a new European server region.
“Due to the gameâ€™s architecture this is the only way to accommodate more players in Europe so itâ€™s a joint effort between Amazon Games and Smilegate RPG. Rest assured we are working 24/7 until itâ€™s live.
While we understand lengthy queue times may persist, we will need time to ensure everything is set up to be in top shape to help accommodate all players to get in the game. Weâ€™ll share an update on exact timings as soon as possible.
If you plan to restart in the new region, you may wish to hold off on claiming any â€˜per Accountâ€™ items, such as the additional Founderâ€™s Pack Redemption, until you have created a character and are able to redeem in the new region.”
To sweeten the launch month entry, Amazon and Smilegate are offering a welcoming gift for those who enter Lost Ark before 1st March. Here’s what you’ll get if you enter right now:

Vehicle Selection Chest (choice of either mount)

Terpeion
Terpeion of the Shadow

Midsummer Nightâ€™s Dream Instrument Skin Selection Chest
Healing Battle Item Chest x10
Offensive Battle Item Chest x10
Legendary Rapport Selection Chest x3
Weekly Trade potions Pack x3
Phoenix Plume x20

That’s a lot of sweet loot for just entering. If you’re having trouble getting into the game outside of USA and Europe, here’s a guide for that. If you need an answer for which classes to start with, we also have a guide for that too.


Next Yakuza Game Details Out Next Month

The Yakuza franchise is far from over, with tomorrow’s release of spinoff title Judgment and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio gearing up for the next instalment in the long-running series. Speaking with Gamebase at the Yakuza 5 PS4 launch event in Taiwan, Yakuza producer Daisuke Sato discussed the upcoming new Yakuza game.
According to Sato, more information on the next Yakuza game starring Ichiban Kasuga will be revealed next month on 10 July 2019. When asked about whether series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu will appear in the new instalments, this is what he said:

â€œAt this time, that is not a question I can answer.
On July 10, we will announce the supporting actress for the new title, as well as share the latest information on the new title, so please look forward to it.â€

For those unfamiliar with the character Ichiban Kasuga, he is the protagonist of Yakuza Online and is set to be the main protagonist for the franchise from now on. 2018’s Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life was the last game in the franchise to feature Kazuma Kiryu as the main protagonist. Last we checked, we gave it a great review!
The new supporting actress will play the role of Ichiban Kasuga’s partner in the upcoming new Yakuza game. Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for more news in the future!


BioShock Infinite Could Have Been Much More, Were It Not For Ken Levine

While I enjoyed BioShock Infinite when it came out back in 2013, there was a lot amiss. For instance, all those extra gameplay features & content about alternate realities and making hard choices in an open-world setting shown in past gameplay trailers of the game were all cut in the final version. Why is that?
According to a book called Press Reset: Ruin and Recovery in the Video Game Industry (via Polygon), BioShock Infinite fell victim to the trope of triple-A game development: it was a huge mess for the majority of its development, with many of its developers having to crunch for months to ship the game in 2013. Most importantly, many developers who spoke to the book’s author Jason Schreier said that it was “challenging” to work with game director Ken Levine.
While Ken Levine is a creative genius, he had trouble communicating his ideas or leading a 200-plus team at Irrational Games. Here’s an excerpt from former BioShock Infinite developer Mikey Soden on the harrowing experience, stating that Irrational’s way of developing BioShock Infinite was not sustainable at all:
“While waiting in the drink line at the gold party, I overheard two spouses of Irrational devs talking about how it was nice to have their SOs backâ€”that the last year had felt like a divorce. I looked at my wife and asked if she felt the same… ‘yes’.
Here’s how Infinite changed me: I promised I would never do that to her again, and started looking for positions outside Irrational the following. I made a promise to myself, as a producer, that I would never do that to a team.”
When producer Don Roy joined the studio in March 2012, he was shocked when he saw how badly organized the team and project was. In the summer of that year, the company had to get Epic Games’ Rod Fergusson to act as a “closer”, building a manageable schedule to finish the game for its 2013 release. Fergusson also had to work with Levine closely, which was a challenge to even the Epic Games veteran.
Here’s an excerpt from another former Irrational multiplayer QA lead Tara Voelker, who now works at Xbox as an accessibility program manager.

When I started at Irrational, I was the Multiplayer QA Lead. When I left, I was technically QA Level Lead but honestly spent 50% of my time as a personal Ken secretary, sitting in 1:1 meetings to take very specific notes, entering them in as tasks, and following up with Rod. https://t.co/vcQEwqr9XY
— Tara Voelker (@LadieAuPair) May 10, 2021

Voelker said it was hard to do her real job while spending so much time in those meetings. And the kicker was the game’s multiplayer was cut on the same day she submitted a QA report where the team was able to run through all the maps without a single crash. The team went to the nearby regular bar to “have a wake”.
“I remember the day remappable controls got cut. The feature was buggy & we didn’t have time to fix it. I stormed into Rod’s office and started crying. He gave me a glass of whiskey and let me cry it out while we talked about how hard this project was.”
You can read the full article here, which highlights the arduous process of making BioShock Infinite and how long many folks had to wait until they can speak out. In the meantime, check out the scrapped gameplay & narrative ideas from the game below:


Road to Kingdom Hearts 3: Story Recap Part 2

In Part 1, we recapped the Kingdom Hearts lore that takes place even before the first main game of the franchise, 2002’s Kingdom Hearts. Now we’re going into the original Kingdom Hearts game and two spinoffs that take place around the same time chronologically.
4) Kingdom Hearts

The story in the original Kingdom Hearts picks up 10 years after the end of Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep and its ending runs concurrently with the events in Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth By Sleep A Fragmentary Passage. We already met the younger versions of Sora, Riku, and Kairi in Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep, and now they’re best friends living on Destiny Islands.
All three of them have long dreamt of leaving Destiny Islands for the sake of adventure. One day, a mysterious hooded figure appears, followed by the black monsters called Heartless. Sora unexpectedly summons the Keyblade and just as their word is being destroyed, the darkness pulls them away to the great unknown.
Sora wakes up and finds himself in a place called Traver Town, where he later meets Donald and Goofy. Both Donald and Goofy have been tasked by King Mickey to find the chosen one of the Keyblade, who turns out to be none other than Sora. The three then becomes friends and visits Disney-themed worlds in a Gummi ship to vanquish the Heartless.
Before we continue, the Heartless are creatures born out of the darkness of people’s hearts. They are generally mindless, and whose main goal is to simply consume everything and turn everyone/everything into Heartless as well. However, there are certain exceptions, which I’ll get back to in a bit.
As Sora, Donald, and Goofy travel and seal (or lock) the worlds from the darkness using the Keyblade, there’s a group of Disney villains led by the darkest Disney villain of them all: Sleeping Beauty’s Maleficent. She’s trying to kidnap the seven Princess of Hearts to open the door to Kingdom Hearts. Riku has been with Maleficent all along because she promised him that they’ll find Kairi (and also because he believes that Sora has abandoned him for other friends).
Things escalate when everyone reaches Hollow Bastion/Radiant Garden (yes, the same one from Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep) where Sora, Donald, and Goofy confronts Maleficent and defeats her (she even becomes a dragon). Sora then finds Kairi but discovers that she is now in a comatose state (similar to Ventus’ condition in Birth By Sleep) as she is without a heart.
The mysterious figure that appeared at the beginning of the story reappears and tells Riku to fully embrace the darkness in order to save Kairi. It then turns out that he’s Ansem, the main antagonist, who proceeds to corrupt Riku’s heart and possess his body (just like Xehanort did with Terra in Birth by Sleep).
Ansem (in Riku’s body) tells Sora that Kairi is actually the seventh Princess of Hearts required to open the door to Kingdom Hearts and that her heart has actually been hidden in Sora’s body all along. After defeating Ansem, Sora stabs himself with his own Keyblade to release Kairi’s heart from his body. However, in doing so, it also releases Sora’s heart.
Because of this, Sora turns into a Heartless himself. After Kairi reawakens, she, fortunately, manages to recognize Sora even in his Heartless form. The light in Kairi’s heart (remember Aqua’s blessing in Birth by Sleep) restores Sora’s heart, returning him to normal.
After that, Sora, Donald, and Goofy go to The End of All Worlds to confront Ansem and defeat him once and for all. Ansem manages to open the door to Kingdom Hearts, which opens with a blinding burst of light that seemingly destroys him. That same light restores the worlds engulfed by darkness, including Destiny Islands. However, Kairi is forcefully transported back to the restored Destiny Islands, leaving Sora behind.
Riku offered to stay behind and close the door to Kingdom Hearts (which is also the door to the Realm of Darkness because it’s not the true Kingdom Hearts, all will be explained soon enough). With the help of King Mickey and Aqua (remember Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep A Fragmentary Passage?), the door closes with Riku and Mickey still on the other side. In the epilogue, Sora, Donald, and Goofy embark on a journey to find King Mickey and Riku.
5) Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories

Directly after the events of the original Kingdom Hearts, Sora, Donald, and Goofy’s journey to find King Mickey and Riku lead them to a place called Castle Oblivion (or previously the Land of Departure in Birth By Sleep, and also the place where Ventus secretly lies asleep).
A mysterious hooded figure lets them in and basically tells them that Castle Oblivion holds the answers that Sora seeks but in order to find them, he must forget. Sora will lose more memories as he goes in deeper.
Throughout their journey in Castle Oblivion, they meet several members of the mysterious Organization XIII. The reason why Sora loses his memories in Castle Oblivion is because the organization has a young girl named Namine who has the power to rewrite memories (and even create fake ones). In truth, she’s actually the Nobody of Kairi created when Sora stabbed himself in the original Kingdom Hearts to release Kairi’s heart from his body.
In fact, the members of Organization XIII are all Nobodies. Nobodies are created when people lose their hearts, so they’re basically individuals without hearts. Unlike Heartless, they are not born from the Realm of Darkness but the Realm Between, which means they are not accepted by both light or darkness. The main goal of Organization XIII (at this point in time) is to recover their hearts and become whole again.
Things get complicated when it turns out that the members of the Organization XII in Castle Oblivion are actually a splinter group who seeks to gain control of Sora. One of them, Axel (who becomes important in the franchise’s lore later on) is tasked with stopping these traitors.
Sora, Donald, and Goofy meets who they think is Riku several times in Castle Oblivion, but that’s actually a cloned Replica created by Vexen, a member of Organization XIII. In his mission to destroy the traitors, Axel lets Namine go free. Namine then goes to Sora and tells him the truth, as well as the identity of the main antagonist and leader of the splinter group, Marluxia.
Sora defeats Marluxia, and Namine offers to help him by giving him a choice, whether to reclaimÂ his old memories and lose the memories of what happened in Castle Oblivion, or lose his old memories but keep his memories of what happened in Castle Oblivion. Sora chooses the former, and Namine tells him that it will take at least one year. Sora, Donald, and Goofy are put into a chamber for this purpose, while Jiminy Cricket (Sora’s companion who chronicles their journey) writes in his journal to â€˜thank Namineâ€™ (since they’ll be losing their memories of her in the process of reclaiming their old memories).
While all of this was happening, the real Riku was actually in Castle Oblivion all along, albeit waking up in the very lowest basement level. He’s still trying to overcome the darkness inside him, after being possessed by Ansem in the original Kingdom Hearts.
Fighting his way up Castle Oblivion, Riku encounters several members of Organization XIII. In fact, the reason why Vexen was able to create a cloned Replica of Riku is because he already met the real Riku before meeting Sora. Throughout his journey, a disembodied voice keeps speaking to him, which later turns out to be a man named DiZ.
Riku later meets Namine too, who makes him realize that the darkness inside him is as much a part of him as the light, which means that he can learn to control it, and not the other way around. Riku defeats the clone Replica, and later the remnant of Ansem still in his heart.
In the epilogue, Riku reunites with King Mickey and sets on another journey to learn how to use both the light and the darkness within him. In his words, to “walk the road to dawn.”
6) Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

In the entire Kingdom Hearts franchise, there are three trios whose relationships form the backbone and integral to the context of almost everything that happens:

Sora, Riku, and Kairi
Ventus, Terra, and Aqua
Roxas, Axel, and Xion

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days focuses on Organization XIII, and specificallyRoxas, who is the Nobody of Sora, created at the same time as Namine did when Sora stabbed himself in the original Kingdom Hearts to release Kairi’s heart from his body. When Sora turned into a Heartless momentarily back then, his physical body, devoid of a heart, became a Nobody.
The members of Organization XIII are all Nobodies with memories of their human selves, besides Roxas and Xion. They are the latest to join the Organization, designated the numbers 13 and 14, respectively.
Xemnas, the leader of Organization XIII, tasks Roxas with hunting Heartless as he is the only one capable of wielding a Keyblade. He pairs up with many of the other members in the organization but becomes especially close friends with Axel. After missions, they would often meet up on top of a clocktower in Twilight Town and eat sea-salt ice creams.
At one point, Axel is tasked on another mission, unknown to Roxas (but we know he’s going to Castle Oblivion as per the events in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories). Due to Axel’s absence, Roxas has to pair up with the mysterious 14th member, Xion. It’s during these missions that they become friends, especially since they have one thing in common: Both of them are Keyblade wielders.
Since they’re both Keyblade wielders, they are tasked with defeating Heartless so that the freed hearts will return to Kingdom Hearts and make it whole again, which will allow all members of Organization XIII to reclaim their hearts.
Soon thereafter, Roxas falls into a coma due to the ending (reconstruction of Sora’s memories by Namine) of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. He only reawakens after Axel returns from Castle Oblivion. From there, Roxas introduces Xion to Axel and they hang out after missions, eating sea-salt ice cream on top of the clock tower.
Things escalate when Xion encounters Riku, and he tells her that both her Keyblade and herself are fakes. She later runs away from the Organization XIII after experiencing dizzy spells and weird blackouts, which is when she meets Riku again. This time Riku tells her the truth, that she is a Replica Nobody of Sora created by Organization XIII to take Roxas’ place and that she is absorbing Sora’s memories, thus delaying his awakening.
Since Roxas is also a Nobody of Sora (a true Nobody, not a Replica), both he and Xion are actually preventing Sora from reconstructing his memories (by absorbing them), as they are actually part of Sora’s heart and not individual beings. Xion’s face was also initially blank, and it only took the form of Kairi’s face earlier on because Kairi was the strongest memory in Sora’s heart.
Axel finds Xion and forces her to return to the organization. Meanwhile, Roxas is getting weaker as Xion gets stronger and seeks to form an identity/personality of her own. Xion discovers this and runs away again, but this time Axel lets her go once he knows how Xion is affecting Roxas.
Axel’s actions in letting Xion go and refusing to tell him the truth angers Roxas, causing him to leave the organization himself to search for Xion. It turns out that Xion has gone looking for Namine for answers, who warns her that if she lets go of all the memories of Sora, she will blink out of existence and everyone’s memories, including that of her friends, Roxas and Axel.
When Roxas does find Xion, her entire appearance now looks like Sora’s. Xion forces Roxas to fight, in which Roxas emerges as the victor. In one of the most tragic scenes in the franchise, Xion slowly disappears while Roxas starts to forget who Xion is. She asks Roxas for one last favor: to stop Xemnas from obtaining Kingdom Hearts, thanking both him and Axel for their friendship.
Here’s the most tragic scene in Kingdom Hearts history, folks.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anqS-YA3v-g&w=560&h=315]
Roxas, now with the ability to wield two Keyblades at one time (due to Xion disappearing, giving him his full powers again), he sets off to destroy Kingdom Hearts and free all the hearts collected so far. Along the way, he is ambushed by Riku, who wants to bring Roxas in to complete Sora’s reawakening. Roxas puts up a good fight but ultimately loses when Riku is forced to unleash the full power of the darkness within him (which changes his appearance to look like Ansem).
Riku picks up Roxas and brings him to DiZ, who has created an artificial world for Roxas to live in while he completes the reconstruction of Sora’s memories. The ending of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days marks the very beginning of Kingdom Hearts 2.

That marks the end of the second part of our Kingdom Hearts three-parter story recap. Each part recaps the story of three Kingdom Hearts titles, with the next (third and final) part slated to cover Kingdom Hearts 2 (my personal favourite of the franchise), Kingdom Hearts Re: Coded, and Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance.
In the meantime, check out this awesome violin cover of the iconic Kingdom Hearts Roxas Theme. Listen and weep.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2iC0xFOI3w&w=560&h=315]


Fire Emblem Three Houses Waifu Gets Her Own Figure From Goodsmile

The Good Smile Company has announced a new 1/7 scale figure of Byleth from Fire Emblem Three Houses. It is now available for pre-order from the official website for 25,000 yen (about US$220) from now until 21 July 2022.
The figure comes with two versions of the Sword of the Creator that Byleth can be displayed holding; both a standard version and a special effect version. The two parts feature the sword in a different form, dramatically changing the atmosphere of the figure.
Fire Emblem Three Houses was one of our favourite games in 2019. The 1/7 scale figure of Byleth will ship in February 2023.


Metroid Dread Shows Every Search Action Game How The Genre Is Done

Platform: Nintendo Switch
Genre: OG Search Action Game
It’s been a decade since we’ve seen a proper follow-up for the 2D Metroid action-adventure games. Sure, we got Metroid: Other M, but that just felt like a slap to the face for fans of bounty hunter Samus Aran and her power suit and morph ball legacy.
With Metroid Dread, developer Mercury Steam basically brought back the then-tainted legend back into the limelight, and with such a strong showing to boot.
Curl Up And Listen

Metroid Dread pits you as Samus Aran as she ends up trapped at the bottom of an unknown planet by a powersuit-bearing assailant. Her previous game powers are now gone, and she pretty much has to work her way to the top where her spaceship is. Thus starts the search action and heavy exploration adventure as she regains her powers, explore every nook and cranny of the planet she’s stuck in, and fend off aliens and space pirates.
And I must say: I am very impressed with this sequel and tribute, and this is from the guys who made the terrible Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate for the 3DS. They’ve come a very long way, especially since they did the Metroid 2 remake a few years ago. The levels and map here are immaculate, well-crafted, properly combined, and just ooze mystery and creepiness. It’s clear as day that Mercury Steam has learned from its past mistakes in order to deliver a search action layout that’s worthy to sit alongside your Super Metroids and Symphonies of the Night.
It obviously helps that the action, the power scaling of Samus from weakling to badass, and challenges are all well-developed. Samus herself will be barred from many areas from the get-go, but the powerups she gets that let her explore more of the place are part classic skills -Screw Attack, the really fast run she does- and part new powerups like the grappling hook, a melee parry move with a hard-hitting counter-attack, and the ability to climb special electrical surfaces. That unreachable blue ceiling thing you couldn’t reach before? In about a couple of hours, you’ll be up there and exploring a brand new part of the same stage, now with new challenges and platforming sections to contend with.
Metroid Dread’s way of opening up layers of its level design just works well and is paced well, surprising you with boss fights and even new environmental changes.
Mech With The Killing

To throw your exploration into a tizzy, Metroid Dread brings in a new kind of adversary: hunter-killer robots called E.M.M.I. They cannot be killed by conventional means, are just as fast and agile as Samus, and can kill you when they grab you. Even getting out of that grab requires strict timing. Thankfully, these killer bots are confined to special E.M.M.I zones, but you still need to play 2D sneak and escape to get around them before getting a specific weapon that can kill them.
These parts are tense and add a lot of challenge to an already tough game, though they do jarringly break up the exploration pacing by a tad. It’s not enough to kill the entire mood of the game, but if you’re going for a no-death exploration streak, these random behaviour bots will break that in no time flat.
Also, a challenging and perfection-inducing title like Metroid Dread demands the best kinds of controls, and honestly the default JoyCons aren’t going to cut it. If you are able to shell out for a proper Pro controller from your favourite online store with better analog controls, trigger buttons, and face buttons, it’s worth investing in those instead. Many of my deaths are due to mistimed and out-of-angle shots from my JoyCon aiming of the missile and general plasma shots.
Prime Directive

Still, all is forgiven when you take Metroid Dread as a whole: a worthy follow-up to the legacy established by Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion. It looks and sounds great and atmospheric, Samus’ power-ups and playstyle is tailored and laid out well, and the stages are fun and challenging to play through and experience for the 8 to 10 hours you’ll be spending.
All I’m saying is welcome back, Samus. We’ve missed you. While your latest escapades are just a step below the original Super Metroid, it’s still a noteworthy adventure that’s definitely above the rest of its peers.
Pros

Amazing controls and gameplay.
Challenging boss fights that are mostly fair, especially the final boss.
Creative and expansive interconnected level design.
Samus’ power-ups are both familiar, fresh, and fun to use.
Lovely aesthetics and consistent frame rate.

Cons

E.M.M.I. robot sections break exploration flow.
Some iffy aiming issues thanks to JoyCon.
Pricey for an 8-hour 2D game.

Final Score: 80/100


These Are The Will Smith Sci-Fi Movies You Need To Watch

Actor, rapper, philanthropist, and a cool dad in general. I believe that description alone is enough for a lot of people to know who I want to talk about. That’s right, I want to talk about one of my favourite actors of all time: Will Smith.
To be precise, I want to share with you guys my list of favourite sci-fi movies that Will Smith has acted in. With Gemini Man coming out soon (we didn’t really find it hot), I thought it’d be a great time to recap on some great science fiction stories that Will Smith has helped bring to life.
Men In Black

I trace back all the references and jokes about secret government agencies handling extraterrestrial contact and intergalactic crimes on Earth to the original Men in Black. The movie established a lot of interesting concepts; my personal favourite being the neuralyzer, a memory-wiping tool. Absolutely brilliant stuff.
It’s probably been more than 5 years since I last rewatched Men in Black but I still fondly remember it, mostly thanks to the amazing chemistry between Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Will Smith’s approach to the young and street smart cop role who’s thrown into the secretive world of the MiB is still funny to watch today.
There’s an early scene where James (Smith’s character) goes for the MiB candidacy assessment. One of the first things all candidates have to do is fill up a questionnaire. Despite everyone else besides James being some kind of super competent army personnel, everyone is struggling on how to write on the fragile papers since there’s no flat surface for them to use.

James just pulls the nearby coffee table, albeit very loudly, uses it and then calmly asks the uptight soldier next to him if he wants to join. Classic Will Smith.

I, Robot

As how Men in Black solidified multiple tropes and cliches that would characterise movies and other works of similar nature, I, Robot popularised Isaac Asimov’s three laws of robotics and gave everyone a basic understanding of some fundamentals in incorporating robots in future stories.
At the exact moment of writing this sentence, I just realised that Smith is still cast as another street smart cop, just with more paranoia towards robots instead of aliens. In a future where robots have become an everyday part of life, Detective Del (Smith’s character) represents an outlier in his lack of trust towards robots.
Despite all the mixed responses towards the movie, I still think it’s one of the most thought-provoking films out there. Perhaps that’s because I watched it while I was very young and found every message in the film to be extremely eye-opening. However, it still has one of the most memorable exchanges I’ve ever heard in a movie:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfAHbm7G2R0&w=560&h=315]
Independence Day

When people talk about awesome silver screen fighter pilots, they often mention Tom Cruise first. For me, it’s always been Will Smith.
I’ll be fair and admit that the dogfights in Top Gun were way more exciting but Independence Day wasn’t about its sky-high battle scenes. It was about humanity’s struggle against an overwhelmingly powerful enemy and how it united us all.
With that being said, watching Will Smith outmaneuver an alien ship and then hitting the eject button moments before a head-on collision was one of the most exhilarating scenes I’d ever seen. However, the best came right afterwards: Will Smith punching an alien, says “welcome to Earth”, and then lights up a cigar.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjh_YGrtN9k&w=560&h=315]
Pure badassery.
I Am Legend

Admit it, you cried at THAT scene too, didn’t you?
One of the reasons why I love Will Smith’s acting so much is that he’s able to portray a level of genuine humanity that other actors are never really able to pull off. In no other movie is this more obvious than in I Am Legend.
In a setting where humanity itself is pretty much extinct or at least, non-existent for the majority of the film, Smith is able to carry the film on his own (and with the wonderful dog) thanks to the fact that his presence alone is enough to induce the humanity we need to see on screen. It’s a very sombre, lonely, and yet strangely endearing show of what it’s like to be the last man on Earth.
The only gripe I still have with I Am Legend was how it handled the ending. Apparently, there are two endings (which shouldn’t be the case for films, in my opinion) and there’s one that seems to be the more “satisfying” ending, whatever that means. Personally, I’ll just go with the one where Smith’s character dies and he becomes a legend for being humanity’s saviour.
Bonus Raspberry Round:
Wild Wild West

In terms of its writing and overall plot, Wild Wild West was a trainwreck but that didn’t stop me from enjoying it. It was also the first time I saw a giant mechanical spider, so that might have influenced me too.
Judging by Will Smith’s performance in the movie alone, it was pretty damn good. Directed by the same guy who brought us Men in Black, Smith was cast again into another role which gave him the name James and made him some sort of agent belonging to some sort of secret agency.
Smith maintains his great ability to carry comedic roles in this movie and in my opinion, he’s pretty much the only thing that saves this movie. Everything still remains a mess and it’s one of those movies I’m not very proud to recommend. However, I will still rewatch it for sh*ts and giggles.
So if you guys haven’t any of the above films, I wholeheartedly recommend you to do so. Well, except for Wild Wild West.
Piling into the list of sci-fi Will Smith movies is Gemini Man and it’s coming out very soon. We got to watch an early screening so if you’re on the fence about it, here’s what we thought about it.


Nobody Saves The World Forms Guide: How To Transform Into A Dragon

Nobody Saves The World is a new top-down 2D action RPG from Drinkbox, the makers of the acclaimed platformer Guacamelee. In this new RPG, your main character (a Nobody) can transform into different forms and classes with different abilities, spells, stats, and attacks.
Generally, you need to do quests to level up your Forms so that they get more active and passive skills, as well as improved signature attacks and stats. Eventually, you’ll reach a point where you are running dry on Form-specific quests.
Here’s how you can take it to the next level.
HowÂ  To Level Up Your Forms Past Rank B
The max level for characters at the start is Rank B, unless you progress through the game’s story. You’ll be able to get one quest away from getting to Rank A before the game stops giving you quests and tells you to keep exploring. Getting to Rank A is important because you’ll need it to unlock the Monk and Rogue, two of the game’s best classes. You’ll also need them unlocked to gain access to the Robot and Necromancer.
To do this, you need to complete the three main quests: The Grand Castle, the Witch Queen Catacombs, and the Ancient Robot. To unlock these dungeons, you need to collect star keys by completing a multitude of quests in the overworld. Get to grinding, basically.

Once you complete these three quests, you get three Gem Shards that you must give to Octavia in her lab. After you’ve done this, you not only unlock the top portion of the map, but you can now level up your Forms to Rank A. You need to do this to unlock the Monk, Rogue, Robot, and Necromancer class.
Unlocking these will then lead you to…
The Dragon Form: How To Unlock It
The Dragon Form is at the top of the transformation list in Nobody Saves The World.
First, you need to unlock the Egg, Necromancer, and Robot form. While you can just level up the Necromancer and Robot form to Rank C, you need to level up the Egg to Rank S. To do that, you need to have the egg resting at 5 different nests all over the world. Here are the locations:
Royal Territories

The first nest you’ll find is in the Royal Territories. Head to the location marked on the map and you’ll find the Horse Mines demi-dungeon. Go down a bit to find a small path that the Rat can crawl through. Carry on through here and to the left to find the nest. Then transform into an egg, sit in the nest, and wait for the bird to level up the form.
Damptonia

You will need either the Turtle or Mermaid to be able to swim in the water for this nest. Head to Damptonia and go to the south shore. Swim all the way west until you find the platform from the bottom of the island. Follow the path up to find the nest.
Rustrock Barren

Head over to the location on the map to find a small house. You can go through the house to find a secret path that leads straight to the nest.
Groundkeeper’s Grounds
This nest can be found in the Groundskeeper’s Ground area. Go to the area right next to the Beheaded Behemoth demi-dungeon. If you follow the path all the way around to the left and up, you’ll find yourself right above the nest. For an easier time finding this nest, spawn in at the portal close to it and then go right and down.
Secret Trail
You’ll find this nest right near the Secret Corporation dungeon. Before approaching the dungeon, go to the right to find an area called the Secret Trail. You’ll need to swim through it, but right at the end of the trail you’ll find the final nest


Spider-Man: Miles Morales Pays Homage To The Past With Promises of A Bright Future

Platform: PS4, PS5
Genre: Sequel To 2018’s Best Comic Book Hero Open World Action-Adventure Game
Ever since his introduction into the Marvel family in 2011 when he took over the mantel of the Ultimate Universe Spider-Man from the recently deceased Peter Parker, Miles Morales has risen from merely a “Spider-Man in a dark suit” into a cultural icon. This is mostly thanks to the brilliant portrayal of the character in 2018 animated movie Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse.
Coincidentally, 2018 was a brilliant year for web-headed wizard fans thanks to the release of the Insomniac-developed Marvel’s Spider-Man which proved to be the quintessential superhero game of the last console generation. Needless to say, we knew a follow-up starring Miles Morales is going to happen by that game’s end. The scene where Miles shows his newfound spider-powers to Peter was obvious sequel-bait teasing at its finest. So it’s no surprise that 2020’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is going to face a daunting task of living up to the heights of 2018’s best.
So, does it? Does Miles Morales’ own adventure and superhero definition journey mirror its predecessor closely? Yes, comparisons will be made, but Insomniac made the smart decision of presenting another view of the trials and tribulationsÂ a common New Yorker had to go through en route to being the saviour of their city.
Miles High Club

To those who have played the original game, they can get right into the thick of the action right from the get-go. The little traversal and combat tricks from 2018 can all be instantly implemented in Spider-Man: Miles Morales even before the tutorials kick in. From the mid-air boost by tapping the X button to the immediately perching on a ledge by pressing both L2 and R2 buttons simultaneously, Insomniac did not change the fundamentals, but instead, tweak the mechanics to suit the man in the suit.
Like the original, combat and movement feels flowy-smooth but you would instantly realize those little quirks unique to our hero Miles. He does not hit as hard nor carry the panache and finesse of a veteran web-slinger in Peter. Instead, Miles flails like a disoriented chicken mid-air between swings, gesticulates more during dodges and, at least to my experience, has a smaller window for pulling off counters. This ties very close to the comics where, while he shares similar “Spider-sense” ability as Peter Parker, only kicks in at the very last minute.
However, Miles has several superpowers unique to him, including the ability to generate bio-electricity which he named as Venom Strike or Blast and the ability to go invisible. Both are super helpful in assisting Miles when surrounded and, or when attempting a stealth approach into a room filled with enemies. For those who finished Marvel’s Spider-Man, it would be wise to refrain from trying to tank through the crowd and instead, combine a good mix of quick hits and exits while smartly pairing the invisibility ability in between.
As for newcomers, the intuitive controls should be a breeze. This enables even the “noobiest” of noobs to confidently swing around Manhattan island like a seasoned pro barely an hour into the game. It’s still the same fun game here, but with a different spin on things.
Morales Dilemma

As you’d come to expect, Spider-Man: Miles Morales is set in New York but carries a much more ‘”Friendly Neighborhood” vibe to it than Insomniac’s 2018 “big city, big stakes” offering. While in the original game, we had Peter covering the entirety of Manhattan island, from the Financial District to Harlem, Miles’ adventures are much more concentrated around the northern part of the island, giving very little reason for him to traverse beyond Greenwich save for during open-world exploration. Due to unavoidable reasons early on, Miles is on his own for the festive period in New York and have to contend with balancing his social with superhero life.

Lines get blurred when people close to him gets into the thick of things. While the premise of the storyline isn’t exactly novel & original- you can already guess who the big baddie is right from the start – it is definitely a fun, coming-of-age story where Miles graduated from being “the other Spider-Man” into “THE Spider-Man”.

Rather than taking down militarized security contractors, Miles sorts out local problems like small-time thugs and petty crime. Instead of trying to save the whole of Manhattan island, Miles’ problems this time around circled around Harlem and his mother’s political campaign.
As a result of this more “localized” setting for a more “localized” problem (for Miles at least), the game is half as long compared to the 2018 game. It is, however, chock-filled of content with collectables scattered throughout the island, petty crimes to solve and iconic landmarks to visit. Having done all of those before, it was indeed a nostalgic trip running up Avengers Tower or visiting Daredevil’s haunt in Hell’s Kitchen save the New York winter aesthetic. This is a much more condensed Spider-Man experience – a more intimate one, but not an inferior one. And it comes with a funkier soundtrack that jives with its younger protagonist.
Performance-wise, load times have been considerably quickened and you’re transported to a new section of the map in no time at all, even on the PlayStation 4 Pro. I can only imagine how fast it would be on the PlayStation 5. Graphics-wise, Spider-Man: Miles Morales does show what two years of additional development could bring and with ray tracing coming with its PS5 version. It’sÂ a fitting title to boast what a next-gen PlayStation console is able to do.
Something Old, Something New

To those who are skeptical, thinking that maybe Insomniac should have sold this game as a DLC to the original, I have this to say – it is a completely different game featuring a very different narrative and lead character. Spider-Man: Miles Morales does not try to be or replace Marvel’s Spider-Man. Yes, it shares the same engine, is set in the same universe and continuity as the original and brings back a familiar cast we’ve come to love. And true, it is a tad pricey for what amounts to be a “stand-alone expansion” experience.

Perhaps in an attempt to pad the game, and justify the price, there are a number of puzzles strewn throughout the map but they aren’t as frequent nor tedious as how it was for Peter in the earlier game. Gone are the days where you’re required to move around circuit boards to unlock or activate a machine just for those few extra tokens to upgrade Miles’ skillset.

Even when you encounter one, the solutions are obvious enough while also retaining that sense of achievement once you’ve overcome them. As it goes with all open-world games, you’ll be prompted – quite often to engage on a mini hunt for items- most of which are just time padding activities.
Due to these slim pickings mentioned, labelling Spider-Man: Miles Morales as a sequel to Marvel’s Spider-Man is a bit of a stretch. However, rather than trying to bury that fact, Insomniac shifted the focus to the message it is trying to convey from the moment you press ‘O’ at the start menu. Just like Miles in the comics, Spider-Man: Miles Morales does not try to out-do an already established name. Rather, it carves a new story for themselves in a familiar-but-comforting setting.
It’s like an analogy of moving on from the PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5. We’ve had a great 7 years with the PS4. But moving on with the times, PS5 offers gradual improvements in several areas, without taking away any of the good things we’ve experienced with its predecessor.
Pros

A fresh yet familiar take on a Spider-Man story.
Gorgeous interpretation of a diverse, multicultural New York.
Specialized and tailored moves for Miles that feel different.
Manhattan Island is still a treat to visit 2 years later.

Cons

Main story could be meatier.
Some sense of dÃ©jÃ  vu gameplay-wise

Final Score: 80/100
A review copy of Spider-Man: Miles Morales was provided to us by Sony Interactive Entertainment (Asia). The game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4 Pro.Â  We completed the game on Spectacular mode in just under 8 hours.Â


[Report] Microsoft Will Buy “Pillars of Eternity” Devs Obsidian Entertainment

Obsidian Entertainment, the folks behind really fun-if-buggy experiences like Fallout: New Vegas and classic CRPG fares like the Pillars of Eternity series, may be backed by a bigtime publisher soon. Like, a REALLY big one.
According to Kotaku sources, Microsoft is finalizing a deal to acquire the independent development studio. Sources close to both companies said that the deal is more or less sealed.

“[I heard] it was 90% finished,” said one of the sources. Another source said “it’s a matter of when, not if.”
Classic Microsoft said the following; “we do not comment on rumours or speculation,” while Obsidian themselves quipped the situation in their own special way: “Unfortunately, we donâ€™t comment on rumours or speculation other than to say that the Rumors album by Fleetwood Mac still holds up.”

This move makes sense for both parties. Obsidian Entertainment had developed a slew of hit games but was in a financial rut pre-Pillars of Eternity. Microsoft and its Xbox division recently snapped up four game studios which include Playground and Ninja Theory.
Obsidian and Microsoft weren’t on good terms before due to the latter’s cancellation of Stormlands back in 2012. With Xbox’s new leadership courtesy of Phil Spencer, it plans to mend that burnt bridge and create a possibly CRPG-laden future for the Xbox platform as a long overdue counterattack to Sony PlayStation’s dominance this current generation.


Watch 25 Minutes Of Rune Factory 5’s Action RPG & Farming Bits Here

If you miss Harvest Moon but want some fantasy RPG elements thrown in for good measure, Rune Factory 5 may be your cup of tea.
The Nintendo Switch exclusive action RPG mixes in some farming simulation for a unique JRPG experience. Basically, you control an amnesiac hero who ends up being a peacekeeper ranger in the town of Rigbath, a region where you’ll spend the majority of your time in. You’ll tend to your homestead, help out the locals with their ever-growing monster problem(s), make friends with the townsfolk. Heck, you can even date and marry them, whether you prefer waifus or husbandos.
Check out new gameplay footage of Rune Factory 5 below, slated for 20th May in Japan. An English version will be out later in 2021.


Xbox Live Gold July 2022 Adds Relicta & More

Microsoft has announced its lineup of free games for Xbox Live Gold subscribers in July 2022. Xbox Live Gold members will have exclusive access to these games for a limited time as part of Games with Gold. So will Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members, who receive all the fantastic benefits of Gold plus access to over 100 high-quality games with Xbox Game Pass.

Beasts of Maravilla Island (US$9.99): Available July 1 to 31
Relicta (US$19.99): Available July 16 to August 15
Thrillville: Off the Rails (US$9.99): Available July 1 to 15
Torchlight (US$14.99): Available July 16 to 31

Beasts of Maravilla Island
Unlock the wonder by taking pictures of the elusive and beautiful creatures on a mysterious, dreamlike island. Explore a 3D jungle teeming with unusual and playful life. Climb, explore, and solve puzzles. Use your grandfather’s journals and his trusty old camera to snap pics of otter-crocodiles, birds disguised as bananas, and much more. It’s up to you and your photographer’s eye to help share Maravilla’s magic with the world.
Relicta
Play as a physicist stranded on an eerie derelict moon base. Find your way by bending gravity and magnetism to your will. Buried in the darkness of the lunar craters is a secret that might claim your daughter’s life or change the fate of humanity forever. Solve puzzles in a game where every corner holds a mystery and each step is a challenge.
Thrillville: Off the Rails
Design and run your own theme park! With five new parks and 100 new missions, you’ll need an all-day pass to enjoy this much fun. The best part about creating crazy rollercoaster rides is you get to ride them as many times as you want.
Torchlight
Hack and slash your way through dungeons galore. Choose from among three character classes as you roam from the center and safety of the town of Torchlight into randomly generated dungeons to battle hordes of monsters and collect lots of loot. You’ll have a trusty animal companion at your side as you take on main quests, side quests, battle big bosses, and chat with the denizens of town.