Here’s A Borderlands 3 FAQ For Those Still On The Fence About Buying It

Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Genre: “Call it a comeback” loot-and-shoot action RPG
It’s hard to talk about the major third entry of a landmark loot-savvy action-shooter RPG franchise by just going through everything on a surface level. You know, the kind you see on sites that got the review codes prior to the game’s release.
No disrespect to my peers who got an early copy and got their reviews out on the 9th September in the late evening, but odds are they dabbled a bit with each class and just mained one guy/girl for the rest of the campaign.
One really needs to take a long-ass approach of at least getting the playable classes -hunter FL4K, gunner Moze, operative Zane, and Siren Amara- to a substantial fleshed-out level. There’s also the sidequests that flesh out the stories and lore of Pandora, the game new antagonists, the new settings and planets, and a ton of other things to unpack.
I doubt a broken pre-release version of the game that’s garnering Metacritic first dib scores will do the game justice. So I’ve decided to formulate my entire review in an F.A.Q format and play it the old-fashioned way: with people who have the game at launch. It’s way too easy to review this game as a critic because you can just pull out “if you like Borderlands, you’ll love this” card. Or the “this game won’t change your mind if you hate loot-and-shoot games” card like everyone else.
It’s better that I just take my time with the game -thanks long weekend in Malaysia- and do my best to answer everyone’s inquiries. Without further ado, let’s fire away!
I loved Destiny 2, Warframe, The Division 2, and Anthem. Will I love this game?

First, you’re lying about Anthem. Shame on you.
Second, yes you will. Borderlands 3 is hella fun gameplay-wise considering the series started the genre that Bungie, Ubisoft, and EA duplicated and imitated from. Everything that made Borderlands 2 magical – the core loot-and-shoot mechanics and “one more session” addictive feel when in a group shooting psychos, skags, and other beasties in sight- is amplified further in this sequel.

Gearbox clearly took some mechanics from past shooters and other loot-and-shoot imitators in the past three years to perfect Borderlands 3’s combat and movement. Sliding, mantling, and pinging: these are welcome additions to an already-improved rewards-based gunning experience.

The additional heft and feel when controlling characters and using the plethora of different guns just feel really good, whether you’re on keyboard and mouse or on a controller. Your pistols are light but they fire fast; even the ones with low fire rates like most Torgue guns. Some of the manufacturer’s guns have alternate firing modes you can switch between.
Personally, the shotguns here are given their due; they occasionally knock back lighter enemies if you do critical damage, and some of them even shoot out exploding elemental orbs like mini-mortars. Brilliant, really!
Even if you have problems jumping and grabbing ledges, you can select “auto mount”. And thank god for pinging, because there are times I don’t want to waste my breath telling people about bad guys and hidden loot stashes.
How are the new Vault Hunters this time around?

As kids these days usually say, they’re lit as all heck. One really cool thing about Borderlands 3 is that everyone has up to three different action skills to choose and play around with. This opens up many, many gameplay possibilities.
Apart from cloaking, my FL4K can just dish out a lot of elemental damage by summoning a horde of Rakk. And after much experimenting and finding out that the Rakk attacks are hot garbage, I just decided to put all my skill points in making the most out of Gamma Blast. This means I’m hulking out my Skag and powering the both of us up with yellow buffs aplenty.

You ain’t lived until you’ve teleported a raging giant carnivorous dog-mutant thing into a group of psychopathic bandits, squirting radiation and all sorts of disgusting debuffs like a casting call with Ron Jeremy.

My Moze just sets everything on fire; double Salamander flamethrower action with criticals that replenish my magazines so that I can keep on firing. It’ll take a while for the Iron Bear mech to just drop to the ground and unleash hell, so I’ll have to make do with my guns.
I made sure that she carries only Vladoff and Dahl guns to get that damage bonus from one of her skill tree skills, and be certain that their magazine count is high. She also has an easier early game because most enemies within the first 4 hours are susceptible to incendiary/fire.

My Zane is the best guy to bring solo because of his teleports, shield, and digiclone shenanigans. The fact that he can also summon a flying harassing SNTNL bot helps a lot too with my lone gambits while I’m matchmaking for  Proving Ground and Slaughterhouse multiplayer PvE modes for overleveling purposes.
Sure, you may have to forsake using a grenade to have these two unique skills, but one of the SNTNL’s skills lets it drop a grenade now and again, so you won’t miss that at all.
And finally, my Amara just brings the smackdown up-close and personal. If she gets shot at, she can summon a small elemental globe that tracks and explodes. Her damage output goes up the closer she is to a target, which makes her melee attack a potential one-hit kill tool. She can groundpound and affect everyone within a radius. My personal favourite is modifying this move so she can do a “Hammer of Dawn” laser satellite move in the air before diving to the ground and wrecking stuff up. She even gets melee, gun damage, and health buffs for a few seconds after said elemental Phaseslam.
Like I said, those aren’t the only ways you can play the game with the classes. The beauty of Borderlands 3 is that with these action skills and the constant respeccing, you’ll find that sweet spot to play the game either by yourself or with three others.
What about the loot?
Yes, there is a ton of loot. Lots of it, and it puts many imitators to shame.
For classic Borderlands fans, the Conference Call shotguns, the corrosive-savvy Hornets, and the Bitches SMGs are back and are arguably better than ever thanks to the improved gunplay.
New weapons include a cousin to the Conference Call shotgun, the Brainstormer, that draws enemies into a Shock-filled vortex of fun and death, a Jakobs rifle that shoots out additional four-way explosive shots when it hits its target, and an ode to a Siren’s OP Corrosive-savvy kill skill in SMG form.

Personally, the ones worth keeping are the novelty legendaries. Like this Super Mario Bros. tribute below. It’s really exciting to find out what you’ve discovered when you hear that Purple or Legendary drop sound.

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Somehow, I seem to get a lot more pistols than usual in my first playthrough. However, that feeling usually fades away once you see how purple and orange loot drops at an exorbitant amount if you’re in the endgame and if you turn on certain parameters.
This is where Mayhem mode comes in. After you’re done with the game’s well-paced yet questionably-written story campaign (more on that later), you get to put in difficulty modifiers in your current game to amp up the challenge and loot drop rate. Each level of Mayhem (up to three) lets you beef up your enemy health, make them impervious to most weapon fire, and even weaken your character a tad in favour of better loot drops.

Protip: don’t complete ALL the sidequests during the campaign; you’ll want to save most of them so that you can level up your character against enemies scaled to you post-campaign.

Sounds like gameplay is a huge improvement.
Almost. The bosses, while cool-looking in design and fun to fight, are tailored for co-op play. Most of them have punishing attacks that can waylay you straight to Fight For Your Life mode (ie the bit where you’re keeling over and dying and you can only revive yourself by killing something nearby). Some of them have HP and shield up the Mars Bars wazoo; hello Killavolt and The Warden!
[wpvideo p9xifj10]
Still, the game chucks a bunch of minions near you so you can FFYL your way out of a jam. But really, it’s no shame to get a buddy or a random person helping you out here. It’s an odd design choice really, but it does encourage you to team up.

Bottom line: it’s hard to return to Borderlands 2 after playing 10 or so hours of Borderlands 3. Assuming the game runs just fine.

Does it run fine?
Well, yes and no. My current i7-8700 and NVidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB PC setup is running the game at 60fps just dandy. However, there are a ton of UI, display, and in-game bugs left and right. NPCs moving funny, your companions “glitching out” halfway in a stage, fast travel buttons being a bit wonky, some graphical glitches, and stuff like the video below.

On a related note, if you have any tech issues with Borderlands 3, we have an article for that.

Even with these issues, they do not completely hamper the experience. It’s definitely due to the aforementioned gunplay, diverse skillsets of the new Vault Hunters, and the accessible co-op modes and matchmaking.
Speaking of which, is the co-op experience enhanced?
Yeah, because you don’t have to worry about matchmaking with someone over or underleveled than you. Borderlands 3 implements a scaling system for co-op where everyone in a game is set the host’s stage level. Which means my level 50 FL4K can join up with my level 10 or level 20 peers without me one-hit killing everything with my Incendiary-powered Crossroad SMG, thus making the game less fun for everyone.
Of course, if you prefer it that way, you can always toggle Co-Opetition mode on and keep it old-school.
Can you play offline? And splitscreen?
You can play online and offline Borderlands 3. You can even play on the same screen, but it’s horizontal. And it has problems on PS4/PS4 Pro.

Just a heads up for those who plan on getting the console version.
Ah yes, consoles. Which version has better framerate & performance-wise?
I’ll say this: it runs horribly on the base PS4 and Xbox One consoles. If you have the PS4 Pro or Xbox One, it looks just dandy in performance mode. You cannot play this game on 30fps or less; that’s so last gen.

Either way, the PC version is the best way to go. If you really need the game on console, you’ll need to fork out money for a PS4 Pro or Xbox One to get it running on a respectable current-gen level. Borderlands 3 is also proof of a triple-A company trend that refocuses their efforts away from base consoles. But hey, them’s the breaks.
Let’s talk single-player mode. How does it fare with the rest of the series?
The 7-year wait for a true sequel hasn’t been kind to Gearbox Software in the narrative regard. The campaign pacing and levels are fun and well-structured. True, you still get a lot of open-air spaces with different backdrops. But hot damn, these arenas are fun to trek around and jump on thanks to your new sliding and mounting moves.
The vistas and worlds themselves are top-notch, from the jungles of Eden-6 to the astral-looking pink-and-white motifs of Athenas. Granted, I would love to see more Athenas, but the last planet in the game will sort out everyone’s outerworldly eye candy jollies.
This is probably a small thing, but the posters containing sidequests now have this cool hologram popping out. It’s a nice touch.

Time for the story, which was a highlight in part 2. What’s it about this time?
Four new Vault Hunters help the Crimson Raiders led by Borderlands siren Lilith find Vault keys before main villains and twin sibling sirens Tyreen and Troy Calypso discover them for evil god-making purposes. It’s an easy story to pick up for newbies for the series and a nice callback for fans.
But as a capstone to the game’s narrative legacy? That’s an iffy subject we’ll get to….
…right now.
Elephant-addressing time: are the Calypso Twins better villains than Handsome Jack?

Short answer: hell no. Then again, it’s hard to top one of video game’s most ruthless and memorable villains who is up there with Andrew Ryan, Jon Irenicus, Sarah Kerrigan, and Senator Armstrong.
Long answer: It’s a tough act to follow.
I get where Gearbox is coming from. In 2012, the team raised the bar of video game villainy with Handsome Jack. He had a tragic backstory fleshed out in two games, was utterly ruthless from start to finish in Borderlands 2 despite the game giving some insight to his origins and his time before he was “Handsome” to make him a tad bit sympathetic.
Tyreen and Troy are decent villains. They’re the worst aspects of streamer culture if a duo’s livestreaming efforts made them holier-than-thou and somehow manage to recruit billions of psychopaths to die for your cause for free.
And their kill count proves that their no slouches in the evil department. Later bits in the game showcased why they ended up as such; the term “broken upbringing” comes to mind here especially given their environment.
But to truly cement your place as a great story villain, you need to have charisma and relatability. The Calypso twins kind of have that, but the game’s writing doesn’t flesh it out in a clever way like part 2 did. Comparisons are inevitable, but it shows the strength of gameplay and writing working together to a point.

In fact, one sidequest late in the game (spoil it at your own risk) further proves that Handsome Jack left a huge void for Gearbox to fill. And the twins only filled it up a quarter of the way in.

In other words, no. They’re not any better, but they’re not completely one-note either. They still have their moments, particularly in the second half of the game.
I’m a Borderlands fan since parts 1 and 2. Will part 3 do its lore and humour justice?
[wpvideo DVgmPJDz]
Probably a little. Maybe. At least when consistency is concerned.
If you are a Borderlands franchise lore hound and loved the stories from part 2, the Telltale games, and the Pre-Sequel, you may be pissed off at some of the fatal choices the director and writers made here, especially with a particular fan favourite or two.
Even the game’s attempt at humour is incredibly divisive, and this is coming from a guy who appreciated the juvenile and meme-savvy bits of Borderlands 2. Humour is subjective, I’ll give it that, but the majority of it here feels try-hard.

And the less said about Vaughn the obnoxious abs-obsessed bandit leader, the better. And there’s still no skip cutscene button.
7 years and Gearbox still want to flaunt their story bits even for players who want to play this more than once.

Furthermore, the gaming (and entertainment) climate since 2012 has evolved(?) into what seems to be a politically-correct culture overloaded with live streamers and influencers. It seems as if the writers here are trying to combine the mindsets and templates of the past with what’s “lit” this generation. It honestly doesn’t work as a whole.
Nonetheless, there are a few highlights worth salvaging from the dogpile. These include the sweet relationship between Hammerlock and Winthorpe Jakobs, the Family Jewels and Carnivora questline with well-casted cameos, the bit with the final planet with the funky name, and Borderlands 2‘s Zer0 and Maya doing their thing.
The team at least fleshed out the new Vault Hunters via their unique dialogue with the game’s NPCs. It helps make them characters you’ll want to invest in be it the loud-and-proud Amara to the robotic FL4K voiced by that Asian guy on YouTube who pokes fun at anime and gaming tropes in less than a minute.
Still, those aforementioned flaws can sour your experience if that’s what you’re looking for. Think of this like your favourite band making a comeback 7 years later. They still sound great but it’s somehow missing a few key band members that made it stellar.
I do hope Gearbox takes in future feedback when making their DLCs especially when it comes to the aforementioned fatal choices.
On that note, please keep Ice T on for further Borderlands, Gearbox, and 2K Games projects.

Does it still have those silly-looking Siren moments where Gearbox hires some cosplayers to stare at you and occasionally smile while they’re talking to you in your mind?
Yes, and it still looks stupid now.
Do the humanoid story bosses still scream bloody murder continuously if they’re waylaid with elemental effects?
Yes. That poses a problem if you are keeping an ear out for narrative bits in campaign boss fights. At least there’s no sign of ad nauseam sound clips ala “Look out, the lava’s rising! Get to high ground!”
I’m a newbie to Borderlands. Will I enjoy this?
Yeah, you will. If you have no attachment to the series, this is the best entry point despite the number 3 on the title. The story flows just fine for newbies and the game is designed with that in mind, even right down to the endgame.
I’m a PC user. Should I wait for Borderlands 3 to come out on Steam?
Well, Borderlands 2 is still fun to play.
In all seriousness, if you’re really into checking out the gameplay evolution of a loot-and-shoot game with all the trappings of an improved co-op game with better classes, loot hoarding, and a ton of things to do, then you should get over your Epic Games hate and get the game right now.
Lord knows how long you’ll have to wait for the Steam version, but it is worth the money for fans of the genre. But if you’re in it for mostly the narrative, then don’t. And if you really, REALLY want those Steam achievements, then don’t.
Should my negative thoughts and feelings on Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford and Chris Hardwick (who voices Vaughn) affect my enjoyment of Borderlands 3?
No, it shouldn’t. Despite the fact that these men have done some crazy nasty s***, with Hardwick being an alleged case, it’s not a good reason to miss out on a pretty good return to form for loot-and-shoot games.
I’ll admit, the game isn’t such a transcendent experience to make one forget about the times Randy Pitchford lied to people about Alien: Colonial Marines and also pull the victimhood card because he doesn’t realize that microtransactions are not one-sided evil mechanics at the time. Still, it does prove that the game is good enough to not be tarnished greatly by the actions of its developer’s CEO.
Is this game an SJW fest?
God no; there’s no agenda here. It’s just a sci-fi epic with new Vault Hunters and the loot-hoarding shenanigans they’re involved in. Get over it.
How would you sum up Borderlands 3 in a nutshell?

Three steps forward, a couple more steps back. Still worth playing again and again.

Borderlands 3 is a great new start for the franchise after 7 long years, but it’ll need a couple more tweaks, game-changing DLC, and some more refinement to sit alongside its peer as the de facto loot-and-shoot experience. I’ll still play it after writing this, but it’s hard to turn a blind eye towards its incumbering flaws.
Pros

Great gunplay and controls with big rewards.
Diverse cast of playable classes with unique skillsets.
Endless hours of campaign, sidequests, and endgame loot-farming action.
Lovely-looking sci-fi world.
Good story & campaign flow for newbies to the franchise.

Cons

Story and villains are weaker than past iterations.
Obnoxious NPCs galore.
Bugs & technical issues, depending on which version you’re playing.
Still can’t skip cutscenes.

FINAL SCORE: 70/100


Stardew Valley Gets A Big Update This 2020

Stardew Valley, arguably this generation’s best farming sim game, is getting a big-as-hell update since its launch back in February 2016.
Developer Concerned Ape has released its version 1.5 update right now, which introduces a new farm type: the beach farm. The beach farm offers the following:

Good foraging and fishing, and tons of open space
Chance of supply crates to wash up on shore
Sprinklers do not work in the sandy soil

If you're a seasoned player thinking of starting a new farm when 1.5 comes out, I'd like to highlight a couple of new features. There will be a new farm type, "Beach Farm", and a new "Advanced Game Options" menu, from which you can adjust some aspects of the game: pic.twitter.com/iMnw2uGLEO
— ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) December 20, 2020

The update also adds in new gameplay options like adjusting mine rewards, split-screen co-op, and late-game content involving encounters and crafting. Full notes can be read here or below this post. Basically, it’ll be wise to cap off 2020 with another visit to Stardew Valley.

New people to meet
New goals
Many new items
A new type of quest
A new farm layout
New character events
A new Community Upgrade
Home renovations (after youâ€™ve fully upgraded your house)
Ducks can now swim
You can sit in chairs
You can move your bed
Fish Tanks
A bunch of new furniture items as well as new furniture types like wall sconces
New secrets
9 new music tracks


Here’s What We Know About The Upcoming Dune: Spice Wars Game

It’s high time we revisit the Dune universe in video game form, after the major success of the 2021 film.Â Developer Shiro Games just posted an FAQ about its upcoming real-time strategy title Dune: Spice Wars, which is set to be a spiritual successor to the Dune real-time strategy games that came out in the 90s and 2000s.
Turns out that the upcoming game plans to mix in 4X elements while preserving its real-time strategy roots. Dune: Spice Wars will be a hybrid: part 4X game like Civilization VI and part RTS like the old Dune titles. It won’t be fully turn-based, but it will be slower-paced and larger-scale than a typical RTS. Shiro Games said that these features “make it a true 4X game but do not detract from the core RTS experience that players would expect”.

The game’s initial Early Access launch will feature four playable factions, with a fifth one planned for later in Early Access. Two of them are already revealed: House Atreides and House Harkonnen. The game will have a campaign and multiplayer mode eventually, with the current Early Access only featuring instanced PvE.
Dune: Spice Wars’ Early Access will be out later this year for PC (via Steam).


Valorant Is Getting Its First Ultra Edition Skin Line Tomorrow

Valorantâ€™s first Ultra Edition skin line Elderflame will be available in the game from 10 July onwards at 3.30am GMT +8 for Southeasian countries like Malaysia. The individual skins will be priced at 2475 VP each.

More details on the design process and images will be published in the next Valorant Developer Diary on 14 July 2020. In the meantime, check it out in action in the trailer below.
[wpvideo 0xrpLeEZ]
Besides that, the first-ever Valorant SEA Invitational takes place this Saturday at 1.30pm GMT +8, and six teams will compete for a US$10,000 prize pool.
Fans who tune in can stand a chance to win prizes such as Intelâ€™s NUC 9 Extreme kits, Secretlab chairs and AORUS monitors by commenting during the live stream. A matching US$10,000 donation will also be made to GlobalGivingâ€™s Coronavirus Relief Fund to benefit projects working on the stop and prevention of the pandemicâ€™s spread.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-_TW8QXx9E&w=560&h=315]


Hitman 3 Transform Into Hitman: World Of Assassination On January 2023

IO Interactive made an announcement in a blog post that the Hitman trilogy will be made into one cohesive title. Hitman 3 will become Hitman: World of Assassination on 26 January 2023, and will include Hitman 1 and Hitman 2 via Access Pass. Furthermore, Players who owned Hitman 3 will get a free upgrade to Hitman: World of Assassination.

Time for New Year's cleanup ?
HITMAN 3 is becoming HITMAN: World of Assassination and will include content from HITMAN 1 & 2.
Learn more: https://t.co/U50wycAgBj#WorldOfAssassination pic.twitter.com/wlQWW7JUht
— IO Interactive (@IOInteractive) January 3, 2023

Hitman World Of Assassination will be the single available option in digital storefronts for new players after 26th January. This is meant to streamline the content available between new and existing players. “Essentially, these two changes will mean that all new players and existing HITMAN 3 owners will have the same base content ownership. There will be no more confusion over which edition to buy, what content you own, how to redeem Legacy packs or import locations, etc. We’re done with that,” according to IO Interactive.
Moreover, there will be two versions of Hitman World Of Assassination available for players to purchase: the standard edition and the deluxe pack. The standard edition includes Hitman 3 along with Hitman 1 and 2 via Access Pass. The deluxe edition adds several DLC packs – Seven Deadly Sins Collection and Hitman 2 Expansion Access Pass.

“The reason for this flexibility is that we know many of you own certain games or DLCs but not others, and we don’t want to force anyone to (re)buy what they already own. We think that’s a good enough reason to still have a few options – but these options won’t be front and centre for new players. The idea is to keep these details visible to those who might need them.”
Are you excited about the new Hitman transformation? Which edition will you be looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below.


Capcom Is Finally Releasing A Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection

After releasing both a Mega Man X and Mega Man Zero Legacy Collection, all which are splendid collections by the by, what’s next for Capcom? How about all six(ish) Mega Man Battle Network games?
Capcom has announced the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection, which contains all the Mega Man Battle Network RPG titles featuring the pretty nifty active card-based combat gameplay. The physical version will be an all-in-one pack for the PS4 and Nintendo Switch versions, while the digital version will be split into two volumes. Wonder how that will work out price-wise?
Here’s the list of games in the collection. Apparently, Capcom is adding in both versions of parts 3, 4, 5, and 6 in a time when they’re copying Pokemon and GameFreak’s cartridge release formula. You know, different new content for each version of a game to goad collectors to buy two versions of the same sequel:

Mega Man Battle Network
Mega Man Battle Network 2
Mega Man Battle Network 3 White
Mega Man Battle Network 3 Blue
Mega Man Battle Network 4 Red Sun
Mega Man Battle Network 4 Blue Moon
Mega Man Battle Network 5 Team Protoman
Mega Man Battle Network 5 Team Colonel
Mega Man Battle Network 6 Cybeast Gregar
Mega Man Battle Network 6 Cybeast Falzar

The Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection will be out in 2023 for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam).


Peacemaker Premieres This Week On HBO GO

The first three episodes of Peacemaker, starringÂ John Cena asÂ the eponymous character, debuts on Thursday, 13 January 2022 only on HBO GO.Â
PeacemakerÂ will explore the origins of the character that Cena first portrayed in James Gunnâ€™s 2021 film,Â The Suicide Squad, which is currently available on HBO GO. PeacemakerÂ isÂ a compellingly vainglorious man who believes in peace at any cost, no matter how many people he has to kill to get it.
The series also stars Danielle Brooks as Adebayo, Freddie Stroma as Vigilante, Jennifer Holland as Harcourt, Steve Agee as Economos, Chukwudi Iwuji as Murn, and Robert Patrick as Auggie Smith. Gunn wrote all eight episodes ofÂ Peacemaker and directed five episodes. Gunn, Peter Safran and Matt Miller serve as executive producers on the series, with Cena as co-executive producer.

You can subscribe to HBO GOÂ onlineÂ atÂ https://www.hbogoasia.com/Â or the mobile appÂ via theÂ App StoreÂ orÂ Play Store for RM23.30/month. You can also access HBO GOÂ via Astro.Â HBO GO is also available on Android TV, Apple TV, LG TV and Samsung Smart TV – and comes with AirPlay and Google Cast functionality.
In the meantime, check out the Red Band trailer below, or head on over here for my spoiler-free review of Peacemaker (which was retweeted by James Gunn himself!).


The Internet Reacts To Disney’s Aladdin’s Big Blue Reveal

Before we start, check out the latest Disney’s Aladdin teaser:

I do have a few questions:

Why does Jafar sound like the film’s make-up artist instead of a slimy vizier?
Why isn’t Jafar in disguise in this key scene with Aladdin? Or is this a “trailer’s different than the movie” sort of ordeal?
Why is the film looking darker and poorly colour-corrected than the animated 1992 classic?
Why does the CGI for the genie look a little…off?
Why couldn’t the production crew paint Will Smith blue and make him act in make-up instead of doing VO for an off-kilter blue-muscled puffball?

I hope these pondering pontifications are answered or at least justified by the directing genius of Guy Ritchie on 24 May this year. Frankly, I’m cautious about this since this might end up as apathetic as the Beauty and the Beast live-action remake featuring the autotuned VO of Emma Watson.
To be fair, so is the internet.

pic.twitter.com/dP0QyVXo9D
— Bloody Disgusting (@BDisgusting) February 11, 2019

pic.twitter.com/njmSeDQdxs
— Chris Evangelista (@cevangelista413) February 11, 2019

“Yes, there are some real weirdos in the Avatar fandom. But actually, there are a lot of spiritual aspects to the Na’vi culture that I find intriguing. It’s not just a fetish thing” pic.twitter.com/sgvNI3XrHE
— Sean O'Neal (@seanoneal) February 11, 2019

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New Gotham Knights Trailer Reveals Iconic Batman Villains

During Gamescom Opening Night Live 2022, Warner Bros. Games and Warner Bros. Montreal announced that Gotham Knights’ release date has been moved forward to 21 October 2022 (it was previously slated for 25 October 2022) for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
They have also revealed a new Gotham Knights trailer showcasing the iconic Batman villains featured in the game, including Clayface, Mr. Freeze and Harley Quinn.
The synopsis reads:
There’s a storm coming and Renee Montoya knows she can’t trust the GCPD to fight it. She must ally herself with our Knights before it’s too late. Will they stand a chance against the wrath of Mr. Freeze, Harley Quinn, Clayface, and the Court of Owls as they each try to take over Gotham City? Or will the villains reign over Gotham?
Check out the trailer below:


Sega Black Friday Sale Offers Discounts On Lost Judgment, Yakuza Like A Dragon & More

SEGA is holding its Black Friday Sale at the PlayStation Store from 19 November to 29 November 2021. The sale offers special discounts on a selection of PS4 and PS5 games, including Lost Judgment, which is on sale for the very first time since launching in September 2021.

Popular SEGA titles such as Yakuza Like A Dragon and Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown (including the main game and DLC pack) are also included in the deal. Renowned Atlus games including the Persona series and Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster also have special Black Friday deals.
In the meantime, check outÂ our review ofÂ Lost JudgmentÂ here.

Check out the list of Sega games on sale on the PlayStation Store below:

Title Name
Release Date
Discount

Lost Judgment (EN/CH/KO/JA)
2021/9/24
20%

Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown Main Game & DLC Pack (EN/CH/KO/JA)
2021/6/1
25%

Two Point Hospital: JUMBO Edition (EN)
2021/3/5
40%

New Sakura Wars (CH)
2019/12/12
80%

Sakura Wars (EN)
2020/4/30
80%

Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 â€“ The Official Video Gameâ„¢ (EN/CH/KO)
2019/7/24
40%

Ryu Ga Gotoku 0: Chikai No Basyo (CH)
2015/5/14
50%

Ryu Ga Gotoku 0: Chikai No Basyo (JA)
2015/5/14
50%

Ryu Ga Gotoku KIWAMI (CH)
2016/1/21
50%

Ryu Ga Gotoku KIWAMI2 (CH)
2017/12/7
50%

Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 (CH)
2018/8/9
50%

Ryu Ga Gotoku 4 (CH)
2019/1/17
50%

Ryu Ga Gotoku 5 (CH)
2019/6/20
50%

Ryu Ga Gotoku 3, 4, 5 collection (CH)
2020/1/21
50%

Ryu Ga Gotoku 6 Inochino Uta (CH)
2016/12/8
50%

Ryu Ga Gotoku 7: Hikari To Yami No Yukue (CH/JA)
2020/1/16
50%

Yakuza: Like a Dragon PS4 & PS5 (EN)
2020/11/10
40%

Yakuza: Like a Dragon PS4 & PS5 (EN/CH/KO/JA)
2021/3/2
40%

Ryu Ga Gotoku: Ishin! (JA)
2014/2/25
50%

Yakuza 0 (EN)
2017/1/25
50%

YAKUZA KIWAMI (EN)
2017/8/30
50%

Yakuza Kiwami 2 (EN)
2018/8/29
50%

Yakuza 3 Remastered (EN)
2019/8/21
50%

Yakuza 4 Remastered (EN)
2019/10/30
50%

Yakuza 5 Remastered (EN)
2020/2/12
50%

The Yakuza Remastered Collection (EN)
2019/8/21
50%

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (EN)
2018/3/20
50%

Hokuto Ga Gotoku (CH)
2018/3/8
80%

Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise (EN)
2018/10/3
80%

BLADE ARCUS Rebellion from Shining (CH/KO/JA)
2019/3/14
80%

Shining Resonance Refrain (CH)
2018/3/29
80%

Shining Resonance Refrain (EN)
2018/7/11
80%

DENGEKI BUNKO FIGHTING CLIMAX IGNITION (JA)
2015/12/17
80%

VALKYRIA : AZURE REVOLUTION (CH)
2017/1/19
80%

Valkyria Revolution (EN)
2017/6/28
80%

Valkyria Chronicles IV (CH)
2018/3/21
80%

Valkyria Chronicles 4 (EN)
2018/9/26
80%

Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone DX (CH/JA)
2018/8/9
50%

Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA X HD (CH)
2016/8/25
50%

Hatsune Miku: VR Future Live (CH)
2016/10/13
50%

Puyo Puyoâ„¢ TetrisÂ® (CH/KO)
2019/4/19
50%

Puyo Puyo eSports (CH/KO)
2018/10/25
50%

Sonic Mania (EN)
2017/8/16
80%

SONIC FORCES (EN/CH/KO/JA)
2017/11/8
80%

TEAM SONIC RACING (EN/CH/KO/JA)
2019/5/21
70%

GALLIAN CHRONICLES REMASTER (CH)
2017/1/18
80%

TEMBO THE BADASS ELEPHANT (EN)
2015/7/22
90%

Catherine Full Body (CH/KO)
2019/4/25
50%

Catherine Full Body (EN)
2019/4/25
50%

PERSONA 5 THE ROYAL (CH)
2020/2/20
50%

Persona 5 Royal (EN)
2020/4/1
50%

PERSONA5 SCRAMBLE THE PHANTOM STRIKERS (CH)
2020/6/18
40%

PersonaÂ® 5 Strikers (EN)
2021/2/23
40%

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (CH/KO)
2020/3/19
50%

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (EN)
2020/9/22
50%

SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI III NOCTURNE HD REMASTER (CH)
2020/10/29
40%

Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster (EN)
2021/5/25
40%

Odin Sphere Leifthrasir (CH/KO/JA)
2016/4/28
50%

Odin Sphere Leifthrasir (EN)
2016/6/8
50%

Dragonâ€™s Crown Pro (CH/KO)
2018/2/8
50%

Dragonâ€™s Crown Pro (EN)
2018/6/14
50%

Persona3 Dancing Moon Night (CH/KO)
2018/9/20
70%

Persona5 Dancing Star Night (CH/KO)
2018/9/20
70%

Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight (VR)ã€€(EN)
2018/12/5
70%

Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight (VR)ã€€(EN)
2018/12/5
70%

Utawarerumono: Chiriyuku Mono E No Komoriuta (CH/KO)
2018/11/22
70%

UTAWARERUMONO ITSUWARI NO KAMEN (CH/KO)
2019/1/24
70%

Utawarerumono: Futari no Hakuoro (CH/KO)
2019/3/28
70%

Utawarerumono: Zan (CH/KO)
2020/3/26
70%

SENRAN KAGURA Burst Re:Newal (CH/KO)
2018/5/17
55%

Little Dragons CafÃ© (CH/KO)
2018/8/30
70%

Fate/EXTELLA LINK (CH/KO)
2018/9/13
50%

The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 (CH)
2017/5/25
50%

ShinYomawari (CH)
2017/8/24
50%

Coven and Labyrinth of Refrain (CH)
2017/9/28
50%

Tsuihou Senkyo (CH)
2017/9/28
50%

Hakoniwa Company Works (CH)
2017/11/30
50%

CLOSED NIGHTMARE (CH)
2018/7/19
50%

DISGAEA Refine (CH)
2018/8/9
50%

Liar Princess and the Blind Prince (CH)
2018/8/23
50%

Lapis x Labyrinth (CH)
2019/2/21
50%

DESTINY CONNECT (CH)
2019/5/30
50%

Empire of Sin (EN/CH/KO)
2021/2/25
30%


Lunatic-Hai Disbands, Leaves Overwatch Scene

The most successful team in the Overwatch pro-scene to date, Lunatic-Hai has disbanded and will leave the Overwatch competitive scene altogether. In a statement via Invenglobal,Â the much storied team disbanded because â€œit was difficult to face the radical changes within and outside Overwatch; we couldnâ€™t be certain of consistent investment for the organization and the business, and we couldnâ€™t bring the organization, the staff, and the playersâ€™ positions together as one.â€
A direct translation from the company’s website, delivered by Team Director, Tae Soo Kim added :Â The company itself is not confident about the ongoing investments and business feasibility of game companies.*Â
(* Translated via Google translate)
Having risen to the pinnacle of competitive Overwatch following back-to-back wins of Seasons 2 and 3 of the OGN APEX circuit, the core of the legendary team which consisted the likes of of ‘Ana God’ Ryujehong, ‘Boop God’ Tobi and ‘#1 Winston’ Miro left the organization when they were drafted as a team to sign withÂ  KSV eSports to compete in the Overwatch League as Seoul Dynasty. Dynasty currently sit at the top of the league following four straight wins and are season favorites to win the inaugural season.
Lunatic-Hai also revealed that they will be releasing the remaining players in their roster. The statement read:Â  “… will be giving up on all contract rights to our players so that they can transfer to other teams with more ease, and we are trying our best to discuss with other organizations our players can possibly transfer to.â€

It was indeed a surprising decision as we expected Lunatic-Hai to participate in the upcoming Overwatch Contenders Korea tournament which should start soon. But perhaps the company isn’t confident of replicating their past success and a move on a different direction is the best way forward to preserve the legacy which the brand has built over the years.
Lunatic-Hai may be no more, but their legacy lives on as Seoul Dynasty. Make them proud, boys!


Isometric Game Weird West Is Delayed Until March 2022

Upcoming immersive sim Weird West is getting pushed back from its January 2022 release date.
The upcoming game from WolfEye Studios (consisting of ex-Arkane co-founders & folks) will be delayed to 31st March due to quality reasons and the complexities of programming an immersive sim.
“Weird West is incredible (according to beta testers) but needs some wonky moments ironed out (also according to beta testers)!. WolfEyeGames have made something special, and we want you all to have the best experience at launch.”

Weird West is incredible (according to beta testers) but needs some wonky moments ironed out (also according to beta testers)!@WolfEyeGames have made something special and we want you all to have the best experience at launch.
March 31 | PC, PS4, XB1, Game Pass pic.twitter.com/ebU7roUE8G
— Devolver Digital (@devolverdigital) December 22, 2021

Founder Raphael Colantonio said the following about the complications:
“We all know how great those games can be when it all comes together. Every player has their own experience, and there’s so many things that can happen. And some of those things can be great, and some of those things can not be so great.”
We don’t mind waiting for a few more months, especially for the insanity that could unfold from a single Weird West playthrough. The game will be out for PC, Xbox Series, Xbox One, Xbox Game Pass, and PS4.


Newest Call of Duty Ignores Roman Numeric System

The next Call of Duty game will be part of the Black Ops series and have ignored the conventional Roman Numeric system altogether. Instead of ‘IV’, they decided to brand the game as Black Ops IIII.Â  Like all Black Ops games in the past, it will be developed by Treyarch games but unlike the CoD games before it, will be released this October – a month earlier than typical CoD games’ release dates.

We are unsure of the logic of using ‘IIII’ instead of the customary ‘IV’ to represent the number four, and keen-eyed viewers were first alerted of this a few days back when Houston Rockets Point Guard was spotted wearing a cap sporting the same symbol in one of his press conferences. It can’t be related, right?

Some fans suggested that the symbol represent the checkmarks some soldiers engrave on the rifle stocks to denote the kills they’ve done on the battlefield, and the symbol’s similarity with Black Ops III’s logo may allude to the continuation of the storyline where Black Ops III ended. But who knows? Activision hasn’t shared anything more about the game, except for a special event which will be hosted on May 17. Guess we’ll have to wait and see what comes out of it til then.


The Samsung S22 Ultra Is Almost Perfect

As Michael Fassbender’s Magneto said in X-Men: First Class.

Very few things in life deserve to be called perfect. A steaming bowl of ramen while it’s thundering outside. A chocolate sundae during your day at the beach. A cat giving you a head bump.
But a perfect piece of tech can never exist. That’s just how things are. Designers and manufacturers are limited by the laws of physics and cost but if there’s one smart phone which comes closest to achieving that status, you are reading about it now.
In fact, the S22 Ultra is closest ever to achieving a full score of 100/100 if not for some minor (negligible to some) factors.
Still smarting from their super brilliant 2021 flagship the S21 Ultra, Samsung had work cut out for them when it comes to what to do next. Having the unenvied task of superseding the beefy yet sleek flagship which still holds its own even against rival flagships, Samsung had to deliver with their 2022 flagship model. And they aced it again in spades.
The S22 Ultra is, quite easily in my books, the best smartphone I have ever laid my paws on.
Colour Me Impressed

This year’s Ultra comes in four main colours; Phantom White and Black, Green and our favourite of the lot, Ì¶pÌ¶oÌ¶rÌ¶kÌ¶ Ì¶bÌ¶lÌ¶oÌ¶oÌ¶dÌ¶ Ì¶jÌ¶eÌ¶lÌ¶lÌ¶yÌ¶ burgundy. Right out of the box you’ll receive the following; the phone itself, USB-C to USB-C cable, sim card remover pin and a small stack of instruction manuals. No charging block but you should already own one by now anyway.
We do wish Samsung to have included an extra S-Pen with the set as we have no doubt that we will lose ours soon enough.
Regardless of whether you are a returning Note user, an Android army, a Galaxy S-Series loyalist, or even an iPhone user looking to test the waters, the Ultra delivers on all relevant fronts. It is safe to assume that moving forward, annual releases from Samsung bearing the ‘Ultra’ label will sport all the top end bells and whistles we’ve always associated with the Note line.
The writing was on the wall last year anyway with the S21 Ultra coming bundled in with the S-Pen support.
Noteworthy Specs
Powered by Qualcomm’s flagship chip for 2022, it’s basically top of the shelf stuff under the hood for the S22 Ultra. The base model comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space and scales up to 12GB RAM for the 1TB worth of storage at the tippy top. Assuming you have access to a chunk of storage on Samsung Cloud or Google Drive, the mid-range models ought to be adequate for an average user.
In hand, the phone feels very similar to last year’s model. It weighs almost identical too. A general user won’t have any issues wielding the phone, all but for those with smaller-than-average sized hands. Some reviewers pointed (ha!) at the sharp angles the phone possesses which digs into the palm of your hand when operating it. Not an issue for us as we feel it kept the phone in place. The issue arises when it comes to storage as you will have to fit all of that real estate into your jeans back pocket or risk an awkward-shaped bulge from the front.
The fingerprint scanner remains under the main screen and carries the most responsive sensor we’ve ever come across.
Robust All-Rounder
The aluminium frame returns and the construction has been upgraded this year with Gorilla Glass Victus+ which theoretically makes it more robust. Like last year, the S22 Ultra is IP68-rated so you don’t have to baby it during your daily use although we highly recommend slapping on a protective case and screen protector on it.
The curved-edged screen makes a comeback and may split opinions but this is instantly remedied with phone cases anyway. Bright and vibrant, the fantastic Dynamic AMOLED screen adjusts very well between varying ambient lighting conditions.
Depending on your needs and battery consumption requirements, you are able to adjust its crispiness and reactiveness in the Screen Resolution and Motion Smoothness settings. We went all out with the ‘Adaptive’ option which allows a range of between 1 – 120Hz depending on what’s on-screen. Even with the screen qualities maxed out, we were still able to conveniently squeeze out a full day of medium to heavy use with this phone with plenty to spare.
A weekend spent by snapping and uploading photos to social media, navigation, S-Pen doodles and note-taking, countless QR-code scanning, videos and random apps in between left us with about 30% by 9PM.
The non-removable 5000mAh battery is no slouch but we do wish Samsung paired the S22 Ultra with something substantially bigger. The Ultra is aimed at the power user anyway. With a 45W fast charging capability, juicing up the device does not take long and wireless charging/ reverse wireless charging are also available.
But the main selling point of the S22 Ultra is the built-in S-Pen which slots snugly into the bottom left port. Truth be told, we were never much of a Note fan in the past as we always felt a jarring delay between strokes of the S-Pen and what appears on the screen. That issue is long gone this time around, as we have not only grown accustomed to the smoothness and near-instant on-screen response, we have learned to embrace this feature by returning to sketching and doodling.
Samsung forwent the sleek camera module which became the S21 Ultra’s signature look for a more subdued five rings setup for the rear cameras. We assume this was deliberate to make this year’s Ultra distinct from the last. Apart from easily collecting dust and lint around these individual rings and causing the phone to rock when placed screen facing upwards, nothing negative to report here. Slapping on a protective case instantly nullifies these issues as well.
It’s as if Samsung was well aware of these design ‘issues’ but were also confident of their self-solving nature once users put on the expected accessories.
Camera-wise, you’ll find it hard to find a better camera than the S22 Ultra in the current market. We are far from being the artsy or technical photographer, focusing instead on snapping pictures of our cats, action figures, food, green scenery and the occasional low-light photographs in the dark.

				Night mode ON

				Normal

The camera is much more intuitive this year which is great for casuals like us. For example, by bringing your camera closer to the subject, the system immediately turns on the macro mode. The 108MP camera makes a come back as well, alongside the party trick – the 100X zoom. We struggle to find the real-world use of this feature but nonetheless, is handy when capturing nature, especially wildlife. For selfies and portrait shots, the software does a great job in separating the subject from the background, with the best edge-detection result in the market.
Those who enjoy image editing are going to have a field day with the built-in image manipulation softwares, especially the ability to specifically remove shadows, reflections and background objects, although with mixed results. The presence of the S-Pen makes photo editing a pleasant experience. You can also access older phones to give them a remastered look making the S22 Ultra a dream device for shutterbugs out there.
For the more ‘professional’ users, they can download the Expert RAW app from the Samsung store which allows them to capture high-quality photographs in RAW format.

But this machine isn’t just for photographers. A workhorse in every sense of the word, the S22 Ultra fulfils all the important criteria regardless of what type of user you are. DeX transforms any compatible second screen into a makeshift laptop or workstation, and the superb top and bottom speakers fire out high-quality stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos processing built-in.
Gamers would love the symmetrical build and almost bezel-less screen and although there is a punch hole for the front-facing camera, you can hide it simply by blacking out the strip of screen around it in the settings, giving you an unhindered viewing experience.
The “U” In Ultra
Smartphones normally come with a bunch of glaring caveats. But not the S22 Ultra. We fail to think of any reason NOT to go for it – even when it comes to the retail price. Samsung has packed in the most sophisticated and complete package seen in a mobile phone model in years this time around. Starting at RM5,099 for the base model, the S22 Ultra will easily outlive and outperform its rivals in the market and become the benchmark other phone makers can only dream of. Sure there are some flaws but these are either easily remedied or just us plainly nitpicking.
We love it. You will too.
Score: 90/100

Vital Statistics
Platform: Android 12, One UI 4.1
Body: 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in), 228g
Frame: Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame with IP68 dust/water resistance
Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)
CPU: Octa-core (1×3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3×2.40 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4×1.70 GHz Cortex-A510)
GPU: Adreno 730
Display: Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 nits (peak); 6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2
Memory (Internal): 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM; UFS 3.1
Main Camera: 108 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide); 10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm (periscope telephoto) x10 zoom; 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto) x3 zoom; 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120Ëš (ultrawide),
Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps,
Sound: Stereo speakers, no jacks given
Battery: Li-Ion 5000 mAh, non-removable
Price: Starts from RM 5,099 (128GB)
Review unit of the Samsung S22 Ultra provided by Samsung Malaysia. You can purchase your own unit of the S22 Ultra from their official website here.


Overwatch Contenders Pacific Season 3: My Recap & Concerns

The Overwatch Contenders Season 3 has started with Contenders China already kicking it off last week Saturday. Up until now, the China, Australia, & EU divisions are running.
The Pacific Contenders will be happening next, with the first game starting this Thursday, 22/11/2018 at 5pm Malaysia time. Nova Esports vs Talon Esports will start off the first series.
The Lowdown
The usual format will be applied as per Season 2; teams will be facing off each other every week, every Tuesday & Friday from 5pm to 9pm with 3 series each day. Top 8 teams will be moving to the Playoffs where those who win will advance further each step towards the Finals.
The Overwatch Contenders Pacific Season 3 will have 12 teams competing against each other; which are made of 8 teams from the Contenders Top 8 & 4 Teams from Trials Top 4.
Here’s a background on the “Path to Pro” journey that’s touted in Contenders: players start from the Open Divison, where the top 16 teams will be competing in playoffs to make it to Trials. The top 4 teams from Open Division will move forward in Trials, going against the Season 2’s Contenders Bottom 4.
Once they’ve made it as Trials Top 4, they can move forward to the Contenders. If these players perform well enough & get noticed, they’ll have a higher chance to get into the Overwatch League, as many players have shown in the recent signing of the League’s rosters. (I hope by now you’ll understand why Kehprii’s “shortcut controversy” received an uproar feedback from the community)

Our neighbouring country, Thailand, will have 3 teams competing this Season 3. Team Incipience from Singapore did not make it through Trials.
The Thailand teams are Giant Esports, Xavier Esports & LYNX TH. Each team has at least one member from Team Thailand during the Overwatch World Cup 2018.

Pannys, the Ana support, is with LYNX TH. The legendary Patiphan, who made a name for himself during the Overwatch World Cup at the age of 15, is with Xavier Esports. Wrecking Ball expert Teetawat, Rocket, & SaiyajinGOD will in with Giant Esports, with Teetawat appointed as team captain. I am incredibly excited to watch them play again.

The Main Issue With This Contenders
Blizzard’s claim that with the existence of 7 regional division for Contenders, more local talents from around the world can be found & shine. However, with 50% of Korean players in the Pacific Contenders, I am not entirely sure on this claim made by Blizzard (47 out of 94 players).
Pacific Contenders have 12 teams competing, but 5 teams are made entirely of Korean rosters (+1 Kephrii & 1 Snow from Singapore). Talon Esports, PHEONiX, We Are Eternal Gaming & New Paradigm have a full Korean roster. GE Pantheon KR have 8 Korean players & 1 Kehprii (who hails from the United States) while GrandXur has 8 Korean players & 1 Snow (from Singapore).

The appearance of all Korean rosters & Korean players in the Pacific Contenders in Season 3 is an increased of 7.69% compared to Season 2; this season has 44 Korean players out of 104. That is a lot of increment & you should understand by now why I am questioning the claim of “developing more local talents from around the world”.
Contenders have officially made a statement that starting 2019, soft region-locking will be introduced in Contenders where teams can only have a maximum of 3 non-resident players on their rosters. But I am still sceptical about this.

Contenders is back in 2019! ?
Study up on what's new in Contenders next year.
?: https://t.co/7GMfB919ZO pic.twitter.com/0TfVvJDVuv
— Overwatch Path to Pro (@owpathtopro) October 30, 2018

Talon Esports, PHEONiX, GrandXur, We Are Eternal Gaming, New Paradigm & GE Pantheon KR are teams based in Korea.
The terms used by the officials, “non-resident players” are highly subjective. Does this mean if the teams are based in Korea, it is okay for them to have a full Korean roster? And why does a Korean based team allowed in the Pacific region when Contenders Korea have a special contenders event for themselves? 5 Korean based team is a bit tad too much to be included in the Pacific division in my opinion.
One can argue that if we don’t put up the local talents with the best players, but how will local players improve? Again, I might ask, what is the purpose of Pacific Contenders when Korean teams can have some sort of “extenders to Contenders Korea” here?
The fact that the Pacific Contenders is 100% online (except for Season 2 Finals) is a huge disadvantage for the other countries which does not have internet facilities as impressive as South Korea. In the recent Contenders EU, Team Young and Beautiful had to drop the series against Winstriker as one of their team members was having difficulties with his internet connection.

Unfortunatly we had to drop the first game of this Overwatch Contenders against @Winstrike_Team because of internet issues. While we are sad about this we will work even harder to be 100% ready for next match!#FlowerPower?
— Young and Beautiful (@YaB_OW) November 18, 2018

Season 1 & Season 2 of Pacific Contenders had seen both Korean based team with full Korean rosters winning the finals. I am rooting for the Thailand teams, and I hope they can show the world who does Pacific Contenders belong to.


Battlefield 5 Is A Solid If Unfinished Entry In The Mass FPS Warfare Genre

Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Genre: Mass multiplayer FPS set in World War II
When you think big fights in historical settings, you think Battlefield games. From the very first Battlefield 1942 to the World War I-focused Battlefield 1, the DICE folks have the mass FPS warfare 64-players-or-bust genre down to a science. The only thing the devs have to focus on is how to present it in a new yet aesthetically war-torn fashion.
Battlefield 1 was different because it was set in a war not many games tackled. But World War II has been done to death. So DICE opted to focus on the lesser-known battles and, well, battlefields during this disastrous period.
And the urban warscape that the era thrives in game-wise? The latest Frostbite engine makes sure that players like myself get immersed and feel the thunders and rumblings of cannons, artillery shells, and gunfire either during the game’s trademark mass-scale multiplayer mode or the single player campaigns. If anything, DICE and EA spared no expense in delivering a war-torn-yet-beautiful visual splendour.
But how’s the overall game though? Well, it’s solid, if you don’t mind playing the waiting game.
Come And See

The Battlefield series is still at its best at delivering large-scale FPS team-based fights on a grand scale. DICE did this with Battlefield 1 to much acclaim, and Battlefield 5 amps it up further and refine it with changes that may please some, but infuriate others. Close-quarter fights and vehicle-driving are still just as great and epic to control and experience.
The art of spotting is now reserved for the Recon class so you can help your company/squad suss out the opposing army in the grey and black charred landscapes. At the same time, you can hide easily from enemies who don’t use their Recon classes to the fullest.
Teamwork is more important in this game, as squad leaders can earn requisition points via on-the-fly objectives and summon arms and vehicles with said points. All classes can revive squad members, though the Medic does it the fastest. You can also build fortifications at select spots to help defend and resupply your team.
If you want to win Battlefield 5, check out our surefire guide.Â

While not as fast-paced as your current military shooters like Black Ops 4, it makes it up with scale and plethora of combat options. Maps like Norway’s Fjell 652 favour infantry vs infantry skirmishes, while France’s Arras gives you a lovely flower-filled field with ample bushes to hide/camp in, a rustic town to wreak havoc upon, and a clock tower that’s a perfect spot for snipers/sniper-baiting.
Best of all, if you want to play an even longer game, Grand Operations mode let you string a series of maps into one big match. Fun! This and the default Battlefield game mode Conquest will be the only modes players will care about and play to death.
And herein lies the bad side of EA and DICE turning the franchise into a “games as a service” model. Battlefield 5 feels like it’s missing a few components. It’s not a completely stripped-down experience, far from it, but you get the sense that you’re paying money for a game that’s almost out of beta but not quite. I’ll explain.
Days of Glory
Battlefield 5’s longevity plans include EA and DICE rolling out content on a monthly basis. Come next week (5 December), we’ll get a new story mission. We’ll also be getting a battle royale mode called Firestorm next year. I stress on the future tense here because as it stands, there’s not much content to play around with.
We have 3 War Stories, which is half of what Battlefield 1 had to offer. There are 8 maps and 4 classes to play around with right now. For the fifth game in the series that’s going back to its roots, I was hoping for more variety and a dearth of content.
Speaking of story missions, the ones we get are leaning towards the “video game Oscar bait” side of things. Which is good and bad; I enjoyed the heck out of Tirailleur and Nordlys, but the overall tone feels a bit…sanitized. Think Pearl Harbor (the one with Ben Affleck & Michael Bay) levels of history-washing, but not as obnoxious, thankfully.
I won’t say much since these campaigns are short and kinda sweet, but don’t expect them to be at the same level as Battlefield 1’s gritty and gut-punching War Stories. The standard problem of less-than-impressive AI in these campaigns also take away the gravitas of these tension-filled fights when you can more or less be a one-person army.
Oh, and the less said about the stability of multiplayer from my side of the world, the better. 3 out of 5 times, I’m getting ping levels of 200 or so, which is less than ideal for a mass multiplayer shooter like Battlefield 5 that relies on online to grow in Southeast Asia. EA, please set up a Southeast Asian server if you haven’t already.
Life Is Beautiful
I think EA and DICE couldn’t get this out next year because 2018 needed a big EA game. Hence, the Tides of War release plan and the game I’m playing right now: it’s kinda finished but it needs some more time in the metaphorical oven before it’s ready to be served in full.
I’ll be sure to update this review once the other modes and updates are done, hopefully in early 2019. Right now, Battlefield 5 is a solid massive multiplayer shooter that still needs a few more modes to separate itself from military shooter pack that’s currently dominated by Black Ops 4.
At least the upcoming stuff is free and not gated with some paywall bullcrap. Score one for consumers who lashed out at EA for their Star Wars Battlefront II stunt, eh?

Pros
-Methodically-paced shooter with solid controls & feedback.
-Highlight maps like Fjell & Arras make for excellent playfields of war.
-Stellar production values.
-Fun War Stories single player campaign…
Cons
-…even if it feels sanitized at times.
-Missing key modes like Firestorm.
-Could use more maps & class variety.
-Online stability is a crapshoot (Malaysia boleh!)
FINAL RATING: 60/100 (for now)
Battlefield 5 was played on a Dell Alienware 15 on the highest framerate and settings.Â


EA Is Re-Recording Command & Conquer’s EVA With Original Actress

The HD remake of Command & Conquer is underway, though EA is in a bit of a snag; they’ve lost the old recordings of the game’s announcer EVA. That’s fine, because they’re recording it again with the original voice actress Kia Huntzinger.

The former employee at Westwood was responsible for the iconic voice work, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that she sounds exactly the same here in this remake 24 years later.

The Command & Conquer remake has no concrete release date as of yet.


New Overwatch Short Story Hints At New Mercy Skin

Blizzard Entertainment has recently published a new Overwatch short story focusing on Mercy. Titled ‘Valkyrie’, it is 24 pages long and told from the perspective of Dr Angela Ziegler (Mercy’s real name) as she works at an aid camp in Cairo, Egypt.
Other Overwatch characters also make cameo appearances in the story, including Soldier: 76 and Ana. Mercy just spends most of the story reflecting on what she did in the original Overwatch, while occasionally saving people from time to time.

Confront the past.
In VALKYRIE, a new Overwatch short story, Mercy wrestles with whether she should join the fight again.
ðŸ§šâ€â™€ï¸ https://t.co/ZLbvp4komq pic.twitter.com/FQB4As38gD
â€” Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) November 11, 2019
The Overwatch ‘Valkyrie’ short story features several pieces of art, but the final one seemingly hints at a new skin for Mercy. It depicts Mercy in decked in conventional doctor garb and gear, wearing a lab coat, name tag, sweater, slacks, glasses, and a stethoscope, but weirdly still equipped with her metallic combat boots.

Blizzard has yet to officially confirm if this is indeed a new Mercy skin or if it will be released, although it is likely that it will be announced at a later date. With Overwatch 2 already confirmed and in development, the company needs all the momentum they can muster to keep anticipation riding high.


Black Clover Mobile Game Announced For 2022

Fantasy shonen manga/anime series Black Clover is getting a new mobile game.
The title will be published by Pearl Abyss, the folks behind the massive Korean MMORPG Black Desert. Subsidiary Vic Game Studios will be developing the title, which is slated for a 2022 release and for iOS and Android devices.
The lengthy trailer below showcases characters from the manga that you can recruit and control like Asta and Yuno. It’s safe to say that there’s a gacha system involved given Pearl Abyss’ game-making history.


Who Is Bloodshot? A Primer To Vin Diesel’s New Superhero Role

Sony Pictures’ Bloodshot, starring Vin Diesel in the titular role, is slated to release on 12 March 2020. Most people will likely already know that it’s a new superhero movie of some sort, but I’m willing to bet that most have never even heard of this character from publisher Valiant Comics.
That’s okay; most people have never heard of the Guardians Of The Galaxy or The Eternals before Marvel Studios made movies out of them either. So let’s talk about this new hero.
Who Is Bloodshot?

Created by Kevin VanHook, Don Perlin, and Bob Layton for Valiant Comics, the character known as Bloodshot first appeared in an issue of The Eternal Warrior in November 1992. While the publisher may have debuted in 1989, they were never as prominent as Marvel, DC or even Image.
However, Valiant Comics rebooted their entire company line in 2012, and they have been publishing hit after hit ever since, with modern reimaginings of their classic characters like X-O Manowar, Ninjak and yes, Bloodshot.
From personal experience, I can say that the Valiant universe is just as big and expansive as Marvelâ€™s or DC Comicsâ€™, which is why the definitely deserve a cinematic universe of their own.
The easiest way to describe Ray Garrison AKA Bloodshot is that he’s similar to Marvelâ€™s Wolverine. Both of them has amnesia of some sort (canâ€™t remember their past) and the ability to heal from anything almost instantly. His origin is also essentially identical to Robocop, as both of them â€˜diedâ€™ while they were human and were brought back to life using bleeding-edge technology.

In Bloodshot’s case, nanotechnology or nanites are what gives him his abilities. In that regard, there’s a little bit of Captain America in his origin story too, as Bloodshot is a product of a top-secret clandestine US government organization (Project Rising Spirit) to create a super-soldier.
Apart from being able to instantly heal from any damage or injury, Bloodshot can use the nanites in his bloodstream to shapeshift (change his appearance), interact with electronic computer systems (or hack them), and the usual bevvy of superhuman abilities like super strength and increased agility/reflexes.
That’s not even mentioning his military special ops combat training, giving him formidable hand-to-hand and weapon skills in the process. However, he does have one weakness: his nanites require pure protein to function, which means that he has to consume a lot of food to replenish them.
In the comics (the latest relaunch), Bloodshot rebels against Project Rising Spirit as he regains bits and pieces of his true memories (fake memories were implanted in his brain by the organization in an attempt to control him), and after realizing the atrocities he’s been forced to commit.
Why You Should Care About Bloodshot

Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto character in the Fast & Furious franchise is already essentially a superhero in all but name. So it’s high time for the buff actor to play an actual superhero of his own.
Interestingly, he won’t be able to boast of being the first live-action Bloodshot though. That honour went to Jason David Frank AKA the most iconic Power Ranger who ever lived.Â  He starred in the Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe web-series several years ago. You can catch him in action in the video below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Il_kAPCDpQ&w=560&h=315]
If the movie turns out to be a financial and critical success, Bloodshot might spark a new Valiant Comics cinematic universe. In the comics, the Harbinger Wars crossover involved Bloodshot playing an integral part in a conflict between the Renegades (a group of Psiot teenagers; essentially the Valiant Comics’ version of Marvel’s mutants or DC’s metahumans) and the Harbinger Foundation led by Toyo Harada, one of the biggest villains in the Valiant universe.

That said, the Valiant cinematic universe might be doomed before it even begins. The next Valiant Comics live-action movie adaptation, Harbinger, is reportedly slated to be produced and distributed by Paramount Pictures instead of Sony Pictures, which translates to complications for the shared Valiant cinematic universe plans.
At the time of writing, it still remains unclear which studio holds the rights to which Valiant Comics properties. There are still other popular characters like X-O Manowar, Ninjak, and The Eternal Warrior (to mention a few), who are ripe for adaptation. To demonstrate just how big the Valiant Universe, check out the image below, featuring its assortment of heroes and villains.
Perhaps soon you’ll be able to spot more than just Bloodshot in the image below. That is, if the Valiant Cinematic Universe takes off. Fingers crossed.


Level51 PC Rebrands to AFTERSHOCK PC

Premier custom PC brand, Level51 PC announced that they are rebranding to AFTERSHOCK PC Malaysia.
This initiative will feature changes to the company’s name and logo alongside an expansion of products and services beyond its current offerings. The rebrand also aims to unify the company’s core identity with partners in Singapore and Australia.
If you’re familiar with the show Good Game Asia which we had been doing weekly recaps on before it went on hiatus, you will know that the show is sponsored by the Singapore branch of AFTERSHOCK.

The rebrand will be publicly unveiled at Malaysia’s IT Fair from 26 to 28 August together with deep discounts and complimentary gifts to commemorate the change. Alongside this launch, AFTERSHOCK PC Malaysia’s visual refresh will be implemented across all products and services in the coming weeks with an updated website to follow.

“Level51 PC has evolved tremendously over the years, and the speed of our growth would not have been possible without the support of our partners in Singapore and Australia. For us, this rebrand offers vast opportunities for deeper collaborations with a diverse pool of Custom PC artisans across the world. As we look ahead to a rapidly fluctuating Custom PC market, we are excited to work together and innovate solutions uniquely suited to the needs of our Malaysian customers.”
– Evan Wong Country Direct at AFTERSHOCK PC Malaysia

For those curious, yes, AFTERSHOCK PC Malaysia will indeed have their own physical showroom that you can go to. The showroom is located at Sunway Geo Avenue Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway in Subang Jaya, Selangor.


FFVII Remake & Kingdom Hearts Japanese Voice Actor Dies At 55

Japanese seiyuu and voice actor Keiji Fujiwara has passed away at the age of 55 after battling cancer for several years. His death was reported by his family, who held a private wake and funeral for the legendary voice actor (via Crunchyroll).
The late Fujiwara is best known for voicing Hiroshi Nohara (Shin-chan’s father) in Crayon Shin-chan, Holland in Eureka 7, Maes Hughes in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Leorio in the 2011 Hunter Ã— Hunter anime, Axel in Kingdom Hearts, Ardyn in Final Fantasy XV, and ACDC in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.
Hiroshi Nohara (Shin-chan’s father) in Crayon Shin-chan.
His other famous roles included Ladd Russo in Baccano!, Shuichi Aizawa in Death Note, Ali al-Saachez in Gundam 00, ShirÅ Fujimoto in Blue Exorcist, Eugen in Granblue Fantasy, and the Japanese dub voice for Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Maes Hughes in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
Fujiwara’s final credited role before his passing was reprising the role of Reno in Final Fantasy VII Remake after having been playing the popular character since 2005’s Final Fantasy VII Advent Children.
Reno in Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy VII Advent Children.


Guilty Gear Strive Asuka R# Will Be Playable Next Week

The fourth and final character of Guilty Gear Strive’s Season 2 pass is revealed, and it’s one fans of the series have been waiting for.
Asuka R#, the sorcerer who is not only in GGST’s story mode but also the supposed mastermind behind all of Guilty Gear’s main plot and going-ons (The Backyard, Baiken’s destroyed village, the role of That Man, etc.), is going to be a playable character in the game on 25 May. He’s a highly technical character, wielding 26 types of spells and loves to keep away opponents with them. And just like any zoner, his stamina is pretty low.
Check out his trailer and gameplay below. Also, the new stage Tir na Nog will be available as part of the addition for Season Pass 2.

In addition, the game will also be getting a GGST Guilty Gear 25th Anniversary Appreciation Colour pack, unlocking one additional colour for each character in the game.

Guilty Gear Strive is out now for PC and consoles.


Will Dragon Age 4 Turn Into A Live Service RPG?

With BioWare facing flak after what became of Anthem and Mass Effect: Andromeda, we’ve not heard of its other IP, Dragon Age. There were a few years of silence on the Dragon Age end, we’re starting to hear developments of the next game in the series after Dragon Age: Inquisition, and it’s not very pleasing to hear.
Truth is, BioWare is in deep trouble, and they haven’t come out of that deep rut they have fallen into. And because of said troubles, many of the key members of BioWare such as veteranÂ Dragon AgeÂ creative director Mike Laidlaw left, leading to what the developers want now, a live service Dragon Age game.
The team had everything to get it right before the cancellation in 2017; they had the right tools, the right scope, the right team, and the right ideas. It was the golden opportunity to boost the BioWare brand back into the spotlight.
According to Jason Schreier’s post, there were one too many problems culminating in this development.
For example, EA and their greedy financial goals had other plans, and then Anthem stepped in. So everyone had to be on board the Anthem ship.

Patient Zero
To understand where this all started, let’s look back at Dragon Age: Inquisition.Â It was a great game, even winning Game of the Year at the 2014 Game Awards. However, it was plagued by a plethora of problems. This includes shipping the game to five platforms; PC, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360, the first Dragon Age to have a multiplayer mode, and the technical issues of the Frostbite engine.

There were so many people on board the development team that leadership was spread out thin, often making hasty decisions so that each of the workers looked busy, but that ended up backfiring since most of them had to redo their work.
The biggest downfall in this tale is the bad reception of Dragon Age 2. It was a repetitive and narrow game, completed within 14 months. This left the developers insecure.
By the timeÂ Inquisition finally launched in November of 2014, the development team was burnt out. The team voiced out their opinion, saying ‘we don’t want to shoulder that kind of burden again.’
Insecurity Kills
The BioWare staff had a sentiment going on, they felt like they are the weirdos in EA’s lineup of shooters and sports games. They thought that they won’t have access to some of the resources of games like FIFA and Battlefield.
Another question lingered: Â Did EAâ€™s executives really care about narrative? Did they really care about RPGs?
It was no secret that EA wants to make their games live services (read: easy money makers), so would Dragon Age going as a live service game be BioWare’s salvation?
The Million Dollar Question
A splinter team stuck around to work on Dragon Age 4 with the tools and codebase of Anthem. It was codenamed Morrison. With live-service component, long-term gameplay and revenue in mind, the team started from scratch, unaffected by their expenditures of previous failed projects.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw3lrXlti-8]
Casey Hudson, BioWare’s general manager, had to put in his say:

Reading lots of feedback regarding Dragon Age, and I think youâ€™ll be relieved to see what the team is working on. Story & character focused.
Too early to talk details, but when we talk about â€œliveâ€ it just means designing a game for continued storytelling after the main story.
â€” Casey Hudson (@CaseyDHudson) January 25, 2018
It is an ambitious move to put the next Dragon Age into the multiplayer arena. There were ideas of drop-in and drop-out gameplay, not unlike Baldur’s Gate. The game will evolve from time to time as the developers take in feedback from games such as Anthem.

As one of the employees put it: â€œDragon AgeÂ games shift more than other games.â€

But Wait, There’s More
Before the alleged live services plan for Dragon Age 4 came into effect, the original version (codenamed “Joplin”) had a lot of great ideas before it was scuttled.
Ideas include:

Placing players in a region centered around spies working in Thedas’oldest human nation, Tevinter Imperium. It’s a country ruled by mages.
Giving players “heist” missions that involve invading the city and thwarting whatever plans rogue mage sectors had.
The game world being reactive and emergent, “systematic narrative mechanics”, and ways for the game to build a coherent story around the choices players make in the game. In essence, a lot of dialogue trees.
Design and story choices made by Alexis Kennedy, the writer behind the indie hit Sunless Sea, Fallen London, and Cultist Simulator.

This puts into perspective as to who runs who in the grand scheme of EA’s things.
I’m just hoping whatever they do, it’ll be the best for the franchise. Though nothing is set in stone yet, BioWare needs to bounce back. Depending on how Dragon Age 4 pans out, it’s sink or swim for them.


Here’s How You Can Watch 2021 Winter Anime Legally & For Free

Muse Malaysia originally launched in March 2020. They have been streaming legal and licensed anime for free ever since, with the added benefits of subtitles in various languages, including Malay, English and Chinese.
They’re adding more and more new anime series, including the latest 2021 winter anime offerings. These include the following anime series:

Mushoku Tensei Jobless Reincarnation
Ex-Arm
Suppose a Kid from the Last Dungeon Boonies Moved to a Starter Town
Pui Pui Molcar
I â˜… Chu
Heaven’s Design Team
Armor Shop for Ladies & Gentlemen 2
Scar On the Praeter
Dr. Ramune – Mysterious Disease Specialist
Kemono Jihen

There are already episodes of these anime series available to watch anytime on the official Muse Malaysia YouTube channel. Anime fans will want to check them out and subscribe. You can also check out their official Facebook page here.
Where else can you find free and legal anime?
You can check out the schedule for each anime series in the table below:


New LEGO Botanical Collection Sets Offer Beautiful Flower Designs

The LEGO Group announces two stunning new additions to its Botanical Collection; a LEGO® Orchid and a LEGO® Succulents selection.
Perfect as a thoughtful gift for a plant lover or for adding the finishing interior design touches, the new sets are designed to provide an immersive building experience for adults that lets creativity bloom.
With 73% adults saying they often research new ways to destress and over 72% saying play helps them relax, the new sets could provide a fabulous floral project for those looking to get creative while finding moments of mindfulness in their day.
LEGO Orchid (10311)

Recreate the show-stopping blooms of a flowering orchid with this blossoming build. This new set features six large flowers and two newly opened flowers which can be customised to create a flawless arrangement for any space, without the worry about how often to water it.
A LEGO built blue fluted vase and bark mix made from LEGO elements completes this beautiful display of pink and white blooms which can be customised and rebuilt time and time again as the builder finds a moment of balance and harmony for them and their décor.
Michael Psiaki, Lead Designer at the LEGO Group, said:
“The design of this set was inspired by a real Orchid we had in the office throughout the design process, so we could see how the flower changed through the seasons. A challenge with this set was creating a cylindrical pot from LEGO elements that would be fun to build but also beautiful to look at.”
LEGO Succulents (10309)

The LEGO Succulents set is the gift that keeps on giving with nine individual succulents in their own containers. The separate plants and cacti can be built and connected together artistically or displayed individually and rearranged depending on the season or the décor with this ultimate low-maintenance display.
The Succulents set comes with three separate building instructions so friends and family can unwind together as they enjoy building the flora.
Anderson Ward Grubb, Senior Designer at The LEGO Group, said:
“They say having succulents in a room helps you focus, and we hope this set gives the same feeling. We wanted to create a set that offers a relaxing and mindful building experience to help adults switch off from their busy lives and to most importantly re-focus on something they enjoy.”
The LEGO Orchid (10311) set and the LEGO Succulents set (10309) will be launched just in time for Mother’s Day on 1 May 2022 at LEGO Certified Stores, LEGO Official Store on Lazada and Shopee, LEGOLAND, as well as major retailers and department stores in Malaysia, priced at RM219.90.
To find out more about the new LEGO Botanical Building Sets, visit LEGO Malaysia website and LEGO Malaysia Facebook page.


Cyberpunk 2077 Had The Biggest Digital Launch Of All Time

Cyberpunk 2077 reportedlyÂ had the biggest digital launch of all time based on digital revenue and digital units sold.
According to SuperData’s worldwide digital games market report for December 2020,Â Cyberpunk 2077 sold over a whopping 10.2 million digital copies, with PC accounting for around 80 percent of those sales.
However, SuperData does mention that these numbers do include the digital copies that have been refunded, but Cyberpunk 2077 also helped digital game sales reach US$12 billion in December 2020, which is a 15 percent increase year-over-year with the highest monthly total revenue ever.
Last month, developer CD Projekt Red announced that Cyberpunk 2077 has sold more than a whopping 13 million units across all platforms as of 20 December 2020. What this means is that only a mere three million of those were physical. Digital is the future, and soon physical games will be a remnant of the past.
You can check out a handy recap of all the problems plaguingÂ Cyberpunk 2077Â since launch byÂ heading over here, or check out ourÂ review of the game here.


Weekly Overwatch Roundup: New Cinematic, Free-to-Play Weekend & More

There are tons of Overwatch news this week and since us folks at Kakuchopurei.com are also swamped – being in Jakarta for the Asian Games, we decided to compile everything under one roof for a quickfire, bite-sized (but still informative) Overwatch roundup.
New Cinematic!Â
Yes we reported this earlier in the week; Blizzard just released their latest animated short starring D.Va. Entitled Shooting Star, the mini movie showcases D.Va’s stint with the MEKA Corps and we also got a glimpse of the rest of her crew.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7j2d6YCQbg&w=560&h=315]
The train has arrived … in Busan ….Â
Along with that, we also have a new control map coming our way – Busan. Divided into three locales; a Korean shrine, downtown Busan (train, PC bang and karaoke lounge included!) and the MEKA HQ, it is now playable on the PTR so if you’re on PC, get updating!

Pumped Up Kicks
Speaking of which, Upboy just released several designs of Overwatch hero-themed Nike sneakers. They look sweet. We want one. Or two. Or all of them:

Â All-Star Weekend Starts
The Overwatch All-Star Weekend kicks off Sunday (Asian time) starting with the Lucioball Showdown and 6v6 Mystery Heroes. While for many, the pick of Day-1 of the All-Star Weekend would be the Talent Showdown, we cannot wait to watch the Widowmaker 1v1 contest. Full details:

It all goes down tomorrow at 4PM PT. #OWL2018
Tune in for the All-Stars Weekend fun & games! https://t.co/U6dIipgQGs pic.twitter.com/2kHo0juFqP
â€” Overwatch League (@overwatchleague) August 24, 2018
For viewers in Asia:
Sunday

Monday:
1am: All-Star Showdown (Pacific vs Atlantic)
Free-to-Play Weekend
Overwatch is again free-to-play for everyone who hasn’t owned it. Available on all platforms, progress and unlocks obtained throughout the duration of the free-to-play event, which ends on the 28th August, 3pm (Malaysia/ Singapore) will be transferable in case you decide to purchase the full game.
Season EndsÂ
The current Overwatch Competitive Mode Season (Season 11) wraps up soon as well. As confirmed by the Overwatch official Twitter account, you have until next Wednesday morning (8am Malaysia/ Singapore) to hit your season high, or halt your SR slide.

Overwatch League Player Movements
To cap it all off, player movements in the Overwatch League gained momentum with ‘The World’s Most Handsomest Tank’ a.k.a Fissure joining the Seoul Dynasty and San Francisco Shock releasing three players.Â

That’s all for this week folks! More to come surely with the Overwatch League’s All-Star Weekend so stay tuned to Kakuchopurei.com for more Overwatch goodness.


Selected Samsung 4K & 8K TVs In 2022 Will Support HDR10+ Gaming

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. announced today that select 2022 4K and 8K TVs and gaming monitors will support the new HDR10+ GAMING standard, delivering the immersive, ultra-responsive HDR gaming experience to gamers. The new, cutting-edge HDR gameplay will be unveiled at CES 2022 along with a list of 4K and 8K game titles, all powered by NVIDIA GPUs.
Seokwoo Yong, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D Team, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics said:
â€œWe are extremely proud to announce that the new HDR10+ GAMING standard will be adopted by Samsungâ€™s 2022 Neo QLED line up with the Q70 TV series and above and gaming monitors, allowing users to enjoy a game-changing experience through cutting-edge visuals and richer, life-like images.
Samsung will continue to invest in usersâ€™ viewing experiences as technology continues to advance and provide enhanced new features and capabilities.â€
This new standard, developed by HDR10+ Technologies, LLC, gives game developers the tools they need to provide gamers with a compelling and consistent HDR gaming experience without the need for manual calibration across a variety of display technologies for various input sources, including consoles, PCs and more.Â
Samsungâ€™s 2022 TV and gaming monitor lineup will support the HDR10+ GAMING standard by allowing automated HDR calibration that provides stunning picture quality to meet game developersâ€™ demands. This translates into one of the most responsive and accurate gaming experiences available to date.
By removing the need for manual settings when games are loaded, something previously only possible with movie and television content, the game engine automatically optimizes video game content in real-time. This feature ensures details in the dark shadows and preserves the brightest highlights so that gamers can see and react to everything on the screen. It also configures the display to â€œtrue reference modeâ€, providing better colour, also without the need for gamers to spend additional time with game settings.
Several gaming companies, including Saber Interactive, are expected to showcase their HDR10+ GAMING titles during the upcoming CES 2022.
Todd Hollenshead, Head of Publishing at Saber Interactive said:
â€œWe are very excited to help usher in a new era of video game picture quality. By adopting HDR10+ GAMING, gamers of all ages will enjoy cutting-edge visuals for the best overall gaming experience.
The HDR10+ GAMING standard is genuinely raising the bar, and we are proud to be at the forefront of bringing it to market with games like Redout 2, the fastest 8K anti-gravity racer ever made, and with Pinball FX, the king of digital pinball, brought to life in a brand-new way.â€Â
Game Mechanic Studios is also showcasing their HDR10+ GAMING title â€œHappy Trails and the Kidnapped Princess,â€ which will be available in 2022.Â Â Â

HDR10+ brings superior picture quality by optimizing brightness and contrast scene-by-scene or frame-by-frame, with more accurate colour expression.Â
Introduced four years ago, HDR10+ has built robust support across the industry, with 128 partners and over 4,000 supported devices, including TVs, projectors, smartphones and tablets from more than 28 manufacturers. HDR10+â€™s metadata also offers flexible reference tone and mapping curve definition for content creators, allowing them to deliver more impactful images exactly as they intended them to be seen.Â
In addition, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series, RTX 20 Series, and GTX 16 Series GPUs will support the HDR10+ GAMING standard with drivers scheduled for release in 2022.Â
â€œNVIDIA GeForce gamers can enjoy a brighter, more vivid and consistent HDR gaming experience on their monitors or TVs from the support of the new HDR10+ GAMING standard,â€ said Vijay Sharma, Director of Product Management at NVIDIA.
For more information on Samsungâ€™s upcoming 2022 product portfolio and features, please visit www.samsung.com.


Square Enix Explains Why Final Fantasy VII Remake Is 100GB In Size

TheÂ Final Fantasy VII Remake is only a week away now, with pre-loading already going to become available by tomorrow. Square Enix previously shocked gamers when they confirmed that the upcoming game would be more than 100GB in size, despite being only the first part or episode of multiple instalments.
In an interview with USGamer, Square Enix co-director Naoki Hamaguchi clarified that the size of Final Fantasy VII Remake is so big because they used substantially more assets in order to recreate Midgard in much higher detail than the original game.
He said:

“Rather than thinking about repurposing standard assets for individual locations, like the Slums or the Shinra Building, we decided to build each location using unique assets to achieve the quality desired for [Final Fantasy 7 Remake].
As such, we designed assets like the backgrounds, [background music] and characters per location, which allowed for a unique gameplay experience in each area, even from a game design perspective.”

The development team wanted to make Midgard more realistic, in terms of the city’s space, size and density, as well as the depiction of the lives of its many citizens. This explains how the file size could be so massive, since players probably won’t see any of the assets re-used in other parts of the game.
In addition, the physical edition of the Final Fantasy VII Remake will also be coming in two discs, which is rare for a current-gen game. Even similarly-large games like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey came with only one disc.
Final Fantasy VII RemakeÂ is slated to release for the PS4 on 10 April 2020. In the meantime,Â you can check out the demoÂ toÂ tide you over until the gameâ€™s full release.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IrheLf0Ki0&w=560&h=315]


Here’s What Seth Rogen Sounds Like As Donkey Kong In New Super Mario Bros. Movie Teaser

We’re only a few months away from the upcoming Super Mario Bros. animated movie from Illumination and a new teaser has finally revealed Seth Rogen’s voice as Donkey Kong. What does he sound like? Well, he sounds exactly like… himself. Seth Rogen is essentially being Seth Rogen in the role, but that’s not a surprise.
The brief teaser also reveals Mario donning the Cat Mario skin, which was first introduced in 2013’s Super Mario 3D World.
You can check out the full teaser below. The Super Mario Bros. movie premieres in Malaysian cinemas on 6 April 2023.


We Welcome You To The Soft Launch of HypeTrain!

You! Yes, YOU!
Leading up to our very own HypeTrain event happening on the 26-27th November 2022, we will be having a small gathering – a soft launch party of sorts – to celebrate with our readers as well as to show an inkling of what to expect. There will be games to play, prizes to win and obviously, food to enjoy.
This is an open invitation to all to drop by and hang out with the Kakuchopurei crew. Who knows? You might walk home with copies of your favourite games. What better way to spend your weekend right?

Details of the HypeTrain soft launch party are as follows:
Day & Date: Saturday, 12th November 2022
Time: 12pm-7pm
Location: Pizza Hut @Kota Damansara
Games Available: FIFA 23, GigaBash
We highly recommend you brush up on your FIFA 23 skills as it may turn out to be very useful.
Since we are expecting quite a crowd and the event is a bit lengthy, we do recommend you come over early for a better chance of winning the prizes!


PlayStation Studios’ Steam Page Teases More Future PC Games

The PlayStation Studiosâ€™ Steam Curator page is now live and it hints at future PC game releases. Game developers and publishers use Steam Curator pages to highlight games and content for sale on the Steam platform.
At the time of writing, PlayStation Studiosâ€™ Steam page lists 41 games and DLC, but what’s interesting is that only 24 pieces of content are actually currently visible. These include Horizon Zero Dawn, Predator Hunting Grounds and Helldivers, which are currently the only PlayStation PC titles available for purchase on Steam.
Meanwhile, Days Gone is slated to release tomorrow on 18 May 2021.
In an interview with GQ In February 2021, Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan previously revealed that more PlayStation games are coming to PC starting with Days Gone in spring 2021.
He said:
â€œWe find ourselves now in early 2021 with our development studios and the games that they make in better shape than theyâ€™ve ever been before.
Particularly from the latter half of the PS4 cycle our studios made some wonderful, great games.
Thereâ€™s an opportunity to expose those great games to a wider audience and recognize the economics of game development, which are not always straightforward.
The cost of making games goes up with each cycle, as the caliber of the IP has improved.
Also, our ease of making it available to non-console owners has grown. So itâ€™s a fairly straightforward decision for us to make.â€
Developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment Bend Studio,Â Days GoneÂ is an open-world action-adventure game that originally launched for PS4 in April 2019. In the meantime, check outÂ our review of the game here.


Money Heist Part 5 Volume 2 Gets Epic New Teaser

Today Netflix debuted the first look image and teaser for Volume 2 of Money Heist Part 5, which will be released globally on 3 December 2021. These are the five final episodes that will mark the end of the heist.
“In the last few hours, I have lost some very important people, and I am not going to let anyone else die for this heist”, assures The Professor (Ãlvaro Morte). Tokyo (Ãšrsula CorberÃ³) is dead and the enemy, wounded yet more dangerous than ever, is still inside the Bank of Spain.
Money Heist Part 5 Volume 1 premiered last month. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Tower Of Fantasy Releases New Gun-Toting Blue-Haired Waifu & Vera Event This Early October

Big news for fans of mobile RPG Tower of Fantasy.
On 6th October, new character Cobalt-B will be making her debut. She’s a bespectacled Flaming Revolver-toting mechanical engineer and loves using her new gadgets on unsuspecting Hyena members. Check out her kit in action below:

In addition, a new Vera Orienteering LImited-Timed Event will be running for all players of Tower of Fantasy from now until 12th October. The event will give players a chance to earn rewards by completing a series of challenges focused on three different gameplay elements. They won’t be unlocked at one go; you’ll need to keep coming back to see the rest of the activities unfold over time.
Tower of Fantasy is Tencent Games’ mobile RPG that’s clearly aimed to take the chunk of the anime game pie that Genshin Impact has been hogging for a long while, except instead of fantasy and magic, this game has scifi and high tech shenanigans. As to how successful it is, we’ll have to give the game a couple more months.