The Flash Movie’s First Poster Features A Looming Batman

Fans of the DC Universe and DC Comics superhero pantheon will not have to wait long to see The Flash movie’s first poster promo.
The Flash’s first trailer will be released on Monday GMT+8 during the Super Bowl; here’s the official poster for the film.
As you can tell, it has Ezra Miller at the centre as Barry Allen/The Flash in a cave. Above is the Batwing which clearly looks like the 1989 version of the Tim Burton Batman film. So yeah, Michael Keaton is definitely in this one.

New DC Films co-president James Gunn said that The Flash is one of the best superhero films he’s seen, but it reboots the entire DCEU and that he and Peter Safran didn’t change anything in it (via Gizmodo).
The Flash is coming to cinemas on 16 June.


Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate Coming to Nintendo Switch in August

Great news Switch owners. Your days filled by staring longingly at PlayStation 4’s Monster Hunter Ultimate will be over soon asÂ the follow up toÂ Monster Hunter Generations, Monster Hunter Generations UltimateÂ launches on the Nintendo Switch on August 28th, 2018 and will be available for digital and physical versions.
Featuring a blend of classic, familiar gameplay with a modern twist, new areas and monsters to hunt including Zinogre andd Nargacuga, MHGUÂ Â introduces a new quest level called â€œGâ€ rank that features even more formidable versions of familiar foes for added longevity and replayability.

Featuring seamless integration between classic MH gameplay with the Switch, MHGUÂ Â features several new features including Hunter Arts that can be executed with a quick tap on the touch screen. Players can experiment and choose from six different Hunting Styles including two new ones called Brave Style, which rewards players with new moves for landing successive attacks, and Alchemy Style, a support style that grants the ability to creating useful items on the fly during combat. As all MH games in the past, Hunters are encouraged to explore and customise the experience between quests to find the most personalised playstyle.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGhhN-2P0qM&w=560&h=315]
As icing on the cake, players of the originalÂ Monster Hunter GenerationsÂ can transfer their saved data from the previous title to continue their journey inÂ Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate.Â


LEGO Celebrates The Holidays With Popular Sets & Build-Along Workshops On YouTube

Holiday traditions bond family and friends closer together. This holiday, The LEGOÂ Group is introducing a series of live-streamed build-along workshops on YouTube to encourage parents and children to spend quality time as they build and rebuild. Alongside some of the best-selling favourites and magical Christmas novelties this year, there is a LEGO play experience for everyone with different interests to unbox and create new holidays traditions together.Â
To get you started, The LEGO Group has curated 10 popular LEGO sets across themes like LEGO CITY, LEGO Friends, andÂ  LEGO Ninjago to look out for!Â Â
For little builders who love real-world play, they can enjoy hours of imaginative role-playing fun with 41684 LEGO Friends Heartlake City Grand Hotel, a 3-storey set filled with creative details. From the piano bar and reception to en suite bedrooms and outdoor dining area, little builders can now recreate what it is like to stay or work in aÂ  ritzy hotel and story-tell based on their imaginations.Â

41684 LEGO Friends HeartlakeÂ  City Grand HotelÂ

71738 LEGO Ninjago Zaneâ€™s Â Titan Mech Battle

Those with an adventurous spirit can embark on a stealth mission with the 71738Â  LEGO NINJAGOÂ Zaneâ€™s Titan Mech Battle Legacy as they stage thrilling battles,Â  inspired by Season 5 of the LEGO NINJAGO TV series, with posable legs and arms, a sword and a spinning chainsaw in its hands, 2 spring-loaded shooters and a cockpit for ninja minifigures.Â Â

60277 LEGO City Police PatrolÂ Â
Boat

42123 LEGO Technic McLaren Â Senna GTRâ„¢

76388 LEGO Harry Potter Â
Hogsmeadeâ„¢ Village Visit

For lovers of vehicles, they may love an adventure with the exciting 60277 LEGO CityÂ  Police Patrol Boat, where they can build a floating toy police boat with a cool controlÂ  station and prison hold, fire the net shooter to entangle the crooks, flick a lever toÂ  launch the scuba scooter and create stories featuring LEGO City TV characters. Supercar fans can have their pulses racing too by building 42123 LEGO Technic Â McLaren Senna GTR featuring authentic features inspired by the original trackÂ
focused supercar icon. Lastly, for those who love fantasy will be enthralled by the magical 76388 LEGO Harry Potter Hogsmeade Village Visit, a winter wonderland complete with snow-capped roofs. They can put their passion for Harry Potter on show for all to admire, recreate the movie scenes and dream up adventures of their Â own with this richly detailed, play-and-display set featuring Honeydukes candy store and The Three Broomsticks pub.Â
Other crowd favourites include 71387 LEGO Super Mario Adventures with LuigiÂ  Starter Course, 60295 LEGO City Stunt Show Arena, 41688 LEGO Friends MagicalÂ  Caravan, 80024 LEGO Monkie Kid The Legendary Flower Fruit Mountain and 10914Â  LEGO DUPLOÂ Deluxe Brick Box.Â

In the spirit of giving, some of these sets will be available for sale at a discounted price at select retail channels1. For purchases above RM289 at the LEGO Certified Stores between 1 November and 31 December or at the LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort between 15 November and 31 December, shoppers can receive a LEGO gift bag with mystery polybags. Those who spend above RM599 between 26 November and 31 December will receive 40484 Santaâ€™s Front Yard as festive gifts with purchase at LEGO Certified Stores and LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort.Â
Learn to build and rebuild with LEGO sets

To encourage parents and children to spend quality time together to build and rebuild, The LEGO Group will be launching an exciting YouTube Live series called LEGO Playdate (Holiday edition) with weekly contests and giveaways in November and December. Spanning across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, the series aims to bring fun and joy to families across the region.
Hosted by Singapore-based host-parent, Cordelia Daphne Low, the first episode will kick off on World Childrenâ€™s Day, 20 November 2021. Over the span of six weeks, parents and children will be brought on a journey to explore topics such as Jobs & Aspirations, Simple Machines, Ninjas & Dragons, Books & Magic, Technology in Play, and Dreams Holidays through hands-on activities with LEGOÂ  bricks. Each session will also feature the unboxing of popular LEGO sets, complete with a play demonstration to illustrate the educational benefits of LEGO play.Â Â
Interested parents can mark their calendars for these six sessions which go live on 20Â  November, 27 November, 4 December, 11 December, 18 December, and 24 December at 2pm Malaysia time. Alternatively, stay tuned to LEGO and LEGO Certified StoresÂ  Facebook Pages and be sure to RSVP once the Facebook event page is live!Â
Build a Christmas centrepiece with friends and family this yearÂ

Lastly, The LEGO Group has revealed five Advent Calendars across favourite themes such as LEGO Friends, LEGO City, Star Wars, Marvel and Harry Potter, as well as the charming new 10293 LEGO Santaâ€™s Visit set that offers new building experiencesÂ  for the family to create a centrepiece display or countdown at home together.Â
The design centres on a cosy little house, where a family is busily getting ready forÂ  Santaâ€™s arrival. Cards are collected from the mailbox; gifts have been wrapped, and treats have been put out in anticipation of the most exciting time of the year. Once the build is complete, all Santa needs to do is drop down the chimney to spread someÂ  Christmas cheer!
The set is also bursting with tiny details to be discovered, including Winter Villageâ€™s first illuminated Christmas Tree! Just press down on the top of the tree to trigger theÂ  light brick hidden inside. Other details include a fireplace with stockings, a chimneyÂ  (with enough space for Santa to slide down through), a childâ€™s bedroom, a detailedÂ  kitchen with decorated dinner table, milk and cookies to leave out for Santa, and aÂ  comfy chair for him to curl up in. The house is also decorated with boughs of holly and includes a snowy gate with a mailbox. At the back, a roof panel articulates outwards for easier access to the bedroom upstairs.Â
Rohan Mathur, Marketing Director, Southeast Asia at The LEGO Group:
â€œThis holiday season, we want to encourage families to spend quality time and bond through the creation of new holiday traditions such as building our 10 popular LEGOÂ  sets and counting down to Christmas together. We also hope the build-along sessions can inspire parents and children to build and rebuild with LEGO sets, enabling children to ignite their creativity, imagine limitless possibilities and create something new each time. Happy holidays!â€


Ubisoft Cancels E3 2023 Attendance, Their Own Live Stream Set For June

Ubisoft has announced that they will not attend E3 2023. However, they will still host a Ubisoft Forward live stream on 12 June 2023 in Los Angeles.
Speaking to VGC, Ubisoft said:
“E3 has fostered unforgettable moments across the industry throughout the years. While we initially intended to have an official E3 presence, we’ve made the subsequent decision to move in a different direction, and will be holding a Ubisoft Forward Live event on 12th June in Los Angeles. We look forward to sharing more details with our players very soon.”
As of now, it remains to be seen what Ubisoft will be showcasing at their upcoming Ubisoft Forward live stream. Perhaps we’ll see a first look at actual gameplay from Assassin’s Creed Mirage? Fingers crossed.
Besides Ubisoft, Nintendo has previously also confirmed their absence.
E3 2023 is slated to take place from 13 June to 16 June 2023 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. With Nintendo and Ubisoft out of the picture, E3 will need to do something drastic to make sure they are still relevant this summer.


Guess Which Footballer is Coming to Free Fire?

Free Fire has unveiled Cristiano Ronaldo as its latest global brand ambassador.
Free Fire‘s partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo builds on its strategy to continuously bring exciting content for all users all over the world; to enrich, engage, and inspire users to battle in their own styles while having fun along the way.
Garena Free Fire producer Harold Teo said:
“This is a really significant partnership for Free Fire. Cristiano Ronaldo is a role model for many of us, and being able to collaborate with him and present him to hundreds of millions of people around the world is truly exciting. Our partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo offers even more ways for our communities all over the world to enjoy Free Fire.â€
Players can look forward to playing as Cristiano Ronaldo in Free Fire, in an all-new character called Chrono. More details will be unveiled through this dedicated Chrono microsite.
Cristiano Ronaldo said:
“Itâ€™s a great feeling having not only a character in Free Fire modelled after me, but also having the whole universe within the game-changing along with it. The Garena team has worked into the game tons of new features and elements for Operation Chrono. I hope Free Fire players all over the world are just as excited as I am!â€
Free Fire can be downloaded on both the Apple iOS App and Google Play Store.
Now it seems like anyone can be in any game these days. A footballer like Cristiano Ronaldo can be in a non-football-related game, while a singer like Dua Lipa can be in a football game. Yeah, she’ll be appearing in FIFA 21, according to data miners.

https://twitter.com/FIFA21Updates/status/1326905447673106434


Epic Store Scores Another Exclusive in Phoenix Point

Julian Gollop, the creator of X-Com, has announced that his new game, Pheonix Point, is an Epic Games Store exclusive for its first year of release. Gollop stated that the deal meant that ‘the game can be updated and expanded for years to come’.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmjFZMEoEZ0]
Based on the video, Gollop anticipates that the exclusivity won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, as they may have expected to play on a specific PC platform when they backed for it. Well, to be fair, the first two questions in the Fig campaign FAQ blatantly states that the game will be available on Steam and GOG.

Technically, the claim has some truth to it, as the game is only exclusive for a year. However, not everyone would be happy with that interpretation.
Gollop assured backers that ‘they will be very happy to offer a full refund if for any reason backers are not happy with this change’. As a reward to the backers who continue to support it or preordered it prior to today, they will get all paid year one DLCs for free.
For those with questions, keep an eye out on the Phoenix Point subreddit for an Ask Me Anything (AMA) happening on Thursday, 14 March at 3 am, local time.


Latest Resident Evil 3 Trailer Focuses On The Newer And Scarier Nemesis

With news of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake being delayed to March 2020, it looks like the Resident Evil 3 remake will have a tough competition alongside Cyberpunk 2077. Fortunately, they’ve got one of the most menacing bioweapons on their side.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TN3l5BQ5E4&w=560&h=315]
A new Resident Evil 3 trailer just dropped and it shines the spotlight on Nemesis himself. His new design shows a lot more detail in terms of his disfigurement. I’m pretty sure this is going to make him a solid contender for video game villain of the year.
The trailer also shows a bit more of the other characters aside from main protagonist Jill Valentine. We see a lot more of Carlos Oliveira and other side characters. If you’ve played the original RE3, you’ll also notice the sneak peek of the Hunter enemy.
Resident Evil 3 is scheduled to release on 3 April 2020 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The game is a remake of the original, a similar treatment to last year’s Resident Evil 2.


The Top Five Films To Watch Before Avengers: Endgame

There are a whopping 21 movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) before Avengers Endgame, and I’m sure some of you may be considering rewatching some of those entries. However, time and money can be restrictive, but I’m here to help make it easier for everyone to prepare.
While I’d still recommend having watched all 21 movies in the MCU to fully appreciate Avengers Endgame, the ones I’ve listed down below can be considered the ‘bare necessities’. They’re for anyone who wants a quick but relatively comprehensive refresher before Avengers Endgame releases in a few days.
1. The Avengers (2012)

One of the biggest reasons why The Avengers has remained iconic after twenty or so movies later is that it was watchable and simple enough to understand even if you haven’t watched the five movies preceding and leading up to it.
In terms of its overall plot significance in the MCU, it was notable for introducing Thanos in its post-credits scene, six years before he was even featured as the main antagonist in last year’s Avengers Infinity War and the upcoming Avengers Endgame.
Not only is The Avengers when the MCU began building Thanos as a major future threat, but it also featured two of the six Infinity Stones, the Tesseract (Space Stone) and Loki’s Scepter (Mind Stone), in the same movie.
2. Guardians of The Galaxy (2014)

From the looks of the trailers, it seems like the rest of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes will finally be going to space, accompanied by the last surviving member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Rocket Raccoon.
Guardians of the Galaxy is a must-watch because not only did it introduce the now popular team of unlikely space misfits and the wider cosmic side of the MCU, it also featured the next appearance of Thanos who was looking to grab another one of the six Infinity Stones, the Power Stone. Plus, Gamora and Nebula are daughters of Thanos, and that’s important to know.
3. Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Avengers Endgame is set to be the fourth Avengers movie, but Captain America: Civil War was technically (and widely regarded as) Avengers 2.5, or even Avengers 3, in all but name. It featured the complete roster of almost all the heroes to have appeared in the MCU, including Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Ant-Man (with the exception of Doctor Strange).
This movie marked a turning point in the MCU, which was what led to the current broken-up and ‘disassembled’ state of the team. This new status quo made sure that not only will the Avengers fail to defend the universe against Thanos in the events of  Avengers Infinity War, but also what made Nick Fury resort to calling Captain Marvel in the first place.
4. Doctor Strange (2016)

Doctor Strange is the only solo origin movie from 21 MCU movies to be in this list, and it’s for good reason. It introduced viewers to the ‘magical side’ of the MCU and featured another one of the six Infinity Stones (and arguably one of the most powerful in the bunch), the Time Stone.
Most importantly, the events in this movie proved that time travel is indeed possible within the MCU, which could prove to be a game-changer and an integral part of the plot in Avengers Endgame. In fact, one of the most popular fan theories for Avengers Endgame involves time travel, the details of which I discussed in my article here.
5. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

The odds are that if you’re planning to watch Avengers Endgame, you will probably already have watched Avengers Infinity War.
For those who haven’t, Avengers Infinity War is extremely essential to understanding Avengers Endgame. Both movies are so intertwined to each other that Marvel Studios’ initial plan was to simply name them ‘Infinity War Part 1’ and ‘Infinity War Part 2’.
This is the movie where Thanos successfully collects all six Infinity Stones and manage to wipe out half the entire population of the universe, forming the emotional crux and required plot context for Avengers Endgame.
Even if you don’t have the time or resources to watch any of the movies in this list, do yourself a favor and watch (or rewatch) Avengers Infinity War before you catch the highly-anticipated end of a 10-year saga and culmination of 21 interconnected movies with Avengers Endgame later this week.

Avengers Endgame is slated to release on 24 April 2019 in Malaysia, two days earlier than in the US. In the meantime, participate in our Kakuchopurei X Marvel Studios’ Avengers Endgame Giveaway Contest here, or check out our ranking of every MCU movie from worst to best here.


Meck’s Top 10 Games Of 2019

Hello, Iâ€™m Amirul “meckronos” Ashraf, resident writer over at gamermatters.com. So I may know a thing or two about video games.Â
2019 was quite a strong year for games as we are entering the twilight of the current console generation. With so many good games coming out, most of the time I just canâ€™t keep up buying all the latest games.
So I rely on my subscriptions of PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass For PC during the downtime to catch up on some great games I missed or want to revisit.
These are my favourite games that I played in 2019 Thanks to PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass subscriptions.
10. The Division (PS Plus)
Ahh, Tom Clancyâ€™s The Division. This game rubbed me the wrong way when I tried the back in 2014. Available as January 2019â€™s PS Plus offer, the game has been stopped being worked on as The Division 2 was right around the corner.
I still have issues with The Division. The bullet sponge enemies make no sense outside of gameplay because some of them are just desperate hoodlums in a hoodie- that can take a whole clip of a freakinâ€™ assault rifle. The loot variety wasnâ€™t there since this is no fantastical setting- itâ€™s post-apocalypse New York where you play as sleeper military agents.
But despite the flaws, thereâ€™s an interesting looter-shooter somewhere in there. Itâ€™s fun exploring the world and piecing together the â€œloreâ€. The set-piece missions are amazing. And at the peak of the game where the Dark Zone is populated, it delivered the promise of that silly E3 trailer where tension can rise with friends or anonymous strangers.
Being reminded on how flawed The Division is so close to The Division 2â€™s release also made the new sequel feel so much better. Most of my complaints were addressed.
9. Borderlands: The Handsome Collection (PS Plus)

Iâ€™ve played too many Borderlands back when those were hot, but leading up to Borderlands 3 this got dropped on PS Plus.Â
I used the collection to remind me why Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel was relatively not well-received. But it also reminded me that I just like this looter-shooter series in general. Just like The Division, in some ways the collection made me appreciate Borderlands 3 even more when that arrived.
8. Nioh (PS Plus)
Nioh was the game that finally makes me “get” what a Souls-like is and where the fun lies. I am by no means good at it. And I have little patience of retrying the same route or boss fight again and again, especially if I screwed up the second time and have all those souls being lost.
That being said, Nioh just feels good. Maybe because it was much faster and snappier. It made me understand the genre, and also made me realise that I should just respect it from afar.
7. Phoenix Point (Xbox Game Pass)
Hereâ€™s a late release from 2019. Imagine XCOM, but itâ€™s from the creator of the original X-COM. Imagine ideas and mechanics lifted from the original series but placed in the mould of the current XCOM games. Thatâ€™s Phoenix Point.
It may lack the slick polish of the XCOM games, but Phoenix Point purposely fight against that so they can add more nuanced mechanics. Ammo is something you need to carry, finite and needed to be manufactured. You can pass around items or weapons between soldiers on the field. Movement and action arenâ€™t as simple, with more room to play around with strategy. Oh, and if you hate the RNG and line-of-sight requirement of XCOM games, Phoenix Point has a system that address these frustrations.
The meta-layer where three other factions are also vying for power while you figure who to side and a crab mutation is slowly killing everyone is great too. If youâ€™re a fan of XCOM, or X-COM, check this out.
6. Halo Master Chief Collection (Xbox Game Pass)
I may have played bits and pieces of Halo in the past, but not enough. Now that the Halo Master Chief Collection is being released on PC, this is the best time to jump in to start and finish the fight.
And to start, we got Halo: Reach. This was peak Bungie, and it shows. I love the simple but effective storytelling. The areas are ripe of combat opportunities and the shooting just feels good. Maybe the ability stuff is weird, but the armour cosmetics is cool. I can see in a lot of ways that the seeds of Destiny have been sowed in Bungieâ€™s last game.
The remaster isnâ€™t perfect. But if you have Xbox Game Pass, you should really give it a try.
5. Hitman (2016) (PS Plus)
It was a nice surprise that PS Plus offered the entirety of Hitman (2016) early last year. The rebooted Hitman didnâ€™t make a big mark as it should have been thanks to its episodic release, but hey, thereâ€™s a full release now.
While Hitman (2016) is a game Iâ€™ve played before on PC, having it on PS4 is nice. Because I have Hitman 2 on PS4. And that meant I can play the entirety of Hitman 2016 content in Hitman 2. Now with slight graphical improvements and new mechanics being added.
Itâ€™s the coolest thing that not many games do enough. Import another whole game you own and play on the newer version.Â
Also, Hitman 2 was my GOTY for 2018. So more reason to keep playing Hitman 2 is always a good thing.
4. Ape Out (Xbox Game Pass)

Jazz Gorilla! Ape Out is a game the exudes in its aesthetic choice. The Hotline Miami-esque top-down twin-stick action game doubles as a playable jazz album. Levels are broken apart as A-sides and B-sides, which are formed by a series of songs.Â
The song itself reflects your current action. The beats go quiet when you are just moving with no one in sight, then the cymbals start wrecking when you go ape on the guards that try to kill you. Marry that with a simple, but striking art style and itâ€™s an amazing, short experience.
3.Torment: Tides Of Numenara (Xbox Game Pass)
So I was in for a kick of a good-old CRPG, especially around the time Disco Elysium start blowing people’s minds. And then I found the spiritual successor to Planescape Torment on Xbox Game Pass.
This is one weird world where it’s both fantasy and sci-fi at the same time. But what really intrigued me was the opening story beat. It reminded me ofâ€¦ Kingdom Hearts?
You see, you play as a former vessel to the Changing God. This person apparently has found a way to be immortal by inhibiting other people’s body. But when the Changing God changes body, that vessel gains conscience of their own.
So you’re essentially playing a Nobody?
Anyway, there are some interesting mechanics at play in Torment too like how skill checks are handled. Itâ€™s a good CRPG to give a try.
2. Titanfall 2 (PS Plus)
Respawnâ€™s flagship shooter is criminally underrated, so Iâ€™ve heard. I tried the beta back then and I found it way too fast for me- I donâ€™t play regular fast-paced FPS which didnâ€™t help.
But giving it a shot again and playing through the campaign was just a great rush to the senses. Oh, I fumbled a lot. But it was going through the whole story in one sitting. The level design is inventive, from the industrial factory line to the time-travelling shenanigans. Itâ€™s amazingly well-made.
And then I hopped into multiplayer again and I can compete properly now that I am fully acclimated to the brisk pace. Titanfall 2 is definitely great.
1. The Outer Worlds (Xbox Game Pass)
Space Vegas is such a great ride. The Outer Worlds fills that Fallout: New Vegas void in my heart. And that Mass Effect void as well. There are faults in the game for sure- the combat is just not doing it for me despite clear improvements being made in that department.Â
But exploring and interacting in the world where corporations hold absolute power and people are just getting by, reluctantly or otherwise, is intriguing. And the tongue-in-cheek tone expressed to witty banter by your companions or some silly quest designs genuinely puts a smile on my face.Â
They made a literal fetch quest both infuriating and exactly how I expected it to unfold. There is a plot twist in a side quest so far-fetched yet so plausible, and the reaction you can choose is the same words with different punctuation marks.
The Outer Worlds also convinced me to try out Xbox Game Pass For PC, and it was worth every penny spent.

Closing Thoughts
2019 was a great year for games. Even if your games library relies on an ongoing subscription. The games from PS Plus and Xbox Live Gold will always be a nice added bonus to keep your subscription live so you can play multiplayer.Â
But full-on subscription services, Netflix-for-games equivalents, are slowly making their way to the mainstream. And if the prices are as good as it is right now with a big library of games- including latest releases- I can totally see myself using these more.
Hereâ€™s to another year of great games!
If you want my favourite games that purely released in 2019, you can find them here. We also recently unveiled the Gamer Malaya and Gamer Mattersâ€™ Game Of The Year Awards where we have a collective Top 10 Games from 2019 as well.


Insomniac’s Spider-Man Emphasizes On The ‘Man’, Not the ‘Spider’

Platform: PS4
Genre: Action Adventure, Spider-Man Simulator
Amazing.
Astonishing.
Spectacular.
Sensational.
Those are but a few of the adjectives games media journalists who review the game would choose to describe Marvel’s Spider-Man for the PlayStation 4. But if you were to ask me what word I would choose?
It would be “human”.
Never before have I played as a superhero feeling more human than when I am in Peter Parker’s shoes. His dilemma, life choices and tribulations in and out of the suit puts this superhero video game on a whole new level never achieved before in other titles.
While of course, anyone who jumps into the game knows very well of Peter’s struggles in juggling his superhero work with his daily commitments, developer Insomniac excelled in portraying this in the most convincing and effective manner. For that, kudos to the writing staff.
Can He Swing From A Thread?
No Spider-Man game is complete without some talk about the wallcrawler’s gravity-defying action he pulls off above the streets of Manhattan. In Spider-Man, Insomniac’s past experience from Sunset Overdrive was shown in spades.

The experience feels familiar yet novel; exhilarating yet natural. I lost count the number of times I went “whoa, I could do that?!” and then repeating that same feat almost instantly. The controls may be a tad tricky in the beginning, but you’ll get the hang of it in all scenarios – traveling and combat – almost instantaneously.

Spidey’s method of travel – albeit unconventional – were fleshed out in the most satisfying manner as momentum play a huge part in itself. The mixture of the classic swing, quick dives, rolls, point vaults, and air dashes make traveling a satisfying, thrilling activity which felt like a mini-game itself.
So confident were Insomniac of their game that right off the bat, they plunge you straight into the iconic suit, darting face-first towards New York City’s pavement.
[wpvideo hkV1REpB]
Above: Our Preview Of Insomniac’s Spider-Man
The developers also added realism to the whole swinging mechanic where you cannot simply hold down the R2 button to swing when there are no other taller structures around you. Improvisation is a common word associated with Marvel’s Spider-Man and it’s exactly that which improves your swinging experience tenfold.
We implore you to try swinging past, over, and through a multitude of locations such as billboards, permanent obstructions and even the fire escape. The animation tackles each of these obstacles in varying manner, allowing that seamless, organic feel to Spider-Man’s traversing around New York.

While you can go for the boring ‘Quick Travel’ option which is peppered throughout the city, I bet you’d opt for manual travel. Yes, it IS that fun.

Catching Thieves, Just Like Flies
More often than not, you will find yourself distracted from whatever you are doing by random crimes occurring throughout the city. It could be a mugging, break-in, a car chase or even criminals engaged in a shootout with the cops. Spider-Man’s involvement is not compulsory but being a friendly neighbourhood superhero does reward do-gooders.

Combat-wise, Spider-Man’s acrobatic maneuvers are a far cry from the bruiser-style as shown by Batman in the Arkham series. While these two games share some similarities especially with the “one man vs an army” theme, Spider-Man’s more improvisational style makes him the Jackie Chan to Batman’s Bruce Lee.

Almost any item or object in sight can be used as a weapon be it manhole covers, scaffolding and even the RPG that is being fired at you.
Our minor gripe though would be the camera which can be disorienting and not intuitive enough especially during fight sequences involving a swarm of enemies. Quite often we found ourselves webbing the wrong thug despite Spider-Man directly facing them, resulting in an otherwise avoidable gunshot. This can be fatal especially during boss fights where the split second spent on reorienting yourself may result in a one-hit knockout if you’re not careful.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVBH41_Nb4o&w=560&h=315]
Most open-world games have issues of over-saturating maps with lots of pointless activities which when completed, does not feel as rewarding as they should be. In Spider-Man, Insomniac tackled this hurdle by introducing several types of in-game currency called ‘Tokens’.
These tokens can be obtained by completing objectives of varying difficulty levels around the map. Completing specific tasks such as catching petty criminals, taking down hoodlums behind dodgy alleys and even running errands for the cops will reward you with a number of tokens.
Take A Look, Overhead
Although Insomniac claim that they did not build a 1:1 representation of the island of Manhattan, players can still visit real and fictional New York landmarks including the Grand Central Station, the Chrysler and Empire State buildings, Central Park, the Avengers Tower, Rand Enterprises building, the New York Sanctum Sanctorum and even the office building for Alias Investigations. Visiting these locales, in turn, reward you with an opportunity to snap a picture, which then contributes to Landmark Tokens.
The Photo Mode, which is available on launch-date (7th September), will definitely be a popular tool as players are expected to hunt for the most scenic vantage points in Manhattan island, which is made even more impressive with the in-game day and night cycles.
Accumulating these Landmark Tokens and combining them with those obtained from other mini side quests mentioned earlier can then be used to unlock loads of cool stuff including suits, skill upgrades and ‘Spider Gadgets’ to improve one’s travelling and combat abilities.
Speaking of suits, there are 27 to collect in the game – each with their own special abilities. Of the 27, three are among those included via the pre-order bundle. So even if you have not pre-ordered the game, fret not. You should be able to obtain these suits (assuming you have the number of tokens required) about halfway through completion of the game.
Most suits comes with a special ability which, while unlocked along with the suit, isn’t bound to it. You can mix and match these abilities with other suits you have unlocked prior – For example, while the default Suit Power for the Infinity War Iron Spider suit is ‘Iron Arms’, you can modify this suit to feature Web Bloom instead, which is the default Suit Power for the classic, OG suit.
In addition to that, you have up to three slots to mod any suit to, ahem, suit your own style of play. That way, you are not forced to don a particular look just because you prefer its default Suit Power or ability.
Also, it is worth reminding here that locating all of Peter Parker’s hidden backpacks around the island will reward players with the “Homemade Suit” from the MCU’s Spider-Man: Homecoming.
There’s A Hero In Everyone
However, focusing solely on the gameplay and its mechanics means ignoring the brilliant story which is told here. Spider-Man comics have always been about family and the people surrounding Peter Parker and in Insomniac’s Spider-Man, it is no different. Actually, it’s probably the best representation of Peter’s small circle ever fleshed out not just in video games, but across all other media.
You quickly grow to genuinely care for these characters; even the baddies whose background stories were crafted with deep care and thought. A mark of a well-rounded and well-written villain is when they are able to make the viewers empathize with their cause. And in this game, they come in droves.
The women in Pete’s life are brilliantly fleshed out as well. Gone are the days where they were just cannon fodder for the villains or treated as liabilities waiting for Spider-Man to swing in and save the day. Each character have their own thoughts, storylines, and reasons for being part of the story.
Insomniac’s take on Mary Jane Watson is a breath of fresh air as not only is she able to hold her own, she is also given her own stealth missions which are a welcomed change of pace from the high-wire web-slinging action which makes up about 90% of the game.
Spider-Man’s inside help in the NYPD, Yuri Watanabe is no slouch either. While we don’t get to play as her in the base game, she’s a very well-written character whose role is more than just a pretty face feeding Spidey with police intel.

The banter between Spider-Man and Yuri turned out to be one of my cherished moments in the game – almost sibling-like and we’d love to see more of her snarky quips in upcoming DLCs for the game.

Since we are on the topic of quips, keep your ears open for the radio show featuring our favourite moustachioed news editor-turned-radio host, J. Jonah Jameson!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMvya57n7lk&w=560&h=315]
Miles Morales’ inclusion in the game sets the building blocks for a much larger universe which isn’t just contained to Peter Parker’s long-established circle. You will learn how he fits in the Spider-verse and keen-eyed players would instantly notice the subtle hints of where things are headed.
And lastly, there’s our titular hero Peter Parker. Eight years into the job, he’s seen and done it all, but it doesn’t mean he is immune to what the life of a secret superhero entails. Seeing his relationship with MJ stagnate while simultaneously facing issues paying rent, his only escape was to don the red and blue tights and combat crime.

Coupled with earlier mentioned Avengers-linked landmarks, we foresee this game being the first step for a Marvel Cinematic Universe-like ecosystem for Marvel’s video games.Â  Insomniac declined to comment on their direction after this but based on what we’ve been playing for the past few days, they’d be mad to not steer in that direction.

All Webbed Up
Insomniac’s Spider-Man is a masterpiece in storytelling and execution of action sequences from top to bottom. It excels where other superhero video games failed to date – bringing an element of humanity to their title character. In the end, it isn’t the suit, gadgets nor special abilities that make Peter Parker the hero we all aspire to be.Â It is Peter Parker’s humanity that makes him THE superhero.

A superhero isn’t gauged by how hard they pack in a punch, but the size of their heart is what matters most. Marvel’s Spider-Man embodies that through and through.

ProsÂ
+ Organic and intuitive swinging mechanics.
+ Free-flowing, seamless combat system.
+ Great storytelling.
+ Deep customization options.
+ Gorgeous graphics.
+ Various and worthwhile side missions.
Cons
– Some dodgy camera work.
Final Score: 90/100

Review copy courtesy of Sony Interactive Entertainment (Singapore).


Chinese Playstation Fan Angry At Breath Of The Wild ‘Clone’; Smashes PS4 In Protest

ChinaJoy 2019 is shaping up to be an amazing event, “the E3 of China” as some people would call it. There’s been a ton of amazing announcements especially for the PS4. One of the most hyped up upcoming games is miHoYo’s Genshin Impact.
The game has been under scrutiny for heavily borrowing several elements from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Upset that Sony is promoting the Breath of the Wild ‘clone’, a fan has decided to do the very-intelligent and totally-not-meaningless thing of smashing his PS4 at ChinaJoy 2019.
Playstation fan smashes his PS4 at ChinaJoy 2019. Picture from Daniel Ahmad.

When Mihoyo unveiled Genshin Impact for PS4, many noted the game was inspired by BOTW.
Some fans of BOTW are upset that Sony is promoting this game because of the similarities + they think it’s shameless of Sony.
This man smashed his PS4 at ChinaJoy in protest. pic.twitter.com/jwJqwREgaz
— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) August 3, 2019

To be fair, the claims that the game is just a shameless Breath of the Wild ripoff dressed in anime aesthetics aren’t entirely unwarranted.
The world design and a few core gameplay mechanics are almost one-to-one copies of what you’d find in Breath of the Wild. One of the most obvious elements is the enemy design and placement. Compare:

Despite all the noise about being a ‘clone’ or ‘ripoff’, a lot of people are still excited about the game and don’t really mind that miHoYo has taken a lot of inspiration from Breath of the Wild. It is, after all, one of the best games you can play on the Switch right now.
Genshin Impact is expected to be released in 2020 for PC, PS4, and mobiles. The PC and mobile versions recently had a closed beta test event that allowed lucky players to try out the open world and explore some dungeons too.
For updates and more, be sure to follow the game’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.


The Huawei P50 Pro Glitters Just Fine, Even With Its Lack Of Google Support

Sometimes all the power in the world will not mean much if there isn’t a practical way to channel or use it. I felt that way when trying to get the hang of the Huawei P50 Pro’s inner workings and long-term feel.
Sure, it’s a powerful beast and it boasts a powerful camera. If anything, the Huawei P50 Pro and its fold-em brother should be the flagship/marquee phones for the Chinese brand. Personally, though, the things that matter the most to me with a phone -the accessibility portion- seems to be missing in this high-end powerhouse.
Always Believe In Gold…
First, the good: the Huawei P50 Pro excels in a huge number of phone activities. Camera-work? multiple front and rear lenses and a plethora of options for one-handed photography awesomeness. It may not have the best colour fidelity for some of its modes, but that’s just me being nitpicky with what’s being offered here: the best camera photography work you can produce even amidst the already-tough competition.
The heft and build? The Huawei P50 Pro is definitely solid, especially with the pre-packaged casing to further secure the device. The Cocoa Gold finish makes this phone stand out amidst the black mirrors of this generation’s mobile devices. Just be mindful that its glossy finish means that it’ll be a huge fingerprint magnet.
Processor-wise, the phone’s insides are also as powerful as it can get. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor and 8GB RAM make every app you love run fast and efficient. Almost every app; I’ll get to that soon.
On full power and brightness, the phone can last about 7 hours or so. Its highly-touted fast battery charge means you can get it up to full speed pretty quick; 66W wired charging to be precise. That means you can charge it from 0% to full in less than an hour. No complaints here in this regard.
The 6.6 inches screen is also fully bright and chock full of high resolution. I played Mobile Legends just fine on the phone. There’s no major issue that pops up during prolonged gaming sessions on this beast. The colours pop out thanks to the awesome screen, the game runs great, the touchscreen prompts feel fine, and holding the phone feels less cumbersome despite the phone’s size. The Huawei P50 Pro definitely passes the gamer’s test, but again, it depends on what apps you’re focused on.

You’re definitely paying for quality here, long story short. Now comes the main issue with all that power: if you’re a massive Google app user who plays a lot of games using Google Play Service, this phone is not for you. You’re going to have a tough time getting everything you love to work optimally on the Huawei P50 Pro.
You’ll need to make a ton of workarounds, despite the current Huawei-branded apps and tools doing the exact same thing but lesser. Thanks to the still-ongoing United States tech ban on Huawei phones using Google services, Huawei has been making its own platform and apps for all Huawei phones. While they’re serviceable, they’re not the same if you’re a big user of Google and only use Android phones because of that ecosystem.
While apps like TikTok can be used, you won’t be able to find Instagram and Whatsapp, as well as a huge number of games that rely on Google Play services to actually boot up and run. Want to play Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage on the Huawei P50 Pro? Tough luck!
Glad That You’re Bound To Return

Despite its lack of Google services, the Huawei P50 Pro just works fine as a powerful phone with a great 50MP camera. Just make sure you do enough research on what software and apps you use more often before diving headfirst into this luxurious beast of a phone. RM4,000+ for a flagship phone is nothing to sneeze at.
If you’re a gamer who relies a lot on titles that need Google Play Services, which is arguably 80% of what’s in the market these days, this Huawei powerhouse may end up a beast of burden instead. If that doesn’t bother you and you rather go Google-free with an expensive luxury phone, add another 10 points to the review score below.
Final Score: 70/100

Vital Statistics
Price: RM4,199+
Platform:
Body: 158.8mm x 72.8mm x 8.5mm (height x width x depth), choices of Golden Black and Cocoa Gold
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor
Memory: 8GB RAM + 256GB ROM
CPU: Octa-core,Â 1 x Cortex-X1@2.84 GHz + 3 x Cortex-A78@2.42 GHz + 4 x Cortex-A55@1.8 GHz
GPU: Adreno 660
Display: 6.6 inches OLED, up to 120Hz refresh rate, 1.07 billion colours, with 2700 x 1228 pixels resolution
Main Cameras:
Front:13 MP Selfie Camera (Wide Angle, f/2.4, autofocus)
Rear: 50 MP True-Chroma Camera (Color, f/1.8 aperture, OIS), 40 MP True-Chroma Camera (MONO, f/1.6 aperture), 13 MP Ultra-Wide Angle Camera (f/2.2 aperture), 64 MP Telephoto Camera (f/3.5 aperture, OIS), support AF
Battery: 4,360 mAh, with HUAWEI SuperCharge (Max 66W)
Protection: Splash, water, and dust resistant; IP68
Connectivity: WLAN, Bluetooth, USB, Earjack (USB Type-C)
Sensors:Gravity Sensor, Infrared Sensor, Fingerprint Sensor, Hall Sensor, Barometric Pressure Sensor, Gyroscope, Compass, Ambient Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Laser Sensor, Colour Temperature Sensor
Review unit sent by Huawei.Â


PUBG Mobile Launches Special 4th Anniversary Variety Show Featuring Icons

Celebrating its 4th Anniversary, PUBG MOBILE launched its new variety show that guarantees laughs and excitement among fans of the game as it showcases their favourite icons taking part in quirky challenges around the Sunway Pyramid mall.
Starring 12 popular PUBG MOBILE icons Master Ramen, J Hunter, OTG, Yakuza, EmiMohamad, Soultann, FattahZie, Raa Suzuran, Miss Rose, Fiera Fendi, MunaXmoci, Nunaa, and Sharina Richie, the first episode of the show is now available for viewing on the official PUBG MOBILE Facebook and YouTube channels. The consecutive two episodes will be airing on 17th April and 24th April respectively.

Divided into three teams of four, the 12 individuals will need to complete several missions around the mall. The final challenge would be the Battle Royale Mode where the team emerging victorious will walk away with a Redmi Note 11 Pro and other special prizes for each winning member.
In the first episode, the PUBG MOBILE icons shot different coloured balloons to determine the teams they were destined to fight alongside. Master Ramen was chosen to lead the Black Team which he called the “Dream Team”. The well-balanced in abilities Blue Team was headed by FattahZie, while MissRose was elected captain of the girl-powered Green Team consisting of small yet powerful members dubbing themselves “kecil-kecil cili padi”.

The teams navigated through an obstacle course using Xiaomi smartphones sponsored by the third largest global smartphone brand, Xiaomi. The 12 PUBGM icons were tasked to complete various challenges at the “Airdrop Stations” to collect nerf gun weapons and ammo, as well as life balloons needed for the final Battle Royale Mode Challenge.
As part of its 4th Anniversary celebration, PUBG MOBILE held an exclusive screening for the show’s pilot episode at the event venue on 3rd April 2022 for fans who visited the roadshow event at the mall’s LG2 Blue Concourse, Sunway Pyramid. The roadshow was organised in collaboration between Tencent Games, PUBG MOBILE and Xiaomi, as well as Codashop, one of the largest and most trusted top-up websites for games and online entertainment in Asia and beyond as its official top-up sponsor.

To find out which team was crowned champion with Winner Winner Chicken Dinner, head over to the PUBG MOBILE official YouTube and Facebook pages to catch the next two episodes of the variety show!
For more information, visit PUBG MOBILE’s official social media pages:

Facebook: PUBG MOBILE Malaysia
Facebook: PUBG MOBILE Esports Malaysia
YouTube: PUBG MOBILE Malaysia
Instagram: @pubgmobilemyofficial


Assassin’s Creed Mirage Video Shows How Parkour & Assassinations Were Inspired By Ezio Titles

Ubisoft has released a new behind-the-scenes look at development for Assassin’s Creed Mirage. The video reveals that the game’s parkour and assassinations have been directly taken or inspired by the Ezio titles (Assassin’s Creed 2, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, etc.).
Senior Game Designer Marco Maresca said:
“Our approach is closer to the Ezio games, where it’s all about keeping the flow and momentum going, with the design centered around verticality.
Many elements from past games are making a return. We have the corner swing, the ability to vault over objects, elevators to quickly reach high ground, with also new ingredients, such as the pole vault, allowing you to cross large gaps between two rooftops.”
Assassin’s Creed will launch on 12 October 2023 for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
In the meantime, check out our full review of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla here, or head on over here for our guide on how to be the best Viking in the game.
Check out the video below:


The Best Deals From Steam Summer Sale 2020 [Updated]

Originally published on 26th June. This article will be updated periodically, at least until the sale is over.
Another year, another Summer-themed Steam Sale on everybody’s favourite PC digital distribution platform.
The Steam Summer Sale also introduces Steam Points: if you buy more games, DLC, OSTs, and whatnot this time around, you can accumulate points that you can use to get animated avatars, frames, backgrounds, badges, and chat items. You get 71 points for every S$1 you spend.
This year’s sale will last from 26th June (right now) until 10th July 1am GMT+8. Here are the best deals we’ve found so far.
Deep Rock Galactic (RM38.25)

This is definitely 2020’s most-updated and most-played co-op FPS featuring armed dwarves, mining, and a heckaton aliens to kill. Companies take note: THIS is how you do a “live service” game without overcharging and under-promising your customers.
Pathfinder: Kingmaker (RM20.40)

Isometric CRPG goodness at only RM20 or so. If you’re done with the Divinity and Pillars of Eternity games, do check this one out.
Granblue Fantasy: Versus (RM104)

Arguably this year’s best fighting game so far. Get the whole current roster for 20% off.
Broken Reality (RM16.00)

A calming exploration and puzzle game with loevely retro 80s aesthetics. If that’s your gem, you should give it a go.
Dusk (RM23.39)

Need a late 90s polygonal first-person shooter fix? Dusk will sort that out and then some.
Bloons TD6 (RM2.35)

This oddball tower defense game with balloons is now 90% off on Steam.
DJMAX Respect V (S$36.60/RM111.60)

The latest instalment in the DJMAX series, this entry features more fast-paced music rhythm gameplay from artists like Marshmello, Porter Robinson, and Yukika.
Mordhau (RM40.80)

Multiplayer medieval slashing gets more frenetic with this PC title.
Outward (RM48.80)

There’s a lotta buzz in this open-world RPG. Fight alone or team up with someone while wrestling with a ritualistic spellcasting mechanic and randomized elements with each playthrough.
Pathologic 2 (RM24.78)

Want a miserable experience of a game that really makes you feel bad, but don’t have a PS4? Pathologic 2 is the closest you’ll get to an emotionally-wrecking horror RPG with lasting consequences in its game world should you choose to do things the wrong way.
Valkyria Chronicles 4 Complete Edition (RM64.26)

One of the better strategy RPG games from Sega is now at a favourable price. Features a lush watercolour art style, a riveting story about a wartime squad and their charms, and a great turn-based-slash-third-person-shooter battle system.
Total War Warhammer II (RM54.06)

If you have a decent PC or gaming laptop, you should definitely check out any of the Total War games by Creative Assembly for their epic real-time battles. While Total War Three Kingdoms is the latest historical title, it’s still pretty expensive even with a 25 percent discount.
For a cheaper but just as good option, the fantasy-based Total War Warhammer II is a great game where you can control armies of elves and dwarves, with a couple of dragons and giants for good measure. Then, just watch the chaos unfold.
Resident Evil 2 (RM44.50)

2019’s Resident Evil 2 Remake was not only one of the best Resident Evil games ever, but also a testament to how video game remakes should be done. If there’s one Resident Evil game you should play, it’s either Resident Evil 4 or this remarkable remake. You can check out our full review of the game here.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Game Of The Year Edition (RM38.70)

The Witcher franchise has never been as popular as it is now, with a Netflix live-action series starring Henry Cavill in the titular role currently available (which was actually good). The game is still a masterpiece of narrative in gaming five years on (it released in 2015), and it’s an epic game everyone should experience for themselves. It’ll also be a good primer on what to expect from the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (RM142.35)

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a Soulsborne game, and that means extremely punishing but oh-so-satisfying gameplay. It was one of our top games in 2019 for good reason, and gamers who relish challenges should definitely check it out. Check out our full review of the game here.
XCOM 2 CollectionÂ (RM66.73)

XCOM 2 is another must-have game on PC, especially for those who love all things science fiction and anything from the tactical turn-based strategy genre. Think Final Fantasy Tactics with Soulsborne levels of difficulty.
The XCOM 2 Collection costs a whopping RM385 at full price, so this is a steal, since it contains even the game-changing War Of The Chosen expansion pack. Our advice: start the game with the expansion pack installed. Check out our review of the game here to find out why.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (RM124.50)

This is simply one of the best Star Wars games ever made, and we say that as hardcore fans of the franchise. It features meaty Soulsborne-inspired combat with a single-player story that somehow manages to respect all three Star Wars eras (Original Trilogy, Prequels and Sequels).
If that price still seems steep, it’s important to note that the game is less than a year old, and that’s already at half price. Check out our full review of the game here.
SaGa Scarlet Grace (RM83.75)

A hidden gem from Square Enix, this SaGa RPG title features old-school turn-based gameplay and a ton of replayability within its four protagonists. Also, you have 80 playable party members to recruit and create your dream RPG party with.


Game News Guru Nibel Quits Twitter & Patreon, & Game News Coverage In General

Sad news for everyone who chooses to get their daily dose of game news on Twitter: Nibel will be leaving both Twitter and Patreon, effectively stopping his early and on-the-dot game news coverage.
The news was made on, of course, Twitter. He also posted on his Patreon page to elaborate further on him not covering games anymore on either platform due to the platform being unsustainable and creating a reliable revenue stream.
“Unfortunately, I was not able to create an interesting and sustainable Patreon which is evident in the number of Patrons stagnating during the first weekend and the first (of many) pledges being deleted during the first week.
I have miscalculated the value of my Twitter activity and realize that it is nothing worth supporting by itself for the vast majority of people. It is not me who is popular, but it is that work that is useful. It is not valuable by itself, but a comfortable timesaver, and I get that now.
[…] I don’t think that Twitter has yet experienced good leadership, and this trend will not change with [Elon] Musk either.  I do not trust the platform. I do not trust Musk and his seemingly infinite immaturity. I do not think Twitter will fall apart instantly but that it could die a slow death. Why waste more time?”
https://twitter.com/Nibellion/status/1587052270151208963
Nibel will close the Patreon page this week, deactivate the billing, and look into refunds for recent payments.
Nibel, whose avatar is clearly Shigeo Kageyama from Mob Psycho 100, is renowned for fast and tip-top game news coverage on his Twitter feed. We’d even go as far as to say that the majority of game news outlets big and small source his feed for insider news and tidbits. His Twitter account has 447,000 followers, which is more than most game news outlets could hope to amass and achieve.
His contribution to video games news coverage will be missed. Thank you, good sir!


Malaysia’s Getting The Kingdom Hearts 3 Limited Edition PS4 Pro

We have great news for all Kingdom Hearts fans in Malaysia, as Sony Interactive Entertainment Hong Kong Limited Singapore Branch (SIES) has announced that the Kingdom Hearts 3 Limited Edition PS4 Pro will be available in the country starting from 29 January 2019.
With a suggested retail price of RM2049, the bundle will include a specially-designed PS4 Pro 1TB model, a Dualshock 4 controller, and a physical copy of Kingdom Hearts 3.
As you can see below, the Kingdom Hearts 3 Limited Edition PS4 Pro features a black lace design adorned with icons synonymous with the franchise such as hearts, crowns, and Keyblades, as well as embellished with a silver foil and a custom emblem pattern. The Dualshock 4 controller also features a similarly striking design on its touchpad.

Besides all that, the bundle also includes voucher codes for the Kingdom Hearts 3 Limited Edition PS4 theme, a custom in-game Keyblade, and one for DLC that will remain valid until 25 January 2020. Last but not least, purchasers receive a complimentary 3-month PS Plus subscription.
Kingdom Hearts 3 will be released for the PS4 and Xbox One on 29 January 2019.


Disney Announces Its Kingdom Hearts & Animal Crossing Action Life Sim Hybrid Game

Update: added new GIFs of the game’s many areas.
Life sim games are always going to draw a huge crowd be it a Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, or even an online game like Second Life. Disney wants to cash in on it with its new game Disney Dreamlight Valley.
As you can tell from the trailer below, Disney Dreamlight Valley is a free-to-play life sim game set in an all-new Disney universe filled with characters from Disney and Pixar films like Toy Story’s Woody, Beauty & The Beast’s Belle, and Mickey Mouse. The game’s core loop (via IGN) begins with adventure levels, heading to a famous Disney character’s realm to right wrongs, and then opening up the DIY life sim gameplay once those quests are done to populate your Dreamlight Valley abode and town.
Long story short, it’s a mix of Kingdom Hearts-style action and Animal Crossing-style community building. I like the fact that developer Gameloft is keeping the art style and aesthetics similar with the Disney Infinity toyline/games from a few years back.

Here’s a story description from the game’s Steam page:
“Once an idyllic land, Dreamlight Valley was a place where Disney and Pixar characters lived in harmony—until the Forgetting. Night Thorns grew across the land and severed the wonderful memories tied to this magical place. With nowhere else to go, the hopeless inhabitants of Dreamlight Valley retreated behind locked doors in the Dream Castle.
Now it’s up to you to discover the stories of this world and bring the magic back to Dreamlight Valley!”
Disney Dreamlight Valley will be out in Summer 2022 in Early Access form for PC. The game will also be out for Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, and Xbox Game Pass in 2023. In the meantime, check out these GIFs of the following areas: Dazzle Beach, Glade of Trust, Peaceful Meadow, and the Plaza.


Resident Evil Village Actress Has Died

Actress Jeanette Maus, known for voicing several characters in Resident Evil Village, has passed away at the age of 39.
The actress who had been battling colon cancer, died on Sunday 24th January. She also suffered from Crohn’s disease and had recently been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Maus worked as an acting coach out of West Hollywood’s John Rosenfeld Studios, as well as provided the VOs to the witches of the House of Dimitrescu in Resident Evil Village. The witches/daughters of house head Lady Dimitrescu have won the adoration of the video game community.
Capcom posted the following message in honour of the late actress.

“We here at Capcom R&D 1 are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Jeanette Maus, the talented actress who helped bring several different characters, including our witches to the world in Resident Evil Village. Our hearts go out to her family and loved ones.”

We here at Capcom R&D 1 are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Jeanette Maus, the talented actress who helped bring several different characters, including our witches to the world in Resident Evil Village. Our hearts go out to her family and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/zG1K6BrkY0
— Capcom Dev 1 (@dev1_official) January 28, 2021

The John Rosenfeld studio also offered their condolences, stating that Maus was a “force of nature” and “the best friend, the best teacher, and the best actor she could possibly be”.
We at Kakuchopurei offer our condolences to her friends and family.


Splatoon 3’s Single Player Gameplay Is Looking Sharp So Far

Nintendo just launched a new Nintendo Treehouse segment where they showed off 30-minutes worth of Splatoon 3 gameplay, particularly the single-player mode for the first time.
This mode pits you as Agent 3 -a different one from parts 1 and 2- where you explore a former Mammalian city with other agents Callie and Marie, finding out what happened to this abandoned civilization. New weapons in the sequel include the Small Fry (a decoy), a Splatana Stamper which shoots vertical paint beams and a power-charged horizontal beam, and a Tri-Stinger which is essentially a paint bow weapon that fires three shots. You’ll be given a plethora of stages to master these weapons, with some of them being tougher than others. Thankfully, most of them are optional.
Check out the gameplay below, along with new multiplayer goodies.


Hi-Fi Rush Has 2 Million Players Jamming To It

Bethesda and Tango Gameworks announced recently that its rhythm action game Hi-Fi Rush has acquired 2 million players.
One could even say that this amounts to 2 million copies sold across Xbox and PC platforms, but this means that the Xbox Game Pass did its job in getting a ton of players on-board this character action music odyssey. Still, 2 million players within a span of a month isn’t anything to sneeze at, given the game did not have any pre-release marketing. Hi-Fi Rush was literally out on the day it was announced!

What a crowd! Two million players have enjoyed #HiFiRush, and we can't thank you enough! pic.twitter.com/WeESkn8MIw
— Hi-Fi RUSH (@hifiRush) March 1, 2023

Hi-Fi Rush came out on 25 January for Xbox and PC platforms, as well as Xbox Game Pass for free. The game was highly praised for its mix of rhythm and action game mechanics, as well as for its presentation and music. We gave it a glowing review here.


Blizzard Confirms Major Rule Change For Overwatch

Just yesterday, there was a leak from Blizzard that basically unveiled the 2-2-2 role lock for Overwatch League 2019 Stage 4. The Watchpoint Stage 4 Preview Special (the video that was leaked) was uploaded today at 7am Malaysia time and the role lock has been confirmed.
The role lock will extend to all Overwatch modes which means regular players like you and me will also have to play according to the 2-2-2 team composition. Starting from 01 September 2019, all teams must consist of two damage heroes, two tanks, and two supports.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYYDCFOTSO0&w=560&h=315]
Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan explained that these changes were made to mitigate some social and gameplay issues that have been plaguing the game’s online matchmaking. One of the scenarios Jeff mentioned was the very common case of having to play a support hero because no one else wants to. That’s an all too familiar feeling.
To facilitate the role lock, a new role queue feature will be implemented where players will be asked what role they’d prefer to play after they select a game mode. When you enter a game, you’ll only be able to choose heroes of that role. There will be an estimated queue time for each role, allowing players to know which roles are in high demand. Players who go for high demand roles may even get a reward such as a loot box.

The current overall skill rating that measures your performance across the board will be replaced by three different skill ratings that correspond to the different hero roles. So instead of just examining how good you are, the game will take a closer look and check how good you are at playing particular roles.
If you’re playing on PC, you can test out the role lock right now on the public test region. The official Role Queue Beta Season for consoles and PC will be running from 13 August 2019 to 01 September 2019. The final day of the beta season will also be the starting date of the role queue being fully implemented for Quick Play and Competitive Play.
Brigitte is one of the heroes who will be reworked in order to accommodate the 2-2-2 role lock.
So for those of you who felt burned out from Overwatch and have stopped playing for a long time, I think this is a pretty good reason to give the game another chance. There’ll be a lot of new and creative team compositions that players will try to formulate and there’s a lot of incentive for everyone to try out heroes they’ve never played as before.
For more information, you can read Blizzard’s official update blog here and for the Overwatch League side of things, they got another post here.


Lynn, The Girl Drawn On Puzzles Brushes Its Way To Nintendo Switch Tomorrow

Publisher C.F.K and Korean-based developer DOTORIS have announced that Lynn, The Girl Drawn On Puzzles is coming to the Nintendo Switch tomorrow on 23 December 2021. The atmospheric puzzle game was originally released for the PC via Steam on 1 December 2020.
Lynn, The Girl Drawn On PuzzlesÂ tells the story of Lynn, a girl who was transported into an oriental painting. Players will be able to explore a lush and beautiful oriental painting created by the Nine-tailed Fox and be Lynn’s guide as she escapes the maze.

With great music and visuals, the game also features 12 chapters and over 100 types of puzzle levels for players to solve and enjoy. You can head on over to the Nintendo eShop here to pre-order the game.
In the meantime, check out the game’s trailer below:


Xbox Cloud Gaming Now Available For Windows 10 PCs

After a long period of Android exclusivity, the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate service allows users to stream & play games on browsers via Windows 10 PCs.
If you are subscribed to the service and in the right region, you can now stream games anywhere on your laptop or PC. The service is available in the United States, UK, a handful of European countries, and Singapore. We’re guessing a number of you subscribed to the service in Southeast Asia are using the SG version, so this is definitely good news for you.
If you’re subscribed to the service, head over to xbox.com/play to access in-browser streaming. What games can you play, you may ask? You can stream Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Doom, and a ton more games. Honestly, there’s just too many, with some of them even supporting touchscreen UI in case you’re playing them on Android or iOS devices. There’s even upcoming titles like Forza Horizon 5, Psychonauts 2, and Halo: Infinite to consider.
Here’s the official Xbox presser on how it works:
“Weâ€™ve been upgrading Microsoft datacenters around the globe with the fastest, most powerful Xbox hardware to give you faster load times, improved frame rates, and an experience of a new generation of gaming. To ensure the lowest latency, highest quality experience across the broadest set of devices, we will be streaming at 1080p and up to 60fps.”


The Internet Reacts To Xenoblade 2’s Mythra Censorship On Super Smash Bros Ultimate

Sometimes, censorships for an “E” for games can be beneficial if it makes a character look less trashy. Take this instance for the Super Smash Bros Ultimate spirits artwork; ie the new mechanic in the game’s single-player mode where tons of Nintendo characters make a cameo as stats-boosting powerups you can equip.
One of these spirits is Xenoblade Chronicles 2’s Mythra, who looks like this:

Interesting design, no? Well, here she is in her Super Smash Bros. Ultimate spirit incarnate:

Truth be told, I kinda like this design a bit more. Though her white panties stand out more through her “see-through” skirt thanks to the contrast. Talk about one step forward and one step back.
How did the Xenoblade Chronicles fanbase react to this? Pretty mixed, actually.

XC2 Mythra meets Ultimate Mythra..they'll get along.#MMD #XenobladeChronicles2 #SmashUltimate pic.twitter.com/8J1ipSBW9K
— Digi @ Naruto Storm games (@NoponDigi) November 26, 2018

 They fucked with Mythra’s design HARD in her Spirit (Smash Ultimate Spirit spoilers) from      Xenoblade_Chronicles

 Given the recent Mythra censorship in Smash Ultimate from      Xenoblade_Chronicles

 Mods when they see the censored Mythra from      Xenoblade_Chronicles

 A certain spirit is not that big of a deal guys. (Ultimate Spoilers.) from      Xenoblade_Chronicles

 I legitimately never noticed you could see Mythra’s panties through her dress until the new Smash outfit made them contrast more. from      Xenoblade_Chronicles

We live in interesting times where such aesthetics changes can be sensible and mostly accepted by all. What do you think?


Cygames Will Not Sponsor Cygames Beast Pro Team

Cygames recently announced that it will no longer be sponsoring Cygames Beast due to conflict of interest; they are after all developing the new fighting game Granblue Fantasy: Versus. Because of this, the following players will be let go:

Daigo Umehara, legendary Street Fighter player
PR Balrog
Infexious
Fuudo, who recently got married to a gravure idol and streamed his wedding
Gamerbee, who also happens to be a fan of Twinkle Star Sprites

Funny thing is, Daigo was aware of this at the start of January of this year. Here’s what he had to say about their fighting game future (via FGC Translated)

“But if they stop sponsoring us, some of the teammates won’t be able to go to CPT tournaments. Maybe I can still make it on my own. But the other guys…”
[Regarding Infexious’ amazing performance], if Infexious becomes unable to go to Capcom Pro Tour tournaments. That’s just such a waste. That would be a huge waste of his talent.”

This also means good news for many sponsors who want to own a team of top players under the “Beast” suffix. Daigo said that he will do something about this.

“I will work on this issue. But I want the team to continue going forward. So, don’t worry about it. Don’t worry about Infexious. The person who will be working on this is Shino san (manager).”


Guilty Gear Strive Adds The Androgynous Testament To Its Roster [Update]

Update: Character starter guide added. Learn all his trap moves here.

Original story.
Arc System Works has announced the last Guilty Gear Strive Season Pass 1 DLC character, and it’s a longtime Guilty Gear character.
Guilty Gear Strive will be adding Testament into the mix. He(?) is the adopted son of GG hero Kliff Undersen and his fighting style features static traps, projectiles, and all sorts of on-screen nonsense so that he can apply oppressive pressure onto them with his footsie-dominant scythe. At least that’s how it was in the last Guilty Gear game he was in. Guilty Gear Strive’s approach to its legacy characters may change him up, though he may retain his trap cards.
Looks-wise, he’s sporting a top hat, wears sleeveless apparel, and has two fairies in his intros and Super Move. Yep, they’re really going for the androgynous look for this fellow like last time. In addition, the White House Reborn stage will also be part of the Season 1 DLC as well as Another Story visual novel type thing.
In addition, the upcoming Season 2 of Guilty Gear Strive will add crossplay between PS4, PS5, and PC versions for online play. That’s great news!
Watch the gameplay trailer below. Testament will be available for Season Pass 1 holders on 28 March. They will  be on sale as individual DLC on 31 March.


Everywhere Is A New Open World Game That Blends Creativity With Shooting & Vehicles

Developer Build A Rocket Boy has announced a new game called Everywhere, which made its debut at this year’s Gamescom 2022 Opening Night Live.
Based on the trailer we saw, the game is shaping up to be a third-person shooter with a bright art style, as well as vehicles to drive. The game is set in a sci-fi world where you can forge your own path.

Here’s a bunch more information about the game via the website:

EVERYWHERE seamlessly blends gameplay, adventure, creativity and discovery in an all-new multi-world gaming experience that redefines how players connect with one another and with the digital world around them.

Apart from that, little is known about it. The game is slated for a 2023 release; the game’s website is up.


Exit The Gungeon Is Coming To PC And Consoles Very Soon

First released in 2016, Enter the Gungeon went on to become one of the most beloved roguelikes of that year. As of January 2020, the game has collectively sold more than 3 million copies across PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qomx1kaKYJI&w=560&h=315]
In October 2019, a spin-off called Exit the Gungeon was exclusively released for the Apple Arcade. It ditched the original game’s top down perspective and went for a side-scrolling platformer look instead. Thankfully, it’s also coming to PC and consoles.
Developer Dodge Roll Games announced that the PC and console versions will be released “early this year” but they didn’t give a specific date. If Apple signed a 6-month exclusivity deal, then it’s likely that it will arrive sometime in March or April 2020.

Enter the Gungeon has surpassed three million copies sold and we're so thankful for the community's support!
Excited to release House of the Gundead to arcades and Exit the Gungeon on PC and consoles early this year!https://t.co/AHdRfzuVXw pic.twitter.com/mTgj7MzGvX
— Enter/Exit the Gungeon (@DodgeRollGames) January 7, 2020

Seeing as how Enter the Gungeon was released for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, it’s safe to assume that Exit the Gungeon will be coming to all those consoles too. It remains a question whether or not the game will be coming to Android though. Here’s hoping it does.


You Cannot Pre-Load Borderlands 3 On The Epic Games Store

Bad news for everyone who wants to pre-load Borderlands 3: the Epic Games store will not support that function.
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney confirmed the news on Twitter. “Iâ€™m sorry, we wonâ€™t have support for pre-loading in the Borderlands release timeframe,” he said.

I’m sorry, we won’t have support for preloading in the Borderlands release timeframe.
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) August 12, 2019

The reason? “It’s complicated,” Sweeny added. “Weâ€™ve released support for file preloading which is sufficient for some games, but we arenâ€™t certain itâ€™s up to the demands of a blockbuster like Borderlands“. Better the company come clean with this sooner than later; no doubt this will add more hate to the already infamous digital download store.
This will not be stopping Epic Games from purchasing timed exclusives anytime soon, but it does show how slow the company has been with its store roadmap and improvements. So while you’re waiting for Borderlands 3 to install in PC on 13th September, why not read up on the Vault Hunter’s skill trees to plan your builds?


Tencent Is Massively Funding China-Based Esports Organizer VSPN

Esports is starting to pick up again amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. China-based esports organizer VSPN (Versus Programming Network) has raised a whopping US$100 million in Series B funding. The biggest contributor to the funds is Tencent, but other investors include Tiantu Capital, SIG (Susquehanna International Group), and Kuaishou.
The US$100 million funding will be funnelled into improving esports and its ecosystem not in China, but also across Asia. VSPN was founded in 2016 and is based in Shanghai, China.
In a statement (via TechCrunch), VSPN CEO Dino Ying said:
â€œWe are delighted to announce this latest round of funding. Thanks to policies supporting Shanghai as the global centre for esports, and with Beijing, Chengdu, and Xiâ€™an expressing confidence in the development of esports, VSPN has grown rapidly in recent years. After this funding round, we look forward to building an esports research institute, an esports culture park, and further expanding globally. VSPN has a long-term vision and is dedicated to the sustainable development of the global esports ecosystem.â€
VSPN has previously organized tournaments for international PUBG Mobile competitions, as well as Honor Of Kings, PUBG, Peacekeeper Elite, CrossFire, FIFA, QQ Speed and Clash Royale in China.
They also have esports venues in several Chinese cities like Chengdu, Xiâ€™an and Shanghai, as well as one in Seoul, South Korea as well. In addition, VSPN organized PMPL SEA Finals Season 1, in which Malaysian esports team Yoodo Gank became champions.


Civilization Reign Of Power Mobile Game Launches In Malaysia & Select Asian Markets

Nexon is soft launching its new mobile MMOSLG, Civilization Reign Of Power developed by NDREAM Corp in Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
Civilization Reign Of Power is based on Sid Meier’s Civilization V, a critically acclaimed instalment of the Civilization series published by 2K; a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive. Civilization Reign Of Power is developed by NDREAM, the experienced strategy simulation game developer in Korea, and is published by Nexon.
It is the first MMOSLG genre among mobile games utilizing Civilization IP. The game features large-scale PvP content at the Alliance level while also staying true to the original work’s Victory elements (Domination, Science, Culture) and strategic development of civilizations through the eras.
Nexon will officially launch Civilization Reign Of Power in the Asia region including the above three countries and will support both Android OS and iOS. You can head on to the official website here.


League Of Legends Wild Rift Adds Codashop As Top-Up Partner

Riot Games Southeast Asia has appointed Codashop as its third-party top-up partner for League Of Legends Wild Rift.
Coda Payments helps digital content providers monetize their products and services, including games like PUBG Mobile and Call Of Duty Mobile, streaming platforms like beIN and Bigo Live, dating apps like Tinder, and video-on-demand platforms like Viu.
These now accept payments via Codapay, Codashop and xShop. The company was founded in 2011, with a headquarters in Singapore and additional offices in Jakarta and Bangkok.
Codashop is convenient to use as players of League Of Legends Wild Rift will not require any login or PIN code; just their Riot ID. They will then just select the amount of Wild Cores (WC) and payment methods before they’ll be added to their Riot Wild Rift account.
Players can even choose from different popular payment methods like GrabPay, Touch â€˜n Go, Boost, Celcom, Digi, Maxis and U Mobile.

Coda Payments CEO Philippe Limes said:
â€œWe are delighted to have Wild Rift as a key addition to our repertoire of gaming titles. Its arrival on mobile will allow many more players to enjoy the League of Legends universe. Codashop is here to make sure that users can top up easily and enjoy many exciting promotions at the same time.”
Riot Games Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau General Manager Justin Hulog said:
“For the past year, we have been working with Codashop to make game payments for Legends of Runeterra and VALORANT accessible for players across Southeast Asia. Weâ€™re pleased that users can expect this same level of convenience with Codashop payments in League of Legends: Wild Rift.”


Diablo 4 Will Let You Skip The Campaign If You Beat It Once

Back in Diablo 2 and Diablo 3 when they launched in their respective years, if you wanted to play multiple characters, you will have to go through the entire campaign from scratch. This means tons of cutscenes, and a linear structure you have to follow. This was especially painful in Diablo 3 pre-Reaper of Souls.
Thankfully, Blizzard has listened and will be giving players the option to skip the campaign for future playthroughs. Once you’ve beaten the game with your first character, you can level up your other characters and skip the story/campaign.

Gotta beat the campaign once for this.
— Adam Fletcher (@PezRadar) April 25, 2023

This is useful for leveling up future classes and characters you want to play as, without being forced into playing the campaign. This got tiresome, especially in action RPGs like Path of Exile and Diablo 2 Resurrected. Your characters can farm world activities or spam dungeons to your heart’s content; essentially you’re going through Diablo 3’s Adventure Mode but from the get-go instead of waiting a year or so for the expansion to do it.
Diablo 4 will be out on 6th June for PC and consoles, but you can play it on 2nd June if you bought the non-normal editions.


Steam Game Festival Summer Edition: Our Top Picks

We’re in the middle of June, and we’ve already seen a boatload of game previews and a couple of new console showcases. It’s nice to know that digital events can still thrive amidst COVID-19, but we do miss playing demos of upcoming games.
Well, you can do that in this Summer edition of the Steam Game Festival, where the PC digital distribution platform showcases a number of noteworthy titles and their limited time demos. About 900 demos, if we’re keeping count.

You have from now until 22nd June to play these games and form your own opinions about them.We picked the best of the bunch for you in case you have trouble choosing between the hundreds of builds to rifle through. And yes, you can trust us.
Cris Tales

What Is It? A 2D JRPG made by a small team called Modus. It features protagonists with names starting with “Cris”, a colourful saccharine art style, and good ol’ turn-based combat with Mario & Luigi-esque button timing mechanics.
Why Play This? For one, it looks helluva pretty. Also, the game’s concept of altering the past, present, and future using the main character’s crystal powers (and a time-hopping frog) is pretty nifty. It’s essentially a whimsical spin on Chrono Trigger, but we do need more games taking cues from one of the best JRPGs on this side of the earth, right?
Download the demo here. Cris Tales will be out this November.

Haven

What Is It? A sci-fi romance adventure where you play a couple exploring an alien planet and survive.
Why Play This? Because the folks who brought you the action-tastic boss rush title Furi are behind this adventure. Just like in Astral Chain, you will control both Yu and Kay simultaneously in the game’s battles. Plus, you’ll get to unravel a fledging romance and relationship-focused plot while traversing through the planet’s plains.
Download it here. Haven is coming out this year.

30XX

What Is It? A 2D action platformer that takes cues from the Mega Man series, graphics and all. Especially in the difficulty department. Also, it’s a roguelike.
Why Play This? Because it’s not every day you get a roguelike 2D platformer that plays like a Capcom-made Mega Man X title. Developer Batterystaple Games are rolling in deep with their love for the Mega Man series via 30XX, from its 16-bit art style to its spot-on controls.At the same time, it also shakes things up with random power-ups, a permanent upgrade system, and co-op play.
Get the demo here.

Destroy All Humans!

What Is It? The long-awaited sequel to the open-world action-adventure title where you terrorize humans in the 1950s as a space alien.
Why Play This? Why not? Your playable alien Crypto has a ton of high-tech weapons and psychokinesis powers to wreak havoc upon the humans of a 1950s Earth as you rebuild your former empire to glory. If you wanted a Mars Attack! game but with actual polish and a decent game behind the premise, Destroy All Humans! is all you’ve got.
Check out the demo here. The game will be out 29th July.

The Survivalists

What Is It? A real-time survival game where you’re stuck on an island and need to uncover its secrets. And survive. And train monkeys to do your bidding. No, really.
Why Play This? If you loved The Escapists, you will love the brighter island-themed version that is The Survivalists. Who wouldn’t want to co-op with other survivors on an island filled with nature and impressionable monkeys?
Get the demo here. It’ll be out 2020.

Rhythm Doctor

What Is It? A music rhythm game where you use one button to sort your inputs out.
Why Play This? You thought O2Jam was tough? Try this retro-inspired rhythm game from 7th Beat Games. Just like its inspiration Rhythm Heaven, Rhythm Doctor uses just one button and strict timing for inputs to challenge your listening and music rhythm-recognition skills.
Check it out here. Out 2020.

Say No! More

What Is It? A game where you say “no” a lot to a bunch of office workers. You play an intern who has to defend herself against mean colleagues and bosses, find mixtapes, and just say that one word a lot.
Why Play This? Because we’ve been interns once in our lives, and we’ve always wanted to go on a power trip to tell our supervisors to “stick it”. This game lets you do that in its blocky graphical glory.
Demo’s here. This game will be out this year.

Backbone

What Is It? An adventure game set in a dystopian Vancouver filled with furries. You play a private eye raccoon named Howard Lotor, solving mysteries while being noir-like.
Why Play This? If you like thrillers and was disappointed by last year’s game adaptation of legendary comic book Blacksad, Backbone may be the cure. Plus, you can’t say “no” to 2D pixel-art adventure games.
Check it out here. Out 2021.

UnDungeon

What Is It? A top-down roguelike RPG with pixelated graphics.
Why Play This? Because the randomized sci-fi landscape here is bizarre, weird, and full of surprises. You play an already creepy-looking hunched dude named Marduk who has to claw his way out of the Wasteland.
Download the demo here.

Ghostrunner

What Is It? A first-person action game where you run, slice, and slow down time around yourself when dodging mid-air.
Why Play This? Because this is as close as you’re going to get to a cooler Mirror’s Edge.
Check out the demo here. Ghostrunner will come out 2020.

Windjammers 2

What Is It? A 1v1 sports game where you toss a lone frisbee into your opponent’s goal. Or just knock him or her out with it using a Super Shot. Yeah, it’s basically a fighting game masked as an extreme sports title.
Why Play This? If you love arcade-style 1v1 frisbee-tossing that rewards lightning fast reflexes and parries, this one’s a must-buy. Plus, the new art style and 90s sci-fi beach bum hybrid look is easy on the eyes.
Download the demo here. The game will be out hopefully this year.

A Space For The Unbound

What Is It? An adventure game set in a late 90s rural Indonesia about a boy and a girl with supernatural powers.
Why Play This? Fans of adventure games and visual novels with a tinge of the supernatural and slice-of-life whimsy will find a lot to love here.
Download the prologue here.

Chinatown Detective Agency

What Is It? A cyber noir point-and-click adventure game made by Singaporean indie game developer General Interactive Co. You play Amira Darma, a private investigator who has to solve interwoven mysteries in a futuristic Singapore set in 2032.
Why Play This? Apart from the lovely pixelated art style, you have to balance running a detective agency as well as solve a global conspiracy. Part adventure, part sim; potentially all fun.
Download the demo here. The game is slated for an Early 2021 release.

Holy Potatoes! I’m A Hero?!

What Is It? A top-down action game where you control a potato with hands and legs. Clearly inspired by the Legend of Zelda titles in the 90s.
Download the demo here. No release date has been announced yet.

Decks & Dungeon

What Is It? A turn-based deck-building monster-collecting roguelite RPG from Southeast Asian developer Springloaded.
Download the demo here. There’s no release date for this game yet.
We may be putting in new games on this list, so watch this space!


Here’s Why Pre-Ordering Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II Early Is A Great Idea

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II will be out on 28th October. However, if you pre-order the digital version, you will get early access to the game’s single-player campaign for a week.
Yes, Activision has discovered a potential tactic to get people caring about a CoD story campaign: have it accessible early. This is a different tactic than before where a CoD game usually entices people to buy the game early with multiplayer bonuses and beta tests instead. Other pre-order bonuses include open beta early access to Modern Warfare II’s multiplayer and the Final Judgement bundle which includes access to the legendary tier Deathknell operator skin and Bloodthirsty weapon blueprint for use in CoD Vanguard and CoD Warzone.
The digital pre-orders for Modern Warfare II (PC, Xbox, and PlayStation versions) will grant “up to one week” of early access to the full campaign starting 20th October. That’s quite a generous window considering people will take ages downloading and installing a giant-ass CoD game these days.
Will this work in getting people interested in CoD’s single-player campaign though? Things don’t look so rosey: stats on the achievements site True Achievements seem to allude that less than 1/3rd of the player base will complete a CoD campaign, but that’s a crying shame considering the majority of CoD games have pretty great single-player campaigns that last up to 8 hours.


Awesome Games Done Quick 2020 Raised More Than US$3 Million In A Week

If you thought esports was a niche thing in the gaming community, wait until you explore speedrunning. It’s basically the act of finishing a video game as fast as possible. Sometimes, extra parameters are added to spice things up like playing the game blind-folded.
The AGDQ 2020 crowd cheering as they went pass the US$3 million mark in donations.
Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ) is an annual speedrunning marathon hosted by Games Done Quick (GDQ). What makes GDQ events special is that they’re always raising money for charities through donations by viewers on Twitch.
This year, AGDQ managed to raise US$3.13 million for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. That’s the highest GDQ has ever raised ever since it first started in 2010. It beat Summer Game’s Done Quick 2019’s record of US$3 million for Doctors Without Borders.
Watch !rerun AGDQ 2020 starts tomorrow at 11:00 AM EST! Replaying our CGDQ 10th Anniversary Broadcast from last week! from GamesDoneQuick on www.twitch.tv
Since it’s called Awesome Games Done Quick, the week-long 2020 marathon had games such as The Outer Worlds, DOOM, Bayonetta 2, Devil May Cry 5, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and lots more.
AGDQ 2020 was hosted at DoubleTree Hilton in Orlando, Florida. It went from 5 January to 12 January 2020. More than 130 games were played during the marathon. You can watch each speedrun on the GDQ Twitch channel or even their YouTube channel.
Watch !rerun AGDQ 2020 starts tomorrow at 11:00 AM EST! Replaying our CGDQ 10th Anniversary Broadcast from last week! from GamesDoneQuick on www.twitch.tv
At the end of AGDQ 2020, the date and location for Summer Games Done Quick 2020 was announced. It will be held in Bloomington, Miinnesota from 21 June to 28 June 2020. Here’s hoping they manage to keep on breaking record and make the world a better place through gaming.


Avatars Aang & Korra Are Getting Featured In An Unexpected Game

It’s been a while since the Avatar franchise has gotten its own game. The last was probably 2014’s The Legend Of Korra by Platinum Games, while Aang’s last foray was back during the PS2 generation. Now they’re going to be featured in free-to-play multiplayer online battle arena game SMITE by publisher Hi-Rez Studios and developer Titan Forge Games.
Announced during the Summer Game Fest Day Of The Devs live stream, Avatars Aang and Korra, as well as fan-favourite fire-bender prince Zuko, will be joining SMITE as playable characters with the upcoming Avatar Battle Pass, which will be available sometime in July 2020.

SMITE is now available for the PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpSFn40uY1Y&w=560&h=315]


This Classic Shonen Anime Is Now On Netflix

A lot of people grew up with classic shonen anime like Dragon Ball, Naruto and One Piece, but there’s one legendary anime that’s not mentioned as often (though it’s just as iconic); Yu Yu Hakusho. Created by the same mangaka behind Hunter x Hunter, Yoshihiro Togashi, the Yu Yu Hakusho anime originally aired from 1992 to 1994, and have made it onto many lists of top anime ever since.
Yu Yu Hakusho follows the adventures of Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage delinquent who dies in an act of sacrifice and is reborn as a Spirit Detective, tasked to investigate and solve matters involving the paranormal and supernatural. There are over 112 episodes, split across four seasons on Netflix.

Just like Dragon Ball or Naruto, you should expect a lot of fights and the typical tournament arcs that shonen anime are always so fond of. However, it’s not as conventional as you’d think, containing many surprises just like Hunter X Hunter. Togashi is more of a writer than he is an artist, and it shows in his works, with great characters that are now considered iconic.
Even in video games, Yu Yu Hakusho was recently represented in Bandai Namco’s Jump Force, featuring Yusuke Urameshi, Toguro and another as-of-yet unrevealed DLC fighter as playable characters.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF4CvTMNEeM&w=560&h=315]
Personally, it’s still one of my favourite anime of all time, alongside that of other anime like Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and Fate/Zero. If you’ve never watched it, now’s the best time to catch up on one of the best and most influential shonen anime.
Head on over here to start watching Yu Yu Hakusho on Netflix.


New Bravely Default Announced For Nintendo Switch; Slated For 2020

Fans of turn-based RPGs, you’ll be getting a new Bravely Default sequel next year.
There’s not much news regarding Bravely Default II beyond the trailer below and the fact that its original team will be teaming up with the Octopath Traveler developers. So it’ll be charming and beautiful to look at, in other words.
And Revo is back to compose the OST, so yay!

The first Bravely Default was supposed to be a sequel to Final Fantasy: 4 Heroes of Light but it became its own series and spawned a sequel. The game featured beautiful backdrops, grindy dungeons, and a pretty cool battle and Job system. Oh, and a pretty neat third act twist. Hopefully, this third game will up the ante in that regard.


Lightsabers & Skins Return In Fortnite For Star Wars Day

It’s 4 May 2020, and Star Wars Day returns. To celebrate the occasion, lightsabers and other Star Wars cosmetics are returning to Epic Games’ Fortnite, with loads of content for fans of the franchise to enjoy.
From 3 May to 5 May 2020, players in the battle royale game will be able to obtain Rey, Kylo Ren, and Sith Trooper skins, as well as special Star Wars emotes (which can be seen in the tweet below), from the Fortnite Item Shop for only 200 V-Bucks each.

There is a great disturbance in the Force.
Get the Dark Side Emote along with the Starfighters and the Order and Peace Bundles, available in the Item Shop! pic.twitter.com/6ACnBKhCBS
â€” Fortnite (@FortniteGame) May 3, 2020
However, the biggest highlight has to be the returning lightsabers in four different colours. These lightsabers are of Mythic rarity in Fortnite. The four different colours include Luke Skywalker’s green lightsaber, Kylo Renâ€™s red lightsaber, Rey’s blue lightsaber, and Mace Winduâ€™s purple lightsaber.

Feel like a Jedi as Lightsabers have returned for a limited time!
Drop in game now and show off your skills. pic.twitter.com/koN5fGFc0i
â€” Fortnite (@FortniteGame) May 3, 2020
In the meantime, check out the trailer below, and may the 4th be with you.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3LtBdw__fI&w=560&h=315]


Destiny 2: Lightfall Is Bungie’s Beginning Of The End; Showcases Neptune, New Cabal Enemies, & Release Date

Bungie has revealed a ton of details about the next major expansion of its PvE looter shooter title Destiny 2: Lightfall. And it’s a doozy!
The game expansion takes place in Neo Luna, the capital city of Neptune; it’s bright, it’s filled with lots of pink and neon lights, and it’s prettier than the majority of the Destiny 2 locations you’ve visited so far. The foes you’ll be fighting? A bunch of purple Cabals led by a big bad called The Witness and Calus.

Players will be fighting new enemies called Tormentors: they are huge, carry huge scythes, and can shoot purple projectiles your way.

Players will also get to use new green powers called Strand, a new Darkness power for the game’s major three classes. Players will get to have fun using Strand to swing around the city of Neo Luna with magic green threads. Bungie said that this expansion will be signifying the end of the Light and Dark saga that’s been going on since the first Destiny back in 2014.
Bungie’s Focus On New Players

Bungie will also be introducing Guardian Ranks, which is a way to introduce new players to Destiny 2 and many of its gameplay, stages, and progression. Meant for new players and fans of shooters who want to break in, Guardian Ranks are knowledge ladders and pathways that expose the systems of Destiny 2 to these players. Bungie will also add LFG Fireteam Finder so that it’s easier for solo players to find people to play with in Destiny 2’s many, MANY group-based activities and Raids.
To sift from good and bad players, the game will also add a Commendation system where players can rank helpful teammate and vice versa so that other groups can make informed decisions on whether a player is worth teaming up with.

Bungie also introduces a new Season called Season of Plunder, where Guardians head to space to fight Fallen and Cabal pirates on spaceships that look like pirate ships. You won’t be alone, as you’ll team up with The Spider, Eido, The Drifter, and Mithrax to form your own pirate crew. And yes, you can recruit your own crew to fight with you. Activities include a 6-player mode called Ketch Crash and an open-world pirate-hoarding mode called Expedition. Another activity includes Pirate Hideout, where you find fragments of a map, then piece them together to find a relic guarded by a Pirate Lord.
Destiny 2’s Season of Plunder starts on 23rd August and ends on 6th December. Destiny 2: Lightfall will be out on 28 February 2023 for PC (Steam and Epic Games), Xbox Series, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. Best of all, for this whole week from 24 August to 30 August, all Destiny 2 expansions are free to play.