Terminator Dark Fate Is The Force Awakens Of The Franchise

2019 is the year of the 80s movie reboots and sequels, with franchises like Child’s Play and Rambo. The Terminator franchise is one such example, though its last instalment (2015’s Terminator Genisys) released pretty recently but was also its worst in the series’ almost four-decade-long history.
Paramount is attempting to remedy that mistake with another instalment just four years later, though this time Terminator Dark Fate boasts the return of James Cameron (story contributor) and Linda Hamilton reprising her role as Sarah Connor. However, is all that really enough to jumpstart the franchise and revive its spark after decades of mediocre sequels?
Pressing The Retcon Button

The Terminator has gotten too convoluted over the years, so Terminator Dark Fate ignores most of the past instalments and simply continues where 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day left off. I won’t spoil what happens in Terminator Dark Fate but it essentially retcons the franchise’s established lore by expanding on them.

Terminator Dark Fate is essentially The Force Awakens of the franchise.
While Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens followed the formulaic template of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Terminator Dark Fate does the same by following Terminator 2: Judgment Day almost beat-by-beat.

Terminator Dark FateÂ can also be considered a modern remix or greatest hits of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, to the point that several iconic scenes from the latter are even recreated in what is clearly intended to be homages.

My point is this, that there are no genuine surprises to be found in Terminator Dark Fate.
You can see most of the twists coming from a mile away, which is disappointing for long-time fans who would be expecting something fresh and new.

It’s all a blatant excuse to forge a blank slate for the franchise and make way for future sequels. It’s a shame, considering that there were a few interesting concepts that deserved to be explored further.
These include A.I. development, human augmentation (the potential addition of more cyberpunk elements), as well as the idea of vicious cycles and what it means to break them. Instead, we get another action flick where the good guys spend the entire movie running from the evil Terminator, before ultimately facing him in a final showdown.
Fitting The Terminator Archetypes

The new protagonists are Dani (the hunted) and Grace (the protector). Mackenzie Davis does a great job as augmented future soldier Grace. She’s a strong and confident female character who is a far cry from the twitchy and PTSD-ridden Kyle Reese from the first movie, which often puts her at odds with the similarly-strong female in Linda Hamilton’s Sarah Connor.
While Davis’ Grace fits the mould of Kyle Reese, Natalia Reyes’ Dani is the equivalent of Linda Hamilton’s Sarah Connor or Edward Furlong’s John Connor (don’t worry, you’ll learn what happens to Furlong’s character in Terminator Dark Fate). Unfortunately, her character is unmemorable, devoid of much personality except for the fact that she’s another strong female character.
Arnold Schwarzenegger puts in a fun and charming turn as T-800 model-101 Terminator, whose human name is Carl. He puts in a more subdued and emotional performance this time around, which is similar to his role as Pops in 2015’s Terminator Genisys. His back-and-forth banter with Hamilton’s Sarah Connor are the highlights of the movie.

I loved Gabriel Luna as Ghost Rider in the TV series Marvel’s Agents Of SHIELD, so it’s great to see him diversifying his roles. Most of the evil Terminators throughout the franchise have been devoid of emotion, lacking even the slightest smile. Luna plays the advanced prototype Rev-9 Terminator with glee, even wise-cracking from time to time.

The entire cast did their best, but there’s no doubt that they’re essentially just filling in the boxes of existing Terminator archetypes and moulds.
The new characters don’t have as much room to develop, especially when juggling screentime and material with the older legacy characters in the mix as well, which is a problem that The Force Awakens also suffered from.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day Did It Better

What more can I say other than that Terminator 2: Judgment Day did almost everything better than Terminator Dark Fate? There were notable action scenes in the beginning and during the climax, but the rest were just huge setpieces that were executed to much better effect decades earlier (probably because those were accomplished using practical effects while Terminator Dark FateÂ lazily resorted to using bland-looking CGI).

If I could describe Terminator Dark Fate in one word, it’s that the movie feels “UNINSPIRED”.
Just like The Force Awakens, it rehashes the best of the iconic classic for a new generation but loses any sense of unique identity in the process.
While that movie managed to spawn a whole new generation of Star Wars sequels, it’s hard to imagine Terminator Dark Fate doing the same.

FINAL SCORE: 50/100
We received a preview screening courtesy of The Walt Disney Company Malaysia. Terminator Dark Fate premieres in Malaysian cinemas on 23 October 2019.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqxnFHoKwzE&w=560&h=315]


Kakuchopurei’s Best Of 2019: Call Of Duty – Modern Warfare

For a series supposedly beaten to death like a proverbial horse corpse, the latest Call of Duty is attempting a lot of new things. Best of all, it distinctively impresses by nailing most of its new theatrics.
Case in point, the single-player campaign. The 8 hours-or-so multi-protagonist approach to a modern combat story works, especially if you’re fighting in public locations where either cover is limited or the area is so vast, you’ll have trouble finding where enemies are spawning from.

And yes, you will believe a stealth mission where you form a slow-moving conga line to assault terrorists in a suburban setting can be nerve-wracking and tense.

These segments don’t wear out their welcome; they are just at the right length to keep the pace smooth and exciting. Even so, you’re jumping on-board this version of Modern Warfare not for its story, as great as it’s designed.
You’re here for the multiplayer, and suffice to say, your plate will be filled.
I personally don’t gel with the whole competitive FPS multiplayer affair in the long run, but I can respect Infinity Ward for “rebooting” the gunplay & system, while taking many huge chances to shake the competitive meta up.

From the “intimate” Gunfight mode (1v1 or 2v2) to the “beat Battlefield at its own game” Ground War mode, everything about the game’s multiplayer is well-thought-out and not showing signs of slowing down.
Also, the best players here are the ones who are patient, methodical, and can aim under pressure. No spray-and-pray nonsense here.

The team is even transparent about its roadmap and reveals as of late; that’s how dedicated they are in keeping their current player base satiated. Time will tell if this works after 6 months, but even a curmudgeon like me can admit that an old war dog can still learn some new tricks.


WandaVision Offers First Look At Classic Sitcom-Inspired Episode

In September 2020, Disney Plus released the first teaser trailer for the upcoming TV series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe; WandaVision. However, since then, no news has been revealed, until now.
In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly, the streaming service revealed several new screenshots from the first episode of the series’ first season, which will run for a total of six episodes.

The first episode of WandaVision will be in black and white, inspired by the classic golden age sitcoms from the 50s like The Dick Van Dyke Show, Father Knows Best, The Partridge Family, and Bewitched.
WandaVision will be set after 2019’s Avengers Endgame, with the married Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) seemingly happy in the idyllic town of Westview. However, all is not as it seems.
WandaVision head writer Jac Schaeffer said:
â€œWe find Wanda and Vision living a blissful suburban existence, trying to keep their powers under wraps.The show is a love letter to the golden age of television.Weâ€™re paying tribute and honoring all of these incredible shows and people who came before us, [but] weâ€™re also trying to blaze new territory.â€
WandaVisionÂ still doesnâ€™t have a release date, but the series will apparently premiere before the end of 2020.
Check out the official screenshots below:

Paul Bettany as Vision and Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in Marvel Studios’ WANDAVISION. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. Â©Marvel Studios 2020. All Rights Reserved.
Paul Bettany as Vision and Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in Marvel Studios’ WANDAVISION. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. Â©Marvel Studios 2020. All Rights Reserved.
(L-R): Kathryn Hahn as Agnes, Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff and Paul Bettany as Vision in Marvel Studios’ WANDAVISION. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. Â©Marvel Studios 2020. All Rights Reserved.
Paul Bettany as Vision and Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in Marvel Studios’ WANDAVISION. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. Â©Marvel Studios 2020. All Rights Reserved.
Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in Marvel Studios’ WANDAVISION. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. Â©Marvel Studios 2020. All Rights Reserved.


MapleStorySEA To Introduce New Class With Its Next Major Patch

MapleStorySEA is set to release its next major patch on 22 May 2019 and with it a bunch of new content and improvements. It will not only rebalance existing classes, introduce a new theme dungeon (Secret Forest Elludin), Singaporean/Malaysian maps revamped onto Starforce maps, but also a brand new job class.
The first new job class to be introduced in MapleStorySEA in the upcoming patch is the Pathfinder, a ranged specialist wielding an Ancient Bow marked by a curse. With a new system called the Relic Gauge, Pathfinders can charge their weapon using three different Cardinal skills.
With a full gauge, they can then unleash devastatingly powerful skills, some of which can be further enhanced with special characteristics from the basic archer skills. While the Pathfinder class will only be available in early June 2019, players can pre-register here from 15 May to 2 June 2019 to obtain special rewards.
There will also be a pre-creation period where players can create their Pathfinder character in advance before the class unlocks, starting on 22 May 2019. Last but not least, Tera Burning (which was introduced during the Black Mage patch in 2018) will be making a return to MapleStorySEA from 22 May to 18 June 2019.
In the meantime, check out the teaser trailer for Pathfinder below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McTRtp7jeis&w=560&h=315]


XCOM Goes Gacha With A New Free Mobile Game

Surprise!
Iridium Starfish has launched an official XCOM mobile game spin-off on the Android Google Play store. XCOM Legends is still in development and only available in some selected regions, including Malaysia.
It’s worth pointing out that XCOM Legends can only be played vertically, and while it is still turn-based, the only movement or positioning involved is deciding which of your heroes to put behind cover as they rush from one 5v5 encounter to the next.
XCOM players will also likely have to get used to the fact that changing positions now having a five-turn cooldown.

XCOM Legends is set in the XCOM 2 timeline (where humanity lost the first war in 2012’s XCOM). During the mobile game’s tutorial, players will discover an alien device called the Archway, which lets you summon legendary heroes or artifacts in exchange for premium currency.
Yes, you read that right. XCOM Legends is indeed gacha game.
If you really want to experience a genuine uncorrupted XCOM experience, you should play XCOM Enemy Within and XCOM 2 Collection instead, both of which are now on mobile as well (albeit being games that you have to pay for). XCOM 2 CollectionÂ includes the base game, the brilliant War of the Chosen expansion, and four DLC add-on packs. You can check outÂ my brief review (revisit) ofÂ XCOM 2Â here.
In the meantime, check out the XCOM Legends gameplay footage below:


Kidnappings, Smartphones, & Kids Oh My! Steven Soderbergh On His New HBO Mini-Series Full Circle

Steven Soderbergh is a legend if you just look at his varied career. From Sex, Lies, And Videotapes to Contagion and The Informant, from Ocean’s Eleven to Logan Lucky, his range knows no bounds.
His latest work? A six-episode drama called Full Circle which features a kidnapping plan gone wrong, and how it comes around with its ensemble cast of Tim Olyphant, Claire Danes, CCH Pounder, Dennis Quaid, and Zazie Beetz. That’s a lot to work with, but together with longtime work partner Ed Solomon, the show is sure to be one captivating mini-series; we saw a majority of it and it’s definitely worth talking about for weeks to come.
We talk to him extensively about why he wanted to do the show, and how was it like trying this format rather than a full-length feature.

So what attracted you to this script? Why do you want to do this particular series?
Steven: Well, this is a result of spending too much time around one person. In this case, that would be Ed Solomon. So we worked on Mosaic, and we were starting to talk about No Sudden Move. Ed Solomon, in terms of ideas, is kind of the guy at Times Square with the jacket and all the watches.
Like he’s always got lots of ideas and he’s always pitching things. But when he described his desire to blend a story that he’d read 20 years ago in the paper about an insurance scheme that was happening out in Queens here in New York, where people were being murdered for insurance premiums, with a variation on the premise of the Kurosawa film High and Low, where there’s a kidnapping that goes wrong. That sounded interesting to me.
I said “Okay, this one’s interesting”. Let’s pursue that. So he just started writing and started researching and talking to people. He’s doing this all on spec. It’s this epic sprawling thing and he would send me a lot of pages to read. And I would read them and give notes and send them back. And we sort of went through that process repeatedly until we felt like we had something that was readable.
And we turned it into the studio and they greenlit it immediately, which is by any metric a positive result. But in this case, it was a little alarming because I felt we were still trying to find it. And so the good news was at that point, we’ve got other people involved to kind of help us navigate where the heart of this thing is. Because the danger in pieces like this is you get overly fascinated by the filigree and you kind of lose sight of the spine of it.
And so in this case, the spine was really the question of “if I told you I was going to give you a million dollars for pressing this button and somebody’s going to be hurt, but you don’t know who they are. You will never meet them and they’re on the other side of the world. What would you do?” That’s just reminding ourselves, that’s what we’re doing here.
It’s about that question of what it’s about karma. It’s about your character. And so that appealed to me because what Ed’s very adept at is creating stories that on a surface level are very active and very accessible but have a sort of subterranean aspect that prevents them from being single-use plastic. They’re not things that you can watch and just forget that you saw them. So that was very appealing to me. This is all of those things. And the fact that Ed is Ed: he’s a nice person. He’s funny. He’s intelligent. He works really hard. We had this envisioned initially because it grew out of conversations at the end of Mosaic. We were going to do a six-episode linear broadcast version.

And then we were going to do, unlike Mosaic, a completely different version shot in a completely different way that was going to be a branching narrative app version that was 170 pages. And it was supposed to be shot at the same time. And I met with Ed. He was in London. I was shooting Magic Mike’s last dance and we sat down to lunch and I said, Ed, I’ve got to tell you something. This is physically impossible. I go, I like to work fast. I go, I cannot shoot. The six episodes are 400 pages long. I can’t shoot 570 pages on a schedule that’s aggressive just for a six-episode show, I can’t do it. I’m telling you, I can’t do it. We have to throw that stuff away.
He was silent for about six seconds and he goes, I get it. We threw all that out. He’s the hero here.
20 years ago, 20 plus years ago when we made Traffic, that sort of sprawling connectivity felt like you were looking behind the curtain a little bit and making realisations of how we are all connected that weren’t so obvious. I think today, that’s not true. I think today our experience of the world is much more explicitly connective.
It’s not unique to come up with a story in which the ramifications of the actions are ricocheting around and you follow them. That I just think feels more like life than a piece in which you just follow a single person’s experience. The trick now is unfortunately these [shows smartphone].
[Smartphones are] the problem. This is what makes a filmmaker crazy. You used to be able to milk somebody’s lack of information for a little while to create tension. Now you’re screwed. Everybody can find out everything immediately.
How do you keep these balls spinning? I think 20 years ago you could have made 10 episodes out of the show. But now with the technology that exists, we were really trying to get it to six. A couple of these episodes are 40 minutes. It’s because everybody knows everything all the time. It’s just harder.

How different is it working on a 6 episode TV series when compared to the full-length films you’ve done throughout your career?

Steven: I think the biggest difference is in the idea. I mean, ask yourself at the beginning, is this the best expression of this idea? Is it a movie or is it a show? And I think you have to be really clear about that. I see some shows that I feel are not necessarily that they should have been movies, but that they feel had it, they feel longer than they need to be. So maybe it was an idea that was bigger than a movie, but maybe it didn’t need to be 10 hours.
And so that’s, I think you got to be very clear whether this is a movie idea or is it a series idea or a show idea. This was Ed’s description to justify six episodes. Like there was enough narrative and a gallery of characters that we really benefited from the time that you have if you are making something that is six hours instead of two hours. And also, I have to say, making The Knick, I just really loved having a canvas that big.
The Knick for me was my opportunity to make Berlin Alexander plots, which is one of my favourite things ever. I thought, wow, how many chances am I going to get to do something on this scale that really is justified? But there are some ideas, as soon as you hear them, you go, that’s a movie. That’s two hours. That’s a movie; Logan Lucky is an example of that. Logan Lucky doesn’t work at anything longer than what it is. And I think artists, and creators who come up with ideas need to have very, very frank conversations with themselves about what’s the best format for this.

This is the first show you directed, edited and shot since Mosaic. In this, I think, five, six years you did five films for streaming services. Why did it take you so long to come back to this show format?
Steven: I think it’s just judging when things are coming at me. If I have an idea, for instance, or if things are coming at me, how long it takes them to develop into something that can be shot. That’s not a very predictable linear process. It’s not one that I try to control. I work on them as they come to me. For instance, on Full Circle, as you can imagine, this was quite an undertaking for Ed. He would be sending me pages. I would send them back. I was waiting for it to become a baby. I don’t really have a rule.
It’s certainly more fun for me if there’s some variety in terms of the projects. The fact that I ended up making several movies in a row was purely happenstance, but they were all so different that I wasn’t consciously thinking like, oh, I want to get out of movie mode and back into series mode. I imagine it might just come out. I was moving, this is a series. I’ve got a secret mystery thing that’s going to appear shortly that I haven’t talked about that is not either one of those things. I’m surfing and riding whatever wave looks like it has potential.

What was it like working with the main cast?
Steven: This was such a great opportunity to work with people I’ve been following for such a long time, Claire, I remember watching Claire on My So-Called Life, I mean I’ve been watching her since she started, Tim Olyphant, when I saw him in Go, I went like “I like that guy!”, and so he’s been on my list. CCH is somebody that I’ve been watching for a long time and has also been on my list and then there’s this group of young actors that I just had such a blast working with.

Is it true that you expanded parts for the actors you were impressed with?

Steven: There was one storyline that after we looked at the whole thing quickly when we wrapped, we wrapped just before Christmas of last year. And then just before New Year’s, I posted the whole show for the Brain Trust and for the studio. And we immediately fell into a really intense conversation about what changes we wanted to make and we had to move quickly because the cast was all flying off the four corners of the planet to do their next job. So we had to work really, really quickly. And so we ended up pulling out one fairly significant narrative thread and filling it in with material, most of it involving Garmen (Phaldut Sharma) and Javier (Sheyi Cole) because I was really interested in this relationship, this dynamic. And CCH Pounder because she’s sort of the nodal point for the two of them.
So a lot of the new material that we shot in January and February was centred on that storyline and this issue of loyalty, which was kind of nascent in the first cut, but that Ed and I felt really needed to be pushed more. And the fact that Garmen sort of identifies Javier as being the only person in this group that seems to have their shit together. And then Javier comes to understand that and you wonder, you begin to realise Javier is lying to people, but why is he lying to people? Like what is his end game here? And so we really focused on that. We wanted that to become a main narrative strand.

Was there any learning on most of the moves that helped you and Ed do this complexity of relations and stories in Full Circle? Because the film and the show are really close, but they’re completely different things.
I don’t think so, my experience of the two is that no sudden move felt like something that I had a very clear… I really had my arms around it. It was a room of a very specific size with a certain kind of furniture in it. That felt very sort of prescribed in a good sense. Full circle, I felt it was like chasing six cats. I never… until very, very late in the process, I never felt like I had my arms completely around it. I really didn’t. I was constantly sort of challenging it and going to Ed and saying, I’m worried about this. I’m worried about that. I’m worried this isn’t clear. I’m not sure I believe this.
I like all the things I’ve done in recent memory. I was harder on this and challenging it and ourselves more than I had in a while. Just because I felt like we had such a great opportunity and we have… I have everything that I need. I’ve got to make sure we’re stress-testing all the aspects of this. There were a lot of aspects. Like I said, as the show exists now, and I don’t know how many episodes they sent you guys, there are currently in the show two original sins, essentially. There used to be three. One of the ways in which I was challenging this when we saw the first cut altogether, that the third original sin is just one too many. We’ve got to distil this thing. For a while, it was actually… To the studio’s surprise, when I gave them the first cut just before New Year’s, it was seven hours, seven episodes. That threw everybody into a kind of tizzy because you got to restructure all the actor deals. It’s not just, oh, it’s seven episodes.
There’s a real practical ramification of a show that’s now seven episodes. Within 24 hours, it was back to six. We were already discussing how we were going to recalibrate it. We did more work while we were shooting and after we were shooting on this than anything I’ve made. The fun part is I like cheating.
I like the movie Magic Park. What makes me smile is there are scenes in which we went back and did things, shots that go in the middle of a scene that were shot three months later that are completely seamless. Just to get in a couple of lines to make sure a certain narrative thread was clear. We had to go back, get everybody together and shoot a shot or two that went in the middle of a scene that had already been shot months before. I love that stuff. I love reshoots. I don’t know why people that are viewed as people don’t call it reshoots. Call it additional photography. I’m like, I don’t care.
Why wouldn’t you want to go back and fix things that you see need to be fixed? What are you like, well, that’s like talking to somebody, I only publish first drafts. I’m like, so what? Who cares? What is that proof?
Full Circle is out now on HBO Go.


Cos-Mic Sunday Anime Event Has Been Cancelled

Sad news for fans of anime and offline events. The Cos-Mic event’s second day in Malaysia has been cancelled.
The event saw a huge turnout on Saturday 25 June yesterday, with a huge number of people queing up for the event and attending the exhibitions in Sunway Clio. Sunday’s event is closed due to unforeseen technical difficulties. The official message is below (and a post from The Magic Rain):

Dear People of Cos-mic,

Thank you for supporting the Cos-mic event held at Clio Exhibition Centre yesterday. After a very successful event day yesterday, the event will however have to be closed on Sunday (today) due to unforeseen technical difficulties. With your support, we will be back with a bigger and more impactful event.

The Cos-mic Management would also like to apologise for any inconveniences caused to your planning but we hope to bring you a bigger and more exciting news soon.

-Cos-Mic–

Heads up — Day 2 of Cos-Mic has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, but there are two other community events you can support this weekend, @AniManGaki @ Quay to Japan & Starlight Fantasy 2022!
— THE MAGIC RAIN (@themagicrainMY) June 26, 2022

If you are itching for an anime convention today and are in Malaysia, you can head down to Animangaki’s Quay To Japan event where you can check out the country’s biggest music rhythm arena and anime merch/doujin booths at Quayside Mall.

Good morning sunshines! We are now open and ready for you~ #QuayToJapanCome get your #AMG2022 tickets at Quayside MALL today! And uh, ask our boy why he still got no girlfriend? ? pic.twitter.com/cQ4O8dIfC5
— AniManGaki #AMG2022 (@animangaki) June 26, 2022

In the meantime, check out our pictures of the Cos-Mic event on its rather busy Saturday showing.

We're here at the Cos-Mic Cosplay & Doujin Fair at Sunway Clio Exhibition Centre, 2hich is just beside Sunway Pyramid.It's happening today (25 June 2022) and tomorrow (26 June 2022).Best of all, it's free entry for everyone!Come and join the fun with other anime/manga fans! pic.twitter.com/6HnZmsLgkf
— Kakuchopurei (@Kakuchopurei) June 25, 2022

https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/posts/4748238381947206?__cft__[0]=AZXsXwitPF0c75ZNONEs_LWRi9bAS-EnUpPch3ThltT8V-E3noZr77NV_aZWx7ZpN56i7V7__AORtL5HDvEJ49RF8N6QOqz-3FciMFIfEo6UuOP6LlNX15_JZ2Bl4Oz6k96BBgNduZhX0W0vA2vlqZilMK5CY4dEtLu-B64qMIlJEhYkkUfe1wgeC7QhSqwVgBcvXhvKvGvoD-gUvDWc_Lxf&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R


Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown Slated For January 2024

Prince of Persia is probably a franchise that you haven’t heard of in quite a long time. Well during Summer Game Fest’s opening show, the first to be shown was none other than the revival of the iconic series.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is to be an action-adventure platformer that revamps the overall aesthetic of the game putting a modern take on the franchise. We can expect a deep combat system, huge boss fights and of course, the usual platforming puzzles that we’ve become familiar with not only in the genre but also in the franchise.
More details regarding the game will be announced at Ubisoft Forward so stay tuned for that. The only thing that we know is that the game is slated for 18 January 2024, so mark your calendars!


HBO GO March 2023: Our Picks & Highlights

I’m sure you won’t want to waste time sifting through HBO GO’s extensive catalogue of shows and movies just to decide on what to watch. The streaming site updates its site every day, week, and month with new content, so I’m here to save your precious time.
Here are my personal recommendations and highlights for HBO GO March 2023 lineup and how to fill up your free time with worthwhile content at home:
House Party (3 March 2023)

Aspiring club promoters and best buds Damon and Kevin are barely keeping things together. Out of money, down on their luck and about to lose the roofs over their heads – and freshly fired from their jobs as house cleaners – the pair needs a huge windfall to make their problems go away and they decide to host the party of the year at an exclusive mansion, the site of their last cleaning job. What could go wrong? Stars Tosin Cole, Jacob Latimore, Karen Obilom, D.C. Young Fly and Scott Mescudi.
Premieres Friday, March 3 on HBO GO.

Jurassic World Dominion (11 March 2023)

Set four years after the destruction of Isla Nublar, dinosaurs now live alongside humans across the world and threaten to overtake humanity as the planet’s apex predators. Stars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, DeWanda Wise, Mamoudou Athie, BD Wong, Omar Sy, Isabella Sermon, Campbell Scott, Justice Smith, Scott Haze, Dichen Lachman, Daniella Pineda. The Jurassic Movie Collection will also be available to stream from March 11 on HBO GO.
Premieres Saturday, March 11 at 9pm on HBO (Astro Ch 411) on HBO GO.
In the meantime, check out my spoiler-free review here, or head on over here for our spoiler discussion of the movie.

Gotham Knights (15 March 2023)

In the wake of Bruce Wayne’s murder, his adopted son Turner Hayes is framed for killing the Caped Crusader, along with the children of some of Batman’s enemies. With the charismatic and hard-charging District Attorney Harvey Dent and the GCPD hot on their trail, Turner will rely on allies such as his best friend and formidable coder Stephanie Brown, and unlikely Batman sidekick Carrie Kelley. But this team of mismatched fugitives will soon learn that there is a larger, more nefarious force at work within Gotham City, and they must band together to become its next generation of saviours. Stars Oscar Morgan, Olivia Rose Keegan, Navia Robinson, Fallon Smythe, Tyler DiChiara, Anna Lore, Rahart Adams and Misha Collins.
Premieres Wednesday, March 15 on HBO GO.

Superman & Lois Season 3 (15 March 2023)

Season 3 opens weeks after Superman’s blowout defeat of Ally Allston. Clark and Lois are now working at the Smallville Gazette together and enjoying the small town life. However, Lois’ own work-life balance is put to the test when an undercover assignment reveals a deadly foe that promises to change the Kent family forever. Stars Tyler Hoechlin, Elizabeth Tuloch, Michael Bishop, Alex Garfin, Erik Valdez, Inde Navarrette, Emmanuelle Chriqui and Dylan Walsh.
Premieres Wednesday, March 15 at 9pm on Warner TV (Astro Ch 712).

LEGO DC Shazam Magic And Monsters (16 March 2023)

Catch LEGO DC Shazam: Magic and Monsters movie this March. 10-year-old Billy Batson transforms into an adult superhero, Shazam! While fighting off the evil Mr. Mind and Black Adam, Billy learns that he must trust others.
Premieres Thursday, March 16 at 3pm on Cartoon Network (Astro Ch 615).

Succession Season 4 (27 March 2023)

In Season 4, the sale of media conglomerate Waystar Royco to tech visionary Lukas Matsson moves ever closer. The prospect of this seismic sale provokes existential angst and familial division among the Roys as they anticipate what their lives will look like once the deal is completed. A power struggle ensues as the family weighs up a future where their cultural and political weight is severely curtailed. Stars Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Alan Ruck.
Premieres Monday, March 27 at 9am on HBO (Astro Ch 411) and HBO GO.
Those are just our picks for the month. Check out more highlights in the video below:


Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order Runs Worse On PS5 Than Xbox Series X

Several days ago, Respawn Entertainment finally released the next-gen upgrade for Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order on the PS5 and Xbox Series X. The improvements included increased framerates and higher resolution. However, to the chagrin of those lucky enough to already own next-gen consoles, the upgrades weren’t equal.
According to YouTuber EcksToo, the Xbox Series X version of Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order is currently superior to the PS5 version. The reason for this is simple. The PS5 uses a brand new OS, so it’s essentially emulating the PS4 version of the game. This makes it less efficient, making the developers unable to truly take advantage of the PS5’s power.
On the other hand, the Xbox Series X pretty much uses the same OS as the Xbox One, so it is able to run Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order natively without having to go through emulation. Thus, the developers were able to add all the extra bells and whistles with no problems.
This reasoning can also be applied to other multi-platform games on the PS5 and Xbox Series X. It’s why gamers shouldn’t be surprised that the PS5 versions of older multi-platform games won’t be able to run as good as the ones on the Xbox Series X.
Star Wars Jedi Fallen OrderÂ is available now for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Check outÂ our full review ofÂ Star Wars Jedi Fallen OrderÂ hereÂ to find out why we named itÂ one of the best games of 2019.
You can check out EcksToo’s video on the performance difference between the two next-gen versions below:


Blizzard Clarifies on One-Tricking Bans In Overwatch

Hey one-trick ponies – guess what? Blizzard has something to say about your one-trick shenanigans; It’s a-okay!
As discussed by Overwatch Community Manager, Josh Egen in the Overwatch Forums yesterday, one-tricking is not a bannable offense. In his post, Egen wrote “We believe players can choose to play any available hero during any game at any time, and that their choice of hero alone is not a behavior that should be penalized by our customer service team under any of the player report categories (including griefing, inactivity, or poor teamwork).”
Further stamping his point, Egen clarified:
“We believe players should be evaluated based on their actions with whichever hero they choose. If a player disrupts their team by intentionally feeding with ANY hero, you should report that player for griefing. If a player is staying in the spawn area, refuses to attack the enemy, or refuses support those that are, you should report that player for inactivity. If a player actively refuses to play the mapâ€™s objectives or communicates to the team in a negative fashion, you should report that player for poor teamwork. If a player communicates in a hateful or harassing manner with ANY hero, you should report that player for abusive chat. However, if a teammate is actively trying to perform well on their hero and help their team, they should NOT be reported under any category.”
Ever reported someone just because they went on Symmetra when on payload duties? Well, turns out you are the griefer as Egen added:
“Players who inaccurately submit player reports in an attempt to punish someoneâ€™s hero choice are considered to be harassing or griefing their fellow player, and inaccurate reports make it more difficult for us to appropriately action the players who DO disrupt the game.”Â Â
So there you have it. Go ahead on playing whichever main you are most comfortable with, and as long as it plays to the objective – no matter how effective (or not) they are – will not lead to you getting banned for one-tricking on your favorite hero.
But come on man – play to the objective.


Now You Can Play The Original Diablo Via GOG.com

The original Diablo remains one of the most iconic action RPGs in gaming history, having influenced countless other games since it was initially released in 1996. Now players can try out the legendary Blizzard title for themselves.
Blizzard Entertainment and GOG.com have teamed up to re-release select classic games from the developer’s library, the first of which is the original Diablo. Available now on GOG.com, this is the first time ever that the game has been made available via digital distribution.
Players can either opt for the classic experience and play Diablo exactly as it was more than 20 years ago (20 FPS SVGA graphics and Battle.net-compatible) or play the updated version of the game, which comes with a host of bug fixes.

Next, Blizzard is planning to re-release Warcraft: Orcs & Humans and Warcraft II. The release dates for both on GOG.com will be revealed at a later date.
GOG.com SVP Oleg Klapovsky said:

“Crawling through the original Diablo‘s dungeons, together with Blizzard, is a feeling of pure excitement. It’s a personal thing for many of us, and the most wished-for game in our community.
Taking the first few steps beneath the Tristram Cathedral, listening to the guidance of Cain the Elderâ€”it’s all coming back, for old souls and newcomers alike.â€

Diablo is available now atÂ GOG.com for $9.99. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8qO3HA1BSs&w=560&h=315]


EA Halts Apex Legends Global Major & Other Esports Events

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic warning worldwide, EA recently announced that it has suspended all their live esports events. These include the first-ever Apex Legends Global Series, EA Sp9orts FIFA 20 Global Series, FIFA Online 4 Live Events, and Madden NFL 20 Championship Series.
No rescheduling dates have been announced at this point in time. Here’s the rest of the statement from EA:

“Additionally, this includes all competitive gaming content except for broadcasts that can be individually produced remotely. Additionally, this includes all competitive gaming content except for broadcasts that can be individually produced remotely.
Online events, where participants and staff are remote and separated will continue. This suspension of events and broadcasts will start today, March 13th, and will be in effect until the global coronavirus situation improves.
This decision hasn’t come easy, but given the large, global nature of the event, we believe that making this change is in the best interest of protecting the health of the community, including competitors, attendees and staff.
As we continue to monitor the situation around the coronavirus and receive guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO), weâ€™ll continue to evaluate and provide more updates as it relates to all Apex Legends Global Series events.”

Despite all this, the Apex Legends Global Series Online tournament will still proceed because, well, it’s online. For more info on how to deal with the current status of the world, head here or to the CDC.


Handheld Games & Laptops Immortalized Into Tokyo 2020 Olympic Medals

We’re only one year away from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the organizing committee has already unveiled the beautiful new designs of the medals for the world’s biggest sporting event.
A nationwide competition was open to both professional designers and design students in Japan, with more than 400 entries submitted in total. The winning design was ultimately based on Junichi Kawanishi‘s (Director of the Japan Sign Design Association and the Osaka Design Society).
However, that’s not the most incredible thing about the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games medals. It’s actually the massive recycling initiative that has been collecting recycled consumer electronics over the past two years.
The 5000 medals to be presented at next year’s competition will be made entirely out of metal extracted from these recycled electronics. The total haul consisted of 6.21 million used mobile phones, digital cameras, handheld games, and laptops.
While the handheld games and laptops weren’t specified, it’s safe to assume that a lot of Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation Portable, or maybe even Nintendo Switch consoles were sacrificed to mine metals for these medals, along with a bevy of likely gaming laptops.
Perhaps gamers were also eager to let go of older handhelds like the Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance, though I’m not sure how much gold, silver, and bronze could be extracted from all these old handhelds and laptops.
According to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games website, the final tally of accumulated metal was 30.3kg of gold, 4,100kg of silver and 2,700kg of bronze by the time the collection cycle closed on 31 March 2019.
The Japanese gamers must be proud of being able to contribute to their country’s Olympics 2020 efforts by having their handhelds and laptops immortalized in the medals.
Who can forget the final moments of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games closing ceremony when the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games was first teased?
Iconic video game and anime characters like Captain Tsubasa, Hello Kitty, Pac-Man, Doraemon, and Mario showed up, with Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe even appearing out of a pipe wearing Mario’s hat in full viewership of hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
Rewatch that glorious and unforgettable moment below to bask in how far gaming (and anime) has come that they were featured in an unveiling for the next Olympics. It’s simply legendary.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNuqKVG781I&w=560&h=315]


Who Will Fly The Malaysian Flag At SEA Games Mobile Legends

The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) Esports Selection Taskforce just announced the full lineup of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Women’s Category players who will be competing at the 32nd SEA Games. This is the first time they’re including a women’s category in esports at the SEA Games.
The selection process was no joke either. Just like the MLBB Open Category, 18 athletes were invited to participate in closed selections for a chance to represent Malaysia. The OCM Esports Selection Taskforce, together with industry experts, coaches, analysts, and team managers, meticulously assessed and evaluated each player’s performance before making their final decision.

Roster
Here’s the moment you’ve been waiting for – the official lineup of the 32nd SEA Games Cambodia 2023 MLBB Women’s Category female representatives for Malaysia! These talented ladies have worked hard to earn their spot on the team, and they’re ready to give it their all for the gold medal. Without further ado, here are the names you need to remember:

Nurul Effa Fauzana “Fafau” binti Mohd Fauzi – Gold
Vanessa “Bunny” Natasha Abdullah – Exp
Hanis Wahidah “Hannie” binti Mohamad Dashuki – Mid
Sharifah Alia Husna “Aria” binti Syed Fakrurrozi – Roam
Wan Nur Adibah Humairah “Dibo” binti Wan Hamidon – Jungler
Nur Afrina Syuhada “Rosemary” Ahmad Shaltut – Substitute
Anatasha “Anatasha” binti Norman – Substitute
Kelvin “Rexvinn” Unting – Head Coach
Fikri Aiman “Rain” bin Mohd Khidzir – Assistant Coach
Muhammad Farhan “Sora” bin Ibrahim Analyst

The MLBB Women’s Category will be held from 10–12 May, while the Open Category for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang will take place from 12–14 May. It’s going to be an exciting few days for esports fans all over the region!
In a statement, Mr. Andrew Cheong, the Team Manager of the esports contingent at the 32nd SEA Games Cambodia, expressed his excitement for the inclusion of the women’s category and Malaysia’s participation in it.
“We are thrilled to see the inclusion of the women’s category at SEA Games Cambodia 2023 for esports. As a nation, we are working tirelessly to empower and include more women athletes to be a part of esports. Our participation in the MLBB Women’s category is a clear indication of Malaysia’s intention to create opportunities for women in the esports arena. This aligns with the vision of YB Hannah Yeoh, Minister of Youth and Sports Malaysia, who has been a vocal advocate for women empowerment. We hope that our participation in the women’s category will inspire more women to pursue their dreams and excel in esports.”
It’s inspiring to see Malaysia taking steps towards inclusivity and empowering women in esports. We wish the Malaysian esports contingent all the best for the 32nd SEA Games, and we can’t wait to see the athletes in action!


You Can (Not) Miss Out On The New Evangelion: 3.0 + 1.0 Footage

The final installment of the so-called reboot of Evangelion called Rebuild of Evangelion is finally coming out in 2020. Not too long ago, the first ten minutes of Evangelion: 3.0 + 1.0 was screened at Japan Expo Paris 2019. There’s still no proper upload of the footage to be found but don’t worry, we’ve got the next best thing.

After the initial screening in Paris, the clip was very recently screened in other locations around Japan. Fans have taken this opportunity to record it at HD quality and putting the cherry on top, also provided English subtitles.
The previous video was taken down; here’s the FB version. Enjoy:
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/661673450910858/?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARAbzCXLv5RF4CF1DAu_ntKtPUydjRoUV2KnnY_46fHZ8a-eDObmuaIclkfcmgsbVm7UEtDFloa1GdXOVZ0CBzL7CKmvPv28pOZpyPrZULbO8SFXGOXem_Nrzp9NZYkBSQGHivC87ov7lws-iWotpB97HC8F1ScwOdqyQvFjYQrKbl5FVFjbhVIrHKKAJQ-6N9mfkSRjecHFov1y5GjxgMq4gSWqyG-G0z_W8Ap9NdG3Tg-sV5XzG73Dn7oSnLa0wrgPrV2ga7ICelbi7mk9mID6lA0Kqwz3uhO69bzUm4WVix56Ufj9cUSrZH6GKUI_oOaefO314x_uj4JTCtPLnTVhzkf7Iz1rHJPIGfIh&__tn__=-R


Dota Underlords Guide: How To Auto Battle To Victory

This guide is still in development…
Want to jump on-board the Auto Chess train but with actual Dota 2 characters and with the Valve seal of approval? Now’s the best time as any! Here’s a guide to get you through the basics and intermediate parts of the game.
The Basics

Each game of Dota Underlords will pit you against seven other players. You will only face one of them at a time, like as if you’re in a mini fighting game tournament. If this sounds familiar to Auto Chess, that’s because it pretty much is.Â

You will duel these players on a chessboard that you can place units upon. As each round begins, you will receive a selection of random heroes you can purchase from the shop using gold. Any units you buy go onto the bench thatâ€™s on the bottom of your screen and can be dragged onto the board. Once each player places their units on the board, they will attack their enemies automatically.
Reminder: as soon as you purchase your units and pieces, make sure to place them onto the board. The game won’t automatically put benched units onto the board if it’s empty.
Loot Horde

For the first three rounds, you’ll be fighting AI units, known as Creeps, to build up a stash of gold and some items you can use to develop your crew. After that, youâ€™ll face off against an actual player. Win, and youâ€™ll have your pick of three randomly rolled items to boost your team, whereas if you lose the game will decide which item you get.
You are guaranteed to get an item, which sets Dota Underlords apart from Auto Chess, where items appear more randomly and loot mobs are tougher than usual.
Every player has a health pool, and it will whittle away depending on how badly you lose and the stage of the game. As such,Â Dota Underlords is a case of using your items and money wisely to ensure that you are the last player standing.
Upgrading Levels & Units
Over the course of the game, you need to level your character up to the max level of ten, as each level gained will allow you to place another hero on the board. This is essential not just in terms of outnumbering your opponent, but also to form strong alliances between heroes.
If you look at any hero in Dota Underlords youâ€™ll spot that they have two icons by them, which represent their Dota Underlords alliances â€“ these are set bonuses you acquire by having multiple heroes from a single faction on the board at any given moment.
You can also upgrade heroes in Dota Underlords, which massively increases their damage output and survivability. To do this you need to acquire three copies of a single hero, which will consume all three and turn one hero into a two-star hero. You can then do the same upgrade if you manage to acquire three two-star copies of the same hero, which will create a three-star hero.
Spending Your Gold Wisely

Every round, you earn more cumulative gold either to buy units or to level up so that you can add more units on the board. So how do you earn gold fast?
Easy: spend less between rounds and save enough so you get some interest back.
Gold Basics
After the first five rounds in Dota Underlords youâ€™ll always be making a +5 gold after each round, regardless of whether you win your lose. Winning will always get you a bonus of +1 gold, but you can also go on a winning or losing streak that will earn you up to an additional + gold depending on how many consecutive wins or losses youâ€™ve recorded.
If you are on a winning streak you can earn up to +9 gold. Come off your streak and you’ll be on either +5 or +6 gold per round depending on your fortunes. However, it’s possible to earn +14 gold with each round in Dota Underlords through interest.
Interest Rates
If you have ten gold in your bank when you finish a round, you will get an additional +1 gold thrown on top of whatever you earn that round as interest. This increases by +1 gold for each multiple of ten gold you have in your bank between rounds, bringing the maximum gold you can earn each round through interest up to +5 gold.
Managing your spending and making the most out of interest is how you start earning large amounts of gold, reliably, each round. Even if you’re losing a lot of health, you can build up a pot of gold big enough to rapidly transform your fortunes if need be.
Breaking The Economy
You will not be eliminated within the first 20 rounds, so you should use this as an opportunity to set yourself up for the late game. Whether you choose to go after a win or loss streak bonus, pick one and commit to it so as to get your bank up to 50 gold as fast as possible.
Not every player can get the early game winning streak, so learning to recognize when youâ€™re on top early one is key. If youâ€™re not, then aim for the losing streak.
When it comes to spending in this phase, try not to spend any gold on rerolls at all until level six or seven. However, you can spend gold to level up to level seven â€“ donâ€™t rush it though. You want to be spending a little every other round during this phase, so your interest pot can grow and you can level up. Youâ€™ll also want at least one two-star hero or a fully-formed alliance like a Warrior or a Savage alliance.
When you approach the late game youâ€™ll want to invest heavily in re-rolling to upgrade your Dota Underlords heroes. Just be sure youâ€™re only spending within your means. If youâ€™re earning over ten gold per round then that should be very easy.
NEXT: Dota Underlords Alliance Tier List


Lawn Mower Simulator Lands On PlayStation

Curve Digital and Skyhook Games’ popular simulator and business management game Lawn Mowing Simulator has launched today on PS4 and PS5.
David Harper, Co-founder of Skyhook Games said:
“We’ve been so happy with the reaction to Lawn Mowing Simulator so far from Xbox and PC players. Lawn Mowing Simulator is lawn-mowing at its absolute best! Mowing a lawn well and efficiently is something we find immensely satisfying – and we’re delighted to be able to bring this to the PlayStation community allowing them to enjoy virtual lawn mowing in all its glory.”
The base game of Lawn Mowing Simulator is out now on PCs, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4 and PS5.
Experience the beauty and detail of mowing the Great British countryside in Lawn Mowing Simulator, the only simulator that allows you to ride a genuine and expansive roster of real-world licensed lawn mowers from prestigious manufacturers; Toro, SCAG and STIGA as you manage your mowing business.


Will Bayonetta 3 Be Out For PS5 and Xbox Series? “It’s Up To Nintendo” Says Game Director

Platinum Games executive director Hideki “Loves Twitter Block Button” Kamiya has commented on the Nintendo Switch exclusivity of Bayonetta 3.
For those keeping track, Bayonetta 2 is a Nintendo exclusive after Sega seemingly ditched the IP. Nintendo is the company that funded and published Bayonetta 2’s creation, so obviously, it’s a Wii U and Nintendo Switch exclusive. Seeing as Bayonetta 3 is being produced and funded by Nintendo once again, it’s only fitting that the third game will be a Nintendo Switch exclusive.
So will part 3, or even part 2, ever come out for Xbox Series and PlayStation 5? Of course not, but it’s better to hear it from Kamiya himself (via Twitter & Nintendo Everything).
Just like with Bayonetta 2, weâ€™re developing Bayonetta 3 with funding from Nintendo. We are only involved in development. All decisions about the final product are up to Nintendo. So feel free to send your requests of â€˜release the game on other consolesâ€™ to Nintendo. If Nintendo asks us to port the game to PS5, we might do that.
I mean, I guess the likelihood of Bayonetta 2 and 3 coming to PS5 and Xbox isnâ€™t impossible â€“ itâ€™s Nintendoâ€™s decision. By that same logic, itâ€™s not impossible that games like Mario and Zelda could be show up on PS5 or whatever. So good luck sending passionate pleas to Nintendo and trying to get that to happenâ€¦ If I were you, Iâ€™d simply buy a Switch.
Long story short: if you want Bayonetta 3, buy a Nintendo Switch. The Nintendo exclusive hyper-action game will be out in 2022.


New Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Commercial Has Two Jokers Playing The Game

Ahead of the release of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, EA has published a new video ad that brings the best of two different generations.
In this new ad titled Jedi Coaching Sessions, we see OG Jedi actor Mark Hamill showing Jedi: Survivor main actor Cameron Monaghan how to use the way of the Force, at least in an acting sense. The results are hilarious, as how these commercials with two prominent stars usually go.
It’s also endearing to see the actors for one of Batman’s most prominent villain sharing the spotlight. For those who don’t know, the actor for Cal Kestis -Cameron Monaghan- has played the role of The Joker in TV show Gotham, while Mark Hamill is renowned for his VO as The Joker in the Batman: The Animated Series in the 90s. So yeah, it’s really cool to have both Jedi and Jokers play off each other in this funny Jedi Coaching Sessions video.
Check out the full ad below:

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will be out today on 28 April for PC, Xbox Series, and PlayStation 5. Check out our glowing review here.


Riot Games Will Open New Game Development Studio In Singapore

Good news, budding Singaporean game developers and technical experts. Riot Games is opening a new development studio in Singapore.Â
The Singapore studio will be focusing on upcoming games while also supporting existing titles like League of Legends. This office’s dev team will be lead by studio head Nathan Beemer. The studio will open officially later this year, but right now, the company is hiring positions for League of Legends, Legends of Runeterra, Valorant, and its upcoming fighting game codenamed Project L.
Examples of roles include 3D Art Lead for Project L, Character Concept Art Lead for Project L, and Environmental Art Lead for Project L. Yeah, I’m kinda fixated on Project L, but this is probably the only time I’ll ever be interested in League of Legends’ copy-pasta lore.
This marks the second time the company has opened a new development studio in Asia; the first was in Hong Kong back in 2016. Here’s the official statement about Singapore’s soon-to-happen office.

“Weâ€™ve been blown away by our Hong Kong studioâ€™s performance and that success has encouraged us to continue expanding our presence in Asia. As we invested resources in the region, we recognized that launching a studio in Singapore while maintaining a strong presence in Hong Kong will accelerate the development of new games across the entire company.
Having multiple studios in Asia will enable us to grow our development teams while ensuring we continue to create awesome experiences for players. Weâ€™re looking forward to what the future holds.”


Street Fighter 6: Jamie Move List & Guide

Street Fighter 6 is coming out on 2nd June, which is just less than a month away. As such, the game’s roster for its launch is set with 18 characters, each with their various playstyles.
In this entry, we’ll be focusing on Jamie, the kungfu fighter who gets stronger the more he drinks his special concoction.
Note: This guide is still in development.
All inputs are in numpad notations. For example, Hadouken from player 1’s starting side is 236P.
Attack buttons are as follows: LP, MP, HP are light punch, medium punch, and heavy punch respectively. LK, MK, and HK are light kick, medium kick, and heavy kick respectively. None of this Fierce or Roundhouse bulls*** in Asia.
Info & video credits: Fighting Game Anniversaries, WoolieVS, FlawlessDeku, Capcom

Street Fighter 6 Jamie Overview

“Mr. Top Player” Jamie falls under the category of a drunken fighter. He has a knack for stringing together some mind-boggling combos and enhancing their own power and abilities by taking swigs from a trusty jug.
And trust us: you want to have him drinking for his buffs. He gets new moves, his existing moves are better and give him more frame advantage, and he has more follow-ups to his rushdown. He isn’t as powerful when the round starts, and his Drink Counter resets at the start of each round, so you need to manually build that resource up to get ahead with this kungfu top player.
Play If: You like the fight up-close, you like drunken kung fu style, prefer rushdown with some flair.
Avoid If: You don’t like characters who need manual buffs, prefer defensive tactics.

Street Fighter 6 Jamie Move List

Special Attacks
The Devil Inside: 22P. Hold the button to extend the move’s duration. Take out a gourd for a swig of a ki-unleashing drink. Raise your drink level with higher levels unlocking access to additional moves. Sneak this in when you’re far away from a non-zoner type character.
When his Drink Counter is full, Jamie’s hair is all down and he staggers in his idle animation, which is a telltale sign for everyone that he has surprise follow-ups for all his moves and that his Freeflow Strikes/Kicks deal more damage & are safe on block.
When his Drink Counter is full, if you use 22P, you restore your Drive Gauge instead (applies to normal and Burnout state).
Freeflow Strikes: 236P>6P>6P. Effect changes at drink level 4 or higher. Move forward while performing three attacks with your fists. Useful for starting combos from regular attacks.
Freeflow Kicks: 236P>6K>6K. Perform an attack with your fists followed by a sequence of kicking attacks. Your drink level will go up once all parts of the move have finished. We suggest you use this more to get the Drink Counter up ASAP.
Swagger Step: 214P. Quickly lunge toward your opponent and strike with the heel of your palm. Useful as a surprise attack that closes the distance with your opponent.
Arrow Kick: 623K. Launch your opponent into the air with a kick, and then use the recoil to follow up with a flying kick. Useful as an anti-air counter to an opponent’s jumping attacks and as a way to close out combos.
Luminous Dive Kick: 214K. During a jump. Drink level 1 or higher. While jumping, extend your leg and quickly descend to the ground. Useful as a surprise attack, or as a way to approach your opponent.
Bakkai: 236K. Drink level 2 or higher. A series of rotating, upside-down kicks while sliding along the ground. This move does big damage, and is useful when performing combos against opponents that have left themselves wide open.
Tenshin: 63214K. Drink level 3 or higher. When near opponent. A throw that stops the opponent’s movements by thrusting a finger in front of their eyes. After the hit connects, it can be followed up with a swift attack.
Swagger Hermit Punch: 214P>6P. Drink level 4 or higher. A follow-up attack performed out of Swagger Step, unleashing an even more devastating strike with the heel of your palm. It does very high damage, making it particularly powerful in combos or as a surprise attack.
Super Arts
Breakin’ (Level 1 Super Art): 236236K. Hold 2 to change effect. A sequence of acrobatic rotating kicks at high speed. During the attack, keep holding down to raise your drink level.
The Devil’s Song (Level 2 Super Art): 214214P. A useful install that gives Jamie access to his entire moveset without needing to slowly accumulate drinks. The Super activation itself is good for applying pressure to force a mixup, or for extending a combo. Keep in mind that the Drink Counter resets to zero when the round ends, so you really need to push the offense once this install is used.
Getsuga Saiho (Level 3 Super Art): 236236P. More powerful when vitality is at 25% or below. While the move itself is pretty flashy, what’s more important is the fact that you can follow up the move after its finished, as the move concludes with the opponent being launched into the air. There’s room for experimentation on how to combo after the move, but an easy follow-up if your opponent is in the corner and you’re at drink level 2 is an Overdrive Bakkai immediately after the Getsuga Saiho is over.
Unique Attacks
Tensei Kick: 2K+K. A launching kick that can immediately be jumped out of on hit.
Phantom Sway: 2HK>HK>P. A sequence of attacks, the first of which cannot be blocked standing. Your drink level will go up after the part of the attack where you take drink in complete.
Falling Star Kick: 6MK. An overhead attack that cannot be blocked while crouching.
Hermit’s Elbow: 4HP. An elbow strike that can be cancelled into Super Arts. This move’s effect changes at drink level 3, making it more powerful.
Senei Kick: 6HK. A lunging kick that can be cancelled into Super Arts. This move’s effect changes at drink level 4, making it more powerful.
Bitter Strikes: LP>LK>MP. Drink level 1 or higher. A quick series of attacks that can be cancelled into special moves.
Full Moon Kick: 6MK>MK>P. Drink level 2 or higher. a sequence of attacks, the first of which cannot be blocked crouching. Your drink level will go up after the part of the attack where you take a drink is complete.
Intoxicated Assault: 4HP>HP>HK. Drink level 3 or higher. A counter followed by a sequence of attacks.
Ransui Haze: 6HK>4HK>P. Drink level 4 or higher. Bewilder your opponent while falling back. The move’s behaviour will change depending on the timing of your input while falling back.


This Week’s Borderlands 3 Black Market Vending Machine Weapons Are Ace

Borderlands 3’s Maurice Black Market Vending Machine this week (14 January) is definitely worth hunting for, especially after the past few week’s disappointing offerings.
How To Find This Week’s Black Market Vending Machine
You’ll have to head over to Meridian Metroplex in Promethea. Take a vehicle and drive out the runway, then head northeast past the coffee place. The location is marked at the bottom:

The Legendary guns available on this week’s machine are:

Brainstormer Shotgun
Krovvy Ogre Assault Rifle
Free Radical Pistol

That’s right: the best pistol in the game is available now for purchasing. This gun is perfect for all your Vault Hunters, so go get it if you haven’t. The gun is Shock elemental always and spawns homing projectiles on impact if you fire a bullet. That means a ton of projectiles on your target’s way, which is always a plus.
For more on Borderlands’ next sequel, read up on Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands here.


Ron Gilbert Is Making A New Monkey Island Game For 2022

Are adventure games making a comeback in 2022? Seems like it, based on this retro-laced piece of news.
Ron Gilbert, the original writer and director of the 2D point-and-click Monkey Island adventure series  (the first two anyway) will be making a new follow-up called Return to Monkey Island. It’ll be published by LucasFilm Games and Devolver Digital, and will be led by Gilbert and his studio Terrible Toybox.

Introducing Return to Monkey Island, a new game by Ron Gilbert coming in 2022. https://t.co/6ys3jdcWGU pic.twitter.com/cOFJSW2JDc
— Lucasfilm Games (@LucasfilmGames) April 4, 2022

Other ex-Monkey Island developers and creators returning to Return To Monkey Island include Dave Grossman (writer, programmer), Dominic Armato (the voice of Guybrush Threepwood), and composers Michael Land, Peter McConnell, and Clint Bajakian. Return To Monkey Island will be out sometime in 2022. The game’s art style and designer will be Rex Crowle, who was behind LittleBigPlanet and Tearaway.
The Monkey Island series started with the 1990 title The Secret of Monkey Island for PC (DOS). The game and its sequels follow the comedic pirate-laced misadventures of pirate wannabe Guybrush Threepwood, featuring voodoo, ghost pirates led by adversary LeChuck, insult sword fighting, and a plethora of curses and hijinxes. The last Monkey Island game was Telltale Games’ Tales of Monkey Island back in 2009. So it’s pretty awesome to hear that the series is making a comeback in 2022.


Overwatch League All-Access Pass Rewards Now Redeemable in-Game

The rewards for the Overwatch League All-Access Pass for May is now redeemable in-game. Teased at the end of Stage 3, the twelve ‘away hero skins’ is now available for selection for those who signed up for the All-Access Pass. Not sure what the deal entail? We discussed it in depth here.
If you have signed up, head over to Twitch, sync your Twitch account with your Blizzard account (if you haven’t already) and click the ‘Redeem’ button.
Anyway here are the twelve new ‘away Overwatch League skins’ accessible for All Access pass holders (pics courtesy of INSTALOCKANA):


Here’s Your First Look At Geralt’s Back & White Mane In This Witcher Netflix Poster & Stills

Netflix’s The Witcher TV series will be out later this year. Which means it’s high time we get an official poster or picture of this adaptation of a video game series that’s an adaptation of a Pollack book.
True enough, Netflix just did. The tagline? “The worst monsters are the ones we create”. Also we get to see Henry Cavill (or someone who has the same build and height) posing his back as Geralt of Rivia, slayer of monsters and porker of witches, lady magic users, and more.

Which begs the question: where the hell is his other sword. Usually, witchers carry two: one to kill humans and one to slay monsters. Maybe it’s on his trusty steed Roach who is off-screen.
We also have some official stills from the TV show, featuring Geralt and probably Yennefer. We still wonder where the heck Geralt’s beard is.

The upcoming Netflix series will be adapting the Witcher books, but you know damn well everyone’s going to watch it because of the super-popular third game which is going for super-cheap on Steam right now. We’ll find out more about the series come 19th July at San Diego Comic Con.


Invincible Season 2 Trailer Reveals Late 2023 Release Window

Amazon Prime Video has announced that Invincible Season 2 will premiere sometime in late 2023. This announcement came via a new teaser trailer that features a conversation between Mark Grayson AKA Invincible (Steven Yeun) and Allen The Alien (Seth Rogen) in a Burger Mart.
Created by Robert Kirkman (and artists Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley), Invincible revolves around 17-year-old Mark Grayson who learns that he has inherited incredible powers from his superhero alien father, Omni-Man. The comic series ran for 144 issues from 2003 to 2018, with many spinoffs and its own cohesive shared universe.
The first season of Invincible premiered back in March 2021, which is now almost two years ago. We’re looking forward to seeing more of Invincible.
In the meantime, check out our review of the first season here, or head on over here for what comics to check out while waiting for Invincible Season 2.
Check out the teaser below:


Blizzard Co-Founder Forms New Games Company

Former Blizzard president and co-founder Mike Morhaime has announced that he has formed a new games company; Dreamhaven. Morhaime himself will be CEO of Dreamhaven, while his wife, Amy Morhaime, will be head of operations.
Dreamhaven will serve as a parent company which publishes and supports its internal game development studios. Alongside Dreamhaven, Morhaime has also formed two new game studios under the new company; Moonshot and Secret Door.

According to Gamesindustry.biz, Moonshot is led by former Blizzard executive producer Jason Chayes, former StarCraft 2 and Heroes of the Storm game director Dustin Browder, and former Hearthstone creative director Ben Thompson.
Meanwhile, Secret Door is led by former Hearthstone executive producer Chris Sigaty, former Hearthstone game director Eric Dodds, and former Blizzard technical director and game director Alan Dabiri.
Morhaime stepped down from his role as president of BlizzardÂ in late 2018, with Allen Brack replacing him since then. He finally left the games giant that he co-founded later in April 2019.
In a statement, Morhaime said:
“I’m excited to team up with such talented people who care deeply about games and their communities. I’ve always believed in the power of games to bring people together regardless of backgrounds or boundaries. With Dreamhaven, we look forward to creating and sharing new experiences with players everywhere.”
It will be interesting to what Dreamhaven, Moonshot and Secret Door will have in store for gamers in the future, especially with the level of talent and experience available in those studios.


Here’s When You’ll Get to Try FIFA19 Demo & Extra Details

Keep your September free, folks as we have info on FIFA 19’s Demo release.
As we all know, the game is set to hit shelves at the end of September, on the 28th. The demo however will be available for all on September the 11th – over two weeks prior to the game’s final release.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX0AV6yxyrQ&w=560&h=315]
If you’ve been keeping track of world football transfers, FIFA19’s cover athlete, Cristiano Ronaldo recently changed clubs in a 112M Euros transfer which saw him moving from Real Madrid to Italian outfit Juventus. Trust EA Sport to swap CR7’s shirt in the next trailer which would accurately depict this.
However, sad news for those who own older-gen consoles though as FIFA19 won’t be available for the PS3 and Xbox 360. But this isn’t much of a surprise considering the same game on the older gens have many features missing which deemed them totally inferior to the actual final product. FIFA 19 is set to be available on PS4, Xbox One, PC and most probably Nintendo Switch.
The list of playable teams in the demo was also released – an interesting scenario here as no MLS nor national teams were included:

Atletico Madrid
Borussia Dortmund
FC Bayern
Juventus
Manchester City
Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain
Real Madrid
Tottenham Hotspur

Utilising the Frosbite engine, expect lifelike realism, weather effects and all the bells and whistles which would be improvements from the franchise’s past iterations. The Journey makes another appearance and for the first time ever, EA Sports have won the rights to use UEFA’s premier competition, the UEFA Champions League in their game. EA Sports’ rival, Konami have had the monopoly of it in past years and if you are interested to know what they’ve been up to, we have it covered as well.
Lastly, make sure to leave some adequate space in your rig, as the demo requires about 7.3GB of space for the PS4 and a slightly bulkier 8GB for the Xbox One. No info yet for PC players, but an educated guess should put the PC demo under the 10GB mark.
For information on Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 demo, we have all the info here as well.Â


New AKIRA Anime In The Works, Produced By Sunrise

2020 and 2021 will perhaps be some of the best years for cyberpunk.
During a panel at Anime Expo 2019 (AX 2019), AKIRA creator Katsuhiro Otomo announced that a new AKIRA anime is being produced by studio Sunrise and it won’t be a sequel. No other details have been revealed.
Otomo also announced that a 4K remaster of the 1988 film will be released in Japanese theaters in 2020. Coupled with the 2021 release of Taika Watiti’s live-action adaptation, we might be getting three AKIRA films in the next two years. No, there’s no such thing as too much cyberpunk.

It’s entirely possible that we’ll get an AKIRA anime series instead which would make more sense. The manga was about 2,000 pages long and ended two years after the 1988 film was released. Due to this, Otomo worked on the ending of the film first before anything else.
If you’re lucky enough to attend AX 2019 or just saw pictures posted online, you might have noticed a gigantic banner showcasing Otomo’s newest film project.

I made it to Anime Expo 2019 after some interviews and found this joy waiting for me. What you got, Katsuhiro Otomo?? pic.twitter.com/lwOOEKHXTZ
â€” Megan Peters ðŸ”œ AX 2019 (@meganpeterscb) July 3, 2019

It was revealed during the same panel that the film will be titled Orbital Era, also produced by Sunrise.

The film takes place in the near future and will either be based on our reality or one that’s very similar to ours. As shown in the banner, the Russian abbreviation “CCCP” is written on the character’s headgear.
For us cyberpunk fans, the future looks bright. Neon bright. Also, why not buy this replica of Kaneda’s Jacket in lieu of the film’s 30th anniversary? Preorders will begin this month, as the jacket will be shipped out this fall.

In celebration of the Akira movie's 30th anniversary, we're releasing an exclusive authentic leather replica of Kaneda's jacket!
Preorders will begin this month, with jackets shipping out this fall. pic.twitter.com/vy3Sf6UKHg
— Funimation (@Funimation) July 4, 2019


Vanillaware’s Next Big Fantasy Title Is Almost Finished

Vanillaware, the company behind the critically-acclaimed visual novel-slash-strategy title 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, is almost done with its newest title.
According to founder George Kamitani (via Nintenderos), the fantasy game that the company teased back in 2019 is at the end of development. It’s also going to be the company’s biggest game yet.
“In March 2019, for reasons I won’t get into, we released only the prologue of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, but it did include a video of our next title in it. And now, it’s finally finished.
While I’m not the director of that title, it’s one of Vanillaware’s biggest productions, so please look forward to it.”
Kamitani also said that he’s working on another title, but it won’t be finished for several years.
“Lastly, the title I’m working on right now won’t be finished for several years, but once that big title I’m telling you about is finished, I should get some development staff, so development of my project will finally move into full swing.”
Vanillaware’s recent game, 13 Sentinels, is out right now for PS4 and Nintendo Switch. It’s one of the company’s best titles so far due to its epic sci-fi plot and fun strategy gameplay.


E3 2019: Rainbow Six Siege Operation Phantom Sight Now Live, Brings Two New Operators

At E3 2019, Ubisoft announced that Operation Phantom Sight, the second season of Tom Clancyâ€™s Rainbow Six Siege Year 4, is now live for players on the PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The new season will bring two new Operators, a reworked map, and a bunch of improvements/updates.
NÃ¸kk

NÃ¸kk is the new Attacker that can activate the HEL Presence Reduction gadget. Drones, Bulletproof Cameras, Evil Eyes, and other observation tools will thus be unable to register NÃ¸kkâ€™s presence as she roams through the map, unseen. Her footsteps will be silenced as she stalks opposing Operators, unheard.
Warden

Warden, the new Defender, uses the Glance Smart Glasses gadget that can prevent him from being blinded by flash effects, cleanse existing flash blindness and gain visibility through the smoke. As long as he remains stationary, he can quickly turn a disadvantageous situation to his favor by activating his glasses, catching the approaching Attackers off guard.
Rainbow Six Siege Operation Phantom Sight will also include a complete rework of the Kafe Dostoyevsky map and the following improvements:

Upgraded Reverse Friendly Fire: Now takes into consideration the actions of an entire squad. It is now possible to activate the Reverse Friendly Fire feature for an entire squad if they are consistently hurting their teammates.
Complete redesign of the shop front for a smoother and more enjoyable experience
Improvements to Ranked Mode to make it more competitive and closer to the Pro League format: Pick & Ban, 3-round rotations and the Bomb game mode will now be the standard for all Ranked matches.
New skins: The Lesion prototype Elite skin is perfect to dish out some real venomous attacks with its cutting-edge technology alongside the abyssal Destroyer, dutiful Secret Star and vicious Strike Force weapon skins.

Owners of the Rainbow Six Siege Year 4 Pass can play with the new Operators starting today while the rest of the players will be able to unlock these Operators starting from 18 June 2019 using Renown or R6 Credits.
Check out the trailer for Rainbow Six Siege Operation Phantom Sight below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqrITQ3dfjo&w=560&h=315]


Top 10 Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare Tips For Multiplayer

It’s really no surprise the latest Call of Duty is doing great sales-wise: it’s the most requested title since the Modern Warfare trilogy 10 years or so ago. This “reboot” of sorts goes back to basics with its single-player and multiplayer modes while also adding in great feedback and tactical elements to make sure you can’t go into the game guns ablazing.
In short, if you play this like Call ofÂ  Duty: Black Ops, you may get a higher losing streak than before. You have to play this Modern Warfare by its rules and feel; the game’s quick kill times can lead to a lot of frustrating deaths on your part. With our guide, you can minimize that.
1. Keep Movement To A Minimum
The series’ run and gunning tactics of yore will not work here thanks to the game’s intentionally sprawling and cluttered maps. First, slow your movements down and take extra care when going around corners or areas with high player traffic.
Running makes a huge amount of noise and your heavy footsteps will often give away your position long before youâ€™ve even been seen. This can prove to be particularly frustrating at first, but once you minimize your use of the sprint button, youâ€™ll find that your games will go a lot smoother. Modern Warfareâ€™s quick time to kill (TTK)Â favours a more methodical approach to combat. In otherÂ  words, useÂ  sprint if:

you are dashing to cover,
you are aggressively flanking,
you have the Dead Silence field upgrade active.

2. Sweep Your Surroundings
Death comes swiftly in Modern Warfare. In fact, the kill times are so fast that you can rack up a pretty hefty number of deaths if youâ€™re not paying close attention to your surroundings.
Unlike the previous games in the series, Modern Warfare throws out the wacky 360 no scopes and replaces them with a more methodical approach to combat. While drop-shotting and corner jumping are still rife in the gameâ€™s multiplayer lobbies, there is very little incentive to actually running around the map in search of kills.
After all, the vast majority of maps feature plenty of places that enemy players can use to ambush you when youâ€™re caught out in the open, so itâ€™s often best to ADS and check your surroundings before moving to your next location. Protip:Â  using the “mount” option at corners help since you’ll be ready to fire at something.
Try to always plan your route and make sure you have plenty of cover when youâ€™re advancing your way through the map. Not only will this give you the edge you need to punish aggressive players, but it will also help keep any frustrating deaths that come from unexpected places to a minimum.
3. Tinker Around With The Gunsmith Menu
There are so many customization options available in Modern Warfare that it can be a little tricky to choose which attachments to use on your gun. So let’s do our best to sort you out.

You can customize everything from the weaponâ€™s muzzle, barrel, laser, optics, stock, underbarrel, ammunition, rear grip, and even perks.
Youâ€™ll unlock more attachments as you level up your weapon, giving you even greater opportunities to change the way your favourite guns both perform and handle.

However, before you go fitting any old attachment, itâ€™s important to understand each partâ€™s strengths and weaknesses.
For example, the M4A1â€™s 4.0x Flip Hybrid optic may give you greater accuracy when engaging foes at mid to long-range distances, but it takes a long time to aim down your sights. If you combine this with the Tactical Suppressor the time to ADS will increase even further, making you incredibly vulnerable whenever you go to aim.
Every attachment has its own strengths and weaknesses, so itâ€™s vital that you strike a good balance when customizing each weapon. After all, the wrong combination of attachments can turn a finely tuned gun into an unwieldy beast that will result in far more deaths than kills.
4. Change Your LoadoutsÂ  Mid-Game
One of the best quality of life changes in Modern Warfare is the ability to edit your loadouts on the fly. If you happen to grow tired of using certain weapons or want to mix up your playstyle completely, then you can switch out your current guns, attachments and perks during any match.
Thereâ€™s no need to worry about equipping your new gear and perks before loading into a game, so take your time and adjust your loadout whenever you see fit. This option is particularly useful when you want to try out any loadout combinations youâ€™ve been killed with.
The latest instalment now allows players to copy enemy loadouts from the kill cam feed, giving you the opportunity to see how potent your foeâ€™s particular setup is. Revenge has never been so sweet.

5. Use Field Upgrades
Field Upgrades are the latest addition to Call of Dutyâ€™s loadouts and they can be used in combat to give you an edge over your opponents. These game-changing skills are unlocked as you rank up in the gameâ€™s multiplayer, giving players plenty of options when it comes to creating numerous playstyles.
There are currently nine Field Upgrades to choose from and each one brings something different to the table. For example, the Munitions Box supplies yourself and your team with ammo, while the Recon Drone spots enemies for your allies. Each one of these Field Upgrades has its own advantages and itâ€™s imperative that you get in the habit of using them when theyâ€™re active.
Every skill has differing recharge rates and naturally become available as you play through each match. Certain Field Upgrades like the deadly Stopping Power Rounds can even bolster your weaponâ€™s damage, giving you increased lethality at the cost of lengthy recharge times. In otherÂ  words, donâ€™t be afraid to experiment with each skill and interchange them when things arenâ€™t working out.
6. GoÂ  For Headshots
While it only takes a few well-placed body shots to stop an enemy dead in their tracks, itâ€™s often best to try aim for headshots in every engagement. Being able to take out opponents with highly accurate rounds to the head is absolutely massive, especially when you happen to find yourself in 2v1 or 3v1 situations.
Aiming for headshots wonâ€™t just increase your overall lethality, it will give you the edge needed to win incredibly close firefights. While certain guns are already dominating the virtual battlefields of Modern Warfare thanks to their overall DPS and ease of use, they wonâ€™t give you the power needed to beat those who can actually aim.Â After all, almost any gun can outclass the very best weapons when youâ€™re aiming for headshots.
To make matters even better, youâ€™ll be able to punish any players that attempt to abuse any pesky head glitches. Just like inÂ  Counter-Strike: GO, try to always keep your sights at headshot level when sweeping corners and checking windows, as this will allow you to instantly zap onto enemies without the need to drastically adjust your aim.
7. Get Used WithÂ  Iron Sights
If you want to increase your kills and reduce any deaths, then you’dÂ better be prepared to spend a lot of time staring down your weaponâ€™s sights.
Quick kill times mean that accuracy is more important than ever, especially when using the gameâ€™s single-shot rifles and snipers. It can often be tempting to simply burst down enemies with hip fire, but the huge penalty to weapon accuracy makes it completely inefficient unless the enemy runs into the barrel of your gun.
Even the gameâ€™s SMGs perform poorly when fired from the hip, often spurting out bullets in all directions before eventually landing the shots needed to down a target. While aiming down the sights may take an extra second, the added increase in accuracy makes it well worth the wait.
The time needed to ADS can also be shortened or lengthened depending on the sights and weapon attachments you use, so try out the different customization options until you find a loadout youâ€™re comfortable with.
8. Pay Attention To Your Objectives
Thereâ€™s nothing more frustrating than playing objective-based game modes and seeing your teammates running around the map in search of kills.
While racking up high killstreaks and inflating your K/D may be great in Team Deathmatch (TDM) and Ground War, it wonâ€™t secure you a win if youâ€™re not prepared to help lock down control points.
When queuing up for games of Domination and Headquarters, your focus should be on controlling the various zones dotted around the map, and supplying your team with as many points as possible without handing the objectives over to your enemy.
Setting up defensive zones is incredibly easy in Modern Warfare and the tactical nature of the game actually favours this approach to combat, allowing you to effectively rack up high amounts of kills by simply playing the objective. Capturing individual positions will also reward you with huge amounts of experience, allowing you to quickly gain access to new weapon and perk unlocks.
Â 9. Be Tactical With Doors
While this gameplay mechanic may seem rather small at first, it does bring a lot of tactical depth to the multiplayer experience. You can either burst doors down by sprinting at them, peek inside when aiming down sights or simply open them normally with the action button.
Each of these mechanics has its own advantages and you should think carefully before entering a room. For example, bursting through a door may give you the element of surprise needed to shock enemy players inside, but the loud noise will also alert all nearby foes.
Meanwhile, peeking a door allows you to throw in a flashbang or grenade, but is considerably slower, giving your target more than enough time to send a few bullets whizzing your way. You can even bait enemy players into a room by making a ruckus before placing some claymores and watching as they fall into an explosive trap.

10. Get Used To Flanking & Being Flanked
With the added noise from footsteps and overall defensive nature of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, it can be tempting to simply hunker up in a corner or nearby building and wait for your enemies to come to you. However, you can net yourself some pretty easy kills if youâ€™re willing to sneak behind enemy lines.
The current pool of maps favour medium to long-distance firefights, rewarding those that aim their sights on specific choke points or hotly contested areas of the battlefield. As a result, the majority of players simply choose to keep their movements to a minimum, often tunnel visioning one major area.
This camping playstyle may seem annoying at first, but it makes these players easy targets for aggressive flanking. Make sure you equip a loadout with Dead Silence, Cold-Blooded and Ghost to avoid being detected by enemy radars and keep your movements concealed. Once youâ€™ve circled round to the back of the map, itâ€™s time to let the fireworks begin.
Serenade your unaware targets with a deadly cocktail of explosives and gunfire, before slinking back into the shadows. Rinse and repeat until your enemies fall.


E3 2019: Microsoft Buys Double Fine Productions

In a pretty surprising move during Xbox’s E3 2019 presentation, Microsoft announced that they’ve purchased Double Fine, the game studio that made Psychonauts, Broken Age, and the upcoming Psychonauts sequel.
In a video explaining their reason and rationale, CEO Tim Schafer said that Double Fine will still honour its crowdfunding-related commitments for Psychonauts 2 and its future games. Which means the sequel will be out for PC, Linux, Mac, PS4, and Xbox (duh).
What this move means is that the team can now focus on making the games they want and not worry about securing funding and doing pitches to different publishers. Time will tell if Double Fine can last under Microsoft’s thumb for longer than a year.

Also, do check out the latest Psychonauts 2 gameplay trailer; it looks like an up-rezzed 3D platformer made by Tim Burton, but with a lot more magenta and purple. Not a bad thing considering that the focus on Psychonauts 2 is its writing and witty banter.


Here’s More New Info On Halo Infinite, From Weather Systems To Equipment Upgrades

343 Industries, the folks behind the upcoming first-person sci-fi shooter Halo Infinite, just published a new video talking about what’s going on with the game.
The video is 44 minutes long, so here’s a quick recap of what’s in store and what’s important:

Halo Infinite will feature a day and night cycle, which comes with dynamic weather and will affect patrols. For example, Grunts will be asleep at night, but Phantoms will be on the prowl with searchlights turned on.
Speaking of weather, the game will feature a wind and fog system, with snowstorms and storms coming in post-launch. This will no doubt affect how your Spartans fight and how guns function in campaign and multiplayer.
Your equipment can be upgraded in the campaign mode. However, weapon upgrades were scrapped.
Halo Infinite will not feature dual-wielding.
Areas in the Zeta Halo Ring (where all the action is) include a Pacific northwest-esque area, the Deadlands, swampy wetlands, hexagonal caves, Forerunner structures, and banished bases.
The game’s graphics are being revamped & reworked following heavy feedback from last year.
You can fly a Wasp in the game.
It is possible to knock things off of the edge of the Zeta Halo ring during a mission. You just need patience, luck, and skill.
The game will feature Space Gophers.

Full video below. Halo Infinite will be out in 2021 for Xbox Series.


Disney’s Wish Gets Magical First Trailer, Coming This November

Walt Disney Animation Studios has unveiled the first trailer for Wish. The animated movie will premiere in cinemas on 22 November 2023.
The trailer introduces 17-year-old Asha, the powerful King Magnifico, Asha’s pet goat Valentino, and Star, a celestial ball of boundless energy that Asha’s wish calls down from the sky. It also features a snippet of the song “This Wish,” performed by Ariana DeBose; it’s one of several new songs written by Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice for the film.
In “Wish,” Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe—the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico—to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.
Featuring the voices of Academy Award-winning actor Ariana DeBose as Asha, Chris Pine as Magnifico, and Alan Tudyk as Asha’s favourite goat, Valentino, the film is helmed by Oscar-winning director Chris Buck (“Frozen,” “Frozen 2”) and Fawn Veerasunthorn (“Raya and the Last Dragon”), produced by Peter Del Vecho (“Frozen,” “Frozen 2”) and co-produced by Juan Pablo Reyes (“Encanto”).
Jennifer Lee (“Frozen,” “Frozen 2”) executive produces—Lee and Allison Moore (“Night Sky,” “Manhunt”) are writers on the project with original songs by Grammy®-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer/songwriter/musician Benjamin Rice, plus score by composer Dave Metzger.
The all-new musical-comedy welcomes audiences to Rosas, a fantastical land located off the Iberian Peninsula.
Co-director Chris Buck said:
“Our heroine, Asha, lives in Rosas, known as the kingdom of wishes. People come from everywhere to give their wishes to a magical king who promises to grant their deepest desires—someday. Only he can decide which wishes will come true and when.”
Co-director Veerasunthorn said:
“We have been inspired by so many iconic films over Disney Animation’s 100 years, especially stories where we explore the power of someone with a wish, combined with the conviction to make that wish come true. Being able to honor that legacy with this incredible story and these amazing characters has been a joy for our entire team.”
Check out the trailer below:


Spiritfarer’s Message About Death & Goodbyes Will Leave You An Emotional Wreck

Platforms: Xbox Series, Xbox One, PC
Genre: Relaxing management simulation on boat, but…
No one lives forever. Unfortunately, that is a fact about life. So we have to make do with what we have and build our legacy as best we can. Or just live carefree; it’s really up to a person, anyway.
Spiritfarer is an indie game about dying and how to come to terms with the inevitable. You play a ferrymaster named Stella who is given the task to build a boat to explore the world and care for the spirits (who morph in animal furry form when they’re on your boat), helping them with their final wishes. Once you’re done completing their errands & quests, feeding them their favourite food(s), making them feel at home with the amenities you can build on your ever-growing boat, you will eventually have to figuratively bring them to the back of the shed and off them.

It’s less gruesome than that, obviously; you just have to head down to the Everdoor, accompany them, and send them to the great beyond. And then the game hits you with its key message: death is a-coming for these spirits, but you still have a chance to help them out somewhat. Whether it’s for some self-fulfillment or other ulterior motives, it’s up to you to interpret within the 20+ hour boat ride.
Spirits Within
What is the game exactly? It’s a 2D platformer with Metroidvania and management simulation bits combined. You have to build facilities & stack them up to create and grow resources like food, metal, and all sorts of crafting materials. You also have to do some platforming here and there to find outside resources and powerups to make you navigate and explore the world better. There’s also menial routines like fishing for food, creating fabrics, smelting metals and ores, and crushing objects to build whatever that needs building to placate your ever-grumbling spirits.
But here’s the thing: you want to do it to progress further into the game’s cozy yet somber narrative. The passengers in question range from a rich city girl to a pair of former lovers, to even an uncle you know who loves food and woodwork. There’s even a grandmother archetype who will probably make a majority of players cry their hearts out once you eventually send her away.
And then when they’re gone, the houses and facilities you built for them remain. As you keep the good ship sailing, you will miss the spirits you sent to the great beyond, reminded of their foibles, their quirks, and their chatter. All of this is accompanied by lovely artwork and great relaxing music, combined together for a chill and relaxing atmosphere. Heck, even the monsters you come across aren’t exactly antagonistic; they have a problem, and they need your help fixing it so that they can go back to being friends again.
The game itself isn’t that challenging, but it’s meant to evoke a sense of building and commitment like your Stardew Valley-type management games; most of the fun is to see how your ship grows.Â Most importantly, it doesn’t beat you over the head with its message about coming to terms with the grim reaper. There’s no silly boss to fight or cheesy fade-in montage.

Whatever that’s shown in the game’s narrative and gameplay is subtle and leaves room for interpretation. Granted, it can be easy to put the pieces together, but the game is tactful enough not to treat its audience like children. That’s a design I can get behind.

I do wish the game was a little shorter. It took me about 20 hours or so to wrap everything up; I feel that it outstayed its welcome by about 5 hours. I also wish some of the animations can be sped up. It’s lovely to watch once or five times, but after the 50th time when you’re cutting wood or mining ore with your spirit pickaxe, it gets really old.
And that’s all the nitpicking I have because I heartily recommend Spiritfarer. It’s a different kind of experience in 2020’s sea of depressing triple-A games; it’s high time a title tackles the subject of dealing with death instead of, well, dishing it out casually either with guns or melee. This pleasure cruise of an indie title will leave you an emotional wreck while teaching you what it means to cope with a dreadful subject with an air of serenity and calm.
Final Score: 90/100


LEGION by Lenovo Launches First Ever Gaming Concept Store in Malaysia

                [wpvideo MW0hoP5M]

LEGION by Lenovo launched their first ever concept store in Malaysia on the 28th of February 2018 with a loud bang, bringing in the Lunar New Year along with it. Lenovo retail stores are known around Malaysia but it never promoted their gaming line, LEGION extensively. With the LEGION concept store marking its appearance, we can be sure that we will see more of the LEGION line around. The LEGION concept store can be found on the Ground Floor of Digital Mall, Petaling Jaya.
LEGION by Lenovo has been making incredible waves this past year in the gaming community with the presence of their reasonably priced gaming rigs as well as their League of Legends tournament in Southeast Asia, Legion of Champions.

Mr. Khoo Hung Chuan, the General Manager of Lenovo Singapore and Malaysia alongside Mr. Ivan Cheung, General Manager of Lenovo Central Asia Pacific giving a welcoming speech at the LEGION Concept Store Launch
Tashbunny, the Ambassador of Lenovo Malaysia poses with the LEGION Logo
The LEGION by Lenovo Concept Store was officiated with lion dances to bring in prosperity