Mobile Legends MSC 2022: Results & Full Schedule [Updated]

Moonton Games will be hosting an upcoming major Mobile Legends esports tournament this month in Malaysia for the first time in the region’s history.
The MSC 2022 tournament will be the first time the country’s Ministry of Youth and Sports and organization Esports Integrated (ESI) will team up with the publisher/developer to host the tournament. Here are the details so far:
DATE & VENUE

Date: 11–19 June
Venue: Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Prize Pool: US$300,000
How To Buy Tickets: Online
Teams

See You Soon
Impunity KH
RSG SG
EVOS SG
Orange Esports
TODAK
ONIC Esports
RRQ Hoshi
RSG PH
Omega Esports
Falcon Esports
IDONOTSLEEP Esports

Results

RSG PH
RRQ Hoshi
Omega Esports
Falcon Esports
Orange Esports
TODAK
EVOS SG
RSG SG
Impunity KH
IDONOTSLEEP Esports
See You Soon
ONIC Esports

Group Draw

Group A

TODAK
Falcon Esports
ONIC Esports

Group B

RSG PH
See You Soon
RSG SG

Group C

RRQ Hoshi
IDONOTSLEEP Esports
Omega Esports

Group D

Impunity KH
Orange Esports
EVOS SG

Schedule
Group Stage: 11–12 June
Playoffs: 14–18 June
Grand Finals: 19 June (RRQ vs RSG PH)
Streams
Grand Finals

Semifinals

Playoffs Day 4

Playoffs Day 3

Playoffs Day 2

Playoffs Day 1

Group Stages


[Rumour] Leaked Harry Potter RPG Will Be Out Mid-2021

Remember that leaked clip of that alleged Harry Potter RPG title from Warner Bros Interactive a couple of years back? Turns out there’s new info thanks to a new alleged leak.
According to someone who claims to be working for WB Marketing, the company plans to show off the new Harry Potter game this year. The title? Hogwarts: A Dark Legacy.
Here’s the breakdown of the title:

Players will get to choose the gender of the Hogwarts student they will control to play the game all the way through graduation in the school. They can also determine whether they are pure blood, muggle, or half blood.
The game deals with mature themes, which may either make this Harry Potter title an “M” rated or “T” rated title at the lowest.
This RPG will feature romance subplots; you can marry love interests by the end of the title.
The RPG takes place after the events of the book, so you’ll be facing against a former Death Eater leading a cast of smaller villains.
What areas will you get to explore? You get to check out Hogwarts, Hogsmead, and The Ministry, all connected in a hub-based structure with their own NPCs and quests.
Hogwarts: A Dark Legacy will feature a skill tree with five branches, with some skills locked behind “Good” and “Evil” points.Â
Combat in the title will be fluid, and relies on tactics and management of energy.
This RPG will also feature a Shadows of Mordor Nemesis system, where each playthrough will dish out one unique rival who you can either “beat, kill, or turn into an ally based on decisions you make in the game”.
Yes, this Harry Potter game will feature bonus modes like Quidditch and an in-universe card game ala Witcher 3’s Gwent.

This sounds awesome for Harry Potter fans, but when will it be revealed and when will it be out? According to the leaker, the reveal may happen before August. Hogwarts: A Dark Legacy (if that’s even its real title; “Hogswart Effect” is too on-the-nose) may be released on June 2021.
Again, take this with a grain of salt, but a lot of fans think it’s high time they should upgrade their Harry Potter mobile game experiences with something potentially meatier.


Are We Getting A New Virtua Fighter?

Sega recently teased an image that is fighting game-related as part of its 60th anniversary. The company will make a full-blown announcement later this month on 25th March (via Virtua Fighter.com).

The text above says “6 days until birth”, with the number “6” stylized. Coincidentally, another Sega fighting game has its sequel numbers stylized in a similar manner.

And the guy on the teaser image? It’s either a new version of Akira….

…or a new Segata Sanshiro.

Either way, Virtua Fighter 6 with Segata Sanshiro as a playable character would be quite an announcement.


Star Wars The Bad Batch Season 2 Drops In January 2023

At D23, Lucasfilm announced that Star Wars The Bad Batch Season 2 will premiere its first two episodes on Disney+ Hotstar on 14 January 2023. The second season will be 16 episodes long.
Star Wars The Batch Batch is the latest animated series in the long-running sci-fi franchise and the first season is currently available on Disney+ Hotstar.
Star Wars The Bad Batch follows the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone Wars. Members of Bad Batch; a unique squad of clones who vary genetically from their brothers in the Clone Army; each possess a singular exceptional skill that makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew.
We managed to participate in a brief exclusive interview with actress Gwendoline Yeo, who voices the Kaminoan named Nala Se in Star Wars The Bad Batch, courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia.
We managed to participate in a roundtable interview with head writer and executive producer Jennifer Corbett as well as supervising director and executive producer Brad Rau, courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia.


Day 5 of M4 Might Be The Most Competitive Day Yet

Day 5 of the M4 World Championship for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang was filled to the brim with intense matches between Falcon Esports and Incendio Supremacy from the lower bracket and RRQ Hoshi and Blacklist International from the upper bracket.
The teams competed in a Best of 5 format, showcasing the increasing competitiveness of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang esports scene. Despite being a debut team, Incendio Supremacy managed to advance to the Top 8, surprising Falcon Esports with their strategy. However, Falcon Esports managed to make a comeback in the last two matches and eliminated Incendio Supremacy.
On the other hand, RRQ Hoshi and Blacklist International have a history of the unresolved rivalry. RRQ Hoshi has never lost to any team except for Blacklist International, who has consistently defeated them in the M3 World Championship and MPL Invitational 2021. This match marked the third consecutive defeat for RRQ Hoshi against Blacklist International.

Check out our M4 Schedule with live score updates!

Falcon Esports vs. Incendio Supremacy
The opening match of the Lower Bracket Knockout Stage in the M4 World Championship was intense, as Falcon Esports and Incendio Supremacy fought fiercely. The stakes were high, as the losing team would be eliminated from the tournament. This was the third time these two teams had faced each other, having previously met in the Group Stage and Tiebreaker phases, with each team having one win and one loss. After a long match, Falcon Esports emerged victorious with a narrow 3-2 victory, eliminating Incendio Supremacy from the M4 World Championship.
Game 1

Incendio Supremacy once again selected the meta healer in their hero composition, but this time APEX47 used Rafael as a Roamer instead of his usual Estes, as it was banned by Falcon Esports. Incendio Supremacy’s other heroes were Yve, Benedetta, Brody, and Martis. Falcon Esports tried to counter this by selecting Kadita, Gloo, Beatrix, Ling, and Kaja. From the start of the match, Incendio Supremacy was under heavy pressure as their Jungler was killed by First Blood by JustiN on Kadita. This dominance allowed Falcon Esports to maintain a lead in terms of kills, and also protected Turtle frequently. Falcon Esports was more confident in the mid-game and continued to launch non-stop attacks against their opponents. Despite Incendio Supremacy securing the Lord, Falcon Esports’ objective play allowed them to secure their first point at 14 minutes,
Game 2

In the second match, Incendio Supremacy began to move away from its meta healer. Now, these two teams actually use the Jungler Assassin meta. Incendio Supremacy’s draft picks were Kaja, Lylia, Hayabusa, Beatrix, and Yu Zhong. Meanwhile, Falcon Esports secured Grock, Lapu-Lapu, Fanny, Yve, and Karrie. On this occasion, Incendio Supremacy appeared so dominant.
They managed to excel in terms of objectivity. Even though they were held to a draw after the first fight for the Lord managed to change the situation. Since that moment, Incendio Supremacy has immediately focused on the split push turret. However, because Falcon Esports’ defence is so strong, of course, it becomes separate homework for Incendio Supremacy to be able to end the match. The climax occurred when Falcon Esports’ Kenn’s Fanny succeeded in seizing the third Lord over Incendio Supremacy.
The Turkish representative began to overthrow the opposing players one by one. It didn’t take long for Incendio Supremacy to immediately take advantage of the gap by trying to destroy the opponent’s main turret. As a result, they closed the match in the 19th minute and equalized.
Game 3

The third match was highly contested as the score was tied 1-1, making both teams more determined to secure the next win. Naomi the Roamer of Falcon Esports was able to secure Franco as his flagship hero and was supported by Yve, Beatrix, Ling, and Gloo. Incendio Supremacy, on the other hand, selected Leomord, Karrie, Atlas, Lunox, and Grock.
Naomi’s Franco was able to tear apart Incendio Supremacy’s defence. His precise skills were a formidable threat to the Turkish team. However, Incendio Supremacy countered this by using pick-off tactics, successfully eliminating Falcon Esports’ heroes one by one.
Due to this playstyle, Incendio Supremacy was able to gain the lead. They played objectively and limited Falcon Esports’ attack area. The match reached its climax when APEX47’s Atlas was able to lock down three opponents and was executed by his teammates. With the help of the third Lord, Incendio Supremacy easily secured their second point. This victory gave them the temporary lead with a score of 2-1.
Game 4

The fourth match was a crucial one for both teams, as a loss for Falcon Esports would result in their elimination from the M4 World Championship. However, the Myanmar representative was determined not to go home and performed dominantly. By the 10th minute, Falcon Esports had a gold lead of 7,000. Despite Incendio Supremacy using the meta healer, it had little impact on the match. yellowflash‘s Gloo and Kenn’s Granger played exceptionally well, giving Falcon Esports more confidence. Incendio Supremacy struggled to keep up and could only defend while waiting for a mistake from Falcon Esports. The climax came when Falcon Esports secured the second Lord and eliminated two opposing players. This allowed them to end the match in the 14th minute with a kill difference of 12 to 2, resulting in a win for Falcon Esports.
Game 5

The intense battle between the two teams led to a fifth match. In this match, Falcon Esports selected Lunox, Lapu-Lapu, Valentina, Chou, and Ling as their heroes, while Incendio Supremacy chose Gloo, Clint, Joy, Hayabusa, and Lylia.
At the start of the match, Incendio Supremacy managed to set the tempo against Falcon Esports and often had a gold lead. However, when Kenn and his Ling succeeded in securing the second Turtle, Falcon Esports became more confident. This allowed them to play more objectively by destroying turrets and stealing the opponent’s jungle. Additionally, securing the third Lord further limited Incendio Supremacy’s space.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Falcon Esports immediately escorted the Lord to attack Incendio Supremacy’s defence. Valentina’s Triple Kill allowed Falcon Esports to destroy the enemy’s main base and secure the victory.
With this defeat, Incendio Supremacy’s journey in the M4 World Championship ends at a placement of 7th-8th. Meanwhile, Falcon Esports continues on to face RRQ Hoshi in the next round, scheduled for Friday, January 13 at 12:00 PM (UTC+8).

RRQ Hoshi vs. Blacklist International
The final match of the Knockout Stage of the M4 World Championship on 11 January featured a showdown between long-time rivals RRQ Hoshi and Blacklist International. Both teams were determined not to be relegated to the lower bracket, leading to a tight and intense match that went all the way to a fifth and deciding game. RRQ Hoshi managed to take the first match, but Blacklist International responded by winning the second match with the same hero.
With the score tied, both teams fought fiercely in the following matches. The meta healer chosen by Blacklist International proved to be a difficult challenge for RRQ Hoshi, with OhMyV33NUS’s Estes ultimately tearing through their defences in the fifth match. This resulted in Blacklist International advancing to the Upper Bracket Final, while RRQ Hoshi moved on to face Falcon Esports on 13 January. Blacklist International will await the winner of the match between ONIC Esports and ECHO.
Game 1

The first match of the upper bracket semifinals was intense. RRQ Hoshi chose a team composition built around Alberttt‘s Fanny, with VYN on Hilda, Skylar on Claude, Clayyy on Faramis, and R7 on Joy. Blacklist International, on the other hand, selected a meta-healing team composition, with OhMyV33NUS on Estes, Edward on Gloo, Hadji on Pharsa, Oheb on Brody, and Wise on Fredrinn.
Blacklist International was aware of Fanny’s potential as a problem for them, so they made efforts to disrupt Alberttt’s movements as RRQ Hoshi’s jungler. Additionally, Estes’ ability to slow down opponents made it difficult for Alberttt to launch attacks against Blacklist International. This caused RRQ Hoshi to fall behind in terms of gold, making it harder for them to break through Blacklist International’s defences. However, during a struggle for the Lord in the 19th minute, RRQ Hoshi was able to take out several opposing heroes, leaving only two players. Seizing the opportunity, RRQ Hoshi quickly pushed towards Blacklist International’s main base and successfully wiped them out, widening their lead and ending the match in the 20th minute.
Game 2

The second match of the upper bracket semifinals between RRQ Hoshi and Blacklist International ended in a surprise victory for Blacklist International. They used the same hero composition as their previous match, showing that their strategy was effective and could match their opponent’s toughness. RRQ Hoshi, on the other hand, picked Lancelot, Hilda, Karrie, Valentina, and Lapu-Lapu for the match. Blacklist International dominated the match, securing several objectives without much interference from RRQ Hoshi. They were able to close the game quickly, only 12 minutes, and tied the score 1-1.
Game 3

In the third match of the upper bracket semifinals, Blacklist International changed their strategy by not using their meta-healer and instead opting for a different team composition. They used heroes like Gloo, Claude, Valentina, Lolita and Fredrinn, while RRQ Hoshi tried to counter with heroes like Lunox, Fanny, Khufra, Grock, and Yve. Blacklist International took the initiative early on, taking control of objectives and limiting RRQ Hoshi’s movements. Despite the close match, with a tight gold difference, RRQ Hoshi was unable to withstand Blacklist International’s onslaught and ultimately lost the match, bringing the score to 2-1 in favour of Blacklist International.
Game 4

RRQ Hoshi picked Lunox for Clayyy, Yu Zhong for R7, Beatrix for Skylar, and Kaja for VYN. Blacklist International’s hero lineup included Pharsa for Hadji, Benedetta for Edward, Harith for Oheb, Aldous for Wise, and Estes for OhMyV33NUS.
In this match, RRQ Hoshi was able to easily secure Turtle and Lord. The climax of the game occurred in the 16th minute when RRQ Hoshi’s players successfully took out the opposing heroes one by one, leaving only Benedetta and Aldous. This allowed them to break through Blacklist International’s main base and tie the score, resulting in a fifth match.
Game 5

The fifth match between RRQ Hoshi and Blacklist International was highly anticipated and was even considered by some as an early finals. Both teams have high aspirations for the season, with RRQ Hoshi aiming for the crown and Blacklist International hoping to reclaim the title.
RRQ Hoshi secured heroes such as Ling for Alberttt, Kadita for Clayyy, Kaja for VYN, Yu Zhong for R7, and Beatrix for Skylar, while Blacklist International countered with Estes mainstay OhMyV33NUS, Pharsa for Hadji, Benedetta for Edward, Barats for Wise and Claude for Oheb.
RRQ Hoshi dominated in the early game, securing turtles and increasing their gold, but Blacklist International began to make a comeback. RRQ Hoshi’s bad decisions led to mistakes and Alberttt losing his purple buff, making him less flexible in team battles. This resulted in RRQ Hoshi’s movement space getting smaller. Even though they secured the fourth Lord, their two initiators VYN and R7 fell, providing an opportunity for Blacklist International to end the game. Blacklist International then attacked RRQ Hoshi’s base turret and closed the match in the 24th minute, securing the victory for them.


You Can’t Do The Obligatory Anime New Year’s Prayer At This Shrine

Remember the shrine that the main characters in Weathering With You visit? The one where they learnt about the legend of the weather maiden? Well, a priest from a shrine just like that one in Japan has announced on Twitter that he is banning all tourists from now on.

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Why?
Well, it turns out that filthy Korean tourists have been exhibiting atrocious behaviour while visiting the shrine. One of the offenders was a YouTuber who recorded footage of the shrine and location without asking for permission. These Koreans have also been eating by the side of the road within the shrine grounds.

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According to the priest, the tour guides leading these visitors also have their problems, as they often stand on the steps at the front of the haiden AKA the hall of worship, despite being told not to do so.
The reason why there are so many Korean tourists visiting the shrine is because the Watatsumi Shrine lies on the island of Tsushima, which is located between the Japanese and South Korean peninsula. Up to a whopping 30 or 40 buses would drop off on any busy day.
In his post on Twitter, the priest said (via SoraNews24):

â€œLet me say, if you think this is hate or a violation of human rights, please discuss it directly with me.
We cannot put up with the destruction of a site of worship.â€

On the other hand, Korean tourists have also had their complaints. These include the fact that the shrine puts up Japanese flags reminding them of war atrocities committed by the country against Korea in the past, and the fact that the South Korean government has claimed that Tsushima belongs to them.
Oh, well, I guess non-Japanese Weathering With You fans won’t be fulfilling their fantasies of re-enacting scenes from the movie anytime soon or performing their New Year’s Prayer at this particular shrine.
In the meantime, head on over here for my spoiler-filled review, or check out this (cough) live-action adaptation of Makoto Shinkai’s masterpiece.


Transformers War For Cybertron Trilogy  Set For Netflix

Transformers fans, unite. You may get a series that will do justice to the 80s robots in disguise legacy, unlike the Michael Bay sequels.
Netflix will be showcasing a trilogy titled Transformers: War For Cybertron, with the first part titled Siege. It’s basically about the Autobot’s attempt at stopping Megatron from claiming the Allspark. As expected, it will go horribly wrong for the good guys.
Each part will feature six 22-minute episodes, with each part portraying each crucial part in Cybertron’s history. It will be produced by Rooster Teeth, the same guys who did RWBY. Polygon Pictures will be doing animation work. The showrunner for this series is FJ DeSanto, who has a bunch of Transformers shows and mini-episodes under his belt. Voice cast includes Jake Foushee as Optimus Prime, Jason Marnocha as Megatron, and Linsay Rousseau as Elita-1.
The show currently has no release date yet. Official trailer and description below:

In the midst of ongoing war on Cybertron, forces of good and evil clash as they search for the source of their power: the Allspark. This may not be the life they imagined, but it’s a life worth fighting for.

Doesn’t explain why Optimus is in his Earth car form though. Still, it looks promising.


Looks Like No Man’s Sky Is Getting Stompy Exo Mechs

Mechs are lovely things, which is the biggest reason why I’m currently hooked on Battletech. Now, exploration game No Man’s Sky is getting some stompy mechanical constructs of its own, called Exo Mechs.
That’s according to a trailer posted on Xbox’s YouTube channel, which has since been removed according to Android Central. However, it’s been preserved by some YouTubers. Have a gander at the trailer below.

Look like at those lovely things. Sure, they’re not as beautiful as my Shadow Hawk or Hunchback in BattleTech, but they’re still nice-looking bi-pedal mechs. The Exo Mechs can use jump jets and shoot lasers too, which earns them bonus points.
The official announcement will be made during the Inside Xbox 2020 presentation slated for 5am GMT+8 on 8 April 2020, but given the seemingly accidental upload on Xbox’s YouTube channel, it ought to happen fairly soon.


Are We Finally Getting Half-Life 3, For The Umpteenth Time?

Half-Life 3 is one of those persistent gaming urban legends. It’s been 15 years since Half-Life 2 originally released and gamers are still somehow convinced that a sequel is on its way. It’s certainly not helping that Valve co-founder Gabe ‘Gaben’ Newell recently re-ignited hopes for Half-Life 3.
During Valve’s recent Index VR launch party, Gaben stood up in front of the attendees and spoke about several things. This included how the new Index VR headsets marked a new milestone for the company and about what the number 2 will lead Valve towards in the future.
In a video posted to Reddit (via PCGamesN), Gaben can be seen saying:

â€œIn our history at Valve we have had a lot of significant milestones.
Index is another one of those critical milestones for our companyâ€¦ it represents a significant breakthrough in the field.
Milestones arenâ€™t really the end of anything.
Theyâ€™re really the beginning. So Half-Life led to Half-Life 2, Source led to Source 2, the experiments that we did with Team Fortress 2 were what enabled us to build Dota. Artifact is the reason weâ€™re able to do Underlords.
So, maybe someday the number 2 will lead us to that shiny integer glowing on a mountain someplaceâ€¦ weâ€™ll just have to see.”

Though that’s probably the vaguest statement ever, gamers are going mad over the speculations that that last line might finally mean the long-awaited arrival of Half-Life 3. Don’t hold your breath, since it sounds like Gaben may just be trolling fans yet again, with another seemingly cryptic confirmation of Half-Life 3.
Check out Gaben’s speech in the video below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qULj5aDAPv8&w=560&h=315]


How Many Chocobo Themes Are There In Final Fantasy? Let’s Find Out!

Here’s a new SoundScape video I did that’s Final Fantasy-related. Last one before the anniversary, I promise. This time it’s focused on the yellow birds the heroes like to ride around in: the chocobo. Nobuo Uematsu and co. love to make arrangements and pieces on the iconic theme that debuted in 1988.


Mafia 4 Reportedly Set In Sicily & Focused On Don Salieri

There were reports earlier this month that Hangar 13 was working on a new Mafia game that will serve as a prequel to the original three installments, with the project supposedly currently being in early development. Now, more potential details on the game have been revealed, according to XboxEra co-founder Nick Baker in a recent episode of the XboxEra podcast.
According to Baker, Mafia 4 (not its official title) will be set in Sicily, Italy, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The game will apparently focus on Don Salieri. In the original games, Don Salieri is the head honcho of the Salieri crime family, who protagonist Tommy Angelo works for.
His source also told him that Mafia 4 is going to be a more linear game as opposed to fully open world. However, we should take all this with a grain of salt.


The Apex Legends Season 2 Survival Guide [Update]

Update (11/7/2019): Additional tips on Havoc, Wattson fences and Flyers.
This tips and tricks guide is still under development, given the early phase of Season 2.
Apex Legends second season brings glad tidings to all players, let them be hardcore or casual players, especially with the large addition to the loot pool, adding hop-ups and utilities such as extended mags, and the introduction to Ranked Mode, in which players will seek even a tiny bit of advantage to survive the onslaught.
In other words, the old meta has been shaken to its core.

We’ve been spending some ungodly hours playing the second season of Apex Legends in both normal and ranked. Why? So that we can share with our readers some tips and tricks to get you ahead of the game.
Let’s begin!
Uncharted
As the launch trailer pointed out, there are new places and revamped spots all around the map.

The Leviathans are now a feature in the map and they occasionally hide valuable loot under their feet.
Careful, the Leviathan steps on any unlucky player that’s standing under the foot for too long
Be careful of the giant’s foot.
Destroyed Bridges.
Flyers are still present although only a few are flying. You can find more of the dragons perched on top of rock formations.

This is usually what the Flyers carry.
They carry loot boxes containing occasionally decent loot, but sometimes it’s not worth giving away your position.
The Cage, good loot spot for early game.
Land Wisely
This applies to both normal and ranked mode.
In ranked mode, you’ll want to hit the Top 10 squads for those valuable RPs, so it’s very important where you drop as you’ll want to maximize survivability by avoiding hot drops as well as gather enough loot for the whole squad. In essence, avoid hot dropping at all costs especially in higher tiers such as Gold or Silver tier where an early loss would mean a demotion in the division.
Meanwhile, in normal mode, there are certain spots on the map that will have Care Packages the moment you touch the ground, netting you powerful loot such as the L-STAR EMG or the Kraber. These spots are marked on the minimap. However, these early drop Care Packages usually land in less established places, so you’ll risk your squad being caught without loot. It’s a high-risk high-reward strategy.
The key is to land further away to avoid hot-dropping with other squads while not being too far from the ring as it hurts like heck. Speaking of which…
Respect the Ring
The ring now deals higher damage values which are uniform across both modes. Ring Damage total and percentage are as follows:

Round 1:Â 2% damage taken per tick.

Round 2:Â 5% damage taken per tick.

Round 3:Â 10% damage taken per tick.

Round 4:Â 20% damage taken per tick.

Round 5:Â 20% damage taken per tick.

Round 6 and beyond:Â 25% damage taken per tick.

This means the ring camping strat is no longer viable as players will not have enough time to out-heal the ring especially in the later rounds where 5 or 4 ticks is enough to down a full-health Legend.
Sounds like a good time to camp with a gold backpack Lifeline with tons of medkits? I think not. The ring now destroys the Lifeline health drone after two ticks, so you can say goodbye to out-healing your opponent.
The ring is also 9% smaller for the first one, forcing squads to meet up earlier.
Weapon Shuffle
The Apex Legends vast arsenal of weaponry has gone through some changes, making some weapon more useful than in the previous season while nerfing some powerful loadouts in the previous meta.
Here are some of the significant changes to the game’s weaponry.
New Hop-Ups
The new hop-ups for the early game weapon has made it viable to drag the weapon into the end game. So don’t be afraid to pick up previously bad weapons.
The Mozambique, P2020, RE45 and Alternator SMG has received massive upgrades in terms of damage with the right attachments.
Hammerpoint Rounds

Increased damage to unshielded targets.

Compatibility: P2020, Mozambique.

With the Hammerpoint hop-up, the Mozambique can be deadly with a decently-placed close-range shot, dealing almost 50-60 damage to unshielded opponents meaning it could potentially finish an enemy out.
That’s right, the Mozambique is no longer a joke, boys.
Disruptor Rounds

Increased damage to shielded targets.

Compatibility: Alternator / RE-45

The Alternator SMG gains a buff and deals 15 damage per shot. It now shreds shields like it’s nothing with the Disruptor attachment. It is unanimously better than the R-99 SMG at breaking shields now, dealing about 35-45 damage to shields each shot. Not to mention the low recoil and manageable rate of fire.

My tip: Use the Disruptor Alternator to break shields as they do about 30-40 damage to shields each shot and switch to another weapon to finish the enemy off as the Alternator still does 15 damage to unshielded opponents.

Some weapons such as the VK-47 Flatline has also gotten reliable, dealing 19 damage per shot instead of 16, totalling to 190 DPS, one more than the R-301 (189 DPS). It’s a good close range hipfire weapon. The weapon was once considered to be trash tier according to the community, along with the Alternator SMG.

My tip: Treat the Flatline as if it was an SMG, and you’ll be wrecking against other AR users in close quarters.

Energy Weapons
The Energy weapons receive an indirect buff in the form of having increased ammo stack from 60 to 80, matching Light and Heavy ammo.
Extended Energy Mags were also introduced in Season 2, increasing magazine size and reload speed.

This increases the viability of running Energy weapons such as the Havoc or the Devotion as ammo isn’t as scarce as it used to be.

Shotgun Stacks
Running a double-shotgun loadout was viable in the previous meta as the shotgun was, and still is, powerful.

The problem now is that the shotgun ammo max stack has been reduced from 64 per stack to 16 per stack, needing multiple stacks to run the loadout, eating up precious space in your backpack for other useful items.

Legends Upgraded
Season 2 also brings multiple changes to the roster. Some Legends have gotten tanky while some receive increased damages.
Take the two largest characters in the roster, Gibraltar and Caustic. The Fortified skill has received a buff in which they take 15% less damage and aren’t slowed by bullets, making them good frontliners.
To put into perspective, one full magazine of the RE-45 is able to down most legends, but not to Caustic and Gibraltar.

While harder-to-hit Legends such as Pathfinder, Wraith and Lifeline takes 5% more damage from enemy fire, with the Low Profile characteristic.
A fully connected Peacekeeper shot can instantly down these three, so be careful in close quarters.

The tracker Legend, Bloodhound, has also received some tweaks in terms of his ability. Enemies scanned now are tracked in real time instead of leaving a ghost image behind. The tracking lasts for 1.5 seconds. Scanning angle has also been improved to 110 degrees rather than 90.

We’ve also covered the new defence Legend, Wattson, and her abilities here.
Her Ultimate ability, Interceptor Pylon, is very valuable in open-area fights where cover is at a premium. It charges shields and amps the charge rate for her tactical abilities.

Here’s a major tip: Place an Interception Pylon behind cover so enemies won’t expect it shooting down your grenades, as well as prolonging the pylon’s survivability.

Use Wattsonâ€™s Ultimate to counter Bangalore or Gibraltarâ€™s ultimates. Those two usually unleash their ults before engaging. Wattson is the best possible counter. Caustic traps and Nox grenade ult also gets eaten up by Interception Pylon. However, some have reported that her ult nullifies friendly bombardments/grenades as well. Keep that in mind.

Keep a few Ultimate Accelerants into the end game as her passive gives her a full charge instantly upon using an accelerant.

Don’t Be Afraid To Try Ranked

While Ranked Mode sounds intimidating, don’t be afraid to try the mode out as you’ll stand to lose nothing when starting off in Bronze IV. Demotions are not possible in the Bronze tier.
Plus, you’ll see a more diverse and careful playstyle that you can learn from.
Not sure how Ranked Mode works? Check out our Ranked Mode explanation here.
Update (11/7/2019): Additional tips on Havoc, Wattson fences and Flyers.
UpdateÂ
No Turbocharger? No Problem.
The Havoc energy rifle is a decent assault rifle dealing moderate damage with a relatively high rate of fire. The only thing that’s stopping players from picking one up is the awful windup before it can fire.
You can get rid of the windup with a rare Turbocharger hop-up, or just use this one simple trick.

Rapidly tap the trigger 6 times before firing normally.

Check out the demonstration video below to see the difference.

[wpvideo 0P2FVbNX]
This makes the Havoc a lethal early game weapon even without the hop-up.
This trick was patched a few weeks after it was discovered.
Mirage Can Know Exactly Where Wattson Is
As a Mirage player, you can know exactly where an enemy Wattson is down to her precise distance by using your tactical ability, Psyche Out!

[wpvideo TKoMWAil]
This trick also works against Caustic’s Nox grenade ult and traps. Quite useful when facing hidden teams.
Video credit:Â u/BshonAgain
Don’t Waste Ammo On Flyers
Flyers carry deathboxes which contain loot, as we’ve covered in this guide. Shooting them will drop these deathboxes but it seems to take up to three magazines just to kill these flying critters.
Worry not, there’s a simple way to make them drop their spoils.

Shoot the Flyer so it moves
Wait for it to flap 3 times.
Shoot it again.

The box will drop and saving you precious ammo in the process.

We’ll be updating this guide frequently as we discover more and more tips and tricks to dominate the battlefield and make your way up the ranked ladder.


Gamescom Opening Night Live 2021: All The Games

Geoff Keighleyâ€™s Summer Game Fest 2021 has concluded with the Gamescom Opening Night Live 2021Â live stream earlier today.
The presentation featured new game announcements and updates from announced titles.
Check them out below:
The King Of Fighters XV

The King Of Fighters XV will release for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC on 17 February 2021.
The King Of Fighters XV features 39 characters including classic popular characters, resurrected fan favourites, and those crucial to the unfolding events. This is the first time the heroes from each saga have come together making this an unmissable moment in the King of Fighters storyline. The latest instalment in the King of Fighters saga continues from the previous titleâ€™s Story Mode. Heroes from the Orochi, NESTS, and Ash Sagas have all joined The King Of Fighters XV, and this time, the story is coming to an explosive climax.
The King Of Fighters XV features the classic 3v3 team battle system, as well as a number of new features, such as SHATTER STRIKE, a new mechanic that enables players to counter enemy attacks. Additionally, players will experience an improved MAX Mode, as well as MAX Mode (Quick), with a rush function that will allow for combos to be carried out by rapidly pressing attack buttons. All these features, including some revamped and vibrant special moves, will ensure some explosive fights and exciting gameplay for new and veteran players alike.
The King Of Fighters XV will support 1-2 players local as well as 2-8 players online play. The game features a wide variety of online modes, including RANKED MATCH, CASUAL MATCH, ROOM MATCH, and ONLINE TRAINING. Thereâ€™s also a new DRAFT VS mode, which pits you against an opponent as you try to nab your favourite character before they can. Rollback net code has been adopted for the best online experience.
The gallery features will include not only character voices and King of Fighters XV in-game cinematics but also a special animated short, directed by world-renowned artist Masami Obari.
Additionally, the new DJ Station features over 300 popular songs from the entire King of Fighters series. Players will even be able to customize their fights to have their favourite tracks playing in the background.
Ash Crimson is returning, as well as the introduction of two brand new characters.

Nine To Five

Nine To Five is an upcoming free-to-play 3v3v3 first-person shooter, where you outsmart the competition. Being a mercenary is just another day at the office, but this time you will need more than pure reflexes to get the job done. Your shift is about to start, are you ready to make a killing? The game is being developed by Redhill Games for Steam on PC.

Bus Simulator 2021

Bus Simulator 2021 will release for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on 7 September 2021.
Experience the daily life of a bus driver in two open-world cities either in the USA or Europe. Drive up to 30 licensed buses by international manufacturers, including a double-decker and e-buses. Take your passengers to their destinations safely and on time – either in single- or multiplayer mode.

The Dark Pictures Anthology House Of Ashes

The Dark Pictures Anthology House Of Ashes will release for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC on 22 October 2021.

Dolmen

Dolmen is a terrifying new action RPG that combines futuristic Sci-Fi and Cosmic Horror elements. Dolmen casts players onto a hostile alien world known as Revion Prime.
Your job? Bring back samples of a crystal with particularly unique properties; the so-called “Dolmen”. These crystals are capable of allowing interaction between realities; revolutionizing space exploration and changing the known world forever.
Surviving is the last thing this world wants you to do. Will you see your timeline erased or will you overcome the challenge that awaits you?
Dolmen is coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in 2022.

Nobody Saves The World

Nobody Saves The World is coming in early 2022 for the Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC via Steam and Xbox Game Pass.
From the creators of Guacamelee! comes Nobody Saves The World, a top-down Action RPG with Online Co-op, in which you play many different character Forms, each with its own unique gameplay mechanics.
The Calamityâ€™s power is growing, and nobody can save the world now. Good thing youâ€™re a nobody!
Complete Quests to discover and swap between many varied and distinct Forms. Mix and match abilities in unexpected ways to unlock and complete even MORE challenging Quests. Join a friend to explore a vast overworld filled with misfits and monsters, while clearing shape-shifting dungeons in an effort to beat back the CALAMITY and Save the World!

Soundfall

Experience a universe of music and breathtaking rhythm-based combat in Soundfall! Defend the ancient world of Symphonia from the awful forces of Discord with up to four other players in co-op, or go it alone as you hack, slash and blast your way to victory!
Along the way, youâ€™ll wield incredible artifacts, unleash powerful weapons, and discover the secret origins of music itself in this fantasy dungeon-crawler from Drastic Games and Noodlecake!
Soundfall is coming to PC and unspecified consoles.

Dream Cycle

Dream Cycle is coming to PC via Steam Early Access on 7 September 2021.
Explore the next evolution of action adventures in Dream Cycle, an ever-expanding portal into the unknown by Toby Gard. Trapped in a shattered dimension, you take on the role of Morgan Carter, a modern-day arcane apprentice. Defeat the corrupted inhabitants of the Dreamlands to break the curse.
Use stealth, traps, spells, and illusions to quietly clear the way or challenge enemies head-on, exploiting their weaknesses with conventional weapons. Venture deeper into the Dreamlands, discover the truth of your story, and maybeâ€¦ just maybeâ€¦ find a way out.

Saints Row

The Saints Row reboot will release for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 25 February 2021.
In a world rife with crime, where lawless factions fight for power, a group of young friends embark on their own criminal venture, as they rise to the top in their bid to become Self Made.
Experience the biggest and best Saints Row playground ever created; the unique sprawling world of Santo Ileso is the backdrop for a wild, larger than life sandbox of thrilling side hustles, criminal ventures and blockbuster missions, as you shoot, drive, and wingsuit your way to the top.
As the future Boss, with Neenah, Kevin, and Eli by your side, youâ€™ll form The Saints â€“ and take on Los Panteros, The Idols, and Marshall as you build your empire across the streets of Santo Ileso and battle for control of the city. Ultimately Saints Row is the story of a start-up company, itâ€™s just that the business The Saints are in happens to be crime.

Marvel Midnight Suns

Marvelâ€™s Midnight Suns is a new tactical RPG set in the darker side of the Marvel Universe from the developer of the XCOM franchise, putting you face-to-face against demonic forces of the underworld as you team up with and live among the Midnight Suns, Earthâ€™s last line of defence.
After centuries of sleep, Lilith, Mother of Demons, has been revived by Hydra through a twist of dark magic and science. Lilith stops at nothing to complete an ancient prophecy and brings back her evil master, Chthon. Pushed to the brink, the Avengers desperately look to fight fire with hellfire and enlist the help of the Midnight Sunsâ€”Nico Minoru, Blade, Magik and Ghost Riderâ€”young heroes with powers deeply rooted in the supernatural, formed to prevent the very prophecy Lilith aims to fulfil. Together, they resurrect an ancient warriorâ€”the Hunter, Lilithâ€™s forsaken child and the only hero known to have ever defeated her.
The game will have a total of 13 allied heroes drawn in from The Avengers, X-Men, and Runaways among others. According to Firaxis game director Jake Solomon, the game will have zero mechanics shared between it and XCOM; there’s even no permadeath. Unlike the focus fire tactics you employ in past XCOM titles, your superheroes have more AoE and powerful attacks befitting their stature.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns is slated to release for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC in March 2022.

Call Of Duty Vanguard

First look at Call Of Duty Vanguard gameplay. For more details on the upcoming Alpha, head on over here.
Call Of Duty VanguardÂ will launch for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 5 November 2021.

Halo Infinite

Halo Infinite is releasing for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 8 December 2021.
Microsoft also announced a Halo Infinite Limited Edition Xbox Series X console and Wireless Controller.

Check out the trailer below:

Cult Of The Lamb

Cult Of The Lamb casts players in the role of a possessed lamb saved from annihilation by an ominous stranger and must repay their debt by building a loyal following in his name. Start your own cult in a land of false prophets, venturing out into diverse and mysterious regions to build a loyal community of woodland worshippers and spread your Word to become the one true cult.
Collect and use resources to build new structures, perform dark rituals to appease the gods, and give sermons to reinforce the faith of your flock. Explore a sprawling, randomly generated world, fight off hordes of enemies and defeat rival cult leaders in order to absorb their power and assert your cult’s dominance.
Train your flock and embark on a quest to explore and discover the secrets of five mysterious regions. Cleanse the non-believers, spread enlightenment and perform mystical rituals on the journey to become the mighty lamb god.
It will launch sometime in 2022 for PC and unspecified consoles.

Midnight Fight Express

Ready to brawl? Midnight Fight Express is coming for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Game Pass, and PC sometime in summer 2022.
Fight your way across the city in a brutal romp that mixes old school brawlers, fast-paced motion-captured combat, customizable skills. Use fists, feet, knives, pipes, pistols, machine guns and more to wade through piles of enemies on your way to victory.
UNIQUE FEATURES
1. Fast-paced combat system including light and heavy melee attacks, blocking, counter attacks, throws, dodging, melee and ranged weapons, brutal finishing moves, and environmental kills triggered when close to appropriate objects/areas.
2. Motion captured fight animation system
3. Customizable character including appearance, skills, and combat style
4. Amazing soundtrack
5. Over 40 levels of very challenging gameplay each with scores and leaderboards

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shredder’s Revenge

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredderâ€™s Revenge will feature April Oâ€™Neil, star reporter and beloved ally to the heroes in a half shell, as a playable fighter when the game launches on Nintendo Switch and PC in 2022.
April unleashes flurries of hits against the Foot Clanâ€™s devious soldiers. Her agility and far-reaching slide kicks help her close in on targets quickly, and she once again proves the turtles can rely on her unwavering support, even through slices of pizza.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania

Morgana joins Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania.
Morgana will arrive as a post-launch DLC character on 2 November 2021 on Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S after Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania launches on 5 October 2021.

Splitgate

Splitgate Season 0 Beta Update has arrived on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
Check out the new map Karman Station, the brand new 100 Level Battle Pass, and the new game mode, Infection!

Riders Republic

The Riders Republic open beta runs from now until 28 August 2021.

UFL

UFL is a global online football league where only your skills matter. Join the revolution changing the world of football simulation forever today at the official website here.

LEGO Star Wars The Skywalker Saga

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga will launch for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam in spring 2022.

Synced Off-Planet

SYNCED: Off-Planet is a companion shooter set in a techno-apocalyptic future. Fight together against enemy teams and synchronize with Nano companion classes to deploy in combat. Strengthen your squad, upgrade your weapons and uncover how societyâ€™s greatest innovation went wrong.
It is slated to release for PC via Steam sometime in 2022.

The Outlast Trials

Red Barrels Games has delayed the horror game The Outlast Trials from its previously planned 2021 release window to 2022. It will be available for PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.
Set in the height of the Cold War era, players take on the role of test subjects abducted by the shadowy Murkoff Corporation. Imprisoned in a secret Murkoff facility, players will be thrust into a series of physical and mental ordeals, tormented by iconic characters, and challenged alone or in teams to survive with their sanity intact.

DokeV

DokeV (pronounced “Doh-Keh-Vee”) is an upcoming creature-collecting open-world action-adventure from Pearl Abyss filled with intriguing stories and set in a unique, vibrant world. Meet Dokebi, whimsical creatures that live side-by-side with humans and encourage peopleâ€™s dreams from which they gain strength.
Long story short, imagine Grand Theft Auto and Pokemon combined, but with an all-ages rating. DokeV is slated to release for PC and unspecified consoles, but there’s no release date yet.

Jurassic World Evolution 2

Jurassic World Evolution 2 is coming on 9 November 2021 and is available to pre-order now on for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
Following the roaring success of Jurassic World Evolution, the stunning sequel offers players an original Campaign mode, expanded construction options, over 75 dinosaurs and pre-historic species including flying and marine reptiles, more customisation choices, and the all-new Chaos Theory mode in which they can play through â€™what ifâ€™ scenarios from the Jurassic World Franchise.

Far Cry 6

You can watch the Far Cry 6 Official Story Trailer and discover the story of Yaran Dictator AntÃ³n Castillo (Giancarlo Esposito) and the modern guerrillas rising up against him.
Far Cry 6 is slated to release on 7 October 2021 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Vampire The Masquerade Bloodhunt

Vampire: The Masquerade â€“ Bloodhunt will launch in Early Access for PC via Steam on 7 September 2021, developer Sharkmob announced.
It is a third-person free-to-play battle royale experience set in the Vampire: The Masquerade universe, developed in close collaboration with the World of Darkness brand team.
For the first time ever, experience the concept of vampires at war as sects clash in the city of Prague, triggered by the arrival of strike-teams from the Second Inquisition. Use your supernatural powers, weapons and wit to eradicate your enemies and deal with the huntersâ€”all while you struggle to maintain the Masquerade.

Park Beyond

Publisher Bandai Namco and developer Limbic Entertainment have announced the theme park management game Park Beyond for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. It will launch in 2022.

JETT The Far Shore

JETT: The Far Shore is set to deploy on 5 October 2021 on PS4, PS5 and PC via the Epic Games Store.
JETT: The Far Shore invites you on an interstellar trip to carve out a future for people haunted by oblivion in this cinematic action-adventure. As scout and â€œanchoriteâ€ Mei, be the first to deploy to a mythic ocean planet. Take the helm of a â€œJettâ€ and explore a vast unknownâ€”skim low over waves, roar up pristine coastlines and carve through otherworldly woods. Adapt to an intricate, systemic open world and persevere through adversity alongside an intimate ensemble in this story of courage, wonder and regret.

Century Age Of Ashes

Free-to-play multiplayer dragon battle game Century: Age of Ashes will launch for PC via Steam on 18 November 2021, developer Playwing announced.
Century: Age of Ashes, the multiplayer dragon battle game is now available for free! Customize your dragon, dive into the arena, and compete to become a legendary Dragoneer. Burn your enemies and rule the skies!

Here comes the time to set fire to the sky. Century: Age of Ashes will be available on November 18th for free on Steam!
Become a Founder now: https://t.co/mJPwN1P7w0 pic.twitter.com/cIMeLKAATK
— Century: Age of Ashes (@PlayCentury) August 25, 2021

Horizon Forbidden West

Horizon Forbidden West will release for the PS4 and PS5 on 18 February 2021.
An enhanced performance patch has also been released for the PS4 version of Horizon Zero Dawn, which allows 60FPS when played on PS5.

An Enhanced Performance Patch is now available for Horizon Zero Dawn, targeting 60fps on PS5. pic.twitter.com/nMNHtmsnQI
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) August 25, 2021

New World

Chart your course and determine your fate! From shipwrecked castaway to legendary hero, grow your might as you explore the ancient mysteries of Aeternum!
Choose a side in the war to control Aeternum… Allie yourself with powerful players and face more powerful enemies!
New World open beta will take place from 9 to 12 September 2021. The game releases on 28 September 2021.

Tales Of Luminaria

Bandai Namco has announcedÂ Tales Of Luminaria, the newest entry in itsÂ Tales Of RPG series, which is a mobile game coming to iOS and Android. There is no release date yet.

Fall Guys

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout will add The Jungle Book-themed costumes Mowgli, Shere Khan, Baloo, and King Louie in September, developer Mediatonic announced.
The Mowgli costume will be available from 3 to 6 September 2021; the Shere Khan costume from 7 to 9 September 2021; and the Baloo costume from 10 to 12 September 2021. Finally, King Louie will be available from 3 to 12 September 2021.

Replaced

Discover the dark secrets of Phoenix-City. Define your shared future in REPLACED coming in 2022 to Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Xbox Game Pass for Console, Xbox Game Pass for PC, as well as PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
REPLACED is a 2.5D sci-fi retro-futuristic action platformer where you play as R.E.A.C.H. – an artificial intelligence trapped in a human body against its own will. It combines cinematic platforming, pixel art and free-flow action combat with a deep, engaging dystopian story set in an alternative 1980s.
Age Of Empires 4

Age Of Empires 4 is coming to PC and Xbox Game Pass on 28 October 2021.
The pages of history are filled with defining moments. What will yours be?
Build and expand the Rus in the Rise of Moscow campaign.
Control the powerful and resilient Holy Roman Empire civilization.

Valheim

After a long and harsh adventure, every Viking needs a warm and welcoming home to return to. What will yours look like?
The Valheim Hearth & Home update will be available on 16 September 2021.

CrossFireX

You can check out the maps that you will be forging your legacy in when CrossfireX comes to Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One in the future. There is no release date or window yet.

Genshin Impact

Aloy, the legendary Nora Huntress from Horizon Zero Dawn, answers the call of adventure in Teyvat and embarks on an all-new journey.
She will unlock on 1 September 2021 with early access for PS4 and PS5 players.

SIFU

Sifu will launch for PS4, PS5 and PC via the Epic Games Store on 22 February 2022. Pre-orders are available now.
Sifu is the story of a young Kung Fu student on a path of revenge, hunting for the murderers of his family. One against all, he has no allies and countless enemies. He has to rely on his unique mastery of Kung Fu as well as a mysterious pendant to prevail and preserve his familyâ€™s legacy.

Death Stranding Director’s Cut

Publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment and developer Kojima Productions have released a nine-minute preview trailer forÂ Death Stranding Directorâ€™s Cut.
Key Features

Remastered for the PS5 ConsoleÂ â€“ Take on the trials of Sam Bridges with advanced combat, more character actions and a competitive ranking system for special player challenges in this definitiveÂ Death StrandingÂ experience.
Expanded ContentÂ â€“ Experience an extended storyline through new missions in an expanded area. Make use of additional weapons and vehicles, take on new enemy types and explore new locations such as the Firing Range and Racetrack, featuring extra missions and minigames.
Unique Social Strand System â€“ Stay connected with other players from around the globe. Donate valuable resources to rebuild structures in your world and others, and offer likes in support of player structures that appear in yours to reward them for their contributions.

PS5 Features

Haptic FeedbackÂ â€“ Experience environment effects with the DualSense wireless controllerâ€™s haptic feedback. Adaptive triggers: Get closer to the world ofÂ Death StrandingÂ with bespoke adaptive trigger resistance.
Tempest 3D AudioTech on Compatible HeadphonesÂ â€“ Hear sound effects come to life in 3D Audio (requires compatible headphones).
Fast LoadingÂ â€“ Get into the action quickly with the PlayStation 5 consoleâ€™s ultra-fast SSD and near-instant load times.

Stunning VisualsÂ â€“ Choose from two picture modesâ€”Performance Mode with upscaled 4K and up to 60 frames per second or Fidelity Mode in native 4Kâ€”both with ultra-wide and HDR support.

You can watch the entire two-hour Gamescom Opening Night Live 2021 below:


The Little Mermaid Is Fun & One Of The Better Disney Live-Action Adaptations

Several of the more popular Disney Renaissance animated movies have already gotten the live-action treatment in the last few years, including The Lion King, Aladdin and Mulan. The Little Mermaid is the latest but will it achieve as much success as The Lion King and Aladdin, or will it flounder like Mulan? Read on to find out.

Under The Sea

Some context: I was part of the generation of kids who grew up with the Disney Renaissance animated movies like The Little Mermaid, so they have a special nostalgic place in my heart. Iconic musical tracks are recreated in live-action and they’re great. Despite what you may think about the casting choice, there’s no denying that Halle Bailey is a phenomenal singer, and I daresay that her rendition of the songs is as good as Jodi Benson’s (the original voice actor of Ariel). Speaking of Jodi Benson, look out for her Stan Lee-like cameo in the movie.
The live-action Disney’s The Little Mermaid expands on the original animated movie with some extra content that doesn’t feel tacked on or superfluously added. This time around, Jonah Hauer-King’s Prince Eric is a more well-rounded character with added depth and development devoted to him. He even gets a brand new original song to sing (though it’s nothing to really shout about).
Without going into details or spoiler territory, his character traits even somewhat mirror Ariel’s, which makes their eventual romance more believable and their relationship ends up feeling like it has more chemistry.

Another highlight of the movie is Daveed Diggs’ Sebastian and Awkwafina’s Scuttle. Both of them even get a new original rap song that got my whole cinema hall laughing out loud; this is perhaps the best of the brand-new songs in the movie. Daveed Diggs as Sebastian is the most memorable supporting character with the best and funniest lines in the movie.
Fans of Flounder may be disappointed to learn that he gets the short stick in this movie, but he doesn’t really do anything important anyways, even in the original animated movie; it really feels like the writers don’t know what to do with him. The realistic CGI for the animals isn’t really as much of a distraction as you’d expect, with the exception of Flounder. He still looks weird and awkward in long shots, so perhaps that’s why he gets so little screen time.
Fans of the original animated movie will find a lot to love about this movie. The only thing that might irk them is a few changes, including in the ending. I personally found the original animated movie’s ending to be epic and grander in scale. The climax in the live-action version feels a bit more rushed and anti-climactic. Plus, some iconic scenes from the animated movie are absent in the live-action adaptation, including the famous scene where Chef Louis chases Sebastian around the kitchen while trying to cook him.

Siren’s Song

Disney’s Little Mermaid is a fun live-action reimagining of the original animated movie. It will captivate both fans and newcomers, especially younger viewers from new generations. That said, Disney’s The Little Mermaid is not a substitute for the classic animated movie, which will always be more magical and legendary.
FINAL SCORE: 70/100
We attended an early screener of Disney’s The Little Mermaid courtesy of The Walt Disney Company Malaysia. Disney’s The Little Mermaid is slated to premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 25 May 2023.


BATTLESHIP Now Compatible With PlayLink For PS4

Ubisoft announced today that BATTLESHIP is now compatible with Sony’s PlayLink for PS4 feature. Owners of the game can update the game for free. Plus, players can download the BATTLESHIP PlayLink application on their phones to utilize additional private screens to secretly deploy fleets, target friendâ€™s ships and fire attacks.

Players can now enjoy the classic guessing game in a modern and dynamic feel in the Classic mode or get tactical in the new Clash at Sea! mode.

The Classic mode features familiar rules. 5 ships on their grid, first to destroy your opponent’s ships is the winner.Â Clash at Sea! mode is a brand-new way to play BATTLESHIP. In this mode, players must earn and carefully manage resources that can be used to activate each shipâ€™s abilities to win the game.
Both of these modes are available online.

There’s also the option to play offline. InÂ Player vs Player, skippers can hold head-to-head naval battles both with the Classic and the Clash at Sea! rules. While in Campaign, players can progress through dozens of missions and master all the subtleties of the Clash at Sea! mechanics within a storyline. There is also an AI mode that you can challenge.
The game has gone a long way. From the tabletop, to the powerful hardware of the PS4. Battles are now lively, with unique abilities, cartoony designs and fun animations are available for a more entertaining game experience.
Â


Sonic Prime Animated Series Speeds To Netflix This December 2022

It looks like Sonic the Hedgehog fans will have something new to watch this December. The animated series, Sonic Prime will premiere worldwide on Netflix on 15 December, as announced by Sega.
The first season contains a 24-episode animated adventure, providing plenty of content for families, children, and fans to look forward to. Anticipate highlighted keystones of the brand and packed adventure where the fate of a strange new multiverse rests in the gloved hands of our blue hero.

SEGA and WildBrain will be working together in production, distribution, and licensing. Sonic Prime is animated at WildBrain’s Vancouver studio. Moreover, the executive producers and showrunners for the series will be Man of Action Entertainment, creators of Ben 10, and the characters and team featured in the film Big Hero 6, the Academy Award-winning.

In addition to the release of Sonic Prime, SEGA is giving out multiple free DLC that features new characters, modes, elements, and costumes for owners of Sonic Frontiers. The publisher is committed to ensuring a long and enjoyable experience for players by releasing Sonic’s Holiday Cheer Costume as free DLC on 22 December 2022.

A series of high-speed action games since 1991, Sonic Frontiers is the latest addition to the growing portfolio of Sonic media initiatives, including the upcoming Netflix animated series Sonic Prime and Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog films.
Get to speed with Sonic Prime or Sonic Frontiers marathon this month! Head over to our Sonic Frontiers gameplay review or check out the game guide article. Alternatively, why not watch the 40 minutes of Kronos Island gameplay down below?


New One Piece Odyssey Dev Diary Breakdown

With the One Piece manga currently on hiatus, we have been blessed with a behind-the-scenes look into the development process of the new One Piece game, One Piece Odyssey.
One Piece Odyssey is a turn-based JRPG that is going to be published by Bandai Namco and is also the latest game in the One Piece franchise where you will take control of Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hats as they venture around an island with plenty of quests, dungeons, puzzles and fights in turn-based combat.
One Piece Odyssey is due out for PS4 and PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC via Steam in 2022.

All we know about the release date is that it’s expected to drop in the second half of this year. Many speculate that it could even drop later this month as the 22nd of July marks the anniversary of the manga, but logically speaking, that seems a bit too soon.
So for now, I guess we have to settle for the Dev Diary brought to us by none other than the main producer of the game, Katsuaki Tsuzuki.
And as the resident otaku, I’m here to break the Dev Diary down.
Concept
According to Tsuzuki, he and his team wanted to provide fans of the series with a new way to immerse themselves into the One Piece world. To do this, the team behind the game built the world so that it’s able to bring to life “the drama, adventure and battle elements” that are unique to One Piece.
We also learn that the game has been in development for five years with the creator of One Piece himself, Eiichiro Oda having designed our favourite pirates three years ago. That was around the time of the Whole Cake Island Arc in the manga.
NEW CHARACTERS
One Piece‘s editor-in-chief at the time, Ken Takano goes on to elaborate that when Tsuzuki’s team got back to Oda with the final setting, storyline and game footage, Oda was so enthrauled by what he saw, he decided to create two original characters exclusively for this game. These characters were Adio Suerte and Lim.

Along side the birth of these two, Oda also drafted some new animals to be featured in this world such as the Leviathan and Dry Penguin.
LORE & SETTING
Unfortunately, nothing has lead us to believe that the story in this game will be canonical and even if it was, it would be hard to place it in the timeline. What we do know for sure is that it’s definitely post–time-skip as you can tell by the Straw Hats’ design and that the game will mainly take place on an island called Waford.
Development
Tsuzuki then unveils that ILCA also helped with the development of the world One Piece Odyssey takes place in. This is not surprising as not long after the Dev Diary was uploaded, Bandai Namco announced their partnership with ILCA in the form of a new studio named Bandai Namco Aces.
Tsuzuki then goes on to explain the effort his team has gone through to make sure to stay as true to the source material as possible when it came to designing aspects of the game such as the clouds, the animations and expressions. Especially because the game is in 3D rather than 2D like the anime and manga.
FEATURES

Be any of the Straw Hats – You will be able to switch between most of the the Straw Hats on the fly as you explore the terrain and overcome obstacles that only certain members can overcome.
Immerse yourself into the lore – Explore the mysterious dungeons and caverns where you will have to solve puzzles and find your way through maze-like systems as you find bits and pieces that relate to the story and see how everything adds up.
Fight like the Mugiwara – Using turn-based combat, you are able to use all the abilities that the Straw Hats possess from the source material. Use Luffy’s Gum-Gum Pistol, or Zoro’s Three Sword Style or you can avoid combat entirely and run away like Usopp and Nami do.


ASUS ROG Malaysia Announces Intel 10th Gen Gaming Laptops

ASUS ROG Malaysia has announced their new lineup of Intel 10th Gen gaming laptops, as well as their official prices.

Check them out below:
ROG Zephyrus Series (Intel 10th Gen) -Â Focusing on speed, power, and portability.ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 -Â https://www.asus.com/my/Laptops/ROG-Zephyrus-Duo-15/ROG Zephyrus S17 -Â https://www.asus.com/my/Laptops/ROG-Zephyrus-S17/ROG Zephyrus S15 -Â https://www.asus.com/my/Laptops/ROG-Zephyrus-S15/ROG Zephyrus M15 -Â https://www.asus.com/my/Laptops/ROG-Zephyrus-M15/Remark:All ROG Zephyrus series products are bundled with 1x 65W PD/Type-C power adapter for portabilityAll ROG Intel series features liquid metal compound for cooling performanceROG STRIX Series (Intel 10th Gen) -Â Delivering exceptional speed, power, and performanceROG STRIX SCAR 15/17 -Â https://www.asus.com/my/Laptops/ROG-Strix-SCAR-15-17/ROG STRIX G15 -Â https://www.asus.com/my/Laptops/ROG-Strix-G15-17/ROG STRIX G15 Electro Punk -Â https://www.asus.com/my/Laptops/ROG-Strix-G15-17/ROG STRIX G15 Glacier Blue -Â https://www.asus.com/my/Laptops/ROG-Strix-G15-17/Remark:All ROG STRIX series products feature a total of 3x M.2 slots for storageAll ROG Intel series features liquid metal compound for cooling performanceSpecial bundle for ROG STRIX G15 Electro Punk Edition: ROG Ranger Electro Punk Backpack, ROG Electro Punk Mousepad + ROG Impact II Mouse (Electro Punk)
All ROG Intel gaming laptop series equipped with DDR4 3200 RAM hardware. However, on 8 cores CPU variant will be able to operate at Â = 3200MHz while the 6 cores CPU variant runs at 2933MHz (M15, STRIX G15/17).
ASUS ROG STRIX G15 G512L-IAL031T

RM4,399IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i5-10300H Processor 2.5 GHz (8M Cache, up to 4.5 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® GTX 1650Ti GDDR6 4GBM.2 NVMe PCIe SSD 512GB SSD15.6-inch Full HD (1920×1080) vIPS-level panel 144HzEarly September
ASUS ROG STRIX G15 G512L-IAL007T

RM4,999IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7-10750H Processor 2.6 GHz (12M Cache, up to 5 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® GTX 1650Ti GDDR6 4GBM.2 NVMe PCIe SSD 512GB SSD15.6-inch Full HD (1920×1080) vIPS-level panel 144HzAvailable now
ASUS ROG STRIX G15 G512L-IHN156T

RM5,199IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7-10750H Processor 2.6 GHz (12M Cache, up to 5 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® GTX 1650Ti GDDR6 4GBM.2 NVMe PCIe SSD 512GB SSD15.6-inch Full HD (1920×1080) vIPS-level panel 144HzEarly September
ASUS ROG STRIX G15 G512L-UHN191T

RM5,999IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7-10750H Processor 2.6 GHz (12M Cache, up to 5 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® GTX 1660Ti GDDR6 6GBM.2 NVMe PCIe SSD 1TB SSD15.6-inch Full HD (1920×1080) vIPS-level panel 144HzAvailable now
ASUS ROG STRIX G15 G512L-VHN146T

RM6,699IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7-10750H Processor 2.6 GHz (12M Cache, up to 5 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® RTX 2060 GDDR6 6GBM.2 NVMe PCIe SSD 1TB SSD15.6-inch Full HD (1920×1080) vIPS-level panel 144HzAvailable now
ASUS ROG STRIX G17 G712L-UH7082T

RM6,199IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7-10750H Processor 2.6 GHz (12M Cache, up to 5 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® GTX 1660Ti GDDR6 6GBM.2 NVMe PCIe SSD 1TB SSD17.3-inch Full HD (1920×1080) vIPS-level panel 120HzAvailable now
ASUS ROG STRIX G17 G712L-VEV067T

RM6,699IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7-10750H Processor 2.6 GHz (12M Cache, up to 5 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® RTX 2060 GDDR6 6GBM.2 NVMe PCIe SSD 1TB SSD17.3-inch Full HD (1920×1080) IPS-level panel 144Hz, 3ms 100% RGBAvailable now
ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR 15 G532L-VAZ069T

RM7,499IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7-10875H Processor 2.3 GHz (16M Cache, up to 5.1 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® RTX 2060 GDDR6 6GBM.2 NVMe PCIe SSD 1TB SSD15.6-inch Full HD (1920×1080) IPS-level panel, 240Hz, 3ms, 100% sRGBAvailable now
ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR 15 G532L-WAZ085T

RM7,999IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7-10875H Processor 2.3 GHz (16M Cache, up to 5.1 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® RTX 2070 GDDR6 8GBM.2 NVMe PCIe SSD 1TB SSD15.6-inch Full HD (1920×1080) IPS-level panel, 240Hz, 3ms, 100% sRGBAvailable now
ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR 15 G532L-WSHF083T

RM9,499IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7-10875H Processor 2.3 GHz (16M Cache, up to 5.1 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® RTX 2070 SUPERâ„¢ 8GB GDDR6M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD 512G+512G with RAID 0 support15.6-inch Full HD (1920×1080) IPS-level panel, 300Hz, 3ms, 100% sRGBEarly September
ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR 17 G732L-VEV048T
RM7,499IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7-10875H Processor 2.3 GHz (16M Cache, up to 5.1 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® RTX 2060 GDDR6 6GBM.2 NVMe PCIe SSD 1TB SSD17.3-inch Full HD (1920×1080) IPS-level panel, 144Hz, 3ms, 100% sRGBEarly September
ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR 17 G732L-WEV054T
RM8,299IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7-10875H Processor 2.3 GHz (16M Cache, up to 5.1 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® RTX 2070 GDDR6 8GBM.2 NVMe PCIe SSD 1TB SSD17.3-inch Full HD (1920×1080) IPS-level panel, 144Hz, 3ms, 100% sRGBAvailable now
ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR 17 G732L-XSHG068T
RM14,499IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7-10875H Processor 2.3 GHz (16M Cache, up to 5.1 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® RTX 2080 SUPERâ„¢ 8GB GDDR6M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD 512G+512G with RAID 0 support17.3-inch Full HD (1920×1080) IPS-level panel, 300Hz, 3ms, 100% sRGBEnd Of September
ASUS ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502L-UAZ087T

RM6,999IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7-10750H Processor 2.6 GHz (12M Cache, up to 5 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® GTX 1660Ti GDDR6 6GBM.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 1TB SSD15.6-inch Full HD (1920×1080) IPS-level panel, 240Hz, 3ms, 100% sRGB, PantoneÂ® ValidatedAvailable now
ASUS ROG Zephyrus S15 GX502L-WSHF056T

RM10,499IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7-10875H Processor 2.3 GHz (16M Cache, up to 5.1 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® RTX 2070 SUPERâ„¢ 8GB GDDR6M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen3x4 1TB SSD15.6-inch Non-glare Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS-level panel, 300Hz, 3ms, 100% sRGB, PantoneÂ® Validated, G-SYNCâ„¢Mid-September
ASUS ROG Zephyrus S15 GX502L-XSHF042T

RM15,499IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7-10875H Processor 2.3 GHz (16M Cache, up to 5.1 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® RTX 2080 SUPERâ„¢ Max-Q 8GB GDDR6M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 x4 512GB + 512GB SSD with RAID 0 support15.6-inch Non-glare Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS-level panel, 300Hz, 3ms, 100% sRGB, PantoneÂ® Validated, G-SYNCâ„¢Mid-September
ASUS ROG Zephyrus S17 GX701L-WSHG043T

RM13,999IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7-10875H Processor 2.3 GHz (16M Cache, up to 5.1 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® RTX 2070 SUPERâ„¢ 8GB GDDR6M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen3x4 1TB SSD17.3-inch Full HD (1920×1080) IPS-level panel, 300Hz, 3ms, 100% sRGB, PantoneÂ® Validated, G-SYNCâ„¢End Of September
ASUS ROG Zephyrus S17 GX701L-XSHG043T

RM16,999IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7-10875H Processor 2.3 GHz (16M Cache, up to 5.1 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® RTX 2080 SUPERâ„¢ Max-Q 8GB GDDR6M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen3x4 1TB SSD17.3-inch Full HD (1920×1080) IPS-level panel, 300Hz, 3ms, 100% sRGB, PantoneÂ® Validated, G-SYNCâ„¢End Of September
ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 GX550L-XSHF127T

RM19,999IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i9-10980HK Processor 2.4 GHz (16M Cache, up to 5.3 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® RTX 2080 SUPERâ„¢ Max-Q 8GB GDDR6M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 x4 1TB + 1TB SSD with RAID 0 support15.6-inch, Non-glare Full HD (1920 x 1080), IPS panel 300Hz/3ms, 100% sRGB, PantoneÂ® Validated, G-SYNCâ„¢ with 14.1-inch (3840 x 1100) touchscreenEnd Of September
ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 GX550L-XSHC064R

RM19,999IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i9-10980HK Processor 2.4 GHz (16M Cache, up to 5.3 GHz)NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® RTX 2080 SUPERâ„¢ Max-Q 8GB GDDR6M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 x4 1TB + 1TB SSD with RAID 0 support15.6-inch, Non-glare UHD (3840 x 2160), IPS panel 60Hz, 100% Adobe RGB, PantoneÂ® Validated, G-SYNCâ„¢ with 14.1-inch (3840 x 1100) touchscreenAvailable now


Is Shazam! The Best Comic Book Origin Story Of 2019?

Comic book movies exploring the origins of their protagonists and heroes have gotten a bad rep in recent years. Even avid comic book fans like myself are feeling the fatigue of being bombarded by formulaic superhero origin movies, the likes of which unfortunately includes Marvel Studios’ latest effort, Captain Marvel.
Shazam! may have the advantage of being a relatively unknown character in the public sphere, but it’s still an origin movie nonetheless. Therefore, the question is whether or not it falls to the common pitfalls of familiarity and safeness suffered by many origin movies.
I’m here to tell you that while it doesn’t reinvent the genre, it manages to impress with its classic but irresistible comic book charm and a third act filled with pleasant surprises, as well as a strong and likeable cast.

There are ultimately many reasons why Shazam (who is the original Captain Marvel, by the way) remains popular 80 years after his debut, but it’s the heart of the character that makes him unique amongst his other comic book brethren.

The Saving Grace That Is Its Third Act

Shazam still follows the predictable formula of a hero discovering or getting his/her powers, learning how to use it, and finally confronting the villain in the showdown in the third act (as not-so-subtly pointed out by Samuel L. Jackson’s Mr. Glass in the movie Glass earlier this year).
What saves the movie from falling into this trap is its great third act which differentiates it from other solo superhero outings. Without revealing what it is, a plot twist of sorts happens in Shazam!’s third act, completely turning things around and changing the established dynamic.
However, while this particular plot twist managed to put a spin in the third act, its effect may vary on the individual. Comic book fans may see the plot twist coming from a mile away, considering it’s been ripped directly from the comics. I knew the moment was coming even before watching the movie, and it still brought out the grinning fanboy in me.

Those unfamiliar with the source material will definitely be more unexpectedly surprised when the plot twist happens, though I reckon it would still be crowd-pleasing to both types of audiences.

Sometimes the third act of an origin movie needs nothing more than a plot twist and real stakes to spice things up, which Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel fails at doing.
Perfect Casting

Back when Shazam! was initially announced, the main concern that arose was who the movie would cast as its titular hero. Unlike other DC heroes, Shazam must be played by two different actors who must essentially be playing the same person. Just like Aidan Gallagher’s Number Five in Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy had to portray an adult in a kid’s body, Zachary Levi received the unenviable task of portraying a kid in an adult’s body.

The results could have been awkward and even a little creepy, but Zachary Levi actually manages to pull it off by perfectly playing the role of Shazam. He comes off as funny, heartwarming and innocent enough for us to believe that he really is a 14-year old boy in a superhero’s body.

He embodies the character in a way that makes it hard to imagine anyone else in the role, which is the best praise I can give.
Meanwhile, Asher Angel is another near-perfect casting choice in Shazam!. His Billy Batson is a 14-year-old teenager who, despite being mistreated by parental figures throughout his life, is a kid with a good heart.
His performance isn’t annoyingly obnoxious or frustratingly bland as some child actors tend to be; they’re the exact opposite.

Both of their strong performances are further bolstered by the other surprisingly great child actors, especially that of Jack Dylan Grazer’s Freddy Freeman. The relationship between Freddy and Billy forms the emotional backbone of Shazam!, not to mention all of their other foster siblings who contribute to the movie’s central family theme.

Standouts include Faithe Herman’s adorable turn as the youngest foster sibling Darla Dudley, and Ian Chen’s Eugene Choi, who churns out gaming references; some of which were admittedly cringy but tolerable because it’s out of a kid’s mouth.

I just wish that Grace Fulton’s Mary Bromfield had been given more to do, considering how she’s supposed to be the most important member of the family next to Freddy (according to the source material).
As for Shazam! villain Dr. Sivana, the movie did try to flesh out his background to make him a bit more sympathetic and relatable, but it didn’t really succeed in that regard. Mark Strong’s controlled performance makes theÂ  centralvillain decent but not much memorable when compared to other DCEU villains.
On the other hand, the Seven Deadly Sins are simply CGI creatures, though they’re much more intimidating than Batman V Superman’s boring Doomsday.
The Future Of The DCEU Is Shining Even Brighter

I know that I called Aquaman the best DCEU movie to date last year, but I sincerely believe that Shazam! has blown that movie out of the water (sorry, not sorry). While Aquaman rekindled new life into the DCEU, Shazam! manages to keep that flame burning brighter than ever before.
FINAL SCORE: 90/100
Shazam! officially opens in Malaysian cinemas on 4 April 2019, but early screenings are currently available at selected cinema chains across the country.


Dead Island 2 Will Be Out By 2023; Maybe

Dead Island 2 was announced back in 2014 before it went dark for a very long time. Recent news has confirmed that it’s coming out in 2023; maybe.
The action game featuring zombies will be out in early 2023 and will be an Epic Games Store exclusive. According to a Deep Silver Q3 FY2021/22 report and Q&A session via the Embracer Group, CEO Lars Wingefors seem to indirectly hint that Dead Island 2 will be out sometime in the company’s 2023 fiscal year. That ends on 31 March, 2023.
Wingefors did not directly answer questions concerning the release date for the game that’s been in development for 10 years or so, but he did say the following:
“I can’t talk about Dead Island 2 because it’s not announced, as such, from the publisher, but we have just talked aboutâ€”we have one unannounced triple-A title that you think is Dead Island 2. It’s hard for me to comment further on that. But I’m excited about unannounced titles.”
The Embracer Group also said that its Koch Media Publishing arm are on track to releasing its other big titles like the Saints Row reboot, Payday 3, Shadow Warrior 3, and Crossfire Legion.


Apex Legends Gets New 3v3 Arenas Mode, Which Is Basically Respawn’s Version Of CS:GO

Respawn may be taking a step out of the battle royale shooter genre with its latest major Season 9 update to Apex Legends.
And they did, with its new 3v3 Arenas mode. Arenas is a new permanent mode where players fight each other in 3v3 matches where they carefully spend crafting materials on weapons and ability charges before each round. It’s essentially Respawn pulling off a Counter-Strike: GO and Valorant, but with the Apex Legends/Titanfall touch. Looks fun!

Apex Legends is also getting its new Legend called Valkyrie. Her real name is Kairi Imahara, and her dad happens to be Viper, the Apex Predator who was killed by Titanfall 2’s main character Jack Cooper.

Her abilities are as follows:

Passive:Â VTOL JetsÂ â€“Â Press Jump while in the air to engage jetpack. You can switch between hold and toggle in the options menu.
Tactical:Â Missile Swarm â€“Â Fire a swarm of mini-rockets which damage and disorient the enemy.
Ultimate:Â Skyward Dive â€“Â Press once to prepare for launch. Teammates can interact with Valkyrie to join the launch. Press again to launch into the air and skydive.
Legendary skins: Aerial Support, Choke Uplift, Valhalla Descent, Warrior’s Justice

These major updates will be out on 4th May. We’ll say this: it’s only a matter of time until Apex Legends gets its Titans mode.
Update: Apparently we will not be getting Titanfall Titans in Apex Legends (thanks Sirus Gaming!). According to game director Chad Grenier, he clarifies that they will not be in Apex Legends since having them on board will change the gameplay mechanics and cause chaos. The only two Titanfall-related characters will be Valkyrie and Ash.


Elden Ring Sales Surpass 16.6 Million

According to Gamebiz Japan, the total worldwide shipments and digital sales for Elden Ring have surpassed 16.6 million units. This new milestone was announced by publisher Bandai Namco in its financial results report for the three months that ended on 30 June 2022.
Previously, Elden Ring sold 13.4 million units by May 2022. Elden Ring originally launched for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC via Steam on 25 February 2022 worldwide.
In other recent related news, the latest Elden Ring patch brought a bunch of nerfs and buffs.
In the meantime, check out our review of the game here, or head on over here for our guide on how to be Elden Lord.


New Overwatch Dark Horse Comic & Cassidyâ€™s New Blood Challenge Are Now Live

The Overwatch Cassidyâ€™s New Blood Challenge is now live on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch. From now until 23 November 2021, players will be able to earn limited-time rewards including a player icon, sprays, and the new Sandstorm Cassidy epic skin for a total of nine new rewards.
In addition, Blizzard Entertainment has teamed up with Dark Horse for a new comic series following everyoneâ€™s favourite wandering gunslinger as he seeks out heroes for Overwatch in Overwatch: New Blood.
NEW COMIC SERIES FEATURING COLE CASSIDY â€“Â Overwatch: New Blood
Explore the founding of a new crew in Issue #1 of the new five-part digital comic series,Â Overwatch: New BloodÂ (now available here), published by Dark Horse Comics, written by acclaimed author Ray Fawkes, and illustrated by artist Irene Koh. Fans are about to witness the unveiling of an exciting journey featuring the hero Cole Cassidy, with more adventures yet to comeâ€¦
PLAY TO EARN
Your wins in Quick Play, Competitive Play, or Arcade will earn you a new player icon, a new spray and a new epic skin:

Play 9 Games | Player Icon
Play 18 Games | Spray
Play 27 Games | Sandstorm Cassidy (Epic Skin)

WATCH TO EARN
You can watch Twitch streamers before, during, or after matches to unlock even more cosmetics â€“ tune in to any Twitch streamer playing Overwatch now through November 23 to earn these six Cassidyâ€™s New Blood sprays!

Watch 2 Hours | 1 Spray
Watch 2 More Hours | 2 Sprays
Watch 2 More Hours | 3 Sprays


Disney+ Hotstar Unveils New American Born Chinese Gets Trailer Ahead Of May Premiere

Today, Disney+ Hotstar revealed the official trailer for the upcoming Original series “American Born Chinese.” The genre-hopping action-comedy series premieres with all eight episodes on May 24, only on Disney+ Hotstar. The Disney Branded Television series is produced by 20th Television.
Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, “American Born Chinese” chronicles the trials and tribulations of a regular American teenager whose life is forever changed when he befriends the son of a mythological god. This is the story of a young man’s battle for his own identity, told through family, comedy, and action-packed Kung-Fu.
The coming-of-age adventure features an all-star international cast, including Academy Award winners?Michelle Yeoh?and?Ke Huy Quan?(“Everything Everywhere All at Once”),?Ben Wang?(“Chang Can Dunk”), International Emmy(R)?Award Nominee Yeo Yann Yann?(“Wet Season”),?Chin Han?(“Mortal Kombat”),?Daniel Wu?(“Reminiscence”), former Taekwondo champion?Jimmy Liu?and?Sydney Taylor?(“Just Add Magic”).
Introducing audiences to a pantheon of iconic Chinese mythical characters, are guest stars Academy® Award nominee Stephanie Hsu as?Shiji Niangniang,?the Goddess of Stones; Ronny Chieng as unconventional monk, Ji Gong; Jimmy O. Yang as Dragon King, Ao Guang; James Hong as Jade Emperor; Leonard Wu as Niu Mowang/Bull Demon; and Poppy Liu as?Princess Iron Fan. The series also welcomes?Lisa Lu as soon-to-be retired acupuncturist Ni Yang and Rosalie Chiang?as student activist Suzy Nakamura.
Emmy?Award-winning writer/producer Kelvin Yu (“Bob’s Burgers,” “Central Park”) serves as executive producer and showrunner. ?Destin Daniel Cretton (Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” “Short Term 12”) is set to direct and serves as executive producer, alongside Melvin Mar and Jake Kasdan (both of “Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.,” “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” and “Jumanji: The Next Level”),?Erin O’Malley (“Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.”), Asher Goldstein (“Short Term 12,” “Just Mercy”) and Gene Luen Yang.
Check out the trailer below:


The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal Is Our Joel In HBO’s The Last Of Us

In the same day that Bella Ramsey’s casting as Ellie was announced, we now officially have our Joel as well for the upcoming HBO’s The Last Of Us TV series.
According to Deadline, Pedro Pascal will be playing Joel Miller in HBO’s The Last Of Us, alongside the recently-confirmed Bella Ramsey as Ellie. Pedro Pascal is a huge star and surely needs no introduction, best known for playing protagonist Din Djarin in Disney Plus’ The Mandalorian and supervillain Maxwell Lord in Wonder Woman 1984.
What’s interesting is that, just like Bella Ramsey, Pascal was also in Game Of Thrones, playing the Oberyn Martell AKA the Red Viper. However, does this mean that Pascal’s time on The Mandalorian will end soon? Surely not even the likes of him can juggle the time and energy playing the lead of two massive shows at the same time, so we’ll have to see what happens.
HBOâ€™sÂ The Last Of UsÂ will be written and executive produced byÂ ChernobylÂ creator Craig Mazin and the original game director Neil Druckmann. It will be co-produced by Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, and Naughty Dog.
There is no release date as of yet.
The Last Of Us Part 2Â is out now for the PS4. In the meantime,Â check out my full spoiler-free review of the game here, orÂ head on over here for a guide and tips for the game. If youâ€™ve already played the game, then I suggestÂ checking out my 4000-word spoilerific articleÂ on why the hate for the game isnâ€™t justified.


Kingdom Hearts Fans Can Now Taste Real Sea Salt Ice Cream In Malaysia

There are many endearing elements and sentimental moments in the Kingdom Hearts franchise, one of which is its iconic sea salt ice cream that Axel (or Lea), Roxas, and Xion eats together while sitting on top of the clock tower in Twilight Town. It’s every fan’s dream to have a taste of that sea salt ice cream, and now they can.
Starting today on 3 July 2019, Family Mart Malaysia is selling their new Mediterranean Sea Salt Sofuto soft-serve ice cream in stores nationwide. For the price of only RM2.90, Kingdom Hearts fans can finally experience what a sea salt ice cream tastes like.

While the Mediterranean Sea Salt Sofuto ice cream doesn’t look much like the popsicle on a stick in the Kingdom Hearts games, it still features that same sky-blue colour that makes it look so appetizing.
However, keep in mind that this isn’t actually an official collaboration between Family Mart and Kingdom Hearts developer Square Enix, so don’t expect too much. I just thought it’d be fun to point out Family Mart’s new sea salt ice cream to all my fellow Kingdom Hearts fans.
As a Kingdom Hearts fan myself, I’ll probably head over to the closest Family Mart soon and have a taste myself. In the meantime, check out my review of Kingdom Hearts 3 here or check out my detailed discussion of the franchise’s past, present, and future here.


Borderlands 3 SHiFT Codes & VIP Codes: Here’s How They Work

It’s official: SHiFT codes will make their return in Borderlands 3. The codes that gave us rare pink and energy-based loot in Borderlands 2 will be back. If you want the really rare and special guns the easy way, there’s no better way than with SHiFT codes.
We’ve got the lowdown of how SHiFT codes and VIP codes work in part 3 via E3 2019. Let’s break it down.
SHiFT Codes
These codes will appear in a couple of forms according to Gearbox.

Golden Keys will unlock a special chest that is guaranteed to give you an item (usually a gun) of a high rarity. Shift codes often grant a batch of a few golden keys to use. It’s sort of like playing a free slot machine, except you’re guaranteed to get a rare itemâ€”just not necessarily one that you want. This chest will most likely be at Sanctuary 3 -the flying base that’s your primary hub.
Cosmetics: Some Shift codes will likely unlock special skins for Borderlands 3’s vault hunters. In the past, these were often tied to special events, and getting a Shift code was the only way to unlock the skin.

This is how you redeem SHiFT codes:

Online with a free account at Shift.GearboxSoftware.com, which lets you link a Steam, console, Epic Games, or social media account. Remember that Borderlands 3 is an Epic Store exclusive at launch.
In-game through the menu. You’ll copy the 25-digit Shift code, tab into your game and paste it in. Voila, guns and cosmetics for you!

VIP Codes

Remember that Vault Insider program Gearbox announced on its website? Yep, you’ll be getting an entirely separate kind of codes for that if you sign up. You can redeem these special codes for special vault points. Vault points can also be gained from other activities like signing up for a 2K newsletter or just filling up your in-game profile.
If you get a set amount of points, you’ll get VIP-level rewards like exclusive Vault Hunter skins, heads, and even something similar to the Early Adopter pack you get for signing up. This pack for Borderlands 3 includes a “Children of the Vault” weapon, an Echo Device skin, and 5 Gold Keys to unlock chests in-game.
Hope that clears everything up about Gearbox and 2K Games’ free loot and rewards system. Borderlands 3 will be mayheming its way to consoles and PC 13th September.


World Of Warcraft Gets Dragon-Filled Expansion

Blizzard has announced the next World of Warcraft expansion.
The MMORPG will be getting a new expansion called Dragonflight. The upcoming expansion will introduce a new combination race and class: the dracthyr Evokers. According to Blizzard president Mike Ybarra, the game’s systems will be getting an overhaul. Full details of its features below:

Discover the Dragon Isles: In their journey to the new level cap of 70, players will explore the primordial wonder and ancient secrets of the Dragon Isles across four new zones—the Waking Shores, roiling with elemental power; the vast expanse of the Ohn’ahran Plains; the frosty peaks of the Azure Span; and the majestic spires and temples of Thaldraszus.
New Playable Race/Class Combo: Players will menace their foes (or empower their allies) as a dracthyr Evoker, WoW’s first ever race/class combo. They’ll design both humanoid and draconic forms, pick between the Alliance and Horde, and venture forth as a healer or ranged damage-dealer that harnesses the collective might of all dragonkind.
Soar Through the Skies: Dragonflight introduces Dragonriding, an all-new skill-based method of aerial movement that allows players to take to the skies on the back of their personal Dragon Isles Drake. Players will customize their drake as they progress through the expansion, collecting more appearance options and enabling them to fly farther and faster.
Talent System Revamp: The new talent system empowers players to make creative and flavorful talent choices without compromising their effectiveness—and most importantly, it gives them meaningful options at every level.
Improved Professions: Crafters rejoice! In Dragonflight, players who aspire to become renowned for their crafts will find a host of new features and tools to fuel their ambitions, including player-driven work orders, new profession equipment, and an all-new specialization system.
Updated UI: Dragonflight will refresh the World of Warcraft user interface, with improvements to the look and feel of the minimap and other elements, and new options for players to customize different aspects of the UI to their tastes.

No release date has been announced yet. Check out the trailer below:

In addition, WoW Wrath of the Lich King Classic is also announced. It’s classic MMORPG gameplay from when the expansion debuted. Features are listed below:

The Grim Frozen North: Players will begin their journey in one of two zones in Northrend—Borean Tundra or Howling Fjord—and experience some of the most epic vistas and beloved storylines in all of Warcraft before breaching the seat of the Lich King’s power in Icecrown.
The Rise of Death Knights: Available to both factions and starting at level 55, Death Knights—WoW’s first hero class—harness the powers of darkness to help combat the evil that threatens Azeroth.
New profession—Inscription: This new profession allows players to scribe mystical glyphs that alter the appearance and modify the properties of spells and abilities, as well as craft powerful trinkets and off-hand items.
Achievements Unlocked: Achievements are coming to WoW Classic, giving players a whole new set of rewards for their exploits and accomplishments.
Dungeons & Raids: Relive seminal 5-player dungeons like Azjol-Nerub and the Culling of Stratholme, and lay siege to Naxxramas in a 10-player raid, an update of its original iteration as a 40-player raid in pre-expansion World of Warcraft.

WoW Wrath of The Lich King Classic also has no release date as of yet; it’ll be out in 2022.


From Software Expects More People To Finish Elden Ring

A recent PlayStation blog interview featuring From Software director Hidetaka Miyazaki was focused on challenge and accessibility, particularly about his team’s upcoming game Elden Ring.
He said that Elden Ring will just be as challenging as past Dark Souls games and confirms that his team is not purposefully trying to make Elden Ring easier. However, due to its open-world structure and accessible multiplayer offering, he predicts that more people will finish Elden Ring.
“This time in Elden Ring, we have many options at the playerâ€™s disposal to confront challenging situations and use their cunning to outsmart enemies and bosses.
They can come back to something later when theyâ€™re at an impasse so that they can have this freedom of progression and not have to bang their head against a wall over and over. They can figure out what to do and how to approach it again, at their own pace.”
The best part? You can get up to three friends to stand by your side during most tough fights.
“In Elden Ring, we have not intentionally tried to lower the gameâ€™s difficulty, but I think more players will finish it this time.
As I mentioned, the playerâ€™s level of freedom to progress through the world or return to a challenge later are all elements that I feel will help people get through the game at a more leisurely pace. Also, there isnâ€™t a focus on pure action. The player has more agency to dictate their approach against, for example, the field bosses in the overworld and how they utilize stealth in various situations.
Weâ€™ve even reduced the number of hoops that you have to jump through to enjoy it in multiplayer. So we hope the players embrace that idea of receiving help from others. And we feel like the overall clear rate will go up this time because of these things.â€
He also mentioned that he loves last year’s co-op gem It Takes Two, as he finished the game recently with a friend. Concerning Elden Ring, as long as it doesn’t have a lot of the obtuse hidden ending condition nonsense like in Sekiro, I’m all for whatever From Software throws at me.
The action RPG will be out for PC and Xbox/PlayStation consoles on 25 February.


Here Are The Final 24 Teams Competing in the 2018 Overwatch World Cup

The list of the 24 teams set to compete in the 2018 Overwatch World Cup Group Stages is out, along with the groupings for each of the qualifiers which are set to take place in four locations around the globe. Check them out:

The final list was determined selecting 20 countries with the highestÂ average skill rating (SR) of each countryâ€™s top 150 players. The other four were the hosts of each group stages; South Korea, United States, France and the biggest beneficiary from being a host, Thailand who would not have made it into the Top-20 otherwise. The format, exact time and dates for these group stages are to be played will be announced soon but they should be held just after Season 1 of the Overwatch League concludes, and well before the final rounds of the Overwatch World Cup which takes place in early November, at BlizzCon.
We fancy the South Koreans and Russians to emerge from the Seoul Stage, United States and Canada from the US stage and the United Kingdom to accompany France out of Paris. The Thai stage is the most intriguing one as we feel that at least five teams have a decent shot to emerge from this stage. Sorry Thailand – it’s too tough of a group for you folks. If we had to pick, it would be the Chinese and Swedes to qualify from Bangkok.
Just like in the past, we will be covering the Overwatch World Cup from top to bottom so make sure to keep it locked on to Kakuchopurei.com for everything related to the Overwatch World Cup (and yeah â€“ of course, Overwatch in general!)