Honkai Star Rail Showcases A Lot Of Sci Fi Turn-Based Combat JRPGing Potential

Platform(s): PC (version reviewed), iOS, Android
Genre: Turn-based JRPG set in space and anime time continuum
If you can count developer/publisher HoYoverse on one thing, is that the Chinese game makers know how to style and profile.
Right from the get-go, Honkai Star Rail’s opening intro features a mysterious and hot anime woman who pretends to play imaginary violin to the tune of Pachelbel’s “Canon in D Major” while the space station she’s infiltrating is invaded by space aliens. And then she proceeds to kick everyone’s ass in turn-based form, with the segment playing host to the game’s combat tutorial. You then switch perspectives to your Trailblazer main character (male or female; up to you) as you team up with a host of space combat friends to help clear the universe of its evergrowing space cancer -a cosmic-proportion destructive force called Stellaron- while visiting many planets and locations. Oh, and find out a bit more about yourself since you have JRPG anime protagonist amnesia, but the game only has incremental updates, so the tale’s far from done.
The Space Between Us

The 8-hours or so I spent on Honkai Star Rail’s early chapters are captivating because of its presentation alone. From its simple-yet-gorgeous animation and anime aesthetics in sci-fi form, to the immaculate English dub and charismatic soundtrack featuring orchestras and speedy synths fit for its world, you’d forgive the game for having the bog standard “save the galaxy one planet at a time in Star Trek form” plot. Half the time, the writing overexplains simple ideas and conversations one too many times that you’re glad the English voice-overs from amazing voice-over talent like Skyler Davenport and Su Ling Chan soothe the pain monumentally. Hopefully the game’s future updates and additional stories can right that narrative wrong.
I’m just thankful that all this style comes with substance, as the meat of Honkai Star Rail keeps you on your toes. I’m referring to the game’s turn-based combat.

You encounter battles by approaching and attacking enemies on the overworld and dungeons. Battles require you to take turns hitting the opposing team for damage until your team is the one left standing. Agility and speed take priority as it determines who acts on the turn order UI on the top left. Your basic attacks generate combat points (shared in a party pool), which you use for your stronger skills that usually buff your team, or deal big damage to groups. Enemies also have a white bar “stamina” gauge that when emptied, stuns them for a turn and prone to bigger damage from your team. That’s where your Element and Path come into play; if you hit an enemy with an Element they’re weak against, their white bar goes down faster and they get specific debuffs based on the Element they’re waylaid with. Physical attacks deal bleed damage, Ice attacks freezes targets, and so forth.
Paths also determine your party setup. The colourful cast of scifi Trailbreaking train riders that constitute your party have set roles determined by their Paths. Destruction Path users deal damage, Harmony Path users buff the team, Preservation Path users prioritize defense and turtling, and so forth. While having a full team of DPS users via Destruction and Erudition can mean fast damage, your defenses are paper thin.
For the majority of the game, having one of each Path in a four-team party is essential for survival. This is especially when you fight against Elite opponents and partake in the optional-but-difficult-over-time Forgotten Hall and Simulated Universe challenges. The Elite enemies and bosses will have tons of battle phases, and with healing on the fly hard to come by, you need to use all your available resources and your combat know-how to tackle these literal gatekeepers. One boss actually had me changing up my party and also reminding me that your party members’ Ultimates can be activated at any time regardless of whose turn it is.
There’s a lot to experiment with and a ton of nuances in the game’s seemingly-streamlined combat. And if you feel those are easy enough, the aforementioned challenges let you work with restrictive parameters like limited turns and consecutive dungeon-crawling with tougher encounters. All in all, it’s a ton of fun especially if turn-based combat with big animated payoffs sates your jollies.
We also have to address the obvious elephant in the F2P room: the fact that the tougher challenges may entice you to gacha for 5-star characters on the Warp menu. In truth, there’s really no need to spend a lot of money as the free characters you get in the main quest (and the pre-registration bonus) are adequate enough to help you out in the main game. Having a 5-star powerhouse doesn’t mean squat if they don’t complement your current party setup against a specific boss.
Though this shouldn’t stop you if you feel that certain characters in an existing or future banner entice you just because of their fashion sense and backstory; I know a ton of people online who would simp for the current banner duelist-type character Seele. I’m one of them, to be frank.
Star Power

Even if Honkai Star Rail is a free-to-play RPG like its cousin Genshin Impact, the major differences are the exclusion of open-world mechanics and the tedium that follows. Honkai Star Rail cuts to the chase and caters to being a faster experience for its PC and mobile trappings, while also retaining the magic of anime JRPGs that just aims to be itself. Except the price point is really up to you to decide.
Chalk up another win for HoYoverse in making an easy-to-get-in JRPG with simple-yet-deep turn-based combat mechanics that enthrals and challenges you simultaneously, at least for the current version we’ve played. Honkai Star Rail has both style and substance, dishing out triple-A production values while also being backed up with fun turn-based gameplay and a modicum of events and activities to keep you busy on your PC and/or phones for months (or years) to come.

Pros

Great turn-based combat gameplay with some layers of depth.
Lovely art style & music.
Stellar voice-acting work (English dub).
Fast-paced JRPG experience with tons of places & plot bits to experience, at least for launch.
It’s free!

Cons

Dialogue & narrative choices get tedious to sit through.
May not convert people who hate free-to-play titles.

Final Score: 90/100


Razer Unveils The DeathAdder V2 Mini Gaming Mouse

Razer has announced the Razer DeathAdder V2 Mini, the latest addition to Razerâ€™s DeathAdder family. The Razer DeathAdder V2 Mini was designed to meet community demands for a smaller, lightweight version, but retaining the iconic ergonomic right-hand design trusted by over 10 million Razer DeathAdder fans.

At only 62g, the Razer DeathAdder V2 Mini is an ultra-lightweight gaming mouse designed to fit smaller hand sizes. Built to complement both Palm and Claw grip styles for unrivalled handling, the versatile shape allows for comfort during long hours of gameplay.

The Razer DeathAdder V2 Mini features Razerâ€™s iconic optical mouse switches, which were built for a level of durability of up to 70 million clicks.

It is fitted with an 8,500 DPI Optical Sensor that flawlessly tracks mouse movement with zero spinouts for a high degree of precision.

The Razer DeathAdder V2 Mini is armed with six programmable buttons and on-board memory profile storage for easy access to your personal settings on the go and 100 percent PTFE Mouse Feet for the smoothest glides across any surface.

It also comes with a set of sweat-absorbent anti-slip Razer Mouse Grip Tape, that can be applied onto the top mouse buttons and sides for enhanced handling during gameplay.

Featuring Razer Chromaâ„¢ RGB lighting, the Razer DeathAdder V2 Mini will be available to purchase in Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia from 25 June 2020 onwards, at the price of RM259.
[wpvideo b9ZXs5zh]


You’ll Probably Get Vaccinated Before You Even Get A PS5; Here’s Why

Even after half a year since the PS5’s initial launch, the PS5 is still extremely difficult to find and buy. Most places are still out of stock and even when they get new ones, these PS5s get snapped up in a heartbeat. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s more likely for you to get vaccinated before you even get your hands on a PS5.
Sony Group Corp. has warned a group of analysts the PS5 will remain in short supply until 2022. After reporting financial results in late April, they revealed that they have sold 7.8 million units of the console as of 31 March 2021 and that they’re aiming to sell at least 14.8 million units in the current fiscal year.
However, in a briefing after those revealing those financial results, Sony later told analysts that it’s challenging to keep up with strong demand for the PS5 partially due to shortages in components such as semiconductors. It’s currently unknown when exactly this problem will resolve itself, especially in this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
According to several analysts who attended the briefing (via Bloomberg), Sony Chief Financial Officer Hiroki Totoki said:

â€œI donâ€™t think demand is calming down this year and even if we secure a lot more devices and produce many more units of the PlayStation 5 next year, our supply wouldnâ€™t be able to catch up with demand.”

Sony has yet to officially comment on the news.
With the PS5 launching in China soon and scalpers still being a massive problem, a PS5 supply shortage extending to 2022 would be devastating to fans who have waited so long to get their own shiny new next-gen console.
In the meantime, you can check outÂ my in-depth and no-holds-barred thoughts on the PS5Â after having it for more than a month. However, if youâ€™re looking for a more straightforward review, you shouldÂ head on over here instead.


Marvel Delays Black Widow Due To Covid-19 Pandemic

It looks like the 2020 summer movie season will be more of a wasteland than expected. Disney and Marvel Studios have announced that Black Widow has been officially delayed indefinitely due to the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic (via Variety).
The Black Widow movie was originally slated to premiere on 30 April 2020. It is now the fourth Disney movie to be delayed after Mulan, The New Mutants, and Antlers. The last movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was Spider-Man: Far From Home, which premiered in June/July 2019.
Black Widow was supposed to kick off the fourth phase of the MCU, and this delay might cause the entire Phase Four plans to be disrupted. It joins the following movies which have been postponed and delayed so far:

No Time To Die â€“ 26 November 2020
Fast & Furious 9 â€“ April 2021
A Quiet Place Part II â€“ TBC
The New Mutants â€“ TBC
Disneyâ€™s Mulan â€“ TBC

In the meantime, you can rewatch the final Black Widow trailer below to make up for the delay.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybji16u608U&w=560&h=315]


The Top 7 Astonishing Things About X-Men: Dark Phoenix

Let me make one thing clear: this new X-Men film from 20th Century Fox and Marvel Entertainment is not a good movie. It’s utterly boring, it has dialogue and scripts that feel like they have some weight and importance when in fact it doesn’t, and it introduces a lot of plot points that do not go anywhere and thus wastes everybody’s time.
However, there is some merit to this film’s existence. Seven points, in fact, that doesn’t make this second take on the acclaimed Chris Claremont run a complete pile. It’s still a seminal pile, but not 100%.
80% give or take.
In no particular order, here they are.
#1: The Third Act Train Fight Was Badass

It really doesn’t matter if this part of the film was shot by a different group of people or if it’s tacked on at the last minute. I mean, sure, as a whole film it does. But props when it’s due: the penultimate fight is actually well-shot and fun to watch.
You get to see the new and old X-Men team up with Magneto and his cronies as they fight the show’s antagonists -shapeshifted dudes, without spoiling anything- in style. The camera flow, the properly focused shots during fast moments, the light banter, head nods, and teamwork: it just works here.
It sure as hell isn’t enough to elevate the film beyond “bad” territory, but at the very least it’ll make a good YouTube watch when the film gets distributed after its theatrical run.
#2: It Proves Once Again That James McAvoy Is A Great Charles Xavier

Just like Patrick Stewart back in the 2000s, the directors made a great choice in convincing James McAvoy into playing the world’s distinguished telepathic headmaster Professor Charles “X” Xavier, who somehow is more at fault for the high mortality rate of the X-Men and his students.
Throughout his run from X-Men: First Class until now, he brings a combination of pathos, intelligence, cocksureness, and naivete that hasn’t been seen in a while. He wears both hats of a mentor role and a righteous crusader for mutants, and switches between them seamlessly.
Again, it’s not enough to carry this tepid film since he’s done the same and arguably better in the other X-Men films. But if anything, he can make a lacklustre script sound decent and seminally hold your attention.
#3: Michael Fassbender Still Can Work It As Magneto

It’s clear as day that Michael Fassbender is cashing in a cheque for this one. But he’s been a great scene-stealing Magneto from X-Men: First Class until now. His stern way of handling things and cold demeanour still gels together in tandem with James’ Professor X role.
#4: Tye Sheridan’s Cyclops Makes Me Giggle During A Supposed Pivotal Moment

For the wrong reasons, of course. Try as he might, Tye Sheridan didn’t have much to work with. There’s a bit in the middle where Cyclops tries hard to talk someone out of a bad situation.
It didn’t work, and it made him say a line so badly delivered and rushed that I laughed out loud.
#5: It Didn’t Damage Sophie Turner’s Career Too Much

For a main character on the poster, Sophie Turner did try her darndest with her Jean Grey/Phoenix role. The gradual transformation from boring ol’ Jean Grey to fun-loving and danger-revelling Phoenix, obviously portrayed better in the comics, is teased a bit in the film but needed way more than just a frat party scene and a visit to her childhood home.
And it sure as hell needed a better instigator than the disposable antagonist group led by Jessica Chastain’s character. But still: props for making the role kinda work and make us sorta care about Jean Grey’s transformation and the aftermath. She didn’t make the movie terrible; everything else did.
#6: It Made Me Appreciate X-Men – The Last Stand…By A Smidgen

X-Men: Dark Phoenix did the unthinkable. It made me rewatch the worst X-Men film in the original movie trilogy and appreciate it more. Sure, Brett Ratner made an unfocused film with plot threads that go nowhere and comes equipped with dumb lines and script bits.
But it had a lot more action scenes that felt epic and was fun to watch. The bridge scene with Magneto, the Danger Room scenes, and the battle royale at the end; everything about those action scenes just reminded me that it was a comic book movie film long before the MCU guys made it infinitely better. Forget the hyperbole back then that this film killed the X-Men movie franchise; that dubious honour goes to X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Plus, you cannot top Kelsey Grammar as The Beast. You just cannot; don’t even try.

#7: It Made Me Look Forward To Disney & Marvel’s Eventual Treatment
Now that the House of Mouse and the MCU owns the rights to the X-Men brand, the correct people will now get things done and hopefully create a better X-Men film that ties in with its current cinematic universe. It’ll take a long, LONG while, but at the very least, even if it ends up being average and adheres too much to its MCU hero’s journey template, it’ll still be leagues better than this snorefest.
To put it simply, X-Men: Dark Phoenix is uncannily unnecessary, is a giant-sized bore, and hits its X-Factor way too late.
FINAL RATING: 30/100


[Report] PlayStation 5 Launch Titles & Price Revealed

Sony has just recently revealed a tiny bit of information about the upcoming PlayStation 5. Even though it was only a bit, it was significant information in regards to the console.
Today, we’ve stumbled upon what seems to be a leak from a third party developer who’s involved in helping a well-known company develop a triple-A title. This information surfaced even way before Sony talked to Wired, and had most of the information correct.
The person even said that the specs were correct and set in stone, but small incremental changes can happen over the development period. Let us break down what we found:

Sony isn’t joining E3, that we already know, but is anticipated for small reveal in Q3 of 2019.
The PS5 will be backwards compatible.
It will still accept physical media, as well as digital downloads.
There will be two versions of PS Plus; the standard one and PS Plus Premium, which is in early access and allows you to create private servers etc.
The Ryzen chip and Radeon Navi will have ray tracing, and focuses on VR and 4K with 24GBs GDDR6 RAM for graphics and 4GBs DDR4 RAM for the OS.
2TB of NAND flash drives, in other words, SSDs.
8K upscaling.
PSVR2 in 2020 which will be revealed together with the console itself. Higher specs compared to the original PSVR;

2560 x 1440 resolution.
120hz refresh rate.
220Â° field of view.
Eye tracking.
Wireless.
4 – 5 hours of battery life.
Integrated headphones.
Less motion sickness.
No breaker box.
Less cable management.
More focus on VR for triple-A games.
Priced around USD250 (RM1035).

New Dualshock 5 controller.

Features some sort of camera for VR.
More precise sticks for FPS games.
Something similar to Steam’s analog trackpad.

The console will be priced at USD499 (RM2067), with USD100 loss per console at launch.
Launch date: March 2020 or November 2020.

The curiously-timed leak also contained some of the exclusive launch titles and non-exclusive PlayStation 5 games for 2020.
Exclusive launch titles include:

Gran Turismo 7 (VR)
PUBG Remaster 4K, free-to-play with PS Plus and only on the PS5
The Last of Us 2 Remaster
Ghost of Tsushima Remaster
Horizon Zero Dawn 2
a few more triple-A titles and PSVR2 games

Non-exclusive PS5 games for 2020 include:

Battlefield Bad Company 3
Harry Potter
Grand Theft Auto 6
Assassins Creed

So, the person got the CPU and GPU, and a few details and specs correct down to the details way back in December 2018, way before Mark Cerny spoke to Wired.
Does this mean this is a reliable leak? Heck no, never take a leak by its face value, but this one seems to have a length of truth to it, don’t you think? Well, take this one with a tablespoon of salt.
What do you guys think of the details above? Are the launch date and pricing within your expectations? Drop a comment below, or find us on our Facebook page here.


Elden Ring’s Latest Glitch Gives You A Flying Mount, Sorta

Here’s a new cheese tactic for Elden Ring speedrunners, assuming it isn’t patched out.
Since speedrunners had to find new tactics thanks to the recent Elden Ring 1.03 update, they have found a way to make the game’s magical steed Torrent fly. See, in certain areas of the map, you need to dismount from Torrent immediately before letting it plunge to its death. Then, when you spawn Torrent in again, it’ll be able to run across the sky.
Check out the glitch below. As you can tell, it is a pretty tough glitch to pull off. Should be a fun time for speedrunners to master it.

Based on the locations, you can pull this off outside Volcano Manor, in the Mountaintop of Giants, and Capital Outskirts. In any case, it’ll be a while until this new tech can even be practical in beating the previous Elden Ring speedrun of 30 minutes.


We’re Getting Yet Another Silent Hill Adaptation, As Well As Fatal Frame

Did anyone one of us ask for another Silent Hill movie adaptation? Yeah, me neither, but we’re getting one anyway, including an adaptation of horror camera game Fatal Frame.
Director Christophe Gans (Brotherhood of the Wolf, the first Silent Hill movie) told French website Allocine that he will be working on both an upcoming Fatal Frame movie and the latest Silent Hill movie.

“[Fatal Frame] The film will take place in Japan. I especially don’t want to uproot the game from its Japanese haunted house setting.
[Silent Hill] will always be anchored in this atmosphere of a small American town, ravaged by Puritanism. I think it’s time to make a new one.”

Alongside the two Silent Hill games rumoured to be in development, 2020 might be the comeback period of the revered horror franchise. Or an impending failure; this is Konami we’re talking about here.


DNF Duel Release Date Announced; Female Mechanic Teased For Roster

Arc System Works not only revealed the last character in Guilty Gear Strive’s Season 1 Pass, but also shared some news about its other fighting game DNF Duel, based on the hit MMORPG from Korea.
DNF Duel finally has a set release date: 28 June 2022. The game will launch for PS4, PS5, and PC.
In addition, Arc System Works also teased the next character in the roster: the Female Mechanic. Check out the announcement trailer below.


Overwatch Patch 1.25: The Top 3 Biggest Changes We Love

Overwatch’s latest patch is now live and ready, and it comes bundled with some welcome changes. Here are the top three that help liven up the current team-based shooter scene.
These Social Features Are Rad
The Overwatch quality-of-life options now include Endorsements, Looking For Group options, and Career Profiles updates.
Endorsements let players give each other little awards for exceptional teamwork, shot-calling, and sportsmanship. This system comes with its own level where you gain rewards based on your level. You even get a bit if you help endorse other players.
The Looking For Group function allows players to form their own groups and set custom search parameters. Want to go competitive? You can search for the right team with that function. Just want to play casuals with certain criterias? Just set the option up. Also, groups in this function can merge together which means you and your pals won’t lock you out from other search opportunities.
If you’d rather keep your Career Profile a secret, you can do that now. You can choose to keep it public or only viewable by friends. It’s not really a game-changer, but it’s nice to have.
Symmetra Is An All-New Heroine

Our favourite Indian architect now comes with the following kit:

She now feels like a damage hero with fewer (but more powerful) turrets,
She now has no lock-on for her primary fire, but it deals higher damage,
She has a standard ability teleporter…
and a map-spanning Photon Barrier that has 5000 health.

Much like a Dota 2 or LoL hero rework, Symmetra is a whole new person. Her teleporter can now be used to send out Junkrat tires on a constant basis. She doesn’t have a shield generator ultimate anymore and it’s replaced with a giant-ass Ultimate barrier. And most importantly, we’ll be seeing a bit more Symmetra love now since she plays more offensively than before.
Three Heroes Get Some Ultimate Love

Orisa, Doomfist, and McCree got some tweaks in their Ultimates, and they’re all the better for it. Long story short: Orisa can pull off her Supercharger Ultimate more often, Deadeye has a longer range, and Doomfist can chase down enemies faster with his Meteor Strike (and survive a little longer).
Here’s a full description along with the official dev commentary.
Orisa
Supercharger:Â Ultimate cost reduced by 15%.
Developer Comments:Â Supercharger wasnâ€™t getting enough use, considering its impact. This change allows Orisa to use her ultimate more aggressively, knowing that she will be able to generate them more easily.
Doomfist
Meteor Strike:Â Bonus movement speed increased from 150% to 200%
The Best Defense…:Â Shield gain increased from 30 to 35 for normal abilities.
Developer Comments:Â The increased movement speed on Meteor Strike gives Doomfist new options in how and where to deploy it. His passive is also being increased, allowing him to survive more often when diving into enemies.
McCree
Deadeye:Â Range increased from 70 meters to 200 meters.
Developer Comments:Â While McCreeâ€™s Deadeye rarely came into play at 70 meters, we are increasing the range so it cannot be a limiting factor during normal gameplay.


Paskal: The Movie Is Half Army Fluff Piece, Half Action Film Trope, And All Meh

The Pasukan Khas Laut (Naval Special Warfare Forces), commonly abbreviated PASKAL, is the principal special operations force of the Royal Malaysian Navy.
With that little excerpt in mind, you know what you’re going into. If you entered the cinema expecting a gritty and non-biased look at the Naval Special Warfare Forces’ life, well, don’t.
PASKAL ‘s tale is a true event of one Lieutenant Commander Arman Anwar and his team’s mission to rescue a tanker that was hijacked by Somalian Pirates in 2011. Alongside this, we get some insight into Arman’s personal life, his past, and the whole “one last mission” trope we’ve seen in dozens of action and heist films.
If you don’t mind a jingoistic attempt at getting young unaware Malaysians to sign up for PASKAL and its responsibilities, but with a fraction of Top Gun’s budget (a “recruitment ad” for America’s air force), then this film is for you.
Here’s the thing: I’m fine with propaganda films if they’re shot beautifully, directed well, features cool insight and brings more info and story angles into the fold that makes us invested. Look at Michael Moore’s films for proof of entertaining films with slanted political stances. Hell, Top Gun itself had a lot of cool-if-cheesy moments, a lot of drama, and a lot at stake for Tom Cruise’s Maverick.
Shots Fired
Despite staying true to how an actual operation and sting goes, PASKAL sure as heck isn’t aiming to surpass those old films. It barely even tries to go beyond its template. With US$10 million to spare, you would expect a bit more grit and grime in the show’s few action setpieces.
But nope, there is no tension, no panic, no sense of danger in any of these action-packed-but-soulless scenes that focus more on protocol and SOPs than dramatization. Part of the problem is that director Adrian Teh is portraying the PASKAL squad a little too perfect save for a flashback death and a final act standoff (which I’ll get to later). Every character here is just a cypher and a setpiece spouting exposition and moving the plot along without any sort of emotional break and investment.
At least, that’s what happened in the first half of the film.Â Two-thirds in, we now focus a bit more on the life and times of our moustachioed hero Arman. The staples of a by-the-numbers action film are there: grumpy family member questioning our protagonist’s life choices with PASKAL, the widow Lily (played by Jasmine Suraya Chin) with a kid whose former living husband (Joshua, played by Henley Hii) was brothers in arms with the protagonist, the villain (Jeb, played by Ammar Alfian) who used to be in the PASKAL company before being a mercenary.
All of these tropes are there in Bahasa Melayu, and they’re presented as adequately as possible.Â  They’re touched on a bit here and there but never explored beyond just casual mentions.

Army Dazed
PASKAL offers nothing offensive to the eyes and ears, but nothing groundbreaking either. What could have been an emotional scene mid-way through a particular flashback ended up showcasing the worst aspects of actors who can’t emote without coming off as goofy.
What also could have been a great “let’s get the squad back together again” montage is hampered in its delivery, its accompanying score, and the fact that these guys in the squad aren’t really fleshed out beyond being extras.
In fact, if the director and writers bothered to flesh out the scene right after the military obstacle course bits, we could have had some escalating conflicts and payoffs leading up to the final part of the film. But nope: everything in the film related to PASKAL has to be a drive-by showing off how hardworking the PASKAL army is and how savvy they are. Totally not an insecure film at all, no sirree.
In all seriousness, there is nothing wrong in showing military might as long as you have a solid and engaging narrative to back it up.Â PASKAL can’t decide whether it’s a straight-up serious take on the military/Special Ops life (like Act of Valor and Zero Dark Thirty) or a dramatized action film from years past (Black Hawk Down, Commando, etc.). I’ll confess that the shift in tone was gradual, but it then creates a schizophrenic film that should have gone one way or the other.

No Quarter
I will say this though: the last half-an-hour is an entertaining riot for the wrong reasons. The film switches to its action film stances and tropes, and it doesn’t disappoint in its delivery and its unintentional comedic panache. What, were you expecting to take this whole show seriously? It’s hard to root for our heroes and victims we barely know much about apart from them serving the story’s roles.
The cherry on top of this indecisive sundae? The bit at the end where the aforementioned doubters hail PASKAL like it’s the second coming. Everything military about PASKAL makes Michael Bay’s metaphorical handjob for America’s Army look as subtle as Paul Thomas Anderson’s finest.
Is PASKAL an abomination in film-making? Of course not, but it could have been so much more if it could just stick to a singular vision and tone. If it could just tone down its militaristic circle-jerking and SOP-whoring while portraying the soldiers as humans instead of stock & efficient killing machines, we’d be cheering for the story instead of shrugging it.
As it stands, we end up with an incohesive but well-meaning film that at least entertained me in some shape or form. It’s neither a Platoon nor Saving Private Ryan. But at least it isn’t Pearl Harbor.
FINAL SCORE: 60/100


Spawn Is Coming To Mortal Kombat 11 This March

Todd McFarlane’s claim to fame, apart from Venom, Miracleman and baseball memorabilia, is creating edgelord hell general Spawn. He’s quick to announce that his character will be making his Mortal Kombat 11 debut this March.

MORTAL KOMBAT SPAWN REVEAL!!
FINALLY I CAN SHOW IT!! SPAWN @MortalKombat  action figure is an incredibly DETAILED ( true McFarlane Toys fashion) 7" scale figure designed with 22 points of ultra-articulation and can achieve full range posing. COMING MARCH 2020! #MK11 pic.twitter.com/FPS4yOdPNk
— Todd McFarlane (@Todd_McFarlane) February 21, 2020

Not only will he be a playable character with a sword(?), but he will also be a McFarlane Toys detailed 7″ action figure with 22 points of ultra-articulation. We’ll definitely get a quick trailer on his moveset (which will most likely be cloak-related) and whether Netherrealms will bring in Keith David to do his voice (like in the 90s HBO animated series). In the meantime, savour these action figure pics.


Legends Of Tomorrow Season 6 Adds New Member To Waverider Crew

The fifth season of DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow concluded its 16-episode run in May 2019. During the DCâ€™s Legends of Tomorrow panel at DC FanDome, it was revealed that the upcoming Season 6 of the show will add a new series regular joining the cast; Lisseth Chavez in the role of Esperanza â€œSpoonerâ€ Cruz.

Chavez is previously best known for her role as Officer Vanessa Rojas on the NBC drama Chicago, P.D., but she has also appeared on many hit television shows including Murder in the First, The Fosters, and The OA.
Chavez’s Spooner Cruz isn’t based on anyone in the comics, but she is described as:
“Tough and self-sufficient, Spooner Cruz lives off the grid, devising ingenious tech for the detection ofâ€”and defence againstâ€”space aliens. And while some might call her paranoid, she calls it being prepared. A survivor of a childhood alien encounter, Spooner now believes she has the ability to communicate telepathically with aliens, making her the perfect recruit for Waverider captains Sara Lance, Ava Sharpe and the Legends who, in season six, will be hunting down extraterrestrials who have been displaced throughout history.”
Having spent last season tracking down the Loom of Fate in order to bring back their slain comrades, the team must now save history from aliens. Stars Caity Lotz, Nick Zano, Matt Ryan, Tala Ashe, Jes Macallan, Olivia Swann, Amy Louise Pemberton and Shayan Sobhian joined executive producers Phil Klemmer, Keto Shimizu and Grainne Godfree in the DC FanDome panel.
DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow Season 6 is slated to premiere in 2021.


Resident Evil 4 Remake Details Reportedly Leaked

There’s been a persistent rumour since 2020 that Capcom is secretly making a Resident Evil 4 Remake game in the vein of 2019’s Resident Evil 2 Remake and 2020’s Resident Evil 3 Remake. However, it has yet to be officially announced, but sources from Fanbyte have revealed some new alleged details about the project.
Firstly, the Resident Evil 4 Remake is apparently set for an early 2022 reveal, which means that we might be seeing an announcement any day now. Capcom has also changed the game’s setting to take place mostly during nighttime instead of the day, including the game’s famous opening village setpiece.
This is because they wanted to make the game closer in tone to the previous two remakes; inspired by the game’s original betas. In addition, side characters will be getting bigger roles, including Ada Wong. She will allegedly even have an extended campaign which will be longer than the original Separate Ways add-on.
At the time of writing, Capcom has yet to officially announce anything, so it’s better to take everything with a grain of salt for now.


Udon Shares Its 2022 Street Fighter Swimsuit Special Covers For Its Art Book

A new year means another new Street Fighter art book where art group Udon can flex its drawing muscles to draw fighting game women in skimpier outfits than usual.
That’s the 2022 Street Fighter Swimsuit Special 1 issue, and it’s coming soon in June 2022. Pre-orders for the comic book’s variant covers are open, and there are plenty of different covers that cost between US$4.99 to US$50.
The two least expensive options are CVR A and CVR B, featuring Karin for A and Elena/Menat for B.

The US$20 cover versions are shown below. The first one is the SF group in a lifeguard situation where Dan gets rescued; the piece is dubbed the Panzer Incentive Cover.

The other US$20 cover is Street Fighter 5’s Tits McGee stand-in Laura in a bride gown. The piece is drawn by the (in)famous Reiq who is renowned for his voluptuous take on the female form. If you look online hard enough, you’ll find his other works of culture featuring famous video game characters in erotic situations.

The US$50 cover version is the same as the standard Laura bride gown, except it’s in gold. There will be only 150 copies of this.

If this is your cup of tea, you can pre-order them here. On a related note, Street Fighter 5’s definitive update will be out end of March.


ESRB Rating Leaks Saints Row: The Third Remastered

We know that a new Saints Row game is on the way, but it looks like we’ll also be getting a remaster of Saints Row: The Third.
There’s no official announcement yet, but a listing for Saints Row: The Third: Remastered is currently on ESRB. It seems that the remaster will be released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, though a release date isn’t available.

Saints Row: The Third originally came out in 2011. The game was an open-world crime-themed third-person shooter, but distinguished itself from Grand Theft Auto by being far more outlandish and irreverent; among its weapons was a dildo bat called The Penetrator. Later instalments would introduce superpowers and even take players to Hell.
While playing Saints Row 4 first affected my enjoyment of Saints Row: The Third, it was still a pretty fun and silly open-world game. I don’t think it needs a remaster, but maybe the developers will change my mind when more concrete news emerges.


A History Of Disney Family Films Being Racially Insensitive

After watching the live-action Dumbo remake by Tim Burton -you know, the one about the flying elephant- there’s been a question that’s been plaguing my mind:
Where are the live-action versions of the crow brothers?

I mean, if you want to talk about race representation in films back in the day, they have that by the boatload. Just not in a positive way. In fact, Disney’s family-friendly films have a LOT of these offensive stereotypes, that we can make a list out of it.
Keep in mind that this is a product of the times and a different period then, so cut them some slack; it’s not meant to be mean-spirited and hateful. Is it hilarious and shocking to look back at, knowing that an all-ages entertainment company are at least going out of their way to wash away these embarassments?
Yes. Yes it is.
Dumbo’s Black Crow Troupe (1941)

Target Stereotype: African Americans
These jive-talking birds chastise Dumbo and his maestro pal so that he can fly at the tail end of the movie. The leader of the crow group is Jim Crow, a gravely-voiced heavily-accented bird who is named after the state and local laws that enforced segregation between white people and “coloured” people way, way back in the day.
Fantasia’s Sunflower In “The Pastoral Symphony” (1940)

Target Stereotype: African Americans
Let it be said that Fantasia is one of the best-animated musicals then and now; it’s so timeless that many luminaries from Disney and Pixar still regard this as the apex of classic animated films. But there’s one section in particular that drew the ire of many people in the modern era: a centaur in “The Pastoral Symphony” who goes by the name of Sunflower.
From her portrayal to her demeanour as a servant to her white centaur sisterhood, this just screams “incredibly uncomfortable”, to the point where Disney re-released a “censored” version that omits her.

It’s just close-up shots that crop out Sunflower, but it works. Thank goodness they left in the friendly chaps at “Night on Bald Mountain” because blackfaces are more dangerous than satanic references, eh?
The Three Little Pigs and Big Bad Wolf’s Disguise (1933)

Target Stereotype: Jews
I think The Nursery Rhymes Of England‘s James Halliwell-Philipps forgot to add in a key scene where the Big Bad Wolf wore an outfit that offends a lot of Jewish folks in an effort to trick the pigs into letting him in. Big nose, bushy beard, Jewish accent; it was really pivotal in enforcing….something.
Honestly, I don’t know what was going on in Disney’s animation studio’s heads at the time when this bit was greenlit early on.
Those Old 30s Mickey Mouse Shorts (1930s)

Target Stereotype: Africans, African Americans
There are too many shorts that feature Mickey inadvertently demeaning an entire race of people. From his blackface stint in “Mickey’s Mellerdrammer” to him befriending an obvious servant caricature in “Mickey’s Man Friday”, many children back then who are adults now are feeling that huge sense of guilt when they laughed at these shorts during “the good ol’ days”.
Lady & The Tramp’s Siamese Cats (1955)

Target Stereotype: Asians
These troublemaking twins, creatively named Si and Am, sing a song while trying to pin the blame on protagonist dog Lady for their mischief-making. They only made that one appearance just to forward the plot along and also reinforce the playfulness & naughtiness of cats, or was it movie Asians? The line’s pretty blurry at the time.
Props for this film to be a precursor for Asian representation in classic films like Breakfast At Tiffany’s. Or not.
The Aristocats’ Shun Gon (1970)

Target Stereotype: Asians
True, there is more than one instance of racial stereotyping in Aristocrats, like the Italian cat with the red scarf and Billy Ross the Josef Stalin cat stand-in. But the one that stands out is the buck-tooth slanted eye chopstick-using pianist cat Shun Gon.
The only thing that can top this “harmless jape” at a race is to have him wear a cat-sized qipao.
Peter Pan’s Red Indians (1953)

Target Representation: Native Americans
Another seemingly harmless jingle for the kids courtesy of Disney’s Peter Pan, until you watch it again wearing a politically-correct lens. Yeap, native Americans are basically caricatures for Peter Pan and his crew to interact and huff the peace pipe with as they sing about what makes them what they are. Cue bits where Peter Pan and the young white Darling kids do the Indian howl while dancing.
No wonder a lot of sites like The Guardian and Wired are uppity about a song made for its time; it really is about the animators being tone deaf while inadvertently demeaning an entire race for the sake of entertainment. Catchy song though, coupled with really awesome dancing animations from Tiger Lily.

Damn, that little Indian can sure bust a move…

…and make a play towards Wendy’s never-ageing boy toy.
The Little Mermaid’s French Chef (1989)

Target Stereotype: French
A heavily-accented prideful cook with murderous intent focused on a singing Jamaican crab who parades around with blackfishes for song numbers? Say it ain’t so.
Aladdin’s Arabian Women Garb (1992)

Target Representation: Middle-Easterns
Hey, I’m all for Jasmine doing her best in tricking power-hungry viziers and dressing up sensually for the adults accompanying their kids in this 1992 animated classic. But Agrabah and its denizen’s fashion sense is really laying it thick with the Arabian fantasy for the male gaze when you look at it further.
Imagine if at the time Disney makes up an animated tale of Singapore’s history and all of its female protagonists and side characters wore leg-revealing cheongsams and fall for the white colonists; that’s pretty much what the producers and animators are going for.
Mulan’s The Huns (1998)

Target Representation: Asians
When you have your Asian heroes like Mulan and Shang purposely looking more Western than the Asian-looking pale villains with the right slants, you’re just asking for a beatdown. Then again, it’s a kid’s film made in 1998 where writers and directors still have no idea how to portray diversity in a non-stereotypical way.
Song of The South’s Uncle Remus (1946)

Target Stereotype: African Americans
We save the best for last. A plantation worker tells a bunch of stories about redneck rabbits outsmarting dumb hick foxes and bears to two white children. Nothing wrong with the premise, really. It’s the context and era surrounding the story that offends everyone.
To be fair, Uncle Remus isn’t an original Disney creation since he’s a made-up character who narrates African-American folklore back in the late 1800s. But keep in mind that Disney’s adaptation never stated that it takes place post-Civil War down south, as well as not being able to handle its portrayal of African-Americans well.
Still, it’s hard to sweep this film under the rug when it has arguably one of the catchiest songs in Disney history thanks to easy-to-remember lyrics.


New LEGO Super Mario 64 Recreates The Magic Of The Game

LEGO has announced the new LEGO Super Mario 64 ? Block.
According to the official website, it will feature the following:

Includes 10 LEGO Super Mario micro figures: Mario, Yoshi, Princess Peach, and King Bob-omb, as well as a Chain Chomp, Big Bully, Mr. I, Lakitu, penguin and baby penguin.
The ? Block measures over 7 in. (18cm) high, wide and deep, and opens to reveal 4 detailed Super Mario 64â„¢ levels: Peachâ€™s Castle, Bob-omb Battlefield, Cool, Cool Mountain and Lethal Lava Trouble.
For interactive play, add the LEGOÂ® Marioâ„¢ or LEGOÂ® Luigiâ„¢ figure from the 71360/71387 Starter Courses (sold separately) and collect 10 hidden Power Stars to reveal secret reactions and more.
This collectible, 2,064-piece LEGOÂ® building set makes a cool birthday present, holiday gift or surprise treat for fans of Super Mario 64â„¢, gamers and lovers of all things retro.

It’s not cheap either, as it’s priced at a whopping US$169.99 or roughly RM705+.


No Plans To Announce New Switch Model Anytime Soon, Says Nintendo

Nintendo has reportedly said that they’re not planning to announce a new model of the Nintendo Switch “anytime soon”.
During a recent investor Q&A,Â Bloomberg’s Takashi Mochizuki reports that Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa was asked whether the company would announce an upgraded model of the Nintendo Switch in 2021.
His answer is simple but vague:
“Not anytime soon”.

Q: new model this year?A: not planning to make an annoucement anytime soon as we have Mario ver in Feb, MH ver in Mar.
Hint: Nintendo chief last year said not planning to release new model in 2020. Today's was just "not anytime soon." So, that means…?https://t.co/MQkwskXYrn
— Takashi Mochizuki (@6d6f636869) February 1, 2021

There were rumours even late last year that Nintendo was planning to launch a new Nintendo Switch model in 2021. Games business analystÂ David Gibson, also re-iterated the same thing, claiming that there were no plans for a new model, with the exception of special limited-edition models like Mario and Monster Hunter Rise.
It remains to be seen if the Nintendo Switch will be as relevant this generation as it was during the PS4/Xbox One era. Can it stand up to the technical prowess of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, or will it finally falter? Only time will tell, but so far, the Nintendo Switch is still going as strong as ever.


One Piece Celebrates 25th Anniversary With Special Commemorative Video


These Were The Best-Selling & Most Covered Games In 2020

2020 hasn’t been a good year for many due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the games industry managed to thrive and boom, as more people stayed at home and spent their free time indoors with gaming.
The Games Industry Made A Lot Of Money In 2020
According to statistics collected by GamesIndustry.biz and MarketWatch from various reputable sources, the games industry is was collectively worth a whopping US$174.9 billion worldwide.
That’s more than the global movie and North American sports industries combined, as well as a 19.6 percent increase from 2019. Mobile games alone made US$86.3 billion, thereby being the highest contributor, followed by consoles at US$51.2 billion and PC at US$37.4 billion.

The Best-Selling Games Of 2020
FIFA 21 was the best-selling game in the UK, while Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War sold the best in the U.S.

Over in Japan, Animal Crossing New Horizons was the best-selling champion. Impressively, Nintendo Switch exclusive also entered the top ten games of both the UK and U.S.

The Most Googled Games In 2020
The most Googled game in 2020 was also one of the unexpected and biggest breakout hits of the year; Among Us. Many people played the game on their phones and computers, including a record-breaking live stream by New York U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
You can check out a more detailed story on Among Us by heading over here.
The other most Googled game of 2020 is the other breakout multiplayer game of the year; Fall Guys Ultimate Knockout. Both of these games prove that more and more people are relying on multiplayer games for their social fix now that many are practising self-quarantine.

The Most-Covered Games In 2020
Despite the popularity of Among Us and Fall Guys Ultimate Knockout, the most-covered game in 2020 was Fortnite with more than 75,000 articles online.
This is followed by two of the most highly-anticipated single-player games of 2020; Cyberpunk 2077 (more than 72,000 articles) and The Last Of Us Part 2 (more than 57,000 articles).


Final Fantasy Brave Exvius and Star Ocean Anamnesis Collaboration Event Starts Today

Final Fantasy Brave Exvius will be collaborating with yet another JRPG franchise and fellow mobile game, Star Ocean: Anamnesis. From today until 7 February 2019, a special event will bring new and unique content to both games.
Here’s what Final Fantasy Brave Exvius players can look forward to in the limited-time event:

A new featured summon character joins the fray; 5~7 star global original unit named Sophia
Fan-favorites Fayt, Rena, Fidel, and Roddick will also be returning as featured summons, while Reimi will be available once again as a raid summon
A popular raid event from 2018 returns, as players can test their mettle Jie Revorse from the original Star Ocean game to obtain raid points and collect rewards

Meanwhile, here’s what Star Ocean: Anamnesis players will be getting as part of the collaboration:

Special login bonus of 10,000 Gems
Appearances by new characters like Rain, Fina, and Lasswell from the world of Final Fantasy Brave Exvius

Both mobiles games are available to download for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Grab this opportunity now to participate in this limited-time event. In the meantime, check out the trailer below to see what’s in store.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FakJ2R6e9M&w=560&h=315]


The Best Bits Of The Destiny 2 Forsaken Livestream

This story is still in development…
A few hours ago, Bungie launched a video documentary that showcases all the cool things in their new Destiny 2 expansion called Forsaken. Here’s what we gathered:
New Story
There’s a new story that will take you to darker and grittier places.Â Players now get to fight in the Tangled Shore, which is located across the far reaches of The Reef. It’s full of pirates and assassins, and it’s clearly a lawless place.
Fans will remember the Prison Of Elders; they’ll be returning to that part of the universe and deal with a prison break, the Fallen barons, and the mysterious Awoken.
New Bad Guys
Speaking of The Fallen, the game’s main focus will be on the Forsaken Barons, basically the “worst version of The Magnificent Seven you’ll find in this universe”. There will be Baron hunts for players to participate for loot and glory, and they won’t be easy.

New Weapon System. And A New Weapon
Forsaken will bring back random rolls and add in loadout flexibility and weapon customization. So yes, you can now equip three shotguns as your main loadout if you like them so much.
Guardians will also get new Supers, like a new Titan ability that lets you summon a giant hammer that shoots out fire tornados, and a new Void Warlock super that lets you teleport in and out and finish off with an AoE attack. Arc Warlocks will also get access to what looks like a Kamehameha beam.
There is also a new weapon type: the bow and arrow. To which we say “seriously?”, but it seems that these arrows seem to be one-hit kills. Warframe did it; why not Destiny, right?
[wpvideo W9u9qEzI]
New Multiplayer Mode
Perhaps the biggest feature in the Forsaken expansion is Gambit mode, which brings in PvE and PvP together. Players are divided into two teams of four, each in their separate arena. During a round, each team kill enemies, collect their drops and deposit them in a bank. Put in enough drops and you summon a Blocker on an enemy team’s field; their banks are deactivated until it’s dead.
Once you cash out enough drops, you summon a Primeval on your team’s field. Kill it and you won the round. The best part? During these fights, you can send one of your teammates over to the enemy field to sabotage them.
Honestly, this is a fresh multiplayer mode that can breath new life in Destiny 2. It almost makes some of us regret selling off our physical copies of the game.
New Raid
Veterans will get a new Raid to fight in: the Dreaming City. This locale is said to evolve over time. Lore-wise, it’s the Awoken’s birthplace.
According to the expansion’s leads Scott Taylor (project lead) and Steve Cotton (game director), the Dreaming City is what happens if “Vault of Glass and Dreadnought had twins, and then send it over to Peter Jackson to amp it up”. As per other creative raids, the area will feature puzzles and hidden corners. Naturally, the Raid will have its own surprises, so the devs aren’t going to spoil anything about it until the game’s release date.
New Roadmap
Pre-Forsaken, Bungie will be making a ton of changes to improve the quality of life of Destiny 2 players. They’ll be getting more Vault Space, a Solstice of Heroes seasonal event, Year 1 Triumphs (achievements, basically), and the Power Matters stipulation in Iron Banner and Trials.

New Annual Pass

And we’re back to Activision doing what they do best: nickel and diming people with season passes. But Bungie is saying that this isn’t the same as the Curse of Osiris stuff that happened in Destiny 2 Year 1. We’ll find out more details later on whether this is true or not.

Get ready to check out Bungie’s apology to Destiny 2’s rocky Year 1 when it’s out 4th of September for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Check out the full video documentary below.


Stellaris Nemesis Expansions Announced; Ramps Up Menace

Things are about to get dark!
Paradox Interactive has just announced a new expansion for Stellaris. Nemesis is about nefarious evil schemesâ€¦ which for you might be just what is fated for the galaxyâ€¦ and subterfuge. I suppose you could think of this as an evil and sneaky expansion.
Paradox details this in a new developer diary. Instead of an end game crisis from an external threat, you become the crisis! To do this, youâ€™ll need to get two required ascension perks before picking the Become the Crisis perk.
Full story on Frags of War.


Warhammer 40K: Darktide Will Co-Op Its Way To Retail This September

The upcoming sci-fi version of Warhammer: Vermintide will be coming out later this year.
Warhammer 40K: Darktide will be out for PC and Xbox Series on 13 September 2022. The game is a follow-up to the Warhammer: Vermintide co-op multiplayer shooters, where you and three other players team up and play through a series of levels filled with hordes of enemies and explore/survive in the hive city of Tertium. The game is made & published by Swedish developer studio Fatshark, who made the previous Vermintide titles, Krater, and the Bionic Commando Rearmed sequel.
Check out the game’s release date trailer below. You can wishlist for the game here.


New Nintendo Direct Happening This Thursday Morning

There will be a new Nintendo Direct broadcast on 9 February 2023 at 6am GMT+8.
It will feature roughly 40 minutes of information on upcoming Nintendo Switch games launching in the first half of 2023. You will be able to watch it on YouTube (America, Europe, Japan) and Nintendo.com (America, Europe, Japan).


Stray Hits Record-Breaking 60,000 Concurrent Players on Steam

Everybody wants to be a cat~
…And they did so, in a title that’s taking the gaming scene by storm, at least on Steam.
With over 60,000 PC users currently playing the game upon release, Annapurna Interactive‘s recent adventure title Stray has broken its own record and made its biggest PC launch to date.
Released on 20th July, Stray’s peak concurrent player count currently stands at 62,963 based on the official Steam figures site. Only 12 other games are currently being played by more Steam users, including free-to-play FPS Apex Legends and Grand Theft Auto.
Market analyst Benji-Sales revealed in a tweet that Stray has elegantly broken Annapurna’s record for concurrent players on Steam, which was previously clutched by Twelve Minutes with 8,021. Behind that are Outer Wilds (7,936), Neon White (3,277), and Journey (1,757).
Stray has shattered the concurrent players record for any Annapurna Interactive game on Steam easily becoming its biggest PC launch everTop @A_i Peak Concurrent Players• Stray – 50,555+• Twelve Minutes – 8,021• Outer Wilds – 7,936• Neon White – 3,277• Journey – 1,757 pic.twitter.com/7RhlAVyWmM— Benji-Sales (@BenjiSales) July 19, 2022
With its beautifully crafted atmospheric dystopian environment enveloped by the inevitable conquering of nature, on top of being an immersive cat-sim adventure game, it is perhaps to no surprise for us that Stray has won the hearts of many gamers of all ages to have achieved this statistic. The cat’s pyjamas, as one reviewer on Kakuchopurei would say.

What do you think of this latest achievement and milestone by Annapurna Interactive? If you haven’t already, will you be coping with this game and immerse yourself in the life of a cat with a cute backpack on you and accompanied by a handy-trusty little robot companion in your adventures?
Do let us know in the comments or head on over to our socials. Or check out our guide on Stray’s more elaborate puzzles.


Guilty Gear Strive Crossplay Beta Gets Delayed, But…

Some sad news for Guilty Gear Strive online players, sort of.
Arc System Works has announced in its Developer Backyard blog that the game’s crossplay beta session will be delayed, but only slightly. The target release period is late September to early October, so it’s going to happen in a few weeks instead of right now. Crossplay will allow PlayStation owners to fight with PC players and vice versa.
The best part is that the crossplay beta is free for everyone, even if you do not own the game. New colours for characters will also be in development; whether they’re paid DLC or free updates is still up in the air. In addition, a new character is slated for Fall 2022, so you can expect an announcement in September and October.
Guilty Gear Strive is out now for PS5, PS4, and PC.


Here Is Your Team Overwatch Malaysia Roster For Overwatch World Cup 2023

Update 1/5/2023: Team Overwatch Malaysia weekend matches added.
The Overwatch World Cup 2023 is returning and will be taking place in June and Fall 2023, with the qualifiers happening online, and the top 16 teams advancing to Group Stage live.
Malaysia happens to be one of the 36 countries in the league, and its Team Malaysia Overwatch team has been confirmed. The players who will be representing Malaysia in Overwatch 2’s world cup tier tournament are:

joo3 (DPS)
gameprodude (DPS)
QiXMico (DPS)
fantasy_ow_ (Tank)
GeminiX (Support)
Numinoz (Support)
WANNABEE (Support)

The moment you’ve all been waiting for. The best of the best.
?????? OUR TEAM MALAYSIA 2023 ??????They’re here and ready to rock the world stage in this year’s OWWC.
?? @fantasy_ow_?? j003?? @gameprodude?? @QiXMico? GeminiX? Numinoz? WANNABEE pic.twitter.com/DNaMuORCsW
— Team Malaysia Overwatch (@malaysiaowwc) April 28, 2023

The Malaysian team will be fighting Team Hong Kong this coming weekend on 5th May at 8.30pm and The Philippines on 6th May at 10pm. There will also be an all-star match on 7 May featuring two Asia Pacific teams, with the following countries being involved:

Chinese Taipei
Malaysia
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Philippines
Japan
Australia
New Zealand
Singapore
India
Thailand

WEEKEND PLANS ?OUR ROSTER DEBUTS HERE ??
Get a first look at our talented roster in this APAC showmatch.
We play HK on 5 May @ 8:30pm and Philippines on 6 May @ 10pm ?
There’ll be an all star match on 7 May of APAC A vs B. Stay tuned to find out who we’re sending ? pic.twitter.com/VX19XCCvP6
— Team Malaysia Overwatch (@malaysiaowwc) May 1, 2023

More info will be added on Monday via the Team Malaysia Overwatch PR team. Other Southeast Asia countries who will be participating include Indonesia, The Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.


The Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising Developers Want To Make Its Spin-Off More Than Just Another Metroidvania (Exclusive Interview)

While the massive throwback RPG Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will not be out so soon, fans and 2D action aficionados can instead turn their attention towards the upcoming spin-off instead to whet their tastebuds: Eiyuden Chronicle Rising.
The game pits you as treasure hunter CJ as she teams up with giant sword-wielding kangaroo Garoo and blue-haired acting mayor-slash-magician Isha in many adventures. At the same time, the trio help build up the town they’re residing in to accommodate more and more adventurers, so there’s a huge sense of growth as you progress deeper into the game and level up beyond the 10s.
Kakuchopurei managed to talk to Rabbit & Bear Studios’ lead Yoshitaka Murayama (a creator of Suikoden) and supervising director Junichi Murakami about the upcoming spin-off that’s slated for 10th May.
On The Game’s Inspiration
Junichi Murakami: I had participated in the Castlevania series together with Castlevania director Koji Igarashi at the time. So I tended to look at the action parts from the perspective of my experience with that series.
However, based on Natsume Atari’s proposals, we strongly reminded them of how to express the worldview, sense of colour, and atmosphere of Eiyuden Chronicle Hundred Heroes from a side-scrolling perspective that would be fun and that would feel friendly to many users.”
On Picking The RIght Developer For The Spin-Off
Yoshitaka Murayama: One of the goals of the Kickstarter project for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes was to develop a companion game. We decided to request NatsumeAtari as a developer we could trust to do this for us.
On Making A Spin-Off Game For An Upcoming Promised JRPG
Yoshitaka Murayama: The “Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes” project began as a Kickstarter. Therefore, unlike normal games, there is a considerable period of time between its announcement and actual release. So, by releasing a spin-off in the middle of that long period, we thought it would be a great way to introduce the worldview of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes to backers and fans who would support the project.

On Future DLC For Eiyuden Chronicle RIsing
Yoshitaka Murayama: We are planning to work on DLC, as we have already pledged to backers on the Kickstarter.
What Will Transfer From Eiyuden Chronicle Rising To Eiyuden Chronicle Hundred Heroes?
Yoshitaka Murayama: “Delicacy Names” and “Weapon Names of The 3 Main Characters” that players named in Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising will be carried over to Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. In addition, players will be rewarded for playing Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising with a small prize in Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. This last one is a surprise!


New AMD Ryzen 5000 Series Bundle Comes With Uncharted Legacy Of Thieves Collection

AMD has announced the AMD “Performance To Advance Your Adventure” game bundle, offering gamers complimentary access to the highly anticipated Uncharted Legacy Of Thieves Collection.
Beginning today, with the purchase of a qualifying Ryzen 5000 Series Desktop Processor from participating retailers, users will receive a copy of the collection, which includes Uncharted 4 A Thief’s End and Uncharted The Lost Legacy, bringing the power of Ryzen to the lush jungles and heart-pounding action of the award-winning series.
Gamers can redeem their complimentary game at AMD’s game redemption portal, to be available when the game launches on Steam and Epic Games Store on 19 October 2022.
In the meantime, check out my review of the PS5 version of Uncharted Legacy Of Thieves Collection by heading over here.


Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Gets New Blightcaller Class & Major Update Today

As part of the Season Pass, players will be getting new Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands content.
The game’s fourth content drop from the Season Pass not only adds new bosses, loot, and a brand new class, but also a bunch of bug fixes and performance improvements. Here’s what we’re getting:

Blightcaller

The Blightcaller is a Status Effect and Elemental damage specialist. Killing enemies restores their Wards, and spreading Status Effects grants them enhanced and supernatural abilities. The Blightcaller is able to call upon the Spirits, and summon temporary Companions to aid them in battle.
Access to the Blightcaller class is granted via Shattering Spectreglass, the fourth chapter of post-launch content included in the Season Pass and Chaotic Great Edition.

The game’s Chaos Chamber Featured run has been updated, featuring Wastard, Vorcanar, Llance, and Oculus as bosses. Also, the game’s Golden Path Mini-Event starts now until 2nd September 0:00 GMT+8; the event multiples gold drops from enemies, as well as better dedicated loot drops from Banshee, Ribula, Zomboss, and Parasite. That’s great news since these bosses have great Legendaries to farm from.
Here are the fixes planned for this update.
Bug Fixes
General

Fatemakers would occasionally encounter an infinite loading screen when loading into Dreamveil Overlook or the Overworld
Sully would occasionally not attach to his body properly, causing a progression blocker during “On the Wink of Destruction”
“Destroy Kwartz” objective would not always mark as completed if Fatemakers destroyed clusters before triggering it
Lake Lady would not always attack Fatemakers in “A Knight’s Toil”
Zomboss would not always stay dead like the rest of the bosses
Fatemakers would occasionally get stuck in Gloopathoth, Aspect of Abyss’ Boss Arena in the Chaos Chamber after defeating the boss quickly
Fatemakers would not consistently see Bone Mage variants cast their Magic Missile attack
Tamed orc eyebrows when wearing the Wouldst Thou mask
Ear Cosmetics would sometimes not match the other cosmetics when dropped
Melee attack sounds and animation would occasionally repeat during cutscenes if the Fatemaker attacked as they started
Fatemakers would occasionally not be able to interact with the Mirrors in Dreamveil Overlook when leaving a multiplayer session
Fyodor‘s Shield Barrier would not always be visible to all players
Passive buff icons would occasionally not update when changing maps
Royal Splendor Armor Color has been unlocked for all players
Blessings in Chaos Chamber would sometimes not be awarded to players who joined multiplayer late
[PC with FSR 2.0] Various FSR 2.0 improvements
Various UI adjustments and improvements
Various performance and stability improvements
Various hotfixes were nativized

Weapons and Gear

Lethal Catch Ring would not consistently apply additional effects when Fatemakers killed Land Sharks or Crabs
Thumb Cuff Ring would not consistently apply additional effects when Fatemakers were in Chaos Chamber
Spirit Rune would not consistently reward the Ward regeneration delay reduction
Stats on the Shell Casing Ring would sometimes not be increased when ammo was low
Finger Ward Ring would sometimes not remove bonuses for being at full Ward after the Fatemaker unequipped their Ward
Damage Radius and Critical Damage Spell Augments would not consistently function across spells
Non-elemental Wards would occasionally roll with the Resistance Augment
Antique Greatbow would sometimes significantly slow the Fatemaker’s movement
Tyrant’s Truth armor, from the Molten Mirrors DLC, would sometimes not dismiss Companions after save/loading into a map
Tyrant’s Truth armor would not consistently function when the player loads from the main menu
Wards that reflect projectiles and the Frying Pan melee weapon would sometimes not correctly aim at firing sources when fighting Fyodor
Elder Wyvern’s Ring would sometimes not increase gun damage properly
Head of the Snake would sometimes not apply to hydra spawned from Feriore weapons
Throwing Throwable Hole into the singularity would sometimes not increase explode damage
Cape of Tide armor would not always show the water nova in multiplayer
Time Skip spell would sometimes not apply status effect damage
Spells with Frozen Orbs would sometimes not slow down when hitting some bosses

Class-Specific Issues

Stabbomancer‘s From the Shadow skill would occasionally persist past the intended duration when Fatemakers Fast Traveled
Stabbomancer Exploit Their Weakness skill could unintentionally stack with the same element
Graveborn‘s Demi-Lich companion would sometimes shoot with a low-resolution texture when fighting enemies
Graveborn Reaper of Bones skill would not consistently display its duration in multiplayer
Clawbringer would occasionally be unable to melee after recalling their hammer and casting spells
Clawbringer Awe skill would sometimes not trigger with the bonus fire/lighting damage from “Oath of Fire” and “Oath of Thunder”
Increases to Spore Warden‘s Mushroom Companion damage would be added, rather than multiplied by bonus damage increases like the other Companions
Skeep spawned from the Spellshot Polymorph skill would not guarantee a free spell cast as described on the item card


Wholesome Direct 2021: All The Chillaxed Games Announced

This article is still in development; the show is still streaming as we speak.
If you want a more lo-fi happy game-filled presentation for mid-2021, you can’t go wrong with this year’s Wholesome Direct. Featuring lots of adventure games, visual novels, puzzle games, action games, Animal Crossing clones, and whatnot of the mellow and chill-savvy variety.
Here are our top picks.
Snacko

In this top-down 3D-2D adventure, you play an animal who has to bring an abandoned island back to life. Loads of life sim elements here.
Spirit Swap

A puzzle game where you meet LGBT spirits and hang out with them while solving puzzles and lo-fi music. Looks pretty mellow.
Skatebird
Just more updates about its control scheme. You’re a bird who skates.
Here Comes Niko

A 2D/3D platformer with bright pastel colours and weird characters, set in a forest with animals and you as a human named Niko.
Yokai Inn

You play a new innkeeper assistant who runs a humble ryokan (Japanese inn) where you serve visiting spirits looking for a place to relax and make peace.
Kokopa’s Atlas

You play a black space-faring cat named Kokopa as you explore a new alien world, discovering new information and friendly folks in your quest for self-discovery. Out for PC soon.
Beast of Maravilla Island

Explore a magical forest, take photos of awe-inspiring creatures. Lovely! Out now for PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PS4.
We Are OFK

Play as a struggling musician named Itsu who meets up with friends and associates as she figures out her role in life, and whether she wants to continue with music-making.
Dordogne

A watercolour-filled picture-taking French game featuring some kid’s childhood. Out for PC and Nintendo Switch in 2021.
Tasomachi: Behind The Twilight

A 3D platformer game where you play an explorer checking out the culture of East Asia. It’ll be available for Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One later. It’s already out now on PC via Steam and GoG.com.
Hoa

A puzzle platformer with relaxing music, bugs, and hand-painted aesthetics. Out on 24th August for PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch.
Sally

A simulation where you take care of a flying transport ship to guide passengers to their destination. No release date yet, but you can watch the development diary video below.


Dragalia Lost Guide: How To Train Your Dragon (Form)

We won’t lie: Dragalia Lost is quite a charming little F2P action RPG game. You fight mobs with a party of four, you can build your castle and homestead (albeit in very simple fashion), and you can transform into a kick-ass dragon when needed. It sounds almost standard for a mobile action RPG, but it’s done well and full of polish.
Nintendo and Cygames’ latest came out in September, but so far there hasn’t been a comprehensible guide for people to refer to. Luckily, we’re here to help.
General Tips & Tricks
-Do your dailies without fail. Every day, there’s always an Events quest for you to take care of: Dragon Trials, Avenues To Power/Fortune, elemental runes farming. The rewards reset every day, so make it a habit to go through the grind every day to level up your adventurers, get your money, and even earn your free Skip Tickets/Wyrmrunes too.
-Buy your items on the Item Shop. Don’t worry, you don’t need to input credit card numbers for most of the important things in this menu. You can buy Gold crystals and Dragon fruits here; you’re limited to 3 per day, so keep at it and farm money from Avenue of Fortune when needed.

-Save your Wyrmite for Events. This one time during the game’s Halloween event, our own Mr Toffee lucked out with a 5-star “slutty pumpkin” Elisanne because her summoning rates are bumped up exponentially. Save up whatever Wyrmite you have to do 10-times summoning rituals during such seasonal events. Just like Forrest Gump & chocolates, you’ll never know what you’re gonna get.
-Play the game in “Semi-Auto” mode. Here’s how you can save time swiping and tapping on the screen when in an instance: just turn on Auto Mode, then move your character manually when you want to make a detour. Auto Mode will make your characters go autopilot from point A to B hacking enemies, but sometimes you want to get that treasure from the off-beaten path.
-Team up for Raids. The only time you need to team up with online people is when you’re doing major Raids (the ones featuring a character you can recruit) and group-based holiday events. Why? Not only is it easier to kill bosses and complete challenges faster than usual, you can rack up ton of Friendship points (for the recruitable guest character) and tons of Holiday Event goodies/currencies.
-Work your ass off during Events. Dragalia Lost will feature seasonal events and monthly character offerings if the Celliera and Halloween vampire events are of any indication. So expect an elemental-themed adventurer/Raid boss and a Christmas event.
Do save up on Wyrmite to gacha your event-based adventurers. Grind for friendship points so that you can snag a free 4-star character. These events will be over in less than 2 weeks; make the most of it.
-Spend wisely.Â Look, we’re not telling you how you should spend your money, whether it’s for buying extra Wyrmite or diamonds. If you think Dragalia Lost is worth spending money for, go for it because it’s your decision to pay for your hobby with your hard-earned money.
BUT! make sure it stays a hobby and not a way of life. Here are tell-tale signs that you may be addicted to Dragalia Lost, or any other F2P gacha game:

You rapidly spend small amounts. This is as dangerous as emptying your bank account in a few hours. We suggest keeping a record of your spendings and, if your bank offers it, sign up for text alerts. Seeing the money you’re spending is pretty effective at keeping you from losing control of yourself financially.

You over-rationalize and justify your purchases to the point where you’ll forgo the necessities. This is a little tricky, as it’s case-by-case. If you’re a smoker or drinker who gave up your habit and saved extra money, you can treat yourself to some gacha rolls so long as the amount you spend is roughly equivalent to the amount you saved.

However, if you are a bit behind on bills, you shouldn’t justify buying gacha rolls just because you didn’t eat yesterday. Make sure you’re financially stable to have “free” money first.

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