The Last Of Us Season 2 Renewal Confirmed By HBO

HBO Max has announced that the The Last Of Us TV series has been renewed for a second season. The The Last Of Us Season 2 renewal comes only after two episodes of the series have aired on HBO Max (and HBO GO in Asia).
No other details have been revealed thus far, but a second season will likely be adapting the divisive video game sequel, 2020’s The Last Of Us Part 2. The Last Of Us Part 2 is available for the PS4 and PS5. In the meantime, check out my full spoiler-free review of the game here, or check out my 4000-word spoilerific article on why I believe the hate for the game isn’t justified.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, The Last Of Us developer Naughty Dog co-president and HBO’s The Last Of Us executive producer Neil Druckmann said:
“I’m humbled, honored, and frankly overwhelmed that so many people have tuned in and connected with our retelling of Joel and Ellie’s journey.The collaboration with Craig Mazin, our incredible cast and crew, and HBO exceeded my already high expectations. Now we have the absolute pleasure of being able to do it again with season two!”
Meanwhile, HBO’s The Last Of Us showrunner Craig Mazin said:
“I’m so grateful to Neil Druckmann and HBO for our partnership, and I’m even more grateful to the millions of people who have joined us on this journey,” Mazin said about the renewal. “The audience has given us the chance to continue, and as a fan of the characters and world Neil and Naughty Dog created, I couldn’t be more ready to dive back in.”

The journey continues.#TheLastofUs will return for another season on HBO Max. pic.twitter.com/GdcL4Uhkfv
— HBO Max (@hbomax) January 27, 2023

The Last Of Us, based on the critically acclaimed video game of the same name developed by Naughty Dog exclusively for the PlayStation platforms, is written and executive produced by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. The series is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television and is executive produced by Carolyn Strauss, Evan Wells, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, and Rose Lam. Production companies include PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog.
The Last Of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heart-breaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
The cast includes Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie, Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Anna Torv as Tess, Nico Parker as Sarah, Murray Bartlett as Frank, Nick Offerman as Bill, Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen, Storm Reid as Riley, Merle Dandridge as Marlene, Jeffrey Pierce as Perry, Lamar Johnson as Henry, Keivonn Woodard as Sam, Graham Greene as Marlon, and Elaine Miles as Florence. Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker also star.
Courtesy of HBO Asia, we were lucky enough to be the only Malaysian media to participate in interviews with Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, Merle Dandridge and Gabriel Luna. You can also check out our spoiler-free review of the entire season by heading over here.


Netflix March 2023: Our Picks & Highlights

I’m sure you won’t want to waste time sifting through Netflix’s extensive catalogue of shows and movies just to decide on what to watch. The streaming giant updates its site every day, week, and month with new content, so I’m here to save your precious time.
Here are my personal recommendations and highlights for Netflix Malaysia’s March 2023 lineup and how to fill up your free time with worthwhile content at home:
Luther The Fallen Sun (10 March 2023)
Luther: The Fallen Sun. Idris Elba as John Luther in Luther: The Fallen Sun. Cr. John Wilson/Netflix © 2023
In Luther: The Fallen Sun — an epic continuation of the award-winning television saga reimagined for film — a gruesome serial killer is terrorizing London while brilliant but disgraced detective John Luther (Idris Elba) sits behind bars. Haunted by his failure to capture the cyber psychopath who now taunts him, Luther decides to break out of prison to finish the job by any means necessary. The film also stars Cynthia Erivo, Andy Serkis and Dermot Crowley, who returns as Martin Schenk.

Bocchi The Rock! Season 1 (10 March 2023)

A friendless high school student who loves playing guitar joins a rock band and slowly begins to come out of her shell.
This was one of the most popular anime in 2022, so it’s time to check out what the hype is all about when it drops on Netflix.

Shadow And Bone Season 2 (16 March 2023)
Shadow and Bone. (L to R) Archie Renaux as Malyen Oretsev, Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov in episode 202 of Shadow and Bone. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022
To stand a fighting chance against General Kirigan and his seemingly indestructible new army, Alina Starkov and Mal Oretsev rally their own powerful new allies and begin a continent-spanning journey to find two mythical creatures that will amplify her powers.
Back in Ketterdam, a chance at a deadly heist sends the Crows once again on a collision course with the legendary Sun Summoner.

Riverdale Season 7 (30 March 2023)

Say what you want about Riverdale but it’s been one of the weirdest TV shows in recent times. Season 7 will be Riverdale’s final season, so let’s see what
Murder Mystery 2 (31 March 2023)
Murder Mystery 2. (L-R) Jennifer Aniston as Audrey Spitz and Adam Sandler as Nick Spitz in Murder Mystery 2. Cr. Scott Yamano/Netflix © 2022.
Four years after solving their first murder mystery, Nick and Audrey Spitz (Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston) are now full-time detectives struggling to get their private eye agency off the ground when they’re invited to celebrate the wedding of their friend the Maharaja (Adeel Akhtar) on his private island. But trouble follows the Spitzes again when the groom is kidnapped for ransom soon after the festivities begin — making each glamorous guest, family member, and the bride herself a suspect. MURDER MYSTERY 2 sends Nick and Audrey Spitz on a high-stakes case that finally gives them everything they’ve ever dreamed of: a shot at their detective agency finally becoming successful…and their long-awaited trip to Paris. The film is directed by Jeremy Garelick and also stars Mark Strong, Mélanie Laurent, Jodie Turner-Smith, Kuhoo Verma, with John Kani, and Dany Boon.

In the meantime, check out the highlights for the whole month in the video below:


Tainted Grail: The Fall Of Avalon Is A New Dark Fantasy RPG Out This March

If you’re into Elden Ring or any other dark fantasy open-world title, you may want to check out Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon.
This new open-world RPG in a first-person view is from publisher Awaken Realms and developer Questline, and it’s clearly a new dark take on the King Arthur myth.
“King Arthur is long dead and all the myths and legends are falling. Humans living in Avalon are desperately trying to find new ways of life and things to believe in. The plague of Red Death and the spreading Wyrdness are not helping. Time is running out and multiple factions have their own plan for the future of the island…”
The RPG features a true open-world experience with hidden caves and dungeons, and loads of ancient ruins to explore, character customization, and a few survival mechanics like trading, crafting, and cooking. And a lot of combat using swords, steel, and druid magic.
The game will be out for PC in Early Access mode this 30th March. Check out the trailer below (via IGN):


Philippines’ Execration Wins MSC 2021

The dust has settled in Southeast Asia’s biggest Mobile Legends tournament of 2021.
In a battle between countrymen, The Philippines’ Execration has defeated Blacklist International 4-1 in the MSC 2021 Grand Finals. Execration first put EVOS Legends in third place with a 3-1 win in its favour, then managed to defend themselves against Blacklist’s domination in the entire tournament.
The MSC 2021’s MVP is Execration’s Kelra.

Execration didn’t expect to go very far, according to the post-match interview. The team also thank their fans for the support and giving them the drive to keep playing the way they did. The team’s next target is to “take a vacation and drink some water”. Oh, those scamps!
The MSC 2021 top 8 teams are as follows:

Execration
Blacklist International
EVOS Legends
Resurgence MY
Bigetron Alpha
Impunity
Todak
EVOS SG


PlayStation Acquires PC Porting Developer Nixxes Software

Only days after announcing the acquisition of Returnal developer Housemarque, PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst announced via Twitter that they have also acquired Dutch developer Nixxes Software.
Nixxes Software is best known for working on PC ports for titles as recent as Square Enix’s Marvel’s Avengers and Tomb Raider trilogy.

Excited to announce that the talented Dutch studio Nixxes Software will be joining PlayStation Studios. It's a real pleasure to welcome a team with such deep technical expertise and vast experience to the @Playstation family. Huge congrats to everyone @NixxesSoftware!
— Hermen Hulst (@hermenhulst) July 1, 2021

According to the official press release, Hulst said:
“I highly respect Nixxes and am excited for this very experienced team to become part of the world-class development community at SIE.
They have a passion for improving games and for delivering the best possible experience for gamers.
Nixxes will be a strong asset for everyone across PlayStation Studios, helping our teams focus on their most important goal, which is to create unique PlayStation content at the best possible quality.”
This is probably part of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s long-term plans to bring more PlayStation exclusive franchises and titles to the PC platform. They have already ported Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone to great success, with probably more on the way. We’ll just have to wait and see what they are.
Bloodborne on PC, anyone?


HBO GO April 2021: Our Picks & Highlights

Since everyone is (still mostly) staying home because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Iâ€™m sure you wonâ€™t want to waste time sifting through HBO GOâ€™s extensive catalogue of shows and movies just to decide on what to watch. The streaming site updates its site every day, week, and month with new content, so Iâ€™m here to save your precious time.
Here are my personal recommendations and highlights for HBO GOâ€™s April 2021 lineup and how to fill up your free time with worthwhile content at home:
Made For Love (1 April 2021)

This comedy series is a darkly absurd and cynically poignant story of love, divorce and technology. It follows Hazel Green, a thirty-something woman on the run after 10 years in a suffocating marriage to Byron Gogol, a controlling tech billionaire. Soon she discovers that her husband has implanted the Made for Love chip in her brain, allowing him to track, watch, and know her “emotional data” as she tries to regain her independence.
Through the chip, Byron is able to watch Hazel’s every move as she flees to her desert hometown to take refuge with her ageing widower father Herbert and his synthetic partner, Diane.
Made For Love stars Cristin Milioti (of How I Met Your Mother and Palm Springs fame), Billy Magnussen and Dan Bakkedahl.
The first three episodes will premiere at the same time as the U.S. on Thursday, 1 April 2021 at 3pm exclusively on HBO GO followed by three episodes and two episodes on the subsequent two Thursdays.

Emma (10 April 2021)

In this remake of Jane Austenâ€™s heroine, witness how the beautiful, smart and wealthy Emma Woodhouse uses her wits and charm to match-make couples, resulting in romantic missteps. Along the way, she muddles through the challenges of growing up, including her own attempts at finding true love.
It stars Golden Globe-winning actress Anya Taylor-Joy (Netflix’s Queen’s Gambit fame), Johnny Flynn, Bill Nighy, Mia Goth, Miranda Hart and Josh Oâ€™Connor.
Emma will premiere on Monday, 12 April 2021 at 9am exclusively on HBO GO and HBO (Astro Channel 411 HD). A new episode premieres every subsequent Monday.

The Nevers (12 April 2021)

Created and executive produced by Joss Whedon (before he ultimately left the project), HBOâ€™s new drama seriesÂ The NeversÂ will premiere at the same time as the U.S. on Monday, 12 April 2021 at 9am GMT+8 exclusively onÂ HBO GOÂ and HBO (Astro Channel 411 HD), with a same-day encore at 10pm GMT+8 on HBO.
The NeversÂ takes place in a fictional Victorian London, where women start to suddenly manifest magical abilities. It sounds like Marvelâ€™s mutants in a science fiction fantasy superhero setting, and it frankly sounds like a good time. Itâ€™s worth pointing out that Whedon has since left the project, with Philippa Goslett replacing him as showrunner.
The first season is in two parts with the first six episodes of Part One airing every Monday at the same time while Part Twoâ€™s six episodes will follow at a later date.
The synopsis reads:
In Victorian-era London, a group of people known as the â€˜Touchedâ€™ are individuals â€“ mostly women â€“ who manifest a wide range of abnormal abilities, from charming to disturbing.
Among them, Amalia True, a mysterious, quick-fisted widow, and Penance Adair, a brilliant young inventor, emerge as champions of this new underclass.
Together, they make a home for the Touched while fighting the forces that oppose their existence.
Rounding out this genre-bending dramaâ€™s acclaimed cast are:

Olivia WilliamsÂ (â€œThe Ghost Writerâ€) as Lavinia Bidlow, the wealthy benefactress funding the orphanage for Amaliaâ€™s outcasts, who are also known as the Touched.
James NortonÂ (â€œLittle Womenâ€) as Hugo Swann, the rich and irreverent proprietor of a den of iniquity.
Tom RileyÂ (â€œDa Vinciâ€™s Demonsâ€) as Augustus â€œAugieâ€ Bidlow, Laviniaâ€™s sweet, awkward, younger brother with a secret of his own.
Pip TorrensÂ (â€œThe Crownâ€) as Lord Gilbert Massen, a high-ranking government official leading the crusade against our heroines.
Ben ChaplinÂ (â€œThe Thin Red Lineâ€) as Inspector Frank Mundi, whoâ€™s torn between his police duties and moral compass.
EmmyÂ®-nomineeÂ Denis Oâ€™HareÂ (â€œAmerican Horror Storyâ€) as Edmund Hague, a deranged doctor searching for the source of the powers.
Amy MansonÂ (â€œOnce Upon a Timeâ€) as the tortured, murderous Maladie, who derives power from pain.
Rochelle NeilÂ (â€œTerminator: Dark Fateâ€) as the fire-wielding Annie â€œBonfireâ€ Carby, one of Maladieâ€™s motley gang.
Zackary MomohÂ (â€œSeven Secondsâ€) as orphanage doctor Horatio Cousens, whose turn equips him with healing powers.
Eleanor TomlinsonÂ (â€œThe Illusionistâ€) as Mary Brighton, a broken and resilient performer pursuing her dream of singing on stage.
Elizabeth BerringtonÂ (â€œIn Brugesâ€) as Lucy Best, adaptive and streetwise, her quick-wit and high spirits mask the pain of a tragic past.
Anna DevlinÂ (â€œAll the Money in the Worldâ€) as Primrose Chattoway who, at ten feet tall and a dreamy demeanour, wishes to be an ordinary girl not taking up too much space.
Kiran Sonia SawarÂ (â€œHBO Maxâ€™s Pureâ€) as Harriet Kaur, a young Scottish Sikh and aspiring lawyer, determined to live her life as she planned.
Viola PrettejohnÂ (â€œThe Witcherâ€) as Myrtle Haplisch, a middle-class girl rescued from a family who cannot understand her â€“ literally, as she can no longer speak any form of language they understand.
Ella Smith (â€œRay & Lizâ€) as DÃ©sireÃ© Blodgett, a prostitute with a power that gets her in trouble and a six-year-old son who never speaks.
Vinnie HeavenÂ as Nimble Jack, a rakish and charming young thief and an expert at breaking and entering.
Nick FrostÂ (â€œShaun of the Deadâ€) as feared criminal overlord Declan â€œBeggar Kingâ€ Orrun.

In the meantime, check out the trailer below:

Superintelligence (24 April 2021)

The mundane life of Carol Peters is turned upside down when she starts getting snarky backtalk from her TV, phone and microwave. She thinks itâ€™s all a complicated prank but the truth is sheâ€™s been selected for observation by the worldâ€™s first superintelligence, with a plan to take over the world. Now, Carol is humanityâ€™s last chance.
Superintelligence stars Melissa McCarthy, Bobby Cannavale, James Corden, Brian Tyree Henry and Jean Smart. It will premiere on Saturday, 24 April 2021 at 9pm on HBO GO and HBO (Astro Channel 411 HD).

The Handmaid’s Tale Season 4 (29 April 2021)

In this upcoming fourth season, June strikes back against Gilead as a fierce rebel leader, but the risks she takes bring unexpected and dangerous new challenges. Her quest for justice and revenge threatens to consume her and destroy her most cherished relationships.
The series stars Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski and Joseph Fiennes. The first three episodes premiere on Thursday, 29 April 2021 at 6pm on HBO GO. A new episode premieres every subsequent Thursday.

A Bunch Of Newly-Added DC Animated Movies (12 April 2021)

The following DC animated movies will be available on HBO GO starting from 12 April 2021:

DC Universe Animated Movies Available onÂ HBO GOÂ from 12 April

Superman: Doomsday
Batman: Under the Red Hood

Batman: Gotham Knight
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse

Green Lantern: First Flight
All-Star Superman

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
Batman: Year One

Wonder Woman
Green Lantern: Emerald Knights

Those are just several selected highlights from next monthâ€™s offerings of new TV series and movies on HBO GO next month. Now you can plan your HBO GO watchlist for April 2021.


Riot Announces Plans For Wild Rift Esports

This month, League Of Legends teams around the world will begin vying for supremacy on Summonerâ€™s Rift in the sportâ€™s 11th professional season. Established franchises and emerging organizations alike will embark on a journey to prove their supremacy, both within their respective regional leagues and on the world stage.
Riot Games Head Of Global Esports John Needham said:
â€œLike League PC, League of Legends: Wild Rift is wildly competitive, with the depth, complexity, and high stakes moments that make for a great sport.
While itâ€™s still incredibly early, weâ€™re excited to bring our passion and dedication for esports to mobile.
While we continue to oversee a rollout of Wild Rift via Open Beta in numerous countries, weâ€™re ready to establish a framework for players to compete at the highest level.
This will be the year we will experiment and learn, setting the foundations for the long-term success of the sport. You will see our first competitions come to life later in 2021.â€
In 2021, Riot Games will take the initial steps to build the Wild Rift Esports ecosystem. Regional plans already have begun to take shape. In late 2020, Riot Games Southeast Asia (SEA) announced its Wild Rift Esports competitive and collegiate plans for the region.
In partnership with leading esports organizations throughout SEA, the season will kick off with several smaller, intermittent competitive events through March.
In April 2021, teams will transition to eight location-specific tournament circuits where they will compete for the title of local champion and a chance to later compete against other local champions from across Southeast Asia.
ESL will be the official Wild Rift esports partner in Malaysia and Thailand in 2021. Riot Games has also previously outlined their plans for esports and collegiate plans for Wild Rift in the Southeast Asian region.


Scarlet Nexus Is Proud Of Its Anime Action Heritage

If you get a number of directors and game designers of the Tales of series working on a new IP, chances are the apple will not fall far from the tree. Playing Scarlet Nexus for an hour or so led me to believe that Bandai Namco Studios is just focusing on the action RPG bits while dolling it up with a sci-fi open-world skin.
Scarlet Nexus is the coming-of-age story about two teams of the Other Suppression Force -psychic and elemental-powered super-soldiers & peacekeepers- whose members are clearly picked out of the school of anime character tropes. From main characters Yuito Sumeragi and Kasane Randall (one optimistic hero, the other cool and indifferent), to side characters like the childhood sweetheart-aura Hanabi and the know-it-all prick Shiden, the game’s story and themes will be about as subtle as a telekinesis-lifted truck to the face.
Still, if that’s what you like in your colourful sci-fi action games from a publisher who specializes in such titles, you’ll find a lot to like in Scarlet Nexus. In addition to the psychic powers your characters have, you can also borrow your teammates’ powers via the SAS system, like pyrokinesis (fire attacks) to hypervelocity (slows down time). Fun stuff overall, though I wish there was a tad more weight in the overall combat. Hopefully the game offers different weapon choices to make the fighting a lot more impactful.
Team Yuito

Team Kasane

Scarlet Nexus will be out for Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and PC later in 25th June.


Resident Evil 3 REmake Arrives April 2020; Jill Now Wears Pants

Sony Interactive Entertainment’s final State Of Play presentation for 2019 has confirmed what has already previously leaked: The Resident Evil 3 Remake is officially happening and it’s coming pretty soon, on 3 April 2020.
The reveal also confirmed that the spinoff game Resident Evil Resistance is actually the upcoming game’s a new 1v4 asymmetrical online multiplayer mode. This will be a relief for fans fo the franchise who initially believed that Capcom wanted to go full Konami ala Metal Gear Survive.
Just like Mr. X in the Resident Evil 2 Remake, the new Nemesis in Resident Evil 3 Remake will be stalking and pursuing players throughout the game relentlessly. If you’ve played the original, you’ll also know that Nemesis is far deadlier, as he uses actual ranged weapons like a freaking rocket launcher and can actually run.

Protagonists Jill Valentine and Carlos Oliveira have also received substantial redesigns. The former has lost her miniskirt in lieu of pants while the latter now sports a wild new hairdo.
The events of Resident Evil 3 actually takes place 24 hours before Leon and Claire’s adventures in Resident Evil 2, with Jill Valentine and her fellow Special Tactics and Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S.) members trying to evade Nemesis and escape Raccoon City alive.

According to a special video from the developers, the Collector’s Edition of the game will contain the following:

11-inch Jill Valentine figurine
Raccoon City double-sided map
Digital double-album soundtrack
S.T.A.R.S. item box packaging
Collector’s artbook

The Resident Evil 3 Remake is slated to release for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC on 3 April 2020. In the meantime, check out the awesome trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxDm9T1TKvU&w=560&h=315]


Forza Horizon 5 Gets Major Updates For Horizon Open PvP & Progression System

The hits keep on coming for Microsoft’s premiere racing game.
Forza Horizon 5 has added a new progression system and custom race options to the game’s Horizon Open PvP mode, via a new Series 6 update. The PvP now has custom racing, which allows u sers to matchmaker with other players based on chosen racing parameters.
The update also adds in a new standalone progression system. Basically, any XP earned contributes towards the player level and new Horizon Open level. Completing special challenges in Horizon Open means unlocking new reward types called Badges which are made visible next to Gamertags and in Horizon Life Free Roam, race standings, and leaderboards. Bragging rights for completing special challenges, in essence.
As a bonus, Malaysian gamers who signed in to the Xbox & PC Game Pass trial can check out the new Forza Horizon 5 features too for free!
Check out the full Forza Horizon 5 Series 6 patch notes below. All in all, it’s a good day to be a Forza Horizon 5 player.

General

Stability and Performance improvements.
Improved save flow for Weekly Forzathon to reduce chances of any progression loss.
Updated string for Car Voucher to be more specific about what its function is.
Updated Seasonal Event map pins to match the Seasonal PR Stunt pin.
Fixed issue where brake calipers were getting left behind from the car when changing Tunes in Freeroam.
Added HUD for cars with Race Mode type functionality to support the new Drivetrain swap mode on the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
Added low-res mesh under the world to improve the visuals when world chunks dropped out at high altitudes such as when using the new Gravity Action in EventLab (Series X/S and PC only).
Re-tuned the dirty air aerodynamic effect: the change reduces the amount of total downforce lost due to dirty air and improves the total aerodynamic balance distribution when following closely another car. This effect is more noticeable when driving very fast with cars that produce a sizeable amount of downforce.

Online

Horizon Open has been updated with a new progression system including Badges which can be unlocked through gameplay.
Added Custom Racing to Horizon Open, which will allow players to find races for their chosen race discipline and PI class.
Fixed some scenarios where the player could be left waiting longer than necessary in the post-race flow.

PC

Fixed an issue where distant trees could look black or very dark on Very Low Preset.
Fixed Crash that occurred in Livery Editor when Ray Tracing was on.

Cars

Fixed dent in Jaguar XJS220s.
Fixed brake callipers being incorrectly offset on the 2014 VW Golf R.
Roll cage was incorrectly being added to the Sports Chassis reinforcement instead of the Race Chassis reinforcement on the 2016 Porsche Cayman GT4.
Fixed issue where one of the rear brake callipers on the 2020 Lamborghini Hurácan Evo wasn’t paintable.
Fixed issue where passenger side rear brake calliper wasn’t paintable on the 2010 Lexus LFA.
Fixed livery mapping issue with the 2018 KTM X-Bow in low LOD.
Fixed quiet superchargers on some muscle cars, in particular Dodge.
Fixed the 2012 Gallardo LP570-4 Spyder Performante hood not matching the selected colour.
Fixed broken mesh on the Work Emotion 11R Rims.
Fixed the Work Emotion M8R Rims not looking correct with certain paint options.
Fixed the shift animation on the 1968 Renault 4L.

EventLab

Added Gravity Action to Rules of Play which allows players to manipulate Gravity in EventLab creations.
Added option to preview sounds.
When using manual gears, moved Blueprint Builder off the View button to the Route Options menu as it was conflicting with Place Checkpoint.
Fixed issue where players could get soft locked after an event and loading back to Freeroam.
Fixed an issue where playing your own EventLab creation after publishing, could sometimes cause it to load without props.

Accolades

Fixed issue with “The Completionist” Accolade not unlocking under the right conditions.
Fixed description of “Showpiece” Accolade.


Call Of Duty Warzone Gets New Pacific Map & Vanguard Season 1 Content

Even with the current flak it’s getting, there’s still some good that came out of military shooter Call of Duty: Vanguard.Â
We’re talking about new Call of Duty: Warzone content. Starting 8th December, the free-to-play online mode will be getting a new Warzone Pacific map called Caldera. The bad news? You can only access it if you actually bought Call of Duty: Vanguard. Everyone else will get it on 9th December.
The Warzone Pacific update will also feature all Operators and weapons from Vanguard, along with the following:

40 Weapons:Â The core 38 weapons fromÂ Vanguardâ€™s launch, plus two free functional weapons in the Season One Battle Pass. All of these can be personalized with unlocked camouflage, and every ballistics-based weapon can be further customized with up to 10 attachments through the Gunsmith.
Over a Dozen Operators:Â Each of the Operators from S.O.T.F. 002â€“005 are ready to drop in alongside Special Operations Task Force 006 arriving this seasonâ€¦
Calling Cards, Emblems, and More:Â Show off your progress inÂ VanguardÂ since launch to everyone inÂ Warzone.

Also, here’s a peek at Caldera, the new map you’ll be playing later in December.

A – Arsenal
B – Docks
C – Runway
D- Ruins
E – Mines
F – Peak
G – Beachhead
H – Village
I – Lagoon
J – Airfield
K – Fields
L – Sub Pen
M – Power Plant
N – Capital
O – Resort

The map looks slightly smaller than past Warzone maps, and that’s a good thing since it gets players to the fight faster and more streamlined. Developers Infinity Ward and Raven Software are looking to make sure players get in on the action quicker, so shaving off a few kilometers is a good start.

What Else?
The new update for Warzone will also feature a Vanguard Royale Season 1 playlist that puts fresh new vehicles and a streamlined weapon loadout for the new map. Here are the differences between the Vanguard Royale and the regular Battle Royale.

New Vehicles and Dogfighting.Â Fly fighter planes that rain down fire on foes or head for the AA guns or trucks to shoot them out of the skies. There are also other ground-based vehicles, including a Squad Transport all-terrain car that will help your squad cut through and around the island.
A Focus onÂ VanguardÂ Weapons.Â Loadouts can only containÂ VanguardÂ weaponry, streamlining the meta for more accessibility and room for experimentation. Expect all weapons around the island to also be fromÂ Vanguard. Operator selection is also limited toÂ VanguardÂ soldiers.
Circle Collapse Changes, In-Game Events, and More.Â The radii and times for Circle Collapses are altered to offer a different pace of play, especially with dogfighting overhead. Also, expect an in-game event at each Circle Collapse, Bombing Runs, and different items both within Calderaâ€™s overworld and contract rewards.

Both Call of Duty: Warzone and Call of Duty: Vanguard are out right now. I’m more of a Halo Infinite guy, but if this sort of twitch shooting thing sate your jollies, go ahead and dive right in.


Here’s How You Can Get Hitman 3 For Cheap In Malaysia

IO Interactive’s Hitman 3 is out now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. The best thing about it all is that you can import the levels from 2016’s Hitman and Hitman 2 if you already own the game. However, it’s trickier if you want to do so on PC, since the game is only exclusively available on Epic Games Store right now.
Our friends at Gamer Matters have discovered a way to get Hitman 3 alongside the content from Hitman and Hitman 2 for a much cheaper price here in Malaysia.
You can buy Hitman 3 and the Access Pass DLC for Hitman and Hitman 2 for a grand total of only RM144.89 on the Epic Games Store. That’s a lot cheaper than if you buy the game on the PlayStation Store, which will set you back RM209 for Hitman 3 alone.
This is made possible due to Epic Games Store’s regional pricing. Even though games are still sold in US dollar instead of RM in Malaysia, the prices are actually adjusted to the region, which makes them cheaper than if you bought the games on the US store.
To get that great deal though, you’ll have to be fast, since the Access Pass DLC for Hitman and Hitman 2 are only free (for the former) and discounted (for the latter) for a limited time (until 30 January 2021).
In other related news, IO Interactive is also currently working on a new James Bond game, though it might be a while until we get more details about the game. So, if you want a taste of what to expect from the developer, you should grab Hitman 3 right now, which is already pretty much an espionage game in all but name.
Yes, you’re an assassin, but it’s not like James Bond is a pacifist who doesn’t kill people, so there you go.


Chris Hemsworth & Tessa Thompson Are Your Men In Black: International AD Carries

I’ll save you a few bucks on movie tickets: Men In Black – International is one particular Sony release you can skip if you’re looking for an outstanding update of the first film that debuted back in 1998.
In fact, if you take away the British locale (which isn’t featured that prominently) and the two main actors of the show -Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson’s Agent M – you actually have the skeleton of all three MIB films. For a film touted to be a sci-fi action comedy, there are nary a few laughs albeit a plethora of tryhard moments.
While I did giggle at a comedic plot point involving American/British sides of driving -that was spoiled by the trailers, so boo hoo- the overall ride is pretty bland and lifeless. You would believe that a film can make the loveably awkward Kumail Nanjiani incredibly trying as a midget alien named Pawny.
Spaced

Things get into motion and feature some level of structure in introducing Agent M into the world. The film also competently weaves in Agent H to be the mentor/partner figure who is closed off from people while using his surface-level charm to get what he wants.
The duo learns from one another throughout the escapade that involves a mole in the organization and a special weapon that could cause intergalactic warfare. And they also have to cope with their boss Agent High T (played affably by Liam Neeson) and anal co-worker Agent C (Rafe Spall).

But…that’s it really. The execution here is pretty standard and forgettable after a single viewing.

MIB: International just bored me to tears because I’ve seen this scenario played out better in a movie made about 20 years ago. And it’s sad too because the first Men In Black’s schtick -buddy cop movie with sci-fi Area 51-esque secret agents with whirling conspiracies- was too successful that its sequel had to work that magic and capture lightning in the bottle again.
Clearly, this approach has failed, though not without some merit; I still dig MIB2‘s post office scene and Josh Brolin’s deadpan portrayal as Agent K in MIB3.
This MIB iteration? It’s vanilla in motion picture form. Like I said: Chris and Tessa are the only noteworthy folks here who elevate this from slightly being a bland sci-fi time-waster. Emma Thompson as Agent O also makes a cameo from the third film, usually for the better. Which is a shame because if she was relegated to a supporting role the movie would have been leagues better than what it was.
MIB: International is not horrible, but its crime of just being by-the-numbers and not awe-inspiring is enough to shoot this franchise off into the dark annals of space.
FINAL SCORE: 40/100


Sonic Frontiers Free Updates Slated For Next Month & Beyond, Just In Time For The Holidays

Sega has announced a ton of free DLC and upcoming content for its hit action game Sonic Frontiers. Yep, the single-player open-world game from Sega has its own roadmap now.
Update 1

Juke Box
Photo Mode
New Challenges Mode

Update 2

Sonic’s Birthday
Open Zone Challenge
New Koco

Update 3

Additional Playable Characters & New Story

There are no dates for these major updates save for a 2023 release window. In the meantime, players can go download the upcoming free “Holiday Cheer Suit” from 21st December onward. With this DLC, you can dress Sonic up in Christmas gear.

Sonic Frontiers is out now for PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo platforms and consoles. For more, check out our glowing review of the game.


Hot Toys Confirm New Spider-Verse Lineup

Many consider 2018’s Spider-Man: Into The Spider-VerseÂ (check out my review of the movie here) to be the best Spidey movie to date, be it live-action or animated. Thanks to the movie’s popularity, it’s no wonder that Hot Toys has confirmed a new lineup of Spider-Verse figures.
While Hot Toys has yet to reveal the full look at the Spider-Verse lineup, it is likely that it will include the two main characters of the movie as depicted on the poster, which you can check out below.

The news was initially revealed via a picture posted by Facebook account Nerdvana Central, who is currently attending San Diego Comic-Con International 2019. What this means is that fans can look forward to Hot Toys figures of Miles Morales Spider-Man and Spider-Gwen.
In other related news, a comics-accurate Iron Spider Hot Toys figure was also seen at the event. Stay tuned on KKP for more news coming out of SDCC!


SEA Major 2020 Is Cancelled

Bad news, fighting game fans in Southeast Asia. The region’s premier fighting game tournament for this year is postponed thanks to the offline esports killer known as COVID-19 coronavirus.
The tournament will instead come back in 2021. The tournament is renowned for hosting the regional portion of Capcom Pro Tour (Street Fighter V), the Tekken World Tour (Tekken 7), and Soulcalibur VI.

Due to the on going pandemic, it is unfortunate to announce that SEA Major 2020 Singapore is postponed.
We value the healthy and safety of the community, fans, and partners and thank them for their support and understanding! We will be back in 2021! pic.twitter.com/XOcZrckV7E
— VERSUS ASIA (@VersusAsia) June 30, 2020

The SEA Major is the next major offline esports tournament that is cancelled for the year, alongside other major tournaments like the offline version of EVO 2020 and The International 2020. As to whether the tournament organization will host an online tournament, that remains to be seen.
In the meantime, do enjoy these SEA Major highlights to pass the time. And also this SEA Major 2018 recap, because we do love our fighting games despite some of the outside factors that surround it.


Final Fantasy VII The First Soldier Gets New DLC Skins

Square Enix has announced a bunch of new DLC skins and costumes for the Final Fantasy VII The First Soldier mobile game. Who are these costumes of? Well, it’s the famous Avalanche trio from Final Fantasy VII, of course.
Jessie, Biggs and Wedge.
The DLC skins of these charactersÂ will be available for a limited time. Each of them will cost 1,000 Shinra Credits respectively, and players can pick them up from the in-game Specialty Shop until 1 December 2021. However, itâ€™s important to point out that the Jessie costume is gender-locked to female characters, while Biggs and Wedge are not.

Skins based on the famous Avalanche trio are now available!
"Jessie," "Biggs," and "Wedge" skins are all here! Pick up all your favorites!#FF7FS #FinalFantasy #FF7R pic.twitter.com/mlJ9vhgE2G
— FINAL FANTASY VII THE FIRST SOLDIER_EN?FF7FS (@FFVII_FS_EN) November 29, 2021

Other costumes that have previously appeared in the Final Fantasy VII The First Soldier in-game shop include a Reno costume and a Turks suit. Besides that, players can also get other costumes via the game’s Season 1 Pass, including a Hojo and Rufus Shinra outfit. Meanwhile, the Tifa and Cloud skins can be obtained via the in-game shop. They are part of the Special Bundles category, with each bundle including a costume and a special emote.
Final Fantasy VII The First Soldier is available to download and play on Android and iOS platforms. The mobile game was originally announced back in February 2021.


Cult Of The Lamb Guide: Top 7 Tips To Maintain The Cult Status Quo

Cult Of The Lamb is out now for PC and consoles, and if you fancy a twisted take on an Animal Crossing-style simulation combined with a Binding of Isaac-style roguelite action experience, you’ll find plenty to love here.
Here are some tips for the Devolver Digital and Massive Monster-made indie title so that you can make your journey that’s cultivated in style and substance.

Build Farm Plots & Seed Silos

Farm plots let you have your followers automatically grow their own food instead of you having to do all the work. Just make sure the seed plots are next to the farm; don’t make the mistake we did and just form a seed plot row without saving space in the middle for the Farm Plot.

Explore The Outskirts At Night

You can visit the Lonely Shack, Spore Grotto, and other places in the daytime for extra discoverables. However, if you head to these places during the nighttime, there will be new NPCs to talk to. As soon as you discover Pilgrim’s Path (the one with the fishing spot), head to the pier at night to find a new NPC to chat with. Give him a fish; you’ll get a free Talisman piece to help with your Tunic-unlocking.

After You Kill Your First Heretic Leader, Pick The Omnipresence Crown Power

When you score your first Heretic heart after you kill the first major boss of Darkwood, you get to bestow a permanent Crown power to buff yourself and your cult. While all the abilities sound great, the best one to start with is the Omnipresence power; it allows you to teleport back to your homestead in the middle of a crusade with all the items you collected.

It’s Better To Punish Than To Kill

Cult of the Lamb relies on you to have as many followers as possible to pursue the endgame. In the long run, it’s better to punish your dissenting followers by throwing them into a prison stockade rather than murder them in the middle of the night. In other words, aim to get a prison stockade in your Divination build tree first.
Besides, with how some games can go with illness being frequent and old age within followers being prevalent, your followers can end up dying via natural causes anyway. Use the Murder option (unlocked from Doctrines) only if you’re at your breaking point with Faith and the dissenter is still there, and if you somehow didn’t prepare a Jail in advance.

Use Your Faith-Boosting Rituals As Much As You Can

Rituals are your best power-ups to help boost your Faith, so use them as much as you can. From Bonfires to Ocean’s Bounty to even funerals and marriages (unlocked via Doctrines), these effects can keep your followers happy as well as give you more of their energy and personal faith to you during sermons, meaning you can advance your own Crusade skill tree faster.
As you get higher in the Divination build tree, you can unlock buffs that reduces the cooldowns of Rituals after being used.

Low On Followers? Buy Them!

Halfway in the game, you are given the option to purchase followers from Helob, a spider who eats wandering people and lost followers. He’s friendly enough to part ways with his potential dinner for a good amount of coin, so if you need more followers, buy away. He refreshes his stock once per day, so if you bought a follower, you have to wait until the next day to buy another one from him.
You can also find Helob in any of the levels during your Crusade (via random generation). If you see a house icon with a smaller follower icon below, that’s Helob. In this instance, he will sell you a follower at a generous discount, even going so far as to give one away for free!

Need To Lock In Faith? Brainwash Your Followers

In the middle of the game, you can unlock a Spore Grotto with a bunch of cultist mushrooms hanging about. Not only does this spot outside your homestead sells you Tarot Cards and decorations, but you can complete an optional mission involving cult leader Sozo and mushrooms to gain a new Ritual. Just get a buttload of mushrooms ready for Sozo; you can get mushroom spores to grow from the second dungeon Anura (the one with the frogs).
Once you complete that sidequest, you gain access to the Mushroom ritual that lets you brainwash your followers. Brainwashing them keeps them always happy, while also locking your Faith gauge so it doesn’t go up or down. Just remember: have your Faith as high as possible before initiating the Ritual.

Cult Of The Lamb Boss Video Guide
Here’s a walkthrough on how to deal with each major boss in the game’s story mode.

Know any other tips we can add to Cult of the Lamb? Let us know either here, on our social channel, or on our YouTube channel.


Netflix September 2020: Our Highlights & Picks

Since everyone is (still mostly) staying home because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Iâ€™m sure you wonâ€™t want to waste time sifting through Netflixâ€™s extensive catalogue of shows and movies just to decide on what to watch. The streaming giant updates its site every day, week, and month with new content, so Iâ€™m here to save your precious time.
Here are my personal recommendations and highlights for Netflix Malaysiaâ€™s September 2020 lineup and how to fill up your free time with worthwhile content at home:
Away (4 September 2020)
AWAY (L to R) RAY PANTHAKI as RAM ARYA and HILARY SWANK as EMMA GREEN, in episode 109 of AWAY. Cr. DIYAH PERA/NETFLIX Â© 2020
From the visionary who brought us Friday Night Lights comes an epic and emotional TV series starring two-time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank. This looks like an interesting and inspiring premise, but it remains to be seen if the series will be able to sustain its 10-episode first season run.
The synopsis reads:
As she embarks on a treacherous three-year-long mission to Mars commanding an international crew, Emma Green must leave her husband and teen daughter behind.

#Alive (8 September 2020)

Fans of Train To Busan and zombie movies, in general, will probably find something to like in #Alive, a new South Korean zombie film directed by Cho Il-hyung, as well as starring Yoo Ah-in and Park Shin-hye.
The synopsis reads:
As a grisly virus rampages a city, a lone man stays locked inside his apartment, digitally cut off from seeking help and desperate to find a way out.

The Devil All The Time (16 September 2020)
The Devil All The Time: Tom Holland as Arvin Russell. Photo Cr. Glen Wilson/Netflix Â© 2020
In Knockemstiff, Ohio and its neighboring backwoods, sinister characters; an unholy preacher (Robert Pattinson), twisted couple (Jason Clarke and Riley Keough), and crooked sheriff (Sebastian Stan), converge around young Arvin Russell (Tom Holland) as he fights the evil forces that threaten him and his family.
Spanning the time between World War II and the Vietnam war, director Antonio Camposâ€™ The Devil All The Time renders a seductive and horrific landscape that pits the just against the corrupted.
Co-starring Bill SkarsgÃ¥rd, Mia Wasikowska, Harry Melling, Haley Bennett, and Pokey LaFarge, this suspenseful, finely-woven tale is adapted from Donald Ray Pollock’s award-winning novel.

Dragon’s Dogma (17 September 2020)

Based on the Capcom game of the same, Shinâ€™ya Sugai of 009 Re: Cyborg fame will be directing and producing the anime, while Taiki Sakurai (Cannon Busters) will be executive producer.
The synopsis reads:
After losing his home to a dragon, Ethan sets out to hunt it down once and for all. A pawn appears by his side and serves to protect his life.But the dangers that lie in wait for Ethan are beyond their imaginations, for when you fight a monsterâ€¦ you just may become one too.

Enola Holmes (23 September 2020)

When Enola Holmes; Sherlockâ€™s teen sister, discovers her mother missing, she sets off to find her, becoming a super-sleuth in her own right as she outwits her famous brother and unravels a dangerous conspiracy around a mysterious young Lord.
Starring Millie Bobby Brown, Sam Claflin, with Henry Cavill (as Sherlock Holmes himself) and Helena Bonham-Carter. Directed by Harry Bradbeer (Fleabag).

Those are just several selected highlights from next monthâ€™s offerings of new TV series and movies on Netflix. Now you can plan your Netflix binge-fest for September 2020.


The Top Netflix Shows Malaysia Has Been Watching In 2019

TV is dead. Well, maybe not yet but the rise of streaming services such as Netflix has undoubtedly accelerated the demise of channel-based television. It’s been a great year for Netflix in Malaysia so let’s take a look at what we all watched this year.
Netflix Malaysia has just announced a list of its most popular releases according to Malaysian viewers. The list is ranked by the number of accounts watching at least two minutes of a series, movie, or special during its first 27 days on Netflix in 2019.
Here’s the list:

6 Underground
Murder Mystery
The Witcher
Isn’t It Romantic
Tall Girl
Triple Frontier
The Perfect Date
The Umbrella Academy
Secret Obsession
Fractured

It’s surprising to see 6 Underground and The Witcher ranking so high on the list since both of them only came out in December. The fact that The Witcher is the third most popular show on the platform shows that we Malaysians just love watching Henry Cavill slay monsters.
Similar to other parts of the world, the Malaysian audience are big fans of action and romance. I’m also quite happy to see that a show like The Umbrella Academy is appreciated by the local market despite our relatively low interest in comic books.
With new seasons for The Witcher and The Umbrella Academy already greenlit, we can expect a bright future for Netflix here in Malaysia. Not to mention, we’re also getting a new season of Narcos: Mexico, a bunch of new anime shows and movies, and more.


Naughty Dog Extends The Malaysian Job Offer to Make Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Now hereâ€™s an instance where a famous videogame moment became real life. This is the true extension of ‘The Malaysian Job’.

Earlier this month, two global facing videogames studios from Malaysia â€“ Passion Republic and Lemon Sky Animation â€“ shared their experience on working with Naughty Dog LLC. The project is the latest entry into the Uncharted series, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. This engagement is the literal, and figurative, extension of The Malaysian Job, a named chapter for Uncharted 4: A Thiefâ€™s End.

Both worked extensively on the visual elements for the new Uncharted entry, providing critical art assets, animation renders, and backgrounds for the game.
Passion Republic, which worked on Uncharted 4: A Thiefâ€™s End in an unexpected manner, viewed this opportunity as another chance to further prove its mettle in producing, and now managing, the production of a AAA title. When the call came in to discuss a critical work order for a soon-to- be released sequel for a Sony PlayStation 4 exclusive, it became an all-hands on deck situation.

â€œThe call came in from Naughty Dog, via a huge recommendation from the Multimedia Development Corporation (now Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, MDEC), and we knew then it is our â€˜trial by fireâ€™. We could not say no and really pushed hard to get the work done. While we did deliver the work on time and maintained the quality of content, more important is how we left a lasting positive impression on the folks at Naughty Dog. That led to the discussion of doing more for the Uncharted
series, specifically Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. We agreed with no hesitation since we wanted to continue this relationship,â€ said Ng Aik Sern, President of Passion Republic.
While the original venture is not the first AAA title to feature Malaysian talent, and one of the worldâ€™s most beloved franchise at that, it is likely one of the earliest to initiate a proper collaboration between multiple Malaysia-based studios. With Passion Republic, the on-going collaboration with Naughty Dog made sense due to the firm understanding of work processes ad expectations between the two. Ng called it a deep insight as the assigned Art Director for this game, Mel Law, had long conversations with the US-based team.
As for Lemon Sky Animation, like how Passion Republic been excited at the prospect of working on such a big title for the Sony PlayStation 4, it is equal parts thrilling and stimulating. While the work focused mostly on rendering art assets, the team had to hit the ground running as it had to get up a development pipeline that both parties can easily and seamlessly work on.
â€œEven if we had worked on other AAA games in the last few years, the opportunity to work with Naughty Dog is still considerably rare and we know that this is a huge platform for us to continue our push for excellence. The most comprehensive process, for us, is to figure out how the multi-layered pipeline works and what we needed to do to ensure we maintained our work quality and on-time delivery,â€ added Kelvin Lai, Production Manager, Lemon Sky Animation.

The critical success of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, a proper standalone game in its own right, created positive spillover for Passion Republic and Lemon Sky Animation as both studios are now looking to do even more work with Naughty Dog and other studios that are relate to Sony Interactive Entertainment. For Hasnul Hadi Samsudin, Vice President of Creative Content and Technologies, MDEC, having more Malaysian creatives working on AAA titles like Uncharted: The Lost Legacy prove, once again, that talent from this part of the world is highly sought after.
â€œIt goes to show that Malaysian creatives are a force to be reckoned with and are seen as ready for global demand. Iâ€™m very proud to see how far Passion Republic and, now, Lemon Sky Animation have come and I expect even more from them now. In fact, I wonâ€™t be surprised if they even considered creating something that can compete with Uncharted,â€ Hasnul added.
More information on what Passion Republic and Lemon Sky Animation worked on can be found at passionrepublic.comÂ and lemonsky.tv.


DC Universe Online Devs Are Working On A Marvel MMO

According to the Q3 2021 financial report investor presentation from Enad Global 7, developer Dimension Ink is currently working on an unannounced MMORPG based on Marvel IP. The studio is best known for developing DC Universe Online and being a subsidiary of Daybreak Game Studio.
The same report reveals that the unannounced Marvel MMO is being led by Jack Emmert. He designed City Of Heroes and currently leads development on DC Universe Online. However, it sounds like the project is still in early development and listed under â€œlonger-termâ€ project, scheduled for after 2022.
If that’s the case, the game probably won’t be out until 2023 at the earliest. At the time of writing, Daybreak, Marvel, and Dimensional Ink have yet to officially confirm or deny the reports. Still, there’s technically already a Marvel MMO available to play right now, albeit on mobile platforms.
The game I’m talking about is Marvel Future Revolution. If you’re hankering for what a Marvel MMO might be like, check it out onÂ the App StoreÂ andÂ Google Play. You can also check out my hands-on preview of the game by heading over here. Besides that, there was also the Marvel Heroes MMO (which is where the featured image of this article comes from), which launched back in 2013. However, it was later shut down and made unplayable when developer Gazillion Entertainment stopped operations.


The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki Out In Chinese & Korean Languages Next Year

If you cannot wait to play the latest Falcom RPG epic and can speak either Chinese or Korean, here’s some news for you.
Clouded Leopard Entertainment Inc. has announced the Traditional Chinese and Korean language versions of The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki, which is the follow-up to The Legend of Heroes series. This version will be out on 10th February, 2022 for PS4, and will come in Standard, Digital Deluxe, Digital Ultimate, and SPRIGGAN editions.
You can preorder all digital versions of the game right now on the PlayStation Store. If you’re interested in the ultimate version of the game, just note that the SPRIGGAN edition contains the following:
(1)Â The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no KisekiÂ Soundtrack Mini (with Tall Case)
A mini soundtrack with tall caseÂ The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no KisekiÂ containing a variety of background music from the game, themed after the multi-ethnic country that is the Calvard Republic, where the game is set.
(2)Â The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no KisekiÂ Early Materials Book: â€œTo The Land of Origin and Dawnâ€
A 96-page art book containing a vast amount of materials including concept visuals, characters, the areas of the Calvard Republic, weapons, orbal cinema, enemy characters, and more.
(3) The Arcride Solution Office Character Data File
A 128-page data file containing high-resolution illustrations of the characters that appear inÂ The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki, including a complete understanding of their detailed designs, such as their sides and backs.
â–  First-Print Bonus Downloadable Content
Hollow Core Voice: Latoya Hamilton
Original downloadable content that allows players to change the system voice of the tactical orbment Xipha to that of the young Dr. Latoya Hamilton (voiced by Kikuko Inoue).
Right now, there’s no date for the game’s English version, but it’s most likely going to be mid-2022. Falcom games are text-heavy, so it may take the talented localization team a while to see that version come into fruition.
The last entry was The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV for PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch. That was a helluva way to end a four-parter series that continues The Legend of Heroes story thread.


We Talk To Pixar’s Elemental Leads & Director About Emotions, Immigration, & More

Pixar’s Elemental is part fantastical cityscape involving elemental beings, immigration life subtext, and a romance sparking between a fire and water person, and how that ends up working. You can thank actors Leah Lewis (Ember) and Mamoudou Athie (Wade) who brought both opposing characters to life with their voicework, and also director Peter Sohn for crafting this tale which is partly based on his own life as a kid from Korean immigrant parents settling in America.
Here’s what we asked the three of them in an interview leading up to the release of the film:

Once again Pixar has built an incredible immersive world in Elemental. What’s your favourite small detail about Element City that fans can look out for?
Peter Sohn: You know, I recently got to see the film in its full 3D glory. I think the details that were exposed in the 3D have been really exciting for me. Like, Ember’s fire in 3D is a whole new thing because she’s transparent. but when she moves her head, all those transparencies start to parallax and give you a depth that we didn’t see when we were working in the 2D version. I would say, yeah, check it out in 3D. You’ll be really mesmerized by the effects that we have on these characters.It really is exciting to be seen.

What do you look for when casting voice roles? And then what are some of the specific traits in each character that you’re looking for?
Peter: I always look for empathy and appeal just in the voice and in how I can connect to it. But then, of course, you’re just looking for what you need or you’re hoping that the character needs. And then also another electric X-factor layer, knowing that, oh, they’ll be able to take this character further than we ever could imagine. And for Ember, I had serendipitously discovered Leah in a movie called The Half of It. And in watching it, I wasn’t watching it to find Ember. I was just, you know, really curious about the movie. And she sort of exploded on the screen with this sort of fierceness for in her sort of, you know, understanding her identity and her relationships in the way that this was written. But then there was also a tenderness in her performance when it came to her father that really then started linking me into Ember.
And as I, you know, finished watching the movie, I started looking her up, and I found all these YouTube videos of Leah doing a lot of really fun stuff in her house. And I don’t know what you were doing in the hotel room, but you were singing, you know, I find it wonderful. You were singing a Patsy Cline song.
Leah Lewis: Oh, you might not have released that. She put that on YouTube without my permission.
Peter: But you had this smoky voice that reminded me of the element. And so it sort of filled those two boxes of like, you know, connecting to the performance and then finding the elemental side of it. And the same with Mamadou. Again, just, you know, I’m finding interesting movies to watch and I found this show on Netflix called, I mean, this film called Uncorked. And again, just watching it because I was curious about the film, and I saw Mamadou play with this character, switching from, he’s this wine salesman, and he went from selling wine to this young customer, but then flirting, and then moving back and forth effortlessly through this, and just brought me to that fluid, sort of go with the flow guy.
And then this other piece of a show called, Oh Jerome No, which had this, the emotional side of it, where I was connecting to Mamadou’s crying. We had listened to a lot of crying and most of the time it’s one note and it’s really ear-piercing and you’re kind of like done after like the first four seconds of it. But for some reason, Mamadou had a way of inviting you with each different version of crying that he was doing that was scene required, but he was making it all authentic and real. And I was like, my God, we got to talk to these two. And that’s how we found them.

On to Leah and Mamadou; what sort of work did you both do behind the scenes to help find the dynamic between Ember and Wade?
Leah: So the behind-the-scenes work, Mamadou and I actually never even worked together, so I feel like it was Peter kind of doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work with us separately. I mean to get into the world of Ember, Peter was just so generous in the way that he was like, just be you, but do that like times 10. And we’ll figure out like what parts of your voice we can use that are brand new that he hadn’t even really thought of. For me though, if we’re really getting technical with it, a lot of water, a lot of sleep, a lot of rest. And also Peter being like, don’t blow yourself out within the first five minutes.
Like it was definitely like a long haul every time I did a session for four hours. But I think just being willing to be silly and be vulnerable and be as sad as possible, all the different range of emotions, like, just keeping my heart completely open for wherever Ember needed to go. Because, you know, in these four-hour sessions, we are doing a bunch of different scenes that range from angry to sad to happy to, you know, we’re falling in love and now we’re talking to our family. So I think it was just kind of remaining very open and on my toes. But Ember was already there thanks to Peter and then him just being so inviting with my own personality. So it was actually quite easy. I wish I worked more with Mamoudou in the booth, though.That would have been really cool.
Mamadou Athie: That would have been cool, dude, yeah. Well, I, yeah, that’s been fun. But, you know, we got to work Pete, and Pete’s an amazing voice actor. And, yes, I kind of concur with everything you just said. Water, sleep, all that stuff. And functionally, in terms of, like, building the character, it was so well-defined that when I met with Pete for the first time, I know this maybe sounds some kind of way, but honestly, I was like, I know who this guy is. I know who this guy is for sure. I really, I just, I love him. And I had a wonderful class in school that really changed my life called clown class, not like a Barnum and Bailey clown, but more of like the French kind of style. And it just really helped me access parts of myself that I felt ashamed of or was just embarrassed by or like, oh, you know, you’ll put yourself in a bad position. It really helped me just become a less self-conscious actor. And so it kind of just made those sessions like a form of very fun but serious play. And so just kind of just the investigative nature of it, just like, okay, hold on, wait, hold on. I just realized something here. And getting to do that back and forth with Pete and Denise and them allowing the space, it was a really great conversation in terms of creating the character and who he was so that was really good.

How do you maintain the balance between staying true to the established character traits and bringing your own unique interpretation to the role?
Leah: I think, this is such a privilege to have, but like I was very similar to the character already. I do think there were certain times where I disagreed with how explosive she was, but I was also like, she’s on a journey here, you know, she has to start somewhere and then go somewhere else. But, you know, for me, I think it was very interesting because a lot of the stuff mirrored a lot of real life emotions and things that I have gone through. And it was actually even more kind of the opposite of like, OK, how can we pull more of that in? You know, there were times when, you know, Ember was getting very vulnerable. And Peter would kind of turn the lights down low and just be like, just take a second. Cause I also think he understood like, when you’re bringing your real life experience into something, it can be very, very tender work, but to also do it in a way that fits the character.
You know, as Leah, I was sitting there thinking of my parents and all their sacrifices and just in the moments where Ember was small, like times that I felt small and I was reduced to like sobbing so much so that even Peter was like, okay, so I love what you’re doing but I don’t think she needs to be sobbing like that much. She’s not like as that open of a book and it was funny because I’m like, okay, where do I draw the line now because I did feel so similar to Ember but there were moments too where I was like, oh, I’m getting a little weighty right now instead of Ember, who was a bit more guarded and shut down until, you know, she opens up more throughout the film. But yeah, it was definitely a fine line to ride, but it was really cool getting to step out of my own element as Leah and be as explosive, be as tiny and vulnerable, and just so dynamic the way that she was, because I don’t really get to go through all those dynamics in my regular life, so it was a thrill to try and do that.
Mamadou: That’s funny, I feel similarly, like I’m telling you guys, like I spoke with Pete and I was like, I know who this guy is so well, like it was something very, like it just felt like, it just felt like I had to play this part, like I really felt like that, I can’t say anything else aside from that. That and I didn’t want to complicate it too much because I think Wade is very intentionally simple, very intentionally I’m going to live my life like this and that’s what he, and I try to find simplicity in my life because the world is complicated enough and I think we kind of share that kind of same motor of like okay, what makes me comfortable, what is, how do I want to live my life, what is the best version of me? I think Wade is better at it.
But like I certainly try. But also when something is very well-written, when something is very clear and defined, all you have to do is follow the blueprint in front of you and fill it. And that was the gift of playing this part because it wasn’t like, oh, I have to figure this out or that. It was like, oh, no, the road map is very clear. I just have to do a little bit of work of like what is the afternoon scene, what is the I’m saying this to get this. After that, it’s just like, you know, play. And we had four or five hours in the booth to do it every time. So it was just, you know, it was right there, to be honest.

What was the greatest challenge to overcome in terms of animation?
Peter: The average Pixar character has about 4,000 controls, which sounds like a lot, right? But both Ember and Wade were close to double that, to 10,000, meaning you needed this control to try to get them to move like the element while there was an effect going on top of it. And there are so many layers of effects going on with these characters that they kept multiplying the challenges in every direction that we would go.
For example, fire, you can’t put shadow under fire. And so already there would be issues per scene, per shot, where you were just trying to make sure that the eye was going in the right direction. How busy is the fire? Can we read her face, the landscape of those emotions? Would you just be staring at the roiling? And for water, you know, yeah, Denise is right. That became the monster because, yeah, fire, no shadow. So she remained essentially the same in every shot, but water requires these ingredients to feel like water.
So she remained essentially the same in every shot, but water requires these ingredients to feel like water. If you slowed down the bubbles, all of a sudden the water would look like jello. If you slowed down the bubbles, all of a sudden the water would look like jello. If you remove the highlights, water would look like a ghost. And then so in every sequence, in every shot, if water was in the basement, there would be no light. You couldn’t see the character. And all of a sudden, when you’re on the rooftop next to Ember, the sunlight would just blow him out. And he would just be this white, bright thing. And it was just every shot was about control and a challenge.
Peter said that the story of Elemental is very personal. Would you say that the story also echoes your own personal story or your past experiences?
Mamadou: Yeah, yeah, 100%. That’s the thing that I, I mean, that’s the thing. That’s one of the huge things that I connected with Pete about like my family. You know, we came here when I was a baby, I was five months old, my dad was a diplomat. And, you know, he had two master’s degrees that he couldn’t take with him and had to completely start afresh. And as an adult, I understood that was a sacrifice when I was a kid, but as an adult, I have a fuller understanding of what it is to build a life for yourself. But I cannot imagine having to start all over for the sake of your family. But they did it, and they did it without question. They did it for us, and I think Pete and I shared that sense of gratitude, a feeling of a debt that, you know, but also in the making of this film and just talking about it and talking with my parents about it, it’s not so much a debt anymore, it feels more of like a, you know, like, how do you say, like a gift. I mean, you know, it’s more of like, you have to pay it forward. You pay it forward in celebrating your own life and trying your best and really backing yourself, putting faith in yourself, the faith that they put in you. In any case, those were some of the things that I really connected with Pete about. It was cool to have my parents there, meet Pete and everybody at Pixar and watch the movie. This is their favourite movie of mine, by a mile, by a long shot. So it was really cool they just keep texting me about it. It’s almost annoying, but I love it. They will not stop texting me, y’all.
Leah: I love what Mamadou just said about it being a gift because I think when I talk to my parents, you know, they gave me the gift of giving their 135% when it came to supporting me and my sister. And then the gift back is just living your life to the absolute fullest and really working on yourself as a human being to feel fulfilled and feel confident. You know, I felt really close to Peter’s story just in general and the fact that he could be so honest and vulnerable and, you know, make it in such digestible way through Pixar, but I think like I just related to Ember specifically on so many different levels. I mean her journey of having to kind of work through some of her anger and frustration and actually turn it into something that’s really creative, you know, like I think sometimes, especially when we’re younger we all have these qualities that we struggle with but once we get to refine them more and we meet more waves that come in and out of our life like we actually get to use it for good but you know the familial aspect that she has, being so loyal to her family and recognizing their sacrifice for her, I think, you know, growing up as an adoptee from Shanghai, China, I grew up in a Caucasian household, but like, my mother and father were so supportive from a very, very early age at six and seven of me wanting to pursue acting and singing.
And I think that’s crazy that they actually believed me back then. And you know, they’ve been so supportive of my sister and her path. And it was a family effort. It wasn’t just my mom and my dad. It was my sister and my grandma who all put their best foot forward and kind of rearranged their life to help me kind of grasp this dream. And you know, my father, he’s 84 and my mom is 72. And they’ll probably really be upset that I just shared that with you guys, but that’s okay. In the same way that Ember is kind of realizing her parents as they grow up too, and she kind of wants to step into their shoes. Like, and I haven’t really talked about this whole time in interviews, but I’m deeply protective of my parents. And especially as they grow older too, like I just, I want to do as much as I possibly can for them.
And it’s just like, it’s such a tender thing that even talking about it, which is probably why I haven’t talked about it during this whole tour and these interviews are because it is something that just kind of rips me open in the most vulnerable of ways and I just love them so much, you know, even getting teary-eyed thinking about it. But the fact that that sacrifice for her doesn’t just completely go overhead, you know, that’s never gone over my head either. And it’s produced a lot of expectations that she’s even placed on herself. But by the end of the film, you know, she kind of reveals to her parents, like, I actually have a different dream. And I know for a fact, like, other than entertainment, there have been things with my family that I’ve been like, actually, I kind of feel this way about something. And my parents have just been like, okay, well, you know what, like, we love you anyway. And that’s one of the biggest gifts that I could have gotten from them. And like, when I watch this film, it’s just like, it’s just, it rings so true for me. So, you know, all of this has been really special and to play her and yeah, I’m done talking.
What do you hope audiences take away from the movie?
In a city where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together, a fiery young woman and a go-with-the-flow guy are about to discover something elemental: How much they actually have in common. Directed by Peter Sohn and produced by Denise Ream, Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental” releases June 16, 2023. Concept art by Sohn. © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Mamadou: Well, I, I remember I, well, I was talking to Pete at Cannes, when we were at Cannes about this play I did that made me realize why I really wanted to be an actor. It’s called The Visit. I’m not going to expound upon it too much, but it’s a great play. But it really – the conversations that I had after the play’s production with people in the street randomly made me realize, oh, this can be really useful. Like this is not just like playing dress-up or whatever. This can really – be conversations that really mean something to me. I can do this until I’m 80 because it’s not silly. It’s something really important, changing a perspective. So there’s that with this movie. I think there’s something about opening up young hearts and even older hearts. Every frame of this movie, though, I knew it since I met Pete. I’m so happy that he wanted me to do this movie. I’m so grateful because every frame of this movie is, the love is so palpable.
You can feel like there’s, I was telling Pete, like there’s no cut corners on this movie. You might have run out of time, but like there’s that and the other, but there’s never anything that isn’t done to 100,000, 10%. Like it’s, that’s not even a number, but like it’s like fully committed to being as fully realized as possible. And it starts with love. I feel like the love that you get, and also you can count on Pixar to make you laugh, you know, I think this movie is hilarious. It’s really fun, but the heart, you can always count on Pixar for the heart. So, you know, go, go see the movie and you’ll, you’ll get what you’re looking for.
Leah: You know the part that we keep quiet the part that maybe that we’re afraid of and like, you know? Whether a weight in your life exists or not getting to let that part of yourself really really shine and also just kind of piggybacking off of what everyone else said to like The kind of gratitude for the people in your life, whether it’s your family, your chosen family, your partner, your best friend, all the people that got you to where you are today because, at the end of the day, we are composed of all the different people that we’ve come across and that have affected us in our life. And I think that definitely shows, all these characters are definitely different by the end as a result of mingling with each other, whether they like it or not.
Peter : You know, this whole film’s been about connection and if an audience member comes out of this film inspired by the world and the characters to connect with somebody, that would mean the world. You know, it’s so funny what empathy is. Empathy doesn’t exist without a little bravery. It’s so funny. It’s such a weird thing that, you know, and that, you know, coming, you know, trying to connect, you know, just taking that little step of bravery and reaching out with empathy. That’d be amazing. And so if it inspires anyone to connect, I’m a happy man.
Pixar’s Elemental will be out in Malaysian cinemas right now. It’s already out now in Singapore and some parts of Southeast Asia.
This image released by Disney/Pixar Studios shows characters Gale, center left, Ember, center, and Wade, right, in a scene from “Elemental.” (Disney/Pixar via AP)


Xbox Is Bringing Back Native Twitch Streaming

Twitch streaming integration is officially returning directly into the Xbox dashboard. Twitch originally appeared on the Xbox One dashboard back in 2014, but it was removed three years later in 2017. Now, Twitch is coming back to the Xbox Guide interface.
According to update notes, Alpha and Skip-Ahead alpha Xbox testers can already test out the new Twitch integration right now. You can adjust the game volume or microphone volume, include party audio from friends, and see a list of viewers and how long youâ€™ve been streaming with an overlay on top of your games.
Insiders can try out live streaming to Twitch by navigating to the â€œCapture and Shareâ€ tab and choosing â€œLive streamingâ€. Theyâ€™ll then need to link a Twitch account using a mobile device or using console Settings. Once the account is linked hit the â€œGo live nowâ€ button to start streaming gameplay to Twitch.
The Xbox Twitch integration also includes the ability to switch resolution and bitrates from 360p at 500kbps up to 1080p at 6500kbps, as well as support for USB webcams. However, as of now, it remains to be seen when the new Twitch integration will arrive for everyone else.


Will Bayonetta 2 & Future Sequels Go Multiplatform? Maybe…

Bayonetta 2 is a pretty awesome action game that features a ton of awesome battle setpieces and some Nintendo-branded fanservice. But wouldn’t it be nice if the game went multiplatform and end up on PC, PS4, and Xbox One?
Well, keep wishing, because that may not happen anytime soon. The keyword here is “may” because right now Nintendo and Sega own both halves of the intellectual property rights of the Bayonetta series. PlatinumGames producer Atsushi Inaba said on an IGN Japan interview that the company is interested in self-publishing the series if they can buy it back from the aforementioned parties.
However, the money they need to do that would have to be higher than whatever amount they raised for the Kickstarter campaign for The Wonderful 101 ports. And I already know that’s a ton of money already for the latter.
In related news, a lot of us are still waiting for news on Bayonetta 3. Maybe during E3 period, perhaps?


Smurfs Kart Announced For Consoles & PC This August

Smurfs Kart was initially released for Nintendo Switch on 15 November 2023, and luckily for Smurf fans, it won’t be long before it hits consoles and PC this month. Developed by Eden Games and published by Microids, this multiplayer racing kart offers a variety of tracks, smurfs characters, and split-screen local multiplayer game mode.

Smurfs Kart follows traditional kart racing mechanics, in which players must race, attack, and dodge their opponents. What makes the game interesting is that you’ll get to experience it all in the Smurfs universe. You will race through 12 tracks that include the village, the forest, the dam, the swamps, and even Gargamel’s house.
Additionally, the option to choose from 12 Smurfs and each has its kart, as well as a useful special item to help you win a race. Bonus points can be earned doing stunts and utilising the environment provided by the given racetrack. It also features a “Time Challenge” mode in which you can beat every Smurf on their track to reach the top of the online ranking.

The racing game announced a local multiplayer option, up to 4 players in a single race. We have yet to hear news of it adding real-time multiplayer mode which would be easier to race against friends and family. On a positive note, perhaps it’s a more party game-oriented genre instead of following the usual kart racing modes such as the Mario Kart Tour.
Smurfs Kart is now available for the Nintendo Switch and slated for release on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and PC via Steam on 22 August 2023.
In the meantime, check out Microids’ recently announced brand-new video game based on the popular cartoon Totally Spies!


Resident Evil 4 Remake Sold 4 Million Copies Within 2 Weeks

We might be getting a Resident Evil 5 Remake in the eventual future, it seems. At least based on the reception part 4 is getting right now sales-wise.
Capcom announced that its digital sales and shipments of Resident Evil 4 Remake are more than 4 million copies for all platforms. The game came out on 26 March. Previously, the game sold 3 million units at launch, so the extra 1 million was within two weeks, which still isn’t too shabby in retrospect.
Resident Evil 4 Remake is out now, and it’s one of the best games out there in 2023 if you’re into action games with survival horror elements. Check out our glowing review here.


Shadowman Darque Legacy Announced For Consoles & PC

Blowfish Studios has announced Shadowman Darque Legacy, which is slated for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store). However, a release date has not been announced. The game will feature an original story developed in partnership with Valiant Entertainment, the comic book company that publishes the Shadowman comics.
The game’s description reads:
For centuries, the Boniface family has carried a dark legacy—the mantle of the Shadowman, walker between worlds, sworn to preserve the veil between life and death. Now, novice Shadowman Jack Boniface is thrust into the path of a growing evil that threatens everything his predecessors fought for. Building upon the decades of Shadowman tales told within Valiant Comics, this new chapter is an original story developed in partnership with Valiant Entertainment.

In Shadowman Darque Legacy, players will duel against a horrifying cast of enemies in challenging and visceral combat, as well as clash with the fanatical Brethren cultists, from hammer-wielding brutes to sorcerous necromancers, and battle truly wretched creatures that have slithered forth from the most desolate depths. There will be a range of Shadowman weapons to choose from.
Players will also traverse vivid, detailed locations in the Liveside, and wade through their dark reflections in the hellish realm of the Deadside, as well as shift between realms to solve unique environmental puzzles. In addition, the game will feature an RPG-lite character progression system, upgrading your character to acquire new skills and become a Shadowman worthy of fear.
Check out the trailer below:


Jurassic World Dominion Displays Takes Over KLCC Junction & Sunway Pyramid

From today to 12 June 2022, United International Pictures Malaysia will be displaying a custom 15-sec animated Jurassic World Dominion 3D Anamorphic Display at CuBig @ KLCC, and taking over Sunway Pyramid LG2 Blue Concourse with Blue & Beta Statue Display and various fun-filled activities.
You can bring your friends and families over, and share your experience on social by hashtag-ing #MYJurassicWorld & #IniEraJurassic. From Jurassic World architect and director Colin Trevorrow, Dominion takes place four years after Isla Nublar has been destroyed. Dinosaurs now live, and hunt, alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history’s most fearsome creatures.
The film features new cast members DeWanda Wise (She’s Gotta Have It), Emmy nominee Mamoudou Athie (Archive 81), Dichen Lachman (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Scott Haze (Minari) and Campbell Scott (The Amazing Spider-Man 2). The film’s returning cast includes BD Wong as Dr. Henry Wu, Justice Smith as Franklin Webb, Daniella Pineda as Dr. Zia Rodriguez and Omar Sy as Barry Sembenè.
Opening 9 June 2022 in Malaysian cinemas nationwide, come experience on the Big Screen the epic conclusion to the Jurassic era as two generations unite for the first time.


All The PS4 Games Compatible With PlayStation 5

This article is still under development, since the PS5 is still brand-new and may get more backwards compatibility updates down the line.
Next-gen is already here, if you’re lucky to even snag one of these machines. In this case, we’re focused on the PlayStation 5 and its backwards compatibility for the past gaming generation. A lot of you are wondering if certain PS4 games will work on the brand-new PlayStation 5. Here’s a list we’ve created to help you out with that.
Just some caveats.

Not all PS5 features are supported by PS4 games.
Not all PS4 features are supported by PS5

Keep in mind that this may change as the months pass. Digital updates and firmware updates these days can change the backwards compatibility situation.
With that said, here’s the list of PS4 that work on your PS5, those that get upgraded to 60fps and above, and those that do not work at all.
First-Party PS4 Games

Bloodborne
God of War (2018)
Horizon: Zero Dawn
Marvel’s Spider-Man
Uncharted 4

PS4 Games That Will Have Upcoming PS5 Upgrades

Avengers
Control
Cyberpunk 2077
Dead by Daylight
Destiny 2
DOOM Eternal
The Elder Scrolls Online
For Honor
Ghostrunner
Grand Theft Auto 5
Monster Boy & The Cursed Kingdom
Nioh 2
Ride 4
Warframe
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Yakuza: Like A Dragon

PS4 Games With Unlocked Framerates On Pro, 30fps Target

Agony
Anthem
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (graphical glitches)
Bladestorm Nightmare
Carmageddon: Max Damage
Conan Exiles
Control
Dead Alliance
Dead Rising 4: Frank’s Big Package
Dreamfall Chapters
The Elder Scroll V: Skyrim
Emily Wants To Play
Fallout 76
GI Joe: Operation Blackout
Generation Zero
Greedfall
Hand of Fate 2
Jump Force
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Left Alive
LEGO Worlds
Little Big Planet 3
Lords of the Fallen
Mad MAx
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Monster Hunter Frontier Z
Mutant: Year Zero – Road to Eden
The Order: 1886
Prototype
Prototype 2
Remothered: Tormented Fathers
SOMA
Syberia 3
War Thunder
World War Z
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life

PS4 Games With Unlocked Framerates On Pro, 60fps Target

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
Aaero
ABZU
Agents of Mayhem
Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
Adr1ft
Ape Escape 2 (Moderate graphical glitches)
Air Conflict: Secret War Ultimate
Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom
Attack on Titan 2
ARK: Survival Evolved
Armello
Assassin’s Creed Unity (with some drops)
Axiom Verge
AvengersÂ
Apex Legends
Batman: Arkham City
Battle Chasers: Nightwar
Black Desert
Blair Witch
Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition
Call of Duty: Warzone
DOOM
Dragon Quest Heroes I and II
ELEX
Enter The Gungeon
Furi
Hard Reset Redux
Life is Strange 2
Legends of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel I-IV
Mighty No. 9
Minecraft
Mirror’s Edge Catalyst
Nier Automata
Nioh 2
Oddworld: New n Taster
Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir
Oneechanbara Z2 Chaos
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3
Outlast
Path of Exilie
Phantasy Star Online 2
Pillars of Eternity Complete Edition
Planetside 2
Plants vs Zombies 2: Garden Warfare
Star Ocean 5
Sudden Strike 4
Tales of Berseria
Tales from the Borderlands
Team Sonic Racing
Tera
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5
Trials of Mana
Warhammer 40K Inquisitor – Martyr
A Way Out
WRC 6
WWE 2K16
WWE 2K17
Xenon Racer

PS4 Games That Cannot Run On The PS5

Afro Samurai 2: Revenge of Kuma
Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit
The Breach
Death Tales
Joe’s Diner
Northwoods
Pool Elite
Robinson: The Journey
Shadwen
Star Child
World War Toons
We Sing
World War Toons
Zebra Cartwheels

We find it funny that Life of Black Tiger might be compatible with the PS5.


Cult Of The Lamb Is Part Roguelite, Part Sim, All Cute & Sinister

Platform(s): PC (version reviewed), Xbox One, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5
Genre: Part Roguelite action RPG, Part cult-managing simulation
It’s not every day you have a winning combination of adorableness and blood-themed cults working in tandem. Yet that’s what Cult of the Lamb actually achieves with flying colours. It makes the work of managing a cult look fun, even though it clearly is immoral.

Keep The Faith

Cult of the Lamb pits you as the titular Lamb as it gets resurrected by an unknown (and clearly sinister) deity, who then gives Lamb powers to fight rival cultists and even form one of its own. From there on, you cultivate your own sect and make sure it has some members and is going on strong, while you go on a crusade to fight rivals off in standard top-down 2D roguelite fashion. For that bit, you go through a slew of levels, pick different paths that either lead to resources, surprises, or more battles, which all culminate in the stage’s big boss. If you die while on a Crusade, you lose all items gathered and have to start over.
That’s where your cult comes in. If you build your homestead proper with a good amount of amenities and have enough beds and a cooking station to feed your followers, they’ll be happy. When they’re happy, they’re prime to give you more spirit energy when you perform obligatory sermons and will dish out more devotion points at your shrine. Yes, you have a shrine (or tabernacle) for your devout followers for them to worship you; fill up the devotion meter and you get Divination points which let you build new structures or upgrade existing ones. That straw bed isn’t good enough for your followers? Get them to worship you more and you can build tents and grand houses for them to sleep better in and work better. The more devotion and spirit you get, the better your weapons and magic (curses in Cult of the Lamb) and your chances of survival are in a Crusade.
There isn’t a free ride for your followers, don’t worry. In exchange for joining your cult, you can have them working the farms you built, mine for wood and rock for resources, or even have them consecrate existing resources for better ones. They’re also willing to either marry you (for faith points) or even have themselves up for sacrifice for devotion points. Heck, they’d even ask you to do quests for them so you can level them up and max out their personal faith to give you. Some of them even involve you feeding them their own poop, or other followers the cache of feces you found on your sacred grounds. Speaking of which, there’s a lot of bowel activities going on in the early parts of the game when you don’t have a toilet accessible in the building tree, resulting in a lot of potential fertilizer all over your sacred grounds. When your cult has low Faith, there’s a good chance a follower may dissent and spread lies about your cult, which results in followers leaving you. You can either jail them or murder them away from prying eyes (when you unlock that option).
And no, it doesn’t stop being funny and morbid at the same time. There’s a lot of charm here in the aesthetics and the noises your cultists make, glossing over the fact that you’re really indoctrinating and brainwashing innocent people to be part of your sect. And watching it thrive is a thrill of its own just like how one loves seeing their Animal Crossing resort or The Sims playground get fertile and rich. Only in Cult of the Lamb, you can lace your followers with mushrooms to keep them brainwashed and happy, as well as turn them cannibalistic via the eventually dead followers who croak to old age.
The sim aspects are not that basic, but not too complex; it walks that fine line between manageable and accessible, especially if you play a particular way. You can customize your Cult’s behaviour and said playstyle by unlocking Doctrines. Whether you want to have followers give you money through taxes, have them kill off the elderly for bonus faith & devotion points, or even open up the option to marry multiple followers, it’s all up to you. I personally love to preserve the elderly, as well as have a perk that gives me bonus faith if no one goes to jail in a day. And open up the Ocean Bounty ritual that lets me have double rewards when I fish in a nearby town.

Don’t Have A (Sacrificial) Cow, Man

It’s not just a sim game, but also a roguelite action title that happens to have spot-on controls. Your Lamb can dodge and attack like a beast, and is very quick on its feet. The random stages and pathways you come across in the roguelite segments have you slicing rogue cultists and monsters, as well as coming across resource caches and Tarot Card hubs that let you carry a card with a powerup for the length of the crusade. Some rooms even open up new sections in the sim portion of the game; nearby villages and spots that let you fish, play a dice minigame with random denizens for resources and unlockables, or even sacrifice your followers for gold by applying a literal Midas touch to them. You can even unlock different tunics to alter your playstyle, ranging from wearing ones that give you 4 Tarot Card buffs but that’s it, to giving you Diseased Hearts that damage enemies on-screen if you get hit.
Much like its sim portion, the combat and difficulty is manageable while also keeping the controls arcade-like and feeling great. The bosses can be tricky but can be dealt with, and you are given a choice to continue the same Crusade multiple times once you kill off its Cult boss. Long story short: your Cult’s prosperity, longevity, and growth is your skill tree for the roguelite sections; if it falters, so too will your strength. It’s a great marriage of gameplay design and themes that make for a fun time.
There’s a ton of replayability and unlockables even after the credits roll (give or take 12 hours), where the multiple Crusade run lets you get bigger rewards until you lose it all by being careless or too cocky. I’d say my only issue with the game is that the default difficulty can get a bit easy, so bump it up if you feel like you’re not being tested enough.

Sacred

Cult of the Lamb is a damn fine combination of a life sim (albeit a twisted one involving poop-eating and cannibalization), an action game, and a parable about the meek inheriting the earth, but using googly eyes and an adorable aesthetic to juxtapose its obviously mature themes. Alone, each mechanic won’t last or support the title thoroughly, but together like a groupthink tribe, they stand out among the plethora of games of 2022.
This indie title impresses with its fun simulation aspects, great controls, lovely-if-simple action roguelite portions, and all-around cheekiness of making the act of running your own version of Heaven’s Gate look almost endearing. Simply put, this is one cult of personality you want to dive into.

Final Score: 90/100
Review code provided by Digital Devolver & its PR partners.


You Can Now Transfer Your Marvel’s Spider-Man Save Data To The Remastered PS5 Version

It looks like nothing is set in stone anymore. Insomniac Games previously said that players won’t be able to transfer their Marvel’s Spider-Man PS4 save data and trophies to the remastered PS5 version.
However, thanks to a new update on the PS4 version of Marvel’s Spider-Man, you can do exactly that, as long as you still own that copy (physical or digital).

Overnight we released an update for Marvel’s Spider-Man on PS4 bringing those suits, and the ability to export your save to Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered.We also updated Remastered to allow import of those exported saves and with many additional fixes (incl. rest mode crash) https://t.co/LVnYVykc0Q— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) November 22, 2020

Here’s what you need to do to transfer your save data from PS4 to the remastered PS5 version of the game:
1) Update both PS4 and PS5 versions to the latest patch available.2) In Marvel’s Spider-Man on PS4, press R1 in the main menu to upload your save data.2) In Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered on PS5, press R1 in the main menu to download your PS4 save data into the game.
Your trophies will transfer along with the save date. This means that if you’ve unlocked the Platinum trophy, it will automatically pop up in Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered as soon as the save date is successfully transfered.
Also, Insomniac Games Community Director James Stevenson recommends that for anyone who wants to export the save data from the PS4 version via backwards compatibility on the PS5, they should restart their PS5 console after updating the game (which is before you attempt to export the data).

If you plan to export from the PS4 game running on backwards compatibility on PS5, you may need to restart your console after applying the latest PS4 update/patch for it to work. https://t.co/bbHNLSa1tJ— James Stevenson (@JamesStevenson) November 22, 2020

You canÂ head on over hereÂ to check out our full review ofÂ Marvelâ€™s Spider-Man Miles Morales.


Overwatch’s New 6v6 Competitive Mode Drops – Bye Bye One-Tricks?

A new competitive mode is now available in Overwatch which is indeed, a welcomed addition for those who are unhappy with the current state of vanilla competitive mode. Called Competitive 6v6 Elimination, this mode just kicked off earlier today, about 8am Kuala Lumpur/ Singapore/ Hong Kong time and the first season ends May 9th, 8amÂ Kuala Lumpur/ Singapore/ Hong Kong time.

According to Principal Designer of the game, Scott Mercer (via Blizzard forums), “the â€œLockoutâ€ rule in place, so once a team wins with a hero it becomes unavailable for that team for the duration of the match. All the previous Elimination maps are available to play this season, but weâ€™ve also added Ayutthaya to the mix as an Elimination map.”
To access the Competitive 6v6 Elimination mode, head to the Arcade section and you can find it there.
Rewarding flexible players with wide hero pools, this new competitive mode is definitely a welcomed addition to the game, and we expect to see some really interesting strats coming out of this. It also eliminates the one-tricks to deadwood status – although we highly doubt any one-trick Mercy or Symmetra players dipping their toes here. One minor huzzah then?
We will be testing out this mode tonight and will be sharing our thoughts on it tomorrow.