Katana Zero Is Hotline Miami With Samurais And Bullet Time

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC via Steam, macOS
Genre:Â 2D twitch-action platformer, with a time-bending samurai and tons of death and attempts (sounds familiar…)
Katana Zero is what happens when you give Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice some acid and some speed, and tons of neon. It’s Super Meat Boy but with the supernatural ability to slow down time and deflect bullets. It’s Sonic the Hedgehog but with deeper plot and character interactions.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MvvmPKGEHA]
Just like Sekiro and Super Meat Boy, death means starting from the beginning of the stage, albeit without Dragonrot thankfully. But this offers you to switch your approach when dealing with the stage and enemies.

In the words of the samurai, failure is an opportunity to learn, because you’ll be failing, a lot.

Developed by Askiisoft, the game puts you in a neon playground through a 2D side-scrolling action game. You step into the shoes of Zero, a Samurai who has forgotten his past due to a traumatic accident. He’s an assassin tasked to kill anyone his employers tell him to.
The character has been treated with a time-altering drug, essentially giving him a bullet-time reaction, as well as multiple tries or resurrection. Fortunately, dying does not impose any penalties or anything.
Katana Zero sounds quite similar to a recent Shinobi game which has to deflect as its main mechanic, as well as resurrections and frustrations. Not to mention, the theme of death as a lesson in improving your playstyle. You can try as many times as you want, provided you haven’t raged quit, or thrown your device away.
Mr Slice Guy
If you’re familiar with the Castlevania, this is much like it with your standard platforming and combat in place. It’s simple, but the complexity of each stage adds depth to what is an already deep game.

The main challenge in Katana Zero is to figure out a way to progress through a level without getting hit. Enemies are fixed, so you can easily predict where they come next.
Sounds easy, until you realise that there’s no fixed enemy behaviour. One run, he’s staring you down, another run, he’s looking somewhere else, and that screws up your timing and muscle memory.
That, added with the fact that you can’t get hit by anything else the enemy has up their sleeves. A single hit means you’ll have to start the stage, running the gauntlet over again. Thankfully, restarts are limitless, only your patience is.
Watching how Zero performs in replays is a treat.
But hey, you can slow down time, so you can react and deflect bullets, and that’s about it. Nothing else. I’ve only used the slow-mo to deflect just a single enemy in my entire playthrough, nothing more.

In my brutally honest opinion, slow-mo feels like a gimmicky mechanic shoehorned into the game to pad up the purely simple gameplay.

With that said, performing rolls, dodging and deflecting bullets while slicing enemies still have that one truly satisfying feel, but slicing bosses is another feeling altogether.
Boss Fight Engaged
Like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, boss fights are a bittersweet treat.
As you enter a boss fight, expect to die and restart a number of times as you learn the big bad boy’s moveset. Once you’ve adapted enough, players will be able to overcome the challenge.
But let’s be honest here, I’m no pro but the bosses are a walk in the park compared to some of the later levels.

I admit that I died more times than I care, but once I’ve figured out that simple pattern, I’m no longer fighting the boss, the boss is fighting me.

A Plot Deeper Than Anthem
To be fair, even a rock has a better story than Anthem. Having said that,Â Katana ZeroÂ manages to check the ‘deep story’ box. This is where the game shines the brightest. The narrative is conveyed through interactive moments which happen between levels. Dialogues are broken down into options, and it connects you to the character, and eventually, you’ll empathize Zero’s struggles. It gives you a sense of control and purpose over your journey.
For example, the dialogue between Zero and his therapist gives you an option to interrupt abruptly or wait for a few seconds to see more dialogue options. So you can play as an asshole ronin or an honourable samurai. Whichever style of response you chose won’t affect the bigger picture, but it brings you closer to the character. A personal touch, if I may.

All these interactions take place in a gorgeous 2D pixel art kinda world, but everything has been animated to detail.

Each emotion is conveyed perfectly through the texts and facial expressions, despite adhering to the indie lo-fi style of art.

Such elements convey the message strongly, and creates an impactful experience. I totally did not expect that coming from an indie game like this, so that’s a huge tick I’m giving it there.
The game is peppered with powercore-synth music, quite reminiscent of FarCry 3 Blood Dragon’s theme. Each stage has its own song, and it is refreshing in this era of gaming, which is why I’m pretty interested in Metronomik’s No Straight Roads, but that’s another game for another day.
A Dark World

Katana Zero features a dystopian society peppered with real-life social problems. Depression, drug abuse, poverty, petty thefts, gangs. It’s all there as a grim reminder to what reality is. Sometimes, I need to take a step back and let my feeble mind take a break from the reflection of harsh reality.

Â Katana Zero is all doom and gloom. The story-heavy game is sometimes squandered by the darker tones of the game.

Some minor spoilers though: there will be a gory scene involving torture. I can’t remember much, probably because my mind is subconsciously repressing that dark scene. Just be warned about this as you step in.
As I Sheathe My Blade
Katana Zero is a fun game that tests your patience and rewards you with an interesting story. Sometimes I do run out of patience which then I step back and take a breather.
I’ll be honest, I rage-quitted a few times, but I came back with perseverance just to progress with the rich story it has to offer.

Katana Zero gets a huge stamp of recommendation from me. Go for it, and enjoy the game and its story-driven adventures.

Pros:

Deep yet dark story.
Beautiful lo-fi graphics.
Funky powercore-synth beats.
Satisfaction in overcoming a wall.
Great dialogue options.
Unlimited tries.

Cons:

Cheesy slow-mo mechanics.
Repetitive gameplay.
Punishing difficulty.

FINAL SCORE: 80/100


Ukraine Vice PM Calls For PlayStation & Xbox To Ban Russian Gamers

Mykhailo Fedorov is the vice prime minister of Ukraine and he’s urging video game companies like Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox to remove themselves from Russian markets and block Russian gaming accounts. This is in reaction to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Fedorov posted an open letter addressing the matter on his personal Twitter account.
In his tweet, he wrote:
You are definitely aware of what is happening in Ukraine right now. Russia declare war not for Ukraine but for all civilized world. If you support human values, you should live the Russian market!
Check out the full text from the letter below:
To all game development companies and esports platforms,
The Russian Federation has carried out a deceptive and outrageous military attack on my country! Just imagine, in 2022, cruise missiles attack residential neighborhoods, kindergartens and hospitals in the heart of Europe.
The armed forces and citizens are defending Ukraine till the end! The whole world is repelling the aggressor through the imposition of sanctions â€” the enemy must suffer significant losses. But we need your support â€” in 2022, modern technology is perhaps the best answer to tanks, multiple rocket launchers (hrad) and missiles.
I am sure that you will not only hear, but also do everything possible to protect Ukraine, Europe, and, finally, the entire democratic world from bloody authoritarian aggression â€” and I appeal to temporarily block all Russian and Belarusian accounts, temporarily stop the participation of Russian and Belorussian teams and gamers in all international esports events and cancel all international events holding on the territory of Russia and Belarus.
We are sure that such actions will motivate the citizens of Russia to proactively stop the disgraceful military aggression.
At the time of writing, both Sony and Microsoft have yet to issue any official statements or take any action since Fedorov’s letter was posted. In recent related news, World Of WarshipsÂ andÂ World Of Tanks developer Wargaming fired creative director Sergey Burkatovskiy due to his public support of Russiaâ€™s invasion of Ukraine.


Take-Two CEO Comments on Battle Royale Trend

Take-Two CEOÂ  Strauss Zelnick, during a recent earnings call, commented on the recent battle royale games trend citing thatÂ that Take-Two, comprising of Rockstar Games and 2K Games, in general ‘wants to blaze its own trail instead of being “derivative” bending to and doing what everyone else is doing.
“I would just observe that someone else’s success is really interesting and we are obviously informed by what our competitors do. But our goal is to be as innovative as possible,” Zelnick said. “And titles, even really good titles that are derivative, never seem to do as well as innovations that are unexpected.” he added.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F63h3v9QV7w&w=560&h=315]
Using the first Red Dead game as an example, Zelnick stated that they took a risk with the game – a move that paid off immensely.
“When we came out with the first Red Dead Redemption, the conventional wisdom was was that Westerns don’t work,” Zelnick said. “It had been an awfully long time since a Western-themed video game had come out. Rockstar took a massive creative risk and the result was extraordinary.”
But he does acknowledge that companies such as his should open their ears to the market’s needs and concurred “Of course we play in the world and we’re informed by what’s going on. It is our job to bring consumers what they want,”.
A prequel to the 2010 titleÂ Red Dead Redemption,Â Red Dead Redemption II is set to hit the PC, PS4 and Xbox One on October 26 2018.


A Brief History of Malaysia in the Star Trek Universe

Malaysian Twitter has been buzzing with excitement and hype ever since the season 1 finale of Star Trek Discovery last Monday. For the first time ever established in the StarÂ Trek official canon, a Malaysian sits in the Captain’s chair. Portrayed by our very own Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Michelle Yeoh, Captain Philippa Georgiou was born in Malaysia on Earth.
In Season 1 Episode 15 “Will You Take My Hand?” of Star Trek Discovery, the character Emperor Philippa Georgiou from the Mirror Universe reveals that she grew up in Malaysia. She further mentions Pulau Langkawi (Langkawi Island) as her specific hometown. Surprisingly, this isn’t the first time or only time that Malaysia has been mentioned in the Star Trek franchise.

In the 2001-2005 series Star Trek: Enterprise, Lieutenant Malcolm Reed of the Starship Enterprise NX-01 mentions his parents living in Kota Bharu in the state of Kelantan, Malaysia. In the 1995-2001 series Star Trek Voyager, a character speaks of his cousin owning a beach house in Malaysia.
Some might not know that our countries, as we know it, exists in the Star Trek universe. Words like Starfleet and the Federation gets thrown around with little to no explanations of what they mean, especially in the recent Kelvin-timeline JJ Abrams movie reboots and Star Trek Discovery.
Let me give you a brief history of the Star Trek universe. It is still very much based on real-world history, up until the 1990s when every country on Earth fell into chaos in the aftermath of the Eugenics Wars and later World War 3 in the early 21st century, both of which obviously hasn’t happened in our world. Humanity was divided. Then the Vulcans came to Earth to establish First Contact with mankind when Zefram Cochrane created the first warp drive, which gave humans the technology to travel faster than light. This helped unite humanity into one planetary governmental state known as United Earth, where every nation in the world finally become one entity.
However, individual nations still retained their unique identities like culture. Examples include Malaysia, the United States of America and more. It plays a huge part in the development of characters’ identities. For example, CaptainÂ Picard from Star Trek The Next Generation grew up in a rural vineyard estate in France and Chakotay from Star Trek Voyager has episodes dedicated to exploring his Native American heritage.
That’s why, unlike the Star Wars universe where almost everything is fiction, Star Trek is actually based on the real world. George Roddenberry created it in the first place to portray the best of what humanity can achieve when they rise above petty differences of religion, skin color and personal wealth. In the Star Trek universe, there exists a better world where a Malaysian can be a Starfleet captain. I hope that world someday becomes reality.


We’re Getting A New Ducktales Game From The New Monster Boy Devs [Update: April’s Fool Joke]

Update[2nd April]: It’s a cruel prank. GG.
Original story
The 1st of April is usually a date filled with fake game news, but at a time of uncertainty, perhaps s***posts and jokes aren’t the way to go. So we do hope this new development isn’t fake: Game Atelier and Monster Boy devs FDG Entertainment are working on a new DuckTales game called DuckTales Quackshots.
Based on the 2017 cartoon remake, the game features Donald Duck and his nephews jumping around the world, exploring ruins and platforming. Just like in that Sega Megadrive title Quackshot starring Donald Duck back in 1991.
Check out the screenshots below, and maybe discuss among yourselves whether it’s legit or a really cruel prank.


If You Need A Mediocre Shooter Fix, Scathe Can Fix That

Platform: PC (version played)
Genre: Corridor first-person shooter
In the indie-made first-person shooter Scathe, you’re the title character with the Shooter McGruff protag personality whose goal is to kill off your demigod twin brother by going through a maze filled with demons and other monstrosities. You have weapons galore to play with and that’s pretty much it. Apart from how budget-restricted the game is and how it’s pretty maudlin with its presentation and gameplay, nothing about this corridor shooter stands out. In another timeline deprived of comeback arena first-person shooters, Scathe might be above average. But right now? Well…
Round And Round We Go…

The majority of Scathe is set underworld where you’ll spend your time running and gunning. You move from level to level in a branching, winding maze. Most levels include up to three exit doors, each one taking you to an area that could contain a new weapon, a boss room, or a brief horde challenge. An in-game map shows you the levels you’ve visited, as well as the ones connected to the area you’re currently occupying.
Borders around the hexagonal “zones” show you what can be found in the level. No border is your standard level, for example, while one with green arrows will only feature a new weapon to add to your arsenal. The game doesn’t do a good job explaining how the level structure and playout is. Within most of the levels are six “coloured keycards”/runes to find, and these are necessary for progress. You need to collect enough to unlock Guardian Doors that lead to the game’s six boss battles. Defeating bosses rewards you with a Hellstone, and collecting all six grants you an audience with the big bad himself — as soon as you find the last room with the obligatory final boss doorway and room.
Is it all fun? Well it is, for the first 30 minutes. It gets old really fast though. You can’t play around with the multitude of weapons because all of them save the starting machine gun have limited ammo. They don’t even feel that good to use once the corridor shooter gameplay starts to take its toll on you past the 30-minute mark. The enemies look like they’re varied, but you’re fighting stock 90s bad guys with no real incentive to get through apart for completion’s sake.
Mazed Out

Scathe has some decent shooting bits going on when taken in short bursts, but everything about it screams “adequate”. It’s not unplayable, far from it, but with so many other corridor shooters and FPSs out there with tons of creative mechanics to stand out, Scathe is left in the dust. If you see the game on sale, it’s probably worth a look assuming you aren’t burnt out by another retro-tailored shooter.
Final Score: 50/100


Lost Epic Mixes Fantasy Anime Art With Hard-As-Heck 2D Gameplay

Platform: PC
Genre: 2D action-adventure with anime art
Who doesn’t love a good 2D hack-and-slash platformer, especially one with nice animation and graphics that feel like they’re out of a Production IG animation cel? Lost Epic, a 2D action game with RPG elements from developer oneoreight and Team Earthwars, seems to take a page from gorgeous titles like Odin Sphere, even down to the 2D combat, a multitude of playstyles from close-ranged to long-ranged, and other RPG essentials like fishing, cooking, and crafting top-notch items.
It’s also hard as all heck and unwieldly, as enemies in this build seem to love taking huge chunks of health out of our custom protagonist.
I tried out Lost Epic for a few hours; I enjoyed the platforming, the fights with small and mid-sized enemies, and exploring the Metroidvania layout. I even like the finisher options you get when you fill up an enemy’s “break” meter with consecutive heavy attacks and specials; it makes crowd control manageable since you are invincible throughout the finisher animation.
If Found…

That is, before it starts messing with me. While the early hack-and-slash parts were manageable, it gets pretty tough once you start seeing “red” enemies with high HP and damage, and when fight your first giant boss. The very first Elder God boss battle was quite an ordeal, as it had a lot of quick heavy attacks with not much telegraphing going on.
This means half the time you’ll either die in less than a minute or two, or you get lucky dodging its moves out of the way. Did I also mention that the game has a stamina meter that feels like it empties pretty fast, even if you’re using light attacks?
The game’s map is also pretty obtuse; it’s lacking quite a bit of detail needed for you to assess the situation on the fly. Plus, the environments really, REALLY need some sort of noticeable landmark so that I don’t have to refer to the map too often to get my bearings.
Maybe I’m just not used to the fighting yet; I’ll probably need to spend more time on it. But I’ve also played tough 2D platformers like Ori and the Will of the Wisps, so maybe the game itself needs more work with its movement and be a bit lenient with its dodges and defensive moves. That’s fine: Lost Epic is still in Early Access and has room to tweak its mechanics and formula.
While it’s decent fun for the first 30 minutes or so, I can’t say that the game will have that “try again until you succeed” appeal especially with some of its cheap & questionable gameplay designs. Here’s hoping the team can fix all this before its eventual release.
You can play Lost Epic right now in its Early Access form on Steam via PC.


We Talk To She-Hulk Actor Jon Bass About Which Supervillain Todd Phelps Would Want To Work With

She-Hulk Attorney At Law Season 1 is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia.
Courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar, we were given the opportunity to interview Jon Bass, who plays Todd Phelps in the series.
This interview has been edited for clarity. Stay tuned for the video version of this interview.
This interview discusses heavy spoilers so if you haven’t seen it or want to avoid spoilers, now’s your chance to stop reading.
Check out my spoiler-free review of She-Hulk here.
The synopsis reads:
In Marvel Studios’ “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,” Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany)—an attorney specializing in superhuman-oriented legal cases must navigate the complicated life of a single, 30-something who also happens to be a green 6-foot-7-inch superpowered hulk. The nine-episode comedy series welcomes a host of MCU vets, including Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk, Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky/Abomination, and Benedict Wong as Wong, as well as Jameela Jamil, Josh Segarra, Ginger Gonzaga, Jon Bass and Renée Elise Goldsberry.
The series is directed by Kat Coiro (Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9) and Anu Valia (Episodes 5, 6, 7) with Jessica Gao as head writer. Executive producers are Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum, Coiro and Gao.
Check out my breakdown of She-Hulk Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8 and Episode 9 here.

What originally attracted you to the role of Todd Phelps and how does it feel to be part of the MCU?
Jon Bass: What originally attracted me to the role of Todd Phelps was getting the opportunity to audition for any Marvel property and this one just hit. I’m a huge fan of Marvel, I’m a huge fan of the MCU. It’s been a dream of mine for a long time and so getting to be a part of it was something I always dreamed of happening and the fact that it actually happened is amazing.
What about Todd Phelps attracted you in the first place?
Jon Bass: You know, I think I love playing a villain, I love being the bad guy. It’s a lot more fun than being the superhero in my personal opinion. You get to make people upset with you. (laughs)
You know, making anyone have any emotion as an actor is gonna feel great, but there’s something so fun about people being mad about what you’re doing and being able to laugh about it. And I hope that people are able to look at Todd and be like, oh my god, he’s despicable, but also find him kind of funny.
In the season finale, you only briefly Hulked out for a few seconds or minutes, but what was the experience like?
Jon Bass: I’ll take a few seconds of Hulking out over not Hulking out at all, it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. I got to put on the whole mo-cap suit. I got to Hulk out. And it was a dream come true. I would do it again for 10 seconds or for 300 years. It was a dream.
Which Marvel supervillain do you think Todd would most likely team up or work with?
Jon Bass: It kind of makes sense for it to be the Tim Blake Nelson character, The Leader, just because they’re both in the Hulk universe. But I think he’d have a lot of fun with Titania (Jameela Jamil) too.
Do you have any personal favourite scenes or moments from this season of She-Hulk?
Jon Bass: I really love the whole series, but some of my favourite moments were the sincere moments, the Circle at the lodge (in Episode 7) where they all helped Jen realize that she could be Jen and She-Hulk. I really love that moment, I thought it was so sweet when she gave that speech.
And I really enjoyed all the comedy stuff. I think Paddy Harrison as Jen’s friend who’s getting married was amazing. The whole wedding episode (Episode ) was incredible. Everything was good. (laughs)
I love the scene where you went Wakanda Forever with the Vibranium spear and everything.
Jon Bass: Yeah, oh god, that was embarassing.
What can you tell us about what’s next for Todd in the MCU? Is there a future for Todd in the MCU?
Jon Bass: We’ll see, you know. No one ever truly dies in the MCU. We can only hope that Todd still has some She-Hulk blood or he’s got other superhero’s blood. Maybe he makes like a cocktail of superhero blood, becomes a whole new sort of weird villain. You can do anything. Todd is a movable force, you can do anything with Todd.


Alatreon Is Coming In Monster Hunter World Iceborne Title Update 4 Next Week

Monster Hunter World Iceborne Title Update 4 finally has a release date (9 July 2020), and that means the incoming arrival of the dreaded monster Alatreon, who is featured in a brand new trailer.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwGO543HfjQ&w=560&h=315]
Besides that, Event Quests in Iceborne will be returning to their normal rotation starting from 8 July 2020. More details and information will be revealed about Monster Hunter World Iceborne Title Update 4 in the upcoming Developer Diary video scheduled for 8pm GMT+8 on 3 July 2020.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zISUQVp0s3M&w=560&h=315]
Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei!


That Really Cool-Looking Evil Dead Game Is Getting Delayed To 2022

Evil Dead: The Game stole the show a few months ago with its lovely co-op gameplay and its campy 80s horror survival horror action game feel. Naturally, all good things need to be pushed back for quality assurance.
That’s right: the Evil Dead game will be delayed to February 2022, one-liners and all. The reason? Developer Saber Interactive needs extra time to polish up the game and implement a single-player option. Full Twitter post below:
“Hey groovy gamers, we’re targeting a new release date to give the team some extra time for polish and to ensure this is the ultimate Evil Dead experience youâ€™re all waiting for.
This additional time is also allowing us to implement a single-player option that will let you enjoy the game when you are without your co-op compadres.”

Evil Dead: The Game will be releasing in February 2022Hey groovy gamers, we're targeting a new release date to give the team some extra time for polish and to ensure this is the ultimate Evil Dead experience you’re all waiting for! pic.twitter.com/c5I4OSQshA
— EvilDeadTheGame (@EvilDeadTheGame) August 5, 2021

It’s probably for the best, as this year’s already packed with multiplayer co-op action games like Back 4 Blood (open beta available this weekend) and Rainbow Six Extraction, a Tom Clancy game featuring aliens. What a world we live in.


Yakuza 7 Announced, Will Feature New Location And Combat System

You read that right, punks. The seventh Yakuza game has finally been officially announced and it will be called Ryu Ga Gotoku 7: Hikari to Yami no Yukue. In English, that literally translates to Like A Dragon 7: Whereabouts of Light and Darkness.
Â [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u4ttzC3gvg&w=560&h=315]
Here’s what we know so far:
Kasuga Ichiban Takes Over As Main Gangster

For the first time in the Yakuza series, we won’t be playing as Kazuma Kiryu. Getting an upgrade from his role in Ryu Ga Gotoku Online, Kasuga Ichiban will be Yakuza 7’s protagonist.
Apparently, Kasuga is a big fan of Square Enix’s Dragon Quest and Sega has obtained permission from Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii to feature the popular JRPG in certain scenarios.
In a similar tone to Kazuma’s journey in Yakuza 0, the game will tell the story of Kasuga’s own struggle and attempts to rise up the ranks of Japanese organised crime. Also making a return from Ryu Ga Gotoku Online is his boss and father figure, Masumi Arakawa who has apparently betrayed the Tojo Clan.

All The Violence And Drama Takes Place In Yokohama

In past Yakuza games, locations were fictional but based on real life places in Japan. Kamurocho was designed heavily based on KabukichÅ and Sotenbori was modeled after Dotonbori, an entertainment district in Osaka.
Yakuza 7 switches things up by being directly set in Yokohama, an actual city that exists in Japan. According to Game’sTalk.net, the Yokohama map will be three times the size of Kamurocho and will be the biggest free-roam location in the series so far.

The Fighting Is Now Turn-Based
[wpvideo Un8AnywL]
I wish I was joking but there’s actual footage that show the game’s combat being played in a turn-based system that heavily mirrors the combat systems of games like Persona 5 and Dragon Quest XI.
According to Gematsu, familiar mechanics like picking up objects around you and using them as weapons will still be in the game. There’s also going to be real-time physics. Game’sTalk.net reports that there will also be a leveling and class system of sorts and each class will play a different role during combat.

So When Is It Coming Out? Will There Be A PC Version?

Sega has announced that Yakuza 7 will be released only for the PS4 on 16 January 2020 in Japan. Fans everywhere else will have to wait as there’s still no specific release date yet for the English version but it’s set to be released in 2020.
Unfortunately, there’s no news of the game being made for PC or other consoles.
For more information, do check out this Twitter thread by Gematsu. and check out this article by Gamer’sTalk.net.


Swordship Is Dodgefest Done Right, But It’s Over Too Quick

Platform(s): PC (version reviewed), Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation
Genre: 2D dodge ’em up
Have you ever played a 2D shoot-em-up like R-Type, but you avoided everything that came in your way instead of blasting the problem directly? No? Well, you’ll get a huge-yet-short serving of that with developer Digital Kingdom and publisher Thunderful Games’ new arcade title Swordship.
Wipeout

Swordship is set in a future where thieves drive super-fast ships, called Swordships, and steal cargo from big corporations to give to the banished. Or perhaps hoard it for themselves; it’s up to you. You control the titular ship as you scroll downwards in 2D fashion, dodging enemies and gunfire while surviving the lightspeed trip worth 10 stages (called Lines). You’ll see containers up for grabs, highlighted by a yellow vertical line on the track; pick them up and deposit them at special yellow rectangular spots that pop up anywhere on the field. Yes, you have to do all this while being pursued by ships and waylaid by turrets.
How does one kill off enemies when you don’t even have firepower? Simple: you can trick enemies into friendly firing each other. See that turret right ahead? Just make it point to another enemy and let it kill off the target by accident. Your ship can also trip mines so that it kills off anything within its blast radius, or even get flying ships to bombard spots with a cluster of other turrets in tow. The swordship can also submerge underwater for a second or two to dodge enemy fire and lasers in the way. There’s a slight cooldown, so don’t spam it unless you know how the timing works. It’s not wholly unique, but it’s really fun in the context of piloting a thief ship, blazing through the water and finding out new deathtraps to use against your foes, one that’s entirely your opponent’s doing.
Your ship can only take one hit before it goes down, so every obstacle is deadly to touch. If you’re out of lives (procured by hoarding said cargo at the end of each Line), it’s game over: you have to start over. As such, Swordship’s gameplay is structured as a roguelike: you’ll get powerups aplenty as you keep going through each Line and city, but they’re all gone once your lives are spent. And when you lose a life, you need to start the Line over as Swordship eliminates the “victory through kamikaze” method of winning that comes with 2D shmup-like titles; I like this mandate a lot especially since enemy placement and patterns are random, requiring actual skill than memorization.
There’s a boss at the end, and with a single line lasting you less than 20 minutes if you make it out alive. The key thing that keeps you going in Swordship is the game’s unlockables: gather enough points by donating stolen cargo to the banished and you can unlock new difficulties, new enemies in certain cities, and new ship variants you can start off with. I just go for the Factory Issue for the extra points when collecting yellow particles, or the one that gives me two lives every time I keep a crate at the cost of powerups for the whole game.
You haven’t truly finished Swordship until you’ve unlocked everything, meaning you’ll need to bump up the difficulty for bigger opportunities for higher scores. Plus, the game’s simple-yet-stylized look and soundtrack are an enticing combo; it’s just immaculate seeing the game slowing time down just to get a good side shot of your Swordship dodging explosions
Red Line

Developer Digital Kingdom definitely nails the arcade action fun while delivering something fresh thanks to the smooth and fast controls. Controlling the Swordship and dodging obstacles from all sides is a breeze, and you can even adjust the game’s ship acceleration at any time. If you feel like the ship accelerates too slow, just crank that baby up and you’re already controlling a ship as fast as that one shmup spaceship in the Thunder Force series.
Swordship is quick and easy fun that takes away the shooting in a shmup and focuses on defense and dodging. It’s a good lesson to learn, so it’s fortunate to know that Swordship does this right albeit in a very quick but replayable structure. Don’t expect much more out of a game that’s purposely light on story, but more intricate with its scoring and dodging mechanic.

Final Score: 70/100
Review copy provided by Thunderful Games.


Falcom Will Release New Trails Of RPGs By September 2022…

Falcom just revealed its new financial results for the fiscal year ending September 2021, and it’s committed to the Trails of RPG franchise.
Falcom said that there will at least be a new Trails of game by the end of September 2022. The company will also develop Nintendo Switch titles in-house starting 2022. Here are some key takeaways from the report.

2022 marks the 35th anniversary of Falcomâ€™s flagship Ys series. Other than a budget price version of Ys IX: Monstrum Nox for PlayStation 4, there will be plans for new Ys titles. No confirmed dates or time window though.
Starting in 2022, Falcom will develop Switch titles internally, starting with the Switch version of The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails.
In the fiscal year ending September 2022, Falcom plans to release the latest entry in the Trails series in its native country of Japan. Trails is one of Falcomâ€™s flagship series, with over six million copies sold worldwide and accolades from the Japan Game Awards, Famitsu Awards, PlayStation Awards, and more.
Falcom will promote multiplatform game development across consoles, PC, and smartphones for Japan, North America, Europe, and Asia. The company will also actively utilize its intellectual properties to produce new titles that act as new challenges for the company, including the Trails and Ys series.

Can’t say no to more Trails of and Ys RPGs. For more on the latter, check out our review of Ys IX.


Watch Dogs Legion Online Mode Drops This March

Ubisoft has announced that Watch Dogs Legion will launch its free Online mode on 9 March 2021. Players will be able to race their friends through the streets of London, take on a variety of intense new cooperative mission types and challenges, or team a dancer up with a beatboxer by the Tower Bridge for an impromptu riverside performance.
It was originally supposed to release in December 2020 but was delayed.
There will be a co-op multiplayer mode and a Tactical Op mode, which is essentially the game’s version of raid mode. In addition, players can also look forward to the spiderbot arena, which features spiderbots skittering all over a map littered with boosts and health regenerators in a free-for-all match.

Free-roam open-world co-op (up to four-player co-op) and explore the city of London and participate in side activities.
New co-op missions for two-to-four players.
Four-player co-op Tactical Ops missions.
Player-vs-Player (PvP) mode in the Spiderbot Arena, where four-to-eight players control armed spider bots and compete in a high-intensity free-for-all deathmatch.

Watch Dogs Legion is now available for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.


Watch: Dynasty Warriors 9 Opening Cinematic

Musou games fans rejoice. As we head closer to Dynasty Warriors 9’s release date, Koei Tecmo earlier today unveiled the opening trailer for the latest installment of the hack and slash musou game. Have a look:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIRTAlLJESQ&w=560&h=315]
Those who played Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires would be glad to know that all 83 characters from that game are set to return. Apart from slashing through hapless enemy troops, the game will also include non-killing side activities such as fishing, collecting resources to upgrade weapons and characters, camping, and other recreational events. The game will also be the first free-roam game in the series.
Hey even warriors deserve some down time, right?
Developed by Omega Force and published by Tecmo Koei, Dynasty Warriors 9 is coming February 13, 2018 on the PS4 , Xbox One, PC via Steam.


Singapore-Made Rocketbirds Gets The Limited Run Physical Treatment

If you dig 2D action-adventure games like Flashback, Blackthorne, and Another World, you’ll appreciate the Singapore-made Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken.
Made by Ratloop in 2012, the game stars a hardboiled chicken called, well, Hardboiled Chicken, has a multitude of solo and co-op campaigns, and some satisfying 2D gun-firing and platforming. So it’s pretty awesome to hear that it’s getting the Limited Run treatment.

It's your turn to be the prize chicken of fowl play.
Take down a totalitarian penguin in Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken from @ratloop — available in limited quantity next Friday, February 26 at 10am & 6pm ET on https://t.co/5Lksol4sqo. pic.twitter.com/03ZsGTPbvt
— Limited Run Games (@LimitedRunGames) February 15, 2021

The vintage-focused company will be handling pre-orders for the physical PS4 version of Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken starting 26th February at 10am and 6pm EST. You can go book your copy on the official website.


Crash Team Racing Gets Spooky With New Grand Prix

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled will be receiving a special Spooky Grand Prix just in time for the Halloween season. It comes with new characters, new items to unlock, and even a new challenge type, as well as several gameplay updates and improvements.
In the Spooky Grand Prix, players can take part in Ghost Hunt challenge, where breaking certain crates will release a mischievous ghost trapped inside. It is then up to players to catch up to the ghost to capture it and complete the Spooky Grand Prix challenges. Don’t worry, these ghosts won’t interfere in the race.

New characters include the likes of Nina Cortex (Nitro Gauge), Dr. N. Brio (Pit Stop), and Komodo Moe (Pit Stop). What’s interesting is that the new track is called Ninaâ€™s Nightmare, where players will race through misty marshes, eerie gardens, and twisted hallways of a haunted manor, all inside the mind of Nina Cortex herself.

New carts include Nautilus (Nitro Gauge), Skull Rider (Pit Stop), and the Phantom (Nitro Gauge) â€“ an ornate ride adorned with candles and piano keys, inspired by the Organ Grinder kart from Crash Tag Team Racing.

In addition, the Pit Stop will also be stocked with Halloween-themed items, as well as the return of theÂ Championship and Nitro Leaderboards in the Spooky Grand Prix. For more details everything new in the Spooky Grand Prix update, head on over here to the blog post.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuApnxBriPA&w=560&h=315]


We Will Be Seeing 10 Years Of Genshin Impact, It Seems…

It’s no secret that Genshin Impact is last year’s and this year’s most profitable free-to-play game, since it amassed 40 million players. And with that player base comes the money from the gacha it implements.
Thanks to that, developer & publisher Mihoyo’s 5-year roadmap plan to keep the game alive has morphed into a 10-year roadmap instead. According to a leak via the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Discord group,Â  the company is delaying a number of its updates in the effort to maximize gacha profits. The company will be releasing an update for Genshin Impact every week; this may change in light of the new roadmap.
The game’s current bank-making status isn’t surprising, since the game took 6 months to make US$1 billion thanks to its colourful cast of waifus and husbands in its gacha system. Right now, the Rosaria/Childe banner is active alongside an Oceanid pet event that will last until Friday 4am GMT+8.


TGS 2019: Resident Evil’s Getting A 4v1 Multiplayer Game [Update]

It’s been a while since we’ve played a four-player-or-more co-op Resident Evil game since RE: Outbreak. So it’s high time Capcom went back to that zombie-filled well in its upcoming spin-off Project Resistance.
Leaked earlier last week, Capcom now made it official with its latest teaser trailer. It’s looking like a four-player co-op shooter not unlike Left 4 Dead, right down to the titular tyrant Mr. X who acts as the stand-in for the tank, but with that Resident Evil touch. Hope they bring in the one-liners and cheesy dialogue.

(Update):….and Capcom recently announced that it’s not so much a 4-player co-op game, but rather a 4v1 asymmetrical multiplayer survival horror game. So, kinda like that 2K Games shooter Evolve but hopefully better and more thought-out.
The game will be developed by NeoBards Entertainment. Here’s how it will play out:

In each 4v1 match, one Mastermind player tracks the four Survivors through a network of security cameras, staying one step ahead to prevent their escape.
The Mastermind gets a deck of cards and plays them to set traps, unleash vicious bio-creatures, and even weaponize security cams. He/she can even directly control zombies during intervals, and even the “Mr. X” tyrant.
The 4 survivors need to work together and fend off the Mastermind’s attacks while escaping before time runs out. Each different survivor has different skills.

Resident Evil: Project Resistance will be out for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. In addition, there will be a closed beta running from 4th October through 7th October. You can register here; it’ll be open until 18th September.


We Are Getting A New Nintendo Indie World Showcase Tonight

After last month’s eventful Nintendo Direct Mini, we are getting a new Nintendo Indie World Showcase tonight.
The surprise announcement came from the official Nintendo Twitter account earlier today, which revealed that theÂ Nintendo Indie World ShowcaseÂ will take place at 12am ET on 18 August 2020,Â or 12am GMT+8 on 19 August 2020 for Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia.

The next #IndieWorld Showcase is headed your way! Tune in on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 9 a.m. PT for roughly 20 minutes of information on indie games coming to #NintendoSwitch.Watch it here tomorrow: https://t.co/N3Dhh3zIU8 pic.twitter.com/ppHWElPu3V— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) August 17, 2020

According to the post, the presentation will feature roughly 20 minutes of information on indie games coming to Nintendo Switch.
You can watch the stream later tonight in the video embedded below:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ApgrqHTUnaw


Dragon Quest The Adventure Of Dai A Hero’s Bonds Adds Dragon Knight Baran

During a specialÂ Dragon Quest The Adventure Of DaiÂ Game Project live stream today, Square Enix announced that Dragon Master General Baran will join the Dragon Quest The Adventure Of Dai A Hero’s Bonds mobile game as part of a special event.
Players can team up with the fearsome Dragon Master General Baran after defeating him in the new in-game event, “The Knight & The Hero”, available from 2pm GMT+8 on 21 December 2021 until 1.59pm GMT+8 on 3 January 2022. Players can also obtain equipment for Baran’s signature special move, “Gigabreak”, via the Dragon Master Demon Dragon Blade Limited Treasure Hunt, available from 2pm GMT+8 on 21 December 2021 until 1.59pm GMT+8 on 3 January 2022.
Dragon Quest The Adventure Of Dai A Heroâ€™s Bonds is now available on theÂ Google Play StoreÂ andÂ Apple App Store.
Check out the trailer below:


Baldur’s Gate 3 Is Only Coming Out In 2023

The latest Dungeon & Dragons news for computer RPG fans may be less ideal for some.
According to developer Larian, its upcoming CRPG Baldur’s Gate 3 will only be out sometime in 2023. This was made official in a recent D&D Direct event livestream. Here’s an excerpt of that confirmation:
“By the Nine Hell, we’ve added a lot of great stuff already. And there’s more where that came from. So join us in early access on our journey to Baldur’s Gate 3, or come along in 2023 when the game releases.”

Previously, Larian Studios said the game would be out in late 2022. Chalk that up to the usual game development creed of not rushing a product just for a deadline. For more on Larian Studios and how it works with its Malaysia offshoot, check out the exclusive interview video below.


Y: The Last Man TV Series Finally Gets A Release Date

FXâ€™s highly-anticipated TV series adaptation of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerraâ€™s Y: The Last Man has finally received an official premiere date. The first episode will premiere on Hulu on 13 September 2021 (via CBR).
The current showrunner for FXâ€™sÂ Y: The Last ManÂ isÂ Eliza ClarkÂ ofÂ Animal KingdomÂ andÂ KillingÂ fame. ActorÂ Ben SchnetzerÂ will portray protagonist Yorick Brown, a young escape artist who finds himself and his pet monkey, Ampersand, to be the last two surviving males on Earth after an apocalyptic event that annihilated everyone with a Y chromosome.
The cast forÂ Y: The Last ManÂ also includesÂ Diane Lane, Ashley Romans, Olivia Thirlby, Amber Tamblyn, Marin Ireland, Diana Bang, Elliot Fletcher and Juliana Canfield. Vaughan himself will be an executive producer, along with showrunner Eliza Clark, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Mari Jo Winkler-Ioffreda, and Melina Matsoukas.
Oh, and in case you missed it,Â Ampersand the monkey has also been cast as well. However, no trailer has been unveiled so far.


Season 6 Will Be Supergirl’s Final Flight

The CW has announced that Supergirl will end after Season 6. The upcoming sixth and final season will begin production later this month in Vancouver and is set to premiere sometime in 2021, consisting of 20 episodes in total.
According to Deadline, the producers and studio decided to end Supergirl after six seasons due to delays and increasingly low ratings.
Like many shows, Supergirl Season 5 was cut short due to problems arisen from the COVID-19 pandemic. We last saw Lex Luthor defeating Leviathan and the Luthor family set to pose an even greater threat to the world in Season 6.
We’ll potentially see more ofÂ Jon Cryer’s incredible portrayal of Lex Luthor in Supergirl Season 6, possibly paving the way for the upcoming Superman & Lois, which will debut its first season in January 2021. The new series will star Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch as the titular couple, both of whom were originally introduced on Supergirl.
The first Arrowverse show to officially end was Arrow, which started in 2012 and ended its run with its final and eighth season earlier in 2020. Other CW DC shows like The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, Black Lightning and Stargirl are still ongoing, with Superman & Lois set to join the roster next year.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=rP7c3UFv_Yk


NVIDIA Driver Update To Add Optimization For God Of War PC & Rainbow Six Extraction

The NVIDIA GeForce Game Ready driver that will be released on 14 January 2022 includes optimisations for the upcoming PC version of God Of War. Meanwhile, GeForce RTX gamers will get launch day support for NVIDIA DLSS and NVIDIA Reflex when the PlayStation exclusive launches on Steam on 14 January 2022.
The upcoming driver also supports Rainbow Six Extraction,Â which launches on 20 January 2022 with DLSS along with NVIDIA Reflex. Gamers playing Hitman III, The Anacrusis,Â GRIT, andÂ Monster Hunter Rise will also want to download this driver for the best experience in those games. There will also be support for eight new G-SYNC Compatible gaming monitors.
A version of a GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card with 12GB GDDR6X memory is available from our GPU partners starting today, with driver support available through GeForce Experience and on NVIDIAâ€™s driver download page. Please contact our partners for specific pricing and additional product information.
God Of War andÂ Rainbow Six ExtractionÂ Launching with DLSS and Reflex

NVIDIA DLSS and Reflex have both proven to be technologies game developers are eager to add to their games and gamers love to use. This month a pair of blockbuster games,Â God of WarÂ andÂ Rainbow Six ExtractionÂ are launching, and both will support those two technologies at launch.
Powered by AI rendering technology and dedicated Tensor Core AI processors found exclusively on GeForce RTX GPUs, DLSS speeds up frame rates in God of WarÂ andÂ Rainbow Six ExtractionÂ while preserving the gamesâ€™ stunning graphic detail to provide image quality similar to native resolution.
NVIDIA Reflex is a suite of technologies that optimise and measure system latency in competitive games, making gameplay snappy and responsive for even the most difficult challenges.

More Game Ready Goodies and Upgrades

The NVIDIA Game Ready Driver forÂ God of WarÂ also adds other features, including:

Optimisations and enhancements for the upcoming launch of The Anacrusis, GRIT, Hitman IIIÂ andÂ Monster Hunter Rise.
Enhanced Dynamic Super Resolution (DSR) with AI for improved image quality.Â
Added three depth-based filters for NVIDIA Freestyle, including Screen Space Ray Traced Global Illumination, Screen Space Ambient Occlusion, and Dynamic Depth of Field.Â
Support for 8 new G-SYNC Compatible gaming displays:

AOC AG275QG3R4B+
AOC Q32G3WG3
AOC AG275QXE
Dell G2723HN
HP OMEN 27i IPS
MSI MPG321UR-QD
Philips 24M1N3200ZA
ViewSonic VX3220-4K-Pro


Faker Re-Signs With T1 On A 3-Year Contract

T1 has announced that Faker has re-signed with them on a three-year contract.
Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok first broke out onto the League of Legends scene back in 2013 when SK Telecom wanted to build a team solely around him. At the age of 26 and with him resigning Faker will most likely finish his career in T1. Over the past couple of offseasons, rumours have been surfacing more about Faker receiving offers to leave the LCK entirely to participate in other leagues but every time has opted to stay with T1.

pic.twitter.com/cJOx8zRk9G
— T1 LoL (@T1LoL) November 28, 2022

To coincide with the announcement of Faker’s re-signing, T1 also announced the contract extension of Kim “Sky” Ha-neul along with the additions of Kim “Roach” Kang-hee and Im “Tom” Jae-hyeon as additional coaches to aid head coach Bae “Bengi” Seong-woong in the 2023 season.
With Faker re-signing with T1, the team will move forward with the same roster as 2022, in Choi “Zeus” Woo-je, Moon “Oner” Hyeon-joon, Faker, Lee “Gumayusi” Min-hyeong, and Ryu “Keria” Min-seok, as the contracts of the other players expire at the end of 2023. This roster wrote history by winning the spring split undefeated. They were runners-up for the spring season and also runners-up for the World Championship.


This Game Lets You Date KFC’s Colonel Sanders

Let’s be real: Malaysia KFC is still the best KFC among all the branches in Southeast Asia. It’s a fact; why do you think out neighbours down south come down to Johor? Apart from A&W?
Anyway, turns out that KFC is really into gaming. Not just in the esports side of things, but also in other genre types. Dating sims, to be precise.

What you see above is not a joke. I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating SimulatorÂ for the PC is about you being a business partner and winning the heart of the most famous chicken salesman on the planet. Also, this game description really needs to be read to be believed.

“Throughout your journey, youâ€™ll be faced with life-changing decisions that will affect your chances of friendship and love.
But be careful! Your choices have real consequences with real animated charactersâ€™ feelings at stake.
“Do you have what it takes to survive culinary school? Will Colonel Sanders choose you to be his business partner? Or maybe even so much more? Find out in the most finger lickinâ€™ good dating simulator ever createdâ€”a game that KFC actually made.”

There’s no release date for this PC dating sim, but one thing’s for sure: this game isn’t shying away from JoJo look-alikes and corgis. Check out the game’s Steam page here.


Godfall & WoW Shadowlands Are Free With These AMD Radeon PCs & Laptops

AMD has announced that theÂ AMD Radeon Graphics ‘Raise the Game’ offerÂ has been extended until 5 December 2020. This gives PC gamers more time to score two new games with the purchase of selectÂ AMDÂ Radeon graphics products, including:
AMD Radeon RX 5500 SeriesÂ Graphics:Â Gamers who want crisp visuals and fluid gameplay at 1080p in todayâ€™s most demanding titles can put their new hardware to the test with a complimentary copy ofÂ GodfallÂ with the purchase of an AMDÂ RX 5500 XT graphics card and eligibleÂ AMD Radeon RX 5500 Series graphics-powered mobile and desktop PCs.
AMD Radeon RX 5700 andÂ AMD RadeonÂ RX 5600 SeriesÂ Graphics:Â Gamers looking to drive the ultimate 1440p and 1080p gaming experiences with eyewatering visuals and maxed framerates will receive both copies ofÂ GodfallÂ andÂ World of Warcraft: ShadowlandsÂ with the purchase of an AMDÂ Radeon RX 5700 XT, RX 5700 or RX 5600 XT graphics card, and eligibleÂ AMD RadeonÂ RX 5700 andÂ RXÂ 5600Â Series graphics-powered mobile and desktop PCs.

Gamers will gain access to these titles as they become publicly available.Â The redemption period for theÂ gameÂ titles will end on 9 January 2021.
In the meantime, check out the trailers below:


Cobra Kai Season 4 Drops This December

Netflix has announced Cobra Kai Season 4 will premiere sometime in December 2021.
The teaser trailer doesn’t reveal much, but it does tease the focus of the upcoming season, which will be a new All-Valley Karate Tournament.
Everyoneâ€™s favourite long-time rivals Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) are featured in the teaser, along with John Kreese (Martin Kove) and younger blood including Miguel (Xolo MaridueÃ±a), Samantha (Mary Mouser) and Robby (Tanner Buchanan).
We donâ€™t know much about the story for Cobra Kai Season 4, but we do know that Daniel (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny (William Zabka) will be joining forces to take down John Kreeseâ€™s Cobra Kai.

Karate. Is. Coming.
COBRA KAI will return with Season 4 this December. pic.twitter.com/hrOuBESyvS
— Netflix Geeked @ SDCC #NetflixSDCC (@NetflixGeeked) August 5, 2021

It’s going to be Miyagi-Do versus Cobra Kai. Who will win?


New Video Showcases Durability Of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 & Flip3

Samsung has released a new behind-the-scenes video which gives us a look at some of the testing procedures Samsung uses to ensure that the latest Galaxy Z series devices meet the highest standards possible.
Users around the world are raving about Samsungâ€™s latest revolutionary foldable devices, the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3 5G, particularly on their groundbreaking form factors. But to produce the durable, dependable foldables that users have come to love, Samsung had to design an innovative way of developing and testing the devices.
With no time-tested blueprint to follow, Samsung spent years conducting thousands of trials, relying on diverse perspectives and developing a fresh new approach. As a result, Samsung has been able to develop all-new materials like Armor Aluminum, and optimize existing components on the layers of the display panel to maintain the highest durability standards yet.

Samsungâ€™s high-tech, innovative tests include environmental chamber, IPX8[1] water resistance, S Pen usability and folding test. Environmental chamber tests ensure that features, such as video playback, and components, like cameras work properly in a variety of climates â€” from dry to humid, and hot to cold. Water-resistance tests establish the high quality of the very first water-resistant foldable smartphone by even testing in different folding positions, including Flex mode. With S Pen drawing tests, Samsung ensures the performance of the digitizer underneath the foldable display including where it folds.
And to ensure that the new foldables live up to their namesake, the Galaxy Z series devices undergo rigorous folding tests to outlast 200,0001[2] folds â€” or around five years of use if folded and unfolded 100 times a day. The enhanced folding tests reflect actual user patterns in real-world scenarios such as folding and unfolding using both hands.
For more details on the specs of the Samsung Galaxy Z devices, you canÂ head on over hereÂ for our coverage of the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2021 event.
Also, we recently got our hands on the Z Flip 3 and guess what? You can find out what we thought of it in the crazy long reviewÂ here.
Check out the video below:


Resident Evil 4 Remake Achievements So Far

A recent Reddit leak has revealed all the achievements of the upcoming Resident Evil 4 Remake. This is most likely due to the leaked copies of the game on sale, as the game is only supposed to be out on 24 March.
Do note that the list of achievements below has spoilers, so here’s your warning in case you want to play the game fresh.

Resident Evil 4 Remake Achievements List

Obtain all trophies.
Parry an enemy with the knife.
Upgrade a weapon.
Get the exclusive upgrade for a weapon.
Rescue Ashley while she’s being carried away by an enemy.
Destroy A Clockwork Castellan.
Defeat Del Lago.
Defeat Bitores Mendes.
Defeat the Verdugo.
Defeat Ramon Salazar.
Defeat Jack Krauser.
Defeat Osmund Saddler.
Defeat 3 enemies with one flashbang grenade.
Defeat a Garrador using only knives.
Kill 2 Parasites inside a Regenerator with one bullet.
Throw a grenade Into Ramon Salazar’s mouth.
Use a cannon to defeat a zealot.
Make it through both minecart sections in the Underground Tunnel without taking damage.
Reach the top of the Clock Tower without the lift stopping once.
Escape on the Water Scooter without taking damage.
Sell A Single Treasure For At Least 1,000,000 Ptas.
Obtain All Treasures included on the village treasure map in one playthrough.
Obtain All Treasures included on the castle treasure map in one playthrough.
Obtain All Treasures included on the island treasure map in one playthrough.
Obtain all weapons.
Destroy all ClockWork Castellan’s.
Complete the main story on Standard Mode Or Higher.
Complete the main story on Standard Mode with an S+ Rank.
Complete the main story on Hardcore Mode Or Higher.
Complete the main story on Hardcore Mode with an S+ Rank.
Complete the main story on Professional Mode.
Complete the main story within 8 Hours.
Complete the main story Without using a recovery Item.
Complete the main story Without using only knives and handguns.
Complete the main story Without talking to the merchant once.
Complete a game at the shooting range.
Complete an S rank in all games at the shooting range.
Shoot through and destroy 5 targets at the shooting range with one shot.

Resident Evil 4 Remake will be out on 24 march for PC, PS5, PS4, and Xbox Series.


Borderlands 3 Gets New Takedown Add-On DLC Featuring Maliwan

Hope you all have been enjoying this week’s Bloody Harvest timed event fighting Captain Haunt and getting loot. I sure as heck did.
Turns out we’re getting another short DLC mission where we get to fight Maliwan again. Dubbed Takedown at Maliwan’s Blacksite, this permanent four-player co-op Level 50-only mission involves you helping the coffee-addicted Lorelei preemptively strike Maliwan’s most secure facilities. Get ready to fight shielded units, midget NOGs, giant elemental-spewing commanders, and mechas galore.
Two new Maliwan units will be added: a variant on the melee shield units who can absorb elemental attacks and throw it back at you, and a variant on the runners who can turn invisible. Yeah, that’s going to be annoying.Â Check out the Takedown mission in motion at the 1:23:11 mark on the video.

The DLC will be out 21st November. Oh, and Gearbox is giving out free Vault Hunter heads via SHiFT code. Get it below before it deactivates 5th November 12am PST.

K9W3T-BJZ59-B9SHB-6B3JT-T9CFF


Minor Celebrity Launches Esports Team In Malaysia

According to esports website What’s The Meta, Malaysian rapper Caprice is expected to start his own esports company soon. It’s okay if you don’t know who Caprice is, he’s mostly known for ranting on Instagram and giving free talks at universities nowadays. Not exactly the best progression of “he does this and also that” but that’s more of a criticism towards the Malaysian education system.
Just yesterday, Caprice uploaded a few logo ideas for his esports team on his Instagram. The team will be called… XDE HAL BRO Esports. I shall reserve comments on what I think about that name and just wish him and and his upcoming team the best of luck. It seems that the team will be formed to play PUBG Mobile.
One of the logos that Caprice asked his followers to choose from.
The rapper’s intention to form a PUBG Mobile esports team isn’t something recent. A few weeks ago, he uploaded a short video on Instagram to announce that he was investing in esports. It caught a lot of attention thanks to the fact that he says he will offer a monthly salary ranging from RM3,000 to RM5,000 to his players. Most degree holders in Malaysia struggle to even get a RM2,500 salary so it’s one hell of a claim.
All in all, I wish Caprice and his team the best of luck. Perhaps the generous funding and his own sizeable influence will allow him to acquire and train some really good PUBG players. We shall wait and see.
Article cover image from Malaysia Halal Expo 2019 Twitter page.


Among Us Comes To Consoles This December

Developer Innersloth has announced that Among Us will launch for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on 14 December 2021. It was previously revealed earlier this year that the popular game would finally be coming to consoles sometime in 2021.
All four new versions ofÂ Among Us will launch with all previously released content and several new updates, as well as cross-platform multiplayer avalaible. The PlayStationÂ versionsÂ will include Ratchet And Clank as an exclusive playable character. In addition, the Xbox versions of the game will be available for free via Xbox Game Pass.

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Among Us originally launched for iOS and Android in June 2018, followed by PC via Steam in November 2018, and later for the Nintendo Switch as well.


Genshin Impact 2.4 Update Ningguang & Yun Jin Hangout Guides

Genshin Impact’s 2.4 update is now live, which means you get to fight new creatures, explore new areas and dungeons, and most importantly, hang out with your companions in the game’s visual novel dating sim-style minigame.
This January, we have both Ningguang and new gacha character Yun Jin. Here are the guides for both these characters.
Prerequisite to unlock both Hangout Events
To unlock them, first you need to complete the Crane Returns on the Wind story quest. It’s basically Shenhe’s story quest when you think about it: you basically go through the story dungeon and then fight a boss at the end. The pathway to this questline is pretty basic.

Ningguang Hangout Event Guide
Ending #1 “While the View Remains Good”: Talk to Ningguang’s assistant, then pick the first option when sorting out Ningguang’s schedule. Then follow her schedule to the letter. You’ll be prompted with two options after the business lunch: pick the “informant meeting” when prompted. You’ll be going through a scenario where Ningguang’s informants refer to her as aunty.
Ending #2 “The Weight of a Collection”: Follow Ending #1’s path but pick the “check on the auction” option when prompted after the lunch meeting.
Ending #3 “Unchanging Will”: When sorting out Ningguang’s schedule, pick the second “avoid anything complicated” option. Then pick “something you never normally have time for” when prompted by Ningguang.
Ending #4 “Fortunes Shared”: Follow the same “avoid anything complicated” schedule, but pick “Let’s do something you never normally have the opportunity to do”. Then pick “start at the bottom of the ladder” in the next dialogue choice.
Ending #5 “Feint and Riposte”: Follow the “Let’s do something you never normally have the opportunity to do” like in Ending #4, but pick “let’s work at Northland Bank” instead.
Here’s a video walkthrough to help you out.

Yun Jin Hangout Event Guide
Ending #1 “A Shame that the Road is Rocky”: After saving Yun Jin at the start of the Hangout, pick “Safety comes first” when confronted by the manager. Then choose to talk to the journalist without manager interference. Then after you eavesdrop on the manager and journalist, pick “This ends now!”
Ending #2 “And Few Friends You Shall Find”: During the eavesdropping segment, pick “stay hidden & check in with Yun Jin” when prompted. You’ll see some lawyering from Yun Jin.
Ending #3 “Brought Together By Common Interests”: When the journalist is talking to Yun Jin like in the Ending #1 path, pick “play it safe and book the interview with manager” option. You’ll go on a night out in Liyue with Yun Jin. After the “date”, pick “your offstage personality is the cuter one”.
Ending #4 “A Souvenier Without Sentiment is of Little Worth”:Â  After the date, pick “your onstage persona is more striking”.
Ending #5 “The Cast Contemplates The Play’s Meaning”: When you are confronted by the manager at the start after rescuing Yun Jin, pick “You make a good point, Yun Jin”. You’ll then go through your first acting class with Yun Jin.


This Breath Of The Wild-Inspired PlayStation RPG Looks Pretty Good

Last year’s ChinaJoy 2019 revealed Genshin Impact by Chinese developer miHoYo, which incurred the wrath of gamers who considered the game to be a shameless ripoff of the Nintendo Switch’s The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild. Now the developer has revealed a lot more about the game, including gameplay details and footage (via PlayStation Blog).
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQrHQVi2p2c&w=560&h=315]
Genshin ImpactÂ is an open-world RPG that supports multiplayer and will be released sometime in 2020. The final closed beta test was carried out for three weeks starting from 2 July 2020, which included the PS4, PC versions and mobile versions of the game. This means that cross-platform cooperative multiplayer was featured as well.
Set in the world of Taiwat, a world of fantasy that believes in the gods who control the seven elements, players assume the role of a character called a traveller who is searching in search of his or her twin brothers and sisters who have been taken away by a strange god.

At the beginning of the game, there will be a battle cutscene with a strange god, the aftermath of which players will choose which of the brother or sister will be the main character.
Players can freely roam the world of Taiwat, including climbing up steep cliffs, swimming in rivers and lakes, and spreading “wings of the wind” to glide from high places, so you can reach almost all visible places. Sound familiar?

More party members will join as the story progresses by acquiring “prayers” (gacha) and season rewards. Of these, a party of up to four people can be assembled, but only one can be in battle at a time, though players can switch between them in real-time.
Players attack by hitting the Circle button repeatedly, with unique weapon types such as one-handed swords, large swords, spears, and bows. Each character is also set with one of seven elements: wind, flame, ice, lightning, water, grass, and rock. When two different elements come into contact, a special effect called “elemental reaction” occurs, which can result in different status effects like burning or freezing.

No release date has been announced for Genshin Impact as of yet, but perhaps we’ll learn more during ChinaJoy 2020. In the meantime, check out the gameplay trailer below:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLNdIivrV-0&w=560&h=315]


Netflix Announces Tomb Raider Animated Series

Lara Croft’s tomb raiding and dinosaur/Japanese samurai ogre/terrorist-murdering spree has yet to be chronicled in animated form. So if you want that, Netflix has you sorted.
The movie-streaming service company has announced recently that it’ll be creating an anime series based on the Tomb Raider games, starring Lara Croft of course. Legendary (Kong vs Godzilla) will be producing the show, and it’ll take place after the events of the video game reboot trilogy.

The most iconic heroine in video games is jumping to animation! Tomb Raider is a new anime series from @Legendary following Lara Croft after the events of the video-game reboot trilogy.
— Netflix Geeked @ SDCC #NetflixSDCC (@NetflixGeeked) January 27, 2021

Again, I hope the dinosaurs and weird s*** from the earlier games make an appearance in the anime. It’ll be fun to see an acrobatic Lara Croft kill them all with dual pistols while robbing sacred grounds of ancient civilizations. So far, there’s no release date/window announced or a teaser of sorts to amp fans up.


ONE Esports Will Host The First Ever Dota 2 Singapore Major In 2020

Southeast Asian Dota 2 fans are capping the year with one last major tournament happening right now, the ONE Esports Dota 2 World Pro Invitational Singapore. The company has just announced another event that will definitely excite local Dota 2 fans.

ONE Esports will be organising the first-ever Dota 2 Singapore Major in June 2020. It will feature a prize pool of US$1 million and will be held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, the same venue as the World Pro Invitational Singapore.
It will be final Major of the season so teams that want to make it to The International will definitely be fighting tooth and nail for those Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) points. A total of 15,000 DPC points are up for grabs at the Singapore Major.
A full team roster has yet to be announced, same goes for the tournament format. The tournament will be happening from 20 June to 28 June 2020. You can check out the official Singapore Major webpage on the ONE Esports website for more details.


Daniel Radcliffe Has Gun Hands In Live-Action Battle Royale Guns Akimbo Trailer

Madman Films has released the first bonkers trailer for its upcoming movie, Guns Akimbo. It’s an action movie where a live-action battle royale game called ‘Skizm’ is taking the world by storm. Protagonist Miles (Daniel Radcliffe) finds himself forced to participate as he wakes up one day with literal gun hands.
Skizm is like Fortnite with streamers and viewers but it takes place in real-life and people who play the game really die. Radcliffe’s Miles has to kill the undefeated champion Nix (Samara Weaving) to survive the game. It all sounds like a trippy and bizzaro idea, I know.
Here is the official synopsis for Guns Akimbo:

Nerdy video game developer (Daniel Radcliffe) is a little too fond of stirring things up on the internet with his caustic, prodding, and antagonizing comments.
One night, he makes the mistake of drunkenly dropping an inflammatory barb on a broadcast of Skizm, an illegal death-match fight club streamed live to the public.
In response, Riktor (Ned Dennehy), the maniacal mastermind behind the channel, decides to force Milesâ€™ hand (or hands, as it were) and have him join the â€œfun.â€
Miles wakes to find heavy pistols bolted into his bones, and learns Nix (Samara Weaving), the trigger-happy star of Skizm, is his first opponent
Gleefully echoing elements of Edgar Wrightâ€™s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, the Purge franchise, and videogames like Mortal Kombat, Guns Akimbo is hilariously dark, viciously violent, and potentially â€” chillingly â€” prescient.
Director Jason Lei Howden (Deathgasm) foretells of a future that may soon await us: drone-captured live feeds, UFC-like competitions pushed to an extreme, and online streaming platforms used for gladiatorial entertainment all around the world.
As Miles navigates the underworld of Skizm, the stakes â€” and the ratings â€” have never been higher.

Written and directed by Jason Lei Howden, Guns Akimbo is slated to premiere on 5 March 2020. However, it’s probably for a limited release in the US, with no theatrical release in other countries (especially not Southeast Asia).
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOFatKD0Vzo&w=560&h=315]


Nintendo Launches New Official Singaporean Website

It’s been a long issue for Nintendo fans in Southeast Asia due to the lack of official regional support. A few days ago, Nintendo suddenly launched an official Singaporean website.
However, it looks like the website doesn’t offer anything much in terms of actual support. You can’t really buy games there or anything yet, due to the lack of prices and stuff. Perhaps the launch of this website is somehow related to a recent big change in the regional distributor for Nintendo in Singapore.
Recently, Singaporean company Convergent Systems officially announced that they will be launching two new official Nintendo stores in the country. These aren’t physical stores, but actually online ones on Lazada and Shopee, respectively. Both the official Singaporean website and online stores opening around the same time can’t merely be a coincidence.
Maybe the Southeast Asian region will finally receive proper and full regional support from Nintendo and Singapore will simply be the first? Fingers crossed.
In the meantime, you can head on over to the official Nintendo Singapore website here.


Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales For PS5 Is A Standalone Game (Update)

Update:
Insomniac Games have finally (somewhat) clarified about what exactly Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales is supposed to be. No, it is not an expansion or a remaster of 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man.
Instead, Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales is meant to be a standalone game in the vein of what 2017’s Uncharted The Lost Legacy was to 2016’s Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End.
However, from the sound of the tweet, it does seem like it will at least take place after the events of Marvel’s Spider-Man, which could already be logically gleaned from the fact that Miles Morales is already Spider-Man in the trailer when he had just only confessed to Peter Parker at the end of the first game.

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is the next adventure in the Marvel’s Spider-Man universe. We will reveal more about this standalone game at a future date. #MilesMoralesPS5 pic.twitter.com/GOTAvNhUaF
â€” Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) June 12, 2020

During the PS5 â€“ Future Of Gaming live stream earlier today, Insomniac Games unveiled a trailer teasing a title called Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales. At first, many gamers and publications naturally assumed that it would be a sequel to 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man, but the truth is more complicated.
Speaking toÂ The Telegraph (via VGC), Sony Interactive Entertainment EVP head of European Business, Simon Rutter described Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales on the PS5 as:

“I guess you could call it an expansion and an enhancement to the previous game.
Thereâ€™s a substantial Miles Morales component â€“ which is the expansion element â€“ but also within the game as well thereâ€™s been major enhancements to the game and the game engine, obviously deploying some of the major PlayStation 5 technology and features.â€

It remains unclear if this means that Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales would be a remaster of the original 2018 game with additional Miles Morales content, or if it’s a standalone expansion title like 2017’s Uncharted: The Lost Legacy or 2014’s Infamous: First Light.
We’ll have to wait for official clarification from Insomniac Games. Until then, catch the trailer below, or head on over here to check out all our other PS5-related news and feature articles.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHzuHo80U2M&w=560&h=315]


Mobile Legends M3 World Championship: The Full Schedule & Results [Update]

Update: The Results for the entire tournament has been posted on this feature.
The Mobile Legends: Bang Bang World Championship (M3) will be held in Singapore once again from 6 to 19 December 2021, with 16 teams across the globe participating in the international flagship tournament.

In its third iteration, M3 will see new regions such as the Middle East, North America, LATAM, and Turkey compete for the coveted title and a combined prize pool of US$800,000. The participating teams will be seeded into three pools, and further grouped into four different batches through a lottery to ensure that no teams from the same region will be in the same group. All teams will be competing offline.Â
There will be new in-game campaigns introduced which fans will be able to find out more details in the coming weeks, such as:Â

M3 Battle Pass
M3 Exclusive Skin
Guess the M3 winner

Lucas Mao, Managing Director of Esports,Â  MOONTON Games, said:
â€œWe are thrilled to have M3 at Singapore again this year. The Singapore Tourism Board and local authorities have been working closely with us to produce a safe and hospitable event for all gamers. We are very much grateful for theÂ  continued partnership, and we look forward to reaching new esports heights with M3.”Â Â
Jean Ng, Executive Director, Attractions, Entertainment & Tourism Concept Development, SingaporeÂ  Tourism Board said:
â€œWe are excited to welcome the largest Mobile Legends: Bang Bang tournamentÂ back to Singapore this year. MOONTON Games confidence in hosting the M3 World Championship in Â Singapore is a testament to our ability to execute events safely and reinforces our position as a world-class esports destination. We look forward to welcoming all qualifying teams to Singapore, and to connecting with fans and esports enthusiasts around the world.â€Â
Travelling players, staff, and talent will serve out the entire quarantine period and undergo daily temperature checks and ART tests throughout the event. MOONTON Games will abide by local regulations to ensure the health and safety of all players and the community.

Mobile Legends M3 World Championship Teams
Group A (6 December)

Blacklist International (Philippines)
Red Canids Kalunga (Brazil)
Malvinas Gaming (Peru)
Bedel (Turkey)

Group B (7 December)

Onic Esports (Indonesia)
Onic Philippines (Philippines)
Todak (Malaysia)
Vivo Keyd (Brazil)

Group C (8 December)

Evos Esports (Singapore)
SeeYouSoon (Cambodia)
Naâ€™Vi (CIS)
BloodThirstyKings (USA)

Group D (9 December)

Team SMG (Malaysia)
RRQ (Indonesia)
GX Squad (Middle East)
RSG (Singapore)

Mobile Legends M3 World Championship Format & Schedule
[videopress lIS3A8rS]

Group Stage
Group A: 6 December
Group B: 7 December, 2pm-7pm
Group C: 8 December, 2pm-7pm
Group D: 9 December, 2pm-7pm
Playoffs: 11-18 December
Grand Finals: 19 December

Where To Watch Mobile Legends M3 World Championship
You can head on over to the official YouTube channel here. We will be posting match archives and livestreams below.
Group Stage Day One

Group Stage Day 2

Group Stage Day 3

Group Stage Day 4

Playoffs Day 1

Playoffs Day 2

Playoffs Day 3

Playoffs Day 4

Playoffs Day 5

Playoffs Day 6

Playoffs Day 7

Playoffs Day 8

Grand Finals

Mobile Legends M3 World Championship Results
Playoffs

Blacklist International (US$300,000)
ONIC Philippines (US$120,000)
BloodThirstyKings (US$80,000)
EVOS SG (US$55,000)
TODAK (US$40,000)
RRQ Hoshi (US$40,000)
Natus Vincere (US$30,000)
Keyd Stars (US$30,000)
See You Soon
RSG Singapore
BEDEL
ONIC Esports
RED CAnids
Malvinas Gaming
GX Squad
Team SMG

Grand Finals
ONIC Philippines vs Blacklist International
Upper Bracket Finals
BloodThirstyKings vs ONIC Philippines: 0-3
Lower Bracket Finals
BloodThirstyKings vs Blacklist International: 1-3
Lower Bracket Semi-Finals
Blacklist International vs EVOS SG: 3-0
Upper Bracket Semi-Finals
BloodThirstyKings vs EVOS SG: 3-1
ONIC Philippines vs RRQ Hoshi: 3-0
Lower Bracket Quarter Finals
RRQ Hoshi vs Blacklist International: 0-3
EVOS SG vs TODAK: 3-2
Upper Bracket Quarter Finals
Blacklist Intl vs BloodThirstyKings: 2-3
BEDEL vs EVOS SG: 1-3
ONIC Philippines vs RSG Singapore: 3-0
RRQ Hoshi vs TODAK: 3-1
Lower Bracket Round 2
Blacklist Intl vs ONIC Esports: 2-1
BEDEL vs Keyd Stars: 0-2
RSG Singapore vs Natus Vincere: 0-2
TODAK vs See You Soon: 2-1
Lower Bracket Round 1
Team SMG vs ONIC Esports: 0-2
Keyd Stars vs GX Squad: 2-0
Natus Vincere vs Malvinas Gaming: 2-1
RED Canids vs See You Soon: 0-2

Group A Standings (6 December)

Blacklist International (Philippines): 3-0
Red Canids Kalunga (Brazil): 1-2
Malvinas Gaming (Peru): 1-2
Bedel (Turkey): 1-2

Group B Standings (7 December)

ONIC Philippines: 2-1
Todak: 2-1
Keyd Stars: 1-2
ONIC Esports: 1-2

Group C Standings (8 December)

EVOS SG: 3-0
BloodThirstyKings: 2-1
Natus Vincere: 1-2
See You Soon: 0-3

Group D Standings (9 December)

RRQ Hoshi: 3-0
RSG Singapore: 2-1
Team SMG: 1-2
GX Squad: 0-3


Chicory Charms Us Wholly With Its Themes & Puzzles

Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5
Genre: 2D Legend of Zelda action-adventure with MS Paint
As someone in the creative field, I too have my fair share of self-doubt due to imposter syndrome. Sometimes I anxiously wonder if what I’m doing is for the greater good, whether people and peers alike will remember me for the mark I’ve left in this hobby-slash-job-slash-life-work I cherish.
Or whether they will condemn me outright or behind my back, wanting me to fail so bad because of something I wrote that triggered them to blacklist me out of pettiness. That is something that is all-too-common in my line of work, unfortunately. And even if one were to ask for help, would that make you look weak and vulnerable?
And then I played through Chicory for 10 hours from start to finish. All is well, mostly.
This indie wonder is the cure for that particular ailment; to assure me that you should embrace your dreams and goals no matter the hate, envy, and other curveballs thrown your way. Its combination of aesthetics and gameplay just works.
Photo Shop

Chicory is an indie action-adventure game ala Legend of Zelda with painting mechanics. The game pits you as a janitor for the titular Brushwielder Chicory, in a land filled with anthropomorphic beings named after food, herbs, and spices (no, really). One day, the world is suddenly without colour and you end up with the Brushwielder’s special brush that lets you paint on the screen. Your task is to find out what happened and how to solve it.
It sounds deceptively simple and plain from the get-go, but once you’ve gone down the rabbit hole, its narrative really hits you hard with its positive feels. Without going into detail for story reasons, its main plot is something that’s needed for the middle of 2021 and even last year; a time when people like myself are feeling a bit down and aimless, riddled with the feeling of being inferior and a fake, thus feeling depressed and lonely, due to a combination of factors.
Sit through the game’s entire narrative, and you’ll find a lot you can relate to; I guarantee it. The relaxing and gentle atmosphere from the get-go also sets the calming mood of the game’s world, though it escalates halfway through when you come across a number of the game’s major adversaries.
Paint Shop Pro

In Chicory, you’re basically the artist. Since the world you’re in is colourless, you use your paintbrush to add random colours to whatever you see fit; you can help paint houses for townsfolks or artwork to get some extra decorative goods for your empty house or extra clothes for your wardrobe. Even if your art skills are subpar, you’ll still get the rewards for going through with it; the onus is on you if you want to make a huge effort. The game’s cheery outlook will make you spend a few minutes, or even hours, just to paint your masterpiece and will commend you for it.
There are a ton of collectibles here that can help brighten up the world you’re in, be it a beach house set with lazy chairs and a BBQ set to a wandering minstrel costume set that is basically a nod to the creator’s last game Wandersong. They don’t exactly boost your wannabe painter though; all the fancy Zelda “items” and “power ups” are all streamlined to the brush you wield.
These powers aren’t just for filling up literal gaps; as you progress through the game, you’ll need to solve paint-related puzzles to move ahead. For instance, some platforms will only appear if you dab paint onto them. Bombs in the game can only be detonated with a dab, but you need to position them manually by pushing them to the designated wall crack. Painting on floors will sometimes yield clues to puzzles in the room a few screens away.
There’s also the jumping puzzle or two that also requires some timed switch and paint object-triggering. I won’t say more than that, but the Zelda-inspired puzzles are creative and brain-taxing, requiring you to think a little harder than most clones that precede it. In fact, I’d go far as to say that some of them succeed its inspiration based on how they’re planned out. They can be tough in later levels, but they make you feel smart once that “Eureka” moment hits when you solve it.
All in all, there are no bum puzzles and frustratingly designed setpieces; everything gameplay-wise from the obstacles to the level-ending bosses (complete with Undertale-like distorted music for heightened dread) is made and paced well.
Blender

Chicory will charm your pants and skirts off. Not only that, its story, action, music, and puzzles will also entertain and make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. Compared to all the major game releases this year, this indie darling personally stands out and has delighted me to no end.
It’s all thanks to its creative gameplay and its incredibly positive vibes and heartwarming message of not giving up what you love doing, no matter the insurmountable odds. That’s all something everyone can relate to, not just us creative and content-making types. Experiencing Chicory’s masterclass tale through that lens while also enjoying its calm and chillax 2D Zelda-laden gameplay will certainly boost your spirits in trying times.
Long story short, Chicory embodies the one major word that keeps us going: hope. All wrapped up in a charming title.
Pros

Lovely aesthetics & soundtrack.
Clever and tricky puzzles.
Harrowing boss fights.
A heartwarming & inspirational tale that’s relatable to all.

Cons

Better on keyboard & mouse than on a gamepad.

Final Score: 100/100


Elden Ring Black Knife Tiche Location Guide, Since Mimic Tear Is Nerfed

The latest Elden Ring update has nerfed a bunch of overpowered weapons and Ashes of War, with one of them being the Mimic Tear summon.
From Software has nerfed the damage health by the mimic as well as alter its behaviour. While you can still use the Mimic Tear as a decoy, it’s not the same. Luckily there’s already a replacement that exists.
The summon we’re talking about is the Black Knife Tiche, and you can get the summon mid-way through the game. The problem? It’s going to be a lot of work.
How To Get Black Knife Tiche
First, you need to complete the majority of Ranni’s questline, which is available about 30% into the game. You need to access the Moonlight Altar Site of Grace, which is only accessible at the end of Ranni’s questline. Here’s a video guide on how to complete that:

Once you’re done and opened up the Moonlight Altar Site of Grace, you need to head northwest to the Ringleader’s Evergaol. Just like with other Evergaol, you’re nearby one if you see a ton of rockworms hanging around. When you arrive, activate the Gaol to head to Alecto, Black Knife Ringleader’s boss room.
Some protips when dealing with Alecto:

She’s fast, so be patient when striking her.
Bait her AoE attack. When you dodge it, she will be left open so you can attack her.
The worst part about this fight is that she’s so fast, your camera cannot keep track and lock onto her for so long.

Once you defeated her, you get the Black Knife Tiche as a reward. Here’s what you’re getting into when using her as a summon:

The summon consumes high FP (132).
She perform best against single enemies, allowing her to attack more freely.


A Whole Lotta Folks Loved The Latest Microsoft Flight Simulator

Even with some of its quirks, we still admire Microsoft Flight Simulator and its dedication to the lost flight sim genre. Turns out a lot of people feel that way too, hence they swoop right into this game.
Xbox announced that Microsoft Flight Simulator helms the biggest Xbox Game Pass for PC launch, as well as the biggest launch in the series’ 38-year history. The game’s director Jorg Neumann shared some lovely numbers:Â

26 million flights flown.
1 billion miles flown to date, which is the equivalent of flying around the world over 40 thousand times.
more than 1 million unique players.

There’s going to be more coming, as the game will receive world updates, sim updates, and themed DLC. Oh, and obviously fix some of the first-day bugs present.Â For more on Microsoft Flight Simulator, check out our review.Â


Three More Countries Join The International Esports Federation

Three more countries have officially joined the International Esports Federation (IESF), increasing the list of member nations from the previous 60 to 63.
The new nations to join the federation include the Bahamas via the Bahamas Esports Federation (BESF), Kyrgyzstan via the Public Association E-sport Federation, and Panama via the Nextlvls Esports Federation (Nextlvls).
The news was announced via the IESF’s official website. The official statements from each new member nation read:
BESF, representing the Bahamas, stated:

â€œWe at The Bahamas Esports Federation is proud to become a member of the International Esports Federation.
The development of Esports both locally and internationally is important to us, along with the means to do so.
This unified system where we can develop and synergize efforts among the countries is something we are happy to be a part of.â€

E-sport Federation, representing Kyrgyzstan, stated:

We are glad to be part of IESF and we applaud to the partnership signed with AESF.
We look forward to many international competitions and networking with our partners.
We can all achieve great things in esports as long as we are united.

Nextlvls, representing Panama, stated:

â€œWe are honored to be members of IESF.
This opportunity is invaluable since we will be able to show our country and the world that our athletes are world-class.
We will support in everything we can to further improve the Esports industry hand in hand with IESF and all federations.â€

The IESF already boasts other countries in its list of members, including Malaysia, Japan, the US, and more. In other related news, the IESF recently announced that they were collaborating and working together with the Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF).
This bodes well for the future of esports worldwide, especially with more countries realizing the importance of the industry.


WoW Overlords Of Outland Drops In Burning Crusade Classic Later This Month

As we announced last week on the Warcraft blog, champions of the Horde and Alliance adventuring beyond the Dark Portal inÂ Burning Crusade ClassicÂ will soon face some of Outlandâ€™s most iconic villains when new raid content becomes available globally at 3:00 p.m. PDT on 15 September 2021.
Overlords of Outland, the next phase of content forÂ Burning Crusade Classic, will expand the gameâ€™s raid offerings to include Tempest Keep, where adventurers will face off against the fallen blood elf prince Kaelâ€™thas Sunstrider and his loyal council, and Serpentshrine Cavern, home of the naga leader Lady Vashj.
Starting with the patch install on 31 August 2021, players can look forward to various features going live over the next few weeks:

On 31 August 2021Â with the patch install:

Looking for a Group tool.

On 14 September 2021Â with server restarts:

PVP honour reset.
Arena Season 2.

On 15 September 2021 at 3pm PT (16 September 2021 at 6am GMT+8) :

New raids: Tempest Keep and Serpentshrine Caverns.
New daily hubs: Shaâ€™tari Skyguard and the Ogres of Ogriâ€™la.
Guild Banks.


How Is Monster Hunter: World Doing After One Month? Pretty Damn Well!

On the flip side of the Metal Gear Survive kerfuffle, another Japanese game franchise is doing incredibly well, especially in the overseas market. We’re referring to Monster Hunter: World, which is Capcom’s not-so-subtle way of starting 2018 with a big bang and making us forget about their other crap like the recent Marvel vs. Capcom game.
And yeah, Capcom’s latest in their money-making keeping-them-in-the-black series is doing really well. How well, you may ask? Let us count the ways:
–The game sold over six million copies as of now, and it’s the fastest-selling game in Capcom history. One of the chief reasons it’s doing really well is that it’s billed as a great entry point into the series while also retaining its hardcoreness among longtime fans.
–Capcom is treating this game like a long-term investment thanks to its Event Quests and limited-time events, like the Street Fighter Ryu armour quest and the two-part Horizon: Zero Dawn-themed events. Seeing as this is the series that gets the longest lines in any trade show in Japan, this shouldn’t come as a surprise.
-Heck, Capcom is still on the ball when it comes to fixing the game’s bugs and keeping the game updated. Remember when Slicing Ammo was top tier? Capcom patched that out. The Xbox One matchmaking algorithm has been fixed following the many complaints during launch. Currently, they’re trying to fix the recent troll tactics where players can stun and stagger players who are carving out dead monsters for rewards; essentially MH:W’s version of griefing.
-There are people out there who are recreating the special Monster Hunter dishes in real life, like user Ki-ki’s wife here:
https://twitter.com/kixki8539742/status/962860774224838656
Mmmm….Â meat and skewers…Rest assured this isn’t the last we’ve seen of these kinds of banquets.
-Finally, Monster Hunter: World’s accessibility makes even mainstream game journalists who usually shy away from Japanese games create interesting pieces about the game and the beasts of myth. Like this Eurogamer piece about medieval bestiaries and their relevance to Monster Hunter: World. It’s a lovely read; do check it out.Â
In other words, Monster Hunter: World is showing no sign of slowing down both from a business standpoint and a cultural footnote. Why fight it? Just get a copy and get to slaying. Unless you’re waiting for the PC version in which case that’s coming out later in Fall.


Cyberpunk 2077 Fans Aim To Take Revenge On The Final Boss, And It Involves Edgerunners

If you’ve been online on Twitter and Reddit, you notice a lot of posts about Cyberpunk 2077 and the hit anime series Cyberpunk Edgerunners. That’s great and all, given the anime series from Studio Trigger has given resurgence to the PC and console RPG that came out in 2020. What’s even crazier is that a huge number of people are gunning for one big bad in particular.
Heavy Cyberpunk Edgerunners and Cyberpunk 2077 spoiler warning for the next section, by the by.

Yep, we’re going to talk about Adam Smasher, the big boss of Cyberpunk 2077 who is easily taken down in the final moments of the game. In Cyberpunk Edgerunners, he’s talked about as a boogeyman in episode 7 and he makes an important appearance in the 10th and last episode.
The whole of Cyberpunk Edgerunners is about young scrappy boy David Martinez who ends up with high-tech enhancements and makes a name for himself as an edgerunner. In the course of the 10 episodes, he makes friends, joins an edgerunner gang, loses a friend or two along the way, and ends up taking one dangerous gig after another. Episodes 9 and 10 have him and his crew dealing with Militech and Arasaka, with the last episode paving the downward spiral of the group as David gets tricked into using high-end cybernetics that ends up frying his sanity and reasoning.

Adam Smasher is the character who ties both the game and anime series together, and is the ire of everyone who saw the show. In Cyberpunk Edgerunner’s final moments, he ends up killing beloved edgerunner Rebecca, interrupting the friendship moment she has with Lucy in the process, as well as killing David as the latter valiantly sacrifices himself while letting Lucy and getaway driver Falco get away.
If you wonder why people are very, very angry at how Rebecca goes out, you clearly haven’t seen the highlight reel below.
Cyberpunk Edgerunners but only the best girl

Naturally, the internet is up in arms at the callous slaughtering of beloved characters by the demon cyborg killer. So what better way to exact revenge than to reinstall Cyberpunk 2077, get back their previous saves when V is about to storm Arasaka Tower, and use the Edgerunner yellow jacket and Rebecca’s colourful shotgun to kill the f*** out of Smasher? Repeatedly.

Everybody buying cyberpunk 2077 after watching Edgerunners so they could kill Adam Smasher pic.twitter.com/aFUkjReK07
— Uncle Joey (@ratfacepunk) September 19, 2022

I'm gonna buy cyberpunk 2077 just to fucking kill adam smasher pic.twitter.com/BUzn5pJZrc
— ??? ?? (@KENG4N) September 23, 2022

 There are TWO kinds of Cyberpunk players after watching Edgerunners from      Edgerunners

 Fuck Adam Smasher, all of my homies hate Adam Smasher from      cyberpunkgame

Even CD Projekt Red are in on this, putting out a tweet to get people to buy Cyberpunk 2077 to exact revenge.

Buy Cyberpunk 2077 to get revenge on a certain individual ? https://t.co/kAdh4SPSB9
— Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (@edgerunners) September 24, 2022

In any case, it’s good news for the publisher as the game is being played by roughly 100,000 people every day on Steam. And it’s in better shape too thanks to the numerous patches and fixes it got since 2020. Cyberpunk 2077’s DLC Phantom Liberty will be out next year, so until then, just cock that colourful shotgun and blast a hole into Adam Smasher’s dumb pale face one more time, in honour of the best anime girl of 2022.
Oh yeah, and David Martinez too, I guess.