FIFA 22 Is Next-Gen FIFA Reimagined

Platform(s): Xbox Series (version played), PS5, Xbox One, PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch
Genre: Annual football game from EA
As someone who’s played a heckaton of football games, the most infuriating part of these games, at least in my books, is the defending. Very rarely do the big two of football sims; FIFA and PES got it right. Missed a tackle? Good luck. Mis-timed a tackle? You better pray to the football gods it isn’t going to be a straight red.
Fine: we get it. It’s all about the excitement and fun of scoring wonders from thirty yards out, or having your twinky-toed strikers and wingers skip, juke and run circles around hapless defenders before tucking in a goal. But this diminishes the roles of defenders in the overall equation. And that isn’t football.
Thankfully though, defending is much more meaningful and enjoyable in FIFA 22 which results in an overall improvement to its predecessor. But is it worth it?
Ball In Their Court

This year’s edition, FIFA 22, is a reflection of the real-life status of the sport it embodies. Gone are the days where the star of a team are players in offensive positions. This year, everyone are given equal room to shine and stamp their mark in a game. Whether it’s Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk or an obscure center defender from a mid-tier club in the Belgian League, defenders have received somewhat of a buff on the field.
But this doesn’t mean that the likes of Lionel Messi, Mo Salah and Kylian Mbappe are severely nerfed. In fact, if used right, awards them with the invincibility their real-life counterparts enjoy on the field. Like Leo, you should anticipate the defenders’ next moves. Like Kylian, you use your physical prowess to out-muscle the opposition defenders. And like Mo, always cut in from the right to allow the space for your trusty left foot to do the talking.
Each year, EA Sports blurts out a specific marketing term that encapsulates the new feature of their yearly release. This year is no different. They call it ‘Hypermotion Technology’. What it means is that players on the field now move and react more realistic than ever. But there’s one caveat. To experience this, you have to play the game on next-gen (ie: current) consoles.
Without going into the technicalities of it, seems as if the folks at EA Sport have decided to abandon the more arcade-y approach the FIFA series has been synonymous with in the past for a slower pace which is almost identical to its fierce rival, Konami’s very own PES – or soon to be known as eFootball. Gone are the days when you’ll see constant flicks and trick attempts by players. It is still doable no doubt but the fact that the physicality factor now plays an even bigger role means that skill spamming has been nerfed.
The result? A FIFA game that’s closest to it has been to reality.
The Most Dangerous Game?
The game is much more tactical and methodical now. Of course, you can still try pinball-ing your passes around a defense line but more often than not, will lose possession faster than Harry Kane submitting a transfer request in January.Â  FIFA 22 deliberately rewards patience and field IQ; the ability to anticipate your own players’ runs down the wing or through the channels.
A new collision engine also ensures the game feels and appear much more organic. I did notice some clipping and players’ bodies melding into one another but these are far in between. Ball contact now feels much more solid as well, with a quick juke of the left thumbstick resulting in specific ball controls, depending on the player’s skill level, speed when controlling the ball and the direction they are facing.
To counter dribblers and slick ball control, the collision engine in FIFA 22 adds more variables on the outcome of an attempted take-on. The offensive player may appear to have the advantage, but depending on the defending player’s attributes, may either outrun, body check to slow the attacker or even fully block the advance.
They’ve also tweaked the A.I for the goalkeepers who appears to be making more correct on-field decisions- whether to challenge for a cross or rushing down an incoming striker. In the past, shots either whizz past a goalkeeper into the net or fly straight into the stands if it comes into contact with the keeper. In FIFA 22, expect to see balls trickle past a weak save or even deflect into the net despite the keeper’s best attempt at saving it.
[videopress sBkGXhpd]
In short, FIFA 22 offers more solid and believable ball control. But there’s one thing that’s inherently FIFA which is still here. Players move on the field as if they are running on ice. Except for this year’s iteration, they’ve brought some skates with them, but the ice still remains.
The outcome? A tighter footballing experience with distinct FIFA-ness in its DNA.
If you are looking at new additions in terms of game modes, you will be sorely disappointed as FIFA 22 is basically a rehash of a tried and tested formula. All the staple modes are here. From the standard 11v11 in Quick Play, Volta, the season-long Career Mode where you get to choose to play as the manager or a player and the ever-popular Ultimate Team mode.Â  We wish we had more to say here but the fact is this; Depending on which mode you play, save for the new ‘feel’ of the game on the pitch the overall experience sticks very close to last year’s offerings and aren’t something to shout about.
Final Whistle
FIFA 22 is a break from tradition in several ways for EA Sports as it leans heavily on the more realistic approach. Whether this move will satisfy their core audience or cause a backlash remains to be seen. But the fact remains that EA Sports are running out of ideas in delivering an annual title that is worth spending on.
With Konami releasing eFootball for free, we find it hard to recommend spending your hard-earned cash on a game that is very much like its predecessor and is closely resembling its more attractive competitor.
Final Score: 70/100


Star Wars The Rise Of Skywalker Trailer Teases The Return Of A Major Villain

As revealed at the Star Wars Episode IX panel at theÂ Star Wars CelebrationÂ event earlier today, the final installment of the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy now has an official name:
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Disney and Lucasfilm also debuted the first teaser trailer for the upcoming movie, and it is glorious. Nothing else in the history of cinema can compare to the mounting anticipation of a new Star Wars movie, regardless of what an abomination Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi was.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adzYW5DZoWs&w=560&h=315]
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker‘s teaser trailer begins with Rey on a desert planet, seemingly out of breath. It turns out that she was trying to take down a First Order Tie Fighter, and she does so with a stylish somersault (and Luke Skywalker’s original blue lightsaber).

Luke Skywalker, or presumably the Force Ghost version of him, narrates the trailer, saying:
“We’ve passed on all we know.
A thousand generations live in you now.
But this is your fight.”
Next, we see Kylo Ren and a bunch of First Order stormtroopers in a skirmish in a burning forest. Someone also repairs his helmet, which he himself broke to smithereens during an emotional outburst in The Last Jedi.

Finn and Poe.

BB-8 and a new droid known only as D.O. for now.

Lando Calrissian returns to pilot the Millenium Falcon with Chewbacca by his side. Too bad Han couldn’t be here to reunite with his old frenemy.

Back on the desert planet, C-3PO, Finn, and Poe are running for their lives from some enemies on speeders.

Bring your tissues, folks. Rey hugs Leia, in what will surely be one of the most emotional moments in the movie, with Luke continuing his narration:
“We’ll always be with you.”

The gang stumbles onto the remains of the second Death Star from Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. The trailer then ends with Luke finishing his narration:
“No one is ever really gone.”

In an unexpected twist of events, it apparently sounds like (from the sinister laugh at the end of the trailer)Â Emperor Palpatine himself, AKA Darth Sidious will be returning in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker to terrorize the galaxy once again.
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker is slated to release on 20 December 2019.


Here’s Your T1 Roster For Worlds 2019

We’re just a few weeks away from the start of the League of Legends World Championship 2019 (Worlds 2019). T1, the current top Korean LoL team has announced their roster for the upcoming tournament. Check out who’s in:

Roles:
Top – Kim “Khan” Dong-ha
Jungle – Kim “Clid” Tae-min, Kang “Haru” Min-seung
Mid – Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok
ADC – Park “Teddy” Jin-seong
Support – Lee “Effort“Â Sang-ho, Cho “Mata” Se-hyeong
I say that they’re currently South Korea’s best because T1 is the champion of the recent League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) 2019 Summer Playoffs. The victory qualified them for Worlds 2019. Earlier in April 2019, they also won the LCK 2019 Spring Playoffs.
Worlds 2019 will be held in Europe with the finals happening in Paris. The tournament begins on 2 October 2019 and will end in early November 2019. For more info, check out the LoL esportsÂ website.


Marvelâ€™s What Ifâ€¦? Episode 6 Breakdown & Easter Eggs

The sixth episode of Marvelâ€™s What Ifâ€¦?Â is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. Iâ€™ll be discussing heavy spoilersÂ so if you havenâ€™t seen it or want to avoid spoilers, nowâ€™s your chance to stop reading.
Marvelâ€™s What Ifâ€¦?Â features fan-favourite characters, including Peggy Carter, Tâ€™Challa, Doctor Strange, Killmonger, Thor and more. The new series, directed by Bryan Andrews with AC Bradley as head writer and Brad Winderbaum as an executive producer, explores hypothetical stories in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
It focuses on non-canonical stories like what happens if Peggy Carter became Captain Britain and if Tâ€™Challa/Black Panther was abducted by the Ravagers instead of Peter Quill/Star-Lord.
You can check out my previous breakdown ofÂ Marvelâ€™s What Ifâ€¦? Episode 1Â here,Â Episode 2 here,Â Episode 3 here,Â Episode 4 hereÂ and Episode 5 here.
If you havenâ€™t, you can check out my previous breakdown and easter egg articles forÂ WandaVisionÂ Episode 1 and 2,Â Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5,Â Episode 6,Â Episode 7,Â Episode 8Â andÂ Episode 9.
ForÂ The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, you can check out my previous breakdowns forÂ Episode 1,Â Episode 2Â andÂ Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5Â andÂ Episode 6.
For previous breakdowns ofÂ LokiÂ episodes, check outÂ Episode 1 here,Â Episode 2 here,Â Episode 3 here,Â Episode 4 here,Â Episode 5 hereÂ andÂ Episode 6 here.
Courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia, we were recently lucky enough to participate in a roundtable interview withÂ Marvelâ€™s What Ifâ€¦?Â Executive ProducerÂ Brad Winderbaum, Head WriterÂ AC Bradley, and DirectorÂ Bryan Andrews. You can check out that interview byÂ heading over here.
Recently, we also interviewedÂ Marvelâ€™s What Ifâ€¦?Â EditorsÂ Graham Fisher and Joel Fisher, Animation SupervisorÂ Stephan Franck, and Head of Visual Development and Character DesignÂ Ryan Meinerding. You can check out that interview byÂ heading over here.

Erik Stevens (Killmonger) Saves Tony Stark

Erik Stevens Killmonger saves Tony Stark from getting captured by the Ten Rings in Afghanistan, which means that Tony Stark never becomes Iron Man in this universe.
As a result, Tony hired Killmonger as his chief security officer, which leads to the next major twist…
Killmonger Reveals Obadiah Stane As The Villain At The Press Conference

This means that in this universe, Obadiah never becomes the Iron Monger.
The Episode References The Fact That Killmonger Actor Michael B. Jordan Is An Anime Fan, There’s Even A Gundam Easter Egg

Tony offers to bring Killmonger’s Liberator drones to life, but designs look terribly familiar to anime-style mechas. Tony outright mentions Gundam, which is what the drone designs sort of look like.
Killmonger: What? I like anime.
Tony Stark: Worst case scenario, we’ll end up with the world’s most expensive Gundam model.
Tony Considers Building An Arc Reactor But He Never Does Because He Was Never Forced To Build One

The Late Chadwick Boseman As Black Panther

This is his 3rd of four appearances in Marvel’s What If…?
RIP Chadwick Boseman.
Killmonger Kills T’Challa And James Rhodes

Yes, Killmonger kills the Black Panther and James Rhodey Rhodes in cold blood.
Brutal.

Killmonger Kills Tony Stark

Killmonger Plans A Scheme To Become A Hero In The Eyes Of Wakanda

Killmonger is now in Wakanda and hatches a scheme to help destroy the Liberator drones when it was him who brought them to Wakanda in the first place.

Killmonger Becomes The Black Panther

Killmonger Meets T’Challa In The Djalia (The Wakanda Afterlife)

There, T’Challa warns Killmonger that his downfall could be imminent, and he’s right. Shuri and Pepper are already planning to expose him for being behind everything’s that happened.

This is probably one of the best episodes yet, and the highlight is definitely that entire battle sequence between the Liberator drones and Wakanda.
Thatâ€™s all for this week, folks. Until next week, Excelsior, true believers!


Blizzard Has Removed LAN Support From Diablo 2: Resurrected

This might be a dealbreaker to some, but it is worth mentioning. Just before Diablo 2: Resurrected starts this 13th August, Blizzard announces in an FAQ that it will be removing the old-fashioned way of playing the game.
Blizzard has removed TCP/IP support connections (local network) just ahead of the beta launch, despite previously announcing that the final game will support the feature. Here’s the portion of the FAQ:
Q: Will TCP/IP support be available in the Early Access to Open Beta tests?
A:Â TCP/IP support will not be available in the upcoming Beta or the final game. After careful deliberation, we will no longer be supporting this option as we identified potential security risks and are committed to safeguarding the player experience.
Why is this important? Because some players would like to play the game over LAN but also play online using a third-party tool like Hamachi or GameRanger, circumventing Battle.net. The downside to this is that you’re using local save files, meaning you will encounter hacks and cheaters if you’re playing with strangers.
TCP/IP multiplayer is also the only way to quickly reroll maps without external tools when speedrunning the game on normal difficulty. Popular mods such as Median XL, Path of Diablo and Project Diablo 2, have their own dedicated servers, meaning this change makes it impossible to play the less popular mods online with remastered graphics and features.
It does suck though, but for most of us who want to play the game as is, only the most hardcore of fans will miss this option. Many detractors will add this in the long line of Blizzard cockups; right now the company is currently under fire for its many, many workplace kerfuffles.
The Diablo 2: Resurrected beta will be out on 13 August for those who pre-ordered the game and 20th August for the rest. It’ll be out for Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC.


Shazam 2 Ending & Post Credits Scenes Explained

Shazam! Fury of the Gods (or Shazam 2 for this article) is out right now in Southeast Asia for every comic book fan out there still keeping track of the DC Extended Universe. Is it fun? You betcha; go check it out now if you want a fun family-friendly superhero films with a good balance of jokes and drama. While not the most memorable of the lot, it’s still a fun ride that’s worth the price of admission.
The show ended on quite a high note, though we don’t know if it’ll matter in James Gunn’s new DC universe. In any case, here’s the part where we talk about the last 20 minutes of the film, including the mid-credits and post-credits scenes. So spoiler warning!

How Shazam 2 Ended
The show ends on a climatic battle between Shazam/Billy Batson and the gods from the title. One of them, Kalypso, is off her rockers and wants to destroy Earth by having the Seed of Life (the show’s macguffin) grow on Earth, which will destroy it. The seed also grows Greek monsters like minotaurs, harpies, chimeras, cyclopses. And also unicorns; we’ll get to that in the bit.
Shazam/Billy Batson confronts Kalypso after making a deal with the dying Hespera (who got killed by Kalypso’s dragon in an expected face turn) to make the dome smaller and encompassing the Seed of Life’s growth spot after evacuating the citizens of Philadelphia away from it.
Shazam’s Marvel family, depowered by the magic staff Kalypso wields, help out by using the aforementioned unicorns to herd all the rogue monsters in one spot. MVP award goes to Darla (Faithe Herman) for taming the fierce unicorns using Skittles, which is the closest thing you’ll get to ambrosia (a unicorn’s favourite treat).
Shazam/Billy Batson sacrifices himself for his town of Philadelphia by overloading the magic staff while fighting Kalypso (Lucy Liu) and her CGI dragon. Apparently the two were a match for god sisters Anthea and Hespera, who turned good after Kalypso’s madness took over.
So yeah, they killed off Shazam. Everyone’s sad from the Marvel family, the foster parents, and the wizard. They buried him in a place fit for gods: the magic Greek location the sisters resided.
But wait! We can’t end it on such a downer note. Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot plus the “Is She With You?” Hans Zimmer theme) pops up as a deus ex machina to remind everyone that she still exists in the DC Universe, and uses her godhood to power up the staff and bring magic back to the abandoned god place.
Where was she during all that god/dragon/dome nonsense happening in America? Who cares? Shazam/Billy Batson comes back from the dead because of magic. And the foster kids got their powers back. And handicapped kid Freddy hooks up with a 6,000-year old Anthea (Rachel Zegler). Hooray!
Mid-Credits Scene
We see two familiar faces talking as they’re walking to their target superhero: John Economos and Agent Emilia Harcourt of The Suicide Squad/Peacemaker fame.

They’ve been told by Amanda Waller to recruit a new hero in the middle of a designated secret spot, which turns to be our hero Shazam. He’s offered a position in the Justice Society (Of America).

Unlike the Justice League, the Justice Society are usually a group of elder superheroes who train younger and less-experienced heroes for a long career. Either that, or this group could be a front for future Amanda Waller shenanigans. In the comics, they were the precursor to the Justice League during the early Golden Age of comics.
The Justice Society already exists in the DCEU, having previously appeared in Black Adam. In that movie, Doctor Fate died, so Amanda Waller is now presumably looking for a magical powerhouse replacement, which Shazam would be perfect for.

Post-Credits Scene

The post-credit scene shows Doctor Sivana, now with a beard. After waiting for two years in his prison (with the same chalk scribblings), he hears back from Mr Mind the caterpillar. The latter said that plans will soon be set in motion, while Sivana complains about waiting. After some back and forth, Mr Mind says he needs to do one more thing and zips out, making Doctor Sivana wait again.
This could be a troll attempt from the directors and address the previous mid-credits scene from the first Shazam movie. Then again, this could mean that DCEU overseers James Gunn and Peter Safran may have plans for Mr Mind in a future Shazam movie. While there is no word on a Shazam sequel happening in the Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters set of DC films, the “Monsters” part might be something worth tackling in a future Shazam film.
After all, Mr Mind is the leader of the Monster Society of Evil. Gods and Monsters…Monster Society… there could be something there even if we’re reading into this too much.


E3 2023 Planned For Mid-June; Features Separate Industry & Consumer Days

E3 2023 will be back, and will run from 13 to 16 June at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
The event will feature separate industry and consumer days and spaces just like in Tokyo Game Show, according to the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). The partnered digital events and showcases will happen on 11 June.
E3’s business days will be from 13 to 15th June, and are reserved for registered industry personnel. Media will go hands-on with upcoming games in these industry-only halls and spaces. Meanwhile, the E3 Gamer Days will take place from 15 to 16 June in a separate hall from the industry area. This section will also host a dedicated theater of content for ticket holders, featuring deep dive looks at highly-anticipated titles.
“E3 is one of the global gaming industry’s few opportunities to come together, unite as one loud voice, and show the world what it is creating”, says Reedpop VP of Gaming Kyle Marsden-Kish in a press release.
“Our vision is to reunite the industry by re-establishing the traditional E3 week, bring back that spark, and restore E3’s role as a truly magical global showcase event for game creators and consumers”.
It’ll be interesting to see how this new E3 will unfold, despite this year’s no-show (being replaced by Geoff Keighley’s Summer Games Fest) and the games journalist database and contacts leak from the ESA a while back.


[Report] NetEase Games Is Poaching Yakuza’s Toshihiro Nagoshi From Sega

It’s a possible end of an era for Sega, according to a recent Bloomberg report.
NetEase Games is in final negotiations to poach Yakuza and Super Monkey Ball creator Toshihiro Nagoshi from Sega. According to sources close to the deal, Nagoshi is going to set up his own team to create new games, though there hasn’t been a signed final contract as of yet.
NetEase Games, a Chinese mobile game-making company, has been making its presence felt in the Japanese video game market as of late. The company is currently investing in Marvelous and PlatinumGames (who just showcased more Sol Cresta gameplay). The company has also established a Shibuya-based video game company called Ouka Studio, led by Bandai Namco veteran Tetsuya Akatsuka.
For more Yakuza news, check out the recent updates on Sega’s Lost Judgment.Â


Overwatch League: How The Name Dallas Fuel Came About

In a recently released video, founder of the EnVyUs organization and now, owner and CEO of the Dallas Fuel, Mike “Hastr0” Rufail, discusses the teams move to Dallas, some insight and reasoning on the branding and team name, and why the future is bright for the fans of the Dallas Fuel and the Overwatch League.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3UJ7Q9f5A8&w=560&h=315]
Preseason for the Overwatch League starts in December, a month ahead of its regular season in January 2018. The tournament will carry on for the next six months before heading into the playoffs mid 2018.


Black Panther Wakanda Forever Trailer Breakdown: Namor, Ironheart & More

During San Diego Comic-Con 2022, Marvel Studios unveiled the first teaser trailer for Black Panther Wakanda Forever, which is slated to end Phase Four of the MCU and premiere on 11 November 2022.
Let’s check out what’s interesting in the trailer:
Is T’Challa Dead?

The trailer starts on a sombre note and it looks like a sort of funeral. We also see Letitia Wright’s Shuri crying. While it hasn’t been confirmed either by Marvel or in the trailer, it seems likely that perhaps the late Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa has passed away in the MCU as well.
Plus, that mural. Murals in the MCU usually indicate the deceased (see Tony Stark AKA Iron Man).

Probably Namor’s Parents

The man is blue, so he must be Atlantean. The woman isn’t blue, so she must be human. If true, these are probably the parents of Namor.
And That’s Namor

Namor will be played by Tenoch Huerta.

Closer Look At Atlanteans

Judging from their blue skin, these are probably Atlanteans. The female Atlantean in front might be Namora, the cousin of Namor.
Riri Williams AKA Ironheart

Riri Williams AKA Ironheart, played by Dominique Thorne, will make her MCU debut. She’s basically the new-gen Iron Man, a genius who builds a suit of armour of her own.
It Looks Like Namor Might Try To Attack Wakanda With A Tidal Wave Like In The Comics

In the comics (Avengers Vs X-Men), Namor gained the powers of the Phoenix and used it to unleash a tidal wave on Wakanda.
He might be doing the same in Black Panther Wakanda Forever, but without the powers of the Phoenix, of course.

New Black Panther

The trailer ends with someone in a Black Panther suit unsheathing their claws. It’s unknown who this is. It might still be the late Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa or it could be anyone else. The most likely candidate for now remains Letitia Wright’s Shuri.
Check out the full trailer below:


Get Ready For KartRider: Drift By Pre-Registering

KartRider: Drift is now open for pre-registration to racers in preparation for its launch on PC via Steam, Xbox One, PS4 and mobile. Those who sign up will receive the special character Model Student Diz when the game officially launches.
Each platform KartRider: Drift launches on will have an exclusive character and kart theme. Racers can claim this exclusive by playing the game within 90 days of its global launch. Each platform exclusive is redeemable only once per account.

KartRider: Drift is an upcoming multiplayer kart racing party game, taking inspiration from earlier titles in the franchise, delivering drift-fueled racing action and featuring multiple game modes and deep player-created kart and character customization in stunning Unreal Engine 4 graphics. KartRider: Drift offers free-to-play online cross-platform play and progression to challenge friends.
Originally launched in 2004, KartRider was the first title in Nexon’s kart racing series and subsequently gained huge popularity in Asia and beyond, amassing more than 300 million players during its 18 years of release. As a franchise, KartRider has established a strong brand across Asian markets and a huge esports presence in Korea with the official league starting in 2005. It continues to be the longest-running esports league to date.
For more information about KartRider: Drift, fans can visit the pre-registration website.
KEY FEATURES

Awesome Game Modes – Racers can test their grit in “Speed Mode,” a fast-paced mode that will test the racer’s reaction skills and strategy using the boost. “Item Mode” offers a wide variety of usable items to attack opposing teams or defend their allies. Finally, racers can challenge their friends in “Custom Race.”
Crisp Graphics – KartRider: Drift delivers bright and colourful graphics directly to PC, console and mobile racers’ screens.
Full Customization (Livery) – Almost every kart’s features can be customized to fit each player’s individual style.


Beyond Umbrella Academy: The Other Works Of Gerard Way

Fans of Gerard Way were miffed earlier this week when UK-based MetroÂ published an article titled “Who is Gerard Way”, and referred to the former My Chemical Romance frontman as “the man who wrote The Umbrella Academy comics”. This triggered responses from fans all over the world on social media.
I’ve been a fan of both My Chemical Romance’s music and Gerard Way’s comics for a long time, and I understand that while there are legions of MCR fans out there (where are my fellow MCRmy members at?), not many actually know that Gerard is an accomplished comic book writer.
In fact, Gerard Way has been writing comics longer than he’s been a musician. He may have formed My Chemical Romance in 2001, but he started writing comics at the tender age of 16 in 1993. To that end, he even graduated from the School of Visual Arts in New York City with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1999 to pursue a career in the comic book industry.
Imagine that, the same guy who most people only know as the rocking lead singer of MCR, has actually been writing comics since he was a teenager. Before I trail off even further, here’s a list of Gerard Way’s best comic books throughout the years:
The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse Comics)

Written by Gerard Way and drawn by Gabriel Ba,Â the first issue of The Umbrella Academy was published by Dark Horse in 2007, and the series is currently still ongoing. While those who’ve watched the live-action adaptation on Netflix will already know the gist of the story and characters, I’ll just explain more about the source material.
The Umbrella Academy features a dysfunctional family of superheroes similar to that of Marvelâ€™s X-Men or DC Comicsâ€™ Doom Patrol. In fact, Gerard cites Grant Morrison’s iconic run on the Doom Patrol as one of his main inspirations for The Umbrella Academy.
Just like the X-Men or the Doom Patrol, the people with special abilities in The Umbrella Academy are led by an eccentric leader, but this time itâ€™s an alien named Sir Reginald Hargreeves or simply, The Monocle.
In an alternate historical version of our Earth), 43 superpowered babies were miraculously born to random women who were not pregnant the day before. The Monocle adopts seven of these children and trains them to fight threats.
The Umbrella Academy comics are notable for their realistic depiction of family dynamics and the way it subverts the comic book genre tropes, just like Alan Moore’s Watchmen or the previously-mentioned Grant Morrison’s Doom Patrol.
Forgive my french but the series is also batshit crazy and could only have come from the unique creative mind of Gerard Way. His comic book career really took off when The Umbrella Academy won the Eisner Award for Best Finite Series/Limited Series in 2008, which is comic book industry’s equivalent of the Oscars/Grammys/Emmys.
There are currently two complete volumes of The Umbrella Academy (The Apocalypse Suite and Dallas), as well as an ongoing third volume slated to finish later this year (Hotel Oblivion). In the meantime, if you’ve finished watching the first season of The Umbrella Academy on Netflix, check out this article on what I think we can expect from season 2.

Edge of Spider-Verse #5 (Marvel Comics)
Peni Parker and Sp//dR in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
Peni Parker and her mech Sp//dR might be one of the most recognizable Spider-people besides Peter Parker and Miles Morales now, thanks to last year’s phenomenal Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse animated movie. What most people don’t know is that Peni Parker and Sp//dR was originally created by none other than Gerard Way.
You heard that right. Gerard Way made his Marvel Comics debut by writing Edge of Spider-Verse #5 in 2014. Drawn by Jake Wyatt, the single issue introduced Peni Parker into Marvel canon, who later played a significant part in the Spider-Verse crossover.
The comic book version of Peni Parker doesn’t really look like her cutesy animated counterpart. Gerard Way was inspired by popular mecha anime and manga like Neon Genesis Evangelion when creating the character. The inspirations can clearly be seen when one looks at the designs for the Sp//dR mech piloted by Peni in the comics (which also doesn’t look anything like its animated counterpart).
Peni Parker and Sp//dR in Edge of Spider-Verse #5
Doom Patrol (DC Comics – Young Animal Imprint)

DC Comics hired Gerard Way in 2016 to spearhead the Young Animal, which would focus on relaunching characters from the DC Universe in stories for mature readers with a more experimental approach than DC’s primary line of superhero comics. This was perfect for Gerard Way’s unique writing style and creative mind.
Gerard himself wrote 12 issues of Doom Patrol and co-wrote several issues of Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye. His take on the Doom Patrol was a definite highlight, filled with bizarre visuals and story beats as a throwback to the crazier times of the Silver Age of comics.
A live-action adaptation of Doom Patrol recently debuted on the DC Universe streaming app, though it seems to be deriving elements mostly from Grant Morrison’s take on the team. However, it’s still possible to see some of Gerard Way’s ideas being adapted into the series.
The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (Dark Horse Comics)

Did you know that there’s a sequel to My Chemical Romance’s fourth studio album, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, in the form of comics? Published by Dark Horse Comics, in 2013, Gerard Way co-wrote six issues alongside Shaun Simon.
Set in a neon dystopian world, The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys features the followers of the original Killjoys (the MCR band members, including Gerard himself) as they fight against the tyrannical megacorporation Better Living Industries.
It’s more of the quirky and crazy writing that Gerard is known for, and it’s a unique take on a neon dystopian setting, not unlike Blade Runner’s 2019 Los Angeles or Akira’s 2019 Neo-Tokyo.

So there you have it, folks. Gerard Way is accomplished in both the music and comics industry, and I hope that he keeps making more of both in the future. especially now that The Umbrella Academy is a hit Netflix series.


E3 2019: FIFA 20 Kicks Off This September; Features Street Football Mode & Penalty Kick Overhauls

Mark your calendars, digital football fans and connoisseurs of annualized sports franchises: FIFA 20 will be out 27th September. Here’s what we know so far based on the EA presentation and the live interviews at EA Play.

Close manual control and skill moves will take centre stage. EA will be toning down AI defenders, offering less help and encouraging you to engage more in manual defence. To offset this learning curve, tackling will be more effective as long as you use the right move in the right context.
EA will be creating tenser one-on-one situations. Players will have access to more skill moves and opportunities to chain multiple skill moves for a “more realistic outcome”. No, we have no idea what this means apart from “possibly fumbling and falling flat on your face” but player characteristics involving speed and strength will have more of an impact this time around.
EA will be overhauling the penalty and free kicks system. Players will now know the trajectory they’re going for, and figure out what skills to use when using the right analog stick. This is to eliminate the “sweet spot” goal moments players can exploit in past FIFA and even other football games.
FIFA 20 will introduce a new mode called Volta. Basically, it’s their newest take on FIFA Street, where you can have 3v3 setups or even have no keepers involved in a street futsal match.

Check out the kick-tastic trailer below, which I’m sure will be representative of every new FIFA game release because they’ve done this so many times.


There’s A Better Version Of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite Out There: It’s Called Maguss

Youâ€™ve probably heard of the upcoming augmented reality (AR) mobile game, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. But have you heard of Maguss? Probably not.
What is Maguss? Well, it’s an indie developed AR mobile game launched into open beta in February 2018 centred around character classes, magic spellcasting, potion brewing, and magical creatures. If that sounds familiar, that’s because Harry Potter: Wizards Unite has very similar features.
And guess what? Maguss actually did it better.
Maguss, for quite a while, was dubbed by the community as the replacement for a hypothetical â€˜Harry Potter GOâ€™ game, which we now know as Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. Watching the development of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, I have noticed many aspects of the game that Maguss had already adopted and added their own compelling spin.
Letâ€™s delve into why I think Maguss is subjectively better than Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. But first, I must address the eye-glaring elephant in the room.
It’s Definitely Not The Aesthetics
First of all, letâ€™s tackle the subject of graphics and overall aesthetics. Maguss isnâ€™t the glowing example of a mobile game with amazing graphics, in fact, compared to many other mobile games out there, the game falls short.
However, its art styleÂ is “magic-ey” enough for players to become immersed in its world and is somewhat reminiscent of old school MMORPGs. TheÂ effects for each and every spell (which there are many of) have their own distinct appearance that further adds to player immersion.

Harry Potter: Wizards UniteÂ has polished 3D graphics and more complex AR capabilities (ie battling magical creatures in AR space). Weâ€™d expect nothing less from Niantic, the people who gave us Pokemon GO, as they not only have experience from developing Pokemon GO but also have the financial backing of a massive franchise.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s get to the good stuff.
So It Must Be Gameplay, Right?
Both Maguss and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite have somewhat similar gameplay mechanics, you walk around to collect potion brewing ingredients and come across magical creatures to battle. Hereâ€™s where I think Maguss actually did it better, their Battle System. Both games require players to draw a pattern to cast a spell but thatâ€™s where the similarities stop.
Letâ€™s break down how the basic battle in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite would play out. The main bulk of battling in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite would come from battling in â€˜Fortressesâ€™, a dungeon of sorts, that can be attempted by multiple people at a time, similar to a raid in Pokemon GO.

However, when battling a magical creature, players need only use simple gestures or â€˜Tracesâ€™ to cast â€˜Filipendoâ€™ (an attack spell) and â€˜Protegoâ€™ (a protect spell) in a turn-based style encounter.
The damage output or damage reduction is dependent on how good your spellcasting is, which is basically how well you traced the gesture shown on screen. Of course, players will have access to potions that can restore health or improve your spellcasting for a set amount of turns.
Maguss, on the other hand, is a different â€˜fantastic beastâ€™ altogether. Magussâ€™ battle system is honestly out of this world and delivers on the experience of feeling like a wizard with an arsenal of spells at the ready. Battles are more methodical and drawn out but feels satisfying and rewarding at the same time.
Players get a wide variety of spells from different categories such as Dark Arts, Sorcery, Charms and Invocations. These categories of spells offer varied, unique and occasionally very niche uses.
The Dark Arts spells focus on inflicting damage over time and debuffing the enemy, Sorcery spells focus on dealing as much damage as possible, Charms operates to heal and buff the user while Invocations serves to bolster your defences against specific spells.

The battle system revolves around somewhat of a mana system called Heat. Each player can have a max of 15 Heat and spells require Heat to cast. Players need to carefully strategize each turn to fully maximize their damage output. There are even ways to regain Heat and increase your maximum Heat through different spells. With each player having access to a max of 10 spells in battle, players will be able to experiment and perfect their suited playstyle depending on their stat distribution.
The magical creatures you battle will also have to adhere to the same rules and will have access to the exact same spells as you do but will usually specialize in a certain set of spells. This forces players to modify their strategy for each creature they face.
For example, you can fight a Treant that will cast a spell that does more damage to players more adept at Sorcery spells or a Golem that will constantly use shielding and healing spells.

With the number of spells available to players and a live PvP duelling system players can access from the comfort of their homes, Maguss has the potential for highly deep theory crafting and an equally deep competitive scene.
Earlier I mentioned stat distribution, another distinguishing factor of Maguss from Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is the existence of loot/gear. Players can outfit their character with powerful â€˜set gearâ€™ that complement their playstyle. Not to mention, the infinite possibilities to customize and pimp out the look of your character.

Potions in Maguss not only offer the standard healing potions but also certain elixirs that will aid the player in buffing certain spells. Thereâ€™s a potion for increasing your damage over time spells, thereâ€™s a potion to fortify your defence spells and thereâ€™s even a potion to increase your spell accuracy.
Why You Havenâ€™t Heard About Maguss
Maguss was developed by a small team in Denmark that had ambitious plans for the game when it first started its Kickstarter campaign in August 2015. The team even had plans to produce a â€˜Maguss Wandâ€™ a peripheral to be used to play the game, similar to the Pokemon GO Plus.
However, they had to scrap the idea due to monetary reasons. Even with the help of the Kickstarter campaigns, Maguss did not reach its intended goal, resulting in the lead developer having to pull money from his own pocket. Fast forward to today, the game is still in open beta with little to no updates.
Itâ€™s an unfortunate situation because I personally see a lot of potential in Maguss and its dynamic gameplay. Itâ€™s an amazingly well-crafted universe with a kick-ass battle system to boot. While Harry Potter: Wizards Unite can only exist within the Harry Potter lore, Maguss has no such restrictions and can expand their universe infinitely.
Your interest in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite may vary depending on your interest in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them franchise. The game pulls heavily from the concept of finding magical creatures and containing their presence from the muggle world. Iâ€™ve personally never been a big fan of the Fantastic Beasts series myself.

The sad truth is that Maguss doesnâ€™t stand a chance against Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, at least from a marketing and branding standpoint.Â Slap the word Harry Potter on something and the fans will come running. I shudder every time I think of the god-awful Harry Potter Hogwarts Mastery mobile game.
Well, that has been my breakdown of why Maguss is subjectively better than Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. The game is available for download for Android and iOS if you want to give it a go.


What To Expect From E3 2018

This feature is still in development; we have a new TCSS podcast coming up to cover the bottom topics, so stay tuned for those videos!
Also, we’re going to be streaming our live reactions on our Facebook page. Join us in the wee hours of the morning during the many E3 presentations!
So now that we have a schedule to E3 2018, the elephant in the room remains: what games will be shown? More importantly, what’s going to happen during the press conferences next week?
We have our thoughts in video form and also in written form for your convenience.
PlayStation: Will They Keep Calm?
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/1438687646235646/
PlayStation can take a breather since it already unleashed their double whammy of God of War and Detroit: Become Human. No, really. Just keep it low key and go on with your four-game presentations that is The Last of Us Part 2, Ghost of Tsushima, Death Stranding, and Spider-Man.
Also, thanks for the Days Gone release date: mark your calendars for February 22.Â
Xbox: The Doubling Down

All of Xbox’s offerings are pretty obvious: a new Halo, a new Forza Horizon, and a new Gears of War. TheÂ new Halo sounds pretty interesting though; it could be the be-all-end-all game. There is also a Fable 4 in the works according to strong Eurogamer sourced reports; it will be developed by the guys behind Forza Horizon and will retain its classic Fable fantasy setting and (hopefully) its odd sense of humour.
We’re still a bit miffed about the Crackdown 3 delay; it’s now pushed back to 2019. We still hope it isn’t true though.
Nintendo: Will They Surprise Us?

To answer bluntly, yes they will. They have to. They have to be aggressive with their push, and just announcing games like Bayonetta 3 isn’t enough if it wants to sell more Nintendo Switches.
Will the new Pokemon, Super Smash Bros. port, and new Metroid Prime game be as big a system seller like Super Mario Odyssey and Legend of Zelda? Probably by a tad, but at least it’s better than nothing. If the rumours about a new F-Zero by Platinum Games and Star Fox game from Retro Studios (the OG Metroid Prime folks) are true, then the hardcore gamers will be the happy campers indeed.
Bethesda: Carry On

Rage 2 and Fallout 76. And maybe some expansions for Elder Scrolls Online. Are they going to surprise us? Maybe not, but if they can present their show like they did in 2015, we’re in for a treat.
EA: Earning Trust Back

Forgiveness. That’s the one commodity EA needs to beg for from their audience. With all of their shenanigans from the Star Wars Battlefront II loot box fiasco to their axing of Visceral Games, EA hasn’t been portrayed in the best light for the past few years.
It’s time they buck up with their presentations for Battlefield 5, Anthem, and all of their games and perform a few acts of redemption. Perhaps they might axe their method of annualizing their sports games and opt for a season pass/yearly pass model for future roster updates, so long as players have the last version of FIFA or some other title?
Square Enix: They’re Still Around

Kingdom Hearts III release date. That’s all Square Enix needs to announce and the rest of the gaming populace will be fine. Other than that, they just need to prove that they’re major players in the game still. With Shadow of the Tomb Raider coming in alongside the Avengers game and Just Cause 4 (see leak below), we hope to see more JRPG surprises from the house that brought us Final Fantasy.

Speaking of which, the FFVII Remake will be done in late 2020. Trust these guys to take their time with anything big.
Ubisoft: Divvying It Up

We’re going to see a showcase of Beyond Good & Evil 2, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and Skull & Bones. That’s it. We hope that whatever surprises they have are new IPs and experimental fares like Child of Light. We need that Ubisoft to show up and not get to embroiled in its Ubisoft open world template.
Capcom: The Best For Last

Last but not least we have Capcom who don’t have a press conference but are still major players nonetheless since they make multiplatform games. Apart from their official showing of Mega Man 11, a new Monster Hunter World Ultimate edition, and a bunch of stuff, there’s also a few IPs they haven’t announced yet.
But we already do: Devil May Cry 5 and Resident Evil 2 Remake are a confirmation. It’s already been proven thanks to the domain name registrations.

If you go to https://t.co/r9ogy4bS8L with the "www" included, you will now be redirected to a 404 page. The site has an IP and is hosted on an AWS server with IPV4 and IPv6 addresses. It's happening. It's beyond a done deal.
— Mystic (@MysticDistance) June 7, 2018

Personally, 2019 is due for a Dragon’s Dogma 2 or whatever the heck that Deep Down demo is supposed to evolve into.


This New Genshin Impact Eula Trailer Is Making Players Regret Rolling For The Last Banner

Hope you didn’t blow all your Primogems on Zhongli and his current banner. Mihoyo just released a new Genshin Impact trailer showcasing its latest 5-star character: the Cryo claymore-wielding swordswoman Eula.
She’s cold, calm, has a rebellious streak, and is a pretty good dancer. Her giant sword skills allow her to gain Grimheart stack buffs that increase her resistance to interruption and her defenses. She can also consume all Grimheart stacks for a massive attack with heavy Cryo properties. Her Elemental Burst lets her summon a Lightfall Sword that gives her useful passives while active.

Her character banner called Born of Ocean Swell, will be up on 18th May 6pm GMT+8 and will end on 8th June 3pm GMT+8. Other characters in the Genshin Impact banner include Xinyan, Beidou, and Xingqiu.


Zack Snyder’s Justice League Is Superior To The Whedon Cut

The wait is almost over. For Zack Snyder and those in the Snyder Cut movement, it’s been a long four years since Joss Whedon’s cut of the Justice League launched back in 2017. Now, Zack Snyder’s Justice League (or Justice League Snyder Cut) has finally arrived, and that alone should already be considered an achievement.
This is perhaps the first time in cinematic Hollywood history that a major movie is being re-released with the intention of following the director’s original vision. How does it hold up to the gargantuan expectations of fans and naysayers alike?
Let me start by saying this; Zack Snyder’s Justice League should have been the movie that premiered in 2017, not the abomination that was the Justice League.
Better Than Josstice League

First things first, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is four hours and two minutes long. How much difference could two extra hours make? A ton. This feels like a totally different movie. Joss Whedon’s Justice League was full of cringeworthy moments as it attempted but ultimately and miserably failed at emulating the tone of a conventional Marvel Cinematic Universe movie. Remember that cringy opening scene with Superman speaking to a bunch of kids who were recording him with their phone? That’s gone.
The opening of Zack Snyder’s Justice League immediately segues from the ending of 2016’s Batman V Superman Dawn Of JusticeÂ by showing viewers the reactions of everyone else in the world at the moment of Superman’s death at the hands of Doomsday. It then doesn’t waste any time and goes directly to Batman trying to recruit the future members of the Justice League.
The first half of Zack Snyder’s Justice League is mostly scenes you’ve already seen in 2017’s Justice League, but with additional scenes sprinkled throughout. We’re introduced to a new character who was cut out of Joss Whedon’s version (Zheng Kai’s Ryan Choi AKA the man who would one day be the Atom), we actually see how Wonder Woman learns about the incoming threat of Darkseid, and we get to finally meet Kiersey Clemons’ Iris West.
Remember that flashback scene of the distant past when the forces of Darkseid and Apokolips first invaded Earth? We receive an extended version of that in Zack Snyder’s Justice League that’s much more awesome and makes much more sense. In fact, the entire movie features additional scenes and details that add more context and dimension, which is the biggest improvement of this movie compared to the 2017 version.

My worst gripe with Joss Whedon’s Justice League was that it felt incoherent and choppy, with messy pacing and a rushed ending that hurt the movie (I pointed this out in my review back then). In Zack Snyder’s Justice League, everything just flows better and more naturally.
Despite being four hours long, it’s hard for me to think of any scene that’s really pointless or meaningless, which is definitely a pleasant surprise and impressive considering the length of the movie.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League is also better than Batman V Superman Dawn Of Justice. While the overall tone is still dark and melancholy, a distinct feeling of hope permeates the movie more clearly. It’s not grim and serious all the time; there are still lighter moments of levity and emotional performances. The result is a more balanced, emotional and powerful movie, with cinematic cinematography to match it. If there’s one thing Zack Snyder excels at, it’s to make a movie that looks cinematic as heck.
The music and soundtrack are more pronounced. Junkie XL comes with a brand new original soundtrack for Zack Snyder’s Justice League and he brought his A-game (he was replaced by Danny Elfman in Joss Whedon’s Justice League). It does a lot of the heavy lifting to elevate the epicness of the movie and adding much-needed gravitas. The 2017 version was sorely lacking in this department.
One grievance that I do have with Zack Snyder’s Justice League is that it doesn’t have to be R-rated at all. Sure, it’s gory with a lot of blood, as well as features a few decapitations and impalements, but there’s nothing really gratuitous about the violence. I also noticed a few F-bombs in the movie, but that’s it.
It’s Cyborg’s Time To Shine

After watching Zack Snyder’s Justice League, I truly feel like Ray Fisher’s Victor Stone AKA Cyborg received the short end of the stick by Joss Whedon in the 2017 version. In the 2017 movie, he’s pretty much relegated to the sidelines and never really got to do much. No wonder he’s mad as hell at Whedon. I would too, considering how big Cyborg’s role was originally supposed to be according to Zack Snyder’s original version.
A lot of the additional two hours is spent fleshing out Victor Stone’s story and origin, as well as exploring his estranged relationship with his scientist father, Silas Stone. We even get to witness training montages of how he learns to use his abilities, making it clearer to viewers how he’s not just DC Comics’ Iron Man or anything.
He’s a much more complex character in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and he’s here to do more than just shout booyah.
This time around, Cyborg is actually integral to the movie’s plot and his relationship with his father forms the emotional crux of the movie. Now I understand why Zack Snyder referred to Ray Fisher’s Victor Stone as the “heart” of the movie. Cyborg was never anyone’s favourite character in the 2017 version, but that might change with this version of the character.
The Last Hour Makes It A Completely New Movie

The first three hours of Zack Snyder’s Justice League arguably follows similar beats to the 2017 Joss Whedon version, but the last hour of the four-hour makes it all completely worth it. I won’t spoil the final one hour of the movie, but trust me when I say that it’s where the promised new experience lies in wait.
It feels appropriately climactic and the stakes feel much higher, as the roles of each hero are better defined; not to mention that Superman’s highly-anticipated arrival is much more well done compared to the underwhelming and disappointing 2017 version. Yes, Zack Snyder’s Justice League has a totally different ending and it’s one that will satisfy fans.
The final hour of Zack Snyder’s Justice League completely blows the 2017 version out of the water and it’s rightfully an epic wonder to behold. I had goosebumps throughout the entire climax scene and it pumped me up in a way I haven’t felt since watching the climax of Avengers Endgame in 2019.
Instead of the abrupt ending montage of the 2017 movie, we also get an emotional half-hour-long epilogue that’s basically a half-hour long post-credits scene that would have meant huge ramifications for the DCEU moving forward. Unfortunately, for now, we’re left wondering what could have happened, and let me tell you, what could have happened would have probably been glorious.

All in all, comic book fans will have a lot to love about Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Besides the inclusion of Ryan Choi AKA future Atom, fans can look forward to a terrifying Darkseid (Ray Porter) and DeSaad (Peter Guinness). Even Steppenwolf looks more menacing and convincing with his new redesign; he also has different motivations. All I have to say about Jared Leto’s Joker is that he’s pretty much still awkward and lacks any charisma in the role, which is disappointing but not fully unexpected.
Oh, and about that much-talked-about cameo, it’s not a surprise at all, especially if you’ve been keeping up with updates on the movie since it was announced. However, it’s still very much a fan-pleasing cameo that will bring a smile to the face of any fan watching the live-action feature film debut of this beloved character from the comics.
A More Hopeful Movie Than Batman V Superman

I have just one last thing to say to Warner Bros.: please give Zack Snyder another chance.
FINAL SCORE: 80/100
We received an early access screener ofÂ Zack Snyder’s Justice League courtesy of Warner Bros. It is slated to premiere on HBO Max (and HBO GO in Malaysia) on 18 March 2021.


New Ghostbusters: Afterlife Trailer Puts Kids In the Frontlines

Wow, it’s been 40 years since the first Ghostbusters film came out, eh? So it’s only natural we get to see a follow-up to the film that hopefully doesn’t retread the plot of the first film. So far, it looks promising.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife is set for 11th November and will feature some cameos from the old guard like Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, and Ernie Hudson. But really, the film is about a new family who is experiencing some spooky going-ons. Check out the trailer below:

Said family include Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, and Mckenna Grace, all above doing their best in busting ghosts together with Paul Rudd. It’s kids and a teacher-slash-Ghostbusters-superfan teaming up in dealing with the afterlife in the small town they’re in, and the premise should just be that instead of some silly reimagining from 2016. Let’s hope this new Ghostbusters film can pull off that much needed balancing act of placating old fans and bringing in new viewers to this comedy-slash-horror hybrid.


Capcom E3 2021: All The Games & Announcements

E3 2021 continues with the Capcom E3 2021 live stream, featuring various release date announcements and new game reveals.
Check out the games below:
Resident Evil Village DLC & Resident Evil Re:Verse

Capcom has confirmed that Resident Evil Village DLC is in development, but more information will be revealed later.
They also revealed that Resident Evil Re:Verse will launch sometime in July 2021. This will be free for everyone who owns the game.
Monster Hunter Rise

The version 3.1 update for Monster Hunter Rise will launch on 24 June 2021, adding new content and event quests.
The gameâ€™s first Capcom collaboration; the â€œTsukinoâ€ Palico layered armour from Monster Hunter Stories 2 Wings Of Ruin, will launch a few days earlier on 18 June 2021.

When Monster Hunter Stories 2 Wings Of Ruin launches on 9 July 2021, Monster Hunter Rise players can use save data from the game to get the â€œRiderâ€ hunter layered armour set.
Check out the future roadmap for updates to Monster Hunter Rise below:

Monster Hunter Stories 2 Wings Of Ruin

The free trial version of the game will be available from 25 June 2021. You can even transfer your save game to the full game when it launches on 9 July 2021 for the Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.

The first update for the game will arrive on 15 July 2021 and add a new Monstie.

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles will launch on 27 July 2021 for the PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.
Check out the new trailers featuring gameplay mechanics like the Dance of Deduction and jury-convincing minigame during courtroom battles:

You can watch the entire live stream below:


The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening Is Old-School & Quaint To A Fault

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening pits our never-to-have-his-name-on-top-billing elf boy Link in a quest to get out of the island of Koholint and find out its secrets. It’s also Nintendo’s way of shoehorning its Nintendo mascots and iconic characters into a Zelda game because everyone knows how the game ended.
Keep in mind that this is a 1993 Game Boy titleÂ for parents who wanted a cheaper alternative to the SNES and to shut their kids up with an action-adventure Zelda game, only to have themselves be addicted to it once the wee ones are asleep. And because Nintendo has a dearth of old games to remake and remaster for the Switch, they figured why not go with this portable classic?
So is this Switch title worth the RM200 or so price tag? Well, the experience is no nightmare, but it isn’t a slumberland escapade either.
Dream On
Nintendo definitely did a good job at recreating the Game Boy classic, I’ll give it that. Koholint Island never looked and sounded better. The cartoony miniature effect-like aesthetics make every living creature from your moblins to your stalfoses look like a dream-esque playset duking it out with our green-clad hero.
Coupled with the well-done remixes of the 90s game’s synthesized tunes, it’s clear as day that Nintendo’s job at doling out a fresh pair of rose-tinted action-adventure glasses will impress many in the first few hours.

The game itself from its controls to its simple “explore everything, and tackle dank dungeons” flow is easy to jump and get into quick. The game throws a few curveballs at you within its creature-themed dungeons, but it’s nothing players cannot solve with some ingenuity and some trial-and-error.

Problem is, some of the puzzles are also kept just as obtuse and as old-school. Unless you’ve played the Game Boy version a couple of times, you wouldn’t know about the game’s runaround trading section. You’ll waste more time backtracking instead of moving forward, with no clear indication as to where to head to next. Sure, you have telephone booths, trees, and owl statues that dish out advice, but they don’t notify you of the steps in-between.
Discovering puzzle solutions and whatnot is fine and is part and parcel of an action-adventure game, but if your only source of help is with a discontinued 1993 title, it does show that this remake can’t stand on its own two feet and needs the original for validation.
Still, whatever action that you experience on this remake is still fun 26 years later. You’ll figure out how to deal with genies hiding in bottles with the power of carrying and throwing stuff. You’ll keep an eye out for suspicious walls and ground marks to blow up and dig respectively.

Most importantly,Â  you’ll enjoy all the nods and cameos that appear in this ephemeral fantasy of a world, including the 2D platforming segments.

Technically, there is a new feature here where you can build a custom dungeon and explore it for loot and score attack’s sake. But that will wear out its welcome unless you’re really into the niche hobby of exploring top-down action-adventure levels with little payoff at the end.
Daydream Believer

Link’s Awakening is comfort food; nothing more and nothing less. Those expecting a huge leap in gameplay ala Breath of the Wild will not find much new ground being broken here.

Instead, you should just relish in its charmingly-presented top-down action-adventure puzzle-filled medley, made anew for people who didn’t know what monochrome portable gaming that needed constant AA batteries-feeding was.
For retro gamers, Link’s Awakening for the Switch will bring back the feels especially when going through its bittersweet climax once more in 3D and remastered audio. If you want more than 5+ hours of back-and-forth adventuring though, you may not want to pay full price for this yet.
Pros

Great aesthetics.
A nice treat for casual fans who want a top-down Zelda game.
Classic to a fault.

Cons

Can be obtuse for those not familiar with the original 90s title.
Adds nothing new to the formula, even for a remake.
Custom dungeons are middling.

FINAL SCORE: 60/100


Belle And Its Ending Takes Quite A Drastic Turn From Its Inspiration

Mamoru Hosoda’s Belle has been out for a week or two in Southeast Asian cinemas. We believe it’s high time to talk about how the film resolves itself and what its ending means.
We’ll be talking about Belle’s ending on this piece, so…

Why Did Suzu Spend A Lot Of Her Time At The Virtual World U?
Because she needed to find a way to escape from the grief she feels after her mother sacrificed herself to save a stranger’s kid out in a river in heavy rain. She wasn’t sure why this happened, so she isolated herself from people and eventually found solace in U as a different person: a beautiful singer named Belle.
Keep in mind that she doesn’t actually sing; she gets help from her nerdy friend Hiro-chan to help do the music synthesizing and spectacle in U. Think of Hiro-chan as one part of a VTuber crew.
So Who Is The Dragon/The Beast?

It’s a kid named Kei. He uses his persona in U to partake in fights at U to let out the aggression he receives in real life. See, Kei and his younger brother are living with an abusive father, who is lashing out because of the loss of his wife. Suzu could tell that Kei was abused because of the bruises shared by Kei and his The Dragon avatar; U’s avatars are unique because they share biometrics with their sole owner, meaning you can’t dupe them.
The family itself has been on television earlier in the film.
How Did All Of This Transpire?

See, the vigilante group led by Justin, who possesses a weapon that can reveal an avatar’s real identity, storms The Dragon’s castle and destroys it. But they failed to capture the Dragon, him being elusive and all that.Â Â Since Belle is close with the Dragon, Justin interrogates Belle, threatening to unveil her identity to the whole world if she refuses to cooperate. The Dragon rescues Belle at the last second, saving her from being unveiled before leaving once more. Suzu and Hiro immediately try to find out the Dragon’s real identity before Justin can.
Also, for some reason, Justin has sponsors who want to see the unveiling of The Dragon. When you realize that even fanatical and obsessed Twitch streamers and YouTubers have sponsors backing them in the real world just for playing games and being toxic, caricatures like Justin are just a step away into being real.
Suzu is able to find the Dragon’s identity, Kei, after hearing his younger brother sing the song that should be known only by her and the Dragon, amidst all the livestreams playing on Hiro-chan’s monitor. From the live video, it is revealed that Kei and his brother are being abused by their father. Suzu contacts Kei to help, but Kei does not believe that she is Belle. That is the big twist here: Belle isn’t a pure romance story between the beauty and the beast, but a tale about using online personas to escape trauma and abuse. Pretty dark stuff.
For Belle to earn Kei’s trust, Shinobu urges Suzu to sing as herself in U. This leads to Suzu unveiling herself to the whole world in U and begins to sing, gaining support from everyone listening. This leads to one of the more chilling and beautiful third act spectacle of the show, where Suzu sings an emotional song as herself to the U crowd, with her pals and her deceased mom’s friends watching in real life at the old school they’re hobbled at.

Watching Belle as Suzu, Kei decides to trust Suzu and tries to contact her again. Unfortunately, Kei’s father sees the recorded video of his abuse posted online and immediately cuts off the internet connection before Kei can tell his address to Suzu.
From the recording of the room, Kamishin recognizes the buildings near Kei’s hometown in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, nearby Tokyo. Since the authorities cannot act until 48 hours have passed, Suzu quickly rushes to the city by herself to find Kei. She was offered help, but Suzu insist she do this alone because that was what her mother did years ago when she sacrificed her life then.
Arriving at Kei’s hometown, Suzu protects Kei and his brother from their father, who feels a ton of remorse after seeing Suzu using herself as a shield between him and the boys. Once that’s settled, Suzu and Kei thank each other for giving them courage. So, what happened after? Does the father go to jail for this? Are the kids going to Japan’s version of social services? This part seems ambiguous and may piss off a lot of viewers since there’s no real closure, though given the tone of the film the director purposely just left it there just for us to decide the outcome for ourselves. The show itself relies on fairytale resolutions, so at the very least it’s kept consistent.
As for Suzu? She makes up with her dad and reconnects with him after years of pushing him away. Shinobu praises Suzu for her bravery and decides to stop being her guardian in her mother’s place. Finally understanding her mother’s actions, Suzu comes to terms with her mother’s death and is ready to sing with her friends.
A pretty happy ending overall, although the last third of the film’s heavier subject matters are resolved in an arguably naive and not quite realistic manner. After all, do you really want your main character going at it alone against an abusive parent who can overpower you? I understand that Mamoru Hosoda wants our heroine to go at it alone for the sake of gaining courage for her story arc, but a lot of things can go wrong in this instance if you have emotions like these cloud common sense. Chalk the last third of the film to rushed writing.
Real Question: What Happened To Canoe Boy?
Kamishin hooked up with Ruka-chan in what could be the most adorable matchmaking scene that involves a single shot. Suzu had to goad Kamishin not once, but twice, to get the both of them to talk and share their feelings for one another. Bits like this, among others, make BelleÂ a beauty of the 2022 film ball.


Grab This Free Stranger Things 3 PS4 Dynamic Theme Now

Stranger Things fever is once again gripping everyone; strangely even those who didn’t live through the 80s (like me). What’s not strange is that Netflix is doing everything it can to collaborate on all things Stranger Things-related and that includes with the folks over at Sony and PlayStation.

Celebrating the release of Stranger Things Season 3, PS4 owners can now download a special Stranger Things 3 PS4 dynamic theme for free on the PlayStation Store. It’s not just a lazy slapped-on theme though, as it features:

The chilling Stranger Things theme playing in the background.
Colorful fireworks popping on your PS4 home screen.
Uniquely-designed icons (consisting of a cap for friends, what seems to be a disco ball for trophies, and more) on your PS4 home screen toolbar.

Grab it now on the PlayStation Store here, since we still don’t know if it’s available for a limited time. Check it out in motion below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzvmKud6RAY&w=560&h=315]


Loved Marie From Astral Chain? Here Are 20 Video Game Cuties With Glasses Like Her

A gripping action RPG like Astral Chain just wouldnâ€™t be complete without a lovable cast of characters. And who better to sit at the top of that list than Lappy, the quirky dog mascot of Astral Chainâ€™s police force?
But thereâ€™s more to Lappy under that large and unbearably hot suit, and thatâ€™s Marie Wentz. When sheâ€™s not in dressed as Lappy, impersonating him in a heavy Texan accent, she takes care of mundane tasks such as cleaning and paperwork throughout Neuron Headquarters.

She doesnâ€™t play a huge role in the story, but Marieâ€™s a bona fide cutie who loves cats and strongly believes in fostering good relations between the police and public, even if she can be a little bit clumsy. And she pulls off her duties through sleek black-rimmed glasses that are no doubt stylish, even for a geek.
Canâ€™t get enough of Marie? Weâ€™ve put together a list of other spectacled beauties from various games thatâ€™ll surely catch your eye too.
#20. Bayonetta – Bayonetta

As one of the most iconic characters with glasses in video game history, Bayonetta is an easy mention. Sheâ€™s the epitome of a mature and sexy character, kicking angel (and demon) butt in solid high heels and with a playful attitude.
The glasses arenâ€™t for her eyesight and more of a fashion accessory, which she sports well as she takes down her enemies in style.
#19. Mei – Overwatch

How much do you care about climate change? Because Mei from Overwatch is a compassionate scientist with a mission to preserve the environment. Working long hours to save millions is certainly a fair tradeoff if all it means is poorer eyesight, but donâ€™t assume this means Mei is a pushover in a fight.
Though she plays defensively compared to her peers, her ice walls and ability to freeze her opponents may prove challenging to work around.
#18. Denise Marmalade – The Misadventures of Tronn Bonne

Hailing from The Misadventures of Tron Bonne, a spin-off to the Mega Man Legends series, Denise is a police officer who carries quite a bit of low self-esteem. Like Marie, she takes care of the paperwork at her station, but often messes up, much to the disdain of her superiors.
Denise has tried arresting Tron Bonne on multiple occasions but always falls short despite her effort. Still, her determination in spite of her shortcomings is an endearing trait that you canâ€™t fault her for.
#17. Litchi Faye Ling – BlazBlue

Martial artists and glasses arenâ€™t a combo you often see, but Litchi Faye Ling from the BlazBlue series pulls off the look well. A fighter thatâ€™s adept at landing palm strikes and split kicks, she also battles her foes with a staff that she can control at will. Whenever she isnâ€™t trading blows, she runs a clinic as a kind-hearted and capable doctor. Besides her China-red glasses, the little panda Lao Jiu that rests on her head is a cute added touch to her design.
#16. Lucca – Chrono Trigger

If you love cute and intelligent girls, Lucca is certainly one to look out for. A childhood friend to the silent protagonist of Chrono Trigger, she invents revolutionary devices out of sheer passion and brilliance, like a battle robot and a teleporter that travels through time. She can also hold her own in a fight, fending off enemies with flamethrowers and bombs. Who doesnâ€™t like a geeky girl thatâ€™s also friendly and strong?
Next: Number 15 to 11…


Next-Gen Rainbow Six Siege Can Reach Up To 4K 120FPS

Ubisoft has announced that the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of Rainbow Six Siege will launch on 1 December 2020, alongside the release of Year 5 Season 4 content.
According to PlayStation Blog, Rainbow Six Siege will offer multiple options for prioritizing either performance or resolution on the PS5:
Performance Mode: Target 120FPS with 4K Dynamic Resolution Scaling.Resolution Mode: Target 60FPS with 4K Resolution.Activity Card supportÂ for Ranked, Unranked, Newcomer, Quick Match, & Events so players can dive into the game faster.
The PS5 version will also feature “better lighting and depth of field improvements, especially on long-distance”, as well as “new levels of detail.”
In addition, it will support DualSense’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, which allows each weapon category and shooting gadget to have a unique feel.
Best of all, owners of the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game will be able to upgrade to the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions for free.
Not only that, but you will be able to keep their progression and in-game items when transitioning between consoles. Cross-play is also available for players on PS4 and PS5, or Xbox One and Xbox Series X.


VTuber Fighting Game Idol Showdown Will Be Out For Free This May

Star Wars week will be busy when it comes to the fangame vtuber community.
Idol Showdown, a Hololive Fighting Game, will be out on 6th May GMT+8 on PC (via Steam), which is 11 days from now. Since it’s a fangame that isn’t profiting off of Cover and the Hololive brand, the game will be free.
In addition, the game revealed its eighth and final character: Kiryu Coco. A famous vtuber a few years back, she’s known for her tail, horns, and her love for Kiryu Kazuma from the Yakuza series.

The full list of characters are:

Inugami Korone
Tokino Sora
Fubuki Shirakami
Nakiri Ayame
Shishiro Botan
Hoshimachi Suisei
Aki Rosenthal
Kiryu Coco

Check out the gameplay for the first four revealed vtubers in the upcoming fan-fighting game, as well as the game’s features.
Features

Easy Controls: Pick up on this game’s easy-to-learn control scheme in no time to get straight into playing. Even Hololive fans who are inexperienced with traditional fighting games can have fun!
Rollback Netcode: Besto Games has been hard at work developing the game’s online rollback netcode to make the online experience as smooth as we can.
An Immersive Hololive Experience: Explore the vast world of Hololive from our roster of iconic Hololive talents, with moves inspired by their most memorable moments and personality traits. Fight across the virtual world in lovingly recreated Hololive locations. Jam out to remixes of your favourite Hololive original songs while raising idol hell.
Fast 2D Combat: Hololive talents are reimagined as core fighting game archetypes with a unique twist. Raise chaos in the battlefield with flashy attacks and high-octane action.


New World of Warcraft Update Gets Foxy

With the Battle for Azeroth pretty much winding down, it’s time for everybody’s favourite pastime in MMORPGs: free post-expansion updates and DLC.
The next big free game update, Visions of N’zoth, is about the Horde and Alliance taking down an elder god. The update also introduces two new playable allied races: the fox-like Vulpera and the cybernetic Mechagnomes.
The Vulpera are the new Horde allied race while the Mechagnomes are for the Alliance. They were introduced in the Battle for Azeroth expansion, but this will be the first time they will be playable, assuming you complete their respective quest lines and reach exalted status with their factions.
Head to the 13-minute mark of this Visions of N’zoth video. There’s also talk about exploring the realms of N’zoth, exploring the newly-restored Vale of Eternal Blossoms, and N’zoth invasions of Uldum. But really, you’re here for the new races.

The updates will be available on the public test realm later today.


Avatar The Way Of Water Drops On Disney+ Hotstar Next Month

After a historic theatrical run,?James Cameron’s global phenomenon Avatar The Way Of Water will debut on 7 June 2023 on Disney+ Hotstar?and will include bonus content featuring filmmakers, cast and crew.
Avatar The Way Of Water?debuted in theaters on December 16 and?became the third highest-grossing film of all time worldwide?with nearly $2.32 billion at the box office. Nominated for numerous Academy Awards including Best Picture, the film also?set a new benchmark for visual effects.
Produced by Cameron and his longtime partner Jon Landau, the 20th Century Studios-Lightstorm Entertainment production stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Cliff Curtis and Kate Winslet. Joining the illustrious adult cast are talented newcomers Britain Dalton, Jamie Flatters, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Bailey Bass and Jack Champion. The screenplay is by James Cameron & Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver, with story by James Cameron & Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver & Josh Friedman & Shane Salerno. David Valdes and Richard Baneham serve as the film’s executive producers.
Avatar The Way Of Water reaches new heights and explores undiscovered depths as James Cameron returns to the world of Pandora?in this emotionally packed action adventure. Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, Avatar The Way Of Water launches the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure. All of this against the backdrop of the breathtaking seascapes of Pandora, where audiences are introduced to new Na’vi cultures and a range of exotic sea creatures.?
Check out our review here.


Platinum Games Teases Two New Original IPs; Still Working Hard On Bayonetta 3

A Video Games Chronicle interview has shed new light on what Platinum Games has been up to. You know, those guys in charge of the best damn action games on the planet like the Bayonetta series and Metal Gear Rising Revengeance.
Here are the best bits from said interview:

Bayonetta 3Â will see a change in design process based on Platinum Gamesâ€™ experience on developingÂ Bayonetta 1Â andÂ 2.
The company is currently working on two new intellectual properties owned entirely by the studio, neither of which have been announced.
Platinum Games is midway through the development of an unannounced title which “has never been done before,â€ according to studio head Atsushi Inaba.

He added “I know a lot of people say that, but the game weâ€™re working on truly is unlike anything else. Even for our varied history of veteran game developers, this is something that has never been designed before. So from a game design perspective, weâ€™re very excited right now.”

Strategy game? Or rhythm title? Or casual mobile game? Place your bets!

Despite the two new IPs it’s working on, Platinum Games will still work with third-party companies for future collaborations. “There are still going to potentially be games in which we partner with publishers to do big things with big IPs,” said Inaba.

“There might be some co-publishing options where weâ€™re doing some of it and theyâ€™re doing some of it to make a larger game, and there might be situations where weâ€™re going to be self-publishing larger games as well.”

Quite an exciting time to be an action game fan, eh? So far, the developer is working on a Square Enix project called Babylon’s Fall and a Nintendo Switch title called Astral Chain. Previously, it co-developed Granblue Fantasy: Relink before publisher Cygames took over the project.


The GTA Trilogy Remaster Is A Mess; Here’s Why It Botched The Launch [Update]

Update [November 15]: The GTA Trilogy is now available again via the Rockstar Launcher earlier today. Here’s the official statement from Rockstar’s status page:
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. We are also working to improve and update overall performance as we move forward. We would like to thank everyone for their patience as we resolve these issues.”
Original story
The Grand Theft Auto Trilogy remaster, which covers GTA 3, GTA Vice City, and GTA San Andreas, is out right now for everyone to play. And it’s a helluva mess right now, especially for something that’s dubbed the “Definitive Version” of the trilogy.
Players online are cataloguing issues and bugs in the game, which leads to the trilogy being unavailable to purchase after Rockstar removed the purchase links from its websites. These include numerous graphical glitches, blinding rain effects, invisible bridges, ridiculous camera angles, and questionable changes that make the decade-old original titles look like the Mona Lisa by comparison. And a ton of spelling errors here and there.

It was inevitable. pic.twitter.com/WGYJyLywsr
— SPITFIRE VA ?? (@SPITFIREVA) November 11, 2021

My Eyes Hurt Pt.1 #GrandTheftAutoSanAndreasTheDefinitiveEdition #GTA #XboxShare pic.twitter.com/7GSRX24G7O
— Janky (@JankyNedelko) November 11, 2021

The bridge over the Whetstone is transparent? #GTATrilogy #GTASanAndreas pic.twitter.com/xJwbJEoxdq
— ???? (@ryota5637) November 12, 2021

You'll find plenty of general spelling errors. I think they used an automated program to resize and clean up textures. The app seems to mistake "D" for "O" a lot.
Bad News: Mexican market is out of Enchiladas! ?Good News: They've got hot fresh 'Enchilaoas'! ? pic.twitter.com/CeRQBf0sLJ
— Shane Luis (@RerezTV) November 11, 2021

So why is the game currently unavailable to buy right now? Rockstar officially said that it will “remove files unintentionally included in these versions”. We think it’s the unlicensed songs that are in the game that aren’t pulled out due to expired/unrenewed licenses. Basically the GTA Vice City and GTA San Andreas remasters have all the songs with expired licenses.

So the audio format of choice for the Definitive Editions is OGG-VORBIS! More interesting however, San Andreas contains all the cut music! It's just disabled by script! pic.twitter.com/FBGJINdBYy
— Ash R. (@Ash_735) November 11, 2021

But I Can Play The Original Games, Right?
Nope. The original trilogy titles are removed from Steam last month. If you want to play these influential open-world titles, you need to wade through the mess until a patch sorts it all out.
Long story short, if you’re bragging that you’re releasing a definitive edition of a classic game, you better damn well deliver and keep all of it intact. Especially if you’re a company with tons of resources, connections, and clout like Rockstar.


Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary News Recap

Update: Kingdom Hearts 4 announced. Check out the rest of the story for the full scoop.
Square Enix is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its hit JRPG franchise Kingdom Hearts, which combines Square Enix FF characters & Disney icons together for a magical kingdom anime experience. Convoluted plot included.
The event, held at Tokyo, Japan, will be announcing some updates, so this news piece will be recapping what’s transpired. So far, the 20th anniversary’s official artwork has been revealed, with a panel that may be revealing the next Kingdom Hearts saga.

KH20??????#KH20th pic.twitter.com/n6IP4vyPzJ
— ???????????? (@differem7) April 10, 2022

KH20th??????? pic.twitter.com/owr2fj9euw
— aibo (@aibo_ac7) April 10, 2022

Also, some KH displays are out there at the event hall in Tokyo like a Roxas and Sora life-sized statue.

????Sora and Roxas pic.twitter.com/ctfcwrwoNk
— Shady (@Shady_kh358) April 10, 2022

KH20th??????????1 pic.twitter.com/bO2fh2vEIs
— aibo (@aibo_ac7) April 10, 2022

?????? pic.twitter.com/uos5W9aNKZ
— ??? (@tomiwotomikichi) April 10, 2022

Update (10/4/22, 4:45pm): We heard that Square Enix is using cell service blockers during the event to prevent leaks. Perhaps the company plans on revealing a sequel to Kingdom Hearts or a spin-off game at the very least?

Apparently they're using cell service blockers at the event area. Whatever this event has in store for us they didn't want any early leaks.
We might be looking at KH IV.#KH20THevent #KH20 #KingdomHearts20THanniversary #KingdomHearts
— RainyToaster (@Rainy_Toaster) April 10, 2022

Update (10/4/22, 6:56pm): Kingdom Hearts 4 is confirmed, according to the trailer below. The game trailer features Sora fighting a giant Heartless in what seems to be a Tokyo metropolis, with the end showcasing Goofy and Donald walking together in the dark.
There’s also an announcement for Kingdom Hearts Union X: Dark Road for mobile phones and Kingdom Hearts Missing Link for, surprise, mobile phones. The latter is an upcoming action RPG with a closed beta test coming in 2022.

This story is still in development…


China League of Legend Pro League Suspended Due To Coronavirus Outbreak

China’s League of Legends pro league, called the LPL, has called off its upcoming week 2 matches due to safety concerns regarding the spread of the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak. Yeah, that’s been happening for the past few days, just thought you should know.
The outbreak originated from Wuhan, China, and has begun to spread to many other cities and even to other countries. There’s no word on how many people are affected at this point of typing, but the LPL organizers are taking the smart route to take precautionary methods. Even if the matches take place in Beijing, LPL isn’t taking any chances.
Official Twitter post below:
“We have decided to postpone week 2 of the LPL until we can ensure the safety and health of our players and fans. To our fans, we sincerely apologize that it has come to this and we will share any and all info as soon as we can.”

We have decided to postpone week 2 of the LPL until we can ensure the safety and health of our players and fans.
To our fans, we sincerely apologize that it has come to this and we will share any and all info as soon as we can.
Stay Safe and thank you all for your support!
— LPL (@lplenglish) January 26, 2020

This delay may cause issues for their attendance at major tournaments like the Mid-Season Invitational, but no one asked for this epidemic to mess stuff up, right? Even other tournaments like the Overwatch League might follow suite as they will be hosting multiple bouts in China.


No More Heroes 3 Features Sentai Transformations & A Trilogy Pack Worth US$89

There’s a ton of new No More Heroes 3 details that popped up today thanks to a recent Grasshopper Manufacture stream helmed by game director Suda51.
Here’s the breakdown of the third-person action game:

The game’s story is what many have suspected: it takes the premise of ET, except the alien comes back with his gang and want to take over the Earth alongside his human friend Damon, who has some of the alien’s powers and made a name of himself being rich and whatnot.
The aliens are led by FU Jess Baptiste VI. The revealed members of his crew (the bosses you have to kill in NMH fashion) are Mr Black Hole and Gold Joe.
Travis Touchdown is back, of course, and has his trademark Beam Katana killing moves and pro-wrestling grapples; 12 of them.
He is joined by Shinobu and Bad Girl, the latter being resurrected in Travis Strikes Back thanks to the power of a video game.
Travis’ cat is back too, and has her own minigame involving a ball.
You still need to do jobs like lawn-mowing and trash-collecting for the sake of progression.
When you kill enemies, a slot machine thing pops up on-screen. If it gets a “777”, you can transform into a sentai superhero for max damage and super moves.

In addition, publisher Marvellous also announced a No More Heroes III Killion Dollar Trilogy edition, which contains all three games for Nintendo Switch. It comes with a sweet special box artwork from Yusuke Kozaki. This version is out on the same day as the regular Switch version, which is 27th August.
Killion Dollar is such a baller name, if you must know.


Brawlhalla Adds G.I. JOE’s Snake Eyes & Storm Shadow Next Week

Ubisoft, in collaboration with Hasbro, has announced that Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow from G.I. JOE will be available in Brawlhalla as Epic Crossovers on 23 February 2022. The clash of these iconic G.I. Joe and Cobra Ninjas will kick off an in-game event, featuring a new Showdown game mode map called Arashikage Dojo that will also be featured in the Brawl of the Week.
The Arashikage Showdown is a four-player free-for-all skirmish where players will be faced with traps that can make or break the match. The player in the new Arashikage Dojo map with the highest score in three minutes wins, so using the traps and pressure plates to their advantage is key.

In addition to the new characters and map, some other G.I. JOE themed in-game items will be revealed next week before the event launches. All new items and the map will still be purchasable and playable after the Epic Crossover Event ends.
Developed by Blue Mammoth, Brawlhalla is an epic free-to-play platform fighting game that transports over 80 million players to a fight for glory in the halls of Valhalla. Choosing from more than 50 unique characters, players can jump into single-player and co-op modes, as well as online and local competitions.


The Mandalorian Season 3 Premieres In March 2023

During CCXP, the Comic Con Experience in Brazil today, creator Jon Favreau, executive producer Dave Filoni, and series star Pedro Pascal shared a special message with fans around the world: The Mandalorian, the first Star Wars live-action series that debuted in 2019, will premiere all-new episodes beginning on 1 March 2023.
The third season will follow the continuing adventures of the masked warrior and his Force-sensitive charge.
The first teaser for the new season dropped at D23 earlier this year, with a glimpse at Bo-Katan Kryze on the throne of Mandalore, the return of Greef Karga and Peli Motto, and a battalion of Mandalorian warriors.


X-Force Has Joined The World Of Fortnite

After bringing Deadpool into the Fortnite universe earlier this month, Epic Games has now brought in some members of the X-Force as well. With this new update, you can obtain skins for Cable, Psylocke, and Domino from the Item Shop.

While Deadpool’s skin seemed to be based on the movie version, what with the unmasked version resembling Ryan Reynolds, the X-Force characters seem more comic-book-inspired. Luck-based hero Domino has her comic version’s pale skin and longer hair, while Cable is looking beefier than Josh Brolin and has a blue-and-yellow costume. I’m not sure about Psylocke, but she definitely wasn’t part of the X-Force in the movies, with the character showing up instead in X-Men: Apocalypse.
You can also buy related gear like Domino’s Probability Dagger or Cable’s Unstoppable Force hammer. There’s a black-and-white X-Force suit for Deadpool too if you wanted a different look for the Merc With A Mouth.
In other Fortnite news, Chapter 2 Season 2 was extended beyond its 30 April end date, with Season 3 being delayed to 4 June. Epic has promised that there’ll still be new content, however.


PS5 Controller May Get A Smartphone-Like Upgrade

Sony has revealed a lot of info about the PS5, but we still don’t know the most important bits. Like the price of the next-gen console, and the detailed specs of the PS5 controller or Dualshock 5 (which is actually not the official name as of yet).
Leaked patents have previously indicated that the PS5 controller could feature biofeedback capability and the removal of the light bar (which was originally introduced with the PS4’s Dualshock 4).
Now, another leaked patent is pointing to another major addition to the PS5 Dualshock 5 controller and a feature that’s already implemented in the latest flagship smartphones for the past few years;
Wireless charging.
According to the recently-granted patent (via Segment Next), a wireless charging adapter with housing can be attached to a DualShock 4 or 5 controller. While the Dualshock 5 sounds like it won’t support wireless charging on its own as it still requires this adapter, the patent suggests that the accessory can stay on and activate during gameplay.
This will apparently be made possible thanks to button duplicates so that players can continue using the controller while itâ€™s charging using the adapter. The patent reads:

“A wireless charging adapter that can snap onto a computer game controller can be inductively coupled to a charging base to wirelessly recharge a battery in the controller.
The adapter also can include keys that mirror keys on the controller so that a gamer can remove the adapter with controller from the charging base, keep the adapter on the controller, and use both the controller keys and adapter keys to control a computer game.”

In addition, the patent also shows that the charging base can be configured to hold (and charge) multiple DualShock controllers at once.

If true, this will literally be a game-changer for the PS5. Previously, the Dualshock 4 already had a big advantage compared to the Xbox One controller, as the latter still relied on AA batteries.
However, take all this with a grain of salt, as none of this has been confirmed by Sony. The only confirmed details about the PS5 controller so far is that it will feature haptic technology, adaptive triggers, a USB-C port, and a larger battery than the Dualshock 4.
In the meantime, head on over here to check out all our other PS5-related news and feature articles.


Days Gone Features Privacy-Breaching Data Collection Policy

Days Gone is out now for PC (via Steam), but is now facing flak apart from its drawn-out pacing.Â
According to Steam user Higgsterman (via IGN), Sony’s latest first-party game on PC has data collection policies that track every keystroke a player makes on their computer while the game is running.
“The Data Collection policy is an absolute joke. This isn’t just collecting Diagnostic information from your PC (something I would be absolutely okay with), it states very blatantly that even the ‘Limited’ data collection which is somehow still the LESS invasive form of collection can look and save literally anything from websites, passwords via recording EVERY KEY STROKE OF YOUR COMPUTER WHILE THE GAME IS RUNNING, folders, and all of their contents regardless of file type.”
The Days Gone data collection policy also includes details on folders and all of its contents regardless of file type. Reddit users have pointed out that there is no way to properly opt-out of any sort of data collection. One method to get out of this is to block the game using a firewall so that the data can’t be transferred to a server.
Keep in mind that Days Gone is a single-player action-adventure game; there are no multiplayer components in the title. So it’s rather odd that Sony Bend went out of its way to state that the data collection policies are to “prevent the use of cheats and hacks”.
If that doesn’t bother you, or if you trust your firewall a lot, you can go get Days Gone right now for PC. We’ll have a PC write-up on the game this week.


How Successful Is Genshin Impact? Yes.

Developer & publisher Mihoyo’s online RPG Genshin Impact is out now, and so far it’s been doing gangbusters and is the talk of the online and mobile gaming town.
It’s not a huge surprise, as the China-based game maker has worked hard in making the title the biggest international launch in its country’s history. After all, its development and marketing costs exceed US$100 million.
Out for PC, PS4, and mobile devices, the game:

has hit more than 110,000 concurrent viewers on live-streaming platform Twitch.tv,
has grossed US$50 million since launch, and netted more than US$1.84 million on iOS alone. This is probably due to the game’s gacha system & current battle pass.
has garnered more than 20 million preregistration numbers on three different platforms prior to launch (via Daniel Ahmad)
has garnered 17 million downloads on mobile devices alone within 4 days of its release since 28th September,
will garner more than US$100 million across all platforms by the end of the month, including in Japan, South Korea, the US of A, and Southeast Asia.

Based on preliminary data, Genshin Impact is on track to gross more than $100m across all platforms by the end of this month.
The game is successful not just in its home market, but also in Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, the US etc…
Investment is paying off. https://t.co/AICi6Wbb46
— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) October 5, 2020

This is probably the first-ever Chinese-made mobile game that has received major attention from the West, seeing as Mihoyo’s past game Honkai Impact is more popular in the East. And that US$100 million prediction? It’s not too far off given that these mobage games are built and designed so that you can only get the best weapons and characters like QiQi by paying for wishes. Lots of them. With real money and probably more than US$40. So don’t feel too bad if you’re stuck with only 4-star characters.

Will Genshin Impact make future triple-A games follow this plan while also forgoing the US$60 price tag? That remains to be seen. For now, just enjoy the game and the fact that you can power through most of the story content with these party members.