Samsung Launches Its Own Game Streaming Service For Phone-PC Gaming

Back when the Samsung Note 10 was unveiled, Samsung mentioned that they were working on something for PC gamers. It’s a streaming service not unlike PlayStation Now but for playing PC games on your Samsung device. Well, you can start trying it out right now.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zND5SdEJgc&w=560&h=315]
Introducing the PlayGalaxy Link, a game streaming service that allows you to stream and play your PC games onto your Samsung device. The service is currently in beta and is only available in South Korea, US, UK, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Singapore, and Russia.
For now, it can only be used on the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy S10 while a future update will allow it to be used on Galaxy Fold, S9, Note9, and A90. This update is scheduled to be released sometime in early December 2019.
The setup process for PlayGalaxy Link seems quite simple. You just need to install the free app on your PC and phone, connect the two, pair a controller, and you’re good to go. When installed on your PC, the app will automatically detect games you have but you can still manually add them. It goes without saying that your experience will vary according to the hardware of your PC and the strength of your internet connection.

We haven’t gotten our hands on the beta yet but judging from what I’ve read online, it works decently when both your PC and phone are connected to a strong and stable wifi network but performance is significantly affected when you’re outside playing on data. That’s not really surprising.
If you’re going to use PlayGalaxy Link to play games that don’t need split-second reflexes and rapid responses such as turn-based strategy games or JRPGs, then I’m confident you’ll have a good time with it.
To download the app and find out more about the service, head on over to the PlayGalaxy Link website.


LEGO Adds James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 & Dominic Toretto’s Dodge Charger

The LEGO Speed Champions garage have added the addition of two new cars from the James Bond and Fast & Furious franchises; the Aston Martin DB5, and 1970s Dodge Charger.
Both of the sets also come with minifigures of James Bond (Daniel Craig), and Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel). According to French website Joueclub, the LEGO 76911 James Bond 007 Aston Martin DB5 and 76912 Fast and Furious 1970 Dodge Charger R/T slated to release in August 2022.
Stay tuned for more details in the future!


LEGO Group Partners With Lazada For LEGO LazMall Super Brand Day Next Week

The LEGO Group partners with Lazada to host its largest LEGO LazMall Super Brand Day on 18 May 2023. From a social media building contest (#LEGOMYDreamItBuildIt) and exclusive bundles to gifts with purchase and exciting deals around the clock, this 24-hour shopping event invites customers to ‘Dream It, Build It’ by making their dream cars real with LEGO vehicle sets.
‘Dream It, Build It!’ with The LEGO Group at its LazMall Super Brand Day

With the hope of inspiring customers to unleash their creativity with LEGO bricks and unlock the endless possibilities of what makes a dream car their dream car, The LEGO Group has teamed up with Universal Products & Experiences this year to feature a series of unique Fast & Furious-themed activations and LEGO vehicle sets for its LEGO LazMall Super Brand Day. Customers can look forward to exclusive LEGO Fast & Furious Starter Kits and stand to win movie tickets to the latest film in the Fast & Furious Saga, Fast X, coming to theatres in May.
#LEGOMYDreamItBuildIt Social Contest
Building on the concept of family which is one of the key Fast & Furious Saga themes, The LEGO Group is running the Dream It, Build It! social contest from now until 18 May, leading up to LazMall Super Brand Day, to encourage families to build their dream LEGO vehicles together, using LEGO bricks from any LEGO sets.
Participants are required to:

Take a photo of their dream LEGO Vehicles build.
Share the idea behind their design in a post with a caption.
Include the hashtags #LEGOMY and #LEGOMYDreamItBuildIt.
Tag @lazada_my to submit their entries on either Facebook or Instagram.

The top three winners with the most creative builds stand to walk away with prizes worth at least RM 950, while 10 consolation winners stand to receive up to RM450 worth of prizes, courtesy of The LEGO Group and Universal Group.
Other Exciting LEGO LazMall Super Brand Day Fast & Furious-themed Promotions

On top of the ‘Dream It, Build It!’ social contest, customers can also look out for exclusive LEGO Fast & Furious Starter Kit Bundles which consist of an exclusive box that unfolds into a play mat for a unique and long-lasting unboxing play experience, Fast X merchandise from Universal Products & Experiences including a T-shirt and a lanyard, as well as two LEGO Fast & Furious Speed Champion sets namely 76917 2 Fast 2 Furious Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) and 76912 Fast & Furious 1970 Dodge Charger R/T.
Additionally, the top three pre-sale spenders who purchased from the pre-sale collection (available 11 May – 18 May, 11:59 PM) on LEGO LazMall Super Brand Day will stand to win a pair of tickets each to the new Fast X movie premiere happening on 16 May 2023.
The first 250 orders will also get to enjoy the ‘Fast & Furious X-Perience’ where they have the benefit of free same-day delivery on limited orders as well as savings of up to 33% off storewide (exclusions will be applied to new launches), various pre-sale savings and deals, flash sales and exclusive LazMall Super Brand Day vouchers.
‘Make Dream Cars Real’ LEGO Vehicles-themed In-store Activations at Selected LEGO Certified Stores, LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort, and Toys R Us Stores

In conjunction with LEGO’s LazMall Super Brand Day, there are also LEGO Vehicles themed in-store activations happening on selected weekend afternoons from 13 April to 28 May in selected LEGO Certified Stores, LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort, and Toys R Us stores. Interested participants can register for preferred sessions with the LEGO staff or event crew on a first-come, first-served basis. With the aim of making every kid’s dream of owning a supercar come true, these vehicle-themed in-store activations help to create an atmosphere of awe-inspiring play for children surrounding cool, aspirational, and detailed models of realistic dream car sets.
Not only will participants get to engage in hands-on interactive play experience with a LEGO Vehicles set, but they will also get to try their hand at building a simple LEGO car on the spot using the assorted LEGO bricks provided. Upon completion of both vehicle-themed checkpoints, participants can redeem a free LEGO polybag.
For more information, log on to www.LEGO.com.


The Top 15 SNK Games You Need To Play Before You Die

From this mid-August until mid-October, we’ll be releasing an SNK-themed retrospective per week as part of our tribute to SNK’s 40th anniversary. This is in conjunction with the folks at Retro DNA & Versus City.Â
When you think the arcades and the 90s, what do you remember? Street Fighter? The King of Fighters? Strikers 1941? Metal Slug? Yes. Yes to all of them.
If you live in Asia and you remotely remember any fighting game or 2D shoot-em-up with that distinct “Japanese” or otherworldly charm, you basically have touched a game published and developed by SNK. These guys were the pioneers in bringing big and challenging experiences in the arcade.
With over 50+ games in its Neo Geo console library, it’s hard for people back in the 90s not to touch a game made by the publisher. And to coincide with the recent launch of the Neo Geo Mini this year, it’s high time we look back and figure out which SNK game is still remarkable up to this day.
Just two major rules:

One game per franchise. Otherwise, this list will be filled with Samurai ShodownsÂ and The King of Fighters entries.
The games on this list should be exclusive to Neo Geo platforms and the Neo Geo arcade cabinets during their heyday, and also have the SNK stamp on it. When you think of these landmark games, you think “SNK” and/or “Neo Geo”.

These are the essential Neo Geo and SNK games you need to play to get the grasp of its long lineage and history. Some of these entries are either ported recently in the past year or so, or on the upcoming Neo Geo Mini. You have no excuse notÂ to play these gems.
Sengoku 3
Platforms: Arcade, Neo Geo, Neo Geo Mini
Let’s start off with what SNK knows best: making fun games involving fisticuffs. Sengoku 3 is the company’s answer to the beat-em-up genre, and it’s a very bold and impactful answer. Your task is to stop the undead samurai-slash-ninja menace the only way a 90s style beat-em-up can: by beating the crap out of everything you see.Â You get to pick between 4 different characters -2 are unlockable- with different ninja skills and attacks.

You get multiple pathways that lead you to bonus areas or even alternate routes with tougher challenges. You also get to chain enemies with combos to keep them occupied and in the air, enabling you to kill them without fear of retaliation. The controls for this game are spot-on. It’s simplistic, sure, but it definitely ups the ante in terms of production values and gameplay.
Metal Slug 3
Platforms: Arcade, Neo Geo, PS2, PS3, PSP, Neo Geo Mini
The Metal Slug series has always been the staple diet for side-scrolling shooter fans. But among all of the various entries from the first flawed-but-well-meaning game to the later entries featuring the motherf***ing Ikari warriors Ralf and Clark, we will have to go with the third game.

Why? Because Metal Slug 3 takes the trappings of the past games and upped it with formidable space aliens, creative levels and bombastic setpieces with a ton of explosions. There are only 5 stages, but darn it if these stages are big and multi-layered.
You get to pilot unique Slugs -the mechanical armaments you get to use to kick butt temporarily- like the Elephant, Ostrich, LV Armor, the Driller, and the Astro Slug. Each of them is powerful but have their own quirks and control schemes; you need to master them to at least stay alive as long as possible.
While parts 1 and 2 take it to the ground and through a world tour, Metal Slug 3 goes far and beyond without bogging it down with unnecessary Metal Slugs and repeat villains. No other Metal Slug, or even other run-and-gun shooters apart from Contra,Â  can capture the lunacy of the series and the frenetic action it offers.
Blazing Star
Platforms: Neo Geo, Neo Geo Mini
One of SNK’s earlier shmups, and arguably one of the better ones. Blazing Star is brightly-coloured and is a frenetic shooter that offers a lot of action to shmup fans. You have a boatload of ships to choose from with different shots and playstyles to suit your needs.

The pre-rendered 3D/2D graphical mash-up is subjective, but we feel that it looks appropriately cheery given the space opera theme. And of course, the action and set pieces are what you expect from a publisher of this calibre: non-stop action coupled with a lovely soundtrack. Oh yeah, get down with this disco-esque piece and a chime-filled opening stage theme.

Viewpoint
Platforms: Neo Geo

Isometric shooters are few and far between, and none of them looked as gorgeous and as retro as SNK’s Viewpoint. The game has an isometric viewpoint and lovely graphics, but it’s not just style over substance here. The methodical approach of this game means that you have to start using every corner of the planescape to place your lone ship away from harm. Positioning matters: you have to keep the screen clear of enemies lest you get swarmed as well as keep firing at the big boss on display.
Still, the game is quite a technical marvel though it’s overshadowed by the likes of Blazing Star and Metal Slug. Play Viewpoint just to see how and why SNK was a juggernaut at the time: because it relishes on thinking and doing big.
World Heroes Perfect
Platforms: Neo Geo
If you want straight-up fighting game insanity, you can’t go wrong with this simple-yet-fun fighting game. Your roster consists of an effeminateÂ Russian priest, salaryman moonlighting as a red-clad ninja, a football player, a pirate, and a very offensive African tribal stereotype.

The fighting game mechanics are nothing special, but the sheer enthusiasm of its presentation and its fluid controls help make this one a spectacle of its era.
Plus, you don’t get to see Super Moves as suggestive as this.

The Last Blade 2
Platforms: Arcade, Neo Geo, Dreamcast
While the Samurai Shodown series took a break in 2000, along came the Last Blade series. Set in Japan’s Bakumatsu era where the samurai age is dying out in favour of Western gentrification, the Last Blade games take the Samurai Shodown mechanic and made it more aggressive and more combo-oriented.

Between the two games, Last Blade 2 is clearly the more animated and more developed fighting game. With a parry system relegated to an additional button press, a plethora of options to either play defensively or offensively, and a rich aesthetic and score, Last Blade 2 is a classy fighting game that also is a work of art, paying tribute to the era it represents in video game form in the best way possible.
Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers
Platforms: Neo Geo, Neo Geo CD
Fatal Fury’s fighting and plane-switching mechanics are honestly archaic, but they’re made more viable and more refined in the Real Bout series. But which ones are the best? We’ll pick the one with the bigger roster and the more refined fighting mechanic: Real Bout Fatal Fury 2.
Â
The plane-switching is now relegated to an evasive mechanic, which is great if you play defensive or just like to throw an opponent a curveball to their button-mashing shenanigans. The game also features a large cast and fan-favourites.
Garou: Mark of the Wolves
Platforms: Arcade, Neo Geo, Dreamcast
At the time when Street Fighter III made headway in the arcades, SNK released its counterpart featuring new characters with ties to past Fatal Fury characters.
Â
We added this to our list despite the previous Fatal Fury entry because it’s a completely different game from its cousin. It’s still a 1v1 fighting game, but its Just Defense and TOP mechanics -new defence and offence options that work during specific moments- make it stand out from the rest and adds in more strategies to make the fights exciting & cerebral.
Unlike SFIII where you need to take a risk parrying by pressing forward, you just have to worry about blocking at the right time via the Just Defense system. Whether you hold back sooner or later, at the very least you’re still on the defensive instead of exposing yourself to counters and extra damage.
Plus, the game’s animation and music are top-notch, rivaling that of its Capcom counterpart Street Fighter III in many aspects.
The King of Fighters ’98
Platforms:Â Neo Geo, Arcade, PS3, Xbox 360, PC, and many more
There are way too many King of Fighter games, but which one deserves your utmost attention? Which of all the entries capture the spirit of the 3-on-3 fight-fest while still retaining its classic vision of an SNK all-star fighting party?

We choose the updated version of The King of Fighters ’98 because it refined the Extra/Advanced fighting styles mechanic that was introduced in KOF ’97, it buffed up the roster to extreme amounts, and it added even more life and flair in its backdrops and music.
This is the only KOF game you need to grasp the series’ legacy and perfected fighting game mechanics. All other KOFs owe their strengths to this iteration of the game.
To put things into perspective, during the SNK World Tour early this year, there were only two KOF games up for competition: KOF XIV and KOF ’98. That’s how prestigious KOF 98 was, and still is up to this day.
Plus, we really dig the game’s music.Â
Faselei!
Platform: Neo Geo Pocket
We should never count out SNK’s handheld wonder. It died too soon, but at least it had a good number of gems, like this turn-based mecha strategy game. Here’s the catch: instead of controlling a squad of mechs or soldiers, you control one mech and issue 5 or more commands and actions during its turn.

Basically, you have to queue up your actions and anticipate what your opponents will do since they only have 1-2 actions per turn. You have to anticipate how your opponents react and plan around it, and that’s what makes this gem fun because you get that huge satisfaction when you outwit the AI with uncanny precognition.
The game’s graphics are also packed with as much detail as you can possibly cram in a Neo Geo Pocket cartridge. You can tell that this game is designed with a lot of passion and love for JRPGs in mind; after all, these are the same developers who produced the Shadow Hearts and Koudelka series.
SNK vs Capcom: Match of the Millenium
Platform: Neo Geo Pocket
Arguably the best fighting crossover on SNK’s pocket pal, this fighting game features 26 of SNK and Capcom’s finest fighters, different play options including 2-fighter tag teams or 3-fighter queue teams, and 3 different playstyles (Capcom, SNK, or Neutral style). Fighting game fans of either faction will also find a lot to love from its fanservice to its nods to other arcade titles. A number of fighters here have special intros with their rivals; that’s a lot of attention to detail.

Also if you linked the Neo Geo Pocket with a Dreamcast running Capcom vs. SNK, you get access to an extra fighter from each faction. This title help bridges the gap between different consoles just to give players what they want: the merging & clashing between two popular fighting game stables ala WWE Raw and Smackdown.
SNK vs Capcom: Card Fighters’ Clash
Platform: Neo Geo Pocket
This is the last Neo Geo Pocket entry, we swear! Before games like Hearthstone and Shadowverse invaded mobile phones and PCs, gamers had to get their digital card fix from rare titles like this next SNK vs Capcom mashup. Here, players fight each other using 50-card decks featuring characters and actions from SNK and Capcom games. The first player whose life total reaches zero loses.

Players can use Union Attacks and Action cards to combine character attacks and use special abilities as long as the player has SP points.Â There are ton of character cards you can use and build your deck with; take a gander here. Talk about a game being ahead of its time!
Windjammers
Platform: Arcade, Neo Geo, PS4
Do you want a fighting game mixed in with a futuristic sport involving frisbees? Boy, do we have a game for you!
Windjammers is a 2D frisbee-tossing game set in the far future. Your objective is to score the most points for yourself; you do this by throwing the frisbee into your opponent’s goal…Oh wait, we’ve talked about this before; check out our glowing review of the game here.Â

Twinkle Star Sprites
Platform: Arcades, Neo Geo, Sega Saturn, Dreamcast, PS2, PC
It’s easy to find a versus puzzle game, but a versus shooter with puzzle elements? That’s rare to find in the 90s. Luckily we have SNK to scratch that specific itch in the form of the cute-em-up 2D shmup Twinkle Star Sprites. Playing on a two-player split screen, your objective is to kill your opponent by summoning fireballs and special bullets on your opponent’s screen.

How do you do this? By shooting enemies on your screen and creating chain explosions out of them. We’ve also talked about this magical versus shooter on this here past feature.
Samurai Shodown V Special
Platform: Arcades, Neo Geo, PC, Neo Geo Mini
No other weapon-based combat game does it quite like the subversive Samurai Shodown series. But there can only be one, and the fully-balanced and tweaked version of the 5th mothership game is the best one yet.

Samurai Shodown II comes close, but Samurai Shodown V Special is played more often and has more-realized mechanics fine-tuned from past iterations of the game. With a cast of 28 warriors with various playstyles -including the game’s previous bosses- and a revamped fighting mechanic that is a bit harder to learn compared to the other fighting games on this list, this game is tailored for its more hardcore crowd.
That doesn’t mean that you should avoid it if you are new to the Samurai Shodown franchise. You can still play it as a regular fighting game but its nuances and its focus on patience and landing the game-killing blow mean that it isn’t like any other fighting game out there. Simply put, no other 2D weapons-based fighting game is as challenging and as deep.
We are aware that 15 is not a big enough number to encapsulate the best of what SNK has to offer. If you have other game picks, let us know!


We Look At Resident Evil 2 Remake’s Best Mods

Game modifications, or mods, are synonymous with PC gaming. It’s even one of the reasons why the term PC Master Race was coined. One game that got me quite excited was Resident Evil 2 (RE2) on PC via Steam.
Nostalgia aside, it’s one of Capcom’s strongest contenders for Game Of The Year. It’s a scary game, and I’m not one for that genre, but the mods make this game more palatable for me.
Before you mod your game, be sure to back your game up, in case something goes south.
So, let’s talk about the best mods for RE2.
X Gon’ Give It To Ya
Remember Mr. X? That chonk of a dude that kept following you around like a creep who can’t get his creep photo right? Yes, that creepy guy. Well, here be a sweet mod to tone down his excessive creeping.

pic.twitter.com/6fcWrY2NPw
â€” Mahado (@mahadopower) January 27, 2019

This might be the best mod I have ever come across. DMX’s X Gon’ Give It To Ya will play whenever Mr. X fancies you a visit. However, installation of this mod might be complicated, especially for amateur modders. There is a Steam forum post that explains how to install the mod.
First-Person Mod

If you enjoy a first-person perspective, ala Resident Evil 7, then this mod might be perfect to fill in that space. The mod enables you to play the whole game in first-person view, the most terrifying view, in my perspective (pun not intended). Check out the video below for an example of how scary it is to play this game while in Leon’s own perspective.

This is perfect for players to bring their Racoon City experience to the next level. The mod and installation details can be found on NexusMods.
RE-Immersion
If you’re running a beefy PC, why not bump the visuals up a notch? With the RE-Immersion mod, you can have your game highlight the original effects with extra volumetric fog, get greater depth of field, and sharpness in the nearby elements, add different effects such as bloom and HDR, provided your screen has support for HDR.

As you can see in the images above, the graphics are improved tenfolds, and this immerses you better into Racoon City. You can find the file and installation over at NexusMods.
Mr. X the Tank Engine

There’s now a Mr. X mod in Resident Evil 2 Remake that replaces him with Thomas The Tank Engine.
I live for this kind of shit pic.twitter.com/x3qwc2rvZ3
â€” Pixelbuster (@Nitomatta) March 2, 2019

You haven’t discovered the true meaning of fear until you have been chased by Thomas the Tank Engine. The mod changes the Mr. X model into the famous child cartoon train. Even the theme song for Thomas the Tank Engine plays when you’re being pursued by the monstrous train. I enjoy this mod as this reduces the anxiety of expecting him to come chasing you with his ominous size and soundtrack.
You can find the mod here, as well as the sound effect mod here. Installation is done by copying the files in the correct places, indicated by the filename.
NSFW Mr. X
In this mod, we transmogrify Mr. X into Mr. Sex, how’s that for a less frightening mod.

Just look at him! In retrospect, maybe being chased by a killer monster in thongs is actually scarier than vanilla Mr. X. I need eye bleach, I need to unsee that.
Proceed at your risk.

There’s our round-up of the best mods of RE2 Remake. What is your favourite mod? Let us know in the comments below.


Ubisoft Pirate Game Skull & Bones Release Date Leaked [Update]

It’s been a long time since Ubisoft gave us an update on the Ubisoft Singapore-developed naval pirate game, Skull & Bones. However, a new report have allegedly revealed the supposed release date for the game, which is in line with another report from earlier this year.
According to industry insider and leaker Aggiornamenti Lumia on Twitter, Skull & Bones will allegedly launch on 8 November 2022. There will also reportedly be pre-order bonuses and the like, including missions, a digital soundtrack and an artbook.

Skull & Bones announcement is imminent. Xbox Store listings are ready, some examples:
1) SKULL AND BONES™ PRE-ORDER BONUS2) Bloody Bones' Legacy Mission3) The Ashen Corsair Mission4) Smuggler Pass Token5) Digital Soundtrack and Artbook6) Premium Bonus Pack…
— Aggiornamenti Lumia (@ALumia_Italia) June 28, 2022

Perhaps Ubisoft will announce the official release date for Skull & Bones during Gamescom 2022, which will run from 24 August to 29 August 2022.

Is This Good News? [Editor]
Probably not. A Kotaku writer named Ethan Gach said that the game was originally aimed at early summer, but pushed for September, then to November. The game was supposed to be in a closed testing period in June, but was cancelled due to the state of the game. However, Skull & Bones need to be released this November due to Ubisoft Singapore’s existing government subsidy agreement with the country. It’s either this or Ubisoft Singapore shuts down; easy as that.

Was originally aiming for early summer. Pushed to September. Now November.
Was told there was supposed to be closed test this month but was cancelled due to the state of the build.
It's coming either way tho due to existing government subsidy agreement https://t.co/RklKqNTlRh
— AmericanTruckSongs8 (@ethangach) June 29, 2022


AMD Radeon 6000 Series GPUs Release Dates & Prices Revealed

During a live stream earlier today,Â AMD has announced the latest AMD Radeon 6000 Series GPUS:
Radeon RX 6800 (US$579, or roughly RM2,406)Radeon RX 6800 XT (US$649, or roughly RM2,697)Radeon RX 6900 XT (US$999, or roughly RM4,152)
All three of the new GPUs are based on AMDâ€™s latest RDNA 2 technology thatâ€™s also found inside the PS5 and Xbox Series X. They will support ray tracing, as well as feature improvements in 4K and 1440p PC gaming.

Both the Radeon RX 6800 XT and RX 6800 will go on sale on 18 November 2020 while the most powerful and expensive GPU; the Radeon RX 6900 XT, will be launching on 8 December 2020.
You can also watch the entire 24-minute presentation below, or head on over here to learn about the official release dates and prices for the new AMD Ryzen 5000 Series:


London Spitfire Unveils Overwatch Contenders Team & Roster

Overwatch League Stage 1 winners, the London Spitfire today unveiled the official name of their developmental team which will be competing in the Overwatch Contenders circuit, the aptly-named British Hurricane. In case you’re wondering why ‘Hurricane’, well the name was derived from the Hawker Hurricane, a single-seatÂ fighter aircraft of the 1930sâ€“1940s that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force (RAF). The fighter plane was widely used before and during the World War II and was superseded by the Supermarine Spitfire in all aspects of performance.

A quick history class; both Hurricanes and Spitfires were used during the Battle of Britain in 1940. Although a bulk of the RAF comprised of Hurricanes, Spitfires had a better attrition rate as well as higherÂ victory-to-loss ratio because of the fighter’s higher performance. Staying true to the team’s nomenclature, players in the British Hurricane – if they make the grade – are expected to be promoted to the main Spitfire team once they’ve proven themselves.
Anyways, here’s a quick reveal video of the team consisting entirely ofÂ Overwatch PIT Championship – Europe Season 2 Champions roster, ‘Those Guys’.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwS2M5jWs_Q&w=560&h=315]

London Spitfire is proud to announce British Hurricane.
Tanks:
ðŸ‡¬ðŸ‡§ @FusionsOW
ðŸ‡®ðŸ‡¸ @hafficool
DPS:
ðŸ‡¬ðŸ‡§ @kyb_b
ðŸ‡©ðŸ‡° @KragieOW
Support:
ðŸ‡¸ðŸ‡ª @bock1OW
ðŸ‡³ðŸ‡± @CrusaDe_OW
ðŸ‡¬ðŸ‡§ @funny_astro
Coach:
ðŸ‡ºðŸ‡¸ @OverwatchTactic
Manager:
ðŸ‡©ðŸ‡ª @Noukkyizzyhttps://t.co/rvN7RCzwd1
â€” British Hurricane (@Hurricane) February 15, 2018
The Overwatch Contenders is a developmental league where players and team aspiring to be in the Overwatch League compete. There are seven different regions being set up, each high potential teams and players, yet still require guidance to prepare them for the big stage. The full description of the Overwatch Contenders can be found here.


These Two Tomb Raider Games Are Currently Free To Download

More free games!
This time, it’s a couple of Tomb Raider games that are on offer, so you can spend your time at home raiding and adventuring.
The first is 2013’s Tomb Raider reboot, which didn’t have that much tomb raiding but was an enjoyable action-adventure regardless. The second is Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, the sequel to isometric spin-off Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. Temple of Osiris has a mixed rating on Steam, but hey, it’s free.
Both games are free to get from Steam from now until 24 March at 3pm. Once you get them, they’ll be yours to keep forever.


Marvel Zombies Animated Series Drops In 2024


Star Wars Games Are Now Under Lucasfilm Games Banner

Star Wars has announced Lucasfilm Games, the “official identity for all gaming titles from Lucasfilm”. All future Star Wars games will be brought together under one banner; the Lucasfilm Games banner. It’s currently unclear what all that will mean for EA (the current publisher of Star Wars games) moving forward, but it does imply that Star Wars games might not exclusively be under a single publisher in the future.

The new sizzle reel for Lucasfilm Games features titles like Star Wars Squadrons, Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, Star Wars Battlefront 2, The Sims 4 Journey To Batuu, Star Wars Galaxy Of Heroes, Star Wars The Old Republic Knights Of The Eternal Throne and Star Wars Jedi Knight Jedi Academy.
Lucasfilm Games was actually the original name of the video game development branch of Lucasfilm started by George Lucas himself in 1982. It was then renamed LucasArts from 1990 to 2013 before it shut down and the Star Wars games license went to EA (who is still holding it until now).


You Can Win This Sweet Final Fantasy VII Remake Chronograph Watch, But…

What’s better than playing Final Fantasy VII Remake when it’s out this April? Getting a free luxury watch out of just pre-ordering the game.
Square Enix will be giving away a free Sephiroth/Cloud Chronograph watch, made by Seiko, to a few lucky folks. How can you participate? Easy: just pre-order any version of the game on the Square Enix store.

The problem? It’s only open to people living in the United Kingdom, Germany, and France. Which means you’ll need to preorder the game from the EU version of the site, and hope you have a friend/a few relatives there who can collect the prize on your behalf and mail it to you, provided you are selected.
Also, you need to be 18 and above to participate, and the entry period is between 29 January and 9 April. I guess that’s the price you have to pay to get yourself a free sweet watch.
Speaking of which, if you want to just buy this lavished timepiece, it will set you back US$2,500 plus tax. There will only be 77 pieces of these made per region, so maybe check out these pics of the watch below before you decide to shell out your hard-earned money on it.


KKP Best Of 2020: Game #5

For the rest of 2020’s top gaming picks, head here.
#5: Umurangi Generation

Imagine Pokemon Snap, but in a cyberpunk world where everything’s gone to hell in a handbasket with each passing day. That’s Umurangi Generation in a nutshell; a small-time indie project that blends in photo-journalism gameplay and let its many sights and sounds tell its tale.
You can chill and relax, take photos and bide your time while absorbing the atmosphere. Umurangi Generation eventually shows you that something is amiss in this “sh** future” (said on the product description). And it does so slowly but surely, and effectively to boot.
What it does well is shows you; it doesn’t tell you jack and requires you to unfurl its narrative layers without any assistance whatsoever. Granted, you can finish the game in an afternoon. However, everything about it, especially in the context of a bystander and passive observer, will stick out and haunt you while its lo-fi music plays on in the background.
All I’m saying is don’t skip out on this red-sky journey.


La Casa De Papel Korean Cast Announced By Netflix

Netflix has announced the casting of the Korean adaptation of its beloved Spanish Original Series La Casa de Papel, also known as Money Heist.
The Korean Original Series will feature an exciting cast from Koreaâ€™s top talents including Yoo Ji-tae (The Swindlers, Money, Svaha: The Sixth Finger) as â€˜the Professor,â€™ and Kim Yunjin (Seven Days, Ode to My Father, Lost, Mistresses) as Seon Woojin, an inspector at the Task Force Team.
The Korean adaptation of La Casa de Papel is set in the Korean peninsula, and the showâ€™s creators will breathe new life into the familiar storyline and bring the material afresh to global audiences with twelve episodes. The Original Series centres around members of the gang recruited by the Professor, hostages, and a Task Force Team tackling the heist.
The Korean adaptation of La Casa de Papel will launch globally as a Netflix Original Series, and more details will come soon. Directed by Kim Hong-sun, it will be written byÂ Ryu Yong-jae, Kim Hwan-chae, and Choe Sung-jun. Produced by BH Entertainment and Contents Zium, the cast includes:

Gang Members: Yoo Ji-tae (â€œThe Professorâ€), Park Hae-soo (â€œBerlinâ€), Jeon Jong-seo (â€œTokyoâ€), Lee Won-jong (â€œMoscowâ€), Kim Ji-hun (â€œDenverâ€), Jang Yoon-ju (â€œNairobiâ€), Park Jung-woo (â€œRioâ€), Kim Ji-hun (â€œHelsinkiâ€), Lee Kyu-ho (â€œOsloâ€)
Task Force Team: Kim Yunjin (â€œSeon Woojinâ€), Kim Sung-o (â€œCha Moohyukâ€)Â
Hostages: Park Myung-hoon (â€œCho Youngminâ€), Lee Joobeen (â€œYoun Misunâ€)Â

You can compare the Korean characters above with the Spanish cast of the original below:


You Can Now Pre-Load The Matrix Awakens On PS5 & Xbox Series

Remember that mysterious The Matrix game that was leaked last week?Â The Matrix Awakens An Unreal Engine 5 Experience is now available for pre-load for PS5 via the PlayStation Store and Xbox Series X/S via the Microsoft Store.
According to the trailer, it’s described as “a glimpse into the future of interactive storytelling and entertainment with Unreal Engine 5 in this free, boundary-pushing cinematic and real-time tech demo”. That probably means that it won’t be a conventional game and more akin to an interactive experience.
The Matrix Awakens An Unreal Engine 5 Experience is created by members of the original movie team including Lana Wachowski along with Epic Games and partners, as well as features performances by Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss.
It will be fully announced at The Game Awards 2021, which will take place on 10 December 2021.
Check out the teaser trailer below:


This Fall Guys Clone Has Allegedly Over 18 Million Daily Players

Ever heard of Stumble Guys? Me neither, but it turns out to be a successful Fall Guys battle royale Takeshi’s Castle minigames-style clone that’s making waves.
Stumble Guys, a game made by Finland studio Kitka Games, soft-launched a few months after Fall Guys’ release in late 2020, and it launched globally in January 2021. The game took off recently according to market intelligence tool AppMagic, dominating the mobile game market that’s devoid of minigames-filled battle royale titles. How much are we talking here? Try 163 million downloads, in the top 10 of both the US and UK Google Play download charts, and US$21 million in revenue since launch.
In fact, Stumble Guys is on PC since October 2021 and has allegedly attracted 18 million daily players. Stumble Guys also experienced a peak in downloads, four days after Fall Guys went free-to-play last month.
Will there be competition for Stumble Guys in the mobile space? Well, Chinese entertainment company Bilibili will be publishing a mobile version of Fall Guys in China in the near future. In any case, we may be seeing a minigame battle royale war brewing next year, or even beyond.


Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 Deploys This October

During Nintendo Direct June 2023, Konami announced that the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 will launch for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on 24 October 2023.
The collection was originally announced at Summer Game Fest 2023 alongside Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater, but no release date was revealed back then.
The collection will include the following content:
Main Titles

Metal Gear (plus Screenplay Book / Master Book)
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (plus Screenplay Book / Master Book)
Metal Gear Solid (including VR Missions / Special Missions)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (HD Collection version)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (HD Collection version)

Bonus Content

Metal Gear (Famicom / SNES version)
Snake’s Revenge

Videos

Metal Gear Solid Digital Graphic Novel
Metal Gear Solid 2 Digital Graphic Novel
Metal Gear Solid Digital Soundtrack

Check out the trailer below:


The Kakuchopurei Team Shares Its Favourite Video Game Flings & Romances

Itâ€™s the 14th of February. Happy V-Day everyone! Your coupleâ€™s dinners and flower bouquet packages are three times the price, but hey, itâ€™s all in the power & glory of love. Like Chicago said.
Since itâ€™s a special day, we at Kakuchopurei will now share our favourite video game romances and one-night stands. Take it away, gentlemen!
Kenn Leandre: Cortana & Master Chief from the Halo series

A 15-year old Kenn would have picked Miranda Lawson from Mass Effect 2 but come on – my best girl in video games will always be Cortana in Halo. Throughout the four main games alongside countless accompanying filler graphic novels, we witnessed how thisÂ smart artificial intelligence construct’sÂ relationship with Master Chief develop – from being merely a guiding A.I ensuring Chief’s Mjolnir suit operates in peak performance to a trusty partner in battle into a confidante which we’d do everything in our power to protect.
Despite her not possessing any physical body, she’s the perfect embodiment of a lifelong companion. Goes to show that a perfect relationship can work sans physical contact.Â She remained by our side since Combat Evolved, growing alongside John-117 until she sacrificed herself to save John in Halo 4. (OK, she didn’t really ‘die’ but that act alone shows how human Cortana is).
I never really cared much about side characters in video games. But that scene at the end of Halo 4 where she manifested herself one last time just to touch Master Chief…. dude. That’d make even the toughest of us shed a tear.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACvIxGpzGs8?start=52&w=560&h=315]
As one YouTube commenter puts it perfectly:

“Women cried to Titanic; Men cried to Terminator 2; Gamers cried to Halo 4.”

Alleef: Geralt And Yennefer from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

While Geralt of Rivia may be infamously known for his many escapades with lady lovers throughout the course of his adventures, his heart has always belonged to only one woman: Yennefer of Vengerberg. The sorceress may seem cold-hearted and unflinching at first but beneath that solid exterior lies the only one who is capable of melting the heart of a cynical and gruff monster-slayer like Geralt.
Geralt and Yen (short for Yennefer) are destined for each other, and not only because Yen is like a mother to Geralt’s adopted daughter, Ciri, but also because their love for each other is pure. An unforgettable side quest in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt had Geralt and Yen hunting down a Djinn.
The reason was to have the magical creature remove Geralt’s last wish (which was to bind the two of them together forever) so that she could see whether they truly love each other or if they are just together because of a forced magical bond. A majority of fans believe that the canon choice is the former and that Yennefer is Geralt’s canon love interest (best waifu!).
Geralt and Yennefer’s romance is one of the few in gaming that has made me genuinely shed actual tears. This happened when I first listened to The Wolven Storm, a beautiful and heartbreaking song about the love between Geralt and Yen. It’s still one of my favorite songs in gaming, and it’s available in over 7 languages. That’s how important and pivotal the song is to their relationship and the story as a whole, even to developer CD Projekt Red.
If you don’t believe me, try listening to the song below. I’ve included both the original version of the song in English and a cover of the Polish version (which is my preferred version, since it sounds even more emotional and melancholy).
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQhQ-7Iaw8Y&w=560&h=315]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ialPtQuMMg&w=560&h=315]

“You flee my dream come the morning,
Your scent – berries tart, lilac sweet,
To dream of raven locks entwisted, stormy,
Of violet eyes, glistening as you weep.”

Syazwan: Zack and Aerith from Crisis Core – Final Fantasy VII

Yes, I’m talking about the prequel, the story before the overly popular main game, Final Fantasy VII.Â The spinoff introduced us to the relationship between all-time fan favourite Aerith and Zack Fair. I was so into the game and characters, I even changed my Facebook name to Zack Fair for a moment. Hey, don’t judge! We’ve all done silly things in our lives.
Zack is an interesting character. He sends out letters to Aerith every time he’s on a mission. But there was this one moment in-game in which Zack and Cloud were incapacitated and infused with Sephiroth cells and were dormant in their incubation tanks of sorts.
The next scene shows that Zack regains consciousness, and it turns out it’s already been four years, and there’s a number of unread letters from Aerith, who thought he was already dead since he was no longer sending him letters. In essence, Aerith sent him her last letters assuming he died.
But the part that never fails to get me, even up to today, is Zack’s Final Stand. That’s the moment he perished in combat.Â Zack then passes down the Buster Sword and his SOLDIER honour to Cloud. His partner, Angeal descends from the sky like an angel to bring Zack into the Lifestream. Cloud wanders into Midgar as Zack’s lingering voice tells Cloud to say hello to Aerith for him, and asks if he has finally become a hero.

It’s true as the quote on the game cover says:

“Men cry not for themselves, but for their comrades.”

Mr Toffee: Guybrush & Elaine from the Monkey Island series

I REALLY want to touch upon my favourite serious and dramatic relationships in games -Garrus/FemShepard, Professor Layton & Clair, Tidus & Yuna, The Prince of Persia & Elika, Fei & Elly. That’s a ginormous list!
Instead, I’m going straight for comedic adventure gaming’s best couple ever. I’m referring to Guybrush Threepwood (mighty pirate) and Elaine Marley. Both of them met under awkward circumstances and are clear opposites. Elaine’s a badass governess who turns heads and has a fierce disposition. Guybrush is…neither one of those things and more.

However, he tries really hard not only to be a kickass pirate (who can hold his breath for 10 minutes; true story) but also win the heart of a woman clearly out of his league. A few sequels later, he finally did tie the knot with her after a lot of back-and-forth.
It does help that the righteous Elaine has a soft spot for our hero, much like a stern owner has for a pitiful young pup. Guys like myself are basically less-exaggerated versions of Guybrush: always striving for the impossible, no matter how bleak the outcome and results can be. It’s just that all you need is a little gung-ho, confidence, and a little luck on your side.
And even when both of them already hooked up, their bond grew stronger over each sequel. Heck, even a fangirl of sorts and a voodoo curse on Elaine almost stood in the way of their love and friendship, which obviously prevailed because Guybrush never, EVER gives up. He flubs up insult sword fighting the first few times? Sure, but he gets better and triumphs eventually.
Their relationship also proves the power of a timeless adage sung by one 80s Paula Abdul and an animated rapping cat:

“Opposites attract.”

What are your favourite video gaming flings and relationships? Share them with us either here or on Facebook. In the meantime, check out the video for some ideal nominees.
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/1337251229712622/?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARB-Y1KyRBMDdbFs43kIRDwfZAnET00GI3n5C9Dg2lNQ7wkF5LPHmNsHstYpr-rjd7AdAQtqu_XmN7UITVZigabRBa8e2NneEe6JgryXjaqJAJXaFmNGd7LNLfI1WlkwKpg0CpNSgNV3VY7OnIbvT-VRjHlBISgoxjM7X9pCTNG6IIiGdWICPQ4RJWICo6nT-avj-HBPfG4z90qL2uiJf-Kf4rO2l0KEpA5eifEks61FxBMxrJ1UKWStzvzHpXahYXKBODVO86_3-pSty-tHhFvIPI44VTA6JB2JPz1tiG8JaXBPP6j0uBNXCAkKnuuIfRn1QaCNRDC3KEeDogT5Xl6tGMZg3oyF&__tn__=H-R


God Of War Celebrates Two-Year Anniversary With New Merch

We can’t believe that it’s been two years since the phenomenal masterpiece that was Sony Santa Monica’s PS4 exclusive God Of War launched on 20 April 2018 and changed the games industry forever. In celebration of this anniversary, Sony Santa Monica has announced several new merchandises.
They’re teaming up with Dark Horse to bring Atreusâ€™ actual journal from God of War to life in Lore and Legends.Â Written in collaboration with the God of War team, this hardcover book chronicles the journey of Atreus and Kratos through the Nine Realms.
It includes expanded lore, detailed bestiary, character dossiers and so much more. Check it outÂ hereÂ to pre-order your copy and to catch a sneak peek.

In addition, the folks at Gaming Heads has been hard at work on designing their next life-size Kratos bust. It was crafted using in-game files, with the finer details painted by hand.
However, only 500 has been produced for worldwide distribution, which makes this a true collectorâ€™s item for any die-hard God of War fan.
Visit the Gaming Heads site hereÂ for more images and pre-order details.

Last but not least, Lineage Studios has released a brand new poster showcasing the fearsome Valkyries from the game. Check it out hereÂ to learn more.

Game director Cory Barlog also chimed in to express his own gratitude for the game’s two-year anniversary on his personal Twitter account.

Happy 420!
Itâ€™s been two years since the incredible team @SonySantaMonica released GOW and Iâ€™m thankful every day to have been a part of a great team.
I â¤ï¸ the GOW community.
Video games changed my life for the better and now more than ever Iâ€™m proud to be a part of creating. pic.twitter.com/3PO7NqIx4r
â€” Cobra Glory ðŸ–– (@corybarlog) April 20, 2020


[Report] PlayStation 5 Controllers Will Have Its Own Screen

Images of a Dualshock 5 has been circulating the interwebs today, and it implies that we would have a screen on the touchpad.
Prepare a bowl of salt and have a look at it;

I’ll be honest with you, it does not look like a DualShock 5 at all, not even a concept version of it. I’m calling it, it’s a fake. The rest of the totally bogus controller looks to be the standard fare, an almost bulkier version of the Dualshock 4. What tipped me off was the D-Pad. It looks too un-Sony to be real.
It’s also worth pointing out that Jason Schreier of Kotaku, a known name among developers and publishers for leaking information online, has also called it fake.

So, leaks are leaks, and I’m eating lunch with a huge bowl of salt today. All we can do is wait for Sony to say something about the PlayStation 5, which might take a long while.


The Classic 2002 Mafia Gets The Remastering It Deserves

Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One
Genre: A remake of a story-focused GTA 3 clone that isn’t really a blatant copy
The 2002 action game Mafia borrowed a few open world bits here and there from Grand Theft Auto 3 back in that particular post-2000 heyday, but became a cult favourite because its focus was on its gripping tale of one Tommy Angelo who tried to make a living being a hired goon during the final years of Prohibition in the 1930s set in a fictional facsimile of Los Angeles. While revolutionary at the time and championed storytelling and narrative in games (machinima) alongside titles like Half-Life and the first StarCraft, its tropes and design did not age well over time. No checkpoints, strict health system, even worse law enforcement curbing if you so much as drive above 40mph; this gameplay will not stand in a decade filled with advancements from titles like Witcher 3 and the subsequent Grand Theft Auto sequels.
Developer Hangar 13, who are obvious fans of the franchise thanks to their past two offerings, decided to remake the first game for this year’s generation of gamers. However, they’re equipped with the common sense to axe what didn’t work back in the early 2000s, meaning this remake feels like a brand new game to many. For the most parts, this remake succeeds in entertaining action game fans who want to go back to the bygone 30s era of lawlessness and machismo.
Once Upon A Time In America

The plot for 2020’s Mafia remake is about the same: it’s still the rise and (sorta) fall of Tommy Angelo as he works for Lost Heaven’s Salieri family, knee-deep in a turf war against the Morello family as it escalates beyond just shipping out alcohol in speakeasies. You’ll start out driving and wrecking cars in rival gangs, to even pulling off a hit in a gentleman’s club, and the game looks gorgeous doing so.
While the daytime scenes and open-world meandering bits are just passÃ©, the game’s aesthetics truly shine when you’re in the main locations of the mission. The aforementioned gentleman’s club, the old-school ship featuring a private party of an important figure you’re killing, and even a farmhouse with outpouring constant rain: all of them ooze both a timely decor of its period and a sense of authenticity.

The plot beats are almost identical to the 2002 game (which you can get a wiki summary online), but fleshed out with better voice acting, cutscenes, and new dialogue to make it more believable and serious. In your 10-hour journey to mafiadom, you’ll remember Tommy’s words of wisdom, mafia goons Paulie and Sam’s shenanigans and banter, and even side characters like the tough love interest Sarah and the hot-headed villain Don Morello.
Gangs West Of Not New York

The game itself consist of a lot of shooting, punching, and driving, all of them handled adequately. If you’ve played any third-person cover-based shooter where your main character’s can sorta regenerate and all guns hit super-hard, you’ll be right at home here. Your arsenal consists of tommy guns, shotguns, revolvers, and molotovs; simple but sweet. The challenge lies in you surviving mafia goons, scavenging weapons when you’re only left with a pistol for most situations, and surviving.Â It’s not exactly mind-blowing, but it’s challenging and works within the context of the narrative flow.
What I truly love about this remake is that Hangar 13 does not waste your time razzling and dazzling you with its mix of gameplay and narrative. Adding some car-chasing and hunting time just to liven up the pace, the main campaign will only take up 10 hours of your time. The missions are varied and updated from the original; one moment you’re driving in a Hearst out of the cop’s way in a thrilling assassination mission, the next you’re playing a defense mission in a farmhouse where you’re supposed to be getting Canadian whiskey from new suppliers.
There’s even an abandoned prison maze where you have to climb up, kill a guy with a high-powered sniper rifle, and then get out before the cops overwhelm you. New missions include you hunting down Don Morello’s right-hand man in a series of car chases and gun fights; while not exactly a big leap in innovation, it’s still a welcome mission to keep the game’s runtime at a moderate pace. Oh, and you get motorbikes to ride on too. They’re fast and handle as you would expect, but with faster cars that take a good amount of damage available, why would you willingly hijack one? To each their own, I guess.

The design and pacing of these missions are fun, provided all you’re looking for is some sweet cover-based third person shooting action with some chase sequences in-between. Hangar 13 basically fixed the problem of Mafia III, which had a great story but tiring gameplay, by cutting out the fat and just focusing on the story. And also comes equipped with a great RM129 price to boot.
Of course, if you really want to explore the 1930s at your own time, you can play the game’s Free Ride mode and get to hunting cars down for your collection. You can also use the race track option and beat your own times on the derby course. No need to drive from point A to B getting to these; just quit to main menu and select the option at the start.
Speaking of skipping driving sequences, you can do just that in the story campaigns; at least the bits where they’re non-essential. You may want to stick around for a bit to hear additional context and story from the folks you’re driving with, or hearing news of your latest crime, but after a few minutes, you’re fine skipping them. You still need to drive in mandatory bits, but the checkpoint system is very generous at its default difficulty.
Charleston Chewed-Out

As fun as reliving the 1930s era is in video game form, Mafia is filled with a number of immersion-breaking bugs. So far, I’ve encountered cars phasing through Tommy’s cab during key cutscenes, my Hearst flying from a hill and suspended in the air during a chase scene, and the screen blanking out on me mid-gameplay. My experience has been smooth barring these bits, though your mileage may vary. I also notice these bugs cropping up the longer I play this game past the 5-hour mark, so do keep that in mind.
Also, it’s clear that Mafia is made for the consoles, because keyboard mappings for the keyboard & mouse setup are terrible. Who the hell uses awkwardly-placed mappings for sneaking and meleeing in an action game? This just made me say “screw it” and just plugged my Xbox One controller; everything went smooth sailing after that.

Challenge-wise, the game mixes modern and 2000s action design and tropes, for better or worse. It’s way easier to escape from the cops than last time. Enemies can take more than two headshots. Explosions from inflammable props have bigger hitboxes than you would think and they instant-kill you. In certain chase sequences, even when you caught up with your target and shot him, the game proceeds to the next cutscene where your target is alive and well, breaking all sorts of immersion if you’re hoping to end that segment quick. It doesn’t feel consistent at times, but the overall action entertains with its setpieces and challenge.
Protip: if you want a decade-old level of challenge, play classic mode and turn off aim assist. Just try it once. Then go back to playing the remake to remind you that it’s better to let the devs balance the difficulty so that it isn’t cheap, unfair, and time-wasting.
The Mafia remake makes the original 2002 title obsolete by improving and upgrading everything, which is the whole point. Archaic gameplay, tropes, and controls are refurbished to make the new game and its cast all the better while preserving the core of Tommy’s rise and subsequent fall in the game’s thrilling narrative. Seeing as there aren’t any period piece games set during the prohibition era that isn’t turn-based and paced horribly, this Mafia title is the way to go to get those jollies sated.
Hopefully this redemption arc is enough to warrant the studio to take another shot in an actual Mafia sequel.
Pros

Great story & production values.
Good action & driving segments.
Optional open-world features.
Much-needed quality-of-life options like skip drive mode.
Aesthetics are mostly polished…

Cons

…though some weird bugs crop up.
Default keyboard controls are terrible.
Some 2000s gameplay & mechanics can be exploited.

Final Score: 80/100


Sludge Life 2 Launches Later This Month, Demo Out Now

During Devolver Direct 2023, Devolver Digital announced that Sludge Life 2 will launch for PC on 27 June 2023.
SLUDGE LIFE 2 is the grimiest first-person vandalism sim since the first SLUDGE LIFE—but, like, twice as dense. Explore a huger, weirder, gnarlier open world loaded with secrets, weirdos, jokes, and, of course, plenty of spots to tag.
Check out the trailer below:


Division 2 Warlords Of New York Expansion Leaked

A world premiere stream later today by Ubisoft was supposed to officially unveil the next Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 expansion as part of its Year 2 DLC. However, users on Reddit have leaked the details beforehand, and now we know that it will be titled Warlords Of New York.
Based on leaked screenshots and images, The Division 2 Warlords Of New York expansion is slated for release next month on 3 March 2020.

The leaked description for The Division 2 Warlords Of New York expansion is as follows:

Synopsis:
New York is under threat.
Aaron Keener, a former Division Agent turned rogue, has taken control of Lower Manhattan, backed by four devoted and highly skilled lieutenants.
Trained by The Division but disavowing its ideals, they are now the highest authority in town and the most formidable force the Agents have ever faced.

It will reportedly feature:

Â A gripping new story, hunting down your nemesis.
Â A level 30 boost, allowing players to jump right into the Warlords of New York campaign.
Â A new open-world map set in New York.
Â A revamped progression system with a level cap increased to 40.
Â New tactical options: exotics, gears, and skills.
Â An extended endgame, including thematic three-month seasons.

A closer look at the leaks indicates that those who buy the expansion before 3 April 2020 will receive an additional level 40 weapon and a new outfit. An Ultimate Edition of The Division 2 has also been leaked, which reportedly features:

The base game.
The Warlords of New York expansion.
A level 30 boost, allowing you to jump right into the Warlords of New York campaign.
The instant unlocks of all 6 endgame specializations.
8 exclusive Classified assignments missions.
The Battleworn secret service pack.
The First Responder Pack.
The Elite Agent pack.
1 exclusive emote.
1 exclusive outfit.

However, take everything with a grain of salt for now. Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for the official reveal by Ubisoft soon.


Co-Op Tower Defence Voodolls Will Launch 13 April

The team behind Kao the Kangaroo, Tate Multimedia have announced their new four-player online co-op and single-player tower defence game from French indie studio SideRift, called Voodolls which will launch on Steam on 13 April.

You can find Tate Multimedia’s overview of Voodolls below:
Designed to be played online with friends, Voodolls charges players with fighting for their freedom after their souls are trapped in hell. Offered the chance to escape by a mysterious Puppet Master who distills their essence into Voodolls, play takes the form of intense co-op tower defence battles across 12 planetoid stages featuring three difficulty modes and an endless mode, with the goal being to hold back wave after wave of enemies keen to keep you captive.
Working together to defend the Puppet Master and, in turn, keep your hopes of escape alive is the order of the day, with each doll coming blessed with unique abilities that, when combined, are the key to victory.
Below you can also find the dev’s roadmap for Voodolls post-launch.

Key Features

Synergy between action, exploration and strategic Tower Defence mechanics, including an array of traps and defenses to hold back the hordes of hell.
Round planets – stylised and unique worlds each themed by the four seasons.
Team of four characters, each with unique abilities, weapons, and battle tactics.
Solo or online co-op up to four players – Defend the Puppet Master alongside three friends in full campaign co-op or tackle the task alone in solo play.
Story-based campaign – Peel back the layers of mystery to uncover the secrets of the puppet master & the dolls.
Three camera angles – Face your foes in immersive first-person mode or take a step back in third-person. Make tactical choices from above in the strategy camera mode. Three modes, and three different approaches in one game.
Extensive replayability.
Many types of enemies to take on.
Plenty of deadly traps to defend the Puppet master from the hordes of hell.


Swery’s The Good Life Is Coming In Summer 2021

Publisher The Irregular Corporation and developers White Owls Inc. and Grounding Inc. have announced that The Good LifeÂ will launch for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC viaÂ SteamÂ in summer 2021.
It will be the latest game by Hidetaki Suehiro, better known online and on Twitter as Swery. He is best known for 2010’s Deadly Premonition and its sequel, 2020’s Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise.
Here is an overview of the game, via its Steam page:
Welcome to Rainy WoodsNaomi Hayward finds herself far from her New York home. Out of her depth and drowning in debt, she is commissioned by The Morning Bell newspaper to uncover the mystery behind Rainy Woodsâ€”a rural English town considered to be the â€˜happiest in the worldâ€™. With her camera at the ready, she starts her investigation but soon finds that the townâ€”and its wonderfully quirky residentsâ€”are hiding many secrets. Not least, why they transform into cats and dogs at night. Caught up in the townâ€™s enchantmentâ€”Naomi must use her newfound animal skills to uncover the truth about Rainy Woods.Put Your Photography Skills to the TestUse your camera to get to the bottom of Rainy Woodsâ€™ mystery by taking photographs for The Morning Bell newspaper to complete commissions. Theyâ€™ll pay you for your trouble but it seems you have a large debt outstanding already. Perhaps it is easier to take photos capturing the hottest trends on social app Flamingo to satisfy your fans? That ought to earn you a pretty penny and help you chip away at your debt.Transform, Traverse, and TrackTransform into a cat or dog in order to unlock and use unique skills! Expand your area of exploration as you jump and climb nimbly around town like a cat. Or track down villagers with your keen canine sense of smell.A Delicate Balancing ActYour earnings from commissions, Flamingo and part-time jobs around town will provide you with a decent living. Why not delve into the delights of Rainy Woods? Grow vegetables in your garden? Expand your cooking repertoire? Explore the wilderness? Join the locals for a drink at the pub? Or help them out and get to know them a little bit better. The days are yours to fill with whatever you please, but rememberâ€”cultivating a good life is a balancing act!Get Out There and ExploreSee what Rainy Woods has to offer! Set out to explore the surrounding landscapes, unlock way stones and campsites to expand how far you can travelâ€”or perhaps just riding a sheep across the rolling hills will bring you the most joy!
Check out the latest trailers below:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=nrjGdHHXki4

https://youtube.com/watch?v=LxcVhx6FpjM


The Captain Marvel Skrull Twist Is A Welcome Change In Comic Book Movie Adaptations

The shape-shifting Skrulls have always been the go-to for bad guy alien race in Marvel comics. Fantastic Four, The Avengers, and a few others fought them on occasion. Even some cartoon series took the Secret War angle and made them one-dimensional sci-fi villains.
Which is fine and all, since they are numerous and can blend in and impersonate Avengers when the team least expects it for subterfuge purposes. And they make for default go-to antagonists when Marvel writers need a big epic crossover story involving all the Marvel heroes.Â
In the Captain Marvel movie, the cycle has been broken. The Skrulls are getting their due as more than just one-note villains.

So when we first start, we see “pre-Captain Marvel Carol Danvers” Vers and her Kree pals infiltrate and fight off Skrulls in the Tofa planet. Vers is then captured and then proceeded to have her mind forcibly probed by the Skrulls. That’s when all her memories start flooding in.
After she crashes into 90s earth and bumping into Nick Fury, she then gives chase to infiltrating Skrulls, and then has to fend off more Skrulls who happen to imitate the leading officer for S.H.I.E.L.D. After all that, she ends up at her co-pilot Maria Rambeau to figure out the co-ordinates of Dr. Wendy Lawson’s lab; she turns out to be a Kree scientist who can figure out lightspeed tech that can help turn the tide of the Kree-Skrull war.
Then along comes the Skrull leader Talos who bargained with Fury and Vers to take them to the lab; no fight, no bloodshed, no heel turn. In fact, he’s pretty chummy with them, using his brand of wit and subterfuge knowhow to not mess things up. Props to Ben Mendelsohn’s acting for this, FYI.
When they arrive at the lab, who should turn up but Talos’ family and other Skrull refugees.

And then the big reveal happens: the Skrulls aren’t invading. They’re retreating from the Kree who want to dominate the universe under their rule. The Skrulls don’t want any of that, so they ended up getting killed by Jude Law’s character and his Kree crew.

Talos’ pals and family are hiding in Winters’ base this whole time, presumably changing forms and looks to blend in with earth and hiding from the ever-vigilant space race.
Granted, it’s a twist you can see coming a mile away – Jude Law loves his villain roles. And if you know your comics, Minerva (Gemma Chan) isn’t exactly a hero. However, having the Skrulls being the victims and runaways instead of them being invaders is a great spin on the Marvel comic formula. The twist itself is gradually built up and pays off in a spectacular way, with the Skrulls coming off as sympathetic, and the Kree kept consistent if the first Guardians of the Galaxy’s Ronan and Korath is of any indication. In fact, it’s the only plus point of the Captain Marvel movie.
Does this mean we’ll be seeing evil Skrulls in the MCU to mix things up? Maybe, if there’s going to be a Fantastic Four film from them; that 20th Century Fox takeover announcement by the House of Mouse is just a few days away. For now, these space beings are given a new dimension in the films, much like how all of its major villains and B-grade bad guys either get killed or are forgotten.


New Spider-Man Far From Home Trailer Confirms The MCU Multiverse

A new Spider-Man Far From Home trailer has arrived, and this one is a game-changer. If you haven’t seen Avengers Endgame, it’d better if you avert your eyes for this one.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt9L1jCKGnE&w=560&h=315]
The new trailer starts on a somber note, depicting a grieving Peter Parker AKA Spider-Man still haunted by the death of his mentor, Tony Stark AKA Iron Man. Tony’s best friend, Happy Hogan, comforts him, saying:

“I don’t think that Tony would have done what he did, if he didn’t know you were going to be here after he was gone.

A scene with Peter in his Iron Spider suit saving a restaurant from a bunch of criminals elicits a somewhat insensitive response from the police. Also, who the heck fixed the Iron Spider suit after it was torn to shreds in the final battle of Avengers Endgame?

“Are you going to be the next Iron Man now?”

Anyways, Peter keeps ignoring Nick Fury’s calls to focus on his vacation instead. This is where the biggest bombshell drops. The rumors were indeed true, it seemingly confirms the existence of the Marvel Multiverse within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with Quentin Beck AKA Mysterio claiming that he’s from another Earth. Not another timeline, but another Earth from an alternate reality or dimension.

Mysterio says:

“We could use someone like you on my world.”

This line indicates that the Earth that this Mysterio is from doesn’t have its own version of Spider-Man or probably any other superhero. This is what differentiates an alternate Earth from that of simply another timeline. What existed on one world may never have existed or have yet to exist on the other, and vice verse.
However, I have a working theory on all this, so hear me out.
It Could All Be A Trick

The situation is already pretty fishy and questionable from the start. Even if Mysterio is indeed from another Earth like he claims to be, it still doesn’t explain why this ‘Nick Fury’ is so eager to trust this man he presumably recently met. Fury was the director of SHIELD, making him the most cautious and meticulous person in the MCU.
The real Nick Fury wouldn’t trust in someone like Mysterio so easily, and that’s why I think that this ‘Nick Fury’ is actually the villain Dmitri Smerdyakov AKA the Chameleon, who has the ability to imitate or impersonate anyone almost perfectly.
Mysterio is probably working together with this ‘Nick Fury’ (read: the Chameleon), and portraying himself to be a hero to both Spider-Man and the general public. Mysterio is the master of illusion and special effects, so what if the Elementals (including Hydro-Man and Molten Man) that we’ve seen in the trailers are actually fake?
Mysterio of all people could never possibly be strong enough to take on an Elemental on his own, unless he has actual magical powers like Doctor Strange (which is unlikely).
If It’s Not A Trick

Every comic book fan knows that Mysterio will always be a bad guy, no matter the circumstances. Let’s say that this Mysterio is speaking the truth and that this Nick Fury is the one true former Director of SHIELD (and not the Chameleon), then it would change the face of the MCU as we know it.
The Multiverse has actually been explicitly mentioned in the MCU once before by the Ancient One in 2016â€™s Doctor Strange. During Stephen Strangeâ€™s iconic acid trip scene in the movie, she said, â€œWho are you in the vast Multiverse, Mr. Strange?â€, confirming even back then that the Multiverse exists.
In Marvel Comics, the MCU is unofficially designated Earth-199999, while the â€˜primeâ€™ Marvel universe is based in the reality of Earth-616. Directly referencing other Earths and universes could change the fabric of the MCU forever, bringing infinite possibilities to future stories.
Marvel Studios could even potentially use the Multiverse concept as a simple backdoor excuse to introduce mutants or the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four into the MCU, not to mention all the new potential villains like Galactus, Kang the Conqueror, or Annihilus.
MJ Knows Spider-Man’s Identity

In a scene that’s supposed to be mushy and romantic (where Peter is preparing to reveal his feelings for her), MJ unexpectedly reveals that she’s known that Peter is Spider-Man all along. This is not surprising considering how notoriously bad Tom Holland’s Peter is at keeping his secret identity (case in point, Aunt May stumbling in on him in his costume at the end of Spider-Man Homecoming).
This Peter May Be More Than Meets The Eye

I personally didn’t like Spider-Man Homecoming because it depicted a Spider-Man that’s overly dependant on Tony Stark for his costume and gadgets, instead of relying on his own brilliance and skills. We might finally see that other side of Peter in Spider-Man Far From Home.
In the new trailer, Peter says:

‘The world needs the next Iron Man.”

Then, we see Peter tinkling about with a holographic interface on his arm, presumably tinkering about creating a new suit. This is a huge deal, as we will be able to see what this Peter is really capable of in showing his brilliance. This might turn out to be that new red and black suit we’ve seen in official promotional images, like the one below.

In the comics, there were several high-tech Spider-Man suits that Peter built to for specific threats. However, there was one suit, in particular, that’s essentially what if Spidey’s costume is just as advanced as Iron Man’s without being influenced by Tony Stark in any way, the Spider-Armor Mark IV (which was also featured as one of the alternate skins in Insomniac’s Spider-Man on the PS4).
What do you think of the new Spider-Man Far From Home trailer? Let me know in the comments below. Spider-Man: Far From Home is slated to arrive in cinemas on 4 July 2019.


Call Of Duty Mobile Tops 650 Million Downloads

Activision Blizzard has announced that the mobile version of Call of Duty has been downloaded over 650 million times, according to its latest annual report.
The free-to-play mobile shooter was out in November 2019, with the game topping 500 million downloads in May of 2021. The reason the numbers went up pretty fast is due to Call of Duty Mobile’s release in China. Here’s an excerpt from the report:
“The number of people experiencing Call of Duty on mobile each month almost matched those playing on console and PC in 2021”.
The company’s next step is making a free-to-play mobile version of Call of Duty Warzone, the battle royale equivalent of the game.


This 3D Fighting Game Features Crabs & Chainsaws; Available Now

Would you play a game called Fight Crab? At the very least, you’d be a mite curious.
We’re pleased to announce that the eternal question -what if crabs can wield weapons and fight each other underwater?- has been answered in the form of PC game Fight Crab. It features giant crabs and is available now on itch.io in Early Access form. Note: you may need a VPN to access this.

Here is the game’s official plot, if you can call it that.

“In this far-off world, these crabs were granted ultimate strength and intelligence from the generous gods,” so reads the description. “Using their newfound strength and wit, they armed themselves with human weapons of the finest calibre, and took control of the lands. Immortal beings of unrelenting horror, they cannot be killed with swords or even guns.
However, there is only one principle fact that rules these lands; â€œThose who are flipped onto their shells, shall be cooked into a crab cake, or mouth-watering rangoon.”

And flip you shall! Your chosen giant crab will be brandishing weapons like katanas, lightsabers, and chainsaws; you’ll be fighting against other giant enemy crabs and flip them over for massive damage.
The Early Access version seems meaty enough; you get to pick between 19 species of crab and 41 types of weapons. Developer Nusso said they will continuously update the game. Check out the trailer below if you’re not feeling too shellfish and want to share the love.


This Chun-Li Cosplayer Is Joining The Street Fight Against Coronavirus Epidemic

Meet Yuan Herong, a bodybuilder who got some buzz due to her accurate portrayal of Street Fighter’s strongest woman in the world.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5-lgwKpyXb/?utm_source=ig_embed
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5-oZ1wJc8H/?utm_source=ig_embed
She also cosplays as SNK’s strongest woman in the world when she’s not doing gym work building her abs and muscles.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7LZvwlpQ0b/?utm_source=ig_embed
All caught-up and amazed? Well, she’s also a physician in Shandong Province, China, and she’s now doing her part in kicking the Coronavirus’ butt with other doctors and health practitioners in the country.
“I’m a doctor,” she wrote on Instagram recently. “[I] must [be] on the front line [to fight the epidemic].
“171 cases of new pneumonia were cured and 15238 suspected cases were found. The healers are all treated through traditional Chinese medicine and other symptomatic treatment. We will try our best to do a good job in prevention and treatment.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/B72XytRJzhs/?utm_source=ig_embed
Thank you for not only delighting us with your cosplay work, Yuan Herong, but also in helping Hoyokusen the crap out of this life-ruining epidemic. We’re rooting for you and your medical compatriots!


Here’s Our Favourite No Straight Roads Pieces Of Fanart

Malaysian studio Metronomik’s No Straight Roads recently released worldwide on 25 August 2020, and it seems to have captured the heart of many gamers. Fans of the game are loving its unique art style, and there are loads of awesome fan art out there.
The developer has also announced that Support-A-Creator program members on the Epic Games Store can earn 10 percent revenue share on every No Straight Roads purchase attributed to them.

Content creators ROCK – and we're excited to support them!Until Sep. 25, @EpicGames Support-A-Creator program members can earn 10% revenue share on #NoStraightRoads purchases attributed to them via the Epic Games Store. #supportacreator pic.twitter.com/W9k9fAtdFy— No Straight Roads ? (@NoStraightRoads) September 1, 2020

From the looks of it, the most popular characters are the protagonists (Mayday and Zeke), Sayu, DJ Subatomic Supernova, and the 1010 boy band, amongst others.
Check out some of the best No Straight Roads fanart we’ve discovered below:

Attention !! Made a Fanart of a recent Local Game, No Straight Roads, Love the musics and the characters !! #NoStraightRoads pic.twitter.com/bizfnJ2zgb— Jiii (@shi_jiii) September 2, 2020

I forgot I drew this XDHave some No Straight Roads Fanart#NoStraightRoads #NSR pic.twitter.com/mSSkF3f3I1— XObunny (@XObunny04) September 1, 2020

Sayu from No Straight Roads ? #NoStraightRoads #fanart pic.twitter.com/31rvsbhyyU— Peachii_tea (@Pochii_tea) September 1, 2020

Do you like mermaids? I do! Sooo here's Sayu from "No straight roads" AAAA!!!????#NoStraightRoads #fanart #Sayu #mermaid #art pic.twitter.com/bt9TbsLA9y— Spiritual Mane (@NonMonsters) August 3, 2020

here's some #fanart for the soon to be released No Straight Roads game, I've played the demo at least 5 times by now.#rockvsedm #digitalart pic.twitter.com/liAYwOWZlV— Egged (@Eggged) August 4, 2020

I highly recommended checking out the game No Straight Roads. It’s got great music, amazing visuals and I really enjoy the character designs! (Bonus Sayu because she’s my favourite boss.)#NoStraightRoads #nsr #videogames #fanart #art #digitalart #lolfurbyscribble pic.twitter.com/QQK0P6P1PM— Lolfurbyscribble (@lolfurbyscrible) July 25, 2020

NO STRAIGHT ROADSDJ SUBATOMIC SUPERNOVA#NoStraightRoads #????????????#fanart pic.twitter.com/EjWLqS3CS0— ????? (@aketoki) July 1, 2020

Woke up to a VERY pleasant surprise today! @SuChanVO (Mayday's voice actress) reached out to me to show off a pic of her and @stevenbonesSBE (Zuke's voice actor) re-enacting the No Straight Roads fanart I posted yesterday! The DEDICATION. I LOVE IT. ? pic.twitter.com/olYYhCDNyC— Dead Line ? (@DeddoRain) July 8, 2020

No Straight Roads comes out tomorrow! Let's gooo! So, of course, made some more fanart! This time it's of the robot band 1010. :3c#NoStraightRoads #NSR pic.twitter.com/fQGWsU8ZuR— Mochawulf (@mochawulf) August 24, 2020

Some fanart of Eve from No Straight Roads. I just love this game so much ^^#nostraightroads #nostraightroadseve #nostraightroadsevefanart #eve #tropical pic.twitter.com/OwPUeyCLIz— Skylight Cyclone??COMMISSIONS: OPEN (@SkylightCyclone) September 2, 2020

"DJ Subatomic Supernova" Love his design, but the lower part…. wish he's using long pants. #nostraightroads #no_straight_roads #nsr #space #fanart #digitalart #metronomik #djsubatomicsupernova #dj_subatomic_supernova pic.twitter.com/YtzZxCLzSI— Rikiya Akai (@RikiyaAkai) July 16, 2020

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEeA4SzAkfF/

        View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Elise "Izzie" B. (@seii_shiin)

        View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Zee is chaotic and stupid (@zeeerin1)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEnvc4tHTbT/

        View this post on Instagram            A post shared by GhostlyKeys (@ghostly.keys)

        View this post on Instagram            A post shared by CaptDedEyes (@captdedeyes)

        View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Deen (@amypinx)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEaiAAYAfb8/

        View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Lilow (@lilowleelani)

        View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Joe (@shadowykidd_gaming)

 EWAH! By @Psychoticmist [twitter.com/Psychoticmist/status/1300977939887030272] from      NoStraightRoads

?#nadia #eve #nsr #nostraightroads pic.twitter.com/BmhnvGuRjJ— ?A? (@SmthngJay) August 31, 2020

Top image credit: @NonMonsters


Hot Toys Batman Beyond Looks Straight From The Future

Hot Toys has announced Batman: Arkham Knight – 1/6th scale Batman Beyond Collectible Figure.
Fans will know who Terry McGinnis is; the Batman of the future after Bruce Wayne in the iconic animated series Batman Beyond, which originally ran from 1999 to 2001.
This new Hot Toy 1/6th scale Batman Beyond collectible figure is actually based on the alternate costume from 2015’s Batman: Arkham Knight game, which was itself inspired by the Batman Beyond costume design in the animated series.
Crafted based on the Batman Beyond suit from the Batman: Arkham Knight video game, the figure features a newly painted masked head sculpt with two interchangeable lower faces, a cutting-edge Batsuit overall appearance in metallic grey with battle damage and a bright red bat symbol on the chest.
It also features a finely tailored black batcape for dynamic flying poses, an array of Batmanâ€™s signature gadgets including Batman Beyond style Batarang, grapnel, disruptor, REC gun, freeze grenade and more.
This was announced via the official Hot Toys Facebook page, but no release date or price has been revealed.
Check out the Batman: Arkham Knight – 1/6th scale Batman Beyond Collectible Figure in all his glory below:


PS Now Adds Horizon Zero Dawn, The Surge 2 & More

The PS5 supports the PlayStation Now cloud gaming service, so that’s great news for fans. Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced a bunch of new additions to PS Now.
According to PlayStation Blog, these include Horizon Zero Dawn, Stranded Deep, Darksiders III, Wreckfest, Broforce or The Surge 2.
Horizon Zero Dawn

Developed by Guerilla Games, Horizon Zero Dawn is one of the best PS exclusives out there. Players assume the role of Aloy in a quest to unravel the mysteries of a world ruled by deadly Machines and in which mankind is no longer the dominant species.
Horizon Zero Dawn on PS Now includes the huge expansion The Frozen Wilds, featuring new lands, skills, weapons and Machines.
Stranded Deep

Test your survival skills in this open-world adventure. In the aftermath of a mysterious plane crash, you are stranded in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Alone, without any means to call for help, you must do what you can to survive.
Explore underwater and on land, as you hunt for supplies to craft the tools, weapons, and shelter youâ€™ll need to stay alive. Stay sharp: hunger, thirst, and exposure conspire against you as you brave treacherous elements and the dangerous creatures of the Pacific.
BroforceÂ

Players can explode into battle as a team of up to four bros in side-scrolling run-and-gun platforming missions to eliminate the forces that threaten our way of life or go head-to-head against other players in super destructive deathmatch modes.
Wreckfest: Drive Hard. Die Last.

Burn rubber, break rules and shred metal in this full-contact racer from the creator of the FlatOut. Race and upgrade patched-together cars, improving their looks and toughening up their body armour to survive the epic crashes and neck-to-neck fights over the finish line in competitive races.
However, it will only be available until 31 May 2021.
The Surge 2

Players can explore the sprawling, devastated Jericho City in this unforgiving Soulsborne-like third-person action RPG. Fight numerous, ferocious threats, stealing valuable equipment to upgrade your abilities and make you strong enough to take on the most fearsome, imposing foes lurking across the city.
Darksiders III

Players assume the role of the most unpredictable and enigmatic of the Four Horsemen Fury as she hunts down and disposes of the Seven Deadly Sins hidden across an apocalyptic Earth. Explore an open-ended, living, free-form game world rich with secrets in this hack-n-slash action-adventure, using Furyâ€™s magic to unleash her different forms.


Borderlands 3’s Newest Gun Is A Riff On A Popular Destiny Weapon

If you’ve played the first Destiny, you’d probably enjoyed using the popular Exotic pulse rifle Bad Juju. With a high rate of fire and a special perk where it reloads instantly and gets a nice damage buff after each kill, it’s a highly coveted weapon that somehow went absent in part two, only to come back again.
Gearbox decides to take a shot at the series with its own version of the gun called the Good Juju (via Joltzdude139).

This legendary Maliwan assault rifle looks just like the Bad Juju, only in Borderlands cel-shaded heavy ink form, even down to the alien monster head on the barrel. It even has the same perks: getting kills from the gun instantly refills the magazine.
Here’s the Destiny gun for comparison:

Looks like your cup of looting tea? You can farm for the Good Juju when you fight The Rampager in Mayhem Mode 4 in Promethea.


The Play’s The Thing: PSN Name Change & PS4 Successor Confirmed

Sony PlayStation just delivered gamers a double whammy news-wise. Let’s tackle them one at a time.
PSN Name Change Made Official

Last week we got news about the PSN name changing option that was long overdue since 2006. Just recently, it’s made official: users will be able to change their old PSN names to new ones starting early 2019.
According to PlayStation:

The first change will be free.
Subsequent changes will cost you US$10; it’s US$5 if you’re a PlayStation Plus member.
The service’s beta phase will start soon.

There is one catch: not all of your PS4, PS3, and PS Vita games will support your new ID. This is because the feature is meant for recent software, meaning that it is compatible with PS4 games originally published after 1st April 2018 alongside a large number of popular PS4 games that came out before this date.

[P]lease note not all games and applications for PS4, PS3 and PS Vita systems are guaranteed to support the online ID change, and users may occasionally encounter issues or errors in certain games. If for any reason you experience issues after changing your ID, you can revert back to your original ID for free at any time (you will only be able to revert once during the preview program).
Reverting back to an old ID will resolve most issues caused by the ID change. In addition, when this feature officially launches, a list of compatible games published before April 1, 2018, will be provided on PlayStation.com for reference before you make a change.

This has been the most-requested feature since 2006, the year PSN launched. PlayStation fans should just take what they can get, given how old the service is.
The Next PlayStation Console Confirmed

The PS4 is now on its fifth year anniversary, which means a lot of tech-heads are wondering if Sony is building a successor after the 5-year console mark. No need to speculate: PlayStation just said that it is working on it.
According to an interview with Sony president and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida (above) on the Financial Times, he said:

That at this point it is necessary to have a next-generation hardware in the works. As of now, there is no release date for the console, no name, and no specs so far.
This is in line with what Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO John Kodera said regarding the next PlayStation being at least three years away.

He added earlier this year that PlayStation will need the next three years to build the next step, “to crouch down so that [the company] can jump higher in the future.” The next PlayStation may not come out until after Spring 2021.Â

The next PlayStation may not represent a major departure from the PS4; its fundamental architecture would be similar.
Furthermore, the subscriptions and online services will play a key role in the next PlayStation platform.
Here’s what Kodera said regarding the console life cycle:

“We need to depart from the traditional way of looking at the console life cycle. We’re no longer in a time when you can think just about the console or just about the network like they’re two different things.”

At the very least, the next few E3s are looking very interesting.


New Gladiator Game Might Also Launch For PS5

No, we don’t mean Ridley Scott’s 2000 historical epic masterpiece starring Russell Crowe and a pre-Joker Joaquin Phoenix. It turns out that there’s actually an obscure series of Gladiator games made by Japanese developer Acquire, who is also responsible for game franchises like Way Of The Samurai, Tenchu, and most recently the Nintendo Switch exclusive Octopath Traveler.
Acquire has announced Gladiator X, the latest entry in the series which began with 2005’s Colosseum: Road To Freedom for the PS2 (via Gematsu). It is an action-adventure game set in 16th-century Ancient Rome when Marcus Aurelius was the Roman emperor.
Here’s what we know about the game so far:

Gladiator X will be rebuilt basedÂ on 2010’s Gladiator Begins, which was released for the PSP.
It will be powered by Unreal Engine, similar to Octopath Traveler.
It will be released globally and not just in Japan.
The developer is working to potentially release the game for the PS5 as well if they receive permission from Sony Interactive Entertainment.

It’s been a while since we’ve received a good gladiator game or a game set in Roman times. The last most prominent one was 2013’s Xbox One exclusive Ryse: Son Of Rome, which turned out to be not very good.
No platforms or release date have been officially revealed for Gladiator X. For an idea of what to expect, check out gameplay footage from Gladiator Begins below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU16mdW_KjY&w=560&h=315]


Genshin Impact Anime In The Works From Ufotable

During TGS 2022, Hoyoverse announced that they’re working with Ufotable for a Genshin Impact anime. However, it’s described as a long-term project collaboration so it might be more than just an anime.
Ufotable is best known for producing anime like Fate/Zero, Demon Slayer and others. Their animation style looks like it matches that of Genshin Impact as well, so the studio is definitely a great choice.
Check out the trailer below:


Xbox Kicks Off 20th Anniversary Celebration With Merch & Digital Goodies

Xbox has announced a special celebration commemorating the 20th anniversary of the gaming brand, which started in 2001. It will last until 15 November 2021.
This year not only commemorates 20 years of Xbox, but it also marks the 20th anniversary of the Halo franchise. That magical moment when the Master Chief first stepped onto a mysterious ringworld has long been a hallmark of the Xbox experience, and over the last 20 years, Halo has become deeply embedded into the Xbox DNA.

The celebration starts today and continues through 15 November 2021.

#Xbox20: Use #Xbox20 on social media to share your favourite Xbox moments, stories, friendships, prized possessions, achievements.
Check out theÂ Xbox Gear ShopÂ for the first wave of Xbox 20thÂ Anniversary official gear.
Show off your Xbox and Halo love with freeÂ anniversary-themed wallpapers.
Register today forÂ Xbox FanFestÂ to participate in 20thÂ Anniversary FanFest activities including exclusive sweepstakes, FanFest gear, and digital experiences.
Personalize your Xbox experience: check out the new 20-Year gamerpic and â€œThe Originalâ€ profile theme in your â€œCustomize Profileâ€ menu.Â  For Xbox Series X|S owners, â€œThe Originalâ€ dynamic background is available in the Personalization menu.
Looking for something new to play?Â Check out this collectionÂ featuring some of the greatest games that have marked Xbox history. You can also find the game collection on your Xbox console by searching for â€œXbox Anniversaryâ€ in the Store.
Head on over to the Twitch.tv/Xbox at 2am GMT+8 on 14 May 2021 to kick off the celebration with live streaming hosts as they reminisce about two decades of gaming while playing the game that started it all â€“ Halo: Combat Evolved via the Halo: Master Chief Collection.
Xbox will keep the fun going through November with more announcements, activities, and ways to celebrate.Â  Visit xbox.com/20YearsÂ for up-to-date details on anniversary activities throughout the year.


Airwolf’s Jan-Michael Vincent Passed Away at 73

Actor and ’80s heartthrob Jan-Michael Vincent, star of Airwolf, has passed away at the age of 73
The actor was reported to have passed away on 10 February but was only reported by TMZ when they received his death certificate. No autopsy was performed and he was later cremated.

His CBS show, Airwolf, received accolades and was his ticket to stardom. At the time, he was one of the highest paid actors, earning $200k (RM817,520) per episode. He starred as the helicopter pilot Stringfellow Hawke on Airwolf,Â but due to involvement with drugs, the show lasted only a couple of seasons. The involvement affected his career, sadly.
I remember waiting for Airwolf to air when I was a young boy. Airwolf was one of my favourite childhood shows, and it’s definitely a sad day today.
Here’s Airwolf‘s Theme Song as a tribute to the great guy who played Stringfellow Hawke, Jan-Michael Vincent. Rest in peace.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x28UaPKsnwQ]
Photo by Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock, LATimes


Michelle Yeoh Set To Star In Her Own Star Trek Spinoff Series

CBS All Access has confirmed that Malaysian superstar Michelle Yeoh will be headlining her own Star Trek spinoff series as her starring role of Captain Philippa Georgiou from Star Trek Discovery. This is historic because she will be only the second female captain in more than 50 years of Star Trek history to lead her own series, after Kate Mulgrew’s Captain Kathryn Janeway from Star Trek Voyager (1995-2001).
What will the new Philippa Georgiou-focused Star Trek spinoff be about?

The untitled Star Trek spinoff will follow Michelle Yeoh’s Captain Philippa Georgiou, or rather, her Mirror Universe counterpart, the former Emperor Philippa Georgiou of the Terran Empire.
She (Emperor Philippa Georgiou from the Mirror Universe) was last seen (impersonating the prime universe’s Captain Philippa Georgiou) at the end of Star Discovery being approached by members of the Starfleet’s secret intelligence division, Section 31. We will soon be witnessing her exploits with the shadow organization in the upcoming series.
Speaking with The Verge, Yeoh said, “â€œIâ€™m so excited to continue telling these rich Star Trek stories. Being a part of this universe and this character specifically has been such a joy for me to play. I canâ€™t wait to see where it all goes â€” certainly, I believe it will go where no WOMAN has ever gone before!”

Incoming transmission: New #StarTrek series starring Michelle Yeoh coming to @CBSAllAccess! The series will expand on Philippa Georgiou’s current role in Starfleet’s Section 31 division. pic.twitter.com/xyITZGMOee
â€” Star Trek: Discovery (@startrekcbs) January 14, 2019
There are currently two more Star Trek spinoff series in development, including a new series featuring the return of Sir Patrick Stewart’s Captain Jean-Luc Picard and a unique adult-oriented animated series titled, Star Trek: Lower Decks, which will focus on the often-ignored supporting crew members of starships.
In the meantime, Star Trek Discovery Season 2 is slated to premiere on 17 January 2019. As a massive Star Trek (Trekkie, Trekker) fan myself, I’m ecstatic to see the franchise is alive and doing well (in the realm of TV series, at least). Live long and prosper, folks.


Forget A Cat, Snaccoon Lets You Play As A Raccoon

During Future Games Show 2022 at Gamescom 2022, one of the reveals was Snaccoon by developer Christian Sparks, a stealth adventure game that lets you run and sneak around as a raccoon. So, basically Stray or Untitled Goose Game, but with a raccoon instead of a cat or goose.
You literally control a raccoon who goes around stealing snacks. What’s not to love?
Snaccoon doesn’t currently have a Steam page, but it does have an official website. There are no confirmed platforms or release dates/window for Snaccoon as of yet.


Here’s What You’re Getting In Next Week’s Destiny 2 Season of the Chosen Event

Bungie has officially announced Season of the Chosen, a new Destiny 2 chapter post-Beyond Light, and it’s happening 9th February. There’s a lot going on, so let’s highlight the best bits.
Battlegrounds

Destiny 2: Beyond Light will feature a new three-player matchmade activity called Battlegrounds, which features ritual combat against Cabal warriors. They’re under the command of Empress Caiatl. You also get a new hub called the H.E.L.M where you’ll be doing most of your Battlegrounds fighting at.
Three New Strikes
One is the Devil’s Lair, while the others is the Fallen SABER Strike, both from the original Destiny. They will go live at the season’s launch. There was supposed to be a Proving Grounds Strike planned, but that’s due later in the new season. It’ll be awesome to see classic Destiny strikes in Destiny 2 high-fidelity form. And it’ll be the first time PC players will experience these strikes from 2014.
New Exotics & Gear
New Exotic bow Ticuu’s Divination looks like a lovely Solar weapon; it charges multiple Solar arrows that can track several targets at once.
New Season Pass
Unlocking it will net you Ticuu’s Divination, Praefectus Armor Set, and a bunch of progression boost rewards and so forth.
Check out the awesome trailer below:


Marvel’s Midnight Suns Gets New December Release Date

During the Disney & Marvel Games Showcase at D23, it was announced that Marvel’s Midnight Suns will be launching for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on 2 December 2022. The PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch versions will release at a later unspecified date.
The game has already been delayed several times, but let’s hope that this one sticks.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns was originally announced during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2021. It’s a turn-based tactical RPG ala XCOM but with card-based mechanics. The game boasts a roster of many Marvel heroes, including Doctor Strange, Wolverine, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Nico Minoru, Blade, Captain Marvel, Ghost Rider and more. The game comes from the creators of the critically-acclaimed tactical XCOM series and features a customizable card-based battle system.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below: