Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker Wins NBA 2K Players Tournament

We have the champion for the NBA 2K Players Tournament, as Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker defeated fellow teammate DeAndre Ayton in the best-of-three final round. Both of them previously won against Los Angeles Clippers players Montrezl Harrell and Patrick Beverley in the semi-final.
The entire tournament was played on the Xbox One. As the winner of the NBA 2K Players Tournament, Booker received US$100,000 to donate to a charity of his choice to support COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic relief efforts. He already has plans to split his winnings between two different charities; #FirstRespondersFirst and Arizona Food Bank Network.
In a statement to NBA, the 23-year-old pro Basketball player Booker said:

â€œI played a lot growing up.
Itâ€™s all about timing and eye coordination.
Anyone who thinks they can play 2K, letâ€™s get it.
I said in the beginning that it was going to be Deandre and I in the championship – and thatâ€™s the way it ended up.â€

Congrats to @DevinBook on becoming the first-ever NBA 2K Players Tournament Champion! 2K, the NBA and NBPA are all contributing a $100,000 donation in Devin’s name to Direct Relief and Arizona Food Bank Network in support of ongoing coronavirus relief efforts. #NBA2KTourney pic.twitter.com/Fsiv56WEgE
â€” NBA (@NBA) April 12, 2020
The three-day, 16-player esports tournament took place after the last official NBA games were played on 11 March 2020, which was the day that Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19.
Check out the semi-final and final matches of the NBA 2K Players Tournament below, if you missed out on the action.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVI91GlVW_4&w=560&h=315]


Check Out These Japan-Only PokÃ©mon Donuts

If you’re a fan of Nintendo’s family-friendly imaginary monster cockfighting RPG series, you don’t need a reminder that the Nintendo Switch PokÃ©mon Let’s Go game will be out this Friday worldwide. However, if you happen to be in Japan, you may want to check out this ongoing Mr. Donut promotion featuring, you guessed it, PokÃ©mon-shaped donuts.
This is a cute and tasty marketing attempt at promoting the upcoming Switch game.Â Go nuts at these firsthand pics of these limited edition doughnuts that are shaped after the series’ iconic PokÃ©balls and the yellow mascot Pikachu who also moonlights as a detectiveÂ (via Soranews 24).
Exhibit #A: Pikachu donut here is covered in a yellow banana-flavoured chocolate with chocolate embellishments on its ears, cheeks, and eyes.

Exhibit #B: The PokÃ©ball comes with a white chocolate and strawberry glaze. Its centre is a sweet strawberry jam. If you like jam and strawberries, this one’s for you.

Exhibit #C: the Pikachu-shaped sugar donut is just fluffy and filled with white cream not unlike Beard Papa’s special brand of pastries.

Take note that each doughnut cost 216 yen/RM7.95. If you get the 800 yen/RM29.44 dine-in set, you’ll get a doughnut, a drink, a coaster, and a mug.

The takeout/bungkus set costs a bit more. For 1,080 yen/RM39.74, you’ll get two doughnuts plus, an extra PokÃ©mon doughnut or two Christmas doughnuts, one mug, and an original takeout box in the design of a PokÃ©ball.
How long will this offer last? It’ll go on from 17th November to 25th December. So if you have a sweet tooth, love Pokemon, and happen to be in Japan next week until Christmas week, best you forgo your diet plans and load up on some doughy nutty goodness!


New GRID Legends Gameplay Will Drive You To Glory

EA and Codemasters just unveiled a 40-minute gameplay preview of its new racing game GRID Legends.Â
This is the first Codemasters racing game under the EA publishing helm since the acquisition, and it looks like the racing and the game’s story mode Driven To Glory looks slick and polished. I’m not sure what’s here that is going to draw me away from 2021’s best racing game, but this new GRID game is sure to turn racing fans’ heads.

GRID Legends will launch this 25 February for PC and consoles. If you pre-order the game now, you’ll get add-ons and extra cars. GRID Legends will also have four huge post-launch expansions oncoming; more will be shared later in 2022.


Final Fantasy Brave Exvius Gets Strategy RPG Spin-Off For Late 2019

Final Fantasy Brave Exvius was a fun if very simple and gacha-heavy RPG I used to work on back in 2016. Since I left its developer house gumi Inc./gumi Asia a while back, it’s been growing and shaping up pretty well, arguably even better than before despite that one hacking issue in 2017.
So much so that its really funky spin-off brand name is getting, you guessed it, another spin-off game in the form of a tactical strategy RPG ala Final Fantasy Tactics. The game’s full title is War of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius. Quite a mouthful, no?
Developed by gumi, the game is set in some continent called Adler, in the world of Lapis. Battles in the game are on a 3D field, and they feature both an Auto mode and High Speed mode for grinding purposes. Yes, you’ll still get your ass kicked by higher-level enemies and bosses if you don’t play this like a proper strategy game.
True to FF fashion, each character has unique Limit Bursts special moves and abilities, as well as Summons that come with flashy 3D movies like in Brave Exvius. You can also tweak and mix character classes with the game’s Job System.
Quest-wise, War of the Visions: FFBE will overload you with World Quests, Event Quests, Multi Quests, Multi Raids, duel modes among players (PvP), and more. It’s sounding more like a portable FF Tactics tailor-made for its platform, but with less Ivalice and Shakespearean melodrama. We’ll take what we can get.
The game looks like a revamped version of The Alchemist Code from gumi Inc./gumi Asia. Do check it out if you think the comparisons are apt.

If this sounds like your cup of tea, you can pre-register for the Japanese beta here. If 400,000 pre-registrations are achieved, you can get Siren as a summon. If it hits 500,000, you get FFXIV’s cat mage Y’shtola Rhul as a playable unit.


DeLight’s Emotional Narrative Doesn’t Make Its Gameplay Less Frustrating

Platform: PS4, Android, iOSGenre: Narrative Adventure, Indie
I played a bit of Malaysian indie developer DreamTree Studio’s DeLight: The Journey Home at Level Up KL 2019. It turned out to be one of the event’s highlights for me, leaving with a memorable experience, and I was excited to see more of the game.
Fast-forward a turbulent year later, and the studio finally launched the game’s first two Chapters on PC via Steam. Was the game worth the wait? I was impressed by the game’s first chapter, but how did Chapter Two fare? Read on to find out.
Bring Your Tissues

If I could sum up my entire experience with DeLight: The Journey Home‘s two Chapters so far, it’s that the narrative is much more ambitious and better than the actual gameplay. It’s not exactly complex or subversive in any way, but the game’s plot is its strong point.
Players assume the role of a blind girl named Sammy who embarks on a journey to reunite with her parents in a time of war. Her only companion is a stray dog named Deli.
The catch is that Sammy doesn’t actually start her journey blind. The game’s first Chapter is a clever tutorial in disguise, as I started the game with Sammy on a seemingly normal day, playing a game of hide and seek with her friends. During the hide and seek game, Sammy wears a blindfold, foreshadowing the fact that she will later lose her sight.
While playing in this harmless game of hide and seek, I like that there’s apparently something ominous brewing in the background. People in the park seem anxious and are talking about preparing for something bad.

It’s only later that the game drops a bombshell on Sammy and the player; war has just erupted in their country. In an effort to escape the conflict, Sammy and her grandfather attempts to run to Sammy’s parents, who are living in another place where it’s safe.
I won’t spoil what happens, but the ending of Chapter One will leave you emotionally-devastated. The atmosphere and music contribute to the immersion and emotions conveyed by the characters. Unfortunately, the game does suffer from not featuring any voice acting whatsoever.
The first Chapter took me around 45 minutes to complete, while it took me almost two hours to finish Chapter Two. Despite that, the first Chapter was definitely superior in terms of tone and atmosphere, as Chapter Two just feels padded and stretched out.
The frustrating gameplay also didn’t help (more on that below).
A Blind Simulator

In DeLight: The Journey Home, the core gameplay mechanic is that you have to control Sammy through the levels guided by her dog. As Sammy is blind, the player’s vision is impaired, which means that the playerâ€™s line of sight is limited to a small area around her. Thatâ€™s where her dog comes in, to guide the players to where they have to go.
Imagine a perpetual fog all around you, and that you can basically only see what’s in close proximity at all times. It works well in Chapter One. Due to how the levels are designed, I didn’t have much of a problem navigating a self-contained park and subway station.
However, this becomes an annoying issue in Chapter Two, where players are simply confined to the interior of a school. Since the game wants players to commit to the sensation of being blind, Delight The Journey Home doesn’t feature any HUD to help players, and that also means no mini-map or markers to assist you.
Unlike Chapter One where you had clear objectives in self-contained levels, Chapter Two has Sammy going around the school interacting with a bunch of people and basically becoming a delivery person. I say that because all you do in Chapter Two is going from NPC to NPC in inane and boring fetch quests.

These activities wouldn’t have become so much of a hassle and chore if I could easily find my way through the school. However, the game wants you to feel like a blind person, and you’ll have to somehow remember the layout of the school every single time an NPC wants you to go somewhere.
Case in point: I began Chapter Two in a room in the aforementioned school. I then went around to several NPCs located in different rooms inside the school, which took me a lot of effort, because it’s hard to remember the layout of a location when you can only see what’s right in front of you at all times.
What frustrated me is that, due to the lack of markers or indicators of any kind, I couldn’t remember where my original room (from which I began Chapter Two) was when the game just told me that I had to return to my room and end the day by sleeping.
I wasted a lot of time going into each room just to find that original room. I essentially spent almost the entirety of the two hours in Chapter Two just trying to find the right room and the right NPC to talk to.
Blind Spot

There was only one stealth section in Chapter Two, where I actually had to use Deli to sneak past an NPC. In comparison, Chapter One has me doing more of those stealth sections by sneaking past several soldiers, despite being shorter than Chapter Two.
Chapter Two also features one section that involved a poorly-designed minigame. It was a frustrating experience, to say the least. Not only was it annoying to play through, this rhythm game suddenly appears without warning. I almost couldn’t get through this section due to how unpolished it seems to be. It’s like the developer just threw this new mechanic into the game at a whim.
It disappointed me how much of a chore the gameplay in Chapter Two feels like, and I was hoping for more of the tightly-designed gameplay content from Chapter One. I’d prefer a shorter but more polished experienced than one that’s padded with tedious gameplay.
In addition, DeLight: The Journey Home also features dialogue choices and actions with consequences. However, there’s too few of these, and they’re not the main crux of the gameplay like they are in other narrative-driven games like Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead.
Blindsided

I would like nothing more than to recommend a Malaysian-made game like DeLight The Journey Home. Only two out of five planned Chapters are currently available, and unfortunately, they’re not equal in quality.
Gamers should definitely try out Chapter One of the game. Not only is it free for everyone to play, it’s better than Chapter Two, which you have to pay for to access. Here’s hoping that future Chapters of the game are more like the first Chapter and less like the second.
Pros
Emotional and thought-provoking narrative.Atmospheric music (which you can also purchase separately from the game on Steam).
Cons
Frustratingly-tedious gameplay in Chapter Two.Half-baked gameplay mechanics like a shoehorned rhythm game.
Final Score: 50/100

DeLight: The Journey Home is now available on Steam, Google Play Store, and iOS App Store.


[Rumour] Genshin Impact 1.5 Update Brings In New Characters Eula & Yanfei; And A Housing System Too?

Genshin Impact’s 1.4 update is out in the wild, but already people are hyped up for 1.5. Some leaks have sprung up, and they look legit as they’re from trusted dataminers.
One such dataminer named dimbreathjr has tweeted pics of what seems to be the latest characters in the Genshin Impact world: 5-star Cryo greatsword user Eula and 4-star magic-user Yanfei.
Eula is a Spindrift Knight, and captain of the Knights of Favonius Recoinnassance company.Â Here are pics of her in her tightest apparel…

…and here is Yanfei, clearly from Liyue and seems to be a Pyro user.

In addition, Genshin Impact’s 1.5 update may introduce players to a new housing system. Players get blueprints to furniture so that they can build it for their brand-new house. It’s an online RPG; this was bound to happen eventually. The house you stay in isn’t on the map; you have to enter it like you would a Domain.

Supposed furniture blueprint shop from the new housing system expected in 1.5. pic.twitter.com/4EN8PHgWoa
— AE Entropy (@AeEntropy) March 16, 2021

Version 1.5 Info
Bird Companion– Retainer that teleports you to your house/base
Housing Shop There will be a store where you can buy furniture with special currency
New Mobs– Dahaka Geo Boss– Herald Electro pic.twitter.com/BECrtcuePw
— Zeniet (@Zeniiet) March 16, 2021

Take these with a grain of salt though; there’s no official word on whether all these updates will be on a big future update, or in chunks. This is all supposed to be private info, so expect these to be modified sometime soon. In any case, it’s good that we’re getting more new characters to blow our primogems onto. I think.
In the meantime, you should check out the latest 1.4 update; I heard you can date some characters in the game.


Malaysia’s Naquib Azlan Crowned Champion At The E1 Championship Season Zero

After eight rounds of gruelling sim-racing action, the E1 Championship Season Zero came to an epic close where Naquib Azlan and his team, Stratos Motorsport, was crowned driver and team champions.
The 21-year old Malaysian takes home a well-earned grand prize of US$5,000, while runners up Ayman Aqeem and Mikko Nassi take home US$4,000 and US$3,000, respectively.

The season finale was a close battle where drivers had to perform their best as crucial double race points were on offer. While Ayman Aqeem finished with the highest points in the final race of the season, Naquib Azlan was crowned champion when he finished first in both races, ending the season with a comfortable 67-point gap.
It’s no surprise, considering that Naquib Azlan has been leading the standings in the E1 Championship since it began.

Mikko Nassi who was second in the standings before the season finale came out on top during Qualifying, but ended both races in 6th place and did not get enough points to secure second. He ended the season with just a 25-point gap between second and third.

Organised by Astroâ€™s esports and gaming channel eGG Network and former F1 driver Alex Yoongâ€™s Axle Sports, the E1 Championship aims to provide a platform for the best sim racing drivers in Asia Pacific to compete at the highest level.


New Black Widow Trailer Reveals Taskmaster’s Sword & Shield Combo

Disney and Marvel Studios have released a brand new trailer for Black Widow, after the College Football National Championship match between the Clemson Tigers and the LSU Tigers in the US. While most of the footage is the same from the first trailer, the new ‘Special Look’ trailer does offer us a clearer look at new villain Taskmaster.
The new Black Widow trailer teases the fight between Natasha Romanoff and Taskmaster, as well as the existence of other ‘Widows’ or assassins created by KGB covert branch the Red Room. However, the true highlight of the new trailer is finally seeing Taskmaster wielding his iconic sword and shield combo.
In the comics, Taskmaster is a highly-skilled combatant with the ability to copy or mimic any fighting style or techniques thanks to his photographic reflexes. As a result, he is one of the best physical fighters in the Marvel universe, able to go toe-to-toe with the even the most powerful heroes.

The Black Widow movie also features fellow Red Room assassin/former Black Widow Yelena Bolova (played by Florence Pugh of Midsommar fame), Red Guardian who is sort of like Russiaâ€™s version of Captain America with his very own team called the Winter Guard (played by David Harbour of Hellboy and Stranger Things fame), and Melina, another fellow Red Room assassin/former Black Widow (played by Rachel Weisz).

Black Widow is slated to premiere on 30 April 2020 in Malaysia. In the meantime, check out the new ‘Special Look’ trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1eykFE1fSA&w=560&h=315]


Final Fantasy XIV’s Nier-Themed Dungeon Brings In The Yoko Taro Feels

Final Fantasy XIV: The Shadowbringers is definitely quite an expansion. So it’s fitting that it’s getting hefty content update later this 29th October.
After pulling off the stops with an FFVI and FFXII-themed dungeons, FFXIV decides to bring in the long-awaited YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse alliance raid, clearly inspired by Nier: Automata and whatever the heck comes out of the unique minds of Yoko Taro and Yosuke Saito.

This raid, dubbed the Vows of Virtue, Deeds of Cruelty, will have 24 players explore the Copied Factory dungeon where they will fight round-headed automatas. The trailer above shows that this dungeon will remain faithful to its source material from its weapons, to its Keiichi Okabe vocal choirs, to even its 2B-inspired costumes. You know, for you fetish-lovers out there.
There’s also a new update or two from thisÂ  patch 5.1, including a New Game+ for the main scenario quests in Heavensward, Stormblood, and Shadowbringers, a new trial called Hades (Extreme), a new Beast Tribe quest in the Garden of Dreams, and a few tweaks to the game’s crafting and gathering, ninja, samurai, and summoner jobs.
Definitely worth the wait for you FFXIV players out there; check out our endgame guide in case you’re still wondering what else you wish to do post-Shadowbringers ending.


Bullets Per Minute Succeeds In Blending Shooting, Rhythm, & Arcade Challenge

Platform: PC
Genre: Music rhythm first-person shooter with metal Norse infused within.
Ever wondered what happened if 2016’s Doom was a musical where the lyrics are replaced with your gunshots made in sync with the bass and drums of the soundtrack? Bullets Per Minute (BPM) from Awe Interactive is just that, and it’s quite a thrill ride that’s mostly fun and slightly frustrating enough to be memorable.
Angel Beats

In BPM, you control gun-toting valkyries who have to navigate through a bunch of randomly-generated dungeons per stage, defeat the boss, and move on until you reach the last king Nidhogg. Since it’s a first-person shooter, you’ll have to gun your way through the hordes of enemies to progress.
It’s an arcade-style first-person shooter, but with a twist: you can only shoot and reload to the beat of the rock song that’s playing in the background. As cool as it sounds, it’s the thing that’s keeping your skills and bullet-spamming in check. Clicking or reloading out of sync will not make you fire or reload. Coupled with the enemy’s unwavering onslaught, your frail body that can take up to four hits by default, and death setting you back at the start of the run, and you can see how difficult BPM can be.

You’ll die a number of times just getting the hang of the game. A lot. Be it a fly’s super-fast fireball or a tiny scorpion’s sting, staying still and not being in motion means you’re an easy target for the bad guys.

However, the more you play through the game and practice “getting good”, you’ll learn the rhythm, the ins and outs of the levels and structure. Enemies only attack and fire their projectiles to the game’s music too, and you can dodge & double-jump, so it’s just a matter of being agile and relying on twitch-like reflexes to survive as long as possible. Each stage will also feature a room that is either a weapon or item shop -run by a robot dog and giant chick respectively- a library that houses a spell which requires a key to unlock, a chest that requires a key as well, and a bonus room that lets you pick between four different armour power-ups.
Killing enemies will net you gold, which you can then spend on either the aforementioned shops or at random shrines that give you a permanent stat boost per coin. There are even special plates that take in a random amount of coins in exchange for a boost or health-slash-armour, and even a bank where you can store your excess coins for safekeeping in case you die. All in all, you have the tools here to survive and conquer BPM over and over.
Thunderstruck

And then you have the weapons and armour combos; they’re fun and practical to use. In BPM, you get to use revolvers, rocket launchers, and plasma guns that explode on impact. They all come with their own reload rhythm and cost, but the most expensive boomsticks will deal massive damage if you know how they work. You’ll have to buy them and experiment to see if it’s right for you. Personally, I’m a fan of the rocket launcher because it hits hard, I can get the hang of the reload rhythm, and I can rocket jump like a champ for speed and killing enemies point-blank.
Those spells in the library? They can also help and they come with generous cooldown times. Examples include a close-ranged “shotgun blast” spell to a summon red barrel spell that you can shoot to blow up anything within its vicinity. Armour you collect for your head, hands, legs, and additional protection (shield) can bolster your abilities and even let you create different playstyles. If you get a life-leeching helmet, you can match it with a long-ranged weapon to get back more life. You can also equip leggings that kill weaker enemies by simply going near them, or equip a shield that gives you infinite ammo (ie: no reloading), which is perfect for 3-beat reload weapons like the revolver or plasma launcher.

Eventually, you’ll learn to be a better twitch shooter player from BPM’s punishing-yet-satisfying gameplay, as well as get the best gear and weapons by playing smart and knowing what to keep in a particular run. In fact, once you’ve played the game for four to five hours, you should be able to conquer the default mode, which brings up BPM’s replayability.

There’s a Hard mode that brings in later-game enemies early in your run and buffs up bosses and mid-bosses. Progressing far enough in the default setting will net you morevalkyries with different loadouts and attributes. Your default valkyrie has a regular short-ranged handgun, but the others come with better starting firepower and speed, as well as even a starting key or pocket change, at the cost of a smaller health bar.
There’s even one warrior that can’t pick up weapons, but his default attack has good range & doesn’t need reloading. BPM’s replayability is its smoking gun: you won’t be happy with your current run even if you beat the game, so you’re given an incentive to play more and more until you’re satisfied, as well as try out each different valkyrie to suit your playstyle.
I do have a few gripes. The game’s art style, while necessary in highlighting enemies and hazards, can be very striking & mesmerizing to the point where you can miss out on shrines if you blaze through the game. Luckily, there are graphic options to tone down the saturation, though at the cost of everything blending in and being hard to spot if you’re speeding through each dungeon. Also, if you like your shooters less punishing and requires checkpoints, this is not your jam.
Ragnarockin’

Similar to 2018’s challenging roguelike Dead Cells, BPM’s simple yet hard gameplay is satisfying, balanced well, and is pretty fair. I guarantee that your mechanical shooter skills will improve if you can endure its design and challenge.Â  Still, it’s not for the faint of heart, especially if you like your shooters more casual and Call of Duty-like.
For the rest of you looking for a challenging 2020 game right off the bat and don’t mind investing 20 to 30 hours getting good, dig into BPM. You won’t regret it.
Pros

Challenging & inventive gameplay.
Awesome & tight controls.
More bonuses & secrets open up as you keep playing.
Huge replayability from harder levels to new characters with different playstyles.

Cons

Brutally difficult, but fair.
Game’s art style can be distracting.

Final Score: 80/100


Star Ocean 6 TGS 2022 Trailer Digs Up Star Ocean History, Demo Out Next Week

Square Enix just revealed the story trailer of its upcoming sci-fi JRPG Star Ocean: The Divine Force (or Star Ocean 6), which is what happens when you mix Star Trek with Final Fantasy plus action RPG combat with a JRPG group.
The story trailer introduces a new female character – Marielle L. Kenny – voiced by Fairouz Ai (of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean anime fame). Yes, she is part of the Kenny family who were heroes in past Star Ocean games. The game’s new bad guy is somehow part of the series’ Pangalactic Federation and even brought up Ronyx J. Kenny and Claude C. Kenny in a monologue. For context, Ronyx is the previous high-ranking Pangalactic Federation soldier in the first Star Ocean while Claude is Ronyx’s son in Star Ocean 2. We’re guessing with Marielle’s blue hair, she is Claude and Rena’s kid; guess we’ll find out in the full game. Check out her action RPG moves below.

The trailer also features a new song from J-Rock singer Hyde (of L’Arc En Ciel fame) called “Pandora”. Furthermore, there will be a Star Ocean 6 demo confirmed for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, and Xbox One which is worth 2 hours; it’s focused on Raymond’s campaign. The demo will be available on 20th September at midnight (0:00).

Star Ocean 6 will be out for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, and Xbox One this 27 October. In the meantime, check out more new exploration and combat gameplay of the upcoming JRPG below.


Virtual Insanity: The 9 Best PC Games Using VR

I used to slag on virtual reality, since the concept sounds like a big gimmick. But then we see games like Moss, which can change our perceptions by a tiny bit.Â Immersion is important in games, and if it’s pulled off right, your VR game is made all the more entrancing.
What used to be exorbitantly-priced is now made affordable.Â Apps like CLOVR can help bring you into the VR space with just a fraction of a VR headset cost. In short, VR gaming is getting more mainstream and affordable by the day.
Which then begs the question: what games are tailor-made for VR these days? And are they on the PC platform, where its future is more certain and stable there? Here are some immersive VR games for your choosing, all for the PC platform. Because when you want masterful levels of immersion, you want the master race involved.
Resident Evil 7

Capcom’s horror franchise rebirth hit all the right notes: it’s scary, it’s thrilling, it has a great narrative, and it has great survival horror gameplay. Most importantly, its switch from a 3rd person perspective to a 1st person view is a much-needed change to make the series relevant and compelling.
Which is why this game is a perfect fit for VR. The jump scares come and go, the tension racks up as you’re exploring the Baker Mansion and its hidden depths and secrets, and the combat is intentionally disorienting to the point where you’d rather flee than fight. Plus, it is really fun to record someone wearing the headset while getting freaked out by the game.
Thumper

Many of us were caught unawares by this rhythm game’s industrial and violent-inducing soundtrack. For those not in the know, you control a space beetle as you go through a course made up of technicolour dreams and dark colours, hitting lit “notes” on the track in time with the game’s music while also defeating enemies and avoiding obstacles.
The beats, the aesthetic, and the tough gameplay is what makes Thumper an exhilarating experience, especially through the lens of VR.
Fallout 4 VR

The smash hit action adventure RPG from Bethesda hits all the right notes with its story, its immersive depiction of a wasteland future, and a lot of ways to solve problems either through diplomacy or violence, or plain thievery. The wastelands of Boston are more realized and immersive thanks to this version of Fallout 4.
L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files

This Rockstar-made adventure game set in the 1940s pit you as a detective named Cole Phelps as you solve cases, interrogate witnesses, and do the occasional criminal chasing and gunning down bits. This new addition to L.A. Noire, called the VR Case Files, make the latter parts all the more immersive and entertaining.
Instead of using the keyboard and mouse, you lean and shoot enemies using the HTC Vive controllers. Personally, it’s executed way better than it has any right to.
Rez Infinite

Perhaps the trippiest entry for this list, Rez Infinity is just like the original rail shooter back in the Dreamcast and PS2 heydays. Except now there’s a new level called Area X where it’s VR-centric. You play a flying avatar who has to shoot down virtual enemies in a sub-space futuristic landscape.
And it’s as high concept as you can get, coupled with a bass-heavy soundtrack that still resonates with fans and music lovers to this day.Â Come for the music, stay for the immersive visuals & addictive rail-shooting.
Star Trek: Bridge Crew

Ever want to pilot the Enterprise, or even serve as a crew member on its many space voyages? You’re in luck: Ubisoft’s Star Trek: Bridge Crew can do just that. It’s generally a virtual-reality simulation of operating a Federation starship.
As long as you have a full crew of four people to run the ship, going on adventures becomes all the more wonderful and novel. The novelty might wear off, but it’s not every day there’s a Star Trek virtual reality game tailored for this in-your-home experience. The cockpit environment and ship controls are very accurate; clearly, the developers have done their homework in making this as authentic as possible.
Chronos

Chronos reminds us of the 90s style of gaming where every setpiece is framed using a fixed camera angle to add immersion and tension. The fact that this game came out at the same time the Oculus Rift did means that it is built for VR.
With visceral combat and a unique mechanic where you age by one year everytime you die (which bolsters your magic ability), Chronos is part hardcore fun and part joy to watch from different angles.
Superhot VR

First-person shooter Superhot comesÂ equipped with an interesting premise: what if the game world moves when you do? What if time stood still if you stayed put? Pretty soon, you can make your own action scenes play out in slow motion and your own John Woo-inspired setpiece.
With oodles of scenarios ranging from a crashing vehicle to a standoff where you need to jump from one weapon to the next to survive, playing this in VR seems like a no-brainer since you get the first-hand view of the action. With gesture and body movement controls in the VR version, moving your body ala Neo in The Matrix to dodge bullets adds a whole new level of immersion in this game.
Elite: Dangerous

The sequel to video game history’s most beloved spaceship simulator is now in a more bold and rejuvenated form, taking the old-school difficulty of combat and space trading -each planet in the galaxy has its own set of human players with their own allegiances- while changing it up with the interface conveniences of this generation.
New VR controls enable you to roll, pitch, and flail your Elite ship all around without the game making you feel nauseous thanks to the game’s Newtonian flight model and physics. Talk about forward-thinking from the developers.
I’m probably missing a few more VR games. Do let us know your favourite PC VR experiences either here or on our Facebook page.


Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands New Update Changes Lucky Dice Properties, Mob Density, & Adds New Chaos Levels

The Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands changes continue, now with update 1.0.2.0a.
The latest update for Gearbox’s looter shooter is up right now and adds in the first Season Pass DLC Coiled Captors. This means that if you bought the Season Pass, you can now play the Dreamveil Overlook stage and its quests.
Apart from that, here are the other changes from the update. These include more mob density in Chaos Chambers and encounters, new Primordial gear, more Chaos Tiers (up to 35), and Lucky Dice being tracked per profile instead of per character.

Lucky Dice are now tracked per profile instead of per character. Players will need to load and save their Fatemaker to apply the progression to their profile if created before this update.
Fatemakers can now rename their pets and character at Quick Change Stations.
Chaos Tiers can now go up to level 35.
Primordial gear will now appear starting at Chaos Tier 35.
Enemy waves in the Chaos Chamber’s Endless Dungeon have been allowed to start sooner to give Fatemakers more targets at once.
Moon Orb currency has been adjusted. Fatemakers were very quickly able to re-roll Enchantments to the point that the cost would be more than the maximum Moon Orbs they could hold. The grind for Moon Orbs was also slower than intended as the best way to get them was to farm bosses in the Chaos Chamber.
The Moon Orbs that a Fatemaker can hold has increased from 4,000 to 16,000.
Single Moon Orb drops are now worth 20 instead of 10. Moon Orb stacks are worth 80 instead of 40. Due to these changes, Moon Orb stacks are now slightly less likely to drop versus Single Orbs.
The final chest in the Chaos Chamber’s Endless Dungeon will now drop 14 Moon Orb Stacks.
Re-roll cost now accounts for the rarity of the gear, with Legendaries being more expensive to re-roll.
The cost to re-roll will stop increasing after 4000 Moon Orbs, allowing Fatemakers to continuously re-roll their gear.

The following classes are getting appropriate buffs.
Brr-Zerker

Increased Dreadwind’s damage as it scales with higher levels by 28%
Addressed a UI concern with the Dreadwind Melee Frequency appearing incorrectly on the HUD

Clawbringer

Increased the damage radius of Cleansing Flame’s melee damage
Removed the cooldown on the Storm Smite skill
Increased Storm Smite’s damage as it scales with higher levels by 50%
Improved targeting for Storm Smite
Removed Storm Smite’s delay between the puddle and lightning bolt spawning

You can check out the full notes and bug fixes here. In the meantime, here’s some gameplay from the Coiled Captors DLC.


CoD Modern Warfare Season One Adds New Operator & Three New Maps

Activision and Infinity Ward have revealed that Call Of Duty Modern Warfare Season One has added more content in its latest update. This includes three new maps:
Winter Docks:Â The Holidays have come toÂ Modern WarfareÂ in a new-themed version of the Gunfight Map, Docks, now entitled: Winter Docks. While this 2v2 playground may have the look of jolly and good cheer, expect a tension-filled fight whenever you hop into a match.

Vacant:Â The classic office locale fromÂ Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare has beenÂ reimagined forÂ Modern Warfareâ€™sÂ visceral and photorealistic game engine. Intense interior combat is sure to occur in this abandoned headquarters, so Operators should stay alert.

Shipment:Â AnotherÂ Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare masterpiece returns as a map for both core Multiplayer modes and Gunfight. Its small size was essentially built for Gunfight long before the mode came into existence, and veterans will feel right at home battling amongst the containers.

In addition, a new limited-time game mode has been added. Crank is a Multiplayer deathmatch-style game mode, first seen in 2013’s Call of Duty Ghosts. After getting a kill in Cranked, players are tasked with getting another kill within a short time frame or theyâ€™ll explode.

The following has also been added:
Operation Strongbox:Â The second phase of Armisticeâ€™s plans to destroy Al-Qatalaâ€™s financial support involves destroying everything that â€œThe Bankerâ€ has holed up in his vault. Conduct the most badass bank heist by using stolen crypto keys to break into his bank, crack open the vault, and escape the premises with enough cash to put â€œThe Bankerâ€ out of business.

Classic Special Ops – Bomb Squad:Â Forces that are still loyal to General Barkov have planted explosives around the city of Al-Raab, Urzikstan. With the help of a helicopter for infiltration and exfiltration, your team must defuse these IEDs before they detonate and wipe out the city. Succeed, and you will not only save many innocent lives but also deal a critical blow to the Generalâ€™s stragglers.

Classic Special Ops â€“ Disinform:Â Al-Qatala insurgents have attacked the fallen US Embassy to steal classified intel. Your mission is to protect the intel by eliminating all hostile forces, transferring the classified data, and moving to exfil for a helo extraction. Battle against the Al-Qatala militant forces and secure the intelligence before it falls into the wrong hands.

New Operator Nikto

The Call Of Duty Modern Warfare Season One new update also marks the arrival of the Spetsnaz Operator Nikto to the Store in the â€˜Nikto Operator Bundleâ€™, which includes three weapon blueprints, a watch, and other personalization content.
Players can also grab the â€˜Holideadlyâ€™ bundle, a collection of festive personalization items that will help you spread that holiday cheer. It includes tier skips, allowing players to boost your progression further up the Battle Pass to Tier 100.

In the meantime, check out this trailer.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yisg2XZhjaY&w=560&h=315]


Crysis Remastered Has Been Delayed

Earlier this week, Crytek’s Crysis Remastered was leaked, and seemingly had a release date of 23 July 2020. However, fans of the franchise have since criticized the leaked video and screenshots of the game on Nintendo Switch.
It looks like Crytek is going back to polish the game even more, as they have announced that Crysis Remastered has been delayed by “a few weeks”.
The full statement reads:

Dear Crysis fans,
As you know, Crysis Remastered will be coming into the world this year;
and at the same time the Crysis IP will debut on Nintendo Switch!
Your passion for the Crysis franchise deserves an undeniably high-quality game, and we are committed to delivering just that.
To ensure that we meet that commitment, we will need to delay the launch date (all platforms) and trailer premiere by a few weeks.
Because they already started, pre-orders for Switch will stay open, but pre-orders for all other platforms will be delayed as well.
The features youâ€™re looking forward to are already set, but we want to take the time on polishing the game.
You might be aware of the leak yesterday, and we want you to know: weâ€™ve seen all the reactionsâ€”the good and the badâ€”and weâ€™re listening!
Weâ€™re still working on a number of things in game, as well as the storefront.
Please keep the love coming, and rest assure, youâ€™ll have the game you love shortly!
This extra time until release will allow us to get Crysis Remastered up to the PC- and console-breaking standard youâ€™ve come to expect from Crysis games.
We hope you understand what weâ€™re up toâ€”stay with us while we take the time to make a few more improvements.
Stay tuned, and weâ€™ll have that game in your hands as soon as we possibly can.
Weâ€™ll keep you updated on our progress, so please hang in there, and check back here for updates!
Thank you,
Team Crysis

Crysis Remastered is slated to release for the PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, but no new release date has been announced by Crytek as of yet. In the meantime, check out the leaked trailer for the game below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko0BZms6cso&w=560&h=315]


MultiVersus Reached More Than 60K Users, And It’s Not Officially Out Yet!

The Warner Bros.-developed 2D platformer fighting game MultiVersus may just be the ticket to bring the genre further into the mainstream.
The brawler title, which is still in early access open beta mind you, has a recorded peak concurrent player count of 62,433 via SteamDB. Right now within the last 24 hours, the game has a concurrent user base of 51,737 at this point of typing.

How does the game stack up with other fighting games? Pretty well, actually. In fact, you can argue that MultiVersus is the top fighting game with the highest concurrent player base, moreso than other fighting games. Here’s a quick list of each fighting game’s all-time peak:

Dragon Ball FighterZ: 44,303
Brawlhalla: 34,816
Guilty Gear Strive: 31,156
Street Fighter 5: 14,783
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl: 13,314

None of them come even close to MultiVersus’ 60k numbers, and the game is in friggin’ open beta still. With 19 more characters arriving in the fighting game, this won’t be the last players will hear about the Warner Bros.-developed title.


Dragon Quest The Adventure Of Dai A Hero’s Bonds Celebrates First Anniversary With Rewards & Bonuses

SQUARE ENIX and DeNA Co. invite players to join in on the 1st Anniversary Celebration for Dragon Quest The Adventure Of Dai A Hero’s Bonds, the popular team action mobile RPG. Based on the hit anime, Dragon Quest The Adventure Of Dai, the game is a spin-off of SQUARE ENIX’s globally popular DRAGON QUEST series. To celebrate this momentous occasion, players will be treated to limited-time Half Anniversary Celebration bonuses and gifts, such as Blue Gems, Treasure Keys, and more.
During the 1st Anniversary Celebration campaign, players will have access to the 1st Anniversary Celebration Login Bonus that will reward up to seven 1st Anniversary Free x10 Treasure Keys, for up to a total of 70 Treasure Hunts. Other login bonuses include up to 5,000 Blue Gems and items that aid in progressing players’ teams, such as Level-Up Challenge Tickets.
These bonuses can be collected by logging in daily until 11 October 2022 at 05:59 am UTC. Additionally, all players will be gifted an additional 3,000 Blue Gems as a celebratory present, meaning a total of 8,000 Blue Gems can be obtained simply by logging in to the game from now until 28 October 2022 at 05:59 am UTC.
Players can enjoy the following celebratory content in the game:

Unleash Incredible Power: Players will have the chance to obtain equipment for Dai & Popp, granting them access to new Hyper special moves that allow them to temporarily enter a heightened state. While powered up, they will no longer be able to change characters, but instead will be able to unleash a powerful finishing special move by tapping the corresponding button a second time. These can be obtained in both the Sword of Bonds & Bond Equipment Limited Treasure Hunt and Staff of Bonds & Bond Equipment Limited Treasure Hunt, available from 28 September 2022 at 06:00 am UTC and 2 October 2022 at 06:00 am UTC, until 11 October 2022 at 05:59 am UTC, respectively.
Enter the Hero’s Hall: In the new limited-time event The Hero’s Hall, available until 11 October 2022 at 05:59 am PDT, players can fight through its sacred halls and strengthen themselves. Playing through the event will grant access to a powerful new style for Dai, Dai (Luminary Leader Outfit), as well as greatly increased experience gains for this new style.
Receive Welcome Gift and Rewards: A “Welcome Gift” of 6,000 Blue Gems is being distributed to all new players, which can be claimed within 30 days of logging into the game. In addition to this, all new players will be able to acquire two powerful special moves; Popp’s Kafrizz, and Crocodine’s Beast King Redemption Blast, as well as their related 4 ?weapons, to help strengthen their team.
Limited-Time 4?Weapon Guaranteed Treasure Hunt: All players will have access to a special one-time Treasure Hunt that is guaranteed to give a powerful 4?weapon at the cost of 300 Red Gems. This Treasure Hunt will only be available for the first 72 hours after downloading the game for the first time and logging into the game during this campaign.

Finally, all players will be able to participate in a 1st Anniversary Community Special Move Selection campaign through the game’s official Twitter. The campaign features a variety of popular special moves that were previously made available via in-game events and treasure hunts. Retweeting related posts will count as a vote towards the corresponding special move, and the most highly voted special move, as well as its related 4?weapon, will be gifted to all players, along with one piece each of Weapon Evolution Ore and Armour Evolution Ore to strengthen their equipment.


Vampire Survivors Cheats Guide

Vampire Survivors is one of 2022’s best games, featuring very addictive 2D gameplay and loads of builds to work on. It’s also a fun game to cheat with especially if you just want to clear some extra bits in the game that you don’t want to spend too much time on.
Here’s how you can cheat legitimately(?) in one of 2022’s finest.
How To Unlock Vampire Survivors Cheat Menu

You will need to access the Bone Zone and kill the Bone Orb. Killing the Bone Orb will net you the Forbidden Scrolls of Morbane, which unlocks the cheats option on the main menu.
To kill the Bone Orb, you may need a speedy Vampire Survivors character with weapons you can manually aim. Characters like Pugnala, Marrabio, or Krochi are effective against the Bone Orb.

Vampire Survivors Cheat List

Main Menu Cheats

Unlock Exdash: x-x1viiq
Get 5,000 gold – Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, Esc, Enter (works only once)

Character Cheats

Arca Ladonna: noneladonna
Porta Ladonna: vivaladonna
Lama Ladonna: superladonna
Poe Ratcho: strongestcharacter
Dommario: bioparco
Suor Clerici: faschiuma
Krochi Freetto: accidenti
Christine Davain: crystalmakeup
Yatta Cavallo: yattapanda
Bianca Ramba: carramba
O’Sole Meeo: reset
Sir Ambrojoe: languorino
Gyorunton: secondevolution
Big Trouser: earrivatolarrotino
Cosmo Pavone: lhovistoio
Boon Marrabbio: fettinepanate
Leda: iwillneverletyouforgetaboutme
Peppino: pinociampino
Gains Boros: highfive
Mask of the Red Death: ablasphemousmockery
Exdash: exdashexoneviiq
Toastie: tramezzini (only works if Exdash is unlocked)
Smith: maybeiamastallion (only works if Toastie is unlocked)
Pugnala Provola: flymetothemoon
Giovanna Grana: thetwoassassins
Poppea Pecorina: feldschlacht
Concetta Caciotta: ifeellovevenus
Iguana Gallo Valletto: waitreaction
Divano Thelma: quandolodicelui
Zi’Assunta Belpaese: paradigmshift
Queen Sigma: allatonce
? (its name is randomised) – igottagettotheedgeofsoul

Stage Cheats

Il Molise: relaxenjoylife
Moongolow: honesty
Green Acres: dotgogreenacres
The Bone Zone: rottingpizza
Boss Rash: peakgamedesign
recycletheforest: unlocks Bat Country and the Hyper mode version

Relic Cheats

Grim Grimoire: thisshouldhavebeenunlockedbydefault
Ars Gouda: thistooshouldhavebeenunlockedbydefault
Milky Way Map: leadmetothecheese
Glass Vizard: eggseggseggs
Mindbender: teleportustomars
Randomazzo + Arcana VI: randomazzami
Great Gospel: icanhearthecriesofcaptainplanet
Magic Banger: thankelrond
Sorceress Tears: timecompression
Yellow Sign: ihaveseenitihaveseenitihaveseenitihaveseenitihaveseenitihaveseenitihaveseenit
tengillesbalm: unlocks Apoplexy relic
gottagofast: unlocks Chaos Malachite relic

Arcana Cheats

0 – Game Killer: ilmatto
I – Gemini: ilbagatto
II – Twilight Requiem: lapapessa
III – Tragic Princess: limperatrice
IV – Awake: limperatore
V – Chaos in the Dark Night: ilpapa
VII – Iron Blue Will: ilcarro
VIII – Mad Groove: laforza
IX – Divine Bloodline: leremita
X – Beginning: laruota
XI – Waltz of Pearls: lagiustizia
XII – Out of Bounds: lappeso
XIII – Wicked Season: lamorte
XIV – Jail of Crystal: latemperanza
XV – Disco of Gold: ildiavolo
XVI – Slash: latorre
XVII – Lost & Found Painting: lastella
XVIII – Boogaloo of Illusions: laluna
XIX – Heart of Fire: ilsole
XX – Silent Old Sanctuary: ilgiudizio

Misc cheats

All weapons unlocked for level up options: everything
All five main stages and Hyper Mode unlocked: everywhere
Spin the UI for a bit: spinnn


Sundered Eldritch Edition Goes Free On Epic Games Store Next Week

The Epic Games Store (EGS) began 2020 with War, Death, and rad slopes! It’s going to be hard to follow up to that but it looks like the next EGS free offering is worthy of our attention.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN9Umkr381k&w=560&h=315]
Sundered Eldritch Edition goes free on the EGS starting from 10 January 2020. It’s another metroidvania roguelike but with a hand-drawn Lovecraftian twist. The Eldritch Edition comes with new areas, a new boss, and support for 4 players local multiplayer.
The free offering will end on 17 January 2020. As of writing this, you can still redeem the current three free games being offered. If you haven’t done that, you should. Unfortunately, you’ve already missed the encore week for the EGS Holiday Sale 2019.
You can check out the game’s EGS page here.


Dying Light 2 Gives Sneak Peek At Next Story DLC

During the Future Games Show Spring Showcase 2023, Techland revealed a sneak peek at the next major update and story DLC for Dying Light 2.
Dying Light 2 is set to receive a massive game update on 20 April 2023, where Techland will roll out an improved combat system and new gear transmogrification options. According to Dying Light franchise director Tymon Smektala, this upcoming update will “include significant improvements to the combat system that will be more brutal, physical, and rewarding” than ever before. He also confirmed that you’ll no longer have to choose between “style or stats”, as the new gear transmog system will let you better transform your favourite gear to fit your look.
There is also a sneak peek at the next story-driven DLC coming later this year with two pieces of concept art. The first shows an autumnal city with a church spire in the background, and the second hints at a new Morlech Asylum location.
For more on Dying Light 2, check out our review and video walkthroughs.
Check out the trailer below:


CDL Championship 2022 – Top 5 Players To Watch

With the Call of Duty League Championship beginning in a few hours, I’ve decided to give you all a rundown of the Top 5 players to watch throughout this tournament.
WE DID A SCHEDULE & TEAM RUNDOWN LEADING UP TO CDL CHAMPS
Champs is where history takes place as players compete for the chance to win the grand prize of US$1,200,000 out of the US$2,550,000 prize pool. The tournament starts at 3:00 AM (GMT+8) on 5 August 2022 for us Southeast Asians and you can watch it live over on the official CDL YouTube channel.
5. GISMO – LONDON ROYAL RAVENS

Considered by many to be an ‘online warrior’, Joey “Gismo” Owen is definitely someone to watch. So far, he has failed to live up to his online performances but it goes to show that he definitely has the potential to pop off at any given moment.
If he’s able to transfer his 1.10 KD online performances over to LAN then I can assure you that London will look lethal. If he were to turn up with only a 0.86 KD again then things may not look too bright for the Brits.
4. ACCURACY – SEATTLE SURGE

The veteran assault rifle player on the West Coast representatives, Lamar “Accuracy” Abedi is something of an ‘ice-man’ on the team. Able to clutch up in dire moments, you cannot let your guard down around this man.
He took a risk this year by teaming with young up-and-comers in the scene and although he may not be as flashy as the other young guns, he plays a vital role in leading and helping guide them through one of the most daunting and challenging weekends of their careers.
3. BANCE – TORONTO ULTRA

Best described as a monster, Ben “Bance” Bance is probably the most vital player for Toronto Ultra. Even when his teammates may be slacking, if he’s locked in that day, you can be sure that he’ll double his workload.
But that’s his issue, consistency. It’s not always that we see Bance perform at his best, but when he does, he is one of the most exciting players to watch. Not just in aim, but in movement, game sense and overall performance, at his best Bance could be considered one of the best on the sticks.
He does have a reputation to do extremely well under pressure, so we will see how this weekend pans out for him.
2. ARCITYS – ATLANTA FAZE

With two rings already to his name, Alec “Arcitys” Sanderson joined Atlanta FaZe to bring some veteran leadership to the tiny trio that surround him. When at his best, he is considered one of the greatest assault rifle players ever, but he has yet to step up to that live up to expectations this year.
Having made it to three out of the four Majors finals this year, he’s definitely not performing badly. But if he is to get FaZe their first back-to-back ring he will need to step up, and if he does, boy do you not want to miss it.
1. SCUMP – OPTIC TEXAS

And last but certainly not least, we have the King. Widely renowned as one of the GOATs, Seth “Scump” Abner is the oldest submachine gun player in the league. Having competed for 13 years, and countless championships under his belt, Scump being on this list was a given.
After winning the first Major of the year, his team’s performance declined, mostly to his teammate Indervir “iLLeY” Dhaliwal’s thumb injury forcing them to play with a substitute. But with iLLeY back, the GreenWall has stated that they’re practising harder than ever and are confident going into Champs.
He may be getting older but his drive and passion to compete are what has kept him gunning down these newbies for years on end. Even he himself has considered Vanguard to be one of his better games, so I look forward to seeing this veteran show us exactly why he is considered King.


You Can Get Hogwarts Legacy Exclusive Cosmetics Through Twitch Drops

Hogwarts Legacy is releasing soon on 10 February 2023 for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. However, you can grab some free exclusive items from Twitch Drops simply by watching Twitch streams of the game.
Firstly, you’ll need to create or sign into a Warner Bros. account. Then, you will need to connect your Twitch and WB Games accounts. After that, all you need to do is to watch a streamer who is playing the game (and has the Twitch Drops enabled) for 30 minutes per item. The fifth item requires that you watch Avalanche Software’s Twitch Channel with Hogwarts Legacy for at least 20 minutes.
The Twitch Drops will be active from 7 February 2023 to 24 February 2023.
The five exclusive Hogwarts Legacy Twitch Drops are:

Silver Dragon-Eyed Spectacles (Facewear)
Urchin Hat (Headwear)
Carmine Lightning Bolt Scarf (Neckwear)
Lilac Ensemble (Outfit)
Merlin’s Cloak (Cloaks and Robes Appearance gear slot)

The FAQ reminds players that they will need to claim the items both in their Twitch inventory and the Hogwarts Legacy drops site before they can grab the items in the game.


Steam Summer Sale 2019 Date Leaked

Itâ€™s that time of the year again when gamers have to hold onto their wallets and bank accounts. While Valve has yet to confirm the official dates of the Steam Summer Sale 2019, a reliable leak has revealed the date for the upcoming sale.
According to Twitter account @SteamDB, the Steam Summer Sale 2019 will begin on 25 June 2019 and will last for about two weeks. The leak was originally from Chinese website SteamCN, claimed to be “confirmed by multiple sources.”

ðŸ•¶ Steam Summer Sale 2019 date leaked as per tradition, it will begin on June 25, 2019 at 10AM PST and will last for two weeks.
via SteamCN and confirmed by multiple sources.#Steam #SteamSummerSale #SteamSale #SteamDealshttps://t.co/hqW4V5S2uE
â€” Steam Database (@SteamDB) May 15, 2019
That’s only a month from now, and with Epic Games Store gearing up for their first major sale as well sometime this summer, it looks like this year will be one to remember for PC gamers.
Just make sure to rein in that tendency for impulse-buying to save some of that post-purchase pang of utter regret. Oh, who am I kidding? It’s a Steam sale, go nuts.


PUBG Mobile Icons Take Part In New 4th Anniversary Variety Show At Sunway Pyramid Next Week

PUBG Mobile fans are in for a treat as the new PUBG Mobile 4th Anniversary variety show will be premiering on 3 April 2022 at Sunway Pyramid, as part of the celebration. Marking the grand finale of the 12-day roadshow, visitors who drop by the PUBG Mobile event at LG2 Blue Concourse, Sunway Pryramid, will get first-class tickets to watch the pilot episode of the show starring their favourite PUBG Mobile icons, right at the event venue.
Shot in Sunway Pyramid from 26 March 2022, the show features 12 PUBG Mobile icons; Master Ramen, J Hunter, OTG, Yakuza, EmiMohamad, Soultann, FattahZie, Raa Suzuran, MissRose, Fiera Fendi, MunaXmoci and XNunaa taking part in wacky challenges around the mall.

The PUBG Mobile icons were divided into three teams of four members, the Black Team led by Master Ramen, FattahZie as the Blue Team’s leader and MissRose leading the Green Team. All three teams battled it out in exciting challenges before reaching the final stage – the Battle Royale Mode. The winning team takes it all with special prizes including a Redmi Note 11 Pro for each member.
Organised in collaboration between Tencent Games, PUBG Mobile and Xiaomi, the third largest global smartphone brand as its official sponsor, the PUBG Mobile 4th Anniversary event is still ongoing at Sunway Pyramid until 3 April 2022.

Fans are encouraged to drop by to experience PUBG Mobile in person with the PUBG Mobile sculptures, special decorated photo locations and onground cosplayers as part of the event. Visitors can also stand a chance to win attractive prizes by playing games such as the Claw Machine and Spin to Win. Exclusive prizes include PUBG Mobile 4th Anniversary caps and face masks, in-game skins, as well as Redmi Note 11 smartphones sponsored by Xiaomi in addition to other prizes.
For fans who are not able to visit the roadshow, fret not as the 3-episode variety show will be aired on PUBG Mobile’s official Youtube and Facebook platforms.
For more information, visit PUBG MOBILE’s official social media pages:

Facebook: PUBG MOBILE Malaysia
Facebook: PUBG MOBILE Esports Malaysia
YouTube: PUBG MOBILE Malaysia
Instagram: @pubgmobilemyofficial


Xenoblade Chronicles 3: What We Know So Far From The Nintendo Direct Reveal

2022 is a lovely time to be a JRPG fan, eh? With Triangle Strategy, a Front Mission remake, a Live A Live remake, a Chrono Cross remaster, and now a Xenoblade sequel slated for this year, we’ll be busy on our Nintendo Switches that’s for sure.
The Xenoblade Chronicles 3 announcement was a lovely surprise, featuring a ton of visuals and gameplay that’s sure to please many fans and diligent followers like yours truly. Here’s what we gathered from the trailer below:

Update: here’s the new trailer that came out on April. The game’s been pushed forward to 29th July.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Will Tie In Parts 1 & 2
Unlike some JRPG sequels, the new Xenoblade will require context from both Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles 2. The game’s official synopsis reads:
“Players will step into the roles of protagonists Noah and Mio amid turmoil between the hostile nations of Keves and Agnus. Six characters hailing from those nations will take part in a grand tale with â€œlifeâ€ as its central theme.”
The world is called Aionios, home to two hostile nations. Keves is a nation mechanical technology was developed. Their armies are composed of units consisting mainly of combat vehicles. They use units of small, mobile weapons operated by soldiers riding them.
Agnus is a nation strong in ether, a magical technology. Their forces are built around units that specialise in ether combat, and they fight with small, mobile, autonomous weapons that use ether technology.
Both nations seem to have descendants of Melia and Nia from parts 1 and 2 respectively, with the High Entia race in Keves while the Gormottis (Welsh-speaking cat people) in Agnus.
Melia & possible descendants

Nia & Mio her descendant

In fact, one of the nations has Monado-like weapons while the other has ring blade weapons that Nia wielded back in part 2. Noah is holding the Monado blade (or a replica of it) while Mio wields the ring weapons.

Oh, and there’s a ton of relics and titan bodies from Mechonis and Uraya scattered about in the world. The last shot of the trailer was a huge indicator that it’s melding the lore and conclusions of both parts 1 and 2. We’ll get to that later.
The main takeaway of all of this is that you need to play through Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (both the main game and the expansion Torna: The Golden Age) on the Nintendo Switch if you hope to appreciate whatever lore and plot elements are within part 3.

These Are Your Playable Characters
We know that Noah and Mio will be playable. Here are their official descriptions:
Noah
One of the protagonists of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and a soldier of Keves. Noah is also an “off-seer” who mourns for soldiers who’ve lost their lives on the battlefield.

Mio
The other protagonist of this story, Mio is a soldier of Agnus and an off-seer like Noah.

So are the following unnamed heroes below: girl with giant hammer, descendant of Melia, guy with specs who fights with magic paper birds, and white dude with giant-ass sword.
Sena
This soldier is an ally of Mio and Taion. Despite her petite figure, Sena’s wields immense physical strength!

Eunie
A childhood friend of Noah and Lanz who has a sharp tongue and rough personality. She specialises in healing her allies in battle.

Taion
A tactician who fights alongside Mio using his smarts and insight.

Lanz
An ally of Noah’s who wields a great sword that doubles as a shield.

No Nopon party members though; that’s sad.
Riku & Manana

Riku is a blue Nopon of the Keves army and is the mechanic of the group. Manana is a red Nopon of the Agnus army and loves to cook. Together they act as one party member.
These Are Your Antagonists
There will be two of them chasing your party down after a wrongdoing/misunderstanding in the game’s plot: Ethel of the Keves Colony 4 army…

…and Isurd of the Agnus’ Colony Lambda army.

There’s also a big giant evil robot who overwhelms the party.

As a bonus, here’s how each character’s relationships with each other pans out (via the game’s Japanese homepage).

The Game’s Plot Came Up While The Team Was Still Making Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Way back before 2017, director Tetsuya Takahashi and the Monolith Soft team stated that Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s key visual came up at the end of Xenoblade Chronicles’ development, which was during the Wii/Wii U era. Odds are, there was a separate Monolith Soft team that decided on the story and gameplay at the tail end of Xenoblade Chronicles 2’s development (both the main game and the Torna expansion).
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Will Retain Open-World Exploration And Lush Worlds

Just like the past games, part 3 will retain the best part of the Xenoblade games: an open world with tons to explore and fight enemies big and small in. No word on how the combat will play out, but it may be a hybrid of parts 1 and 2; real-time with attacks having cooldown ala an MMORPG.
The game’s combat will have all six/seven party members simultaneously on screen and fighting, with the ability for them to perform Interlink. Interlink is a power where two specific party members can combine to form a powerful Ouroboros giant with its own set of powers and skills. There are three Ouroboros combinations so far: Noah and Mio, Lanz and Sena, and Eunie and Taion.

The Game’s Music Will Be The Same Folks From Past Series
Keeping consistent with the established leitmotifs of both games and their tone, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will feature the following composers:

Yasunori Mitsuda
Manami Kiyota
ACE (TOMOri Kudo, CHiCO)
Kenji Hiramatsu
Mariam Abounnasr

The game will also integrate the sounds of a flute as the game’s main motif for the music.
“The flute is actually one of the key themes in this game. A variety of other elements and themes are hidden in the trailer and weâ€™ll be revealing the details a bit at a time going forward.”
Nopons Are Back

The mascots of the Xenoblade series are returning, of course. And why wouldn’t they? These new Nopons look so adorable even with their serious eyes.
Some Theories On What’s Going On
We’ll need to touch on some spoilers for Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 to touch on what could have happened in Xenoblade Chronicles 3.

In Xenoblade Chronicles and the Definitive Edition, Shulk and Melia help sort out ethnic tensions in the world they’re in. Melia also became the Empress of the High Entia.

Throughout the course of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, the world of Alrest was slowly losing landmass via its Titans, but that’s resolved as the Cloud Sea fades to reveal the remaining Titans merging to form a huge-as-heck continent.

Both these plot points happened due to one person who orchestrated both worlds: the Architect Klaus. Long story short (it’s a doozy), he split himself in half, with one of them being the bad guy in Xenoblade 1 (Zanza)Â and the other being the good half in Xenoblade 2.

Our guess as to how this correlates to part 3? Easy: Xenoblade Chronicles 3 takes place many, many centuries later. That bit of plot in-between will be explained in the game itself. Given how scientists from long past (Klaus and his group) have a lot to do with the creation of Bionis, Mechonis, Alrest, and the Urayan titans, it would be fair to predict that the two worlds will collide through extraordinary circumstances, and be in conflict with one another for years on end.
Also, there’s a good chance that this revealed High Entia character could be Melia herself, somehow living a long life and becoming embittered over what has happened between parts 1 and 3, hence the edgelord colours.

Update: It’s Melia. The captions on the Nintendo trailer has officially confirmed this.

I would even go as far to say that this Gormotti-lookalike below could be Nia herself, also embittered and somehow lived a long life due to her being a Blade. Maybe her flesh eater disease got cured or something along the way.

Here are a few other predictions:

Based on the blue streaks in her hair, Sena may be related to Xenoblade Chronicles 2’s Brighid in some way.
Eunie may be related to Xenoblade 1’s Tyrea. Or she could straight-up be Melia’s daughter or granddaughter, enstranged.
We’ll be seeing more descendants of Torna in the game, if the character below is of any indication. Yes, Torna was wiped out in the Xenoblade 2 prequel, but there is a chance some of them could be in hiding and brought their culture back 100 years later leading to Xenoblade 3’s story.

For all you know, we could have Nopons secretly engineering the whole thing, but that’s too wild even for fan theory stuff. Let us know what you think about Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and what its plot could possibly be.


Cyberpunk 2077 Is Facing A Huge Player Resurgence; Here’s Why

Anime adaptations of video games are nothing more than glorified advertisements to get people to jump back to the source. Of course, many viewers and players are savvy enough to distinguish bad ones from the rare good ones. For every POS like the Dota anime and Dragon’s Dogma, there’s the recent Cyberpunk Edgerunners anime from Studio Trigger. We loved that show for its concept, its attitude, its storyline and characters, and animation, so it’s really no surprise it’s getting people back to Cyberpunk 2077.
What we didn’t expect is the player count to be bigger than usual. CD Projekt announced that the game has drawn in more than 1 million players (new and returning) every day this week since 23 September.
“Each day of this week Night City has been visited by 1 million players, both new and returning. We wanted to use this opportunity to thank you for being with us and playing the game. Thanks, Chooms!”

Each day of this week Night City has been visited by 1 million players, both new and returning. We wanted to use this opportunity to thank you for being with us and playing the game. Thanks, Chooms! ? pic.twitter.com/zqggblztF8
— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) September 21, 2022

You don’t have to take the publisher’s word on these numbers: Steamcharts stated that Cyberpunk 2077’s average concurrent player count has more than doubled in the last 30 days from 10,000+ in August to 23,000+ this month.  The peak concurrent player count is up even higher, from 18,695 in August to 89,387 over the past 30 days.
You can clearly thank Studio Trigger’s anime adaptation of the Cyberpunk IP for bringing in these new and returning players, buying the game off the digital PC shelves and playing through the title to get revenge on the final boss. You can also thank the game’s new 1.6 Edgerunners update that fixes bugs and performance issues: two things that hampered the launch of the RPG back in 2020.
This isn’t the first time a CD Projekt game has benefitted from a Netflix show: see The Witcher TV series and the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt sales for proof of that. Still, it’s nice to know people are coming back to a promising and story-rich game that really botched its arrival years ago.
Cyberpunk Edgerunners but only the best girl


This Is How Fast The PlayStation 5 Is, According To This First Look

Do you guys still remember what Sony’s Mark Cerny revealed a month ago about the upcoming PlayStation 5 storage? He said it will be a specialised storage kit with blazing fast loading speeds.
Well, we finally have our first look at how fast the new storage is. Prepared to be amazed by how obsolete our PS4 Pro consoles are!

Sony’s official video comparing performance of PS4 Pro vs next-gen PlayStation pic.twitter.com/2eUROxKFLq
â€” Takashi Mochizuki (@mochi_wsj) May 21, 2019
For those who don’t have time to watch the video, or is just saving data, here’s the breakdown of what happened. Just like what Cerny showed to WiredÂ a month ago, it is a load-time demo involving Marvel’s Spider-Man. The next generation console managed to load the world in under a second, while the PS4 Pro took 8.1 seconds to fully load the game.
The second part of the demo had the camera zoom past the city in an effort to show how fast it loads different areas. The PS4 Pro lagged a number of times while the next generation console had no problem zooming through the city.
Not Just Fast Storage
Sony highlighted that the PlayStation 5 will be synonymous to words like “immersive” and “seamless” and will offer an “immersive experience created by dramatically increased graphics rendering speeds” while being seamless in terms of being able to play games anytime, anywhere.
Sony talked about how streaming will be a key player in the brand going forward. Sony confirms that the PlayStation 5 will be supporting Remote Play functionality. According to analyst Danial Ahmad on Twitter, PS4 Remote Play has 5.6 million active users.

Sony is also cooking something up with Microsoft, as they plan to develop “future cloud solutions in Microsoft Azure to support their respective game and content-streaming services”.
This is in line with what Sony plans for the PlayStation 5 business model in which streaming will be given its own limelight.

Sony isn’t attending E3 2019 next month so we won’t be expecting any PlayStation 5 announcements there. Thankfully, we already have some information on that end.
We have some clues on how much it will be priced, but it isn’t set in stone yet. However, we are certain that it won’t be released before April 2020.


Netflix TUDUM 2023 Announcements: One Piece, Avatar & More

The annual Netflix TUDUM live stream took place earlier today and it was full of announcements. The biggest reveals included our first look at One Piece, Avatar The Last Airbender and more.
Check out our coverage below:

NETFLIX CONFIRMS EXTRACTION 3 IS IN THE WORKS

SQUID GAME THE CHALLENGE REALITY SHOW PREMIERES THIS NOVEMBER

NETFLIX UNVEILS COBRA KAI SEASON 6 CAST REUNION VIDEO

GAMES OF THRONES SHOWRUNNER’S 3 BODY PROBLEM PREMIERES IN JANUARY 2024

NEW THE WITCHER SEASON 3 CLIP SHOWCASES EPIC BATTLE SCENE

NETFLIX UNVEILS FIRST LOOK AT AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER, COMING IN 2024

NETFLIX’S ONE PIECE SETS SAIL THIS AUGUST, TRAILER UNVEILS FIRST LOOK

STRANGER THINGS SEASON 5 CAST ADDS TERMINATOR STAR LINDA HAMILTON


Granblue Fantasy Relink Will Be Out Next Year; Check Out This Fancy New Trailer

There’s some new information about the long-in-production Granblue Fantasy Relink action RPG from Cygames thanks to the recent Granblue Fantasy Fes 2021 event.
The action RPG will be out for PC, PS4, and PS5 in 2022. The developers have yet to settle on a release date, but at least they’ve locked down the release year and it’ll be a simultaneous worldwide release. None of that “Japan first, then USA” nonsense.
Granblue Fantasy Relink will pit players in the role of Gran and his party of reliable warriors and fighters like Katalina and Rackham. Here are the playable characters in the game:

Gran
Djeeta
Rackham
Katalina
Io Euclase
Silva
Rose Queen
Lancelot
Percival
Vane
Siegfried
Charlotta
Yodarha

There will be the usual single-player main story campaign with the narrative and action RPG gameplay, as well as four-player online co-op quests.
There will be a new character exclusive to the game: Rolan, a vicar of a local church within the Zegagrande Skydom who acts as a handyman on the side. He provides support for the crew on their journey, albeit for his own personal reasons.

More information about the game will be released next year. For now, check out the gameplay and release year trailer below.


PlayStation Acquires Returnal Developer Housemarque

Sony Interactive Entertainment has acquired Housemarque, best known for developing recent PS5 exclusive Returnal. Housemarque now joins the PlayStation Studios banner, alongside studios like Insomniac.
Housemarque Co-founder and Managing Director Ilari Kuittinen said (via PlayStation Blog):
Today is a big day for Housemarque and it has been over 26 years in the making.
Our strong partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment started with Super Stardust HD on PS3 and since then we have made arcade inspired games for all of the PlayStation platforms.
With Returnal for PS5, our most recent release, our biggest foray into third-person action gaming solidified our voice and brand in the industry as delivering unique and quality player experiences.
We are so excited to finally join the PlayStation Studios family!
This gives our studio a clear future and a stable opportunity to continue delivering on gameplay centric approaches, while still experimenting with new methods of narrative delivery and pushing the boundaries of this modern art form.
Locally here in Helsinki, this also means that we will officially expand the PlayStation family to a growing industry hub and secure the legacy of the oldest game studio in Finland.
Finally, what this means for our fans? We at Housemarque are gamers, and we have grown from the need to perfect and tinker with facets of games that we have found most fascinating.
We are also not known for shying away from running our own course and trying out new combinations.
With the backing of SIE and its family of studios supporting us, we can truly grow into our place in the industry and show what Housemarque can create with no limitations.
We canâ€™t wait to show everyone what will be in store in the upcoming years, and we hope to usher in more lasting memories and exhilarating titles for the next quarter-century and beyond.
In the meantime, you can check outÂ my review ofÂ ReturnalÂ here, orÂ head on over hereÂ for a guide to surviving the game.


BenQ’s New Gaming Monitors & Projector Will Make You Immersed Further In Gaming Heaven

BenQ has announced a slew of new products that are available right now during the LIFE Product Experience Day 2022 in Singapore. If you’re aching for a new gaming monitor or even a 4K projector, BenQ’s got you covered.
First up is the X3000i, the world’s first 4LED True 4K HDR Gaming Projector. It features 100% DCI-P3 wide colour gamut coverage, 16ms low input lag with 4K@60Hz, and is perfect for enlargening your gaming experience on a wall or other projector materials. This one’s pretty expensive as it’ll cost you US$1,999 (RM8,000+).

The BenQ MOBIUZ is a new line of monitors with sharp visuals and intricately designed speakers. The monitors under this line are the EX270M and EX270QM, and they boast the highest refresh rate in the MOBIUZ range. The bezels on these monitors are sleek too. This monitor line will cost you RM2,588 onward.

The ZOWIE 360Hz monitor is BenQ’s cream of the crop. The ZOWIE XL2566K is the world’s first TN 360Hz DyAc+ monitor that provides the best in-game FPS experience to players, boasting 360Hz refresh rate on the TN panel. If you’re into competitive shooters, this monitor’s the one to get. This monitor’s selling at S$1,069 (RM3,000+).


Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak – All The New Features & Monsters Announced So Far

The next major Monster Hunter Rise expansion, Sunbreak, is coming out in over a month. Capcom has announced a bunch of new features and updates for the DLC, so let’s go over them quick.
New Monsters

Seregios will be in Sunbreak, making a return since its debut in Mosnter Hunter 4 Ultimate. Seregios fights players with its erratic behaviour, shooting out deadly Bladescales that inflict the “bleed” status.
New monster subspecies include the Auroroa Somnacanth, who can summon ice mist that can slow hunters down in addition to having the original Somnacanth’s abilities. The flagship monster for Sunbreak is Malzeno, a fearsome Elder Dragon with a skill over mysterious small butterfly-like things that captures monsters and absorb their energy.
New Skills & Mechanics
Hunters can now use the Switch Skill Swap that grants players further flexibility during hunts; thisi allows them to equip two different loadouts of Switch Skills and change them mid-game. They can also use Swap Evade while switching skills to avoid interruptions from wandering monsters.
There are also new quests that allow you to take story characters with you. They can heal you and fight alongside you; pretty nifty especially since you can also have the two sisters from Monster Hunter Rise tag along as party members for your single player campaigns. You can take Elgado characters Fiorayne, Luchika, Jae, Admiral Galleus, and Master Arlow. From Kamura, you can take the aforementioned sisters Hinoa and Minoto with you alongside others.
Check out the full 15 minute presentation below, featuring a ton of awesomeness for Monster Hunter fans. The DLC is coming out on 30 June for the PC and Nintendo Switch versions of the game.


Far Cry Is Getting New Comics, Books & Content

Today, Ubisoft revealed that the publishing line for Far Cry is significantly expanding ahead of the release of Far Cry 6. Through a new set of partnerships with leading publishers worldwide, fans of the franchise will be able to delve into new vibrant transmedia story content inspired by the bold FAR CRY survival fantasy universe and its compelling villains.Â
The Art of Far Cry 6

Dark Horse Books and Ubisoft Toronto have also joined forces to create The Art of Far Cry 6, a beautiful volume that will take readers on a visual journey through the vibrant island of Yara. Featuring concept art, character designs, and astonishing settings and landscapes, the oversized full-colour book offers extensive insights into AntÃ³n Castilloâ€™s regime and the guerrillas of Libertad and their cunningly crafted arsenals. The Art of Far Cry 6 will be available worldwide on October 12th, 2021.Â
Far Cry: Rite of Passage hardcover edition

Bringing in fan-favourite villains, the Dark Horse comic series Far Cry: Rite of Passage is a gritty tale of the intricate road that leads to the ascension to power. The story kicks off as President AntÃ³n Castilloâ€™s only son, Diego, has just turned thirteen. But this birthday is more than a celebrationâ€”itâ€™s a rite of passage. AntÃ³n wishes to teach Diego important lessons in leadership and recounts cautionary tales he has heard about the undoing of three legendary men: Vaas Montenegro, a pirate,Â Pagan Min, a dictator,Â and Joseph Seed, a preacher.Â
The first in the 3-issues mini-series is already out in the US, Canada and the UK. Far Cry: Rite of Passage will be collected in a hardcover format and released on November 30th, 2021 in English. Written by Bryan Edward Hill, illustrated by Geraldo Borges, coloured by Michael Atiyeh and lettered by Comicraft, the series features covers by artist Matt Taylor. Â  Â  Â
Far Cry: Esperanzaâ€™s Tears

A peaceful life is no match for Far Cry 6 lead character Juan Cortez: as a professional guerrillero, he offers his expertise to various political and criminal organizations across the world. His latest contract drags him out of Yara as AntÃ³n Castillo rises to power again. Hired by a low-key revolutionary movement led by a famous college teacher in Santa Costa, a South-American country where a very precious metal called Tantalium attracts all sorts of interests, Juan ends up in a deadly trap. This adrenaline-fueled graphic novel revisits Far Cry 6 cinematic universe in a savage action-packed story with a fascinating cast of characters. Written by Mathieu Mariolle and illustrated and colourized by Afif Khaled with the help of Salaheddine Basti, Far Cry: Esperanzaâ€™s Tears will be published by GlÃ©nat Editions in November 2021.
The Far Cry Survival Manual

In The Far Cry Survival Manual, journalist Hunter Nash recounts his perilous travels to the Rook Islands, Montanaâ€™s Hope County, the Republic of Yara and beyond to explore and survive some of the most extreme situations and environments. The book immerses readers in the Far Cry universe with practical tips on survival, self-defence, extreme sports, stunt driving, and more, inspired by the games they love. The Far Cry Survival Manual will be published by Insight Editions on September 21st, 2021.
Far Cry Product Director Marie-JoÃ«lle Paquin said:
â€™â€™It has been a real pleasure to collaborate on these books with such a talented group of creators and publishers. Weâ€™re extremely excited to provide our fans with the opportunity to further explore our very rich Far Cry universe.”
Developed by Ubisoft Toronto, Far Cry 6 immerses players into the adrenaline-filled world of a modern-day guerrilla revolution set in Yara, a tropical paradise frozen in time in the heart of the Caribbean. Playing as local Yaran Dani Rojas, players will explore an entire island nation and join the revolution to liberate its people from the oppressive rule of dictator AntÃ³n Castillo and his teenage son Diego â€“ brought to life by Hollywood stars Giancarlo Esposito (The Mandalorian, Breaking Bad) and Anthony Gonzalez (Coco).
Far Cry 6 is playable solo or in two-player co-op and will release on 7 October 2021 worldwide on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Xbox One, PS4, Stadia, Amazon Luna and PC exclusively on both the Epic Games Store and the Ubisoft Store.
Far Cry 6 is now available for pre-order across all platforms. Fans who pre-order the physical version of the Ultimate or Gold Editions from Ubisoftâ€™s Official Shop on Shopee in Singapore and Malaysia will receive a free Ubisoft Exclusive Far Cry Steelbook.Â Â Â
Additionally, the standalone Ubicollectibles 26-cm tall figurine â€œLions of Yaraâ€, which showcases AntÃ³n Castillo, the President and leader of Yara, and his teenage son Diego, is available for pre-order now on the Ubisoft Official Shop on Shopee. It includes a unique code that unlocks a weapon charm in Far Cry 6, the â€œThe Lion of Yara.â€ Fans can pre-order the figurine here for Singapore and Malaysia.


Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One Reminds Us Why Action Blockbusters Can Be Great

Mission Impossible is one of those rare action franchises that’s still going strong and actually improving with every movie since the beginning with 1996’s Mission Impossible almost 30 years ago now. Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One is the seventh movie in the franchise, but it still manages to be thrilling and one of the best in the franchise to date. Tom Cruise and Co. essentially repeats what he did with 2022’s brilliant Top Gun Maverick, delivering yet another summer blockbuster action movie that’s worth going to the cinemas for.
Your Mission, Should You Choose To Accept It
Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames in Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning – Part One from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
Tom Cruise reprises his role as Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One, along with several returning faces (Simon Pegg’s Benji, Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust, etc.) and new ones as well (Hayley Atwell’s Grace, etc.). Just like Top Gun Maverick before it, Cruise proves how nostalgia can be applied in a way that has substance and feels meaningful. There are callbacks and references to the very first Mission Impossible movie, with Henry Czerny reprising his role as Eugene Kittridge. Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One feels fresh and thrilling it is, despite being the seventh film of the franchise and just the first half of a two-parter.
The best way to experience Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One is without any spoilers, so I won’t repeat what some other reviewers have chosen to do by revealing plot points that were not revealed by the official synopsis or trailers. What I can say is that the stakes are the highest that they’ve ever been in the franchise, both in terms of actual danger and the emotional challenges facing the characters. The enemy in Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One is something new and unique; something that Ethan Hunt has never faced before and one that is terrifyingly timely considering the current era that we’re living in. It’s an enemy that’s perfectly apt for these modern times, and that’s what makes it feel like a menacing threat to the protagonists. That’s all I can say without spoilers.
Tom Cruise and Vanessa Kirby in Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning – Part One from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
But of course, the best thing about Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One is the action. Tom Cruise has been defining what big cinematic summer blockbuster-worthy action should be like with his past Mission Impossible movies and the recent Top Gun Maverick. Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One continues that, with some of the best bombastic action we’ve ever seen. The reason is that movie doesn’t rely on CGI like most other big-budget films and uses mostly practical stunts/VFX for the movie’s action scenes and setpieces. That’s also why recent action-heavy movies like Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny still felt boring due to their over-reliance on CGI and ridiculous physics but the action in Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One actually feels intense and thrilling due to how realistic and grounded it is, as well as making it worth watching on the big screen.
Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One is the longest movie in the franchise in terms of duration; at a whopping 2 hours and 43 minutes long. However, it doesn’t feel that way at all. Sure, there are a few slow scenes for necessary exposition and plot development, but the movie’s pacing is brisk and before you know it, it ends. What’s praise-worthy is also that it’s not just all balls-to-the-walls action in this one, as we get a lot of classic spy and espionage elements involving disguises and deception. In addition, despite being only Part One and ending on a cliffhanger, Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One feels like a complete movie as a whole, offering a surprisingly satisfying package despite not offering a proper conclusion.
Rebecca Ferguson in Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
Hunt, Ethan Hunt
Tom Cruise and Hayley Atwell in Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
To put it in the simplest terms possible, Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One is a movie that’s literally begging to be seen on the biggest cinema screens possible, especially if you’re into thrilling action scenes that make you on the edge of your seat. The franchise has cemented itself to be one of the best action franchises around and if the quality of this movie is any indication, Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part Two (which is set to premiere in June 2024) seems like it will be an epic cinematic swansong that will be the highlight of Tom Cruise’s long and legendary career.
FINAL SCORE: 80/100
We attended an early screener of Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One courtesy of United International Pictures Malaysia. Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One is slated to premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 11 July 2023.


So Let’s Talk About The Ending To The Predator (2018)

We’re very sure a number of you Predator fans and sci-fi buffs either (a) loved the 80s tribute you witnessed on-screen or (b) hated the hell out of it and proclaim talented director Shane Black as the man who ultimately killed the Predator (franchise). Either way, that ending might be bothering you.
So let’s talk about it.Â Obviously, this is spoiler territory, so..

So that last bit came out of left field. Let us explain.
So You Wanna Be A Predator…
So after the big Predator is killed after he thought that kidnapping an autistic boy (played by Jacob Tremblay) from an ex-marine and his pals was a good idea, the heroes and the government ended up recovering a care package in a form of a pod. They believed that the first Predator came to earth bringing said package to help save humanity.
Said package opens, and it turns out to be a “Predator Killer” which is a gauntlet that gives its wielder a Predator suit. One of the scientists asks “what is that?”. To which the hero Quinn (Boyd Holbrook) responds: “That’s my suit. I hope it comes in a 42 long.” Credits.

To be honest, we were expecting

(a) a Weyland-Yutani artifact or gadget, or
(b) something from the xenomorph camp so that we can get that AvP crossover again.

We initially thought that the design of the pod was H.R Giger-seque in nature. The fact that Predators do like to create hunting grounds with xenomorphs on different planets (like in the first AvP) mean that a pod with face hugger eggs is a viable surprise.
But turns out we may be getting a Iron Man-like story thread where humans can use Predator suits and may fight against other bigger Predators. We feel like there needs to be some sort of prelude or explanation for the suit, though we may get that in a future director’s cut of the film given its production schedule.
In fact, wasn’t Arnold Schwarzenegger suppose to make a guest cameo or surprise end-of-film appearance in the original script before the Austrian actor said “no”? Ah well. At least the movie made some of its production money back; The Predator grossed US$54.7 million worldwide against a production budget of US$88 million. We’ll be getting Predator sequels featuring ex-marines wearing Predator suits before you know it.
It’ll get people talking about the franchise, for good or ill.


Indie Beat-Em-Up Tunche Launches 2nd November

Need more beat-em-up action and need a break from Streets of Rage 4’s DLC? You should check out this cute upcoming beat-em-up called Tunche then.
Featuring Amazon warriors with various superpowers and that Hat Kid from A Hat In Time, Tunche is a co-op beat-em-up with lush artwork and tons of action along with roguelike mechanics. It’s slated for 2nd November for Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PC via Steam. The PS4 version has no set date yet though.
The game’s features are listed below.

Play in Co-OpÂ â€“ Play solo or join up to three of your friends in a local co-op session to uncover the mystery of the forest and the secrets ofÂ Tunche!
Find Your Own Play StyleÂ â€“ Choose one of the five unique characters: Rumi, the sorceress, Pancho the musician, Qaru the bird boy, Nayra the warrior, and Hat Kid from the highly acclaimedÂ A Hat In Time.
Master the Different SkillsÂ â€“ To overcome the evil beasts of Amazonian forests you will have to learn the skills and ultimate abilities that will take you further through the story with each playthrough.

Check out the beat-em-up in action below if you need more convincing.


Overwatch Uprising Event Returns This April

The next Overwatch timed event is set to drop April 10th and as expected, it will be a continuation of last year’s Uprising event. Not much have been revealed as yet except for the cryptic tweet;

Initiating archive declassificationâ€¦
Mission files unlock: April 10.
RETWEET to confirm. pic.twitter.com/cTevQ8M5CE
â€” Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) March 29, 2018
In last year’s Uprising event, players got to relive Lena ‘Tracer’ Oxton’s first mission as an Overwatch agent as they fought against waves of Omnic troops in the streets of King’s Row. While we are still unsure of the nature of this year’s Uprising event, we won’t be surprised if it relates closely to another Overwatch mission which was revealed a few weeks back – Operation White Dome.

[DECLASSIFIED] After-Action Report: Operation â€œWHITE DOMEâ€ pic.twitter.com/fvnUQQEFDC
â€” Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) February 23, 2018
Regardless, we’d love another crack at taking down Omnics, as well as a fresh shot at securing some awesome time-limited loot as Blizzard is set to declassify over 100 loot box items during this event. The return of the Uprising event is also good news for folks who missed out on limited-time event-exclusive skins as they are expected to again, be unlocked for the duration of the event. We missed out on Talon Widowmaker skin last time. Not this time. We have enough coins to purchase it outright!

Expect additional info to drop as we head closer to April 10th and we will keep you updated once we have them.
Meanwhile, here’s a quick refresher of last year’s limited-time Uprising event
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpGrY9i8TSA&w=560&h=315]