Cantata Is A Visual Feast Filled With Supply Lines & Logistics

Platform(s): PC
Genre: Strategy, Sandbox, Supply Lines
Cantata is the rare game that I wish I would want to play more of. Let me explain; at its core, Cantata is a character-driven tactical strategy game that puts you in the middle of war for land and resources. You can play as a commanding officer from one of three factions; Humans, Machines or Aliens.
In each game ,you’ll start with a small base and a couple of units and it’s up to you to build up your base while completing the narrative objectives (if you play the game’s campaign). However, the core gameplay mechanic in Cantata is that your base is also the beginning of your supply network, and in order to progress, you’ll need to start building a viable and sustainable supply chain. What that means is a lot of logistics, which can either be enjoyable task for some gamers, or a headache-inducing chore for some.
HOW EXCITING!
Unfortunately, it was the latter for me. You have to think of ways to build and link sustainable supply chains between bases and buildings, as well as juggle resources and logistics. If that sounds like fun to you, then Cantata is the dream game for you. If you want to go straight into the conventional RTS elements, then perhaps you should look into other games. It took me almost an hour alone to play and finish both the basic and advanced tutorials.
For instance, just to build one unit of a rickshaw vehicle (which can ferry your troops faster across the map), you need to make a supply chain of fuel from one building, connected to another that supplies metal and make sure they all have enough supplies to sustain the chain. Look, if all of this sounds dry and unexciting to you, then imagine how it feels like to play it. Again, it may be fun if you’re into the supply chains and logistics of it all.

That said, the character artwork and visual aesthetics in Cantata are gorgeous. They remind me of a good old sci-fi comics, sort of like Judge Dredd or anything by the late Jack ‘The King’ Kirby, and mix that with good old pixel art for rendering the buildings, units and everything else on the map. They’re unique and not something you see in most other strategy games. Plus, the lore of the world of Cantata is ripe for exploration and development, with its myriad factions and colourful characters.
With this game still in Early Access, there’s a lot more that the developers can do to make the game more accessible and easier to understand. Almost all strategy games have their own respective learning curves (steep or otherwise), but I just wish the supply lines and logistics can be just as fun as sending my armies to destroy my enemies.

Early Access preview copy provided by Modern Wolf. Played on an Acer Predator Triton 500 (2020). Cantata is now available on Steam Early Access for RM44.


Here’s What We Know About Baldur’s Gate III

After seeing that pretty grotesque teaser trailer of a knight turning into a Dungeons & Dragons mind flayer, and a possible demonic invasion, most of us old-school CRPG players are psyched for Baldur’s Gate III.
Here’s what we know about the upcoming game from developers Larian Studios, famous for the Divinity: Original Sin CRPGs.
It Won’t Continue/Reboot The Bhaal Saga
The world has moved on from Baldur’s Gate I and II’s stories, so there’s no need to dig up that proverbial story again. The Bhaalspawn saga has been put to rest; this Baldur’s Gate game is a whole new story involving said mind flayer and demon invasion in the Forgotten Realms.
Larian Was Given The Job During Divinity: Original Sin 2’s Development
Wizards of the Coast didn’t bat an eye when Larian Studio’s CEO Swen Vincke first approached them for a Baldur’s Gate sequel. But they changed their minds when they saw the first Divinity: Original Sin. Here is Swen’s story (via PC Gamer):
“During Divinity: Original Sin 2, we had to submit the design for Baldur’s Gate, which was annoying because we were about to release DOS2. So we sat in a hotel for a weekend the month before release, me and a couple of writers and designers, and we made the initial design document. It wasn’t very good, but it had the core ideas and they did like it.”

There’s A Huge Focus On Said Mind Flayers
“[The Mind Flayers] want to restore their empire,” said Swen, “so we see the mind flayers invading a city, with a nautaloid, so you can imagine what might happenâ€”but it’s not what you’ll expect!” With a lot of D&D lore to play with but adhere to, Larian said that it’s not an obstacle for them. He said the studio is filled with so many D&D players and “internal lore police”.
It Will Combine The Best Of The Divinity Games and D&D 5th Edition Bits
The Divinity Games are well-known for their text, dialogue, and environmental storytelling. Baldur’s Gate III will be an extension of what Larian Studio has done previously to win the hearts of CRPG players everywhere. While some 5th Edition rules will not apply in-game, Larian remembers that it needs to make a game that adapts D&D templates, not follow them to the letter.
The Game Will Feature Co-Op Mode
Yes, you can still adventure alone and control your entire party, but there’s an option to team up with your pals on an adventure. It may be similar to Original Sin‘s co-op, but nothing’s confirmed yet.
There will be situations where parties can split up and have their own adventures. You know, like in an actual D&D game but without the in-fighting and escalating drama between power-mad dungeon masters and equally disruptive players.
There Are 300 People Working On The Game
200 are internal, the other 100 are external. Larian had to double the headcount of their offices just for this project.
Larian Knows What The Heck It’s Doing
They’re doing their research, and hard at work in making this new Forgotten Realm’s tale the best it can be for its fans. “We’re going beyond what we’ve done before to make it the game it deserves to be,” said Swen. “That sounds like a sloganâ€”it is a sloganâ€”but it’s true.”


RIP Joel Schumacher, The Man Behind Lost Boys & Batman Nipples

Joel Schumacher, costume designer-turned-film-director and renowned for St. Elmo’s Fire, Falling Down, and those two campy 90s Batman films, has died. He lost his fight against cancer and passed away in New York City on Monday morning. He was 80.
The openly-gay director was infamous for introducing nipples onto the Batsuit in his Batman films as well as taking a more colourful approach to Batman Forever and Batman & Robin. While the films are a stark contrast to Tim Burton’s original dark vision, the two films were easier to market to kids.
Still, we shouldn’t forget Schumacher’s better contributions to cinema, which include the aforementioned St. Elmo’s Fire, Falling Down, and cult classics The Lost Boys and Flatliners. If you only knew Schumacher as the guy who ruined Batman in the late 90s and Phantom of the Opera, you may want to open up your mind a tad and check out those classics I mentioned.

Oh and if it weren’t for Schumacher, we wouldn’t be getting the cinematic beauty that is Demi Moore. Hubba, hubba…


The Ascent Features A Lot Of Isometric RPG Shooting With Pretty Neon Lights

Platform(s): Xbox Series, PC, Xbox One
Genre: Isometric action RPG with twin-stick shooter elements
How does a sci-fi action RPG like The Ascent set itself apart with its twin-stick shooting gameplay? If you’re developer Neon Giant and publisher Digital Curve, the answer is to just add a little extra that hasn’t been seen before: making height & cover matter.
Mind Players
The Ascent’s combat, which you’ll see plenty of as you play through the 15 hours-or-so story, requires you to use the Left Trigger and B button to aim “iron sights” and crouch respectively. While you can fire at enemies when aiming at them with a combination of the right analog and Right Trigger, blasting at them with LT held will stun and stagger them. Plus, you can attack enemies and traps set at higher levels that way.

Conversely, you cannot shoot down low height/short enemies with iron sights, so you’ll have to switch it up when you go guns-ablazing. Taking cover will also improve your survivability since a group of gun-wielding foes can end your day quick if you’re out in the open; you also can shoot out of cover with the LT button held.
In essence, you’re playing the game’s twin-stick shooter like a third-person shooter ala Gears of War. While you can barrel through enemies if you’re at a higher level, you need to play smart and defensively about 80% of the time when you’re slowly ascending your levels and gear. Which is why I’m happy that the shooting and blasting sounds, looks, and controls great. Once you’re done with the first underground tunnel stage, you’ll then be treated to loads of cyberpunk sci-fi backdrops and visuals to shoot down cyber-samurais, heavy gun-wielding aliens, and mechas in.
Coupled with a plethora of guns both regular and unique from energy rifles to a salvo rocket launching gun called the Astrominer, to Tactical gear and Augments for additional attacks, support, and buffs, and you got yourself a fun old options-filled time. I went for a critical hit and hit points/energy points-heavy build so that I can hope for the best when damaging foes with cover fire and fire/energy-laced machine gun spamming, as well as have enough energy to cover my flank with Spiderbots and a super-powered area-of-effect leaping slam with short cooldown time. But really, they make awesome sounds when they connect.
Hardwired

Personally, the game’s combat, gorgeous sights, and rip-roaring sounds are the only things making me persevere through The Ascent, because it is sure as heck isn’t the story doing the heavy lifting. Yeah, the sci-fi corporate town dystopia spiel is fine and all, and you get some interesting sights and nuggets of lore about the corporate-run planet you’re stuck in as a literal slave trying to fight his/her way to freedom. However, there aren’t any interesting characters to keep my attention; even the supposedly humourous hacker Noghead isn’t enough to stop me from pressing the Skip Cutscene button. Repeatedly.
There are also the technical bugs souring my enjoyment by a tad. I had to restart the game a couple of times in single-player mode because I couldn’t get to the next area or the intended quest marks I have to kill aren’t showing up. Co-op online also spring up a ton of glitches in the proverbial matrix from hosting and joining new games, to stalled crossplay connections.
There are also a number of user interface issues with some text and icons way too small to distinguish and read. Hopefully, there’s a patch or three to sort all of these out.
For RM90 or so, you’ll have a jolly neon-filled dystopian-blasting old time with The Ascent. Just don’t expect a grandeur tale ala Cyberpunk 2077, though you’ll have a meatier action RPG experience.
Final Score: 70/100


Star Wars Outlaws Is A New Open-World Game By Ubisoft

During the Xbox Games Showcase, Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment finally revealed their Star Wars game, Star Wars Outlaws, which was originally announced in 2021.
Star Wars Outlaws is described as the first-ever open-world Star Wars game, set between the events of Star Wars Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI Return of the Jedi. Players will assume the role of Kay Vess, an emerging scoundrel seeking freedom and the means to start a new life, along with her companion Nix.
It’s slated to release for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC sometime in 2024. The first gameplay reveal will happen at tomorrow’s Ubisoft Forward at 1am GMT+ on 13 June 2023.
Check out the trailer below:


Father Of Final Fantasy Speaks Out About New FF Games

Last we heard of Final Fantasy father Hironobu Sakaguchi and his company Mistwalker, they’re working hard on a new JRPG called Fantasian for Apple Arcade. It’s going to be a game that will hearken back to the golden magical age of JRPGs when they used to innovate. Their words, not ours.
He also had some things to say about the recent Final Fantasy games, according to a GameSpot interview. Positive things; sorry if you’re looking for spilt tea.
He reminisced about one of his last official Square-related projects, talking about Final Fantasy XI and the conversations of what to call it and how to handle the first MMORPG in the series and his insistence on making it a numbered entry. And he concluded, “[Naoki] Yoshida working on Final Fantasy XIV has done some amazing things. And even [Yoshinori] Kitase, who is working on Final Fantasy VII Remake.”
“They really pushed the boundaries in terms of visual expression and fidelity as a form of storytelling. I see everyone just working really, really hard on this franchise and it really just makes me very happy to see that.”
Straight from the man himself. He loves the work the Square Enix team has done with FFXIV and FFVII Remake. Speaking of RPGs, Fantasian itself looks nifty; it features a Nobuo Uematsu OST, a bunch of nice dioramas as backdrops, and a unique mechanic where you send encounters into a separate dimension to streamline combat. Check it out below.


Sony Delays Morbius, Ghostbusters: Afterlife & Uncharted

It seems like every major movie for the next several months (or the rest of the year, for that matter) are getting pushed back and delayed from their initial release dates, due to the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
A bunch of upcoming movies by Sony Pictures have received the same treatment as Warner Bros’ Wonder Woman 1984 and Marvel Studios’ Black Widow before it.
Sony Pictures has announced the new release dates for their upcoming movies, which have been listed below:

Fatherhood â€“ 23 October 2020 (from 15 January 2021)
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway â€“ 15 January 2021 (from 7 August 2020)
Ghostbusters: Afterlife â€“ 5 March 2021 (from 10 July 2020)
Morbius â€“ 19 March 2021 (from 31 July 2020)
Uncharted â€“ 8 October 2021 (from 5 March 2021)
Greyhound â€“ Indefinitely (from 12 June 2020)
Untitled Sony Marvel (Possibly Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse 2) â€“ Indefinitely (from 8 October 2021)

The two biggest releases slated for 2020 are, of course, supposed to have been Morbius and Ghostbusters: Afterlife, but both have been virtually been delayed almost a year later, similar to United International Pictures’ Fast & Furious 9.
Interestingly, Venom 2 isn’t included in the list published by Sony Pictures (via Deadline), which means that it’s probably still slated for sometime in October 2020. For now, that is. Though, that movie also seems a lot likely to be delayed at this point.
These Sony Pictures films join upcoming movies in 2020 from other major studios, including:

Wonder Woman 1984 – 14 August 2020
No Time To DieÂ â€“ 26 November 2020
Fast & Furious 9Â â€“ April 2021
A Quiet Place Part IIÂ â€“ TBC
The New MutantsÂ â€“ TBC
Disneyâ€™s MulanÂ â€“ TBC
Black WidowÂ â€“ TBC


Here’s Why Troy Baker Didn’t Voice Rhys In Borderlands 3

Those of you who played Borderlands 3 will have definitely noticed that Rhys’ voice lacked that Troy Baker charm most fans got accustomed to in Tales from the Borderlands. If you didn’t play Tales from the Borderlands (like me), then you probably didn’t really feel anything towards Rhys’ voice.
Back when it was first announced that Baker wouldn’t be returning, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford tweeted out that Baker had turned down the role and Baker thinks this gave people the wrong idea. Fun fact: Randy later tweeted out a clarification saying that he “heard” that Baker turned down the role.
In a recent interview with VG24/7, Baker said that he was definitely offered to reprise the role but didn’t accept because “it was simply a matter of they wouldn’t go union”. Baker is a member of the SAG-AFTRA union which focuses on upholding the rights of entertainers such as announcers, actors, and voice actors. Out of principle, SAG-AFTRA members don’t do non-union jobs.

â€œAnd I canâ€™t do a non-union gig. And without getting too deep into the weeds of that, we had long conversations about this. We always knew going into it, that this was going to be the thing. They were going to take these characters, and put them from the Tales from the Borderlands series from Telltale, into Borderlands proper. Iâ€™ve been waiting for this call. They were like, â€˜Do you want to do this?â€™ And I said, â€˜Yesâ€™. They never, because they would never move from that position. Iâ€™m not mad. Itâ€™s invariably a completely different character, but it still stings.â€
– Troy Baker, speaking to VG24/7.
In other words, it had very little to do with money or scheduling. Gearbox simply doesn’t acknowledge the SAG-AFTRA union and that makes working with the company a big no-no to Troy Baker. It’s perfectly understandable seeing as how quite a lot of voice American, Canadian, and European voice actors have been unfairly compensated for their work.
I recommend checking out the full VG24/7 interview because it also points out Randy Pitchford’s other weird antics surrounding the development of Borderlands 3.


New Halo TV Series Trailer To Drop On Monday Morning

The first full trailer for the upcoming Halo TV series will be released during the AFC Championship Game next week. The AFC Championship Game will air on CBS on Monday, 31 January at 4.05 am GMT+8.

Suit up Spartans, the wait is almost over. The official trailer for #HaloTheSeries lands this Sunday during halftime of the AFC Championship Game on @CBS and @ParamountPlus. pic.twitter.com/fRzZ1Ml6cD
— Halo on Paramount+ (@HaloTheSeries) January 25, 2022

The first look at the Halo TV series was revealed during The Game Awards 2021. Dramatizing an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant, Halo the series will weave deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future.
The series stars Pablo Schreiber (Master Chief, John-117), Natascha McElhone (Dr. Halsey), Jen Taylor (Cortana), Bokeem Woodbine (Soren-066) and more.
The Halo TV series will be streaming sometime in 2022, exclusively on Paramount+. Perhaps we’ll receive a release date when the full trailer comes out next week.
In the meantime, check out the first teaser for the Halo TV series below:


Here’s When You Can Start Playing Red Dead Online

Red Dead Redemption 2; what a trip, eh? From its awesome storyline and atmosphere to its well-detailed but odd controls, people are raving on about Rockstar’s latest to varying degrees.
Pretty soon, you’ll get to form your own posse and start shooting stuff up in the game’s long-awaited online mode.Â Here are the beta schedules and the various criteria thanks to Rockstar:

27 November at 8:30 PM GMT+8. Available for Ultimate Edition owners.
28 November. Available for anyone who has played RDR2 on the first day of release (Oct. 26).
29 November. Available for anyone who has played RDR2 between 26 October and 29 October.
30 November. Available for everyone.

Here’s what you can do in Red Dead Online.

Create and customize your own cowpoke.
Explore the Red Dead Redemption 2 landscape either solo or with pals.
Form a posse up to 7 players, either to go hunting/fishing or fight enemy gangs.
Fight against other online outlaws in skirmishes and set-piece battles.

So it’s basically GTA Online but in 1899, horses, and old-school weapons. I’m sure there are fans out there who would like to go back to that era and re-enact their own spaghetti Western scenario. Rockstar Games will publish more details later in the next few hours or so.


Massive PUBG Mobile 1.0 Update Is Dropping Next Month

PUBG Mobile is getting a major 1.0 update that promises huge boosts to performance and other benefits just in time for a planned US$2 million esports tournament set to kick off in November 2020.
TheÂ PUBG MobileÂ team, which is part of Chinese tech and gaming giant Tencent, stated that the PUBG Mobile 1.0 update is scheduled for release on 8 September 2020.
The update will bring up to a 30 percent increase in frame rate and a 76 percent decrease in lag, depending on the type of device youâ€™re using. The mobile game is also getting a number of visual and design overhauls, including improvements to the main lobby screen and redesigns of parachuting, sprinting, and other in-game movements.

These improvements include “particles, smoke, air blasts, muzzle flashes, and the addition of scope interaction make every shot more realistic” and “upgrades to lighting systems and texture quality bring the vegetation, sky, and water to life”.

Starting in November 2020,Â PUBG Mobileâ€™s esports circuit will start hosting a combined World League and World Championship event called theÂ PUBG MobileÂ Global Championship.
It will bring together pro players from the Americas, Europe, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and China to compete for a prize pool of US$2 million.

Even in Malaysia and Singapore, the game’s esports scene is thriving. Season 2 of theÂ PUBG MOBILEÂ Pro League (PMPL) MY/SG 2020 recently kicked off.


Battlefield 2042 10-Hour Trial Coming For EA Play & Xbox Game Pass Subscribers

Good news for EA Play and Xbox Game Pass subscribers! A 10-hour Battlefield 2042 trial will be available for them starting from Friday, 12 November 2021.
A similar early access event will also be available for EA Play Pro subscribers and anyone who has pre-ordered the Gold or Ultimate editions of Battlefield 2042. However, EA Play Pro and Gold or Ultimate Editions will be able to enjoy unlimited access to the game before launch, instead of just a 10-hour trial.
After finishing the 10-hour trial, EA Play and Xbox Game Pass subscribers will need to purchase the full version of Battlefield 2042 (or subscribe to EA Play Pro) in order to continue playing.
In addition, EA has released a new Battlefield 2042 trailer showcasing the game’s Portal mode. Battlefield Portal lets you replay the reimagined classics, Battlefield 1942, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, and Battlefield 3 â€“ or deploy on these timeless maps with the modern arsenal and content of Battlefield 2042.
It is made up of three distinct multiplayer experiences â€“ All-Out Warfare features the next generation of fan-favourite modes Conquest and Breakthrough; Battlefield Portal allows players to discover battles from the past, present and future as well as to create and change the rules of war; while Battlefield Hazard Zone brings a tense, squad-focused survival experience. Adapt and overcome dynamically-changing battlegrounds with the help of your squad and a cutting-edge arsenal.
Battlefield 2042Â is slated to launch for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on 19 November 2021.
In addition, EA alsoÂ confirmedÂ thatÂ Battlefield 2042Â will not feature a traditional single-player story campaign.


DC FanDome 2021 Reveals All-Star Lineup Of Massive Talents

Epic talent from DCâ€™s biggest movies, games, shows and comics will be a part of the second year of the free, virtual fan-first experience.

At 12am GMT+8 on (Sunday, 17 October 2021), the youngest DC fans will kick off the day with DC Kids FanDomeÂ â€“ a special standalone experience for kids and their parents to explore the DC Multiverse withÂ RobinÂ and theÂ Teen Titans, catch sneak peeks of upcoming DC animated shows and immerse themselves in at-home digital activities all in a safe, kid-friendly environment.

The event will be co-hosted by social media sensation and Cartoon Networkâ€™s first musician-in-residence,Â Nandi Bushell. Catch all the fun atÂ DCKidsFanDome.comÂ and theÂ DC Kids YouTubeÂ page. Donâ€™t worryâ€¦if you can’t stay up that late, the event will still be available to watch when you wake up!

Then, just afterwards, on 17 October 2021 at 1am GMT+8, the main show starts atÂ DCFanDome.comÂ andÂ DC Asia Official YouTubeÂ to fans around the world. Theyâ€™ll be delighted with news, reveals and surprises presented by stars, cast members, creators and crew from fan-favourite DC properties across the brandâ€™s biggest films, live-action and animated TV series, games, comics and home entertainment.

Special consumer products from Asia includeÂ a new range of Secretlab TITAN Evo 2022 chairs featuring DC Super Heroes Joker, Batman, The Flash and SupermanÂ https://secretlab.co/dc. And also limited-edition XM Studios DC statue collectibles, such as Batman On BikeÂ https://www.xm-studios.com.
All DC FanDome programming will be captioned in multiple languages, includingÂ Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, and Spanish. And DC FanDome will again be completely free to all fans worldwide. Adding to the worldwide DC FanDome experience, fans in China will be able to enjoy the global content plus a variety of exclusive and engaging local DC content.

Worldâ€™s Greatest Super Heroes â€” and Super-Villains
DC FanDome will feature an unrivalled gathering of casts and creators behind fan-favourite DC games, comics, movies, and TV shows. Expect breaking news, exclusive trailers and announcements, never-before-seen footage, revealing conversations, and more surprises in the DC FanDome:

Warner Bros. PicturesÂ showcases six highly anticipated titles with an exclusive new trailer forÂ The Batman, new content fromÂ DC League of Super-Pets, the first look atÂ Black Adam, a sneak peek atÂ The Flash, and behind the scenes looks atÂ Aquaman and the Lost KingdomÂ andÂ Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
Warner Bros. TelevisionÂ will offer a look at new seasons ofÂ Batwoman,Â The Flash,Â Superman & Lois, andÂ Sweet Tooth; a farewell tribute toÂ SupergirlÂ as it approaches its epic conclusion after six seasons; a celebration of 100 episodes ofÂ DCâ€™s Legends of Tomorrow; the first look at forthcoming new drama Naomi; and a sneak peek at an upcoming episode ofÂ DCâ€™s Stargirl.
Warner Bros. GamesÂ features new reveals from the highly anticipatedÂ Gotham Knights,Â developed by Warner Bros. Games MontrÃ©al, andÂ Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, developed by Rocksteady Studios.
DC publishing will honour the legacy of one of the worldâ€™s greatest Super Heroes and icon of truth and equality,Â Wonder Woman, with a showcase of three upcoming books. DC explores her history with the DC Black Label miniseriesÂ Wonder Woman Historia, expands the Amazon mythos withÂ Nubia and the Amazons, and honours the inspiration she has provided to women around the world with the original graphic novel Wonderful Women of the World. Additionally, DC will share details about the next instalment of the epic, universe-spanning Batman/FortniteÂ comic crossover, and fans can also expect to hear more about the upcomingÂ Batman: Fear State, the new six-issueÂ Black MantaÂ series, the return of theÂ Milestone Universe, and much more.
HBO MaxÂ will unveil an exclusive look at the upcoming seriesÂ PeacemakerÂ and limited event seriesÂ DMZ. The streamer is also debuting more surprises and sneak peeks from new series as well as returning favourites such as TitansÂ andÂ Doom Patrol. All four series hail fromÂ Warner Bros. Television.
Warner Bros. AnimationÂ will feature a look at the upcoming limited seriesÂ Aquaman: King of Atlantis; provide a sneak peek at season three of the adult animated comedy seriesÂ Harley QuinnÂ and share whatâ€™s in store forÂ #HarIvy; deliver a very early look at the next animated chapter of the Dark Knight in the all-new upcoming seriesÂ Batman: Caped Crusader; and give fans a preview ofÂ Young Justice: PhantomsÂ (warning: thereÂ willÂ be spoilers!).
Warner Bros. Home EntertainmentÂ will preview two upcoming originalÂ DC Animated Films: aÂ sneak peekÂ atÂ Superman and the rest of the Justice League inÂ Injustice, an all-new animated movie inspired by the popular games and comic, as well as the premiere of the trailer for the all-new animated heist movieÂ Catwoman: Hunted.Â Both movies are produced in association withÂ Warner Bros. Animation.

DC Kids FanDome
Once again, DC FanDome is going to be a family affair, serving the youngest DC fans with their own special experience in theÂ DC Kids FanDome. Kids and their parents around the world can explore the DC Multiverse alongside their favourite DC Super Heroes, catch sneak peeks of upcoming DC animated adventures likeÂ Batwheels,Â DC Super Hero GirlsÂ andÂ Teen Titans Go!, and immerse themselves in at-home digital activities all in a safe, kid-friendly environment atÂ DCKidsFanDome.com.
All-Access DC FanDome
In addition to joining the DC FanDome at the mainÂ DCFanDome.comÂ destination, fans will be able to watch the event viaÂ Twitch, YouTube, FacebookÂ andÂ Twitter.Â DC FanDome will be fully accessible on phones, tablets, laptops, or desktops, allowing fans to take DC FanDome with them wherever they are.
For all the latest scoop on DC FanDome, please be sure to visitÂ DCFanDome.comÂ regularly for news and updates. By registering atÂ DCFanDome.comÂ (itâ€™s free!), youâ€™ll get DC FanDome news directly in your inbox and gain access to members-only exclusives. And please follow the #DCFanDome hashtag on social media and the DC social channels onÂ Facebook,Â Instagram, andÂ Twitter. For updates from Asia, please follow theÂ DC Asia FacebookÂ page.
Legacy
DC FanDome 2020Â was the first-of-its-kind global virtual fan experience and brought together the largest gathering of talent, announcements and content reveals in DC history.Â DC FanDome: Hall of HeroesÂ andÂ DC FanDome: Explore the MultiverseÂ supercharged the worldwide fanbase, generating overÂ 22 million global viewsÂ acrossÂ 220 countries and territoriesÂ with more thanÂ 150 million views of trailer content.
During DC FanDome 2020, the most popular announcements and reveals were trailers for Matt Reevesâ€™Â The Batman, Warner Bros Montrealâ€™sÂ Gotham KnightsÂ and theÂ Justice League Snyder Cut, all of which attracted more than 150 million views in total.
Go toÂ DCFanDome.comÂ andÂ the just-launchedÂ DC Asia Official YouTubeÂ channel to watch live.
Please follow the #DCFanDome hashtag on social media and the DC social channels onÂ Facebook,Â Instagram, andÂ Twitter. For updates from Asia, please follow theÂ DC Asia FacebookÂ page.
Check out the full DC FanDome 2021 lineup below:


Check Out How The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Fight In Injustice 2

NetherRealm Studios just unveiled its first-ever gameplay of its new Injustice 2 DLC characters. It’s shell-shocking to say the least.
That’s right: the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be playable in the DC Comics alternate universe this February. Check then out in motion below:

Party dude Michaelangelo attacks with his nunchucks and skateboard, while machines-doer Donatello zones out his opponents with his bo staff. Asshat leader Leonardo is the all-rounder while hothead Raphael is all about rushdown. Just like in the beat-em-up games they’re in back when Konami didn’t suck so much thumb.
Since each Turtle’s moveset is limited, you have toÂ  use their assists Dragon Ball FighterZ-style. Best part: their Super move brings them all together for a team beat down that ends with the classic she’ll crush move from the early 90s sequel with the Jim Henson craft works and the Vanilla Ice rapping. Sounds fun!

This isn’t the first time the TMNT has been involved in a DC Comics crossover. They teamed up with Batman in comics back in 2015.
Oh, and nice touch with a timeless Mortal Kombat catchphrase there during the victory screen.


Sony Has A Lot To Be Happy About Black Friday 2017

The Black Friday sale of 2017 has been good – nay, great – for Sony PlayStation. According to theirÂ Network boss Eric Lempel whenÂ telling CNBCÂ – 2017 has not just been a big year, but a record-breaking one.
â€œWe had the biggest Black Friday in PlayStation history,â€ Lempel toldÂ GamesIndustry.biz. â€œWe sold more consoles than we ever have in our 23-year history, and [PlayStation] Plus is a natural addition to that purchase.” he added.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPc0mTHQ8fI&w=560&h=315]
â€œAnything can happen on Black Friday, and so we wanted to make sure that people went in, they bought a console, but that they also bought PlayStation Plus because theyâ€™ll get a lot of value out of that service with their new console purchase.â€
â€œGoing into this generation, a lot of people were counting out the console business and saying it wasnâ€™t going to work out,â€ Lempel continued.
â€œBut as you can see, the PlayStation 4 business is thriving. Last month, Sony Corp. reported their earnings. Profits were up 346%; the majority of that was fueled by the PlayStation business. Weâ€™re having a phenomenal year. Weâ€™ve sold more consoles than ever before, and the console business is doing great.â€
He also commented on Sony’s approach regarding virtual reality as well as how the console market is faring against the perceived uprising of mobile games via smartphones.


Final Fantasy XIV Suspends In-Game House Demolition During Coronavirus Lockdown

Square Enix is giving some of its players some slack, at least those who cannot pay their subscriptions in time.
The company will be turning off its automatic house-demolishing system in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, which usually happens if a player lapses in his or her subscription payments. This is done in wake of the worldwide COVID-19 lockdowns, which results in many people being out of work and unable to pay in-game subscription costs. Official statement below:
“Taking into account the world-wide spread of the COVID-19 (also known as â€œnovel coronavirusâ€) and the economical effects of various cities going into lock-down, we have decided to temporarily suspend automatic housing demolition.”
In such dire times, paying US$12.99 per month for an MMO may be quite a luxury. But at least you won’t have to worry about your in-game house being demolished if you’ve been lax with your payment. Just make sure your actual house and place of domicile is sorted during this period. That’s way more important.


Genshin Impact Teleport Waypoint Located In Malaysia, Singapore, & Other Southeast Asia Locations

HoyoVerse really wants everyone to remember that Genshin Impact exists, so what better way to do that than to pay huge amounts of money for space to plop one of their iconic landmarks in the middle of a real city?
The company did just that by placing a replica of the game’s Teleport Waypoint in Bukit Bintang Crossing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It doesn’t actually work, sadly, but it makes for a lovely display to take photos with. The Teleporter comes with cutout stands of characters from the new Sumeru update like Tighnari, as well as the Traveller and other characters from past updates.

Teleport Waypoints is the best way to travel. Bye RapidKL I have no love for you. ?
Location: Bukit Bintang Crossing, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Btw I love my Tighnari ?? #genshinimpact pic.twitter.com/UUPlT4WOl6
— ?????? (@suzuki1412) August 23, 2022

There’s also one in Singapore at Plaza Singapura Canopy Plaza, and one in The Philippines at SM Mall of Asia, Metro Manila, at the South Atrium, G/F Entertainment Mall. There’s also one in Indonesia at Central Park Mall.

//more information pic.twitter.com/uN0Z8MkOFR
— Childe ?? (@Childe_txt) August 19, 2022

//For friends in the Philippines, here is the Teleport Waypoint location : pic.twitter.com/QhqFJiBNtW
— Childe ?? (@Childe_txt) August 19, 2022

//For friends in Indonesia, here is the Teleport Waypoint location : pic.twitter.com/JYiQTC2gm4
— Childe ?? (@Childe_txt) August 19, 2022

TELEPORT WAYPOINT LUCK IS REALLLLLL#GenshinImpact #GenshinTeleport pic.twitter.com/3KgMSH6814
— cyanide (@saayanide) August 24, 2022

According to the Genshin Impact Facebook page, the Teleport Waypoints in the following countries will be available from 24 August until 6 September; that’s two weeks for you to dress your best (as a Genshin Impact character) and pose for all to see. In fact, you can get a bunch of merchandise there if you participate in the following quest at the site:

Quest 1: Travelers can obtain a hilichurl mask upon arrival.
Quest 2: Film a video with the Waypoint.
Quest 3: Post the video on TikTok with the hashtags #GenshinTeleport and #GenshinImpact.
Quest 4: Show the posted video to the staff on site to get a postcard and a bookmark (random style).

The booth will give out prizes from 11am to 9pm daily.
Image credit: The Magic Rain


League of Legends Is On Xbox Game Pass & Will Save You A Lot Of Time & Money

League of Legends is now available on the Xbox Game Pass which may confuse some of you as you may know that Riot Games’ world-renowned MOBA is free-to-play. So what does Game Pass do for you? Well, it saves you a bunch of time and money as by linking your Riot account with your Game Pass, you will play as every champion in the game.

With 162 champions in League of Legends, the cost of unlocking them individually can add up quickly, with an average cost of US$6.50 per champion. By subscribing to Xbox Game Pass, you can gain access to all the champions without spending over US$1,000. This savings is equivalent to more than five years of Game Pass Ultimate. Additionally, new champions are regularly released, and with Game Pass, you will have immediate access to them as soon as they are available, typically around five times per year.
It’s worth noting a few things about the Xbox Game Pass partnership with League of Legends. Firstly, while it may be appealing to unlock all the champions at once, it’s also possible to unlock them for free over time.
After completing the tutorial, players can choose one of five champions and by completing daily missions, they can acquire five additional champions, selecting one character each day from a selection of three.
Additionally, players can earn Blue Essence by levelling up and winning the first game of the day, and they can use Champion Shards to reduce the amount of Blue Essence required. So while it may be slower, it is possible to unlock the entire roster without paying for champions. It just takes an extremely long time. Trust me. I know.

Secondly, while Game Pass allows players to access all 162 champions, it doesn’t grant ownership of them. According to Riot’s FAQ, the game only unlocks them for play but doesn’t consider you an owner.
Therefore, players won’t be able to purchase skins for champions that were unlocked through Xbox Game Pass and will need to buy the champion using Riot Points or Blue Essence. Additionally, Champions and other content that was unlocked through Game Pass will have a special indicator, differentiating them from content that you own.
It’s important to keep in mind that if you end your Xbox Game Pass subscription or if the partnership between the two is terminated in the future, you will lose access to the champions that were only unlocked through Game Pass. However, champions that were acquired through new player missions or purchased using Blue Essence or Riot Points will still be accessible to you.
Despite the caveats, this partnership is still a great deal for new players of League of Legends or Valorant, particularly if you already have Xbox Game Pass. Like League of Legends, Valorant agents can also be unlocked for free over time, but they cost US$10 to unlock immediately.
By subscribing to Game Pass, players can save about US$140 compared to unlocking new agents individually and have access to future releases as well. This partnership allows players to try out new champions and agents without committing to purchasing them and gives them the opportunity to earn the ones they enjoy for free through regular gameplay.
You can link your Riot account to your Xbox profile by going to the Xbox sign-in page and signing in to both your Xbox and Riot accounts. If you already have Game Pass, you should get a notification when you sign in to the game once the content has been unlocked. Riot says this process may take up to 24 hours.
If you aren’t already subscribed, Xbox Game Pass for PC costs US$10 per month, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which combines the console and PC passes and also includes cloud gaming, costs US$15 per month.


The Angry Birds Movie 2 Soars Higher With A Barrage Of Laughs & Gags

Video game movie adaptations are gradually improving, especially with this year’s Detective Pikachu turning out to be decent but ultimately not fulfilling the franchise’s full potential. However, some need not bear the weight of such high expectations, especially when that particular franchise is not highly-regarded in the first place.
That applies to The Angry Birds Movie 2. No one asked for a video game adaptation of a mobile game fad that was in its prime years ago, but the first movie was surprisingly better than anyone would’ve expected, which has led to this sequel being made.
Now, The Angry Birds Movie 2Â is currently the best-reviewed adaptation of a video game, with a 75 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. How is that possible?
Second Time’s A Charm

2016’s The Angry Birds Movie was funnier and smarter than it had any right to be, especially for a mobile game franchise that involves the player throwing exploding birds at flimsy structures built by evil pigs. It also featured meta references and subtle mature jokes that adults could also appreciate, even though the plot is hogwash and lacks any emotional impact.
The folks at Rovio Animation and Sony Pictures Animation knew what they were doing, and they continued their winning formula with the sequel. There are more of the meta jokes and pop culture references Ã  la 20th Century Fox’s The Lego Movie franchise, though they’re intended to be snappier and less intricate in The Angry Birds Movie 2.
The Angry Birds Movie 2 has the added advantage of not having to introduce its world and characters, unlike its predecessor. This allows the sequel more room to breathe, expand its world, and focus on the most important aspect of these movies: the laughs and gags.
This movie delivers almost a non-stop barrage of jokes left and right, from the beginning to the end of the movie. I like some of the more subtler veiled adult jokes, like a character commenting that main character Red has a “resting bird face” (read: resting bitch face) and what might even be a construed as masturbation joke.
Too Busy Laughing To Care About Plot

All these jokes and gags are clearly meant to distract viewers from the movie’s plot, as they will be too busy laughing to stop and think about the dumb and simplistic plot. Essentially, The Angry Birds Movie 2 continues from the first movie, with the birds and pigs still at each others’ necks and trading blows back-and-forth.
They then enter into a truce and are forced to work together against a new threat to both of their islands; the Eagles on Eagle Island. The only significant plot thread has to do with the backstory of the new main antagonist, Zeta, who has ‘history’ with one of the birds from Bird Island.
New Birds Of A Feather

What I enjoyed the most about The Angry Birds Movie 2 is the new side-plot featuring new baby bird characters or hatchlings as they’re referred to in the movie. These adorable balls of fluff are cute as heck and go on a separate adventure of their own to retrieve eggs (unhatched birds) with hilarious results Ã  la Scrat the squirrel and his acorn in the Ice Age franchise.
The addition of Rachel Bloom’s Silver as the sister of Josh Gad’s Chuck and the love interest of Jason Sudeikis’ Red improves the group dynamic of the main characters. Silver is the antithesis of Red, as she butts heads and engages in witty banter with the ‘hero’ multiple times throughout the movie.
The rest of the returning cast does an amazing job, as do the other new additions like Akwafina’s Courtney and Sterling K. Brown’s Garry Pig. Bill Hader gets a lot more material this around as the former antagonist King Leonard of the pigs. As far as villains and antagonists go, Leslie Jones’ Zeta is a decent one, though there’s not much to talk about.
Fun For All

While The Angry Birds Movie 2 may not be on the same level as The Lego Movie 2 or Toy Story 4 in terms of sheer brilliance and incredible writing, it more than makes up for all of that by being one of the funniest animated offerings this year.
Does it deserve to be the best-reviewed video game movie of all time? Perhaps it doesn’t, but The Angry Birds Movie 2 is both good and entertaining, which most video game movies can’t even boast of.
FINAL SCORE: 70/100
We received a special preview screening courtesy of Sony Pictures Malaysia. The Angry Birds Movie 2 premieres in Malaysian cinemas on 29 August 2019.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDj8Y2K0ODA&w=560&h=315]


The Witcher 4 Has Entered Pre-Production

CD Projekt has recently confirmed that its upcoming Witcher sequel has entered pre-production.
The company wrapped up the research phase for the next game in the series. There’s still no official title yet, but the game will kick off “a new saga” for the franchise. Here’s what CD Projekt CEO Piotr Nielubowicz has to say during the company’s earnings results report yesterday.
“We have recently wrapped up the research phase, which means the project has now progressed to pre-production and we’ve begun to capitalise development expenses related to this new game.”
The next-gen versions of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for Xbox Series and PS5 will be out in the fourth quarter of 2022. Speaking of open-world games, CD Projekt is still working on content for Cyberpunk 2077. A major expansion featuring a new storyline is in development and is scheduled for 2023.


Guess Which Game Developers Have No Interest In NFTs?

If you answered “most of them” to the headline above this story, you’re right.
The Game Developers Conference’s annual State of the Game Industry Report has been released, which asked over 2,700 game developers about their work. When asked “what is your studio’s interest in non-fungible tokens (NFTs)?” about 70% of the 2,700 developers said they have no interest in the subject matter. They also do not have any interest in implementing NFTs in their games. About 21% said they were “somewhat interested” and 7% said “very interested”. The remaining 1% said they were on it.
When asked about their interest in cryptocurrency as a payment tool, 72% of them said they weren’t interested. 21% are somewhat interested, 6% are interested, and 1% are using it. Here’s a summary from the survey:
“When asked how they felt about the possibility of cryptocurrency or NFTs in games, a few [developers] called it the future of gaming. [A] vast majority of respondents spoke out against both practices â€“ noting their potential for scams, overall monetization concerns, and the environmental impact.”
Companies like Konami are already selling NFTs to customers at this point in time. Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda said he and his company are committed to making blockchain and NFT games a part of its portfolio.


You Can Keep Taki & Mitsuha Together Forever With These Your Name Figures

Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name is coming out on Netflix soon (on 1 September 2021), so now’s the best time to grab some figures of the main characters from the acclaimed anime movie.
The Good Smile Company has announced two of them, including:

POP UP PARADE Your Name Taki Tachibana Complete Figure (LINK)
POP UP PARADE Your Name Mitsuha Miyamizu Complete Figure (LINK)

Both of them are priced at 3,300 Japanese Yen each, or roughly RM125+ each.
They are slated to release in December 2021, but you can pre-order them now at the links above.

Your NameÂ tells the story of a high school boy in Tokyo and a high school girl in a rural town, who suddenly and inexplicably begin to swap bodies. Obviously, thereâ€™s more to it than that, but what could have been an overly convoluted and messy plot turned out to be a beautiful and emotionally stirring love story.
Itâ€™s one of the best anime movies in recent times and you own it to yourselves to watch it if you havenâ€™t, especially if youâ€™re an anime fan. Itâ€™s definitely better than Makoto Shinkaiâ€™s follow-up,Â Weathering With YouÂ (at least, in my opinion).


FIFA 21’s Career Mode Takes Cues From Football Manager

The one constant about annual sports video games is that not much changes about the gameplay or mechanics between each instalment. However, EA Sports is changing that with FIFA 21, as the developer will be making changes to the game’s Career Mode with inspirations from Sega’s football sim Football Manager.
According to the FIFA 21 website, EA Sports has highlighted eight key changes and additions to FIFA 21‘s Career Mode. Overall, these improve the management side of the game’s Career Mode by adding more depth and mechanics.
FIFA 21 Interactive Match Sim
These include:

Interactive Match Sim – This seems to be a stripped-down version of Football Manager. Players will be able to jump in and out of matches while using the management view to make tactical changes as the game progresses.
Revamped Growth System – This allows you to be more involved with how your players develop and train, as well as enables you to even train players in new positions, like changing defensive midfielders into centre backs.
Match Sharpness – This brand new attribute controls how well your players will perform in “crucial moments” during matches.
Active Training System – You will be able to organise group training sessions that improve your players.
Activity Management System – This is another Football Manager-like addition, where you can manage how much training and how much rest your team will receive between matches, balancing morale and fitness.
Enhanced Opposition AI – Your AI opponents will now act more “with more intelligence” when attacking and defending, in order to present more challenge.
New Ways To Sign Players – Career Mode will now feature Loan-to-Buy offers with optional or mandatory future transfer fees to secure new talent for your team, and allow you to respond to player swap proposals made by rival AI managers.
New Initial Set-up Options – Before starting Career Mode, you’ll be able to switch certain elements on or off to make the experience more realistic or less so, including ‘Authentic Transfers’, or starting with more money via “Financial Takeover”.

EA Sports promises that more details and information will be revealed sometime in August 2020. FIFA 21 is slated to release for the PS4, Xbox One and PC on 9 October 2020, with a free full upgrade to the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions later for those who already own the current-gen versions.
In the meantime, check out the new FIFA 21 trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwtBQtF_UHA&w=560&h=315]


The Best Wolcen: Lords Of Mayhem Builds You Can Start Off With

This feature is still under development, as the game is recently out of Early Access. Also, the game seems to be pretty, pretty buggy, so expect some frequent updates to this guide.Â
Can’t wait for Diablo IV? That’s alright; you can instead buy and play Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem right now on Steam. It’s basically the action RPG you’ve been looking for: meaty action and gameplay, a pretty-looking-yet-bleak world made by the same people behind those Van Helsing RPGs a few aeons past, and most importantly, a big-ass skill tree.
Wolcen’s allure is that you have both an extensive amount of customization with your character, to the point that there is no set class to pick from. You can basically make your own using said skill tree, be it a close-ranged mage or an all-out ranged zoner-type kiter. Plus, you can twist and turn the circular-esque skill tree to align it to your own preference. It’s not Paths of Exile huge, but it’s incredibly meaty and packed on its own merit.
If you’re still overwhelmed by the task of creating your own looting-and-killing machine(s), or just a tad lazy, don’t worry. We’re here to help. Here are our recommended builds if you’re starting off Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem.
D3 Barbarian Style

Remember Diablo 3’s Barbarian build where you just spin and attack, and do nothing else to rack up the kills and loot? This Wolcen build is exactly that: you become a typhoon of destruction and, ahem, mayhem and the loot will cometh. This build prioritizes the Baldestorm skill, with every active and passive leading up to bolstering this move.
Skills

Bladestorm â€“ sends you spinning in circles, damaging all who dare come near.
Bleeding Edge â€“ allows you to surround yourself with spinning axes for a set duration, depending on what modifiers youâ€™re using.
Juggernaut â€“ gives you a shield that blows up and damages nearby foes after you take a set amount of damage.
Sovereign Shout â€“ buffs various stats depending on what modifiers you apply and increases your rage. Straight out of the box, though, itâ€™ll empower your attack damage and spell casting speed.
Wings of Ishmar â€“ presents the option of jumping into, or away from, a mob of enemies.

Passives

Static Transferral (Alastor) â€“ gives you an overload point every time you attack that increases your damage. Using a skill removes all your overload points but the damage bonus from your overload points doubles.
Intravenous Neural Cord (Alastor) â€“ boosts your attack speed should you land a critical hit on an enemy.
Merciless Lethality (Assassin) â€“ boosts the damage of your critical hits at the expense of your non-critical hit damage.
Backline Raider (Sentinel) â€“ increases your attack speed and spell casting time.
The Wild Card (Soldier) â€“ boosts the critical hit chance of your attacks and spells.
Second Wind (Soldier) â€“ gives you a boost of health regenâ€™ when you fall under 30% of your maximum health.
Feast for the Crows (Warmonger) â€“ adds life leech to all of your attacks.
Gods Amongst Men (Warmonger) â€“ bumps up physical, poison, and rend damage at the expense of you not being able to inflict other types of damage.

Stats Distribution
Focus on Ferocity; getting a high critical hit percentage while also bolstering physical or rend damage is paramount in making this version of the D3 Barbarian archetype work.
Sniper Build

This archer build for Wolcen lets you shoot volleys of high-crit arrows, as well as get you out of a tight jam if you’re close to the baddies.
Skills

Deathgazer Railgun â€“ allows you to create a powerful sniper shot that does area-of-effect damage. Keep in mind, the longer you charge the shot, the more damage itâ€™ll do but the AoE radius decreases.
Dusk Shroud â€“ gives you the ability to drop a shadow cloud on the ground that makes you invisible.
Phantom Blades â€“ toss a spinning dual-blade in front of you.
Stings of Krearion â€“ basically lets you summon a huge bow that launches several arrows at once.
Wailing Arrows â€“ fire multiple arrows in a cone formation that slowly whittles away a foeâ€™s health over time.

Passives

Shoot to Kill (Ranger) â€“ bumps up projectile damage.
Archionâ€™s Teachings (Ranger) â€“ launch additional projectiles at the expense of damage.
Bullseye (Ranger) â€“ boosts projectile critical damage.
Backline Raider (Sentinel) â€“ boosts your attack speed.
Refined Technique (Sentinel) â€“ increases projectile damage.
Precise Strikes (Sentinel) â€“ increases attack and critical damage.
Winter Hail (White Arrow) â€“ makes your projectile ricochet off enemies when it hits them so it may damage another foe.
Hungry Stalactite (White Arrow) â€“ increases damage based on how much pierce is remaining on a projectile after it has hit an enemy.

Stats Distribution
Again, bump up Ferocity so that your arrows have high crit chances, but also add some points to Agility. You’re not going to go up-close against enemies with this build, so don’t focus too much on Toughness.
Plague Lord

Credit to Vulkan for bringing up this good magic build. Basically, you create a protective barrier that is fatal to enemies.
Skills

Anomaly – sucks enemies into a damaging and pulsing dark magic ring. Perfect for lining up enemies in one spot.
Infinity Blades
Plagueburst
Tears of Etheliel
Light Bringer

Passives

Attrition Strategist (Scholar)
Thirst for Knowledge (Scholar)
Resilience to Corruption (Warlock)
Reining in the Darkness (Warlock)
Duty to Exterminate (Warlock)
Toxic Emanations (Plaguebringer)
Undertaker (Plaguebringer)

Stats Distribution
Spend six to seven points into Ferocity every time you level up. Three points should go to Wisdom, with the leftover points to whichever stat you want.
Gun Mage

We all love our guns & shooting here at Kakuchopurei, so it’s only natural that we use this ZiggyD Gaming build for Wolcen. Use the stasis effect to deal as much damage as possible while keeping healthy with Bulwark of Dawn.
Skills

Aether Jump – teleports you out of danger. It’s better than your standard roll.
Artic Spear – shoots out a delayed projectile that goes a straight line. Handy when dealing with enemies who stand still or are gathered by the next skill…
Anomaly – sucks enemies into a damaging and pulsing dark magic ring. Perfect for lining up enemies in one spot for Artic Spear and Stings of Krearion.
Bulwark of Dawn – opens up a light-powered circle that heals whoever is in it.
Stings of Krearion – your default close-ranged damage dealer if you went the ranged attacker build.
Havoc Orb – shoots a grenade-type device, dealing AoE damage.

Passives

Backline Raider (Sentinel) â€“ increases your attack speed and spell casting time.
Covert Operative (Sentinel) – less likely to get hit.
Branded Burst (Exorcist) – if you are not hit for the next few seconds, you can ignore a percentage of damage the next time you are.
Residual Energy (Warlock) – powers up your attacks with the element from the last spell you cast.
Which Time Cannot Heal (Time Weaver) – deals more damage to enemies afflicted by stasis.
Dire Juncture (Time Weaver) – reduces your max health and Force shield, but staggers the damage you take.
Safe from Afar (Ranger) – deal more damage the further away you are from your target.
Archion’s Teachings (Ranger) – doubles the projectiles you chuck out. Spells, guns, arrows, whatever.
Soldier (The Wild Card)Â – higher chance to get criticals.

Stats Distribution
Focus on Ferocity and Toughness to bolster your crit and health, while spending a few points into Agility. You don’t need to use Wisdom here.


Boxing Heavy Hitter Undisputed Now Available In Steam Early Access

As of today, the highly anticipated heavy-hitting boxing game Undisputed releases on Steam Early Access and will release on PS5 and Xbox Series X | S at a later date.
As the first major boxing title in a decade, the gaming world has been in dire need of a new realistic boxing game. Undisputed’s Early Access launch will offer a roster of more than 50 playable characters, including legends like Muhammad Ali and Tyson Fury, as well as current stars like Canelo Alvarez and Deontay Wilder.
There will also be a complete women’s division, and the game will take place in 6 distinct locations, including a big arena and Coldwell’s gym. Players will have the option to play locally or online in multiplayer, against AI in single-player, or in Prize Fight Mode.
Developed by Steel City Interactive (SCI), announced an Early Access roadmap for the game that includes not only bug fixes and enhancements for a better user experience, but also new features and content such as Career Mode, tools for creating fighters, licensed boxers, and match venues. SCI will keep the community informed as they have updates to share.
SCI also announced that they are working with top brands in the boxing industry to guarantee the authenticity of their game. They are partnering with organisations such as the World Boxing Council, the British Boxing Board of Control, Empire, and several others.
If you’re keen then you can find out further details on the official Steam page.

Key Features:

Revolutionary footwork mechanics, including a Loose Movement modifier to help players move around the ring with ease.
More than 60 individual punches. Players can punch from multiple angles, feint to set up a trap and counter.
All the tools needed to be a defensive wizard. Players can slip punches, weave, dodge and block.
Physics-driven interactions – punches can sometimes go around or even through the guard.
Up close and personal inside fighting like never before.


The Rainbow Six Siege SIX Invitational 2020 Will Have A US$3 Million Prize Pool

It’s really hard to believe that it’s been a bit over four years since Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege was released. The continuous release of updates and new content manages to keep the game fresh and interesting especially for its esports community.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKl-x1d9auY&w=560&h=315]
Another great news for fans of Rainbow Six Siege esports is that the SIX Invitational 2020 is about to start very soon. Starting from 7 February 2020, Ubisoft will be hosting the tournament at the Place Bell in Montreal, Canada.
This will be the fourth edition of the SIX Invitational and as always, the winner will be crowned the Rainbow Six Siege world champion. What makes this year truly special is that it will feature the biggest prize pool in the tournament’s history: US$3 million.
Here’s the tournament schedule:
7 – 9 February 2020: Offline Group Stage.
11 – 12 February 2020: First two days of Offline Playoffs.
14 – 16 February 2020: Last two days of Offline Playoffs and Finals.
A total of 16 teams will be competing in the tournament. Check out the full roster here:
Winners of previous Rainbow Six official esports programs:

Team Empire (Europe)
TSM (North America)
Giants Gaming (Asia-Pacific)
Wildcard Gaming (Asia-Pacific)
Rogue (Europe)
Natus Vincere (Europe)
FaZe Clan (Latin America)
Ninjas in Pyjamas (Latin America)
DarkZero Esports (North America)
Team Reciprocity (North America)
Team Liquid (Latin America)

Online qualifier winners:

BDS esport
Spacestation Gaming
MIBR
Fnatic

Invited:

G2 Esports (Europe)

Alongside the tournament, Ubisoft will also be hosting the Road to SI – Creators Cup. It will pit content creators from around the world against each other for the CA$20,000 charity prize pool. It’ll be happening on every Sunday from 26 January to 9 February 2020 across the content creators’ Twitch channels.
For more information on the SIX Invitational 2020 and the Road to SI – Creators Cup, check out the official Rainbow Six Siege website. You can watch the livestream of the tournament on Twitch, YouTube, and Mixer.


Malaysian-Made Kaiju Brawler GigaBash Will Be Out This August

Malaysian game developer Passion Republic Games will be releasing its long-anticipated multiplayer kaiju-filled brawler in a few months’ time.
GigaBash will be out for PC (Epic Games Store, Steam), PS4, and PS5 on 5th August. In addition, the developers have announced a new character in the kaiju-filled roster: Rawa the Dragon King, who whoses his Ethereal Flame to take down all comers.

Here’s the official description for Rawa:
“As the prophecies have foretold, “where he walks, calamity follows.” Rawa has finally announced his grave return, his imperial presence marks the beginning of his ashen empire bathed in Ethereal Flame! His body is covered in gold-trimmed heavy plate armor, making his every attack hit with the combined mass of several freight trains. He can also spew his iconic Ethereal Flames which incinerate flesh, soul, and even stone. Worst of all, his Ultimate simply vaporizes entire cities in a violent torrent of Ethereal Flame as it gradually focuses into a piercing beam of destruction. These abilities make Rawa one of the most dangerous foes for Heroes and Titans alike, leading scientists to aptly call him “the Extinction Dragon.”


Outriders Delayed To 1st April, Demo Will Be Out 25th February

Square Enix and People Can Fly’s upcoming loot-and-shoot RPG Outriders will be delayed yet again. The game will be out on 1st April instead of 2nd February as previously planned.
However, the publisher and devs will be launching a free demo featuring the first few hours of the game on 25th February for Xbox Series X, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam. Oh, and there’s a Stadia release for the game if you care.
Here’s the full message from Square Enix:
Happy New Year. We believe itâ€™s important that players get to experience a new IP likeÂ OutridersÂ before release, so that you can decide for yourselves whether the game is something you wish to pre-order, purchase or play.
For this reason weâ€™re excited to announce that on February 25, 2021 we will be publishing a free demo, giving everyone the chance to play the first few hours of the game with all four classesâ€”in both single-player and co-opâ€”along with seamless migration of your character and progress to the full game.
Speaking of which, we have decided to move the release date of Outriders to April 1, 2021 (no joke!). We will spend this extra time fine tuning the game and focusing on delivering a fantastic play experience at launch.
Thanks for hanging tight a little longerâ€”we appreciate your patience!
â€”TheÂ OutridersÂ Team


That Among Us Game Is Super Popular At The Moment, Huh?

Just like Fall Guys did, indie game Among Us has exploded in popularity. Except the latter is 2 years old, so it doesn’t really count as a game made this year, though.
According to analyst site Sensor Tower, Among Us earned 18.4 million mobile downloads in August. That’s almost eight times as many downloads back in July when it garnered 2.4 million downloads. The game also earned another 41.9 million mobile downloads this September.

Multiplayer party game #AmongUs from @InnerslothDevs has surpassed 85M mobile downloads following an enormous surge in installs in August and September: https://t.co/VoXmcZl8TP #mobilegaming #mobilegames pic.twitter.com/7V9nFQpwRV
— Sensor Tower (@SensorTower) September 16, 2020

Meanwhile on Steam, it’s the most popular game on the PC platform with 268,000 players still on it as we speak.

Why the sudden popularity for this multiplayer game that’s basically the digital version of Werewolf/Mafia? It probably has a lot to do with prolific Twitch streamers spreading the good word about it recently. The game now has 247,000 viewers and is on par with titles like Fortnite and Minecraft thanks to folks like Sodapoppin, Shroud, Ninja, and Pewdiepie.
Also, memes like these are being circulated to massive effect.

How debating in Among Us feels like: pic.twitter.com/2tqT2MJDf0
— grapefruitbush (@grapefruitbush) September 17, 2020

So will there be a sequel to the 2018 original? Time will tell, but developer InnerSloth is working on it. No release date has been announced yet. My advice? Just keep the core gameplay of Among Us intact in the sequel, but probably with sleeker aesthetics and quality-of-life changes like matchmaking and moderation options.


Deathloop Release Date Revealed By PS5 Store Page

Back in August 2020, Arkane Studios announced that Deathloop would be delayed to sometime in mid-2021. Now we know exactly when that is, thanks to a PS5 New Zealand PlayStation Store page.
Deathloop is apparently slated to launch for the PS5 and PC on 21 May 2021, according to the standard and digital deluxe editions of the game on the New Zealand PlayStation Store.
The store pages also reveals pre-order bonuses and what comes with the digital deluxe edition, which includes the following:
Deathloop Pre-Order Bonuses
Unique Weapon:Â Royal Protector Machete (PS5 Exclusive).Character Skin:Â â€œStorm Riderâ€ Colt.One Trinket (equipable items that provide buffs).
Deathloop Digital Deluxe Edition Exclusive Content
Unique Weapon:Â Transtar Trencher (PS5 Exclusive).Unique Weapon:Â Eat The Rich Tribunal.Unique Weapon:Â .44 Karat Fourpounder.Character Skin:Â â€œParty Crasherâ€ Colt.Character Skin:Â â€œSharp Shooterâ€ Julianna.Original Game Soundtrack Selections.Two Trinkets (equipable items that provide buffs).
In case you don’t know, Deathloop is a new action-packed first-person shooter from Arkane Studios, who are best known for the stealth-focused Dishonored franchise.
Players will assume the role of two rival assassins, who are trapped in a mysterious time loop on the island of Blackreef. The only chance for them to end the time loop is by assassinating eight key targets before the day resets.
Players will have to learn from each time loop by trying new paths and gathering intel, as well as find new weapons and abilities.


The Samsung S21 FE 5G Introduces Flagship Specs In A Cheaper Package

Samsung Malaysia has announced the S21 FE 5G to the Galaxy S21 series, which is a smartphone that delivers select fan-favourite Galaxy S21 premium features in a well-rounded package. It is equipped with some of the most-loved aspects of the Galaxy S21; eye-catching design, powerful performance, a pro-grade camera, and seamless ecosystem connectivity.
TM Roh, President and Head of Samsung Electronicsâ€™ MX (Mobile eXperience) Business said:
â€œAt Samsung, weâ€™re focused on bringing the latest mobile innovations to even more people. We saw an incredible response to Galaxy S20 FE and Galaxy S21 lineup.
So we applied the same approach with S21 FE 5G, equipping it with the premium features that matter most to our loyal Galaxy fans â€” because weâ€™re focused on delivering a smartphone that meets their most important needs.â€
The S21 FE 5G continues the Galaxy S21 legacy with a premium, signature design. It all starts with the iconic, fan-favourite Contour-Cut frame that seamlessly integrates with S21 FE 5Gâ€™s camera housing for a stylish, unified look. There are three colours to choose from; Olive, Lavender, White or Graphite, all of which include a stylish haze finish. It also features a sleek and slim 7.9mm-thick body, so it can easily slip into a pocket to keep up with any on-the-go lifestyle.
In addition, the S21 FE 5G comes equipped with Galaxyâ€™s latest, super-fast application processor â€“ the same powerful processor used in the S21 series. The phone’s new 240Hz touch response rate also takes playing games to new heights with lightning-fast reaction capabilities. And those games will look incredibly smooth thanks to S21 FE 5Gâ€™s 120Hz refresh rate, which provides the highest resolution on a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display.
The S21 FE 5Gâ€™s powerful battery is reinforced with 25W Super-Fast charging capabilities so you can charge your battery by more than 50% in just 30 minutes. The phone is also equipped with an advanced 32MP front camera to snap a high-quality selfie of all your best friends. Plus, with Dual Recording, you can stay on top of the action in front of and behind you â€” just start recording, and your camera captures views from both lenses at the same time.
Thanks to Samsungâ€™s intuitive One UI 4, the S21 FE 5G is built withÂ a new privacy dashboard that brings security and privacy controls into one convenient place, making the experience of One UI 4 on the Galaxy S21 FE 5G as seamless as it is secure.
The Galaxy S21 Fan Edition 5G is priced at a recommended Retail Price of RM2,899 and RM3,099 for 128GB and 256GB, respectively.Â
For more information about the Galaxy S21 FE 5G, you can head on over to the official website here. In the meantime, check out our full review of the original Samsung S21 5G here.
Check out the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G Specifications below:

Galaxy S21 FE 5G Specifications

Display

6.4-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display
Super Smooth 120Hz refresh rate
240Hz Touch Sampling Rate in Game Mode
Eye Comfort Shield with AI based blue light control

Security

Optical Fingerprint

Dimensions & Weight

74.5 x 155.7 x 7.9mm, 177g

Camera

12MP Ultra-Wide Camera

F2.2, FOV 123Ëš

12MP Wide Camera

Dual Pixel AF, OIS, F1.8

8MP Telephoto Camera
30x Space Zoom, F2.4Â Â

32MP Selfie Camera
F2.2, FOV 81Ëš

Processor

5nm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor

Memory

8GB RAM with 256GB internal storageÂ
8GB RAM with 128GB internal storage

Battery

4,500mAh

Charging

25W WiredÂ
15W WirelessÂ
Wireless PowerShare

OS

Android 12

Network

2G GSM,3G WCDMA,4G LTE FDD,4G LTE TDD,4G 4×4 MIMO band,5G Sub6 FDD,5G Sub6 TDD, 5G 4×4 MIMO band

Payment

Samsung Pay with NFC

Sensors

Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor

Water Resistance

IP68


Expect More Info About Marvel’s SEA Heroes At Level Up This Weekend

At Level Up KL 2019 earlier today, I attended a panel hosted by none other than Marvel Games Senior Producer Danny Koo, a veteran of 16 years in the video game industry. He was also responsible for co-creating several new Asian-based Marvel superheroes who originated from the games, including Marvel Future Fight characters Luna Snow and the duo of Crescent and Io.
Koo was also the one who initially announced the new Warriors Of The Sky Southeast Asian Marvel superheroes, the roster of which includes Malaysian hero Sun Bird or Burung Matahari.
This weekend during Level Up KL 2019 from 9 to 10 November 2019 at the KL Convention Centre, Koo will be revealing more details regarding the backstory of the Warriors Of The Sky and its four members. Perhaps we’ll learn even more about Sun Bird, and what his real name is (which might reveal his ethnicity), beyond the fact that he is a pirate from the 1600s.
Besides that, attendees can also look forward to a special mystery poster giveaway at the event, courtesy of Marvel Games. For more on what other awesome stuff Level Up KL 2019 has in store, head on over here.
In the meantime, check out pictures from the Marvel Games panel below.


The Biggest Apex Legends Esports Event Begins In Early 2020

In the realm of PC and console battle royales, no other game has the same vibe as Apex Legends. The game recently won Best Multiplayer Game at The Game Awards 2019 and it looks like Respawn and EA have even bigger plans for it in 2020.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqQZqAH0lv0&w=560&h=315]
EA has just announced the Apex Legends Global Series. It’s an international multi-tournament esports event that will run all year round in 2020. There are online and live tournaments that any squads from more than 60 countries can sign up for. Malaysia is one of those countries.
There will be a total of 12 global live events and 10 online tournaments happening throughout the year. Thousands of players from around the world will compete for a portion of the prize pool which totals up to more than US$3 million.
There are four types of tournaments in the Global Series:

1. Online Tournaments
This is your entry point into the Apex Legends Global Series. By performing well in the official Online Tournaments on PC, you can earn Apex Legends Global Series Points and qualify for live events. These online tournaments will be powered by Battlefy.
2. Challenger Events
These live events give local talent an opportunity to shine. They will focus on regional competitions throughout the Apex Legends competitive gaming population and award the winners with a reserved spot in the upcoming Major.
3. Premier Events
These are global live events pitting the top online competitors from each global region against one another. Top Premier Event performers will earn increased Apex Legends Global Series Points and advanced placement invitations to Majors. These events will be sponsored and operatedÂ  by PGL and GLL.
4. Majors
The flagship EA live events. This is where the best teams around the world compete for the largest prize pools throughout the year. The winners of the Apex Legends Majors have the right to call themselves the best players in the world.

The first Online Tournament will begin on 25 January 2020. If you’re interested in joining, event registration starts on 11 January 2020. Those who come out on top will qualify for the first Major.
Another Online Tournaments will be happening on 29 February 2020 and 2 March 2020. Winners of this tournament will qualify for the first Premier Event. The date and place for the first Premier Event has yet to be announced.
The first live Major will be happening from 13 March to 15 March 2020 at Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas. 100 squads will be competing at the Major where a US$500,000 prize pool is up for grabs.
For more information and updates on news regarding Apex Legends esports, stay tuned on Kakuchopurei.
To read the rules and and other requirements for the Apex Legends Global Series, head on over to the official Apex Legends website.


First Look At Oppo’s Limited Edition Gundam Smartphones

Collaborations between brands are no unique feat, just look at Uniqlo and their numerous sweet collaborations, bringing fans t-shirts with themes such as Street Fighter, Overwatch, Super Mario and Gundam.
Oppo has collaborated with Gundam to bring you Gundam-themed smartphones and power banks, and my word, it looks astonishingly beautiful. Check it out!

Gundam-themed power banks!
The phone is expected to be named the Oppo Reno Gundam Edition. Oppo will also release two Gundam themed power banks featuring the RX-78-2 Gundam and the RX-0 Gundam emblazoned on the devices. The power banks come with VOOC Quick Charge feature as standard.
So far there is no pricing for the phones, but the power banks will cost RMB299 (RM182) and will be released for sale in July.


Apex Legends Raiders Collection Event Kicks Off Tomorrow

EA and Respawn Entertainment have unveiled the next Apex Legends limited-time collection event, â€œRaiders,â€ which will kick off on 7 December 2021 and will run until 21 December 2021. The event will feature the return of the fan-favourite Winter Express limited-time mode, in addition to Legendary cosmetics and a new heirloom.
A quick recap of all the activities players can look forward to can be found below:

Winter Express – The beloved Apex Legends mode returns giving three squads the chance to stage their own robbery on the Worldâ€™s Edge train. For the first time, Legends will be able to pick their loadout before boarding the train.

Raiders Collection Event – Players can unlock event-limited Legendary cosmetics for Valkyrie, Loba, Revenant, Bloodhound, Pathfinder, Wattson and Wraith – all designed to bring out the pirate in every Legend. Each Legendary skin has a complementary weapon either in the collection or the prize track. Not only will players have the chance to earn 1,600 points per day with challenges refreshing daily, but they will also encounter stretch challenges that reward four unique badges if completed during the event. All these challenges also stack with the Battle Pass, so players can complete multiple at once.Â

Wattson Heirloom – Once players unlock the brand new set of 24 themed, limited-time cosmetics, theyâ€™ll receive Wattsonâ€™s electric Heirloom, the â€œEnergy Reader.â€

[videopress wDQCDvvo]
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Playing The Up-Rezzed Borderlands Reminds Me Of A More Innocent Time

I’ve spent hours traipsing through the cold bits of Pandora yet again since 10 years ago, gunning down heavy-shielded Vault protectors and Crimson Lance soldiers of varying bad-assness in glorious 4K and Ultra graphic settings. And then it just dawned onto me; I didn’t turn on my network settings in-game. Within 10 years, the loot-and-shoot genre that Borderlands started has evolved.
OK, maybe not “evolved”, but more like mass-marketed and “streamlined” to make people assume that such games need to work online only. Look at Destiny, The Division series, and Anthem: shooters made by big companies that took the Gearbox formula and changed it up so that it’s a mass-multiplayer instance-based experience.

Somehow these new experiences feel like a step back, especially when replaying the new Borderlands GOTY Enhanced Edition that came out a few days ago. I should actually be bored playing the new version of part 1, considering that part 2 is a larger and more improved experience.
Sure, the GOTY edition has a few improvements like a minimap, a reworked inventory system, and better visuals that stay true to the Borderlands look. In retrospect, the 2009 Borderlands looks pretty bad. Don’t believe me? Check it out:

The Cycle Begins Anew
Still, the gameplay and shooting beats remain the same. I liberate the town of Firestone from bandits. I sorted out New Haven from its scythid and midget bandit problems. I defeated endless waves of Crimson Lance engineers and infantry packing rocket launchers and turrets using a solo build of Lilith the Siren where I basically can stay in Phase Walk mode almost all the time as long as I kill enemies.
I’ve done this many times in 2009 when the game was first previewed to the media back then, and played through it with all classes on the Xbox 360 version. By right I should just be playing a few hours of this 2019 version and call it a day. 10 hours later and one dead hentai tentacle Vault monster later, I beg to differ: shooting for loot and gunning for that second run still feels good.
The reasons are plentiful. Shooting still feels good. The atmosphere is desolate yet immersive, given the Mad Max-esque settings. The human enemies let out many inaudible shrieks of pain when you shoot them with a little extra. The music is kinda soothing in a way; it blends synths, country twangs, and simple percussions in simple methods during the non-combat bits.

And the guns. There is still a heckaton of guns to collect and use and experiment with. Every subclass of a weapon feels distinct, from fire rates to their elemental properties. Every legendary weapon feels earned and like an actual reward. There’s just a lot you can get especially when you have random guys jumping into your game once you remember to turn the network switch on; something we take for granted these days.
Best of all, every run you perform will net you so many armaments you’ll spend a few minutes sifting through your spoils. That small tinge of feedback is enough to make you want to go through the grind once more, even if you’ve played it too many times back in its release.
Gearbox somehow figured out the loot-giving system, replicated it and made it better for its sequels, and rode on that. I pray to god it only goes upwards from here now with a Borderlands 3 on the way.
Remember Your Roots
Everyone’s going to mount heaps of praise onto Borderlands 2 to the point where even your grandmother and her cats know about that time you killed Handsome Jack and The Warrior for the 400th time in Ultra Vault Hunter mode while respeccing and re-equipping for the next OverPowered end-game level session. Everyone knows about the game’s off-kilter humour and eccentric missions such as that one time you shot a Psycho in the face because he wanted it.
No one’s going to remember how Borderlands 1’s mission structure requires a lot of back-tracking and driving even with the Fast Travel system turned on. But they should see the good from the bad: Borderlands 1 got better over time thanks to its plethora of DLC that worked out its story narrative structure and dishes out better loot and interesting enemy types like loot midgets and the undead. It didn’t take itself seriously and had fun doing so to the point where it wasn’t completely excessive and grating.
Borderlands 1’s art style set the precedence of its sequels and its defined “cel-shaded”-kinda look that is central to its identity. You won’t be mistaking the first game as a Call of Duty game anytime soon. There was a time in 2006 or 2007 where the game was close to looking like a serious modern post-apocalyptic shooter before Gearbox decided to scrap that tired old idea of looking like every other game gunning for that massive market look.

Most importantly, it made an action RPG gameplay incredibly viable in a first-person shooter gameplay with local & online co-op. Gearbox took the best from their Halo-porting and Brothers In Arms-developing to create a Frankenstein’s monster creation of fun while also launching a new kind of genre. The kind which Bungie, Ubisoft, Digital Extremes, and EA/Bioware ended up imitating and duplicating; you decide which is it.
Simply put, it’s OK to go back again if only to pay your respects to the one that started it all. Is it worth revisiting history even if its sequel trounces it in every way possible? Yes, because the first game was a lot more grounded. More reserved. And arguably more focused.
If you prefer the over-the-top additions of part 2, more power to you. I still enjoy fighting homicidal loader bots and all sorts of crazy aliens. But I still miss the sense of mystery and dread in the first game, now enhanced with a slightly-richer palette.


PS3 Games Won’t Support DLC On PS Plus Premium

Sony has confirmed some bad news: PS3 games and streaming titles on its PlayStation Plus platform service won’t support DLC when rolled into the upcoming PlayStation Plus revamp.
While PS4 titles can be streamed, they can also be downloaded and can support DLC. However, PS3 can only be streamed at this time. In case you need a refresher, these PS3 titles will be in the service and can only be streamed:

Asura’s Wrath
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
Crash Commando
Devil May Cry HD Collection
Demon’s Souls
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
echochrome
F.E.A.R.
Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds
Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational
ICO
inFAMOUS
inFAMOUS 2
Lost Planet 2
Loco Roco Cocoreccho!
MotorStorm Apocalypse
MotorStorm RC
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
Puppeteer
Rain
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare
Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty
Ratchet & Clank: A Crack In Time
Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus
Resistance 3
Super Stardust HD
Tokyo Jungle
When Vikings Attack

Several of these games have DLC that won’t be accessible by players, with one of them having its actual ending being DLC (Asura’s Wrath). So if it’s your first time playing that game using the streaming tech (an action game mind you) and want to find out how it really ends, tough s***.


World Of Warships Celebrates 5 Years On Steam With Steam Wallet Giveaway

Wow, it’s been 5 years since Wargaming made online F2P ship combat work with its World of Warships game. To celebrate, Wargaming has a little something special for PC users.
World of Warships will offer an opportunity to receive US$5 Steam Credits to anyone who just plays the game. New World of Warships players can unlock the free US$5 credits by just earning the Warrior achievement in-game at any time from 18 November to 17 December. This achievement just requires you to win 50 random battles; that’s it!
Furthermore, the game will feature 2 free DLC packs: the Dreadnought Starter Pack and the new Steam Anniversary Party Kit. Perfect for new players, the Dreadnought Starter Pack is packed with two Tier III Premium ships, one battleship and one cruiser, as well as three days of a Warships Premium Account, two Port slots, seven Steam camouflages and a boatload of economic bonuses.
Camouflage Marathon
Following a community competition to design a Steam-themed battleship camouflage back in June, a winning design was selected and will now be available to players through a special mission marathon! The design created by Jav9th for the battleship King George V, can be unlocked alongside plenty of other camouflages, credits, economic bonuses and a Super Container across marathon’s seven stages. Missions can be completed through a diverse range of methods including Brawl, Operations and Ranked, with ships and Superships ranging from Tier V-X.
World of Warships is out right now for PC and consoles, and it’s free-to-play!


Lust From Beyond Is An Erotic Horror Game Inspired By Giger & Lovecraft

Want to play an erotically-charged first-person horror game filled with giant alien vaginas and sentient dicks which you can interact with? Then you should go fun MovieGames’ latest Kickstarter game project Lust from Beyond.

In this game, expect puzzles, walking, and orgies as you join the Cult of Ecstasy to figure out your recent sex dimension nightmares. Once the cult opens up the Lovecraft-inspired lovepad, all hell breaks loose. And also your underwear/panties if you get your jollies walking through vagina-shaped doors and corridors. And probings. We’re not judging.
As of right now, the project has already reached its goal of US$11,142, surpassing it to US$24,267 with 34 days to go at this time of writing. Backers will get a PC demo of the game 24 hours after it’s successfully funded.
Here’s hoping there are some tentacles representing this lovefest. In the meantime, here are more titillating pictures to get you hot and bothered for this incredibly niche fetish.


PS5 VRR Support Is Finally Coming This Week

The PS5 update back in March 2022 prepared us for the eventual arrival of Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) on the console, but Sony Interactive Entertainment has confirmed that PS5 VRR is coming this week globally over the next few days.
What is VRR? On HDMI 2.1 VRR-compatible TVs and PC monitors, VRR dynamically syncs the refresh rate of the display to the PS5 console’s graphical output. This enhances visual performance for PS5 games by minimizing or eliminating visual artifacts, such as frame pacing issues and screen tearing. Gameplay in many PS5 titles feels smoother as scenes render seamlessly, graphics look crisper, and input lag is reduced. Previously released PS5 games can be fully optimized for VRR through a game patch and future games may include VRR support at launch.
In the coming weeks, the PS5 versions of these titles will receive game patches enabling VRR support:

Astro’s Playroom
Call of Duty: Vanguard
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Destiny 2
Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition
DIRT 5
Godfall
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Resident Evil Village
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
Tribes of Midgard

VRR will arrive globally through a PS5 console update over the next few days (make sure you are connected to the internet to receive the update). Once you’ve received the update, VRR will automatically be enabled for supported games if your PS5 console is connected to an HDMI 2.1 VRR-compatible TV or PC monitor. You can also turn it off under “Screen and Video” in system settings.

As an added option, you can also choose to apply VRR to PS5 games that don’t support it. This feature may improve video quality for some games. If this results in any unexpected visual effects, you can turn off this option at any time. Please note that results may vary depending on the TV you’re using, the game you’re playing, and the visual mode you’ve selected for a particular game (if it supports multiple modes). For more details on VRR settings, you can check out this page: https://www.playstation.com/support/hardware/ps5-4k-resolution-guide.


*SPOILER ALERT* Infinity War Discussion – Let’s Talk About What Happened At the End of the Movie

Before we start, we have to emphasize of the YUUUUUUUUUGE Spoiler Alert coming up ahead. If you have not seen the movie and intend to do so soon, we strongly advise you to skip this article, and only return once you have done viewing it.
Our intention here is to address the lingering questions at the end of the movie, while also providing an avenue for civil discussion for those who have seen it. Spoiling movies for folks who are yet to watch it is just ain’t cool.
SPOILER TERRITORY UP AHEAD.Â
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YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
ALL COOL?
GREAT.
LET’S GO.Â
At the end of Avengers: Infinity War, following the big fight against Thanos and his goons in Wakanda, the audience, to our horror witness half of our favorite heroes literally disintegrate into thin air. This came moments after Thanos teleported to safety from being impaled by Thor’s Stormbreaker axe. What happened to them? And why is Thanos last seen sitting in a hut which felt like he was chilling out in Bali?
Basically what Gamora foretold happened – that once the mad Titan gets hold of all the Infinity Stones, he would sought to decimate half of the population. He literally did so by snapping his fingers and BAM! Half of the population including members of the Avengers are dead. Spider-man, Groot, Star-lord, T’Challa…. all bit the dust. But what does this leave us with?
As you already know, Infinity War only tells half of the story. The conclusion of this arc will be resolved in the fourth Avengers movie, which is yet to be named. All these twists and deaths? It was all part of Doctor Strange’s grand plan to defeat Thanos. You should be able to recall that while on Titan, Strange told Stark that they had a 1 in 14,00,605 shot at defeating Thanos and just before he himself turn into dust, convinced Tony that ‘it was the only way’. (If my memory serves me correctly, that was the line -Â  Please correct me here thanks!)
So What Next? Here’s What We Think Will Happen:Â
To beat Thanos, they have to let him win firstÂ (Thanks for that line, Iain a.k.a @McNastyPrime ) – no matter how big the cost was. Tony, as pragmatic as ever agreed to it. In Infinity War, our heroes were not in the right state, condition nor position to defeat Thanos and they need more firepower to ensure his total defeat.
The remarkable thing was that all the original heroes from the first Avengers movie remain alive. Stark, Cap, Bruce, Natasha and Thor all were spared of this Thanos purge. Many are questioning – why were they spared? My guess is that it was simply the director’s choice. Also, in a way, it’s a good throwback to the main ones who started it all. The sextet who started the Avengers will be the one who keep the fight going when everyone else bites the dust. We are pretty confident that Clint Barton a.k.a Hawkeye is also safe and he will return in the next movie to avenge the losses his family suffered. Ronin. Mark our words. Other MCU heroes not featured including Ant-Man and The Wasp should also appear in Avengers 4.
In the post-credits scene, we saw both Maria Hill and Nick Fury suffering the same fate of being ‘deleted’ but they were able to call for Captain Marvel just in time. This scene is a direct allusion to the upcoming Captain Marvel movie where we learn about her origin. Set in the 90s, the movie will introduce viewers to quite possibly the most powerful being in the Marvel universe whose powers only rivaled by Thor and Thanos.

Expect Carol Danvers to hit the ground running when she joins the team in the fourth Avengers movie. We would love to see the Nova Corps be part of the plot as well – Nova Prime (Hi Glenn Close!) will return to the screen and our bet is that they will be the ones recovering Tony from Titan. Adam Warlock, who was teased at the end of Guardians 2 will also play an integral part in taking down Thanos.
There was also the talk on Nova being the next big hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Kevin Feige pointed out in an interview with ComicBook.comÂ
â€œIf we have a big board with a bunch of characters that have more immediate potential, Nova is on that board. Because of the connection to theÂ Guardians universe, because there are more than one examples to pull from in the comics that are interesting. And youâ€™re absolutely right, he was in the earliest drafts of the [Guardians of the Galaxy].â€ he said.
We may or may not seen him in the Guardians movies but if there’s a company that knows how to transform a C-tier character into a household name, then Marvel is it.
As for Thanos – he is now living in seclusion, just as he told Strange earlier on Titan. His work is ‘done’ and will do anything to ensure it stays that way. He sacrificed so much including the only person he loved in the universe, Gamora to achieve it and will not yield without a fight.
Our remaining heroes will be fighting to reclaim the Infinity Gauntlet and the stones to undo the deaths of their friends – which is entirely possible with the Reality and Time Stones. But who is going to be using them, now that Strange is dead?
Wong.
Yes. Our favorite sidekick, Wong who was last seen back at the Sanctum Sanctorum. Epic. Scene. Up. Ahead. Just hope he managed to get that tuna sandwich he was craving for earlier.
The Wong man for the right job (oh dearrie me)
But these are all just our guesses. Yours are as good as ours so do share them in the comments section below aye. Theories, guesses – whatever. We are in full spoiler territory here and everything goes.
Also, be sure to check our review of Infinity Wars here.
Captain Marvel is set to drop March 8th 2019.


Bren Esports Are Your Mobile Legends M2 World Champions

After a weeklong battle, we finally have your top Mobile Legends winning team of 2021: Bren Esports from the Philippines.
Bren Esports is the grand prize winner of the Mobile Legends M2 World Championship that took place last week from 18th January until 24th January (which is today).
The grand finals of the Mobile Legends M2 World Championship 2021 took place in Singapore earlier today. It was a fierce bout of battles between Myanmar’s Burmese Ghouls and the Philippines’ Bren Esports. Ultimately, the Filipino team emerged victorious, winning 4-2 in a Best Of Seven (7) bracket.
Bren Esports had quite a lower bracket run, defeating RRQ Hoshi 3-1, defeating AE 2-1, and conquering sole Malaysian team Todak 2-1. Close fights, we have to say.

Here are the placements of the teams who fought their damndest in this global mobile MOBA esports tournament.

Bren Esports (Philippines)
Burmese Ghouls (Myanmar)
RRQ Hoshi (Indonesia)
Alter Ego (Indonesia)
Omega Esports (Philippines)
Todak (Malaysia)
10S (Japanese)
EVOS SG (Singapore)

Last year, Indonesian team EVOS Legends were the champions of the inaugural M1 World Championship 2020, which took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Organised by Moonton in collaboration with Singaporeâ€™s Cybersports and Online Gaming Association (SCOGA) and supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), M2 was the first global offline esports event to be held in Southeast Asia in 2021 as top esports teams from around the world will be converging in the safe confines of Shangri-La Hotel Singapore to battle for a prize pool of US$300,000 behind closed doors.
Bren Esports walks away with US$140,000 in cash and will also receive its very own skin integrated with the teamâ€™s branding on a hero of choice.
Mobile Legends recently reached one billion downloads on iOS and Android mobile phones in November 2020, with over 9.77 billion matches played and 9.8 million players having reached the top rank of Mythic.