Twitch Bans The Word “Simp”, Word Usage Doubles A Few Days After

You say you want a revolution? Well, you’ll have to settle for a word protest that happened within a week in the minefield that is Twitch chat.
Twitch banned the words “simp”, “incel”, and “virgin” on 15th December via a surprise policy update.

“Using terms like simp, incel, or virgin as an insult to negatively refer to another personâ€™s sexual activity is not allowed under this new policy.”

[videopress GiaIx6v2]
To also avoid confusion and clarify some things, Twitch made another statement to clarify its stance on the word:

“We do not have a blanket ban on the use of words like â€˜simpâ€™ in casual banter,â€ they explained in a tweet. â€œBut will take action when words like this (amongst others) are used to harass and harm community members.”

We do not have a blanket ban on the use of words like “simp” in casual banter, but will take action when words like this (amongst others) are used to harass and harm community members.
Check out our hateful conduct and harassment policy to learn more: https://t.co/rT9QAC6zcZ
— Twitch (@Twitch) December 18, 2020

As a result, chats mentioning the word “simp” nearly doubled after the “ban” (via Stream Hatchet). 15 days prior to the ban, there was an average of 71,000. uses of the word. Since the ban was imposed, that number doubled to 140,000. Seems like a lot of Twitch viewers are willing to put their own accounts under fire to defend free speech and protest the new policy.

For those who don’t know, the term “simp” is used to men who will go to great lengths to impress a woman with (usually false) hope to receive her affections/TLC. The term is usually applied to viewers who donate an abnormal amount of money to female streamers.


This Mandalorian Anime Opening Evokes Cowboy Bebop Vibes

Star Wars hype is in full swing once again, as The Mandalorian Season 2 is underway. To capitalize on all the excitement, a YouTuber named Malec has created a funky fan-made anime opening for The Mandalorian.
This incredible one-minute The Mandalorian anime opening not only features protagonist Din Djarin, Baby Yoda, Cara Dune, and more, but also a snazzy jazzy rendition of Ludwig GÃ¶ranssonâ€˜s epic The Mandalorian theme.
Malec has previously created similar anime-styled videos for Fortnite, Rick And Morty and even Game Of Thrones. You can check out The Mandalorian anime opening below, or head on over here for my spoiler-free review of The Mandalorian Season 2’s first episode.


Tower Of Fantasy Vera Update Arrives Next Week

Publisher Level Infinite and developer Hotta Studio have unveiled additional details and showed new gameplay for “Vera,” the first major update for Tower Of Fantasy. “Vera” will be available for free on 20 October 2022 on the official site, as well as on the App Store and Google Play. In addition, members of the Steam community will be able to download and play the full game along with the new Vera expansion on the same day.
Today’s special stream event on Youtube provided an in-depth look at the full Vera update. Fans were treated to an exciting trailer for the mysterious new character, Ruby, that highlighted her Spark weapon and abilities. As shown on the stream, the Vera expansion features two distinct environments – the irradiated wilderness of the Desert Gobby and at its centre, the cyberpunk city of Mirroria. The glittering city may at first glance seem like an oasis and offer respite from the harsh Desert Gobby, but Wanderers will soon discover that it is full of danger and conflict.
Both areas will offer Wanderers a fresh set of missions, events, raids, instances, monsters and legendary bosses to overcome, plus new vehicles to discover and weapons to master. It is a section of the Desert Gobby, known as the Grayspace where the biggest challenge awaits. Upon entering the Grayspace the whole environment darkens, bringing with it a sense of foreboding and the threat of encountering Grayspace Entities, the enemies that inhabit this zone.
In addition to all of this new information, players were able to acquire redemption code (9AA5GFYG) for the game during the stream. The redemption code offer will expire on 15 October 2022 at 12 am local time. The upcoming Vera expansion will offer players the biggest rewards ever: up to 70 draws and more if players meet certain conditions and participate in in-game events.


Slay The Spire Update V2.0 Adds New Playable Character And More

Slay the Spire is one of Kakuchopurei’s top 30 games of 2019 and it deserves to be there. Its combination of turn-based RPG gameplay with deck-building got a lot of us addicted. As we begin 2020, developer Mega Crit Games drops a major update full of fixes and new content.
Patch V2.0 of Slay the Spire has just dropped. Aside from the tons of fixes, balancing, and reworks, players are also getting a new character to play as: The Watcher.

Similar to other characters, she has her own set of cards and some unique relics.
New potions have also been added. Also, to ensure that players can easily find the potion they need, a Potion Lab has been added. You can access it in the Compendium section of the main menu. It will even tell you the rarities of all potions in the game.

Another major change that comes with patch V2.0 is modding support. Due to the significant amount of changes made to the game, mods that are compatible with V1.1 will have to be updated to continue working for V2.0.
Aside from these new additions, the developers have meted out a lot of bug fixes plus some much-needed re-balancing. Check out the full patch notes here.
Oh, and we also awarded Slay The Spire as one of our top games of 2019. Check out my thoughts about the game here.Â


New Hades Merchandise Include Zagreus Switch Controller & Dusa Plushies; Ships Worldwide!

Good news! There’s now Hades merchandise based on the best boy and girl of the roguelite action RPG title.
Supergiant Games and Fangamer are teaming up to make new Hades merch, which includes:
-Cerberus plush: US$32
-Dusa talking plush: US$32
-Underworld triptych print set: US$179
-Hades character pins (Zagreus, Megaera, Thanatos, Nyx): US$10 each, US$18 for two, US$26 for three, US$34 for all four
-First of the Furies cotton sweatshirt: US$39
-No Escape T-Shirt: US$28
-Hades PowerA Nintendo Switch controller: US$59
-18×24 Chthonic Gods poster: US$24
-Hades soundtrack CD: US$19

We'll be shipping worldwide from our US store, but some of our Hades merch will also be available soon in our European warehouse!
You can sign up for a notification from @FangamerEU here: https://t.co/ViWZcne48Z pic.twitter.com/o4DiGcwwbQ
— Fangamer (@Fangamer) July 19, 2022

You can check and see if these awesome items are available to ship to your area. These items do ship to Malaysia, Singapore, and other parts of Southeast Asia, though they will take up to 2 weeks and they cost a pretty penny. Let us know in the comments or social media on whether you’re fine paying a huge shipping fee for a bunch of Dusa plushies!


Evil West Wears Its Arcade Action Badge Loud & Proud

Platform(s): PC (version reviewed), Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS5, PS4
Genre: Third-person action game with brawling, shooting, cowboys, and vampires
In Flying Wild Hogs’ latest action game, the devs have traded ninja stars and katanas for cowboy rifles, shotguns, and giant mechanized fists. They’ve also switched from first-person to third-person, most likely mimicking the formula some action games are using these days where the camera is showing two-thirds of the protagonist ala your Batman Arkham titles to the 2018 God of War.
Does the change work in favour of more visceral and in-your-face action where you slaughter the undead, vampires, and bandits indiscriminately as a lawbringer with all the tools? Strap yourself in, partner, because it’s about to get messy. We’re talking 2010s Xbox 360 action game-era filth!
A Fistful Of Dollars

You play as agent Jesse Rentier, who is tasked with dealing with vampires (called Ticks) in an alternate version of 19th century USA where vampires and familiars are a real thing and steampunk tech rules the roost. Jesse is straight-laced, is about as charming as a slab of beef, and gets the killing job done. The plot is there to show that (a) Flying Wild Hogs really wanted to do a Wild West story with a supernatural twist and (b) they just want players to control a badass cowboy with all the tools needed for maiming and in third-person fashion.
Thankfully, the latter is all we care about. The pretty standard plot with your exposition-spouting characters -from the nebbish scientists and engineers to the cranky government admin fellow- are just leading you to the game’s standard locales. Or rather, fight arenas as we call them in the action gaming realm. Evil West is 90% combat and 10% puzzle-solving, and by golly the combat feels fun and good.
Jesse fights with a combination of ranged arms and melee combat. He can fire fast revolver shots, pull off a powerful shotgun blast, aim with his rifle and deal critical damage whenever a circle pops up (usually when a baddie winds up for an attack), and use his right arm to deal a load of heavy-hitting punches and combos. He can even uppercut enemies into the air, making them ripe for juggling with either your metal fist or your guns. Once he gets through parts of the story, he can also use his electric powers from his fists to either dash to enemies and stun them, or drag them to him and also stun them. He also has an electric ground pound, and also an electric guard move that’s basically a parry but with a ton more active frames because the game wants you to feel like a multi-tool badass agent with a license to kill. In fact, that’s a lot of moves for Jesse that you’ll be overwhelmed at what to use, perhaps even forgetting some moves while you’re going through the 10-hour story campaign.
Yes, the game has some exploration bits, but they’re pretty minor. Solve a puzzle to traverse from point A to B, move a mine trolley there, ride a mine cart and shoot down obstacles before you collide into them, and opening up secret spots for loot, info dumps, and cash to upgrade Jesse’s weaponry. But really, the meat of the game really entertains; Jesse’s controls and movement is fast and fluid, his evades and dodge rolls are generous with its invincibility, and like I said earlier: tons of weaponry and tools to fight off enemies in style and in quick fashion.

The bad guys come in droves and can overwhelm you, but Evil West’s spot-on controls, meaty combat, and plethora of options are more than enough for you to take them on. If you die, it’s usually your fault.

How The West Was Fun

Only a good chunk of negatives stand in the way of this Western frontier. The level design isn’t that inventive and encouraging. The vistas can be pretty, but the actual levels just feel like it’s cobbled on just for the sake of arenas for Jesse to fight in. And later in the game, some fights do feel like they’re repeating themselves. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it becomes very apparent when you’re fighting the same giant flying vampire bat and shield-bearing goon more often than usual. Enemy variety is clearly lacking here.
Still, don’t count out Evil West if you want your action gaming jollies satiated. Flying Wild Hogs did well here with the Wild West take. Evil West’s flexible combat, challenging fights, and cowboys-versus-vampires setting are enough for me, and probably for you if you need more action games on your PC and console. It does remind me of the old days of 2010s third-person action games, but the good parts.

Pros

Loads of weapons to experiment and use in combo with.
Controls are fluid and feel right.
Combat and challenge are fun and manageable.
Great cowboy action title, which is a rarity these days.

Cons

Simple linear levels.
Final third of the game repeats enemies and bosses.

Final Score: 70/100


Buzz Goes Infinity & Beyond In Pixar’s Lightyear Trailer

Disney and Pixar have released the first trailer Lightyear, an original feature film releasing on 17 June 2022. The sci-fi action-adventure presents the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear, the hero who inspired the toy, introducing the legendary Space Ranger who would win generations of fans.
In a statement with Entertainment Weekly, director Angus MacLane clarified that the movie is standalone and isn’t technically set in the same world as the Toy Story franchise:
“The movie doesn’t end and then you see Andy eating popcorn. This is its own thingâ€¦ This is standalone. It’s the Buzz Lightyear movie. It’s that character but as the space ranger, not as the toy.”
Check out the trailer below:


Control Is Getting Its First Expansion This March

One of the best games of 2019, the action-adventure shooter Control, is getting new content.
The title’s first expansion, dubbed The Foundation, will be out 26th March. The teaser below doesn’t say much, but we’re guessing the “Marshall” here is Helen Marshall, the head of operations at the Federal Bureau of Control. She made a few appearances in the base game, but disappeared off somewhere. Guess we’ll find out what’s up.

pic.twitter.com/7hw0DQkByt
— Control ? (@ControlRemedy) March 12, 2020

Developer Remedy has not said much, except that they will release another expansion later in 2020 after this one. I’m glad the company is relishing on the fruits of its labour; Control really deserves its spot as one of our Best of 2019 picks. It’s a remarkable blend of the ordinary and bizarre, and the telepathic-savvy combat and gunplay are fun. But mostly, I’m drawn in by the weird stuff in the Bureau.


Apex Legends Cheaters Will Get A Taste Of Their Own Medicine

Cheaters are a common breed of good-for-nothing, desperate players who can’t get good and resort to using cheats to get the upper hand against their opponents. As an Apex Legends player, it is common to see these hackers spamming and cheating their way to victory.
The developers, Respawn Entertainment, has done a bunch to improve their game up to the point of having cheaters banned mid-match to the satisfaction of the players. With Ranked Mode live, it’s only fair to see an improvement in their anti-cheating measures.Â  Now, they have unveiled their inner workings in the war against cheaters: fighting fire with fire.
Adapt, Engage, Eliminate

Respawn recently shared some insights on how they plan to clamp down on cheaters on Reddit, and it’s a doozy.
Here are some of the efforts the developers have announced:

Using machine learning to create behaviour models that detect and auto-ban cheaters.
Requiring two-factor authentication (TFA) in certain regions on high-risk accounts.
Improving detection that identifies and bans new spam accounts before they are used.
Ongoing work to adapt to new cheats.
Matchmaking that matches detected cheaters and spammers together.
Investigating how people party up for matches. Even if you are not specifically using a cheat, partying up with cheaters is still cheating.
Increasing resources whether it’s people or tech.

For future games, we can expect cleaner matches with fewer cheaters thanks to a slew of improvements including AI learning, two-factor authentication, and an increase in resources to combat hackers.
Players who aren’t cheating but team up with cheaters are also given a stern warning. Respawn is seeing this as cheating as well, so be well warned and aware of your teammates and their actions.
Fighting Fire With Fire
Respawn has also taken another approach in eliminating the unfair menace. Rather than banning hackers, they will match up the cheaters against each other for what I think would be a rather interesting spectacle. The winning team should be rewarded a ban as the cherry on top.

Can you imagine how hilarious it will be if these cheaters started to report each other?

This move is potentially larger and beneficial as compared to immediately taking the cheaters out of the equation because this gives the developers an opportunity to study and gather valuable information on how the cheats work.
Playing Nice
Respawn has also assured players of the game that they will continue to put the effort into improving the Apex Legends experience. They wrote, “The war against cheaters will be ongoing and remains a high priority for us. There will always be work to do, improvements to make, and new things to adapt to.”

The notorious ‘code:net’ and ‘code:leaf’ disconnects plaguing the servers are also being looked into and the devs are working on it as we speak.
The effort made by the developers is a great one, but in all honesty, this should have been done since day one. Valve and Steam have implemented two-factor authentication (TFA) to curb hackers in competitive shooter Counter-Strike: Global OffensiveÂ to impressive results. It’s better late than never.


Game Awards Creator Geoff Keighley Will Not Attend E3 2020

For the first time in forever, video game’s most popular game journalist and biggest industry shill Geoff Keighley will not be attending this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo. In extension, he will also not hold the E3 Coliseum event, which is a platform where game developers talk in a roundtable session about their upcoming games.
Here’s a quote from The Washington Post concerning his reasons for not attending E3 2020.

“Covering, hosting and sharing E3 has been a highlight of my year, not to mention a defining part of my career. While I want to support the developers who will showcase their work, I also need to be open and honest with you, the fans, about precisely what to expect from me. I have made the difficult decision to decline to produce E3 Coliseum.
Based on whatâ€™s been communicated to me about the show, I just donâ€™t feel comfortable participating. Itâ€™s no secret that E3 needs to evolve and I have lots of ideas around that, but have decided to take a wait-and-see approach.
Iâ€™m looking forward to learning more about the ESAâ€™s vision for the show beyond what was in the blog post last week.”

So yeah, this may have a lot to do with the journalist name & info leaks last year and even the E3 2020 presentation slide leak. You know what? This Colin’s Last Stand ESA retrospective best describes how far they’ve gone in being out of touch.


Here’s How To Play Google’s Secret Wimbledon Tennis Game

Google is a crafty company, known for hiding hidden games within its apps and software. This includes the dinosaur Rex jumping game on Chrome (when you don’t have an Internet connection) and the classic Snake in Google Maps for April Fools Day.
The tech giant has now sneaked another secret game, this time right under our noses on the Google Search bar.
Google’s Wimbledon tennis game is simple, with gameplay consisting of just moving your player left or right to intercept a tennis ball.
Here’s how to play Google’s hidden Wimbledon tennis game:

Open Google Search.
Type “Wimbledon scores” into the search bar.
In the dark purple bar that lists options like “Men’s Singles” and “Women’s Singles”, click and hold your mouse pointer before proceeding to drag it along to the left.

This will reveal a yellow tennis ball icon at the far right corner.

Click on that yellow tennis ball icon.
The Google Wimbledon tennis game will immediately boot up. Simply click on the orange and white button to start playing.

Enjoy the game and rack up some high scores while you’re at it!


Dune Part Two Trailer Shows Off New Characters & Teases More Action

Warner Bros. Discovery has released the first trailer for Dune Part Two, the sequel to 2021’s Dune Part One.
Timothee Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson are joined in the cast by fellow returning Dune Part One cast members Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Josh Brolin, as well as new additions Austin Butler, Tim Blake Nelson, Christopher Walken, Florence Pugh, Souheila Yacoub, and Léa Seydoux.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Dune Part Two will explore “the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavours to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.”
In the meantime, check out my review of Dune Part One by heading over here. Dune is currently available to watch on the streaming platform HBO GO. There was also a recent early access launch of a pretty fun Dune game.
Dune Part Two will premiere on 3 November 2023.
Check out the trailer below:


Marvel And Disney Rehires James Gunn For Guardians Of The Galaxy 3

Guardians of The Galaxy fans should be ecstatic to learn that Marvel Studios and Disney have rehired deposed director James Gunn for the upcoming movie, Guardians Of The Galaxy 3.
Gunn was fired back in July 2018 when his old offensive tweets resurfaced. This prompted divisive reactions from fans and actors alike, some of whom thought it was necessary and others who thought that the sacking was unfair. Guardians of the Galaxy stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, and Dave Bautista even wrote a letter to Disney, asking for the director to be rehired.
Due to Gunn’s sacking, the future of Guardians of The Galaxy 3 became uncertain, although Gunn previously said that it was slated to arrive sometime in 2020. According to insider sources (via The Hollywood Reporter), Marvel and Disney had actually been dealing with Gunn in secret, trying to rehire him once again.
When news broke of his rehiring, Gunn tweeted for the first time since his firing last year, with a heartfelt post thanking all those who kept supporting him since:

â¤ï¸ pic.twitter.com/gdMQjlqIjs
â€” James Gunn (@JamesGunn) March 15, 2019

It remains to be seen how this will ultimately affect the release of Guardians of The Galaxy 3, but at least fans can rest assured that the movie will be going back on track from now on.
In other related news, Avengers: Endgame will release two days earlier in Malaysia than in the U.S. In the meantime, check out my breakdown of the latest Avengers Endgame trailer here.


No Straight Roads VO Su Ling Chan Is The First Malaysian To Be In A HoYoverse Online Game

Chalk one up for Malaysia’s awesome voice-acting talent. Thanks to a recent update on the Honkai Star Rail character page, we now know that there’s a familiar VO in the cast section hailing from the Southeast Asia country.
Su Ling Chan, a VA known for her work in No Straight Roads as the main character Mayday, will be voicing a character in the upcoming HoYoverse mobile RPG Honkai Star Rail. Yes, you also gacha characters in this one too.
She is voicing a character named Bailu, a vivacious young lady of the Vidyadhara race (water mermaid dragon people) known for her healing and medicinal expertise. She is of the Xianzhou Luofu faction alongside other gacha characters Jing Yuan, Yanqing, and obligatory anime fox lady Tingyun.

This basically makes her the first-ever Malaysian to star in a major HoYoverse title, making this yet another “Malaysia Boleh!” moment for the VA industry. She’s also the first Malaysian VA to star in a major anime series.
On a related note, Honkai Star Rail’s closed beta is going to launch early next month. You can sign up for it right now.


Apex Legends Is Getting Crossplay, Beta Starts Next Week

Respawn Entertainment’s Apex LegendsÂ will finally receive cross-play support across all platforms on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The new feature will go into beta starting from 6 October 2020.
According to the developer, crossplay will be enabled by default, but players can choose to opt-out of it if they want to. They also clarified that only crossplay is coming to the battle royale game, and not cross-progression, which means that items and rank will not carry over to other platforms.
As of now, it remains unclear if or when the Nintendo Switch version of Apex Legends will be part of the crossplay feature.
Crossplay forÂ Apex LegendsÂ will work like this: console players with console players, and PC players with PC players. However, if a console player and PC player end up in a party together, they will be put into PC matches. This ensures that the console matches donâ€™t have PC players in them, but still allows for console players to play with their PC friend if they choose to opt-in.
In addition, the developer is also launching a two-week Collection Event called Aftermarket on 6 October 2020.Â There will be new event-themed cosmetics and a new limited-time mode called Flashpoint, which will spawn bubbles on the map (called Flashpoints) that will regenerate health and shields.

In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Disney × FaZe Clan Apparel Collaboration Agreed For 1 Year

FaZe Clan has teamed up with entertainment powerhouse Disney to announce a year-long partnership to produce apparel and other merchandise.
LAST WEEK FAZE CLAN CLAIMED ITS FIRST-EVER CS:GO MAJOR AT PGL ANTWERP 2022, READ HERE.
Our first look into the collaboration is non-other than a tech-inspired reimagining of Disney’s very own Mickey Mouse revamped as ‘Mickey On The Grid’.
FaZe Clan and Disney’s initial collection will launch on 28 May 2022 at The Armory, the organisation’s pop-up store. The collection will be available online from 30 May 2022 onwards.

Designed by FaZe Clan’s Lead Designer James Casper Vine and Creative Director Jay ‘JVY’ Richardson with aid and input from Disney’s own creative team, the Mickey On The Grid collection is expected to include t-shirts, sweatshirts and hats.
“This year-long collaboration is a part of our ongoing expansion into retail and consumer products. Myself and the product team at FaZe are honoured Disney trusted us to take a creative and modern approach to such an iconic character like Mickey Mouse.”
– Jay ‘JVY’ Richardson, Creative Director @ FaZe Clan
Richardson also hinted that other Disney characters could be utilised in future drops.
Over the past 12 months, FaZe Clan has been on a roll emphasising their presence within the lifestyle industry. With this Disney collaboration being the biggest, FaZe recently teamed up with Naruto Shippuden for a The Armory merchandise collaboration.
FaZe also recently came out with a collaboration with Ducky for a branded mechanical keyboard, appointed Snoop Dogg as a board member and announced a merger to go public.


Here Are The Worst Games Of 2022 According To Metacritic

As with any year filled with video games, there will always be subpar experiences and not-so-hot offerings. Via Metacritic’s roundup, we now know the worst-reviewed titles of 2022.
The list includes games that came out between 1st January 2022 and 31st December 2022, but only those with more than 7 reviews from professional outlets. Based on these criteria, the top three games with these dubious honours are Postal 4, CrossfireX, and Babylon’s Fall.
Postal 4 is the sequel to the gross-out first-person action open-world series, while CrossfireX is the single-player version of the online PvP shooter with janky graphics & performance issues. Babylon’s Fall is the action RPG from Square Enix that’s billed as a live service title, but just bad. Worse than Marvel’s Avengers, if you can believe that.
Here’s the full list:

POSTAL 4: No Regerts (PC) – 30
CrossfireX (Xbox Series X) – 38
Babylon’s Fall (PS5) – 41
XEL (Switch) – 43
Arc of Alchemist (Switch) – 46
Zorro: The Chronicles (PS5) – 49
The Last Oricru (Xbox Series X) – 50
The Waylanders (PC) – 51
Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief (PS4) – 52
Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition (Switch) – 52

I’m just shocked that Gungrave G.O.R.E. and Saints Row (2022) didn’t crack the top 10 list.


She-Hulk Episode 6 Breakdown & Easter Eggs

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

In the meantime, Jessica Gao also recently revealed that She-Hulk scrapped plans to include meta comic book text boxes in our coverage of the recent press conference.
Check out my breakdown of She-Hulk Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3 and Episode 4 here.
Check out my breakdown of Ms. Marvel Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5 and Episode 6 here.
Also, check out my breakdowns of Moon Knight Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5 and Episode 6 here.
You can check out my previous breakdowns of Hawkeye Episodes 1 and 2 here, Episode 3 here, Episode 4 here and Episode 5. and Episode 6 here.
In addition, you can check out my previous breakdowns of Marvel’s What If? Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8 and Episode 9 here.
If you haven’t, you can check out my previous breakdowns and easter egg articles for WandaVision Episode 1 and 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8 and Episode 9.
For The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, you can check out my previous breakdowns for Episode 1, Episode 2 and Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5 and Episode 6.
For previous breakdowns of Loki episodes, check out Episode 1 here, Episode 2 here, Episode 3 here, Episode 4 here, Episode 5 here and Episode 6 here.

Craig Hollis AKA Mr Immortal

In the comics, Craig Hollis AKA Mr. Immortal is the leader of the Great Lakes Avengers, which is not an official group of Avengers. Consider them like a wannabe group of superhero mutants that takes on the Avengers name.
Mr. Immortal is a mutant with the power of immortality, which allows his body to regenerate from any injury, including ones that would kill ordinary humans.
In this episode, he later demonstrates that power by jumping out the window of the Mallory Book’s office and surviving.

Who Are The Intelligencia?

In the MCU, the Intelligencia is apparently a website for “hateful man babies”.
However, in the comics, they’re actually a supervillain group comprised of some of the greatest and most sinister minds in the world, consisting of villains like MODOK, the Wizard and others. Most importantly though, it was founded and led by The Leader AKA Samuel Sterns.
This is interesting because The Leader already exists in the MCU, having been portrayed by Tim Blake Nelson in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.

The Intelligencia Are The Antagonists

It looks like I was right, the Intelligencia are the main antagonists of the She-Hulk series. They’re probably the ones who sent the Wrecking Crew earlier this season to extract She-Hulk’s blood but failed. Now they’re going to try again. Is The Leader the leader of the group? We’ll have to wait and see.
Oh, and just like last week, there are no post-credits scenes this week.
There are only 3 episodes left in She-Hulk Season 1 and one of those will be the Daredevil episode. Hopefully, that’s coming next week. Until then, excelsior!


Cyber Shadow’s Callback To NES 2D Action Platforming Is Almost Perfect

Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch
Genre: 2D Action Platformer From The 80s, With 2021 Sensibilities
When you boot up Cyber Shadow, its presentation is sleek yet on a vintage level. This is a throwback when games were short but really punishing. A 2D action platformer that separated the chaff from the wheat. A first stage that teaches you the ropes without saying much, and then the next few levels testing your patience, precision, and limits until all bets all off in the final half.
Joy turns to frustrations as you remember why you, as an older gamer in the late 80s and 90s, loved and hated these kinds of games from Strider to the OG flavour Ninja Gaiden (or even the first and third Castlevania to an extent). Because this Yacht Club-published & Mechanical Head-developed retro nod to the hardcore platformers of yore demands the same kind of perfection and precision from you in the majority of its run. Once the training wheels are off, you’ll need to solve your way to get from left to right to reach the checkpoint, lest you start the segment of doom all over again. It’s fast-paced, it’s brutal, and is more than happy to make you its b***ch like a failed late 90s ad campaign.
And you’ll love every minute of it, if you give it a chance.
Shadow Dancer
You play a cyber ninja named Shadow -hence the title- who came back from the dead to avenge his slaughtered ninja clan and help his voluptuous female master. Because it has anime all over its sleek 8-bit coloured cutscenes which are tributes to late 80s games trying to tell a story in the most cinematic way possible at the time. You can’t fault the game for lack of style: it’s dripping with it from its detailed levels to its pixel art animation wonder that’s a sight for sore eyes.

It’s not just the look that will draw you in: it’s the controls, gameplay, and newfangled touches that make it accessible and convenient while retaining its challenge. Unlike its predecessors more than a decade ago, Cyber Shadow doesn’t punish you for not finding the correct items for the correct situation. You actually get them after each major stage and boss. For instance, a downward thrust that lets you “pogo stick” off of airborne enemies in consecutive fashion will be given to you after a few missions in, following which you can revisit previous areas to open up secrets and powerups.
And even if you run out of special energy (the “ninpo points/hearts” of this throwback), you can still use them; they just wouldn’t be as strong or as powered-up when charged with special energy. My personal favourite is the sprint and ninja slash dash move which lets you blink from one side to the next, killing enemies in its path. It does a heckaton of damage when powered-up, and it also gets you to places quick. In fact, some stages require you to use it very often if you want to attempt a no-hit run.

Even if you’re playing it normally and enjoying its pacing, Cyber Shadow is tough. While checkpoints give you chances to stock up on health, special energy, and one special item for a price, the game pulls no punches. Every enemy is out to get you, and they’ll surprise you in the unlikeliest of spots. Flying enemies will home in onto your last known position and will attempt to bump you off ledges so you fall to your death. Platforming can get tricky, especially when there’s an enemy strategically placed in front of your destination to obstruct you.
Traps like moving spikes and crushing walls will require you to memorize their patterns lest you want to go all the way to the last checkpoint. Fortunately, the game does keep track of your progress. If you turned on a gate and suddenly died right after, the game keeps note of that and lets you proceed forward instead of you repeating the arduous steps and fights needed to flip that gate switch.
Conveniences like these do help lessen the frustration; the instant spawn time also helps too and keeps the level’s pace steady.
Night Shade

Some chinks still pop up in this ninja armour of a title. You can deflect projectiles, but it requires you to tap forward once on the d-pad when you’re close to an enemy fireball of any size. You are usually in perpetual motion when in Cyber Shadow, and you also have a dash move that can be triggered with two taps of the forward d-pad. If say a couple of them are in your face, there’s a chance you can run into the fireballs accidentally and lose precious health. You also will have to stop your momentum just to tap a button whenever you want to parry.
Whoever thought it was a good idea to put a “tap forward” parry mechanic in a game that’s all about preserving said momentum AND combines it with a dash attack that’s easily trigger-able needs to be flogged. At first, the early bits where you parry projectiles against lone enemies is fine. But in later game situations where you need to preserve life and the timing is so precise? With a ton of enemies like the aforementioned “hawks” homing at you? It gets very frustrating; think Ninja Gaiden “Level 6-2” levels of hell. I get that I should be punished if I missed a jump or missed a cue to dash.
But to also have this counterintuitive parrying mechanic on top of that? Why not just map the parry to a different button, or an input other than “tap forward” which you can accidentally cancel into a dash thanks to its lenient controls? This only works in one-on-one fighting games, not so much on a hardcore 2D platformer where a bazillion things are out to get you every step of the way.
Still, most of Cyber Shadow is good bloody 2D fun. The controls are tight (for most parts), the level design flows just great with shades of its forefathers echoed in every layer and pixel, and the platforming combat mix is brutal yet fair. Again, for the most parts. Yacht Club and Mechanical Head have clearly made a title for acquired tastes, specifically the masochistic kind, but they at least had the decency to be generous with its continue system and new-age game design nuances like refillable energy for your skills. All in all, highly recommended if you think these past few indie games of yesteryear are a bit too tame for your liking.
Pros

Great new skills for a 2D platformer.
Checkpoint system features nifty resource refill power-ups.
Awesome pixel art and chiptunes.
Incredibly challenging yet fair gameplay…

Cons

…Except in certain segments where the game is trying to get you.
Bulls*** parry mechanic that goes against core gameplay idea.

Final Score: 80/100


Wargaming Is Leaving Russia & Belarus Markets

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and the world hasn’t been the same since. The games industry has also been affected and that includes World Of Warships and World Of Tanks developer and publisher Wargaming. Last month, they revealed that they fired creative director Sergey Burkatovskiy due to his public support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the company also donated a million dollars to the Ukrainian Red Cross.
Now, Wargaming has announced that they will be leaving the Russia and Belarus markets by stopping operations in both countries. This became effective starting from 31 March 2022. However, World Of Tanks will still be sold in Russia and Belarus, but not by Wargaming. In those two countries, the game will now be managed by Lesta Studio.
The official statement by Wargaming reads:
“Over the past weeks, Wargaming has been conducting a strategic review of business operations worldwide. The company has decided it will not own or operate any businesses in Russia and Belarus and will leave both countries.
Effective March 31 the company transferred its live games business in Russia and Belarus to local management of Lesta Studio that is no longer affiliated with Wargaming. The company will not profit from this process either today or going forward. Much to the contrary we expect to suffer substantial losses as a direct result of this decision.
We will be completing the operational transition with all due speed while remaining in full compliance with all laws and ensuring the ongoing safety and support of our employees. During the transition period the live products will remain available in Russia and Belarus and will be operated by the new owner.
Wargaming has also started the process of closing its studio in Minsk, Belarus.
We will be providing as much severance and support as possible to our employees affected by the change.
Despite the magnitude of this decision, we as a company are confident in the future of our business and are committed to delivering quality games to our players.”


Six Stack: How Moira Helped Me Climb Two Ranks Up in Season 8

Before we go any further let me put some context to this story. I ended Season 6 hovering around the 2300+ SR and I mained Pharah, while occasionally switching to Roadhog depending on the map. I usually play on Competitive Mode with my casual team mates on the PS4, and we usually form between a two-stack or up to a six-stack group when everyone’s around.
However, heading into the end of Season 7, I wasn’t in a good position. My head wasn’t in the right place. I had tons of personal issues on the side while at the same time juggling trying to set up a new company and website. Suffice to say, it took a toll on my gaming. I deteriorated and so did my SR. I plummeted to 1860 SR and was demoted to Silver. Then a red-haired Irish lass was unveiled at BlizzCon. After dabbling with her kit, and understanding her style of play (and practicing using her on Quick Play), I decided to main her for Season 8. And voila!
Everything picked up and I have since racked up nearly 900SR and recently finished Season 8 at 2705SR, or mid-Plat. Season and Career High! But is it all down to Moira? It’s more than that. Good news for everyone though – it was a combination of many little factors that can be implemented on other heroes as well. Just that in my case, playing as Moira enforced these ‘fundamentals’ which improved my approach entirely, resulting in that huge jump in Skill Rating.
Moira taught me so much about positioning and discipline in managing resources. On top of that, learning to be adept with this hero has indirectly taught me other nuances of Overwatch, which I believe would be useful to everyone who intends to climb up the ladder.
But how are your advice any different, Kenn? You’re just mid-Platinum!Â
Ow. True. But hear me out.
If you follow Overwatch YouTubers, or any channel in that matter, I’m sure you’ve come across numerous tips on how to rank up. While most of these tips can come out as obvious, it’s mostly due to the fact that folks who give these tips never had to chug through elo hell – the high Silver to lower Platinum realm. Most of these YouTubers already have the mechanical skill or experience competing at the higher levels – some even come from other esports scene prior to Overwatch – and they mostly play with equally skilful players. For mere casuals like the majority of us, their advice just don’t make sense. Like an F1 driver giving you tips on how to beat peak hour traffic.
Sure bro. You drive a single-seater, 950-horsepowered beast. I drive an underpowered 1.6L Sedan. Relatable.
So today I am going to share some tips (that worked for me) on how to improve in Overwatch, regardless if you only focus on Quick Play, or an aspiring climber in the Competitive mode. Do take note that while these tips work with me primarily on Moira, they are equally useful on other characters as well.
We aren’t going to touch about improving one’s mechanical skill as it differs from one person to another. It’s either you have it, or you don’t and the amount of training vary from one person to another.
1. Know Your Hero’s Kit inside out.
Memorize the cooldowns and its quirks. How far can she phase shift? The maximum distance of her Biotic Grasp, and how her Biotic Orbs bounce off the walls. (lol! Grow up, Kenn!). All of these info should come as second nature to anyone playing as Moira. When I play as Pharah, I instinctively know how high can she hover solely based on muscle memory. I can roughly estimate how long I have to lead my rockets, or how far will the Concussive Blast knock people off. For those playing as other characters, you can do the same. What’s Tracer’s blink reach? Where will you Recall to? How far til Reinhardt’s charge stops? Information like these puts you a smidge ahead of your competitors, but its effect is huge once you master them all.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzMItdFP0MM&w=560&h=315]
2. Enter Competitive Mode with the right attitude.
No one plays to lose yet the fear of losing will always linger at the back of our minds. We are human after all. ‘What if I get shitty team mates?’. ‘What if there’s a leaver?’. ‘What if I cannot play my best hero?’. Starting your rounds with negative thoughts will eventually shift your mindset that will be detrimental to your own team. That’s akin to giving a free win to the opponents. To overcome this, build your confidence by getting into a few rounds on Quick Play or even skirmish mode with your mates. Heck, go to the Training Mode to warm yourself up. It helps.
3. Learn to Detect When You Are in Or Not in ‘The Zone’.
We have good days, and we have really bad ones. Sometimes even when equipped with the best attitude known to man, you just got to accept that your body isn’t in tuned for the stress, or your mind isn’t in the right place. The solution to this is repetition. Make sure that you’re comfortable with the expected stress playing on Competitive Mode. Build a tolerance to it and once it’s considered normal, you will have lesser ‘Off Days’ going forward. But on the flipside, once you realize you’re on a roll, go all out. Adrenaline’s a wonderful thing when put to good use and once you hit peak reflex and alertness, you will be unstoppable.
4. Set A Cap On How Much SR is Too Much once the rot sets in.
Some may call this method ‘cheating’ but it’s just being smart. Set a cap before you jump into Competitive Mode. Tell yourself: How much SR are you willing to lose? I usually set a limit of -100 per day as indicator that I’m just not feeling it. I also learned that the most rounds I can do per day before I start losing focus is about six games in so tailor your threshold accordingly. Cuz once you’ve hit the wall, you have to accept that you’re just not good enough to climb that day. There’s no shame in taking a step back to set yourself straight rather than ruining it for everyone else.
5. Increase Your Hero Pool and Be Alert of What Is Working (or not).Â
Some may take it as being forced to master every single hero but in reality, you only need to be adept with three or four at maximum. While one-tricking is the best way to go (according to some YouTubers), requests for other players to switch so you can use your favored hero rarely end well. Be ready to flex and play to your team’s composition rather than trying to be the superstar all the time. I’ve encountered numerous oppositions which consist of six DPS players yet being outplayed by my squad of 2-2-2 simply because we fielded a more balanced setup. Know when to be the support, and when to take charge. Sometimes your main hero is not the best hero for that round.
6. Remember – It’s Just A Game. WhyÂ You Have to Be Mad?Â
Ultimately we play video games because we want to have fun. Once it starts to not be enjoyable, then you know it is time to stop. No amount of in-game reward is worth getting yourself all riled up – unless you’re (weirdly) into that kind of stuff. A healthy mental state makes a whole lot of difference so I highly recommend jumping on Competitive Mode only when you feel that you’re in the right state of mind. We could use a lot less toxicity in our gaming.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcINJAaRYqQ&w=560&h=315]
Bonus:
Adjust Your Mindset According to the Situation,Â State of the Game and Hero you are Using.
During my early days on Moira, I was super aggro thanks to my Pharah-like mentality, of wanting to dish as much punishment as I could. I forgot that my main role was to primarily to keep my team mates alive to my team’s detriment. So for example – if you’re on Tracer, prioritize your targets. Playing as the main tank? Stick to the objective and protect your squishies. Always remind yourself that switching heroes also come with switching of roles in the battlefield.

Of course you could summarize everything mentioned above as ‘Git gud’ – but really. All steps mentioned above are realistic changes any player at any skill level can take to get good at the game.Â Do you have any (realistic) tips to climb up the ranks? Be a sport and share with us in the comments section below!


PokÃ©mon UNITE Mobile Drops Next Month, Opens Pre-Registration

The PokÃ©mon Company has announced that PokÃ©mon UNITE will release on mobile platforms on 22 September 2021. In anticipation of this release, pre-order has begun on the App Store and pre-registration has begun on Google Play.
App Store:Â https://apps.apple.com/app/id1512321575
Google Play:Â https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.pokemon.pokemonunite
PokÃ©mon UNITE is free-to-play with microtransactions, and crossplay is available between the Nintendo Switch and mobile versions of the game.
Pre-registration numbers will be calculated starting from 18 August 2021 and will continue until the release of the mobile version of PokÃ©mon UNITE. Players will be able to receive gifts based on the number of pre-registrations.
PokÃ©mon UNITE Mobile Version Preregistration Campaign Gifts

Over 1 million pre-registrations
1,000 Aeos Tickets

Over 2.5 million pre-registrations
Unite License: Pikachu

Over 5 million pre-registrations
Special Holowear – Festival Style: Pikachu

If the total pre-registrations exceed one million, players will receive Aeos tickets, which can be exchanged for in-game items.
If the total pre-registrations hit 2.5 million, players will receive the Unite license for Pikachu. Players who already have the Unite license for Pikachu will receive Aeos coins instead.

Finally, if the total pre-registrations surpass five million, players will receive a special Holowear for Pikachu called Festival Style.

All players who play the mobile version of PokÃ©mon UNITE by 31 October 2021 at 10.59pm GMT+8 will be able to claim these pre-registration campaign gifts.
Players who link their accounts can use the gifts received from the mobile version pre-registration campaign on the Nintendo Switch version of PokÃ©mon UNITE as well.
There will also be two new PokÃ©mon coming to PokÃ©mon UNITE: Mamoswine and Sylveon.


Alienware Launches Laptop With Crazy 480Hz Display

Alienware reaches new milestones with the launch of the most powerful 17” AMD Advantage laptop, the introduction of the standard-defying 480Hz panel technology, and the unveiling of Dell’s first-ever 16-inch Dell G Series laptop.
Alienware m17 R5: the powerful AMD Advantage Laptop

For those who value raw power, the Alienware m17 R5 is the laptop for you. It claims the throne as the world’s most powerful 17” AMD Advantage laptop, delivering truly remarkable performance.
The m17 R5 is forged from a partnership with AMD that features AMD Ryzen 6000 series processors, AMD Radeon RX 6000 series graphics, and new AMD Smart Technologies. Today’s update welcomes the new AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT 12GB GDDR6 GPU to the configuration lineup.
 Here’s a refresher on all the AMD Smart Technologies offerings for Alienware m17 R5 on select configurations:

AMD SmartShift Max: Dynamic power shifting between a Radeon GPU and APU boosts performance for gaming, rendering and content creation.
AMD SmartAccess Graphics: Improve frame rates, reduce latency and save battery by enabling discrete Radeon graphics or Ryzen graphics to handle rendering and presentation while maintaining AMD FreeSync™. Only available with select models.ii
AMD Smart Access Memory: Get an extra edge when your Ryzen processors are able to harness the full potential of the Radeon graphics card memory.
AMD FreeSync™ Premium: Put an end to choppy gameplay with a fluid, artifact-free performance at virtually any framerate. This adaptive sync technology matches the refresh rate of your graphics and your display for buttery smooth gameplay.

The Alienware m17 R5 delivers extreme speeds and response times for smooth gameplay, it will feel like the game’s become an extension of the user’s senses. The m17 R5 is also stacked with Alienware Cryo-tech cooling technology with a built-in graphics vapor chamber to sustain high performance when playing graphically intensive games.
Now available with Alienware m17 R5 and Alienware x17 R2 gaming laptops, gamers will make first contact with brand-new display technology. The FHD (1920 x 1080) 480Hz 3ms panels bring a multitude of gameplay benefits including animation smoothness for easier target tracking, ghosting reduction which minimises distracting effects, and lower system latency making it easier to spot other players earlier.
 While any gamer can benefit from the smooth frame rates this 480Hz panel provides, competitive gamers that play fast-paced games will notice the advantages of the high-refresh rates immediately. These panels are enabled for both, AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-SYNC with Advanced Optimus. Within this current graphics generation, any gamer who plays popular esports game titles can unlock the full advantages of 480Hz displays.
 Alienware’s first 480Hz is purpose-built with premium experiences such as:

Advanced Optimus: Automatically controls the built-in hardware MUX to disable the iGPU and use the system’s more powerful GPU, which gives additional control over game performance and battery life.
ComfortView Plus: A built-in, always-on, hardware-based low blue light solution that doesn’t compromise true-to-life colour accuracy.
Dolby Vision: Brings optimal colour profiles and contrast that goes well beyond the capabilities of traditional high dynamic range (HDR).

 Alternatively, Alienware offers UHD (3840 x 2160) 120Hz 3ms displays on m17 R5 and x17 R2 laptops for those more interested in a higher-resolution panel over faster refresh rates.
 Dell’s first-ever 16-inch gaming panel in a 15-inch chassis, introducing the Dell G16

The new Dell G16 is designed for PC gamers who need the essential gaming features and want mobility and performance without sacrificing screen size.
The G16 offers a sleek gaming-inspired design with a smooth, modern aluminium cover available in Obsidian Black with an iridescent logo. The laptop also features a 16-inch panel in a 15-inch chassis with a 16:10 aspect ratio to provide gamers with 11% more screen than the G15’s 16:9 display, netting a larger gaming and cinematic experience. The larger viewing area is complimented by 3-sided narrow bezels and fitted with a QHD+ (2560×1600) 165Hz display that hits a sweet spot between high resolution and high frame rates. Advanced Optimus allows the G16 to switch between the integrated GPU and the discrete NVIDIA RTX graphics card as needed, which can help improve battery life and deliver a smooth gaming experience.
Under the hood, the G16 is equipped with Alienware-inspired thermals such as copper pipes, four vents and ultra-thin fan blades to optimise cooling and maximise airflow for consistent high-end gaming performance. It’s armed with a 12th Gen Intel Core™ i7-12700H 14-core processor and up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU. To ensure your machine is running optimally during intense raids and boss encounters, activate the “Game Shift” key in the F9 position which instantly cranks up cooling performance.
G16 takes a few other pages from the Alienware playbook including:

Alienware Command Center: Provides easy access to game settings, peripheral lighting settings, Dolby Audio, and a game library for seamless customisation.
New Keyboard options including CherryMX: Option for one zone, per-key RGB, or CherryMX ultra-low-profile mechanical keyboard, all options full-sized with completely customisable layouts.

 Pricing & Availability

Starting Specs
Starting Price
Availability in Malaysia

The Alienware x17 R2
17.3” FHD, 165Hz | i7-12700H | 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD| | NVIDIA RTX 3060
RM 12,099
Available now

Alienware m17 R5
TBC
TBC
TBC

Dell G16
TBC
TBC
TBC


Holocure 0.5 Update Items Unlock Guide

The latest Holocure update is out right now and is filled to the brim with new characters, stages, and items. The latter is important because they’re going to keep you alive in your roguelite 2D action WASDing playthroughs.
Here’s the items list for Holocure 0.5 and how to unlock them.
Holocure 0.5 New Items

Hope Soda:  beat stage mode as IRyS.

Level One: Increase critical hit damage 15% and increase Special cooldown by 25%.
Level Two: Increase critical hit damage 20% and increase Special cooldown by 25%.
Level Three: Increase critical hit damage 30% and increase Special cooldown by 25%.
Level Four: Increase critical hit damage 40% and increase Special cooldown by 25%.
Level Five: Increase critical hit damage 50% and increase Special cooldown by 25%.

Devil Hat: Deal over 1,000 damage with one attack.
Breastplate: Take at least 500 damage in one run.

Level One: Reduce damage taken by 10% and SPD by 20%. When attacked there is a 50% chance the attacker also takes 200% damage.
Level Two: Reduce damage taken by 15% and SPD by 20%. When attacked there is a 60% chance the attacker also takes 250% damage.
Level Three: Reduce damage taken by 20% and SPD by 20%. When attacked there is a 70% chance the attacker also takes 300% damage.

Kusogaki Shackles: Survive for 10 mins as Shion on any stage.
Blacksmith’s Gear: Enhance a weapon once using an anvil.

Level One: Normal anvils can be used twice.
Level Two: Normal anvils can be used twice. Weapon enhancements increase damage by 25% instead of 20% per level.
Level Three: Normal anvils can be used twice. Weapon enhancements increase damage by 30% instead of 20% per level.

Holocure Items
LImiter: Survive as Tsukumo Sana for 10 mins in a single run.

Level One: Gain 100% Pick Up Range
Level Two: Gain 200% Pick Up Range
Level Three: Gain 200% Pick Up Range

Halu: Beat Stage Mode once.

Level One: Increase regular fan spawns, and fans become stronger. Gain HoloCoins every five targets defeated since taking this item.
Level Two: Gain HoloCoins every four targets defeated since taking this item.
Level Three: Gain HoloCoins every three targets defeated since taking this item.
Level Four: Gain HoloCoins every two targets defeated since taking this item.
Level Five: Gain HoloCoins every target defeated since taking this item.

Membership: Clear Stage Mode with Super Chatto Time! equipped.

Level One: Lose three Holo Coins per second. If Holo Coins is more than zero, increase damage by 30% and take 15% less damage.
Level Two: If Holo Coins is more than zero, increase damage by 40% and take 18% less damage.
Level Three: If Holo Coins is more than zero, increase damage by 50% and take 25% less damage.

Stolen Piggy Bank: Kill a Golden YAGOO.

Level One: Gain a coin every second and increase SPD by 15%. Reduce Pick Up Range by 50%.

Just Bandage: Die after the 10-minute mark in a run.

Level One: Increase Max HP by ten. After being hit, heal 10% HP every three seconds until 80% of the damage taken is recovered.
Level Two: Increase Max HP by 20. After being hit, heal 10% HP every three seconds until 90% of the damage taken is recovered.
Level Three: Increase Max HP by 30. After being hit, heal 10% HP every three seconds until 100% of the damage taken is recovered.

GWS Pill: Die with the Halu item equipped.

Level One: While the special meter is charging, increase crit by 15%.
Level Two: While the special meter is charging, increase crit by 20%.
Level Three: White the special meter is charging, increase crit by 25%.

Super Chatto Time: Collect 5,000 Coins in total. This includes multiple runs.

Level One:Targets drop 20% more Holo Coins.
Level Two: Targets drop 40% more Holo Coins.
Level Three:Targets drop 60% more Holo Coins.
Level Four:Targets drop 80% more Holo Coins.
Level Five: Targets drop 100% more Holo Coins.

Energy Drink: Survive 10 minutes in a single run with Calli.

Level One: Increases Speed by 20% / Decreases HP by 25%
Level Two: Increases Speed by 25% / Decreases HP by 25%
Level Three: Increases Speed by 30% / Decreases HP by 25%
Level Four: Increases Speed by 35% / Decreases HP by 25%
Level Five: Increases Speed by 40% / Decreases HP by 25%

Plushie: Survive 10 mins in a single run with Bae.

Level One: Invulnerable for 0.3 seconds and reduces Attack and Speed for five seconds after taking damage
Level Two: Invulnerable for 0.4 seconds and reduces Attack and Speed for five seconds after taking damage
Level Three: Invulnerable for 0.3 seconds and reduces Attack and Speed for five seconds after taking damage

Study Glasses: Hit level 50 in a single run.

Level One: Increases XP by 10%
Level Two: Increases XP by 15%
Level Three: Increases XP by 20%
Level Four: Increases XP by 25%
Level Five: Increases XP by 30%

Injection-type Asacoco: Complete Stage Mode using an Asacoco item.

Level One: Increases Damage by 30%, but lost 5% HP every second.
Level Two: Increases Damage by 40%, but lost 5% HP every second.
Level Three: Increases Damage by 50%, but lost 5% HP every second.

Idol Costume: Use your Special.

Level One: Reduces Special Cooldown by 20%
Level Two: Reduces Special Cooldown by 25%
Level Three: Reduces Special Cooldown by 30%
Level Four: Reduces Special Cooldown by 35%
Level Five: Reduces Special Cooldown by 40%

Credit Card: Find the Anvil.

Level One: Enhancing costs 20% less, and Anvils appear 20% more
Level Two: Enhancing costs 25% less, and Anvils appear 20% more
Level Three: Enhancing costs 30% less, and Anvils appear 20% more
Level Four: Enhancing costs 35% less, and Anvils appear 20% more
Level Five: Enhancing costs 40% less, and Anvils appear 20% more

Gorilla’s Paw: beat Smol Ame.

Level  One:Increases Attack by 30% and reduces critical chance by 50.
Level  Two:Increases Attack by 35% and reduces critical chance by 50%.
Level  Three: Increases Attack by 40% and reduces critical chance by 50%.

Sake

Level  One: Gain 10% Crit after not receiving damage for ten seconds.
Level  Two:Gain 15% Crit after not receiving damage for ten seconds.
Level  Three:Gain 20% Crit after not receiving damage for ten seconds.

Body Pillow

Level One: Every 15 seconds, gain a shield that absorbs 15 damage
Level Two: Every 15 seconds, gain a shield that absorbs 20 damage
Level Three: Every 15 seconds, gain a shield that absorbs 25 damage
Level Four:Every 15 seconds, gain a shield that absorbs 30 damage
Level Five: Every 15 seconds, gain a shield that absorbs 35 damage

Knightly Milk

Level One: Increases range of AoE weapons by 10% and pick-up radius by 30%.
Level Two:Increases range of AoE weapons by 15% and pick-up radius by 40%.
Level Three: Increases range of AoE weapons by 20% and pick-up radius by 50%.

Face Mask

Level One:Increases Damage dealt and taken by 30%.
Level Two: Increases Damage dealt by 35% and taken by 30%.
Level Three:Increases Damage dealt by 40% and taken by 30%.

Succubus Horn

Level One: 20% chance to heal 5% HP on enemy defeat.
Level Two:20% chance to heal 7.5% HP on enemy defeat.
Level Three: 20% chance to heal 10% HP on enemy defeat.

Full Meal

Level One: Healing is doubled

Piki Piki Piman

Level One: Increases Crit by 10% for ten seconds upon taking damage.
Level Two: Increases Crit by 15% for ten seconds upon taking damage.
Level Three: Increases Crit by 20% for ten seconds upon taking damage.

Headphones

Level One:15% chance to negate a hit and knock back all enemies.
Level Two:20% chance to negate a hit and knock back all enemies.
Level Three: 25% chance to negate a hit and knock back all enemies.
Level Four:30% chance to negate a hit and knock back all enemies.
Level Five:35% chance to negate a hit and knock back all enemies.

Uber Sheep

Level One: Drops food every 20 seconds and increases food drop chance by 10%.
Level Two: Drops food every 19 seconds and increases food drop chance by 12%.
Level Three: Drops food every 18 seconds and increases food drop chance by 15%.
Level Four:Drops food every 17 seconds and increases food drop chance by 18%.
Level Five: Drops food every 15 seconds and increases food drop chance by 20%.

Nurse’s Horn

Level One: When a target is defeated, there is a 20% chance to heal for 5% of Max HP.
Level Two: When a target is defeated, there is a 20% chance to heal for 7.5% of Max HP.
Level Three:When a target is defeated, there is a 20% chance to heal for 10% of Max HP.

Chicken’s Feather

Level One: Gain a revive.


World Of Warships Apologizes For Dropping F-Bomb Bonus Code

World Of Warships developer Wargaming has apologized for using an in-game bonus code to say “f*** you” to a former member of its Community Contributors program. To demonstrate their apology, the company has released another in-game bonus code.
For context, many members of the World Of Warships Community Contributors program left the game last week due to the company’s increasingly dubious and shady use of exploitative loot boxes and microtransactions.
One Community Contributor who stayed with the game was a Russian streamer named Turry. However, he was later kicked out of the program nevertheless because he was accused of being too critical of the game’s development team, according to this Reddit thread.
As revenge, a rogue Wargaming employeeÂ offered the promo code ‘W0LAXU5FKUTURY5‘, which provided bonus in-game content to players on Russian servers. Some players noticed that the “FKUTURY” looks a lot like it means ‘F*** You Turry’.
Wargaming gave the following statement in a forum post:

“As you know, last Friday a bonus code with offensive content was distributed on our official stream, insulting our player and the popular streamer Turry.
This is unacceptable.
We conducted an internal audit and found that this situation occurred due to the actions of a certain employee.
The employee was suspended from this job and the most stringent measures were applied to him according to the results of the audit.
On behalf of the entire World of Warships team, we apologize to the players, the viewers of Friday’s stream, and, most importantly, we apologize to @Turry.
We made an unacceptable statement in your address and are fully aware of our responsibility.”
Wargaming confirmed to PC Gamer via email that their forum statement is correct:
“We can confirm that the unfortunate situation has happened and that our team responded quickly to identify and sanction the responsible individual.
Even though in no way the actions of this individual were approved or encouraged, we understand that we are accountable for the incident as a team.
Rest assured we don’t take this situation lightly and we donâ€™t tolerate any sort of disrespectful communication.”
Wargaming has released a new bonus code for players, ‘TURRYWEARESORRY‘, which provides players with 1,500 community tokens that can be used to purchase in-game loot.
Turry himself said:
“From one side I am satisfied with their excuses, and they sent me two bonus codes for my subscribers.
But on the other, I still don’t know who was guilty in this situation and if he would be punished for this failure or not.
I love this game very much despite the developerâ€™s behaviour.
I hope it will soon change somehow.”


The New Black Widow Gets The Hot Toys Treatment

Fancy some Russian spies on your desk? Then you better get an antivirus stat! If you mean the Marvel Cinematic Universe variety, Hot Toys Collectibles has you covered.
Hot Toys just unveiled its upcoming new Black Widow Yelena Belova 1/6th scale collectible figure. Essentially the new Black Widow, this figure is masterfully crafted based on the screen appearance of Florence “Midsommar” Pugh as Yelena. She’s got the hair, the action woman pose and stature, the white outfit, and a slew of highly detailed mini weapons like the long baton, standard batons, pistol, daggers, and headset. The figure also has interchangeable hands for poses & a figure stand.
Doesn’t come with a throwaway castration joke though. Pics at the bottom; you can pre-order the Black Widow Yelena figure now on the official Hot Toys site.


Doctor Strange Hot Toys Is Ready For The Multiverse Of Madness

Hot Toys has unveiled the Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness – 1/6th scale Doctor Strange Collectible Figure (via Facebook). To expand on the Marvel collection, Hot Toys officially presents Doctor Strange as 1/6th scale collectible figure inspired by Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness.
Faithfully crafted based on the appearance of Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange in the movie, this figure features a newly developed head sculpt with short hair sculpture; an aesthetic recreation of the tunic outfit in layers, sculpted boots and arm wraps, a new Cloak of Levitation with blue patch; amazing accessories including The Book of Vishanti, a pair of handcuff, a number of mystic art effects, a dynamic figure base specially designed for the figure and the cape. There will also be a newly developed Doctor Strange head sculpt with a third eye on forehead as seen in the post-credit scenes.
However, there is no release date or price at the time of writing.
In the meantime, you can head on over here for our non-spoiler review, or check out my analysis of what’s to come in a potential Doctor Strange 3 in the future.


Apex Legends Is Coming To The Nintendo Switch This March

Apex Legends fans won’t have to wait long now. According toÂ a press release posted by a Japanese gaming news siteÂ and the official Nintendo Twitter account, Apex Legends is launching on the Nintendo Switch on 9 March 2021.

Get ready to show ‘em what you’re made of when Apex Legends arrives on March 9!
Legendary loot awaits #NintendoSwitch players when they drop into @PlayApex Season 8: Mayhem ? pic.twitter.com/EwZ7p3yg8y
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 2, 2021

Developer Panic Button is overseeing the development of the Nintendo Switch version of Respawn Entertainment’s popular battle royale game. They’re the same studio that brought multiplayer vehicular combat title Rocket League to the Nintendo Switch.
According to the same source, Apex Legends Champion Edition is also coming to the Nintendo Switch, but a bit later on 18 March 2021. Apex Legends Champions Edition features all existing Legends until Season 7, which includes Caustic, Mirage, Octane, Wattson, Crypto, Revenant, Loba, Rampart and Horizon.
It also features the following seven exclusive Legendary items and in-game currency: â€œRisen Queenâ€ Wraith skin, â€œForged Knightâ€ Revenant skin, â€œHallowed Spiritâ€ Crypto skin, â€œCurse of the Awakenâ€ Triple Take skin, â€œSlayerâ€™s Lancerâ€ Flatline skin, â€œJaded Mythâ€ Sentinel skin, â€œEmperor Nessy XIVâ€ Gun Charm and 1,000 Apex Coins.
All Apex Legends Nintendo Switch players (who buy the Season 8 Battle Pass) will also receive a whopping 30 free levels on the Season 8 Battle Pass, to help catch up on the new Season. That’s right, especially now that Season 8: Mayhem has officially gone live for consoles and PC. Nintendo Switch players will also earn Double XP for two weeks after release.

#NintendoSwitch players will earn double XP March 9-23, receive the first 30 levels and all associated rewards immediately with the purchase of the Season 8 Battle Pass.
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 2, 2021

Why is this so? That’s because crossplay will be available at launch, which means that Nintendo Switch players will be able to play with players on other platforms.


Survival Horror Anime Kyochu Retto May Have Shades Of Hentai In Its New Trailer

Talk about catering to a new kind of fetish. Production house Passione recently released a trailer for a one-shot horror anime DVD called Kyochu Retto, also known as “The Island of Giant Insects”. It’s about a bunch of high school kids who end up ship-wrecked on a deserted island swarming with colossal man-eating bugs.
Here’s the trailer. See if there’s something a bit off about this show.

We guess some people like being bitten by maggots and stung by giant wasps. A bit too much if you ask us. But at least some of the other students are quick on the uptake when dealing with these mofos.

The show is based on the survival horror manga of the same name written by Yasutaka Fujima and illustrated by REDICE.
This looks like a pretty fun B-grade experience. The animated one-shot will be out on Blu-ray on 20 June of this year. As a bonus, it’ll be included in the special edition Japanese release of Volume 6 of the Kyochu Retto manga.


Total War Warhammer 3 Is A Song Of Chaos & Blood

Platform(s): PC (Steam and Epic Games Store)
Genre: Real-Time Strategy Fantasy And War
I have hundreds or possibly thousands of hours across many Total War games, so trust me when I say Iâ€™m no newbie to Creative Assemblyâ€™sÂ Total War franchise (you can even check my Steam profile for validation). However, I’ve always preferred historical titles likeÂ Total War Rome 2Â andÂ Total War Attila, instead of newer Warhammer fantasy titles.
My review will therefore be from the perspective of a long-time player of the franchise, seeking to answer the question: Should historical Total War fans or newcomers try out Total War Warhammer 3, the long-awaited final entry of a trilogy that started all the way back in 2016? Read on to find out.
Blood For The Blood God

As a predominantly historical Total War player, trying out Total War Warhammer 1 and 2 for the first time was overwhelming. Even for someone like me with lots of experience in the franchise, these fantasy-focused titles were heavy on Warhammer lore, which I wasn’t familiar with. There were too many different Lords and races/factions that I didn’t know who to start playing with.
While Total War Warhammer 3 is technically the end of a trilogy and also takes place in the Warhammer universe, the problem is somewhat lessened this time around. There are only seven factions to choose from at launch in this game. Only two of those are human while the rest are non-human or daemonic factions. Still, this might possibly be the most chaotic and hectic Total War yet.
Total War Warhammer 3 doesn’t really play like traditional Total War. The gameplay loop is different. In most previous Total War titles, you could take your time to build and expand your empire before the shit hits the fan (with some exceptions, such as if you’re playing as the Romans in the apocalyptic Total War Attila). In a way, playing Total War Warhammer 3 feels a lot like Total War Attila, with the chaos (pun intended) cranked up to eleven.
In this game, the grand campaign follows an ambitious narrative, and it’s one of the most ambitious in the franchise yet. Just like the Vortex campaign in Total War Warhammer 2, there is a main objective for factions to strive towards instead of simply waging war and conquering each other. The great bear god Ursun is dying and all the factions are trying to reach him for their own benevolent or evil purpose. How do you do this?

Well, every once in a while (every 30+ turns or so), rifts (portals) will randomly spawn all over the map. You can use these rifts to travel to any one of the four Chaos Realms (that of Khorne, Slaanesh, Tzeentch and Nurgle), each of which has different aesthetics and level design. However, these rifts also work the other way. Not only can forces from the Chaos Realm enter the map via these rifts, but the mere presence of these rifts will continue to corrupt the very land they spawn on, which is a big problem if you’re a human faction. You can also use these rifts to teleport to another or close them by sending an army or hero.
What makes the gameplay particularly stressful and hectic is that you’ll have to juggle the usual conflicts with other factions on the map and attempt to expand your empire WHILE ALSO trying to handle these spawning rifts and the coming waves of the Chaos Realms. This means having to defend your empire on multiple fronts at the same time, which is tough even for veteran Total War players like me. It’s hard to plan the expansion and growth of your empire when you know that you’ll have to prepare for the arrival of the Chaos Realm rifts. This translates to aÂ learning curve in Total War Warhammer 3 that is extremely high, even more so compared to previous titles.
That’s not even mentioning how every faction has unique mechanics of its own. For instance, playing as Tzarina Katarin of the Kislevs will mean that you’ll have to compete for the support of the people in your empire with a rival Kislev faction by accumulating an additional resource called Devotion. As one of the Grand Cathay factions, you can send trading caravans to faraway lands, which you’ll have to micro-manage since they can be attacked while travelling.
My point is that you’ll have to re-learn how to approach the grand campaign with every faction because they don’t even play according to the rules and they don’t share the same mechanics. If you really have the time to invest and delve into Total War Warhammer 3, it would be a very rewarding experience. The diversity in factions, as well as their units and mechanics, means that there’s potential for you to spend countless hours with this game. That is; if you’re willing to spend the time and effort to do so.
Chaos Rising

While playing Total War Warhammer 3, I found it to be much more fun playing as any of the daemonic Chaos factions instead of the two human ones (Kislev and Grand Cathay). The highlight had to be playing as the Daemon Prince, which the game actually recommends for beginners to choose if it’s their first time playing (besides Kislev). And it’s for good reason too; playing as the Daemon Prince is a simple yet varied and interesting faction to use. He’s the only playable Lord (leader of a faction) in the game that you can change the name of and customize like a bonafide RPG character.
As the Daemon Prince, you can devote your Glory resource to any of the Chaos gods or even Chaos Undivided, thereby attaining specific units, items, and other perks. You can actually change the body parts of the Daemon Prince, including his head, wings, hands, feet, and of course, choose his weapons. These also change his appearance, which means that no two players’ Daemon Prince will be the same. Plus, you can use any unit from any of the Chaos gods, instead of having to choose one like Khorne and being forced to stick with his units exclusively.
This results in perhaps the single most replayable faction in Total War history. This bodes well for the future of the franchise. Imagine more freedom with the way you can build your leader/Lord and faction, just like with the Daemon Prince. Maybe Creative Assembly can experiment with more RPG elements in the future, even in the more conventional historical titles, which some would argue do need something significant to make them as relevant as these more farfetched fantasy-focused titles in the franchise.
My Daemon Prince near the beginning.
My Daemon Prince later on in my campaign.
There are lots of other improvements and quality-of-life touches that Total War veterans would appreciate. First and foremost, thank the Chaos gods that Total War Warhammer 3 features the same improved diplomacy system which was originally introduced in Total War Three Kingdoms and later incorporated into A Total War Saga Troy. These more precise diplomacy mechanics make this part of the game more enjoyable and less of a hassle to actually interact with, especially the ability to make Quick Deals (which factions would be most likely to deal with you on any particular diplomatic action).
There are also several other small improvements. One little feature that most may overlook but one that I definitely appreciated after years of playing Total War is the ability for armies to move while in an Encamped stance. This means that you can replenish your units even in enemy territory and avoid forcing players to waste turns just to return to their own territory just to replenish.
Total War Warhammer 3 does introduce some big new additions to the gameplay. A new siege supply system allows players to accumulate supplies as a resource after capturing points on the map during a battle. You can then spend these supplies to build fortifications like traps, walls and towers that attack enemies at specific spots on the battle map. They’re basically tower defence elements introduced into a Total War game. However, I find that you could pretty ignore this altogether if you want because it all seems too much like busywork, making battles feel more tedious than they should be. It’s ultimately a good idea to spice up battles, but this mechanic really needs to be refined a lot more.
Survival battles are another new addition to shaking up the gameplay. They’re massive endgame-level battles with multiple waves and layers to them. They’re the game’s equivalent of boss battles, but there’s a major problem. They take way too long to finish, and by the end of these survival battles, you’ll be exhausted. That is; if you even manage to finish them. Thankfully though, the developers have included the option to Auto-Resolve the Survival battles as well, so you won’t be forced to manually play them, unlike the Mythic Quest battles in A Total War Troy Saga.
Optimization Issues

The biggest problem in Total War Warhammer 3, and one that is the reason why the game is currently getting Mixed reviews on Steam, is the stability and performance of the game at launch. Total War games have often been notorious for having bad launches, such as the catastrophic launch of Total War Rome 2 back in 2013. I thought that Creative Assembly had already fixed that with impressively optimized launch states of both Total War Three Kingdoms and A Total War Saga Troy, both of which I could run smoothly even at launch.
Much to my disappointment, I can’t say the same about Total War Warhammer 3. It runs pretty bad on my gaming laptop, despite the fact that I could run the last few recent Total War games smoothly and without hitches. It’s not that bad to the point of my laptop crashing, but the game stutters even outside of battles and when I move my armies/heroes across the map. The buggy and poorly optimised current state of the game could be fixed with future patches, but as of now, it’s a trainwreck to try and run, especially on less powerful rigs.
Before you think about getting Total War Warhammer 3, just know that this is a game that will ask a lot from you, in terms of time and effort. It’s demanding and stressful, with the most hectic and chaotic campaigns in the franchise to date. However, the sheer variety, diversity and aesthetics of the game can make the experience satisfying and rewarding. As an experienced Total War player, I can certainly say that this is the most enjoyable Total War Warhammer title yet. That said, it might be wise to wait a while for Creative Assembly to bring in a few patches and optimizations before you jump into the game.
Pros

The most chaotic and hectic Total War yet.
Diverse factions and unique mechanics for each of them.
The Daemon Prince faction introduces even more RPG elements into the franchise.
An improved diplomacy system inspired by Three Kingdoms and Troy.
Small quality of life improvements like the ability to move while Encamped.

Cons

Buggy and poorly optimised, unstable performance at launch.
Daunting and demanding game for newcomers and those not used to the game’s mechanics.
New battle mechanics can be more tedious than engaging, such as Survival battles and the siege supply fortification system.

Final Score: 70/100
Review copy provided by Sega. Played on PC. Total War Warhammer 3 is now available on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.


Fallout 4 Gets Free Xbox Series, PC, And PS5 Upgrade

Bethesda figured it’s time to give its last single-player Fallout game a much-needed upgrade.
Slated for 2023, Fallout 4’s new “next-gen” update will be on Xbox Series, PlayStation 5, and PC in 2023. It features a ton of new features for improved performance like:

Performance mode features for high frame rates.
Quality features for 4K resolution gameplay.
Bonus Creation Club content.
The usual bug fixes.

As a bonus, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers and Amazon Prime Gaming subscribers can snag a Fallout 76 25th Anniversary Bundle for free: this includes a Vault Boy portrait, a Shooting Target Suite, and Lincoln’s Repeater Lever Action Skin. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members can claim it from 27 October until 27 December, while Amazon Prime Gaming subscribers can snag it from 2nd November until 2nd February 2023.


Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2 For PC Delayed To 2023

The PC version of the free-to-play team battle action mecha title Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2 is getting pushed back from its intended 2022 date.
The game’s release window is now in 2023, with a network test scheduled for early 2023. The game is currently available for PS5 and PS4. Full service message below:
This is the Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2 Steam Operation Team.
We sincerely apologize that we were unable to conduct the network test on the scheduled date in April due to the high server load caused by the heavy access, which made it difficult to connect to the game and prevented the game from being saved properly.
Since then, we have investigated the cause of the problem and taken corrective measures, and now that we are on schedule to resume the network test, we are preparing to conduct the network test again in early 2023. We apologize again for the long wait, and we will continue to improve the quality of the service based on the feedback we have received from users during this test. We will release more details on the network test schedule and content as they become available.
In addition, the official service start date for the Steam version of Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2 will be changed as follows:

Before Change Service Start Date: 2022
After Change Service Start Date: 2023 (planned)

*As soon as an official date is determined, we will announce it again in Steam News.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to those who have been waiting. Our members will make every effort for the official service launch, and we hope that everyone will continue to wait for further news.


New Looney Tunes Cartoons Show Gets First Zany Trailer

I grew up with the classic Looney Tunes show featuring Bugs Bunny and the rest of the iconic cast. It makes me happy that these zany characters are set to return in a new Looney Tunes Cartoons animated series exclusively for HBO Max when the streaming service launches on 27 May 2020.
From the looks of the trailer, the traditional premise for these characters remain the same. We can see Bugs Bunny messing around with Yosemite Sam and Elmer Fudd, Tweety’s cat-and-bird game with Sylvester, Wild E. Coyote’s never-ending chase for Road Runner, Marvin the Martian, Daffy Duck and even Porky Pig.

Here’s what the official synopsis (via Nerdist) states:

â€œLooney Tunes Cartoons, an all-new series from Warner Bros. Animation starring the cherished Looney Tunes characters.
Looney Tunes Cartoons echoes the high production value and process of the original Looney Tunes theatrical shorts with a cartoonist-driven approach to storytelling.
Marquee Looney Tunes characters will be featured in their classic pairings in simple, gag-driven and visually vibrant stories.
The new series will include 80 eleven-minute episodes, each comprised of animated shorts that vary in length and include adapted storylines for todayâ€™s audience.â€

Looney Tunes Cartoons is developed by Peter Browngardt, best known as the creator of Secret Mountain Fort Awesome and Uncle Grandpa animated shows on Cartoon Network.
The confirmed list of voice actors to date includes:

Eric Bauza â€“ Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird, PepÃ© le Pew[8] Marvin the Martian
Jeff Bergman â€“ Sylvester Pussycat, Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn
Bob Bergen â€“ Porky Pig
Fred Tatasciore â€“ Yosemite Sam, Tasmanian Devil
Michael Ruocco â€“ Beaky Buzzard

These are all veteran voice actors with decades of experience, and it’s worth pointing out that Eric Bauza is a Canadian of Filipino descent. Interestingly, Bergman was previously the most recent voice actor for Bugs Bunny in The Looney Tunes Show (which ran from 2011 to 2014) and New Looney Tunes (2015 to 2020), but it looks like Warner Bros. wants to inject some new blood into the iconic role.
It’s great to see Warner Bros. bringing back some of the most beloved characters in animation history in a big way. In the meantime, check out the trailer for Looney Tunes Cartoons below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13bU5genKJI&w=560&h=315]


Late October’s Xbox Game Pass Titles Feature Super Saiyans & A New Age of Empire

Late October’s Xbox Game Pass’ offerings will be plentiful, as players will now gain access to a 2D fighting game and an RTS.
Here’s what’s on tap for Xbox Game Pass for console and PC. It’s a doozy!
Dragon Ball FighterZÂ (Cloud and Console) â€“ October 21

Unleash the ultimate power from within inÂ Dragon Ball FighterZ! Experience epic fights, destructible stages, and famous events ripped from the Dragon Ball anime. Create your team from a huge cast of your favourite characters and battle it out in epic 3v3 fights! This is the fighting extravaganza born from what makes the series so loved and famous.
Check out our DBFZ review here. We wished the online play for the game is better though.
Echo GenerationÂ (Cloud, Console, and PC)Â ID@XboxÂ â€“ October 21

Available day one with Xbox Game Pass:Â Spooky mysteries abound as you lead your ragtag gang to take on monsters and mechs to save your hometown. Unlock unique skills for your party through comic books and prepare for active turn-based battles and boss fights that will keep you on your toes! By the developers ofÂ Riverbond, dive into another stunning voxel adventure and face off with the extraterrestrials to find the true meaning of home inÂ Echo Generation.
Our review for this game will be out later this week.
Age of Empires IVÂ (PC) â€“ October 28

Available day one with Xbox Game Pass:Â One of the most beloved real-time strategy games returns to glory withÂ Age of Empires IV, putting you at the center of epic historical battles that shaped the world. Featuring both familiar and innovative new ways to expand your empire in vast landscapes with stunning 4K visual fidelity,Â Age of Empires IVÂ brings an evolved real-time strategy game to a new generation.
Everspace 2Â (Game Preview) (PC)Â ID@XboxÂ â€“ October 21
Everspace 2Â is a fast-paced, single-player spaceship shooter featuring meaningful exploration in space and on planets, tons of loot, RPG elements, mining, and crafting. Follow its predecessorâ€™s events and experience the continuation of a thoughtful sci-fi story set in a vivid, handcrafted open world full of secrets, puzzles, and perils!
Alan Wakeâ€™s American NightmareÂ (Console and PC) â€“ October 28
In this standalone experience, Alan Wake fights the herald of darkness, the evil Mr. Scratch! A thrilling storyline, hordes of creepy enemies, serious firepower, and beautiful Arizona locations, combined with a fun and challenging new game mode make this a must for Alan Wake veterans, and the perfect jumping off point for new players!
BackboneÂ (Console)Â ID@XboxÂ â€“ October 28
Raccoon detective Howard Lotor is not a hero. He can barely make rent. And yet he has stumbled across something so massive that it will shake the very fabric of society. Stunning visuals, an evocative soundtrack, and a daring narrative bring a dystopian Vancouver, BC inhabited by animals to life in this highly anticipated, post-noir adventure. Get to it, detective.
The Forgotten CityÂ (Cloud, Console, and PC) â€“ October 28
Travel 2,000 years into the past and relive the final days of a cursed Roman city, where if one person sins, everyone dies. Only by questioning an intertwined community of colorful characters, cleverly exploiting the time loop, and making difficult moral choices can you hope to solve this epic mystery.
On a related note, Outriders will let you crossplay saves between the PC and Xbox versions.Â


Here’s Your First Look at Marvel’s Avengers Endgame’s 1/6th Hot Toys Rescue Armor

Following the mega successful blockbuster which is Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame, comes a ton of merchandise and if you’re into high-end action figures collectibles department, boy don’t we have news for you.
At the most recent Endgame Exhibition by Hot Toys in Hong Kong, fans were given the first glimpse of the Rescue armor which was worn by Pepper Potts in the climactic scene. Teased in many leaked set photos and finally seen on screen, this is the first depiction of the highly anticipated armor in 1/6th scale and it looks brilliant next to the Mark 85 Iron Man armor.
Credit: @Budgetstark
A much more slender figure, Pepper’s Rescue armor shares the same nano technology used in Tony’s Mark 50 and Mark 85 armors, and as seen in Endgame, are able to conjure extensions which fires energy blasts to protect itself. While we didn’t get to see the other accessories this figure will come with, it is safe to expect an un-helmeted version featuring Pepper’s head sculpt, additional hands and even nano tech suit extensions.
Additional photos from Facebook user Richard VicencioÂ indicate that the Rescue armor is indeed the 49th variation of the Iron Man suit based on the markings on its rear flight stabilizers. In case you’re unaware, the suit which Tony Stark wore in Infinity War was the Mark 50, while the one he had in Endgame was Mark 85.

				Photo credit: Richard Vicencio

				Photo credit: Richard Vicencio

				Photo credit: Richard Vicencio

While pre-orders for the Mark 85 is no longer available, you should be able to lock in your 1/6th scale Rescue figurine soon from your local high-end collectibles stores.


Moonton, eGG Network and HOG Esports Collaborates To Step Up MPL Myanmar

Moonton, eGG Network and HOG Esports are working together to bring the new season of Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL) in Myanmar to the next stage.
The MPL is the official premiere Mobile Legends esports tournament for both players and fans, and a stepping stone for teams to shine and be invited into regional leagues across Southeast Asia.

The inaugural season had more than 800 teams joining the league, attracting over 10,00 concurrent live stream viewers on Facebook. The following season of MPL Myanmar will up the ante with a prize pool of USD40,000 (RM163,540) in which 768 teams battle in the qualifier stages. The Regular Season begins on 29 March. The sponsors for MPL Myanmar Season 2 are KBZ Banking, HyperX and Facebook Gaming.
The collaboration between Moonton and eGG Network began in 2017 with the launch of the first MPL for Malaysia and Singapore. The MPL garnered a tremendous response from fans with over 37 million livestream views and attracted 190,000 fans to the Season 2 grand finals event. The partnership achieved a new milestone in 2019 with eGG Networkâ€™s involvement in MPL Myanmar Season 2.
eGG Network is a Malaysian esports company and one of the first to organise esports tournaments outside the country. This is a milestone for Malaysian esports as we strive for the development of esports in Malaysia, working alongside government bodies with shared goals of a successful and sustainable industry.
eGG Network will also provide production and marketing consultation for the league to the fans in Myanmar. The work will also cover planning the on-ground playoffs event alongside the local team in HOG Esports.
Mr. Sebastian Quiroga, Marketing Manager of HOG Esports said:

“We had thousands of fans join us at the playoffs event to watch their favourite team play during MPL Myanmar Season 1. Our livestream with a peak of over 10,000 concurrent viewers is new to us and the entire country, and weâ€™re proud to pioneer this.
With eGG Network on board, it can bring further excitement to the fans and attract more viewers.”

He also said that they hope to inspire the youth in Myanmar to take esports to the next level and would also support the youth as well as continue to provide opportunities for them.
The trio will pave the way to open more opportunities to ensure that esports will continue to flourish in our region.