Rainbow Six Extraction Drops New Trailer Ahead Of Xbox Game Pass Day One Launch

As revealed two days ago in collaboration with Microsoft, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction will launch on 20 January 2022 on Game Pass via Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC. The game will also be available on PS4, PS5, the Ubisoft Store, and the Epic Games Store.
In the new lore trailer, Dr. Elena â€œMiraâ€ Alvarez, director of REACT R&D, leads the team gathering critical information on the evolving Archaean threat. Players are part of REACT, a dedicated unit created to face the new threat. As the Chimera Parasite has resurfaced, risk it all against the greatest dangers of the containment zone â€“ the ArchÃ¦ans.
Ubisoft also previously announced that everyone who plays both Rainbow Six SiegeÂ andÂ Rainbow Six ExtractionÂ will receive the United Front bundle, which contains four exclusive gearsets, split between both games, and will instantly unlock Extractionâ€™s entire roster of 18 operators in Siege.
With development led by Ubisoft Montreal,Â Rainbow Six ExtractionÂ recruits players to join the Rainbow Exogenous Analysis & Containment Team (REACT) and assemble a one to a three-player squad of belovedÂ Rainbow Six SiegeÂ operators. BothÂ Rainbow Six SiegeÂ players and those looking for a new PVE co-op game can enjoy taking on mysterious alien creatures known as ArchÃ¦ans in 12 all-new and unpredictable maps.
Check out the new lore gameplay trailer below:


Apex Legends’ Season 4 To Feature World’s Edge In Ruins And A Ton of New Stuff

The upcoming new season for Apex Legends will present a new arena set in a familiar setting as World’s Edge receive a drastic makeover. Just like how King’s Canyon got an overhaul at the start of Season 2 last year, Season 4 not only introduces what is essentially a new map, it also comes with a new legend in the much-anticipated Revenant, a new weapon, as well as several new legend skins.

The new #ApexLegends gameplay trailer for Season 4 is here! ðŸ¤© pic.twitter.com/a8AT1Sa9N4
â€” Apex Legends News (@TitanfallBlog) February 3, 2020
We’ve combed through the details so here are the big changes and additions to the game you’d want to know about.
New Battle Pass
Out with the old, in with the new. The Apex Battle Pass is back for Season 4.Â  Like previous seasons, players only need to fulfill Daily and Weekly Challenges for their chance to earn:

Apex Packs & XP Boosts
Crafting Metals & Apex Coins
Music Packs, Loading Screens, Quips and more

New Legend:Â  Revenant
As shown in the special reveal trailer last week, Revenant is the cyborg assassin hellbent on taking revenge on Hammond Robotics and what better way to hit them by creating havoc at the Apex games. How would our favorite legends square up against this deadly new foe? Guess only time will tell.
Revenant’s Kit
So many things were shown in the Season 4 trailer that you’d be forgiven if you missed out on a bunch. So here’s what we’ve gathered so far as well as intel gained from leaks leading up to today.
Revenant’s Ultimate, ‘Death Recall’ allows fallen team members to return to the fight after death but with a reduced health. We are still unclear whether this means you’re instantly revived ala respawn beacon, or immediately recover once you’re knocked down.
His tactical ability appears to be called Poison Bomb – and seems to work similar to Caustic’s gas traps but with a further cast distance. And finally, Revenant’s passive ability, ‘Infiltrator’ allows him to â€œclimb walls higher and crouch walk faster.â€ -just like the Shadow faction in the Shadowfall LTM in last October’s Fight or Fright event.
NEXT: New sniper rifle, skins and a new map?


Korean Artist Kim Jung Gi Has Passed Away

Korean artist Kim Jung Gi has passed away at the age of 47 on 3 October 2022 in Europe. He died after experiencing chest pains and being taken to the hospital for surgery just as he was about to board a flight to New York.
The news of his passing was announced on his Twitter and Instagram accounts.

pic.twitter.com/nevXSTs7KF
— Kim Jung Gi US (@KimJungGiUS) October 5, 2022

Korean artist Kim Jung Gi was born in 1975 in the town of Goyang-Si, located in the province of Kyongki-Do South Korea. At 19, this budding artist enrolled at a Fine Arts School, majoring in Art and Design. He attended Dong-Eui University in Busan for three years and did his two years in the South Korean army as a part of the Special Forces Unit.
Kim Jung Gi’s first publication – Funny Funny – was published in Young Jump magazine. He wrote a number of short stories and held exhibitions for his work that led to his teaching manhwa (Korean comic book) to various private schools and universities. Kim collaborated with Seung-Jin Park, the writer of Tiger the Long Tail, to draw six volumes for his comic. Kim also worked alongside French author Bernard Werber, illustrating two novels he had written – “Paradise” in 2010 and “Third Humanity” in 2013.
In 2011, Kim Jung Gi partook in the Comic Festival held in Bucheon where, for the first time ever, he drew live. In most cases, artists showcase a framed drawing or painting, but KJG decided to do something different. He placed paper up on three walls around his table and began drawing.
Superani CEO Hyun Jin Kim videoed and posted the entire process on YouTube and, as some videos tend to do, went viral. This led to the invitation to different worldwide events. In recent years, he accepted invitations to perform in France, America, all around Asia and now in Japan for his first show simply titled “Drawing Exhibition”.
He had six sketchbooks in print, which equate to about 4,500 pages’ worth of drawings in a span of 12 years. He also collaborated with the legendary Japanese artist Katsuya Terada in 2017. The pair put together an amazing sketchbook of various drawings, showing off their talents.
He worked in various industries – movies, music, and government. Kim put together a feature exhibition in Cheongwadae” the Republic of Korea’s president’s official workplace and residence. He was also hired by Korean Hip-Hop artist Drunken Tiger to create the album cover. He holds the record for “Longest drawing by an individual” in the Guinness World Records book.
Our condolences to the family and friends of the late Kim Jung Gi.


[Report] We May Be Getting Mafia & Mafia 2 Remasters

Take-Two Interactive may be getting back into the crime game. No, we’re not talking about microtransaction slot machines in basketball games or selling in-game currency in GTA Online; they’re taking it old-school.
The publisher applied for a number of trademarks last month all relating to the Mafia series, which means we may be getting remasters of Mafia and Mafia II (via Segment Next).Â
The first two applications are for the first two games, complete with their respective logos. The trademark was filed in 2nd August; since the games came out in 2002 and 2011 respectively, they had to be filed again so that Take-Two still owns it.Â The trademark links expire, but you can search for them by name or the serial numbers: 88564619, 88564555 and 88564671.
Still, fans should hold out hope that the series gets a remaster to introduce people to a GTA clone that really did a good job with its story. At least the first game anyway.


The Batman Brings In Warner Bros.’ Biggest Opening Weekend Since Joker

The Batman launched last week in most of the world and it’s Warner Bros.’ biggest movie since 2019’s Joker, especially when it comes to the opening weekend box office. Directed by Matt Reeves, the movie has managed to garner a whopping US$248.5 million in its first three days (via Deadline), making it the biggest movie for the studio since 2019’s Joker, which garnered US$247 million in its opening weekend.
That includes US$128.5 million from the domestic US market and around US$120 million, from the rest of the world. What’s surprising is this excludes China, as the movie is only set to release there on 18 March 2022. This is great news for fans of the new Batman movie, as it means that it’s highly likely for Warner Bros. to greenlight more sequels and spinoffs.
As of now, the studio has yet to officially announce a sequel, but according to Matt Reeves himself, they’re already working on spinoff TV series from The Batman for HBO Max, including one focusing on Colin Ferrell’s Penguin, and another focusing on either the Gotham City Police Department or Arkham Asylum.
In the meantime, you can check outÂ our non-spoiler review ofÂ The BatmanÂ here, orÂ head on over hereÂ for my breakdown of the movieâ€™s ending and post-credits, as well as what to expect from a sequel.


Mass Effect Legendary Edition Runs At 120FPS On Xbox Series X

BioWare has revealed the framerate and resolution targets for the upcoming Mass Effect Legendary Edition on all consoles and platforms. The game will offer two modes: one that prioritizes visual quality and another that focuses on framerate.
Console players can toggle between two gameplay modes at any time on all platforms:

Favor QualityÂ prioritizes achieving the highest visual fidelity possible in exchange for a lower target framerate.
Favor FramerateÂ prioritizes the highest framerate possible by scaling native resolution and reducing some graphical features.

What’s interesting here is that the Xbox Series X is the only console capable of running the game at 120FPS. Not even the PS5 can do that, let alone all the other last-gen consoles. However, on PC, players will be able to hit up to a whopping 240FPS if they have a powerful enough rig.
Favor Quality

PS4: Up to 30fps at 1080p.
PS4 Pro: Up to 30fps at 4K.
PS5: Up to 60fps at 4K.
Xbox One: Up to 30fps at 1080p.
Xbox One X, Xbox Series S: Up to 30fps at 4K.
Xbox Series X: Up to 60fps at 4K.

Favor Performance

PS4: Up to 60fps at 1080p.
PS4 Pro: Up to 60fps at 1440p.
PS5: Up to 60fps at 1440p.
Xbox One: Up to 60fps at 1080p.
Xbox One X, Xbox Series S: Up to 60fps at 1440p.
Xbox Series X: Up to 120fps at 1440p.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition is slated for a 14 May 2021 release date. For more details on the list of improvements, head on over here.


Gran Turismo 7 Pre-Order Begins In Malaysia Tomorrow

Sony Interactive Entertainment Singapore (SIES) has announced that pre-orders for PS5 and PS4 software Gran Turismo 7 physical editions will be available from 7 January 2022 at all PlayStation Authorized Dealers and Sony Stores. The game will release on 4 March 2022.
Customers who pre-order any edition of Gran Turismo 7 physical edition will receive digital contents of 100,000 CR (in-game credit) and a Three-car pack*1, and stand a chance to receive physical premium – â€œMetal and Leather Keychainâ€ by pre-ordering either the Standard Physical Edition or 25th Anniversary Edition (while stocks last). Please check with local retailers for details of the physical pre-order mechanic.Â
The suggested retail price of Standard Physical Edition and 25th Anniversary Edition (PS5 & PS4) will be as followed:

Country
Standard Physical Edition
25th Anniversary Edition

PS5

PS4

PS5/PS4

Malaysia
RM 299
RM 249

RM 379

Digital version pre-orders for Gran Turismo 7 are now available on PlayStation Store (PS Store). Youâ€™ll have the option to choose between the Standard Digital Edition (PS5 / PS4) and 25th Anniversary Digital Deluxe Edition (PS5 & PS4) â€“ both of which include the full game and the bonus incentives digital contents of 100,000 CR and a Three-car pack*1 for pre-order purchase.Â
Website: https://www.playstation.com/en-my/games/gran-turismo-7/
Pre-order any edition of GranÂ Turismo 7 to receive:

100,000 CR (in-game credit) *1
Three-car pack, including:*1

MAZDA RX-VISION GT3 CONCEPT Stealth Model
Porsche 917 LIVING LEGEND ’14
Toyota Supra GT500 ’97 (Castrol TOM’S)

Standard Physical Edition PS5 / PS4 (Retail)

Pre-order Bonus (Physical Premium):

Metal and Leather Keychain

Content:Â

Gran Turismo 7 (Physical) PS5 or PS4 version

Suggested Retail Price as followed:Â

Country
Standard Physical Edition

PS5

PS4

Malaysia
RM 299

RM 249

25th Anniversary Edition PS5, PS4 (Retail)

Pre-order Bonus (Physical Premium):

Metal and Leather Keychain

Content:Â

Gran Turismo 7 PS5 Disc with PS4 Game Voucher*2
Exclusive SteelBookÂ® case
1,000,000 CR (in-game credit)
FIA Gran Turismo Championships World Series Model – Toyota GR Yaris with country-specific livery
30 manufacturer & partner PSN AvatarsÂ
The Music of Gran Turismo Official Soundtrack

Country

25th Anniversary Edition

PS5/PS4

Malaysia

RM 379

Standard Digital Edition PS5 / PS4 (PS Store)

PS5 Standard Digital Edition:

Content: Gran Turismo 7 PS4 & PS5Â

PS4 Standard Digital Edition:

Content: Gran Turismo 7 PS4

Country
Standard Digital Edition

PS5

PS4

Malaysia
RM 299

RM 249

25thÂ Anniversary Digital Deluxe Edition PS5, PS4 (PS Store)

Content:

Dual PS4 + PS5 Entitlement
In-Game Credits â€“ 1,500,000 CR
Toyota GR Yaris with country specific LiveryÂ
30 Manufacturer / Partner Avatars
The Music of Gran Turismo Official Soundtrack

Country
25th Anniversary Edition

PS5/PS4

Malaysia

RM 379

Furthermore, there will be a digital upgrade option for upgrading from PS4 Standard Edition of â€œGran Turismo 7â€ to the â€œGran Turismo 7â€ PS5 Digital Standard Edition at the time of release*3 (MYR 50). To upgrade your Gran Turismo 7 PS4 Standard Edition game on disc to the PS5 Digital Standard Edition, you will need a PS5 console with a disc drive. PS4 game discs canâ€™t be used with the PS5 Digital Edition.


Sony Playstation Teases What’s Next On 2023, Possibly New PS5 Model?

In the latest interview between the Japanese gaming site, Famitsu and Sony Interactive Entertainment Vice President, Hideaki Nishino may have teased a new Playstation 5 model that could be announced and/or released in 2023.

Famitsu stated the PS5 will be entering its third year, which was after the PS4 Pro released its third year as well. Would there be a new model for the PS5 version in the upcoming future? Nishino responded with Sony’s current plans and thoughts on the coming year:
“By the end of fiscal 2022, cumulative sales will exceed 37 million units, and we believe that it will be a very important time for the platform as well. I won’t be able to talk about specifics at this time, but I hope you will look forward to next year (2023).”
According to reports, there were many PS5 Pro rumours. One of them is a removable disc driver model and is already in the hands of a few developers, allowing Sony to sell the PS5 variant using the same price tag as the Digital version, and launch the disc driver as a separate accessory. In addition, rumours have been speculated the next model would be a slim version, indicating the PS5 Slim would be a possible release since the PS4 Slim exists. The removable disc driver would make sense with the PS4 Slim but for now, everything is just speculation, so do take it with a grain of salt.
2023 may introduce the 4th iteration of the PS5 console and is expected to be the most spectacular console revision yet. Which model do you think will be released in 2023? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.


Star-Studded Crime Thriller No Sudden Move Drops On HBO GO Malaysia Next Month

No Sudden Move will exclusively on HBO GOÂ sometime in July 2021.
From director Steven Soderbergh comes the new feature filmÂ No Sudden MoveÂ from Warner Bros. Pictures. Set in 1954 Detroit, the filmÂ centres on a group of small-time criminals who are hired to steal what they think is a simple document. When their plan goes horribly wrong, their search for who hired them â€“ and for what ultimate purpose â€“ weave them through all echelons of the race-torn, rapidly changing city.
The star-studded film features:

 Don Cheadle (â€œAvengers: End Gameâ€, â€œHotel Rwandaâ€).
Benicio Del Toro (â€œSicarioâ€, â€œThe Usual Suspectsâ€).
David Harbour (â€œSuicide Squadâ€, â€œStranger Thingsâ€).
Jon Hamm (â€œMad Menâ€, â€œThe Townâ€).
Amy Seimetz (â€œUpstream Colorâ€, â€œSun Donâ€™t Shineâ€).
Brendan Fraser (â€œThe Mummyâ€, â€œGeorge of the Jungleâ€).
Kieran Culkin (HBOâ€™s â€œSuccessionâ€, â€œIgby Goes Downâ€).
Noah Jupe (HBOâ€™s â€œThe Undoingâ€, â€œHoney Boyâ€).
Craig Grant (â€œDark Water, â€œSide Effectsâ€).
Julia Fox (â€œUncut Gemsâ€, â€œDay by Dayâ€).
Frankie Shaw (â€œSMILFâ€, â€œToo Legitâ€).
Ray Liotta (â€œGoodfellasâ€, â€œNarcâ€).
Bill Duke (â€œPredatorâ€, â€œCommandoâ€).

Soderbergh directed the film from a screenplay written by Ed Solomon and produced by Casey Silver, both of whom he collaborated with on his HBO series â€œMosaic.â€ Julie M. Anderson executive produced.
The directorâ€™s creative team behind the scenes included Oscar-winning production designer Hannah Beachler (â€œBlack Pantherâ€), costume designer Marci Rodgers (â€œBlacKkKlansmanâ€), with music by David Holmes (â€œBaby Driver,â€ TVâ€™s â€œKilling Eveâ€).
In the meantime, check out the trailer below, or head on over here for more on what HBO GO Malaysia is offering in June 2021:


Night Book Is An FMV Occult Thriller Arriving This Month

Wales Interactive just announced the release date of its upcoming FMV interactive movie thriller-themed game Night Book.
The game will be out 27th July for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, and iOS. The story of this thriller is about Loralyn, a pregnant translator working from home who unwittingly brings an untold evil into her household thanks to a translation job that ended up being cursed. She is basically fending for her life by herself; her husband is away and her dad is sick and living with her. Night Book features a ton of story paths and endings for added replayability.
If you’re into some real-life acting and want some chills from an interactive visual novel type game with some level of cheese (especially with the game’s FX), you may want to keep an eye on this. Check out the FMV-filled trailer below.


Marvel Gets A Taste Of Malaysia In Latest X-Men Comic

Malaysia is no stranger to being depicted in comics even from renowned American publishers like Marvel and Dark Horse Comics (Hellboy once visited Malaysia). It extends to more than just Malaysian characters though, as it looks like our food is so popular that comic book writers and artists are featuring them in their works.
The latest mention and inclusion of Malaysian food in a comic is last week’s issue #10 of New Mutants by Ed Brisson and Flaviano. In the issue, Magik AKA Illyana Rasputin visits Glob AKA Robert Herman’s home in Krakoa, the mutant’s new nation.

Magik wanted to ask Glob about the current whereabouts of the New Mutants team. Unfortunately, Glob was left behind while he was busy preparing a hearty Laksa dinner for all of them. Flaviano draws Glob actually going through the process of preparing the Laksa while Magik is talking to him.
For those unfamiliar, Laksa is a spicy noodle soup popular in the Peranakan cuisine of Southeast Asia, usually consisting of thick wheat noodles or rice vermicelli with chicken, prawn or fish, served in spicy soup based on either rich and spicy curry coconut milk or tamarind, but there are many regional variants.

What I appreciate most of all was that Brisson and Flaviano even dedicated an entire page to Glob’s own unique vegetarian Laksa recipe. You can check it out below, and compare it with our own here in Malaysia:

This is actually the second time that I’ve come across mention of Laksa in an X-Men Marvel comic. The first time was in issue #1 of Hunt For Wolverine: Mystery In Madripoor by writer Jim Zub and Thony Silas. It’s made even funnier considering that none other than freaking Magneto himself is recommending the Laksa.

#Malaysia represent!#Laksa in a @Marvel comic. pic.twitter.com/RqPUWEI2Hd
â€” The Last Of Alleef (@ComicsLord) May 29, 2018
Zub and Silas does this again in the fourth issue of Hunt For Wolverine: Mystery In Madripoor when Jubillee offers Lepat Pisang to Psylocke. In case you’re not familiar, Lepat Pisang is a sweet local Malaysian dessert of banana wrapped in banana leaves.

LEPAT PISANG in an #XMen comic (Mystery in Madripoor: Hunt For Wolverine). You’ve eaten it before, @JimZub? pic.twitter.com/LXLbCYjIX2
â€” The Last Of Alleef (@ComicsLord) August 23, 2018

It’s not strange that the X-Men are eating Laksa and Lepat Pisang in Madripoor, seeing as Madripoor is essentially the Marvel universe’s version of Malaysia/Singapore/Southeast Asian nation. It’s great to see Malaysian food being featured in American comics, proving yet again that good food and culture transcends borders and barriers.


Lies Of P Launches This September, Demo Is Now Available

During Summer Game Fest 2023, Neowiz announced that Lies Of P will launch on 19 September 2023 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, as well as Xbox Game Pass.
The demo is now available on all platforms as well.
Lies of P is an Action RPG based on the classic tale of Pinocchio. You will play as Pinocchio and solve the mysteries and disasters that happened in the city of Krat.
During the journey, you’ll be put in a situation where lying is needed to protect yourself or others. Pinocchio’s lying is one of the most important experiences that you’ll have. At the same time, this will lead Pinocchio to become a true human being. In Lies of P, players will meet familiar characters who can be either your ally or a foe.
Check out the trailer below:


And The Winner For “Worst Way For Contra To Make A Comeback” Is…

Today, as god is my witness, I have seen & played the unthinkable. I have seen a retro game revival that is the complete opposite and bastardization of what a series stands for. I have experienced a betrayal so foul to a franchise that is just as heinous as X-COM turning into a third-person shooter.
In fact, the company who let this happen, the IP holders in question, went from the people who made pachinko Castlevania and survival game Metal Gear to a beast devoid of heart and soul.
I have played Contra Return which has single-handedly proven that the best of intentions are paved on the feces-stained brimstone-laden road of Hell.
I am not exaggerating. Konami and Tencent, two companies who now work well together to combine their crazy levels of avarice, clearly slapped on an F2P action RPG game that looks and mimics the old-school run-and-gun action game.
Imagine you have a stuffed teddy bear, a prized heirloom, and then take out its cotton stuffings and replace it with strands of pubes and corn-laden s***, and then giving it to your loved ones and make them pay piece by piece to make the teddy bear bigger and slightly smell less. That’s the Contra Return experience.

There is no love and no care put into this China-made 2D shooter that is trying to wear the dead husk that used to be the Contra franchise.

Let’s Attack Aggressively!
I’ll just give a quick summary of what you do in this version of Contra. You pick Lance, one of the guys from the original game. You run from left to right shooting the usual bad guys from the games. You fight a boss or two from the original arcade/NES classic. You even come across new ones like the HP sponge zombies.

What do you get for your arsenal? You have your rapid fire machine guns, spread gun, flamethrowers, lasers, and so forth. You also have rechargeable special attacks: that’s a red flag considering that your special attacks are your limited-in-supply game changers. You only use them in special and dire situations. Here, you can use them and wait out the cooldown timer. The comparisons between this “Contra” and other F2P action games are so close, I’m still perplexed as to why they’re keeping up with the charade.
Let’s keep counting the ways: rather than have you die in one hit, you have a life bar. That’s fine and all: the JP version of Contra Hard Corp and Hard Corp Uprising gave you one so that it throws a lot of crazy obstacles at you. However, the action here is just a matter of pointing your gun and just holding the attack button until everything is dead.
Yes, you can dodge bullets and enemies, but there’s no challenge here and no situations whatsoever that test your reflexes and your skills in fighting. The levels and the enemy layout mimicks the past games, but doesn’t go beyond and reinvent the wheel. They just repeat themselves to the point of nausea.

They test your endurance and your patience, sure, but that’s not what a Contra game is about. This Contra game feels like an action RPG using a 2D run-and-gun skin. It’s Contra in name and graphics, but not in spirit and feel.
Contra Returns’ default controls let you auto-aim. Normally I’d say that this defeats the purpose of a Contra game where you need to jump and aim your shots to defeat bad guys coming at you, but the manual controls suck. Contra Returns prove that you cannot use virtual controls on a pixel-precise action run-and-gun game.
There’s going to be lag and a little bit of leeway needed for virtual controls. That’s why Capcom’s ports of Mega Man and Mega Man X do not work on a phone; what makes Konami thinks that a Contra game will?
It’s Time For Revenge (Against The Publishers Who Greenlit This)
To sum up the entire experience: you have a lifebar that lets you take a lot of hits, rechargeable special attacks to keep enemies at bay, and upgradeable guns. Oh,Â and you can auto-aim because the real Contra controls are horrendous in an action game context.

As long as you level up and grind (and some cash for the microtransactions), there’s no obstacle that will keep you at bay. There’s no tension and excitement here; just goddamn rote busywork that sounds and mimicks Contra if it was done by a Chinese company.

Compare this to other Contra remakes and reiterations from WayForward Technologies and Arc System Works. Tencent and Konami should be friggin’ embarrassed that the efforts from those two studios, which are more than a decade old I might add, outshine this garbage fire attempt at a Contra game.

True, if you take out the Contra name and judge it as a standard action RPG game with a 2D run-and-gun mechanic, it’ll be a decent-if-uninspired title. But since it has the name and Konami’s “blessing” on it, all bets are off. Your game will be judged as a Contra title, and it’s safe to say that C: The Contra Adventures (1998) isn’t the worst Contra game in existence.
During one of the many run-and-gun missions against the bullet sponges and brain-dead action that tests your patience rather than your reflexes, my protagonist Bill Rizer halfway quips “Bored yet?”. He says this at times while firing his automatic gun straight at the plethora of gun turrets in a stage dressed up like Stage 1 of the original NES classic.
To which I say “yes”. A thousand times “yes”. If Konami is a human being, it deserves to be waterboarded for whoring out its precious classics like it did with the Metal Gear series. I beseech you to just (i) get a Super Nintendo Mini and play Contra 3/Spirits, (ii) play the old Contra games via emulator or some other way, and (iii) pull out a DS/3DS and play the WayForward Contra 4 game.
Do either one; just don’t download this and give it your attention, time, and money. You deserve better than this. We all do.
Pros
-It’s a decent action-RPG game in a 2D presentation for F2P mobile crowd…
-…with lots of game modes meant for the F2P crowd.
Cons
-Betrays the spirit of the Contra series in gameplay and design.
-Challenge level is not based on reflexes, only stats and attrition.
-Manual controls are terrible.
FINAL RATING: 40/100


Bigo Live Brings BIGO Giant Dino To Malaysia

Bigo Live is one of the world’s fastest-growing social live streaming communities in which users can broadcast in real-time to share life moments, showcase their talents, and interact with people from all over the world. Currently, Bigo Live has around 400 million users in over 150 countries and is the market leader in the live streaming industry. Bigo Live is owned by Bigo Technology and is based in Singapore. It was launched in March 2016.

The BIGO Giant Dino World Tour will tour across five Malaysian cities celebrating Bigo Live and its community of broadcasters across the country. The tour will kick-off in Melaka this weekend. Bigo Live is hosting the Giant Dino Tour as a way to showcase how virtual and physical worlds can get together and complement each other. This tour is a symbol of celebration in bringing together the online and offline culture of Bigo Live and connecting their creators within the same local communities. The Giant Dino, towering at almost 2-metre tall and 2.5-metre wide, will be on display at key Malaysian cities. Each stop of the tour will bring together Bigo Live broadcasters and their fans to experience the Bigo Live virtual connections, community and positive spirit in-person.

“Malaysia is a special place for us. We have heard from all our amazing fans about this beautiful country and we’re thrilled to bring the Bigo Live experience to life through our BIGO Giant Dino World Tour. We continue to see a strong presence of users across Malaysia and are making five stops across the country. We are excited for everyone to have an opportunity to come together and meet our amazing broadcasters, and celebrate the power of connection, culture and community,” –  Vivi He, Country Manager for Bigo Live.

The BIGO Giant Dino will be on display in different states of Malaysia, starting with Melaka, followed by Johor Bahru, Pahang, Sabah and Kuala Lumpur.
Each stop of the tour will feature exciting performances by local broadcasters and some sharings by Bigo brand ambassadors about experiences using the world’s leading social live streaming app. Fans will also have the opportunity to meet and capture their interactions with the Giant Dino and Bigo Live broadcasters. There will also be social media and on-site challenges where Bigo Live users and members of the public are encouraged to participate in and win exclusive prizes as well as pick-up Bigo Live merchandise.
The Malaysia tour dates are as follows:

Melaka, Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall, 10-11 June
Johor Bahru, Paradigm Mall, 16-18 June
Kuantan Pahang, East Coast Mall, 8-9 July
 Sabah, IMAGO, KK Times Square, 15-16 July
Kuala Lumpur, Dataran Merdeka, 22-23 July


E3 2018: Crazy Digital Devolver Press Con Shows Off 3 Games

Remember that insane Digital Devolver press conference video during E3 2017? Well, the DD folks are back again with more insanity while also announcing legit games. Here are the titles:
The first title is SCUM, which is dubbed as an “open world prison survival” game featuring convicts, killer drones, and killer mechas that keep them in line. The game has a huge level of customization, control, and progression. Steam Early Access for this title starts August.

The second game is My Friend Pedro, a 2D action run-and-gun game where you can slow down time ala Max Payne to pull off sick moves and crazy feats of 2D acrobatics. For some reason, you follow orders from a talking banana.

Finally, we get a remaster of a From Software mecha game: Metal Wolf Chaos XD. You control the President of the US of A as he pilots a war mech to take down his traitorous vice president who also has a war mech and a big mecha army backing him up.
The game comes out later this year for PC, Xbox One, and PS4, and features remastered graphics and widescreen format. And yes, it’s as over-the-top as you remembered/heard it to be and a byproduct of its era.

If you’re interested in the entire press con however, check out the video below. We won’t spoil it for you, but it’s just as trippy & surreal as the last one.


Getting Into Street Fighter In 2023

In the world of esports, there’s a special place for fighting games and the passionate community that surrounds them. As an esports fanatic, I couldn’t help but be drawn to the electrifying world of the Fighting Game Community (FGC) and its legendary figures like Daigo Umehara and Justin Wong. The allure of their skill and the rich history of games like Street Fighter propelled me to take a leap into the latest instalment of the series, Street Fighter 6.
As a newcomer with little fighting game experience, my journey into the world of Street Fighter 6 was filled with excitement, challenges, and unexpected discoveries.

Initial Thoughts

The first time I stepped into the virtual arena of Street Fighter 6, I realized that mastering the game would require more than button-mashing. Combos, fast reflexes, and precise execution were the hallmarks of success. As someone with a less-than-perfect memory, I struggled with memorizing the moves and executing them accurately. It was disheartening at first, but the more I immersed myself in tutorials and watched exhilarating tournaments, the stronger my determination grew.
It should be noted that I opted for the Classic controls as numpad notations were just easier for me to read. But in spite of that, memorizing moves and executing them with finesse was a hurdle I had to overcome. Hours of practice and trial-and-error slowly honed my muscle memory, leading to incremental improvements. The path to mastery may be long, but progress came with each session spent in the training room. Even now, I’m still learning to do certain moves consistently. But what can I expect?
With no prior experience in fighting games, Street Fighter 6 introduced me to a whole new realm of gameplay. The online resources became my lifeline, as I devoured guides and tutorials on YouTube. Learning from experienced players and streamers provided valuable insights into character matchups, strategies, and advanced techniques. It was a community built on sharing knowledge and fostering growth.

World Tour

Beyond the exhilarating gameplay, Street Fighter 6 surprised me with its World Tour mode—a captivating blend of an RPG and a fighting game career. Customizing my own character and interacting with the vibrant Street Fighter universe added an extra layer of immersion. The mode offered a unique sense of progression and connection to the game’s legacy.
Choosing a main character was a pivotal decision in my journey. Jamie, a footsie character with an intricate drinking mechanic, caught my attention. Despite the initial complexity, I was drawn to his play style. However, during the World Tour mode, I found myself gravitating toward Ken’s fighting style, which felt more intuitive. Experimentation and adaptation played a crucial role in finding the right fit.

Along my journey, I discovered the importance of defensive play and blocking—a skill I had neglected in previous button-mashing sessions. Understanding the nuances of defence not only improved my survivability in matches but also deepened my appreciation for the intricacies of the game.
While I was eager to test my skills against other players online, my initial attempts left me battered and bruised. Recognizing that I needed more practice and confidence, I chose to focus on refining my abilities before venturing into the competitive realm.
Street Fighter 6 has surpassed my expectations, not only as a fighting game but also as a vessel for the game’s rich legacy. From the moment I laid my hands on the controller, I was captivated for ten straight hours—a testament to the game’s immersive and enjoyable nature. It is a testament to the dedication of the developers and the passion of the community that continues to carry the torch.

For anyone interested in getting into Street Fighter 6 or fighting games in general, my advice is simple: practice. It’s never too late to join in on the fun and experience the thrill of competitive battles.
The fighting game community is a haven of passionate players who are always willing to share their knowledge and help newcomers improve. Don’t be discouraged by the learning curve; every combo mastered and every victory earned is a testament to your growth as a player.
My journey into Street Fighter 6 has not only led me to appreciate the game itself but has also expanded my horizons within the fighting game genre. Inspired by my experience, I delved into Tekken 7 and Super Smash Bros. Melee, discovering new challenges and different playstyles. I even invested in a GameCube controller to fully immerse myself in the world of Super Smash Bros. Melee.

To deepen my connection with the fighting game community, I attended a Street Fighter 6 launch tournament. Witnessing high-level players in action, their swift and precise movements with their fighting sticks was awe-inspiring.
The dedication and years of practice poured into their craft were evident, and it reminded me of the boundless potential that lies within the realm of fighting games.
Getting into Street Fighter 6 in 2023 has been a thrilling journey of growth, learning, and unearthing the joy of competitive gaming. From the initial challenges of memorizing moves to finding the right character and discovering the intricacies of gameplay, every step has been a testament to the enduring legacy of the Street Fighter series. With an ever-welcoming community and a game that transcends generations, Street Fighter 6 stands as a testament to the enduring power and timeless appeal of fighting games.


Xbox Exclusive The Ascent Is Coming In July

Video games publisher Curve Digital is delighted to announce that the highly anticipated debut title from Swedish indie studio Neon Giant, The Ascent will be released on 29 July 2021 on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC and be available on Xbox Game Pass.
The Ascent was originally announced during the Xbox Series X Showcase back in May 2020.
A solo and co-op action-shooter RPG set in a sci-fi cyberpunk world, The Ascent is the first title from Neon Giant, a new 12-person studio composed of games industry veterans who were some of the minds behind iconic AAA titles such as the Gears of War, Bulletstorm and Wolfenstein franchises. The game will target 60 FPS and have full 4K support on the Xbox Series X, offering amazing gameplay performance for new generation console players.

Neon Giant creative director and co-founder Arcade Berg said:
â€œWe are super excited that people will soon be able to jump into the world of The Ascent.
We love making games and we do it because we want people to enjoy the experience and world we have created – so weâ€™ve designed a game that lets all players have fun with the element of gameplay that interests them the most. W
hether youâ€™re someone who enjoys exploring every corner, loves exciting combat or gets invested in the story and lore, we’ve tried to put something in The Ascent for everyone.â€
Fellow Neon Giant creative director and co-founder Tor Frick added:
â€œA month ago we celebrated Neon Giantâ€™s third anniversary and weâ€™re so happy to be launching our first title just after this milestone for our young studio.
We have a very passionate and dedicated team and each person in the studio has brought something new and great to the overall experience of The Ascent, so weâ€™re really excited to share the planet of Veles with everyone and see what people think of the world our team has created.â€

The Ascent will see players dive into â€˜The Ascent Groupâ€™ arcology, a self-contained corporate-run metropolis, stretching high into the sky and filled with creatures from all over the galaxy. Taking on the role of an indentured worker, the world starts to go haywire when The Ascent Group shuts down for unknown reasons. Life becomes a case of survival, with rival corporations and crime syndicates looking to fill the empty space. Players will have to take up arms and hold them off. The Ascent begins here.
The AscentÂ will offer players the chance to step into an action-orientated sci-fi RPG powered by Unreal Engine that takes the genre to new levels, available to play in both single-player and up to four-player co-op.

Features:

A free-roam play style in a cyberpunk-inspired dystopian world.
Classic RPG mechanics to enable players to build up their character including cyberware, augmentations and looting.
An unprecedented sense of verticality within its world, with different levels and platforms discernible within play.
Double-aim mechanic enables players to utilise the full screen and choose between multiple targets anywhere in the environment.
A narrative-led adventure playable in single and up to four-player co-op modes.

The AscentÂ will launch on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC (via Steam), as well as on Xbox Game Pass, on 29 July 2021.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Like Cakes & Hell? Then Try This Free Metroidvania For PC

Want to inflict death by chocolate via Satan? Then try out this free PC game Satan Loves Cake.
It’s a Metroidvania 2D action platformer with a whole lotta retro & limited colour charm. Collecting cake will fill up Satan’s belly; you can empty it to get new abilities and skills.
The game is a tad tough, but that’s the breaks for these old-school games. Plus it’s free.Â Here’s the description from the official website.

“Satan loves cake. Like, a lot. But one day, while watching the telly, he realises that he has run out of cake. Join SATAN in a delicious quest through (a bit of) Hell, while eating as much CAKE as possible!
SATAN wields a trident that shoots electric beams, that are able to tramsform his enemies into cake. Meet a host of enemies and bosses – and eat them all!”

Check out the 2D game in action. Looks pretty old-school and enjoyable if you’re into the 4-colour retro-styled experience.


GigaBash Is A Gigantic Treat For Kaiju & Brawler Fans

Platform(s): PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store), PS4, PS5
Genre: Brawler, Party Game, Multiplayer
We’ve been looking forward to Malaysian developer Passion Republic Games’ GigaBash for years now, ever since we had a hands-on experience with the locally-made game at Level Up KL 2019. GigaBash is probably the biggest and most high-profile Malaysian game since 2020’s No Straight Roads and it’s finally here. This is Passion Republic Games’ debut original title, but they’re no newbie in the games industry. They’ve contributed to the development of many successful games from the recently-released Stray to the PlayStation exclusive Ghost Of Tsushima.
Did it live up to its kaiju-level hype? Or is it a monstrous failure?
War Of The Titans

What is GigaBash? GigaBash is an arena brawler featuring four players as giant monsters inspired by classic kaiju battling it out in cities and exotic places around the world. If you’ve ever played the underrated 2003 game, War Of The Monsters, or any of the myriad Godzilla brawlers during the PS2 era, you’ll be right at home and familiar with GigaBash.
There are seven playable Titans (what the kaiju are referred to in the game) on the roster when you boot up the game, including a mecha, an adorable ball of wool, a lava monster, and an alien-looking monster with pincers. There are three additional Titans that you can unlock by playing the Story Mode, which brings the total to 10 playable Titans at launch. That’s not bad, considering that all of the Titans are original monsters and not based on any IP, though fans of the genre will definitely instantly recognise some of the inspirations behind their designs.

The Story Mode is divided into the narrative of four different Titans, with multiple chapters in each. The narrative is mostly told via animated motion comic cutscenes, but there are snippets of in-game engine cinematic cutscenes during certain parts (usually just before and after a battle). There are four difficulties to choose from but even on the Balanced (read: medium) difficulty, the game can be surprisingly challenging.
Despite this being a brawler game, you can’t just button mash or spam to victory every time. In some cases, you can (and totally should), but the enemy AI is unforgiving and aggressive even on Balanced.
Kudos to the programming team for making the enemy AI smart enough that they block or stay just out of reach when you charge up an attack, and they even grab you if you just keep blocking.
Though the controls are simple enough to understand even if you don’t play the tutorial, you need to utilize the game’s mechanics to win. Besides the normal attacks (by pressing X or Square), charged attacks (by holding down any of the attack buttons), and special attacks (by pressing Y or Triangle), the game also has block attack moves (press the block and any attack button simultaneously) and dash attacks (press the dash and any attack button simultaneously). You have to learn which move is most effective at any given time.

GigaBash also features a stamina system or sorts. There’s no stamina bar or anything, but spamming dash will tire your Titan and blocks can be broken by repeated attacks or strong attacks. There are several arenas or biomes to duke it out in, and the buildings strewn throughout are not only destructible but Titans can pick them up and throw them. There’s even a physics mechanic in play in that smaller objects that Titans can throw, like tanks or pieces of rubble, are thrown in a straight line, while big buildings are thrown in a curved arc.
As the battle rages on, players also have a Giga Meter that fills up. Once full, their monsters gain the ability to transform into a gigantic, more powerful ‘S’ version for a limited time. Collecting certain orbs will also add to that meter, and while in giant mode, they can unleash an explosive and flashy ultimate attack that fills the entire screen, just like the supers in any brawler game.
The combat also has more complex sides to it. For example, some Titans can deflect projectiles by executing certain moves (like block attacks) while some, like Wooley, can inhale and spit out not only projectiles but also enemy Titans, simply by using their special attack. This is both a good thing and a bad thing because it makes some of the Titans clearly more overpowered than the rest. Wooley’s special attack means that nobody can even go near it without being sucked and thrown; and there’s no way to counter that, to my knowledge. Another significantly OP Titan is Pipijuras, whose fast basic attacks have a long reach, and whose special attacks can shoot a powerful projectile across the entire arena. Pipijuras is one of the four Titans with a narrative in Story Mode, and it was the easiest because I could just mostly spam its special attack.
Killer Kaiju

The difficult Story Mode and the overpowered Titans lead me to believe that this game might suffer from some balancing issues. However, balancing issues can easily be fixed with post-launch patches, so it’s not a massive problem at all. Trust me, some of these Titans and their attacks need some good nerfing. In addition, the Story Mode needs balancing, as some battles are way too easy while some can be punishing out of nowhere.
The Story Mode in GigaBash is also short in terms of length. It took me around two and a half hours to finish the Story Mode, and that includes the brief tutorial and me dying (and retrying) several times. If you blaze through it, it’s probably roughly two hours long, which isn’t much. However, there is a scoring system (performing better will lead to better ranks, like A, B, C or D) and the ability to gain XP (increasing levels will give you BGM music, artwork and new levels), so there is a bit of an incentive to replay Story Mode, perhaps even to test your mettle at higher difficulties. Each Titan also has a level system, increasing these should unlock new skins. Speaking of the XP system, that applies when playing in multiplayer too (both online and couch co-op), so playing with your friends and family will also yield new content unlocks.
Multi Monster Madness

The meat of the game therein lies with the multiplayer. It’s fun, especially when you’re playing with friends and family. I managed to test out the online multiplayer and my experience was a pleasant one. It was smooth and there were no technical glitches like lag or anything. That bodes well for when the player pool becomes much bigger after the game officially launches.
Oh, and I loved being able to change the filter to a retro and grainy Showa filter, making the game look like classic Japanese kaiju films from the Showa era. The game doesn’t tell you that, but I discovered it by sifting through the options and now anybody who reads this review will know as well. Last but not least, this game comes with a Bahasa Melayu language option, so kudos to the dev team for that as well.
This game would make for a great party game for friends and family alike. It’s arguably the best time for a game like this to launch, as we’re currently seeing a boom in popularity for brawler party games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl and the recently-released MultiVersus. That last one isn’t even available in Southeast Asia yet, so there’s less competition and a blank space for GigaBash to fill out.
PROS

A good variety of playable Titans at launch.
A fun and simple combat system with enough depth and complexity.
Combat feels punchy and weighty.
A treat for kaiju and brawler fans.
Multiplayer is fun.

CONS

Balancing issues (difficulty spikes and overpowered Titans).
Story Mode is too short.

FINAL SCORE: 80/100
Review copy provided by Passion Republic Games. Played on PC. GigaBash will launch on PS4, PS5, and PC on 5 August 2022.


The Money Heist The Legacy Fan Event Takes Place Later Tonight

The end of Money Heist is almost here. The final five episodes of Money Heist Part 5 Volume 2 will premiere on 3 December 2021. However, before that, fans can look forward to a special Money Heist The Legacy virtual fan event taking place on Wednesday, 1 December 2021, starting from 4.15 am GMT+8.

The event will unite cast, creators and fans from all over the world in a global celebration of the legacy of Money Heist. In anticipation of the launch of the show finale on 3 December 2021, the event will feature conversations with the stars of the show, exclusive announcements and exciting content that fans will not want to miss.
Where can you watch the live event? By heading on over to the link here. Don’t miss the Money Heist The Legacy fan event with all its news, guest appearances, and more. There may be surprises in store for fans of the series. It will be the final season after all.


Jordan Peele’s The Twilight Zone Reboot Stumbles Before It Even Begins

2019 marks the 60th anniversary of the iconic and classic horror/sci-fi anthology series, which is no coincidence that a reboot has once again reared its head. Jordan Peele‘s The Twilight Zone comes at a time when anthologies have returned to the limelight, thanks to modern takes on the genre by shows like Black Mirror, Love, Death & Robots, and Channel Zero.
In a world where horror/sci-fi anthologies are no longer quite the niche they were over six decades ago, can The Twilight Zone reboot justify its own existence? That’s a question it must answer in order to avoid falling into the abyss of obscurity like the series’ previous two reboots in the 80s and early 2000s, respectively.
Two episodes have been released so far, “The Comedian” and “Nightmare at 30,000 Feet”, with mixed reactions by critics and normal audiences alike. Let’s see what works and what doesn’t in the first two episodes, and what I think about them.
These reviews will have spoilers, so here:

The Twilight Zone Episode 1 Review: The Comedian

The first episode of The Twilight Zone reboot stars Kumail Nanjiani as a struggling stand-up comedian named Samir Wassan. One night after one of his failed performances, he meets his idol, who gives him ‘advice’ that changes his life forever. That advice? Use people as material for his comedic performances instead of politics or other heavy-handed topics. What happens then?
Spoiler alert: The people he uses for comedic material ends up being erased and literally wiped off the face of the earth like they never existed. This continues for almost the entirety of the episode’s whopping 54-minute runtime before the character realizes that the hole he’s digging is too deep to crawl out of. The episode’s pacing suffers, which was never a problem in the original series because episodes back then were 30 minutes long at most.
However, I do like the themes explored in this episode, including how much of your values would you sacrifice to succeed and your perception of other fellow human beings are. For instance, Samir Wassan gets so caught up with his newfound fame that he never stopped to think about how he was actually starting to see other people as simply “material” and fodder for his comedy.

Meanwhile, Jordan Peele’s role as the narrator (in place of the late Rod Serling who created and narrated the original series) is a mixed bag for me. He does a fine job of evoking a sense of mystery but it’s jarring that I can’t help seeing him as the same guy from the Key & Peele. Surely I’m not the only one who sees that.
I do still think that it was too long, and many people will find its almost one-hour runtime too much to slog through. This will be the biggest obstacle in the reboot’s attempt to capture a wider audience. In comparison, Black Mirror managed to get away with long runtimes due to its usually shocking plot twists.

Unfortunately, the plot of “The Comedian” is predictable, and you won’t find much of a Black MirrorÂ plot twist here. It definitely will not impress any Twilight Zone first-timers, especially those who have grown used to Black Mirror.

Ultimately, it’s a decent yet unremarkable beginning to Jordan Peele’s The Twilight Zone reboot.
FINAL SCORE: 60/100
The Twilight Zone Episode 2 Review: Nightmare at 30,000 Feet

This episode is actually a direct remake of the classic The Twilight Zone episode Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, which featured a pre-Star Trek William Shatner. The original premise was simple: A guy on a flight freaks out when he notices that a monster is lurking outside the plane.
The reason why this episode was chosen to be remade is presumably because it plays to everyone’s fear that something and anything can happen during a flight, which could turn even the most sensible person into a paranoid wreck.

Nightmare at 30,000 Feet attempts to modernize that initial premise, with Adam Scott as an investigative journalist named Justin Sanderson as an updated version of William Shatner’s character.

Justine Sanderson suffers from PTSD, and while on his fight, he discovers an MP3 player with a podcast that discusses the mystery of a plane crash. Things get bizarre when the narrator of said podcast refers to the plane that crashed as the exact same one that he is currently a passenger of. He then starts panicking, which gets worse as paranoia sets in.
He becomes so convinced that the plane would crash that he starts antagonizing everyone who he suspects (or anyone that the podcast mentions by name). Things keep escalating until the end of the episode, where the twist happens. It’s a pretty bad twist. I won’t spoil it for you, but the resolution spoils everything else in the episode.
Amazingly, Nightmare at 30,000 Feet does manage to retain its suspenseful and unsettling atmosphere for most of its 36-minute runtime. However, that aforementioned ending is so predictable and ridiculous that it immediately threw my immersion away. It’s a “what the ****” moment, in the most negative way possible.
FINAL SCORE: 50/100

The Future Of This Twilight
Episode 3 of The Twilight Zone is slated to arrive on 11 April 2019 on CBS All Access. While the first episode is available for free on YouTube, it’s region-locked to the U.S., which means those of us here in Asia won’t be able to access it.

I won’t blame anyone who abandons the series after watching the first two episodes. If you’re a veteran fan of horror and sci-fi, you’ll know that a few bad apples are bound to appear, even in the most perfect seasons of any series.

Considering that this is an anthology series, don’t let one bad or not-so-good episode stop you from watching the next one, because it just might be a good or even great one. That’s the advantage of being an anthology series.
In the meantime, here’s the complete first full episode of The Twilight Zone reboot for our readers in the U.S. (or those with VPNs). Or check out the trippy trailer below for a taste of what to expect from the first season of the reboot.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29_gA_GDGvE&w=560&h=315]


Overwatch Year of the Dog Event Skins Make Heroes Look Like Dynasty Warriors Characters

Overwatch’s Year of the Dog Event dropped in early this morning, as expected with tons of new, thematic skins that in our opinion are the best to date. Pharah, Genji, McCree and Mercy all got new Legendary-level skins valued at 3000 coins each but man they are all worth that much.
We love the ancient Chinese battle armor vibe these heroes receive this time around, giving each and one of them Dynasty Warriors-style look. Check them out:

Not a Genji main but man, we love that skin. And that Pharah helmet. The folks at Blizzard really outdid themselves this time around and what’s left is a PVE mode ala Warriors musou mode. The Year of the Dog Event also comes with a new Capture the Flag map, Ayutthaya along with changes to the way the game is played. We discussed about the new additions here.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etOQTRKamqM&w=560&h=315]


Need A Break From John Wick? Then Try Its Non-Violent Counterpart A Dog’s Journey

Happy dog lover’s week, at least in cinemas all over Southeast Asia.
First, we have the third entry in the John Wick franchise, a film about a dog lover who takes vengeance on the assassin organization who took his precious wife’s dog’s life. And now we have A Dog’s Journey, a schmaltzy tale of a dog who live through a couple of lifetimes to protect the granddaughter of Dennis Quaid’s character.
It’s a tenuous link, yes, but if you somehow dragged your non-action movie-loving girlfriend to this, it’s only appropriate she returns the favour by dragging you to a film you may tolerate. It might as well be one where dog propaganda is littered all over each seam of the writing, narrative, and character arcs.

Barking Up The Wrong Tree
The story is this: Quaid’s Ethan asks his trusty farm dog Bailey (monologued by Josh Gad) to take care of his granddaughter CJ after she is forcibly moved out of town by her not-so-responsible mother Gloria (Betty Gilpin). Since the dog is old and all, it somehow has the superpower of being reincarnated into different dogs and lifetimes in the same universe.
So Bailey then takes a form of a beagle, a giant dog, and a toy dog to reconnect with CJ, portrayed by Abby Ryder Forston (Ant-Man‘s daughter) and Kathryn Prescott (Skins) throughout her lifetime. Oh yeah, and somehow CJ’s Asian neighbour Trent (Ian Chen, Henry Lau) gets involved because the movie wants to teach us that we should treasure the things close to us, and we need a dog voiced by a Disney snowman to lead the way.

In some way, this movie has a bit of a supernatural element that pop culture fans can dig, especially with appearances from Shazam!‘s Eugene Choi and GLOW‘s Debbie Eagan. Beyond that, the story beats start and wraps up predictably: subplots about deadbeat moms and cancer come into the fray, along with CJ’s terrible choices of men that mirror her mother’s, which all wraps up in a trite whimsical manner. Guess who can solve it and make things right? A dog!
Oh, and CJ’s musical career that won’t take off unless she goes through her hurdles of stage fright which just comes and goes. And someone gets cancer halfway in the film and requires CJ’s support. Yep, it’s that kind of movie that throws in all of its side ventures and hoping one of these lands to make us feel for our female protagonist.

It’s emotionally manipulative, yes, but it’s not like it’s being disingenuous about it half the time. Unless you are a cat person, then yeah you’ll hate this film with a fury of a thousand suns.

Not As Flea-Ridden As We Thought
A Dog’s Journey is a decently-made film for what it is: an all-ages film with stock personalities doing their best with a simple script adapted from a book clearly written from a guy who loves his canines. It’s corny and predictable, yes, but it also brings in the feels when appropriate.
Sometimes that’s worth sticking around for in a week where Keanu Reeves brings in a ton of pain to ninjas and hitmen, yes?
FINAL SCORE: 50/100


God Of War: Ragnarok Graphics Settings Are Aplenty, Includes 120FPS Mode

God Of War: Ragnarok’s graphics setting on PlayStation 5 have been revealed via previews a couple of hours ago, and there are quite a few for you eye-candy fans out there.
Website Press Start listed the following settings:

Favour Resolution – 4K/30FPS Locked.
Favour Performance – 60 FPS Locked.
Favour Resolution (High Frame Rate) – 4K/40FPS Locked.
Favour Performance  (High Frame Rate) – Targeting 120 FPS.

Granted, you will need a HDMI 2.1 TV to take advantage of the last option, but it’s great to have a ton of graphic options especially for the console side of things. I’m a big frame rate guy, so it’s either the second or third option for me. It’s also pretty cool that the game features a ton of accessibility options ranging from button remapping to audio cues, to even high-contrast presets.
God of War: Ragnarok will be out on 9th November 2022 for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. Check out our preview of the game; we had a deja vu-kinda blast with it.


Vanillaware’s Upcoming Mecha Game Gets A Standalone Prologue

Atlus Japan has announced the release date for 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim Prologue, which acts as a sneak preview of the 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. It will feature prologue stories for all 13 characters in the upcoming adventure PS4 game, amounting to approximately 3 hours of game time.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim Prologue will be available in both digital and physical starting from 14 March 2019 (via RPG Site). The digital version will be priced at 980 yen plus tax (or roughly $9.99) and comes with two original PS4 themes alongside a set of avatars. Meanwhile, the physical version will be priced at 2980 yen plus tax (or roughly $29.99) but it adds a 36-page visual book and a mini soundtrack CD that contains 10 BGMs from the game.

				Of course you want a BJ. Who wouldn’t want a BJ?

Additionally, the Japanese PS4 re-releases of Odin Sphere Leifthrasir and Dragon’s Crown Pro will arrive with a complimentary serial code to download 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim Prologue for free. Unfortunately (for now), players won’t be able to transfer the save data from the prologue edition to the full game.

Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for more details and information regarding the full version of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim in the future. While it was originally slated for a release in late 2018, Atlus later announced that the game was going to be delayed indefinitely along with the cancellation of the PS Vita version of the game.
In the meantime, rewatch the TGS 2017 trailer for 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6mhNhPXvRM&w=560&h=315]


Valorant Presents A Novel Yet Familiar Take on the Hero Shooter Genre

Having witnessed the battle royale genre dominate the competitive FPS scene for a few years now, it came as a surprise to many when makers of League of Legends, Riot Games, decided to dodge the conventional and expected trajectory by instead, releasing their take on the hero shooter in the form of Valorant.Â
Not-So-Fresh Recruit
Simplified by many as a hybrid of the granddaddy of the FPS genre, Counter-Strike and the current go-to title when it comes to hero shooters – Blizzardâ€™s Overwatch – the free-to-play Valorant had a lot to live up to not only by Riotâ€™s own lofty standards; but also the gaming community as a whole. And so far, in our books, everything it has presented so far looks very promising.Â
For over a month now, a select number of content creators, streamers, esports athletes and influencers were given almost unlimited access to test out the game. However, this was limited to users mostly in Northern America and Europe, much to the dismay of everyone else around the world.Â
Ironically, Asia which has always been the hotbed of Riotâ€™s flagship game, League of Legends was left out almost completely with some Korean and China esports athletes resorting to creating EU and NA accounts just to try out the game early. Lucky for us, along with a bunch of other media friends and content creators, Riot were kind enough to give a glimpse of what the game has to offer ahead of its public release which is on June 2nd 2020.Â
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b879L0eee8k&w=560&h=315]
A Refresher Course For Some
To the uninitiated, Valorant is a team-based, tactical shooter developed by Riot. Played in first-person mode, it invokes the familiar feel of playing Counter-Strike with a not-so-novel dose of hero abilities ala Overwatch.
While Overwatch has Heroes, Valorant have Agents.Â With eleven of them revealed so far and more to come post-launch, each Agent comes with distinct abilities which adds multiple layers of depth to the gameplay. While the designs of these Agents arenâ€™t as colourful nor outlandish as seen in Overwatch (talking gorilla, hello!?), they are still discernible from one another.Â
Personally, I am not a fan of the art style of Valorant. The choice of the color palette used is at least in my books, dull. The characters, while meticulously designed, appear like rejected Overwatch heroes left out at launch.
While this may be a conscious effort to be distinct from the likes of Overwatch and Apex Legends, the present design philosophy does hinder Valorantâ€™s appeal. Knowing Riot however, you can expect the release of crazier skins, bonkers Agents and more as the game matures.Â
One more trait which distances itself more from Overwatch, where less-skilled casual players are still able to contribute by focusing on abilities such as healing and tanking, Valorant puts a very high emphasis on oneâ€™s ability to aim. Snapping, flicking and recoil control are the essential mechanical skills youâ€™d require if you ever plan to go beyond casual in Valorant. It has a low skill entry point but quickly separates the average from the good and the spectacular.Â Â
As you may have seen or read online for the past month or so, Valorant plays very similar to the classic CS mode of bomb defusal. Like CS, the attacking team wins the round by successfully planting the bomb a.k.a The Spike or eliminating all opposition team members. Defenders win by successfully defusing The Spike or by killing all opposition players.Â
Seems straightforward, right? At first glance, yes. But once you take into account the Agents and their kit, itâ€™s suddenly an endless rabbit hole of meta, counter-plays and strategy which may either make or break Valorant. We expect Valorant to quickly weed out the less-stellar players while retaining the dedicated and skillful ones for the long haul.Â
A Crash Course for Others
Having last touched CS:GO back in 2018, I was a bit rusty jumping in but the familiarity Valorant presented – the pace, how the guns handle, the phases of a standard round and how gunfights are typically fought brought me up to speed in no time. It is definitely a far cry from the frenetic pace of a CoD game or verticality one might be used to with more recent games like Apex Legends, but itâ€™s no doubt a welcome change of pace.
I was mostly on Cypher throughout but after about half a dozen rounds in, it was so apparent to me that the abilities which come with the Agents increased the importance of communication tenfold. I foresee solo queuers being severely punished in games where they are pitted against stacks of three or more players in public servers.Â
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNc0axg4ZWY&w=560&h=315]
The fact that no duplicate Agents picks are allowed on the same team for each round forces players to master more than just one Agent. Love using Raze but she’s already been picked by a random teammate? Too bad. You have to get used to playing without your comfort pick most of the time if you are planning to succeed in Valorant.
The description â€˜tactical shooterâ€™ was spot on as well, as multiple factors such as map design, how weapons react, health system and abilities make it hard – even almost impossible for one to go on a killing spree unless of course, they have Shroud or Dizzy-like reflexes and precision.Â
Ready for Deployment?
The play-test access which we were given was a fully-online affair. However, despite being connected via a 1Gbps line, I encountered noticeable lag during gameplay, averaging about 80+ ping throughout.
Apparently, we were playing on a server out of East Asia. In a game which emphasizes on pin-point accuracy and aim, this is worrying especially for us playing out of SEA countries.
However, some good news. We were told that dedicated SEA servers are definitely coming; something that could not come soon enough if Riot aims to market this game as an esports title right out of the gates.
According to the developers, Valorant was designed to be operable even on the most potato of potato machines and if thereâ€™s a studio out there who knows how to make games that appeal to the mass audience regardless of the condition and power of their rig, Riot would be it.
In spite of the stutter due to connectivity – which we are confident will be ironed out as the game matures, Valorant serves as a very promising prospect not just for Riot, but the esports scene in general.Â

A Good Start?
Valorant has the potential to serve as a bridge for those who want a modern take on the classic CS formula whilst presenting a novel, fresh setting. At the same time, it should also appeal to fans of hero shooters who are craving for a title which puts a high value on raw aiming skills.Â
Is Valorant ready for esports? It is still too soon to make an educated call. From where I’m standing though, what they do have right this moment are all the ingredients to make a great franchise that will redefine how hero shooters are to be played. At the same time, this potential team-based shooter will give Blizzard and Overwatch run for their money.
Valorant is live right now; download it here.


Something Stormy This Way Comes For Anthem Players

For the two months or so, nothing has been happening in Anthem. For a game that’s supposed to be employing a games-as-a-service model, Bioware‘s Destiny clone should be pumping out new content for its loyal player base (or what’s left of it anyway).
With nothing else to do but frolic around in the game’s vast but empty and meaningless world, players have started to discover strange things afoot in the game. Stuff that wasn’t there in the first place, like a spaceship hovering around in the sky.
A Reddit user named Bower shared the image and exact coordinates of that mysterious ship in the sky with Kotaku, which prompted the site’s writer Ethan Gach to investigate the matter. He went there to find this spaceship, but instead finds something way more ominous in its place.
What Gach discovered was a raging storm in the distance where the spaceship was said to occupy. The swirling mass of angry electrical sparks can now be seen by every Anthem player. They’re speculating that the brewing storm is portending the upcoming Anthem Cataclysm event, we still have little to no information about when it will be starting.
After delays and setbacks, Anthem players are anxious for the next big event in the game to begin. If Bioware and EA keep stalling and teasing without anything to show for it, they may lose the already-dwindling number of players they have left.
Twitter user @JAK80014 is one of many Anthem players who have posted pictures of the mysterious phenomena on social media. Check them out below.

Day 10 #Anthem @anthemgame @Darokaz @UNTDrew @BenIrvo @BioMarkDarrah @Bio_Warner @bioware Numerous people @cwinklermilsim @ImmersiveGamer2 @thatmummarocks have seen a storm in game today pictures below! This had better not be K.S.!!GIVE IT!!!!! https://t.co/Q1ajgVHug3 pic.twitter.com/aKM4RCsPxi
â€” TyCo JAK80014 (@JAK80014) July 16, 2019


Forspoken In Tanta We Trust DLC Shows Off Gameplay In New Trailer

Square Enix and Luminous Productions have released a new gameplay reveal trailer for Forspoken DLC “In Tanta We Trust,” which is slated to premiere on 26 May 2023.
After bringing peace to Athia, Frey’s journey continues as she searches for a way to permanently rid the land from the effects of the Break. Amid her search, she follows a mysterious voice that leads her into the past.
When she emerges, Frey finds herself surrounded by chaos and destruction. Injured and draped in blood-soaked clothing, she discovers a grim truth about her fate. The recently thriving Athia is at war, but why and with whom? Accompanied by Tanta Cinta, and a new set of magic, Frey must uncover the answers and save Athia once more—and attempt to save herself.
Forspoken is available now for PS5 and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Microsoft Store. In the meantime, check out our review of the game by heading over here.
Check out the trailer below:


Riot’s League Of Legends Card Game Enters Open Beta Later This Month

Last year, Riot Games announced a bevy of new League of Legends-related titles that are set to release in 2020. One of them is Legends of Runeterra, a card game not unlike that of Hearthstone. The game will go into open beta very soon.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C7oZiGoRvs&w=560&h=315]
The card game will be entering open beta starting from 24 January 2020. However, this is only for PC players. The mobile version of the game is still in the works but you can expect the complete game for both versions to be out within the first half of 2020.
You can pre-register right now at the Legends of Runeterra official website. Those of you who have participated in prior beta tests will have your accounts and decks reset. Do note that this will be the last time the game performs the reset.

That goes hand-in-hand with the introduction of a proper ranked mode in the open beta. Players can progress from Iron (the lowest rank) all the way to Master. It’s mostly similar to LoL‘s ranked progression but there is one significant difference. Upon achieving a new rank, you’ll maintain it regardless of how many times you lose.
This change to ranked mode is introduced so that players are able to experiment more in building decks. New card sets will be released each month in 2020 so to ensure that a rigid meta isn’t set too early, players can try new things without worrying about being punished.

New upgrades in terms of the social features are also introduced. There will be a social panel that will allow you to challenge your friends. It will directly import your LoL friend list so you don’t have to do it yourself.
Continuing the LoL method of avoiding pay-to-win mechanics, Legends of Runeterra won’t allow you to simply buy good cards. What you can spend money on are the aesthetic items such as boards, emotes, and Guardian pets that cheer you on during your playtime.

For more information, check out the Legends of Runeterra official website. You can pre-register there too.


Ex-Xbox Exec Is “Scared” Of Xbox Game Pass’ Potential Impact; Could Be As Disruptive As Spotify

Remember original Xbox team core member Ed Fries? He has some things to say about today’s Xbox and its Xbox Game Pass game subscription service.
Speaking as part of a wider interview with video podcast Xbox Expansion Pass, Fries was asked about the current Xbox team and company. He didn’t give a direct answer, but he did say he was “scared” of the impact Xbox Game Pass could have if it becomes dominant like how Spotify is with the music industry.
“The one thing that they’re doing that makes me nervous is Game Pass. Game Pass scares me because there’s a somewhat analogous thing called Spotify that was created for the music business.
When Spotify took off it destroyed the music business, it literally cut the annual revenue of the music business in half. It’s made it so people just don’t buy songs anymore.
People don’t buy songs on iPhone for example, because why would you? They’re all on your subscription service app. Apple’s said they’re going to take away buying songs because no one’s buying them any more.
So we have to be careful we don’t create the same system in the game business. These markets are more fragile than people realise. I saw the games industry destroy itself in the early 80s. I saw the educational software business destroy itself in the mid-90s… they literally destroyed a multi-billion dollar market in a few years. So Game Pass makes me nervous. As a customer, I love it. I love Spotify as a customer: I have all the songs I’d ever want… it’s a great deal as a customer. But it isn’t necessarily great for the industry.”
He also added despite all this, it’s possible for game developers to embrace the subscription platform.
“At some point it tipped and everything had to be [on Spotify]. The percentage of all games that are on Game Pass is still tiny, and there are a lot of games. 200 games a week come out on Steam and more than that come out on mobile.”
Of course, one can argue that the Spotify analogy might not be accurate. Piracy was the big issue with the music industry, with Spotify actually being a better service and competitor to piracy, which then helped a lot of artists have their music heard through the service.
In any case, Xbox Game Pass is not going away anytime soon, with even its competitor Sony pulling off their own subscription service with the revamped PS Plus. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said that Xbox Game Pass subscribers play 40% more games and spend 50% more than non-members.


Watch The First Few Minutes Of Guilty Gear Strive Story Mode Here

Arc System Works just debuted its opening movie and launch trailer, as well as the first few minutes of its story campaign mode. And it’s as anime and convoluted as it can get unless you’ve kept track of the game’s story.
Also, we get a sneak peek at potential Season Pass 1 characters like the blue guy who appears at 4:32 in the bottom movie, Aska/That Man at 5:36, a guy who may be Sin Kiske in 5:46, and the big guy with the chain and coffin weapon in 5:48. This is all exciting stuff for fans!

Guilty Gear Strive will be out on 11th June for PS4, PS5, and PC.


YouTube Shorts Creators Can Soon Qualify For Ad Revenue

In their effort to combat the rise of TikTok, YouTube has announced that YouTubers who create Shorts on the platform can now qualify for the YouTube Partner Program and thus earn ad revenue.
According to the official blog, starting in early 2023, Shorts-focused creators can apply to the YouTube Partner Program by meeting a threshold of at least 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views over 90 days. These new partners will enjoy all the benefits the program offers, including the various ways to make money like ads on long-form and Fan Funding.
For how the revenue share works; from the overall amount allocated to creators, YouTube Short creators will keep 45 percent of the revenue, distributed based on their share of total Shorts views. The revenue share remains the same, whether they use music or not.
In addition, to support creators who are even earlier in their YouTube journey, from gamers showing off their speed runs to trendsetting DIY makeup tutorials, YouTube will introduce a new level of the YouTube Partner Program with lower requirements, which will offer earlier access to Fan Funding features like Super Thanks, Super Chat, Super Stickers and Channel Memberships. YouTube will add paths for long-form, Shorts and Live creators to join this new tier in 2023.
This is good news for budding YouTubers, especially those who prefer short TikTok-like videos over producing long-form video content. Perhaps this will slow down the rise of TikTok and make YouTube more of a competitor again.


Here’s What Baptiste Can Do In Overwatch

Yesterday, Blizzard officially revealed the 30th Overwatch hero, a support character named Baptiste. The good news is that players can already start using him in the latest PTR (Public Test Region) for the PC version of the game. Baptiste’s abilities and playstyle can also be seen in action thanks to a video released earlier today.

First of all, Baptiste’s primary weapon is the Medic SMG, a mid-range submachine gun which shoots three-round-bursts, rewarding players who emphasize precision and accuracy.

The alternate fire of his weapon is the Biotic Launcher, which launches a healing grenade that does splash healing in a radius.

His primary ability is the Regenerative Burst, where Baptiste can activate a burst that applies gradual healing to him and his surrounding allies.

His secondary ability is the Immortality Field, where Baptiste launches a device that creates a visible field preventing himself and allies from dying. The Immortality Field works by making it so that everybody on the team cannot go beneath a certain percentage of health.

“No dying on my watch.”
Get your first aid on Baptiste’s abilities and playstyle. Now healing on the PTR!
âš•ï¸ https://t.co/ienbb2jo9W pic.twitter.com/pJM4M3hMfy
â€” Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) February 26, 2019
Although the Immortality Field sounds pretty overpowered, the opposing team can still kill the Immortality Field by targeting and destroying the device in the center.

The last of Baptiste’s abilities are the Exo Boots, which essentially allows him to super-jump and leap over great distances.

Baptiste’s ultimate move is the Amplification Matrix, where he places a wall (or targeting interface of sorts). His allies can then shoot through this wall to inflict significantly boosted damage to the opposing team.
These abilities definitely sound like they’ll be devastating in the hands of the right player, as Baptiste looks ready to shake up the meta. There’s no official word yet on when the new hero will be making his way onto the live servers, but it probably won’t be long now. In the meantime, check out the developer introduction to Baptiste below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akplvZwGJZI&w=560&h=315]


Hannah Yeoh On How Parents Can Help Their Children In Esports

We recently had the opportunity to interview the current Malaysian Minister Of Youth And Sports, Hannah Yeoh. We covered and touched on plenty of interesting subjects, including how parents can help their children who want to venture into esports.
Starting from 13:35 & ending at 15:32, she said the following in this Kakuchopurei exclusive interview:
“My message to parents would be, everything is about balance now. I don’t think we can forever shield our kids from the movement that is happening globally. Everybody’s on YouTube; every child knows about Instagram (and) TikTok. You won’t be able to fight that change that is happening at such a rapid pace.
But I think we can introduce safeguarding methods to help our kids find that balance. How do you spend an equal amount of time studying, playing as a recreational or sport, and at the same time, see that also as a career prospect?
So, introduce this to the next generation and then, let them decide, what’s good. But as lawmakers, as a government, we have a duty to provide protection, and that’s something I think we have to work with KKD (Ministry Of Communications And Digital) to ensure that they also do their part in terms of regulations and all that, to ensure that when we promote Safe Sport, we just launched Safe Sport Code.
Safe Sport Code must also be safe online for these people who are playing. Definitely, as a mother, I struggle a bit when I see games that are violent or gory. But kids have a choice, what kind of games they want to play, so these are some things that you have to teach them.
Not ban, but really educate them on what’s good and what’s not good and help them make those choices along the way.”
Watch the full interview below to find out more how the current Malaysian Minister of Youth and Sports plans to improve esports and gaming in the country.


New Neo-Noir Third-Person Shooter El Paso, Elsewhere Set To Launch Fall 2023

Strange Scaffold, the same studio behind games like An Airport for Aliens Currently Run by Dogs and Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator, just announced a new game called El Paso, Elsewhere. It’s a moody, neo-noir third-person horror shooter and love story all in one. You’ll be able to play it on Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam this Fall 2023.
In the game, you play as James Savage, who’s on a mission to save the world from his ex-girlfriend, Draculae, the lord of vampires. She’s conducting a ritual that will destroy the universe, so Savage returns to his hometown of El Paso to kill the monster he once loved. The game takes you through a reality-defying, dimension-shifting void and challenges you to use all the weapons at your disposal to kill the monsters guarding Draculae.
Savage is dealing with both physical and emotional pain, but he’s fueled by pills that keep the pain away. You’ll have to use dual pistols, shotguns, uzis, stakes, and more to make your way through the seemingly-endless motel. And if you’re in a tight spot, you can activate Bullet Time to give yourself an advantage.
Throughout the game, you’ll experience exquisitely designed flashbacks and stylish monologues from Savage. You’ll learn what led to his split from Draculae, as well as how and why he was drawn back. It’s a mind-bending adventure that’s sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Check out the latest trailer below and for more information check out El Paso, Elsewhere’s Steam page.


SDCC 2019: DC Universe Renews Young Justice & Doom Patrol

Despite Swamp Thing still in a canceled state (#SaveSwampThing), fans should rejoice that DC Universe has renewed both Young Justice and Doom Patrol for Seasons 4 and 2, respectively (via IGN).
At San Diego Comic-Con 2019, series creators and producers Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti announced the fourth season of Young Justice, as production is already underway.
Young Justice debuted on Cartoon Network in 2010 and ran until 2013 until it was abruptly canceled at the end of Season 2. DC Universe then revived it for the third season, which is currently still ongoing.
Doom Patrol is one of the best comic book TV series adaptations around, and it’s great that not only the show has been renewed for a second season, but also will be debuting on the newly-announced HBO Max.

Doom Patrol Season 2 will premiere on both DC Universe and HBO Max streaming services sometime in spring 2020. However, no release date/window was revealed for Young Justice Season 4.


Indonesian Horror Game DreadOut 2 Out Now, Steam Reviews Mixed

The first DreadOut wasn’t a critical darling, but the Indonesian horror game managed to earn itself a ‘Mostly Positive’ user rating on Steam. DreadOut 2, which released just a few days ago, boasts a larger scope than its predecessor, but its Steam rating is inferior.
The game currently has a Mixed user rating on Steam. A good number of the negative reviews criticize the game’s bugginess, with some also noting that there were game-breaking bugs. A few reviews took issue with the new open-world, which they found to be a disappointment.
It’s a shame because the DreadOut 2‘s open-world environment looks pretty cool. Andreas Betsche, a writer at Virtual SEA, tweeted screenshots of the game’s Indonesian town. It’s undeniably indie, but the detail is still impressive.

Today, I visited an Indonesian town in #DreadOut2, did a little bit of sightseeing and took some pictures until I was run over by a reckless motorbike. Had to order some pecel lele in a warung to get back on track. What a day! pic.twitter.com/pvhRAZNAtH
— Andreas Mauskino (@mauskino) February 22, 2020

Steam describes the game as such:

“A unique take on third-person action-adventure survival horror with Indonesian supernatural in veins.
Mixed gameplay of city exploring, â€œDreadOutâ€ style smartphone ghost hunting and new action-packed combat within DreadOut supernatural realm.
Even though it is a Horror game in veins, but with the touch of silly high school problems, satiric social commentaries, and yet touchy memorable moments, DreadOut 2 will become a fresh take on the survival horror genre.”

DreadOut 2 isn’t the only Indonesian horror game of 2020. Psychological horror title Pulang: Insanity, which centres on the “Pesugihanâ€ ritual and claims to be based on a real story, is releasing on 13 March 2020.
According to the Steam description, the “Pesugihan” ritual allows one “to earn wealth instantly without doing any work, yet it needs a fairly big amount of sacrifice in [the] form of a humanâ€™s soul every 3 months on the day of 21st”.


Netflix Confirms Resident Evil Live-Action Series

A Netflix Resident Evil series was leaked earlier this year, but now the streaming giant has confirmed the news.
Netflix has announced a new live-action TV series based on the Capcomâ€™s popular Resident Evil series of video games that will be produced by Constantin Film, the same company that made the previous six Resident Evil films starring Milla Jovovich.

The 8 x 1 hour episode season will be helmed by Andrew Dabb (Supernatural), Bronwen Hughes (The Walking Dead, The Journey Is the Destination) will direct the first two episodes.— Netflix Geeked @ SDCC #NetflixSDCC (@NetflixGeeked) August 27, 2020

The upcoming series will feature an original story set within the world of the Resident Evil, set across two timelines.
The first will focus on sisters Jade and Billie Wesker (likely related to iconic franchise antagonist Albert Wesker) move to the corporate town of New Raccoon City at age 14, before realizing the destination and their father â€œmay be concealing dark secrets”.
The second timeline will jump 16 years into the future, with the Earth devastated by Resident Evilâ€™s signature zombie-making T-virus, and focus on Jade (and the less than 15 million human survivors) trying to survive in a world overrun by six billion mutated monsters.
Andrew Dabb, who had previously worked as a writer and co-executive producer on Supernatural, will serve as the showrunner, executive producer, and writer for Netflix’s Resident Evil, with Bronwen Hughes (best known for her work on The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, and Better Call Saul) set to direct the first two episodes of the series.
While Netflixâ€™s Resident Evil is being produced by the same production company, it hasn’t been confirmed if the story will tie in or crossover to the existing movie franchise, or be tied to the game franchise instead. Other details, including the cast and release date, remain unknown.


Valorant Patch 1.11 Adds Skye & Balancing Updates

Riot Games has released theÂ official patch notesÂ forÂ ValorantÂ Update 1.11, which is part ofÂ ValorantÂ Act III.
In Valorant patch 1.11,  Skye enters the fray, Initiators and most Sentinel Agents get balanced, and the Economy ruleset is tuned. All Sentinels and Initiators are getting role and abilities-specific tuning, with the start of First Strike in mind.
In addition, updates to the match economy ruleset (the way credits are distributed after a round) should alter decision-making when the round or your loadout is on the line.
However, the update has since been delayed until further notice due to problems and issues.

We'll redeploy later in the week once we can figure out a less disruptive time for the VALORANT First Strike Qualifiers (and have a solution, obviously). If you started the Skye character contract, you won't be able to progress until we patch again. [2/2]— VALORANT (@PlayVALORANT) October 27, 2020

Check out the full patch notes below:
AGENT UPDATES
SKYE  joins the VALORANT roster!
Skye, like all new Agents from now on, will be available for use in official esports competition (e.g., First Strike) after two weeks in Competitive queue
With First Strike on the horizon, the balance team has been hard at work making our last round of major balance changes before teams start duking it out.  We want to ensure that the top teams donâ€™t have to constantly adapt to a changing game while theyâ€™re playing in the tournament. Minor balance changes may occur during the span of First Strike, but we wonâ€™t deploy changes like the ones in this patch that heavily impact a teamâ€™s strategies.
One of the major trends weâ€™ve observed over the last few months is that matches have become increasingly defender-sided (especially at higher ranks).  Although every piece of the game can influence this type of trend (move speed, weapon tuning, map design, Agent balance), we think there are a few targeted character changes that can help give attackers more opportunities to break entrenched defenders. Each is listed below.
â€”Max Grossman, Lead Character Designer
INITIATORS
Flash Tuning: The fade out of the flash debuff remains the same duration but now fades slower at the start
Initiators create concentrated windows of extremely high threat to help their teams break onto sites. To this end, we are slightly increasing the duration of debuffs from some Initiator abilities (mostly flashes). Our goal here is to increase the opportunity window that Initiatorâ€™s teammates have to capitalize on their utility and further differentiate Initiators from Duelists.
BREACH
Full flash time increased from 1.75 >>> 2
SENTINELS
Similar to some of the changes we made with Sage, we want to increase the depth of decision making when playing Sentinels while also providing enemies with more counterplay to â€œtrapâ€ abilities. To reduce the total potential impact of these abilities, autonomous traps are now disabled when the deployer dies (e.g., Cypherâ€™s Trapwire disables when Cypher dies). We want to encourage Sentinel players to play more thoughtfully and carefully around their traps while increasing the reward for taking out the Sentinel player.
CYPHER
Tripwire
Disabled and revealed upon death
Cost reduced from 200 >>> 100
Spy Camera
Disabled and revealed upon death
KILLJOY
Killjoy is most effective when locking down a single site. Killjoy has to stay near her Turret and Alarmbot for them to remain active. Her global recon should be hit pretty hard here but we have slightly boosted her stalling power to counterbalance that nerf. All in all, we hope to keep Killjoy in a very similar place power wise but give her a stronger identity as the premiere on-site defender.
Deactivation Range
Alarmbot and Turret now deactivate if she is more than 40m away from themâ€”reentering the 40m range reactivates her little friends.
Turret
Cooldown after pickup reduced from 20 seconds >>> 10 seconds
Alarmbot
Range at which Alarmbot can be detected decreased from 9m >>> 7m
Cooldown after pickup reduced from 20 seconds >>> 7 seconds
Nanoswarm
Range at which Nanoswarm can be detected decreased from 5m >>> 3.5m
Damage increased from 40/s >>> 45/s
Damage now ticks smoother and faster while in Nanoswarm, instead of in chunks of 10 every Â¼ of a second
COMPETITIVE UPDATES
Icebox enters the Competitive map rotationIcebox, like all new maps from now on, will be available for use in official esports competition (e.g., First Strike) after four weeks in Competitive queueShorter Unrated queue times for the highest-rank playersWeâ€™ve taken steps to further solve issues for elite players experiencing long queue times for Unrated. Weâ€™re also further investigating improvements to reducing long queue times for all primary modes.Added location of the current gamepod to the loading screen for all modesAdjusted Combat Score to factor in non-damaging assists
GAME MODE UPDATES
â€œPlay Out All Roundsâ€ option now available in custom game lobby options,Play Out All Rounds makes it easier to run practice sessions. When enabled the game will no longer end when a team reaches 13 wins; instead the match will continue until both teams have played a full half of 12 rounds on each side. After 24 rounds the team with more rounds will win. In the case of a tie the game will proceed to overtime.
GAMES SYSTEMS
Updates to Economy Ruleset
Attackers who lose but survive the entire round without planting the Spike receive a reduced number of credits (1,000)Defenders who lose but survive the entire round after the Spike has detonated also receive reduced credits (1,000)Dying to the Spike will no longer count as a death in KDA statisticsAdditional economic information added as a tooltip when hovering over the exclamation mark next to â€œMin Next Roundâ€ in the shop
Context: These changes are intended to increase richness in decision making regarding when it is worthwhile to save your gear vs. go for the round win. Additionally, this will allow teams that can secure round wins to more effectively chip away at the economy of opponents that opt to save out expensive weapons on a round loss.
Other Changes
Minor improvements to observer flashed indicatorNew setting for observers: â€˜Show Player Keybinds on Mapâ€™New Custom Game Option:  â€˜Play Out All Roundsâ€™Both teams play a full 12 rounds on both attacker & defender sides, followed by overtime/endgame (if applicable)
QUALITY OF LIFE
Left-handed view model is now available for players. Players can swap their first person view-model to lefthanded by going to the settings menu and swapping their view model to â€œLeft-Handedâ€. Changing this will also show all other players as left-handed when spectating.  You can now send a direct message by clicking a friend’s name in chat instead of having to type their name outPlayers that have been AFK or alt-tabbed for more than 5 minutes will now appear as ‘Away’ in the Social Panel[BETA] Experimental Sharpening This graphics setting accidentally shipped with the last patch, and we were going to remove it, but your feedback asked us to keep it. So It stays, but with some more tuned defaults. We donâ€™t know when weâ€™ll get to optimizing its performance, or tune it further, so consider it an ongoing Beta.
BUG FIXES
Fixed one source of combat hitches weâ€™ve seen from player reportsWe’re continuing to investigate the combat hitches that players have been reporting in recent patches. This patch includes a fix for one of the most common hitches that we’ve seen during combat. While we hope that this will resolve the issue for many of you, we’re still actively tracking down a couple other hitches that we’ve seen from your clips.  Jett now canâ€™t rope dash lelFixed a bug where incoming Party invites would remain active in the Social Panel after being declinedPlayers no longer see the spike location when reconnecting to a gameFixed issue where player corpses could cause collision issuesSage wall segments no longer breaks if a player dies on top of themFixed a bug that would disable queueing for any mode if a player closed the client during the Match Found countdown. Fixed a bug that was displaying Act Rank badge on the MVP screen outside of Competitive Queue.


TalKenn Games 15122017: CoD, OWL and TLJ

Today we discuss about special winter events for Call of Duty WW2, diversity in Star Wars and an upcoming launch event in Kuala Lumpur in 2018!
[wpvideo 8AOrNP7B]

Got any specific topics you want us to talk about next week? Tell us in the comments section!