The Father Of PUBG Is Moving On From His Battle Royale Masterpiece

As much flak as we give PlayerUnknown’s Battleground, we can’t help but admit it spawned an entirely new genre where recent games like Fortnite and Apex Legends can amass their own legion of fans and gamers. Its creator, Brendan Greene, should be proud.
So it’s no surprise that after five years of this, he decides to move on from PUBG and build up a new division that focuses on research and game development. In a company statement, he will be moving from Seoul to Amsterdam to lead a new division of PUBG Corp. called PUBG Special Projects. PUBG’s actual game development will be handled by Taeseok Jang and the PUBG team; Brendan will remain as a “consulting creative director”.
Here’s what he has to say regarding the departure:

“The past five years of my life has been all about battle royale. From the early days working on a mod to getting the chance to create my vision for a battle royale title, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds.
It’s been an incredible journey and our game has reached heights I never thought possible. Seeing the game grow into what it is today has been a dream come true and I can’t thank our fans and the incredible team at PUBG Corporation enough.”

What Next?
Brendan should feel proud knowing that he made a bunch of obnoxious Twitch and YouTube streamers even more grating with this stream-friendly game. That, and have self-sustaining jobs with the genre he’s created.
PUBG and PUBG Mobile are still the most-played battle royale games in Southeast Asia; we do wonder if his successor can keep the momentum going. Maybe if he can make the game look less like ass and fine-tune the controllers akin to a triple-A shooter, then maybe there’s hope.


Spider-Who: Introducing the Spider-Men and Spider-Women in Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has received almost universal critical acclaim, and now stands at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes (at the time of writing). Not only is it the first high-budget blockbuster Spider-Man animated movie, but it is also the first Spidey movie to feature multiple Spider-Men and Spider-Women at the same time.
It might be a tad confusing to those accustomed to having one wall-crawler in their movies but fret not. Here are some brief introductions to all the confirmed Spider-People in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Spider-Man (Peter Parker)

Let’s start with the original friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man himself, Peter Parker. In Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, this Peter acts as a grizzled and reluctant mentor to newbie Miles Morales. As such, he seems to be older and much more cynical than the wise-cracking Spidey we all know and love.

According to directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord, this veteran Spider-Man is an amalgam of all the Peter Parkers that you have seen in popular culture. They specifically mentioned taking elements from the Tom Holland Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield Spider-Man, the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man, and of Spider-Man from various comics and TV shows. (Source: Fandango)

They also clarified that although this version of Peter Parker isn’t exactly the mainstream comics version (Earth-616 or Prime Earth), he is considered to be a direct parallel or alternate reality version of that.
Similar to the Spider-Man PS4 version, it’ll be fascinating to see what else has happened in the life of a more experienced and weary Spider-Man.
Spider-Man (Miles Morales)

Fans of Miles Morales have been clamouring for the African-American-Latino character to appear in live-action. Though there’s still no indication of that happening anytime soon, the fact that he’s headlining a high-budget animated movie of his own is impressive.
Miles Morales was created by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli in 2011. Just like DC Comics’ Wally West or Kyle Rayner, Miles Morales was created to replace the Spider-Man of Marvel’s Ultimate universe (Earth-1610) after his untimely demise.

The fact that he is now the most iconic iteration of Spider-Man next to the original is a testament to how much the character has grown from just being a legacy character to a superhero of his own right.

Compared to Peter Parker, Miles Morales has several extra powers/abilities in addition to enhanced strength, sticking to walls and spider-sense. One is the ability to render himself virtually invisible by camouflaging himself to match his surroundings, and the other is a ‘venom strike’ that can momentarily paralyze even powerful enemies like Venom.
Similar to the comic book crossover event Spider-Men in 2012, the interaction between Peter Parker and Miles Morales will probably be the highlight of the movie (and bittersweet too, considering that Mile’s version of Peter is dead).
Spider-Woman / Spider-Gwen (Gwen Stacy)

Spider-Woman or Spider-Gwen (or more recently, Ghost Spider) is from a universe where Gwen Stacy is bitten by the radioactive spider instead of Peter Parker. She has the exact same powers as the original Spider-Man.

In the comics, Gwen Stacy was Peter Parker’s love interest until her tragic and comics-defining death at the hands of the Green Goblin. However, on Spider-Gwen’s world (Earth-65), it was Peter Parker who died after he turned into the Lizard and fought her.

She was later blamed for Peter’s death, leading to her being regarded as a fugitive by the law and the mass public.
It remains to be seen if this will still be the character’s backstory in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, but it will still be historic to catch the debut of a Spider-Woman on the silver screen.
Spider-Man Noir (Peter Parker)

Imagine a Spider-Man living in 1930s New York during the Great Depression, with the temperament and style of Batman? That’s Spider-Man Noir, who first appeared in a 2009 comic mini-series and becoming an instant fan-favorite due to his darker design aesthetic.
Spider-Man Noir’s backstory is very similar to the original Spider-Man’s, with the biggest difference being the setting and the reason he became Spider-Man.

Yes, his Uncle Ben still died, but he never learned the “With Great Power There Must Also Come Gret Responsibility” lesson.

Unlike other Spider-Men and Spider-Women, Spider-Man Noir uses guns and has no qualms about killing. His powers are mostly the same as the original Spider-Man, with the exception of organic webbing and a more mystical origin for his abilities (Spider God instead of radioactive spiders).
SP//dr (Peni Parker)

One of the more unique Spider-Person out there, Peni Parker was created by former My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way and Jake Wyatt. It was inspired by mecha anime, specifically Neon Genesis Evangelion in particular. In fact, Peni Parker’s SP//DR suit in the comics is a direct homage to Eva mechas from the iconic anime.

In the comics, she was told by her Uncle Ben and Aunt May that she was the only one capable of piloting the SP//dr suit, due to her father’s death. She allowed the radioactive spider that formed the other half of SP//dr’s CPU to bite her by choice.

Unfortunately, the SP//dr suit in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is nothing like the Neon Genesis Evangelion-inspired one in the comics, presumably to avoid copyright infringement problems with Gainax studio. The movie version looks like Baymax 2.0 instead of a badass mecha.
We could have gotten this instead.
Spider-Ham (Peter Porker)

Spider-Ham is essentially the comic relief or gag character in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. The character has been around since the 1980s, and contrary to what he looks like or what his name implies, he was born as a tiny anthropomorphic spider.

Earth-8311 is a world populated by other sentient anthropomorphic animals. Peter turned into Peter Porker and the Spectacular Spider-Ham when he found himself transforming into an anthropomorphic pig thanks to an experiment by another anthropomorphic pig named May Porker.

He discovered that he retained his spider abilities in his piggy form, and the rest is history. I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of pig puns and swine-related jokes the movie will feature.
There you go, true believers. Now that you know all about the various Spider-People, check out Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse when it arrives in Malaysian cinemas on December 7, 2018.


Is Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night The Same Ol’ Symphony & Dance?

Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch (soon, in a week)
Genre: Metroidvania action adventure game from the guy who started the trend
The thing is, we’re living in a world where games like Hollow Knight, Dead Cells, and Timespinner exist and do not charge you RM163 for the same kind of dearth and experience. In fact, the Castlevania Collection that features Igarashi’s Symphony of the Night is on offer right now, it kinda makes one hesitant on spending money outside of Kickstarter and Metroidvania legacy obligations.
But hey, you get to play dress-up with the game’s protagonist. So that counts for something, right?
Code Red

The plot is thus: you’re a shardbearer named Miriam who has to take down her kin Gebel since he’s wreaking havoc with demons and stuff. The game inserts its narrative in simple-yet-awkwardly-produced cutscenes to give context and flesh out this version of Europe, where Miriam has to collect shards to become more powerful and perhaps be more demonic than human. Not a win-win proposition when you think about it, eh?
However, if you played every other Castlevania game from Koji Igarashi and Konami pre-F*** Konami, you’ll find the obligatory “bad guy at the end of the level is not what he seems” followed by the Metroidvania staple “extra section based on the existing map but with tougher bits”. Narrative-wise, it’s not going to shock and awe your inner core.
But that’s fine: at least we get some Metroidvania gameplay from the man who popularized the genre, so we should be seeing some new iterations here and there, right?Â Welp, prepare to be enamoured yet disappointed at the same time.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is basically a spiritual successor to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, right down to its nitpickey flaws. Everything about this game feels too familiar the longer you play it, from the stage layout and Metroidvania tropes right down to some familiar power-ups.
I get that Igarashi and his team wanted to create a spiritual successor to a late 90s title he worked on, but the game doesn’t seem to throw in a number of curveballs like its indie inspirations throughout the years.

The randomized approach of Dead Cells, the multi-character and gadget system of The Iconoclasts, the engrossing world of Hollow Knight in its muted art style, and the time-jumping and narrative consequences of Time Spinner.
In my 12 hour+ playthrough, I have neither nor experience anything in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night that makes me go “this is superior to those other titles I just mentioned”.

And they all cost less than the total sum of Igarashi’s Kickstarter “masterpiece” on PC and consoles. That’s just iffy when you think about it.
Some Shine In This Blood Moon

Still, this all-too-familiar-yet-still-kinda-fun game is presented to us in a shinier 3D coat of paint and brimming with some new features here and there.
For one, you get to craft weapons and buff up the shards you collect via your alchemist buddy Johannes. Shards are what you need to cast your spells and do your cool Metroidvania skills like dash super-fast, or walk underwater as you would on land, double-jump, or fire out a plethora of projectiles or even summon a bunch of paintings to shield yourself from harm.
Whether they’re offensive spells or seemingly one-trick pony spells that are occasionally cast to get through an obstacle, you can rank them up to make them more practical. That one shard that lets you move faster underwater? Rank it up so that you can regenerate health while in the depths of the river underneath the obligatory bad guy castle.
The Shortcut system also lets you customize Miriam’s setup and switch them up on the fly. Want to go from a spellcasting-focused Miriam with high Intelligence to a brute-force Blood Umbrella-wielding waifu with elf ears and absurd levels of strength and defense? Just press the appropriate trigger and switch away mid-combat.
Speaking of which, I had a helluva time dealing with the game’s plethora of bosses. They’re fun, challenging without being too infuriating (seriously, just be patient and spot patterns to exploit), and break up the monotony of trudging and backtracking in a genre renowned for this sort of thing.
All these features, coupled with a pretty and giant out-there castle filled to the brim with lovely Michiru Yamane-made music do make Bloodstained: ROTN offer a modicum of fun in a genre already played out.
Tainted Love

Bloodstained: ROTN is part comfort food, part throwback, and part return to form for Koji Igarashi, ready to take on the world post-Konami and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The problem is that there have already been other indie fares that supersede the late 90s and 2000s Metroidvania fares that feel more refined and superior than even the efforts of the genre’s master.
It’s fun and mostly polished in the right areas, don’t get me wrong, but the feeling of deja vu is all too apparent and leaves little room for major surprises and twists in the formula. Igarashi and co. may have created a solid action gaming experience, but he hasn’t done much to advance or revolutionize the template he created eons ago. Heck, even his contemporaries and game developers who were inspired by SOTN did a much better job at capturing the Metroidvania 2D magic while bringing something new to the table.

Just like a comfortable pair of jeans, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is fine to wear and makes you feel good inside. However, you end up yearning for something more stylish, trend-setting, and eye-catching in the long run.

In a gaming field where we search for the kind of games in a genre that transcend its template, Igarashi and co. is fine just playing and covering his past hits in a brand new 2019 package.
Pros

It’s a spiritual successor to Symphony of the Night with some improvements.
Decent open-world 2D action-adventure fare.
Polished graphics & fine-ass music.
Fun boss battles that test your mettle.

Cons

Feels too similar to its inspiration.
No major surprises & shake-ups to the formula.
Janky cutscenes and transitions.

FINAL SCORE: 70/100


Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix Receives First Teaser & Fall Release Window

Netflix and Ubisoft have teamed up to bring us an awesome new anime series called Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix. If you’re a fan of the Far Cry DLC Blood Dragon or Ubisoft characters, this is definitely something you don’t want to miss! And here’s the exciting part: the series just dropped its first teaser, giving us a sneak peek at what’s in store.
The teaser was revealed earlier today at the Ubisoft Summer Forward Presentation, and the creator of the series, Adi Shankar, was there to introduce it. He described Captain Laserhawk as a “love letter to the ’90s,” so get ready for some serious nostalgia vibes.
But that’s not all—mark your calendars because Captain Laserhawk is set to hit our screens in Fall 2023! We’ll have to wait a little longer, but it’ll definitely be worth it. So, get ready to immerse yourself in this exciting new world where Ubisoft characters and the Blood Dragon universe collide.


MotoGP 23 Revs Ups Its Engines This June

Milestone and Dorna Sports S.L. have announced that MotoGP 23 will launch for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC on 8 June 2023. It will feature all the official riders and tracks of the 2023 Season for the MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3, and MotoE categories.
Among the most important novelties of MotoGP 23 is the design of the career mode, conceived to give players the freedom to build their own journey to becoming a two-wheel legend. Indeed, the introduction of turning points will affect career paths based on the performance achieved and the decisions made by each player. After debuting in the final part of a Moto3 season, it will be possible to move faster through the different classes depending on the results obtained; however, finding a contract will not be easy, as each team will only have two spots and players will have to compete with the official riders to take their place.
Turning points will also influence bike development during the seasonal tests, with dedicated challenges to speed up evolution. Importantly, this year rivalries will not be confined to the track; for the first time ever, MotoGP 23 will also feature a social network to interact with riders, teams, and manufacturers. Just like in real life, this will be the place to make friends but also to bother rivals, as the AI will behave differently during races also based on the way players act on the social network.
Strongly requested by the community, two brand-new features will bring the simulation to a whole new level of realism. Thanks to the introduction of Dynamic Weather, a dry race can now quickly turn into a wet mayhem, where skills and strategy can make the difference. The race can thus be declared a Flag-to-Flag race with the possibility to return to the pit lane and switch bikes to gain a strategic advantage. The Advanced AI will finally grant the in-track behaviour of riders to be more coherent with their real-life racing style, as each rider will have a unique personality that will directly affect his actions during the race.
Meeting both hardcore gamers and rookies’ needs, new riding aids for brakes, acceleration, and handling will deliver a gaming experience that is both approachable and ambitious so that everyone can feel the thrills of the real MotoGP, regardless of the initial skill level. Also, the acclaimed MotoGP Academy is back to help players learn the basics or perfect their style with dedicated training sessions.
MotoGP 23 will also offer many multiplayer options, both on and offline. For the first time, cross-play will allow racing with other players regardless of the platform and console generation, whereas the new Ranked Races will ensure fair fights by getting players of the same rank to compete with each other. And the 2-player local split-screen* is back to let players challenge their friends side by side on the couch.
Finally, the helmet, sticker, racing number, and butt patch graphic editors will allow players to show off their style making their journey into MotoGP even more unique.


Pokemon GO Blasts Past The US$3 Billion Mark In Revenues

When looking at the success of online mobile games, it’s hard to blame game developers and publishers for shifting more attention towards smartphones instead of PC and consoles. Pokemon GO continues to be a prime example of an extremely successful mobile title.
The latest findings by Sensor Tower indicates that Pokemon GO has just surpassed US$3 billion in lifetime gross revenue. In 2019 alone, the game has raked in more than US$774 million in user spending. The game’s best year remains to be 2016 where it grossed more than US$832 million.

On average, Niantic has been making more than US$750 million each year since the release of Pokemon GO.
To give you guys a perspective of how big US$3 billion is, here are some easy-to-understand comparisons:
US$3 billion is approximately equivalent to:

Selling 7.5 million units of PS4 Pro.
Selling 10 million units of Nintendo Switch.
35% of League of Legends lifetime revenue. LoL has existed since 2009. Pokemon GO started in 2016.
Selling 50 million copies of a US$60 game. This comparison was made by video games industry analyst Daniel Ahmad who also noted that it’s more Pokemon X/Y, Sun/Moon, Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire combine.

Pokemon GO fans were definitely excited for the introduction of Team Rocket which was put into the game through an update that dropped earlier this year. Tower Sensor notes that this was what encouraged users to spend more on the app. It’s estimated that players have spent US$67.8 million in the month of October.
For more insight into what Sensor Tower gathered in their findings, check out their official blogpost here.


League Of Legends Clash Tournaments Are Now In Southeast Asia

League Of Legends Clash is a monthly tournament that sees you and four fellow players team up to compete against other teams at your skill level. Matches only happen on Saturday and/or Sunday and the more games you win, the better your prizes will be.
In celebration of the launch of Clash in Southeast Asia, everyone will receive a free basic entry ticket for Clash as long as you log in between 25 February and 28 March 2023. This ticket can be used for any of the upcoming tournaments so get your 5-stack ready.

Lock-In Begins
Tournament Days

Bilgewater Cup
Week 1
March 6
March 11-12

Week 2
March 20
March 25-26

Mt. Targon Cup
Week 1
April 3
April 8-9

Week 2
April 17
April 22-23

To Be Announced
Week 1
May 1
May 6-7

Week 2
May 8
May 13-14

Bandle City Cup
Week 1
May 29
June 3-4

Week 2
June 12
June 17-18

With the change to a 2 split year, Riot Games is aiming to release the Clash schedules alongside the split start moving forward. They have also announced that OP.GG now supports Clash. You can use duo.op.gg/lol/clash and find the best teammates to join you in Clash.
You can search for a team member based on rank, champion preference, or even preferred position. It also shows you details such as win rates, KDA, along with their highest mastery Champions so that you can make informed decisions on who will join you on the Rift.
For more details on League Of Legends Clash, head on over to this FAQ.


PS4 Is Now Second Best-Selling Home Console Of All Time

The PlayStation 2 will be keeping its throne as the best-selling video game console of all time but the original PlayStation goes down to third place and replacing it is none other than its own younger brother skipping one generation, the PlayStation 4.

Accoriding to Sony’s recently published Q2 FY2019 Consolidated Financial Results report, total worldwide shipments of the PS4 have reached 102.8 million units. For comparison, Sony previously shipped 155 million units of the PS2 and 102.4 million units of the original PlayStation. Below the PlayStation is the Nintendo Wii with 101.6 million units sold.
Despite the good news, the report shows that the PS4 is actually underselling this fiscal year. Sony’s initially expected to sell 15 million units and they’ve now revised the target to 13.5 million. Last year, they managed to sell 17.8 million units which clearly indicates a year-on-year decrease.
On the up side, there are now 36.9 million PlayStation Plus subscribers as of 30 September 2019. At the same period of the last fiscal year, there were 34.3 million subscribers. In other words, Sony gained 2.6 million new PS Plus subscribers in a year.
As pointed out by video games industry analyst Daniel Ahmad, this revision of targets is definitely related to recent announcements of anticipated first and third party titles such as The Last of Us Part 2 and Shenmue 3 being delayed plus all the generated hype surrounding the upcoming PlayStation 5.

Sell In for Sony's PlayStation 4 reached 102.8 million as of September 30th 2019.
This makes it the second best selling home console of all time, having surpassed Wii (101.63m) and PS1 (102.49m) in the past quarter. pic.twitter.com/56TfkItUbv
— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) October 30, 2019

Still, it’s really impressive to see Sony conquering the top three spots in the best-selling video game consoles ranking. The absence of the PlayStation 3 proves that the most important ingredient in a game console’s success is having a rich library of great games, and not merely having good hardware.


Netflix Geeked Week Day 5: The Witcher, Splinter Cell Anime, Castlevania & More

Netflix Geeked Week is a free five-day event that runs from 7 June to 11 June 2021. There will be tons of exciting announcements and exclusive first-looks to new trailers, celebrity appearances and so much more.
ALL THE NEWS & SNEAK PEEKS FROM DAY 5
Fret not if you canâ€™t watch Geeked Week live because weâ€™re compiling all of the latest news, hottest clips and lots more this week to keep you up-to-date and on top of the action. You can check out all the highlights and announcements fromÂ Netflix Geeked Week Day 1 here,Â Day 2 here,Â Day 3 here. and Day 4 here.
The Witcher Season 2

The Witcher Season 2 shows off Ciri. No details were revealed.

Lost in the woods no more. Meet Ciri in #TheWitcher Season 2. #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/zIweEHxtYw
— Netflix Geeked @ SDCC #NetflixSDCC (@NetflixGeeked) June 11, 2021

WitcherCon

Netflix and CD Projekt Red has announced WitcherCon, which will take place on 9 July 2021. No other details were revealed.
Splinter Cell Anime

Here’s your first look at the Splinter Cell animated series, an adaptation of the bestselling Ubisoft game franchise.
Derek Kolstad, the creator of the John Wick franchise, is onboard to write the series.
Far Cry Spinoff Captain Laserhawk A Blood Dragon Remix Anime

Captain Laserhawk A Blood Dragon Remix is an anime adaptation of the bestselling Ubisoft game is in production with Netflix.

Far Cry Anime

A new Far Cry anime. No details were revealed.

Netflix and @Ubisoft are developing a brand new Far Cry animated series.  #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/BX4FkS9v5r
— Netflix Geeked @ SDCC #NetflixSDCC (@NetflixGeeked) June 11, 2021

Castlevania Spinoff Series

The Castlevania Universe is getting even bigger.
An all-new series starring Richter Belmont (the son of Sypha and Trevor) and Maria Renard, set in France during the French Revolution, is currently in the works.

The Castlevania Universe is getting even bigger.
An all new series starring Richter Belmont (the son of Sypha and Trevor) and Maria Renard, set in France during the French Revolution, is currently in the works. #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/tsdeDpvNGQ
— Netflix Geeked @ SDCC #NetflixSDCC (@NetflixGeeked) June 11, 2021

The Cuphead Show

Wayne Brady will voice King Dice on The Cuphead Show. There is no release date yet.

League Of Legends Arcane

League Of Legends Arcane is slated to premiere sometime in fall 2021.
Check out the images below, and an exclusive clip:

Nothing like a little sibling rivalry.
Watch the first clip from #Arcane, the @LeagueofLegends animated series coming fall 2021 to Netflix. #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/m25ciGHr9M
— Netflix Geeked @ SDCC #NetflixSDCC (@NetflixGeeked) June 11, 2021

Resident Evil Live-Action Series Cast

Been dying to announce this. Get ready to enter New Raccoon City with the cast of RESIDENT EVIL: LANCE REDDICK / ELLA BALINSKA / TAMARA SMART / SIENA AGUDONG / ADELINE RUDOLPH / PAOLA NUNEZ. #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/ULKEFuYdAr
— Netflix Geeked @ SDCC #NetflixSDCC (@NetflixGeeked) June 11, 2021

Get ready to enter New Raccoon City with the cast of Resident Evil:

LANCE REDDICK as Albert Wesker.
ELLA BALINSKA.
TAMARA SMART.
SIENA AGUDONG.
ADELINE RUDOLPH.
PAOLA NUNEZ.

Season 1 is currently in production.
Stranger Things Smite

Stock up on waffles and pump up some '80s music: Watch the first gameplay from Stranger Things in @SMITEGame, dropping this July. #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/9JhDitx0sq
— Netflix Geeked @ SDCC #NetflixSDCC (@NetflixGeeked) June 11, 2021

Stock up on waffles and pump up some ’80s music: Watch the first gameplay from Stranger Things in Smite, dropping this July.
You can watch the entire Netflix Geeked Week Day 5 live stream below:


For Honor Dead By Daylight Halloween Game Mode Available Today

Ubisoft has announced that this yearâ€™s Halloween event, a crossover with Dead By Daylight, is available from today. To celebrate Halloween, the Trapper from Dead By Daylight has slipped into For Honor and will not spare anyone!
Beginning October 21 until November 11, For Honor will have a limited-time event in partnership with Dead By Daylight, called â€œSurvivors of the Fogâ€. During this limited-time event, players will be able to play the â€œSurvivorsâ€ game mode in a spooky environment, based in Dead By Daylightâ€™s universe. This game mode is a 4v4 PvP game mode where minions are replaced with a powerful AI, the Trapper, roaming the map looking to prey on the heroes.
During this event, players will be able to play through a Free Event Pass and gain access to a multitude of rewards such as a new Battle Outfit, an Effect as well as an Ornament. Along with the free event pass rewards, players will also have access to limited-time Dead by Daylight themed executions, illustrious outfits and an exclusive signature.
Also, an Amazon Prime Gaming giveaway campaign will begin on October 21, offering bonus packs to Amazon Prime and Prime Video Customers. The bonus packs offer players seven days of champion status, two scavenger crates and three battlepass tiers. This giveaway will end on November 29.
With over 25 million players, For Honor is available on PS4, the Xbox One family of devices, and Windows PC. For Honor is playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S through backward compatibility.


Legendary Batman Voice Actor Kevin Conroy Has Passed Away At 66

Legendary actor and voice actor Kevin Conroy has passed away at the age of 66. The news was revealed via a Facebook post by actress Diane Pershing, who voiced Poison Ivy in Batman The Animated Series.
https://www.facebook.com/diane.pershing/posts/pfbid02ZMbyF3SyGKwLJu2qKAnrP4ULZMbxNvFccU3e2f7bKU86uJhTPmpUpzCASb32J2VJl
The late Kevin Conroy is best known as the definitive and iconic voice of Batman, a character he has voiced since Batman The Animated Series. He continued to voice Batman in several animated DC Comics movies, as well as games like the Batman Arkham trilogy and Injustice.
Kevin Conroy’s final tweet before his death was wishing everyone a Happy Halloween.

Happy Halloween! The Bats are out at Wayne Manor pic.twitter.com/bjsPFm3AWK
— Kevin Conroy (@RealKevinConroy) October 31, 2022

We will never forget you, Kevin. Our condolences to his friends and family, as well as his legions of fans around the world.


Resident Evil Welcome To Raccoon City Gets Spooky First Trailer

Sony Pictures has revealed the first trailer for the upcoming Resident Evil Welcome To Raccoon City movie reboot.
Set in the year 1998,Â Resident Evil Welcome To Raccoon CityÂ will focus on the events of the aforementioned city under siege from infected zombies. Fans of the games will be happy to learn thatÂ both the mansion from the originalÂ Resident EvilÂ and the police station fromÂ Resident Evil 2Â will be featured in the movie.
TheÂ previously-announcedÂ cast includes:

Kaya Scodelario (Maze Runner) as Claire Redfield.
Hannah John-Kamen (Ant-Man And The Wasp) as Jill Valentine.
Robbie Amell (Upload) as Chris Redfield.
Tom Hopper (The Umbrella Academy) as Albert Wesker.
Avan Jogia (Zombieland: Double Tap) as Leon S. Kennedy.
Neal McDonough (Yellowstone) as William Birkin.

Fear is contagious. ? #ResidentEvil: #WelcomeToRaccoonCity, exclusively in movie theaters November 24. Trailer out NOW! pic.twitter.com/RzXXnClZ0P
— Resident Evil (@ResidentEvil) October 7, 2021

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is slated to premiere on 24 November 2021.
Check out the trailer below:


Warzone 2.0 Season 2 Introduces Major Changes To Loot, Armour & Loadouts

Infinity Ward came out with a blog post in anticipation for Season 2 of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0 will bring significant updates, including stability fixes, weapon balancing, and improvements to PC audio and UI.

What to expect?

Season 2 will see the reintroduction of 1v1 Gulag and a return to the original Warzone overtime mechanic of flag control point, known as Domination-style, replacing the current Jailer. The studio stated that they have already made changes to the existing Season 1 Gulag to accommodate 1v1 combat, while they are developing a dedicated 1v1 map for future seasons.

Additionally, players will no longer drop backpacks when they die. Instead, they will drop loot onto the ground, similar to the previous Warzone. The change is aimed at balancing engagements, as Medium/Large Backpacks will no longer be available. This means that every player will have the same backpack throughout the entire game, which will reduce the impact of stacking medical supplies, equipment, and killstreaks.
The blog reads “In our continued effort to balance engagements, Medium/Large Backpacks will no longer be available and eliminated Players will drop loot onto the ground rather than loot-filled Backpacks.
Every Player will have the same Backpack throughout the entire game which will subsequently reduce the impact of stacking medical supplies, Equipment, and Killstreaks.”
Other updates include starting all players with a 3-Plate Vest, an increase in the minimum amount of cash earned from looting, cheaper primary weapons, and buy stations. Additionally, players will be able to burst through doors while plating as if they were sprinting.
Warzone is also making changes to the loadout economy by reducing the price of Loadout Drop Markers and adding a second Loadout Drop Public Event, which will now happen on the first and fifth circles of each match. Season 2 will also introduce customizable Perk Packages, which will initially launch with a slightly reduced pool of available perks, which Infinity Ward may reintroduce over time.


Here’s Where You Can Watch the PlayStation Awards 2018 Live Stream

Hyped for The Game Awards 2018? Before that arrives, catch The PlayStation Awards 2018 next week on Monday,Â December 3, 2018. How? It will be streamed live via YouTube, and we have embedded the video (English) below for your convenience.
The PS Awards 2018 will officially recognize titles that have been released on the PS4, PS3, and PS Vita from October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2018. Therefore, games like Marvel’s Spider-Man and God of War will be included but not more recent games like Red Dead Redemption 2.
Unfortunately, public voting for the PlayStation Awards 2018 closed on October 8, 2018. Those who did vote stands a chance of winning prizes like consoles and exclusive merchandise. The event will be moderated by Jon Kabira and Hatsune Matsushima, as well as take place at the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa in Tokyo, Japan.
The PlayStation Awards 2018 will actually be the 24th edition of the event. This yearâ€™s event will introduce the Gold Prize and Platinum Prize awards. The former will be awarded to games that have sold over half a million copies in Japan and Asia, while the latter will be given to games with sales exceeding a million copies in those same regions.
The PlayStation Awards 2018 live stream will be available in both Japanese and English. The live stream officially begins on December 3, 2018, at 4.45 p.m. Japan Standard Time. That translates to 3.45 p.m. Malaysian time on the very same day (which also applies to other GMT+8 countries like Singapore, Philippines, Taiwan, etc).
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y29B_vWpdJ0&w=560&h=315]


Nintendo Announces Nintendo Live 2023 Seattle Event

Nintendo has announced Nintendo Live 2023 Seattle, a physical event that will be held in Seattle in the United States Of America (USA) in September 2023. According to the press release, it will feature “fun gameplay, live stage performances, exciting gaming tournaments, memorable photo ops, and more.”
Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser said:
“Fans of all ages can currently experience the unique games, characters and worlds of Nintendo on Nintendo Switch, but we want to expand that scope with a new experience. With Nintendo Live 2023, we’re giving attendees a chance to celebrate together with family, friends and the broader Nintendo community in the spirit of fun and creating long-lasting memories.”
At the event, attendees will be able to experience a “wide variety” of Nintendo game-inspired activities across a large-scale themed area, take part in Switch gameplay, enjoy live entertainment, cheer on gaming tournaments, and take photos with recognizable characters like Mario and Luigi, among other activities.
More details about the event will be revealed in the future. Perhaps this is intended to be Nintendo’s official replacement for E3. We’ll have to wait and see.
Check out the official website here.


The Compelling & Breathtaking Works Of Mojiken Studios

Mojiken Studio has been around a lot longer than you might realize. The Indonesian game studio, based out of sunny Surabaya, has been alive and kicking since 2013. Originally an outsource studio for illustration work, now the studio is known for being behind the global hit A Space for the Unbound.

We had the opportunity to speak with Eka Pramudita, co-founder of Mojiken Studio itself. From college students, to development superstars – please enjoy the story of Mojiken Studio below!
Can you introduce Mojiken Studio to our readers?
Eka Pramudita: Mojiken Studio is a game development studio based in Surabaya, Indonesia. We consist of passionate talents with lots of love towards art & video games as a medium, and we strive to create video games with meaningful experiences through compelling narratives, and breathtaking audio and visuals.
Tell us about Mojiken Studio’s journey in the Indonesian game development scene.

Eka: In 2013, it started when several graphic design students from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) Surabaya started an illustration studio.
At that time, all of the original co-founders had not graduated from college besides myself. After several illustration contract works, we felt that outsourcing work is not something that we want to do for the rest of our life. So we pivoted our focus to become an IP-based creative studio, and chose video games as our medium.
The reason for this is because I have some experience from my previous gaming start-up. As for the fate of bootstrapping our own company, in reality, we’re still doing outsourced work for game assets while developing our own web-based games (for Flash & HTML5).

In 2015, we did our first internal upgrade programme/game jam called Mojikencamp, where each Mojiken team member had to make their own game prototypes from scratch in a 2 month time limit. Some of those prototypes include Ultra Space Battle Brawl, She Who Once Was Lost (a precursor to She and the Light Bearer), Heaven’s Below, and A Space for the Unbound – the Bridge. (These prototypes can be accessed on our itch.io page here.)
The prototypes caught the eye of Kris from Toge Productions and thus, together we formed a collaboration project called “Koalisi Kemakmuran” – a team consisting of Toge Productions, Mojiken Studio, and Amagine Interactive- that tackles several outsource mobile game projects. The income from this venture would enable us to continue working on our future title, She and the Light Bearer.

In 2017, after years of struggle and juggling between both internal and outsource projects, we got a minority stake investment from Toge Productions and registered our company as a legal business entity with a better business plan and strategy. Finally, we can focus on our own IP! We started working on the full version of Ultra Space Battle Brawl as our debut title for console, while also continuing work on She and the Light Bearer. These two titles would also be Toge’s debut as a game publisher.
For several years onwards, we focused on developing premium games for PC and consoles. Bringing experimental narrative games such as Banyu Lintar Angin, A Raven Monologue, Divination, When the Past Was Around, and our latest title, A Space for the Unbound.
For yourself, can you tell us about how you got started in game development? Is it something you’ve always wanted to do?

Eka: Since I was a child, I’ve always dreamt of being able to control my own drawings and seeing them doing cool stuff while I press buttons. But as I got older, I realised that there wasn’t any kind of game industry in Indonesia. So when I got to college, I was striving to be an illustrator.
In my final year at college, my junior (Dimas, who is also one of Mojiken’s co-founders) persuaded me to join a gamedev start-up that was formed by IT students in the next building – the design & IT majors in my college were actually side-by-side. I worked with them for about a year before deciding to establish Mojiken with my college friends.
Your most recent title – A Space For the Unbound (ASFTU), is making some serious waves not only within the Southeast Asian game development scene – but on a global scale. How does the team feel about this?

Eka: We are really happy and grateful for that. We’re glad that the story that we’re trying to tell manages to resonate with a global audience, and we tried our best to make an experience that has universal values and is relatable. It has been an honour for us to be able to present something that is highly inspired by the time and place where we grew up, and receive a warm reception for it in the end.
Can you tell us a bit about ASFTU and its development journey?
Eka: The development can be traced way back to 2015, as ASFTU is one of the prototypes that was made during the first Mojikencamp.
After that, the project rolled out its first concept trailer to the public and the game’s development began. In the first 4 years, while working on another project, the development team tried to make several prototypes that encapsulated the spirit and the message of the game. During that, there were many trials and errors and many lessons learned.
In 2019, the game finally took its comprehensive shapes and structures. In 2020, the prologue of the game was released. The prologue garnered some attention and we received a lot of positive feedback, and in 2023, the game was finally released.
The story for ASFTU is something that’s resonating with so many people. Can you tell us about some of the inspirations behind it?

Eka: The very reason is quite personal for Dimas, the director of ASFTU. It is his long-time dream to give tribute to the place and time we grew up in. He was fascinated by the concept of Seichi Junrei and discovered that a lot of anime and manga use real-life locations for their settings. The comparison between real life and an animated version of a place really inspired him on how beautiful real life is in relation to its animated and illustrated counterparts.
He sought to do the same because he wanted to draw and tell a story inspired by the time and place we grew up in (Surabaya). At the end of 2015, he started writing the story of Atma and Raya (the main characters of A Space for the Unbound). Through their adventure, he wanted to tell a story about anxiety, depression, loneliness, melancholy, and the hardships of growing up. This is a story theme that we as a team wanted to combine with an Indonesian town setting.
We really want to explore what is happening inside people’s minds when they feel very anxious, lonely, and lost. Atma, the main character of the game, was equipped with a magical skill, spacedive, which allowed him to enter people’s minds and see what kind of inner struggle they’re having.
What’s next for Mojiken Studio?
Eka: [At the time of writing], we are in the middle of our 4th Mojikencamp. Hopefully, some of the prototypes from this year’s Mojikencamp can make it into full production. Fingers crossed!
Final thoughts?
Eka: Check out A Space for the Unbound and if you already purchased and enjoyed it, please spread the word to your friends and family! Thank you so much for the opportunity.

A Space For The Unbound is out right now for PC and consoles. Check out our review here.


Nintendo Switch Worldwide Sales Top 92.87 Million; New Zelda Game Tops 3.6 Million

Nintendo has sold more than 681 million Switch games worldwide, according to the company’s latest earnings release.
The company has sold 92.87 million units all across the world as of 30th September 2020. A total of 3.83 million Nintendo Switches and 48.6 million games were sold during the console’s past three months. The company also listed down its top 10 best-selling first-party games for the console:

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe â€“ 38.74 million
Animal Crossing: New Horizons â€“ 34.85 million
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate â€“ 25.71 million
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild â€“ 24.13 million
Pokemon Sword / Pokemon Shield â€“ 22.64 million
Super Mario Odyssey â€“ 21.95 million
Super Mario Party â€“ 16.48 million
Pokemon: Letâ€™s Go, Pikachu! / Pokemon: Letâ€™s Go, Eevee! â€“ 13.83 million
Splatoon 2 â€“ 12.68 million
Ring Fit Adventure â€“ 12.21 million

Nintendo also announced the sales numbers of its recent titles:

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD â€“ 3.6 million
New Pokemon Snap â€“ 2.19 million
Mario Golf: Super Rush â€“ 1.94 million

I sure can’t wait to see how Metroid: Dread does in the next few months. For more on that recent Nintendo hit, head here.


Former Justice League Member Joins Marvel’s Falcon & Winter Soldier

Marvel’s The Falcon And The Winter Soldier has reportedly added another cast member to its ranks, and it’s none other than a former member of the Justice League.
According to Deadline, actor Carl Lumbly has joined the cast of the upcoming series, albeit in an as-of-yet undisclosed role. Lumbly is best known for voicing J’on J’onzz AKA the Martian Manhunter in Bruce Timm’s iconic Justice League animated series, as well as recently portraying the father of Martian Manhunter in CW’s Supergirl series.
You might also know him as protagonist Dr. Miles Hawkins from M.A.N.T.I.S., a series about a wheelchair-bound scientist who creates an exo-suit to fight crime, which aired from 1994 to 1995. It’s possible that Lumbly could be playing Isaiah Bradley in Marvel’s The Falcon And The Winter Soldier.
Isaiah Bradley was subjected to an attempt to recreate the Super Soldier Serum which turned Steve Rogers into Captain America, transforming him into the first ‘black’ superhero in the Marvel Universe. He was originally introduced in the 2003 Marvel Comics limited series Truth: Red, White & Black.

Marvel’s The Falcon and The Winter Soldier stars various actors reprising their roles, including Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Falcon, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter and Daniel BrÃ¼hl as Zemo.
Newcomers include Wyatt Russell, who will be portraying John Walker AKA USAgent, another product of Super-Soldier experiments who briefly replaced Captain America, albeit in an antagonistic and more violent way.


HBO’s The Last Of Us Episode 7 Breakdown & Easter Eggs

HBO’s The Last Of Us Episode 7 is now streaming on HBO and HBO GO (HBO Max in the US). Check out our breakdown of Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5 and Episode 6 here.
The Last Of Us, based on the critically acclaimed video game of the same name developed by Naughty Dog exclusively for the PlayStation platforms, is written and executive produced by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. The series is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television and is executive produced by Carolyn Strauss, Evan Wells, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, and Rose Lam. Production companies include PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog.
The Last Of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heart-breaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
The cast includes Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie, Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Anna Torv as Tess, Nico Parker as Sarah, Murray Bartlett as Frank, Nick Offerman as Bill, Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen, Storm Reid as Riley, Merle Dandridge as Marlene, Jeffrey Pierce as Perry, Lamar Johnson as Henry, Keivonn Woodard as Sam, Graham Greene as Marlon, and Elaine Miles as Florence. Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker also star.
Courtesy of HBO Asia, we were lucky enough to be the only Malaysian media to participate in interviews with Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, Merle Dandridge and Gabriel Luna. You can also check out our spoiler-free review of the entire season by heading over here.
Spoilers ahead:

Flashback To Before Ellie Met Joel

These flashbacks take place before Ellie met Joel in Episode 1, and all of this is adapted from The Last Of Us DLC Left Behind, which isn’t part of the main storyline of the base game.
Meet Riley

Riley is Ellie’s best friend, portrayed by Storm Reid.
The Mall

The whole mall is ripped directly from the game, including the carousel, the photo booth, and even the arcade, as well as the Halloween shop.

Mortal Kombat II Reference

Earlier in the episode, there was also a Mortal Kombat II poster in Ellie’s room.

The Book Of Puns Returns

The No Pun Intended book was also in Episode 4, which meant that Ellie kept the book.

Ellie Kisses Riley, Just Like In The Game

Faithful to the game.

This Is When And How Ellie Gets Bitten

She gets bitten while she was with Riley and they got attacked by a Clicker.
Until next week, excelsior!


Olympic Council Of Malaysia Announces AESF Road to Asian Games 2022 For Esports Selection

The Olympic Council Of Malaysia has announced the AESF (Asian Electronic Sports Federation) Road To Asian Games 2022 (via Twitter). The esports tournament will serve as the national qualifiers for the upcoming 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, which was recently postponed to 2023 due to problems arising from the pandemic.
Malaysians who are interested can register themselves via the Olympic Council Of Malaysia offical website. However, at the time of writing, there are no details or a way to register yet. Perhaps these will be added in the near future. It’s strange that they would announce this now, considering that the Asian Games have just been postponed.
The 2022 Asian Games will make history by having esports featured as an official medal sports event for the first time in history. This is following the debut of esports at the Asian Games in 2018 as a demonstration sport.
The confirmed games at the 2022 Asian Games so far include:

Arena of Valor (Asian Games Version)
DOTA 2
Dream Three Kingdoms 2
EA SPORTS FIFA branded soccer games
HearthStone
League of Legends
PUBG Mobile (Asian Games Version)
Street Fighter V

Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for any future updates on esports and the 2022 Asian Games.


Battlefield 5’s Battle Royale Not Coming Out Until Spring 2019

EA and Battlefield developer EA DICE just laid out its post-launch timeline for Battlefield 5. Turns out that the highly-anticipated(?) battle royale mode called Firestorm will not be out and ready until spring 2019.
Meanwhile, the rest of the game’s content will come out as scheduled.Â Check it out below.

To recap:

“The Last Tiger” will be released during the December-January window, along with vehicle customization. A practice mode will also be added to the game.
Overture mode should be ready in December. The mode brings the Panzerstorm map where you get to pilot tanks in this controlled arena.
Combined Arms, the game’s co-op mode, will be out during the January-March 2019 window alongside two new takes on the Battlefield game modes Rush and Squad Conquest.
All of these updates are free for players who bought Battlefield 5. There will be cosmetics involving microtransactions, but there isn’t much being said about that. It probably has something to do with Star Wars Battlefront II.


The King Of Fighters XV Is Great For Hardcore Fighting Game Fans, Not So Much Everyone Else

Platform(s): PS4 (version reviewed), PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series
Genre: 2D fighting game with 3v3 and legacy mechanics
If anything, SNK clearly knows its audience and niche.
Rather than making a mass appeal 2D fighting game from scratch, the company sticks to what it knows best and just pile it on for its loyal fanbase and top players. The King of Fighters XV is no exception: its 2D 3-versus-3 team-based fighting game pits a plethora of 39 fighters with various fighting styles (rushdown, shotos, grapplers, and so forth) in a pretty fast-paced and technical combat system. Fighters duke it out with normal attacks, specials, and super moves called Desperation Moves (DM), but they can also do regular jumps, short hops, evasion moves (the dodge rolls), and blowback heavy attacks (one with and without armour). And you can also go in a powered-up state that lets you continue combos, as well as chain DMs with one another if you have the resources to do so; this is common if you’re down to your last person in the team and thus get extra resources.
If this all sounds fine and dandy to you and are incredibly competitive in the fighting game scene, then congratulations: KOF XV is an instant-purchase. We’ll touch on that in a bit, because that’s just one good half of the game. The other half when doing reviews and recommendations is answering the other question: is this a fighting game that entry-level folks can jump in and have fun with for the long term?
No. No, it isn’t.
Royally Out Of Touch?

Unlike Guilty Gear Strive, Mortal Kombat 11, and all five seasons of Street Fighter 5, there isn’t much single-player fun and mechanics-learning to be had save for unlocking story mode cutscenes which are just static images with voice-overs and the occasional animated cutscene when you’ve picked the lead character’s teams on the box art. Even then, only serious KOF lore hounds are only going to care about these as well as the music jukebox.
The Mission Mode, which is the standard option where you have a bunch of combos that are usually practical for the character you selected, and the tutorial are well-intentioned, but there’s a good number of legacy KOF mechanics and nuances that are present in part 15 that aren’t fully explained or touched upon here. If anything, this is a missed opportunity for SNK to teach newbies what makes a KOF game a different breed from other fighting games. Players shouldn’t have to rely on fighting game community-centric Twitter posts and YouTube videos for this sort of knowledge that should have been taught in-game.
Even when compared to past KOF ports and other SNK titles, KOF XV’s options and bonus content is sorely lacking. I do miss KOF’s Survival Modes and Endless Modes, as well as opportunities to include a combo recipe-type option ala Guilty Gear Strive. Perhaps DLC in the future can alleviate that, but it doesn’t change the fact that SNK, a company that has made fighting games for a long while, do not seem to learn from others who offer a more substantial content-filled product. Speaking of which, it’s also a bit criminal to have a number of empty slots of DLC up there, unintentionally telling players that this KOF game may be incomplete.
It sounds like I’m slagging the game off and hating it from the get-go. Truth be told, I dig the current roster and character choices: I have my fallbacks Athena and Joe, while I dig the moves and stylings of newcomers Isla (and her hand apparition Amanda) and Dolores, who is perhaps one of the few grappler-style characters with some zoning capabilities. I also dig KOF XIV’s King of Dinosaurs who may have received quite a buff thanks to his many armoured moves and damage buff.
I even appreciate the fact that SNK put in its own Akira tribute once again with Krohnen; he’s going to be seeing quite a bit of play with his kit. The old cast even has some controls and inputs changed, mostly for the better. It’s nice to have motion inputs for Clark’s special punches instead of charging it or mashing buttons.
These kinds of titles live and die by their roster. KOF XV has the best one yet thanks to its diversity and quantity.
King Me

Long story short: did I enjoy my time with The King of Fighters XV? Yes, I did, but only because I’ve been following the series’ lore, characters, and fighting gameplay since the late 90s. KOF XV is what you want from a series that’s getting a second wind in a post-pandemic fighting game world: mandatory rollback netcode, great online fighting, a good roster that caters to old-school fans and a few new characters that add a bit more flavour, and all-around breakneck speed and depth.
Unfortunately, everyone else who just like to mash buttons and play fighting games for fun will not find much to enjoy here in the long term. It’s not the friendliest entry point for newbies because of its lack of in-game tutorials and how-tos, and it’s missing a key number of single-player options and game modes from past KOF (and SNK) entries to ease players in. You can blame the game’s legacy for this 15th entry to be what it is right now, though on the flip side, pandering to rose-tinted nostalgia glasses is also its strength.
I’m leaning towards the latter, and it’s been 5 years or so since we had a new serious KOF entry and a bunch more DLC coming in, so I’ll cut it a little slack. Having a proverbial king making a return mostly unchanged is definitely better than no king at all.
Pros

Great fighting game roster with tons of intricate combinations.
Solid fighting game mechanics.
Good online play.
Fanservice and nostalgia-pandering aplenty.

Cons

Not the best fighting game for beginners & casual players.
Lacks substantial single-player content and onboarding processes.

Final Score: 70/100


Chewbacca Actor Peter Mayhew Dies At 74

Tis’ a sad day for old-school Star Wars fans: the actor for everybody’s favourite walking shag carpet killing machine Chewbacca recently passed away.
Peter Mayhew died at the age of 74 last Tuesday in his North Texas home with his family by his side. He was undergoing spinal surgery in July to help improve his mobility.
Hailing from London, Peter was renowned for playing the star Wookie in Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Revenge of the Sith, and The Force Awakens. He landed this gig due to his physique since writer-director George Lucas was looking for someone taller than Darth Vader. He stood at 7-foot-3 in his prime.
While the actor didn’t say much -this is a Wookie after all- his body language and expressive movement under the suit brought the sci-fi creature to life and warmed the hearts of many Star Wars fans from the late 70s to present day. We wouldn’t be getting folks like the Chewbacca Mask Lady were it not for Peter Mayhew’s massive contribution to the series.

Here are a few words from his co-stars since his passing:
George Lucas, Star Wars creator/director: “Peter was a wonderful man. He was the closest any human being could be to a Wookiee: big heart, gentle natureâ€¦and I learned to always let him win. He was a good friend and Iâ€™m saddened by his passing.”
Mark Hamil (Luke Skywalker): “He was the gentlest of giants. A big man with an even bigger heart who never failed to make me smile & a loyal friend who I loved dearly. I’m grateful for the memories we shared & I’m a better man for just having known him. Thanks Pete.”
Harrison Ford (Han Solo): “Peter Mayhew was a kind and gentle man, possessed of great dignity and noble character. These aspects of his own personality, plus his wit and grace, he brought to Chewbacca.
We were partners in film and friends in life for over 30 years and I loved him. He invested his soul in the character and brought great pleasure to theÂ Star WarsÂ audience. Chewbacca was an important part of the success of the films we made together. He knew how important the fans of the franchise were to its continued success and he was devoted to them. I and millions of others will never forget Peter and what he gave us all. My thoughts are with his dear wife Angie and his children. Rest easy, my dear friend.”
Kathleen Kennedy, Lucasfilm head: “We are deeply saddened today by the news of Peter Mayhewâ€™s passing. Since 1976, Peterâ€™s iconic portrayal of the loyal, lovable Chewbacca has been absolutely integral to the characterâ€™s success, and to the Star Wars saga itself.
When I first met Peter duringÂ The Force Awakens, I was immediately impressed by his kind and gentle nature. Peter was brilliantly able to express his personality through his skillful use of gesture, posture, and eyes. We all love Chewie, and have Peter to thank for that enduring memory.”
Rest in peace, good sir.


The Last Of Us Part 2 Sells 4 Million In First Three Days

Naughty Dog and Neil Druckmann must be celebrating because The Last Of Us Part 2 has broken a record, selling more than four million copies in its first three days alone, as of 21 June 2020Â (via PlayStation Blog).
This breaks the records set by previous first-party PlayStation games like 2018’s God Of War (3.1 million) and Marvel’s Spider-Man (3.3 million). It’s an impressive feat, one which will definitely silence the naysayers and haters of the game (who have also ironically threatened to boycott the game).
In an official statement, Naughty Dog Vice President and The Last Of Us Part 2 creative director Neil Druckmann said:

We are so immensely grateful to the millions of fans around the world that have played The Last of Us Part II and shared their experiences with us over the last week.
We set out to tell a new kind of story, one that deals with difficult themes and would challenge you in unexpected ways.
Hearing how the experience has resonated with so many of you and witnessing the type of thoughtful discussions it has sparked has been so incredible.
Weâ€™ve also been so inspired by your creativity â€” whether itâ€™s your gorgeous Photo Mode shots, jaw-dropping gameplay GIFs, or the songs youâ€™ve recorded using Ellieâ€™s guitar.
The Last of Us Part II was made possible thanks to the efforts of the hundreds of talented and passionate developers here at Naughty Dog.
We can imagine no greater honor than seeing that same passion mirrored by the people playing it. Thank you for helping us reach this amazing milestone.

The Last Of Us Part 2Â is out now for the PS4. In the meantime,Â check out my full spoiler-free review of the game here, orÂ head on over here for a guide and tips for the game. If you’ve already played the game, then I suggest checking out my 4000-word spoilerific article on why the hate for the game isn’t justified.


Bloodstained Ritual Of The Night Is Out Now On Mobile Devices

NetEase Games and ArtPlay have launched the mobile version of the gothic Metroidvania game Bloodstained Ritual Of The Night on iOS and Android.
The game is currently priced at RM42.99 on the App Store and the Google Play Store.

The game is fully localized in Japanese, English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, Korean, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese and offers the beloved gameplay of the original console and PC versions of Bloodstained Ritual Of The Night, including a gigantic map to explore and over 120 unique mobs and bosses to vanquish.
With no compromises on visual quality or gameplay fidelity, an overhauled UI and redesigned shard icons, the mobile version also includes console DLC.

(Image-Redesigned Shard Icons)

(Image-New Menu UI)
Bloodstained Ritual Of The Night features a 2.5D-map, that has been perfectly adapted to be explored on mobile devices, as well as the familiar shard buff system from the console and PC version.
In addition to a reworked UI and redesigned shard icons, the mobile version of the Metroidvania includes a new achievement system through which players can check their in-game progress and challenge each other.
A special surprise awaits those who unlock them all. For better usability, an Ultimate Ability Shortcut Key with unique icons and a Suit Shortcut Key has been added.

(Image-New Achievement System)

(Image-Ultimate Ability Shortcut Key)
Among many highlights that will make fans feel right at home while playing the game, the mobile versions also include the original Gothic music score and original voice actors from the game, like Ami Koshimizu (Miriam) and Shusaku Shirakawa (Gebel).
In the future, the mobile version of Bloodstained Ritual Of The Night will get a new playable character, a boss rush mode, a speedrun mode and much more.
The new unlockable playable character is named â€œZangetsuâ€ and is available for players who have finished the story with a good ending. He fights with a Katana and can use MP to trigger a furious special attack with his blade.
Furthermore, the all-new Randomizer Mode offers unending variety with each new playthrough, with missions, map areas, shop locations, mob spawn points, key item spawn points, and more.
The game’s creator Koji Igarashi said:
“We are very pleased to collaborate with NetEase Games as our co-developer and publishing partner of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Mobile Version. As a global publisher with many years of successful experience, we believe NetEase Games is fully capable of delivering the charm of Bloodstained onto mobile devices and bringing the excitement of battle and exploration to mobile gamers.”
To celebrate the game’s release on mobile devices, Koji Igarashi has a special video message for fans of the game:


New Ghost of Tsushima Launch Trailer Hypes Up The Coming Weekend

PlayStation and Sucker Punch just dropped a launch trailer for its upcoming action-adventure period piece samurai title Ghost of Tsushima. It’s only less than a minute, but its edits are pretty slick and the English VO is good stuff.

Of course, I’m going to wager that a huge number of you are going to turn the game’s VO to Japanese because c’mon: you can’t play a game like this without its native language. Be sure to stick around tomorrow at 10pm GMT+8 for our review of this game.
Ghost of Tsushima will be out for PS4 on 17th July.


Destiny 2 PlayStation Skins Revealed, Including God Of War & More

Destiny 2 has just revealed a bunch of PlayStation-themed skins (via Twitter). With the game currently gearing up for the upcoming Season Of The Deep expansion on 23 May 2023, players are getting new cosmetics based on iconic PlayStation characters and franchises.
For instance, the Titan is getting the God Of War Kratos armour, the Hunter is getting Aloy from Horizon Forbidden West/Horizon Zero Dawn, and the Warlock is getting Jin Sakai from Ghost Of Tsushima. This is no surprise, considering that Sony PlayStation now owns Bungie.

Embrace your inner warrior.
Season of the Deep // May 23, 2023 pic.twitter.com/Ge9eg4MlcW
— Destiny 2 (@DestinyTheGame) May 22, 2023

Destiny 2 is currently available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.


Rainbow Six Siege Adds New WWE Bundles

Ubisoft has announced the launch of two new exclusive WWE cosmetic bundles in Rainbow Six Siege featuring the likeness of Undertaker and Becky “The Man” Lynch.
The Deadman Bundle for Blackbeard includes the Undertaker uniform, special headgear, Operator portrait, the Undertaker Championship charm, as well as the Moonlight Brawl background and The Tombstone weapon skin for the MK17 CQB.
An additional bundle for Thorn brings The Man uniform, headgear, and Operator portrait. Players can wear the WWE Championship Titles charm, the I Am The Man background and equip the Dis-Arm-Her weapon skin for the UZK50GI. Players can choose their champion by purchasing bundle for 2160 R6 Credits each or buy both together in the WWE Rumble Bundle for 4080 R6 Credits.
Rainbow Six Siege is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Check out the trailer below:


Far Cry 6 & Rainbow Six Quarantine Have Been Delayed

Ubisoft has announced that they have delayedÂ Far Cry 6Â andÂ Rainbow Six QuarantineÂ to the fiscal year 2021 to 2022. What this means is that both games will now launch between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022.
Far Cry 6Â wasÂ previously slated to launchÂ for the PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia on 18 February 2021.
Meanwhile,Â Rainbow Six QuarantineÂ didn’t have a definitive release date but it wasÂ previously slatedÂ for the fiscal year 2020 to 2021, which meant between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.

Important message from our #FarCry6 team. pic.twitter.com/8YGlmjXS67— Far Cry 6 (@FarCrygame) October 29, 2020

Here is the statement from Ubisoft confirming the delay, according to its latestÂ financial report:
Benefitting from this strong momentum and despite having movedÂ Far Cry 6Â andÂ Rainbow Six QuarantineÂ to 2021-22 to leverage their full potential in the context of production challenges caused by COVID-19, our new non-IFRS operating income targets for 2020-21 remain within the boundaries we set back in May. Being able to maximize the long term value of our IPs while at the same time maintaining solid financial targets highlights the increasing recurring nature of our revenues, the strength of our portfolio of franchises, confidence in our holiday season release slate and current supportive industry dynamics.â€


Genshin Impact Releases Waifu Wallpaper App; Features Genshin Impact’s Hu Tao

Mihoyo, the folks who created Genshin Impact and are self-proclaimed tech otakus who save the world, wants to plaster your desktop wallpaper with waifus aplenty.
The company just released an app called NOva Desktop. It’s a program similar to Wallpaper Engine in delivering animated wallpapers, but instead of a community-driven affair, you’re getting a sole animated waifu named Lumi who lives on your desktop.
Before you ask: no, it’s no R-rated and it’s pretty tame. Check it out:

In addition, Mihoyo released a Genshin Impact live wallpaper for the app featuring everybody’s favourite funeral parlour director with the awkward sense of humour, Hu Tao. The animated wallpaper has Hu Tao standing at the edge of a pool with a fishing rod in her hand, featuring a brief Qiqi cameo.

Players can download the app and wallpapers here. So far, the app has been getting mixed reviews on Steam, with people calling it a Wallpaper Engine clone with pre-recorded waifus and zero interactivity.
Right now, Genshin Impact is celebrating Lunar New Year with a new Lantern Rite event from right now until 12 February.


Palworld Goes Live On Steam Early Access In January 2024

There’s an exciting game called Palworld on the horizon. Developed by the talented team at Pocketpair, this open-world adventure is all about collecting monsters. And here’s the best part: it’s hitting Steam Early Access in January 2024, so get ready to dive in.
But that’s not all. Recently, Pocketpair dropped a brand-new trailer during the Summer Game Fest, and boy, does it deliver the goods! The trailer showcases a bunch of adorable Pals, epic battle scenes, and loads of juicy details. It’s like they sprinkled excitement all over the screen.
So mark your calendars and clear your schedules, because Palworld is just around the corner. Prepare to embark on an epic journey through a captivating open world, capturing and bonding with an array of fantastic creatures. January 2024 can’t come soon enough!


New Penn & Teller Game Brings Magic To PlayStation VR

Borderlands developer Gearbox Software originally launched the Penn & Teller VR: Frankly Unfair, Unkind, Unnecessary & Underhanded game for the PC on Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive last month. Now the game has been made available for the PS4 with PlayStation VR.
For those who’ve never heard of them, Penn & Teller is a duo of magicians/entertainers who have been performing together since the 1970s, best known for acts that combine both comedy and magic. They still currently perform, headlining the Rio in Las Vegas.
Penn & Teller VR: Frankly Unfair, Unkind, Unnecessary & Underhanded (or Penn & Teller VR: F U, U, U & U for short) is described as the world’s first VR prank game. Players can either prank their friends and family with over 12 tricks (or Bits) to choose from or take part in them in the single-player mode themselves.

These include interactive magical acts from something as simple as card tricks and a game of Whack A Mole to ones involving supernatural telekinetic powers and even escaping from a Houdini underwater cage.
Penn & Teller VR: F U, U, U & U is available to purchase at US$19.99 (or roughly RM82) on the PlayStation Store, but you’ll need PlayStation VR headset and PlayStation Move controllers to play the game.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWswbu9Q5co&w=560&h=315]


Samsung Space Tycoon: A Virtual Playground For Business Simulation Made In Roblox

Samsung has announced the Samsung Space Tycoon, which is fundamentally a virtual playground built inside Roblox for business and creative users. While Roblox was initially a game, it has to turn into a virtual meeting place with customisable assets, providing players and users more room for personalisation and representation.
On the metaverse platform, users can create, play games, and share experiences in a virtual space while using Samsung products together with the user’s toon. Think of it as a virtual marketplace with your own playable and customisable character that represents you roaming around in the said virtual environment.
The launch aims towards integrating Gen Z customers with the metaverse experience in a business and ‘tycoon’ environment virtually in which they can create their own Samsung products and interact with others.

In addition to personalised game characters, unique virtual features that users can do in ‘Space Tycoon’ include designing your Samsung products such as Galaxy smartphones, various TVs, home appliances, as well as purchasable and upgradable game items. There is some quirky stuff that you can do too. For whatever reason, you can turn the Galaxy Z Flip into a bag or a scooter, turn the Jet Bot vacuum cleaner into a hoverboard, or the Sero Lifestyle TV into a one-person helicopter. The creative ability of the platform is very much endless.
The Space Tycoon shop has currently over 20 Samsung products with various colours purchasable, which they can change randomly based on the levels achieved — new stuff will be updated regularly along the way.
Space Tycoon will be launched in 14 languages including Korean, English, Chinese and Spanish. Dedicated online events will also be held through the Samsung website with the campaign #YouMake tag which focuses on customising and collecting Samsung products.
For more info, you can head on over to design.samsung.com and samsng.co/YouMake_JUL_Space_YT.
What do you think of this initiative to gamify and virtualise a corporate business environment into a virtual playground in a game metaverse like Roblox? Let us know in the comments or join the discussion on our socials Twitter and Facebook.


Is Daredevil Season 3 Good Enough to Save Marvel Netflix?

The Marvel Netflix universe has been steadily declining for a while now. It arguably began with Iron Fist Season 1. The highly-anticipated crossover The Defenders made things even worse, and subsequent seasons have ranged from good to mediocre at best. Along comes Daredevil Season 3, which I’m glad to confirm is a return to form. However, it does have its share of the same recurring flaws, and the question is this, will it be enough to save the dying Marvel Netflix franchise?
Matt’s going back to his roots.
First, here are the things that it actually does right:

Daredevil Season 3 fixes most of the pacing problems faced by almost every Marvel Netflix season. It’s not about the number of episodes, because 8 episodes of The Defenders felt longer and slower than 13 episodes of Daredevil S3.I don’t usually like binge-watching, but Daredevil S3 made it enjoyable again for me, instead of the chore it was for other seasons. That being said, there were still several pacing hiccups.
Showrunner Erik Oleson didn’t want to add cameos from other Marvel Netflix shows in Daredevil S3 because he felt that they would be “distractions.” Although I may not agree with that opinion, it was ultimately a great decision, as it allowed the new and returning supporting characters to shine.To be honest, I didn’t like Foggy and Karen much in Daredevil S1, but it’s a testament to how much their characters get developed in Daredevil S3 that they became the highlights of the season for me.
The new supporting characters were also essential to making Daredevil S3 better.Â Jay Ali’s Ray Nadeem andÂ Joanne Whalley’s Sister Maggie were fleshed out without sacrificing the story’s pacing or deflecting the focus from other major characters, despite them being newly-introduced characters.
There’s a reason why Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk AKA Kingpin has been hailed as one of the best comic book villain portrayals. His mere presence and inclusion in the story made Daredevil S3 more compelling.
Remember the one-shot hallway and spiral staircase fight scenes in Daredevil season 1 and season 2? In season 3, we get an almost 11-minute long one-shot prison break filled with fights. There’s also a bunch of great fight scenes throughout S3, with most of them involving Bullseye.

Now that I’ve listed all the best parts of Daredevil S3, let’s get to the worst parts:

Wilson Bethel’s Benjamin Poindexter. He’s not a bad character by any means. He’s definitely more complex than the villain we know as Bullseye in the comics. However, I didn’t like that Daredevil S3 acted as an origin of sorts for him, instead of giving us the deadeye killer assassin from the getgo. What we need is the Bullseye that is to The Man Without Fear what the Joker is to Batman.I realized that the showrunners wanted to build up to that, but I was looking forward to the ‘real’ Bullseye, not a psychopath in a Daredevil suit throwing mundane, random objects and somehow still killing people. That led to unexpectedly hilarious moments though, where I found myself laughing at times when I probably shouldn’t have.
As if a psycho killer who can kill you with office supplies isn’t terrifying enough.
There was still at least one pacing issue in Daredevil S3 even though it comes late into the season. I personally liked the Karen Page origin/backstory episode, though I understand how it might kill the momentum of the story, considering how close to the climax we were by then.
Matt Murdock never suits up Daredevil S3. Not once. I’m not counting the black ninja suit.
Classic Daredevil villain Stilt-Man is still nowhere to be seen.

Daredevil’s accursed arch-nemesis!

His legs were last seen in Daredevil S1 E13.

Don’t believe me? Here it is, in Melvin’s workshop.

In light of Netflix recently canceling both Luke Cage and Iron Fist, it seems like the once thriving and critically-acclaimed Marvel Netflix universe might be dying out, especially with Disney planning their own streaming service next year. I still carry hopes that these cancelations might lead to a Heroes for Hire series, but if not, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and The Punisher is currently what’s left.
Daredevil Season 3 might not be the best Marvel Netflix season. I still believe that belongs to either Daredevil S1 or S2. I feel like it’s Marvel Netflix’s equivalent of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Black Panther from earlier this year, injecting a much-needed spark to revitalize the franchise amidst concerns of superhero fatigue.
Even with renewed vigor and restored trust in the Marvel Netflix universe, it remains to be seen if it will be able to continue the winning streak begun anew with Daredevil S3.


The New WWE 2K Game Looks Like A Spiritual Successor To All-Stars

Remember 2011’s WWE All-Stars with those midget versions of famous wrestlers with over-the-top arcade-style gameplay? While we’re not getting a mainline WWE 2K game this year, 2K Games has announced a new game, WWE 2K Battlegrounds, which looks like a spiritual successor to WWE All-Stars.
Developed by Saber Interactive, WWE 2K Battlegrounds will focus on “social pick-up-and-play fun” with “arcade-style action and over-the-top Superstar designs, environments and moves”. Fans of the franchise have been asking for a sequel to WWE All-Stars for many years now, and it’s finally coming.
As for the next mainline WWE 2K title, the publisher has confirmed that they will be extending the production timeline, ensuring that developer Visual Concepts will have ample time to create the next title. However, it sounds like the next title will most likely be WWE 2K22.
Patrick Gilmore will be the new executive producer of the WWE 2K franchise from now on. He is a veteran game developer, with years of work under his belt. These include 2013â€™s Killer Instinct, the Medal of Honor franchise, Amazonâ€™s New World, and Disneyâ€™s Aladdin for Sega Genesis.
WWE 2K Battlegrounds is slated to release for unspecified platforms sometime in Fall 2020. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjD6Z6O5X98&w=560&h=315]


Borderlands 3, One Of Our Favourite Shooters Of 2019, Is On Sale This Month

Unsurprisingly, I am still finding time and excuses to continuously play Borderlands 3, be it for new Anointed gear that’s level 53, or just to hang out with online friends who just want to literally “shoot the s***”. This latest offer for one of 2019’s best loot-and-shooter games should entice you to pick it up if you haven’t.
Epic Games Store, PlayStation Store, and the Microsoft Store are selling the game at half price for specific versions of the game. Here’s the list, featuring the time limit and the prices:
Epic Games (PC version)

Sale Period: 25thÂ February â€“ 3rdÂ March
Discount: 50% off on Standard, Deluxe, and Super Deluxe Editions

PlayStation Store (PS4 version)

Sale Period: 19thÂ February â€“ 3rdÂ March
Discount: 50% off on Standard (RM126.50) and Super Deluxe Editions (RM199.50).

Microsoft Store (Xbox One version)

Sale Period: 25thÂ February â€“ 3rdÂ March
Discount: 50% off on Super Deluxe Edition (US$49.99+/RM211+ with Gold).

While Borderlands 3 doesn’t do justice to its long-spanning narrative set by Borderlands 2 onwards and also doesn’t hit with most of its humour, the shooting, looting, and Vault Hunter variety makes up the majority of it. We’d still recommend this game over most titles of last year.


She Said Is A Powerful Film About The Women Who Sparked The Me Too Movement

The Me Too movement is one of the biggest social revolutions of the 21st century and a story published in The New York Times in 2017 was the spark that started it (this is a link to it if you’re interested to read it after reading this review or watching the movie). She Said is the story of how two journalists exposed the sexual abuse and harassment committed by Harvey Weinstein, which led to the Me Too movement becoming a worldwide phenomenon.
The Fall Of Harvey Weinstein

I’m going to be honest here. Like most people, what I know about the Me Too movement came mostly from social media and news articles. I never knew how much blood, sweat and tears went into the original story that exposed Harvey Weinstein. Until now, that is.
She Said highlights the struggle, of two journalists, Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) and Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan), and of what it took for the story to come to light. Mulligan and Kazan are the MVPs of the movie as the two protagonists, but they are bolstered by the likes of Patricia Clarkson and Andre Braugher as their editors. The movie features incredible performances from the cast, especially those portraying the victims of Harvey Weinstein. It’s harrowing and heartbreaking seeing these women relive their past trauma. It’s even more intense when the movie feature scenes that actually play the real and authentic audio recordings of Harvey Weinstein’s disgusting interactions with these women. These are played over lingering shots of hotel hallways and hotel rooms, which makes it all feel even more sinister and ominous.

Speaking of Harvey Weinstein, it was an appropriate choice not to fully cast him as a character in this movie. In She Said, Harvey Weinstein is depicted mostly via audio from phone calls, where he’s voiced by Mike Houston. Meanwhile, actress Ashley Judd plays herself in the movie (as she was really one of the first people to come forward in the original New York Times report), though we don’t see much of her as the movie focuses on the other women and victims of Harvey Weinstein, which includes amazing performances by Jennifer Ehle and Angela Yeoh as Laura Madden and Rowena Chiu, respectively.
One thing that perhaps brings down the movie is how the story is not yet over. While it’s nice that some of the actual women who spoke with the Times are able to play themselves, including Ashley Judd who was the first woman to go on the record in 2017 with her account of Weinstein’s harassment, the story is not over. Weinstein is in prison now—and awaiting further trials in California—but the “reckoning” in Hollywood and beyond remains unfinished, and the systems that have been “reckoned” do not feel as wholly transformed as She Said’s denouement optimistically suggests.
An Article That Changed The World
(from left) Hywel Madden (Wesley Holloway), Laura Madden (Jennifer Ehle) and Iris Madden (Justine Colan) in She Said, directed by Maria Schrader.
She Said is an engrossing and absorbing tale of the origins of the global Me Too Movement, and the fall of Harvey Weinstein. This movie feels very grounded and emotional without going through forced sensationalism or dramatization.
Similar to previous investigative journalism movies like Spotlight and All The President’s Men, She Said gives us a look into the persistence and perseverance of investigative journalism. It is ultimately inspiring to see the integrity and dedication of the journalists and their editors, as well as the strength and will of those who spoke out against Harvey Weinstein.
FINAL SCORE: 80/100
We received an early screener of She Said courtesy of United International Pictures Malaysia. She Said is slated to premiere on 24 November 2022 in Malaysian cinemas.


U Mobile Is Giving Away RM60k Worth Of Mobile Legends Skins. Here’s How You Can Win Them

The Mobile Legends Professional League – Malaysia/Singapore Season 3 tournament will be launching soon, so now’s a good as any for one of its sponsors to get generous.
U Mobile is one such sponsor, with a Legendary title to boot. The “Legendary Sponsor” of the tournament will be giving away RM60,000 worth of Mobile Legends/MLBBÂ  skins to the public in a Mobile Legends Premium Skins Giveaway Contest.
Here are the details:

To participate, players just need to spend a minimum of RM30 at Google Play Store or the App Store, and use the U Mobile Direct Carrier Billing app to pay. You’ll obviously need a U Mobile account to proceed.
Players can then enter two rounds of the contest. Round 1 starts on 31 March while Round 2 is on 30 April. Winners for each round will be announced on 10 April and 10 May respectively.
Once you made payment, players must visit u.my/mlbb and pick their favourite Mobile Legends skin. You can pick as many as you want, but you can only win one for each round.
Once you picked your favourite(s), players must key in their mobile number in the pop-up window to complete the process.
At the end of each round, every 30th qualified participant will be selected as a winner for each skin.
Winners can redeem their prize via the MyUMobile app.
Take note: the contest is open to active Prepaid and Postpaid U Mobile customers who hold individual accounts. Corporate accounts are not eligible.

So what skins will you be able to win? Glad you asked; here’s the list.

So there’s Gatotkaca’s Sentinel skin, Karina’s Doom Duelist skin, Moskov’s Twilight Dragon skin, Kagura’s Soryu Maiden skin, Martis’ God of War skin, Chou’s Dragon Boy skin, Akai’s Imperial Assassin skin, Sun’s Street Legend skin, and Ruby’s Edelweiss skin. Check out the pics below to see what you’re getting:

The site will be open on 1st March, so don’t start visiting and clicking on the site until then. Bang bang!


Here’s A Dragon Ball FighterZ Tier List From One Of Europe’s Best Players

Fighting games and tier lists go hand-in-hand and are usually a good indicator on who you should pick to get the hang of the game. 3v3 fighting game Dragon Ball FighterZ is no different.
Top worldwide player Yasha, who has won games at Dragon Ball FighterZ World Championship Europe Regional Finals and France vs USA 12v12 Exhibition, has just released his own tier list for the latest version of the game.
Here it is; don’t act too shocked if you’ve been playing the game for a long while:
God Tier
SS4 Gogeta, Vegito, Broly

It’s no secret that SS4 Gogeta is top tier among the DBFZ cast because of his mobility, level up system, amazing normals, and unique Dragon Ball collection mechanic. The other two on this tier are no slouches, having their own advantages like speed, power, and great synergy with most of the cast.
S Tier/Broken

Android 21, Base Vegeta, Janemba, Ultra Instinct Goku, Android 18, Android 17, Â Tien Shinhan, Teen Gohan, Majin Buu, Kid Buu, Nappa, Piccolo, Kefla, Jiren, Base Goku SSGSS Goku, SSGSS Vegeta, Buu, Beerus, Bardock, Hit, Fused Zamasu, Android 17, Videl
If you have any of the God and S Tier characters in your 3-man team, odds are you’ll do fine in online matches.
A Tier

Super Saiyan Blue Gogeta, Super Broly, Adult Gohan, Cell, Super Baby 2, GT Goku, Master Roshi, Krilin, Android 16, Ginyu, Goku Black, Goku, Cooler, Future Trunks
B Tier

Vegeta, Frieza
C Tier

Yamcha


Shopee Is Now Sponsoring A Mobile Legends Esports Team

Shopee, one of the leading e-commerce platforms in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, has announced that it will be officially sponsoring a Mobile Legends esports team formerly known as Team Saiyan. Starting from now, the team will be known as…
Team Bosskur / Shopee Bosskur.
You read that right. The new Team Bosskur comprises of:

Faris Zakaria (Shopee Bosskurr Soloz)
Abdul Wandi (Shopee Bosskurr Logan)
Andi Alfian (Shopee Bosskurr Gripex)
Herwin Baharuddin (Shopee Bosskurr Rush)
Sopian Sultan (Shopee Bosskurr Penjahat)
Ahmad Fuad Razali (Shopee Bosskurr Fredo)

According to Shopee Bosskur manager Nureddy Nursal (Shopee Bosskurr Daddy), the team’s biggest focus right now is to “qualify for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games
(SEA Games) and represent Malaysia to make our country proud“. With resources and support from Shopee, the team’s profile will be able to grow and expand their reach.
Besides that, Shopee Malaysia will also be organizing esports tournaments like the upcoming Mini Mobile Legends tournament. More details and information will be revealed in the near future, so stay tuned.
The new Shopee Bosskur team jersey is also now available for sale in the newly-launched Shopee Bosskurr Official Store on Shopee, along with their latest merchandise like the Gaming Cable by Bosskurr Gaming, and other exclusive player merchandise.
The Team Bosskur jersey is currently 11 percent off at a price of RM79. Head on over to this link here to visit the Shopee Bosskur Official Store. Check out what the team jersey looks like below.