Netflix’s Fear Street Cast On What Makes The Trilogy Different From Other Slashers & More

Based on R.L. Stineâ€™s spine-chilling stories, the upcoming Fear StreetÂ Trilogy will be released as an epic summer movie event over three consecutive weeks this July. Because the series can’t wait until Halloween, I guess.
For those not in the know, the Fear Street trilogy takes place in 1994, where a group of teenagers discover that the terrifying events that have haunted their town for generations may all be connected â€” and that they may be the next targets. The films follow the nightmare through Shadysideâ€™s sinister history.

We managed to participate in a roundtable interview with Gillian Jacobs (C. Berman), Ashley Zukerman (Sheriff Nick Goode/Solomon Goode), Darrell Britt-Gibson (Martin), Kiana Madeira (Deena/Sarah Fier), Olivia Welch (Sam Fraser/Hannah Miller), and Benjamin Flores Jr. (Josh/Henry Fier), courtesy of Netflix Malaysia.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
What are your favourite horror films?
Darrell Britt-Gibson: For me personally, my brother showed me Jaws. I loved being in the ocean and in the water. He ruined a lot of my life by doing that because I just know Jaws is waiting for me. I don’t know what to do and Jaws is a bit; get out, get out. It’s also a very frightening film for me.
Ashley Zukerman: I think a lot of the recent horror thrillers that have come out have been really exceptional at using the genre to speak to something societal or to speak a message to something else that’s going on in the world, like Midsommar and Get Out. Fear Street is a part of a group of contemporary horror films. The purpose here isn’t just to shock. That might happen but it’s interested in doing something else as well.
What did you think about the films that director Leigh Janiak chose for you to watch as preparation for the Fear Street trilogy?
Kiana Madeira: She gave us great movies to watch.
Olivia Welch: Scream and The Goonies were the big ones, like the ones she wanted us to pull reference from. Then, she gave us a great playlist of music to listen to while we were filming. It’s super helpful because I think you get to know what’s in the director’s head and kind of what you’re going for in the movies. I love the homework of watching movies from the director.
Kiana Madeira: Me too. It’s not very often that the directors will give you homework. For us, it’s so helpful and it really helps, especially watching The Goonies and seeing the dynamic in the young cast there. It was such an inspiration for us. Leigh is always super on-point with her references, they are very helpful.
What were the challenges of filming the Fear Street trilogy?
Gillian Jacobs: I wasn’t used to doing as much action as this film required, so that is the part I think I found to be the most challenging. By the end of the shoot, I was soaking my feet in absinthe and salt in my trailer every morning.
Ashley Zukerman: If you’ve seen the third film, for a part of it, I have to wear a wig, a beard and a moustache. The makeup and hair team were incredible. They ended up looking great but I just wasn’t able to laugh. I had to hold my face like this whenever I wanted to use my laughing muscles. Unfortunately, we were just doing a lot of laughing between takes. This group of people mixed with this material, we just ended up enjoying ourselves a lot. I just spend a lot of the 1600s just doing this.
Darrell Britt-Gibson: Piggybacking on what Gillian said, you get these knicks and these bruises that you don’t really realise you have until you walk back into your trailer. You go back to your room and you’re like; wow, your knees hurt and your shoulder hurts. Adrenaline gets you through it, but then you’re like, yeah, that hurts. Something’s broken.
Olivia Welch: I think the challenge was the fact that we were filming the three films back-to-back-to-back. The filming schedule was pretty intense, the challenge was probably that we were naturally tired sometimes, but usually, the scenes in all three films are so crazy and requires so much energy from us, so that was probably the most challenging part. Coming to set every day knowing that we have to have so much energy and really dive into the circumstances of the scene. I think meeting that energy demand was the most challenging.
Kiana Madeira: There would also be weeks where we’re shooting only at night time. And that was like such a crazy thing to do, cause your internal clock is completely turned on its head. Okay, so it looks like I’ll be awake only at night time for the next month or so. It was really crazy.
FEAR STREET PART 1: 1994 – (L-R) KIANA MADEIRA as DEENA, FRED HECHINGER as SIMON, BENJAMIN FLORES JR. as JOSH, JULIA REHWALD as KATE, and OLIVIA WELCH as SAM. Cr: Netflix Â© 2021
What were the most challenging part of playing gay (LGBT) teenagers who are the leads in a horror movie?
Olivia Welch: Nothing about it was challenging, really. It was really an honour to be at the forefront of the story and have it be a queer love story that’s represented in such a sweet and emotional way.
Kiana Madeira: More than challenging, we just recognised and acknowledged that it was a big responsibility because it’s never been done before, at least to our knowledge. Horror trilogies centred around a queer love story and the representation is so important. I think that audiences and the queer community watching it will finally get an opportunity to see themselves in this kind of role, this kind of story.
So you know, it wasn’t challenging in that way, but it was a responsibility. Like Olivia said, we’re just honoured and I couldn’t have asked for a better co-star. That always helps.
Olivia Welch: Me too, exactly, it was great working with you.
What do you think makes the Fear Street trilogy different from other slashers?
Darrell Britt-Gibson: It’s diverse. It seems like an easy answer but it’s diverse. Marginalised communities are represented in these films and I don’t watch a bunch of slasher films, but I can’t remember a slasher film that has this much diversity in that regard. So, that is the most beautiful thing about it, in my opinion.
Ashley Zukerman: Yeah, I think the same, also. What I’ve mentioned before, the idea of this is using the slasher genre to speak to something else. It’s a trojan horse for something else. It’s more than just blood and guts.
Gillian Jacobs: There’s a lot of interconnected stories so they’re not three separate stories told one, two, three. The stories all weave in and out; some of the actors are actually together in different timelines. They found an incredible way to keep shifting the time periods and making sure the stories are all interconnected while building towards the third movie. You have to keep watching because you don’t get a resolution for the story at the end of Part 1 or Part 2.
Darrell Britt-Gibson: There’s also cliffhangers at the end of each one. In tandem with actually caring about the characters, director Leigh Janiak has created something that really makes you want to stick around to see what happens to these characters you’ve quickly become invested in. It’s a testament to Leigh and all the cast who are incredible. People will come back.
Ashley Zukerman: These films will start a conversation about; like it’s another challenge towards the genre. What’s television? What’s film? What’s horror? What’s comedy? What’s drama? This is sort of genre-less and it’s also sort of platform-less. It’s something entirely new that each film is a standalone film that the whole trilogy really does wrap up one single big idea.
Love is at the centre of them. I think they’re uplifting. There are absolutely some scares and some violence but it’s done so artistically, it’s executed so perfectly that I feel like it transcends shock or bad feelings. I finished watching the third film last night and I had tingles. I was so inspired. I think people are going to be really uplifted by these films.
Kiana Madeira: I feel like in this society that we live in, I can only speak about North America where we live, there’s definitely a sense of systemic oppression that is so deep-rooted and exists. It’s the same in the world of Shadyside. The people in Shadyside have faced systemic oppression for 300 years as we can see when the movie goes back to 1666.
I feel like that’s such a reflection of the world that we live in. I think that these movies really shine a light on the fact that the time’s up for that. It’s a new time and we’re embarking on a new journey where we can be the heroes of our own story. We can stand up to that sense of oppression and that’s a really important theme of the three films.
What did you enjoy about travelling back in time (1994, 1978, 1666)?
Gillian Jacobs: For the 1990s when we were at the mall, it really did feel like we were in the mall in the 90s. It’s been a while since I experienced that and I used to go to B. Daltons as a kid so it was great seeing that in the opening scene.
Ashley Zukerman: It’s interesting. When we’re in it, I sort of forget to enjoy myself sometimes in that way. It was really satisfying to just go through periods of American history and trying to mark the changes. You know, try to experience what it’s like to walk, I think something big in the films is how the past affects us now. I think that’s a major story in a sense.
Darrell Britt-Gibson: Kudos to our production design because you couldn’t help but be transported back to these times because they did such an incredible job. I think that productions designers can sometimes be a thankless job in this industry but it doesn’t work or move without them. Kudos to our production designers because every time you step on the set, you felt like you were transported to whatever time period it was. It’s a testament to them, it’s incredible.
FEAR STREET PART 1: 1994 – (Pictured) BENJAMIN FLORES JR. as JOSH. Cr: Netflix Â© 2021
How did you prepare for both roles; in Fear Street Part 1: 1994 and Fear Street Part 3: 1666?
Ashley Zukerman: I think Nick (the present-day sheriff in Part 1: 1994 and Part 3: 1666) was more challenging to portray than Solomon (a character from the past in Part 3: 1666). Everything comes with a challenge but I think Nick is more confused. He’s so encumbered by all of his history and that makes it difficult for him to figure out what to do or how to behave. Not that he was difficult, difficult sounds like a negative thing. It’s just more interesting, more of a challenge.
Every character just fit the one story of all three films so we knew what story we were telling. It was a unique thing to get to play multiple characters within that story but because the story was so strong, it definitely wasn’t difficult.
Benjamin Flores Jr.: I would say, the only challenge was the accent but we practised the accent with a coach for a while so I feel like we got pretty much down pat. I don’t really know any other challenges. I feel like our characters were all so similar, even in the 1600s too.
Do you have a favourite moment or scene from the Fear Street trilogy?
Gillian Jacobs: I love the scene at the end of the third one where the three of us (alongside Ashley Zukerman and Darrell Britt-Gibson) got to work together. I won’t be saying more than that because I think I’d be giving away too much but that was really fun.
Darrell Britt-Gibson: That was a lot of fun. That’s definitely my favourite, but my first interaction with Ashley was fun; just sort of building our little backstory with each other’s characters and sort of playing with that was a lot of fun. Getting to know Ashley the human being was so cool and he’s a good person. It was fun getting to balance off of him early on in production and have that moment, I really do enjoy that moment.
Benjamin Flores Jr.: It was the grocery scene for me. It was my favourite, or one of my favourites, at least, for me. Fear Street Part 1: 1994, grocery store scene.
Olivia Welch: The grocery store sequence was really, really cool.
Kiana Madeira: There’s one scene you guys are gonna hate me because it’s the school bus scene in movie one (Fear Street Part 1: 1994), where their characters (Olivia Welch and Benjamin Flores Jr.) are not in it, but Fred and Julia are in it, and they play Simon and Kate, respectively.
It’s when we’re leaving the vigil and we’re on the school bus going back and we’re just like chanting Shadyside. it was really intense and that was really, really fun to film.
Olivia Welch: The three of them were like, oh, it was the best, we had the best time. Benji and I were like, wow that sounds really cool.
Benjamin Flores Jr.: I was in school that day.
Olivia Welch: I was just at home.
What were your first impressions after watching the Fear Street trilogy?
Kiana Madeira: After watching the first movie, I was just smiling the whole time. It was so surreal to finally see everyone’s hard work come together. I had pretty high expectations but somehow the movie managed to exceed my expectations. The first time watching them, I was just in awe and just like and enjoying them so much.
Watching them two years later after filming, you kind of forget the little moments and even scenes that you filmed. In a way, I think it’s cool that two years later there’s an element of surprise even for us. Being in the film, I feel like it still had a surprise factor and the jump scares still affected us as well.
That’s just telling of how scary they actually are. Making them felt so special and it was so cool watching for the first time because they still felt as special. The feelings we had while making them translated to the screen. That’s all you can hope for when you’re trying to make a movie.
Benjamin Flores Jr.: My first impression was just happy that we made something this good. We did care about it when we were filming and cared about making it good and it came out amazing way better than I could expect. I was just excited and happy.
Fear Street Part 1: 1994 – BENJAMIN FLORES JR. as JOSH and SKULL MASK. Cr: Netflix @ 2021
Q: What was it like to be on the set while filming the Fear Street trilogy?
Darrell Britt-Gibson: You would’ve thought we were shooting Curb Your Enthusiasm as much as we were laughing on set. The intensity that you see on-screen sort of lived there and stayed there. Once director Leigh Janiak said cut, we just really enjoyed each other’s company and it’s really a great cast. It starts with our fearless leader, Leigh, the captain of the ship who creates the environment for it to be a warm space to be in.
Everybody felt seen and everybody’s heard. Leigh leads by example and this created a space for us to just have a lot of fun. We laughed more on that set than I can remember and I’ve been in some comedies. We genuinely had a great time.
Q: Is there anything in common between your characters and your real selves?
Kiana Madeira: I think for me, I’m similar to Deena and Sarah because I really, really feel protective for the people that I love. I’m not a confrontational person but I feel like I would go crazy if someone tried to hurt the people that I loved. That fearlessness, in that way, I really relate to and I really connected to them because of their fearlessness and their willingness to sacrifice for the people they love.
Benjamin Flores Jr.: I believe that me and Josh are similar in our strong belief. I feel like Josh has a strong belief that when he believes in something, he’s not going to let it sway or let anything change him. His passion, for what he believes in.
Olivia Welch: I feel like, with Sam, I really related to her with having a shakiness on trying to figure out who she is and who she wants to be. That’s what I empathise the most with. At the time when I auditioned, I feel like people are always going through that kind of cycle in their life and that resonated with me.
Q: Have you ever met R.L. Stine (the original writer and creator of Fear Street)?
Gillian Jacobs: I’ve never met him, but if I ever do, I’d just like to say thank you for bringing so much to my childhood and making me love reading.
Darrell Britt-Gibson: I would just apologize to him for not reading the Fear Street books and if he didn’t hit me, I’d see if I could cultivate some type of friendship with him like a book club and we’d read Fear Street excerpts to each other. I’m really shooting for that so if everybody will shoot good energy towards that, I’d really appreciate it.
Kiana Madeira: We’re big Goosebumps fans. If we could say anything to R.L. Stine, it would be thank you for creating this amazing Fear Street universe and giving us the space to play in Shadyside, in this world. You’re a Legend.

FEAR STREETÂ PART 1: 1994 is releasing globally on Netflix on 2 July 2021. FEAR STREETÂ PART 2: 1978 is releasing globally on Netflix on 9 July 2021.Â  FEAR STREETÂ PART 3: 1666 is releasing globally on Netflix on 16 July 2021. Stay tuned for our review soon.


Gaming Forum ResetEra Sold For US$4.5 Million To Esports Network

Video game forum ResetEra, which was formed by ex-NeoGAF members and currently is a hotbed of rumours, news, and tea-spilling, was recently sold to a network of esports sites for US$4.5 million.
The group itself is called MOBA Network, and they actually put a price tag on a really busy and young gaming forum. MOBA Network CEO BjÃ¶rn Mannerqvist said that the purchase of ResetEra.com is one step to its acquisitions and community-building strategy.
“ResetEra.com is another step in our strategy to grow through acquisitions and create more relevant communities with attractive, growing target groups that many companies want to expose themselves to.”
According to MOBA Network, ResetEra has over 45 million forum posts and about 55,000 members. The site brought in about US$700,000 in revenue through ads last year. The sole owner of ResetEra, user Cerium, said that this acquisition will not shake up the forum in the slightest.
“The staff will retain total independence when it comes to moderation and the day-to-day management of the site. That independence will be held as absolutely sacred, in the same way that editorial independence is treated at journalistic publications.”
Cerium also said that the forum’s private data will not be misused.
“MOBA Network is not in the user data business and never will be. Theyâ€™re not going to sell your data. Nothing is going to change about how your data is handled and protected.”


EA Celebrates N7 Day 2022 With New Concept Art From The Next Mass Effect Game

Today is once again N7 Day 2022, a celebration for fans of the Mass Effect franchise everywhere. EA and BioWare have given us an update on the untitled Mass Effect 4 game.
According to BioWare, pre-production development for the next Mass Effect game has been proceeding very well. The team, comprised of Mass Effect franchise veterans as well as some amazing new additions to BioWare, has also grown and they’ve been hard at work crafting new characters and locations, as well as revisiting many that fans will remember.
Check out the new concept art below:

Here are four team leads from the development team:

A few folks at BioWare and Maxis came together with their mutual love for Mass Effect and The Sims 4 to make a little something they wanted to give to fans of both franchises.
N7 Day-themed wearable items are coming to The Sims 4 on 17 November 2022. These items are free to anyone with The Sims 4, which is free to play on all platforms.

In an official statement, the Project Director of the next Mass Effect game, Mike Gamble, said:

In the nearly 15 years since the release of the first Mass Effect, the biggest reason we still love working on it is the warmth, dedication, and passion of this community. There are some of you who have been with us through everything. We’ve grown together, sacrificed Ashley together, (Editor’s Note: Or Kaidan, Mike! We all make different choices.) faced difficulties together…and laughed until our Faces Were Tired…together! And for those of you who are new to Mass Effect (thanks, Legendary Edition!), welcome! I can promise that many years of fun, adventures, and characters you’ll fall in love with are still ahead.
Regardless of when you joined us, through four games and more expansions, I can say with certainty that we’re in this because of you, and every N7 Day is a wonderful reminder of that. As we look forward, each week is a fun and exciting challenge for the team. We love bringing this universe to life, and although there’s much more we want to share with you, that’ll have to be for another time.
For now, there is something we want you to have a look at. We’ve intercepted some strange footage from one of the monitoring stations in known space. It could be nothing, but…

Happy N7 Day, everyone!


Overwatch League: Get to Know the Boys of Seoul Dynasty

Leading to the pre-season of the Overwatch League, Blizzard released a special feature video featuring heavy favorites, Seoul Dynasty. Watch as the players including ‘Ana God’ Ryujehong and Lucio main Tobi talk about the formation of the team, their reasoning behind picking the ‘Dynasty’ name as well as their thoughts on the exclusion of In-jaeÂ “EscA”Â Kim andÂ LeeÂ “LEETAEJUN”Â Tae Jun from the final Overwatch League roster.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekF_5rafOpA&w=560&h=315]
Representing your own nation in professional sports a huge feat but it’s even more so to represent Korea in esports. The video is almost ten minutes but we assure you it’s worth the watch for all those who want to learn more about what separates Korean esports from the rest of the world.


Sega Opens New Singapore Branch

Fans of Sega will be pleased to know that the corporation has opened a branch in Southeast Asia, in Singapore.
According to the Japanese company in a press release today, Singapore has achieved remarkable economic growth as a major hub in the Southeast Asia region, given its convenient location and business-friendly government policies. That last one rings true as major US and Japan gaming companies have set up shop in Singapore before any other place in Southeast Asia. The Sega Singapore office was established on 13 October before its official coming-out announcement today, with a capital of S$350,000. Its modus operandi is market research and marketing for Southeast Asia, though all of its SEA distribution will still be handled by Epicsoft. At the very least, it’ll be easier for content creators and the media to touch base with the Singapore office for Sega-related gaming and marketing.
As of now, Sega’s biggest titles include the upcoming 3D platformer Sonic Frontiers and action-adventure title Like A Dragon: Ishin. Check out our thoughts about the two games below.


E3 2019: How Did Xbox Fare In Headlining This Year’s Show?

The Xbox press briefing for E3 2019 is done. And they’ve announced a ton of games as well as paved their future with an upcoming new console: Project Scarlett.
I’ll be honest: this whole presentation didn’t make me totally excited for Halo or a new Xbox console again, but maybe because I’m pretty jaded about these things. However, the company still cements their relevance in a generation still dominated by PlayStation and Nintendo. Their first appearance in this year’s E3 is a just a reminder that they’re prepping storm for the next holiday season thanks to the heckaton of games they showed off, be it triple-A or indie.
I’ll just list down a few reasons why this press con works and why it doesn’t.
Still A Ton Of Games Coming Out For Xbox One & PC

Those games that were leaked like Elden RingÂ and Tales of Arise? They’re announced here on the Xbox press conference. Cyberpunk 2077 and Keanu Reeves guest-starring in the game and appearing on-stage? That’s also on Xbox’s press conference. Studios like Ninja Theory and the newly-acquired Double Fine made their presence felt on-stage.
Heck, I didn’t even know Wasteland 3 and Microsoft Flight Simulator were going to be a thing next year until now. They’re keeping Forza Horizon 4 kicking with a new LEGO Speed Champions expansion. And you’ve got a lot of indie games like Spiritfarer where you pilot a boat filled with fantasy creatures and ship them off to the afterlife, I think… And a lot of other unique oddities like RPG Time: The Legend of Wright, the Blair Witch, and The Good Life by esoteric dev Swery65.
If anything, being first means you have to start announcing stuff that matters. For the most part, Xbox did alright in this department and made a lot of Xbox One owners justify their purchases.
The Xbox Game Pass Promo’ed To Hell & Back
The marketing gloves are off when it comes to the Xbox Game Pass service, which basically lets you play a ton of Xbox games for a subscription fee. With more games popping up and with PC availability, Xbox really wants you to know about its Netflix-like Game Pass that actually works for people too cheap to buy physical copies of games.
Xbox Project Scarlett

According to everyone on this video, the next Xbox will load faster and will be four times more powerful than the Xbox One. The next-gen console will have up to 120 frames per second, a solid state drive, ray-tracing, and other features built for “one thing only: gaming”.
It’ll be out Holiday 2020 and will launch it with their next Halo game, Halo Infinite. True, there’s no physical version of the console but odds are it’s going to be in a fancily-designed box. I just hope they can release the specs so that we have something else to write about apart from marketing buzzwords.
You also have this bearded guy talking about how awesome the next-gen console is. You should trust this guy.

They Brought In Keanu Reeves For The Public

While Cyberpunk 2077 isn’t an exclusive game by any stretch of the imagination, Xbox knows it has the marketing spend to showcase CD Projekt Red’s game while also having Mr. John Wick pop up on stage for a quick plug and announces the game’s 16 April 2020 release date.
He’ll be in the game most likely as a guest character, but the fact that his appearance is enough to garner headlines shows good timing on Microsoft’s part. If you’re going to be the first publisher on stage, you might as well toot your horn as loud as you can, right?
They F***ed Up Battletoads

Wow, what the hell happened to Rash, Zitz, and Pimple? It’s like as if developers Dlala Studios looked at the many incarnations of Battletoads games like the NES original and the arcade version and went “screw this, we’ll reboot it like that Thundercats show”.
It looks like an up-rezzed Newgrounds game. I hope it plays better than it looks because Rare’s frog game deserves a better aesthetic.
Still No Gameplay Footage From The Games We Wanted

While it’s nice to see new titles debuting in Xbox’s show, there’s a huge lack of gameplay for the public. Case in point Elden Ring, Gears 5‘s Escape mode, and Halo Infinite which will only be reserved for folks who attend the show floor to see live demos and experience hands-on gameplay. At least give your loyal viewers and fans a little taste of what’s to come.
We’ve got a few more press conferences, along with some previews, to go until this Thursday. Until Nintendo blows us away with their gameplay reveals of their exclusives, which they probably will if they have Bayonetta 3 on standby, don’t count Xbox out.
Now that all the pressers are done and over with, I can safely say that Xbox did really good in showing us a ton of games for the end of the year and next year. While not exclusives per say, it does showcase the strength of the platform since everybody from your small-time devs to your big-ass publishers like 2K and Bandai Namco still want to have their debuts on Microsoft’s presentation.


Need A Decent 2D Dark Souls Metroidvania Fix This Year? Try Vigil: The Longest Night

Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch
Genre: 2D Dark Souls Metroidvania Action Platformer
If you’re looking for a challenge this month from an indie developer, look no further than Glass Heart Games’ Vigil: The Longest Night. This 2D action game wears its inspirational sleeves proud – that of From Software’s hardcore action RPGs and Castlevania titles in the late 90s that require maps to navigate its secrets & discoveries.
Unfortunately, 2020 is a year littered with unique heavyweights like Ori & The Will of the Wisps, Carrion, and Midnight Succubus Castle DX. As such, it’s got a bit of competition to stand out among the rest. But we’ll get to that in a bit, because Vigil is still worth considering.
Night Watch

Vigil: The Longest Night starts you off with a female warrior named Leila, who is part of a night-watching group called the Vigil who has to solve the everlasting night plaguing the town of Maye.
Apart from a main objective – finish a Vigil trial followed by doing some main quest stuff that requires you to explore the edges of the game’s map- you have a bunch of plot details and odd characters you meet and converse in the town. Vigil is going for the whole “approach and find out more” method that’s prevalent in most old-school RPGs, and that helps with the mystique of the title. The game’s purposely drab aesthetic and creepy music starts you off slow and curious, and then as you’re out and about, you hear the more dramatic OST breaks out the guitar when you’re dealing with the things that go bump in the night. These include bats, rabid wolves, zombie dogs, belligerent guards, and mutant cultists.
Dealing with these foes requires you to be a bit careful than your standard 2D Metroidvania fare. Your standard attacks (Light and Heavy) and dodges require stamina, and using up too much of it put you in a negative debuff state. Every enemy here hits really hard, no matter how fast you can level up here.
No matter how many skill points you allocate to max out your sword or axe damage, or just your survival skills so you consume less stamina when dodging & attacking, you’ll need to be on point with the controls on a 2D space. It takes some time getting used to, but after multiple deaths, you’ll be dodging and finding attack opportunities like a pro. Think Dead Cells, but with a more loose control scheme and the aforementioned skill tree that’s pretty beneficial if you invest in just one or two of them.
Because of that, as well as other control and 2D plane-related benefits and knowhow, I did manage to cheese through most of the endgame past the 4-hour mark once I gave my axe skills quite a boost. I was doing absurd damage to all enemies save the endgame bosses. I was also told by another compatriot who played through the game about the same time I did that he cheesed through it by putting maximum points in the bow skill. With a bit of careful points allocation, Vigil’s challenge may end up being broken by sheer determination.
While I had my occasional flubs and was really taking in too many potions, the point is I can still blaze through the opposition with careful positioning, dodging, and jumping. Yes, the act of jumping and double jumping doesn’t require stamina at all, which is fine but it did make me use it more often in combat as a penalty-free escape option.

Also, some additions do not make sense here and are there just for the sake of making the game stay true to its Dark Souls inspiration. Why have the save points/”bonfires” respawn enemies when entering and exiting a room does just that? Why is there fall damage in a Metroidvania-designed title that features a TON of verticality? There are already spiked floors in the game; why not use that instead of needlessly punishing players for exploration via leaps of faith?
Why are there split-second moments where I jump down a platform that’s purposely obscuring a bad guy just waiting down there who is ready to strike in a milisecond? There are quite a few instances of this, and it’s not challenging; this just comes off as cheap and annoying. And why does the map look terrible and isn’t functional at all? I’m not asking for a George Kamitani work of art, but I can’t make head or tales at where I’m at and where I need to go half the time.
A Shot In The Dark

Speaking of art, we have to remember that all kinds of visual aesthetics are subjective. While Vigil: The Longest Night has a particular unique style and animation, it isn’t doing anything for me, especially in a year filled with visual standout indie titles like Ori and the Will of the Wisps and Carrion.Â Plus, the game’s character and level design is pretty stock. Save for some later Cthulu-slash-Bloodborne-inspired areas and some lovely monster designs, the majority of the game pits you in really bland-looking villages, spooky caves, mine shafts, and forests filled with people who came right out of a rejected Renaissance tapestry.
I understand that Glass Heart Games is keeping in theme with the dark fantasy motif, but I feel there’s a better way to convey that in a unique way that doesn’t feel like elaborate Flash animations. Personally, it’s just monotonous to look at and makes me just want to get to the boss fight more than savour through the gruelling atmosphere.
It also doesn’t help that sometimes the enemies blend in with the background because of their colour scheme matching the environment. This means you’ll get hurt more often than usual for big chunks of damage just because enemies are unintentionally camouflaging themselves. Luckily you can still keep track of your heroine and you can customize how she looks so that she doesn’t get lost in all the bloodletting you’ll be doing.
No Shade Thrown Here
I look forward to seeing more great things from Glass Heart Games, because Vigil: The Longest Night is a lovely first effort from the studio. Its ode to Dark Souls and Metroidvania titles offers a lot of do-it-yourself mentalities and worthy challenges big and small. It needs some cleaning up with its balancing and cheap difficulty tactics, as well as a better way to convey its art style.
I can’t recommend above this year’s action-adventure indie game offerings of the “heavy searching” variety. But if you’ve played those already and need another fix, you could do worse than the pretty solid Vigil: The Longest Night.
Pros

Solid controls & tight combat.
Exploring Maye and its environment is fun & expansive.
Great music, especially in dungeons.
Lovely boss fights.

Cons

Divisive art style that obstructs gameplay.
Some sections & levels get cheap difficulty-wise.
Doesn’t elevate the “search” action-adventure genre.

Final Score: 60/100


Tekken 8 Closed Network Test Takes Place This July, Adds Claudio To Roster

Bandai Namco has announced that the first Tekken 8 closed network test will begin on 21 July 2023 and end on 24 July 2023 on the PS5. Meanwhile, the second closed network test will begin on 28 July 2023 and end on 31 July 2023 on the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Dates and session times for the TEKKEN 8 CNT are as follows:

Week 1 – PS5 only

Friday, 21 July 2023, 4:00 PM GMT+8 – Monday, 24 July 2023, 3:00 PM GMT+8

Week 2 – PS5?XBOX Series X/S, and PC via Steam

Friday, 28 July 2023, 4:00 PM GMT+8 – Monday, 31 July 2023, 3:00 PM GMT+8

With the upcoming CNT, players are invited to experience “Ranked Matches” and play a part in helping influence key game mechanics and features coming to the sequel.
The TEKKEN 8 CNT will feature online head-to-head competitive play with cross-platform matching. Testers will be able to choose from 16 playable characters including those previously revealed, with Jin, Kazuya, Jun, Paul, Law, King, Lars, Jack 8, Xiaoyu, Nina, Leroy, Lili, Asuka, Hwoarang, and Bryan, along with a new fighter made available for the CNT: Claudio. There will be five available stages with Urban Square, Yakushima, Rebel Hangar, Sanctum, and Arena.
Interested players can sign up and register now at the official website. Registration ends on 27 June 2023.
The trailer for the Tekken 8 closed network test also teases a new returning playable character, Claudio.
Tekken 8 is slated to launch for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. However, there is no release date or release window as of yet.
Check out the trailer below:


Check Out These Teaser Images For The Monster Hunter Movie

Paul W.S. Anderson is going to create a Monster Hunter movie for all of us movie-slash-game fans because he’s done with the Resident Evil series and his wife Milla Jovovich needs something to do apart from him.
Anyway, here are some teaser posters for the film in all their hunter glory (via IGN). It’s lacking the monsters though.

Good to know Tony Jaa is looking fit as heck. Jovovich plays Lieutenant Artemis, the soldier who gets trapped in the Monster Hunter world, while Jaa plays a resident in said world.
The Monster Hunter movie will be in theatres 4th September. There better be goddamn Palicoes in this film.Â


Friday The 13th The Game Is Shutting Down Its Servers

After three years, Friday The 13th The Game will be shutting down its dedicated servers after one final update. Publisher Gun Media lead community developer Matt Shotcha announcedÂ on the official game’s forumsÂ today that the final patch will arrive sometime in November 2020, after which dedicated servers for the game will be taken offline.
However, fans don’t need to worry about losing access to the game, as it will still be playable via Quick Play, which will continue to function via peer to peer matchmaking even after the final update and closing down of dedicated servers.
This is because the game’s database servers will remain in place so that players can still play the game, and that includes private matches.
In a tweet, Friday The 13th The Game co-creator Wes Keltner said:

We fought to keep dedicated servers for as long as possible, but I think we all felt this day was coming. Doesn’t make it any easier, though. To the strangers that became friends, to the bonds forged at camp, and the Chad’s thrown through a window, we appreciate all of you. <3 https://t.co/hZcxMbPThN— WesKeltner (@weskeltner) November 3, 2020

Friday the 13th: The Game has stopped receiving new content since 2018, due to an ongoing legal dispute between the original 1980 movie’s director Sean S. Cunningham and Friday The 13th scriptwriter Victor Miller. That’s also why we haven’t received any new movies since the 2009 remake.
While the Friday The 13th The Game forums will also be shutting down along with the dedicated servers, the game will remain available for purchase and issues with the game can still be reported via the dedicated websiteÂ JasonKillsBugs.com.Â


Injustice 2 Coming to PC; Open Beta To Be Available on Steam ‘Soon’

Publishers Warner Bros. Interactive has confirmed thatÂ Injustice 2Â is getting aÂ PCÂ release via Steam ‘later this fall’ – or in Asian-speak, sometime between now and late December. The port will be handled by Polish studio QLOC, the same team tasked for porting another NetherRealm fighting game,Â Mortal Kombat XL, to PC. An open beta of the game was teased to drop yesterday, but it has since been delayed. At time of writing, no official dates on its actual commencement has been revealed.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hklKfEEsxc&w=560&h=315]
Already available on the PS4 and Xbox One, Injustice 2 is one of the best fighting games released this year. Atom was recently added into the roster and he should be available as a character DLC around December. We wouldn’t be surprised if he is included as part of the Steam version bundle. Guess we will just have to wait and see.


Prepare To Buy: Sekiro Release Date & Collector’s Edition Announced

Fans of FromSoftware and samurai games, rejoice! Activision has just announced that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice will be released on the 22nd of March 2019.
If you’re dying to be one of the first to play the full game, you can start pre-ordering a digital copy right now. Can’t wait that long to get a taste of the game? Then head over to Hall 7.1 atÂ Gamescom as there’ll be a playable demo available.
Do not despair if you can’t make it to Gamescom, there’ll be a lot of new gameplay footage coming out soon and with that, probably a slew of analysis videos from Soulsborne lore experts.
The Collector’s Edition of the game has also been announced and there are some really interesting things being included.

The Collector’s Edition comes with:

The full game in limited steelbook cover
7″ statue of the shinobi main character
A digital soundtrack
An Artbook
Map
Three replicas of Sengoku Era coins

The minimalist yet soulful design of the steelbook cover is reminiscent of one of Bloodborne’s cover art in which where a hunter has his back turned towards the audience and blood like substance flows from his body.
Judging by FromSoftware’s track record of worldbuilding and storytelling through intricate details on characters, items and environments, it’d be wise to assume that the artbook, map, and coins might play bigger roles than simply serving as collector’s rewards.
Gamescom 2018 starts today on 21st August 2018. While we wait for more info and gameplay from the showfloor, here are some newly released screenshots to enjoy (and to be analysed to the smallest details).


Maneater Surfs Onto The Nintendo Switch Next Week

Developer Tripwire Interactive and publisher Deep Silver have announced that Maneater is coming to the Nintendo Switch next week on 25 May 2021.
For the first time ever, the open waters of Port Clovis have evolved to go portable. Whether youâ€™re on the go or in your home, you now can eat, explore, and evolve your way to the top of the food chain and become the Apex Predator of the ocean.
Maneater is a single-player, open-world action-RPG where YOU are the shark. Starting as a small bull shark pup you are tasked with surviving the harsh world while eating your way up the ecosystem. To do this, you will explore a large and varied open world encountering diverse enemies; both human and wildlife.

ManeaterÂ Key Features Include:

Eat: Feed on humans, consume nutrients, and find rare shark loot to evolve past what nature intended.
Explore the Gulf: Explore seven large regions, including bayous of the gulf coast, resort beaches, industrial docks, the open ocean and more. Experience a living world with a full day/night cycle.
Evolve Into a Legend: Unlock and equip various Evolutions that improve and enhance your shark as you progress through the campaign.
Unique Story: Play through a full narrative, story-based campaign narrated by Chris Parnell (Rick and Morty,Â Saturday Night Live,Â 30 Rock) and set against the backdrop of a reality TV show.
Diverse, Compelling Combat:Â Battle fierce wildlife including other apex predators or fight against various types of human hunters ranging from town drunks all the way up to the Coast Guard.
Includes the Tiger Shark Evolution:Â Â The Tiger Shark is often called the ‘garbage disposal of the sea.’ Appropriately enough, this evolution allows you to digest nearly anything, increasing your ability to gain vital nutrients from all varieties of prey.

Maneater is already available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.


Mobile Legends MPL SG Goes Offline At The GR.iD For Playoffs

The Mobile Legends Bang Bang Professional League Singapore will go offline during Season 3 Playoffs, from 29 April to 1 May 2022 at the GR.iD. Centrally located near Dhoby Ghuat, the event will be open to the public, with safety measures catered for MPL SG players.
Organized by PVP Esports in partnership with GR.iD, there will be various offline activations from 29 April to 1 May 2022 for the MLBB community, including:

Exclusive MLBB x GR.iD discounts at participating stores:

 Flash your Mobile Legends Bang Bang app’s Player profile page at participating stores to redeem discounts of up to 15 percent

Spend & Win

 Spend min SGD 30 at GR.iD and stand to win up to 25,000 diamonds along with Razer products:

1st prize: 10,000 diamonds + Razer Deathadder V2 X Hyperspeed Mouse
2nd prize: 5,000 diamonds + Razer Deathadder V2 X Hyperspeed Mouse
3rd prize: 3,000 diamonds + Razer Deathadder V2 X Hyperspeed Mouse
4th – 10th prize: 1,000 diamonds

Snap & Win

Snap a photo with MLBB heroes located around GR.iD, and tag both GR.iD and MPL  Singapore to stand a chance to win the following prizes:

1st Prize: OSIM uThrone S worth $999
2nd Prize: OSIM uCosy 3D + OSIM uVision 3 worth $368
3rd Prize: 5,000 diamonds + Razer Deathadder V2 X Hyperspeed Mouse 1 Competition will run up to 16 May for Spend and Win

MPL Singapore will be adhering to all government protocols and instilling safe distancing measures. This marks the fourth MPL league that has shifted operations offline. Seven teams are vying for the lion’s share of S$100,000 and the coveted championship title to qualify for the Mobile Legends Bang Bang Southeast Asia Cup 2022.


MPL Malaysia Season 8 Hit Peak Viewership Last Week

MPL Malaysia Season 8 Week 2 kicks off today. In contrast to last season, the peak concurrent viewership (PCU) of Week 1 in MPL MY Season 8 hit a high of 82,532 during the match between TODAK and HomeBois. Compared to Week 1 of Season 7, the PCU for this season increased by 34 percent.
The viewers displayed great interest in the match thanks to VINS’ performance, as he was enacting revenge on his former team; TODAK, which let him go. VINS proceeded to join HomeBois and made a splash during the ‘revenge’ match.
Here are the questions we have ahead of the upcoming matches:

â€‹The battle between Red Esports vs Team Bosskurr is one of the most highly anticipated fights for this week – given that Mom and Mali have left and are facing their ex-teammates once again. Will they, like VINS, emerge victorious against their old team?
â€‹Is TODAK going to pull out any special metas, and will they bring out Ciku to play as jungler?
â€‹The long-standing rivalry between Bosskurr and GEEK FAM continues. Will the team be able to pull off another upset against GEEK FAM this season?

You can catchÂ all the action on the following MPL Malaysiaâ€™s socialÂ channels:

TikTok
Youtube
Facebook
Instagram

For more details and information, you can head on over toÂ the official website here.
In addition, from today to 21 August 2021, Mobile Legends players can also join in the “MPL Kick-off Bonus” event to win the following for free:

Discount coupon of the first MPL exclusive skin Wanwan “E-Girl”;
â€‹â€‹Acquire one of the following: Harley, Hayabusa, Angela, Wanwan;
Players can also win Premium Skin Fragments, Double Battle Point Cards, Small Emblem Packs

The esports league has alsoÂ partnered up with KFC Malaysia for epic finger clickinâ€™ bundle mealsÂ that can be redeemed through the KFC app. Fans can also look forward to special in-game redemption codes and items that will be broadcasted throughout the Regular Season.
The MPL Malaysia Season 8 will continue for a total of eight (8) weeks from 13 August to 3 October 2021. You can find the full schedule by heading over here.
Itâ€™s already ongoing so you can catch the action right away:
MPL Malaysia Season 8 English Stream

MPL Malaysia Season 8 Malay Stream


The Best Video Game Soundtracks To Listen To During COVID-19 MCO

We’ve listed out the best games and manga to read during Malaysia’s MCO period, but what about video game music you can stream? After all, music can help relieve boredom while also add colour to your routine.
It’s time to sort that out with our suggestions from us at Kakuchopurei. We’re keeping it a tad diverse, from orchestral craziness to all-out rockin’ fast BPM tunes to keep you pumped.
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag

ACIV: Black Flag’s score is a great complement to one of the best AC campaigns til today. Carries a great pirate vibe without going over the top or overselling it. Does not try too hard to emulate Pirates of the Caribbean, but still relatable to casual fans of the pirate genre. -Kenn Leandre
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT7RZoSFxZA?start=74&w=560&h=315]
Sarah Schachner’s work on last year’s Call of Duty is melodramatic yet understated; calming yet furious and gets your heart pumping at the twist of a note.
Her work on the 2019 Modern Warfare may be her best yet; standout tracks include “Piccadilly Circus” and “The Wolf’s Den”. – Kenn Leandre
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2

Guitar riffs, heavy metal, and Russian march anthems. What’s not to love? -Kenn Leandre
Halo: Combat Evolved

Arguably the mother of all FPS soundtracks. Encapsulating heroism, hope, grandeur and scale all wrapped in a tight package exemplifying our helmeted protagonist in Master Chief.
The church-like choir accompanying the orchestra is a perfect example that classical elements can meld seamlessly into a futuristic setting. The highlight of all this is none other than the Halo theme playing during the Warthog Run as Master Chief races to board the Pelican at the end of the first game. Truly an iconic moment in gaming. -Kenn Leandre
Apex Legends

Just like Halo, orchestral music and futuristic themes mix very well together in this battle royale game released in 2019. The soundtrack adds a sense of wonder of the unknown laced with heavy themes of swagger and confidence synonymous with participants of the Apex Games.

The high point of this short yet impactful soundtrack surely is the “You Are the Jumpmaster” theme which plays as players get ready for their impending doom, or victory in the arena. -Kenn Leandre
Persona 4

Shoji Meguro is a maestro musical composer who deserves just as much as recognition as Final Fantasy’s Nobuo Uematsu. Persona 4’s soundtrack is one that elicits all kinds of emotion. I loved walking around the quaint town of Inaba to the sweet “Your Affection”, “Signs Of Love” and “Heartbeat, Heartbreak”.

Meanwhile, the “Heaven” theme from one of the late-game dungeons was a jazzy and melancholy piece that spurred me on to rescue my protagonist’s niece, Nanako. However, the cherry on top is the ending song “Never More”, which made me heartbroken over having to end my journey but feeling this fuzzy warm feeling inside as well. -Comicslord
Persona 3

Shoji Meguro also worked on Persona 4’s predecessor, Persona 3. Unlike Persona 4’s emotional and uplifting music, Persona 3 is much more focused on hip hop and R&B tunes.

Walking around to the beat of Iwatodai Dorm never gets old, while the final boss theme “The Battle For Everyone’s Souls” is aptly named for its epicness. – Comicslord
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Marcin PrzybyÅ‚owicz is another great composer, with an epic soundtrack for the masterpiece of a game, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, comparable to that of the music from Game Of Thrones or The Lord Of The Rings.
I still remember how “The Wolven Storm” took me by surprise when Geralt’s simple trip to a bar with his friend Zoltan became one of the most memorable parts of the game for me.

When you’re not feeling like your heart is torn asunder by “The Wolven Storm”, you can listen to any of the other epic songs from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. –Comicslord
NieR: Automata

It would be difficult to imagine NieR: Automata without its soundtrack. Composed by Keiichi Okabe, the tracks range from strange but atmospheric music that immerses you in its post-apocalyptic world of androids and machines, to magnificent pieces that somehow manage to be epic and sad at the same time.
Simply put, there’s nothing quite like it. – Melvyn Tan
Kindred Spirits on the Roof

If you need something relaxing and cheery, this yuri visual novel’s OST will do the trick. If you’ve played it, it’d be impossible not to remember the tracks “Shirojo”, “Sweet Words Sweet Hearts”, and “My Territory”; not just because they’re played often, but because they’re so darn memorable. Shirojo, in particular, is ridiculously catchy.
The rest of the soundtrack doesn’t stand out as much, but they’re still competently crafted tracks that make for nice background accompaniment. Which is appropriate, since they’re background music. – Melvyn Tan
Mirror’s Edge (2008 version)

There’s just something soothing and sublime about this 2008-made soundtrack from Swedish electronica wizard Solar Fields. From the inviting “Introduction” that’s basically the leitmotif of the entire game to the lowfi-to-escalated stage track mixes like “Ropeburn” and “Shard”, you’ll be hard-pressed not to include this gem of an album into your daily routine.Â  –Mr Toffee
Killer Instinct (2013 version)

Arguably one of the greatest fighting game soundtracks that will keep your blood pumping. Both Season 1 and Season 2’s music are perfect for your workout-from-home regiment, be it the dance-savvy nature of “Touch me and I’ll break your face” to the rocktastic “Inferno”. –Mr Toffee
If you have any suggestions, let us know here or on Facebook!


Mortal Kombat 11 Sales Top 12 Million Units

Good news for American fighting game fans: Mortal Kombat 11 has sold beyond 12 million units worldwide.
This puts the total sales of the Mortal Kombat franchise at about 73 million console units to date. On a related note, Mortal Kombat Mobile for iOS and Android has surpassed 138 million downloads. Here’s a quote from NetherRealm Studios creative director and Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon about this windfall:
“WhenÂ Mortal Kombat launched nearly 30 years ago, I never dreamed it would grow into the franchise it is today with more than 73 million games sold. We have some of the most passionate fans in the world and we appreciate the support they have shown us over the years.”
If you haven’t played MK11 and its expansion Aftermath, you should: it’s good 2D violent fighting goodness!


These Are Steam’s Top Selling Games Of 2021

Steam, that digital distribution PC platform everyone loves to get discounts from, just released its list of top-selling games of 2021.
The games are divided into a number of tiers: Platinum (1st to 12th place), Gold (13th to 24th place), Silver (25th to 40th place), and Bronze (41st to 100th place). Basically, 2021 has been a great year for video games. This is due to people staying home and playing new titles and buying them while trying not to go out of their minds being cooped up at home for the majority of the time.
Here they are:
Platinum

Dead By Daylight
DOTA 2
PUBG
Destiny 2
NARAKA: BLADEPOINT
Battlefield 2042
Counter Strike: Global Offensive
New World
Rainbow Six: Siege
Grand Theft Auto V
Apex Legends
Valheim

There’s a ton of games here that have been out since 2013, proving their staying power as F2P games. Naraka: Bladepoint, New World, and Valheim are the most recent entries.
Gold

FIFA 22
Forza Horizon 5
Rust
Sea Of Thieves
Back 4 Blood
It Takes Two
Final Fantasy XIV: Online
Forza Horizon 4
Warframe
The Elder Scrolls: Online
Red Dead Redemption 2

Here’s where the majority of 2021 games reside, including Forza Horizon 5, Back 4 Blood, and new updates to FFXIV and Warframe.
Silver

ARK: Survival Evolved
Monster Hunter: WORLD
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
Age Of Empires IV
Halo Infinite
Cyberpunk 2077
Outriders
Phasmophobia
The Sims 4
Resident Evil VIIlage
Stellaris
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI

Bronze

Rimworld
Football Manager 2022
Cities: Skylines
Farming Simulator ’22
Hunt: Showdown
Raft
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice GOTY Edition
No Man’s Sky
Battlefield V
Planet Zoo
EA Play(Subscription)
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Call Of Duty: Black Ops III
Biomutant
Hearts Of Iron IV
Star Wars: The Old Republic(F2P MMO)
ARMA III
Fallout 76
Dyson Sphere Program
Stardew Valley
TOTAL WARHAMMER II
Crusader Kings III
Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition
SMITE
Fall Guys
Tales Of Arise
Halo: The Masterchief Collection
The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth
Humankind
GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE-
Age Of Empires II: Definitive Edition
EA Sports FIFA 21
World Of Tanks Blitz
Bloons:TD6
theHunter: Call Of The Wild
Days Gone
DOOM Eternal
Satisfactory
NIER Replicant
Half-Life: Alyx
Fallout 4
NBA 2k21
World Of Warships
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
Microsoft Flight Simulator Game Of The Year Edition
Deep Rock Galatic
Dying Light
Tale Of Immortal
Wallpaper Engine
Baldur’s Gate 3
NBA 2k22
Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis
F1 2021
DayZ
Borderlands 3
Hades
The Forest


Asus ROG Ally: What You Need To Know About This Potential Steam Deck Killer [Update]

The Asus ROG Ally is a gaming device from the PC-making company that is clearly capitalizing on the Valve Steam Deck fad. However, it does plan to be a more powerful version of its competitor while also being its own beast: a portable gaming beast that plans to run EVERY PC game out there. Keep in mind that Asus ROG is known for its powerful-if-expensive mobile phones, so it’s most likely taking those lessons and processes to heart and implementing it onto the Ally.
Here’s what we know about the upcoming gaming device, slated for an 11th May official reveal from Asus.

What makes the Asus ROG Ally such a sought-after device?
The Asus ROG Ally is a portable PC tailored to have controllers on each end with a screen in the middle like the Nintendo Switch. In essence, it’s following the build of Valve’s Steam Deck, but more powerful. See, the device is debuting the AMD’s Ryzen Z1 Extreme which is a handheld-dedicated chip meant for devices similar to the Steam Deck.
Steam Deck users may be jealous at what the Ally offers (via Verge):

Easy-to-reach shoulder buttons with a decent click.
Not-too-tall analog sticks.
An Xbox One-style concave D-pad that’s easy to rock and roll.
An honest-to-goodness fingerprint sensor for genuine biometrics.
Custom fan curves so you control the noise and heat levels.
Built-in task switching, task manager, screenshot and video recording shortcuts (hold down one of the rear paddles and press D-pad or face buttons).
The ability to drag the performance overlay to almost any part of the screen.

What is inside the Asus ROG Ally?
Let’s break this down in bullet points:

The Ally features Zero Gravity cooling (Pokede)that accommodates all possible orientations with the device to ensure consistent cooling performance.
The Ally’s RAM is soldered, thus is not replaceable.
The Ally’s battery and SSD are easy to replace, though you might void the warranty of the device.
The joysticks are attached to a dedicated daughterboard, meaning you can swap these out to a Hall Effect-based joystick if needed(Pokde).
There is a popup screw that can help you lift the entire backplate off the device easily.

Here are the official specs:
APU: AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
Cores: 8
Threads: 16
Graphics: RDNA 3
RAM: 16GB LPDDR5
Display: 7-inch IPS 1080p/120Hz
Storage: 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD/microSD
Weight: 608g

How much does the Asus ROG Ally cost? When will it be out?

Update [19/5/2023]:
The ASUS ROG Ally will be out in Malaysia in July 2023. No price has been announced or confirmed yet, but PC gaming fans should “get ready to be surprised – in a good way!” This is probably a way to prevent grey imports of the Ally (and scalper tactics) from being commonplace come 13 June.
Update [11/5/2023]:
The ASUS ROG Ally will cost US$699 (roughly around RM3,200 or S$930) and will be out on 13 June.
ASUS ROG Ally AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme Version

Up to 8.6TFlops
512G PCle Gen 4 SSD
3 months free Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
7″ FHD Display with 120hz refresh rate
ROG Intelligent Cooling Dual Fans
16GB LPDDR5
US$699
Out 13th June

ASUS ROG Ally AMD Ryzen Z1 Version

Up to 2.8TFlops
512G PCIe Gen 4 SSD
3 months free Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
7″ FHD Display with 120hz refresh rate
ROG Intelligent Cooling Dual Fans
16GB LPDDR5
US$599
Out in Q3 2023

There is no official price yet, but the device is rumoured to cost RM4,599 to RM5,599. However, these are placeholder price tags that are on Lazada and Shoppee; the official pricing will only be revealed this week on 11 May. Asus has promised that the gaming device’s price tag will be competitive value-wise.


Here’s Why Ape Out Is 2019’s Most Jazzed-Up Violent Indie Fare

Who knew a simple melee twin-stick action stealth game could be presented in such a jazzy fashion? In a game about a gorilla escaping, of all things?
That’s Ape Out in all of its pastel glory, presented in minimalistic colours ala Saul Bass and with a jazz soundtrack full of wild percussions inspired by films like Whiplash (sans teacher abuse). Like I mentioned, all you have to do is go from left to right. No map screen except when you die; the camera pans away to show the current stage’s layout.
It’s just you, your two fists, and your gorilla speed as you sneak your way through many stages from a laboratory to a military base, even busting out through a private estate.
Ain’t Misbehavin’
I have to bring up the major part of the game that ties everything together: the audio. The music, the percussions, the snares: all of them play out in sync with what you do and how the level is set up. The stage goes dark: it gets less noisy. The level blares up with alarms: the music plays at a super-fast frenetic tempo.
The action and gameplay is nothing new, but it’s presented in such a stylish flair, unlike any other game I’ve seen. No, really. I’m having trouble remembering an indie game where its aesthetics and gameplay go very well and just feels cools without any words or any exposition whatsoever. It’s an arthouse game that revels in its violence, and there’s tons of it to enjoy.
Simply put, the game’s aesthetics communicates all of the joy and dangers of breaking out.

Strange Fruit
I painted the room with a lot of white and other bright colours by tossing doors or just grabbing and tossing enemies to the wall while the cymbal rings in sync with every kill. It’s abstract violence, it’s pretty, and it’s visually arresting. It’s also over in a few hours, and it’s hard to go back and replay it again unless you’re aiming for an imaginary high score.
While that’s all there is to it with this short SG$15 game, sometimes that’s enough. Especially if it’s done in a rough raw jazz motif using a top-down view and a minimalistic art style to get its kinda-environmental message across.
Pros
-Unique aesthetics & soundtrack.
-Simple-yet-fun top-down action game reliant on stealth.
Cons
-Pretty short.
-Not much of a challenge in the long-term.
Final Score: 70/100


Latest Call Of Duty: Vanguard Update Wipes Mid-Level Saves, But Adds More Stuff

Sledgehammer Games has released a new Call of Duty: Vanguard and will be adding a fix to the game’s recent code redemption issues.
Players who couldn’t redeem codes for XP bonuses, Calling Cards, and Emblems should be able to do so in this update. The game’s Combat Shield now provides cover when placed on a player’s back. Operator Challenges do not reset when they’re complete, and past inaccurate unlock requirements for Weapon Challenges are now amended.
Unfortunately, the update will wipe mid-level checkpoint save data, which means campaign players will need to restart the mission they were on the last time they played the game. That’s fine, considering most missions in a CoD game shouldn’t take too long to complete.
It won’t fix the rest of the game’s lingering problems; you know, the one where it’s basically the same damn game republished and reskinned for the past 5 years or so. Full patch notes are below:

Campaign

Mid-level checkpoint save data has been invalidated. Note: Players have not lost all their campaign progress. Save loads will deliver players to the beginning of the latest level rather than their last checkpoint

Multiplayer

Users unable to redeem codes for incentives such as XP Bonuses, Calling Cards, and Emblems can now redeem rewards
Combat Shield will now protect playerâ€™s backs once stowed
Invisible player models in MVP voting and Play of the Game have been fixed
Fixed a bug affecting Constanzeâ€™s skin progression
Operator Challenges no longer appear to reset after completion
Inaccurate unlock requirements for Weapon Challenges now display correctly
1911 Pistol will now progress past Level 50
Weapons can now be accessed in the Loadouts/Gunsmith after level 66

Zombies

Camo Progression: All Pistol challenges can now be properly completed
Exfil: The kill count to Exfil now correctly tracks zombies killed
Bleedout Meter: Self-Revive meter no longer fails to show progress


Epic Games Unveils Fun Facts About Unreal Engine In Southeast Asia

Epic Games has revealed some statistics about the Unreal Engine, including substantial growth in Monthly Active Users of Unreal Engine with around a 30 percent uptick in Asia alone. This growth can be attributed to the release of Unreal Engine 5, which enables creators to realise next-generation real-time 3D content and experiences with greater freedom, fidelity, and flexibility.
Unreal Engine 5 was initially released in April 2022. Recently, the company also connected with local developer communities in Southeast Asia by introducing initiatives such as the Women Creators Programme as well as launching Unreal Authorised Training Centres (UATC) to develop local talent. In 2023, Epic Games plans to make its tools more accessible and give creators more power to do what they do best.
In the Women Creators Programme, 21 women were shortlisted — including Singaporean Digital Creative Director Jessica Tan, Indonesian Producer Ellen Xie, and Visual Effects Artist Zubaida Nila, who is representing Malaysia — where they had the opportunity to showcase their exceptional short films.
Meanwhile, Unreal Authorised Training Centres (UATC) and Unreal Authorized Instructors (UAI) will help to train the next generation of creators and professionals — equipping them with the necessary skills to be better prepared for the constantly evolving and highly competitive job market. These include 7 UATCs and 14 UAIs in the region, as of 2022.
Check out the statistics about the adoption of Unreal Engine in the Southeast Asian/Asian Pacific region below:

Over 50% of next-gen games that have been announced are being built with Unreal Engine, including the Indonesian-based Stairway Games’ Coral Island, which is also a MegaGrant recipient and the Malaysian-based Passion Republic’s GigaBash.
About 80 of the most highly anticipated games slated for release this year are powered by Unreal Engine.
The top 3 automakers in every region are utilising Unreal Engine in their development — with Toyota, Nissan, and Hyundai as notable examples for Asia Pacific.
250% increase in Unreal Engine-powered human-machine interface (HMI) users — the trend expected to continue in 2023, with Sony and Honda’s new EV coming equipped with HMI built on Unreal Engine.
About 44% increase year-on-year in the number of Unreal Engine film and TV projects — bringing the total to more than 500.
More live events and broadcasts leveraging game engine technology to deliver unique experiences, from interactive VR concerts to producing the opening sequence of Singapore’s most prestigious television award ceremony that wowed many viewers.
40 of the largest architecture firms in the US have adopted the fast and easy visualisation tool, Twinmotion.
Companies across the architecture industry want to improve their real-time capabilities — 61% indicating that they plan to onboard 11 or more game engine users within 24 months.

*Content Supplied by Epic Games / Unreal*


Castlevania Requiem Announced For PS4 This Halloween

In case you haven’t had enough Castlevania: Symphony of the Night ports, good news! Here’s one more from Konami.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Castlevania: Rondo of Blood will be sold in a PS4 exclusive bundle dubbed Castlevania Requiem. It’ll be out this Halloween -26th October- and will cost you US$19.99. And yes, it’s coinciding with Season 2 of the Castlevania Netflix animated series that’s delightfully gorey.
Both games are the originals emulated for the PlayStation 4, with several updates that take advantage of the new hardware. This includes 4K/1080p upscaling, multiple high resolution backgrounds, different rendering options such as smoothing, and full Trophy support.
Oh, and Platinum trophies will be tough to get. Elsewhere, Requiem will make use of the DualShock 4â€™s vibration, analogue stick and speaker, with the latter meaning youâ€™ll hear a cool little chime when you pick up an item.


Amazon’s Invincible Will Shock You And That’s Good

Recently, I wrote all about who or what Invincible is, and why everyone should watch the animated series or read the source material. In my in-depth but spoiler-free article, I explained how Invincible is both a celebration and deconstruction of the genre. The Invincible comics even preceded the comics of the now-immensely-popular The Boys.
Now that I’ve watched the first three episodes of Amazon’s Invincible, I’m happy to say that it’s a pretty faithful adaptation (albeit with some changes) and one that captures the essence of the original comics by Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker/Ryan Ottley.
My Name Is Mark Grayson…

Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) is the protagonist of Invincible and at first, he seems like just an average ordinary American teenager, but he’s also the son of Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons), this worldâ€™s equivalent of DC Comicsâ€™ Superman. When he finally gets his own powers, Mark wants to follow the footsteps and legacy of his father by taking on the mantle of Invincible. That’s basically the gist of the show’s premise.
Compared to the likes of The Walking Dead or The Boys, Invincible is more comics-accurate, pretty much following the events of the comics almost beat-by-beat so far (three episodes in). These are minor changes that fans of the comics wouldn’t be troubled with, including making Mark Grayson and his mother, Debra Grayson (Sandra Oh), as well as several other characters (like Amber Bennett, Mark’s early love interest voiced by Zazie Beetz) into people of colour. This is an attempt at diversification, but it’s an apt one, considering that the characters are now the same race as their voice actors.
However, some viewers may find the overall pacing in Invincible slower than they’re familiar with in other animated shows. Other animated shoes often only have episodes that are less than 30 minutes long, while Invincible‘s episodes are almost one hour long each, which is closer to the length of live-action TV series out there. That’s not surprising, as Invincible is R-rated and for adults, not only covering heavy subject matter but also sexual content and gory violence.
I won’t spoil what happens, but the creative teams certainly did a great job in making sure that there’s enough action in each episode. Even the first episode begins with an explosive and action-heavy introduction to the Guardians Of The Globe (the series’ equivalent of the Justice League) apprehending the supervillains knowns as the Mauler Twins. The narrative balances the action with quieter scenes of dialogue between Mark and his family/friends.
It’s these moments of drama that add depth to these characters, but I still feel like Amazon’s Invincible animated series is perhaps stretching the source material while glossing over some of the details. For example, the very first episode already features one of the comics’ iconic plot twists, but I felt like it came a little bit too early for it to have much of an emotional impact, though it certainly adds a lot of shock value and an intriguing cliffhanger for those who haven’t read the comics. To clarify, this plot twist arrived early on in the comics run as well, but it felt like more deserved there.
… And You Can Call Me Invincible

As for the animation, Amazon’s Invincible looks good visually but they’re sort of a mixed bag. The animation is best during action scenes and when the characters are in motion, which is clearly where the animators spent most of their time and resources (and for very good reason). They’re kinetic and gory, with blood and guts just as gory and visceral as in the comics. The animators aren’t holding back when it comes to that. If you like the blood and violence in The Boys, you’re essentially getting the same thing but in animated form with Invincible.
However, the animation looks much less impressive and lacks polish during the non-action scenes when the characters are just speaking with each other. They’re expressive enough but just seems a bit too stilted and static for someone like me, who’s grown up watching countless other comic book animated adaptations over the years.
Sometimes, even the flying scenes look weightless. It’s not bad, mind you. It just could’ve been a lot better. An example of this would be the better-animated DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation’s Young Justice.
You Ain’t Seen Anything Yet

Still, all of my opinions so far are based on only the first three episodes, and there are still five remaining episodes of Invincible‘s first season. It’s an amazing start, though that’s from the perspective of an existing fan of the source material. Those who are not familiar with the comics might think differently, but the shocking ending of the first episode will surely be enough to either keep them watching until the very end (or turn them off, depending on their opinion of the twist).
The best that I could describe Invincible is that it’s like The Boys but with a ton of more heart and a lot less cynicism overall. Ultimately, both the comics and the animated series on Amazon Prime Video are best experienced for the first time with little to no knowledge of what will happen. If you think that Invincible‘s first-episode-twist is mind-blowing, you ain’t seen anything yet.
Trust me, you will NOT be ready for what’s coming. As for my fellow fans of the comics, this is exactly what we’ve been waiting for, so let’s enjoy the ride. It’s not perfect, but it’s a good start.
FINAL SCORE: 80/100
Invincible‘s first three episodes are out now on Amazon Prime Video. Subsequent episodes will premiere every Friday on the streaming service.


The Top 20 New PokÃ©mon In PokÃ©mon Sword And Shield

You knew it was coming.
After all, we did a bunch of features about the best and the worst PokÃ©mon in all the generations of this PG-rated imaginary monster cockfighting franchise from Nintendo and Game Freak.
But what about the new ones in PokÃ©mon Sword/Shield, the latest RPG for the Nintendo Switch? Which critter is the best in the Galar region? Which PokÃ©mon is the cutest? And which one deserves your scorn?

Definitely this dips***.
After playing through a lot of man-hours in this latest Nintendo Switch title, here’s our verdict on the top 20 PokÃ©mon you should keep and admire.
Just one rule: we only allow new PokÃ©mon from Galar and Galar versions of existing PokÃ©mon. Gigantamax PokÃ©mon also count since they’re also brand new forms exclusive to this game.
Each of them are ranked by their design and skills, though for now, we’re prioritizing the former. Also, try not to take this list seriously as it’s meant for fun and games.
#20. Zamazenta

Want the best defense-based Legendary PokÃ©mon this side of Galar? Then you should just buy PokÃ©mon Shield and try your hand at capturing this bad boy. Its CrownedÂ  Shield variant is the look you should shoot for.
The fact that this cool-looking shield doge is 20th on this “prestigious” list means that the other 19 should be useful and cool-looking, right? RIGHT?!?
#19. Flapple

Game Freak was probably out of ideas when they came to designing Applin and Appletun. But somehow this accidental mid-evolution of the former looks like aÂ  creepy evil bat gecko thing that instils fear into the hearts of meek men and fruit farmers everywhere.
Seriously, apples?! C’mon.
#18. Dracovish

Some PokÃ©mon look so scary, so garishly-coloured, and so cool at the same time, they defy logic on how they exist. Dracovish is one such PokÃ©mon.
It’s a Dragon Water-Type that is also half-fish. It also has a circular pattern on its belly-crotch area. Point is, I’m not gonna mess with this freak if it robs me in an alleyway.
#17. Greedent

Somehow Game Freak took the face of that fat kid everyone had in their primary school and made it a tad more adorable(?) with fur and a milky-coloured tail.
#16. Inteleon

This freaky-looking final evolution of Sobble has fingertips that can shoot water and a membrane that can be used for gliding. Fun for parties.
Oh, and it’s probably one of the more decent Water-based PokÃ©mon you can get for free, provided you chose wisely.
NEXT


EA Sports Unveils FIFA 21 Top Players Ratings

Lionel Messi , FC Barcelona’s Argentinian wing wizard, edged out his Portuguese rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, in the upcoming FIFA 21 footie game players ratings following EA Sports’ reveal last night.
Rated at 93, Messi is FIFA 21’s highest-rated player. He is just one point ahead of Juventus forward Ronaldo who got a “measly” 92.
If it’s any consolation, though, Ronaldo is the highest rated striker, just one point ahead of Bayern Munich’s Polish striker Robert Lewandowski (91). This is followed by PSG’s French wonder kid and FIFA 21 cover star Kylian Mbappe (90) and Man City’s veteran Argentinean striker Kun Aguero (89).
Real Madrid’s French forward, Karim Benzema (89) and Spurs English forward Harry Kane (88) rounds up the list of the top-tier strikers in FIFA 21.

Forwards

Midfielders
In the wings, speed and dribbling are the main currencies as Messi’s former teammate and current PSG main man, Neymar leads the pack at 91. He’s closely followed by Liverpool pair, Mo Salah and Mane as the highest-rated wingers in the game.
There’s very little to separate Neymar from the both Liverpool wingers but I guess his higher dribbling and passing stats nudged him just a smidge ahead. Real Madrid’s Eden Hazard, Man City’s Raheem Sterling (both 88) and highly-sought English prodigy Jadon Sancho are not far behind.
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Meanwhile in the middle, passing takes precedence over speed, with Man City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne being the highest-rated at 91. However, Real Madrid’s Casemiro snuck into the top tier for central midfielders thanks to his physical and defensive attributes, making him the highest-rated defensive midfielder in the game.
Man United talisman, Bruno Fernandes is the club’s highest-rated midfielder at 87, on-par with Liverpool’s Fabinho. Paul Pogba, who had a mixed season is still highly-rated, coming up high at 86.
That’s something Man United fans can cheer about, right?
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Defense
In defense, Liverpool’s Dutch center-back Virgil van Dijk stands tall ahead of everyone else at 90 overall. Real Madrid captain, Sergio Ramos is still highly rated, coming in at 89 while Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly is third with 88.
Despite an awful season, Barca Spanish defender, Gerard Pique is still going strong at 86 and surprisingly, Man City’s Fernandinho who typically plays as a midfielder has been re-positioned as a center back.

Liverpool again dominate the wing-back position as two of their starters, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson are two of the highest-rated wing-backs in FIFA 21.Â  Spanish wingbacks Dani Carvajal and Jordi Alba are not far behind and I believe we can put that TAA vs AWB debate to bed with Man United’s right wing back receiving just an 83 rating.

Goalkeepers
I always felt that EA Sports is biased towards La Liga players and it is so apparent in the goalkeepers’ ratings. Whilst Jan Oblak (91) had a good season, how he was rated higher than Alisson (90), Marc-AndrÃ© ter Stegen (90), Thibaut Courtois and Manuel Neuer (both 89) bewildered me.

Speaking of bias, despite a mistake-ridden season, Man United stopper, David de Gea is still relatively high at 86, better than Gianluigi Donnarumma who is arguably the best keeper in the Italian league at the moment.

Best English Premier League Team (4-3-3)
In case you are wondering, here’s the starting eleven consisting of the best English Premier League players based on their FIFA 21 ratings.

Pretty decent team if you ask me. Which of these players were either overrated or underrated? Sound off in the comments section.
FIFA 21 is set for release October 9th on all current-gen consoles (including the Switch and Stadia) as well as on PC. It will also be made available on next-gen consoles.


Indie Fighting Game Blazing Strike Delayed To Spring 2023

Publisher Aksys Games and developer RareBreed Makes Games will be delaying its upcoming 2D pixel-based fighting game Blazing Strike, which still looks really gorgeous and fluid in motion.
Don’t believe me? Check out the trailer below:

Blazing Strike will be delayed to Spring 2023, quite a few months away from its planned Fall 2022 release window. The game is still slated for the PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS5. The developers said they needed more time to polish the title; here’s the official quote about that:
“It’s gut-wrenching to admit but Blazing Strike‘s release date has been moved back to spring 2023. However this delay will help polish the game to ensure the best game experience possible (maybe with cross-play), so I really hope you guys stick around a little longer.”


Kevin Feige Confirms That A Spider-Man 4 Script Is In The Works & There Will Be Fewer Disney+ Marvel Shows

On the cusp of the premiere of Ant-Man And The Wasp Quantumania (check out our full review here), Entertainment Weekly has published a new extensive interview with Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige. He discusses a lot of new details in there, but what’s most interesting were probably these two points.
Firstly, when asked about them changing “the pace at which we’re putting out the Disney+ shows”, Kevin Feige confirmed that Marvel Studios will now space them out further from each other and that there will be fewer Disney+ shows in a year.
That makes sense, considering that no 2023 Disney+ Marvel show currently has a release date, including Loki Season 2 and Secret Invasion.
It’s also good news, considering how packed 2022 was when it came to Disney+ Marvel show premieres. We could barely keep up with them ourselves, let alone casual viewers or Disney+ subscribers.
Secondly, he confirmed that a script for Spider-Man 4 is in the works. Keep in mind that a Spider-Man 4 has yet to be officially confirmed to be in either Phase Five or Phase Six since there’s no release window or other information as of yet.
When asked about Spider-Man 4, Kevin Feige said:
“All I will say is that we have the story. We have big ideas for that, and our writers are just putting pen to paper now.”
There you have it, folks. Check out the full interview at Entertainment Weekly for more details on upcoming MCU movies.


PlayStation 4 Lifetime Sales Amount To 82 Million Units

Sony just announced in its Q1 2018 fiscal year report that it has sold 82.2 million PlayStation 4 units within its 5-year lifespan. For its current quarterly report, the company sold 3.2 million units and hopes to sell 17 million units by the end of this fiscal year.
To put things into perspective:

The lifetime sales of the PlayStation 3 sits at 84 million. Keep in mind that the PS3 did not have a smooth launch and took a while to humble the PlayStation brand.
The original PlayStation sold 102.5 million units.Â
The PlayStation 2 sold 155 million units, making it the best-selling console on the planet. This probably made the brand feel like they were at the top of the world.
Microsoft has no sales figure for the Xbox One for pretty clear reasons.
Nintendo has sold 20+ million Switch consoles within its 1-year-&-5-month lifetime.

Does this correlate with the recent Newzoo gaming revenue numbers we published a while back? Perhaps; Singapore and Malaysia may most likely be the top Southeast Asian countries with a steady console fanbase, PlayStation or otherwise. Sony’s new games like God of War and Detroit: Become Human also helped. And we also have that Spider-Man game coming out next month which we hope turns out alright.


Fate/Grand Order China Servers Celebrate 5th Anniversary With British & Chinese Museum Treasures Display

The mobile RPG Fate/Grand Order (or Fate GO) is renowned for featuring radicalized anime versions of historical, fictional, and mythical figures like Gilgamesh, Cu Chulainn, Arthur Pendragon, and Nobunaga. After being active in China for 5 years, the game’s publisher & distributor Aniplex and BiliBili plan to celebrate its birthday in a monumental way.
The Fate GO China Server 5th anniversary public event (or FES 2021) will take place at the Shanghai World Expo in China, and will feature an exhibition of national treasures from the British Museum and the National Treasury of China. Yes, priceless artifacts will be on display for weebs fans and connoisseurs of the game.

The event will take place from 6th August to 8th August, with tickets only available at select Chinese ticketing platforms and for Bilibili members.Â Check out the mock displays of the upcoming exhibits below, which should give you an idea of how it’ll be like.

It’ll be pretty dang impressive if this gets pulled off in the actual live event this August. As with any video game exhibition, there will be merchandise up for buying. These range from face masks to stickers; we’re guessing the rest of the merchandise like the ones on the official store will also be available for purchase.

More details will be revealed later.


Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins Will Be Out Next March; Second Demo Playable Now

Square Enix just released a new trailer for its upcoming action RPG Final Fantasy spin-off title, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins.
The Team Ninja-developed title, which featured lots of dialogue about Chaos early on, now introduces a bunch of new characters like a spunky sorceress, a pirate with a giant hammer, and a slew of giant bosses including the game’s version of FF1’s Tiamat. Seeing as this is a retelling of Final Fantasy 1, it’s only fitting that previous enemies get the reboot and revamp treatment, albeit in a Dark Souls-like fashion.
That, and the lovely action-savvy combat; there’s a lot of it here. What isn’t present? The word “Chaos”, unless you’re watching the Japanese version of the new trailer.

The game also has a release date: 18th March 2022. The game’s second demo will be out for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Stay tuned to KKP as we will eventually cover the second demo when it’s ready.


MyFGC Street Fighter V Community Cup 2019 Now Open For Registrations

Love playing Street Fighter V? Think you’ve got the skills to become an SFV champion? Then sign up for the MyFGC Community Cup 2019. It’s a 2v2 tournament so make sure you got a buddy with you. Here are the details for the tournament:

Date: 7 September to 8 September 2019
Venue: Setia Spice Arena, Penang
Total prize pool: RM5,000
Registration fee: RM50 per team
You can register here.

The tournament will be a part of the Penang Esports Festival happening at the same venue and on the same dates. The esports festival will also have tournaments for games such as PES, FIFA, Tekken 7, Soulcalibur VI, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. So even if you’re not a fan of SFV, there’s still a lot of reasons to come down to Penang, aside from the great food of course.

For more information on MyFGC Community Cup 2019, you can check out the MyFGC Facebook page here. For more information on the Penang Esports Festival, check out their official website here.


PlayStation The Year Of Play Campaign Offers Rewards, But With A Catch

Sony Interactive Entertainment Singapore (SIES) has announced that PlayStation will hold “The Year of Play” campaign from today to celebrate the coming of The Year of Rabbit. The campaign will include the “Purchase PlayStation 5 Now for More Reward” event and the “Good Wish Hunting” event.
The “Purchase PS5 Now for More Reward” event will be held from 10th January to 28th February  2023. For customers who purchase PS5 or PS5 Digital Edition during this period, they will have a chance to win over RM180,000 worth of prizes.
The “Good Wish Hunting” event will be held on PlayStation Store (PS Store) on PS5 and  PS4 from 22nd January to 5th February 2023. The first 100 players who successfully completed the challenge by downloading all 5 Good Wish satchels will receive  PS Store Gift Card worth MYR 100. The Top 10 players with the highest accumulated spending can even win the Grand Prize – An ultimate All-in-one pack which includes a Sony 43” BRAVIA Smart TV and peripherals from PlayStation. We wish all players a playful Lunar New Year!
Furthermore, there will also be LNY sales offers from 18th January till 5th February for the purchase of PS5 Peripherals (Pulse 3D Headset, Media Remote and HD Camera), as well as selected PS5 and PS4 software.
“The Year of Play” Official Website:
https://www.playstation.com/en-my/local/campaigns/the-year-of-play/
Event 1: The Year of Play – Purchase PS5 Now for More Reward
Customer who purchases a PS5 or PS5 Digital Edition will have a chance to win a suite of wonderful prizes.
Campaign Period: 10th January – 28th February 2023
How to Participate:

During the campaign period, participants have to purchase a PS5 or PS5 Digital version with a local one-year warranty label affixed on the package from a retail or online retail store.
Then activate the console with an internet connection and log in to your PlayStation Network  (PSN) account during the campaign period.
Complete the entry form which is located on the campaign website with a PSN account logged in. The PS5 model and serial number will be required to provide. Each serial number and PSN ID can only be used once.
Winners will be selected based on the best answer submitted.

Prizes:

Grand Prize – 10 winners will be entitled to ALL IT eGift Card MYR 4,500
Second Prize – 40 winners will be entitled to Touch ‘n Go eWallet Reload PINs MYR  2,250
Third Prize – 100 winners will be entitled to PlayStation Store Gift Card MYR 450  The list of winners will be announced at the campaign website from 22nd March 2023.

Event 2: The Year of Play – Good Wish Hunting
Join Good Wish Hunting in the quest to find 5 hidden satchels scattered on PS Store for great prizes.
Campaign Period: 22nd January – 5th February 2023
How to Participate:

Step 1: Visit PS Store on PS4 or PS5. Log in to your PSN account or create one in order to participate.
Step 2: Go for a hunt on PS Store on PS4 or PS5. Download at least 1 Good Wish satchel to win Participation Prize or collect all 5 to win more prizes.

Prizes:

Grand Prize: Top 10 players with the highest accumulated spending and who have successfully  completed the challenge by downloading all 5 Good Wish satchels will receive the Grand  Prize – An ultimate All-in-one pack which includes:

 Sony BRAVIA TV KD-55X80K
DualSense™ Wireless Controller (Midnight Black)
PULSE 3D™ Wireless Headset (Midnight Black)
DualSense Charging Station
PS5 Console Cover (Midnight Black)
Media Remote

Completion Prize for First 100: First 100 players who successfully completed the challenge by downloading all 5 Good Wish satchels will receive PS Store Gift Card worth RM100.
Completion Prize: All participating players who successfully completed the challenge by downloading all 5 Good Wish satchels will each receive one 10% in-cart discount coupon for use on PS Store.
Participation Prize: Any player who successfully downloaded at least 1 Good Wish satchel will receive a full set of Lunar New Year PS4/PS5 Avatars.

LNY Sales Offer:
From 18th January to 5th February 2023, customers can enjoy various offers upon purchase of the below products.

 PS5 Peripherals

Pulse 3D Headset
RM399

Media Remote
RM119

HD Camera
RM249

 Selected PS5 and PS4 Software (Blu-ray Disc version)

Selected PS5 and PS4 titles (Blu-ray Disc version) will be available at special prices as followed:

PS5 UNCHARTED: Legacy of  Thieves Collection
RM129

PS5 Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
RM129

PS5 The Last of Us Part I
RM209

PS4 The Last of Us Part II
RM89

PS4 The Last of Us Remastered PlayStationHits
RM39


Next Samurai Shodown DLC Character Packs A Big Fiery Pillar

SNK has just dropped another DLC character trailer for Samurai Shodown (2019). This time they’re bringing back someone who’s been known to switch between several different weapons.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKrYUMnof2Y&w=560&h=315]
Wan-Fu is coming back to Samurai Shodown. His DLC will be released on 18 December 2019 and he’s coming back with his Samurai Shodown II weapon, a pillar that he apparently ripped off from a temple.
Wan-Fu can be bought individually for US$5.99 (~RM25) or as part of the Season Pass which is priced at US$19.99 (~RM83).
In previous Samurai Shodown games, Wan-Fu ventures out of his home country China to find recruit powerful warriors to unify China (Samurai Shodown) and find a cure for his diseased son (Samurai Shodown Sen). Let’s see why he’s decided to leave China this time.


Our Top Three Quentin Tarantino Films According To The Kakuchopurei Staff

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is already out, and it’s a darling celebration of an ending Hollywood era directed by a filmmaker who loves old genre films to the core: Quentin Tarantino.

Counting this one, he has made, written, and directed 10 films. Sure, he collaborated with other luminaries for From Dusk till Dawn and Natural Born Killers, but when you bring up a Tarantino film, you see his style, his homage-making, his dialogue and fleshed-out-if-meandering written bits, and his ode to the genre he’s basing his film on. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.
To celebrate the penultimate film in the man’s illustrious career, we’ve decided to rank our top three Quentin Tarantino flicks.
Alleef ComicsLord

Inglourious Basterds
Django Unchained
The Hateful Eight

Nothing else in the Tarantino library compares to the brilliance that is Inglourious Basterds. Movies that explore speculative fiction or alternate history are finicky genres but this movie pulls it off with both style and substance in equal measure. It managed to be funny and intense at the same time, without coming off as self-indulgent or cringe-inducing.
I remember being immediately hooked after watching “The Jew Hunter” opening scene with the utter revelation of a performance by Christoph Waltz’s SS Colonel Hans Landa. However, my absolute favourite scene from the movie is this one, which leaves me in stitches every single time I rewatch it.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN4GI97RoSw&w=560&h=315]
As uncomfortable as most movies exploring slavery in America usually are (as they should), Django Unchained was at its heart a spaghetti western with a simple but compelling revenge tale at its heart. However, Jamie Foxx’s Django Freeman wasn’t even the main highlight of the movie, as that distinction goes to Christoph Waltz once again dazzling me with his acting chops as Dr King Schultz and Leonardo DiCaprio’s villainous turn as “Monsieur” Calvin J. Candie.
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) scene in Django Unchained could have been distasteful and offensive (it may still be for some), but Tarantino’s script and direction turned this scene into a hilarious one that never fails to make me laugh.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHzQis2fO0U&w=560&h=315]
While Tarantino dabbled in the genre with Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight is when he went full western with a thriller twist. The sense of tension and paranoia is palpable throughout the entire movie, ramping up as we learn more about each of the eight strangers taking refuge in the increasingly cramped (both literally and figuratively) cabin.
In a movie like The Hateful Eight, it’s difficult to pinpoint on one specific favourite scene, since the movie has to be experienced in its entirety to be fully appreciated.Â  However, this scene, in particular, was memorable for me, in which Walton Goggins’s racist Confederate character Chris Mannix guffaws at the idea that Samuel L. Jackson’s Major Marquis Warren could have received a personal letter from Abraham Lincoln himself.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS0hjNqluMo&w=560&h=315]
To end my list, I would also like to point out that I’m not a fan of Pulp Fiction. In fact, I think that it is the most overrated movie in Tarantino’s library. I never really understood why it was praised so much. I’ve watched movies with non-linear narratives before, but nothing in Pulp Fiction makes much sense. It felt like Tarantino was just filming random scenes out of order for no reason at all.
Burhan

Inglourious Basterds
Reservoir Dogs
Django Unchained

I consider Inglourious Basterds to be Tarantino’s magnum opus. It’s like that scene where Aldo Raine carves the Nazi symbol on Hans Landa’s forehead and he says “I think this just might be my masterpiece”. I really believe Tarantino was speaking through Aldo in that scene and I completely agree with the man.
It’s actually hard for me to rank the Tarantino films that I’ve watched because I’ve generally loved all of them but Reservoir Dogs holds a special place in my heart. It was the first Tarantino film I watched and to this day, I can still almost remember each and every scene of that movie. The dialogue is amazing as usual and the usage of music is brilliant.
Everyone who has watched Tarantino’s works usually puts Pulp Fiction in their top three and honestly, it was very difficult for me not to do the same. However, Django Unchained gets into my list chiefly thanks to Leonardo DiCaprio’s award-worthy acting in that film. His portrayal of an affluent and eloquent racist white man is, to me, the best portrayal of that kind of character.
Mr Toffee

Pulp Fiction
Jackie Brown
Reservoir Dogs

As the old man of the group, I’m obligated to list down Tarantino’s earlier works because the top three listed above influenced how I look and watch films these days. Tarantino brought an air of coolness, style, and suave in the first three major films he’s directed and written, going back to what he loved about blaxploitation and grindhouse films back in the 60s and 70s and then making his own version using contemporary and legacy actors.
His first film, Reservoir Dogs, is an hour-and-a-half whodunnit crime drama which kept a lot of folks guessing the outcome. It also comes with entertaining scumbags played by Steve Buscemi, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, and Harvey Keitel.
His tribute to 70s blaxploitation flicks, Jackie Brown, has all the trappings and nods of one while still coming off as an original mesmerizing slow-building crime caper involving gun runners and an airline stewardess. And still proved that Pam Grier is a badass.

With Pulp Fiction, he combines 4 stories (actually, it’s just one interconnecting story) in one engrossing and atmosphere-setting sit-through filled with great music, a plethora of quotes, and well-paced storytelling.
Oh, and it made Samuel L. Jackson a household name. Technically, True Romance made him the apple of Tarantino’s eye (since the latter wrote the film), but he went out of his way to make the role of Jules strictly for him. All I’m saying is that without Tarantino’s brand of films, we won’t be getting films with colourful characters, storylines set in 70s genre tropes, a huge abundance of overindulgence in its writing and dialogue, and high usage of a race-disparaging word.