The Most Influential Games Of The Decade From 2010 To 2019

10 years. A ton of games. You know where we’re going with this. To celebrate our long-standing hobby and because it’s been a decade, let’s celebrate and feature all the noteworthy games that have cropped up throughout the years from 2010 to 2019.

That’s awesome. But what about the most influential games of all time?
Well, we have 11 picks.
They say the best video games are the ones that inspire you. Well, there’s a TON of that from 2010 all the way to now.
Here are our top picks within the past 10 years. Keep in mind that “influential” doesn’t mean “good”; it just means that the game in question help paved the climate and set industry standards to maximum effect, be it for good or for ill. So why 11 games? Because 10 wouldn’t do our picks justice. Plus, we like odd numbers.
#11. Persona 4 Golden

What is it? A JRPG where you have to organize your calendar to attend school, socialize with your pals, and then tackle a dungeon located in a TV to rescue victims from monsters called Shadows. It features a kick-ass soundtrack and a loveable cast, as well as a quaint countryside setting.
Why it’s influential? Because other JRPGs and remasters of JRPGs are following the trend Atlus did with Persona 4. Quirky characters who are waifu/husbando material? Check. Dating and social aspects? Check. Turn-based battles with funky menus and contemporary music? Check.
Hell, Nintendo’s Fire Emblem series took the “Persona” route starting with Awakening and capped off with Three Houses so far, thus making it the most popular and best-selling of the series.
#10. The Binding Of Isaac

What is it? A roguelike top-down indie game where you descend to hell killing abortions and monsters while attempting to be powerful and godlike. Mostly you will become that, hence the fun in getting eye lasers and spread shots. And scapegoats so that you attack without much consequence.
Why it’s influential? Because this game was made by just a tiny team. This drive and conviction in self-publishing games created a never-ending wave of indie folks to do their own games and weird-ass concepts for the past 10 years. Your Hollow Knights, Shovel Knights, and Slay The Spirals wouldn’t exist without games like The Binding Of Isaac proving that there’s always going to be a space and need for esoteric and avant-garde games. Even if they end up being refined Metroidvanias.
#9. Call of Duty: Black Ops Series

What is it? A shooter in the Call of Duty series. This one focuses on multiple ending scenarios, bleaker storylines about covert stuff, some unconventional weaponry, and lots of multiplayer modes to bolster the series.
Why it’s influential? It kept the multiplayer shooter genre alive. Just look at its sales figures for the past ten years. True, Grand Theft Auto 5 took the top spot in the overall US games sales for the decade (via NPD Group), but the Black Ops titles occupied most of the list. In fact, 7 of the games in the top 10 list are Call of Duty games.
This isn’t indicative of quality since the Black Ops titles suffered diminishing returns in quality. But to say that they didn’t have an impact in gaming’s decade-old history is absurd. Every other publisher and developer who are forced to bow down to trends have made their own take on Black Ops’ multiplayer modes.
#8. Destiny

What is it? An online first-person shooter with some action RPG elements involving classes, skillsets, and a plethora of loot.
Why it’s influential? Borderlands may have influenced Destiny in pretty much everything save the humour, but Destiny took it to another online level and made it feel like an online MMORPG with less emphasis on the “mass” part.
You could say that the combined efforts of Bungie and Activision help make Destiny a sort of game with a “service”; one that is always “live”.
#7. PUBG

What is it? An online third-person shooter where you fight 99 players in an ever-shrinking map with guns and weapons. The last man or woman standing wins.
Why it’s influential? Because it created a new genre: the battle royale.Â It got so influential that it resurrected the PvE focused version of Fortnite and made it all about the 100-person PvP instead. We would slot Fortnite in here, but PUBG was the first to create the genre exclusively for itself while also spawning Korean and Chinese-made clones on mobile.
It also gives a new and ever-growing reason for gamers to use livestreaming services like Twitch, Facebook Live, and YouTube Gaming: people like to root for others trying to survive in a 100-man battle. Or laugh at them lose their s*** as they get sniped out of nowhere just when they’re so close to victory.Â  Either way, we have too many “influencers” and “content creators” flooding and probably stinking up the scene while they play flavours of the month like the most-trending battle royale clones.
#6. PokÃ©mon Go

What is it? A mobile game where you got out of your ass and capture PokÃ©mon via augmented reality tech and shenanigans.
Why it’s influential? Because not only did it break Nintendo out of its “console only” shell and made them go mobile, but it hooks casual gamers because of its AR and “gotta catch ’em all outside my house and beyond” mechanics and mobile game micromanagement.
NEXT: The top 5


Skull & Bones Delayed Indefinitely, Will Not Be At Ubisoft Forward This Week

As we’ve said and hinted at previously, Ubisoft’s Skull & Bones is still in development and is probably going to be delayed for an unforeseeable amount of time. Time to change “probably” to “definitely” though as we now have an official statement.
Ubisoft and its Singapore branch announced that its online action game will be delayed and will be presented in public “sometime in the future”. The game will also not be featured on 10th September’s Ubisoft Forward event. The reason? The company needed more time to develop the game. It also may have to do with the fact that its previous creative director Justin Farren left the company mid-project. The project is currently under creative director Elisabeth Pellen.
Full statement below. We hope to see this game eventually seeing the light of day; modernized pirate games should make a comeback if games like Sea of Thieves is of any indication, especially if the game may be tailored for next-gen use. Doesn’t change the fact that Ubisoft is, well, knee-deep with its own problems.Â Â
First and foremost, thank you to our fans for showing tremendous patience. We know youâ€™ve been waiting for news, so Iâ€™m thrilled to confirm this: production on Skull & Bones has been in full swing with a new vision. Our teams at Ubisoft Singapore are fully committed to launching the game, as well as supporting it for many years to come. While our game wonâ€™t be present at Ubisoft Forward on September 10, weâ€™re currently working on plans to present Skull & Bones sometime in the future. It will be worth the wait.
Many of you have been wondering why weâ€™ve had to postpone our launch. The answer is that we simply needed more time. We dreamt something bigger for Skull & Bones, and these ambitions naturally came with bigger challenges.
These difficulties resulted in necessary delays for our game. Critical questions needed to be addressed over the past several months such as: how do we modernize the classic pirate fantasy? How do we ensure a more immersive and visceral experience? How do we create cool and memorable moments in-game? For most of these questions to be answered, it was clear that we needed more development time.
As Skull & Bones evolved from its original idea to what it is now, it was also necessary to have some fresh eyes join the team. I was one of those people when I joined as Skull & Bonesâ€™ creative director a little over two years ago. I have been part of the gameâ€™s core team that leads many of the talented developers at Ubisoft Singapore. Since then, many new talents have joined our global crew.
From our teams in Ubisoft Berlin, Chengdu, Kiev, Paris and the Philippines, it is truly a team effort. The dedication and passion of our developers continue to fuel our drive to make Skull & Bones something all of us can be proud of. Our confidence in each otherâ€™s talents is what motivates us to push Skull & Bones towards the finish line and beyond.
Weâ€™re proud of the work weâ€™ve done and we hope you will be too when you see more of Skull & Bones at our comeback next year. Until then, on behalf of everyone in the Skull & Bones team around the world, keep safe and we will see you again soon!

Elisabeth Pellen, Creative Director


Gears 5 Shakes Things Up With Open World Segments & Satisfying Multiplayer Modes

Platform: Xbox One, PC
Genre: The OG cover-based shooter with that gun with the chainsaw
One may argue that the latest Xbox/PC exclusive cover-based shooter set in a gritty future filled with humanoid monster hiveminds is just reiterating on the same formula. But at the very least, you’ll get a really polished and meaty experience out of it. Oh, and some nice eye candy and PC benchmarking opportunities.
And man: Gears 5 is indeed a beautiful, BEAUTIFUL game! Developer The Coalition are masters of the Unreal Engine since (most of the) team has worked on past Gears titles, so having a well-rendered game is a given. But aesthetically, the new snow and desert levels do stand apart from not just the franchise, but from other shooters as well.
Yes, I know they’ve done snow levels in Gears of War 2, but Act 2’s vistas and landscapes are a different beast. But all things considered, is it just the same game with a fresh new coat of paint? Is Gears 5 a lot more bombastic and action-packed than the last Gears title?
In a way, yes.
Campaigning

The plot is basically this: Gears of War 4 protagonist Kait Diaz wants to find out more about her secret ties to the Locust since it was teased at the end of that game. Without going into spoiler territory, you’ll have a bunch of plot stuff going on involving other protagonists JD Fenix and a few callbacks from the first few Gears of War games.

Remember that giant worm you killed in part 2? There’s a huge callback to that in Act 2. And yes, the infamous Crimson Omen jingle makes a return in some form.

There’s even the obligatory “make your final choice between two important things for the climax” story moment that feels tacked-on; like it actually matters because one choice seems more obvious than the other. There’s really no weight that rests in your decision unless you’re really into the game’s lore.
Narrative-wise, Gears 5 has its ups and downs that thankfully do not sour the gameplay experience.Â Act 1 plays out like a typical single-player shooter campaign with corridors, open-air street areas with conveniently-placed pillars and chest-high barricades for Gears-patented cover combat.
Act 2 and Act 3, on the other hand, take on a more non-linear approach. You gain access to a skiff that takes you to multiple spots here and there, be it to complete the main campaign line or finish some side quests. Said quests involve a lot of shooting and killing, with rewards that tie into a character mechanic I’ll get to later.
Personally, I get why The Coalition wants to shake up the formula a bit instead of reusing the simple straight campaign path formula (which they got back to in Act 4). They did put some thought into making it a breeze. And in Act 3, they did add in a sequence where you had to drive your way out of the game’s wind flare sequence -think desert tornado with loads of lightning that summons fortified sand sculptures. But beyond that, it’s still reeks of artificial padding.
It isn’t too much of a bother though, because the actual shooting and cover-taking in the game are still fun. The game throws a lot of Swarm types at you, including new ones like the suicide bombers (Juvies with frags), the mobile aerial enemy harasser that can also down you if you’re not paying attention (Flock), the fast melee hard hitter who can only be hit in the head (Warden), and stationary-at-times suppressive fire folks (Stumps).

These fresh new enemy types help make the game challenging, especially on higher difficulty levels and the fact that your heroes in the campaign have less health than in previous games.

The Gears 4 enemy types come out in full force too and will fight you in different locales, designed to make you take cover at temporary spots and move you around. These include a space station hangar housing a centrifuge, a red sand playground where the game’s windflare creates temporary cover, and a battle on breakable ice that can one-hit kill even the toughest Swarm with a well-timed grenade.
There’s a huge sense of satisfaction when you’re down to your last bullet, being cornered by two beefy Scions with impenetrable Bastion shields. I threw a frag grenade beneath them. It explodes, shatters the ice below, and just straight-up murdered them. Creative kills through desperation; that’s the campaign’s level design in a nutshell.
There’s also a pretty tense boss fight involving a pretty fast ugly monster and requires a lot of co-op coordination to even win. I learned the hard way that the game’s friendly AI is not helpful at the slightest. Half the time, they won’t prioritize reviving me when I’m downed by a sniper. So yeah, play this with actual people who know they have your back.
Luckily, Gears 5′s new addition makes the firefights all the more manageable.
New JACK City
Gears 5Â introduces player powerups this time around for both the single-player and multiplayer mode. I’ll focus on the former: you have JACK to do all of that. And boy, does he make your team OP at times.
JACK, the droid that follows you in every mission, is now more than just a bot that opens doors. He can participate in combat and can be upgraded with new fancy group-buffing abilities. Want to add armour for all your pals? Use Stim to power on through hazards and enemy fire. Need to set up a hot zone? Use Shock Trap to zap enemies and keep them away.
Side missions in Act 2 and Act 3 let you add further power-ups for JACK to make the game somewhat easier. My personal favourite is the one that lets you still remain cloaked when you fire your gun. Coupled with the other bonuses like staying invisible longer if you kill something, and you can stay hidden longer than usual while the Swarm are standing idly by, dumbfounded. Again, the game’s AI late in Act 3 onwards need a bit of work.
Still, the moments where it plays out as intended -challenging and action-savvy moments that require you to be practical and creative with JACK’s powers- is the core fun of Gears 5.
As fun as the new weapons are, like the LMG-esque Claw and the long-ranged Breaker Mace that’s dropped from a dead Warden, JACK’s new abilities are the MVP of Gears’ weaponry.
Runaways

Let’s face it: Gears 5 is not going to top the currentÂ Call of Duty or Rainbow 6 as the de facto PvP shooter of choice. There is PvP in Gears 5, but clearly, The Coalition’s design efforts are tailored towards PvE; something that’s lacking in the console and PC space as of late.

And it shows in the improved Horde mode and the Left 4 Dead-inspired Escape Mode. They are enjoyable as heck, even after wrapping up this review.

Horde Mode pits your team of five against an endless wave of Swarm foes from the small Juvies to the giant Snatchers. There’s a Fabricator that makes barricades and turrets for you, which feeds on “cash” you get from killing foes.Â There’s not much of a twist here save for the in-game purchasable character upgrades.
It’s still enjoyable just like before; having to hold out for 50 rounds while the AI throws big baddies and the ever-annoying Snatchers and Stumps to throw you off-guard. And there’s the added challenge of mutators which include having to kill downed enemies up-close.

In Escape Mode, the three of you have to get out of a Hive base with limited resources and an enveloping Venom gas that fills up the room with player-killing gas. You’ll have to switch between guns constantly, find safe houses and caches to stock up temporarily and melee a lot of Swarm and Juvies to save ammo when needed. Luckily, your selected character has a mode-specific power-up that can turn the tide a bit, be it a temporary ammo depot or a shock-charged melee attack.

It’s simple, effective, and fun. The higher difficulties of Escape Mode means more modifiers like faster Venom or bullet sponge enemies, which leads to thrilling escapes and close call moments. Like when your team is fresh out of bullets and the door closes just in time before that giant Pouncer leaps to your safe zone to eff you up.
Or when you’re facing a fully-armoured Warden with no bullets left; hightailing it before the venom fills up the stage seems like the smartest thing to do.

Protip: if you don’t like the pre-made Escape maps, you can make your own. The tool is pretty straightforward to use: you have a budget to determine enemy and weapon placement so that you can’t go too over-the-top. I do hope in the future they take this limiter off so that budding level map makers can make their own insane creations.
Versus is your standard PvP mode, where you gain points you can trade for better weapons. It’s fine, but I had more fun just teaming up with people in the previous two modes than this one. Your mileage may vary.
And if you’re not a fan of levelling up your characters in multiplayer mode for loadouts and stuff, Gears 5 isn’t going to change your mind. To get player buffs for your selected character, including the Terminator and Sarah Connor, you’ll need to play multiplayer mode a lot more than usual. It’s not a slog, but it will take up your time in investing.
The game may not be taking the crown for the PvP bits in shooters, but at least it entertains where it matters: with group-based co-op “them against the world” kind of fun that’s sorely needed in this esports competitive-centric landscape.
Same Old Song, But With Better Instruments

Is Gears 5 going to convert shooter fans? Maybe, because the weight and heft of combat and cover-taking coupled with the graphics and landscape make for really fun if slightly familiar gameplay.

Does it have legs beyond its 10-hour campaign? Yes, because Horde and Escape mode are a blast to play with multiple people around. In time, I do hope Gears 5’s co-op modes gets the attention it deserves.

Newbies may not find any reason to jump onto the Gears train unless they plan on playing co-op through and through, but shooter fans and series veterans will be in for a bloody treat with this sixth iteration (counting Gears Of War: Judgment, FYI).
Just don’t expect a major breakthrough in the formula.
Pros

Great gunplay & levels in both single and multiplayer mode.
Jack’s assists are a good addition.
Incredibly beautiful game with lovely vistas.
Story is a treat for Gears lore fans…

Cons

…until the Act 4 story choice nonsense.
Open world segments feel like unnecessary padding.
Some immersion-breaking bugs in Act 2 and beyond.

FINAL SCORE: 80/100


Returnal Dev Advises Players To Redownload Game If They Updated To Latest Patch

Last night (or earlier today), developer Housemarque released patch 1.3.3 for Returnal but players then reported getting errors that pretty much broke the game. Because of that, they have pulled patch 1.3.3 and have since reverted the game to patch 1.3.1.
They have confirmed that a new patch is coming in “a few hours”, but in the meantime, Housemarque is advising players NOT to even start the game before the new patch is out. For those who have already updated to patch 1.3.3, the developer is advising them to re-download the game.

Q: How do we know we are affected?A: You'll get the CE-100028-1 error popup.
..Just wait for the next patch coming soon if you're not sure.
— Housemarque (@Housemarque) May 5, 2021

Some players are reporting errors even after redownloading the game, so it’s better to follow the developer’s advice and to NOT even start the game until a new patch is out.

This is like every 2 seconds ….. pic.twitter.com/wtVWHE1bot
— Top Titans Fan ?? (@TopTitanFan) May 5, 2021

So to be safe, don't start the game before the upcoming patch is available and downloaded.
— Housemarque (@Housemarque) May 5, 2021

In the meantime, you can check outÂ my review ofÂ ReturnalÂ here, orÂ head on over hereÂ for a guide to surviving the game.


Final Fantasy 35th Anniversary News Is Coming Soon

The Final Fantasy 35th Anniversary isn’t just relegated to fancy Uniqlo t-shirts. Company Square Enix is planning on announcing a bunch of news concerning its beloved JRPG meal ticket.
According to Japan-based analyst David Gibson, the company is planning to make announcements about plans for the series’ 35th anniversary soon during an earnings call. Square Enix reportedly said it intends to release several new games this year but focused on its JRPG franchise. The news will pop up this month or the next.

Square Enix -said this FY3/23, it will release several new titles but year is centered around major franchise. Noted it is the FF 35th anniversary and expects news this month or next. Noted it had had seen FF16 trailer and had high expectations for the title. #FF16
— David Gibson (@gibbogame) May 13, 2022

The company has high expectations for Final Fantasy XVI, which will probably be out before the next fiscal year it seems. It also may officially announce the follow-up to Final Fantasy VII Remake.
In related news, Final Fantasy XIV sold many copies and had many subscribers and users, making it the star of Square Enix’s fiscal year ended 31st March 2022. Basically the launch of the expansion Endwalker helped immensely. The company’s HD games like Outriders and Guardians of the Galaxy failed to meet expectations, but at least FFXIV helped offset that decline. To be fair, GotG was probably due to the failure of Marvel’s Avenger, making people assume it was a follow-up when it was the far superior single-player game.


HBO’s The Last Of Us Episode 3 Breakdown & Easter Eggs

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

Mortal Kombat 2 Easter Egg

Ellie finds a Mortal Kombat 2 arcade machine.
In The Last Of Us Part 1 (Left Behind DLC) for PS5 and PC, the game has a Mortal Kombat 2 reference as well; a poster can be seen.

Also, in The Last Of Us Behind Us DLC, Ellie and Riley play a make-believe arcade game that’s clearly inspired by Mortal Kombat.

Meet Bill And Frank

Bill (Nick Offerman) is one of Joel’s friends in the original The Last Of Us game. In the HBO series, we get to see his backstory, as well as that of Frank’s (Murray Bartlett). Frank is Bill’s romantic partner, but he doesn’t technically appear as a character in the game because players will find his body (he commits suicide after discovering that he’s infected).
We also get to see how Joel first met Bill.
Bill And Frank’s Death Is Different From The Game

This whole episode is so heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. In the HBO series, Bill and Frank both choose to end their lives together on their own terms after getting married and spending one beautiful last day together.
As a fan of the games, I think that Bill and Frank’s story is arguably better in the HBO series than what happens in the game. In the original game, Bill is alive but separated from Frank when Joel and Ellie meet him. Bill later discovers that Frank not only killed himself after being infected but also that Frank hates him (Frank left a suicide letter for Bill).
This is arguably the only episode with plot and story not lifted straight from the source material. In fact, we can only find one key game scene recreated in the HBO series (see below):

Until next week, excelsior!


Avatar Frontiers Of Pandora Launches This December

During Ubisoft Forward 2023, Ubisoft announced that Avatar Frontiers Of Pandora will launch for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 7 December 2023.
Avatar Frontiers Of Pandora is a first-person, action-adventure game developed by Massive Entertainment, which is a Ubisoft studio, in collaboration with James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment and Disney.
Players will journey through beautiful, alien regions, meet new Na’vi clans, customize their character, tame their own banshee, and master both Na’vi and human weaponry to defend Pandora from the dangerous RDA. Set after the events of the first Avatar film, you’ll embark on a journey across the Western Frontier, a never-before-seen continent of Pandora, as you join other Na’vi clans to protect Pandora from the formidable forces of the RDA.
The gameplay looks a lot like a mix of Far Cry and aerial combat where players will ride their Ikran (the name of the flying animals in the world of Avatar).
In the meantime, check out our review of Avatar The Way Of Water here.
Check out the trailer below:


Genshin Impact Mimo Tomo Guide: How To Find Unusual Hilichurls

This guide is still under development as the quests will slowly unlock as days go by.
Genshin Impact is hosting a rather odd event for your heroes to partake in: asking a Hilichurl for help. Since you’ve been battling Hilichurls, it seems like a weird request from these monsters, but you need their help in order to track down your mark from the Adventurer’s Guild: an Unusual Hilichurl.
The event is called Mimi Tomo, and here’s what you need to do in order to score all the Serenitea goodies and Primogems for the limited time quest.
Mimi Tomo Guide
First, you need to be at least Adventure Rank 20 or higher. Then you need to practice your Hilichurl dialect using Ella Musk’s Handy Handbook of Hilichurlian which you’ll get at the beginning of this limited quest.
When approaching a friendly Hilichurl, they will ask you for items in exchange for the Unique Hilichurl clues. They obviously won’t speak English, so you need to decipher what they want using the handbook. We have the book below to help you out.
Hilichurl Handbook In Pictures

First Unusual Hilichurl
The first Hilichurl to start this quest line will be at Starsnatch Cliff. You’ll have to search for a friendly Hilichurl within the search area. When you find the hungry one you’re looking for it will say “Mi muhe mita, mita movo lata”.
Basically, it wants “meat in the water”: fish or crab. Find these ingredients in bodies of water.

The second one is located just south of Guili Plains near the cliffside. You need to help it defeat a strong enemy. It’s located in the southeast part of Guili Plains; turns out it’s a horde of Treasure Hoarders. Defeat them, then talk to the Hilichurl to complete this segment. It’ll give you a keyword “Unta nunu”, which means “late night”.

You now can find the Unusual Hilichurl. Head to the Windrise Statue of the Seven at late night (around 11pm), and you’ll find the Unusual Hilichurl nearby. Fight it and defeat it.
Second Unusual Hilichurl
To get info on the second Unusual Hilichurl, you’ll need to search for a friendly Hilichurl at the far east of Jueyun Karst, at a high area near the shoreline. The Hilichurl will ask you to defeat enemies before forking over its information.
After you’ve defeated its foes, it’ll direct you to another Hilichurl located south of Galesong Hill. It’ll also ask you to, surprise surprise, defeat some foes nearby the area; east of where you’re at. Kill the enemies and report back to the Hilichurl.
It’ll give you a phrase: “Unta mosi dada”. This means the Unusual Hilichurl will appear between lunch and evening (12pm to 5pm). Search for the Unusual Hilichurl way south of Guili Plains (at the cliffside close to the sea) around that time.

Third Unusual Hilichurl
The first info Hilichurl will be at the west bit of Stormbearer Mountains, near the sea. Kill enemies for the Hilichurl; it’ll tell you to go meet its friend at the southeast part of Mingyun Village atop a cliff.
The next Hilichurl will ask for “celi lata”. Give it something that emits light but not heat, like a firefly or small lampgrass. Once that’s done, it’ll tell you where and when to find the next Unusual Hilichurl: “Unta nunu”/”late night” at Stormbearer Mountains.
Fourth Unusual Hilichurl

Your first Hilichurl narc is southwest of Qingce Village. It’ll ask for a “gusha celi boya”, which means “red vegetable” (like a carrot or tomato). The next Hilichurl is at Wolvendom. It will ask for “Lata Boya sada”, which means “hard blue object” (like a blue mineral chunk).
The next unusual Hilichurl will appear at noontime in the area near the Stone Gate teleport waypoint.
Fifth Unusual Hilichurl
The first informant for this quest is north of Dawn Winery, above the cliffside. Kill the monsters for the informant and it’ll tell you who to talk to next.
The second informant is at the northwest part of the map, above Mt Aocang. It’ll ask for “kucha gusha”, which means “seed” (like a Dandelion Seed).

Head to the Tianqiu Valley at late night (before midnight) to find the next Unusual Hilichurl.
Sixth Unusual Hilichurl
Head to Cape Oath (Northeast section) for your first Hilichurl narc. It wants “upano” which means “flying insect”, so give it a butterfly or something similar.
The second informant is northwest on Dunyu Ruins, on top of a ledge. Go kill off the enemies for the informant, and it’ll give you the following Unusual Hilichurl information: find it at the northeast bit of Cape Oath during lunch/afternoon hours.
Seventh Unique Hilichurl
Head to the first informant south of Jueyun Karst. It’ll ask for “gusha unu boya” which means “yellow vegetable/plant/fruit”.
The next informant is north of Wyrmrest Valley, across the river. Kill its requested targets, and it’ll then give you the location of the final Unusual Hilichurl: in Cuijue Slope during morning hours.


SDCC 2019: Maverick Flies Again In New Top Gun Movie Next Year

At San Diego Comic-Con 2019, Tom Cruise surprised everyone during Paramount Picturesâ€™ Terminator: Dark Fate panel in Hall H when he appeared to announce Top Gun: Maverick, a sequel to his iconic 1986 action movie Top Gun.
Set 46 years after the events in the original Top Gun, the sequel will see Tom Cruise reprising his role as Pete â€œMaverickâ€ Mitchell, who is now a flight instructor at the Top Gun school. He will be teaching a new generation of pilots, which includes the son of his deceased partner, Nick â€œGooseâ€ Bradshaw.
The trailer for Top Gun: Maverick essentially shows Tom Cruis doing his usual action movie hero stuff, like piloting fighter jets, riding motorcycles, and doing crazy stunts. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, the movie will also star Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, and Ed Harris.
Top Gun: Maverick is slated to release on 26 June 2020. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSqVVswa420&w=560&h=315]


Marvel’s Midnight Suns Season Pass To Add Deadpool, Venom, Morbius & Storm

Publisher 2K and developer Firaxis have revealed the Marvel’s Midnight Suns Season Pass, which will be available as part of the “Legendary Edition” of the game and for purchase separately as well.
It will add the following four characters:

Deadpool – A foulmouthed mercenary with a heart of gold, Deadpool has a penchant for grisly violence and lighthearted, fourth-wall breaking wisecracks;
Venom – Spider-Man’s nemesis and one of the main game’s bosses, Venom turns playable hero in DLC #2, armed with all of the same symbiote attacks that once threatened the lives of the Midnight Suns;
Morbius – One of the original comic book Midnight Sons, Morbius is an accomplished biochemist who, in an attempt to cure his own rare blood disease, turned himself into a living vampire;
Storm – A powerful member of the X-Men, Storm has the ability to generate and manipulate wind, lightning, rain, and other types of weather to her will.

In addition to these heroes and their respective new abilities, each of the four post-launch downloadable content packs included in the Season Pass will introduce new story missions, a new upgrade for the Abbey, and a selection of new skins and outfits. The Season Pass also includes the Legendary Premium Pack featuring the following 23 premium skins such as Blade’s Blade 1602 skin, Captain America’s Future Soldier skin, Iron Man’s Iron Knight skin and Spider-Man’s Demon Spider skin. These skins are available right at launch.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns was originally announced during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2021. It’s a turn-based tactical RPG ala XCOM but with card-based mechanics. The game boasts a roster of many Marvel heroes, including Doctor Strange, Wolverine, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Nico Minoru, Blade, Captain Marvel, Ghost Rider and more. The game comes from the creators of the critically-acclaimed tactical XCOM series and features a customizable card-based battle system.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns will be launching for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on 2 December 2022. The PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch versions will release at a later unspecified date.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


New Psychedelic Metroidvania Game, Ultros Slated For 2024

Hadoque, a cool game developer from Sweden, has something mind-bending in store for us. Brace yourselves for Ultros, their upcoming psychedelic Metroidvania game that’s set to hit PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and even PC via Steam next year, in 2024.
Prepare to embark on an otherworldly journey through The Sarcophagus, a mysterious realm filled with cosmic secrets. And guess what? The artistic genius behind the Hotline Miami series, El Huervo, has lent his talent to Ultros, ensuring a visual experience like no other.

Get ready to hone your combat skills, because in Ultros, it’s all about swift reactions and using your trusty blade to take down foes. But here’s the kicker: if you happen to meet an untimely demise, fear not! You’ll be sent back in time to try again, giving you another shot at conquering your fate.
Ultros promises to be an immersive alien adventure that will leave you questioning the boundaries of reality. With its captivating artwork and intense combat mechanics, it’s definitely a game to keep an eye out for in 2024.
Check out the reveal trailer below.


King Arthur: Knight’s Tale Is A Next-Gen XCOM-Like RPG

Hungarian developer NeocoreGames has announced King Arthur: Knight’s Tale, an XCOM-like turn-based tactical strategy with a heavier emphasis on RPG elements.
King Arthur: Knight’s Tale is a modern retelling of classic Arthurian mythology filtered through the dark fantasy tropes, a twist on the traditional tales of chivalry.
The story campaign puts a huge emphasis on moral choices, which have significant consequences in a rogue-lite structure, adding extra tension to the tactical and management decisions.
Players assume the role of Sir Mordred, the nemesis of King Arthur, the former black knight of the grim tales. You killed King Arthur, but with his dying breath, he struck you down. You both died â€“ and yet, you both live.
The Lady of the Lake, the ruler of the mystical island of Avalon brought you back to end a true nightmare.
She wants you to go on a knightly quest. She wants you to finish what you have begun. Kill King Arthur; or whatever he has become after she took his dying vessel to Avalon.

Players can choose from more than 30 heroes of five diverse classes to assemble an efficient team. Oh, and this game will also feature permadeath, just like XCOM.
The character progression system is designed to be as deep as in the traditional RPGs: heroes level up on unique skill trees and the complex loot system provides unique options to fine-tune their tactical capabilities.
The game will also feature the following:
50 enemy types across seven factions.20 main story quests, with even more side-quests and â€˜points of interestâ€™.A city management layer.A branching narrative with several paths.Tactical maps with a strong focus on using the environment and traps.Endgame content for after the main campaign.
However, King Arthur: Knightâ€™s TaleÂ is going to launch on Kickstarter starting from today on 13 October 2020. The developer is looking for US$150,000 to help give the game one final push before release.
Despite that, the game will still launch for the PC in early 2021 on Steam even if the Kickstarter goal isn’t reached, since the extra funds are only for the implementation of additional features.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X versions will be released on a later unspecified release window.


Ultra Violent Action Shooter Trepang2 Launches This June

Team17 and Trepang Studios have announced that the upcoming grisly first-person shooter Trepang2 will be arriving on PC on 21 June 2023.
A spiritual successor and blood-drenched love letter to the fast-paced and over-the-top FPS games of the mid-2000s, Trepang2 features high-octane, first-person gun-fu gunplay and puts players in the shoes of a newly enhanced super soldier on a mission of death, destruction, and revenge.
Broken out from a government black site by unknown allies and removed of their memories, they’ll be hunted by their captives and an even more otherworldly foe, and will have to arm themselves with an arsenal of devastating weapons and learn how to handle their newfound superhuman abilities to survive the onslaught while unravelling a deadly conspiracy.
Trepang2 is available to wishlist now on Steam.
Check out the trailer below:


The King of Fighters XV Reveal Trailer Postponed

Sad news for fighting game fans everywhere: SNK has postponed today’s reveal trailer for The King of Fighters XV, alongside the Samurai Shodown Season Pass 3 character trailer. The announcement was made on SNK’s Twitter.

“Todayâ€™s announcement ofÂ The King of Fighters XVÂ andÂ Samurai Shodownâ€˜s Season Pass 3 which was originally scheduled for (Jan. 6th) 6:00 p.m. PST has been postponed. We sincerely apologize to everyone who was looking forward to the announcements. We will inform our fans as soon as the new date and time has been confirmed, and appreciate your kind understanding.”

The trailer was originally planned to go live at 11am on 7th January. In the meantime, you can console yourself with the reveal here.


Demon Slayer Fighting Game Coming To Switch This June

Last year’s Demon Slayer anime fighting game will be coming out for Nintendo Switch in a few months.
Publisher Aniplex and developer CyberConnect2 just showed off a new teaser trailer and screenshots for the Nintendo Switch port of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles which is due out on 9 June in Japan. No English version has been announced as of yet.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles first launched for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and PC last October.


PC Gamers In China Will Be 11 Times The Population Of Malaysia

Everyone knows that China is a massive country with an equally-massive population. The PC games market in the Middle Kingdom accounts for more than half of PC online games revenue in the world, but how many gamers is that? According to Asian games market intelligence analyst Niko, that number is larger than we thought.
China’s domestic PC online game revenue was $15.21 billion in 2018, which is forecasted to reach $16 billion by 2023. This is made possible by the whopping number of PC gamers in the country, which was 312.4 million in 2018.
That number is projected to reach a whopping 354 million in 2023, which is 11 times the entire population of Malaysia (31.62 million) and considerably more than the entire population of the United States (327.2 million).
In actuality, only 79.7 million PC gamers of those 312.4 million in China spend money on games. The main long-term driver of growth for the PC online games market is esports, which reached $6.3 billion in 2018 and projected to reach $9.5 billion in 2023.
Valve’s decision to hold Dota 2‘s The International 2019 in China now looks like a very smart and lucrative one, despite the complaints of Dota 2 fans everywhere. Move over, U.S. and Japan, the Middle Kingdom is set to continue dominating the games industry in the near future.


Silent Hill Creator Unveils Slitterhead Pre-Alpha Gameplay Footage

Silent Hill and Gravity Rush creator Keiichiro Toyama’s Bokeh Game Studio has released a new developer diary video for their upcoming horror game Slitterhead.
The video features brand-new pre-alpha gameplay footage from the game, but keep in mind that the game is still in development and this is not a representation of the final product. What’s interesting is that apparently some of the gameplay will include players playing the role of a dog.
At the time of writing, platforms and a release date for Slitterhead have yet to be announced.
In other related news, Toyama previously revealed the influences and inspirations for Slitterhead, including death game genre manga and more.
Watch the developer diary below.


The Walking Dead The Final Season Is Now an Epic Games Store Exclusive

Skybound Games has announced that Telltale‘s The Walking Dead The Final Season will now be an Epic Games Store exclusive, which means that it will no longer be available for purchase on Steam or other platforms. This only applies to the PC version, so players on the PS4 and Xbox One have nothing to worry about.
Fortunately for existing PC owners of The Walking Dead The Final Season on other platforms, they will still receive the remaining two episodes (as will console owners). The third episode, Broken Toys, is slated to arrive next month on January 15, 2018.
â€œThe team at Epic owns a major chapter in the history of the game industry,â€ said Skybound Games CEO Ian Howe and president of interactive Dan Murray. â€œWeâ€™re excited to work together on their latest transformative event with the launch of the Epic Games Store. Epic stepped up to the plate immediately to work with us in order to bring the original team back together and ensure fans will receive the completed season of â€˜Telltaleâ€™s The Walking Dead: The Final Season.’â€
In the meantime, check out the heartbreaking teaser for the upcoming The Walking Dead The Final Season Episode 3: Broken Toys.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN3DvlFErcs&w=560&h=315]


XCOM-style Sandbox Xenonauts 2 Ready For Release Next Month

The reimagining to Hooded Horse’s XCOM-style sandbox strategy game, Xenonauts, is being released into early access next month and is available to be added to your wishlist on Steam now. If you are a fan of XCOM-style or real-time strategy games, the gameplay should be right up your alley as it takes familiar mechanics and adds its own twist to it.
The game throws you into a dystopian world based in 2009, during the Cold War era, where an alien invasion occurs, and you are leading the main resistance against the invasion. Instead of a direct sequel, they aim for the game to be a re-imagining of the original game, with refined mechanics.
The early access release version will also be translated into a bunch of languages, which will allow for more players to enjoy the game! Xenonauts 2 will be released into early access on the 18th of July on the official Steam Page and the trailer can be seen below!


Kakuchopurei’s Best Of 2018 Awards: Day One

Greetings, one and all, to Kakuchopurei’s very first (and hopefully ongoing) Best Of 2018 Awards.
In this ongoing feature, we hand out accolades to the best video game things and tidbits of the year using the power of democracy among our humble team. We also condemn the worst practices & games too because some shenanigans need to be called out.
Normally we would have this feature start at the beginning of the week but you can thank the 2018 Gregorian calendar for messing it up for the last week of 2018. So from today until the 31st December, you’ll be seeing a lot of “Best of 2018” features from us and from our friends.
Without further ado, here’s Day One of our list. And on Boxing Day too, where the day is usually celebrated either with Christmas leftovers or people making forts out of Christmas present boxes. What’s the best racing game? What’s the best RPG of the year? Which 2018 robot is bae?
We added a few screenshots of 2018’s Malaysian army propaganda piece PASKAL so that you won’t be spoiled prematurely by our list.

All good? Let’s go.
Best Racing Game
Forza Horizon 4

Let’s start this end-of-year list with something a little more “default-ey”. Truth be told, there really isn’t any other remarkable racing game out there this year; we’re pretty sure no one’s going to miss out on The Crew 2.
Of course, that doesn’t discount FH4’s quality as an awesome racing game set in the London countryside that you can tear up at will. The four seasons system open up new avenues and shortcuts on certain parts of the road, while the online live events help boost up the co-op competitive aspects. And it runs on PC just great and dandy too.
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/2296267930601247/
While it’s not a game-changer like Forza Horizon 3 -Mr Toffee can’t shut up about that game- part 4 is still a masterclass racing game. It’s a fascinating open world racing simulator in its own right, to the point where we’re not even sure if the Gran Turismo series can keep up with Playground Games when it comes to a fun racing game with a s***ton of cars to collect. And an English countryside to terrorize.
Runner-Up: F1 2018.
Best Landing Spot In Call of Duty Black Ops 4’s Blackout
The Red Barn just outside the Firing Range

Treyarch’s take on the battle royale genre is, to put it mildly, friggin’ brilliant. So we really need to dedicate an award for the most-treasured spot in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4‘s Blackout mode.
And the award for best landing/camping spot goes to that red barn. This game’s mode is all about vantage points and quick access to loot. Ergo, the red barn gives quick access to every other spot on the map. You get access to the chopper, quad bike and even the truck from the Red Barn while remaining safe against flanking enemies. As far as great advantage-heavy spots go, it’s a no-contest.
Runner-Up: White building on the outskirts of the Train Station.
Best Battlefield 5 Map
Arras

Despite the high pings for online play and the “unfinished state” of the game, we still love us some Battlefield 5. And if we had to pick a favourite map to play in for copious amounts of time, we’re going to pick th3 pretty-looking-yet-practical Arras.
We won’t lie: this map brings back the old school Battlefield feel. We love all the new maps here that showcase not-so-common WWII theatres of war, limited as they are at this point in time.
However, Arras takes the cake & stands out among the already-unique map set. It looks pretty, is tactically viable, spacious and vehicle-friendly, and very balanced. Fjell comes close thanks to the unique “claustrophobic” feels it gives, but it can get unwieldy to navigate in a full game.
Points got to Arras for giving us the “battle” and “field” in the fifth game’s namesake.
Runner-Up: Fjell 652.
Best Android In Detroit: Become Human
Connor

Connor can befriend Hank, arguably the best human character in the game who owns a giant-ass St. Bernard. The other androids cannot. Ergo, Connor gets this award.
In all seriousness, this bot’s struggle for some semblance of humanity is rather poignant. Throughout his multiple deaths, is he even capable of developing a “soul” and help his fellow rebel androids like Markus?
That’s up to you to decide when you play him. Somehow or other, we felt more compelled to keep him less “androidy” than usual. It may be his deadpan tone when he’s talking to humans. It may be his determination to do his cop duties. It may be his rapport with Hank. All three of these qualities somehow make up a pretty cool android cop buddy that reminds us of Pero from Metropolis.
The 2001 anime, not the 1927 black-and-white film.
Runners-Up: Kara, Luther, Alice.
Best Mega Man 11 Robot Master
Tundra Man

While we’re on the subject of androids, it wouldn’t be fair not to include the new Robot Masters on this auspicious list in some shape or form because we liked the new Mega Man game. Not as much as Mega Man 3 or 9, but we still adored it.
This is because of the eight new Robot Masters we get to fight against. Each one of them is cool-looking and has challenging thematic stages that balance the line between fun and f***ing frustration. However, there’s one clear winner who accentuates style and substance: Tundra Man.
Tundra Man has style. He’s made by Dr. Cossack, he has life goals,Â and aspires to become a professional ice skater. And his powerup is pretty useful when you have the power gear turned on; everybody loves a screen-clearing attack in their tough-as-nails 2D platformer, right?

It was a tough call to make: Acid Man looks cool and has an effective shield/acid shot combo and Torch Man knows martial arts and is voiced by the Honest Game Trailers guy. However, Tundra Man has that extra touch of fanciness and that je ne sais quoiÂ the other Robot Masters lack.
Runner-Up: Acid Man, Torch Man.
Worst Tease
Death Stranding

Please stop, Kojima. It’s been years since Konami booted you out; it sucks. And you’re clearly the godfather of stealth games, this we know.
But all these Death Stranding teases mean that PlayStation is being really, really patient with you. We’re very sure they have their limits. We don’t speak for most gamers who love your work, but even they seem to be wondering what your company’s end goal is.
Can we at least get some proper gameplay and some form of a release window next year? Thanks!
Runner-Up: Kingdom Hearts III.
Best RPG
Dragon Quest XI

This year’s RPG offerings were crazy. We got the unique but incohesive Octopath Traveler, the stand-alone prequel Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country, the awesome-yet-familiar Valkyria Chronicles 4, and the Pillars of Eternity sequel that’s fleshed out in all the right places. Oh, and Ni no Kuni 2 charmed us in the right places & right its past gameplay wrongs.
We even got Thronebreaker: A Witcher’s Tale which is part CCG and part text-based RPG, but we had no time to fully play it, unfortunately. It’ll be on our “Best 2018 of 2019” nomination though, you can bet on that.
There can only be one “Chosen One” this year in this category, andÂ Dragon Quest XI stands out.Â Why? Because of its adherence to the old-school (initially) while adding in a few new layers here and there as the game progresses. It doesn’t do anything completely new, but what it does well, it does very, VERY well. Your 100+ hours completing the game and getting through the multi-spanning epilogue will be worth the effort.
To quote the review:
“Thereâ€™s a certain charm to the game that makes [Dragon Quest XI] unique amongst all other modern JRPGs. The fact that the game holds so closely to traditional JRPG tropes may push some gamers away, but thatâ€™s also the reason why this game is the king of JRPGs.Â This game sets a precedent for other future JRPGs by proving that thereâ€™s nothing wrong with sticking with the classics.”
Runners-Up: Octopath Traveler, Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Age
Stay tuned to Kakuchopurei tomorrow for Day 2.


Quick Slice: Halo Fireteam Raven (SEA Exclusive)

We check out the recently-out arcade rail shooter set in theÂ Halo universe; it’s what you would expect from a wham-bang-thank-you-ma’am experience.

You can check it out now at Time Zone Vivocity in Singapore.
[wpvideo X1ewLn2D ]
Audio credit: “Immortalized~Halo 3 Never Forget remix ” by Sole Signal


Twitchin’ Down South: The Best Livestreaming Gamers In SEA

We’re in a crazy age where Twitch.tv streamers determine whether a game is worthy of being played by the masses, as well as determine what you should be entertained with. Yes, we know guys like Dr. Disrespect and Ninja are living it up with their streams of Fortnite. We know of the phenomenal streaming powers like PewDiePie and Markiplier.
But what about the ones in Southeast Asia? The ones close to us? Well, here are our picks of the ones worth watching, whether they speak English or their mother tongue. Think of this feature more as a guide to your more prominent and up-and-coming Twitch gamers and livestreamers who just so happen to be from Southeast Asia.
Of course, if we’re missing anyone, feel free to let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook page.
Riku – The Philippines

Riku is basically a shout-casting star in the making. With an awesome bubbly personality and great knowledge of the games she plays (mostly for PUBG, LoL, Arena of Valor, and a ton of JRPGS), she’s worth tuning into.
Plus, she was one of the top SEA hosts in last year’s big-as-heck Vainglory tournament in Singapore.Â Best of all, her vocal chops make her streams more than watchable; there’s a lot of energy and personality in her shows when she starts mimicking the VOs from English-dubbed JRPGs.
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=ExquisiteBoredCockroachFailFish&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
https://www.facebook.com/RikuPH/videos/1163590653775949/
Stream Links:Â https://www.twitch.tv/rikurikuriku
Tashbunny – Malaysia

Disclaimer: Tashbunny is working with Kakuchopurei.
Tashbunny is an avid League of Legends player. She also loves VLogging the events she goes to while emceeing them. The two of them go together for one entertaining bunch of vids and streams courtesy of this Malaysian. There’s definitely a level of earnestness and enthusiasm when she plays and enjoys herself LoLing or Left4Deading.
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=VastPopularCatRickroll&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
https://www.facebook.com/tashbunny/videos/613735522351976/
Twitch Channel: https://www.twitch.tv/tashbunny/
Streaming Schedule:
Monday | League of Legends: 8.30PM
Tuesday| League of Legends: 9 PM
Wednesday | World of Tanks: 9 PM
Thursday | Doki Doki Literature Club: 9 PM
Friday: Doki Doki Literature Club
Saturday | Miscreated : 11 AM
Sunday | : NO STREAM
JandaHunter – Malaysia

If you want your fighting game streaming fixÂ mixed in with some smack talk, you can’t go wrong with Janda Hunter. If you want a non-family friendly Bahasa Melayu-slash-English stream that’s entertaining, you definitely cannot go wrong with this man. He usually teams up with his streamer buddy MaxHaze for some tag-team action (like with his A Way Out playthrough). Oh, and he also does fighting game commentary too alongside his FV brethren.
https://www.facebook.com/JandaHunter/videos/944987105674838/
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=TalentedPlumpLatteSwiftRage&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
pindaPanda – Malaysia

An Astro EGG hostess, she loves her Dota 2 since she started her live-streaming career since 2016. Not only does she stream a ton of Dota 2, she can also pull off funny skits here and there when needed.

https://player.twitch.tv/?autoplay=false&t=00h10m34s&video=v242333251Watch Feeding is a skill. from pinda_Panda on www.twitch.tv
Asurai – The Philippines

Asurai loves his Counter-Strikes and shooters. He also hosts sessions to help out other shoutcasters and streamers in training. He’s also a fan of PC hardware and tech, so you can always check out his tech reviews. We do need more people like Asurai who offers a helping hand to those in need of livestreaming training.
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=NastySweetRadicchioBCouch&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
Twitch Channel: www.twitch.tv/asuraiph
NeuroIsDelicious – Singapore

Arguably the top streamer in all of Singapore, NeuroIsDelicious caters to a particular group of viewers who like their flavour a lot more local. She has the Ah Lian persona, which equates to her being entertaining while showing off her tactical PUBG play. She also streams her real life adventures too, so if you’re into that, more power to you.
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=SpoopyCarefulTeaCoolStoryBro&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=KindSparklyKleePastaThat&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
Twitch Channel: https://www.twitch.tv/neuroisdelicious
Afiz – Singapore

One of the more enthusiastic Overwatch players out there. He also commentates like a boss. Or a beast. A boss beast if you will. If you need an Overwatch fix with some peppy commentary and antics, do check Afiz’s work out.
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=ChillyTawdryPangolinPermaSmug&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
Twitch Channel: https://www.twitch.tv/afiz/
This list is ever-growing. If you know of any other streamers worth hyping and talking about, do let us know here and on Facebook. Until then, stream like nobody’s watching.


Koei Tecmo Isn’t Giving A Damn About The English Version Of Persona 5 Scramble Anymore

If you’re a hardcore Persona 5 fan hoping to play the Musou spin-off on Nintendo Switch and PS4, well you’re stuck with the Japanese version of the game. Turns out that the heavily-touted English localized version may not happen.
The game isn’t mentioned anywhere on Koei Tecmo’s latest 2nd quarter of 2020 fiscal report (via Siliconera). While an English version of the game was mentioned in 2019’s fiscal reports, the link in the 2020 report is replaced with this revised version that removes all mention of the English version. Only the Asian localization of the game -which was out June 2020- was stated.
Instead, Koei Tecmo is totally focused on Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, as well as Atelier Ryza 2 and a couple of other Dynasty Warrior titles in 2021. So much for the Phantom Thieves’ latest making it outside of Japan. Enjoy some more Musou Zelda action below if you’re feeling salty about these recent turn of events.


Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Keeps Its  Shooting Simple Yet Substantial

Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Genre: HOOORAH! RATTATATATATAT!!!! RELOADING! BOOMMM! BRRRRRRTTTTT! “RPG!!!”Â
Compared to other present-day military shooter franchises, Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare series has always excelled in delivering an evocative story, solid gameplay mechanics, and immersive multiplayer in one tight package. So to those who were worried whether this 2019 reboot of sorts would live up to the legacy which many gamers regard as the gold standard when it comes to military shooters, I say this:

You can calm your tits. 2019’s retelling of Modern Warfare delivers on all fronts.

The Longest Day

The guys at Infinity Ward heard your prayers and have delivered one of the most enjoyable Call of Duty games to date with a campaign mode that’ll put some Hollywood military blockbusters to shame. I’ve always been a proponent for good lore and in my opinion, one of the best FPS campaigns in the past years have always been Respawn’s Titanfall 2.
How does this year’s Modern Warfare size up to it?Â Pretty darn close.
While we are littered with countless first-person shooter games in the market, very few have managed to invoke such emotional attachment to its characters like Call of Duty’s Modern Warfare series do. Everyone felt that tug in their heartstrings when they saw General Shepherd unload his Magnum onto the player and Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley in Modern Warfare 2 or John “Soap” MacTavish succumbing to his injuries in the third instalment of the original series.
Those were some heavy-hitting stuff that would numb anyone invested in the franchise from any form of emotional reaction onwards. Against all odds, Infinity Ward basically went “Oh lemme make you cream your pants one more time!” with this 2019 iteration.
The original Modern Warfare games had faceless soldiers adorning its covers but with this soft reboot, it’s our favourite cigar-chomping Brit front and centre. What better way to reinvigorate their biggest and most popular series by putting its most loved characterÂ  Captain Jonathan Price as the main focus, right?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bH1lHCirCGI&w=560&h=315]
This soft-reboot of Modern Warfare sees Captain Price in his prime as he tries to stop an impending disaster caused by proxy wars involving the United States, Russia and the fictional country of Urzikstan. Words such as “foreign intervention”, “terror cells” and “foreign allies” were used in almost every other sentence but don’t for a second think that the story told to be as cliche as what you’d see in the evening news.
The campaign here serves an updated retelling of an age-long issue of wars being fought not only on the frontlines, but right in the combatants’ backyards. When Modern Warfare 2 was released ten years ago, the gaming world was left stunned by the infamous “No Russian” level where the game’s main antagonist, Vladimir Makarov, along with his mates aimed the muzzles of their machine guns and sprayed bullets onto an airport packed with bystanders.
This year’s edition not only managed to equal it but also topped it with the involvement of chemical weapons as well. Needless to say, many gamers and reviewers were immediately put off by this, claiming it as being unnecessary, unpalatable and of bad taste.

But that’s the reality of war – that the biggest casualty of war isn’t usually the combatants, but innocent people caught in the crossfire. This is as real as it gets.

Stages were designed to challenge players regardless of skill level and while it took me longer than average to finish it – I played mine on hard – I firmly believe it can be completed under seven hours on an easier difficulty setting.Â
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zu3wZ-_IKrM&w=560&h=315]
However, never once during the 9-hour-or-so campaign did the game felt as being a drag. The story was paced perfectly with non-intrusive cutscenes between levels and I’m happy to mention the absence of quick-time events in the campaign. As players march through the storyline, they will get to know several main characters which would serve as major players in the grander scheme of things, and where the sequel would lead us to.Â
Without revealing too much about the plot, while this year’s game serves as a soft reboot for the franchise, those who know the original source material could easily piece many things together. In essence, this chapter forms a coherent story and timeline that fits well in the canon Call of Duty lore.
12 Strong

Gunplay-wise, Modern Warfare feels like what a CoD game released at the end of a console generation should feel like.Â As expected from a CoD title, we are presented with a wide selection of weapons, each dealing a unique, satisfying feel to the senses and it multiplies by ten each time you hit your target.
The pray and spray approach doesn’t work in Modern Warfare as the AI is much smarter in countering your push and flanking routes. This forces you into more tactical approaches, seeking cover and using the PUBG-like ‘mount’ function to aim while still remain in cover.Â
In all, the campaign mode for this year’s Modern Warfare lives up to the franchise’s legacy by delivering a tightly scripted story alongside highly challenging, diverse yet enjoyable levels.
Multiplayer is as solid as one could expect from a CoD game by Infinity Ward. The most solid to date? To each their own but this is the most fun I’ve had on a CoD game since forever.
Just like in the campaign mode, the shooting mechanics in this year’s Modern Warfare by far offers the most satisfying gunplay to date. Thanks to the superb sound effects team at Infinity Ward, the guns in Modern Warfare feel extra punchier compared to any CoD – or any other military shooters – I have played before.
Let’s not stop at just the guns, shall we? You’d have to personally experience the terrifying “BRRRRRRRTTTTTT!!!!” sound of an AR-10 Warthog Precision Airstrike whizzing above you during a frenetic gunfight to fully appreciate what Infinity Ward has created here.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00DonIf3Oq4&w=560&h=315]
Right of the bat, we are presented with a very balanced arsenal consisting of everything from your standard sidearm, to the ever-popular assault rifles and the return of the beloved Javelin, now aptly labelled as the JOKR. Just like in previous CoD games, you get to create your own build to suit whichever mode you so prefer.
But let me talk you through what has been my favourite multiplayer mode this year:Â  Ground War.
Platoon
Essentially Modern Warfare’s take on Battlefield 1’s Conquest mode, Ground War sees a lobby of 64 players in a 32v32 setting battle over roughly fifteen minutes to capture five different points on the map.
Each captured point contributes to a scoreboard which, once it hits 250 or whenever the timer runs out signals the end of the round. If a side successfully captures and hold all five points simultaneously, a ‘Defcon’ warning pops up which starts a countdown to a nuke launch which would end the round prematurely, granting the win to whichever team holds these five points.
In this clip below, you’ll see me camping comfortably from a vantage point in one of my Ground War matches. You’d instantly realize I have poor to mediocre mechanical skill but it does not stop me from racking up kills purely by superior positioning and downright criminal sense of fair play.

Filthy camping chronicles #ModernWarfare Ep.1 #PS4sharehttps://t.co/prs3M5K0ij pic.twitter.com/NVxYVSspco
— Obi-Wan KENNobi (@kennleandre) November 2, 2019

While indeed the 64-player, 32v32 setup is very impressive I feel that Infinity Ward could easily fit another 36 players into the lobby to complete a 100-player shoot-fest. Perhaps future maps would be introduced to cater to this scale.Â
For those who feel their mechanical skill is lacking and ain’t up to scratch, fret not.Â  The various multiplayer modes in Modern Warfare were designed to fit a variety of approaches which *should* cater to every player of varying skill levels. You don’t necessarily kill enemies to be of use to your squad and are still able to contribute with the proper setup.Â
Lastly, for those who are concerned about the game’s cross-play aspect which sees all console and PC players being lumped in a same server together resulting in a lopsided game, your worries are valid and for ease of mind, players can choose to opt-in or out in regards to that feature.
Act Of Valor
For all of Activision’s method of annualizing its series to the ground, at least the company have the common sense to let Infinity Ward release their vision of a soft reboot involving their most successful Call of Duty series to date. Modern Warfare keeps its core gameplay intact without any needless fluff while delivering the best in single-player campaign storytelling and multiplayer engagements.
No amount of surprise flashbangs and random shotgun sprays can stop this reboot’s plan in bringing together veterans and newbies alike. I, for one, welcome its return with open arms.
Pros

An interesting rehash and retelling of an already loved franchise.
Brilliant gunplay & controls.
Sublime multiplayer.
Ground War is fun as hell.
Superb audio design.

Cons

Some story elements may discomfort many.

Final Score: 90/10


Netflix’s Money Heist Korea Joint Economic Area Gets First Trailer

An unprecedented Heist in a new Korea sets the stage and stakes in the latest teaser for the upcoming limited series, Money Heist Korea Joint Economic Area. A remake of Spanish series La Casa De Papel, Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area is the first Korean blockbuster to kick off the second half of the year, with Part 1 set to premiere on 24 June, only on Netflix.
As the teaser reveals, under the new economic union, “only the rich got richer.” Into this ruthless new world of inequality steps a crew of thieves from North and South Korea, led by the Professor, who set out to pull off a history-making heist. The teaser also highlights the characters, including the Professor (Yoo ji-tae), Tokyo (Jung Jong-seo), and Berlin (Park Hae-soo of Squid Game) in action for the first time, with the latter two donning the iconic red jumpsuits with traditional Hahoe masks, stirring up further excitement.
Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area Part 1 will premiere worldwide on 24 June, only on Netflix.


Psychological Horror Game Still Wakes The Deep Arrives In Early 2024

During the Xbox Games Showcase, publisher Secret Mode and developer The Chinese Room announced psychological horror game Still Wakes the Deep for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC sometime in early 2024.
Still Wakes the Deep is a return to the first-person narrative horror genre for The Chinese Room, creator of critically acclaimed games such as Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, and Dear Esther.
You are an off-shore oil rig worker, fighting for his life through a vicious storm, perilous surroundings, and the dark, freezing North Sea waters. All lines of communication have been severed. All exits are gone. All that remains is to face the unknowable horror that’s come aboard.
Search for your crew and help them survive if you can. Run, climb, and swim through the flooding corridors and storm-lashed outer decks. Face a terrifying, unrelenting foe. And pray that, one day, you get to see your family again.
Check out the trailer below:


Nintendo Formally Apologizes For Switch Joy-Con Drift

Nintendo made headlines last year when they were hit by lawsuits from multiple parties due to Nintendo Switch Joy-Con problem, which the company has seemingly refused to acknowledge. Until now, that is.
During a financial Q&A posted recently, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa addressed the companyâ€™s ongoing problems with Joy-Con drift. He said the company apologizes for “any trouble caused to our customers” and further adding that Nintendo is â€œcontinuing to aim to improveâ€ its products.
Furukawa said:

â€œRegarding the Joy-Con, we apologize for any trouble caused to our customers.
We are continuing to aim to improve our products, but as the Joy-Con is the subject of a class-action lawsuit in the United States and this is still a pending issue, we would it like to refrain from responding about any specific actions.â€

According to Kotaku‘s translation of the statement, Nintendo cannot comment further on the matter due to the fact that it remains a pending class-action lawsuit court case in the United States. After the lawsuits initially began, Nintendo reportedly began issuing free repairs for controllers afflicted with Joy-Con drift.
This is a necessary first step towards owning their mistakes, and Nintendo should work towards fixing the problem definitively, allowing those afflicted with Joy-Con drift to effectively solve their issues.


Resident Evil 4 Remake Sale Top 3 Million In First 2 Days

Capcom just announced that the Resident Evil 4 remake has already shipped over three million units worldwide in just the first two days after its release. The game was released on 24 March for the PS5, Xbox Series X | S, PS4, and PC via Steam.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the franchise, Resident Evil is a series of survival horror games where you have to use weapons and other items to escape terrifying situations. The first title came out way back in 1996, and now, over 27 years later, it’s still going strong with over 135 million units shipped worldwide.
The 2023 release of Resident Evil 4 is actually a remake of the original 2005 title. It’s been completely reworked with a new story and modernized gameplay, plus it has some seriously immersive visuals thanks to the cutting-edge graphics technology of Capcom’s proprietary RE ENGINE.
People have been raving about it online, especially after playing the “Chainsaw Demo” which let players try out the opening of the game. And clearly, it’s been a massive success with over three million units sold worldwide in just two days after release.
Capcom is definitely committed to creating the best gaming experiences for everyone. So, if you’re looking for a spooky game to play, Resident Evil 4 is definitely worth checking out.


The King Of Fighters XV Gets Goenitz & Cross Play DLC For Free Next Week

“Koko desu ka?”
Those infamous words from The King of Fighters 1996’s uber-boss Goenitz will be ringing in people’s ears in 2023 when The King Of Fighters XV’s next free update goes live on 20th June; that’s next week.
Not only will KOF XV get crossplay across all existing platforms -PC, Xbox, and PlayStation- but will also get Goenitz as a playable character. He is a pretty fast wind-based fighter with his signature Yonokaze; in KOF lore, he’s the boss of Yashiro, Chris, and Shermie.
Players will also get to fight a Boss Challenge version of Goenitz; his Yonokaze hits harder and comes out faster, has a dangerous EX version, and can zip around the screen pretty fast. Check out the absurdity of boss version Goenitz below.


KKP Best Of 2020: Game #25

#25. Coffee Talk (PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/WA1lEU_zTCw

Similar toÂ VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action,Â Coffee Talk is a talking simulator game where players can partake in brewing caffeinated drinks and listen to the problems of fantasy-inspired people. All made by Toge Productions, a team of Indonesian developers.
Sure, all you really do is listen to your patrons talk about their lives and serve them coffee but they cover mature and true-to-life subject matter that will resonate with many gamers. That’s not all, as the game is further bolstered by a great soundtrack that will help you chill as you listen to the stories of these NPCs.
Coffee Talk is a relaxing and calm game that’s perfect to play and chill with when you’re taking a break from all those open-world and action-heavy games popping left and right in 2020. Since it was developed by an Indonesian developer, the game features a lot of Southeast Asian influences and easter eggs, which makes it refreshing amongst all the other Japanese and western visual novels out there.


Nioh Coming to PC This November

Heads up #PCMasterrace folks, Team Ninja’s Samurai epic Nioh is coming to the realms of PC gaming come November. Originally released on the PS4, the repackaged game for PC will be calledÂ Nioh: The Complete EditionÂ and will feature the game’s three add-on packs and aÂ  60FPS frame rate a a.k.a “Movie Mode.”
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsXnJUP99jc&w=560&h=315]
Punishing yet engaging at the same time, many likened the gameplay to Dark Souls but set in feudal Japan and in truth, it isn’t far from that. In Nioh, you will play as an European warrior traversing the yokai-infested Japan while avoiding death at every corner. You will encounter countless yokais, or Japanese demons, while at the same time battling in iconic locations and scenarios.
Personally I’m not a big fan of the Dark Soul series but Nioh certainly got me hooked especially with the frustratingly difficult yet satisfying boss fights. The action RPG game also include some notable, real-life historical figures into the main story such as Oda Nobunaga and Hattori Hanzo that would satisfy any Japanophile out there.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abx7EyR_9ks&w=560&h=315]


2018 Overwatch Anniversary Event Confirmed

Blizzard have officially confirmed that this year’s Overwatch Anniversary event is set to kick off fromÂ May 23rdÂ through June 12thÂ Â for all platforms, PC, PS4 and Xbox One. Along with that were a host of reveals which include:
Â NEW ITEMS

The Anniversary event will include more than 50 new items, including 8 new Legendary skins and 3 epic skins. We were earlier teased of a Junkrat ‘Pirate’ skin – only questions remain; is it a Legendary or Epic, and which other heroes are getting new skins?Â
New dance emotes have been added for Doomfist, Moira, and Brigitte. Considering all three were recently released, it’s pretty much a no-brainer that they are to get dancing emotes this time around.Â

LOCKED NO MORE.Â

The Anniversary event will bring back previous seasonal cosmetic items including your favorite dance emotes from last yearâ€™s event
Past seasonal brawls are returning to the Arcade and will be rotated daily, including those found in Overwatch: Archives

Youâ€™ll have a brawl!
Past brawls and cosmetics are back for Overwatch Anniversary 2018.
The celebration begins May 22! ðŸŽ‰ðŸŽ‚ pic.twitter.com/C58AFSvfOs
â€” Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) May 14, 2018
NEW MAP & NEW MODE

The Anniversary event will introduce the brand new Deathmatch map, Petra.
In addition to Petra, Deathmatch will include a new â€œCompetitive Mode,â€ which will include placement matches, skill rating tiers, and leader boards. YAY. Now one-tricks can go on comp mode without jeopardizing everyone else’s games.Â

LOOTBOXES AND FREEBIES

Players who login for the Anniversary event will receive one bonus Legendary Anniversary Loot Box, which will guarantee one Legendary item
Players who purchase the 50 Loot Box Bundle will receive one bonus Legendary Anniversary Loot Box
All previous Seasonal Event loot will be included in loot boxes during the duration of the event

Â FREE WEEKEND

Overwatch and the Anniversary event will be playable during our Free Weekend event, which will run fromÂ May 26thÂ through May 29th.Â We’ve detailed this in an earlier post. Check it out.Â
For those playing Overwatch on PlayStation, a PlayStation Plus accountÂ WILL NOTÂ be required to play during Free Weekend

Â
NEW EDITION RELEASED

A new version of Overwatch,Â Legendary Edition, will be released digitally onÂ May 23rd
Legendary Edition will include sets of Legendary, Epic and Origin skins for a total of 15 skins with purchase


Halo Infinite Director Leaves The Project

It looks like Halo Infinite‘s development is more troubled than we thought. According to Bloomberg, Halo Infinite director Chris Lee has left the project.
Lee said:
â€œI have stepped back from Infinite and I am looking at future opportunities. I believe in the team and am confident they will deliver a great game and now is a good time for me to step away.â€
However, according to Microsoft, Lee is still an employee of theirs, despite having left Halo Infinite‘s development. The game was originally supposed to launch in Holiday 2020 but has been delayed to sometime in 2021.
It’s currently unclear how this will affect the already-turbulent production of Halo Infinite, though the odds are that it doesn’t spell good tidings. In the meantime, stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for all the latest news on the Xbox Series X, and check outÂ all the latest updates and developments on all things Xbox to date here.


Here’s What MDEC Has To Say About The Recent Video Game & Gun Violence Finger-Pointing

As you may have heard, a number of game industry luminaries said their piece about gun violence and games with facts and the upside of the hobby. Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC)’s VP of Creative Content & Technologies Hasnul Hadi Samsudin also has a bit to say concerning the recent words from US President Donald Trump blaming video games for violence.
Hasnul told Kakuchopurei.com that while some people are in support of video games doing more good and have nothing to do with real-life violence, there are many within the public who do not.

“It is [MDEC’s] job, as people who know, to be able to communicate with the people who don’t know that this doesn’t happen within the games industry. We’re not promoting people going out to Walmarts killing people. That’s not what you will get from video games. “

(L-R): MDEC Head of Interactive Media Mohan Low, MDEC VP of Creative Content & Technologies Hasnul Hadi Samsudin, and MDEC’s Lead of Programs & Platforms Xiao Wee.
Hasnul also referred to the Vox article stats depicting video game reach in countries and gun violence. “There are already stats stating these countries with high markets for games like China and Korea, and yet you see the same set of countries in another column where the US is the one with all the deaths by gunfire”.

“It’s a gun problem;Â  it’s plain facts that are in front of you”.

Hasnul also reinforces the fact that people need to understand and communicate, instead of making assumptions concerning the tenuous link between the two. “It’s our role as people to promote the industry; to show that there are positive sides as well as some negative sides that you need to be aware of”.
About MDEC’s Focus On Game Development & Esports

On a related note, Hasnul also clarified a few things regarding MDEC’s focus and balancing of esports and game development. Contrary to popular belief, MDEC has not been focusing too much on esports than on game development. This train of thought process was due to Malaysia’s Budget 2019 declaration of giving a good sum of it to esports and MDEC.
In fact, the recent Level Up press conference was meant to showcase MDEC’s support for the industry with Metronomik’s No Straight Roads update and the launch of Magnus Studio’s Re: Legends (which is in Steam Early Access right now). “A culmination, if you will,” added Hasnul.

“While the games industry here has many failures, its successes do need to be celebrated. [MDEC] is still continuing its plans and programs to grow game development; in fact, it has added on more and amplified it while getting support from the ESM (Esports Malaysia)”.

Level Up KL 2019 will be on 6th to 10th November, with public days happening on 9th and 10th November.


The Great Console Battle Royale Game Face-Off

While 2018 was the year that the battle royale genre really hit it big with Fortnite and PUBG dominating the gaming sphere, 2019 is shaping up to be its golden year. This is thanks to a maturing Black Ops IIII Blackout scene alongside the new kid on the block and the one that rocks the boat, Respawn Entertainment’s own take in the battle royale genre, Apex Legends.
No longer confined to the PC realm, battle royale games have amassed a significant number of players on home consoles thanks to more stable builds and player-friendly game design making it more accessible than ever to those who never bothered in dabbling in it before.
The real deal.
But which one is right for you? Which one should you invest in this year? The only ‘battle royale’ you’re familiar with is the manga written by Koushun Takami and your mechanical skill are limited. This query leads us to a battle royale face-off for titles available on consoles.
We decided to focus on the big four and at that, comparing them in several preset categories to determine which one is the best title for you. The contestants are:

The self-proclaimed (albeit misleading) grandfather of the battle royale genre, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds a.k.a Plunkbat a.k.a PUBG a.k.a Crawling Simulator a.k.a Doctor Disrespect’s claim to fame.

The plucky Fortnite who snatched PUBG’s crown and ran away with it thanks to brilliant use of Twitch influencers while simultaneously polluting our radar with dances *allegedly* used without their originator’s consent a.k.a the game Doctor Disrespects hates.

The old geezer who successfully reinvented itself in the shape of Black Ops IIII’s Blackout (or just Blackout for this feature). Who said you can’t teach old dogs new tricks? Blackout came into the scene dripping with pedigree and their final product shows. A.k.a the one Doctor Disrespect moved to but ended up being overshadowed by Shroud.

The one you never saw coming.Â Apex Legends who although dropped in unexpectedly, came bearing gifts we never knew we wanted a.k.a the one Doctor Disrespect went to, and still, got overshadowed by Shroud.

Ready for drop off? Go, go, go!


ActivisionÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s New Patent Application Is Dodgy As F**K Part Deux

A couple weeks back we wrote about how Activision sneakily applied for a patent application for an in-game engine to manipulate multiplayer matchmaking experience to subtly drive its users to perform microtransactions. And they are at it again!
First uncovered by Dotesports, the self-explaining patent application by Activision Publishing Inc entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD OF IDENTIFYING PORTIONS OF VIDEO GAME STREAMS FOR DRIVING MICROTRANSACTIONS” was filed on October 21 2015 and is yet to be granted. At first the application read as replay tool ala enhanced killfeed for multiplayer games but the sinister nature of the application is shown later on as the microtransaction-driving mechanicsÃ‚Â rears its ugly head.
The extract of the patent application read:
“A system and method is provided that generates a game log that specifies game events during gameplay to enable efficient distribution of video game playback, facilitates the annotation of gameplay through content from users and others, and generates a video game stream that includes the game log and content. The system facilitates the efficient sharing of video game playback, as well as annotations from users and others. For example, e-sportscasters may use the system to broadcast video game playback with their commentary and/or graphical overlays. Video game players may use the system to share video game playback efficiently with other users. The system may also facilitate the sharing of loadout conditions and micro-transactions relevant to video game playback.”Ã‚Â
If our understanding is correct, this method will display details of the weapon, most probably of the one that just killed you in game and how and where to get it via an established microtransaction system. The Summary section of the application read:
“In some instances, a metadata track may include micro-transaction information that identifies an item available for purchase. In some instances, the item may include a virtual item depicted in a corresponding video game playback, or a real-world item advertised as an overlay over the corresponding video game playback. In some instances, the metadata track may include hotspot information that indicates selectable coordinates on the video game playback corresponding to the item available for sale. For instance, in a shooter game, a location on the display (e.g., pixel position) of a virtual weapon that may be purchased by the viewer for use in the viewer’


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem Unveils New Character Posters

United International Pictures Malaysia has unveiled new character posters from the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem animated movie.
The cast includes:
Hannibal Buress as Genghis Frog,

Rose Byrne as Leatherhead,

John Cena as Rocksteady,

Jackie Chan as Master Splinter,

Ice Cube as Superfly,

Natasia Demetriou as Wingnut,

Post Malone as Ray Fillet,

Seth Rogen as Bebop,

Paul Rudd as Mondo Gecko,

Ayo Edebiri as April O’Neil,

Giancarlo Esposito as Baxter Stockman,

Maya Rudolph as Cynthia Utrom,

Micah Abbey as Donatello,

Shamon Brown Jr. as Michelangelo,

Nicolas Cantu as Leonardo,

Brady Noon as Raphael.

The synopsis reads:
After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O’Neil helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem premieres in Malaysian cinemas on 24 August 2023.
Check out the trailer below:


The Callisto Protocol Stars Karen Fukuhara From The Boys

Publisher KRAFTON and developer Striking Distance Studios have released a new trailer for The Callisto Protocol.
What’s surprising about the trailer is that it reveals some Hollywood talent, including Karen Fukuhara as an as-of-yet unnamed character and Josh Duhamel as the protagonist, Jacob Lee.

Set on Jupiter‘s moon Callisto in the year 2320, The Callisto Protocol is a next-generation take on survival horror. The game challenges players to escape the maximum security Black Iron Prison and uncover its terrifying secrets. A blend of horror, action, and immersive storytelling, The Callisto Protocol game aims to set a new bar for horror in interactive entertainment.
In this narrative-driven, third-person survival horror game set 300 years in the future, the player will take on the role of Jacob Lee, a victim of fate thrown into Black Iron Prison, a maximum-security penitentiary located on Jupiter’s moon, Callisto. When inmates begin to transform into monstrous creatures, the prison is thrown into chaos. To survive, Jacob must battle his way to safety to escape Black Iron Prison, while uncovering the dark and disturbing secrets buried beneath the surface of Callisto. Using a unique blend of shooting and close-quarters combat, Jacob will need to adapt his tactics to combat the rapidly evolving creatures while scavenging to unlock new weapons, gear, and abilities to outrun the growing threat and escape the horrors of Jupiter’s Dead Moon.
The Callisto Protocol is slated to release for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 2 December 2022.
Check out the trailer with Karen Fukuhara and Josh Duhamel below:


[Rumour] Grand Theft Auto Trilogy Remasters Are Coming To Major Platforms End Of 2021

This holiday season is looking pretty bright and crime-ridden if this piece of news is of any indication.
Sources from Kotaku have confirmed that Rockstar Games may be remastering three classic Grand Theft Auto games: GTA 3, GTA Vice City, and GTA San Andreas. All three games will be remastered using Unreal Engine and will be a mix of “old and new graphics”. The user interfaces of each title will be updated too, but will retain the same classic style. The titles will stay true to the PS2-era GTA games as much as possible.
The remastered trio of games will be released later in Holiday 2021 (late October and November) for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch.Â Rumours have been circling the internet on Twitter and Reddit, but the one key confirmation to this game news is Take-Two talking about its unannounced remastered games in development.
That’s all well and good, but the only thing I ask from these remakes are checkpoints mid-mission. None of us have time redoing 30+ minutes of a bloody mission that we have to restart because of some bug or a random occurrence in the city we’re in.


Ace Combat 7 Gets 2nd Anniversary Update, Celebrates New Sales Milestone

We waited more than a decade forÂ Ace Combat 7: Skies UnknownÂ and it was totally worth it, turning out to beÂ one of the best games of 2019Â (check out my full review here).
It looks like a lot of gamers thought so too, asÂ sales for the game have officially surpassed 2.5 million copies worldwide.

?#ACE7 ???????250?????ACE COMBAT™ 7: SKIES UNKNOWN??????????250????????????
??????????????????????????????????????https://t.co/16OxKnPb1Z?
???????????????????#???????? pic.twitter.com/uE5b97Wk7n
— ?????????? (@PROJECT_ACES) January 18, 2021

The game is also celebrating its two-year anniversary since launch with a new update that adds several new skins and emblems, including the following:

Skins

Scarface Skin (Su-37 Terminator)
Phoenix Skin (F-22A Raptor)
Mobius Skin (F-4E Phantom II)
Crow Skin (F-16C Fighting Falcon)
Gryphus Skin (F-22A Raptor)
Garuda Skin (F-15E Strike Eagle)
Ridgebacks Skin (ASF-X Shinden II)
UPEO Skin (Su-37 Terminator)
UPEO Skin (Typhoon)
Glowing Skin (X-02S Strike Wyvern)

Emblems

25th Anniversary Nugget -Yellow 13-
25th Anniversary Nugget -Mobius 1-
Ace Combat 7Â 2nd Anniversary
Shooter
Spooky
Falco
UNF
UNICS
Arrows (Low-Vis)
Falco


Cyberpunk 2077 Update 1.5 PS5 & Xbox Series X Update Is Now Live

CD Projekt Red has announced that Cyberpunk 2077 update 1.5 is now live. Check out the full patch notes here.
The PS5 version upgrades:
With the update, #Cyberpunk2077 takes advantage of the additional power of the newest generation of console hardware, allowing for ray tracing features and 4K with dynamic scaling, faster loading times, and a variety of other visual and technical improvements, as well as utilizes the DualSense controllerâ€™s adaptive triggers and haptic feedback functionalities.
The Xbox Series X upgrades:
With the update, #Cyberpunk2077 takes advantage of the additional power of the newest generation of console hardware, allowing for ray tracing features and 4K with dynamic scaling, faster loading times, and a variety of other visual and technical improvements.
Patch 1.5 for Cyberpunk 2077 will also bring a reworked perk tree, improvements to AI, changes to crowds and traffic, and improvements to the gameâ€™s driving model, according to CD Projekt Red developers during a live stream on Twitch.

Cyberpunk 2077 is currently available for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
You can check out a handy recap of all the problems plaguingÂ Cyberpunk 2077Â since launch byÂ heading over hereÂ or check out ourÂ review of the game here.

Check out the PS5 and Xbox Series X gameplay footage below:


The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Complete Edition Next-Gen Update Includes A New Photo Mode

CD Projekt RED has unveiled the trailer for The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Complete Edition Next-Gen Update, which will launch for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on 14 December 2022. It will also be available as a free upgrade for existing owners of the game.
The update will feature 4K textures and models, ray-tracing, improved gameplay, a 60 FPS mode, cloud saves, a brand new Photo Mode, and new content inspired by Netflix‘s The Witcher series.
The next-gen version of The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Complete Edition will be available for purchase digitally on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, featuring all free downloadable content released to date, and both major expansions: “Hearts of Stone” and “Blood and Wine.” A physical edition will be released following the initial digital rollout, with a specific date to be announced at a later time.
The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt is currently available for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.
Check out the new trailer below:


Dungeon Crawler Loot River Is Diablo Meets Tetris

What kind of mechanics can spice up a top-down action RPG similar to Diablo? If you said “puzzle mechanics”, you’re on the right track with Loot River.
Made by Straka Studios, Loot River is a roguelike dungeon crawler that combines the action RPG bits of that Blizzard title with dungeon shifting mechanics. See, the levels in Loot River feature block-based tiles you can shift around and ride on. You can rearrange them to access new areas, or run away from enemy hordes, or even smash oncoming ones into smithereens.

Your character also has the usual RPG melee attacks, though you’ll need to use the tile-riding and shifting mechanics so that you’re not overwhelmed. Levels in the game will be procedurally generated, though with some hand-crafted elements in-between. This being a roguelike, expect to meet companions, merchants, and even tough bosses in your randomized quest.
There’s no release date for Loot River as of now, but it’ll be out for PC and consoles. In the meantime, check out the 4-minute presentation below.