Netflix’s Bly Manor Cast Reveals Haunting Details

We had the opportunity to interview two of the stars from Netflixâ€™s The Haunting Of Bly Manor; Victoria Pedretti and Henry Thomas.
The synopsis reads:
From The Haunting of Hill House creator Mike Flanagan and producer Trevor Macy comes The Haunting Of Bly Manor, the next highly-anticipated chapter of The Haunting anthology series, set in 1980s England.After an au pairâ€™s tragic death, Henry Wingrave (Henry Thomas) hires a young American nanny (Victoria Pedretti) to care for his orphaned niece and nephew (Amelie Bea Smith, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) who reside at Bly Manor with the estateâ€™s chef Owen (Rahul Kohli), groundskeeper Jamie (Amelia Eve) and housekeeper, Mrs. Grose (Tâ€™Nia Miller).But all is not as it seems at the manor, and centuries of dark secrets of love and loss are waiting to be unearthed in this chilling gothic romance. At Bly Manor, dead doesnâ€™t mean gone.
Netflixâ€™s The Haunting Of Bly Manor is slated to premiere on Netflix on 9 October 2020. In the meantime, you can check out our spoiler-free review of The Haunting Of Bly Manor by heading over here.
Hereâ€™s what they had to say to the questions we asked:
Q: What was it like on The Haunting Of Bly Manor and The Haunting Of Hill House? Is there anything that showrunner Mike Flanagan would do to get you in the right headspace?
Victoria Pedretti: Yeah, For instance, the wedding was a very beautiful and joyful moment, but we’re not allowed to really embrace that joy because he’ll (Mike Flanagan) immediately point to me in that scene and go; “They die, everybody, hahaha, don’t forget!”
It was pretty great, I think that he creates a really positive and safe environment on set. I really enjoyed working with him. Also, Henry (Thomas) had a doorbell in The Haunting Of Hill House that, whenever we would check the gate or finish shooting from a certain angle, it would go ding dong.
It was really satisfying. It’s like the experiment with those dogs, where they get happy when they could find the sounds. It sounds a bit fucked up but it was okay.

Q: What do you think is the most significant difference between Nellie Crane in The Haunting of Hill House and Dani Clayton in The Haunting Of Bly Manor?
Victoria Pedretti: I mean, show me a woman that’s not troubled in some way, but also, the more significant difference is that Nellie felt very tied to her family and I see Dani as a more misfit kind of orphan character who’s kind of floating around looking for a family.
They both feel very isolated and alone. Dani feels less of an obligation or duty to a large family. I think that gives her a very strong sense of what defines her.
Q: Showrunner Mike Flanagan has previously mentioned how The Haunting Of Bly Manor is a “love story”. In your opinion, what makes it a “love story” or a Gothic Romance?
Victoria Pedretti: I mean, my character falls in love. That’d be the major reason.
Henry Thomas: My character has a love story as well, but it doesn’t work out so well.
Victoria Pedretti: Yeah, I have two love stories. One of them ends really badly, and the other also ends badly. It turns out that the show tells you that your love story will end, badly.
As he (MIke Flanagan) likes to do, “they all die”. *laughs*
Henry Thomas: They all die.

Q: You began your career in Steven Spielberg’s E.T. You’re working with great child actors on The Haunting Of Bly Manor (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Amelie Smith).
What have your observations been about what it’s like to be a child actor nowadays?
Henry Thomas: Yeah, with social media and everything in the business has changed a lot. But the actual job hasn’t changed at all. It’s still the same. Being on a film set hasn’t changed in forty years. We’re not using film anymore but other than that, it’s pretty much just the same.
Everybody’s job is still everybody’s job. I don’t they’re under more pressure on set by any means, but I think that negotiating the business in terms of social media and representation and what they have to do in terms of auditions. There’s so much more material out there.
When I was a kid, there were like maybe 30 or 40 projects a year from the studios and hardly any of those were kids’ movies. Like maybe, you get a small part in something but now there’s tons of content out there. There’s more auditions, which is great, but consequently, I think kids work more to get work.
Q: What was it like having to play both Henry Wingrave and his dark shadow self?
Henry Thomas: Yeah, it was great fun as an actor to have the opportunity to do that. It was fun to do the technical aspect of the scene because once we got one side of it, we had to match the other characters. That performance had to be matched and consistency had to be kept. It was challenging and frustrating but in the end, I was really happy with the scenes.
I also had to go to complete makeup change because Henry Wingrave is in a bad state and shadow Henry is very clean and well-kept and dressed in a three-piece suit at all times. Henry Wingrave is usually drunk so yeah, it took a little time to switch over so we had to shoot one character’s angle and then go back and shoot the other character’s coverage completely.
I did the whole scene by myself and changed my clothes, and did it all again from the other side. That’s how it worked.

Q: Things get crazy in the last few episodes. How much did you know about the twists and reveals ahead of filming?
Victoria Pedretti: I can’t remember. I know that I knew the larger main points, for sure, at the beginning but the specifics of how the love story plays out in the final episode, probably not that far into filming. I felt like we were pretty clear on the entirety of the story pretty early on.
Henry Thomas: Yeah, I think we had most of the scripts but I think we just didn’t have the last two scripts for a month or two, but then, we got them. It wasn’t long and we had already talked about where the story was going.But I’ve been on shows before where we get the scripts like the week before or a few days before, and that’s very frustrating. So, I’m glad that we got the scripts early.
Victoria Pedretti: Yeah, I got my script on the day up.
Henry Thomas: Yeah, that’s no fun.
Q: What do you look for in a part or script? How do you decide what your next thing is going to be?
Victoria Pedretti: Somebody offers me the job. But I’m extremely lucky to have been granted the opportunity to play a wide variety of characters, which I think is what many actors want. I just hope that that keeps happening. I do realise that it would suck to play the same thing over and over again.
I didn’t pick any of these projects. I auditioned and if I get the role, I do and I’m still a newbie, you know. I feel like I’m maybe just starting to be a bit more particular about what I audition for. But no, I’m not being offered jobs. That’s not me, *laughs*

Q: Why do you think the relationship between Dani and Jamie in The Haunting Of Bly Manor manages to survive all the chaos and spooks?
Victoria Pedretti: I think it’s because they’re very open and honest with each other. They create a lot of safety to express to each other very clearly. So, they’re able to lean on in and support each other. They’re also not jumping to conclusions about each other or assuming the worst. I think that we can lead ourselves astray so much by just assuming the worst of people.
Q: In your opinion, which is scarier; Hill House or Bly Manor?
Henry Thomas: I would have to say that it’s up to the fans and it depends on what frightens you more. I think there are some very scary themes that we’re exploring in Bly Manor. It might not be the same kind of scary themes as Hill House but it’s equally as painful and frightening, I think.
Victoria Pedretti: I agree with Henry. I think that we’re exploring very different kinds and very different subjects of forms of fear.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=tykS7QfTWMQ


PUBG Southeast Asia Championship Confirmed

It’s time to put those hours of crawling and hiding in Plunkbat to the test in a tournament setting folks! Philippines-based video games event organizer MET and gaming machine makers ASUS have joined forces to host PlayerUnknown’s BattlegroundsÂ Southeast Asian Championship.
An officially sanctioned tournament by theÂ PUBG Corporation, the tournament is part of the lead up to the recently announced PUBG Global Invitational (PGI 2018), which is to be held in Berlin on July.
Kicking off on the 28th of April 2018, your way to immortality starts with fiveÂ different qualifiers before advancing for the national qualifiers of each respective country. The best squads from each countryâ€™s national qualifier will head then headÂ on to the SEA Finals in Thailand on June 24-25, 2018 to crown the best SEA squad.
TheÂ Tournament Schedule Are As Follows:Â
National Qualifiers

PH: May 5 â€“ June 3
ID: April 28 â€“ May 13
MY/SG: May 5 â€“ May 27
TH: May 7 â€“ June 10
VN: May 12 â€“ June 3

National Finals

PH: June 9 â€“ 10
ID: May 19 â€“ 20
MY/SG: TBA
TH: June 22
VN: June 16

Regional Finals

June 23-24, in Thailand

The overall Regional Champions will then represent the region at the PUBG Global Invitational in Berlin on July. As for registrations, there isn’t much info at time of writing so we would suggest you keep an eye out on their official site here.


Cyberpunk 2077 Is Getting A Comic Series This September

The gaming community was recently rocked by the news that CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 has been delayed to 19 November 2020 (from its original release date of 17 September 2020). However, at least one Cyberpunk 2077-related tie-in product will be released as scheduled in September, and that’s the Cyberpunk 2077 comic book spinoff series.
Published by Dark Horse Comics, the four-issue Cyberpunk 2077: Trauma Team comic book limited series will be helmed by a creative team consisting of acclaimed writer Cullen Bunn (best known for his Uncanny X-Men run) and artist Miguel Valderrama.
The synopsis reads:

Nadia, an assistant EMT for a privately-owned business known as Trauma Team International, is the sole survivor of a failed rescue mission turned shootout.
After she agrees to continue work for an upcoming extraction mission, Nadia and her new team find themselves in an even more dangerous and life-threatening situation.

The first issue of Cyberpunk 2077: Trauma Team is set to launch on 9 September 2020, on what would’ve been one week before the game was previously intended to release. Oh, well, a comic book spinoff is better than nothing. Let’s just hope it doesn’t spoil too much of the game.
Check out the cover of the first issue below:


Netflix’s Lupin Trailer Reveals Omar Sy As The Legendary Thief

Netflix has released the first trailer for their upcoming live-action TV series adaptation of Maurice Leblanc’s iconic gentlemen thief and detective Arsene Lupin. The character is also famous for already being adapted in the popular manga and anime series by Monkey Punch.
The new Netflix’s Lupin series comes from showrunners George Kay (Criminal, Killing Eve) and FranÃ§ois Uzan (Family Business).
It looks like the series will be set in present-day, feature actor Omar Sy as Lupin himself and will be in the French language.
Netflix’s Lupin is slated to premiere sometime in January 2021. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Phoenix Wright Voice Actor Accused Of Being A Sexual Predator

The deluge of accusations of sexual harassment and assaults from iconic video games industry individuals just keep coming. The latest reveal comes from game designer and artist Alex (@dirtbagboyfren) who has previously spoken at events like GDC and MAGfest.
Alex has published a series of tweets telling people to stay away from Ben Judd, the man who used to voice Phoenix Wright and is currently working for Digital Development Management, the agency that helped crowdsource games like Mighty No. 9 and Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night.

Thatâ€™s it thatâ€™s all I want to say about that. Itâ€™s an open secret that this guy is a predator and creep but he ingrained himself in the Japanese indie scene now. Stay away from him. Thatâ€™s all I want to say.
â€” Alexâœ¨[Cute Jerks] (@dirtbagboyfren) August 28, 2019
In the aforementioned tweets, Alex states Judd has allegedly exhibited extremely profane behaviour such as revealing his private parts in public, harassing young women, and also using offensive racial slurs.

Holding meetings in stripclubs, calling a friend of mine the N word then a bitch for telling him to fuck off. If youâ€™re in Japan and youâ€™re not one of the men enabling him, be safe around him. Donâ€™t drink.
â€” Alexâœ¨[Cute Jerks] (@dirtbagboyfren) August 28, 2019
According to Alex, hundreds of other people have also witnessed Judd performing these uncouth actions. If true, we might be seeing more people come forward to talk about what has happened.
As mentioned by Alex himself in the tweets, there’s no proof or evidence to prove that Judd is indeed guilty of committing these horrible acts. So don’t get too excited with your torches and pitchforks yet folks.
This all comes after a series of other public call outs that have been surfacing in the past few days.
Earlier this week, game designer Nathalie Lawhead accused and called out music composer Jeremy Soule (Skyrim, World of Warcraft) for raping her. Not too long after that, ZoÃ« Quinn (Depression Quest) accused Night in the Woods creator Alec Holowka of the same crime.
No official investigations are currently being carried out for any of the above accusations but we hope that the truth comes to light and those who deserve punishment will be treated accordingly.


Top 10 Exciting Fall 2019 Animes You Need To Check Out

This fall is packed with anime shows that eager fans can sink their teeth into. Many of the usual suspects are back, but look forward to new franchises to also pave their way through this time of orange leaves and pumpkins. Curious to know what the end of 2019 has in store for you? Hereâ€™s a list of some of the best fall 2019 anime to keep track of.Â
My Hero Academia

Studio: Bones
Genre: Action, Comedy, Shounen
The headliner for the season is, of course, the return of My Hero Academia for its fourth season. A story about teenagers that engage in superheroics, the show has become the poster boy of shounen anime in recent years.
After a gripping season three finale between two of the biggest rivals in the story, the fourth season focuses on Deku and his classmates once again as they undertake Hero internships. Thereâ€™s a whole new host of heroes and villains to look out for, as well as more high-stakes battles.
Deku will also have to explore his worthiness of All Mightâ€™s legacy as he interacts with Mirio Togata, a student who was once considered to take up All Mightâ€™s mantle.
Case File nÂº221: Kabukichou

Studio: Production I.G
Genre: Mystery, Comedy, Drama
Did anyone here ask for anime Sherlock Holmes? Kabukichou Sherlock is a reimagining of the world-famous detective, and this time sets itself in the seedy neon-lit Kabukichou district of Shinjuku Ward. As a series of murders begin, the titular Sherlock Holmes and his trusty friend John Watson investigate the menacing case of Jack the Ripper in this modern Japan setting.
As with all good detective stories, itâ€™ll be a while until one can get the full picture. The anime’s intriguing mystery is complemented by colourful and quirky characters, as well as plenty of comedy. An offbeat way to enjoy Sherlock Holmes for sure, but it’s surely a must-watch for those that want to see Sherlock Holmes with a Japanese twist.
Hoshiai no Sora

Studio: 8bit
Genre: Sports, Drama, Slice of Life
Hoshiai no Sora is an original anime series that follows a high school student called Maki Katsuragi, who joins a tennis club thatâ€™s on the brink of closing down. The main reason heâ€™s there, though, is because he has the athletic skills to hoist the club back into relevance.
The anime presents itself as a coming-of-age story thatâ€™s also focused around sports. A big highlight of the show lies in its exploration of human beings. Unlike most sports anime, real-life problems plague the characters constantly, and thereâ€™s a huge focus on how tennis ties into their complex lives as a coping mechanism.
No Guns Life

Studio: Madhouse
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Seinen
So the big deal about this anime is that the main guy has a revolver for a head. Thatâ€™s not a joke, and thereâ€™s actually a whole backstory behind it.
Ex-soldier Juuzo Inoi has no recollection of his life prior to becoming a cyborg, otherwise known as an Extended. As a cyborg, he now has a giant functioning revolver where his head ought to be, as well as a revolver-like device embedded in his right hand. While searching for clues about his past, he lives out life as a detective called a Resolver and does what he can to help other cyborgs.Â
As for his revolver-head? It can shoot, but only if someone else gets behind the trigger. Itâ€™s an odd concept, but the show itself boasts a serious noir aesthetic. With the prominent studio Madhouse also on board, whatâ€™s there not to like?Â
Beastars

Studio: Orange
Genre: Drama, Psychological, Shounen, Slice of Life
Beastars is a change of pace from the usual anime aesthetic and goes for something truly unique. Itâ€™s a story about anthropomorphic animals in a society of herbivores and carnivores that coexist together.
The protagonist, Legoshi, is a wolf that attends Cherryton Academy and takes part in the drama club. Despite his carnivorous tendencies, heâ€™s actually rather meek and gentle. His daily school life takes a major turn, however, when an alpaca named Tem is murdered in cold blood. As unrest begins to stir between herbivores and carnivores, Legoshi finds himself forced to get involved with his schoolmates and to learn more about them.
Food Wars! The Fourth Plate

Studio: J.C.Staff
Genre: Comedy, Shounen
For the food enthusiasts out there, Food Wars! The Fourth Plate is the salivating return of cooking battles and culinary comedy. Yukihira Soma continues his quest to become the best chef in the world. However, one aspiring to greatness canâ€™t be without rivals that also cook incredible dishes.
Everything you love, from outlandish cooking competitions to unpredictable story arcs, can be found here. The depictions of food are also as incredible as ever, and will be sure to whet your appetite.
Assassins Pride

Studio: EMT Squared
Genre: Action, Fantasy
Based on the light novel series of the same name, Assassins Pride is set in a fantasy world where much of humanity has perished. Lycanthropes roam the land and the last safe haven is a city protected by glass domes. The human society here divides itself into commoners and aristocrats, in which the latter possesses innate powers that enable them to fight lycanthropes.
A man known as Kufa Vampir is assigned as a tutor to Mareida, the daughter of a duke family, to ascertain whether she is truly of noble blood. Should she not have control over mana like the other aristocrats, he is tasked with assassinating her.
Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered by Overly Cautious

Studio: White Fox
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
Fans of KonoSuba may get a kick out of Cautious Hero. Like the former, itâ€™s a fresh take on the crowded isekai genre that does so by referencing common tropes and then injecting comedy, as well tons of oddball characters into the mix.
The goddess Ristarte summons a hero from Japan to save the world of Gairbrunde from the Demon Lord, but inadvertently ends up with the overly-cautious Seiya. Though he has overpowered stats, heâ€™s so overly cautious that he’ll spend a week doing strength exercises before he’ll even take on the bad guys.
The show doesnâ€™t try to impress from a technical standpoint, and instead relies on jokes and a tight script to entertain. What helps sell this anime is Aki Toyosakiâ€™s (K-On!, Kokoro Connect) gung-ho performance as she voices a seemingly gentle goddess that actually just constantly breaks into cynical grumbling.
Ascendance Of A Bookworm

Studio: Ajia-Do
Genre: Slice of Life, Fantasy
Another isekai that’s little different from usual, Ascendance of a Bookworm tells the story of a book-loving college student named Urano who dies in modern Japan and is then transported to another world. Rather than having the duty of becoming the chosen hero, she is reincarnated as the frail peasant Myne. As books are rare in this fantasy world, she decides to do her utmost to make them more accessible for both herself and the other commoners.
The show is a little bit special in that it focuses on how someone must make do with the new world they find themselves up. Myne faces her share of struggles and is in no way indestructible like many isekai protagonists from other shows. Ultimately, it’s a sweet story that showcases someone in pursuit of their dream, even in a world that explicitly weighs her down.
Fate/Grand Order – Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

Studio: CloverWorks
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Magic
The billion dollar game franchise that beat Fortnite as the most talked about game on Twitter in 2018 is now back with another much-anticipated anime series. Fate/Grand Order – Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia adapts one of the mobile gameâ€™s major story arcs, set in historical Babylonia. If youâ€™re a fan of the game, youâ€™ll no doubt enjoy the story as it’s presented once again through polished and intricate animations, as well as stellar voice over.
Newcomers who are curious about the show shouldnâ€™t feel left out, however. The show dedicates some time to telling you the gist of the premise, and the events that take place in Babylonia are standalone as can be. Itâ€™s a decent starting point that holds all of the franchisesâ€™ key appeals such as high-octane battles, intriguing storylines based on actual history, as well as only the very best boys and girls.


What’s Next After Avengers Endgame: Upcoming MCU Movies To Watch Out For

After more than 10 years and a total of 23 movies, the Infinity Saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) finally ends with Avengers Endgame. It was such a perfect ending that fans have been wondering, what’s next for the MCU post-Avengers Endgame? How will Marvel Studios move forward with Phase Four (4) of the MCU?
Since we’ll be discussing the future of the MCU, keep in mind that spoilers for Avengers Endgame will be flowing freely below. Here’s a list of upcoming MCU movies to watch out for:
Spider-Man: Far From Home

The only MCU movie with a definite release date so far is Spider-Man Far From Home, which is slated to release on 4 July 2019, only several months from now. While Kevin Feige said that this movie will still be part of the MCU’s Phase Three (3), it will still be the first movie to be set in a post-Avengers Endgame MCU.
With the events of Avengers Endgame still fresh in everyone’s minds, it will interesting to see how those who were restored from Thanos’ snap will be coping with a world five years older, not to mention how Tony Stark’s death will weigh on Peter Parker’s mind.
It’s been mentioned by director Jon Watts that Peter Parker will be trying to resume his normal life and go on vacation, but it seems that the world has other plans for him. With the Elementals, Mysterio, and the Chameleon popping up, he will need to step up to the plate, especially now that the world has permanently lost some of its heroes.
Nick Fury’s role in recruiting Peter in Spider-Man Far From Home may have more meaning than we initially thought. Just like how he approached Tony Stark to start the Avengers Initiative all those years ago, perhaps he’s looking to do the same but with a new generation of heroes, starting with Spider-Man.
Nevertheless, there will be a lot riding on Spider-Man Far From Home to kickstart a new era of the MCU post-Avengers Endgame.
NEXT: The Eternals


Here’s How You Can Speed Up Your PS4

The PS4 has now been out for almost seven years after its launch in 2013. Since then, we’ve seen the original PS4, the PS4 Slim, and the PS4 Pro. Just like you need to do a little system maintenance for PCs and laptops every now and then, you can actually do so on a PS4 as well to improve performance.
While waiting for the PS5 to arrive, you can speed up your PS4 by using the “Rebuild Database” option. It works similarly to how Disk Defragment helps organise a PC or laptop’s files in a more efficient way.
There are several ways to determine whether your PS4 needs to rebuild its database. If it’s slowing down and lagging with bad frame rates, it’s probably time. However, the rebuilding database process can take anything from a few seconds to as long as several hours, so it’s better to do it when you’re not planning to actually use the console.
According to YouTuber John Glasscock, here’s how to “Rebuild Database” on your PS4:

First, shut down your PS4 properly by turning it off (not Rest Mode).
Then, hold down the PS4 power button until you hear two fast beeps. Keep holding it down until the PS4 boots up again in Safe Mode.
Next, connect your controller to the PS4 using a USB cable.
Scroll down the list of options until you see ‘Rebuild Database’, and select that.
Your console will then begin to Rebuilding Database process.

The PS4 will automatically boot up normally when the process is done.

Don’t worry, you won’t lose any of your files during the Rebuild Database process. You’ll definitely notice an increased performance after doing it. Here’s hoping it tides you over until the PS5 comes out later this year, if you’re planning to get one.


Sixth Batch Of PS5 Pre-Orders In Malaysia Starts Tonight

Sony Malaysia has announced that they are opening the sixth batch of official pre-orders for the PlayStation 5 starting from tonight at 12.01am on 21 May 2021.
PS5 pre-orders will be available online exclusively via the Sony Malaysia Official Store onÂ Lazada.
https://www.facebook.com/SonyMalaysia/posts/10165553364660601
The PS5 Digital Edition will be available at RM1,869 while the PS5 Standard Edition will be available for RM2,299. Itâ€™s also worth pointing out that while pre-orders for the sixth batch will begin tonight, we still donâ€™t know when the new PS5 stock will arrive or even how many of them will be available.
Due to that reason, anyone interested in grabbing their own PS5 will have to be quick.
At the time of writing, other PlayStation-authorized stores have not revealed if theyâ€™re opening any new pre-orders for next week, but weâ€™ll update this article if any news comes. For the full list of PlayStation-authorized stores,Â head on over here.
In the meantime, you can check outÂ my in-depth and no-holds-barred thoughts on the PS5Â after having it for more than a month. However, if youâ€™re looking for a more straightforward review, you shouldÂ head on over here instead.


Here’s Your First Look At The Boys TV Adaptation & It’s Looking Gory

In a world of comic book adaptations dominated by the Big 2 (Marvel and DC Comics), it’s the rare gems from other publishers that we should appreciate. The next major comic book TV series is The Boys, based on the Dynamite comic of the same name by the legendary Garth Ennis of Preacher and The Punisher fame.
The new trailer for The Boys showcases more of the signature cussing and ultraviolence that Garth Ennis is best known for, which means that the TV series will be pretty faithful to the source material in terms of tone.

The Boys is about a world where superheroes exist, but many of whom are corrupted by their status and/or engage in reckless behavior at the expense of the world. It’s essentially Marvel or DC Comics with all the power but none of the responsibility or higher sense of morality.
It is set to premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on 26 July 2019, starring the likes of Karl Urban (Star Trek), Elisabeth Shue, Karen Fukuhara (Suicide Squad), Simon Pegg, and more.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06rueu_fh30&w=560&h=315]


Final Fantasy 16 Excalibur Sword Guide: How To Score The Legendary Weapon

Final Fantasy games are known for letting you craft uber weapons to help you out. Apart from the Ultima Weapon which you can get craft after completing the game once. there’s also the Excalibur sword. You can get this mid-way in the game; here’s how you can get it.
Final Fantasy XVI: How To Get Excalibur
You can get Excalibur by crafting it during the sidequest “Blacksmith’s Blues II”. You can get this sidequest from Blackthorne the Blacksmith; you’ll need to finish the first part of the Blacksmith’s Blues quest first.
Head to your desk in your room at the Hideaway; you’ll see a letter called “About Blackthorne”. After reading the letter, speak to Blackthorne. Once you’ve started “Blacksmith’s Blues II”, talk to Blackthorne and Charon.

Head to your map and fast-travel to Dalimil. Speak to Ignac; he is upstairs in the tavern. You’ll be tasked to retrieve items from bandits.
Head to Velkroy Desert; defeat the bandits in the northeastern section of the map. After you defeat them, you will head back to Dalimil Inn; job well done!
Head to Blackthorne’s at the Hideaway to wrap up the quest; you’ll get the Excalibur Design Draft to make the Excalibur sword. To make the sword, you need to get the following materials:

Wyrrite x300
Grimalkin Hide x1 (kill Grimalkin in a Hunt quest)
Bomb Ember x1 (kill Bomb King in a  Hunt quest)
Scarletite x1 (kill Fastitocalon in a Hunt quest)

Excalibur Stats
Rarity: 4
Attack: 268
Stagger: 268
For more guides, check out how you can score a Chocobo.


Malaysian VFX Wizard Creates Awesome Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Ad

Chalk up another one for #malaysiaboleh!
Malaysian VFX content creator Mohamad “Sofyank96” Sofian has teamed up with 9gag and PlayStation Asia for a pretty awesome-looking Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart ad. It involves creating a PlayStation 5 out of thin air and pulling out one of the game’s guns to settle a dispute.
Check out the video below.

Alhamdulillah, this is the biggest collaboration for our team this year to get to collaborate with 9gag and Playstation..
Harap korang enjoy video ni ??????#9gag #playstation pic.twitter.com/usw2HIZFd2
— sofyank96 (@sofyank96) June 11, 2021

Sofyank96 and his team are renowned for his magic videos and VFX editing skills, as you can tell from the videos below. And they do some short gaming skits here and there, so this PlayStation Asia collaboration was inevitable.

Video 19 saat je, tapi nak edit 12 jam baru settle .. give some love guys ????? pic.twitter.com/f7fjFvH1H7
— sofyank96 (@sofyank96) November 25, 2019

Yep, we really wish we could generate a PS5 out of pieces of paper, especially since it’s pretty hard to get one right now. Anyway, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is out now; check out our review and guides here.


Tactics Ogre Reborn Trademarked By Square Enix In Japan

It looks like we might finally be getting a new Tactics Ogre game. Square Enix recently filed a trademark for the title; Tactics Ogre Reborn. This indicates that the Japanese publisher and developer is working on a either a sequel or a remaster of the classic tactical RPG game.
The original Tactics Ogre Let Us Cling Together released for the Nintendo SNES in 1995. It was later ported to the PS1 in 1997, and was released for the PSP in 2010. It’s considered a precursor to later games like Final Fantasy Tactics.
However, Square Enix has yet to officially announce anything, so let’s take this with a grain of salt for now.
For all we know, it could turn out to be *shudder* a mobile game.


Bethesda Rejects Doom Composer Mick Gordon Allegations

On a recent Twitter post, Bethesda has stated that it’s ready to counter the recent allegations brought forth by Doom composer Mick Gordon.
The company has issued a strongly-worded statement on its Twitter feed. This is in response to Mick Gordon’s 14,000-word statement where the latter “exercised his right to defend himself” against Id Software director Marty Stratton’s 2020 Reddit statement that blamed him for the Doom Eternal soundtrack’s poor quality.
“The recent post by Mick Gordon both mischaracterized and misrepresented the team at id Software, the development of DOOM Eternal, Marty Stratton, and Chad Mossholder with a one-sided and unjust account of an irreparable professional relationship.
We are aware of all the details and history in this matter and unequivocally support Marty, Chad, and the team at id Software. We reject the distortion of the truth and selective presentation of incomplete “facts.” We stand ready with full and complete documented evidence to disclose in an appropriate venue as needed.
The statements posted online have incited harassment and threats of violence against Marty, Chad, and the id Software team. Any threats or harassment directed towards members of our teams will be met with swift and appropriate action to protect their health and safety.
We remain incredibly proud of id’s previous collaborations with Mick Gordon and ask that fans refrain from reaching conclusions based on his account and, more importantly, from attacking any of the individuals mentioned on either side, including Marty, Chad, or Mick.”

pic.twitter.com/ydVghud1v1
— Bethesda (@bethesda) November 16, 2022

Essentially a company #kitajagakita moment.


The First Spy X Family Movie Gets A Fun Teaser Trailer

The first Spy X Family movie was originally announced earlier this year in March 2023, and it has finally received its first teaser trailer.
Spy X Family Code White will feature a brand new original story written by original manga creator Tetsuya Endo. WIT STUDIO and CloverWorks are animating the movie, with Takashi Katagiri directing the film, and Ichiro Okouchi as the scriptwriter.
The movie will see the Forger family, which consists of spy Loid, assassin Yor, and telepathic child Anya, as well as their precognitive dog Bond, take a family trip to the region of Frigis. Though they’re there to learn the recipe for a special treat at Anya’s school, trouble happens, and the three of them get caught up in a crisis.
The movie is slated to premiere in Japan on 22 December 2023. Meanwhile, Spy X Family Season 2 is slated to premiere sometime in October 2023.
Check out the teaser trailer below:


Here’s A Complete List Of Legendary Weapons In Borderlands 3

This feature is still under development because there are way too many guns to keep track of. So good job, Gearbox!
Guns, guns, and more guns. That’s the real reason we all play Borderlands 3, to satiate our endless hunger for a collection of firearms to grow unhealthily attached to.
A reddit user by the name of zafrostpet has taken the initiative to compile a list of all the known Legendary weapons in Borderlands 3. It’s not a finalised list so do expect it to be updated in the future. Still, it’s a nifty guide for those of you looking to stockpile more orange-glowing guns into your arsenal.

Zafrostpet’s list also includes methods on how to get the legendaries plus links to videos that demonstrate how each gun operates.

I’ve translated the list into this article by arranging the weapons according to type as well as where they drop from. World drop means that the weapon has a good chance to drop from loot tinks, bosses, or badass enemies.
I even included links on where to farm for these bad boys.Â Take a look:
Pistol

Baby Maker (world drop, reward for finding all Dead Claptraps)
Bangarang XLÂ (world drop)
GunerangÂ (world drop)
Hellshock (world drop)
Thunderball FistÂ (world drop)
Hyper-Hydrator (VIP reward)
SuperballÂ (world drop)
Sellout (Quest reward from “Sellout” – pick the suicide option)
AAA (world drop)
Hornet (world drop)
Nemesis (world drop)
Night Flyer (rare drop from I’m Rakkman at Carnivora)
Devils Foursum (world drop)
Echo (world drop)
Devastator (world drop)
Roisen’s Thorns (Boss – Graveward, world drop)
Occultist (Boss – Troy)
Breeder (world drop)
Girth Blaster Elite (VIP)
Infinity (world drop)
Magnificient (world drop)
Wagon Wheel (Loot-o-gram, world drop)
Maggie (world drop)
Unforgiven (world drop)
Amazing Grace (Quest reward from “Life of the Party”)
The Companion (world drop)
The Flood (world drop)
The Duc (world drop)
King’s Call (Boss – Tyreen the Destroyer)
Queen’s Call (Boss – TyreenÂ  the Destroyer)
Psycho Stabber (rare drop from Borman Nates in Meridian Outskirts)
Pestilence (Target of Opportunity – Heckle/Hyde in Jakobs Estate)
SkekSil (Legendary Hunt – Skrakk at Ascension Bluff)
MOARR Linoge (world drop)
Laden Clockwork Linc

SMG

Smart-Gun XXL (Boss – Gigamind)
Ten Gallon (Boss – Captain Traunt, world drop)
Firesole Long Musket (world drop)
Cutsman (world drop)
Devoted (world drop)
Tsunami (Boss – Katagawa ball)
Cloud Kill (Quest reward from Beneath the Meridian)
Spinner (world drop)
Vault Hero (VIP – buy 8 points weapons, this weapon’s max level is 12)
Westergun (rare drop from Private Beans in Athenas)
Hyperfocus XZ41 (world drop)
Handsome Jackhammer (world drop)
Bitch (world drop)
Crossroads (world drop)
Bankrolled Predatory Landing (Legendary Hunt – Lavender Crawley in The Droughts)
9-Volt (Boss- Killavolt, world drop)
Sleeping Giant (world drop)
Night Hawking (world drop)
Hellfire (Legendary Hunt – Jabbermogwai in Voracious Canopy)
Vanquisher (world drop)
Ripper (world drop)

Shotgun

Polybius (world drop)
The Horizon (rare drop from Maxitrillion in Voracious Canopy)
Kill’O’The WispÂ (world drop)
Projectile Recursion (world drop)
Trevonator (world drop)
Mind-Killer (Boss – Mouthpiece)
Phebert (Rare drop from Wick and Warty in Lectra City)
Brainstormer (world drop)
Conference Call (world drop)
The Butcher (world drop)
Face-puncher (world drop)
Boring Gun (world drop)
Flakker (world drop)
The Lob (world drop)
Redline (Rare drop from Road Dog in The Spinterlands)
Nimble Jack (Target of Opportunity – Handsome Jackie in Skywell-27)
The Garcia (Legendary Hunt – Chonk Stomp in Floodmoor Basin)
Hellwalker (world drop)
Sledge’s Shotgun (Target of Opportunity – Hot Karl in Devil’s Razor)
Tidal Wave (world drop)
TK’s (Heat/Shock)Wave (world drop)
One Pump Chump (Rare drop from One Punch in Lectra City)

Assault Rifle

Breath of the Dying (world drop)
Warlord (world drop)
Barrage (world drop)
Kaos (world drop)
Star Helix (world drop)
Pain is Power (world drop)
Embrace the Pain (world drop)
Sawbar (world drop)
Laser-Sploder (world drop)
Bearcat (world drop)
Alchemist (world drop)
Try-Bolt (world drop)
Sickle (world drop)
Lucian’s Call (world drop)
Faisor (world drop)
The Dictator (world drop)
Ogre (world drop)
Shredifier (world drop)
Damned (world drop)
Gatling Gun (world drop)
Lead Sprinkler (world drop)
Hand of Glory (Quest reward from “The Guns of Reliance”)
Rowan’s Call (loot-o-gram,Â  world drop)
Bekah (reward for finishing all 10 Legendary Hunts)
Carrier (world drop)
Yell (world drop)

Sniper

Crossbow (Rare drop from Urist McEnforcer in Lectra City)
Woodblocker (world drop)
Malak’s Bane (world drop)
Lyuda (kill all Targets of Opportunity, world drop)
Headsplosion (Legendary Hunt – Manvark in Konrad’s Hold)
Monocle (world drop)
ASMD (world drop)
Storm (Boss – Katagawa Jr./ world drop)
Krakatoa (world drop)
Firestorm (world drop)

Rocket Launcher

Quadomizer (Boss – Rampager/ world drop)
Tunguska (world drop)
Scourge (world drop)
Hive (Rare drop from Tarantella in Splinterlands)
Freeman (Boss – Warden)
Ruby’s Wrath (world drop)
Mongol (world drop)
Jericho (world drop)

That’s all the Legendaries listed so far. I’ll be updating the list when more are found so stay tuned!


Ys VI The Ark Of Napishtim Open Beta Kicks Off In Malaysia Next Week

Ys VI The Ark of Napishtim (Ys 6), the cult classic JRPG and sixth installment of the Ys series is making its way to mobile platforms (Ys 6 Mobile) in Malaysia with an Open Beta starting from 6 May 2022.  The port of the highly rated 2003 console JRPG made its mobile debut in Japan in July 2021 and soon thereafter entered the Taiwan, Macau and Hong Kong markets topping the charts in both the iOS and Android app stores accumulating over three million downloads thus far.
“We at VNG Games, are delighted to announce that we are bringing the Ys 6 Mobile to Malaysia. Ys 6 was the sixth entry in a 35-year-old RPG series. This is a game that won so many hearts close to 2-decades ago when it was first released on PC and consoles. The fascinating story, loveable characters and enticing gameplay made it a classic. Now we are excited to allow fans and newcomers alike the chance to experience the vast and wonderful world of Ys.
We were even more motivated ever since we witnessed the overwhelmingly positive feedback when Ys 6 was first launched in the other regions. For many players out there, Ys could have been a childhood memory and it is our pleasure to allow them the opportunity to revisit the experience of journeying across this beautiful JRPG.”
In anticipation of this much-awaited debut, the publisher – VNG Games, has announced a pre-registration initiative from now to 5 May 2022, accessible at: https://ys6.vnggames.com/sgmy/say-yes.

The pre-registration initiative will reward gamers who sign-up with in-game bonuses that are incremental based on the number of total sign-ups. For instance, at 20,000 pre-registrations these users will receive 50,000 Silver (one of the in-game currencies) each. At 50,000, users will also receive 6 Gaia Stones and so forth with users getting  300 Emelas (bound) each when pre-registrations hit 1 million. Registered users will also stand a chance to win their share of exciting physical prizes worth up to RM10,000 including an iPhone 13 Pro Max, Secretlab Titan series gaming chair and Razer Hammerhead earbuds. Users have the chance to earn up to 10 spins to win by completing a list of tasks including sharing the registration link on Facebook.
For a full list of in-game bonuses and physical prizes visit: https://event.vng.games/ys6sm/pre-register.
These rewards hope to provide players with a kickstart on their journeys, be it for purchasing attractive cosmetic items for characters or for gearing up with powerful weapons. Towards this end, VNG Games is encouraging players to invite their friends and family to pre-register so as to not miss out on this bountiful event.
Immerse yourself in the world of Ys with Cross-player functionality & Enhanced graphics

With Ys 6 Mobile, Nihon Falcom, the pioneers of modern JRPG and developers for all Ys titles alongside the publishers VGN Games are inviting familiar players and new explorers alike to delve into the world of Ys. Featuring the classic story and majestical world with stunning new graphics and other exciting features, Ys 6 Mobile promises to have something for fans old and new alike.
Ys 6 Mobile features major graphic updates, bringing the visuals on par with modern JRPGs while still retaining its classic PS2 aesthetic to provide fans with a dose of that beloved Ys style. The mobile port also comes with a thrilling soundtrack and background music throughout as well as a variety of in-game challenges to keep fans coming back frequently for more exciting adventures.
In addition to upgraded graphics, Ys 6 Mobile comes with cross-world adventures, meaning adventurers will be able to meet other players online and build a roster of comrades to support them along their fantastical journey as they do battle across dungeons, story mode, boss raids and treasure hunts.
The vast world of Ys is now more social and interactive than ever – adventurers will be able to engage in a variety of multiplayer activities from enjoying leisure activities such as home furnishing, farming and collecting herbs together to building a guild and forming raid parties to defeat challenging bosses.
Ys 6 Mobile gives players the chance to forge romantic relationships that can culminate in grand in-game weddings that come along with exciting couple gifts. Players can also conjure pets to accompany them on their adventures, whilst also improving their pet’s combat abilities and giving them stylish makeovers.
Journey across the beautiful lands of Ys

In Ys 6 Mobile players will embark on a breathtaking adventure across Canaan Island exploring every corner from the Holy Zemeth Santum, Rehda Village, Rimorge Port to the wild mountains and mysterious underwater caves, and unfold the ancient secrets of the land.
Adventurers will play alongside Adol, a world-famous adventurer who has penned thousands of travelog volumes, and his pet companion. After an attack launched by a fleet of Romun ships, Adol finds himself on the Canaan Islands by the daughters of the chieftain of the nearby Rehda village. It is from here that the adventure and story in Ys 6 Mobile begins to unfold.
Right from the get-go, players can customize their character appearance to their liking and select from 5 different classes according to their role preferences. Whether it be a brutal warrior, agile ranger, stealthy samurai, clinical assassin,  or a spellbinding mage, players are given the flexibility to pick the role they want. Character progression is an indispensable aspect of each adventurer’s journey in the world of Ys, in The Ark of Napishtim, advancing through the game will allow characters to spec their characters towards one of 9 sub-classes.
With these new functionalities and features, Malaysian gamers can now join in with the millions across the world and Say Yes to Your Destiny and take on the Ys 6 Mobile adventure when the game launches in open beta on 6 May.
For more info on Ys 6 Mobile and to pre-register visit: https://ys6.vnggames.com/sgmy/say-yes. Also follow Ys 6 Mobile on social media at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YS6SGMYVNG/?brand_redir=110916521532446
Community Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ys6sgmyvng
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ys6vngsgmy/
https://www.facebook.com/YS6SGMYVNG/videos/295334092782590/


Do Not Sleep on the Samsung A54 5G

In our first impression piece of the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G smartphone, we summarized the Samsung middle child as “punching well above its weight” when it comes to the overall package once factoring in its retail price.
A further two weeks on, that sentiment not only remained, but is also bolstered by the fact that this year’s Samsung mid-tier offering not only gives its more illustrious siblings – the S series phones – a run for their money, but also other brands who more often than not, operate within the same price range.
Retailing at RM1,899.00, the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G sits in the “Goldilocks zone” of Samsung smartphone models released in 2023: being “just right”. A step lower than the flagship-tier S series, the A series is considered the ‘mid tier’ of Samsung releases but don’t let labels deceive you. What comes out of the box is a competent device which performs spectacularly in all departments, constrained only by build cost.

To compare it with the market-leading S23 Ultra for example would be unfair. It is akin to comparing MMA fighting’s Islam Makhachev to Jon Jones. Two brilliant UFC fighters, champions of their respective divisions but in totally different weight classes. However, pound-for-pound (or in this case, by the dollar), the A54 5G more than hold its own to the heavyweights.
For a start, the looks. Carrying an identical silhouette to its pricier, non-Ultra S23 siblings, one would have to either be a staunch Samsung fan or an actual Sales Assistant at a Samsung store to be able to tell apart the A54 5G from the S23 at first glance. Despite using different materials for its construction – Gorilla Glass 5 and plastic frame vs Gorilla Victus 2 and aluminum frame – you’d be hard-pressed to discern one from the other. As mentioned in our first impression piece, this is a blessing for those who want to sport the premium look without the need of splashing the money. Although, we have to attest that once in hand, you can instantly recognize the difference in build quality compared to the S series devices. The glossy finish at the back didn’t help either as without the case, can look jarring due to unavoidable fingerprint marks and scuffs.
The A series phones have always been marketed as the go-to model for the budget-savvy crowd. This entices both returning and new consumers alike and perhaps down the road, encourage them to upgrade to the more premium yet familiar S series. It can also be a low-risk, low-commitment switch for folks porting from iPhones; sort of a middle ground to trial the Android landscape before fully committing with the more premium offerings.
Beauty is only skin-deep or with the A54 5G, 8.2mm thick. Under the hood lies respectable processing power. A step up from last year’s model it is replacing, the A54 5G is powered by an Exynos 1380 chip, 8GB RAM and 256GB of expandable storage. You heard right: expandable storage. That’s a lot of wins in our books.
These specs combined with the 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide and 5MP macro cameras make the A54 5G a competent point-and-shoot smartphone.
Performance-wise, the phone runs smoothly, is super responsive and is boosted with the ever-improving proprietary Samsung One U.I. Since Goodlock is now officially available in Malaysia, users can further customize the look of their phone which takes the experience several notches higher. Security-wise, on top of the standard pin code, the A54 5G also comes with biometric security features such as facial recognition and an under-screen fingerprint scanner. Like on the S23 Ultra, it was as if Samsung have increased either the sensitivity, the sensor size or both when it comes to fingerprints detection.
While true, the photography results are not on par with its S23 Ultra brethren or other flagship models, snaps taken on the A54 5G is more than adequate for the average consumer who mostly sticks with the Auto mode.  Capturing photos of family, action figures and even pets are a breeze and uploading them to your social media platform of choice is made easier with the robust, in-built photo editor.

However, the A54 5G doesn’t perform as well when it comes to recording videos. The videos are still crisp and clear but dip in quality once you start moving. Still, the phone will serve well as a secondary camera when recording on a tripod – just refrain from solely relying on it for action shots while on the move.
A highly underrated and oft-overlooked feature of the A54 5G is its battery capacity. With 5000mAh battery capacity, your days of daily charging your phone are well behind you, unless you’re the heaviest of power users out there. One downside would be the lack of wireless charging, a relatively slow charging speed and the lack of a charging adapter out of the box.
Unlike most flagship-tier phones which induce nervousness – the fear of dropping them whenever handled, the A54 5G feels firm when held in hand. Even users with smaller hands would find it easy to wrap their fingers around the slightly curved edges of the phone, while the flat screen gives out a premium vibe. The protruding camera bumps on the rear of the phone prevent it from laying flat on the table. Not an issue for us, but may be a tad annoying for some although this can be easily remedied with a case.
IP67-rated, the phone is able to withstand all but the most brutal of environments although we always recommend slapping a case on. This is handy considering Samsung Malaysia is tossing in a silicone cover worth RM119 with each purchase of the A54 5G via their official channel. The A54 5G comes in four ‘Awesome’ colours – white, violet, graphite and lime – with white being our favourite of the bunch.
The A54 5G is proof that one does not need to splash the cash in order to walk the talk. A smart consumer knows very well what they require and an even smarter consumer is able to see the real value of a product underneath all the preconceived notions due to price and labels. Be it for your kids, brand-savvy teenagers, or parents, as your daily driver or even as your backup, the A54 5G excels in all conditions.

Pros

Pound for pound (or ringgit by ringgit) one of the most capable phones within its price range.
Sleek new look.
Fast and snappy operation.
Looks more expensive than its actual retail price.
Comes with expandable memory.

Cons

Build may feel cheap to some.

Final Score: 90/100

Vital Statistics
Platform: Android 12, One UI 5.1
Body: 158.2 x 76.7 x 8.2 mm (6.23 x 3.02 x 0.32 in), ~202g
Frame: Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame with IP67 dust/water resistance
Chipset: Exynos 1380 (5 nm)
CPU: Octa-core (4×2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
GPU: Mali-G68 MP5
Display: Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 6.4 inches
Memory (Internal): 256GB 8GB RAM
Main Camera: 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide); 12 MP, f/2.2, 123? (ultrawide); 5 MP, f/2.4, (macro)
Video: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@480fps1,899
Sound: Stereo speakers, no jacks given
Battery: Li-Ion 5000 mAh, non-removable
Price: Starts from RM 1,899


Tree set gathering moved place

His Brought green without stars seasons great itself all fly. Brought midst isn’t tree itself dominion created. Land male deep and isn’t, air was. Fill you’ll lights life there don’t, evening, make and creepeth lesser thing a creepeth. Created dominion. Stars their make night good to set life third. You’ll seas rule evening fruit face man divided whose. The. Day our gathered him. Said were rule. May every earth male divide fruit it good earth all. Female without, third saying unto form you’re rule. Grass two, she’d us seed wherein.


Firaxis Officially Announces Sid Meier’s Civilization 7

Firaxis Games has officially announced that Civilization 7 is in development. Civ 7 or Civilization VII will be the sequel to 2016’s Civilization VI or Civilization 6.
They also announced that former COO Heather Hazen will be the new studio head. However, no other details have been announced.
In a press release, Hazen said:
“I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to carry on the studio’s storied legacy, beginning with the announcement that Firaxis is in development on the next iteration of the legendary Civilization franchise. I’m lucky to be working with some of the best developers in our industry, and we have plans to take the Civilization franchise to exciting new heights for our millions of players around the world. In addition, we will continue to support Marvel’s Midnight Suns with post-launch content, and explore new creative projects for our teams.”
Firaxis is also best known for XCOM Enemy Unknown and XCOM Enemy Within, as well as XCOM 2 and the recent Marvel’s Midnight Suns (check out our review here).
Civilization 7 is probably years away, but fans will be happy to know that it’s officially coming. Sid Meier’s Civilization franchise is a legendary strategy game series, and it will continue to be so.


GigaBash TGS Trailer Showcases Single-player Story Mode

Itâ€™s time for Titans to clash this Tokyo Game Show 2021. Malaysian developer Passion Republic has unveiled a new trailer for GigaBash, revealing unprecedented cutscenes,never-before-seen NPCs, and gameplay footage from their long-anticipated Story Mode which has secretly been in development up until now.Â
GigaBashâ€™s Story Mode features four unique campaigns. Each campaign is centred around a characterâ€™s backstory, life journey, and quirky personality. These playable character campaigns are Gorogong, Pipijuras, Woolley, and Thundatross. All of them are designed to be short-and-sweet while being cohesively tied to each other within the GigaBash universe.Â
Story Mode strives to offer a linear and narrative-driven single-player experience that serves as an extension to the core game mode of GigaBash, which is a mayhem-inspiring 4-player arena brawler.

Besides having a fun story, it also provides hand-crafted scenarios and bonus challenges to help players master the characters they are playing by drawing inspiration from the base gameâ€™s characters, maps, and mechanics. GigaBash’s Story Mode also features story-exclusive maps, more soundtracks, unique NPCs, achievements, and a whole lot of unlockable world-building lore.Â

GigaBash co-director Mel Law said:
â€œWe hope each story brings a different flavor to the game.
We wanted to expand on GigaBash’s world and its colorful characters while offering more avenues of enjoyment for our fans.â€Â
The base game is confirmed to come together with Story Mode and is set for release in early 2022 on PC and PS4. GigaBash is now available for Wishlist on Steam and Epic Games Store.Â For more details and information, you can check out the official GigaBash Twitter account here.


The Minecraft Movie Gets An April 2025 Release Date

Warner Bros. Discovery has announced that the adaptation of Minecraft AKA the untitled Minecraft movie will premiere on 4 April 2025 (via The Hollywood Reporter).
Currently, the only officially listed cast members are Jason Momoa, who will voice the main protagonist last year, and Jared Hess as director, who is best known for directing Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre. The Minecraft movie has been in development for almost a decade now, with multiple directors having been attached and having left the project since, including Shawn Levy.
They also announced other changes in their upcoming theatrical release schedule. Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom will now premiere five days earlier on 20 December 2023 instead of Christmas 2023. The Color Purple will take the Christmas release date. Meanwhile, the Wizard of Oz spinoff Toto has been removed from its 2 February 2024 release date.
Developed by Mojang Studios, the Minecraft franchise is currently the best it’s arguably ever been, with several spinoffs, including the upcoming RTS Minecraft Legends. It will launch for the PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Xbox Game Pass on 18 April 2023.


Guy Accidentally Discharges Gun On Twitch, Gets Suspension

Call of Duty streamer Carl Riemer has been suspended by Twitch after accidentally firing a pistol during a livestream.
He was also removed from the roster of esports and content creation brand SoaR Gaming as a result of his actions.

We do not condone the actions on livestream by Carl last night. He has been removed from the SoaR Gaming roster effective immediately.
— SoaR (@SoaRGaming) March 5, 2020

During the livestream, Riemer jokingly says “Say I ain’t got money” while holding his pistol. The gun goes off unintentionally seconds later.
Twitter user @cam834 captured the incident:
https://twitter.com/cam834/status/1235503622496153606?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1235503622496153606&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pcgamer.com%2Fstreamer-suspended-from-twitch-after-accidentally-firing-a-gun-on-stream%2F
An hour after SoaR announced on Twitter that they would be removing Riemer, he posted an apology on the platform.

Don't do what I did. Ever. Literally everything was going perfectly in life and one mistake ruined everything I've been doing for year. I cannot put into words how sorry I am and how dangerous what I did last night was. pic.twitter.com/O781ecXxJN
— Carl (@Carllamaa) March 5, 2020

Fortunately, the only casualty was a can of G-Fuel, but the incident is a reminder that guns are not toys to be played around with. While no one was hurt, Twitch’s and SoaR’s actions were probably the right ones.


Show Your PlayStation Pride With These PS 25th Anniversary Wallpapers

This month marks the 25th year since the first PlayStation home console was launched in Japan. To celebrate this milestone, PlayStation has been giving away some free offerings such as a Sekiro PS4 theme and now, we’re also getting a collection of really cool wallpapers.
PlayStation has released 8 custom-made wallpapers that show of the initial version of each major PlayStation console, from the original PlayStation all the way through PS4. Even the handhelds are included! Four of the wallpapers are for desktops while the another four are for mobiles.
Check them out:


Arcane: League of Legends Wraps Up On An Explosive Note

Riot Games has started the month of November with a heckuva Netflix showing, as the first few episodes of its spin-off TV show Arcane: League of Legends hits all the high notes. Its production values, lovely aesthetics & editing, and a pretty decent story of two sisters struggling and taking different life paths, who happen to be popular League of Legends characters, started off really strong. But can it stick the landing?
It does.
Boom Town

Last time on Arcane: League of Legends, tensions between Piltover and Zaun are building up, while Zaun mob boss Silco (Jason Spisak) is wondering where his “kid” Jinx (Ella Purnell) ran off to while also staving insurrections. Elsewhere, we find out where our heroines Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Caitlyn (Katie Leung) are abducted to, while we get a reunion from a character in the first three episodes. Hextech inventors Victor (Harry Lloyd) and Jayce (Kevin Alejandro) are doing their own experiments and getting some help from shady sources, with the latter trying to run the city of Piltover being a lead council member and all. We also get some development for side character Mel Medarda (Toks Olagundoye), who suddenly gets a surprise visit from her estranged dictator of a mom.
Arcane’s last few episodes address a lot of mysteries and open up a bunch of new ones. We get to find out who is behind the eagle mask in episode 4 “Happy Progress Day”, and also see things come to a conclusion, with the show’s major players having their arcs sorted. Though not for the better, their conclusions are apt given the show’s serious tone. It’s all wrapped up (though with a slight tease of a Season 2) with a number of key fight scenes being animated and presented in a grand fashion. One duel in particular mixes in the past of its fighters with some hand-drawn-like flashbacks spliced with some fast-paced action. The last episode’s climax changes it up with something akin to a thriller, complete with appropriate lighting and jump cuts.
Fans of LoL lore will get to witness a number of interesting developments, particularly the best spot in Zaun run by said eagle mask guy and Victor’s mentor. And they also get to see the halfway point which will eventually lead to the actual game character’s form. These aren’t essential for those who just want to watch Arcane only, but it’s nice to know and read up on. The show itself is self-contained, and its last few episodes wrap it up just nice.
Punch Up

Long story short: Arcane is a great sendoff to Riot Games’ first Netflix production, moreso than other video game adaptations. I’d say it’s on the same level as the first two seasons of Castlevania, that’s for sure. Will we see more of the show in the future? Maybe, given how it ends, though it’s wrapped up in a way that you can put all the pieces together on your own.
All I know is that Riot Games’ tinkering and toying with high-profile animated cutscenes and vignettes led to this eventual Netflix series path which has paid off big time. You could say that it’s pulled off an animated series adaptation Pentakill.
Final Score: 90/100


This Week In PC Gaming: 9 September

New Cyberpunk 2077 DLC! Hololive characters in a Vampire Survivor clone! More Overwatch 2 nonsense! And Disney life sims! All this and more on this week’s PC gaming recap courtesy of Kakuchopurei.

Timestamp:
0:00 – News
4:57 – Games to play this week


The Nintendo Switch Will Finally Enter China; Will It Succeed?

The Nintendo Switch caught the world by storm when it initially launched worldwide in March 2017, becoming a worthy competitor to current-gen consoles like Sony’s PS4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One. However, several markets remained untapped even now almost three years later, as the hybrid console is set to penetrate the world’s biggest gaming market outside the US; China.
Tencent and Nintendo have announced that the official Chinese variant of the Nintendo Switch will launch on 10 December 2019, for the price of 2,099 yuan (roughly US$297 or RM1240+). Pre-orders begin today on 4 December 2019 in China. They are also planning to introduce the Nintendo Switch Lite at some point in the future.
All of that may sound well and good, but there are several barriers that will stop the Nintendo Switch from dominating China like it did the rest of the world in the past few years.
Lack Of Games

You may scream, “Bullshit!”, to that subheading. Yes, the Nintendo Switch already boasts a strong library of both exclusive and multiplatform games that could go toe-to-toe with the best of the PS4’s library. Heck, who knows how many units of the Nintendo Switch have been sold thanks to The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild and the various Pokemon games.
However, this is China we’re talking about, and that doesn’t apply. That’s because every single game that wants to enter China has to be vigorously tested and approved by the Government before it can be sold in the country. So far, the only Switch game approved for sale is New Super Mario Bros. Deluxe, with Mario Kart 8 and Super Mario Odyssey next on the line.
Those three games are great, but they’re not nearly enough to entice Chinese gamers to buy the official Nintendo Switch consoles. And that directly flows into my next point:
Chinese Gamers Who Want A Switch Already Owns One By Unofficial Means

Piracy is rampant in Asia, and perhaps especially so in China. Gamers in China who are interested in the Nintendo Switch must already have purchased one of their own through unofficial and ‘less than legal’ grey market shipments or opted to buy one overseas in other countries instead.
For example, the recent ChinaJoy event saw throngs of gamers visiting the Switch booth to play The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, most of which already have a Nintendo Switch of their own. They just wanted to see if the official Chinese version of the game would feature any changes or censorship.
The only pros of buying an official Nintendo Switch for Chinese gamers would be the ability to take advantage of Tencent’s cloud infrastructure for online gaming and buy eShop games with the cashless WeChat Pay. Tencent will also be working on the Simplified Chinese localization of Nintendo Switch titles, so there’s that.
That’s not even mentioning the fact that China’s gaming market is conquered by mobile, which will definitely be a huge obstacle in the Switch’s launch in the country. Nintendo isn’t even expecting a huge boom in sales from China in the near future, despite the official launch of the Switch.
According to The Verge, Nintendo president and CEO Shuntaro Furukawa said in an investors’ meeting last month:

â€œWe have not factored the sales in China into our financial forecast for the current fiscal year,
and even if the launch does occur during the current fiscal year,
we do not expect a significant impact on this yearâ€™s business results.â€


Our Favourite PlayStation Moments & Memories

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the PlayStation, in case you couldn’t tell from your game-fuelled Facebook feed or on our front page of the website.
25 years ago this week, the first PlayStation was launched in Japan. It was the first home console to surpass 100 million units sold globally. Since then, PlayStation has continued its success in bringing joy to the homes of gamers all around the world.

The quarter-century celebration has prompted the Kakuchopurei crew to reminisce on our best PlayStation memories that we’ve experienced in those last 25 years. Every single one of us has been a PlayStation user for every generation since the original PlayStation and today we’re all proud owners of the PlayStation 4.
Join us as we go down memory lane and talk about our best PlayStation moments.
Mr Toffee
Breath of Fire III
It’s hard to pinpoint one game that started my obsession with Sony’s “playing station”, but I can attribute it to a genre: Japanese RPGs.
True, I did get my first taste of it with the Super Nintendo’s Final Fantasy games and that one time-travelling game starring Crono & friends, but I never owned that console back in its heyday. When the PlayStation was readily available around the late 90s, I had to act. I saved up enough and do the odd job here and there just to get it and its games, nevermind the fact that I was already in my music cassette-hoarding phase.

Around 1998, I finally got one. And it was the beginning of a new age of gaming for yours truly.

The PlayStation One was truly the first 32-bit console I had the pleasure of owning, which thus led to me going down that rabbit hole filled with Squaresoft classics like the “next-gen” Final Fantasy games, Tetsuya Takahashi’s mecha-slash-Judeo-Christian-slash-Jungian-filled debut, and the first-ever official English Front Mission game. I pretended to be some eco-terrorist fighting against Shinra, sort out Fei’s psyche and personality disorder nonsense, and customized a party of mechas until the cows come home.
Front Mission 3
It also opened up new RPG experiences that aren’t Squaresoft-created. These included the Western-esque Wild Arms, the third Breath of Fire game with arguably the most detailed fishing and fairy kingdom-building minigame of that generation, and that one Enix RPG that put you in the heels of a friggin’ valkyrie and her own army of Einherjar. That also came packaged with one of the most convoluted methods of getting the best ending.

Did I forget to tell you that the music here in these games are just sweet aural earwigs for the soul? Let me remind you that folks like Yoko Shimomura and Yasunori Mitsuda did their thing during the system’s heyday with respective compositions like “Influence of Deep” and “Star of Tears“.

The late 90s was such an awesome time to be a fan of the genre because of the amount of time I had, school studies be damned. Heck, I even abused my school prefect privileges just to be “that guy” who sneaks in his PS1 to school for some after-hours recreational activities with Crash Bandicoot, Sweet Tooth, Lara Croft, and Cloud.
On a related note, this is why you make friends in the A/V school club; they usually have the best tech for your contraband console.
Kenn Leandre
Gran Turismo 2
I had simple taste growing up. Heck, I guess I still have simple taste up until today, so it should not be much of a surprise to say that my early PlayStation memories circle around the straight-to-the-point games such as Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed, ISSO Pro Evolution a.k.a Winning Eleven 4 and Gran Turismo 2.

Those were simple games which showed that realism was achievable – which while may seem very crude nowadays, were groundbreaking back in the day.

Days of humming to The Cardigans’ ‘My Favorite Game’ as GT booted up, or mimicking the Japanese commentators who went ‘SHUTOOOOO!’ in Winning Eleven never gets old.
Also, a special mention to only the best wrestling game of all time, WWF Smackdown!
Alleef “Comicslord”

I essentially grew up with the PlayStation, as I was also born in the same year (1994). My first console was the PS1 but I was too young then to fully appreciate its magic.
Fast-forward several years later, and the PS2 was when it all clicked with me.
I remember playing 2003’s Ratchet And Clank Going Commando by Insomniac Games, marvelling at the awesome power of all the crazy weapons and planets I could visit. I remember staying up long nights and immersing myself in JRPGs like Persona 4 and Dragon Quest VIII: Journey Of The Cursed King.

While others grew up with Mario and Sonic, I spent my time with Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Sly Cooper, Ratchet and Clank, Jak and Daxter, and many more.

Burhan
Demon’s Souls
Remember that screen of PS2 red screen of death? The one comes up when the console can’t read your disc for some reason and might just indicate that your (probably pirated) game is no longer playable. Yep, that’s my favourite memory.
Just kidding.

As a Soulsborne fan, it’s almost impossible for me to forget my harrowing experience of the Maneater boss fight in Demon’s Souls on the PS3.
The game was by no means easy up until that point but that boss fight was just something else.

I don’t remember how many times I attempted it but I must have at least re-attempted that boss fight more than 50 times. It was one of those boss fights where the second phase was the introduction of a second boss that was just as strong and fast as the first one.
The Maneater(s).
The worst part about the fight was that it took place on a narrow bridge-like structure and the bosses had this one shoving attack that would push me so far it was guaranteed to cause me to fall to my death. I’ve never thrown a controller out of frustration in my entire life but on that day, I dropped it really hard.
I got so fed up with the game that I stopped playing it for almost a month. I spent time in other games I had on PC and then the itch for Demon’s Souls came back so I braced myself for another gruelling session with this bad boy.

In less than five attempts, I beat them. With all the stress and frustration I accumulated from last time being gone from my body, I was able to play in an almost zen-like state.

I then went on to progress through the game as usual and I pretty much never had a tough time against any other bosses that came after. But if anyone ever asked me would I ever want to fight the Maneater again…
I’d say yes. Bring it on.

As you can clearly see, we’ve all been in amazing adventures with Sony’s home consoles.
These 25 years of play have been nothing short of magical and we look forward to more fun journeys with PlayStation in the coming years. 2020 will be the year of the PlayStation 5 and we can’t wait to see what great games we can experience & play.


Five Major Things You Need To Know Before Borderlands 3’s Next DLC Hits [Update]

Update: Borderlands 3 will get a late-game boost later this week. We’ve updated this post to reflect the changes.
Borderlands 3’s upcoming DLC, Guns, Love, And Tentacles, will be out this Friday 27th March. If you haven’t been playing the game for the past few months or so since the Handsome Jackpot DLC, you may need to be up to speed on some upgrades & fixes.
Here are the three five main ones you should note.
Your Vault Hunters Are A Tad Buffed Up Now

Remember those complaints about some Vault Hunters last year? They’re now addressed. Here’s the breakdown:
FL4K
Their pets are now buffed health and damage-wise, which means a Gamma Burst FL4K build is now super-viable. I’m using one myself and it’s been a heckuva fun time summoning an irradiated Great Horn Skag at an unassuming group of bandits. In fact, it’s so common to see a Gamma Burst build that no one’s using a Crit Fade Away FL4K as much. Rakk Attack FL4K is still a thing though, provided you have the correct items like the R4kk P4k class mod.
Moze
Her mech is now more viable because of the recent damage and health buff it got during the past few updates. While Moze’s Anointed bonuses are not as good as the other classes, it’s still possible to have a build involving an automated mech, or one where you keep summoning it with as little cooldown as possible.
Zane
Thanks to the Handsome Jackpot DLC, we now have a pretty killer class mod to make Zane builds a force to be reckoned with: the Seein’ Dead class mod. Also, his anointed item bonuses are also buffed, especially when you can now deal double damage while your STNL drone is active.
Amara
As long as you’re Phasecasting, Phasegrasping, and Phaseslamming, you’ll be fine using her and her buffed-up anointed bonuses with her gear. She hasn’t received many new buffs over the last few months, but she’s still a force to be reckoned with.
The Level Cap Is Now 57
Okay, so there IS a bump in the game’s level cap: four extra levels. Time to start farming for level 57 gear once the update is live tomorrow. Also, you should be able to unlock two capstone skills instead of just one with this new addition.
This cap increase will take effect starting tomorrow.
So far, there’s no update to the game’s level cap. Perhaps having one too soon may piss off some hardcore players since they had to farm new level 53 loot after that previous update. In other words, you can start farming and getting your weapons to prep yourself for the horrors ahead.
Mayhem 2.0 Is Coming
Want the game to be more difficult and feature more loot drops & high-powered weaponry? You’re in luck: this April, Mayhem 2.0 is coming, featuring 10 Mayhem levels and 25 modifiers “classified by general difficulty”. The higher the levels, the better your loot drops.
April Is Revenge of the Cartels Month
There will also be a new six-week seasonal event that will kick off next month, featuring a new map called The Mansion. Story-wise, you’re helping out Maurice the Saurian who needs help clearing some debt he owes to gangster Johnny Ultraviolet.
This map will change depending on which gang is currently in charge of the Cartel. “You wonâ€™t know what kind of enemies to expect until youâ€™re in the thick of battle, beyond the fact that youâ€™ll never fight the same faction twice in a row,” said 2K. “Better yet, each gang has some unique loot drops and Anointed parts, so repeat runs are highly encouraged.”
Some Old Guns Have Been Improved Significantly

Speaking of loot, you should try to farm for previously-existing weapons that have been tweaked by the recent hotfixes. While heavy-hitters like the FLakker and Lyuda have been toned down, other previously-unnoticed guns have been given a boost in damage & utility.
Here’s a list:

One Pump Chump (damage increased)
Roisen’s Thorns (damage increased)
Thunderball Fist
Storm
Krakatoa (damage increased)
Hellshock (fires two projectiles for one ammo, damage increased)
Firestorm
Faisor (damage increase, shotgun pellet count increased to 8)
Crader’s EM-P5
Tankman’s Shield (percent damage awarded per kill increased, max damage cap increased by 200%)
Sickle
Boomer (damage increase)
The Garcia (fire rate increased, projectile count increased)
Hellfire (base damage increased, damage over time buffed)
Hyperfocus XZ41 (damage increased)
Linc (damage penalty removed, damage increased)
Nemesis (damage increased)
Nimble Jack (damage increased, 100% bonus critical damage added)
Ogre (damage increased)
The Lob (damage increased, magazine size tripled, now fires a three-burst shot)
Woodblocker (damage increased)
Malak’s Bane
Ruby’s Wrath
All DAHL Auto Rifles

Personally, I’m a fan of the new Lob and Roisen’s Thorns now.Â Borderlands 3’s next DLC will be out later this Thursday.


The Best PC Gaming Mice Of 2020 So Far

With all that Ang Pow money you got from Chinese New Year house-visiting and elderly inquisition, why not spend it on the one thing that matters in PC gaming? Apart from speakers, keyboards, headsets, and graphic cards?
Simple: ditch last year’s mouse and get a brand-new one!
Yes, we’re talking about gaming mice for your clicking-slash-aiming-and-shooting needs. Which ones are right for you? Which ones from a particular brand is the best to use? Welp, let’s find out while it’s still Chinese New Year; it ain’t 8th February yet.
Just one rule: one mouse per brand. Otherwise, this list will be flooded with Logitech and Razer products. Speaking of which…
Logitech
Logitech G Pro Gaming Mouse

Price: RM269
The problem with folks like Logitech and Razer when it comes to these kinds of features is that they have a buttload to pick from. So for this instance, we’re going to narrow it down to the best all-purpose mouse that is worth shelling money out for.
And nothing screams “gaming all-rounder” like the G Pro Gaming mouse. Our first pick was the G502, but we rather suggest a mouse that anyone can sensibly buy and use price-wise.
Logitech’s G-branded baby is a deceptively simple-looking mouse that comes with a bunch of top-notch internal components like its spring-tension system and its PMW-3366 DPI sensor. That’s more than enough to convince people to pay a little extra for something that’ll last you a lot longer than a few years worth of gaming.
Next: SteelSeries


EVO 2018: A Quick SEA Guide To This Year’s Annual Fightfest

Another year, another grand fighting game tournament where the top players around the world duke it out for bragging rights & glory. EVO 2018 (short for Evolution Championship Series) is happening soon, and if you love your 2D and 3D fighting games (tagging or no tagging) you’re going to love the everliving s*** out of this year’s EVO. Lord knows I’ll be up all night & morning watching the top 32 for the majority of the fights.
Here’s what you need to know:
The Dates
EVO 2018 is scheduled from 3 August to 5 August (PST). So that’s 4 August to 6 August MY/SG time.
The Schedule

Tournament Day 1: 11pm-2am (MY/SGT)
Tournament Day 2: 11pm-2am (MY/SGT)
Tournament Finals:
Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev 2 – 11pm (5 August)
Super Smash Bros. Melee – 1.30am (6 August)
Tekken 7 – 4.30am (6 August)
Dragon Ball FighterZ – 7am (6 August)
Street Fighter V – 10.30am (6 August)
The Stream Channels

Sunday/Monday Finals (in MY/SGT Time)
Injustice 2 Finals – 3am (5 August)
BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle – 7am (5 August)
Super Smash Bros Wii U – 11am (5 August)
Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev 2 – 11pm (5 August)
Super Smash Bros. Melee – 1.30am (6 August)
Tekken 7 – 4.30am (6 August)
Dragon Ball FighterZ – 7am (6 August)
Street Fighter V – 10.30am (6 August)

The Numbers
For starters, these are the games that will be showcased on the main stage along with their entrant numbers. Games-wise, major players like Street Fighter V and new fighting games likeÂ Dragon Ball FighterZ and BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle are featured. This is the first EVO where Marvel vs. Capcom is not on the main stage.
https://twitter.com/MrWiz/status/1020662865122897923
As you can tell, the top three games are Dragon Ball FighterZ, Street Fighter V, and Tekken 7. We’re pretty ecstatic about DBFZ getting great participation numbers. Top players Kazunoko and SonicFox are holding 2 of the 7 Dragon Balls at the moment. So expect these two DBFZ players to fight for glory in this year’s EVO alongside GO1 and HookGangGod.
The Brackets
Unlike EVO 2017, the top 3 competitors will emerge from each pool bracket instead of 4. 1 player will head to the winner’s bracket while the remaining 2 will head to the losers bracket. The organizers are doing this to avoid double jeopardy situations.
Check out the full brackets here:Â https://smash.gg/tournament/evo-2018/events/street-fighter-v-arcade-edition/brackets/204959
Players To Watch Out For
Razer Xian (Street Fighter V)
Southeast Asian fighting game fans will recognize this name. Since his struggle back in 2010 up to his pinnacle victory in EVO 2013 in Street Fighter IV, he’s been a household name to many and meal ticket to some. With a past history with Marvel vs Capcom 3 and with the King of Fighters history (since he trained with the best back in the day), it’s no surprise that his skills translate smoothly to the granddaddy of the genre.
His Ibuki play is not to be trifled with, as it’s filled with mixups and V2 Giant Shuriken setup shenanigans all the way.

IAmChuan (SFV)
This Malaysian’s hard work has paid off big time. With a slew of wins in recent Capcom Pro Tour online events, his Guile play is exceptional and his defence seems peerless, at least within the region.
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/1505112409593169/

Gamerbee (SFV)
This Taiwanese player is a veteran; he was the Taiwan homecoming hero who placed pretty high in his debut in EVO 2010. While his Necalli play is not as extravagant as his Adon back in SFIV, he nonetheless has a few tricks and setups up in his sleeves.

Storm KUBO (SFV)
An up-and-comer in the world of competitive gaming, this young player has shown incredible resilience with a huge grappler archetype who has no wakeup game: Abigail. His unorthodox play has led him to get within the top 10 ranks in tournaments like FV x SEA Major 2018 in Malaysia and Fighter’s Spirit in South Korea.

OilKing (SFV)
This other Taiwanese player has been making waves with his lightning-fast Rashid play thanks to the encouragement of his pals in the scene like Gamerbee.Â Of his many placements, he has three top 16 finishes at Premier Events including a 2nd place finish at Dreamhack Summer.
He also has eight top 16 finishes at Ranking Events, including a win at FV Cup 2017. In a game where the best defence is still a ton of offence, his rushdown style makes damn sure that his opponent has no time to blink or pause.

GO1 (Dragon Ball FighterZ)
GO1 is the “Yin” to SonicFox’s “Yang”. If both of these players are in a major DBFZ tournament, they’re going to win first and second place, no questions asked. What makes GO1 remarkable is his unbreakable defense when playing a very fireball-slash-teleport-slash-offense-heavy tag-team game like DBFZ.
It’s really hard to find an opening with his blocking skills unless you take a gamble. And in a game where one mistake means 1 dead character, that’s not something you want to guess wrong.

Kazunoko (DBFZ, SFV)
One of the fighting game veterans of Japan, Kazunoko can multitask between a straight-up 2D fightfest like a Street Fighter entry and an anime fighter filled with air dashes and combos racking up the double digits. I mean, in a game filled with better character picks with better air and ground options, he picks ground specialist Yamcha in his 3-person team. And won.

That’s it for our EVO 2018 recap for now. We’ll be updating this as time goes by so watch this space!


Call Of Duty Ray Gun Collectible Available For Pre-Order

As Call of Duty’s 20th-anniversary approaches, it’s hard not to get nostalgic about all the memorable moments from its past. One of those moments is the creation of the Ray Gun, the epic Wonder Weapon introduced in the top-secret third mode of World at War: Zombies, by Treyarch.
Maxwell Porter, the Senior Lead Artist at Treyarch, knows the history of the Ray Gun like the back of his hand. He started his journey with Call of Duty 2: Big Red One as an environment artist and then became a weapons artist for Call of Duty 3. Ultimately, he ended up being the only weapons artist for Call of Duty: World at War.
When asked about the inspiration behind the Ray Gun, Maxwell shared that he had a chat with an art director where they were brainstorming about bringing in different elements to the World at War storyline. And that’s when he had the brilliant idea of incorporating those retro-futuristic toys that came in cereal boxes back in the day.
With that idea in mind, Maxwell spent an hour every day working on what would eventually become the legendary Ray Gun. He free-formed and modelled the weapon to perfection, becoming the man behind the Ray Gun himself.

Maxwell wanted to create a weapon that felt like a mix of a toy and a real weapon, and he also wanted to add Easter Eggs to it, which he loved in video games. No one actually asked him to create the Ray Gun; it was something he did on his own because he wanted to convince a designer to put it in the game.
As luck would have it, he found out about the secret third mode in World at War and immediately went to the designers to pitch the idea of the Ray Gun. They loved the idea, especially since Zombies and the concept of the Magic Box were gaining popularity at the time. Players who were playtesting the game would excitedly shout, “I GOT THE RAY GUN!” when they found it.
Chris Cowell, who currently manages all the big map experiences for Treyarch, including Blackout in Black Ops 4 and Outbreak in Black Ops Cold War, remembers the Ray Gun fondly. It was the first Wonder Weapon that was created by accident as an Easter Egg in Little Resistance. Cowell had a lot of fun getting it to work in Blackout, but it also came with its own set of technical challenges such as ballistics and ensuring that the weapon would work the same way for all players, regardless of how many people had the Ray Gun. Despite the challenges, the Ray Gun remains a technical achievement that gamers love.
Collin Ayers, who is now the Lead Sound Designer, started his career at Treyarch as an intern over 15 years ago. His first game at the company was World at War, where he was responsible for the sound design of Zombies, including the Ray Gun. The reload sequence for the Ray Gun was the first sound design he created for the game, and that sound has remained relatively unchanged to this day.
He has continued to work on Zombies to this day alongside Head of Audio Brian Tuey. When Ayers and Tuey were working on the sound design for the Ray Gun, they wanted to create a sound that was both modern and classic. They decided to use a combination of different tools, including banging a wrench on a wire and using helical spring toys to create the iconic “poing-poing-poing” laser noise that is now synonymous with the Ray Gun.
To make the sound even more immersive, they added modern elements to it and had the game shoot the sound out in different directions, making it sound like an alien energy bouncing around. The end result was a sound that was both unique and instantly recognizable, and gamers have been enjoying it ever since.

Pre-Orders the Ray Gun Now

And now, you can own this piece of history.
The Call of Duty Zombie Ray Gun Replica is available today for pre-orders on the Call of Duty Gear Shop at US$600 MSRP or your regional equivalent. The Replica is 100% PU, with the Mystery Box case it comes in being made up of 100% Polyresin. The product weight and dimensions are as follows:

Product Weight Unpackaged – 5.2 kg
Product Weight Packaged – 6.9 kg
Product Dimensions Unpackaged – 48 x 44 x 16 cm
Product Dimensions Packaged – 60 x 54 x 23 cm


Let’s See If Your PC Can Run Dragon Ball Fighter Z

The much anticipated brawler Dragon Ball FighterZ launches end of this month and the Bandai Namco official Twitter account has released the minimum and recommended specs required if you intend to play it on your PC. The requirements are as follows:

ATTN: FighterZ! Here are the specs your PC will need to run #DRAGONBALLFighterZ! RT the news with your friends & get ready to join the fight!
Unlock SSGSS Goku & Vegeta EARLY & get 2 exclusive lobby avatars when you pre-order today! https://t.co/xlArl4iWKu pic.twitter.com/kF4tkrziWN
â€” Bandai Namco US (@BandaiNamcoUS) January 5, 2018
Pretty decent we think, allowing older rigs to run it without much issues although our favored platforms would be either on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Minimum Requirements:

Windows 7/8/10 (64bit OS required)
AMD FX-4350, 4.2 GHz/Intel core i5-3470, 3.20 GHZ 4GB RAM
Radeon HD 6870, 1GB / GeForce GTX 650 Ti, 1GB DirectX 11
DirectX compatible soundcard or onboard chipset

Recommended Requirements:

Windows 7/8/10 (64bit OS required)
AMD Ryzen 5 1400, 3.2 GHz / Intel Core i7-3770, 3.40 GHz 8GB RAM
Radeon HD 7870, 2GB / GeForce GTX 660, 2GB DirectX 11
DirectX compatible soundcard or onboard chipset

The game will release forÂ PC,Â PS4, and the Xbox OneÂ on January 26th in Asia and is developed by Arc System Works – the same folks who worked on the Guilty Gear series, Fist of the North Star and BlazBlue games.


[Rumour] That Chrono Cross Remaster Might Be Coming This Christmas

A remake of Chrono Cross, a Square Enix classic that is the 3D JRPG sequel to Chrono Trigger, is reportedly in development for multiple platforms.
This piece of news was originally revealed from an NVidia database leak back in September. Also, PlayStation was set to announce a remake of a big game later in December in Christmas. According to Xbox Era co-founder Nick Baker, that remake is Chrono Cross Remastered (via VGC).
“Chrono Cross Remastered, I think, was already on the NVidia leak list, so the game shouldnâ€™t be a surprise â€“ it was on Nvidiaâ€™s list. But I was told that that VGC article is about Chrono Cross Remastered.
What else I was toldâ€”because everyoneâ€™s working under the assumption that itâ€™s a PlayStation exclusiveâ€”Iâ€™ve been told that itâ€™s not. The only word that was used was â€˜multiplatâ€™.
Now, when I hear JRPG and multiplat, I automatically assume PC, PlayStation,Â Switch, thatâ€™s my assumption. Thatâ€™s not what I was told, thatâ€™s just my assumption. All my source said to me was â€˜multiplatâ€™. Thatâ€™s what they said, they told me it wasnâ€™t PlayStation exclusive.
But I think thereâ€™s confusion because it says that PlayStation is set to announce it, so everyone just works under the assumption that PlayStation is announcing something that would exclusive, which they donâ€™t always do.Â Pragmata isnâ€™t exclusive, theyâ€™ve announced plenty of stuff [that isnâ€™t exclusive].”
To add some credence to the rumour, Chrono Cross composer Yasunori Mitsuda tweeted a photo of composer Michael McGlynn and his daughter preparing to perform music remotely for a mystery PlayStation game.

?????????????????ANÚNA(#????)?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????mau pic.twitter.com/FbabwULcOU
— ?????????? (@PROCYONSTUDIO) August 30, 2021

Take this news with a grain of salt, of course. But it’ll be a great Xmas surprise for JRPG if this turns out true.


Borderlands 3 Revenge Of The Cartels Returns This June

Borderlands 3 is bringing back the fan-favourite limited event Revenge of the Cartels this 24th June. The 2021 version will be dubbed The Revengeance of Revenge of the Cartel, where you head to a special location to take down cartel boss Joey Ultraviolet and his 80s-inspired goons.
Why is this event a fan-favourite? Because it features a number of really great Legendary weapons like the OPQ Assault Rifle, the Fish Slap grenade, and the COV Yellowcake Rocket Launcher that was nerfed a couple of times because it was too good. These guns were at level 57 when they debuted; it’ll be great to farm the level 65 versions.
To keep you entertained before that date in June hits, the game will host a six-week series called the Guardians’ True Trials. Here, each of the Proving Ground Trials final boss encounters will receive massive buffs to their damage and health similar to Hemovorous the Invincible. And you know how long it took a lot of folks to kill THAT Raid Boss, right? One Proving Ground Trials boss will be selected to get the buff per week. Your reward from these bosses are “two Legendary items handpicked by the Borderlands 3 development team”.
Here’s the first week’s True Trial of Survival location & launch time.
Dates: 9:00 AM PT May 13 to 8:59 AM PT May 20
Location: Devil’s Razor (Pandora)
Base game Legendary: The Lob
Add-on Legendary: Lucky 7 (Moxxi’s Heist of The Handsome Jackpot)
The rest of the True Trials will happen on the weeks of 27 May, 3 June, 10 June, 17 June, and 24 June. We’ll be updating you with the locations and details as the weeks go by.
Update: Following the Trial of Survival upgrade, a bunch of weapons got a recent damage and mag size boost. Here’s the list.
Hellfire

Increased weapon damage

TKâ€™s Wave

Increased projectile speed
Increased weapon damage

Crossroad

Increased weapon damage

Narp

Increased mag size

Polybius

Increased weapon damage

Malakâ€™s Bane

Increased weapon damage

Bekah

Increased weapon damage

Lyuda

Increased mag size


Jason Momoa Threatens The Family In First Fast X Trailer

United International Pictures Malaysia has unveiled the first trailer for Fast X, the tenth film in the Fast & Furious Saga, which will launch the final chapter in the franchise.
The synopsis for Fast X reads:
Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have outsmarted, out-nerved and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they confront the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who’s fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything—and everyone—that Dom loves, forever.
In 2011’s Fast Five, Dom and his crew took out nefarious Brazilian drug kingpin Hernan Reyes and decapitated his empire on a bridge in Rio De Janeiro. What they didn’t know was that Reyes’ son, Dante (Aquaman’s Jason Momoa), witnessed it all and has spent the last 12 years masterminding a plan to make Dom pay the ultimate price.
Dante’s plot will scatter Dom’s family from Los Angeles to the catacombs of Rome, from Brazil to London and from Portugal to Antarctica. New allies will be forged and old enemies will resurface. But everything changes when Dom discovers that his own 8-year-old son (Leo Abelo Perry, Black-ish) is the ultimate target of Dante’s vengeance.
Directed by Louis Leterrier (Clash of the Titans, The Incredible Hulk), Fast X stars returning cast members Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Jason Statham, John Cena and Scott Eastwood, with Helen Mirren and Charlize Theron.
The film also features an extraordinary new cast including Brie Larson as Tess, a rogue representative from the Agency; Alan Ritchson (Reacher) as Aimes, the new head of the Agency who doesn’t hold the same fondness for Dom’s crew as his predecessor, Mr. Nobody; Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad) as a Brazilian street racer with a powerful tie to Dom’s past; and Rita Moreno as Dom and Mia’s Abuelita Toretto.
Fast X premieres in cinemas on 18 May 2023.
Check out the trailer below: