All The Games From Xbox Games Showcase 2020

The Xbox Games Showcase live stream earlier today have given us more of what to expect from games coming to the Xbox Series X. The presentation showcased a bunch of titles includingÂ Halo Infinite and more.
Keep in mind that all of the games listed below are from both first-party and third-party developers, which means that some of them will also be released on other platforms like the PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, or PC as well.
Check out every game from the Xbox Games Showcase 2020 below:
Halo Infinite

The first Halo Infinite gameplay confirms the grappling hook, which can be used to grapple items and even enemies. Player will also have the freedom to explore the world map in the game, all in 4K and 60FPS. According to the devs at 343, this Halo game playground will be just as big as two Halo games combined.
Halo Infinite studio head Chris Lee revealed that this game will be the last standalone release for the franchise for the foreseeable future.

“Halo Infinite is the start of our platform for the future. We want Infinite to grow over time, versus going to those numbered titles and having all that segmentation that we had before. Itâ€™s really about creating Halo Infinite as the start of the next ten years for Halo and then building that as we go with our fans and community.”

For you multiplayer Halo fans out there, fret not: Halo Infinite will feature 4-player split-screen co-op/competitive, and Halo Reach levels of customization.
It is slated to release for the Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC in Holiday 2020.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E-1BcILTPk&w=560&h=315]
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age – Definitive Edition

Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age – Definitive Edition is coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Game Pass, PS4 and PC via Steam on 4 December 2020. It will also be the first-ever entry in the franchise to release on the Xbox platform.
This version of the game was previously exclusive to the Nintendo Switch, and it includes all the content from the original release, additional extra character-specific scenarios, the choice of playing with the original soundtrack or a grand orchestral version of the music, the ability to switch between 2D and 3D graphic modes, a Japanese voice-acting option, and more.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F57er96VGGE&w=560&h=315]
Exomecha

Exomecha is a brand new free-to-play online competitive first-person shooter that takes place in OMECHA, a new and untouched planet with exotic environments.
It will feature mechs, unique gadgets and abilities, and boss battles, as well as an immersive experience with team-based large scale battles, a unique battle royale game mode, and an objective-based game mode.
It is slated to release for the Xbox One and Xbox Series X sometime in 2021.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkJVnoEpGOQ&w=560&h=315]
Echo Generation

Echo Generation is a turn-based adventure game by Cococucumber coming to Xbox Series X and Xbox One sometime in 2021.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTa9prjhoN0&w=560&h=315]
Hello Neighbour 2

Hello Neighbor 2 is the sequel to the popular stealth horror game about sneaking into your creepy neighbour’s house. You play as a local journalist investigating missing-persons reports when you follow a series of clues leading you back to the abandoned house of The Neighbor.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kotJEIahGdQ&w=560&h=315]
Balan Wonderworld

The curtains have been lifted unveiling the all-new 3D action platformer created by the legendary creators Yuji Naka and Naoto Ohshima.
Twelve different tales await players in the bizarre and imaginary land of Wonderworld. As the star of the show, you can use powers from 80 different costumes while exploring labyrinth stages, filled with a myriad of tricks and traps to get to the heart of each story.
As you journey through this land between fantasy and reality, you must find a way to bring balance to others and yourself.
It is slated to release for the PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC via Steam sometime in Spring 2021.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVNsnrPkCI8&w=560&h=315]
State Of Decay 3

Publisher Microsoft and developer Undead Labs have announced State of Decay 3 for the Xbox Series X and PC. If it’s anything like the previous entries, it’ll be an action-adventure survival horror game with multiple protagonists. And hopefully less bugs than the last game.
A release date has yet to be announced.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mJQqTzDp28&w=560&h=315]
Forza Motorsport

Publisher Microsoft and developer Turn 10 Studios have announced Forza Motorsport for the Xbox Series X and PC. Looks just like what you would expect from a Forza racing game, though it may have more options than your Gran Turismos.
A release date has yet to be announced.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bfC-vvlbHc&w=560&h=315]
Everwild

Everwild is a brand new IP from developer Rare coming to the Xbox Series X and PC. Sure looks pretty, though we have no idea what kind of game it’ll be. Maybe an adventure game with multiple playable characters and some animal-saving/rearing mechanic ala Viva Pinata, but more dramatic & serious?
A release date has yet to be announced.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSWnnQMSPjc&w=560&h=315]
Tell Me Why

Tell Me WhyÂ is the latest narrative experience from DONTNOD Entertainment, the studio behind Life is Strange. Play as twins Alyson and Tyler as they use their special bond to unravel the mysteries of their loving but troubled childhood.
Set in beautiful Alaska, Tell Me Why features true-to-life characters, mature themes and gripping choices. Chapter One is slated to release for the Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC on 27 August 2020.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRN2VgTB-J8&w=560&h=315]
Ori And The Will Of The Wisps

Ori And The Will of the Wisps is slated to release for the Xbox Series X in 120FPS 4K HDR form on Xbox Series X later in 2020. Check out our review of the game on PC and Xbox One here.Â
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgkkou7R2LQ&w=560&h=315]
The Outer Worlds Peril On Gorgon

Peril On Gorgon is a new expansion DLC coming to The Outer Worlds for the PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC on 9 September 2020. Based on the trailer, we might be getting an old-timey 1940s pulp action-kinda narrative and setting.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQAU6rn5mS8&w=560&h=315]
Grounded

Obsidian Entertainment reveals an all-new official launch trailer for Grounded, their upcoming survival adventure game.
It is slated to release for the Xbox One and PC on 28 July 2020, as well as on the Xbox Series X later this year.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWpJOm_c-1g&w=560&h=315]
Avowed

Publisher Microsoft and developer Obsidian Entertainment have announced Avowed, a first-person RPG set in the fantasy world of Eora, for Xbox Series X and PC. Imagine if Obsidian were to do what Bethesda couldn’t do with the Elder Scrolls games; that’s the vibe we’re getting.
A release date has yet to be announced.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3QkO8fy3tg&w=560&h=315]
As Dusk Falls

As Dusk Falls is an original interactive drama from INTERIOR/NIGHT that explores the entangled lives of two families across thirty years. Starting with a robbery-gone-wrong in small-town Arizona, the choices you make will have a powerful impact on this epic story of sacrifice, betrayal, and resilience.
It is slated to release for the Xbox Series X and PC. However, a release date has yet to be announced.
Psychonauts 2

This new gameplay trailer for Psychonauts 2 features none other than Jack Black himself singing one of the songs in the upcoming game. Also, new mind powers!
It is slated to release for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC sometime in 2021.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ci4n8sE5iZw&w=560&h=315]
Destiny 2 Beyond Light

Destiny 2 is now on the Xbox Game Pass, while expansion Beyond Light is slated to release for the Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC, PS4 and PS5 on 10 November 2020. Our news bit on Beyond Light is here.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yLU7nPqvZ4&w=560&h=315]
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2

Developed by GSC Game World, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 will release for the Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC as a console launch exclusive.
A release date has yet to be announced. So far, the first-person action-adventure game features a fully open-world The Zone to explore, a A-Life 2.0 system which influences the state of the world, characters and mutants even if the player isn’t present, and branching story with multiple endings. It’s essentially GSC’s biggest game to date.
Basically, it’s what the Far Cry games would be if they’re actually difficult and nerve-wracking. And with a post-apocalyptic palette. The first S.T.A.L.K.E.R. was a cult classic for a good reason: it’s an immersive and challenging survival game before games like Day Z, Don’t Starve, and so forth popularized that term.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFuhRNXwqTQ&w=560&h=315]
Warhammer 40,000 Darktide

Fatshark has announced Warhammer 40,000: Darktide for the Xbox Series X and PC via Steam. It will launch sometime in 2021. It’s essentially Warhammer: Vermintide -four-player co-op FPS action ala Left 4 Dead– but with a sci-fi 40K aesthetics. It’s essentially from the same team too.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI99R_z9VLg&w=560&h=315]
Tetris Effect Connected

Publisher Enhance Games and developers Monstars and Resonair have announced Tetris Effect: Connected for the Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC via the Microsoft Store, as well as the Xbox Game Pass and Smart Delivery programs.
In summer 2021, the multiplayer expansion will be made available as a free update to Tetris Effect for the PS4, Epic Games Store, and Oculus Quest.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCBpwyS0E1o&w=560&h=315]
The Gunk

Thunderful Publishing and developer Image & Form Games have announced The Gunk for the Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC (Microsoft Store) during the Xbox Games Showcase. It will launch in September 2021.
It’s looking like a sci-fi action-adventure game where you vacuum the titular gunk out of the environment.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw5cMDzcP7c&w=560&h=315]
The Medium

The Medium is a next-gen psychological horror game, featuring never-seen-before and officially patented Dual-Reality Gameplay that plays out across two worlds displayed at the same time.
Discover a dark mystery only a medium can solve. Explore the real world and the spirit world at the same time. Use your psychic abilities to solve puzzles spanning both worlds, uncover deeply disturbing secrets, and survive encounters with The Maw – a monster born from an unspeakable tragedy.
It is coming to PC & Xbox Series X in Holiday 2020.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEerL1A41M8&w=560&h=315]
Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis

Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis will be coming in 2021 for the Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC. According to Sega, this is a brand new standalone game using the PSO2 moniker.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHCxuX9NMoc&w=560&h=315]
CrossfireX

Developed by Remedy Entertainment and Korean developer Smilegate, CrossfireX’s single-player campaign for the still-being-played CS:GO Chinese clone is coming to the Xbox One and Xbox Series X sometime in 2020.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYYuwAsZl58&w=560&h=315]
Fable

Fable finally returns with a new beginning for the legendary franchise. Developed by Playground Games, it is coming to the Xbox Series X and PC.
If it’s anything like the old Fable games, expect some hot third-person action-adventure open-world RPGing with moral choices and multiple endings. And possibly a chance to bite the head of a baby chick once again.Â A release date has yet to be announced.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVkSZXPklQ4&w=560&h=315]

You can watch the full Xbox Games Showcase presentation below:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwGOE0i5dXI&w=560&h=315]


18 Qualified Teams Announced For Garena Free Fire’s SEA Invitational

Get ready to witness an epic showdown in Free Fire’s first multiregional tournament of the year this May. It’s called the Free Fire SEA Invitational: Light Your Fire and it’s going to be epic! 18 teams from all over the place, including Malaysia, Cambodia, Philippines and Sri Lanka (MCPS), Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Europe, MEA, Taiwan, and Pakistan, all vying for the top prize.
This tournament is divided into two stages: the Group Stage and the Grand Finals. The Group Stage runs from 12–21 May, while the Grand Finals take place on 26–28 May. All the action will be streamed live on YouTube, the official broadcast partner of FFSI. The prize pool is worth a whopping US$300,000, so you know these teams will be bringing their A-game.

In the Group Stage, 18 teams will battle it out, but only 12 will make it to the Grand Finals. Teams will be divided into three groups of six, with each team playing a total of 24 intense matches. To make things fair, the first two seeds from the same region won’t be in the same group, and no group will have more than two teams from the same region. We’re all waiting with bated breath for the Group Stage Draw results on May 7, when we’ll find out which teams are in which groups. Stay tuned, folks!

Teams

Team Flash (Vietnam)
SBTC Esports (Vietnam)
P Esports (Vietnam)
Eagle Esport (Vietnam)
EArena (Thailand)
EVOS.Phoenix (Thailand)
Magic Esport (Thailand)
FW Esports (Thailand)
Genesis Dogma SF (Indonesia)
First Raiders Eclipse (Indonesia)
Morph Team (Indonesia)
G Arsy Aphrodite (Indonesia)
Expand (MCPS)
Farang Esports (MCPS)
ALPHA (Middle East and Africa)
RZX x Legacy (Pakistan)
LGDS (Taiwan)
Vastomundo (Europe)

The Grand Finals of Free Fire SEA Invitational are happening from 26–28 May, and it’s going to be one heck of a showdown. The top 12 teams from the Group Stage will compete in a series of six matches per day, so we’re looking at some serious gaming prowess on display here. Get ready to witness some epic skill, strategy, and passion as these teams battle it out for the ultimate championship title.
The folks over at Free Fire have introduced a new slogan for the event called “Light Your Fire”. It’s all about encouraging every player to tap into their inner spark and unleash their full potential. The “Light” part is all about the power of each player to ignite their own and their teammates’ potential, fueling motivation and momentum towards victory. Meanwhile, “Fire” represents the fiery enthusiasm and burning desire that drives all contenders to pursue their dreams and reach the pinnacle of success. So get ready to light that fire and bring your A-game, folks!


Coffee Talk Episode 2 Has A Release Window

Indonesian-made lo-fi adventure game Coffee Talk is getting a sequel, and it’s coming out next year via Toge Productions and Chorus Worldwide Games.
Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly will be out in Spring 2023 for Nintendo Switch and PC. The game will feature new characters like an opera-singing banshee and a fame-whore satyr. Old characters from the last game will make a return too, with new stories while maintaining the same vibe.
Check out the game demo below:


The Valorant Challengers Thailand Takes Place This Weekend

The first-ever Valorant Challengers Thailand is coming up. The best teams and players in the region will compete to win a share of the à¸¿270.000 prize pool. Here’s everything you need to know about VALORANT Challengers ThailandÂ  Stage 01.Â
Valorant Challengers Thailand Stage 01 Week 01
Valorant Challengers Thailand playoffs will be broadcast live on Twitch, Facebook, YouTube and NimoTV with the Week 01 qualifiers taking place on from 29 to 31 January 2021. Day 3 of the qualifier will be broadcast with the pre-show starting at 12.45 GMT+8 on 31 January 2021 and Agent Select starting from 1pm GMT+8.
The main weekend event will take place from 5 to 7 February 2021. The pre-show will start at 12.45 GMT+8, with Agent Select starting at 1pm GMT+8 on each day with the exception of Friday. The pre-show will start at 8.45pm GMT+8, with Agent Select starting at 9pm GMT+8 on Friday.
Players in Valorant Challengers Thailand will be subject to all the usual game rules, as well as the specific tournament rules laid out here.Â
Valorant Challengers Thailand features six weeks of open qualifiers and elimination brackets. Open qualifiers for Challengers Stage 01 Week 01 take place between 29 to 31 January 2021 in Thailand, with a best-of-one match designed to whittle down the competition to the best eight teams in the region.
These eight teams will go on to compete in the main event weekend from 5 to 7 February 2021 in best-of-three for quarters and semi-finals, followed by a best-of-three in the finals for a spot to compete in the next Challengers event taking place from 26 to 28 February 2021. This is a single-elimination tournament, meaning that when you lose a series, youâ€™re out of the competition.Â
For a full run-down of the tournament format, check out the tournament overview article explaining everything you need to know.Â Some of the most prominent organisations in esports have confirmed they will be taking part in Valorant Challengers Thailand. They are:Â

Foxy Araikordai
X10 Esports
DreamSeller
NG.Black
Terminate Esports
Sharper Esport
Aricat
Oh My Girl

Available maps for qualifiers and main events will be Bind, Haven, Split, Ascent and Icebox. Maps will be chosen by teams at the start of each round. All agents in the latest Valorant roster, including our newest agent Yoru, will be available for use in the entire Valorant Challengers Thailand.Â Â
Registration for the first round of Valorant Challenger Thailand open qualifiers have already closed. Registration for the 2nd qualifier is ongoing up until 14 February 2021. Yyou can head over here to register.
Check out the recent qualifiers below:


Ubisoft Announces Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 Season 9 Update & Free Weekend

Ubisoft has announced that new content for Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 will release on 12 May 2022. Season 9: Hidden Alliance along with a new PvE mode, Countdown, will highlight the upcoming Title Update 15. It will be available to all The Division 2 Warlords Of New York owners.
The latest season continues the The Division narrative and brings agents back to the aftermath of their takedown of a former Division commander-turned-traitor. A new target, Captain Lewis, is out there and the Division must gather intel and face four high-ranking True Sons before they can face him. Season 9 is one of three seasons scheduled to run throughout the year.

Countdown is a new and intense co-op mode where up to eight Division agents are sent to a power plant and have 15 minutes to stabilize the plant and prevent a lockdown. The agents, deployed in two teams of four, will start at different locations on the map and must work together to overcome the challenge. The Division will be confronted by some familiar foes and will have to fend them off to secure the plant, then call for extraction before time runs out.
Starting from 12 May 2022, the Expertise feature gives players a new way to improve their equipment with upgrades to base values such as damage, armor and skill stats. Players can increase their Expertise by using any item in the game. Using more varied items means increasing their level. Expertise also allows players to increase the base stats of each individual item and reach a new power ceiling.

The new update will also include a variety of new items, including the Heartbreaker gear set, new Exotics, new named items, and more! Additional rewards will also be offered for players with the Season 9 Pass.
From 12 May through 31 May 2022, all Twitch streamers within the The Division 2 directory are eligible for Twitch Drops. This means all viewers will receive free rewards if they watch any Division 2 streams during that period. Rewards include a Legacy Cache, two High-End Caches and one Exotic Cache. Drops will occur after each hour (watch Division 2 streams for four hours to receive all Drops).
From 13 May through 15 May 2022, The Division 2 will be free to play on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and the Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Connect on PC.


Mobile Legends MOBA To Get 3D Animated Series Later In 2021

Moonton recently made a surprise announcement regarding its mobile MOBA of this generation.
The developer has announced a new video game adaptation of Mobile Legends: a 3D animated series called The Legend of Dawn: Sacred Stone. That’s a mouthful.
The show will premier worldwide on WeTV in Fall 2021, and will also be available on television via TV9 Di Hatiku (Malaysia), ABS-CBN (The Philippines), and NET Mediatama Televisi (Indonesia). Check out the official logo and first-ever 3D render of one of its main characters below (via The Magic Rain).


VCT 2022: Stage 2 Masters Copenhagen – Paper Rex Are Looking Dangerous

Southeast Asian pride skyrockets as Paper Rex advance into the upper bracket semi-finals as they defeat Guild Esports in a somewhat convincing 2–0.
If you haven’t already check out our STAGE 2 MASTERS SCHEDULE
What a way to kick off the playoff bracket, a highly anticipated matchup between Guild Esports and Paper Rex representing Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC) respectively. Going into this game, many believed it could have gone either way, with Guild having played for the past couple of days in contrast to Paper Rex who received a bye sending them straight to the bracket stage.
Paper Rex ultimately won the series 2–0 but the scoreline doesn’t show just how dominant the Southeast Asian side was during the first map, and how nail-bitingly close the second was.
Prior to the match, it come to light that one of Paper Rex’s key players, Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto had tested positive for COVID and was still experiencing symptoms. As a result f0rsakeN played from a room separate from the stage where the both teams were playing.

????????? ??????:
Our player ‘f0rsakeN’ @jasonsusantoo has tested positive for COVID-19.
He is feeling ok with minor symptoms, and is currently isolated from the team.
The show will go on #VALORANTMasters
Full statement: https://t.co/QpCG5GzywC pic.twitter.com/Q7CTReQLaC
— Paper Rex ?? (@pprxteam) July 13, 2022

Paper Tigers?
To rub salt in the wound, besides having a player not in peak condition, Paper Rex were also going up against Guild who, although were considered ot be the weakest of the EMEA teams attending Masters Copenhagen, had been on a phenomenal run from the Group Stage. It was expected that the European side were going to use that momentum to overcome the obstical that was Paper Rex.

Going into Map 1, Guild chose Ascent as their map pick. It was blatant from the start that Guild were planning on abusing their “retaking” prowess that they used to shut down OpTic Gaming on Day 1. Despite being able to take the third round after Paper Rex won the initial two, it just wasn’t enough for the Europeans to halt Paper Rex’s momentum as they went on to take the next six rounds consecutively.
By the end of the first half, the score was 8–4 but for f0rsakeN, regardless of his condition, didn’t seem to be having any issues in performing on Chamber as he usually does. As for the rest of Paper Rex, they were all pulling their weight with kills evenly distributed across the scoreboard.
Paper Rex closed out the second half while not conceding a single round to Guild, with the final score being 13–4.

Map point for @pprxteam! #VALORANTMasters pic.twitter.com/e029dexDOv
— VALORANT Champions Tour ?? (@ValorantEsports) July 14, 2022

Map 2 would be played on Fracture with Paper Rex starting on the attacking side. Initally Guild started off with the same strategy in mind as Map 1, play it slow and use their ability to retake sites. After failing to execute as efficiently as they wanted, Guild decided to shift their tempo as began to play a lot more aggressively.
Having changed strategy, Guild were able to execute more retakes successfully. But it didn’t take long for Paper Rex to adapt, namely Aaron “mindfreak” Leonhart who was able to read Guild’s plays and concluded the first half evenly at 6–6.
With the second half underway, neither team were able to maintain momentum from their round wins, resulting and a constant back a forth throughout the tail-end of the map. Although something that deserves to be mentioned is Wang “Jinggg” Jing Jie’s knife in the second pistol round.

??@Jingggxd | #VALORANTMasters pic.twitter.com/BQulljouVq
— VALORANT Champions Tour ?? (@ValorantEsports) July 14, 2022

Guild’s End?
Eventually Guild took the advantage and made it to match point at 12–11 and the 24th round resulted in both teams flipping the map and Paper Rex being able to get a defuse without much contest from Guild. Fracture was sent into overtime.
Overtime was short-lived though as Paper Rex prevailed in winning the two rounds they need to win the series as a whole. And with that said Paper Rex have now moved on to the upper bracket semi-finals where they are to face EMEA’s top seed, Fnatic on 17 July at 11:00 PM (GMT+8).
As for Guild Esports, this isn’t the end of the road. The team has a second chance to make a run in the lower bracket but they will have to overcome fellow Europeans in FunPlus Phoenix — a team who swept them 3–0 when they met in Challengers. They will play 16 July at 11:00 PM (GMT+8).
For more VCT 2022 action, head over to our full schedule and livestream feature page.


PlayStation Plus Subscribers Claim Alleged Unfair Prices For New Plans

The new PlayStation Plus plans are now live in selected countries in Asia, including Malaysia. However, some players have allegedly claimed that the prices to upgrade to the new Extra or Deluxe plans are unfair (via Nibel).
Those who previously bought multiple stacks of PlayStation Plus subscriptions at a discounted rate have claimed that they apparently have to pay extra in order to upgrade to the Extra or Deluxe tiers. Sony has since disabled the ability to stack subscriptions since April 2022.
Those who previously bought multiple stacks of PlayStation Plus subscriptions also claim that in order to upgrade to the Extra or Deluxe tiers, they have to pay for the entire duration of their current plan. What this means is that if they have subscriptions stacked for years, you can imagine how expensive that’s going to be.
It’s currently unclear how true all of this is, and some on Reddit have tried to figure out the complex way that subscription tier upgrades are calculated.
According to the PlayStation official website, a statement on the matter at hand reads:
“When the new PlayStation Plus membership plans launch, you will be able to upgrade to a plan with more features and benefits. When you upgrade you will be charged a pro-rated fee to level up the remaining time on your existing membership to the desired level.
For example, if you purchased a 12-month membership five months ago and have seven months left, you will need to pay a pro-rated upgrade fee to upgrade your remaining seven months to the desired plan level. Then on your next payment date, you will be charged for the standard price of the membership plan level that you upgraded to at your current payment frequency.”
We’re confused too, but perhaps all of this will be cleared in the coming weeks as the new PlayStation Plus plans start rolling out to the rest of the world. For more details and information on what the new PlayStation Plus upgrade tiers offer, head on over here.


Mighty Goose Takes Flight This June

Fowl play is afoot with developer Blastmode and publisher Playism, who are releasing its upcoming 2D run-and-gun game Mighty Goose this year.
Mighty Goose, a game where you play a gun-toting goose who can pilot vehicles to kill oncoming aliens, will be out on 5th June for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch. This feather-trigger 2D shooter also has two player local co-op because two birds are better than one.

Get honking with the trailer below, featuring 2D pixel art explosions, gunplay, and anthropomorphic geese kicking alien butt.


[Rumour] Grand Theft Auto 6 Alpha Build Out In The Wild

Update [19/9/2022]: Rockstar Games has put out a Twitter message regarding the leak, blaming the hacker for the leak. The company stated that work on the next Grand Theft Auto will continue as planned and thanks its fans and third parties for their support.

A Message from Rockstar Games pic.twitter.com/T4Wztu8RW8
— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 19, 2022

Original story
On 18 September, alleged leaks surfaced of an Alpha build of Grand Theft Auto 6 leaked on forum site GTAForum.
The leaks are yet to be confirmed by a reliable source and originally appeared on GTAForum uploaded by a user that went by the username “teapotuberhacker”, but netizens were sceptical about downloading the link. One netizen had the gall to go through with the download and decided to share their findings which went viral on ResetEra. The alleged leak shares a GoFile download that contains 3GB file full of 90 videos and clips of alpha footage.
Below you can find one of the videos posted to YouTube by an anonymous account.

These leaks were further spread across Twitter by user @melzyfn who tweeted screenshots of the character models and possible environments. Bloomberg reported earlier this year that GTA 6 would include two female protagonists influenced by Bonnie and Clyde.

Gta 6 leaks pic.twitter.com/lAO3NbFHPC
— Melzy (@melzyfn) September 18, 2022

Another clip shows a playable character on the “Vice City Metro” train, which lines up with reports that the game is set in a modernised version of 2002’s GTA: Vice City. A separate clip includes a poolside conversation that feels similar to the NPC conversations in Red Dead Redemption 2.
It’s unclear as to how old the footage is but netizens noticed that the footage appears to have been recorded on a PC that’s running on RTX 3060 Ti and RTX 3080 graphics cards, so the development build can’t be any older than two years.
Other clips show new NPC interactions, updated UI and animations, and even Rockstar’s own internal debug tools for GTA 6 on PlayStation. While this could be an elaborate fake, the sheer amount of clips and evidence suggest otherwise.


New Raya And The Last Dragon Trailer Reveals The Titular Dragon

Disney has released a brand new second full-length trailer for its upcoming animated movie Raya And The Last Dragon.
What’s interesting is that they have finally revealed the titular dragon Sisu, who is voiced by Crazy Rich Asians star Awkwafina. The new trailer also reveals several other new characters voiced by the following star-studded cast:

Kelly Marie Tran as the voice of the intrepid warrior Raya;
Awkwafina as the legendary dragon, Sisu;
Gemma Chan as Rayaâ€™s nemesis, Namaari;
Daniel Dae Kim as Rayaâ€™s visionary father, Benja;
Sandra Oh as Namaariâ€™s powerful mother, Virana;
Benedict Wong as Tong, a formidable giant;
Izaac Wang as Boun, a 10-year-old entrepreneur;
Thalia Tran as the mischievous toddler Little Noi;
Alan Tudyk as Tuk Tuk, Rayaâ€™s best friend and trusty steed;
Lucille Soong as Dang Hu, the leader of the land of Talon;
Patti Harrison as the chief of the Tail land;
Ross Butler as chief of the Spine land.

Sisu the dragon can even transform into human form.
Sisu (left), Raya (right).
Raya And The Last DragonÂ is inspired by Southeast Asian legends and folklore,Â as well as written by Malaysian-born screenwriter Adele Lim (best known forÂ Crazy Rich Asians).
As we previously reported,Â Raya And The Last DragonÂ producer Osnat Schurer said thatÂ the filmmakers took research trips to countries including Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. In addition,Â they also tried martial arts and gamelan instruments as part of their creative process.
Raya And The Last Dragon is slated to premiere in cinemas and Disney Plus on 12 March 2021.
In the meantime, check out the new trailer below:


Mortal Kombat’s Famous Ninja Is Getting His Own Movie [Update]

Update: here’s a sneak peek of the animated movie in action. It looks pretty badass and it’ll take place during the first Mortal Kombat tournament (ala MK1 and MK9). Of course, it’ll be centralized on the life, death, and rebirth of Hanzo Hasashi a.k.a Scorpion.

Original story
“GET OVER HERE!” That’s the iconic cry of Mortal Kombat’s vengeful spectre ninja Scorpion as he harpoons on over a movie deal for his producers over at Warner Bros. Animation.
The titular ninja will be getting his own animated movie alongside the upcoming live-action Mortal Kombat movie in a two-movie plan from WB themselves (via Hollywood Reporter). The former will be called Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge and it may be focused on retelling Scorpion’s quest in killing the first Sub-Zero for murdering his family and clan.

And just to clear the confusion, the current Sub-Zero is the brother of the first Sub-Zero and isn’t anything like him. In fact, the brother is actually Bi Han, who is Noob Saibot in the current MK game. There’s a ton of lore to go through, fair warning.
Patrick Seitz and Steve Blum will be reprising their roles as Scorpion and Sub-Zero respectively; the actors have voiced their MK counterparts since Mortal Kombat 9. Community’s Joel McHale will be voicing Johnny Cage, while Jennifer Carpenter will be voicing Sonya Blade.
I would have preferred if they stuck with the Mortal Kombat Mythologies naming scheme for consistencies’ sake. But then again, not many did enjoy that pretty lacklustre PS1 Sub-Zero-focused game as much as some diehards.


MDEC & PUBG Mobile Teams Up For Major Events During MYDCF21

Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and PUBG Mobile have announced that they will be holding four major events in conjunction with the month-long MYDCF21 that is currently taking place until 30 November 2021.Â
The four feature events are PMPL MY/SG S4: Golden Bullet Awards, PUBG Mobile MYDCF Cosplay Video Contest, The Great PUBG Mobile Art Contest, and Legendary Floor at MYDCF Giveaways as well as PUBG Credits, Skins and other prizes worth US$10,000.Â

PMPL MY/SG S4: Golden Bullet Awards

You can now vote for your favourite PUBG Mobile players at the first-ever awards show. The award, which is a collaboration between PUBG Mobile, MDEC and eGG network, aims to honour the greatness and creativity of players, teams, and talents in the PUBG Mobile esports scene.Â
The results of the PMPL MY/SG S4: Golden Bullet Awards will be announced during the official live stream on PUBG Mobile Malaysiaâ€™s official Facebook and Youtube channel; and eGG Network channel (Astro Channel 800) on 28 November 2021 from 5PM to 6PM.Â

PUBG Mobile MYDCF Cosplay Video Contest

Cosplayers can stand a chance to win amazing prizes as the content Prize Pool stands at RM10,000.Â
Submit now until 21 November and the winner will be announced at MYDCF Life Stage on 28 November 2021.Â

The Great PUBG Mobile Art ContestÂ

Designers and developers join and create illustrations that capture the adrenaline, excitement and fun of a PUBG Mobile match and stand a chance to win amazing prizes.

Legendary Floor at MYDCF GiveawaysÂ

Win PUBG Mobile Credits, Skins and come check out the PUBG booth at MYDCF to win at the gatcha machine worth US$10,000.
PUBG Mobile’s director for Southeast Asia, Oliver Ye, said:
“As proud Legendary Partners with MDEC in this MYDCF event, we are excited to share with esports enthusiasts what we are doing while rewarding our loyal supporters with credits and more. Come and experience it yourself with us today.”
MYDCF21 is a month-long event in November that is set to bolster the local gaming and animation arena and act as a catalyst to the creative industry while elevating the interest of the public and pushing forth the nation’s digitalisation agenda.
Chief Digital Industry Officer Gopi Ganesalingam said that this collaboration is a testament to the organisation’s continuous support and effort to rally the gaming community with activities and various eSports initiatives.
He said:
â€œTogether with our partners and collaborators, we forge the way forward towards driving the growth of local technology, innovation and creative content, which in turn contributes to the country’s economic recovery and growth.”
To participate in MYDCF 2021, you can head on over to https://mydcf.my/.Â


The PokÃ©mon Company Is Now On TikTok

Fans of PokÃ©mon from around the world can now look forward to watching videos featuring PokÃ©mon characters on The PokÃ©mon Company’s official TikTok account.

The account is the latest addition to The PokÃ©mon Companyâ€™s social media assets to deliver an even closer PokÃ©mon experience to everyone. Several videos in which Pikachu dances to music have been uploaded on the account at the time of launch.

More PokÃ©mon characters will be featured in the future to keep fans entertained.Â Unique videos and new updates on PokÃ©mon will be regularly updated. Follow The PokÃ©mon Companyâ€™s TikTok onÂ https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSJVSayaq/
Check out their first TikTok post below:

@pokemonãƒã‚±ãƒ¢ãƒ³ã®å…¬å¼TikTokã‚¢ã‚«ã‚¦ãƒ³ãƒˆãŒã‚ªãƒ¼ãƒ—ãƒ³ã—ãŸã‚ˆï¼ ãœã²ãƒ•ã‚©ãƒãƒ¼ã—ã¦ãï¼ Welcome to PokÃ©mon official TikTok account!! ##ãƒã‚±ãƒ¢ãƒ³ ##ãƒã‚±ãƒƒãƒˆãƒ¢ãƒ³ã‚¹ã‚¿ãƒ¼ ##pokÃ©mon ##pokemon ##ãƒ”ã‚«ãƒãƒ¥ã‚¦ ##pikachuâ™¬ Make Some TikTok – TikTok


Netflix Renews Alice In Borderland For Season 2

Netflix’s Alice In Borderland has been renewed for a second season only two weeks after its premiere on 10 December 2020. Since its premiere, the live-action adaptation of the manga of the same name by Haro Aso has been taking the world by storm.
After two weeks, Alice In Borderland remains in the top ten list on Netflix Malaysia, which means that it’s been a massive hit.

However, no release date has been revealed for Alice In Borderland Season 2. Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for the latest updates!

Stay tuned on the second season of Alice in Borderland! pic.twitter.com/ooeyFAWNTx— Netflix Malaysia (@NetflixMY) December 24, 2020


Ms. Marvel Is A Marvellous New Inclusion In The MCU

Ms. Marvel continues the streak which started with Moon Knight earlier this year, introducing yet another brand new hero into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Disney+ gave us the privilege of watching the first two episodes of Ms. Marvel, but it was enough to give us a wonderful glimpse of what to expect.
Legacy
Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan in Marvel Studios’ MS. MARVEL, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
At its heart, the Ms. Marvel series is sort of like the MCU Spider-Man films in terms of tone; a coming-of-age teenage high school comedy drama. However, Kamala Khan’s Muslim and Pakistani heritage provides a unique perspective that adds something new to the MCU. Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan is the best part of the series so far. She brings a vibrant and fun energy to the role. She also brings the character to life with an earnest and endearing personality that makes it impossible not to like her. This is another fantastic casting choice, which bodes well for the future of the MCU (as Iman Vellani is already set to reprise her role in the upcoming The Marvels movie).
As a Muslim myself (but not South Asian/Pakistani), the representation in Ms. Marvel does feel authentic and genuine enough. That’s not surprising, considering that many of the writers and directors (including the showrunner, Bisha K. Ali) working on this show are themselves Muslims and/or South Asian/Pakistani. This is especially so seeing how natural it sounds when Kamala’s parents, Zenobia Shroff’s Muneeba Khan and Mohan Kapur’s Yusuf Khan, code switch between Urdu and English effortlessly (which many non-white bilinguals can definitely relate to).
(L-R): Mohan Kapur as Yusuf, Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan, Saagar Shaikh as Aamir, and Nimra Bucha as Najma in Marvel Studios’ MS. MARVEL. Photo by Daniel McFadden. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
Another highlight of Ms. Marvel are the adorable little visual flourishes and lively animations happening in the backgrounds of many scenes. For instance, one cute scene has Kamala planning a heist to sneak out of her home, and it unfolds with these animated sequences that look reminiscent of something like Diary Of A Wimpy Kid. These definitely make Ms. Marvel stand out amongst the crowd of other teen-focused TV series out there.
Besides the change to Kamala’s powers, everything else looks and feels accurate to the comics, especially many of the supporting characters. These include Matt Lintz’s Bruno Carrelli and Yasmeen Fletcher’s  Nakia Bahadir, both of whom are Kamala’s friends, and Kamala’s brother, Saagar Shaikh’s Amir Khan. Elements of their characters are taken directly from the comics, but I won’t spoil what they are.
Khan Wait For More
Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan in Marvel Studios’ MS. MARVEL. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
While I’ve only watched two episodes, both of them were close to 50 minutes long. However, the pacing didn’t feel draggy or plodding at all. If you’re worried about Ms. Marvel being too teen-focused, I can assure you that it’s still very much a Marvel series that’s worth watching even if you’re an adult. There are no annoying characters or frustrating useless subplots. With only six episodes in its first season, Ms. Marvel will likely have no time for those in its remaining four episodes that I haven’t watched.
Is Ms. Marvel the best Disney+ series to date? Probably not, when you already had shows like WandaVision and Moon Knight, but I’m definitely excited to see more of what is already a captivating series that will probably be another hit for the MCU and Disney+.
Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan will be a fan-favourite, that’s for sure.
FINAL SCORE: 80/100
We received an early screener of Ms. Marvel courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. The first episode of Ms. Marvel is slated to premiere on 8 June 2022 on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia.


Sony Unveils Next-Gen PS5 PlayStation VR Controller

Sony Interactive Entertainment hasÂ unveiledÂ the new controller for itsÂ recently-announced next-gen PlayStation VR for the PlayStation 5.
According to PlayStation Blog and Platform Planning & Management Senior Vice President Hideaki Nishino:
“Our new VR controller speaks to our mission of achieving a much deeper sense of presence and stronger feeling of immersion in VR experiences.
It will build upon the innovation we introduced with the DualSense wireless controller, which changed how games â€œfeelâ€ on PS5 by unlocking a new way to tap into the sense of touch.
Now weâ€™re bringing that innovation to VR gaming.”
Design
Gone is the wand-like PlayStation Move controllers; replaced with a new unique design, which takes on an â€œorbâ€ shape that allows you to hold the controller naturally while playing with a high degree of freedom.
The new controller was also designed with great ergonomics in mind, so itâ€™s well-balanced and comfortable to hold in each of your hands.

Features
The new VR controller enables players to feel and interact with games in a much more visceral way. There are several features, including key features from the DualSense controller, which match our vision for what next-generation VR games can be:

Adaptive triggers: Each VR controller (Left and Right) includes an adaptive trigger button that adds palpable tension when pressed, similar to whatâ€™s found in the DualSense controller. If youâ€™ve played a PS5 game, youâ€™ll be familiar with the tension in the L2 or R2 buttons when you press them, such as when youâ€™re drawing your bow to fire an arrow. When you take that kind of mechanic and apply it to VR, the experience is amplified to the next level.

Haptic feedback: The new controller will have haptic feedback optimized for its form factor, making every sensation in the game world more impactful, textured and nuanced. When youâ€™re traversing through rocky desert or trading blows in melee combat, youâ€™ll feel the difference, magnifying the extraordinary visual and audio experience thatâ€™s so central to VR.

Finger touch detection: The controller can detect your fingers without any pressing in the areas where you place your thumb, index, or middle fingers. This enables you to make more natural gestures with your hands during gameplay.

Tracking: The VR controller is tracked by the new VR headset through a tracking ring across the bottom of the controller.

Action buttons/analog sticks:Â The Left controller contains one analog stick, the triangle and square buttons, a â€œgripâ€ button (L1), trigger button (L2) and Create button. The Right controller contains one analog stick, the cross and circle buttons, a â€œgripâ€ button (R1), trigger button (R2) and Options button. The â€œgripâ€ button can be used to pick up in-game objects, as one example.

The new PlayStation VR will connect to PS5 with a single cord to simplify setup and improve ease-of-use while enabling a high-fidelity visual experience. One of the innovations will be a new VR controller, which will incorporate some of the key features found in the DualSense wireless controller, along with a focus on great ergonomics.
However, Sony confirmed that the new PlayStation VR for PS5 wonâ€™t be launching in 2021, so weâ€™ll have to wait a while longer yet for the future of virtual reality to arrive.


A Brief History Of Street Fighter Fanservice For Both Men & Women

People who saw the teaser for Street Fighter 6 probably had a few things in their mind: the placeholder logo, the confirmed addition of Luke and Ryu in the roster, and the semi-realistic CGI.
For a good number of thirsty folks, they’re enamoured by Ryu’s new physique in SF6’s latest teaser. I especially like how Capcom marketing team is banking on people to get screencaps of the upward shot of Ryu from the ground up.

Sakura is very happy about Street Fighter 6 Ryu #?????????? #?????????? #StreetFighter #SFVCE #SFV #??5 #StreetfighterV #fgc #Capcom #fanart #???? #?????? #SFVI #SF6 pic.twitter.com/71XwS45wDn
— Devon | Learning Animation (@DevSF4) February 21, 2022

Subtle as a sledgehammer, basically.
Truth be told, Capcom has tried to balance the fanservice for both female and male fans of the series, though it’s leaning towards the latter group for the past number of years. Nowhere is this more apparent than with the female cast like Chun-Li and her gazillion outfits in Street Fighter IV and Street Fighter V…

…R.Mika and her provocative attire that is meant for professional wrestling since the days of Street Fighter Alpha 3 in 1998…

…Cammy’s one-piece army suit which I’m not sure serves well as camouflage (which is at least rectified with some of her DLC outfits)…

…Street Fighter masochist Juri….

…And a few others ranging from Final Fight’s Maki to C.Viper’s very obvious focal point on her top half.

Is It Totally One-Sided For Capcom?
Not quite. As we’ve said before, Capcom has strived for equal opportunity ogling here, with grapplers like Zangief…

…the bod of jerkface Urien since Street Fighter 3: Second Impact…

…newcomer Luke, who is the future of Street Fighter 6…

…and of course, hot body Ryu.

Technically there’s Poison for the ladies because, you know.

Long story short, Capcom is pretty balanced with its fanservicing and making its roster as cultured as possible. No matter if you’re a casual or hardcore fan, or into guys or/and girls, or just love using Twitter as your fan art public board, the company that made Resident Evil’s Tall Vampire Lady and Darkstalker’s version of a succubus and werecat is always on the ball in giving eye candy for all.


Morbius Is All Fangs And Little Blood

Morbius is the latest film to be part of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU) after 2018’s Venom and 2021’s Venom Let There Be Carnage. After several delays since the movie’s original 2020 release date, Marvel’s Living Vampire is finally here and we’re ready to sink our fangs into the movie.
Was Morbius worth the wait? Read on to find out.
Blood-Less

Morbius feels like an early 2000s pre-Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film, but without the cheesy charm that made the Venom movies somewhat enjoyable to watch. The plot is pretty generic and straightforward, so there’s not much in terms of surprises either. Since it’s set in the SSU, eagle-eyed fans can probably spot some easter eggs and references, but just like the Venom films, there’s not even a single mention or actual sighting of Spider-Man in the entire movie.
There are elements of horror and monster movie inspiration in Morbius, but the filmmakers can’t do much with a PG-13 rating. A R-rating would have helped the movie be more visceral and gory. The main character is a vampire, for pete’s sake. The CGI and special effects used to bring Morbius to life also feels dated and even ugly by today’s standards, making it hard to take Morbius more seriously when he transforms into his vampire form.
The action scenes rely a little too much on slow-mo and they’re edited in a way that’s hard to discern what’s happening. One of the few things I liked about the movie is how Morbius moves during action scenes, as he sorts of jumps, glides and flits all over the place. That makes it believable that this character would be a match for Spider-Man, if or when they face each other in battle.
Wasted Potential

Jared Leto is fine as Dr. Michael Morbius, since it requires a more grounded performance than something like the Joker. It’s fun to see Matt Smith finally letting himself loose in a comic book role, but it feels like he’s been typecast to playing villains after leaving Doctor Who. Smith plays an original character. It’s a shame, he could have done more with the character if it was based on someone from the comics (he was originally supposed to portray Loxias Crown AKA Hunger).
The rest of the supporting cast such as Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Al Madrigal and Tyreses Gibson don’t get much screentime or material to flesh out their characters. The movie focuses most of its content on Jared Leto’s Morbius and Matt Smith’s character. As a result, the supporting characters don’t really stand out much.
The same can be said for the movie as a whole; it’s a forgettable superhero movie that doesn’t do much to distinguish itself or do anything really well. It’s like we went back in time to an era when 20th Century Fox still made X-Men films. It’s hard not to think how much better a vampire movie set in the Marvel universe could have, and should have been.
Oh and of course, there’s a post-credits scene after the movie ends, so be sure to look out for that if you’re already planning to watch Morbius.
FINAL SCORE: 50/100
We received an early screener of Morbius courtesy of Sony Pictures Malaysia. Morbius premieres in Malaysian cinemas on 31 March 2022.


Christopher Robin Review: A Heartfelt Nostalgia-Tingling Ride

I never thought much about the Winnie The Pooh animated shorts and feature movie from Disney back in the late 70s. It’s a sweet tale of adolescence where the titular character, which was initially crafted from the imagination of one Christopher Robin, goes about his adventures in the Hundred Acre Woods; mundane adventures involving possible kleptomania (the bit about the honey) and containing a hyperactive energy-driven comrade (the bit with Tigger).
They’re nice and good fluff pieces of entertainment, but nothing more. However, other people seem to cherish this bear and his misadventures, so it’s obvious that Disney will take the film-making route where they add a spin to an already-existing animated feature ala Maleficent and Pete’s Dragon. In this case, it’s a full-fledged sequel in live action and CGI.

An Impawssible Follow-Up Feat?
Naturally, if you want to make such a film, you’ll have to take a different approach while also keeping to the innocence and sombre theme of the Disney films (and passing some semblance from the A.A Milne-written source material). It’s a tough balancing act for sure. Guess Disney did right with picking Marc Forster, known for adult visceral fares like Monster’s Ball, World War Z, and Machine Gun Priest. Right?
In all seriousness, Christopher Robin is a genuine heartwarming film about the grown-up titular character finding his inner child. He’s in his not-so-fun job as a luggage company’s efficiency manager, his relationship with his wife and kid are strained, and he’s made weary from the death of his father in his youth and also coming out of a World War.

Luckily, he slowly ends up rediscovering the joys of life and “doing nothing” with help from Winnie The Pooh, who coincidentally is looking for his other stuffed animal friends while the Hundred Acre Woods is covered in fog.
If this premise sounds a bit like Steven Spielberg’s Hook, that’s because parts and themes of it are, even right down to the on-the-nose metaphor of the narrative. Only replace the pirates with CGI stuffed animals that spout a combination of confusing, silly, and insightful thoughts and brain farts.Â As if that wasn’t enough, the desaturation of the film’s aesthetics and shots are as subtle as the sledgehammer, especially when we get to the second and third act where things get flipped around colour-wise.
The whole film hinges on Ewan McGregor’s performance as an older Christopher Robin and his transformation from workaholic to fun-loving adult. Unsurprisingly, he aced it especially since the majority of the film needed him to interact with CGI characters. That’s not really a problem since he was in three Star Wars films where the word “special” doesn’t mean jack in a movie filled with “special effects”. Even so, he displays a good range of character growth, self-realization, and wit from a grown-up Christopher Robin ravaged by the pressures and expectations of real life.

The Right To Bear Arms
Special credit should go to Hailey “Agent Carter” Atwell as Christopher’s wife Evelyn and Bronte Carmichael as his kid Madeline who act as they should in a “weary old family man goes back to being a boy” story arc. But the other main crux of the film is the ensemble voiceover cast from the legendary Jim Cummings to Brad Garrett. Jim voiced both Pooh and Tigger, each with their respective trademark wispy ramblings and hyperactive energetic talkabouts.Â  Brad’s Eeyore goes for the jugular with his depressive monotone delivery and self-jabs.
Everyone else from Toby Jones’ Owl to even Peter Capaldi’s Rabbit say just enough without stealing the show. They all almost sound like they should since the 70s animated features. It’s best that way to maintain a huge level of vocal consistency while also tugging the heartstrings of the older audience.
Speaking of stuffed animals, the movie’s world acknowledges them as real beings and creatures, and people react how they would if they saw a stuffed animal come to life and wax soliloquies. It’s a cute touch.

Grin & Bear It
In any case, bring the young ones and kids for this flick. They’ll love it. If you grew up with the Disney animated iterations of the “silly old bear”, you’ll get a little teary-eyed and the feels when you see the Pooh exercise routine bit, the Hundred Acre Woods before and after, the leitmotif weaved seamlessly by composers Jon Brion and Geoff Zanelli, and the iconic sunset shots with just Christopher Robin and Winnie The Pooh.
This isn’t the most complicated or deepest all-ages film around the block, and it’s obviously manufactured and tailored in a way for older audiences who grew up with the bear. A cynical audience can spot the plot points and resolutions a mile away.
But as far as this critic is concerned, this is the only logical and emotionally-driven step for the Winnie The Pooh franchise. It could have ended up half-heartedly schmaltzy and forced, or even a tired retread ala Beauty & The Beast last year. Thankfully, that isn’t the case as this film has a handy moral about sustaining joy in a grown-up pragmatic-instilled world and workforce buried in its fluffy core.

This review is brought to you by the folks from The Last King podcast, since I’m one of the guys on the show. Hear our awesome stuff on this here SoundCloud page.Â


Stranger Of Paradise’s New DLC Launch Trailer Shows Jack Fighting The Emperor & Omega Weapon

The thirst for Chaos continues.
Square Enix has unveiled a new launch trailer for its Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin DLC dubbed Different Future. Basically Jack Garland and his Chaos-loving crew will be heading through time and space to beat the crap out of Final Fantasy II’s Emperor Mateus. Oh, and also the Omega Weapon too who is pursuing the group.

The new DLC will introduce three new Jobs for Jack & his pals to use: Musketeer (gun-based), Hunter (crossbow-based), and Gambler (random attacks & buffs). The game also introduces Imitation Materials and Fabrication Blacksmithing techniques to help with synthesis and easier item replication.
The launch trailer is below. The Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin – Different Future DLC will be out on 27 January for Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and PC. It is the third and final expansion of the game.


Watch The First Genshin Impact Inazuma Story Quest Play Out

The Inazuma continent has been on Genshin Impact’s lips since the island has been teased and its continent-specific characters like Ayaka has been leaked months ago. With the game’s 1.7 update around the corner, it will a matter of time until players will get to explore the new region filled with ronin and samurais.
Here’s a tease of what’s in store; this particular story quest in Genshin Impact focuses on Inazuma runaway Kazuha, who is currently the game’s banner character. There are obvious story spoilers, of course, so proceed with caution.


Remedy Is Working On Max Payne 1 & 2 Remakes

Remedy Entertainment has announced that they will develop remakes of Max Payne and Max Payne 2 The Fall Of Max Payne as a single title for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via an agreement with Rockstar Games (who owns the Max Payne IP).
According to the press release, Remedy will develop the Max Payne 1 and 2 remake using its proprietary Northlight game engine (which also powers 2019’s Control and the upcoming Alan Wake 2). The game’s development budget will be financed by Rockstar Games, the size of which will be in line with a typical Remedy AAA-game production.
Under the agreement, Remedy has a royalty opportunity after Rockstar Games has recouped its development, marketing, and other costs for distributing and publishing the game. The project is currently in the concept development stage.
Rockstar Games founder Sam Houser said:
“We were thrilled when our long-time friends at Remedy approached us about remaking the original Max Payne games. We are massive fans of the work the Remedy team has created over the years, and we can’t wait to play these new versions.”
Remedy CEO Tero Virtala said:
Max Payne has always held a special place in the hearts of everyone at Remedy, and we know the millions of fans worldwide feel the same. We’re hugely excited to be working with our partners at Rockstar Games once again for the chance to bring the story, action and atmosphere of the original Max Payne games back to players in new ways.”
Remedy Entertainment is also currently working on Alan Wake 2 , which was revealed at The Game Awards 2021, as well as a multiplayer game titled Vanguard in collaboration with Tencent.
Control was originally launched for PS4, Xbox One, and PC via the Epic Games Store in August 2019, followed by PC via Steam in August 2020. We namedÂ Control one of the best games of 2019. You can also check out our review of the game here.


Geoff Keighley Shows Off What The PS5 DualSense Can Do With Astro’s Playroom

During a live stream earlier today, Summer Game Fest host Geoff Keighley unveiled a hands-on presentation of the new DualSense controller for the PlayStation 5, playing Astro’s Playroom, a game that’s meant to be a showcase for the new controller (it will also be pre-installed on every PS5).
According to Keighley, the new adaptive triggers on the DualSense will have “pressure points”. For instance, you’ll feel the tension of drawing your bow in a game. Besides that, the speakers on the DualSense also has more “range” than the PS4’s DualShock 4. In the demo, you could listen to subtle sounds like the whooshing of a blizzard or the pitter-patter of footsteps.

Keighley even showed that players could blow into the DualSense to simulate a blowing effect in the game. In addition, Sony PlayStation Worldwide Head of Marketing Eric Lampel also appeared during the live stream. He confirmed that pre-orders for the PS5 and its console price will not be revealed anytime soon, dispelling recent speculations.
Lampel said:

“We’ll let you know when preorders will happen. It’s not going to happen with a minute’s notice.
We’re going to at some point let you know when you can preorder PlayStation 5.
So, please, don’t feel like you have to go run out and line up anywhere until you receive official notice on how that will work.”

You can check out the 25-minute PS5 DualSense hands-on presentation below. In the meantime, stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for all the latest news on the PS5, and check outÂ all the latest updates and developments on all things PS5 to date here.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXl1vRD_lUk&w=560&h=315]


Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege Welcomes Year 8 Season 1

Rainbow Six Siege’s Year 8 has just released its first season, Operation Commanding Force, and it’s packed with exciting new updates.

New Operator – Brava

The most significant addition is Brava, a Brazilian Operator equipped with the Kludge Drone gadget that lets you sabotage enemy technology by taking control of their devices or destroying them. Brava is a versatile Operator who can gain the upper hand in any situation by accessing electronic resources available to her. She comes with a PARA-308 or CAMRS as her primary weapon and a USP40 or Super Shorty as a secondary weapon, and her unique abilities make her a valuable Attacker to have on your team.

MouseTrap

Operation Commanding Force also introduces some much-needed anti-cheat updates, including the MouseTrap feature, which detects players who use mouse and keyboard on consoles and penalizes them by adding additional latency to their inputs, making it harder to aim and shoot. There are also further anti-toxicity measures, such as the Reputation Penalty for abusive voice chat, which mutes repeat offenders by default to prevent hateful and disruptive content.
Rainbow Six Siege is all about high-intensity tactical gameplay, and Operation Commanding Force enhances this experience with its immersive reload system. Players must now make more strategic reload decisions, as interrupting the animation will leave them without a magazine if they reload before it’s empty. Closed bolt weapons will have a single round available for the player to use at any point during the reload. The update also includes a balancing change for Zero, improvements to the Play Section UI, and more.
If you’re a new player, fear not. Operation Commanding Force has some exciting onboarding features to help you learn the ropes. Beginner Challenges and Operator Specialties will assist you in understanding each Operator’s playstyle, and by completing these challenges, you can earn rewards and even unlock a speciality-specific Operator.
To make the most out of Year 8, you can purchase the limited-time Year 8 Pass, which unlocks four seasonal Battle Passes, 14-day early access to new Operators, exclusive Exotic weapon skins, a 10% VIP discount on the shop, and up to 2,400 R6 Credits. The Premium Year Pass includes all of these perks plus 20 extra Battle tokens per season, which can be used to unlock rewards faster.
And finally, Season 1’s Battle Pass introduces the Bravo Pack Ticket, a rare item that lets you pick an exclusive reward from the latest Bravo Collection. Premium players who reach level 100 in this season’s Battle Pass will be rewarded with this ticket as a token of their dedication. Don’t miss out on all the exciting new updates and rewards that Operation Commanding Force has to offer!
For more info then you can check out all the patch notes on the official Rainbow Six Siege site.


5 Things We Know From The Dragon Ball RPG Trailer

Bandai Namco has released our first look at the upcoming new Dragon Ball RPG with a new trailer. Titled Dragon Ball Game – Project Z (as of now), it will be releasing sometime in 2019 for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC. This will be the franchise’s third game in just over three years after 2016’s Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 and 2018’s Dragon Ball FighterZ.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSgGsTnKZ-Y&w=560&h=315]
Here’s what we know about the Dragon Ball RPG so far, thanks to the newly-released trailer:
1. A Focus On Dragon Ball Z

Other recent Dragon Ball games have adapted much from Dragon Ball Super, especially its brand new characters like Beerus and Jiren, as well as the new Super Saiyan forms introduced in the anime series.
However, from the looks of the trailer, it seems that Dragon Ball Game – Project Z will be focusing primarily and perhaps even exclusively on events set in Dragon Ball Z. The trailer only showcases scenes from the beginning of Dragon Ball Z up to the Frieza Saga arc when Goku turns Super Saiyan for the first time.
Since this is only the game’s first trailer, it will be safe to assume that it will be probably be adapting more of the storylines in Dragon Ball Z, including the Android Saga, Cell Saga, and the entire Buu Saga.
2. Feature Recreated Scenes From Dragon Ball Z

While almost all of the Dragon Ball games in the past have featured recreated scenes from the anime in some form or to some degree, it looks like Dragon Ball Game – Project Z will feature some of the most painstakingly-recreated and detailed scenes to date.
Since it will be an action RPG game, a larger focus on the story would be a given, so fans will probably be able to see a lot more content from the anime or manga that has never been featured in any Dragon Ball game before.
I wonder if Bandai Namco will add in a sidequest about Goku and Piccolo getting their driver’s licenses. I know they can fly, so don’t ask me why it’s still funny.
3. Goku Is The Main Playable Character

While this is quite obvious to begin, the trailer does mention that Dragon Ball Game – Project Z will be “the story of Goku, the one they call Kakarot”. This is followed by what seems to be gameplay footage of Goku walking around. As of now, it remains to be seen if other characters will also be made playable.
Speaking of that gameplay footage…
4. Feature A Free-Roaming Open-World
That gameplay footage of Goku just roaming around essentially confirms that Dragon Ball Game – Project Z will feature an open-world to explore. What’s even more interesting are the locales that Goku can visit, which indicates that the upcoming action RPG game will dig deep into Dragon Ball franchise lore than never before.
Fans should recognize the first locale as Mount Paozu, where Goku lived before meeting Bulma and where the story of the original Dragon Ball began.

The second is the Kame House, where every fan knows is the home of Master Roshi.

The third is the Capsule Corporation headquarters in West City, where Bulma’s family lives.

The last scene with Goku overlooking West City might mean that the open-world is even larger than we thought and that it won’t simply consist of hubs.

5. Powered By Unreal Engine 4
Just like Dragon Ball FighterZ before it and the upcoming Jump Force, Dragon Ball Game – Project Z will be powered by Unreal Engine 4. Since those two are fighting games, the best example to refer to as an RPG game powered by Unreal Engine 4 should be Square Enix’s Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of An Elusive Age. That masterpiece of a game showcased how an open-world RPG could look like with the powerful engine.
As such, we’re looking forward to seeing an actual Dragon Ball open-world game powered by Unreal Engine 4.


Spider-Man: No Way Home Had Plans To Focus On Kraven The Hunter

Did you know that the upcoming Spider-Man film could have had a different focus and villain? As in singular, not plural?
According to a Collider report, director Jon Watts was ready to turn Spider-Man: No Way Home into a film centred on the villain Kraven. Tom Holland explained that due to the logistics, licensing rights, and other complicated decision-making that goes into the next Spider-Man movie, Watts was ready to go with the backup plan if things went south.
“For a long time, there was going to be a Kraven movie that was going to be the third movie because things weren’t working out and all sorts of different stuff. Jon pitched me this Kraven movie, which actually was really cool. I don’t want to talk about it in case that movie ends up happening down the line, but it was fun.”
Spider-Man: No Way Home hits theaters on 17 December.


Singapore’s Doujin Market Is Returning After 3-Year Long Hiatus

Doujin Market or Doujima, Singapore’s largest celebration of art, illustration, and independent creator culture, is back after a three-year break! The 8th edition of Doujima has the theme “Through adversity, art endures!” and celebrates the resilience of the global creator community.
With even more opportunities to be inspired, artists, cosplayers, designers, and illustrators are all welcome. Jason Koh, the founder and producer of Doujin Market, said, “It’s been a long time coming. We are excited to once again bring everyone together in the spirit of ‘doujin’, to create, and to geek out together.”

Partnering with Doujin Market are Avernative Production and their featured brands, including Avermedia, Xencelabs, and XP-Pen. Singapore’s first homegrown virtual creator team, VD:0, will be presented, and panels will help aspiring virtual creators take their first step. “Virtual creators have taken the world by storm,” said Mr. Alvin Ho, Founder of Avernative Production, “and we are incredibly proud to showcase our home-grown creators at an event that has always placed them at the forefront.”

Merryweather Media, known for their web-based media, including webcomics and VTuber content, is co-presenting Doujin Market this year and exhibiting in Singapore for the first time. Visitors can meet Lucius Merryweather, the VTuber persona of the studio’s founder, and other key members of his production team. Visitors can also buy convention-exclusive merchandise and print compilations of popular Merryweather Media comics at their booth. Ho Wei Rong, Regional Director of Merryweather Media, said, “We want to inspire other creators out there that were just like us when we started out, and interact with newer members of the community.”
Doujin Market has partnered with Gank to provide a robust e-payment solution to all exhibitors at the show. Through Gank, creators from selected regional countries will be able to have their earnings transferred directly to their bank accounts and accept multiple payment options such as PayNow without needing a Singapore bank account. Gank will also be running a currency top-up campaign during the show to encourage visitors to support creators more.
The convention will be held on 6-7 May at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hall 403 & 404. Admission to Doujin Market is ticketed, and the prices are SG$10 for a Day Pass (Saturday or Sunday) and SG$18 for a Weekend Pass (both days).
You can get your tickets on Eventbrite at https://doujima2023.eventbrite.sg. As a bonus, ticket holders are eligible to receive SG$10 in-game credits sponsored by Timezone, redeemable at the convention.


Check Out Some High Level Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown Play From Itabashi Zangief

Before Street Fighter IV and Street Fighter V dominated his competitive life, Itabashi Zangief (or Itazan) was a pro player at Sega’s Virtua Fighter series. He was the top player in Evolution Championship Series 2007, beating other pros like Nuki, Otome, and Tokido to secure his number 1 spot.
So naturally once Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown/Virtua Fighter x esports was announced by Sega, Itazan decides to head back to his 3D fighting game roots in today’s Sega livestream of the updated-for-2021 fighting game. With a new tournament season called the Virtua Fighter Esports Challenge Cup happening soon starting 18th July (preseason), it looks like the classic 3D fighting game is making a comeback.
Here’s the 10 minutes+ battle featuring Itazan using his main character Shun, beating up his opponents left and right.

Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown will be out for PS4 on 1st June. The game features a full graphical remake, classic game modes & competitive features (like online play), and enhanced spectator options. Sadly, no rollback netcode.


Nintendo Isn’t Worried About Next-Gen PlayStation & Xbox Machines

One does wonder if the upcoming PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X will affect the sales of the Nintendo Switch when they launch in Holiday 2020. According to the Big N themselves, it probably won’t make a dent.
According to a recent Q&A session from Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa during an investors meeting last week, the company is aware of the change in the environment. He explained that there isn’t much audience crossover between the PS5, the Xbox Series X, and the Nintendo Switch (via VGC).

“We will explain the specific figures for the next fiscal year in our next fiscal year announcement, but I think there will certainly be a change in the environment as new products of our competitors appear. [W]e do not believe that the business trends of other companies will have a significant impact on our business.”

In related news, Furukawa said that the Switch is about halfway through its life cycle, with the Big N not planning on releasing a new console until 2023. Which is fair, given that the Switch recently raked in big lifetime sales numbers as of late.
I’m still waiting for that new Metroid Prime sequel though, so please hop to it.


Axl In New Guilty Gear Revealed, Exclusive Playable Demo Coming Soon

The third trailer for the upcoming new Guilty Gear has just dropped and as teased in the May trailer, we get to see Axl show off some sick(le) moves.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_C7DZLN7sU&w=560&h=315]
Axl’s new duds further proves that they’re really amping up the fashion sense in this next entry. What’s truly satisfying is seeing how fluid his sickle attacks look this time. They looked spectacular in Xrd Rev 2 but they’re absolutely beautiful here.
The best announcements are at the end of the trailer. The first ever playable demo will be available for fans to try at ARCREVO America 2019 which is happening at the University of California Irvine on 16 & 17 November 2019. Aside from the four characters who have been revealed, two more are joining.
For more updates and news on the new Guilty Gear, stay tuned on Kakuchopurei.com.


New Korean MMO Gives Off Shadow Of The Colossus Vibe

Korean developer Lionheart StudioÂ recently announced its first-ever, Project Odin. What’s intriguing about Project Odin is that it is an MMO developed for mobile platforms, but looks more like a AAA console game instead, in terms of production value and sheer ambition.
According to MMOCulture, Project Odin will be powered by Unreal Engine 4 and said to be the “first mobile game to use 3D scan and motion capture for realistic and immersive play”. The game’s setting is based on Norse mythology, so players should expect familiar names like Odin, Freyja, Loki, and of course, Thor.
From the looks of the teaser trailer, it’s hard to believe that Project Odin is a mobile game. It looks more like a cross between 2018’s God Of War and the classic game Shadow Of The Colossus, especially since the teaser depicts a lone figure walking through a serene forest with a monster (that looks likes one of those trolls from 2018’s God Of War) appearing from the horizon and filling up the screen with its presence.
Lionheart Studio founder Kim Jae Young describes Project Odin as “ultra-realistic” and that it is slated to launch in South Korea sometime in 2020. At the time of writing, there has been no confirmation whether the game will releasing outside of South Korea.
In the meantime, check out the Project Odin teaser trailer below
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db9CVyDbY78&w=560&h=315]


Protip: Keeping Your Kids Away From Ninja’s Stream Will Make Them Better Gamers

Remember a time when people had to watch their kids and what they play? Now, you have to watch what they watch for free. It could lead them to be obnoxious aggressive bratty online gamers.Â A couple of days ago, pro streamer Ninja shared this insight on losing with many of us on Twitter.Â The phrase “it’s just a game” is such a weak mindset. You are ok with what happened, losing, imperfection of a craft. When you stop getting angry after losing, you’ve lost twice. There’s always something to learn, and always room for improvement, never settle.— Ninja (@Ninja) February 18, 2020Keep in mind that this is coming from someone who gets rich just streaming and shilling hard on Fortnite because he couldn’t stay on in esports. I do get why he said that, but he could have phrased it better and more eloquently, knowing full well that a TON of children and under-18 folks who watch him justify their tempers and rage whenever they lose in a game.Â The FlipsideEnter Twitter user Voidrantsback, who brought up an anecdote about her previously ill-tempered nephew who mellowed down after he was banned from watching Ninja stream Fortnite.Â My nephew played Fortnite. Whenever he lost, he would scream that the other player was a hacker, and refused to hear otherwise. I and his uncle are lifelong gamers. When we tried to explain that he needed to get better, he grew so angry with us that he began to hit us. When we tried to explain that he was 7 and didn’t necessarily have the physical response time as someone else, he would simply scream that we were calling him ‘bad’ and run away. When we tried to explain that he was playing on a Switch and Ninja on a keyboard and mouse so Ninja would have different response times, he would tell us we were ‘stupid idiots who didn’t know what we were talking about’. He would get so angry at the very idea that he lost that it was impossible for him to get better. He would throw his Switch. He would punch things. He would hit his brother. He was a child who had no nuanced understanding of his rage.When we found out that he watched Ninja, my partner and I IMMEDIATELY banned him from watching Ninja ever again. He threw a giant tantrum and hated us and refused to listen to us. He said Ninja was the ‘best gamer ever’. But once we banned Ninja, he calmed down. He was able to rationalise his losses. He watched YouTubers we recommended (because they were calm and taught people). And you know what? That’s when he got better at the game. Now when he loses Fortnite he sits down for a solid minute and thinks ‘Could I have won?’ and if the answer is ‘No’, he shrugs and goes back to playing. If the answer is ‘Yes’, then he will write down what he should have done so he can remember it.Our nephew’s emotional and mental health improved dramatically when we banned Ninja from his life.My nephew came from a domestic violence situation.He watched Ninja because Ninja's behaviour reflected the behaviour of his abusive father, which was normal for him.Think on that for a while.— Voidra, Eldritch Queen of your heart (@voidrantsback) February 19, 2020This thread on Resetera received a lot of positive feedback, with some members sharing their thoughts on their kids and nephews/nieces also adopting Ninja’s habits as perfectly acceptable human behaviour. Newsflash: it isn’t, if you’re talking about throwing temper tantrums and slurs at either your opponent if he trashes you, or at your teammates if they supposedly aren’t pulling their weight.To say that streamer influence on kids is powerful is putting it mildly.Â Power OverwhelmingWith TV and streaming, you have a lot more options to restrict your kids and/or young nephews/nieces so that they don’t end up watching something R-rated intentionally.With YouTube and Twitch however, most of these gaming livestreams appear innocuous until halfway through the gameplay where the streamer in question might break out and do something close to R-rated but within the guidelines of the platform they’re on. It’s essentially a Wild West wasteland that is still unfettered & chaotic up to this day.Â I’m not saying every streamer is as toxic and as negatively influential as Ninja, but it does take a bad apple or two to make the impressionable youth adopt such distasteful behaviour and turning it into the norm.To them, Ninja and other similar streamers are relatable everyday-looking folks dressed up like them to a point. They look up to these sweater-wearing hypebeast-imitating sponsor-shilling players like how 90s kids look up to grunge rock icons. Except with more obnoxious subtext to them.Â  Upstream To HellThe whole point here is that seeing young children absorbing hours of YouTube and Twitch, especially with parents who treat their smart devices as babysitter/nanny replacements, is genuinely frightening. Streamers like Ninja are influential in moulding today’s young generation to possibly turn into online pricks who hide in anonymity and be totally bad sports in online play. Role models where their goal is to just play damn well and entertain any way they see fit, even if it devolves to just being toxic in an online battle royale shooter.Â Heck, they might even take things to a violent and physical level if these streamers and influencers do not keep their antics in check. Parents still need to discipline their kids and limit their intake, but online platforms too need to set standards and guidelines; to make their user’s streams either be strict with age gates for content, or create tools for parents and guardians to curb streaming and free content-watching time.Because if this goes unchecked and runs rampant, we may eventually live inÂ  a world filled with male and female Ninja clones with unsportsmanlike behaviour in and out of the online space.That is more than enough for the most sensible of us to quit gaming forever.Â


Venture Into The Multiverse With These Loki & Sylvie Hot Toys

Loki Season 1 is over, but that doesn’t mean the adventure is done. Hot Toys has announced the 1/6th scale collectible figure of Loki and Sylvie from the Disney+ series.

Masterfully crafted based on the appearance of Tom Hiddleston as Loki wearing the TVA Suit outfit as seen in the series, the Loki 1/6th scale collectible figure features a newly developed head sculpt with an amazing likeness, an elaborate costume with screen authenticity, signature weapons and highly detailed accessories including a sword, a sword with fire effects, a pair of daggers, Miss minutes with different expressions, a computer, a tempad, a collar, a reset charge device with effect, a Time Door backdrop and a themed figure stand.
https://www.facebook.com/hottoys/posts/10158273581492344
Meanwhile, beautifully crafted based on the appearance of Sophia Di Martino as Sylvie in the series, the Sylvie 1/6th scale collectible figure features a newly developed head sculpt and blond hair sculpture with incredible likeness, an elaborate and intricate costume with screen authenticity, highly-detailed weapon and accessories including Sylvieâ€™s blade, prune stick with interchangeable ends, tempad, reset charge device and effect, Time Door backdrop and a themed figure stand.
https://www.facebook.com/hottoys/posts/10158273572447344
In the meantime, you can check out my breakdowns of all theÂ LokiÂ Season 1 episodes here;Â Episode 1,Â Episode 2,Â Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5Â and Episode 6.
Courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia, I was also lucky enough to be the only Malaysian media to participate in roundtable interviews withÂ LokiÂ Costume Designer Christine WadaÂ andÂ LokiÂ Production Designer Kasra Farahani.


What Sparked Crackdown’s Boom? A Look Back At Its Chaotic Past & Present

In 2007, one game was on the mind of every Xbox 360 owner:Â Halo 3.Â But while players were waiting to “finish the fight” they could try the game early by participating in a multiplayer beta for the game by purchasing another Microsoft Game Studios release; Crackdown.
While this might have felt like a cynical move to boost sales of a middling game, like when the first trailer forÂ The Phantom MenaceÂ played before films like Meet Joe Black, CrackdownÂ needed no such assistance.
Developed by Realtime Worlds, a company founded by David Jones, one of the creators of the original 2D top-down Grand Theft Auto, the studio’s open world debut felt like a retort to Rockstar‘s hugely successful series. Unlike the protagonists in the Grand Theft Auto seriesÂ where players were cast as a low level, if charming, thugs making their way in their local organised crime scene, the main character in Crackdown was a nameless, genetically modified super-human law enforcement “Agent”, tasked with cleaning up the mean streets of Pacific City.
Mean Streets

Rather than ape the (expensive) cut-scene heavy story-line of a GTA game, Crackdown presented players with a free-form mission structure, where they could take on any of one of the high ranking members of the gangs who controlled the city; the Los Muertos, The Volk and the Shai-gen (led by the “enigmatic Wang” according to the game’s intro). In what today feels like a basic version of the Nemesis system from Shadow of Mordor, taking out a gang leader’s lieutenants would reduce the number of enemies and reinforcements protecting the Gang boss.
With no real characters to interact with, the only company for the player was the charismatic voice of the Agency Director, voiced by Michael McConnohie in all three games,Â  who delivered mission briefings as well as comments about what the player was up to.
Along with the cel-shaded, cartoon look of the game and its instantly memorable theme music, McConnohie’s voice made the game stand out. This would all be for nothing if the game wasn’t fun to play but thankfully Jones and team had taken the GTA Open World sandbox template in a different direction too.
Just leaving the Agency’s stronghold “The Keep”, which acted as a hub for the city’s three main areas, would immediately result in the player coming under fire from the local gang. The only way to even the odds? Level up your Agent.
“Skills For Kills Agent… Skills For Kills”

While GTA: San AndreasÂ flirted with player stats for fitness and strength Crackdown’s core progression was built around it. As you drove, shot, exploded, and leapt your way around the city your Agent’s skills would increase, granting better versions of the Agency’s transforming vehicles, higher damage from guns and explosives, and adding additional height to jumps. Eventually, you could level up your strength to the point that you could even throw cars at enemies.
Until you got to that point you’d have to rely on guns and thankfully, while GTA Â was still sticking to its slightly wonky gunplay model Crackdown, like the later Saint’s Row series, took GTA’s notoriously fiddly shooting controls and improved upon them, adding a lock-on that actually worked as well as the ability to target specific limbs (or the head) by moving the right stick after lock-on.
Taking out lieutenants provided plenty of opportunities to upgrade your skill. Pacific City, while lacking some of the characters from settings such as Vice City or San Andreas, provide a custom built playground to hone your skills in. While getting around by car was possible and encouraged with the use of three Agency vehicles, the Supercar, SUV(?) and Truck(!?) it was far more fun to run and jump around.
You may not have been able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but if you could find enough ledges sills you could climb your way to the top of almost anything. This was another big differentiator from the rest of the open world games. While GTA had aircraft and the previous Spider-Man games had allowed you to explore a virtual New York, having to physically haul your Agent up the side of buildings made it feel like so much more of an achievement.
It helped that there would nearly always be a reward waiting for you at the top, and this was the element that put the “crack” in Crackdown; the orbs.
Roy ORBison

Dotted around the city were glowing agility and mystery orbs, the agility orbs usually placed in high, hard to reach places with the mystery orbs hidden inside or underneath some of the buildings.
You could tell an orb was nearby if you could hear the pleasing, pulsating hum they emitted. Once you heard that noise, you just had to find the find the orb, if only to trigger the gratifying “ping” they made once collected and your stats increased.

While the orbs seemed plentiful at the start of the game, as you got closer and closer to the maximum number of 500 they got harder and harder to find or to reach. Those that were visible seemed to taunt you; “If only you were good enough, you could get up here”.Â  Somehow, unlike many of the “collect-a-thons” available today, I’m looking at you Assassin’s Creed, this never became a chore. Probably because it was just so much fun getting around.
The movement and gunplay felt so good that it naturally led to the kind of player stories that fills Twitch and Youtube gaming channels today. In 2007 with nowhere to share without video capture equipment, the closest you could get was hurling cars at each other in Co-op or looking at the list of the game’s Xbox achievements for pointers from the devs on what might be fun to do.
That’s where one of the games most satisfying challenges was listed: “Make your way to the top of the Agency Tower”
Touching The Void

From the start of the game Agents left the Agency Tower by selecting their vehicle of choice and Â using the tunnels to travel to one of the three gang controlled islands of Pacific City but if they poked around they could easily get outside the base and into the tower’s island grounds and view the massive tower up close.
Summit attempts early in the game would meet gaps too large to leap or platforms that were just out of reach but after taking down a few more lieutenants or scouring the city for agility orbs more attempts could be made, the player getting higher and higher each time.
Loading my old completed Xbox 360 save in the backwards compatible version of Crackdown on the Xbox One (which is currently free) reminded me that Crackdown made me afraid of virtual heights. In real life, I have no problem with heights but as I started to scale the tower with my fully-levelled Agent, my palms began to sweat. As each new level of the tower was reached the sounds of the NPC chatter from below faded out, replaced only the sound of the wind whistling past.
Occasionally the Agency director would bark out ” I can see my house from here” or more worryingly” “Are you scared, Agent? It’s not that I was afraid of falling. My agent would quickly respawn in the tower with no ill effects. Â It was the dread of having to climb all the way back to where you were, of making a giant leap between towers again that caused the stress, but that’s what made the achievement all the sweeter.
With an ending that revealed the agency wasn’t quite as altruistic as it appeared, Crackdown was a critical and commercial success, but the intervening 12 years haven’t been kind to the series. While Assassin’s Creed, a series which also debuted in 2007 has produced at least eleven mainline games Crackdown has only managed only managed two sequels.
Living on theÂ Edge

Crackdown 2, which came out in 2010 was developed by Ruffian Games, a studio located not far from Realtime Worlds in Scotland and made up of ex-Realtime Worlds staff, as the developer of the first game had already moved on to development of their doomed, non-super powered cops and robbers MMO APB: All Points Bulletin. Anyone expecting a bigger, better expansion of the Crackdown universe was sorely disappointed as Crackdown 2 returned to Pacific City, with a few alterations to show the devastation inflicted by the new terrorist enemy Cell and their mutated zombie-like Freaks.
After loving the first game and finishing the story I could barely stomach the 30 minutes demo which replayed most of the same features but with seemingly worse controls andÂ  the introduction of the maddening “Renegade orbs”. These were agility and driving orbs that RAN AWAY WHEN YOU GOT CLOSE TO THEM!
Since then a third game was announced in 2014 with David Jones returning in 2015 to demo the in-game destruction that would apparently be possible using Microsoft’s Azure Cloud computing platform. Various trailers and demos were released with Jones and environmental destruction slowly being phased out in favour of Terry Crews’ Agent Jaxon.
“Good Work, Agent… “
So how does the new Crackdown stack up? Well, having played Crackdown 3’s campaign and multiplayer modes for multiple hours it certainly feels like a Crackdown sequel, if not quite the one you would expect in 2019. In many ways, it feels like a sequel we might have gotten in 2013.
The gameplay has been slightly updated with new weapons and vehicles, although so far the handling feels too light and unsatisfying. The Agency’s transforming vehicles are only unlocked after a few hours of play and they seem a lot more satisfying.Â  The Agency director returns once again with thankfully a new city, Terra Nova, to be freed from oppression.
He is joined by resistance leader Echo but unlike the previous games the almost constant, expletive-filled barks from both of them had me searching for a mute button. Numerous time Echo has shouted about some objective or another only for it to not appear or pass me by without any action required.
Cell Games

The game is colourful but has mostly lost the cell shaded look of the original, as well as that awesome menu music and at times I’ve felt overwhelmed by the mess on screen. The cel-shading and bullet trails of the original left no doubt as to where an attack was coming from. in Crackdown 3 I haven’t felt too challenged by the combat, more by locating the enemy who can be so far away that they are barely visible.
Also, future developers take note;Â  please don’t put red enemies next to red buildings. It’s not fun.
With all that said I will continue with Crackdown 3. It may not be the giant Agent-sized leap forward for the series that I would like to see, but the core exploration and destruction on offer is still fun.
Even after just a few days revisiting the first game, the demo for the second, and my playthrough ofÂ Crackdown 3, if I close my eyes, I can still hear the soothing hum of an agility orb. I loaded up my old CrackdownÂ save I realised that I’ve somehow not collected all the orbs from the first game.
Time to continueÂ cleaning up the city….


Impunity Esports Sends First-Ever Fighting Games Division To EVO Japan 2020

Singaporean professional esports team Impunity Esports, renowned for its top-tier Vainglory & mobile gaming team, will be dipping its toes into the fighting game division for the first time.
The group has recruited three high-level Singaporean players into the fold: Ashley “Asher” Seek, Shane “Oreoz” Goh, and Cleon “VGD” Wong. They will be representing the group for EVO Japan 2020, which takes place this weekend from 24th to 26th January.

Asher is known for his BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle plays and other anime fighting games, while Oreoz specializes in SoulCalibur VI and Samurai Shodown.

VGD is renowned for his high-level Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and Dragon Ball FighterZ play using unorthodox teams.

Both Oreoz and VGD will be participating in the following for this year’s EVO Japan:

Soul Calibur VI
Samurai Shodown
BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite

On a related note, the trio will be playing the two upcoming Arc System Works fighting games Granblue Fantasy Versus and Guilty Gear Strive for the upcoming Arc World Tour 2020 circuit.


Horizon Forbidden West Celebrates Launch With Statues & Papercraft

Guerrilla Games’ Horizon Forbidden WestÂ is out now for the PS4 and PS5. You can check outÂ my review here. or head on over here for my guide if you’re planning to play the game. We also found a God Of War easter egg in the game.
In conjunction with the launch of Horizon Forbidden West, PlayStation Asia has shared three activations for the game in the Asian region:

Life-sized Clawstrider Machine Statue: Located in 1st floor Atrium Square of Lotte World Mall in Seoul, South Korea, the life-sized statue was built meticulously with close collaboration with Guerrilla Studios and it showcases Clawstrider, a machine that is covered from head to tail in razor-sharp plates and equipped with vicious claws on both feet and forelimbs.
The statue will be displayed until 2 March 2022. Gamers with keen eyes may spot something that could be useful for our global PS5 Treat Code campaign and stand a chance to win a PS5: https://www.playstation.com/en-sg/treat-codes/.

Aloy Special Illustrations: We collaborated with prominent Asia-based illustrators: Lee InHyuk (South Korea), VOFAN (Taiwan), Little Thunder (Hong Kong), Ann Maulina (Indonesia) and Ravee of Titans (Thailand), who have drawn Aloy from Horizon Forbidden West.
The illustrators have created Desktop/Teleconference Wallpaper and Smartphone Wallpaper that will display Aloy in each illustratorâ€™s unique style. You can read more about each illustrator and download the illustrations here: https://www.playstation.com/en-sg/local/campaigns/horizon-forbidden-west-illustration-and-papercraft/#illustrator

Ann Maulina (Indonesia)
Ravee (Thailand)
Little Thunder (Hong Kong)
VOFAN (Taiwan)
InHyuk Lee (South Korea)

Horizon Forbidden West Machines Papercraft: We also created a special papercraft design of Horizon Forbidden West Machine: Clawstrider and Sunwing, which fans can create on their own by printing the paper design and following the guides here:Â https://www.playstation.com/en-sg/local/campaigns/horizon-forbidden-west-illustration-and-papercraft/#papercraft

Check out these awesome shots of the life-sized statue of the Clawstrider: